Disclaimer: Fairy Tail doesn't belong to me :(

Well, I got a LOOOTTT of name suggestions! And let me tell you...it was HARDD to choose just two! D: Bye the way, if I didn't pick yours, it doesn't mean it was a bad name, so don't take offense, it just means that I was so overwhelmed by amazing suggestions I couldn't choose...!

I DID choose one, yes, but only because I thought it fit their personalities! And also, the person that suggested them was one of the first people to suggest! :D

Thank you: allience

for the AWESOME names shiki and irie!

LAST CHAPTER IN THE PARENT's ARC! INCLUDES FLASHBACKS!

*...Parent's Arc...*

|Chapter 7|

"...thats..."

"...mom...and...dad..."

The two people smirked at Natsu and Zeref. Everyone in the guild were shocked.

Their parents?

I thought they were dead...Lucy thought.

The woman chuckled and pushed her pink hair behind her ear, "Why, boys! It's been...to long."

Natsu felt as if he couldn't move. He was paralyzed.

"You two still haven't learned anything, have you?" The man sighed. "You both are still the same amount idiotic."

"But...you..." Zeref stammered. "You two are dead! What the hell is going on! Explain yourself!"

"How rude! You," murmured the woman. "would you dare to speak to your own mother like that!?"

The woman moved briskly, raising her hand and slapping Zeref across the face, "I am your mother, so you should respect me!"

"You aren't my mother." Natsu stated, his bangs hanging over his eye's. "My mother was kind. She was sweet...she was beautiful...she wasn't you."

"You brat!" The woman growled. "I have her face! I am her! There isn't any denying it! Take a DNA test! You would see the truth, my youngest, Natsu!"

"Now, now Irie," cooed the man. "we mustn't monologue quite yet my dear. Look at the disrespect! We must punish them."

"True." Irie agreed. "We can't just give them two spankings each and call it done, now can we my dearest Shiki?"

Shiki an Irie...Natsu thought. If they were fakers...h-how would they know my parents names!?

"What do you think, boys? Or shall we ask your guild that you stupidly joined?" Shiki asked.

Natsu narrowed his eye's, "Stupidly? It wasn't stupid, actually...it was probably the brightest idea I ever had."

"Good thing you're admitting to your moronic brain."

Shiki was on Natsu in a mila-second. His fist collided with Natsu's face, and sent the poor dragon-slaying fire demon on his back.

"YOU BASTARD!" Zeref shouted.

Irie kicked Zeref's side, "You know sweetie, you shouldn't call your own father that! When I'm angry, and feel like swearing, I like to say fudge!"

"Fuck you!"

Irie kicked Zeref's face, knees, shins...all around his body, "Watch your mouth boy. I may be punishing you, but that doesn't give you the right to say that to me."

Zeref had tears in his eye's. He absolutely refused to fight back, despite his anger at the moment. He couldn't hurt his mom or dad...he loved them to much. And he knew by the familiar magic energy they were giving off that they were his parents.

Fairy Tail watched sadly as their two famous brothers were beat up by their own parents. Lucy was heartbroken...she couldn't bear to watch. Yet...she couldn't move her eye's from the spot, much less move to assist her best friends.

Natsu held himself together. He had felt much worse then this...on the outside. But he was being torn apart on the inside. Why would his parents be doing this.

His father, Shiki, kicked Natsu's chest, and sent him backwards. Natsu's back collided with what he assumed was Zeref's back as well.

"This isn't good..." Natsu groaned, holding his arm.

"No..." Zeref agreed. "How are you doing, Natsu?"

"...not good...you?"

"Pretty much the same!"

The two grunted and moved out of the way as Irie's foot crashed down on where the boys were a second ago. The two began to dodge their parents attacks in unison.

"Why are you doing this!?" Natsu wondered angrily.

Irie grinned, "Only for us! Acnologia helped by sending us back here again! All to destroy you! You and your brother are bothersome! You cause us trepidation!"

"Why!?"

"Your power, for one! And the fact that you two are our sons! We have to deal with everything you do because of our family name! Everything! You messed it up! The world knows the Dragneel's as a "power-hungry" name! A demonic and evil family!"

"Well, you're just proving them right, aren't you!?" Zeref grunted as he moved away from a punch from his father.

"We're just mirroring your attitudes! You've killed, slaughtered, tormented and torn apart families! You deserve a punishment!" Irie pinned Zeref to the ground. "You brought this upon yourself Musuko! Since you want despair and families to be ripped to shreds, that's what we'll do here! I will do that by killing you!"

Irie raised her fist. The power could be felt around the room. The impact would kill Zeref. Because she was part of the family, as well as for some reason had an over-abundance of magic power/energy, she could easily kill Zeref. Just like Natsu could.

"STOP IT!" Natsu begged. "Please! How could you do this!? WHY!?"

Irie ignored him, and her fist went down.

"I always remembered you as my wonderful mother who no one could compare to! I loved - and still do - you! How could you do this to your sons!? The past is behind us! You don't have to ruin our family just because me and Zeref were idiots! Please! Mom, stop!"

A little gasp escaped Irie's lips, her fist hovering right above Zeref's face. She stared at Natsu a second, and then let out a little chortle. She stood up and squatted in front of Natsu.

"Oh, you're still the same little boy I knew hundreds of years ago." Irie shook her head. "Inside, I know you're still the little six - seven year old who would bother me with his useless questions. Try to read books by saying gibberished words. And most of all, you still have impact on your words. You could probably convince a Suicidal Maniac to live. Because of that, I suppose I can give a story before I kill you myself."

Irie grabbed the exhausted Natsu and dragged him to the back of the room, Shiki doing the same. All the Fairy Tail members could still hear. But they all had a view now.

"Do you really want to know how me and your mother came back from the dead?" Shiki inquired.

Natsu and Zeref answered with stern looks.

"Fine...well. We were floating around in the...what would you call it...realm of the dead?" Shiki asked.

"No, dear. We were just dead."

"That's right. Our bodies were dead, but our Spirits alive." Shiki nodded. "Acnologia harvested our living spirits, and replaced our bodies the exact way they were. Our mission was to kill you. Of course, that was after we found out what you two did and had...heart changes."

Irie nodded, "Though it's true we used to love you, all that has changed. I'm ashamed to be called your mother! Which is why I will tear both of you apart!"

Natsu was speechless. That was the only soliloquy that they were going to give?!

"Shall we start with the oldest?" Irie stroked Zeref's face, and then did the same to Natsu's. "Or the youngest?"

"Leave him alone, mother!" Zeref ordered.

Irie slapped Zeref once more, "Do not presume to order me around boy! Since you have such a obstreperous attitude, I think I should start with Natsu!"

"Stop..." Lucy croaked.

"Leave...them...alone..." Gray muttered.

Irie stood up and looked at the beaten guild. She strode over to Gray and placed her foot on his back, "If I'm not mistaken, you're the boy who turned my sons in? Betrayed them? Why would you want them to be alright?"

Irie didn't give Gray a chance to respond, before moving to Lucy, "And you are still angry! I can see it in your eye's. You yourself feel betrayed by Natsu's sudden change! I can see why, but there isn't a reason to stop if you feel that way!"

Irie chuckled, "I'm sure you are all just confused, just like Lucy! You realize that those boys are evil? A demon and a demon maker. That's what I would call them. You have no reason for them to be alive."

"No! Fairy Tail isn't anything without Natsu!" Gray argued. "Even Zeref is an important asset and friend! We're family! Maybe not related in blood like you, but at least we treat them like family! More then their actual lineage does! You're a far cry from a good parent!"

Irie glowered at Gray a moment, before raising her leg and kicking his gut, "You are not apart of this. Watch from the sidelines."

Irie turned around and walked back towards the men of the Dragneel family. Irie pulled Natsu a bit away from Zeref and Shiki.

"Prepare yourself."

Magic began to swirl around Irie. Blood dripped from Natsu's mouth. Irie placed her hands on Natsu's neck, and almost immediately, searing pain stabbed around his body. He was sure that he would have some sort of scar there.

Pained shouts escaped his lips, as he stared up at his mother's face. He didn't think he would leave this world by his mother's hand...

Two tears slipped from each of Natsu's eyes.

"This is the death blow, Natsu." Irie explained. "Get ready to die."

Natsu opened his mouth, "I'm sorry..."

The bright magic energy slowly dimmed, Irie's eye's got big, "What...?"

"Forgive me...for...hurting...those people...I'm sorry..." Natsu cried. "...mom."

Irie's eye's widened...as she remembered her boys...

"Hey mom! Mom!"

Irie turned around and chuckled, "Why, hey there, Natsu! What are you up too?"

"Sh! Sh!" Natsu shushed. "I'm being chased by the evil, dark Lord Zeref! Who plans to capture me and eat my soul!"

Irie laughed, "Oh really? Well...you better hide in this cloth basket right here! I'll protect you Sir Natsu!"

"Knight!" Natsu corrected. "I'm Knight Natsu! The hero for all!"

"Right, right! Knight Natsu, you'd better get in the basket, I can see the evil Lord Zeref coming to get you!"

Natsu nodded, "Thanks ma'am!"

Once Natsu was fully covered, Zeref ran up the hill, "Hey mom? Have you seen Natsu anywhere...? I need to talk to him!"

"Talk to him?"

"Yes. Peacefully!"

"Ha! Peacefully my little tush!" A muffled voice expressed.

Zeref raised his eyebrows, "Oh...can I please check your clothes basket?"

"Why?"

"...reasons."

"Are you trying to eat the hero Knight Natsu's soul, by any chance?"

"How did you know!?"

Irie chuckled, "Just a hunch!"

The cloth basket suddenly fell over and Natsu tumbled out.

"Ha! I found you!"

Irie laughed as her boys play-wrestled, until she realized it was lunch time.

"Oh boys!" She cooed. "Let's call a truce for an hour! Get some lunch, and then you two can come back out here and beat each other and eat souls as much as you desire till your father get's back!"

Natsu and Zeref looked at each other, "Deal!"

Irie's eye's teared up...this was her boy...her little pink sunset...her Natsu...

Irie fell to her knees, and stared into Natsu's matching coal black eye's, "Natsu..."

She wrapped her arms around her youngest son, and hugged him tight, "I'm so sorry! It's not me to forgive you...please forgive me!"

Shiki frowned, and looked at Natsu and his wife...then at his eldest son. He gasped a little.

"Dad! Guess what we did today!" Natsu grinned at his father.

Shiki chuckled, "Hm...I don't know!"

"We went to the town to go shopping!" Natsu exclaimed excitedly.

Shiki gasped playfully, "No. Way."

"Yeah!" Natsu nodded his head.

"Wow, that's so cool buddy! Did all three of you go?"

"Yes! Mom let us go and find really cool things if we stayed together!"

"That's awesome, Natsu!" Shiki grinned. "What'd you get?"

"I got seventeen fireworks!"

"Whoaaa! You know what kiddo, you and me. Tonight. Firework battle, eh? Hey, Zeref? What'd you get bud?"

Zeref looked up from his meal, his tranquil expression shifting to adrenalized excitement, "I got books! Since Brichuu-Senpai said I posses magical abilities!"

"Yeah! He said I have something like magical bility thingie too!" Natsu agreed.

Shiki shrugged, "Just be careful, that guy does lie-"

"Shiki," stated Irie. "he wasn't lying. Both boys do maintain magic."

Shiki's expression turned to stern, "Oh? Well, boys? Both of you listen carefully. To protect yourself and us and possibly others, don't boast or mention this to anyone except us, your brother, and Brichuu. Got it?"

Zeref nodded. Natsu stared at him for a moment before Zeref elbowed his little brother. Natsu's head shook up and down quickly, "Right sir!"

Shiki grinned and ruffled his boys' hair, "That's right boys! Now, hows about we get those fireworks out and play for a while outside? Scare those down the hill?"

"Yeah!" Natsu and Zeref agreed in unison.

They were his sons. What was he doing...Acnologia. That bastard...he shrouded their memories...he tried to ruin their family relationships.

Shiki pulled Zeref closer to him, and his wife, holding his three family members close.

"...is...this...a joke...?" Zeref inquired. "Just a moment ago...you two were trying to kill us...and got close...I...can't...move my body..."

"This is real..." Shiki sobbed.

"Our memories...our real lives were clouded by a spell...Acnologia had a backup plan...in case..." Irie's voice trailed off, but she continued. "...in case he didn't succeed in destroying you..."

"Tell me...do you know where he is...?" Natsu murmured. "I want to kill that-"

"Sh..."

Natsu closed his eyes and let his own guard down. He let up the wall of courage...he tore down the curtain of strength...and gave in to tears and slight happiness. He let the warmth of his mother's embrace fill him with joy. It was her...it really was.

"We let Acnologia take over out bodies..." Irie cried. "I'm so sorry boys..."

Irie pulled away and stared at Natsu, a sweet smile coming to her face, "You have grown so much, Natsu..."

Then she looked at Zeref, and placed her hand on his cheek, "You as well eldest...both of you are strong...gentle..."

"I'm proud to call both of you my sons." Irie and Shiki said simultaneously.

Tears began to slip down the brother's parents' faces.

"But..." Irie sighed. "...it's time for us to go..."

"What...!?"

"The spell only lasted until we either destroyed you two...or remembered the truth." Shiki said sadly.

"But you're alive!" mewled Zeref.

"We weren't alive boys..." Irie closed her eyes and then opened them again. "...the horrible truth is we can't be alive. It is a taboo for someone to bring back the dead...which is...which is why you were cured by Ankhseram..."

Natsu and Zeref watched in horror as their parent's body's started lifting in the air, beginning to turn transparent.

Irie's hands remained on Natsu and Zeref's cheeks. Shiki's on their heads.

"Don't forget to be brothers to each other!" Irie said. "You two have always held each other dear, but we're leaving for good now...our bodies will never return to the real world...we will be in your hearts...but treat each other respectfully...stay close...never let that brotherly bond fade...!"

"We love you!" Shiki cried.

"Mom!" Natsu bawled. "Dad!"

"I'm sorry sons...guild..." Irie looked up momentarily. "...the guild you have joined...I expect them to protect you as well..."

Erza - though she had slight tears in her eye's from watching the brother's pain - nodded.

"I love you Zeref..." Irie cooed as her body was almost gone. "...Natsu...I love you..."

"Goodbye my boys..." Shiki's voice echoed as their body's faded completely.

"NO!" Natsu screamed. "Mom! Dad!"

Zeref sat stunned. He cried silently, while Natsu wailed loudly.

"I didn't want to loose you again!" Natsu howled. "Come back! Mom! Dad!"

Zeref snapped back into reality, and took it upon himself to comfort his brother...who much needed it. He held Natsu close to himself, stroking his hair.

"Natsu...remember their words..." Zeref sniffed. "...don't forget them...we can't ever let their memories fade..."

Natsu sobbed into Zeref's shoulder.

Lucy and Happy wanted nothing more then to join the embrace...to help support the brothers. But...she couldn't.

It was a day that all of Fairy Tail would remember.

After the ordeal, everyone was bandaged and headed back to Fairy Tail. Porlyusica had finished the cure for Zeref's poison and was now working full time on fixing Zeref's curse.

Meanwhile, the guild tried to be cheery. It wasn't as loud. Natsu and Zeref were both at the guild. But for three days, they had been silent. Natsu hadn't even said one thing. The two sat at a table in the corner of the guild quietly.

Natsu's head was on the table, while Zeref was sitting up straight, a dull expression on his face. Happy sat next to Natsu's head, his paw on the rosy pink hair.

Everyone tried to stay happy and optimistic...but inside all of them were hurting.

All conversation stopped when the doors of the guild opened.

"Gramps!?" Gray exclaimed a smile coming to his face. "Well I'll be damned! It's been a while!"

Makarov nodded. After getting a greeting from everyone in the guild, he strode over to Natsu and Zeref.

Natsu hadn't lifted his head to see what was going on a minute ago, but once Makarov cleared his voice, Natsu's head perked up.

"...gramps...?" Natsu's voice was surprisingly scratchy, for not speaking in days.

Zeref's eye's widened. Zeref had been cruel to Makarov Dreyar...he didn't know if he could forgive him.

Makarov sighed, and patted Natsu's arm, "My, it's been quite some time, hasn't it, Natsu?"

Natsu nodded.

"What's wrong? Happy steal your tongue?"

Makarov knew exactly what was wrong. He had been informed of the situation by Porlyusica.

Natsu shrugged, "...no..."

Makarov sighed, ruffling Natsu's hair in an attempt to be kind, "I apologize for not being here when you needed me, Natsu. I understand you've been through quite a lot these past few months. I know you want to know where I've been through all of it, but that's something for later."

Makarov turned towards Zeref, "Come with me."

Zeref shakily stood up, and followed Makarov. Natsu decided to stay put, but watched cautiously as Zeref followed Makarov upstairs.

"I must say, I was surprised to hear you joined the guild, Zeref." Makarov sighed, once the two were alone.

"I..."

"Listen to me right now, and head my words." Makarov looked Zeref in the eye. "As the third, sixth and eighth guild master, and guild master now, I will protect my children no matter what! Do you hear me!? Pull anything on them, and I won't hesitate to get rid of you! My Children here at Fairy Tail are very dear to me! I will not allow you to hurt them in any way!"

Zeref shook his head slowly.

"Now...you are one of my children as well now. That means I will protect you as your master. Don't forget those words, but also do not forget that in this guild, you have a family. Once Porlyusica has gotten the cure for your curse, I expect you to show more emotion in love. I know you have a gentle heart. I also want to congratulate you on controlling your magic. I thought that the curse Ankhseram gave you didn't allow you to care for anyone without accidentally killing them. It means you are mastering control."

Makarov sighed, "Welcome to Fairy Tail, Zeref Dragneel."

Welp, I know I should fix the fact that I had Makarov in the last book...I wasn't done with the Alverez Empire arc xD...I am now.

Review! How'd you like it? Next arc chapter will come out soon!

Thanks for reading!

BE KIND

-Angeline-San