Erza:
She cried.
And cried. And cried. And cried. Outside her door, there was the sound of her wailing. The sound of her anguish. She hasn't been to the guild or even out the door for the past week. No one was allowed in and no one could get her out.
Her friend, her best friend. She was dead. She was gone. She would never see that bright, positive smile ever again, and she would never hear her heartwarming laughter. She would never be able to hear her advice, or listen to her tell Natsu and Happy to knock it off. She had lost that.
Because she had decided to sacrifice herself for Natsu. So Natsu could live and survive among them. She felt as if she wasn't as important to them as much as Natsu was. But, how she was wrong. They were both vital parts to the guild, if either of them had died, they would've mourned greatly. But since it was just her, they have to mourn her loss.
The guild had loved her. She was their comrade and purest friend. Although, according to Happy she and Natsu did play sometimes.
But it just wasn't fair.
Why did she have to go?
Erza sobbed, she was an emotional wreck.
She missed her so much.
Levy:
Why? Why did she have to go?
Why can't she cry? Why can she only stare at the pages? Why couldn't she read them? Why couldn't she even begin to comprehend what the words on the pages said?
Why wasn't she crying?
She was full of grief and sorrow. She had lost her best girl friend. And yet, she couldn't bring herself to any tears. She missed her. Missed her smile. Missed sharing books with her. Missed being around her. Hearing Gajeel tease her. Missed hearing her shout in a playful manner. She missed everything about her.
So why? Why couldn't she cry? Why couldn't she complete her friend's wish to read her novel? Why couldn't she show her sadness? Why couldn't grieve her best friend's death like everyone else?
She could hear Erza's crying in the dorm next to her. Why couldn't she be like Erza? Cry like she was? Show the entire the world how much this hurt.
Levy shook her head in disappointment, disappointment in herself, and she gingerly opened the stapled pages. There, she read the dedication page:
To my friends, guild mates, and family. Thank you Levy for all the help and motivation!
She had thanked her? Personally? She could've just left it with that first sentence, but she had decided to thank her?
After reading that, Levy's first tear spilled from her eyes.
Gray:
Goddamn it! Goddamn it all to hell! He could've saved her. If only he had the guts to defeat E.N.D. He could've prevented all of this from happening! She would still be alive, breathing among them. Bringing happiness to all those around her.
She was like a little sister to him. A sister he could tell secrets to. Joke about other people with. Do pranks on others and each other. She was warm, while he was cold. She was smart, whereas he was always moving recklessly
Maybe if he had stopped and listened to a plan this once, she wouldn't have done what she did. They could've figured something out together. All of them. They would've found a way to save Natsu from himself. But she had decided to do this thing on her own. She had no room for objection. She had deemed herself unworthy compared to Natsu. So she thought she deserved to die. Although, she didn't just save Natsu. She also saved Gajeel, Wendy, Sting and Rogue. If it wasn't for her, they would've been sent back to their original time line, and everyone knew how much pain that would inflict.
She always did care for others. She never really cared for herself. If she could save even one person, even if it killed her, she would do it. She was just that kind.
But did she have to do it now? She was everything to him. Maybe not in the romantic type of way, but she was still so much to him.
He looked around his destroyed home and sighed heavily as he fell down.
What was he going to do now?
At the Guild:
Mira didn't accept it. She couldn't. She deemed it as a joke that Natsu thought was funny.
Any moment now, that familiar hair with that familiar face would just walk right in here, order her strawberry smoothie and tell her about her day.
It's just a joke.
Any moment now, Natsu would come in and burst out laughing saying how he couldn't believe that they actually believed it, and then she would appear from behind him and Happy would just be flying by her head, smiling and saying "Aye!"
It's just a joke.
Any moment now, she was going to come in.
It's just a joke.
Maybe she should start making her smoothie, just to show them all that she was still here. So Mira began chopping up strawberries and grabbing the ice cream and milk from the refrigerator.
It's just a joke.
Any moment now, she would hear that door open.
"It's just a joke!" Mira suddenly yelled, surprising everyone in the guild.
"Mira?" Lissana asked her sister, slightly scared of her sister's outburst. That's when she noticed what she was making. "Mira, what are you doing?"
"Just making her smoothie. She always comes in around this time. So I thought it would be nice to have it ready for her whenever she came in." Mira smiled.
Everyone knew whom she was talking about. The only person who ordered strawberry smoothies was her.
"Mira, s-she's not coming back." Juvia squeaked. She too felt sadness for their loss.
"Juvia, it's just a prank. Natsu and everyone else must've thought it was hilarious when they came up with it, but it'll be okay. She's going to come."
"Mira, no she isn't." a sober Cana said.
"It's just a joke."
"No, it isn't!" Wendy shouted. Tears forming in her eyes. "She's gone! I couldn't save her! She died to save me! S-She's gone!"
Mira stared at the small girl, tears starting to form in her eyes, "I-It's not a joke?"
"I'm so sorry, Mira." Lissana said as she hugged her sister.
Mira fell to her knees and bawled her eyes out.
Gajeel looked down at his hands. Wendy was right; she had died because of them. Because of him, Wendy, Natsu, Sting and Rogue. She was gone because she had saved them. They owed her everything.
But now there wasn't a way to repay her.
Happy:
Tears were still leaking from his eyes. It's been a week, but he couldn't stop the tears. He knew if she were still with them, she would comfort him with her bright smile and she would hug him in her warm embraces. And she would pet him, with her soft hands.
She would do anything to make him stop crying.
But she was no longer there.
Natsu had shut himself away.
Happy had nowhere to go. So he had to deal with this pain by himself.
Sure, he had made jokes about her weight and face, but he never really meant it. He just liked teasing her, because she was so easy to tease. Truth was, that he loved her. Loved her company. Loved her for being so loving and forgiving. He had never meant anyone as wonderful as her.
He couldn't believe that she was gone. That he would never see her smile. That he would never hear her laughter. Never be shouted at by her. He would never see her.
He sniffled and buried himself in her covers.
Natsu:
It's my fault.
Natsu kept repeating to himself.
It's my fault.
She had sacrificed herself to save him.
It's my fault.
She died in his arms.
It's my fault.
She had begged him not to cry; yet he still did.
It's my fault.
As she started to fade, he held onto her body. Trying to make her stay. He wanted her to be with him.
It's my fault.
She was everything to him. His light, his angel. His lover.
It's my fault.
His best friend, his confidant, his savior.
It's my fault.
Her blonde hair was stained with blood.
It's my fault.
Her chocolate brown eyes losing their brightness as her life was vanishing.
It's my fault.
Her soft last sentence to him as she finally disappeared into the air.
It's my fault.
"I love you, Natsu..."
It's my fault!
Natsu sobbed and breathed in her scent. He could feel Happy next to him, but he couldn't face him. Happy loved her almost as much as he did. She was like his mother.
It's my fault.
Her room was filled with that unique smell that belonged to her and her alone. But he knew that eventually that scent would fade, and nothing will be around to remind him of her. Except that statue that Makarov had built in her honor and also the gravestone with her name in the cemetery. But there was no body in the casket.
It's my fault.
He could still remember the fear in her eyes when she had saw him at first, she then disappeared for a moment, but when she next saw him, she looked so confident.
It's my fault.
She had her plan set. All she needed to do was do it. But before that, she hugged everyone. Bidding them goodbye. None of them knew what to do. They couldn't move either; Natsu had caused them a lot of damage.
It's my fault.
She then came to him. He was hostile towards her. Telling her things he would never say. That's when her hand had started to glow a warm light, she shoved it in his direction, and he had screamed in agony. He then attacked her, wanting to rip her head off.
It's my fault.
After a while, he saw nothing but darkness. But when he opened his eyes, he saw her laying next to him. Her chest moving up and down vigorously. He moved to her as quickly as he could. She was scratched, bruised, and had a gigantic gash on her abdomen. Bleeding.
It's my fault.
But she was smiling. He didn't understand why. But then she told him about how this was her destiny. That fate had brought her to him so she could save him and all the others whenever the time came. E.N.D had challenged Acnologia, and he had defeated him. Acnologia was finally with Anna, his one true love, which so happened to be her ancestor. But now it was time for her to complete her part of her hereditary duty. It was time to seal the gate forever, and destroy all evidence of it.
It's my fault.
Including herself.
It's my fault.
He had begged her to stay with him. Told her to hang on until Wendy could heal her. Told her to wait.
It's my fault.
He sobbed over her body, shuddering with each cry. He didn't want to lose her too. "I love you. Please!"
It's my fault.
She smiled, tears springing in her eyes. "Thank you, Natsu." Her body started to disappear. He gripped on tighter. She was vanishing from this world as well.
It's my fault.
"Please, don't cry."
It's my fault.
"I love you, Natsu." she whispered and sealed it with a small kiss.
And then she was gone. Like she had never existed.
"Lucy!"