~*****~

Once again, I was in my own memories. Watching a delightful childhood of six little children fighting and playing together. Little Wendy wailing when Gajeel and Natsu would fight over the smallest thing. Sting and Rogue following Gajeel, Natsu, and I around like little sidekicks while we played little games. It was endearing to see. To remember such beautiful memories. Then I remembered why I'd began looking for the dragons again. A dream I'd had. A great fire dragon arguing with my mother over a little pink haired boy. And an ancient magic Everest was to teach me to counter something inside of Natsu.

My gaze was still bleary when I'd opened them, and the ceiling above me looked dark as hell. I could vaguely hear the others talking to one another. My gaze slowly turned to the side as I catch a whiff of Natsu. He looks as if he's in a deep sleep, but I can't feel any heat from him at all. I crawl over to Natsu's form besides me. Lucy cries out once she notices me, but I'm already tugging Natsu's head to the side, and sinking my teeth into his neck, digging deep to that object that's growing rapidly inside of Natsu. I could feel the heat building up around me as I force myself to exert as much heat as possible, trying to keep Natsu warm. I start ripping at my shirt, smooshing my bare skin against his to keep the warmth in. A blanket is thrown onto my back, just as I start digging my palms against his back and shoving my face harder into his neck. I'm grateful for it. And that's when I feel it. It's a seed, inside that's growing stronger and stronger. My teeth are aching as I remain latched onto Natsu. I want to pull them free and release myself from this torment. But the seed is trying to merge with a different seed, and if it does that, it'll be the end of Natsu's life. I force my magic between the two, growling deep in my chest as I continue to pump magic in, trying to separate the seed long enough to stunt it's growth again. It feels as if I'm trying to force myself into Natsu's body. I could feel his emotions, his pain, everything, even the smallest muscle contraction. If I could keep them apart long enough, Natsu might find the strength to pull through.

It felt like a century, trying to push them apart, but finally, finally, the presence of the seeds disappear completely. Both of them. My thoughts are drawn back to the present little by little as I feel a hand rubbing at the back of my neck, it's warm and inviting. It's familiar. My eyes are still bleary when I reopen them, taking in the little faces of Happy and Ballad all teary eyed and smiling happily at me. I taste the tang of blood on my tongue and I careful extract my teeth from Natsu's neck, my jaw feels as if it's creaking from being open so long.

"Not that I'm complaining, but any reason why you're naked?" Natsu's voice rings out. My gaze snaps up and I ignore the chill on my chest before leaping forward, hugging him tightly.

"You were as cold as the grave; it was all she could do to keep you warm." Porlyusica's voice rang out.

"Granny?" Natsu hummed in confusion.

"You should be thanking her, not being a distasteful pervert." Porlyusica scolded.

"We helped, too!" Happy and Ballad cheer.

"I kept your toes warm with my fur!" Ballad chirped.

"And I petted you!" Happy cheered tearfully.

"Aw, thanks!" Natsu laughs.

"Aye-aye, sir!" Happy and Ballad cry.

"I didn't bring an extra shirt," I comment dry as I refuse to peel myself from Natsu's chest.

"You won't hear me complaining!" Natsu commented.

Porlyusica scoffed irritably. "How are you feeling, Natsu?" She asked.

"I'm feelin' awesome! All fired up!" Natsu beamed.

"That's all well and good, Natsu," I hum as I pull away with the blanket shoved up onto my torso. "But we both know what'll happen if you face Zeref again."

"I know that, but a bunch of stuff went around in my head, and now I made up my mind that I'm human after all!" Natsu beamed. "Boom! Problem solved!"

I sigh out and palm at my head. "You're the biggest ding-dong in the country, I hope you know that. Anyway, where's the others?" I ask as I turn my head up to Porlyusica. "I don't really remember much after getting stabbed in the gut."

"Gray's probably still asleep in the next room," Happy mentions.

"Erza's out fighting somewhere," Ballad added.

We all flinch in surprise as a bright light fills the room. "Hang on, we've seen this light before!" Happy chirps. It's a familiar magic, and one I recognized from our encounter with August.

I give a toothy grin as I lift my head. "Erza knocked the shit out of Irene." I comment proudly. "This is the same magic that distorted Ishgar, and it's reversing." The bright light continues to grow and grow until I'm welcomed by a familiar smell. It's still bearing the scent of our last moments together, but the smell of home is back. "We're back home," I comment in awe.

"Hell yeah we are!" Natsu retorts. "This is where things usually start. All we gotta do is walk down the street... And head to Fairy Tail!" Natsu declares as his fists light up in a blaze. My lips spread into a savage grin, and I nod in response.

"Aye sir!" Happy cheers.

~*****~

"D'you think the others are okay?" Ballad wondered as we stepped out of the house. I peered at the other buildings down the road. I was never so grateful I'd picked a place on the outskirts of town, yet so close to Fairy Tail.

"They'll be fine," I wave my hand at her. "First things first, I kinda need first aid for this bleeding hole in my stomach." I comment dryly as I pull open my cloak, revealing my still wounded body.

"What the hell, why didn't you mention that before?" Natsu complained.

I give a shrug. "Didn't feel it."

"Don't worry about it," Brandish's voice rang out. Our gazes snap over. I feel my wound shrink quickly and I peer down at it, curious.

"Seriously, you're just as insane as ever," Lucy comments dryly.

"Whoa, you guys are here, too?" I ask happily. I peer down at the little blonde person in Brandish's hand. "Who the hell is that?" I ask. Natsu leans over, peering at her curiously.

Natsu stood up and shrugged. "Musta did something, she reeks of fear," Natsu comments. "Sorry 'bout that!" He apologizes.

"Get away from me, you monster!" The blonde woman shouts.

"Can you really blame me? I thought you killed Aria and Lucy." Natsu hums.

"Please save me, Randi!" The blonde woman cries.

Brandish sighs and walks off. "Well, we should be off."

"Where are you going?" Lucy asks.

"It's not like I'm gonna go back to fighting against you, so don't worry." Brandish hummed. "But I'm not gonna join you guys, either."

"I get it," Lucy smiles. "Maybe we can meet again."

Brandish stops for a moment before snorting. "Sounds like a pain."

"Hey! Guys!" Evergreen's voice rings out.

"Whoa! It's you!" Natsu exclaims with a gasp.

"Nice to see you guys!" I chirp.

"Yeah, we were worried!" Lucy cheers.

"Carla!" Happy chirps.

"We looked everywhere, but Gray's nowhere to be found!" Carla exclaims urgently. "It's like he just vanished."

"Honestly, he shouldn't even be moving around in his condition- it's suicidal!" Porlyusica snapped.

"He woke up right before we saw that weird light." Evergreen added.

"Seriously?!" Lucy gasps.

"I can guess where he's at," I comment dryly. I don't get to continue, due to a strong magical presence suddenly enveloping the entirety of Magnolia.

"Wh-What's the sound?" Ballad whimpered as the three cats huddled together.

"Look there!" Carla cried.

Our gazes snapped up to Kardia cathedral, staring up at the man atop the building. "It's August," I murmur. The intensity of magic built higher and higher.

"Here me, children of Alvarez, proud members of the twelve, the time has come to offer unto his majesty your spirits, your flesh!" August's voice boomed. "I am a child of his Majesty. And thus, I shall cleanse the enemy with your very souls."

My gaze snaps even higher to Gildarts suddenly flying down from the sky. The cathedral is destroyed upon impact. "Damn, that's gotta be one sick battle."

Natsu snorted. "Yeah, no doubt. But we've got bigger plans. Let's go. We gotta get to Zeref!" Natsu exclaims with a firm pat to my shoulder.

"Aye," I chirp eagerly.

"Shouldn't we help them look for Gray?" Lucy asks nervously.

"Nah, it's like Aria said, we can pretty much guess where he's at," Natsu hums. The two of us stride forward. "I get the feeling... Gray's with Zeref now."

"Yeah, there's no doubt about that," I retort calmly. "But I trust Gray's ability to hold out until we get there."

~*****~

Natsu charges ahead, leaving the rest of us in the dust. The building ahead explodes with steam, and I can just tell Natsu's stopped Gray from doing something stupid. "Are you crazy?!" Natsu snaps as we rush towards the door. "Or did you forget what happened? On that island, we stopped you then, too. I'll never let you use that spell!" Natsu growls out. Gray is pinned underneath him, the remnants of a powerful spell still lingering the air.

"I know, but... I lost control-" Gray commented irritably. "I let my emotions run wild. And then, I actually tried to kill you, Natsu. Our fight nearly obliterated Aria, for god's sake!" Gray exclaimed angrily as he sat up. "This guild doesn't need someone like me! That's why!"

"I'm not any different from you!" Natsu roars.

"Natsu..." I murmur softly as he starts to shake.

"I gotta know..." Natsu whimpers before lifting his head. "You and me... are friends, right?" He asks through tears. "So you can't die! Don't even think about it, okay? I can't lose you! You understand?"

Gray tilts his head away. "Yeah, but... Natsu, if we kill Zeref, then..."

"You'll die," Zeref suddenly speaks up.  "Win or lose, death will be your prize. How cruel fate can be."

Natsu stands up, a sudden burst of emotion billowing from his body. Everything and anything is pure, it's completely golden, his resolute is firm. "I ain't dyin'!" His body alights with fire, warming the room with a burning passion that is his own determination. "You think that's my fate? Well, screw that! I'm gonna burn it to ashes!"

Happy sniffles gingerly. "Yeah, I believe in you, Natsu. You're gonna find a way."

I stare at Natsu, brows furrowed in worry. He had to find a way out of this stupid situation. If anyone could, it would be him. "You're going to burn fate?" Zeref scoffed. "Obviously, you don't understand how the world truly works." With a strange flair, Zeref discards his cloak. "As for me, I accepted my cursed lot in life several hundred years ago. Do you know why? Because I simply had no choice in the matter. After all, that is the very essence of fate." Zeref states. Steam continues to build in the room as the two stared one another down, the spark of energy between the two was potent. It nearly choked me.

Then, Natsu charged, starting things off quickly. The wave of power exuding from the two was near impossible. Back and forth, they trashed the guild hall with severely powerful blows. Ballad gave a frightened whine as Natsu is blown into a pile of rubble. It's nothing to him either way. He gets up with a grunt, rubbing at his head. "That hurt," He grunted irritably.

"This is exactly what I'd predicted would happen. The power Igneel granted you is gone. And now, you have no chance of defeating me." Zeref hummed. A memory slings into the forefront of my mind. The memory of Happy, Ballad, and I snatching Natsu away from Zeref during that last battle. I swallow roughly and palm at Happy's head as he grasps onto my hair, his little paws shaking. 

"That's okay. I've still got my power," Natsu retorted calmly.

I give a sharp gasp as I tilt my head towards the door. "He's here," I gasp.

"Who?" Natsu asked softly.

"Acnologia," I murmur softly. Lucy gave a shocked whimper, grasping into my cloak tightly.

Zeref sighs. "Irene managed to buy me quite a bit of time, but I believe that it's finally run out." It was as if my scales were fighting to push forward, like automatic armor. Predatory, rage, the lust for blood. I remembered that awful feeling. But now, it was deeper, more deeply rooted within it's being. "Natsu. I'm afraid this also means that our playtime is over. This is the last chance I'll ever have to fulfill my goal. For humanity's future, you need to die." It's a split second before the fight starts again, harder than ever.

"Aria, Gray, Lucy, Happy, Ballad-" Mavis' voice rings out in my head. I wince and cup my ear. "Are you at the guild hall?

"You hear that?" Lucy gasped.

"It's the first master!" Happy and Ballad chirp.

"You need to leave this instant!" Mavis orders.

"What?" Gray asked.

"Hell no!" I bark.

"I'm approaching the guild hall myself. I need you all to meet me nearby." Mavis explains.

"But Natsu-" I gasp, slinging my eyes back onto the fight.

"We can't just leave him." Happy stated.

"Have faith," Mavis urged. "In Natsu, and in me as well, please." I hesitate, staring at the fight as a sweat forms on my brow. "Hurry! This is for Natsu's sake. His fate is in your hands!"

"What the hell does that mean?!" I snap.

"I promise I'll explain everything in person," Mavis pleads. "There's a chance the enemy is listening in on my telepathy."

I wince at the thought of leaving him. It scares me to no end. To love someone so deeply that the thought of leaving causes physical pain. "His fate's in our hands?" Lucy murmured.

"Miss," Ballad murmured, patting at my arm with a soft hum.

I suck in a breath and turn my head away from the fight, eyes squinted shut. "Let's go." I grit out. "If we stay here, we'll be in his way."

"Aye!" Happy chirped.

I give one last glance to the fight, brows furrowed deeply. "Natsu..." I murmur to myself. "Come back to me alive. Then we'll talk out our issues." I turn my back on the fight and run out of the building after the others.