What's up everyone, Tati here! And welcome to the sorta epilogue to Nightmare. I can only hope for a happy ending in the end for everyone.
Closure
The day probably would be better suited with grey skies and rain, not the bright sun in the almost cloudless sky. He had fought with Lucy to go today, at least the day could reflect his current mood.
Standing before rows of tombstones was a pink-haired man. Besides his white pants and white scarf, he was dressed in black. His jacket didn't have a right sleeve, revealing a red guild mark on his shoulder and burn markings on his forearm. His dark eyes, once full of life and pure joy, were now mere reflections of what they used to be.
Standing in silence, the mage read over some of the names carved on they grey stones that held his guild's mark.
Lisanna Strauss
Elfman Strauss
Romeo Conbolt
CanaAlberona
Makarov Dreyar
Letting out a shaky breath to compose himself. He had to do this, he need this closure. How would he face everyone in their next life if he didn't?
It was about a year since Zeref, Acnologia, and END ceased to exist, thanks to Fairy Tail and friends' efforts. Natsu and Lucy, along with the other survivors of their guild, began rebuilding Fairy Tail from the ground up in Magnolia. But, with the success came setbacks for the mages. Those a part of the final battle had their struggles to face. Sting had lost his vision in his right eyes, but his team of Rogue, Lector, Frosch, and Minerva made sure he never did anything reckless on missions as new members of Fairy Tail. Jellal and his guild, being acquitted for their crimes, joined Fairy Tail after the wake of the battle. The former Master of Crime Sorciere stayed with Erza and Wendy as the redhead regained the use of her left arm. Gray stayed with Juvia, helping her recover her lost memory Gajeel had to get used to walking with a metal leg, with the help of Levy, Lily, and the rest of the Team Shadow Gear. Gildarts left on jobs a month at a time, still grieving over the lost of his beloved daughter. Wendy and Carle made sure that everyone else was healed and well.
Some of the mages from other destroyed guilds joined Fairy Tail to help with its rejuvenation back to No. 1 again. With the grandson of the former Master at the helm with the commands of a pair of red and silver haired she-demons, Fairy Tail had its guildhall back standing and members constantly going on missions to finish it completely.
But no one had it harder than Natsu and Lucy. Natsu went into depression, only being able to get out of it recently with Lucy's help, after finding out so many of his friends and family had died at the hands of END…By his own hands. Of course, like all families would, no one blamed Natsu for their deaths. 'It couldn't be helped's or 'You aren't blame's were constants words coming from his guild mates. But he still felt that he didn't deserve to be alive let alone be allowed to stay in the guild, the one who murdered his family, while they were dead.
His thoughts became so dark that Lucy had to move in with him and Happy to keep him safe. Which, ended up good for the both of them.
Lucy, being the only one in the guild who faced END head on, ended up with post traumatic nightmares after the battle. Which added to Natsu's guilt. END had caused her pain, nearly killed her. There wee marks on her body that wouldn't go away because of END's flaming scorn towards Lucy's interference. And now it had begun to show. It was all END's fault, and by extension, it was Natsu's fault as well.
The darkness that Natsu and Lucy had fought so hard to eradicate from him had times of resurfacing. But the rest of the guild made sure Natsu wouldn't go that way again. Over the year, everyone had fought tooth and nail for their and Natsu's recovery. And today would be when their efforts had succeeded. The day that Natsu obtained closure.
"Hey…everyone," Natsu said, only to be met with unsurprising silence. "I…I put you guys through hell. I'm sorry, and I know it's not enough for it to amend the things I've done to you and the others.
"Cana, Gildarts missed you, so damn much. I…took a daughter from a father, after I lost my own. He forgives me, I don't know how though. But I hope you can too…wherever you are.
"Romeo, you looked up to me and I let you down. I know that I disappointed a lot of people when END controlled me, but I think I let you down the most.
"Lisanna…I lost you once and I lost you a second time…This time, because of my own undoing. Mira's sad, I lost a sister but she lost her two siblings in one go that day. She doesn't blame me, but that demon. Mira says that you'll definitely forgive me, and I can't but smile at that Lis.
"Master…" Natsu took a deep breath. "Jii-chan, you took in this destructive brat without a second thought. I can't express how thankful I am that you raised me as your own with everyone else." Natsu knelt down before the former Master's grave, extending a fist and gently bumping the grave with it. "Thank you for everything."
Standing up, Natsu heard familiar voices and knew he had to wrap up soon before heading out on their mission.
"I know what happened and what I did can never be simply forgiven. But I'll live to amend my sins and restore the guild back to #1." His child-like grin former on his face, knowing that his fight with his past was over. "I'll visit more soon. I gotta go on a mission with the team now."
"Fairy Tail's strongest together again!" chirped a blue cat, flying over Natsu's head. "Aye~!"
He laughed, raising a hand to give his partner a high-five. "You got it Buddy!"
"Feel good getting back in the saddle Flame-Head?"
An annoyed smile formed on the Dragon Slayer's face as he faced the ice mage standing in his boxers, nonchalantly.
"The hell are your clothes Underwear Prince?"
"Eh? You wanna go Dragon Breath?" Gray moved into his fighting stance.
"Bring it Ice Princess!" Natsu lit his fists on fire.
"Boys." He two cringed before throwing their arms around each other and faced the guild's red-haired demon. "Do I hear fighting?"
"Wh-wh-wh-what?! Us?! Never!" Gray yelled, turning towards Natsu. "Right Natsu?"
"Aye!"
"That's good, we shouldn't strain ourselves too much before our mission." Erza rotated her shoulder, making some cracking noise. "It feels amazing to use this arm again."
"Be careful not to strain it. That goes for all of you." Standing behind Erza was Natsu's blonde-haired beauty. "I don't want my house filled with whiny injured mages. Natsu enough to take care of injured."
"But Luce~!" Natsu whined. He walked over to her and slumped himself over her back and shoulders.
Lucy sighed. "See?"
"Lushie's mean!" Happy snickered behind his paws.
Lucy flailed her fist in the air, trying to hit Happy. "Shut it, Stupid Cat!"
Team Natsu, their usual antics back in place after being lost since END's defeat. Erza and Gray walked towards the cemetery's exit with Happy swooping out of Lucy's reach.
"Let's go, our client doesn't take tardiness too lightly," Erza said.
"Just make sure Flame-Head doesn't sit next to me," Gray said with a scoff. "Don't wanna get puke on my clothes."
"What clothes Gray?" Happy asked. "You're in your boxers again."
"GAH! Where's they go?!" Gray began searching the shrubs along side the path.
Lucy laughed at Gray's frantic searching, Erza's playful head shaking and Happy's light teasing. She turned around to face Natsu. His eyes lingered on a large scar on Lucy's right arm, guilt flashed through them. She extended her right hands out to him. Natsu's onyx eyes locked with Lucy's brown eyes and was dazzled by her smile.
"Let's continue our adventure Natsu!"
Natsu grinned, talking his blonde's hands and led her to where their team was. "Yeah Lucy!" Natsu held her hand tighter and stroked her guild mark on the back of her hand. "Let's go!" I'm all fired up.
Fairy Tail...The series of feels...And unfulfilled ships of fangirls.
Thanks for reading and check out some of my other content if ya liked it. Let me know what you think by leaving me a review or sending my a PM. That's all for now, but I'll see you in the next story, Tati