Chapter 21: Fairy 19: Broken Hearts
It has been 2 years since Zack came to this world, and a year when that happened, the day that Zack felt his heart was ripping apart.
He is now 17 years old, and there is only 2 years left before the canon itself to begin. However, Zack wouldn't even know that, due to the sole fact, he has no memories of his past life.
Drinking away at the bar, Zack cannot help to sighed. As he looked at his Status. Since that day, for some reason, he is unable to use his magic. He tried using both Gravity Magic and Quake Magic many times. However each time he did tried to use his magical power to active them, he finds them uncontrollable and unstable to use them.
'Ether, is alive… because my heart is broken… so is my emotions… it's understandable…'
Zack told himself this, while he sighed once again. Only to notice someone has come next to him and rest his arm around his neck. Zack turns his gaze towards the one that did that, who is a handsome young man with brown hair with glasses, his name is Loke, one of the newest members of Fairy Tail that has joined since last year.
"Why the long face, my bother?" Loke askes this, while removing his arm from around Zack.
"Nothing much… just thinking, you know, since it still hard for me to control my magic…" Zack honestly told, he has an idea what causing his magic becoming unstable. Of course, he didn't tell Loke what the cause might be. No, in a way, he might even know what the cause is. Since it is a very known fact in the guild, what happened last year.
However, in this last year, Zack had learnt it is better to keep some things to himself. After all, even now, Master and the others are looking for a group of people that don't even exist, as well Status, who everyone in the guild has a serious grudge with.
He cannot help to blame his own naivety, as he watches Master becoming more and more serious, as he looked for Status and his cult. Which also why, Zack just ignores Makarov and the others, still trying their hardest to find God's Cult, and Status that may or may not become Fairy Tail's number one enemy in the far future.
'Even if I didn't grow physically this past year… but I have mentally… even if I am still mentally unstable.'
Zack thought and sighed once again.
"You thinking about her again? Seriously, what you see in that gal? She's scary, badmouthed, and she looked at me with looks can kill!" Loke said with a sighed, as he shakes his head.
"She's not all like that… never mind… Now I think about it, where is Mirajane and the others?" Zack went with a lonely smile. Even if Zack doesn't talk with Mirajane, he is still close with Elfman and Lisanna. Both of them still talk with Zack like if he is their older brother.
"I know it… seriously dodging the question like that? You love sicked puppy; I know the right place for you." Loke went with a perverted smile. Looking at the perverted smile, Zack just shows his confused look, as he recalled the last time than he heard Loke saying those words.
"We not going to that place again, are we? Erza forbids me from going to those places with women… even if the food was good… why I am not allowed to go again?" Zack went, as he recalled that building that Loke brought him to before. He also remembers the furious look on Erza's face, as she dragged Zack away after beating Loke half dead on the spot, when she found them entering that 'building' by chance.
Loke also recalled that very same moment. Froze when he personally remembers gaining Erza's wrath, he honestly thought that she will make him swim with the fishes, lucky enough, he wasn't killed.
"Let's not… I still have bad dreams about that day…" Loke went with tears. Which Zack only looked at him with a tilted head, not understanding what he meant by that.
"Hahaha, I wish I was to see it Loke, you shouldn't bring Zack to those places… and Zack; Mirajane and her siblings are on a mission. They should be back soon… I think they are on a mission called the Beast King was it? You know to slay a monster, that known as the King of Beasts." Said a dark brown-haired girl, Cana said, as she yawned just waking up on Zack's other side.
Even if she is only 16 years old, she seems to already grow her womanly charms, to her flat chest that is now small, but still big for her age.
In fact, for some reason they only three sizes of chests for woman in this world. You even flat, small or have them big. (AN: Canon's fault, not mine!)
Of course, the only one that notice this, is Loke, this playboy pervert. And Zack? Even if he had notice she is growing in that area, he doesn't really care about chests and all that kind of things at this moment.
This has nothing to do with his broken heart, or only having eyes for Mirajane. It due to the fact, he has no interest in them. Because he still lacks the understanding what's makes a young man a young man.
Meaning, Zack still is inexperience when it comes to the thing known as lust, so it no wonder they barely any or no lust inside him. He is not gay, since he is interested in a woman, but at this moment of time. Zack still lacks to understand the charms of a woman's body.
But thanks to this pervert besides him, Loke, Zack begun to somewhat understand many things when it comes to love and harems. Even if he still lacking what truly love is, but somewhat can understand it, but Zack now knows what a harem is. But still lacks many things to build one for himself.
Which is why, Zack planned to soon or later to go on a journey, a journey to understand himself, to get rid of the unstable feelings he has dwelling inside his heart, so he can regain control of his own magical powers.
However, those thoughts soon faded, when Zack heard what Cana said. And for some reason he his mind went blank, as he stared at this brown-haired girl with his blank look.
"What's the matter?" Cana asked looking at Zack's odd behaviour.
"Beast King… did you say Beast King…?" Zack asked, as he doesn't understand why, but when he heard t he term 'Beast King', a uneasy feeling came to him, he doesn't understand why this monster bothered him so much.
"Yeah… the King of Beasts, why…?" Cana asked.
"Something the matter my brother?" Loke also asked.
"I don't know… it just… something doesn't seem right, why?" Zack went as he stood up, maybe it was of the uneasy feeling he has, or the fact he has a lot of wine. Zack felt dizzy when he stood up.
"Hay, what you mean by something doesn't seem right?" Cana went, drinking the wine before her.
"Hmm… it's nothing, I think I might had too much…" Zack went with a sigh and throw this uneasiness he feels to the back of his mind. And blame the wine he had inside his mind. Before walked before billboard, that is full of all kinds of missions.
"Oh Zack, going on a mission?" When Zack reached the billboard of missions. He heard a familiar male voice, which caused him to look towards where the voice came from. Only to find Gray for some reason with just his boxers on, right next to the billboard, as he too seems to be checking the current missions as well.
"Yeah… I am thinking going on a journey… to clear my head. If I remain as I am… there no way I can protect anyone…" Zack said, looking down at the 16-year-old boy, who is very muscular, Gray muscles are not the bodybuilder kind, but the borderline between lean and that of a bodybuilder, that seems to developed in all of the right areas, just like Zack's own muscles himself.
"I hear you… will you be all okay?" Gray went with concern.
"I be fine… don't worry. I just need to sort my feelings out… so I can regain the control of my magical power. And clearing my head and sorting out my feelings is something I had to do…" Zack said with a faint smile, while Gray sighed, knowing full well, that this guy before him is forcing himself, so that forced smile on his lips.
"Oh! Zack!" Before Gray could say anything else, another male voice sounded, as both Gray and Zack turned around, and saw Natsu and Happy entering the guild. It wasn't long for the duo, the young dragon slayer plus his blue cat, to cheerfully run towards Zack and Gray.
"How it is going, Natsu, Happy?" Zack asked.
"Hahaha, I thought of a new move!" Natsu went with his cheerful smile, as he pointed his finger in the air: "I call it the Fire Dragon's Bullet!"
Upon when Natsu said that a little flame appeared on his index finger. Which made nit only Zack and everyone else looking at Natsu confused, when they see the small flame, even Natsu also has a look of confusion as he stared at the small flame, that located at the tip of index finger.
"Huh? Why didn't it shoot out??" Natsu tilted his head, not understanding what's going on.
"You mean the dragon fire's lighter, right?" Gray said, while trying held back his laugher.
"Ahh…? What dragon lighter you see Gray huh?" Natsu that knows he is being made fun of and looked at Gray with rage.
"I mean that little flame you made, what else?" Gray said.
"Not that! What's dragon fire lighter!? It should be fire dragon lighter!" Natsu shouted.
"Wait, you mad because I said dragon fire, instead of fire dragon!?" Gray this time was confused.
"Of course I am! It's Fire Dragon! I am a Fire Dragon Slayer!" Natsu shouted, and felt insulted by this ice stripper known as Gray. And even rushed before Gray, only to coat his fist in flames, before sending that flaming fist towards the startled Gray.
"You damn lizard!" Gray went, as he dodged the flaming fist, and used his Ice Maker Magic to crate a huge hammer, only to rushed towards the dragon body, and smashes it with it.
However, as Zack watches as both ice and fire clashes with each other, yet again. At the same moment when they begin fighting, a red-haired hair beauty just happened to be standing behind Gray as he swings his huge hammer, and when he did swing his hammer, the end of the handle managed knocked the plate, that this red-haired beauty was holding, which caused the cake on the plate fell to the ground.
Zack and many of the others that seen this, all looked at the cake, and the red-haired beauty, and everyone besides two idiots. Felt a cold chill down their spines, when they saw the look on this red-haired beauty or Erza's face. That looked at the cake in horror, as if her whole family has been massacred before her very eyes.
And what happened next? Zack and the others rushed away from the two idiots that was too focus on their fight, to notice that armour appeared on Erza body, before she grabbed the heads of Natsu and Gray at the same time. And made two head size holes in the guild hall, when she smashed their heads through the floorboards.
After that, Erza being Erza, also didn't stop there. And begin with her hell-like lessons towards the two hopelessly boys. That cried while they had no choice to 'kindly' take on Erza's lesson of not wasting cakes, or how important and sweet they can be. Or how much she was looking forward eating that one.
While Erza still giving the two boys her speech of not wasting cake, and the guild soon became loudly again. Which made everyone failed to notice it has begun to rain outside, as well the two children walked into this noisy guild, with dead eyes.
First one to notice them was Makarov, who expected them to be back anytime soon. But seeing their eyes, his heart tightens, as his instincts telling him something must went wrong. Looking at both Elfman and Mirajane with no sign of Lisanna. He cannot help to wish, for this bad feeling not to be true, when he saw those dead eyes.
On the other side, Erza just finished with her lecture, with the drained Gray and Natsu, who are now limply laying on the ground. She also notices Mirajane with her face looking downwards. But Erza truly didn't think much of it, and just took note, that Mirajane is heading her way.
Erza didn't move out of the way, when she saw Mirajane not paying attention where she is heading towards her. And stood her ground. Erza and Mirajane fought almost each time they meet. Erza knew it was not her fault, if this bully of a girl, didn't look where she is going, and bumped into her.
After all, Erza is in her rights, since Mirajane didn't even look where she was walking. That is why, when Mirajane did bump into her, Erza was expecting Mirajane to blame her for not moving, and even badmouth Erza before she attack her. And this wasn't the first time Mirajane did such a thing.
However, to Erza's expectations was proven wrong, as her brown eyes widen when she heard what Mirajane said instead, she thought she would say.
"Sorry…" A very weak voice sound before Erza, who blankly stared at Mirajane. And when Erza saw Mirajane's expression, the very kind of expression that Ezra has seen many times before she joined Fairy Tail. This was the kind of look when someone has lost someone or something dear to them.
Which is why, when Ezra saw Mirajane like this, she instinctively turned her head towards the other two Strauss siblings, but when she looked, there was only Elfman with the same kind of look as his elder sister, and no Lisanna in sight, no matter how hard she looked.
Zack stared at Erza and Mirajane, and felt with his instincts, that something is wrong, very wrong, when he saw Mirajane this weak looking, and how her voice even trembled when she speaks that single word.
Zack felt his heart has been stabbed, when he saw Mirajane like that, and before he knew it. Zack was already making his way towards Mirajane.
Mirajane who looked lifeless, had her blue eyes widen hearing familiar steps. She turned her head towards the source of footsteps and looked right into Zack's grassy green eyes. Seeing the boy she has rudely pushed away, she was about to say something, when she opened her mouth.
However, she soon finds herself unable to speak to the boy, that she has mistreated. And because of that, Mirajane cast her gaze down to the ground, and even bit into her lips, causing them to bleed, and even her blue eyes begin to tear up. But Mirajane's eyes soon looked up, when she felt someone had pulled her into a hug, and was shocked to see the one that pulled her into their embrace, was no other then the person she hatred the most, Erza Scarlet.
"It's okay… I know… I know this feeling too well, that is why let it out… let it out… Mirajane…" Erza who properly one of the people in her age group, that knew that feeling the most. Told Mirajane to let it out. And she did, Mirajane hugged Erza back, and let it all out, as she cried and cried, while still in Erza's warm embrace.
When Mirajane begun to cry it out, the silence in guild hall, grow even more. As everyone in this place can somewhat guess something terrible must had happened to the Strauss siblings.
However, not everyone could understand what's happening. As Natsu, looked at Mirajane and Erza hugging each other, as well crying. And even looked at Elfman, that seems to be trying his hardest not to cry as well.
Natsu truly didn't understand why they are crying for. Or why he cannot see Lisanna anywhere, no matter how much he looked for her. Which is why Natsu instinctively made his way towards Elfman, knowing deep down something is seriously wrong.
However, a hand was place before Natsu, before he could make his way towards Elfman, this was no other then Zack. Who took one last look towards Mirajane that still crying her eyes out, within Erza's embrace. Before he turned his gaze towards Natsu himself.
Natsu give Zack a confuse look, but Zack himself just shake his head, before he pay no more attention towards Natsu. And made his way towards Elfman, who also notice Zack heading his way, and quickly bitten his lips, and tighten his grips of his hands in frustration towards himself.
Before Elfman could say anything, Zack did what Erza done to Mirajane, he pulled the young boy that is half a head taller than Zack himself, into his embrace, and because of that, tears also begin to flow out of Elfman's eyes.
"Bro… b-because of… bb-because of me…!" Elfman cried, as he wanted to tell him. But Zack just rubbed his back, with his brotherly instincts kicking in.
"I know… you can tell me later… but before that. Let it out, let all your emotions out. It's not a shame for a man to cry, especially when they have a reason to." When Zack said that Elfman begun to cry like Mirajane.
While the two siblings begun to cry their heart out. No one in the guild say a single thing, as they all waited, with only the sounds of rain and cries can be heard in this usual noisy guild.
None said a thing, as only the rain and the crying of two siblings can be heard within the guild.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
AnimeDamon
AnimeDamon This chapter has been re-edited
Chapter Status.
Verison of chapter: 1.1
Former word Count: 2369
Current Count: 3063
Re-Uploaded on 14/07/2023
Yeah... didn't know I done a 3k chapter, however, this chapter is also very important to this fanfic, hope you all enjoy it
Sorry if there new or more grammar mistakes that has been found, don't know if I overdid this chapter...
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