WHAT'S UP YOU BITCHES?! READY TO GET YOUR MINDS BLOWN OVER THE GODDAMN WALL?!
*silence*
…...Oh my god, what did I just say? I am SOSOSOSO sorry if anyone was offended. That was my evil twin brother speaking. I thought I locked him in the base-I mean, I thought he was in Italy, studying abroad…...hehe….anyways.
I hope all of you are doing well. Sorry for the long wait for this story, but I…...kinda forgot about this until February. For those who were confused as to why this was updated on the 14th of February, I got rid of the trailer, yet the website thought I was actually updating the story. Again, so sorry about that. I promise if you see the story being updated, it will contain a new chapter, a REAL ONE. So…...let's get through the reviews.
Omni warrior: You read my damn mind good sir lol.
Strongasdiamond: Gray and Erza…..HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA…...no. Well, I wanted the tone of the story to be set. Yes, there will comedy, but mostly, this story will be a tragedy….with some events that will stick like glue.
Guest: Well we all can't get everything, now can we? Sorry, not trying to be rude.
REDLANTERN506: Thanks my friend.
Lord Jaric: I understand my friend. While there will be a few moments from the actual movie, I want to make my own unique twists, and hopefully by the end of this story, you'll cry your eyes out…...wow that sounded dark.
Iceman19: Thanks.
GhostDespair: Dude, that will get me in the goddamn feels.
To recap the tragedy that was the last chapter: Everything seemed to be going normal for Team Natsu as they went to Hanabo Town to stop Erigor the Grim Reaper and his new crew from stealing Magical Barrier Particles. Though they were able to stop most of them, Erigor surprised Natsu by activating a self destruction spell. However, just as Erigor was about to explode, Wendy arrived and used her Sky Dragon Slayer magic to send him flying into a nearby building, causing him to explode. The Fairy Tail wizards were beyond horrified and all Natsu could do was hug Wendy in an attempt to comfort her.
How will the country of Fiore react after such a devastating event? Let's find out…..
'Three weeks after the explosion'
"I can't believe it. Fairy Tail's gone too far."
"How many people died in that explosion?"
"Do any of them feel any guilt?"
"They've been known to be reckless, but costing lives is too much."
"Can we even trust the Guilds if they can't protect anyone?"
"Shouldn't the King do something? I mean, there's no way he would just let Fairy Tail slide."
Three weeks. All it took was three whole weeks for everything to go awry. The explosion caused by Erigor in Hanake Town had spread throughout not only Fiore, but its neighboring kingdoms as well. With the inclusion of the guards Erigor and his men had killed, the death toll had reached 50, with dozens more injured from the aftermath. Though Team Natsu were able to clear most of the damage, it still didn't lift their spirits with the casualties. They couldn't even fully accept the reward, though the employer insisted on giving them something as if they hadn't done anything, more lives would've been lost.
Among the fifty dead, thirteen came from the Pergande Kingdom, who were all volunteers to help those who were greatly ill. Due to this, the king of the Pergande Kingdom began discussing with king Fiore about what they should do about the innocent lives lost. There were also reports that the princess was also coming for moral support.
However, the biggest effect the now proclaimed 'Hanabo Explosion' had was on the Fairy Tail guild. Many people protested Fiore's number 1 guild, saying they should be punished for this incident rather than a simple slap to the wrist. On the other hand, there were still civilians and even other Guilds defended Fairy Tail for defending the town as best they could. Even so, rumors were spreading from within the Magic Council in regards to a proper punishment.
But the person that was the most affected by this tragedy was Wendy Marvell.
"Hey guys, we're back." Lucy called out as she entered the Guild Hall, with Happy and Natsu in tow.
"Yeah, who's ready to fight?!" Natsu shouted with fire spewing from his mouth. However, his attempt at firing up the Guild did nothing to lift the otherwise sour mood. The liveliness of the Fairy Tail Guild was completely absent, and for good reason too. Jobs have been rather…...dry due to the incident, so whenever there WAS an opening for a job, someone would take it, no matter the reward.
The only ones who were in the Guildhall were Mirajane Strauss, Gajeel Redfox and a few background characters no one cares about(is this harsh? Yes it is, but do you REALLY care?) Despite the gloomy atmosphere, Mirajane still smiled at the trio.
"Hello you three. How was the mission?" Mirajane asked as the three walked up to the bar.
"It was alright. But there was this jerk who threw a bottle at me. People still keep blaming us for what happened." Natsu said with a scowl on his face, rubbing the back of his head where the lump was located. It was true: during the mission, after they got their reward(and paid for some of the damage), there were these drunk men who kept telling them that they were murderers. One even threw a bottle at Natsu's head, which almost caused the Dragon Slayer to give him a hard right hook. Luckily, the Rune Knights nearby escorted the drunk men home and apologized to the Fairy Tail Wizards.
"Is everyone still on their jobs?" Happy asked, noticing the lack of wizards in the building. He didn't even think that saying his usual catchphrase would help.
"Yeah. It doesn't really feel like the Guild anymore. It's actually really sad." Mirajane confessed with a sad sigh, putting a cup of water to Lucy.
"After everything that's happened, I think you're right." Lucy confessed while drinking from her cup.
"Come on guys, we can't feel down like this forever." Natsu said, trying to cheer the two beauties up. "I mean…..we're Fairy Tail, the Number One Guild in all of Fiore. We inspire people to have fun and use their magic anyway they want for crying out loud! Don't you think we need that right now?" They smiled a bit at his attempt to cheer them up, but that was it. Looking around the room, Natsu found his fellow Dragon Slayer Gajeel, in the corner with his hair shadowing his expression. With a smile, Natsu walked away from the bar and moved towards the Iron Dragon Slayer. "Hey Metalhead, wanna fight?"
"Not in the mood, Salamander." Gajeel said in a low tone, something that caught Natsu a bit off guard.
"What's wrong? And where are Lily and the others?" Natsu asked curiously. Normally, he would see Gajeel surrounded by Team Shadow Gear, which consisted of Levy McGarden, Jet, Droy and his Exceed Pantherlily. But now? Now he was alone, just like how he was during his first week in Fairy Tail right years ago.
"Out on a job, now leave me alone." Gajeel said with an even bitter tone, making Natsu frown. It wasn't like he and Gajeel were particularly close. I mean yes, they were both Dragon Slayers who were taken from the past to the future and lost their Dragons, but that was as far as the similarities go…...right?
"Seriously, what's wrong? And why's your head down like that?" Natsu asked, slowly leaned down to Gajeel's level. Seeing as he wouldn't stop, Gajeel sighed in annoyance before he raised his head…
…...and showed Natsu the bandage that was over his left eyebrow.
"Happy now?" Gajeel asked rhetorically.
"What…...the hell happened?" Natsu asked in genuine curiosity. Not much could leave such a mark on the Iron Dragon Slayer. So to actually see something like this is…...surprising.
"It was….the kid." Gajeel admitted, albeit with a hint of embarrassment in his voice.
"Wendy? Wendy….hit you?" Natsu asked, his cheeks puffed to prevent a laugh from escaping his lips.
"It wasn't like that." Gajeel said with a scoff. "I went to go check up on her. You know how's she felt ever since…...that day." It felt like venom to mention the incident in Hanabo, but he had to say it. "So I went to check up on her, but I didn't have a key to Fairy Hills. Since I didn't think anyone would hear me….I climbed up a tree to her window and when I knocked on it…...she got scared and used a Dragon Roar on me." Not being able to hold back, Natsu began to laugh out loud, getting everyone's attention. "SHUT UP SALAMANDER!"
"I'm sorry….I'm sorry….NO I'M NOT! HAHAHAHAHAHA!" Natsu continued to laugh harder as he banged on the table. Gajeel continued to glare at the pink haired Dragon Slayer, hating the unwanted attention everyone was giving him.
"What happened?" Happy asked innocently while flying over to the table.
"Gajeel….Wendy…...Dragon Roar…." Slowly, but surely, Natsu began to calm down before he stopped all together. "Wendy used a Dragon Roar on him when he tried to get to her out." Hearing this, Happy covered his mouth while holding back his laughter.
"If you're so damn smug, go check on her yourself." Gajeel said with a growl, drinking his ale with a tiny nut(hehehehe) inside. He then adopted a more calm expression. "Levy told me she hasn't come out of her, except for getting food. She told me that the Kid's been crying herself to sleep." Natsu and Happy frowned at this news. While mocking Gajeel was a little fun, they knew he was right about Wendy. They have been meaning to visit her and Carla, but Erza would always be the one who stops them since boys aren't allowed inside.
"Okay. Happy?" Natsu said, giving the blue Exceed a look. Said Exceed looked at him before nodding. "We'll go see her. Thanks for telling us." Happy climbed on Natsu's shoulder as he began to walk away from Gajeel. However, he stopped and looked over his shoulder, giving a cheeky smile. "I'm glad Wendy's 'big brother' is watching her." Gajeel actually gasped at what Natsu said before he scoffed and looked down. If one were to look closely, they could see his cheeks slowly turn pink from the claim.
"I wonder where they're going?" Lucy asked with a raised brow as she and Mira saw the Dragon Slayer/Exceed duo walk out of the Guild.
"Knowing them, I'm sure they're going to Fairy Hills to see Wendy and Carla." Mirajane said while cleaning a mug, a sad smile on her face. "I know that Gajeel went to check on her, but she was…..a little surprised by his visit and ended up using her Sky Dragon Roar on him." Lucy 'ooh'd' in realization. Despite what most people thought, Gajeel was rather protective of Wendy and would sometimes check on her whenever she went on a job or anything. Though if you asked Gajeel directly, he'd probably just scoff at the idea. "I just hope they can cheer her up."
"Maybe I should go with them." Lucy suggested as she began to stand up.
"I think Natsu is all Wendy will need." A new voice called out from behind. Lucy turned around…..only to find no one there. "A little lower dear." Recognizing the voice, Lucy looked down, only to see her Guildmaster, Makarov Dreyar, looking at her from his wheelchair, a soft smile on his face.
"Oh Master! I didn't see you." Lucy said with an apologetic tone. She then noticed the suitcase on his lap. "Are you going somewhere?" Her question caused the old man to frown a bit.
"The Magic Council has…...called a meeting for all Guild Masters. Laxus is going with me to see what they want, but rumors say…...it involves the final judgement on our Guild." Makarov said with a serious tone, getting a shocked expression from Lucy. While it was true that the Magic Council would eventually try to do something to Fairy Tail, this might be pushing it a bit far in her opinion.
"Does it mean….Fairy Tail will get disbanded again?" Lucy asked with an audible gulp.
"He doesn't know, but it might be the case." Walking up to the two was none other than Makarov's only grandson Laxus, a simple black backpack over his shoulder and his usual frown on his face. "The Magic Council's been gunning for us, even when we saved them from Zeref and Acnologia. What happened in Hanabo might have lit the fuse. There's only one way to find out."
"And I trust you won't tell Natsu until we return, right?" Makarov said with a knowing tone. If Natsu was going to react the same way he did when Erza was arrested for Lullaby…..then things might end up worse than before. Both Lucy and Mirajane gave the Guildmaster a simple nod, getting him to sigh in relief. "We should be going Laxus. Otherwise, we might miss our train."
"Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say Gramps." If one would look closely, they could see a bit of sweat run down Laxus' temple at the mention of a train. Regardless, he began to push his Grandfather out of the Guildhall, scolding at the small giggle coming from Mirajane.
God, he hoped this trip would finish fast before he would lose his lunch.
'Fairy Hills, a few minutes later'
Thanks to Happy's Aera Magic, he and Natsu were able to reach the female only dormitory, which didn't look as old as it should, given the seven year timeskip, as well as the year Makarov closed the Guild. "Alright, let's try to find Wendy's room, okay?" Natsu said to Happy.
"Oh, I already know where their room is." Happy said like it was the simplest thing in the world.
"What? How?" Natsu asked curiously before realization dawned on him. "Because you want to give Carla fish, right?"
"Aye sir!" Happy said without a hint of guilt in his voice. Natsu simply rolled his eyes as his Exceed flew him to the second floor. However, the window(which Natsu could only assume was Wendy's room) had the drapes closed, which prevented them to see inside. "Huh, I guess Wendy didn't want any sunlight."
"Or maybe what happened made her even more sad." Natsu said with a deep frown. He would've knocked on the window, but he had a feeling that neither Wendy, nor Carla would even answer them. "Happy, do you have a key or something for Fairy Hills?"
"Aye." Reaching into his green bag, Happy pulled out a silver key with the initials 'F.H.' engraved on the side.
"Okay, let's go inside." Nodding to his friend's request, Happy safely landed him in front of Fairy Hills. Since most of the girls who lived here were currently on jobs, it was the perfect time for the two to enter without a hassle. The blue cat inserted the key in the door, unlocking it before he and Natsu walked inside. The interior looked rather nice, st least compared to their house, with a chandelier hanging gracefully on top. "So, which room?"
"Room 2E. Just take the stairs and go left." Happy instructed, laying on comfortably from Natsu's left shoulder. Natsu quickly ran up the staircase, turning left as per instructed. He checked each door until he eventually found room 2E.
"I just hope Wendy hears us." Natsu muttered before he knocked on the door twice. "Wendy? Are you in there? It's Natsu and Happy."
Silence.
Natsu and Happy pressed their ear against the door in order to hear something. They heard a few muffled words before a soft set of footsteps followed.
*Click*
The door to Wendy and Carla's room opened up, forcing Natsu and Happy to step back. The person, or rather cat, that opened the door was none other than Carla, who wore an olive green sweater, a darker olive tie, and a dark green skirt(her outfit from the Tartarus arc).
"You do realize this is a GIRL'S dormitory, right?" Carla said with an annoyed tone. Her fur was slightly ruffled and she had some bags under her eyes.
It was clear she had trouble sleeping.
"Sorry, but…...Wendy never came to the Guild, so I wanted to check on her. How is she?" Natsu asked with a concerned tone.
"Are you okay Carla? You look really tired." Happy asked with an equally concerned tone. Hearing the concern in his voice, Carla's eyes softened as she sighed.
"I'm sorry for that. The past few weeks have been…..difficult." Carla admitted while rubbing her eyes. "The others tried their best to comfort Wendy, but every night, she would wake up screaming that it was her fault. Master Makarov suggested that Wendy see the therapist to help her with the trauma."
"And how's that been going?" Natsu said with a raised brow.
"Well, last week, we were able to walk her around the building. But….." Carla reached out to the right and took out a newspaper. She handed it to Natsu. "Read the front of the article." Confused, Natsu and Happy looked at the front of the paper, only to widen their eyes in realization.
"Fairy Tail finished? Magic Council discussing plans for the future of Fiore's #1 Guild."
"When she read it, she broke down and we haven't been able to bring her outside ever since." Carla said, her ears drooping slightly. "I don't know what to do anymore. She keeps blaming herself for everything."
*Burst*
Natsu suddenly engulfed his hands on fire, burning the paper to ashes. "Let me talk to her." Natsu said, leaving no room for argument. Carla could see the determination in his eyes before she nodded, allowing the two to enter her room. Natsu slowly walked inside, noticing the multiple tissue boxes littered on the floor. The entire room was rather dark, though there was some light that bleed through the drapes, which allowed him to see. Once he reached the bed, Natsu saw a lump with blue hair, laying down. Taking a breath through his nostrils, Natsu walked up to the bed, sitting on the edge. "Wendy?"
"..." He got no response.
"It's me. I'm with Happy and Carla." Natsu added, gesturing to the two Exceeds.
"Hey Wendy, do you want some of my fish?" Happy asked as he reached into his pack, only for Natsu to shake his head.
"..." Again, they got no response. Frowning, Natsu placed a hand on Wendy's shoulder, shaking her lightly.
"Come on Wendy, I know you can hear us."
"Please go away." Wendy's muffled voice could be heard from the blanket.
"A lot of people are worried about you. Gajeel said he tried to talk to you earlier." Natsu said softly as Wendy shifted a bit.
"I didn't mean to hit him with my Roar. He just surprised me." Wendy said, removing the blanket from her mouth to speak more clearly.
"Hey, is it okay if I open the Drapes? It's a little hard to see." Not hearing any objections, Natsu walked up to the drapes before opening them, allowing the afternoon sun to brighten the room. Wendy slightly flinched from the sudden burst of light before she turned her body. "Can you get out of the blanket?"
"..."
"For goodness sake Child, take that blanket off your body. It's disrespectful." Fed up by her Dragon Slayer's distant behavior, Carla grabbed the bottom right-hand corner of the blanket before pulling it, allowing to fall to the ground.
But the moment it was removed….Natsu and Happy were given a full view of what their friend looked like after spending three weeks in her room.
Wendy Marvell, the Sky Maiden and only female Dragon Slayer, was…...a mess to say the least. Her long, blue hair looked like the nesting ground of several birds, her skin was much paler than one would imagine, and her eyes…...they were completely red, with dry tear marks on each of her cheeks. Hell, even her light blue tank top and white pajama pants looked rather wrinkle. To Natsu and Happy…...it looked like Wendy was on the verge of dying.
"Carla, give me back the blanket." Wendy said in a rather weak tone as she reached out for the blanket, only for Carla to pull it back.
"You must stop feeling sorry for yourself, Wendy. It isn't healthy for you." Carla scolded like a mother to her child.
"She's right Wendy. You don't…..you don't look so good." Natsu said, trying his best not to hurt his friend's feelings. "Do you...wanna me to get you anything? Some food, or water…..or a brush?"
"No, I'm okay." Wendy began to rub her red eyes. "My eyes hurt a little, and I just feel tired."
"I don't know, Wendy. You look really hungry. Are you sure you don't want some fish?" Happy asked innocently while taking out a fish.
"No thank you Happy." Despite how she felt, Wendy still gave a small smile to the blue 'Tomcat' for his attempt at cheering her up. "I'm…...okay Natsu. I really am."
"Wendy….." Natsu began to speak in a serious tone. "We wanna help you, but you aren't making it easy. Come on, talk to me." Wendy made the mistake of turning her head, her brown eyes staring at Natsu's black concerned ones. Of all the people in Fairy Tail, Natsu Dragneel was one of the only person(besides Carla) who would talk to her about her feelings. Biting her lower lip, Wendy looked down at her bed, hugging her legs against her chest.
"I….I feel bad. It was all my fault. Erigor blew up in that building because I used my Roar on him. I….I…..I killed those people." Tears slowly began to run down Wendy's cheeks as she began to tremble.
Natsu, Happy and Carla simply stayed silent. They just felt that Wendy needed to get it all out of her system.
"E-E-Everytime I c-c-close my eyes, I-I-I-I-I see them on f-f-f-fire and t-t-t-t-t-they scream for help. T-Then you and Carla and everyone a-a-a-a-a-aren't around. T-T-T-They keep saying I'm a k-k-k-k-killer and that I…...I….I should…"
"You should what?" Happy couldn't help but ask.
"THAT I SHOULD BE KICKED OUT OF FAIRY TAIL!" Wendy shouted before she burst into tears. Carla slapped Happy on the shoulder, giving him an angry glare for asking such a question. The fish-loving Exceed simply lowered his head in shame. Natsu continued to stay silent, his hair shadowing his expression. Hearing such words from Wendy was just…...heartbreaking. She shouldn't be down like this. She should be happy and living her life to the fullest like any Fairy Tail wizard!
Without saying a word, Natsu wrapped an arm around Wendy's body before pulling her against his body. Wendy didn't even complain as she hugged Natsu as tightly as she could, more tears running down her eyes. Feeling Natsu's naturally warm body made Wendy feel rather comfortable. It was like hugging a nice big pillow.
"Ssssshhhhhhhh, it's okay." Natsu said, rubbing Wendy's back in an attempt to calm her down. "No one is blaming you for what happened. It was Erigor who was trying to kill everyone. I would be dead if it wasn't for you."
"B-But-"
"But nothing." Natsu cut off with a strict tone. "You saved me and a lot of people that day. If you didn't push Erigor, way more people would've died." He squeezed Wendy even tighter. "Whatever happens, Fairy Tail will stand together. We won't leave you behind."
"He's right Wendy. We have a family that won't leave us." Carla said as she jumped on the bed, patting the Dragon Slayer on the knee.
"Aye!" Happy said with his paw raised high. Wendy felt even more tears run down her cheeks, only these weren't tears of sorrow. They were tears of joy. They were right: Fairy Tail is a family and no matter how far apart they were, they would always find each other. Yeah, she felt guilty about what happened, but now she knew that letting herself cry in her room wouldn't help anyone, especially those who lost people in Hanabo. After a few minutes of cry, Wendy stopped with the waterwork, though she continued to hug Natsu.
"Feeling better?" Natsu said as he continued to rub her back. Wendy sniffled a bit, but she pulled herself away from Natsu's embrace, giving him a genuine smile.
"Yeah….thank you." Wendy looked at Happy and Carla. "All of you."
"I'm glad you're feeling better." Carla said with a small smile…...only to frown with her paws on hips. "Now, will you please take a shower and put on a fresh pair of clothes? You've been in this room long enough and you have a foul stench." It was then that Natsu and Happy registered Wendy's….not so pleasant smell, forcing them to cover their noses.
"O-Okay. I-I-I sorry if I smell bad." Wendy said with an embarrassed blush.
"How about this? After you….clean up, I'll take us out for some ice cream. All on me." Natsu said in a nasally voice due to the fact he was covering his nose. "How does that sound?"
"Oh! I want a fish flavor cone!" Happy chimed in.
"They don't have that kind of flavor Tomcat." Carla said with a shake of her head, though she did have a tiny smile on her face. Wendy couldn't help but giggle at their interaction. It was a good change of pace from the gloomy atmosphere.
'Good, she's feeling better.' Natsu thought with his own smile. 'I just hope everything turns out alright.'
Little did Natsu know…...things were most certainly not going to turn out alright.
'Shirotsume Town'
*Knock*Knock*Knock*
Far away from Magnolia, in Shirotsume Town, the place where Lucy Heartfilia was able to receive the Celestial Spirit Virgo, two of Fairy Tail's most iconic Wizards, Gray Fullbuster and Juvia Lockser, were hard at two were currently repairing the side of the manor Kaby Melon's friend borrowed years ago. Gray was on top of a ladder, using a small ice hammer to knock in a loose nail. "One…..more…...nail…." Taking out a nail from his mouth, Gray knocked it in before sighing in relief. "There, finished." The Ice Make Wizard began to slide down the ladder, landing softly on the ground.
"Good work, my darling." Juvia said lovingly, handing her boyfriend a pink towel with a red heart in the middle.
"Thanks. It might not pay a lot, but we need all the work we can get." Gray said while taking the towel, cleaning his forehead. Just like the rest of their Guild, Gray and Juvia would take any job that was available, even if the pay could barely pay for their apartment(which they bought together a week after the Alvarez War). Seeing as the job required the two to help repair the roof of this manor, it wouldn't be much of an issue for the two lovebirds. "Since we finished early, wanna go out to town for some lunch? I'm buying." Juvia smiled warmly at Gray's offer, but just as she was about to respond….
"Oh look, it's Fairy Tail." Gray and Juvia turned their heads to find a trio of males walking by, though two of them were giving the Fairy Tail distasteful glares.
"Who the hell would ever hire them for a job after what they did?" One of the men said in disgust.
"I know. I wonder how many more people will die today?" The second male said with equal disgust.
"Come on guys, knock it off. They're staring at us." The third and quiet of the trio said nervously, noticing Gray and Juvia looking at them.
"Whatever. They better just watch themselves or else I'm calling the Rune Knights." The first male said with a scoff before the three walked off. Juvia gave them a spiteful glare, hating how they kept blaming their Guild for what happened. Wendy didn't cause Erigor to blow up, HE did it to himself.
Still, it didn't stop Gray from looking down, his bangs shadowing his expression. "Don't listen to them, my love. They don't understand what really happened." Juvia said as she turned her boyfriend….only to see his downcast expression. "Gray?" Gray didn't say a word. All he did was turn around with his hands in his pockets. "Gray?"
"They aren't wrong." Gray muttered, making Juvia widen her eyes.
"W-What?" Juvia asked.
"We…..we couldn't stop Erigor. Those people are dead because of us." Gray said as he raised his head a little, showing the guilty expression he donned. "I know Fairy Tail goes too far, but we never…..we never got anyone killed. It just reminds me of-"
"How you felt when your father died?" Juvia asked rhetorically, a sad frown on her face. She barely caught the slight flinch on his face, which was all she needed to know. "Darling, you couldn't have known. None of you did. If Wendy didn't stop Erigor, Natsu and many more people would've died that day." She reached out to grab his hand, her thumb gently rubbing his knuckles. "No matter what, we will get passed this." Hearing her honest and loving words, Gray looked at Juvia with a small smile. Contrary to what many people thought, Gray did like it when Juvia would show some affection towards him…...though she COULD ease back on it from time to time and…...not take pictures of him when he's shirtless.
"Thanks. I needed that." Gray said before he kissed Juvia on the left cheek, causing her to blush.
"Ummm, M-Mr. Fullbuster?" A new voice called out from behind the couple. The newcomer was a man who looked to be in his mid 50s, with light skin, short light brown hair combed to the side, and black eyes. He had a small brown beard, a dark brown suit, black tie and light brown shoes. This was Kaby Melon's friend, Mason Tanaka, the owner of the manor Gray and Juvia were currently reporting. "May I….speak to you for a moment?"
"Is something wrong?" Gray asked with a raised brow.
"No, no. I just…...need to speak with you alone. It's regarding your reward." Mason said with a calm tone, though it was clear there was some reluctance in it. Juvia looked at Gray with a pleading expression, only for him to squeeze her hand softly.
"Okay." Gray said before he released Juvia's hand. Before she could protest, Gray raised a hand towards her. "It'll be fine. When we're done, I'll take you to lunch, okay?" Though she was reluctant with letting him go, Juvia nodded. Giving her a small smile, Gray walked inside of the Manor with Mason behind him.
The interior itself hadn't really changed, aside from a few new portraits here and there. Mason led Gray to his office, which was…...rather plain compared to a few offices Gray had seen before. Mason sat behind his desk while Gray simply sat in front of it. The room was rather quiet, with the exception of the grandfather clock in the corner, ticking down every second. Mason cupped his hands together, looking at a picture frame on his desk. "So…...you wanted to pay us." Gray said, trying his best not to sound rude. However, Mason just kept looking at the picture. "Are you…...sure you just needed your roof repaired? Because we can help around the-"
"Tell me Mr. Fullbuster: how much do you love Miss Lockser?" Mason asked rather suddenly, catching Gray off guard.
"I'm sorry?"
"Would you risk your own life protecting her, ensuring that she would live a long, healthy life, even if it was with someone else?" Mason asked, directing his attention fully on Gray. There was….a hint of anger in his eyes, but Gray did his best to ignore it. Maybe something bad happened and Mason was trying his best not to lash out at Gray. Regardless, Gray answered his question.
"Yes, I would." Gray said with a serious tone. "I love Juvia, hell I almost lost her once already. Even if I have to die….." His deep blue eyes gave Mason a sharp gaze, which showed how serious he was about Juvia. "I will protect her." Hearing such determination in his voice, Mason slowly nodded, his eyes softening as he looked back at the picture.
"I'm…..glad to hear that." Mason said before he grabbed the picture frame, turning it towards Gray. "Please, look at this." Confused, Gray looked at the picture frame.
In the picture frame was a young woman who looked to be at least two years older than he was with long brown hair tied in a ponytail, beautiful blue eyes and a small fairy-shaped pin on the right side of her hair. She wore what looked to be a doctor's outfit, with Mason and another woman, with golden blonde hair and blue eyes, next to her, each holding a proud smile. They all looked to be in front of a large school.
"She's…...beautiful." Gray admitted with a nod. "Is she-"
"My step daughter." Mason said as he turned the picture back to him, a nostalgic expression on his face. "Her name is Lillian, or Lilly to her friends. The woman next to her is my second wife and her mother, Amber. She….she always loved Magic, and Fairy Tail was her favorite Guild of all time. When the Grand Magic Games happened last year, she practically forced me and Amber to go watch." A genuine chuckle escaped Mason's lips and even Gray smiled a bit. However, there was something that was bugging him.
"If you don't mind me asking….why are you showing me this?" Gray asked, though a part of him would soon regret asking. Mason lost his smile as he picked up the picture frame.
"Because she couldn't use any magic, Lilly decided to do the next best thing: become a doctor. The way your Guild would inspire and help others…..that was all the motivation she needed to study in medicine. A few months ago, she got her degree, and the three of us were beyond happy." Mason swallowed hard, desperately trying not to cry. "A few weeks ago…...we found out she had died in an explosion."
'Oh no.' Gray thought mentally, his throat suddenly becoming dry.
"She went to this town to help dying patients since it was running low on Doctors. Amber told her that she should stay in town, but…...Lilly was too stubborn. Probably from my side of the family." The brown haired male bit his lower lip to regain his composure. "She said 'if I can save one life, then it would be worth it. Everyone deserves a chance to live.' Me and Amber knew we couldn't change her mind, so we let her go."
"W….What was the Town's name?" Gray asked while swallowing hard. The moment Mason opened his mouth….was the moment Gray dreaded.
"Hanabo Town…..the same place you and your Guildmates were in." Mason admitted, putting his hand together again. "Mr. Fullbuster, I didn't request Fairy Tail to help me just to put any blame on you. I did it…...to ask for a favor."
"A…...A favor?" Gray asked rather nervously.
"I….I know you couldn't have stopped the explosion, and I know that many people blame you for that, but…..neither me nor my wife hate your Guild." Mason said, slowly letting some tears run down his cheeks. "I need you to promise…...that you will do your best to protect the innocent.
"Look, I….I don't…...I don't know if I can." Gray said with a shameful tone.
"PLEASE!" Mason suddenly slammed his hands on his desk, bowing his head to Gray while more tears ran down his face. "I…...I…..I don't want any more fathers to find the corpses of their children when there are Wizards who can protect them. I know this is a lot to ask…..but I need….I just…." He couldn't finish his sentence as he continued to cry on his desk out of pure sorrow. Gray just watched the man in front of him cry. He couldn't just promise that. Even he had a limit to how much he could do.
But…...hearing a father beg him to protect others was heartbreaking. How could he say no after all this?
"Okay." Gray finally said with a small sigh. "I'll…...I'll try, and I know my Guild will do the same."
"Thank you…..thank you…..thank you…" Slowly, Mason began to stop crying, raising his head to look at Gray. He sniffled a bit while wiping away the tears in his eyes. "I'm sorry for doing this to you Mr. Fullbuster, I really do." Taking a deep breath, Mason opened the bottom drawer of his desk and pulled out an envelope.
"No, you don't need to pay us now." Gray protested, only for Mason to shake his head.
"Please, I hired you for a job and you finished it. It's only fair to you and your friend." Though a bit conflicted, Gray grabbed the envelope and pocketed it. "Now, if you don't mind…...I'd like to be alone." Understanding what he wanted, Gray gave him a small bow before leaving the room. He could faintly hear Mason crying in the background.
It was clear he needed some more time to mourn his daughter.
Gray pushed the doors open, seeing Juvia standing in front of the Manor with her hands behind her back. When she heard the door open, she turned around and smiled. "Did everything go well my Love?" Juvia asked, only for Gray to walk past her. She blinked a bit before she ran after him. "Gray?"
"I need to be alone." Gray said firmly, much to Juvia's concern.
"Is something wrong?" She reached out to grab him, only for him to shrug off her hand.
"Look." Gray stopped in his tracks, his back facing Juvia. "I just need some time alone. I'll meet you back at the hotel, okay?" Juvia wanted to ask him what was wrong, but from the way he spoke…...it was clear he was thinking about Hanabo. Frowning deeply, she nodded reluctantly.
"Okay, but…..be careful." He simply gave a short nod before she walked off, but not before she gave him one last look.
'This can't happen again. Something needs to happen so no more people will die.' Gray thought with gritted teeth. 'Things need to change.'
Little did Gray know….change was coming, but not in the way he had hoped.
And that is the end of the second chapter of Fairy Tail: Civil War. Like I said in many of my stories, I'm sorry if there wasn't really any action at all. But not every chapter should have explosive action and sex. Sometimes, it's good to sit back and see how the characters react to something big, especially with how the last chapter ended. I know I didn't have all the Fairy Tail characters appear and react to this tragedy, but we will see more familiar faces and how they handle people blaming them.
While I will base a lot of this story on the Civil War movie, I will have original elements in this story, as well as some references to the Marvel Civil War story arc since…..that was a big arc and people actually died. I don't know when I will post the next chapter, but I hope it will be this year. And for those who ask me to update Into the Batverse….stop it. I am working on it, as well as a lot of my other stories. Despite being in Summer Vacation now, I have to work to get money, and I am applying for other jobs, so if you are waiting for me to update, please be patient. If you guys have any idea on who should be with the Magic Council and those who should be against, please tell me since I do wanna hear your opinion.
Follow, Fav, Review and Pm for anything.
Next time: Registration