Lost You

Chapter 12 | Powerful Being

"A God or a Demon?" Zeref wondered. "What made you think that?"

Lucy shrugged. "I don't know, I had this... flash of memory? I don't know if it was him or anything, but I saw wings."

"Well in any certainty, if Monster is a Demon or a God you are in touble," Zeref said. "If he is a unique Demon - one I didn't create -  he is absolutely powerful."

"What if he were a God?" Lucy asked.

Zeref glanced at her. "I've never met a God before, apart from God Ankhseram who put the curse on me, and there are few Gods; it's almost impossible to meet one." Zeref shrugged. "I doubt he's a God."

"So he might be a demon," Natsu exclaimed. "Let's just beat the heck out of him and get some answers!"

"Didn't you just hear what I said?" Zeref asked exasperated.

"If we stay here and keep talking about how powerful he might be we won't ever be able to defeat him," Natsu said. "So I say we go find him, beat him up, tell him to give back Lucy's memories, then get some answers."

Zeref sighed, but a small smile gathered at the corner of his lips. "Well then... I guess I can leave now." He looked at Lucy than at Natsu. "Good luck."
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They were all back, sitting around the table. They were all wondering what exactly was Monster's plan; they knew that Lucy was a big part of it, but they didn't know anything else.

Everyone was grim, looking at the table, except for Natsu who kept staring at Lucy.

"How did he even get his hands on Neinhart?" Erza asked, crossing her arms over her chest. "He was in jail. I know that the Magic Council isn't like it was before, but still..."

"He must have changed how he looked," Rogue said. "Lucy told us he could shape-shift into people."

Lucy nodded. "We don't know if he needs to touch someone, look at them, think of them or anything so he's able to change, but he is able to shape-shift. He's at the same level as Gemini, although I do think he's stronger."

"How can you know that?" Sting asked. "The man he changed into wasn't a mage."

Lucy glanced at the blond. "I know, but he just gave off that feeling - that power. I'm sure it wouldn't matter how strong the other person is, he would be able to shift into them. He doesn't have any limit, unlike with Gemini and I."

"And we weren't even able to tell the difference and sense something different or even dangerous," Rogue added.

Sting agreed. "In all senses, he was like the old man that he shifted into. His personality, way of talking, walking - everything."

"He's a great actor," Lucy concluded.

"That means he could be among us without us even realizing it," Gray exclaimed. "I doubt he's with us now, but if we separate, he could easily take one of our places."

An uneasy feeling settled among the mages.

"At least we'd know that Lucy won't be the one he shifts into," Erza uttered. "She's the one he wants."

"He couldn't possibly know our memories," Gray exclaimed. "When we see each other, we could ask a question to the other that we only know about and no one else."

Erza nodded. "Or we can decide on some secret password." Erza glanced around. "We're all friends, but we don't spend much time with Sting and Rogue so we can't really know much about our daily lives and everything, and vice-versa."

"That's true," Gray muttered.

"And he must look at us from a distance to be able to act as us," Erza added.

"All right, so what will be the password?" Gray asked.

"What about "Having overwhelming strength is... pretty boring" ?" Natsu asked with a grin on his face.

Gray rolled his eyes. "That's stupid, you moron."

And just like that the two started to fight.
Erza sighed, annoyed.

"Stop it you two!" she yelled angrily and the two immdiately stopped.
"Aye!"

"What about this?" Lucy asked. " "The only thing we're allowed to do... is to believe that we won't regret the choice we made" ?"
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"Didn't I tell him," Monster muttered to himself as he leaned his head back. "But of course... he didn't listen."

The sky was a magnificent blue and there was no clouds in the sky.
Monster saw some brids flying away, he wished he could join them in their freedom, but he couldn't; not yet.

Not until he gets to what he wants.

"What about you?" He turned around to look at the group of mages. "Will you listen to me?"