let's go back to the start

Characters: Lyon Vastia, Sherry Blendy

Summary: Today, the sun shines bright. Today, the birds sing. Today, we will die. For love? For love.

Reincarnation AU for reasons other than "because I said so"

It was a beautiful day.

The sun was bright on the sky, not much unlike a gigantic spotlight, and in the distance, the birds were singing and their song's sweet sound was carried far enough for the woman to hear it as she made her way over to where her team leader stood, eyes narrowed and serious.

"This isn't looking well," she said, leaning against his shoulder. There was once a time when she would not have dared to touch him but they had come far since those days. They were partners, the team of their guild with hardly any problems along the years.

"Yeah, this looks ugly," he said as he closed his eyes. "How are you doing?"

She snorted as she shook her head, sadness crossing her features. "My left leg is broken," she said as she looked away. "So if … if someone has to take one for the team, I will do it."

"A leg can heal," he said as he turned his head into her direction. "The thing is just … they brought something really dangerous … and it's heading right for Gray … and I … cannot…"

"…lose him ever again, I know," she said as she lifted her hand. "So … this is what it will add all up to? That you … you will…"

"Follow my teacher's path down to the very end, yes," he said as he opened his eyes and looked at her. "Don't you dare cry because of me, Sherry, it was splendid, wasn't it? And … ten years, god, we had ten years that were simply … perfect and I am thankful for them, really."

"This is not the time for your goodbye speech," she said as she wrapped her arms around his. "Or at least … not the time for you to tell me goodbye. Because … I will not be there to tell the people what your words were. You know that, right? You know that I don't quit now."

"I know that you should quit now, Sherry, because there is no future in that valley. No future for me … no future for anyone who follows me. You have a future and … you should live it," he replied as he touched her cheek. "Plus – the boys need you to reign them in again."

"You are not as smart as I always thought you were if you think I'd let you die alone," she said as she smiled sadly at him. "You made me the second-in-command, nearly ten years ago. And I have sworn a long time ago that I would follow you into the deepest pits of hell if you asked me to. So … don't ask me to turn my back at you now, Lyon – or at least … do it for the right reasons. Don't send me away for the boys … because … they don't need me."

"Would you believe me if I told you that I would like you to be there for Gray? That you should explain him why I couldn't let him die?" he asked as he approached the path, trying to ignore that she was still not letting go of his arm. "No, you wouldn't. To you, Gray is not worth breaking the promise you made all those years ago."

She nodded. "I don't hate him but there is no one I would break this promise for."

"Okay, then, your call," he said as they made the way down to the valley. "What's the plan?"

"You don't have enough power left for that spell, right? I still can fight … and, you know, we're Lamia Scale … so when we go down, we go down with dignity. There won't be tears," she said as she gritted her teeth. "There is just one thing we can do when this is supposed to save Gray."

"Unison Raid," he said slowly as he shifted his arm to support her. "We never did that before."

"Ten years, Lyon, ten years," she replied as she leaned against him. "That's an awful long time if you ask me. And … I think that we have achieved it, long ago. We can do this."

"Of course we can, yes," he nodded as he squeezed her hand. "Are you scared?"

She was silent for a moment. "Yes, I guess I am," she admitted. "I never died before … and … I don't think that it will be a nice experience. But … we are dying for someone you love, right? I think … that I can go through with this. Also … we will die together. That has to count for something as well, wouldn't you think so as well?"

"It might not mean much but … dying with you is an honour," he replied as his eyes narrowed. "One I could have lived without, true, and I would prefer you going back again but … it will be fine … hopefully."

"We are Lamia, aren't we?" she asked. "We are always fine in the end."

And so, they stepped into the valley of their end.

Her left hand was in his and her right hand was on his shoulder as they approached their fate. It was nearly amusing how unafraid they were, how easily they had accepted that this would be their last battle and that it would not even by for their own guild but for his brother. The brother both of them had nearly killed once, the brother he had missed for seven long years, the brother she had cursed for putting him through the same old pain again and again.

"Hey, Sherry," he said as he shed his jacket – because he was doing this one right – and looked at her, "if this isn't the end for some reason … I would love to walk by your side again."

She closed her eyes, wondering if this was the last chance for her last confession or if she should wait again – but it was unlikely that there would ever be another chance for her. "You know," she said as she looked at the raging creature – the creature that was so obviously from Zeref's book – and gritted her teeth, "when I was little, I always dreamed of being remembered … even long after I was gone … I never knew what for … perhaps beauty, perhaps skill … and now, I wonder what I will really be remembered as and I think that if people remember me as loyal and kind, I will be happy … because that way, no one will remember me as a tragedy."

"You are hardly the stuff tragedies are made off, you know," he said as he closed his eyes. "I have no idea how this is going to work … I mean, if I use that spell, I am going to turn my body into ice … and I can't turn yours to ice as well…"

She bit her lip before she looked at him. "Do you trust me?" she asked. "Because if you do, don't worry. I can handle that part of the equation, no worries. Plus … all you do for love turns out well. Sometimes not directly, sometimes it takes a while. It will be fine. They will understand."

"Okay," he said as he closed his eyes.

Gray first felt it, the overwhelming surge of raw power.

He had felt this before and he turned on his heel and ran into the opposite direction, ignoring the yells from the others – because he had to see it for himself, he had to see it because this could not be true. There was only one mage but himself who was able to use this spell. And because he was obviously not doing it, it had to be Lyon and this was wrong for a million reasons.

"Don't you dar—," he whispered into the wind as he came to a sudden halt.

Indeed, it was Lyon who was using his own life to seal the monster, the demon that had pursued Gray and his team. But Lyon was not just using his own life. The pink-haired woman who was always with him was with him, her body not turning into ice but into raw magical power.

"Gray!" Natsu yelled as he stopped behind him. "Oi, ice princess – what's going on suddenly?"

"I'm killing him, I am seriously killing him," the ice mage muttered as he punched the wall, not caring that it cracked. "He knows that she wouldn't want that … and he goes … and does it? What does he gain from this? What's the meaning of this bullshit, Lyon?"

"Wait, isn't that this Iced Shell spell?" Erza asked confused, brown eyes narrowing. "And – isn't that Sherry? What the hell are they doing there? Gray – what's going on?"

"Not that Juvia is an expert but … it seems like Sherry-san … and Lyon-san are doing a Unison Raid," the water mage said slowly, "and … Juvia believes that Lyon-san lacks the power to use the spell so that Sherry-san is turning into the energy needed for it."

And Gray laughed.

It was no happy laugh but he was feeling too much all of a sudden – anger about Natsu's ignorance because the moron had seen the preparation stage of iced Shell once, confusion about Erza's confusion because was she not supposed to be the one who knew what to say, no matter what or when and finally … gratitude about Juvia's explanation because aside from Natsu, she was the only other element user and so she was more likely to understand than Erza or Lucy – who was standing in the back, nearly afraid.

But it was such an ironic way and yet fitting way for Lyon to go down. One of Lyon's best traits was that he put others in front of himself. He had taken the bomb, he had given up on Juvia. And even Sherry's involvement made sense, in a way.

Because Sherry had followed Lyon around for ten years and had always given her all to support him. And aiding him with his sacrifice even when it meant to die as well seemed like something that Sherry would do.

For love, at least.

"God damn you, you idiot," he muttered as he sank to his knees, "but … tell teacher I said hi."

He trembled then and he did not mind when Juvia unbuttoned her coat to rest it on his shoulders because the coat was warm and being powerless while his brother – because Lyon was his brother even though he had never really told him this – died for his sake the same way his mother had died for him and the way his sister had sacrificed herself for him.

"Someone … remind me to punch Lyon the next time I see him," he said as he wiped off the tears.

The pain was not what he had expected and he wondered how his teacher had done this without screaming in pain before he remembered that this woman had been stronger than anyone else and that mere pain had never meant anything to the only woman who had been called an Ice Queen for all the right reasons.

Sherry's very self was wrapped around him, a warm cocoon of the sunshine and love she was made of. She was humming, something she usually only did when she was in pain.

Sherry?

Yes?

This all … was a real blast … and I hope, one day, I can make it up to you.

Don't fret. I had fun. Always. It was never boring with you. Plus … how many women, how many people get the chance to die with the one they love?

Love? Still?

I don't want to make this sappy, Lyon, but yes. Always, I guess. I thought I'd outgrow it but I guess that there are some loves you are stuck with all your life.

I am nearly offended that you call me something you are stuck with.

I am waiting for the rejection.

I am too confused. Plus, we are dying. This might not be the last time for rejections. Plus … what makes you think that I'd reject you? On the other hand … what about Rin?

…I don't think that we'd ever be the perfect match. Plus, his name is Ren, really.

Silence.

Nothing but silence for a moment as the ice laced with pure magic wrapped itself around the demon, restraining the creature's movements.

Perhaps I was wrong when I said that we wouldn't be stuff for tragedies. So, the next time we see each other … let's become a better story. One that ends with 'and they lived happily ever after' or something. Plus … I will treat you to some nice food, okay?

Promise?

Of all lifetimes, yes.

Then … I will wait for you … to come around or something. It will be nice … to walk with you … again … and maybe, we will get the happy ending you want to have.

Sure. Because, you know, I –

.

.

.

t.

The sun was shining as she left the university building and headed down the street that would lead her to the bus station. She tilted back her head to welcome the sunlight on her face. No matter how much she loved winter with its ice and snow, there was something about spring she was very fond of, mostly because it was a season of life and change.

Waving at some of her friends from class, she then changed her direction for reasons she did not exactly understand – the other way only seemed nicer and she did not question it much.

The new path led her to the outer part of the campus and passing a coffee shop she ignored – she had had too much caffeine lately and she did not want to continue this trend – she reached a park where some students of the institute that was close by – likely the biology faculty – were enjoying the sunlight.

Continuing her walk, she crashed into a young man, maybe a little older than her, who had silver hair. Usually, she would have complained since he had stepped right in front of her but as she opened her mouth, reality around her shattered and she found herself speechless.

She knew him. She had never seen him before but she knew him nonetheless. This was weird but she was feeling a connection and – she was speaking without knowing what she was saying.

"You really should know better than to keep me waiting, right?"

This sounded weird, even in her own ears, and panic overwhelmed her. What if the man would believe her to be a total basket case now?

"I am certainly sorry for that, believe me," he replied as he held out his hand, "but here are many students … and I wasn't sure where to find you. Anyway, I believe I owe you a meal, right?"

"That you do," she nodded as she grabbed his hand, "but … it's great to see you again, Lyon."

"Likewise, Sherry, likewise," he said as he smiled at her. "Good to see you doing well."

And as she looked at him, she wondered why she saw the shape of the black lamia on his chest, covered by his thin white shirt for a moment. Then, she shook the thought of. This was the past, a past she did not know, a past she did not care much for – because it was all over.

The future mattered.

This was a fresh start.

A new chance.