Keeping Secrets

Sunny Disposition

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Chapter title taken from the song of the same name by Avenged Sevenfold

KEEPING SECRETS CHAPTER 16- SUNNY DISPOSITION

"I'm very impressed with what you've been able to teach Natsu in such a short amount of time, Invel."

"Thank you, Your Majesty, but your brother put in the majority of the work.  You should be congratulating him."

"Oh, I plan to.  You know, never in my wildest dreams did I imagine Natsu would join me here in Alvarez... and even more that he would be so well behaved.  I still remember how chaotic he was when he was little, and from my understanding, he's not been all that different since joining Fairy Tail."

"Based on our reports, as well as your descriptions of him, Natsu's good behavior has surprised me as well.  When I asked him about it, he acknowledged his destructive tendencies, but said he was trying to keep himself in check for your sake.  He talked about how bad he felt as a child when he destroyed a fort you had built in the woods, and how he tried to be more careful after that." 

"Huh.  I do remember that... I had no idea it affected him so much."  Zeref smiled, remembering his simpler days.  Soon... we'll have those days back soon, Natsu, and we'll do it right, this time.   Snapping out of his thoughts, "I don't think things could be any better if asked..."

As Invel opened his mouth to reply, both men were nearly knocked off their feet as the palace shook suddenly. The tremor ceased, and Zeref and Invel looked at each other in shock.  "What was that?"

"I don't know Your Majesty... Vistarion isn't near any fault lines... certainly we're not under attack?"

Zeref shook his head.  "Even if we were, this palace is built to withstand the worst of bombardments.  No, they would have had to do some significant damage for us to start actually feeling the tremors...that explosion came from inside the palace, and somewhere close."  Zeref's eyes widened as an unwanted thought came to mind.  "Did we just... jinx things?" 

"If I may, Your Majesty, that's a bit of a stretch. There's probably a perfectly logical explanation for what that wa-" 

As the two turned a corner, Invel cut himself off in shock as they looked in front of them, to find a decent sized part of the wall caved in, with Natsu, fists aflame, glaring angrily at the new opening.

"Natsu!  What did you do?!" Zeref shouted.

Natsu turned, and as he saw Zeref and Invel, his furious expression melted into shock.

"Whoops."
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Upon realizing what Natsu had done, Invel and Zeref panicked.  Invel stayed with Lord Ashford's unconscious form while they waited for the paramedics to arrive, while Zeref drug his brother to his office.  When he demanded an explanation, the black wizard buried his head in his hands when Natsu explained what had happened- and the conversation he and Ajeel had the other day. 

"This is awful." 

Natsu crossed his arms.  "I don't see what's so awful about it.  I tried to warn him.  Guy got what was coming to him."

Zeref sat up for a moment, running his hand across his face in exasperation.  "Natsu, do you remember the first meeting you attended with the Twelve, outside meeting them, and God Serena's, Ajeel's, and Larcade's challenges?"

"Nah, not really."

"Why am I not surprised?  We were talking about a lord who was upset about new trade laws going into effect."  Natsu stared at him blankly and Zeref sighed.  "And said lord is Lord Ashford's nephew- and governor of the province of Devereaux.  Things were already tense between us.  This might set him over the edge... and then we'll have a real crisis on our hands."