Beta read by Shigiya and Darklord331
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-Fairy Tail Guild-
"Hah… peace at last."
This was a strange feeling for the old master of the Fairy Tail. Makarov had somewhat grown used to the hectic daily life within the guild, and now that the main group of troublemakers was gone on a quest, everything had turned eerily quiet.
"Here I am stressing myself over nothing when I should be taking advantage of this and relaxing for goodness' sake!" he muttered, holding a full pint of beer in his hand with a wonderful bartender to keep him company. This should have been the perfect moment for relaxation, a period where the only thing he needed to worry about was how to tease the beautiful bartender before getting scolded.
"The Magic Council isn't coming after my ass, and the guild's coffers have been growing lately. I could start that guild renovation project I've been saving up for a while — summer is close and a large pool will satisfy many during a blistering heat wave. And all of those pretty girls in bikinis hehehehehe!"
The image his mind conjured of the more… gifted members of the guild playing around in bikinis soothed the old man's soul. Even those without curvaceous figures had their charm, and he couldn't wait to see the new girl in a swimsuit. She had the potential to rival both Mirajane and Erza with that buxom body and massive boobs!
He truly was a genius coming up with this plan!
Bam!
Yet despite that heavenly scene, his head struck the table with an ominous feeling creeping at the back of his thoughts.
Despite all of these points, the old man felt quite uneasy at the moment. "Something bad is about to happen… I just know it. I bet those kids will destroy a historic forest or something worse! Those rotten eggs in the council will come crying about Fairy Tail repaying damages and compensating the local guilds and then stealing all of my Jewels like bandits!"
This had to be it—there was no other way to explain the dreadful sensation growing in his heart.
"Come on now, Master. You shouldn't make such comments so easily. Have some faith in Erza and the others. She's more than capable of making sure everyone stays safe," the beautiful bartender said reassuringly, her previous waterfall-white hair now tied into a ponytail which made some heads turn the entire day at the new look.
"That's not what I'm afraid of, Mirajane! You know exactly what I'm worried about! Those fools will eventually destroy an important landmark or a precious artifact, and we'll have to foot the bill again! I haven't recovered from paying back the price for that mountain incident! How the hell does the restoration of a random mountain in the middle of nowhere cost so much!? Who is deciding these prices!? I'm being scammed, I tell you!"
"Fufufufu! Is that all you're concerned about? Weren't you talking about thinking about building a pool a few minutes ago?"
"..."
Damn him and his blabbering drunken self!
"But don't worry Master. If I remember correctly, the area they sent to doesn't have any large monuments or cities around. It's mostly forest—non-historic and empty forests," she said, placing another jug of beer in front of the old man. "So you shouldn't stress yourself. It's not like they're uncontrollable maniacs who destroy everything in their paths."
"Speak for yourself!" the short man exclaimed, squinting at the white-haired girl with a glare. "Don't think I forgot how you and Erza once destroyed an entire underground tunnel system when trying to catch that dark wizard, which ended up causing the village to collapse into the tunnel!"
At his words, a faint blush adorning her face at that embarrassing moment of her life. "That's not fair, Master," she protested half-heartedly, unable to deny his accusation. But she added in a small whisper, "And it was just an accident. No one got hurt."
"They most likely would have if you two girls had kept fighting over the most trivial things back then," Makarov retorted, showing an amused smile at her reaction. "I much prefer dealing with Natsu and Gray's little quibbles. Hehehehe, I should share with the new kids the story of that one time you two ended up in the sewers because of—Gurk!"
Before he realised it, a sharp blade struck the narrow space between his thumb and index finger. Close enough that he could feel the cold sensation from the steel without it having left any cuts.
Mirajane's face remained as radiant as ever, though those cold eyes stared down at him like a true demon, making his blood turn cold. "Oh my~ Why are you thinking about spreading nonsensical stories to our dear new guild members? It seems you've gotten a bit too… drunk. Maybe a day-long nap will do you some good. Would you want some help with that?"
A frying pan never looked that deadly before. Then again, it was in the hands of the girl whose ferocity still gave someone like Natsu nightmares according to Happy."
"A-A-you misheard me, M-Mira-chan! Hahaha, I w-was just joking with you. S-so let's forget about this… this old man's skull might genuinely break."
"I can have Porlyusica check up on you."
He shuddered the way she said it so confidently and without even missing a beat. The girl had already planned everything…
"Mercy… I'll use the funds to make a bigger kitchen as well!" He begged, that seemingly being enough to appease the demoness who reverted back to her innocent self. This sensation of relief lasted a few seconds before a bit of mischief started to rear its ugly head in Makarov's mind. "Phew… tch, you only want me to stay silent so that Broly doesn't learn about your past. Lucky kid."
Fortunately, Mirajane was far away enough to not listen, serving several pints to other members of the guild before returning to her post beside him. By her expression, she was still miffed about the prior topic.
"Okay, let's not talk about me. I still think you're overthinking this entire matter with Erza and the group. Try to believe more in us like you always did," she said with a soft smile. "After all, it wouldn't be Fairy Tail without some accidents here and there."
Well, she had a point.
"Believe, huh? Alright, I'll do that. You brats, no matter how destructive you are, are still my children, and it's my duty to make sure none of you do something stupid and end up in jail," Makarov grumbled, taking another swig of his drink. "It's because of you all that I lost most of my hair."
"You're just old."
"Urk!" That hurt his poor little heart.
Mirajane chuckled at his words before returning to her duties, leaving him alone with his thoughts. So, with nothing but his thoughts to accompany him, he started to ponder on the particular new member with a strange past.
'Broly huh… He's quite powerful. Even I couldn't dig up any history on the man, other than the fact he showed up during the time Erza was still in the Tower of Heaven.' He crash-landed there somehow and, on his own will, decided to work there for the upcoming years. According to Erza and the letter Rob left behind, he had the means and strength to escape but never did. 'I don't know why someone would want to live under those conditions willingly when they have the power to break free, but everyone has their reason I suppose. He was running away from something of his past most likely.' Makarov mused, taking another sip.
As he continued to drink, he suddenly felt the floor beneath his feet start to shake.
"Is he here!?" One of the mages shouted in the back, making everyone momentarily shocked but then soon calm down when they realized.
"Shut it will ya!? The alarm hasn't sounded yet, so it's just a regular earthquake."
At that, everyone sighed with disappointment.
Truthfully, even he himself thought that their ace had returned for a moment. After all, he received a letter not that long ago, the latter making his return apparently. Whether or not he succeeded in his quest remained unknown.
"Hm? It's getting worse." Makarov muttered, frowning. It was strange to feel an earthquake in Magnolia of all places, especially one like this that kept getting more intense after an entire minute had passed. "If this was an attack then the others would have noticed. Jose won't be foolish enough to start a war, but then again, Erza and Broly aren't here so he might… no, even for him this is too much. Maybe I'm overthinking this."
Fortunately, the guild itself was more than capable of handling it. Putting the thought aside, the old man continued to drink during one of his rare moments of alone time. That is until he heard multiple sets of footsteps rushing toward him.
Looking around, he was shocked to see his children's pale frightened expressions, a face they rarely showed unless something seriously bad was happening. "What are you brats shaking for?"
"M-Master! You should come outside and see this for yourself!" one of them exclaimed urgently.
"The m-moon!'
"The Moon?"
Seeing their expressions, a sense of unease crept over him. Fearing that something bad had happened, he immediately stood from his chair and followed the crowd outside. Seeing more and more people gathered outside, mages, civilians, and even animals all staring in one direction with the same reaction from all of them.
"Did that Jose truly lose his mind—urgh!?" Whatever he was about to say afterward was caught in the middle of his throat.
At that moment, he truly wished that this commotion was because of a rival guild waging war. That would have been a much better outcome than the current sight presented before his shaking eyes.
"Th-This can't be real…" Many had the same reaction around him, panic ensuing amongst the civilians all clamoring how the end of the world was near.
Makarov's heart skipped a beat.
His surroundings had turned unnaturally dark given there was some light outside not that long ago, disbelief washed over his face, followed by a chilling blankness.
"It can't be…" he murmured, his voice barely audible.
Next to him, Mirajane had a similar reaction, along with the other guild members, all of them staring upward while swallowing hard.
"What happened to the moon!?" she whispered, her voice filled with shock.
The once bright and magnificent celestial body, which hung proudly in the sky, illuminating the world below, was now a picture of destruction. In place of the full moon, there now was only a crescent-shaped moon, with most of its body shattered. Dozens of massive chunks, larger than entire kingdoms, floated around the once whole moon.
"I must be having a nightmare. This is a nightmare. This is a nightmare. This is a nightmare."
"Mommy, what happened to the moon?"
"Holy… did someone use some kind of illusion magic as a prank?"
The entire image was haunting, a sign that something catastrophic had occurred.
Makarov stood frozen, his mind racing, only one thought repeating over and over again. Maybe due to the stress or incredulity of the entire situation, but this little part kept popping back again and again.
"Y-You don't think… that B-Broly and the others are responsible for this, do you?" His voice shook as he voiced his fear, both legs and knees barely able to keep him standing.
Immediately, he was smacked on the back of the head by Mirajane, who shot him a disapproving glare. "That's absurd, Master! Broly wouldn't destroy the moon, and it's not even possible. It was probably just a meteor passing by. Right now, we need to focus on keeping everyone safe and making sure their homes aren't hit by any falling debris!"
He really hoped she was right. As much as he wanted to believe her, the pit of dread in his stomach wouldn't ease. He silently prayed to every god and higher being willing to listen, his anxiety mounting. The more he thought about it, the lighter his pockets felt.
"If this is their fault, you're right… YOU'RE RIGHT! Hahaha! I'm just drunk and letting my paranoia take over!" he repeated, consoling himself. "Hehehe, if that were the case, I wonder how much it would cost to repair the moon? Billions? Trillions? Hahaha! How the hell do you even repair something like that? You can't!"
No matter how low he tried to imagine the cost, Makarov couldn't stop the tears of joy from streaming down his face realizing that there was no way this could be their fault. The burden of potential debt that would have overwhelmed him as the shattered moon loomed ominously overhead was just nothing but a grim imagination of his going wild.
"Still… what could have caused such a level of destruction?" He shuddered at the thought of that. Even the great dragons said to possess powers beyond anything seen in modern times wouldn't be able to do such a thing.
Probably.
In the end, all he could do was shake his head and wait for the Council to summon every Wizard Saint to discuss this matter eventually. Those fools wouldn't ignore such an event, he even felt happy imagining the terrified look they must have on their faces.
"This world still holds many mysteries beyond our understanding. Whoever or whatever did this, I hope we never cross paths and continue to let this period of peace continue to prevail."
He whispered those words almost like a prayer, the credence of the existence of powerful gods to walk these very lands growing by the second. He wasn't sure of their existence in the end, having never asked for an answer even when Precht was the Guild Master. This could even be the action of something that wasn't living — he just couldn't tell nor was he willing to dwell much on this matter for now.
"Mira, have everyone who is available go around town and help the people calm down. We don't want there to be chaos now, so just reassure them that Fairy Tail will be handling this matter."
"Yes," wasting no time, the young girl accompanied by a dozen of her guildmates left with her. Many of them were still shaken, but they had a job to do, they could freak out afterward when everything calmed down.
Watching them leave, Makarov sighed and sat on the ground, feeling a headache coming until someone placed a full pint of beer next to him.
"You look like you've aged a decade."
"Thanks for the beer, Cana."
The brunette shrugged, the old man not pointing out how she wasn't doing a good job hiding her trembling limbs.
"Now I really want those kids to come back home soon, it's not safe outside."
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-Magnolia Station-
(A few days later)
A fair chunk of time passed since the "Oración Seis" quest followed by their eventual demise by factors no one could have predicted.
One of the three major dark guilds in the Balam Alliance, fell before anyone could even reach them. In a way, it was a surreal experience that no one knew how to process and in a way… felt anticlimactic even.
Then again, they had to deal with something far more dangerous in the end.
As far as the public knew, the dark guild had been completely dismantled, and most of its members were now behind bars, thanks to the Rune Knights and the wizards subduing them through a joint effort. As for the damages done to the surroundings and the moon in question, all of it was attributed to the Nirvana's might.
Though Erza knew fully well what really happened. The Magic Council most definitely knew that the Nirvana in question held no power whatsoever to cause so much damage.
As for the other participants from the different Guilds, they all returned as there was little reason for anyone to stay behind, and they all just returned the very next day. The first ones to leave were "Blue Pegasus," followed by "Lamia Scale," and finally, "Phantom Lord." Surprisingly enough, none of the guild members ever mentioned what happened with Broly and the Rune Knights; all of them kept their mouths shut and just bid them farewell. But before she and her guildmates left, one person joined them as well.
"Wendy! He's about to vomit again! Get a hold of yourself, flames for brains!"
"Yes, I'll help him right now!"
"Charla, do you want some fish?"
"Get that slimy garbage out of my face you fool! I told you to not disturb me! And I don't like fish!"
"You hate fish!? Impossible!"
Indeed, the youngest dragon slayer ended up tagging along with them. Wendy Marvell and her companion Sharla, who were both members of the Cait Shelter Guild, had now no home to go back to.
"I feel bad for the kid," Erza heard Lucy next to her mention that with a complicated expression.
"...I know what you mean, I do so as well."
First, the group believed that the little child's guild had ended up being destroyed somehow because of the Nirvana and Broly's rampage. But, much to their shock, according to Wendy herself, she was told to leave and explore the world by the Master, as the ones she believed were her family were actually all just an illusion caused by the remnants of an old Nirvit. "It's going to be fine; she was offered a place with Blue Pegasus, Lamia Scale, and even Phantom Lord surprisingly enough, so if she ever changes her mind, then we will do our best to help her."
Regardless of all those offers, Wendy decided to follow them.
"But I don't understand; why did she choose us? You would think that after everything that happened, she would be a bit… you know… afraid."
Lucy had a point.
"Wary," that was a good way to put it.
If not completely frightened, the fact that this mission ended up in the destruction of the moon should have frightened anyone; yet Wendy still chose to temporarily stay with them. She did not expressly mention that she wanted to join the guild, but just to have a look around and decide to make her decision afterward.
A simple request that everyone agreed to swiftly, and they took her along without a second thought. "About what happened back then, what do you think the Magic Council will do with…"
"I don't know, we can't say for certain. Jura and the other guilds have all unanimously decided to stay silent. Even the people from Phantom Lord did not add anything else. So for now, the council shouldn't be aware of the details yet, it's all up to him."
Lucy hummed in agreement, still looking outside the window with a worried face, so Erza continued.
"The only thing the Magic Council should know is that our group tried to reach the main base of the Oración Seis as they were in the middle of activating the walking city and stopping them, but one of us ended up being caught in a trap which then spiraled out of control. One of the enemy mages, excelling in mind control and illusion magic, pitted everyone against one another, giving them enough time to charge the city. It was only at the last moment that we managed to regain our consciousness and alter the course of the beam attack, which ended up shooting toward the moon and destroying it."
That was the gist of it, there were parts that needed to be clarified but nothing major.
The overwhelming amount of magical energy gathered within the artifact was too much for an ancient weapon like that to sustain after so many years had passed, which ended up degrading its overall hull and causing it to be destroyed in the process.
"The story sounds believable enough, even in olden times there have never been weapons capable of such power as far as I remember. So I hope they will be greedy enough to go hunt for what remains of Nirvana rather than pester Broly with more unnecessary questions." Erza added, a sentiment which Lucy agreed with. "I hope he knows what he's doing."
"It was his choice and he did say he'd come back didn't he?"
"Yes, that he did."
Though Erza didn't say it, there was another matter that had been occupying her mind more than anything else. 'That woman, who is she exactly? She didn't react weirdly or shocked when we met, so she most likely recognized me, maybe. I don't remember someone like this appearing before in my life and she's quite young looking as well. Could she be… no, that can't be possible.' She appeared out of nowhere and used her magic to influence Broly into a berserk state before getting defeated by him.
What her purpose even was or who she was all remained unanswered.
"Do you think he's safe?" Lucy finally asked. Even though she tried to put on a smile, everyone else could tell that the mood was somewhat down within the train carriage. Even Natsu and Gray were silent before they got on, the former not even making much of a fuss initially until his motion sickness took over.
"It was his decision; we must trust him and have some faith." Regardless, it was a shocker when the Saiyan mentioned on his own that he would take responsibility for what happened and turn himself in to face the wrath of the council while letting them go back.
At that moment, Erza's anger nearly reached the roof when she realized that he was once again trying to selfishly put himself in danger while trying to shield them, but her reaction was met with a chuckle and a hand going through her hair. "Don't worry; I have no plans on leaving the guild anytime soon. I'll be back whether they try to stop me or not. That's a promise. I also want to apologize properly to everyone who was worried about me and make up for my mistakes."
The way he spoke, the way he acted at that moment, was so different from how he had behaved right before they reached the place. The redheaded woman remembered Broly seemed tranquil, almost as if a burden had been lifted off his shoulders, and his smile looked far more genuine than anything in the past. She had asked what happened, and with an embarrassed smile and while scratching his face, he mentioned something very odd.
"Who the hell hugged him?"
"Did you say something, Erza?"
"Nothing, just thinking," she whispered calmly, going over the entire incident and what she could remember. 'He was in a raging state; no one could approach him, let alone hug him to make him calm down like that. Who was it? Was it Lucy?'
That couldn't be it; why would hugging Lucy in the first place beat the effect of the Nirvana? Looking at the blonde-haired girl next to her, she had to admit her looks were quite beautiful, and hugging someone like her would make many people happy. But not to that extent, at least. Erza for a brief moment stated at her own chest just to compare, only to remember a hardened-breasted armor completely covered her front. Let alone being uncomfortable for any kind of intimate actions, it served more as a make-shift battering ram.
Maybe she could try and ditch the armor more often outside of quests.
"W-Why are you looking at me like that, Erza? I'm getting scared." Noticing her gaze, the young blonde-haired girl leaned away while suppressing a shiver, a chill running up her spine.
"How close are you to Broly?" That question came out of nowhere and shook her at first.
"What do you mean? I don't believe my words are confusing; I'm asking how close you are with Broly when it comes to your relationship. Are you more than acquaintances and friends?"
"Um, I mean, we are close, and he's been with me ever since I was a young child; that much I can say. He's been right beside me whenever I needed him, and even when I confronted my dad before running away from home, he's always been there and helped me." The more she spoke, the more confident the woman became. After all, it was not a lie, and everything she mentioned was the truth about him. He was more than just a friend, a teacher, a partner, and so on. "I guess you can think of us as being very close. Childhood friends? That's how my personal maid described it, but I'm not sure."
Seeing the blush appear on Lucy's face, Erza's eyes narrowed as she continued to gaze at the trembling woman next to her, whose confidence started to break down under the continuous exposure to those scary eyes. "So why are you asking me that question?"
"No reason; I'm just glad he has someone like you next to him." From the earliest moments in her life, when they were suffering in the Tower of Heaven, living day by day through countless hardships and just trying to survive, he had been there. She was arguably the first to have met the guy out of everyone and the first to manage to breach through his cold exterior at first and become his first friend.
How could she not? He was no different from a light at the end of the tunnel, bringing them hope back then, a sense of warmth and relief that assured them that as long as he was there, everything would turn out fine.
Yet, seeing that, regardless of the connection they shared, there was a chance that Lucy managed to accomplish something that even she couldn't and it made the redhead feel strange. 'When was the last time I felt like this? Oh right, when I was with Mira before she changed. No, this is different, I don't want to punch Lucy in the face. I can't put into words what this feels like, but either way, I don't like it. Maybe I'm just tired.'
Had she been braver or bolder, and rather than defend herself just gone in to wrap her arms around him back then, would he have calmed down as well? Maybe not, she wouldn't have thought about removing the armor, so the sensation wouldn't have been the same.
These scenarios kept replaying in her mind again and again with no clear answer. It frustrated her for some reason she could not explain. "Anyways, let's just go back to the guild and explain the situation to the Master."
"Oh right, are we seriously going to tell him about the moon thing? He won't believe us."
"We must!" Erza insisted. "There is no point in hiding such information. If this were someone else then that is a completely different story. He is still our Master and it is our duty to tell him everything."
{Break}
-Magic Council Holding Facility-
The doors closed behind him with the sound of a key locking.
"You're back here again."
Finding himself back in one of the cells beneath the Council, Broly couldn't help but chuckle when he heard one of the Rune Knights mutters under that silver helmet where only a pair of eyes were visible. Unlike last time, he wasn't in any chains or restraints. This place, located deeper underground, possessed the ability to restrict any trace of Ethernano, thus trapping all mages who found themselves locked up.
Not that it had any effect on him; his Ki remained undisturbed.
"Hm," hummed the Saiyan at the guard's words, showing a small smile and greeting by nodding. "You were the one who put the chains on me back then."
"Ah, so you remember. You're a big dude; we had to search the dusty storage to find anything suiting you. Not that it helped; that Titania got you out of here before I even finished my shift." This person, of whom he did not know the name, spoke with a relaxed smile. "Will this become a frequent thing?"
"Maybe."
"Heard last time you destroyed a mountain. What the hell happened this time? You Fairy Tail mages burned down an entire forest or something?"
"The moon." He answered without bothering to hide it; after all, he had no plans of shying away from the consequences after all the pain he put everyone through.
"Pft-hahahaha! The moon? Yeah right, you're a funny man! I like you. Normally, the prisoners here are all bloodthirsty or pissed-off people cursing me for just doing my job." As expected, the man didn't believe him one bit, which he could understand. "Anyways, you and Titania over there don't cause any trouble. Since you two are regulars, I don't need to stay here and monitor."
As expected, the man walked away and left the place, leaving both of them sitting in complete silence. Broly, waving the man goodbye, sat cross-legged on the floor and cleared his mind.
"Queen of Fairies, that's an interesting name."
A second voice within the room spoke, clearly amused and relaxed despite everything that had happened so far. Opening his eyes, he knew why the guards here confused this woman for Erza; even here in a dark environment, the uncanny resemblance between both women was something he couldn't grasp yet.
He was wary of this woman. She let herself be captured and came here when she could have easily escaped at any point. He held not a slight trace of trust for she clearly has a reason for staying here.
But he stayed silent in the end, not out of any complicated reason or a newfound sense of sympathy—but because he had questions only she could answer.
"It suits her."
"Truly?" The crimson-haired woman mused they're being more she wanted to say but shows to be silent. Broly had no idea what was going on in her mind and so he went to mind his own business. As long as she wasn't trying to make him lose control again he would ignore her.
"Who exactly are you?" Finally, the question that had been playing in his mind all this time left his mouth. He wanted to know the identity of this person and who she was, why she was after him, and why her appearance looked so similar to Erza's.
"That is an easy question that I can answer. Tell me, do you know what lies beyond the seas of Ishgar?"
"I do know there is another continent." After all, he had heard about it from many other people but never went to that place as he never had a reason to go there. "I know someone who lives on the other side and receive letters from her regularly. It's the Alvarez Kingdom."
"Yes, Alvarez is but one of many but that is the general idea. Beyond the seas there is a world far bigger than Ishgar and many kingdoms, Alvarez is one of them where I hail from — in terms of power, it is the strongest by a good margin. It is vastly different from Ishgar and you can not compare the power it holds to anything over here. Within the Empire, there are twelve Spriggans who can be considered as the strongest mages working for the king, I happen to be one of them. Irene Belserion."
Irene, so that was her name.
Her identity didn't ring any bells like he'd hoped and everything she mentioned about the Empire, including the spriggans he was already familiar with due to Brandish.
"Irene, I'll keep that in mind." The smirk on the woman's face grew as she nodded her head.
"And you must be Broly, it's a shame we never had a chance to speak to one another during better circumstances. Then again, I suppose it is my fault for choosing such an approach." So she said, but he could tell she held no remorse whatsoever for what she did before. "You don't need to look at me like that, consider me your enemy if you'd like but I've learned from my mistakes and don't plan on doing that again. It was to confirm whether or not you were truly stronger than Acnologia, I held doubts which needed to be dispelled—."
"—You are not human."
"..."
Those words left his mouth before she even had the time to finish her sentence. Irene's eyes widened but returned to a relaxed state soon after. She didn't deny his words, merely tilting her head sideways with a look of curiosity. "How did you know? I never gave any indication that I wasn't human."
"I didn't really pay close attention at first but your Ki is very different." From the beginning, this woman's presence was beyond anyone else he met so far. Surpassing even Makarov's, making the man look tiny in comparison. Literally and figuratively speaking. Now that he was no longer worried about other things and calmly sat next to her, he noticed these details more clearly and even recognized this kind of presence.
It was similar to Acnologia strangely enough. The black dragon who tried to kill him before, yet she clearly wasn't a dragon… so confusing.
Either way, her response affirmed his suspicions and now he knew for certain she wasn't human. So the chances of her being related to Erza became more unlikely, but the resemblance just took uncanny to let go of that train of thought.
"Then, are you perhaps not a human as well?"
"I'm not."
Once again, Irene wasn't expecting the man to speak to her truthfully. "You are quite relaxed, I expected you to attempt to end my life once more given everything I've done prior."
Broly just crossed his arms, going so far as to meditate with his eyes closed. "I am mad at you, very much so. Because of you, I made my friends suffer and that is something I can't forgive easily. But, I can't stay mad forever or else it will consume me again. But I will have you apologize to everyone for what you've done, that is the least I can do."
And he hoped to understand whether or not there was a connection between her and Erza.
"Fufufufu~!" His response earned an amused chuckle from the woman. "You are, perhaps, the only person who dared to speak to me as such, but you do possess the power to do so. I grow more curious about where someone like you came from, to end up in Fairy Tail of all places. No wonder why Zeref is very interested in you."
"I'm not."
Zeref, a name he knew the history behind thanks to Lucy. It wasn't someone he was eager to meet anytime soon. "Now tell me, what is your connection to Erza? How are you two related?"
His question made the smile on her face die down considerably, the latter showing a blank face. "There is nothing to speak about me and Erza Scarlet. She doesn't know me and I have no interest in her in the first place."
"That was not my question." He pressed on without backing away. "Are you her sister?"
"..."
"I am correct, aren't I?" Broly was proud of himself for deducing that all by himself, the woman must have felt stunned by him guessing her true identity so accurately. It was a shot in the dark, but one that ended up surprisingly hitting the bullseye.
Did that mean Erza was secretly also not a human?
"No, I am not her sister." Unfortunately, Irene didn't let him enjoy his little moment for a second longer. "She is nothing to me, we are nothing more than strangers."
"I don't believe you. You are lying."
"You are persistent. Had you been someone else then I would have killed you by now." She said with a dangerous look in her eyes, but he wasn't intimidated in the least.
Quite the opposite in fact.
"But you can't, Erza's sister." Now he was certain that the attitude she showed when bringing up Erza must have meant there was something there. This was followed by the cold stare he got after calling her Erza's sister once more. "You can try to kill me if you want, but I won't be as nice to you as I was before."
Her gaze grew sharper, the woman was genuinely contemplating that decision but the painful sensation left by his last attack still lingered. "Had it not been for my constitution, I would have died back then or, if I was lucky, turned into a vegetable."
In the end, Irene just sighed and reverted back to her calm self. "Why are you spending your time with these kids when you could be doing much more with a power like that?"
"Because it's what I want to do. They are my friends and family, I have a place I can call home for the first time in a long while. It's something I'll gladly throw away my powers to keep."
"Tch, what nonsense." She got up from her spot, their earlier battle having destroyed much of her clothing leaving behind rags that barely covered anything. A body that exuded more charm than even Aquarius with a more buxom chest that could be barely held back in her previous outfit. Broly for a moment realized that despite the similarities between her face to Erza, there were still some differences overall.
"You hold a power that many would gladly sell away their souls for. Something that surpasses even the might of a dragon yet all you desire is to play in a small guild with kids. That doesn't make sense."
This time it was his turn to look confused. "Really? It makes sense to me. Didn't you ever want to have a family as well?"
Irene closed the distance between them and grabbed him by the throat, holding a surpassing amount of strength as she was able to actually lift his body close to her face where her cold eyes stared right back at his calm gaze. "Don't think just because I am curious about your powers that you can speak to me in such a tone. I don't desire such a useless thing, your lack of ambition is genuinely disturbing to see. How the hell did someone like you get hold of such power in the first place… "
Taking a deep breath, he grabbed her wrist and pried the woman's hold off his throat, had it been a regular human then that amount of strength could have snapped their necks by now. She felt small even now, his palm easily encompassing around her wrist while he looked down at her.
Yet the Saiyan didn't once underestimate the person before him.
"I didn't ask for it, never have. If you are so curious about it, then you can have it."
"...What?" The shock on her face made him smile, he just couldn't help but feel like he was speaking to Erza.
"I don't know how I can give you this power in the first place, so that is up to you. Take it if you can, take it all." A wave film of Ki burst forth from his body, unlike the untamed source of destruction in their previous fight, this one was far less tyrannical. The Ki touched Irene, leaving the woman perplexed as she was visibly trying to understand what was touching her body.
"You can't be serious."
"I am. Is it that hard to accept that some people just don't desire to have great powers?" He doubted she'd be able to take away his Ki, unless she killed him. But he didn't say it out loud, this being the only way that seemed to garner her interest. So he was willing to use it as bait.
"This feels… no, it's not Fairy Heart. How can this be…"
Fairy Heart? The Saiyan had no idea what that was in the first place, he felt like he had heard of it before though.
"If you want, I'll gladly help you find a solution and work with you. I won't fight back, I won't try to escape and you can do whatever you want with me. But in exchange, you must do something for me."
A troubled expression appeared on her face, but she didn't deny him immediately, continuing to observe him.
She was very distrustful, he could tell.
The Ki disappeared and both stood there in silence.
"... You are a bigger oddity than I imagined." Irene's amused voice echoed within the dark prison cell. "But I'll play along. Tell me what you want then.
.
.
.
(A few minutes later)
Bang!
Bound by chains and multiple restraints, Broly found himself escorted to a familiar spacious room where multiple figures awaited him. All of which now gazed at him from above with a gaze filled with fear, uncertainty, and greed.
Strangely enough, there was one person missing.
"Broly, good to see you again." The first person to speak was the old man Yajima, unlike the rest, greeted him genuinely with a smile on his face. "We have read the reports. First of all, congratulations to you and your guild for being part of the group that took down one of the major dark guilds in all of Ishgar. Your contribution has saved the lives of many. Second of all, the reason why we brought you today is so that you can answer some small questions we have."
"Hm," the Saiyan merely nodded his head.
"Broly, is it true that some of the members of the Oración Seis were previously acquaintances of you and Erza?"
"Yes." He answered truthfully, even if he tried to lie they'd find out the truth and it served him no reason to say otherwise.
"The guild master, Brain, who was it that defeated him?"
Brain? Thinking about it now, he never met that guy. "I don't know, I didn't get to fight him."
"I see… then moving on, now I'm sure you are aware of the existence of the Nirvits and the creation, Nirvana. It holds great power and has eluded the council for many centuries. To end up in the hands of the Oración Seis is something we wish to never allow ever again. We have extensive records of its history and thus are aware of what it is capable of." The one seated in the middle, an individual who was addressed as Org by the rest, spoke with a stern voice while glaring down at him. "Which is why we know that Nirvana does not hold the capability of damaging a celestial body like the moon of all things."
"It is an artifact made to tamper with the souls of people and not cause destruction as its primary purpose of creation." Mentioned an old woman seated on Org's right-hand side. "Tell us the truth, what happened back there, and which artifact did the Oración Seis truly use."
"Any falsehood or lies you utter will result in you being treated as a traitor and executed! Hide it and we'll consider Fairy Tail as an accomplice!"
"Org!" Yajima intervened, disapproval in his voice when looking at the one in the middle. "This is not what we've agreed to!"
"I have been lenient enough to turn a blind eye to those false reports! Do you think I can allow the others to see the Magic Council as a bunch of fools!?"
"You are falsely assuming the boy has nothing to do or holds knowledge of such things! You treat him like this despite everything he and the others have done for us?"
"ENOUGH!" The man struck his fists against the table. "Answer the question, where is the weapon that destroyed the moon!"
The entire time, Broly remained calm, these people did not truly care whether or not every mage who participated in this quest was okay or not. They were not happy about a major dark guild destroyed but instead only cared about this weapon.
"We have been lenient with Fairy Tail and their antics for long enough. If they keep acting like this and going against the best interest of the people and their safety then we must take action." Another of the members chimed in, taking Org's side. "Due to this incident, many coastal regions have experienced massive floods and catastrophic events leading thousands to be in immediate danger. Had it not been for the mages from different guilds, it would have been a disaster!"
"We must make sure such a weapon does not fall into the wrong hands and be kept safely with us."
One by one, every person in this room other than Yajima sided with Org. All of them have different reasons for gaining this information, some going so far as to call into question Fairy Tail's loyalty and his own identity as a possible agent sent by another dark guild.
All of which he listened to calmly without letting his anger flare up. It was hard, especially when they tried to involve Fairy Tail, but thankfully Yajima would immediately go on the offensive with his words and defend the guild.
As they continued to bicker, Broly had enough and raised his voice.
"I know where this weapon is."
"..."
"..."
"..."
The room turned quiet, anticipation filling the air for whatever he was about to say next.
"It was me. I… I forgot to aim away from the moon when blasting Nirvana."
"..."
"..."
"..."
The silence continued, feeling different as the anticipation turned to ashes and was replaced with a boiling presence of rage coming off of many members. This sight made the Saiyan sigh in exasperation as he knew what this meant.
They didn't believe him.
"You… you… YOU THINK THIS IS THE TIME TO SPEW JOKES!? ARREST HIM! LOCK HIM IN THE CELL TILL HE IS FORCED TO CONFESS!" Org's anger burst forth, the man looked like he was about to jump towards Broly to strangle the latter.
"S-Sir!"
Before the Rune Knights could take him away, a guard rushed inside the room with a panicked face. The same guard he spoke to before, his face pale and sweating bullets.
"T-T-The prison… the prison has been breached and many of the prisoners are escaping!"
"Again!?"
This news caught everyone by surprise, a wave of panic filled the room as more and more guards rushed inside the room with ashen faces, stating how some prisoners started to attack the council like madmen. "Gather the army! Apprehend them before they can escape!"
Completely forgetting about his presence, Broly watched as every member of the council left their seats. Some heading outside while others running away from the danger, many Rune Knights escorting them away including Yajima who stopped in his tracks and looked back at Broly. "I am sorry it's become like this, young man. I will try to calm them down so in the meantime, you are free to go. I'll handle the aftermath."
With a wave of his hand, the shackles were destroyed.
"There is an exit on this side, take this path and you'll avoid all the chaos."
{Break}
Having walked a few distance away, looking back he stared at the building in the distance surrounded by a horde of knights and mages all of whom were in the middle of capturing the freed prisoners.
He didn't need to guess who was the one responsible for this mess.
"You're late."
On the path, Irene now vested in a fully restored robe spoke with a bored face. Reading a book as she sat upon a crystal chair he had no idea where it came from along with the small tent serving as a rooftop to block the sunlight.
"You didn't have to cause so much destruction."
"They should count themselves lucky, I was half the mind on flattening the entire area instead. Unfortunately, something tells me you wouldn't have liked being surrounded by smashed corpses, so I took a much more merciful approach."
He narrowed his eyes, "Remember what we agreed to."
Irene sneered, "Don't remind me. But I will defend myself if they attack me first, so don't blame me for that." With a flick of her hand, a magic circle formed on the ground. "Let's make this quick, this will teleport us to Magnolia. I rather not waste time traveling the entire distance on foot or on a carriage."
"I could have flown us there…"
She rolled her eyes at his proposal. "I can fly on my own. It's still slower than teleportation."
He couldn't tell if she was angered with the deal they made or just impatient. Either way, it was his duty to make sure she wouldn't cause more trouble over there.
{Break}
-???-
The old ruins of the Tower of Heaven remain untouched for many years. The disaster that had taken place here left little to nothing intact, only a half-submerged crumbled structure. Vegetation had grown over the rubbles, with some critters occasionally showing their faces from time to time.
A peaceful area where once stood a prison that garnered an endless amount of despair and suffering.
All of it, now lost to time.
However, on this particular day, a suffocating sensation descended upon the creatures in the area. Large animals and even magical creatures all cowering in fear in caves and crevices, refusing to alert their presence. The usually loud chirping from birds was all gone and replaced by an eerie silence followed by a loud thud.
A large shadow landed on top of the ruins once belonging to the Tower of Heaven, towering over the trees along with a reptilian tail swinging back and forth.
A dragon, not one covered in black scales but instead white ones with some fur covering its neck. The giant creature looked around quizzically, searching for something.
The creature spoke, its head tilting upwards to gaze at what remained of the destroyed moon with a pained expression.
"That portal… it must have appeared somewhere around here. Where is it…"
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The next 5 chapters of Snafu, and my other Fate fics (Fate Coiling Sword with 3 chapters, A Fake Familiar Reborn with 3 chapters, Steel Eyed Faker soon to be 3 chapters, Hound having 3 and To love a sword having 4 chapters) are already available on my P@treon. With 4 more Broly chapters at /NimtheWriter. Also, I post commissioned arts on each story, already posted a few on an Archer's Promise, Broly and Snafu.