What We Are

Chapter 3: What We Are

Tenrou Town

Yellow Diamond rushed forth and sliced her blade down Zeref's body, but the Black Cloud survive and released a beam of the black mist at her. Yellow Diamond still withstood the attack, so Zeref ran at her, and both swung their fists and made contact with the other's face.

Zeref and Diamond stepped backward, staring at each other. After such a long battle, and so much destruction done to the town, one would think they'd be exhausted. …They weren't. "…Hmm." Zeref's red eyes became black again. The dark mage stood with a tranquil aura. "Just what is being accomplished here. Two immortals engaged in a never-ending clash… is a miserable way to spend one's time."

"I wouldn't have had a problem with you if you didn't attack us just now." Diamond said. "If I'm boring you, then go away."

"I can't remember the last time a creature could survive my Black Magic. Well… that's not true. There were thousands of people I held no love for… and as our battle drags on, and I observe your chaotic behavior… I am having less love for you as well."

"'Love'?" Diamond scoffed. "You're starting to sound like somebody else I know. In any case, I'm getting tired of you, too. Get away so I can start tearing apart this town."

A troupe of Irkens hovered on jetpacks overhead, locking guns and unleashing a barrage of laser bullets upon Zeref. The mage stood tonelessly, allowing the lasers to scorch his clothing. He felt no pain… he felt nothing… These creatures I have never seen before… He thought of Medusa, Pandora, the Irkens, Yellow Diamond… What is their drive… besides soulless destruction? This world that is unfamiliar to me… the longer I stay here… the less… I seem to care about it. It is nothing…nothing like my home. The more I continue to dwell here… my longing… is only for…

His black mist was beginning to fade away. A few buildings away, Mavis was watching the strange man take the bullets. She had watched their battle, and what his cloud had done to the opposing Irkens. "That man… does he have Death Chi… like me?" Mavis reached back and felt the chi-block through her dress. "No… he's the Black Cloud the Fairy King mentioned. He said his power was… different. I wonder if… he would know how to…"

Zeref turned around, almost wondering what else he could do. …He gasped; his heart started up: a few buildings away, a girl with big blonde hair and a pink dress was staring at him. It can't be. He felt his heart beat. Mavis! Memories came washing over him. They were so… beautiful. His heart was so… He began to cry. Zeref sniffled… "M-Mavis…"

The black cloud began to thicken around him. "W-What's he doing?" an Irken stuttered. "Fall back, fall-!"

A great spire of Black Magic rose sky-high. The flying Irkens dropped dead, and the radius of the mist expanded. Mavis's eyes widened with horror—she was going to die. She ducked and shut her eyes, hugging the ground tight. She felt the mist pass over her body… but the embrace that was death did not take her soul. She nervously looked up after feeling the mist gone… Zeref was still standing there with Diamond behind him. He was looking at Mavis, mouth agape.

They looked at the sky when the sound of thousands of wings rapidly flapping fell in their ears. A fleet of Nutskis, Dibble Dops, Pew-Pews—creatures composed of mutant flora flew down from the sky. The astral projection of Viridi's titanic form towered above Tenrou. "Irken Invaders, get your SORRY asses OFF of this planet! How DARE you tarnish Avalar's beautiful scenery with your 'futuristic' unnatural technology! LEEEAAAVE or face the wrath of Goddess Viridi!"

Medusa appeared out of a dark portal and took Zeref's arm. "I didn't expect HER to show up out of nowhere. Our mission is done here, Zeref. For now." Pandora got beside her, and they vanished in the portal.

"Arlon, chase away the Irken troops and do something about that Diamond lady." Viridi ordered. "I will be elsewhere." The projection faded.

While the Irkens were beginning to battle the Forces of Nature, Mavis looked in the direction of Zeira's house. "Zeira…" She ran that way.

Yellow Diamond looked coldly as the Nature Forces began to surround the city. "Good day, Madame." She looked when a blue-skinned man in a black suit and blue mustache approached her. "Excuse our incursion, but I am under the authority of Mistress Viridi, who is so humbly requesting that you cease your destructive intentions on this planet." He bowed. "If you could call off your soldiers and leave the atmosphere agreeably, you will be in our gratitude."

"Heh." Diamond smirked, turning fully to him. "Right now, this universe is turning more fun than the other one."

Arlon's eyes perked when a light hit his monocle. The diamond on her chest was reflecting light off. "Miss… that's a very lovely diamond. Is that part of your body?"

"Does everybody have to ask? Although, come to think about it…" Diamond observed him further. "You look like somebody else I know."

"Oh, do I? I guess the expression of this being a small universe has plenty of meaning. Well, regardless of such trivial topics, I'm afraid I must follow my orders and have you away from this planet."

"…Hnn." Diamond smirked at him. "Fine. I'll let this town stand for now. …I just have a small question for you."

"But of course, Milady."

"…Do you know anything about 'Fairy World'?"

Tenrou Forest

Aisling panted heavily as a strong wind blew across the leaves. The cloudy sky made the forest appear dark. She was on all fours, her eyes forced open. She felt a pounding feeling in her head. A feeling she hadn't known… for a while. …She gasped and looked behind: footsteps were crunching the grass, drawing closer to Aisling in the darkness. They revealed to belong to a girl of 8 years old, blonde hair in a long ponytail, and a red dress. "I knew I'd find you here… Commander Aisling." She smiled.

Aisling's expression didn't change. "Do I know you from somewhere?"

"Oh, don't play that game with me." Viridi grinned, brushing it off. "Surely you couldn't have forgotten the one who created you. Remember, Aisling? You were the greatest of all my Forces of Nature. With DNA I took from Mew, mixed with my own, I created my own clone, with the powers to transform into any and all animals. I gave you a fraction of my powerful plantbending. Only I have the power to revive dead plant matter, and see the souls of plants. It's a power that no plantbender or mortal could appreciate."

"Your power…" Aisling slowly got to her feet. She turned and looked up at Viridi. "But why me…"

"Eh, I dunno." Viridi shrugged. "Darkrai already made himself a clone, so I wanted to do the same. Don't tell anyone, but I kind of 'borrow' from him enough as it is. 'Kills me to do so, but his material proves effective in creating strong soldiers. You, on the other hand, are made of my own collected material. I like to think of you as my little sister, Aisling." She softly patted the white girl's head. "My mischievous little sister who runs off and plays… for a little too long. At the same time, you follow in my footsteps. So, tell me, Aisling… what have you been doing this whole time?"

"…I…I was…" She looked down. "Playing with my friends…"

Somewhere in the sea…

"Father…" She saw the slim man with a mustache/hair and skin of her colors. "…My home…" She saw Lunaria shrinking in the distance, as she flew away from it. "Mavis…" She found the frightened 3-year-old under the table. She shared a mat with her for 10 years.

Lapis was floating in an odd space. Sparkly blue mist surfed beyond her vision… and she herself had no form or feeling. Only light. She found her own body parts, scattered. All of these memories were in bubbles. Except some of them… were rather murky. She couldn't quite see well within them. She began to collect her body parts… the last one was her Lazuli Gem. It attached to her back.

The gem sat on the ground of a cave, which reflected the ripples of water. The gem glowed, floated in the air, light came out of it, which morphed into a humanoid body. Lapis Lazuli materialized, dress, hair, and all, and landed on her feet. "Eh… w-w-what…" The experience made her dizzy, but after regaining herself, she looked around.

She was in a cave of indigo water, with coral, seaweed, and even fish that stood or floated above the surface. There were tiny creatures with wings: they had human-shaped bodies, except they were shiny, reflective, and came in various colors. One of these creatures fluttered up to Lapis and touched her pointy nose: there was a sparkle, and Lapis didn't feel as dizzy.

"You're… fairies." Lapis said softly. The fairy smiled and flew around her in circles, leaving a sparkly trail. "Ha ha ha! Hi! I'm Lapis."

The fairy flew in front of her face and soared across the cave. Lapis looked down at the water and slowly stepped a foot in. …Her foot sank a few inches in the seemingly-deep water, and while she felt nothing underneath, an unseen force kept her from sinking in. It was both an unusual, and magical force. Two fairies flew beside her head, and she smiled at them before they glided off. Lapis walked across the water, glancing at all the midair fishes. It seemed the only light came from the light-blue glow of the fairies, but the cave appeared brighter thanks to an invisible light source.

She followed a single fairy through a tunnel, leading to what looked like the central room with a large fountain. It had many circular levels, in which water flowed from the center. Lapis walked up a stairway to the middle, where water also flowed down.

A geyser of sparkles shot up from the center platform, and those sparkles compressed into a very thin spout. Lapis flinched when they all spread out, and a little girl appeared where it was. She had the same shiny color as the fairies, wore a gown, bare feet, and no pupil or iris in her eyes. She turned to look at Lapis… and giggled. "Ah hahahahaha! Hello, Child… How did you come to be in here?"

"'Child'?" Lapis raised a brow. "Well, I'm Lapis. 2,000-plus years old. And you are?"

"Two thousand years? You look really young! I'm Cerulea, the Queen of Ocean Fairies."

"Ocean Fairies?" Lapis looked around. "That's what these are? I thought fairies lived in space. W-We met them…"

"The Star Fairies live in space because they're the most powerful. We Ocean Fairies live in Avalar's sea."

"Then I was RIGHT! HA!" Lapis looked gloatingly. She whipped around and pointed, "Take THAT, Mavis… Hu!" She gasped. "Oh no! Mavis! W-W-We were under attack, and the bomb hit us, and-…" She stared at her hand. "I… died. Didn't I… die?"

"I don't know. My fairies found a pretty little rock floating under the sea. They sensed sadness and distress radiating from its shell, so they brought it here. You wear that same rock on your back. Were you hiding inside it?"

Lapis tried to twist her head and see the gem on her back. "This is a magic gem that my dad put on me after I was born. People on Lunaria use them to harness Moon Chi and use our powers. …" She looked up at the queen, "Hold on, you said you sensed my distress. So do Ocean Fairies really help people out at sea?"

"It's true. And the sea acts based on our emotions, just like the stories on Lunaria read."

"So your kind does exist on Lunaria?"

"Arceus created us from Lunaria's energy, but yes, some of my fairies do drift there every now and then. You certainly look Lunarian, too, but your magic is… different."

"Different? How?"

Cerulea floated down to her. "Your body is made of an unusual energy. In fact, the only physical part about you is that gem. You're almost like… a spirit."

"But that can't be. I touch and feel things with my body all the time."

"So do fairies. We're spirit beings, too. Some spirits take physical forms with their energy. I wish I could tell you what you are, though."

Lapis sighed. "I think what you're saying is crazy so far, but… ever since that blast, I have been feeling weird. …My father would know, I bet. If he doesn't, well… he isn't my father."

"Your father must be Lunarian, right? Maybe you can tell me his name. Lunarians live for thousands of years, so some I knew back then, I could know now."

"…My father's name is Arlon. He sent me away from the planet when a war was taking place."

"Arlon? That name sounds familiar to me. Can you… tell me anything else about him?"

"Yes. He commanded a station called the Lunar Sanctum."

"I thought I knew it! Is that the same Lunar Sanctum hovering over Avalar?"

"W-What?!"

"It came just a few hours ago, along with a whole army of weird creatures. Thank goodness they came, or that poor city would've been in danger."

"Do you mean Tenrou Town?! Please, you have to take me back there! I have to make sure my friends are okay, anyway. But after I do, can you… take me up to the Lunar Sanctum?"

"Teeheeheehee! Ocean Fairies don't grant wishes, Child. We treat injuries, but not wishes. That's the Star Fairies' job, and it isn't even direct."

"You can't be serious! It's not like I'm wishing to be Empress of Avalar, I just wanna be taken back to my town, and… possibly a space station after that! If your fairies carried me here, why not take me back?"

"We can take you up the river, but space is too far out of our boundaries. We fairies must not be seen by mortal eyes. But I sincerely hope your friends are okay."

"Sigh… Fine." Lapis furrowed her eyes. "Come on, just take me back, quickly. …Oh, and for the record, these fish are seeing you and they're mortal."

"Tee hahahahaha! Technicalities, Lapis."

Hot spring area

"Aaaaahhh…" Medusa felt the troubles in her soul drift away… she was bathing naked in a hot spring. "I understand why mortals find these so… entrenching. Don't you agree… Zeref?"

The dark mage was sitting under a tree beside the pool. "Mavis… that girl in the town… She came to this world… too?"

"I'm afraid you're misapprehending." Tanatos said, slithering up to him from his right in his little snake form. "We are under the impression there are multiple universes besides our own. The world that you came from, we call an 'Original World.' Almost everyone that lives in this world has an original counterpart from those Original Worlds. Or at least, that's what Bill Cipher told us."

"So you mean that was a different Mavis?"

"Different, though she could be the same as the one you knew." Pandora replied, sitting naked a few feet away. "We really don't understand the whole thing ourselves. People from 'Original Worlds' may lead entirely different lives, or perhaps similar lives, and same characteristics. I suppose there's really no way to know."

"But how interesting that your Death Magic didn't affect her." Tanatos noted. "Must be a result of the Death Chi I gave her."

"Death Chi?" Zeref cocked a brow.

"Hehe. When she was a young tyke, I bit her little tootsie and transferred some of my chi. Oopsie! It was nothing personal, I just like to give my chi to random mortals who look too happy."

"…This… Death Chi… how does it work?"

"Hehe. It's not what you would expect." Tanatos smiled silly. "Death is supposed to be a feeling of solace, you know, beauty and peace. Those same feelings can spawn from love and happiness. People who have Death Chi unintentionally kill what they love, just by close proximity. Mavis really loved her parents (even though she was angry at me at the time), and that love was the cause of their demise."

"Just like… my magic?" Zeref asked.

"Yes! Though I had nothing to do with your powers, of course. And yet, your magic is uncannily similar. Perhaps that's what Arceus intended when he took from the Original Worlds."

"Assuming Arceus is the one pulling these strings." Pandora remarked.

"I've been keeping my eye on her," Tanatos continued, "and the only person she loved the most was that blue girl. Because of the little chi I gave her, nothing around her died; but that girl DEFINITELY should have died!"

"But the reason she didn't means her physiology is the same as Yellow Diamond." Medusa smirked. "Which means they come from the same world."

Zeref stared at his right hand. "Different world… same people… Interesting… But why are you so fascinated with me?"

Medusa surfed over to him, standing halfway over the water. "Because I feel bad for you, Zeref. Taken away from your world… You must have been a very influential person. I wonder if you could have the same impact on this world." She pressed her hands to the tub's shore and pushed herself up toward him. "What was your wish, exactly? To rid the world of evils? Starting with that Diamond lady, I'm sure. I want you to have the strength to defeat her."

"And what would you gain from my success?"

Medusa smirked. "I'd be the richest mama in the whole universe!" She threw her arms around him and embraced him in a kiss. Zeref, taken off guard, mumbled and pushed the goddess back into the pool. She resurfaced with an angry expression. "What?! Your power is triggered by love, isn't it? A boy like you should be GLAD that a goddess wants him!"

"You don't know a thing about what love is! Love is…" He clutched his chest, "a powerful force. It's one that transcends time's boundaries… or even… space's boundaries."

"Yes, I know what love is. It can awaken a person's greatest light or greatest darkness. As disappointing as it is, I suppose I'll have to let you settle with Mavis; despite the obvious age-difference. But going kissy-face with her isn't enough if you wanna accomplish your goals. Zeref… you are an expert with death and death-related magic. You must put that knowledge to use. Please… tell us what you know."

"…" Zeref's eyes were shadowed under his hair. "When I came to this world… I brought one of my books. I hid it… but I sense that it was stolen from its place."

"That's a shame." Pandora washed part of her hair. "Where did it go?"

"My magic is imbued within the book… so I know where it is. …It's in the town we just were."

Tenrou; Zeira's Mansion

Mavis dashed up the road to the Lizard Estate, climbing over the gate and running to the front door. She knocked forcefully. "Look, we'll GIVE IN to your tyrannical rule, just don't touch our china!"

"Lord Jezelf?" Mavis questioned.

"What?" The door opened a creak, and the man peeped out. "Mavis? Why the hell aren't you at the orphanage?"

"I know you and Zeiry live here, so I had to make sure you were okay." she stated seriously. "Also, the bridge to town is busted, so I can't go back."

"Then swim across the river, you're not welcome in this house!" He tried to shut it.

"Dad, who is it?" Zeira came and looked through. Mavis beamed and waved at her. "Mavis? How did you know I lived here?"

"A little birdy." She winked. Well, I was in a tree. "None of those aliens came here, did they, Zeiry?"

"Unless you mean you, then no. Mavis, just go back to the orphanage, I'm fine."

"Zeira, you should come with me!" Mavis stomped. "What if more of those monsters are crawling around, or if they're attacking the orphanage? We have to fight them with my magic and your firebending!"

"My daughter isn't going NEAR those monsters!" Jezelf stated. "Besides, the giants can fight 'em off, but if you care so much, go help them yourself! Come on, Zeira, let's barricade this place."

Zeira huffed, sparing her sour look at the mage. "Later, Mavis." She shut the door.

Mavis puffed her cheeks like an angry toddler. Without another word, she stomped away from the mansion and climbed over the gate. It seemed the Irken and Gem troops have cleared out of the city, but now Forces of Nature were fluttering around and patrolling it. Citizens who remained were intimidated by the Floran creatures, but Mavis had no fear for them.

After coming from the alleyway, about to head to the docks to find a boat, Mavis saw the yellow woman talking with the blue man. "A Fairy Sphere?" Yellow Diamond repeated; Mavis ducked behind two rubble boulders.

"I learnt it from Mistress Viridi, who has only heard of it. The Fairy Sphere prevents any being from finding their world. Furthermore, one would not be aware of it without the knowledge that they are inside, because Time is at a stalemate as long as it remains. The only way you could enter is through the Fairy King himself. Unless you've been in there before."

"'Been in there'?" Diamond cocked a brow. Mavis gasped to herself.

"Yes. The Fairy Sphere makes the town invisible and intangible. Only those who factually know where it is can penetrate it, and only those who have been inside can notice its signature."

"Interesting. Do you or your Mistress Viridi know where it's hidden?"

"No, I'm afraid not. Although I certainly would not let you go there."

"Hmph. I understand." Diamond smirked. "I guess I haven't any reason to stay. Have fun with your city." She walked onto a parked Irken ship to let it carry her back to the atmosphere.

After Arlon walked down the street, Mavis ran out from her hiding place and down the opposite road.

The Biggest

"Are you kidding me?!" Tallest Dirk slammed the armrests of his throne. "How can you take down an entire GKND fleet, but not a simple primitive town? ! Were they really that much for you?"

"They proved to be more annoying than I'd initially hoped." Yellow Diamond replied. "And with a swarm of mutant… lifeforms coming down, I just got bored."

"You wanted a new harvesting ground, well that was the BEST one we could find! But tell me why we should bother if you get exhausted this easily?"

"Because that soil is a meager source of energy, compared to what we could harvest from Fairy World."

"You are ridiculous. 'Fairy World' is nothing but a… larva's story! With our keen supernatural sensors, don't you think we would be the first to know?"

"No, because they have a Fairy Sphere around it that PREVENTS you from knowing. But if we could find someone who's been there…"

"Tallest Dirk!" a soldier spoke. "We've just detected something: the moon appears to be heading our direction."

"No it's not, the moon's over there!" another soldier pointed.

"…No." Dirk looked closely. "That isn't a moon. Those plant creatures are coming from it! It must be a space station!"

"Disguised as a moon?" a soldier perked up. "Who would ever think of that!"

"Set a course in the opposite direction! We'll rethink about what we can do about all of this. We may have to call more troops…" The flagship about-faced and flew away from the incoming moon.

Yellow Diamond returned to her private quarters and sat on a couch. Well, they called it a couch. Sometimes "sofa." It was convenient, she had to admit. Apparently, it had been five years since she met the Irkens. She doesn't know how long it was since she arrived in this dimension, before she met them. She was still trying to grow accustomed to this universe. Learning what things are called and what things mean. It was so unlike her old one. This one was much more…

"Perfect." She said to herself, closing her eyes. "All I wanted… was to make my world perfect." She remembered her old dimension very clearly: utter chaos. There was no law, no balance. The god who had created her old world was not in his brightest shape. "Arceus… is that who it was? It's what they called him… and people in this place speak of him as well."

Her universe was so chaotic, it was hard to remember. Ripples in time and black holes everywhere… their descendants were their ancestors… Yellow Diamond didn't understand a single thing. …Except one crucial fact: her race, her Gem Empire, were the most powerful beings there. They were the strongest race. They were perfect. That's why, she and the Diamonds knew: it was their destiny to rid the chaos of their universe. They had to make the worlds perfect, by any means necessary. They could never last in such devastation. Perfection was the only way…

"…But I am no better." She thought aloud once again. "I caused just as much destruction… even if it was for a noble cause. Those other creatures wouldn't survive as they were. And now… I'm trapped in this world. The other world that… Arceus built. The better one. I would love to just stay here… but I have to return home." She stood up and walked toward the dead-end wall, her head hanging. "The Gem Empire… needs us. Pink… Blue… I left you alone. White…" She clutched her diamond chest, "I stole from you. I have to complete my mission. I need to be better… I need to be more perfect…" She clasped her gem tighter. "I need to be stronger!…"

Her diamond shone with a mix of white and yellow. Her entire body was engulfed in the light. A beautiful dress appeared over her form…

Tenrou Town

Mavis sat on the stairs to the river, seeing several docked boats ruined from the attack. Her feet were aching. She had walked the long road to Tenrou Town and back three times today. Having to run across a crumbling bridge, fighting alien monsters, she would almost welcome a pair of shoes to ease her soles. "…Hm?" She glanced at where the rest of the bridge would be in the distance… it was forming back together?

Viridi used her plantbending to create an ever-stretching bridge of brown branch-like vines with small leaves on them. She formed it in place of the Tenrou Bridge as she walked across with Aisling by her. After she arrived at Tenrou Town, Arlon approached her. "Hello, Mistress Viridi. I see you have found her…"

"I did, Arlon." She smiled and nodded. "Our long-lost Commander Aisling. So, is the town secure?"

"It…It is. The citizens are cowering in their homes, and the aliens are naught in sight."

"Good. I prefer to do away with these humans myself, but one problem at a time. Let's go back to the sanctum and hunt them down."

"No, we can't!" Aisling spoke up. "We have to find my… friends." She paused, seemingly unable to recall that word.

"What… 'friends' are these?" Viridi mocked.

Looking nervous, Aisling's eyes shifted left and right, and she put her finger by her chin. When she looked up, her eyes widened. "THAT one!"

Viridi and Arlon turned to find Mavis standing behind them. The mage's oval eyes looked strict. "Her?" Viridi cocked a brow. "You're friends with a HUMAN? Aisling, if that isn't the highlight of my day…" She smiled, eyes closed, and shook her head in disbelief.

"I know you." Mavis pointed at her. "You're Viridi. The Nature Goddess. I saw you in a book."

"That's not surprising." Viridi shrugged. "I am a revolutionary among the gods. Instead of hanging back and lazily watching from the Spirit World, I'm a girl of action."

"Gods aren't supposed to interfere with mortal business. Typically, gods who do abuse their power."

"Don't tell me what I already know." She glared at Mavis. "Yes, gods like Malladus and Darkrai like to abuse their power. That's why gods like myself have to break some laws, too."

"Be that as it may, you're staying in this town longer than you're allowed to. We're thankful you broke your rule to chase the aliens away, but I can feel the malice in your heart."

"Heerrrrrr." Viridi growled with anger. "I'm getting lectured by a human about the rules of a god? Listen, you, the fact is, I'm different and I'm better than those other gods. The path I seek is that of true justice and righteousness. And my knowledge certainly surpasses you egotistical humans. Keep in mind that I was created by Arceus after he created Celebi. I challenge you to tell me anything about the universe that I don't know."

"…I can pinpoint Fairy World's exact location." Mavis smiled.

"I beg pardon?" Arlon said as Viridi gasped.

"Correct. Now that the sun is going down and a lot of clouds are rolling away, it's become a lot clearer. Do you see that yellow star over there?" Mavis pointed behind them. In the distant sky, through some clouds, a yellow star shone bright among what few were seen in the weak sunset sky. "That star is very similar to the one I saw hanging directly above Fairy World."

"YOU have been there?"

"Yes. So has Aisling. If my calculations are correct, we would only need to travel about a quarter of the planet to be directly under Fairy World's location." Mavis spoke very factually. "In fact, based on my reading, I conjecture that that yellow star is Secco, the home of the Sun God, Solaris. It is notably shiny because the denizens of that planet constantly worship him. Being the god who gave Zeira firebending, he has to give off a distinct glow." She sounded perky, so sure of her knowledge.

Viridi and Arlon exchanged narrowed glances. "Also, based on further reading," they looked at Mavis again, "Planet Secco is heavily concentrated with Time Chi, as it is a mining site for Timeshift Stones. After eavesdropping on your butler here," Arlon growled at her, "it seems that the Fairy Sphere uses fragments of Time Chi. Perhaps having Secco in clear sight strengthens its hold. Of course, that part is hypothetical on my end." She grinned brilliantly.

"What are you implying…?" Viridi asked.

"That alien woman clearly has a desire to find Fairy World. There's an 87% chance they will attempt to interrogate people on this planet to see if they've been there. Judging by their advanced technology, there's a 76% chance they have a means of scanning a person's brain for information, so if they got ahold of me, they could easily put this recent knowledge together and find Fairy World's location."

"…My word… her logic rivals that of even Uxie." Arlon gaped.

"Yaaaaay!" Mavis kicked her feet around and dance-turned in place. "I smart, I smart, I smart!"

"No, Arlon… her mature levels aren't nearly as much." Viridi sighed. "Still… whatever their reasons are, we can't let those aliens find Fairy World. If Mavis's calculations are true, we have no choice but to protect her. We will let you come to our Lunar Sanctum."

"Oh…" Mavis frowned. "I can't come, yet. There's one more friend I need to find."

"Oh, boy." Viridi rolled her eyes. "Where are they at?"

Mavis felt a tug in her heart at the way she worded that. 'Where are they at'… 'they', as in Lapis's body parts. She wanted to believe the gem just came off her back and Lapis had fallen in the river, too… But, what if Lapis was dismembered? She couldn't bear to think…

"MAVIS!" She gasped and whipped around, smiling widely: Lapis rushed over to her.

"LAPIIIIS!" Mavis held her arms open and allowed her friend to grab her in a hug. They twirled around, until they stopped and Lapis opened her eyes.

"Huu!" She gasped at the man with the mustache. "Dad?…"

"L…Lapis…" Arlon choked on his breath.

"Ohh?" Mavis let go and looked between them both. Viridi did the same. "You mean you're… Mr. Lazuli?"

"Y-y…yes…" Arlon tugged on the neck of his suit as he seemed to heat up.

Lapis was so shocked, she nearly lost focus. She shook her head and demanded, "Are you really?!"

"I-… beg pardon?"

"I mean…" Lapis blushed at her outburst. "Ugh… Dad… I met the Ocean Fairy Queen."

"The Ocean WHAT Queen??" Mavis gaped.

"Ocean Fairies, Mavis. They're real. They found me in my gem. Dad…" She faced the man again, pausing for a second, "are Lunarians' bodies made of energy?"

"…" Arlon fixed his monocle, "I really don't like discussing such matters in open public. Please, let us adjourn to the sanctum."

"All right, then." Viridi waved her staff. "Super God Mode Teleporting POWERRRR!" A gentle green ray of light shone down from the sky and warped them.

Lunar Sanctum

They appeared inside a living room area that was a shiny orange-brown color, with fancy designs and a wide window that viewed the surface of the moon. "Goodness, Viridi, that was the SPIRIT WORLD warp!" Arlon flustered. "Did we really have to let the girls catch a glimpse of it just to get here?!"

"Who cares, a half-second of Spirit World isn't going to change their lives." Viridi retorted. However, the Fairy Sisters had stars in their eyes and gaping smiles. "I think we were discussing something?"

Lapis shook back to normal, "That's right. Dad, the fairies told me I materialized from my gem. What's the deal with that?"

Arlon's head slanted down, but his charming demeanor stayed the same. "My surname is not Lazuli. That was just part of the name I gave you. Lapis… you are not a true Lunarian."

"W-What?"

"Indeed, your body does appear Lunarian, but your physiology is entirely different. In fact, I'm not certain what sort of creature you are. You see, 2,000 years ago, I found the gem you now wear on your back…"

While exploring a cavern on his home planet, Arlon discovered a beautiful Lazuli Gem, shaped like a teardrop. Arlon picked it up, feeling its smooth, shiny texture. When he took it outside, he held the gem up to the moonlight. …It glowed, and before his eyes, manifested a child Lunarian of about three Earth years. The gem was attached to her back. She fell on all fours and shook her head of dizzy. She looked up and smiled at the old man. With no idea who he was, he must've been her guardian.

Arlon, adored by her appearance, picked Lapis up and called himself her father. He named her Lapis Lazuli, after the gem on her back. He played with her and made childhood a joy. He told her stories of fairies and trained her with waterbending. He enjoyed having her so much, that he forgot to question just how she came to be.

"At the time, I believed you were an ordinary Lunarian sealed inside one of our magic stones, by some means I hadn't yet known. And then, one night… strange creatures called Zoni appeared. They told me your body was energy. That you hailed from a distant dimension. You sustained severe mental injuries in crossing over, so you could not remember who you really were. However, your form aged with a similar timespan as a Lunarian over the ages. It is… difficult to explain, even today. They told me that, one day, 'She must go to Avalar.'"

"Is that why… you sent me away?"

"That was part of the reason, though I was never sure when you were meant to. I thought that, when that monstrous Acnologia appeared out of nowhere, that was the perfect time. No use letting you get involved in a war with a behemoth of that scale. It was only when Mistress Viridi appeared on my planet that we were able to subdue him. She commanded Celebi to fight Acnologia, and the Firstborn won. I was indebted to her… so her goals are now mine."

They were silent for a few minutes. They embraced the awkward, emotional tension. "…Well, do make yourselves at home." Arlon said perkily, clapping his gloved hands. "I shall go fetch tea." He walked off, while Viridi warped in another ray of light.

Mavis, Lapis, and Aisling sat on the comfy cushion couch and chairs around the table, all the same brown-orange color. "So that's what we are." Lapis said, looking at the back of her right hand. "I'm some sort of… energy person…" She lightly pinched the skin of her hand. "Mavis has Death Chi…" She glanced at her friend, who looked down in remorse. "And Aisling…" She glanced at the other girl, "you were made by Viridi?"

"Mmm…" Aisling was expressionless. "Mm-hm." She nodded.

"Why were you in that forest? Why did you leave her?"

"…It was because… I wanted to be my own person…" Aisling spoke in a whisper. "I was connected to Viridi… but Viridi was mad. She wants to destroy humans… she wanted us to keep our special powers to ourselves… I was forced to agree with her… I wanted to disconnect from her mind… I wanted to embrace nature… in my own way…"

"But dark magic wasn't natural." Mavis recapped with a dull tone. "I remember how you were… I see now that you were trying not to be like Viridi…"

"…Yes."

They sat silently for several minutes. Mavis reached under her dress and pulled out her Pony's Tail wand. She stared at it… closely…

Mavis was skipping merrily up Tenrou's street, holding Lapis's hand. The 11-year-old girl glanced left—she released Lapis and pressed her hands and face to the big window. "Lapis, loooook!" The Lunarian complied and looked curiously. "Waaaaands!"

"Haha, yep! It's the Wand Store."

"I waaaaant a waaaaand."

"Mavis, you're not even enrolled in a wizards' school. Not to mention we don't have the money."

"But Lapiiiiis! If I had one, I could do magic with yoooouuu. And I'm 11 years old, so I have tooooo."

"What are you two talking about?" They turned around to see Zeira licking a Flamepop.

"Zeeeiraaaaa. I can't buy a waaaaaand." Mavis pouted.

"Oh, boohoo. Magic freaks can't do freaky magic things."

"But I waaaaaaant!" Mavis began stomping her feet. "Want want want waaaaaant…"

"Ergh!" Zeira smacked her forehead. "Are you gonna do that every time I see you now?"

"Want a wand, want a wand, want a waaaaand!"

"UGH! How 'bout I just BUY one for you!" Zeira said as she stomped in the store. Mavis pressed her face to the glass again, watching her actions, eager to see what Zeira would do.

The rich girl came out with a purple wand with colorful, hair-like strands on the base end. "Here." She said smugly. Mavis gasped with great joy. "As long as you don't bug me with it." She gave Mavis the wand and walked away.

"I GOT it!" She stared at it gapingly. "My first wand! I christen thee… the FAIRY'S TAIL!" She raised it proudly.

"It's a Pony's Tail." Lapis shook her head.

"Not when I'm done with it!"

Mavis smiled, holding the wand close. She should've known right then that Zeira was her friend. "…None of that matters, now." Mavis said seriously, taking the girls out of their thoughts. "Our world is in danger. Not just by those aliens, but… I saw the Black Cloud the Fairy King mentioned. We have to do something about them all."

Lapis sighed, "Mavis, this is starting to become a bit too much for us. I mean, we can live with these… facts of us, but dealing with these invaders or this Black Cloud… Shouldn't those all be left in more capable hands?"

"What hands would those be?" Mavis questioned. "These 'Forces of Nature'? Even Aisling says Viridi's crazy. …Unless you're thinking that the fairies can do something to help."

"…I dunno… maybe." Lapis said with a light shrug. "If our stories are true, then they do have strong magic power. But Queen Cerulea says her people can't come beyond their realm, and we already know the Star Fairies can't leave the Fairy Sphere…"

"It probably isn't that they 'can't', it's just they don't want to." Mavis reasoned. "It's because people can capture them and steal their powerful magic. We just need to make them realize the impending danger. We have to convince the Fairy King that they can't let the Magic Council do their work for them. If they really care about Avalar's safety, they need to take matters in their own hands."

"That's gonna be hard to do. That Fairy King doesn't look like the type to listen to reason."

"You're right, Lapis. Guys like him only listen to their big, strong muscles. That's why…" Mavis smiled, "I'm gonna challenge him to a magic fight."

"Ffff, hehe." Lapis forced out a giggle. "Hm-hm-Mavis, don't be silly."

"No, I will. Guys like him usually respect those who are strong, so the only way I'll get through is to fight him."

"Okay, okay!" Lapis smiled with a fake complying tone. "'Cause you can totally defeat a powerful spirit king with a giant freaking wand! Mavis, you're gonna get creamed."

"No I won't." She smiled confidently. "'Cause the extent of my magic is as wide as my heart!"

Viridi's Throne

"Siiiigh." The goddess sighed after warping back to her tree-bark-designed throne room. "This whole mission is turning into more than I bargained for."

"Biiiiii!" Celebi fluttered to her as Viridi marched down a passage.

"Of course I'm going back, Celebi, this may finally be my chance to rid the galaxy of those Irkens for good."

"Biii, BI-BI, biiiii!"

"Like I'll rely on the Galactic Kids Next Door for this. I'm not associating with them, and I certainly won't let you."

"BIIIiiii!" Celebi was angered.

"Besides… that human girl had an unusual power. I could feel it." She entered what appeared to be a greenhouse room with many exotic plants. "I'll have to make sure she doesn't do anything nasty with that power." Viridi approached a round, bulbous fruit with a goldish-pink color, and a shiny smooth texture. "The God Fruit can heal all ailments… and mixed with Music Chi, it can produce the Elixir of Life, which can put a stopper in death." She plucked it off of the tree. "Celebi… it's time to try my experiment."

"Biii…"

Lizard Estate

Zeira's father wouldn't let her leave the house, so she was boredly skimming books in the mansion's library. She came upon a dark, decayed tome titled, Book of Zeref, Volume 2. She picked it out and opened it. "Where did we get this?" she asked the librarian, an old man with a thin, long, white beard, and tiny round spectacles that were so shiny, they hid his eyes.

"Oh, one of your father's friends found it on a hike. He said it has fascinating passages…"

"Hmm." Zeira sat on a chair and turned a few pages. She began reading a section titled Inferi.

Zeref and the Death Gods stood at the very end of the road to the mansion. "I feel it… the energy is radiating from that house."

"I thought it would be more of a challenge." Pandora frowned, then shrugged. "Oh well. I'll just be a minute." Her body glowed with a black and blue aura as she marched the road. The ground cracked, the torchlights exploded, there were sudden gusts of wind, parts caught on fire, and the atmosphere around Pandora was simply chaos.