genessia | ⚜ ᴛᴡᴇɴᴛʏ-ꜰɪʀsᴛ - [ ᴛᴇxᴛ + ᴀᴄᴛɪᴏɴ ]

Action: Fairy Haven, Master's Quarters - Open to any member of Fairy Tail or anyone who lives in Fayren Haven

{ It would be quiet; barely audible, depending on where one was in the sprawling compound that Fairy Tail calls home. It was unmistakably Zeref's voice, but there could be none other heard. It might sound as if he were just... talking to himself. }

I almost gave this to them, you know. I was curious to know what they would have done with it.

{ There's the sound of rustling. Zeref sounded slightly sleepy, if one bothered to listen, as if he had only just woken up despite it being the middle of the afternoon. Maybe he was up late? }

What would they have done? Destroyed it? Opened it? They would have been in for a surprise if they had.

{ Whoever he's speaking to doesn't respond. If one bothers to peek into the room... he's speaking to a book laying on a desk parallel to the bed, propped up against the wall. Completely seriously, as if the book were alive and he was somehow expecting it to respond.

Suddenly, Zeref sighs, reaching for the white, outer-layer of his robe, unceremoniously discarded at the foot of the bed. He pulls it on, over the rest of his outfit. }

Why do I bother? I doubt you can hear me, anymore. I wonder if you're even alive in our world without this.

Text - OTA

I'd like to pose a rhetorical question, if I may. Much has been made about the issue of necromancy, in this world. The act of reanimating the dead into 'undead,' as the term I've been hearing up until now.

What I've heard little about is resurrection. Not merely reanimating the dead; restoring life itself. Reversing death. Bringing a soul back from the afterlife and returning it to this world. In my world, it is taboo, regardless of the circumstances or how unfair or undeserved the death was.

Death is ultimately meaningless in this world, at least for those of us with amulets. When one of us dies, we reawaken in the Bay, even if doing so often has a price. Regardless, I've heard some of us say that impermanent death cheapens it.

Why this distinction? What difference is there, truly, between necromancers, and whomever, or whatever it was that brought us here reducing death to a mere transaction?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

You've already spoken to the ones I would have suggested. { Especially Dorian. At her next question, Zeref sighed, and thought for a moment. }

Erza... about as well as can be expected, I suppose. She doesn't trust me, and then there's... well, you've met Eileen. { Not to bring up bad memories, but, well, it's relevant. } I'm sure you've noticed the family resemblance. Eileen is her mother.

{ Though, he's sure Mavis has already guessed that. }

As for Dorian... I can tell he'll be a valuable asset to Fairy Tail.

Well, keep an eye out for good recruits for Fairy Tail for me, okay? [She's not asking him to recruit new members himself, of course. But it could be his way of contributing to the effort.]

[Mavis nods.] Erza always thought her mother was dead. It seems that Eileen had a hard life.

I think so too.

Of course. { Guilds have never been his thing, but if it's a favor to Mavis... besides, it's not like he planned on doing any recruiting for Alvarez while he's here. Alvarez was just a means to an end, to him. There was no need to play his 'war simulation,' here. And he hated politics. }

She did. When she told me her story, I was disgusted. She has every reason to turn her back on humanity, after humanity turned its back on her. In that sense, I can very easily relate to her. I was more than happy to welcome her into the Spriggan Twelve, and not just because she's proved an invaluable asset to Alvarez.

{ It was also his hope that she could provide unique insight into fighting Acnologia, given her extremely intimate knowledge into Dragon Slayer magic. And in a way, she did. }

Edited 2017-07-02 16:28 (UTC)

I know what you mean but... It's not because some humans were unfair and stupid and wronged you in the worst possible way that it means humanity turned its back on you. Usually it's because we feel like monsters that we cut ourselves from the rest of the world out of fear that we'll be rejected. But even when everyone has turned their back on us, there will always be someone who will reach out for us.

[It's true. They both know that from personal experience.]

One of my guildmate faced the same prejudice when she was young. But instead of hating everyone, she kept looking for a place where she would belong. [And she found Fairy Tail.] Now she's one of the strongest mages of our guild and one of its most loved members too.

Only one did. For me, it was you. For her, it was me. In her case, her being a 'monster' could be seen as literally being one. I restored her human appearance, but... what she had done to herself had altered her body at the biological level. Even for me, that's a tall order. It was irreversible. She'd only ever be a human in appearance only.

{ They certainly did. So in that sense, he could relate to how Eileen felt. Even when he felt like he was going to spend an eternity hated and feared by everyone, he found Mavis, who seemed to genuinely believe he was better than he (not to mention everyone else in the world) thought he was. Whether or not that's true, of course, is a matter for debate, but it meant a lot to him.

Enough for him to return the favor, when her own curse activated. }

As did Eileen. She... doesn't have that many friends, of course, but what she does have is the respect of every single one of her peers, including August, not to mention myself. But you're referring to... Mirajane, right? { The one with the Take Over: Demon Soul magic. Apparently, she was able to Take Over an Etherious. Zeref didn't even think that was possible. He was impressed, needless to say. } I've looked into many of the members of Fairy Tail as preparation for the war. What I found about her was indeed worthy of respect.

{ And he'd heard August had killed her. }

I'd have liked to have met her, quite honestly.

Erza might have accepted her, if given the chance. [And if Eileen hadn't tried to take over Wendy's body.]

I'm sure she did. Whether or not one approves of what she did with it, her magic is quite impressive.

[She nodded.] Yes. I'm surprised you remember her name. [She gave him a small smile.] You might still if she's ever brought here.

From what I understand, Eileen didn't give her one. I told her to give up on that idea of taking a new body. But I guess, in hindsight, I should have known better. It'd have been no different than if you or I had seen a way to break the curse.

{ Zeref shrugged. }

First rule of war, Mavis: Know thine enemy. I watched the Grand Magic Games, you know. I made it a special point to watch the S-class mages. And, I understand that she and Seilah had a... special hatred for one another.

{ A sigh. }

It seems every year there's less and less people from our world brought here. Erza was the first in ages, ever since Natsu and Lucy finally disappeared, and Virgo along with them.

She should have known it wouldn't work.

I know that. [Said simply. Zeref might be much older than her, she knows the basics of war and strategies at least as well as he does.] And I'm aware you were watching the Games.

It does look like that but the rules of this world seem to change all the time. This might only be a phase.

{ He knew he didn't need to lecture her on how to win a war. History regarded her as the reason her side won the Second Trade War, despite being outnumbered and outgunned; her sheer tactical brilliance, despite the number of casualties prompting the Magic Council to ban the participation of magic guilds in geopolitical conflict (a ban they conveniently ignored the minute Alvarez invaded, as Zeref knew they would), won the day. }

Your optimism never falters, does it? { He smiles. That's what he likes about her. } Maybe you're right. But I'd suggest we be careful what we wish for, there. It wasn't that long ago that this world tricked me into believing that Acnologia was here.

I try not to let it. [Mavis says gently, moving a bit closer to him.] I only ever wish for the best for us.

Yes... I can see that. { It's what he kept trying to tell himself when it came to his master plan back in their world. But knowing what he knows now... would he ever be able to go through with it, if given the chance? She was right, this world was different. Different enough for him to start having second thoughts. }

There's something I'd been meaning to talk with you about, Mavis. It's an issue Erza had brought up with me before: If any of the Spriggan Twelve were to appear, here. It goes without saying that any sort of peace hinges upon me being the first to speak with them, just like with Tartaros. But you deserve the right to know which ones would be the most receptive to the idea, and which ones would not.