EP.175|Memories From Long Ago (Part 1)

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"Oh great, now they're all here!" Araden gumbled, shaking his head.

It was late, almost 2am, most people would be asleep but Araden called Briar, Winter, Delia, and Kuno for an "emergency meeting"

"Not all of them," Briar yawned, rubbing her eyes "CJ and Zeref aren't there, and Mal still locked up."

The demon emotion changed at Briar's comment, "you're right," his lips curled into a devious smile "I still have the one thing he cares about most.""What are you planning to do now?" Kuno asked, leaning against the door of the caboose.

"Nothing~" Araden cooed, "but you and Delia are coming with me."

"What about us?" Winter questioned. "I have a special assignment for you two." Araden winked, disappearing into the night.

Later that morning, the VKs finally reached the Dark Mirror down, which was surprisingly bright for it being named the "dark mirror"

"Are you sure you're going to be okay?" Evie asked Eddie once again. "Yes, I'll be fine, me and Milo are gonna go on our own adventure." Eddie smiled.

"I've never seen you smile before." Evie noted, smiling as well, she gave her one last goodbye hug "promise me, you'll write." she whispered.

"I will." Eddie whispered back.

Evie waved goodbye, sending Eddie and Milo on their way. "I'm gonna miss him." Levi muttered. "Don't worry, he'll be back," Carlos ruffled his hair.

"You know, for the Dark Mirror, everything offly bright." Ben noticed. "Yeah, it used to be shrouded in darkness years ago," Cosmina folded her arms behind her head "but this lady named Rosary came and sucked up all the darkness, brining back eternal light."

Ben quickled turned his head that name, it sounded so familiar to him, but he's never knew of a person named Rosary, but something inside of him knew that name and was dying to hear it again.

"Something wrong?" Cosmina questioned. Ben heastitated for a moment "nah, I'm good."The VKs could all tell he was lying, but now wasn't the time to bondbard him with questions.

Cosmina opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted by a large blast.

"YOU DAMN PIXIE!!!"

"What the hell?" Operetta and the VKs ran towards the voice in question to see a familiar blonde pinning somebody to the wall.

"I know you have it!" the blonde got close to the human sized pixie's face "give me my sword Tink!"

"I don't have your damn sword, CJ!" Tink replied, trying to push CJ off her. "I know your lying! Me and Zeref have been to two realms now searching for my baby!""If she says she doesn't have it, she doesn't have it." Zeref shrugged. "Shut it Zeref!" bother blondes yelled.

"I already killed Pan and Philip, I wouldn't mind adding your ass to the list." CJ threatened. "You can't do shit without your sword." Tink flashed a cocky smile.

"Come on, CJ, let's just go." Zeref calmly leaned against the wall. "I'm not leaving till you give me my sword!" CJ shouted.

"I don't have your sword!" Tink was finally able to get the pirate off of her, knocking her too the floor. CJ got up and darted towards her but before she could land a single punch on the pixie, somebody caught her fist.

"CJ?"

"Carlos?"

CJ opened her eyes to see it was indeed Carlos, she smiled, her anger slowly depleting.

"Thanks the gods you aren't dead!" CJ tackled him in a big hug. "Dead? Why would I be dead?" Carlos chuckled."Damn Araden..." CJ muttered, "we thought you, Jasper, Evie, and Hunter all died.""Awe, you came all this way to look for me." Carlos pinched her cheeks "that's adorable."

"Shut up." CJ cheeks puffed up "somebody took my sword, so we're here to get it back. I-It's not like I-I'm worried about you..."

"You're such a tsunade, CJ." Freddie laughed, her fingers lacing with Zeref "I'm glad you're okay, Zeref."

"We need to talk." Zeref whispered. Freddie felt a sinking feeling in her stomach, she knew anytime she heard the words 'we need to talk' it was almost always followed by something bad."So, what am I supposed to do with the pixie?" Cosmina asked, tieing up Tink. "We'll talk to her later, she has to know something about Mal's wearabouts." Ben answered."And my sword!" CJ added, waving her first in the air."For the last time, I don't have your sword!"Meanwhile, Mal was losing her mind in her holy prison cell "Araden! Once I'm out, the first thing I'll do is kick your ass!" Mal vowed, banging on the wall. She hissed as the holy magi seeped into her skin, burning it.

"Fucking holy magi." she mumbled under her breath. "Little demon hates being confined, doesn't she?" Araden teased, entering the white space which held Mal's prison cell.

"Burn in hell." Mal growled, not giving him the satisfaction of looking at the demon. "I would say the same but," Araden began to chuckle "It looks like you're already in hell."

His chuckles turned into full on laughter, Mal's face however, remained unfazed.

"Come on," he reigned in his laughter "I make good jokes.""What do you want? Another fighting session? Because I said I was done with those, it's no fair if everytime I fight these chains," she rustled her chains "pour holy magi into my veins."

"Nobody said it was fun for you." Araden shrugged. "If that's all you want then leave." Mal turned away from him.

"Don't be like that," Araden spinned the box, focing Mal to face him "now I know, deep down behind the tough exterior, you're just a sweet little girl.""As if!" Mal scoffed. "The last thing I'll ever be to you is a sweet little girl.""Fine," Araden pulled on her chain, binding her to the front wall of her cell "if you refuse to be a sweet girl," Araden's eyes flashed red, Mal tried her hardest to look away but she just couldn't "then I'll just force you to be one instead."And just like that, Mal had no control over her body or mind anymore.

Araden had full control.

"Mal!" Ben eyes shot open, jumping out of his chair. "You alright?" Zeref asked. "Just a nightmare, I guess..." Ben sighed, slumping back in his chair.

"Where are we again?" Ben asked, looking around to see they were in an empty diner. "Cosmina's friend, Sydney, diner. She's letting us use it as our base while were here." Hunter shortly explained.

"Since we're alone," Carlos hoped down "something going on with you," Carlos sat next to Ben "now spill."

"Nothing going on, Carlos, I'm fine." Ben assured him. "You're lying," Jasper sighed, shaking his head. "You guys worry too much, I said I'm fine." Ben repeated.

"Please," Hunter scoffed "I'm the creator of 'I'm fine', so ya can't fool me," Hunter grew in close, locking eyes with the animalistic "something wrong, why won't you tell us?"

"Because it doesn't involve you." Ben shortly explained. "My ass it doesn't, either you tell us now, or I use this," Hunter pulled out a green serum from his bag "a truth serum."

Ben sighed, "when I was in the portal, I saw Mal...but we little...me and her were the best of friends I just forgot about her like she was nothing! I don't deserve to be married to the girl I've forgotten about for the majority of my life!"

"And now she's gone! Everytime I close my eyes, I can see her, she's right in front of me but everytime I try to reach out she just disappears like air! I can see she's in and she's begging me to help but I can't reach her!"

"It drives me insane, Hunter! I need to find her! I-It...I-It..." Ben's eyes began to tear up "It hurts to much!!" Ben started crying. Hunter pulled Ben into a hug, he began crying into his shoulder.

"It hurts so bad, Hunter! I hate seeing her in pain!" Ben clenched into Hunter's shirt. "I know...I know...I hurts." Hunter soothed.

"Ben, why didn't you tell us...?" Carlos whimpered. "I thought you wouldn't understand." Ben muttered. "Of course we do!" Levi ruffled Ben hair "I haven't seen my mate in 14 years, so yeah, it hurts a lot.""14 years...? Seriously? Ugh, I'm over here crying and you haven't even shed one tear." Ben chuckled. "Actually, for the first couple of weeks, all I did was cry, it was honestly the worst thing I've ever experienced, but you can't let that stop you." Levi patted Ben's shoulder.

"And you can't keep secrets from us." Evie noted, standing by the doorway to the back room. "How long have you been standing there?" Ben shuttered.

"Long enough to hear you crying over Mal." Operetta peaked her head through the doorway. "You could have told us." Ben sweatdropped. "But where's the fun in that?" Freddie giggled, tilting her head.

"Shouldn't you be keeping an eye on CJ? So she wont , ya know, kill the only person who might know where Mal is?" Hunter suggested. They all sweatdropped when a loud bang was heard again.

"CARLOS!!" Cosmina called out, Carlos ran to the back to see Cosmina desperately trying to hold back the raging blonde. "She has my sword!!" CJ began kicking her legs.

Carlos sighed, "let her go."

"Are you insane?!" Cosmina yelled, trying to keep CJ in her arms. "I know what I'm doing." Carlos chuckled, Cosmina shrugged "it's your funeral," she finally let go of CJ.

Right before CJ could hit Tinkerbell, she landed in Carlos' embrace, stroking her blonde hair "shh...it's alright, we'll find your sword."

CJ purred, warming up to his touch "oki doki~"

"That's insane..." Tink muttered. "Did I hear something, pixie?!" CJ growled, a ball of particles appearing in her hand, sending her a wa1rning.

"Nothing ma'am!" Tink whimpered. "That's what I thought." CJ smiled sweetly, leaning into Carlos' chest.

"You VKs are really something." Cosmina chuckled. "Yeah, but adimit, you love us." Freddie winked, Cosmina nodded, accepting defeat.

"Hey Freddie, can we talk?" Zeref asked, the same lump in her throat from ealier returned.

"Ye-Yeah," she stuttered, following her beloved outside into the beautifully lit streets of the Dark Mirror.

"If you're going to break up with me, just get it over it." Freddie sniffled, looking at her feet. Zeref chuckled slightly "I'm not breaking up with you."

"You're not?" Freddie looked up at him, tears brimming her eyes, sparklining in the moonlight. "Gods no!" Zeref kissed her lips, sparks of passion and joy flowing through her "I wanted to appolgize, years ago, remember? You were my guard."

Freddie's eyes widened in shock "you saw it too?! In the tunnel!"

Zeref nodded, holding her hands, walking through the streets as they recalled their fathfull memories.

"Master Hades! Me and Pain are enough to protect Young Master Zeref!" Panic stated, temporaily leaving his stuttering behind. "Panic," Hades crouched down to Panic's size "the other day you started freaking out when a branch fell on your head."

"What in the gods names thinks you have any chance protecting a 13 year old?" Hades chuckled, his fingers pushing lightly on Panic's forehead.

"Nevermind..." Panic muttered. "Exactly, plus, after everything that happened with Lyica, I can't afford to lose Zeref too." Hades sighed, the entire family missed Lycia.

"Young Master Zeref hasn't been talking ever since Young Mistress Lycia's disaapearence. I hope this guard will help, everything else we tried hasn't thought." Pain shook his head, saying a silent prayer.

"It should, this guard is a very special one." Persephone winked. "I don't know Persephone, what if Healer was wrong?" Hades began to worry.

"You know she's never wrong. Especially about these types of things." Persephone rested her hand on his shoulder, kissing his cheek.

"But what-" Hades began. "Will you stop worrying? I trust Healer and so should you." Persephone flashed him a warm smile.Hades sighed softly, shaking his head, "I don't know how you always see the bright side of things."

"That's because I have faith." Persephone smile only grew. "I just don't want my son to get hurt." Hades looked down, his worry was only growing.

"I doubt she's gonna let anyone hurt Zeref." Persephone nodded slightly "she should be here any minute now."

A knock at the door made Persephone dart towards it, Cerberus began braking, causing the girl before him to back up slightly.

Cerberus sniffed her, immediately knowing her tropical sent, rolled on his back, allowing the girl to pet his belly.

"Whos a big cuddly boy! Yes you are! Yes you are." she gushed, hugging the giant 3 headed dog.

"You must be Freddie Facilier," Persephone's voice spoked the girl a bit, causing her to reign in her gushy acts bow before the goddess "please to meet you."

"The pleasure is all mine, m'lady." Freddie continued to bow. "Please, there's no need to bow." Persephone said, rising the 13 year old. "It's just, your a goddess and all...I was just to be respectful." Freddie said.

"There's no need," Persephone invied her in "we're just like you, minus the immortal part."

"This is Pain and Panic, they're my husband assigntants but are basically family." Persephone introduced. "Hello Huntress Freddie." Pain and Panic bowed slightly.

"Oh...Huntress...Formal, thanks..?" Freddie chuckled nervously. "We've heard you're very skillful in the was of shadow manitipulation." Pain noted.

"Yeah," Freddie pulled out her medalion, at this time, it was only half of it "it's because of this, my dad has the other half, but it allows me to use tamiki."

"Is that the guard?" Hardes asked from the den, sitting in his chair, looking offly intimating to the girl.

Freddie gulped "y-yes sir!""Hades! We said you couldn't intimated this one!" Persephone slapped the back of Hades' head. "Fine, whatever." Hades puffed up his cheeks.

"I'm Hades." Hades shook her hand. "I hope you can help my son." Hades muttered. "I'll try, so where is the kid anyways?" Freddie said, clasping her hands together.

"He's upstairs, 2nd door on the right." Persephone said, Freddie nodded slightly, walking upstairs.

Once reaching the door, she heistated to knock, something about this room had made Freddie feel weird. Deep down, something drew her towards this door, but she still hesitated.

She shook her head, ridding herself of her worries and knocked on the door. "Come in." a monotone voice replied.

Freddie opened the door, letting in the light of the hallway into the dark room "you Zeref?"

"Yeah," Zeref looked away from Freddie "what's it to you?"

Freddie smiled and dropped her bags "I'm your new guard."

Zeref sighed and laid down on his bed, covering himself back up with his blankets "go away."

Freddie rolled her eyes and marched over to the side of his bed, ripping the blankets off "no can do. I need the money and you need a guard. So," Freddie jumped into the bed, falling beside him "ya stuck with me."

"You won't last a week." Zeref scoffed. "Ha! Please," Freddie stood up proudly, "you can't get rid of me that easily. I'm in for the long haul."

"Joy..."

"You plan on staying in bed all day?" Freddie pouted. "Yeah, no point in going to school." Zeref replied, trying to grab the covers from Freddie."You...have to go...to school!" Freddie scolded in midst of a tug of war battle with him. "There's...no...point!" Zeref did on final tug, accidently pulling Freddie with the blanket, causing him to fall ontop of Zeref.

"Y-Yo-You id-idiot!" Freddie blushed slightly, her face heating up. "How am I the idiot?! You're the one who didn't let go!" Zeref scolded.

"Well this wouldn't have ever happened if you just got up." Freddie puffed up her cheeks. Zeref smiled slightly, okay, that's kinda cute...she looks like a chipmunk.

"See, that got you to smile." Freddie finally got off of him. "Yeah whatever," Zeref got up, walking to the bathroom "don't get used to it."Freddie chuckled "wouldn't dream of it."

"I told you this one was the one." Persephone bounced on the balls of her feet. "I guess she is a perfect fit for Zeref." Hades halfway smiled.

Later on that day, Zeref sat in class for the first time in months.

"Welcome back, Zeref." Athena greeted. "Thanks." Zeref looked down at his book. "I see you brought a friend." Athena noticed.

"Wha-?" Zeref looked to his left to see Freddie sitting there. "Hiya, Zeref." Freddie flashed her toothy smile. "What are you doing here?" Zeref whispered harsly.

"Duh," Freddie's popsicl popped off her lips "being your guard, which means I have to be with you at all times.""Of course it does." Zeref sighed, shaking his head as he continued to listen to Athena's lessson.

Freddie, who was just staring off into space, descided to find a way to entertain herself. She called upon her moving shadows to slither across the room, reaching the jar of gummy bears.

"What are you doing?" Zeref whispered once again. "I'm hungry." Freddie said as she quietly snapped her fingers, summoning her shadow back to her with the jar of sweets.

"You just can't grab things off of people's desk." Zeref reminded her. "I know, but as I said before; I'm hungry." Freddie replied, tossing a frew of the gummy bears in her mouth.

"You're gonna get us in trouble." Zeref warned. "You can't get in trouble unless you get caught." Freddie winked, passing the jar to Zeref.

"Take some." she offered. Zeref sighed, dipping his hand into the jar, slecting a few "we get caught it's your fault."Athena, noticing what happened, just smiled and continued her lesson, choosing not to spoil the budding friendship.

"What a wonderful day of learning!" Freddie streched her arms over her head as her and Zeref left the school. "I gotta say Freddie, you aren't half bad." Zeref admitted.

Freddie smiled, wrapping her arms around Zeref's neck in a loving fashion "told ya," Freddie rested her head on Zeref's shoulder "stick with me kid, I'll show you a whole new way of life."

One night, Freddie was about to head off to bed, walking pass Zeref's room, yawning as she raised her arms over her head, taking off her shirt, leaving her in her undershirt a leggings.

Zeref noticed her reaching for Lycia's room doorknob, but before she could, Zeref caught her wrist, pinning it to the door, not allowing her to escape.

Freddie's eyes widened in shock, she stared into his black eyes that had a hint of electic blue in them. Her face softed, over the years she's been Zeref's guard, she could never fail to love his gaze.

"What are you doing?" Zeref asked, icyness laced into his voice. "Going to bed, nobody is using to room so I tought I could." Freddie explained.

"Well you can't, there's a chair downstairs, you can use that." Zeref stated. "That chair is making my back hurt, it's too rough." Freddie stated, "why can't I just use this room?""Because it's my sister's, that's why." Zeref replied, "she went missing years ago, I keep her room clean just in case she comes back."

Zeref lossened his grip on her wrist, backing up from the tamiki user "I didn't know...I'm sorry." Freddie appolgized.

"It's fine, just, don't go there." Zeref sighed, walking back to his room, noticing Freddie was following him "now what are you doing?""Since I can't sleep in your sister's room, and that chair is basically hell to sleep in, I'm sleeping with you." Freddie plopped down next to him, getting comforatble under the sheets.Zeref blushed "what?! Are you insane, we can't sleep in the same bed! You're my guard!""Stop overracting," Freddie pulled him down, suggling close to his chest "just go to sleep, ya idiot."

Zeref smiled and sighed, he knew there would be no point in protesting. He nuzzled his face into her hair, sighing in delight at her tropical scent.

Freddie yawned, sounding like a cat "stop being so cute, Freddie."

Just as Freddie, Zeref began to grow a liking to Freddie, she was just so adoable and perky. Something Zeref wasn't. It wasn't just her beauty that drew Zeref towards her, it was her kindness, Freddie just had this beautiful aura oozing out of her.

It just made Zeref just want to grab her and kiss her all day long, he wanted her to be his and nobody eleses.

But telling her how much she meant to the young god. That was the real problem.

Freddie snuggled in closer, wrapping her body around him "Zeref..." she muttered in her sleep, drool dripping from her lips.

Zeref licked his lips, "why must you tempt me!" he hugged her back "never leave me, my beautiful guard."The next week, Zeref and Freddie got close to telling each other how they feel, but something kept blocking them.

First it was Panic running, yelling that he was on fire, when he only got burned by the flames.

Then Persephone came in saying that her, Zeref, and Hades had an emergency meeting with the other gods and goddesses.

Finally it was Hades battling with her brothers for yet another time.

Now, they finally had some time alone, and it was all perfect too. Zeref arranged for him and Freddie to go on a beautiful canoe ride through the river of souls.

"I know it's not your traditional canoe ride, but it's one nonetheless." Zeref chuckled nervously, leading Freddie into the gandula. "I like this river way better anyways." Freddie smiled as the ride started.

Even though the underworld was dark and gloomy, there were a few spots that were truly beautiful.

Freddie eyes widened as the water glowed a beautiful pink and blue color. "It's amazing!"

"Yeah," Zeref looked into Freddie's eyes "it really is beautiful."

"Look Freddie, we need to talk." Zeref held her hands in his "you're not firing me right? I don't think I did anything wrong?""No! Oh gods no!" Zeref shook his head rapidly. "Oh thank the gods, I can't afford to lose this job." Freddie chuckled.

"It's actually the opposite," Zeref scooted in closer "you've been my guard for a while now, and honestly, I couldn't be happier."

Freddie smiled, "these have been the happiest years of my life, Zeref."

Zeref felt like melting, gods, stop being cute! You're making this too hard!

"And Freddie, I feel like if I keep this in my heart for any longer, I might die, but you have to know; Freddie Facilier, I love you."

Freddie felt tears brimming her eyes "I love you too, Zeref!" she tackled him in a big hug.

Zeref smiled and sniffed her hair "I'm so glad you feel the same."

"How couldn't I? Zeref," Freddie kissed his lips "you're the best man I've ever been with. Since the day I met you, I knew our destinies were to be intertwined."

She placed her hand on his heart "you're my one and only god of death. I just hope I'm you're the one and only mortal."

Zeref kissed her "I don't care if your a mortal, I want you and nobody else."

"Is that so?" Freddie sat on his lap, wrapping her legs around him "show me how much you want me."

"Freddie, '' Are you sure? We're only 17 and-"

"We'll just have a really heated make-out session." Freddie cut him off. "I want to taste you." Freddie breathed.

Zeref smirked and lifted her off the ground, the two discarding the boat and walking back to the palace.

"You're beautiful." Zeref whispered.

"I know."

It's been 2 wonderful years since that day, and Zeref and Freddie were happier than ever.

That was before this happened.

"What do you mean it's your last day?" Zeref's voice was laced with worry and regret. "My darling, I know, I don't want to leave but I have too. My father wants to take care of the shop in the Villain Isles." Freddie sighed.

"But, I want you to stay," Zeref held her hands "please don't leave me.""I got to Zeref, you're gonna get another guard soon." Freddie told him. "But I don't want another guard, I want you! I want you, my beautiful shadow." Zeref kissed her cheeks.

"Don't make this any harder by showering me with love and affection." Freddie's tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Please Freddie! You mean the world to me!" Zeref hugged her waist, rested his head on her chest "I-I-I can't lose another person."

"Zeref, stand up," Zeref did as he was told, rising to meet Freddie's gaze "I'll always love you, no matter where I am, no matter what I look like, no matter what universe it is. I'll always love you."

Freddie kissed his lips one last time, "never forget me, my lovely god of death."

Zeref leaned into her hand "I won't ever forget you."

~&~

Zeref quickly hugged his guard "I so sorry I forgot about you, I said I wouldn't and I did."

"You didn't forget," Freddie chuckled, kissing him "you just forgot to remember."

Zeref smiled "that makes no sense, but neither do we," Zeref picked his girlfriend up

bridal style "and that's something I'll never forget."

~A/N~

This has to be the longest chapter I've ever written!

That's all that needs to be said, bye!