Dealana and Cobra were on the hunt for Jellal, perhaps the only thing they could possibly agree on in this kind of situation. Though he wouldn't admit it, Cobra was unnerved. The maroon-haired man found that he could only hear the sound of rain fall and distant thunder coming from Dealana. He had a feeling that it had something to do with when the pink anklet she wore had torn on a broken branch.

Her mind only became more and more unreadable as time went on. With the news of Jellal's resurrection and the distant heart-wrenching cries of Gray and Sherry for Lyon that followed Racer's explosion, Dealana's mind was beginning to sound more and more like a multitude of disasters clashing with one another and wiping out every other thought, feeling, or memory she had.

Cobra also refused to admit how much he felt for this girl who only wished she could remember and hear the sound of her best friend's voice.

Fairy Tail's Tempest wasn't sure what to think about the current situation. From what she gathered, the Allied Forces would not only be facing the Oración Seis, but also a somehow alive Jellal Fernandes. Though she hadn't been at the Tower of Heaven, or known about Mystogan's true appearance being identical to the former wizard saint, Dealana did understand the pain this man caused Erza. By messing with the Queen of Fairies, you messed with the fairies Titania protected.

➵

Dealana's nose twitched as she caught an unknown scent. It wasn't of heavy perfume, it wasn't any of her friends or Lamia Scale, she didn't think it belonged to another of the Oración Seis. The heterochromatic glanced at Cobra before saying, "I may have found Jellal's scent," Cobra turned to her having heard his distant footsteps. Dealana continued by saying, "He's close."

Something seemed off with Cobra. He wasn't replying with snippy comments to her thoughts and she naturally assumed he and Cubellios were more focused on tracking Jellal and finding Nirvana. However, she couldn't help but suspect it was something else. He didn't even comment at all when she wondered if the book Hoteye carried around was merely a book of financial records made to look like a bible.

Shrugging away the suspicion, figuring Cobra heard it all, Dealana continued to move forward following the smell of what she guessed was Jellal. Dark wind and ash wasn't what she thought he'd smell like, and the ash did smell remarkably like Natsu's fire. The unlikely duo managed to locate the blue-haired man who had the expression of a man on a mission.

Dealana watched as Cobra frowned, starring after Jellal. "Something wrong?" she finally muttered.

"Something's not right," came Cobra's reply before they continued to follow and spy on Jellal as he led them to a dark rocky area where vines curled up and around a lot of the stalagmites protruding from the ground.

They observed, with backs pressed against rocks as Jellal stopped and looked up a rather oddly bright tree with metal chains securing it to all the rocks nearby. Dealana's eyes widened in realization, could this be Nirvana? She looked up at Cobra, who had no reaction to her mental pondering, further confusing her. Could Cobra no longer hear her? What was going on?

"I know the Woodsea well, but I've never seen this place before," Cobra commented as the tree pulsed with magic power underneath the smooth bark. Cobra smirked as he studied the tree saying, "Looks like Brain was on to something, could this be where Nirvana is sealed?"

With that remark, Dealana's previous questions were answered, Cobra, for some reason or another, could no longer hear her inner voice. She could use this. Her magic power had mostly recovered and her fingers twitched in anticipation, but she had to wait. If this tree really was Nirvana, she couldn't start using magic with both Cobra and Jellal nearby, she'd be instant toast.

Instead, she decided to pipe up with something that had been bothering her, "Is this where I'm supposed to help you?" Cobra smirked darkly at her, but before he could say anything, Jellal stepped forward and placed his hand on the tree. Everything around them grew brighter, spreading out from Jellal's hand. All of a sudden, a bright pillar of bursting magic appeared in the sky.

Cobra's attention snapped over to the man who had unlocked Nirvana and laughed while Dealana grew worried. Black tendrils of magic shot out and swirled around the pillar of light. If the Dark Guild Oración Seis had wanted her before so she could unlock Nirvana and Jellal had already done just that, she had no use to Oración Seis. Her life was now at risk, which meant she had to be careful and ready to make a move.

The sky was turning golden orange with hints of purple and the wind was harsh and blowing all around them, causing Dealana's loose-fitting hoodie to flap about. She considered stopping the wind around herself, Cobra and Cubellios but it seemed like a waste of magic energy if it wasn't hurting anyone. As the wind picked up near where Jellal was standing, a particularly strong gust ruffled around Dealana's hoodie pocket. Dealana's dual colored eyes widened and watched, as if in slow motion, as Lisanna's bracelet began to slip out and lose itself among the air currents created by Nirvana.

It was in that moment that Cobra first Dealana's mind become completely still. No sound of rain or storm, no thoughts, nothing came from her mind that he could hear. There was only a sense of loss.

Dealana's hands couldn't move fast enough as she desperately reached out for the bracelet but her fingertips only brushed the fraying edges of the cord. Not a second later, a tanned hand shot out and snatched it from the air before Lisanna's bracelet was gone for good. Dealana inhaled sharply, starring at Cobra in surprise. He held Lisanna's bracelet out to Dealana and she took it tightly in her grip, not knowing what to think.

"Thank you," she told him, her voice uncharacteristically soft. Lifting her free hand, a magic seal the size of a small plate appeared before the winds parted around the two, allowing them to see Jellal through the dust and dirt swept up in Nirvana's activation.

It was not long after the second anklet incident that Dealana and Cobra's heads snapped over to an no longer poisoned Erza approaching Jellal. The Storm Dragon Slayer didn't need to be able to hear thoughts to see the complete turmoil and mixed emotions Erza was feeling.

Cobra seemed surprised, angry, and conflicted as well, but Dealana chalked that up to being seeing Erza alive. Cubellios hissed softly seeing the redhead while Dealana considered her options of escape.

"Jellal," she stated, sounding more confident than she first looked approaching him.

"Erza..." Jellal replied. Dealana frowned, feeling as though something wasn't quite right.

"Now tell me. How did you end up here?" Erza demanded, and as much as Dealana wanted to pop out and explain how the Oración Seis were keeping his formerly comatose body in a box, she remained quiet and observing. This confrontation wasn't meant for her interruption. Not yet.

"I can't answer that," Jellal told her, his hair covering his eyes. "Erza...who is that? I have no memory and yet, I remember that name." Dealana and Cobra both froze, glanced at each other to make sure they were hearing thing right before going back to Jellal with wide-eyed expressions.

Jellal held his head in his hands, clearly distressed and feeling lost, "I don't know who I am, or where I came from." his next question almost broke Dealana's heart, "Can you tell me? Do you know? Can you at least tell me who 'Erza' is?" Jellal inquired, looking back up at the redhead who had tears miraculously pooling in both eyes. "Please! If you know, you have to tell me!"

"This makes no sense..." Dealana muttered, "How did he lose his memory?" she looked at Cobra, "You can't hear him, can you?" Cobra didn't reply but the expression of shock and annoyance was enough to suffice.

"Jellal." Erza stated stepping forward, her tone stern and her posture straight. Either Jellal was about to get slapped or there would be a plot twist where Erza goes soft. Dealana was personally down for either, though she watched as Jellal, feeling threatened by Erza's advance looked spooked.

Raising an arm and directing his palm at her, he conjured a ball of golden magic shouting, "Stay back!" the magic shot forward but Erza took it like a champ, coming out slightly scathed but her composure was still zero-tolerance of Natsu-like bullshit as she said, "Alright, then you come to me. I'm the person you're looking for. I am Erza."

She glared at him, "And you are Jellal. There was a time when we were close friends," she revealed, causing Jellal's hazel green eyes to widen. He gasped softly asking "We were?"

"Yes, but that was before you became deranged, desecrated the dead, hurt my friends, destroyed the Magic Council, and killed Simon." Tears pooled in Jellal's heartbroken eyes as Erza continued, "If you try, if you even dare forget the pain you've caused, I'll take my sword to your heart and engrave it there. Now come to me! Face your atonement!"

Jellal looked down at the ground in pure shock, wonder, and grief. "I did that? To my comrades? What have I done?" he questioned putting a hand to his face as the tears began to fall. "Please...no, tell me it's not true. Tell me...how...how can I make amends?" he began to sob. It was saddening for Dealana to see, but she knew that just because he had no memory of what he'd done, Jellal's actions would not be forgotten by others as easily. Dealana remained by Cobra and Cubellios, taking note that there was no longer black around the pillar of light Nirvana's activation caused.

Finally after all that time sneaking around, Cobra stepped out. Dealana followed after, being loosely surrounded by Cubellios, most likely to prevent escape. "If you've lost your memory, that would explain why I couldn't hear your thoughts."

Erza spun around at the sound of his voice, alarmed to see Dealana alongside him with the snake that poisoned her preventing her from escaping. "But now I've got a whole slew of questions for ya to answer."

"I should have know we were being watched." Erza spat, "What are you doing with Dealana?" she demanded the maroon-haired man. In response, Cubellios moved slightly away from the Storm Dragon Slayer, who couldn't help but feel guilty under Erza's angry gaze, and curled up around Cobra, awaiting a command.

"I'd like to know how you found Nirvana," Cobra ignored Erza and looked to Jellal, "But even more than that, I want to know how you broke its seal. I thought only the half-pint would be able to properly do it." Cubellios hissed threateningly, their fangs easily within range of Dealana's neck. A poisoned bite there would leave her with less time than Erza had.

"While I was unconscious," Jellal began, causing Erza to turn slightly and look at him, "I heard a voice 'I must have Nirvana' it would say. It's strange, but when I woke up, I knew precisely where to find it. Somehow I could also sense how dangerous and powerful it is." he admitted. "And so, I decided to break Nirvana's seal to obliterate it."

Cobra's jaw went slack, staring at Jellal in disbelief. Dealana was surprised, though with Jellal's memory screwed up, it was possible for him to do something good, but something like Nirvana...that would take serious Magic power and knowledge to do.

"How do you intend to destroy something like that?" Erza questioned what they were all thinking. Jellal only looked at her with a sort of blank gaze saying, "I've rigged this monstrosity with a self-destruction circle."

Behind him, the magic seal became apparent as he continued, "It's only a matter of time before Nirvana crushes itself." he told them. Dealana watched as red, geometric designs spread along Nirvana's pillar of light like ivy growing along the walls of a building. Cobra rushed forward and studied the self-destruction seal with a growl.

"I've never seen a magic circle with this kind of complexity. If I can't find a way to this, we'll lose everything!" he realized. Turning on Jellal he shouted, "Spill it, Jellal. Tell me how to disarm this thing or I'll beat it outta ya!" Before anything else, Jellal grunted in pain and nearly tumbled forward clutching his chest, causing everyone to freeze, watching him carefully.

"Erza..." he breathed, "Whenever I hear that name, a calmness washes over me." Jellal admitted before falling into a small coughing fit, "Cheerfulness, kindness," he looked up at Erza's brown eyes, "fierce unwavering loyalty. I have no doubt you'll continue to despise me. Believe me, I don't blame you. I would probably feel the same. If I am truly your friend, then I can't allow that hatred to keep robbing you of your freedom." he told her before coughing again.

"But... what are you saying?" Erza asked, confused and bewildered by all this. Jellal stood straight and Dealana inhaled sharply, not believing her eyes. Under the hand clutching his chest, was a soft purple glow. When his hand moved away, a smaller magic seal appeared, identical to the one placed on Nirvana.

"I'm sorry you suffered because of me, I'll do everything I can to make it right." Jellal said to her.

"You didn't!" Cobra hissed, realizing what was happening. Jellal fell backwards, but not too fast for him to be able to say, "Be free, Erza, from your hatred and escape your past. I will take your pain, and your sadness, all of it. They cannot shackle you."

Cobra watched with wide eyes, "I can't believe he's going to go through with it. He's seriously gonna sacrifice himself."

Erza stood frozen watching as Jellal tipped backwards further towards the pillar of light. Dealana couldn't think to move her hands to form a cloud to stop him. They only watched.

"Farewell....Erza...."

Tears streamed down from both of the redhead's eyes as she moved forward, only Dealana feared she would be too late to stop Jellal.

➵

I skipped a few episodes since Dealana wasn't in them, though a portion of the first part was in one episode and the rest was in another. This chapter was more Cobra and Dealana with the ending being Jellal unlocking Nirvana. As much as I wanted Dealana to have to do it, it made a lot more sense to have Jellal be the one as it gets Erza to cry from both her eyes. (Not that Erza crying is necessarily a good thing, don't come for me, Natsu!)

Anyways, questions? Comments? What did y'al think of this chapter? I meant to write more, but I went for a long walk with my mom and doggies earlier so...