The Demon Prince and the Warrior Princess (Fairy Tail NatZa| Natsuxerza)

Chapter Seven

"Good job with destroying the Celestial Kingdom," Zeref praises from his throne, the Spriggan Twelve standing beside him, six on each side. Gajeel, Pantherlily, Natsu and Acnologia stood in front of him, Gajeel's clothes torn from his fight with Pantherlily. The exceeds had gone back to their rightful Dragon Slayers, except for Happy, who was sitting on Zeref's lap and chewing a raw blue fish, and Ailas, who was sitting on Zeref's shoulder. It seemed that Zeref, despite being the vilast wizard to have ever walked the earth, has a soft spot for cats.

"Gihihi, it was nothing really," Gajeel laughed. Acnologia and Natsu groaned at Gajeel's laugh. "I even got me-self a cat."

"He's a Fairy Tail's magic warfare unit captain," Zeref says with narrowed eyes at Pantherlily. "How're you sure that he's not here as a spy."

"Are you doubting my cat-finding skills?" Gajeel demanded, hugging Pantherlily to him protectively much to Pantherlily's despair. "Lily won't ever betray me! Won't you Lily?"

"Lily?" Zeref and Pantherlily questioned.

"Well, Pantherlily is too much of a handful," Gajeel says sheepishly.

"Emperor Spriggan," Pantherlily says, turning to the Black Wizard. "If it's to prove that I'm loyal to you now I'll tell you something I've never told anyone. I used to be loyal to Queen Shagotte of Extalia, the homeland of the exceed race where I was one of her right hand men. Than I was challenged by King Makarov to a fight, which I excepted. King Makarov beat me in the fight so I became loyal to him. And then Gajeel challenged me to a fight and I excepted and as you already know he beat me and now I'm loyal to him."

"So what you're saying is you have no true loyalties anywhere except for people who beat you in a fight?" Zeref asked. Pantherlily nodded in agreement.

"Does that mean if I challange you to a fight and I win you'll become loyal to me?" Natsu asked in interest. Gajeel crushed Pantherlily to his chest again and growled at Natsu.

"Stay away from my cat Salamander! You already have one!"

"No one will replace Happy! I just said that to stir you up Tin Head!"

"Would you two stop fighting!" Acnologia shouted. The Fire and Iron Dragon Slayers turned to the Chaos Dragon Slayer and gave him a Fire Dragon: Iron Fist and Iron Dragon: Hard Fist to each of his cheeks, sending him crashing into the roof, dust and debris flying down as the Fire and Iron Dragon Slayers continued to argue.

A vein throbbed in Zeref's temple as he brushed dirt and bits of debris off his toga before shouting at the top of his lungs, "NATSU AND GAJEEL, WOULD YOU TWO STOP FIGHTING FOR ONCE!"

Natsu and Gajeel froze mid punch and turned around slowly to face the emperor, sweat dropping, their eyes wide in fear and their faces going pale. "A-aye."

"I'm sorry if I startled you Happy," Zeref says gently to the blue feline on his lap, scratching Happy behind the ear which made Happy appear to be a real cat as he leaned in to it. Wait, was Happy purring? "Pantherlily, would you like to become one of the Spriggan Twelve?"

"I'll be delighted to," Pantherlily says, bowing slightly. Gajeel's mouth dropped open.

"Good," Zeref turned to a dark skinned man standing to his left. "Ajeel, show Pantherlily around the palace."

"Yes your highness," Ajeel bows. He leads the small panther-like exceed out of the throne room, his voice echoing, "a cat in the Spriggan Twelve? Sweet!"

"You do realise it's now the Spriggan Thirteen!" Natsu yelled at him, his voice echoing the word 'thirteen' off the walls. "Shit, does that mean I need a new member of my Natsu Twelve? Goddammit!"