"I warned you didn't I? I told you my fairies would defeat you."
"You also said I would be massacred. I was not, as I still seem to be in this wretched world."
"Mmm, so I'm half-right."
"I guess you could say that."
Zeref smiled. It was like he could actually hear her again, like she was standing before him, laughing.
"So you've figured it out have you? Took you long enough."
His eyes widened as his head shot up… and there she was. Mavis Vermillion, standing before him in all her glory with that childish smile plastered to her face.
"You..your.."
"Here. Yes, I'm here. You're no longer alone in this world."
"But..how? I was so close to you, I could feel your presence, but I couldn't see nor hear you, and now.. Now it's as if one wish of my only three have been granted," he stated, as tears began to make their way down his face.
"Oh don't cry!," Mavis yelped as her own splashed down on the dark, lifeless dirt beneath her feet. She wiped at her face, "Now you've gone and made me cry too."
"I don't know if you've noticed, but crying seems a frequent occurrence among the both of us. I wonder why?"
"At least when I do it it's cute."
Zeref chuckled. Ever the child she was. Even if this world was submerged in darkness, she'd continue to be his light, now that she was back. His heart stuttered as his mind came to the full realization that she was alive, and standing before him, waiting, needless to say impatiently, for him to speak. Instead he rose to his feet and stumbled over to where she was standing..then stopped. A foot in front of her he stopped and reached his hand out, brushing her cheek. She smiled at him, saying it was alright, that he could touch her, that she didn't hate him. And he broke, letting out a ragged sob, he staggered forward gathering her into his arms as she reached a tiny hand up to stroke his hair, and he cried into her shoulder.
"Three wishes you said. I was one. What are the other two?"
"That-" he gasped, "That humans wouldn't be so foolish and reckless with their existence."
"Ah, but you finally admit they have an existence, they are living beings."
"Well…yes, I suppose."
"And the third?"
"That this world would stop rejecting me."
"So you lied."
"What?"
"Your first wish, me. Already granted. Your second wish, that humans wouldn't be so foolish. Impossible. It's what makes them human. You're third wish, that this world would stop rejecting you. Already granted."
"Mavis," her name rolled off his 400 year-old tongue, " what do you speak of? Do you mean to say this world is not outcasting me?"
"I mean to say it never did, Zeref. All this time, it has been you who has been rejecting yourself. You think that you cannot possibly live in this world because you are the embodiment of darkness, evil. You bring death. You can't control it."
"The truth is, you can, you always have been able to control the so-called death that follows you. All you must do is believe in yourself. Know that you are a good man at heart."
"It's too late-"
"It's never too late! You think there's a certain time limit for someone to undo their wrong?"
"Mavis, 400 years of darkness can't be made up so easily as, say 8 years, as your friend Jellal suffered."
"Well at least he tried making it up. For six years he has been fighting for those who represent the light, fighting to once more be accepted into the world."
"I-"
"You haven't done anything! Nothing but wander around in sorrow. 400 years of darkness? Then you make up with 400 years of light."
"I-I can't.."
"You can. Because I will be here right alongside you, helping you, bringing you up in moments of darkness. I am your family Zeref, and you mine, along with everyone in Fairy Tail. And family doesn't give up on each other."
"Family? You…my family?"
"Of course you caveman," she smiled, "who else? I may be the only one now, but things will change, if you let them."
He could only stare, at this woman who trusted him so much, believed in him. His head dropped to her shoulder again as more sobs racked his body.
"Thank you."
"Hmm," she muttered in reply.
"Zeref?"
"Mavis?"
"I'm still cuter."
He laughed. "Agreed."
And he could swear, he saw a flower bud start to bloom, where his fresh tears hit the ground.
