09x289 - Mavis and Zeref

[bunniefuu]

It's likely... you've not

heard of Fairy Heart.

For many years,

it's been our guild's most

closely guarded secret.

For good reason.

Because the world must never

learn exactly what it holds.

However, I believe it's

crucial that you know

why Zeref would go to

such lengths to get it.

And also, about my own sin.

It's time for my long-held

secrets to be revealed.

[MAVIS] This is a tale

of a boy and girl.

Of the awful curse they shared,

and the primordial magic...

that they sought together.

[MAVIS] My story takes

place over years ago.

Not long before Fairy

Tail was founded.

We crossed paths in a

forest west of Magnolia,

where both our fates

were forever changed.

He was stricken by

the Curse of Ankhselam.

Against his will,

this horrible curse

k*lled every living

thing around him.

[MAVIS] I found him to be

completely fascinating.

He taught me so much

about the world of magic.

At the time,

Magnolia was controlled

by a dark guild

called Blue Skull.

They treated the citizens

with such cruelty.

So my friends and I learned

magic to win the city's freedom.

Just when things were at

their most desperate,

I cast an unperfected

black magic spell

that brought us victory.

Because I wasn't ready

to wield that spell,

there was an unintended

consequence.

My body would cease growing.

[MAVIS] A short time after,

in April of ,

we founded Fairy Tail.

Trade disputes between feudal

lords had been escalating

at an alarming pace.

And later that year,

the bloody Second Trade w*r

began tearing the kingdom apart.

[explosions]

[MAVIS]

Hmm.

Have the left flank

pull back, please.

[SOLDIER A]

Uh. What?

Little girl, are you insane?

They're within striking distance

of the enemy's weakest point!

[SOLDIER A]

Now is the time to att*ck!

[SOLDIER B]

Look, you may be a wizard,

but you are out of your league

here on the b*ttlefield!

[MAVIS]

If I were the enemy,

I would set up a small

ambush squad near this hill,

then lure in the opposition

and loose that squad upon them.

At the same time,

I'd send reinforcements west

to att*ck our main

battalion here.

[BOTH]

Huh?

I can formulate effective

countermeasures at the moment,

but first, we need to pull

back that left flank.

They'll join the battalion

in an echelon formation,

and then we all watch for

the enemy's next maneuver.

Look at the princess

bossin' 'em around.

I'd argue she's more like

a general than a princess.

Seriously. You'd never guess

she was a m*llitary genius.

Are you ready?

[MAVIS]

This is Yuri Dreyar.

Master Makarov's father-to-be.

Precht Gaebolg.

My pick to be the

guild's second master.

But after he goes down

a path of black magic,

he becomes the leader

of Grimoire Heart.

And this is Warrod Sequen.

He'll one day be recognized

as the fourth highest

ranked Wizard Saint.

So, is our wizard squad

gonna get the chance

to join in the action?

I'll need you to keep the

enemy's wizard squads at bay.

And it's very likely they'll be

getting back up from the west.

Be careful.

Let's go tear it up, you guys!

Ready to show 'em

what we can do?

[FAIRY TAIL yelling]

I have faith in you!

[SOLDIER A]

Hold on a second.

Is that Fairy Tail's

munchkin master?

[SOLDIER B]

I think she's a real fairy.

[thunder booms]

[WIZARD A]

Hm? Is there a storm coming?

[WIZARD B]

What the--?

[WIZARD C]

An enemy wizard!

[WIZARD D]

What guild is he from?

Fairy Tail says hello.

[SOLDIER A]

Whoa!

[SOLDIER B]

That's incredible!

Boom! And with that,

my score goes up to !

Still behind me, Yuri!

I've already taken out

and counting!

I'm at and something!

Ha! I'm just kiddin'

with ya, fellas!

[SOLDIER A]

They came in way outnumbered,

but somehow still

managed to win easily.

[SOLDIER B]

That girl is a fairy tactician.

[MEMBER B]

Woo! We did it, you guys!

[MEMBER C]

Look at all this gold!

[MEMBER D]

Now this calls for good wine!

[MEMBER A, WARROD]

Cheers!

[FAIRY TAIL]

Cheers!

You look kinda glum.

Something wrong?

[MAVIS] I was thinking

about the battle today.

It's mind boggling how many

lives must've been lost.

[gasps]

This w*r is brutal.

How long do you suppose

until it's all over?

I just wanna go on

another adventure.

[MAVIS] The Second Trade w*r

finally came to an end

in the year .

While the cease-fire was

a welcome development,

the resulting casualties

were over ten times

that of the First Trade w*r.

Most people believed

the high rate of mortality

was due to the wizard guilds'

involvement in the fighting.

As a result, the wizarding

world came together

and the Inter-Guild Conflict

Ban Treaty was signed.

This monumental agreement

brought about a brief period

of peace in the land.

[MAVIS]

A few years later, in ...

[gasps]

[MAVIS] ...I had another

chance encounter with him

while walking

through the forest.

[ZEREF]

Hm?

Is that you, Mavis?

Oh my gosh! It's so

good to see you again!

Yay!

[ZEREF]

Wait! Stay back!

You shouldn't get close to me!

I-I'm cursed, remember?

[MAVIS]

I know!

What are you--?

I wanna thank you.

We were able to drive that

dark guild out of Magnolia.

And it's all because

of your help!

We saved the town with

what you taught us.

[MAVIS]

Hold on a minute!

You're actually the Black

Wizard Zeref? For real?

[ZEREF] That's why I

didn't want to tell you

my name back then.

[MAVIS] I've heard that you've

been alive for over years.

Is that true?

It is.

Wow. I rarely think about

how long it's been.

I must say,

you're nothing like the

rumors paint you out to be.

Well, what do

they say about me?

The bad stuff's likely

true for the most part.

Why would you say

something like that?

I mean, your eyes have such a

kind and gentle quality to them.

I refuse to believe there's

a bad person in there.

You only say that

because you're so innocent.

[MAVIS gasps]

[MAVIS]

Do you remember Yuri?

That hot-blooded friend of mine?

Well, he and his wife are about

to have their first child.

[ZEREF] But he's practically

still a child himself.

[MAVIS] You do realize

it has been ten years

since you've seen him.

[chuckles]

I suppose I'd forgotten,

considering how little

you've changed since then.

Oh, because I still

look the same.

You're right. I guess

that is confusing.

I should tell you

that to win the battle,

I cast an incomplete

black magic spell.

But it was the only way

I could save my friends,

so it was worth it in the end.

Don't tell me you

used the Law spell!

[gasps]

Whoa! What's this

about all the sudden?

[MAVIS whimpering]

[MAVIS gasps]

Uh, hey.

[gasps]

[MAVIS]

Hm?

Something wrong?

[ZEREF] You haven't just

stopped growing, Mavis.

[MAVIS gasps]

[ZEREF]

You've become like me.

You won't ever grow old or die!

[MAVIS]

What?

You made a judgement

on who lives and dies.

That's the purpose of the spell.

Now you have the

Curse of Ankhselam,

which means, the more value

that you place on life...

...the more death

will follow you.

[MAVIS]

That's not true!

'Cause... that hasn't happened.

Nobody just dies around

me, so it can't be.

I don't have that curse.

Perhaps that's the case

for the time being.

But think about this.

That w*r that went on

must've affected you.

w*r tends to dull

a person's feelings

concerning life and death.

I can imagine that your

thoughts on all of it

are still in a state of flux.

There's no way!

Because I...

I hate to say it,

but I'm afraid that

you've yet to realize

the true value of life.

[gasps]

[ZEREF] And the moment you

discover what that is,

the people closest to

you will start to die.

[gasps]

I don't get it.

Why are you saying

such things? It's cruel.

It would be much more

cruel to lie to you.

It's awful.

Don't you have feelings?

You said you didn't believe

the rumors about me,

but I'd wager you've

changed your mind.

[ZEREF] Well, it seems like you

might have it in you after all.

You may be able to walk

this path alongside me.

[MAVIS] He's a liar!

How dare he say that to me!

I do know the value of life!

It's more important

than anything!

[BABY crying]

[WARROD] Congrats, Yuri!

You're a father now!

[YURI]

Whoa!

[MAVIS]

What he said isn't true!

[MAVIS] In March of , Yuri's

only son, Makarov, was born.

Aww.

A healthy baby boy.

I'm so proud of you, Rita.

I love you!

Wow!

Cute!

You know, she didn't

have to deliver him

inside the guild hall.

What could I say?

Rita insisted on it.

There's love here.

I want my child to feel that

from everyone in the guild.

It's the most important

thing there is.

[YURI]

You're right about that.

Master Mavis, if you don't mind,

could you do the honor

of naming him for us?

[MAVIS]

What? Wait, you mean me?

That would be a priceless gift.

I think that you should

name the boy "Pippoko."

For the baby's sake,

I don't think you should

leave it up to us.

[whimpers]

[gasps]

Makarov.

I read a story about

a kind-hearted king,

and that was his name.

[RITA]

Makarov, huh?

It's nice. I like it.

Hey, Makarov!

Yeah. Okay.

It's awesome!

The kind-hearted boy, Makarov.

He's the first of

the next generation.

He's the future.

He is!

The bond we share is special.

Promise me... that we'll...

[gasps]

Rita?

Rita! Hey!

What's wrong?

[WARROD] Having the baby must've

taken too much out of her!

[ZEREF]

I hate to say it,

but I'm afraid that

you've yet to realize

the true value of life.

And the moment you

discover what that is...

[YURI]

My god! Rita!

Please, stay with me! Rita!

[ZEREF] The people closest

to you will start to die.

[MAVIS gasping]

[screaming]

[PRECHT]

Mavis!

Please, no. Stop this!

[wailing]

[MAVIS] Such is the

Curse of Contradiction.

The more love you have,

the more death surrounds you.

If you love no one...

...no one dies.

It's a powerful curse,

one that withers trees

and kills animals.

And of course, takes

the lives of people.

[MAVIS]

After that fateful day,

I never returned to

the guild hall again.

I aimlessly wandered the land,

leaving countless

corpses in my wake.

[MAVIS] And then, after

a year had passed...

There you are, Mavis.

I've searched for you.

Oh, it's you.

[ZEREF]

You're not looking too good.

[MAVIS] I haven't had

anything to eat or drink

in over half a year.

But here I am.

I want it all to be over.

That's one of the things

about the Curse of Ankhselam.

You could go so far as

to cut off your own head

and you still wouldn't die.

[MAVIS]

Please, Zeref,

I need your help!

I'm begging you to k*ll me.

Sorry, but what you're

asking is impossible.

There's nothing in the world

that can k*ll either one of us.

At first, I felt

exactly as you do now.

Honestly, I still think

about what a relief

death would bring all the time.

But regardless, you

need to try and change

your perspective on the matter.

We both have an eternity

here to do other things.

As for me, I've created

a new kind of beast

I call Etherious.

My hope is that one day,

their inhuman strength

can end my life of suffering.

But of course,

it hasn't worked yet.

And I've spent some

time building a country.

[MAVIS]

A country?

It's a small place on the

western continent now,

but we're growing rapidly

because people will

do things for me.

It's a fun little challenge.

In fact, I'm known as

Emperor Spriggan over there.

I view my subjects

as mere pawns.

Don't judge.

It's safer that way.

With that attitude,

the Curse of Ankhselam

won't affect them at all.

It's like an intricate

simulation game.

What are you trying to do?

I guess I'm getting

ready for something.

A w*r?

But don't get the wrong

idea. I detest conflict.

In fact, I think it's

absolutely revolting.

Me building this empire is

just a way to pass the time,

but it disgusts me.

I wouldn't call it fun.

Huh?

But you just said it

was a "fun challenge."

Did I? I don't remember.

[MAVIS] Are all his thoughts

contradictions, too?

My entire life is wrapped

up in this game now.

I only live so I can die.

Or... to get my little

brother back... maybe...

...just so I can k*ll him.

Or... is it so my little

brother can k*ll me?

All this... it makes my head

feel like it's on fire.

[MAVIS]

Zeref.

[ZEREF]

The world... hates me.

It continually rejects me.

Everything hurts.

I won't reject you, Zeref.

I accept who you are.

[ZEREF gasps]

[MAVIS]

I may be the only one,

but I understand how you feel.

You can't give up.

I know we'll find a way to

lift the curse someday.

Together. Just you and I.

Do you mean that?

[MAVIS]

Yes!

[ZEREF]

Oh, Mavis.

[ZEREF]

This is the first time

anyone's ever been

truly kind to me.

[MAVIS]

Come on.

[ZEREF]

Huh?

You've probably forgotten

what it's like, that's all.

I know that I've never felt

this way about anybody before.

[MAVIS] The Abyss of Sorcery,

where everything begins.

[MAVIS] It contains the

primordial essence of magic:

Love.

Love brings about miracles.

And oftentimes, tragedies.

The two who carried the Curse of

Contradiction shared their love,

and the result was yet

another contradiction.

[MAVIS] The more love you have,

the more life this curse takes.

[MAVIS]

Such a bitter contradiction

is what took my immortal life.

[LUCY] Mavis and Zeref

created their own miracle.

It would evolve into

an incredibly powerful

form of magic that must

remain hidden to the world.

The family she built is

determined to cheer her up.

To help her let go of

the shame she feels,

we share our love with her.

Meanwhile, across

the deep blue ocean,

the Alvarez Empire

continues with their plan,

steadily preparing for

an as*ault on Ishgar.

Next time: "Fairy Heart."

The deep bond we

have with each other

is our constant

source of strength.