Nobody's point of view
"These herbs," Lucy said looking standing in the middle of a field. "Must be pretty rare to be able to grow in only one specific place."
A tall man approached her and stood by her side. "Indeed, I put it up to myself to look after these herbs but it's a hard job. These species are dying out."
Lucy looked up at the man's face: he had a scarf wrapped round his neck, blur eyes and black hair. He was tall and slender with a warm smile.
"Behold!" He suddenly said. Lucy squinted at the far distance seeing nothing but grass.
"I can't see anything," Lucy said slowly. "Its a Joke right?"
The man chuckled. "Natsu sent you here, didn't he?"
Lucy stared up at him. "I didn't say... how did you know sir?"
"Mr Birches if you please," the man said. "I know Natsu cuz I knew him as a small boy and he came to visit me often."
"But Natsu said he was allergic to Dragon herbs..."
"Indeed he is, his reaction is quite interesting if you ask me," Mr Birches explained. "But at the same time quite serious."
Lucy looked down at the grass. "But how come I never even heard of dragon herbs until like now and how come Natsu is the only one allergic to it?" She questioned.
Mr Birches smiled to himself. "Now that, is a very different story."
Then he sighed. "I suppose your wanting the dragon herb," he said finally.
Lucy's eyes lit up. "But I can't see them, are they hiding?"
Mr Birches chuckled again. "No Lucy, look closer."
Lucy squinted again and shook her head. "Nothing."
Mr Birches looked out into the fields then at Lucy. Not at her, but into her. His blue eyes connected with her chocolate brown.
"Lucy... do you believe in magic?"
***
Gajeel P.O.V.
It's been hour and I'm still stuck with this guy.
Gray was holding onto my arm in the canteen. Everybody was looking at me with a weird look.
Gray, you owe me one as soon as your fixed up.
"Gray, get off me," I hissed. "Everyone's staring."
Gray looked at me like I was speaking in Chinese.
"Isn't that a good thing, Gajeekins?"
Oh shit he's given me a nickname now.
"It will ruin my reputation if this goes on," I muttered under my breath.
Hurry Levy. I'm depending on you!
***
Erza P.O.V
I took a bite of Cherry cake and savoured it.
Cake.
"Erza..."
Chocolate. Fudge. Sponge.
"Erza..."
Red velvet. Cheesecake.
"Erza...!"
I snapped out of cake world and glanced around to see Juvia muttering my name. Oh gosh was she calling me? Was it I ignoring her?
"Sorry Juvia," I said appolegitically. "What was wrong?"
Juvia lifted her head there was was a tear running down her cheek. "Erza... this is all my fault, the potion I used was untested and for my own selfish needs."
I looked at Juvia as she wept.
"If it wasn't for my potion then my friends wouldn't be the ones cleaning my mess up," she cried. "Its all my fault!"
"Juvia..." I started. But she already had a whole waterfall cascading down her cheeks.
"It was an accident," I said. "You didn't mean for this to happen."
Juvia said nothing. "Besides at least you took action," I continued.
"What do you mean?" Juvia muttered.
"I mean," I said. Then hesitated. "What I'm about to tell you is top secret, you tell nobody."
Juvia nodded obediently.
"I like Jellal ok," I said, then blushed. "His blue sea hair and reassuring smile..."
Juvia said nothing. I then realised I wasn't helping. "I never found an ounce of bravery to tell him I felt, but you!"
she blinked her blue eyes at me in innocence. "Me?"
I nodded. "You," I continued. "You were brave enough to make a flipping potion for him!"
"I suppose your right..."
and for the first time in 2 hours, Juvia Lockser smiled.
***
Lucy P.O.V
"Magic isn't real, its just some old make believe," I whispered. I felt strong hands under my chin lift my head. my eyes dragged itself to gaze at Mr Birch's blue mist.
"Or is it..." he muttered.
I dropped my gaze. "What do you mean?"
Mr Birches raised his hands into the air. The wind kissed my cheeks as my hair flew behind my shoulders.
"Magic is real, everyone has it deep inside their souls, they just have to find it," Mr Birches explained to me. "For instance, a little baby could be born this very minute and grow up thinking she is not special and is always depressed, but little does she know that she holds a very dangerous weapon."
"What weapon?" I asked curiously.
"Magic," he nodded. I raised an eyebrow in confusion.
"Magic is dangerous?"
Mr Birches chuckled. "Ho yes, quite dangerous, but not very dangerous. Of course it depends on the user, they must learn to control their gifts and be at one with them, or things can turn quite gruesome."
I looked down at the floor. If magic is real and the herbs has something to do with magic, then Natsu must be connected to this magic somehow.
"But then its the path they take which really matters," he continued. "Good and evil, light and darkness."
"What sort of magic is used for darkness?" I asked.
"I think you mean why," he said. Clearly not answering my question. "People are selfish and greedy, some want power and some do it just to hurt others, every dark magic user has a motive."
I looked up at Mr Birches. "And what's your motive, Mr Birches?"
He looked down at me. "Why mine?" he said slowly. Then smiled. "To help people like you of course!"
I felt warmness with his smile but also a cold chill; however, I didn't let this ponder me for long.
"So, you have to use magic to get dragon herbs?" I said. remembering what he had previously said.
"Not so much as using it, more of... believing it," he answered. My eyes lit up.
"But how can I believe in magic... when I haven't seen it for myself?"
There was a pause. Then Mr Birches finally spoke. "Would you like to see it?" he said softly.
"Would I?" I cried.
***
Natsu P.O.V
I looked at myself in the mirror, spikes forming across my face.
"What the hell is going on?" Gajeel asked me furiously. "What the hell is E.N.D?"
I looked at Gajeel then at the mirror again, lost for words. "Well then Natsu, I'm waiting!"
"E.N.D is a book my brother created," I started. Gajeel started coughing and choking as if he'd been poisoned.
"Brother?!"
I nodded. "Brother."
"Its a book of demons he created, the underworld you see, he's like a... underworld king."
Gajeel raised an eyebrow unable to believe me. "Yeah.... Natsu I don't mean to burst your bubble but there is no demons, there is no underworld king!"
I smirked. "Easy for you to say, there's no war up here, there's no peace down there," I pointed a finger down the ground. "That's right. I'm talking bout hell. Zeref, that's his name, Zeref Dragneel. Over 400 years old and posses the most dangerous magic I've heard of."
"What, is he still alive?" Gajeel questioned.
"Quite," I said. "He's deceased but somehow like... respawned."
"Bro, is that even possible?" Gajeel asked. "I mean all this magic crap seems to have got me spinning."
"Its true, he's considered to be the most strongest, evil mage. But moving on, Zeref is dead. Our mum and dead are dead. I'm dead... quite. I originally died 400 years ago but was revived as his most powerful Etherious."
"Ether... what?"
"Etherious, a race of demons that were born from the Books of Zeref. And I am one of them. My name is Etherious Natsu Dragneel."
***
Lucy P.O.V
"Very well then," Mr Birches said and raised his arm again.
The wind grew stronger and the grass swayed ferociously. Then all of a sudden it became calm, the sun came out and the sky was peaceful. A low rumbling from under my feet growled, causing the ground to shake.
"Earthquake!" I screamed. But Mr Birches shook his head.
Without warning, the ground tore and a huge brown thing was growing out of it. I soon realised that it was tree bark and it was growing out of the ground and forming a sort of bridge across the fields. The rumbling calmed down and suddenly stopped altogether.
"What the hell is that!" I cried.
"Your ride home," Mr Birches smiled. I suddenly gasped. The fields which were covered with green grass became full of red herbs. I breathed.
"This must be the dragon herbs!" I said, collecting a bunch of herbs into my hand. "They're perfect and... smell fresh too!" I fished into my pocket. "How much will that cost."
Mr Birches smiled at me. "As a present from me to you, Lucy, Keep it."
I stared into his blue eyes. "But Sir I insist..."
"Definitely no," he rejected the money from my hand. "Think of it as a small gift."
I felt myself flinging my arms around his shoulders. "Thank You sir," I said. "I'll never forget your kindness."
"And I'll never forget you, Miss Lucy."
I climbed onto the bark then paused. "If the dragon herbs are magic then does Natsu have magic too?" I asked.
"Have magic?" he asked. "Natsu is a quite a different , he more is magic."
"Please Tell me what you mean," I pleaded.
But he shook his head. "Its complicated," he said. "You and Natsu seam to be pretty close, are you two together?"
I blushed. "No," I muttered. "We're just friends."
"Friends," he repeated. Mr Birches was about to tap the tree bark when one final thing popped into my mind.
"Can I ask one more question?"
"Indeed you've just done so, but I'll allow one more," he said.
I looked into his blue eyes. "Can anyone learn magic?" I breathed.
"Anyone can if they believe," he nodded then tapped the tree. "Now, Levy is waiting on you for the herbs, don't want to keep her waiting."
"How did you..." I started, but the paused and smiled. "Magic."
Mr Birches smiled. "Oh and one more thing!" he called as I started to lift into the air. Magic dust appeared out of his hand a small wrapped gift formed, he tossed it at me and I caught it. "A small gift for Mr Etherious Natsu Dragneel!" He called. "Send my regards!"
"Will do!" I said. "And thanks for everything!"
"No thank you Ms Lucy Heartfillia!"
Then I flew into the air and waved back at him until he was a little dot then vanished.
That's weird. What did he call Natsu. Etherious Natsu Dragneel? Nah, I'm probably just hearing things. Besides now I've entered a new world: a magical one!
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I hope you like this really long chapter. I was going to post this yesterday but it was my birthday and I kinda got busy so yeah. Part 3, the final one of this arc will come out soon. Then it will come back to the main storyline.
Thx for reading.
Reannah x