Well, I decided to extend this into a multiple chaptered story... Probably four? That depends, do you guys want me to make this with an actual plotline or should I leave it as a short little fanfiction? Also I apologize if Lyon is a bit OOC. I tried to keep him in character, but I'm not sure how that went.
Chapter 2:
The bright afternoon sun caressed pale skin gently, silver hair flowing with the soft breeze of the wind that flew past every so often as a certain mage made his way down the almost deserted street, seemingly lost in thought. The male's mission had gone rather flawlessly, taking no more than a week for the ice mage to complete.
The job itself had been simple enough; take down a monster that kept demolishing villages and kidnapping some maidens. Honestly to Lyon it sounded more along the lines of a child's Fairy Tale. He mused softly to himself at the thought that the job would have been perfect for the Fairy tail guild.
The mission was nothing like the bedtime stories told to kids, however. There was no epic battle to save a maiden or even a overwhelming battle between the supposed hero and the villain at hand. It was much simpler. It was surprising that reports regarding the mission had stated that several other wizards had taken the challenge and faced the horned beast but none had managed to beat it. In fact, not one mage had even been granted the opportunity to tell their tale, for whatever was left of them was now buried 6 feet under. That is, except for Lamia Scale's very own Lyon Vastia.
Although that hardly served as a surprise, after all, such a task was mere child's play for one of the strongest S class mages in Lamia Scale. The mission itself was a S class exclusive one, thus making it so Lyon had to complete it by his lonesome while his team awaited his return. He had originally attempted to convince them to take up a mission of their own, seeing as he wasn't certain how long the mission would take.
Despite his attempt at persuasion his team refused to take a job without him coming along. At the time the ice mage just mumbled something about stubborn fools under his breath, silently relieved and thankful that they would wait for him to come back.
As the silverette looking around at the numerous shops littering the cobblestone streets he had to admit that he rather enjoyed being back. The mission had only taken a week, which is several days shorter than he had first expected. Not that that exactly disappointed him. The enemy was weaker than he had accounted for and was thus demolished in no time flat. Such an occurrence served as an annoyance and a compliment to the older ice wizard. He was irritated that he was not faced with a worthy opponent, yet it proved that he had gotten much stronger over the past few years. However, his strength was not the only thing that managed to grow throughout the past 7 years.
His friendship with Sherry, Yuka and Toby grew as well as his friendship with the fellow members of his guild. After everyone got used to his egoistical, arrogant nature they began to warm up to the newcomers. Lyon dared to even think of the mages as his family and the guild as a second house. Oh yes, there was hardly a place like home. A small smile crept to pale lips and the wizard hummed softly at the thought.
It was ironic to think that only years ago home would have been yet another meaningless word that he heard idiots mumble about, praising it ever so highly. The last time he ever truly believed he had such a place was when he was with Ur. After her death he was doubtful that he would ever have a lovely homelike place again, yet here he was, with two places that he could refer to as such. His comfortable apartment and his beloved guild. It seemed as though Gray had been right about guilds after all.
He stopped abruptly, feeling his body stiffen and a sense of despair threatened to cloud his mind once again at the thought of his past rival.
"Gray..."
It had been 7 years since he received the heart wrenching news of the fate that had befallen his rival and his fellow guild members. Almost immediately after the horrid information had spread and had been confused Lamia scale and Blue Pegasus teamed up along with the other guilds of Fiore to search for the missing Fairy Tail mages.
Together the guilds had searched every inch of water in and near the immediate location of where Tenrou Island once stood. They searched persistently for months at end, everyone refusing to believe that the strongest members of Fiore's number one guild had merely disappeared in thin air along with the island. But finally, after 8 months with not the slightest sign of life the guilds began to give up hope of finding the members alive.
Thus the large scale searches ceased and they, instead, begrudgingly settled with erecting a glorious grave in honor of each and every powerful Fairy Tail wizard lost on the island. Lamia Scale and Blue Pegasus were the only ones that refused to give up, having fought along side with some of the now lost members prior.
They continued their search for several more months before even the stubborn and ever flamboyant Blue Pegasus guild drew back their sea searches, seemingly giving up as well. It was around that time that Lamia Scale gave up as well, finding it pointless to continue. If the members had somehow managed to escape they would have shown up by now. It was futile to continue.
Lyon had been the least willing to give up. He continued searching, even after the crestfallen fairy Tail guild stopped with heavy hearts, refusing to accept that they were gone. That his prized rival had fallen so soon. He wouldn't believe that Gray was dead...
He just couldn't believe it... A year passed, full of false hopes and not a shred of evidence, yet the stubborn last remaining ice mage refused to let up his futile quests – not that he would admit that they were futile – his friends became concerned, worried that their leader,who claimed to be unfazed by his rival's death mind you, was running himself ragged with his nonstop searches. But they never voiced their ever growing concerns directly to Lyon, fearing his ever growing agitation. Instead they remained by his side and supported him, only offering him bits of advice if they believed his rash decisions could potentially affect his health. They could only hope that the lost mages could be found either dead or alive.
It was only after Gray's would be 20th birthday came and went a year and a half after his disappearance that Lyon's excursions dwindled until they came nonexistent. He began instead spending his time taking as many missions as possible and training harshly when he found himself at the guild between jobs. He somewhat returned to his former self, much to his team mates relief.
What exactly brought about the sudden change they were not certain, although in the long run they supposed that it didn't quite matter. It seemed as though the silver, spiky haired male had a new goal.
The cold emperor sighed warily, running a hand through his locks as he continued his strides, this time moving slower. He had long ago given up searching the endless ocean for the raven and his comrades. He had allowed himself to completely obsess over discovering some sort of clue as to where Tenrou and it's inhabitants vanished to. It was only after a special day had come and passed that he finally gave up and realized that he was only wasting his time. Instead he focused on the other part of the promise that he quietly made to Gray that fateful night. He would become an S class mage and live a full life for both of them.
After each mission he would stop by Magnolia to visit Gray's grave before he returned to his guild. Once a year passed with no clue as to the whereabouts of the missing wizards a portion of land in a nearby cemetery was donated so that each mage could have a proper grave stone. The other Fiore guilds and magic council, besides the Blue Pegasus, Fairy Tail and Lamia Scale guilds, had long since given up hope and deemed it only fit to honor the presumed dead with the dignity they deserved. For the remaining Fairy Tail members this was an omen, yet also a slight relief. They felt slightly better knowing that they had a place where they could visit their lost friends, even if they were not actually there.
It was personally saw to by the magic council that each Fairy Tail member had a finely crafted grave marker with a symbol of their magic, their guild sign and their name engraved in the fine granite. A professional Undertaker saw to the making of the gravestone for every lost mage, that is, except for a girl by the name of Lucy Hearfilia and the ice boy Gray Fullbuster.
A man claiming to be Lucy's father insisted upon having the marker made himself, wanting to do at least something for the little girl that he lost. The cold emperor often saw the man by his daughter's grave whenever he went to visit his rival's. Each time he could only hear the old man mumbling a series of apologies to the grave, his head down and shoulders hunched forward, no doubt crying.
"I'm so sorry, baby girl. I should have been there for you when you were younger... I should have protected you like father's are supposed to do... I'm so sorry, Lucy... Please come home soon..." The man's back straightened slightly as he stood up from the grave. "I've made sure to get you a present every year though. They will all be waiting for you when you get back soon..."
It looked as though the female mage's father hadn't given up hope either. Lyon couldn't help but pity the poor male. The next few times he visited the graveyard of the Fairy Tail wizards he found that the normal rose that adorned the celestial wizard's grave was wilted and dead. Usually her father would come and replace it often, although by the look of things the old male hadn't come in at least several weeks. The ice mage couldn't help but wonder why exactly that was.
As for Gray, Lyon saw to making his marker personally.
He knew that the younger ice mage would be displeased to have a stone marking his so called final resting place, so the silverette decided upon crafting it from none other than his unmeltable ice make magic.
The maker magic wizard was pulled from his train of thoughts as he heard several pairs of heavy footsteps race towards him from in front of him, his name coming from familiar voices.
"Lyon!" Yuka called, panting as he waved to the silver haired male frantically, a small smile on his lips. "We have good news!"
Lyon raised an eyebrow at the male in question, stopping once they finally managed to catch up to him.
"Is that so? What is it?"
The pink haired female mage grinned brightly at Lyon and clapped her hands.
"It is from the product of love, I just know it! Nothing else could have done such a wonderful thing! Just Love!"
"What on earth are you babbling about, Sherry? Someone tell me what is going on before I freeze all your asses."
The three excited teammates exchanged an excited look before replying simultaneously. "Blue Pegasus has news about the missing Fairy Tail wizards !"
Toby nodded happily and fought the urge to howl in joy.
"Yeah! Black is back!"
"Toby, his name is Gray!" Yuka muttered.
"Oh right... WELL GRAY IS BACK!"
