These Blood-Soaked Pages (Fairy Tail) [Book 1 of Reaper's Scythe]

IX - Second Meeting

"Luce... Happy... Mira... what are you all doing here?"

Lucy's eyes widen as she takes a step forward. "Natsu? Is that really you?"

He throws back the hood on his cloak. It's him all right, but... why does he have horns?

"Of course, who else would I be?"

Happy flies right over to Natsu, crying. "I missed you so much!"

He pats the Exceed, smiling. "It's okay, I'm here now. Anyway, what are you guys doing here? I sent you a letter so you'd know I'm fine..."

Mirajane sighs. "It probably arrived after we left. But what's with the horns?"

Lucy looks between the two of them. "Before we catch up and everything, shouldn't we call off Erza, Gray, Wendy, and Juvia? They're probably still causing a ruckus by the front gates."

"Ooooh, so that's what was going on when I passed through that area." A burst of red light, and Natsu's appearance is back to normal. "Come on, I'll show you the way there."

The group runs off to the palace's front gates with Natsu leading the way. Lucy is really confused, but it's probably better if he explains things to everyone at once. She knows she doesn't like having to repeat herself.

Quite a few minutes and many flights of stairs later, they arrive by the gates. Erza, Gray, and Juvia are battling not only the guards who tried to arrest the ice wizard but reinforcements as well. Wendy and Charle are hiding in a tree.

"They realize 'cause a diversion' doesn't necessarily mean 'beat up the royal guard,' right?" Lucy mutters to Mirajane. She just laughs.

The three wizards push back some of the guards that they are fighting, but no more go to join the fight this time. Lucy is confused for a moment, but then she sees Natsu talking to one of the guards who looks like he's in charge. "But sir," the guard says, "that man resisted arrest, which is a serious crime!"

"Then just arrest him and not the others."

The guard gapes at him. "B-but-"

Natsu grins. "I know them, so I'll talk to them. It'll be fine!"

"I-if you insist, Your Highness."

Huh?

The guard commander shouts out an order and the guards locked in combat retreat. Although confused, the wizards make no attempt to go after them when Natsu walks out. Mirajane, Happy and I follow him. He waves to the five Fairy Tail wizards. "Hey, guys! Long time no see, huh?"

Charle carries Wendy down from the tree and the dragonslayer runs over and hugs him. "Natsu-san? It's really you! You're not hurt, are you?"

Natsu awkwardly pats her head. "I'm fine. I sent you guys a letter, but apparently it arrived after you left or something."

The other three walk over. "Everyone was really worried about you, flame-brain, but then you just walk out of the palace like it's no big deal? What's with that?" Gray crosses his arms.

"Hehehe... Before I explain that, you should probably meet my brother!"

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Erza angrily sips from a cup of tea, glaring at Natsu and Zeref. "So you two are brothers?"

The eight are all sitting in a parlor in the palace, where Natsu just revealed that Zeref is not only his brother but the emperor of Alvarez. Lucy and Gray's jaws are dropped to inhuman lengths. Erza is scowling, Wendy and Charle, Happy and Juvia look shocked in a physically possible way, and Mirajane doesn't seem fazed in the least.