INTRO
Hearthlight
They say it takes just one second to fall in love with someone. You either do, or you don't. Fire which burn longest rise from the warm cinder, not from the cold, wet wood. When it comes to recognizing those eyes, you just know – this is it. Then you meet that person again. And you meet her once again after that. Soon, you can't live without each other.
Months pass and you don't even realize it. Person takes you to the places you've never been before, fulfills you. Person is something you've never expected to meet in the place like this. And months just go on, and on, and on. Soon, there comes your second year together and you still feel the same.
That's when the problems start. Relationship faces crisis. There could be many reasons for love crisis, but most often it's in things which were kept inside, maybe because of fear from being judged. But, problems come like a storm hitting the bay, crashing on it. You start asking yourself:"Is this pain worth it?" As the fights become often, there are times you feel desperate, crying while hugging your pillow.
„What am I even doing with her? There are so many better girls."
„This jerk is not worth my time. I should've stayed with Peter, at least he had money."
And it erupts. Pain is like volcano, bound to explode one day. And only bonds of love are those who keep whole planet you two build from falling apart. Whole pain accumulated inside of you comes out, you call that person you once called your everything trash, useless garbage, and problem just gets deeper, and deeper.
You face a crossroad then. Should I stay with him/her? Should I even try, if those things are going to happen a lot? And then, you see him, or her, smiling in sleep while laying close to you. You stay awake just to see if she or him will curse you in sleep but they don't. You hear them smiling when they watch their favourite tv series. You remember all the times you two were happy. And you just decide to confess all your pain. Person confesses back and your bond gets even stronger.
Years just keep rolling and rolling. There are times of struggle, times of pain, of love and friendship, and you understand that you've made a good decision back then. After all, what would life be without that special person in your life?
One night, it just happens. You've made love in the darkness, like you usually did. But this time, both of you had a wish to fully enjoy that feeling of bond you grew so many years, patiently. As the flames of love burst into explosion, there comes a great feeling of fulfillment. You can feel every inch of beloved's body and soul inside you and outside you. For the moment, you two are same person.
And after nine months, call of the hearth leads you to new life. Love, that force which should control whole universe, comes to you, giving you most beautiful gift. Wrapped in bundle there is final act of your creation, manifest of God itself. There is light inside of those eyes. A ray of hope.
It is Heartlight.
1. Days gone by
In the peaceful town of Magnolia, many days have passed. Better say years passed, silent in the new era which raised after darkness from the world disappeared. World still needed mages, but they were not preyed upon anymore. All of the people remembered that fateful day. Zeref and Acnologia were defeated. When Dragon King died, Zeref recognized his wrongdoing, conceding to the power of friendship and bonds of love which Fairy Tail holds. Evil which held him was gone, and he left this land forever in the eternal rest.
In Fairy Tail, things were a bit different. Some time after Dragon king's fall, Makarov died peacefully in his sleep. He was buried with all the honors which man could get, on the Tenrou island. After sixth Master, Makarov, passed on due to the old age, his grandson Laxus took the title of Seventh. Those were dark and sad days for guild, but new ray of hope soon would shone upon them. For there were many new members of Guild, kids of the new generation. You probably want to know who those kids were?
The guild was lively that day. Natsu and Lucy, Gray and Juvia, Gajeel and Levy, Erza and Jellal, Elfman and Evergreen, George and Mavis and all others welcomed new members to the guild. Five new kids stood in front of them with proud look on their faces.
Little blonde girl in the middle wore a white scarf. She seemed lively and wild, picking a fight with bright blue haired boy because he stripped his shirt in front of everyone. Standing, somehow shy, next to them was black haired girl with big, red eyes and eyeglasses. She stood with her hands together, blushing. Next to her there was boy with tiny armor and blue hair, shaking the girl, giving her words of bravery. Suddenly fat, white haired kid appeared, screaming:"Man!" as it jumped in front.
„Elfman! This is your influence!" Evergreen yelled, slapping Elfman with paper fan which she held in her hand.
„Guild is still lively, Sixth." Mavis smiled, looking at the crowd.
„Well, naturally. I have faith in Laxus." Makarov answered her. He looked like he did in his young days. In their spectral form, they stood aside, as Laxus delivered speech to the newcomers, similar to one which Makarov held to Lucy when she joined guild so long ago.
„First, you look somehow wide today." Laxus said, coming close to Mavis. After several years, he grew moustache and goatee, and his face became somehow more mature. Also, his hair grew a lot, and he combed it back.
„Laxus!" Makarov yelled.
Mavis turned away, blushing so heavily that her whole face was red.
„Actually, it's true. First, you really seem weird in last several months." Evergreen said, as fat kid came to her, grabbing her hands.
„Well, it must be exertion. Whole situation with Zeref probably shook her." George Demian Green answered, coming close. For those who were not reading Fiore Werewolf, he was a guy with unkempt, brown hair, two braids on each side of his head and long goatee, who joined guild several years ago. He wore „Heart Kreuz" white T-shirt and baggy trousers.
„Hm, it still does not explain how wide she got in her waist." Laxus pointed down to her dress.
„I gained weight! It must be because of that!" she was shaking, pointing her index finger up.
„Mommy, why is this woman so round?" little white haired boy asked, pointing to Mavis, who was on the verge of tears. Evergreen stoop down to the boy.
„Narcissus, haven't I taught you not to ask woman about their body?"
„You did, mom." he looked down, ashamed.
„Now be a good boy and tell papa to go and move that statue which we bought inside the living room."
„We should not bother First with so many questions." Makarov said.
„It's best that we go now." George answered him, taking Mavis by the hand. Her eyes were still full of tears.
There was a big welcoming party for all of the new guild members. By name, they were Narcissus, Elfman and Evergreen's son, Cinder, daughter of Natsu and Lucy, Rigel who was son of Gray and Juvia, Chandra who was daughter of Levy and Gajeel. Last kid in little armor was Garret, son of Erza and Jellal.
„Those guys are already experienced in magic?" Fried asked Evergreen.
„You will see it soon." she smiled. Laxus stood on the stage, taking a microphone so everybody could hear him.
„As the Seventh guild master, it's my duty to survey magical growth of all newcomers. For guild to become stronger, their members should become strong too. Of course, there is still power of love and matter of connected feelings, but power is the mean to achieve victory in the end."
„Laxus is different than Makarov." Mirajane said to Lisanna. Mirajane looked older now, with few wrinkles on her face which was perfect before. Lisanna was a fully grown woman, and she looked a lot like her sister did before.
„He certainly seems more concerned with individuals." she answered.
„So, that's why there will be a small show today for all of us here. Newcomers, come!" he yelled, and five kids stumbled over their feet, coming to the stage.
„Little girl, what is your name?" Laxus asked Cinder, crouching in front of her.
„My name is Cinder!" she yelled with passion in her voice.
„Oh-ho. You must be Natsu's daughter." he smiled.
„That's right."
„Show us the power of your magic!" he said, taking few steps back.
„Of course! I'm all fired up!" she yelled.
„Like father, like daughter." Lucy sighed from the crowd.
„Show us what I've taught you, Cindy!" Natsu yelled. Years passed, but he looked almost same as he looked before.
Laxus soon came back with the training dummy.
„Fire Monkey's fist!" she yelled, jumping in the air. Both of her hands soon started burning in golden color. As hit landed, dummy blazed up. Afraid that whole guild will burn down, Laxus used bucket to extinguish fire.
„She is strong!" Makarov yelled.
Next there was Narcissus, fat white haired kid.
„Man never refuses chance to test his power!" kid yelled. All in the public made very disappointed face. Elfman looked at him, crying manly tears.
„That's my son! Show them how man fight!"
„I'm man!" he screamed. Suddenly, one of his hands became like rock.
„Take over, Rock troll fist!" he yelled, but his fist-fighting was yet weak, and as he smashed dummy, it rocked back, smashing him right in the face.
„Oh my!" Mavis yelled, putting palm over her mouth. George and her just came back.
„Man never gives up!" boy yelled.
„Oi, boy, there's no need to get worked up. It's just a dummy." Laxus said.
„But he has some spirit." Gray said, with Juvia by his side. Gray was somehow taller now, with lot longer hair than before. Juvia tied her hair in a ponytail, and wore blue, long dress.
„Rigel, show them!" she cheered on.
Next was boy without shirt, who looked just like Gray in his younger days.
„I'm going to kick this dummy's butt. Ice spirit – Geyzeer!" he said, smashing one hand against other. Suddenly, ground opened in a geyzeer of water. From the Geyzeer, small monkey-like creature appeared.
„Geyzeer, destroy this thing!" he yelled.
Little monkey creature pummeled dummy until it broke in the pieces.
Chandra was a little girl who used Stellar spirit magic, but she had only one key and it was key to summon Nikora.
She bashfully stood before people, with shaky fingers pulling silver key.
„Lucy, you were always my role-model." Levy said to herself, smiling.
„Pih, we should have taught her some stronger magic." Gajeel said, without any approval on his face.
„She will become stronger with the time." Levy answered him, sure in herself.
„Open, Gate of the Canis Minor! Nikora!" she yelled, and whole guild burst into laugh. There was a little, blue stellar spirit, with cat like mouth and angry looking eyes.
„Booboo, show them your power!" she said, and spirit tried pummeling new dummy, but to no avail.
„Bahahaha! Your magic is useless!" Cinder smiled.
„What.. my.. It's..." Chandra looked like she was on the verge of tears.
„You will never be able to beat me or Rigel. Just give up on magic."
„Cinder!" Lucy yelled.
„It's true!"
Lucy walked up to the little girl, who to this point was crying. Little stellar spirit tried cheering her up, but it made her cry even harder.
„Chandra, look at me." she smiled. Chandra sobbed, raising her head to look at Lucy.
„See this? Those are Stellar Spirit keys, same as yours. I use magic as you are using, now. When I joined this guild, I was weak. Everybody defended me, and I felt bad! I wanted to fight, to show my strenght. But, in the end there was always somebody stronger. But that is alright, and you know why? Through all that pain, I've learned the meaning of friendship. I learned how much it means to have somebody who you can lean on to. And I've learned that there is always a chance to improve yourself. Keep training, girl, right? You will become a strong mage one day." she smiled.
„Lucy..." Levy said, sobbing.
„Lucy!" all of the mages cried.
„That's my Lucy." Natsu said, proudly.
„And for you, Cinder. I don't want you to become thug. Chandra is your friend. You should support her and protect her until she becomes strong enough to fight on her own. That is the meaning of guild. That is the meaning of friendship."
„I'm sorry, Chandra." Cinder said, looking down and then she gave her hand, pulling her up.
„It's alright, Cinder. I know I'm not strong. But my mother told me about your mum and I wanted to be like her one day. That's why I won't give up, no matter what."
Suddenly, little boy in armor appeared.
„It's the flame of love which connects all people. Chandra, may I take your hand?" he said.
„Uhm... I..." she stumbled on words.
„Garret!" Erza said, worried.
Jellal smiled, looking at his son.
„In the name of the everlasting flame of love, my mighty sword of justice will strike truly, with the power of hope!" he yelled, raising his sword up in the air.
„Oh just do something, knight in shining armor." Cinder said, cynically.
„Sword of Ten Commandments, Explosion!" he said, and his sword suddenly changed.
„Show them your power, son!" Erza yelled, in ecstasy.
He turned around, slamming blade into dummy, destroying it to pieces.
„It seems new guild members are strong, Sixth. It's surely nostalgic." Mavis said to Makarov, walking where she was before again.
„I remember the time when I was young. There were no mages strong as those kids are now. It seems that new generation is surely blessed."
„Fairy tail is just growing stronger and stronger. Just like my dream was. I'm so proud." she said, as tears were rolling down her cheeks.
„About that thing before, First. I don't want to pry, but you worry me. Is something bad happening to you?" Makarov asked Mavis.
„No, nothing like that." she said, blushing a bit.
„Then what's the problem?"
„I'm... I'm pregnant."
Makarov almost fainted. Seeing his reaction, all of the guild suddenly turned towards him. His face was pale, his eyes were in the state of severe shock.
„Non-Non-Nonsense! How.. How.. how is that even possible?!" he asked her.
„What's wrong, old geezer?" Laxus asked Makarov.
„Nothing is wrong, children! Now please, get back to the things you were doing before!" Makarov urged in panicky voice.