~.~.~
Title: Meeting Against Fate
Notes: This is mostly to wrap up loose ends caused by the reshuffled arcs.
Regarding the arcs and how they happened, the order got a little messed up because they did Galuna early. So it became Galuna, Lucy joining, Ultear preempting Oracion Seis, Daybreak, Tower of Heaven, (Lucy interlude here,) Phantom Lord, Loke, (Juvia interlude here,) Fighting Festival, (Wendy interlude here,) Edolas, and then Tenrou.
~.~.~
8. Interlude
~Lucy~
Fairy Tail's lively guildhall was plagued by a single spot of gloom — though perhaps gloom wasn't the right word. It was more a sullen brooding.
Yes, that exactly the right description, Lucy decided with a firm nod to herself. Natsu was brooding sullenly.
He had been ever since the guild received the double dose of shocking news — that the regional guild meeting had been attacked by a demon and that Erza had been kidnapped, with Gray following to rescue her.
Both adventures had been resolved handily, by all accounts, the guildmasters proving far more than a match for one demon, and Erza and Gray both returning safe, if exhausted.
Reports of the disaster at the Magic Council had trickled in over the next few days after that, but Fairy Tail had been far less concerned with those. If anything, no one seemed terribly surprised that the Council had been somehow infiltrated by two imposters, a weapon of mass destruction had been misused, and the headquarters in Era destroyed.
"Those old goats were always useless," Cana told Lucy offhandedly. She waved her free hand in dismissal and raised a bottle to her lips. "Figures they'd mess up this bad."
Instead, Fairy Tail celebrated their members' victories with a party, another party, and then plenty of excited retellings of what had supposedly occurred. Lucy had wondered if fighting demons and dark guild and cults was just a normal thing in Fairy Tail. Partying sure seemed to be. It all sounded a bit scary to her, but thankfully her missions with Natsu had been — mostly — normal.
With each reiteration of the guildmasters versus Lullaby, Natsu grew more and more sullen.
"Are you jealous you didn't get in on the action?" Lucy finally asked, watching Natsu bite into a drumstick with far more anger than it deserved. She had grown accustomed enough to him that she didn't even flinch when he turned his glare toward her instead.
"Why would I be jealous that Gramps got to fight a real demon, or that Gray and Erza took down an evil cult and have been getting all buddy-buddy?" Natsu asked, scowling.
'You... just answered your own question, you know,' Lucy thought, but refrained from telling him that.
"You just said why yourself," Happy snickered, not nearly as restrained. Lucy sighed.
"I don't care if Gray and Erza get buddy-buddy! I'm gonna beat them both! Especially that stripping pervert!" Natsu protested, jumping to his feet and waving his fist at Happy, as if ready to start throwing down any moment. He looked ridiculous. Of course, he'd tried to pick a fight with a road sign once, when they got lost and went in circle, so Lucy had no idea how serious he was about it.
"You've never beaten Erza, Natsu," Happy pointed out, unconcerned. "And you and Gray always just end in a tie."
"So what?!" Natsu demanded, puffing his chest out. "I'll beat them! You just watch!"
Having joined after Natsu's last "match" with Erza, Lucy didn't really know how he compared to her, or to Gray. But Happy's dismissive expression made her feel like this was a pretty empty boast.
Not that this would deter Natsu at all. "Oi, Mira!" he yelled, stomping toward the bar. "Where's Erza? And that ice prick?"
"Erza's on a mission this morning. She'll be back in the afternoon," Mira said, her smile unfazed by Natsu's usual lack of basic manners. "Gray... I think he went to take a walk down by the river."
Natsu grinned, punching his palm. "Alright! Then I'll go and—!"
"I'll go!" Lucy interrupted quickly. "I'll go and get him. You should... finish eating?"
"Huh?" Natsu looked puzzled for a moment, glancing at his still overflowing plate of food. "Oh, yeah. That's a good idea. Thanks, Lucy!"
With a sigh of part relief, part exasperation, Lucy slipped out of the guildhall. To her surprise, Happy unfurled his white wings and flew after her, instead of remaining with Natsu. "They fight all the time, you know," the cat said, sounding surprisingly wise. "That's just how they are. You don't have to try to stop them. It's a lost cause anyway."
The almost constant brawls were something Lucy still hadn't quite gotten used to, but she had been mostly content to just stay out of the way. This time, though... "I know," she sighed. "But Gray looked a bit... preoccupied recently. I just don't think suddenly getting a flaming fist to the face would be the nicest thing for him."
Bobbing in the air, Happy made a thoughtful sound. "So you noticed that? You're really nice, Lucy," he commented. "You're right though. Gray's been weird since he came back from that stuff with Erza. But maybe a fight with Natsu's just what he needs to get back to normal!"
"Uh... maybe," Lucy said, far less sure of that. Since when did fighting make anyone feel better?
Gray wasn't hard to find, sitting alone on the riverbank. The most noticeable thing was that he had somehow managed to stay fully clothed. He didn't seem to notice as Lucy approached, until she finally took a seat next to him.
"It's about Natsu, right?" he guessed, sighing.
"How'd you know?" Lucy wondered blandly. They exchanged a smile, though Gray's was halfhearted at best. "He's, um, decided that he's going to fight you no matter what. I just wanted to give you a heads up."
"That's about the usual with him," Gray muttered.
"This might be... not really my place to say," Lucy began to say uncertainly, "but it seems like you've been a bit out of it lately. And I know I just joined, but I'm sure the others in the guild will be happy to help if anything is wrong...?"
She trailed off as Gray turned to stare at her in surprise. "I haven't been off," he denied, only to pause and reconsider. "...Have I?"
"You have," Happy assured him, having settled down on the other side of Lucy and pulled out a fish to nibble on. "You've been acting really weird — staring at stuff a lot, not noticing when someone's talking to you, freezing everybody's drinks..."
"Okay, okay, I get it," Gray cut him off. He ran a hand through his hair, sighing heavily. "I didn't realize it was that bad. I'll pull it together."
He hadn't meant to worry the guild. Actually, he'd thought he was hiding it well, but it seemed that wasn't the case. It was just that... Gray couldn't stop thinking about it — what Jellal had said, and what the reports they got from the Council more or less confirmed. Ultear had been Jellal's ally all along, and she had vanished in the destruction of the Era headquarters, presumed dead.
Gray couldn't help but doubt that she was really... dead. But what did he know? He hadn't thought she was a Zeref worshiper bent on creating a glorious new world either.
How could she want to revive Zeref, the one created Deliora? Hadn't she let go of her resentment toward Ur when they were in Isvan? How could he have missed it...?
Those useless thoughts had been chasing each other around and around in his head. He couldn't stop himself from constantly going over every conversation and moment spent with Ultear, to try to figure out what he had missed and how he could have been so blind, until even their newest member, who barely knew him, could tell that something was wrong.
The worst part was that Gray had known something wasn't right with her. He'd noticed at least some of the small slips she made. But he had arrogantly assumed he knew what the problem was and the extent of it. Ultear must have howled with laughter internally when he tried to "confront" her.
"Um..."
Lucy's uncertain voice dragged Gray out of the brooding he had managed to descend into yet again. She was watching him with concern, and Gray could only hope he hadn't ended up ignoring her trying to talk to him, the way he'd apparently done several times over the last while.
"Your face looks like Natsu's," Happy said bluntly without even glancing at Gray.
"What?! It does not!" Gray protested, while Lucy barely smothered a giggle.
"Does too. It's the same dumb sullen look," Happy said. "Maybe you guys really should fight until you stop being so stupid."
'What does that overgrown lizard have to be upset about anyway?' Gray thought irritably. 'It's not like he got betrayed by—'
And that was precisely the train of thought he'd been doing his best to avoid. Better to call it his own fault and try to figure out where he went wrong, than to think about the fact that Ultear had lied all along. That she'd listened to everything he said, known exactly what he felt, and just not cared. Had he really been the only who felt like they were—
"Maybe we will!" Gray decided, jumping to his feet. Maybe a fight was exactly what he needed. Pounding Natsu's stubborn skull in sounded suddenly very appealing.
Lucy watched in disbelief as he stalked off toward the guild... having already thrown off his shirt. "I can't believe... that they're actually so alike," she muttered. "He seemed so calm and reasonable. I should have known better, in this guild."
"Aye," Happy agreed. "They're actually both idiots."
They watched silently as Gray paused halfway up the bank, turned around, and came back for his shirt. Given his blush and the way he avoided Lucy's eyes, he knew exactly how ridiculous he looked.
"That reminds me," Gray grumbled as he picked up his shirt and slipped it back on. Fishing around in his pockets for a moment, he pulled something out. "I asked Mira to figure out what this was, and she said it's the same magic you use. So, here."
Still refusing to look at her, he thrust the mystery item into Lucy's hands. She fumbled it for a moment in surprise, before finally managing to get a good look at it.
"This... a Golden Key? It's Sagittarius!" Lucy exclaimed, holding the gold key up with awe. "But these are really rare!"
"I found it on... well, it doesn't matter," Gray said. "It's no good to me, so you should keep it. Think of it as a belated welcome to the guild."
Lucy almost, almost protested that it was too much. But she really wanted it — a gold zodiac key! — and Gray was right. It wasn't any good to him, except perhaps to sell, and while Lucy would be perfectly willing to buy it, he'd probably feel strange getting money from a guildmate like that.
She'd just have to do something really nice for him later, Lucy decided.
"Thank you! Thank you so much!" Lucy enthused, beaming by turns at Gray and the key. Hugging it to her chest, she gave a short twirl of happiness. "I promise I'll make a great contract with Sagittarius! That makes five already... Almost half of them!"
"I'm not sure what that means," Gray admitted, smiling a little. Lucy's own silliness seemed to have made him forget his embarrassment. "But it sounds impressive. Are you heading back to guild? You can watch me beat up that flame-brained idiot. Being his partner, I'm sure you've wanted to make him eat dirt once or twice."
"Once or twice a day," Lucy agreed, taking the hand he offered and letting him pull her to her feet. "But I think I'll pass today. I need to do some shopping, if we're not going on a mission anyway."
"That's okay. They do this all the time," Happy said. Taking flight, he circled them for a moment, then settled for hovering on Gray's side, ready to go back to the guild too. "You can watch next time."
"I will," Lucy said. She hesitated for a moment before adding, "And, Gray... I meant what I said before. If you ever want to, you can talk to me. There's a lot of stuff I don't know about, since I just joined, but I can be a pretty good listener, I've been told."
"Thanks," Gray muttered, glancing away awkwardly. "...I'll think about it."
~.~.~
~Juvia~
"Gray-sama~!"
That cry had quickly become commonplace in Fairy Tail, and everyone summarily ignored it, as well as the blue figure that raced across the guildhall and took a flying leap. With unerring precision, Juvia landed on her target and threw her arms around him, clinging tighter than an octopus — which she somewhat resembled, with all her wriggling and abundance of grasping limbs.
"Ah, Gray-sama~ Juvia is so happy to see Gray-sama again!" she cooed.
Gray had gone stiff as a board in her grasp, but with a sigh, he forced himself to relax. "Juvia, get off," he said, keeping his voice even despite his displeasure.
'Gray-sama is so kind!' Juvia thought with a happy sigh. As a compromise, she kept hold of only his arm, leaving him otherwise free.
It wasn't as if Juvia was blind to the fact that Gray didn't return her overflowing affection. She might have been isolated before coming to Fairy Tail, but basic feelings like that were something you could only misread on purpose. Gray didn't feel the same love she did, but Juvia hadn't always felt it either. There was no reason why he couldn't start to, one day.
Yes, Juvia hadn't always felt like this — so happy, so light. Her life had been nothing but gloom and cold, lonely rain. Until she met Gray, that is. The first time she saw him, her heart skipped a beat. It had surprised her, to suddenly feel so strongly, but the real change came after — after their battle, when Gray saved her life. His words and his magic had cleared away her rain and shown her the blue sky beyond.
He showed her the way forward, even if he didn't intend to or even realize it.
It was thanks to Gray that Juvia had the courage to approach Fairy Tail and ask to join. She was still a stranger, but Juvia would earn her place, and it was her desire to be where Gray was that gave her the indomitable will to do so, to overcome any obstacle.
Even if Gray only ever sighed or scowled at her shows of affection, just seeing him made Juvia's heart soar. Even if her over the top presents were most often rejected, thinking about what to give him and picking out just the right thing fascinated Juvia. Even if he was often gone and refused to take missions with her, Juvia still felt excited just to wake up every morning if it meant a chance of meeting him again.
In short, Juvia was in love and it lit up her entire world. It was an amazing feeling.
So it was only natural that Juvia wanted to share it with the person who had given it to her in the first place. If Gray could fall in love with her, surely he would be just as happy.
The rest of the guild certainly seemed amenable to the idea, if their goodnatured heckling was any indication. Macao and Wakaba joked about their own past romances, Elfman declared how manly dating was, Loke had given Gray long and needlessly flowery congratulations at finally getting a date, which Gray had thoroughly and futilely denied.
"Urgh, quit it with the couple vibes, love birds!" Cana called out from where she had already started on her daily drinking. "You're making us singles feel bad!"
"We're not a couple," Gray said flatly, making another halfhearted attempt to shake Juvia off.
As usual, everyone just laughed at him, his capitulation to Juvia seen as inevitable and his resistance in the meanwhile an amusing sideshow. Gray bore it with increasingly rigid stoicism.
Only one person seemed as displeased as Gray. Titania watched Juvia fawn over Gray with a frown, as she had ever since Juvia joined after the Phantom Lord incident. Finally, it seemed that she had reached her limit of tolerance. Making her way over to the "couple," Erza pinned Gray with one of her usual intimidating looks.
"Gray, we need to talk," she said, skipping all niceties. "Come with me."
"A-alright," Gray muttered. He couldn't help but edge a little away from her, mentally running over everything he'd done in the last few days to try to figure out what Erza had deemed as not appropriate behavior. Still, he followed after her without protest as she immediately headed out of the guild.
This time, Juvia let him go, if reluctantly. Crossing Erza wasn't something done lightly — even for love. "Gray-sama, Juvia will be waiting!" she called out instead, taking a seat at the nearest table, just a bit down from Natsu, Lucy, and Happy.
"I wonder what they're going to talk about," Lucy commented, glancing at Natsu. "Do you know?"
"Why would I?" Natsu asked in return, his expression blank.
Lucy sighed. "You've known them for a long time, right?" she pointed out.
"Maybe they're going to have a duel," Natsu suggested. His eyes narrowed. "Wait, I want to watch that! They can't just leave me out!"
He tried to stand, only to have Lucy grab him by the back of his vest and drag him back down onto the bench. "That's definitely not it," she said irritably. "Honestly, is eating and fighting all you think about?"
"Pretty much," Happy chimed in, around a mouthful of fish.
"Well, all you think about is fish!" Natsu shot back to the cat. To the girl, "And if they're not gonna duel, then what are they gonna do, huh?"
"Well, maybe... have they ever... you know?" Lucy stammered out, blushing a little. At Natsu's uncomprehending expression, she elaborated, "You know... dated? Been interested in each other, like that?"
"No," Natsu replied without hesitation. "It's Erza! Who'd be crazy enough to date her?" Lucy palmed her face in exasperation.
"Erza-san... is also a love rival?" Juvia muttered to herself, as the other team continued their banter. She hadn't thought of that. No, that wasn't right. A love rival was someone on the same level as Juvia — who was starting at zero in the great quest to gain Gray's love. It was a competition to see who would find the way to make him fall for them first.
But if it was Erza, someone Gray had known for years, then perhaps... was there already love between them? Juvia had... overlooked that. That Gray might already feel the same way she did — but toward someone else.
Breaking off their argument, Lucy and Natsu turned to stare at Juvia as she suddenly jumped to her feet. "Wait, where are you going?" Lucy called out after Juvia, who was already heading for the doors.
"Juvia is going to eavesdrop!" she declared without an ounce of shame. Everything was fair in love and war, after all.
Gray and Erza hadn't gone far, just down to the river. Catching a glimpse of them, Juvia switched to stealth mode — shifting into a puddle of water, she surreptitiously slithered closer until she could just make out their words.
"...gave it time because I thought it might help take your mind of things with... what Jellal said," Erza was telling Gray, hesitating a little at the end.
"You mean things with Ultear," Gray sighed.
"Yes," Erza admitted. "I could tell it was hard for you, but you didn't seem like you wanted to talk about it either, so I let it go. I thought that maybe you'd warm up to Juvia, or she'd at least distract you from brooding about it."
At the mention of her name, Juvia rippled in nervous anticipation.
"I wasn't brooding," Gray protested rather petulantly.
"You really were," Erza said. "You still are, every once in awhile. But that's not the point. I know that... it's not something you can just get over or forget... being betrayed." Juvia stifled a gasp, her water body bubbling in surprise, but Gray only let out a quiet breath. "What I wanted to tell you is that you need to give Juvia a clear answer. I didn't say anything before because I thought it might help, but it's becoming painful to watch."
"I know, but..."
"It's hard, knowing you're going to hurt a friend," Erza said sympathetically. "But it's worse if you drag it out."
"Yeah..." Gray sighed again.
Nodding, Erza clapped him on the shoulder. "Good. I'll send her over."
Gray cringed. "Okay, but could you... make sure you don't say anything that sounds like something else?" he asked, already imagining Juvia assume she was going to receive a love confession, only to get the complete opposite.
"That won't be necessary," Erza said, already making her way back up the bank. She stepped around the Juvia puddle, pausing to give her a nod. It seemed she'd been aware of Juvia's presence all along, as expected of Titania.
Reforming back into her solid shape, Juvia squared her shoulders and whirled around to face Gray. "Gray-sama!" she declared like a challenge. "Juvia is always ready to receive Gray-sama's feelings!"
Gray slouched, running a hand through his hair awkwardly. "That's the problem," he muttered. Still, he didn't try to avoid Juvia as she made her way down to his side, and faced her with an unreadable expression.
"Gray-sama doesn't have to say anything," Juvia spoke up before he could. "Juvia already knows that Gray-sama doesn't love Juvia."
The straightforward way she said it made Gray flinch. "It's not like I... I mean, to me, you're a comrade, and I care about you, but..." he minced his words, trying to soften the blow. "I'm sorry. I don't... feel the same way."
"Juvia already knows," she repeated. When he finally darted a glance at her, Juvia smiled, apparently unconcerned by his rejection. For a moment, they regarded each other in silence.
"I don't get it," Gray admitted. "Doesn't that bother you? Doesn't it... hurt, to get rejected?"
"Why would it? Juvia didn't always love Gray-sama," Juvia reiterated. "So it's only natural that Gray-sama wouldn't love Juvia from the start. And that's why Juvia won't give up. Gray-sama might fall in love with Juvia at any moment!"
If anything, that only made Gray feel more uneasy. "Juvia, that's not... that might never happen!" he said in frustration. "You can't waste your whole life just hoping!"
"Loving Gray-sama is not a waste!" Juvia protested. "It makes Juvia very happy, every single day! Gray-sama doesn't understand how amazing it is to have someone like that! To always be thinking about them, to always dream about meeting them again when you're apart, to always remember every moment together! To have your heart be full of someone...!"
They stared at each other uneasily.
"Or... is there already someone like that, for Gray-sama?" Juvia asked, her voice growing timid.
"Not... like that," Gray said, looking away. "It's not like that... but... I suppose there is someone who's always on my mind. I want to meet her again, and I'm always remembering the times when we were together. I can't let it go or stop thinking about it. But it's not like that..."
"It doesn't make Gray-sama happy at all," Juvia said sadly. "Love shouldn't be like that."
"I'm telling you, it's not..." Gray sighed, giving up. "She's someone I was connected to before we ever met. And then meeting her was the trigger for confronting and laying to rest so many things... I thought that... we were able to overcome the past together. I thought I understood what she was feeling and helped her at least a little bit in return. I thought we'd be able to move toward the future together..."
To his frustration, he felt tears stinging at the corners of his eyes. He'd kept it all bottled up, but now those feelings were pushing and threatening to overwhelm him. Despite Lucy's offer, he hadn't talked to anyone about it — not to her, and not to Erza, who deserved to be happy about saving her friends, not worrying about him.
And now, finally laying it out...
"But I was completely wrong!" he burst out. "She played me all along! I didn't understand anything! All of it was just a game to her, and now she might even be..." Cutting himself off, Gray drew a sharp breath and tried to push everything back again.
"Juvia doesn't believe that," Juvia spoke up.
"I'm not making this up to just to get rid of you!" Gray snapped. "Do you really think I'd go something like that?!"
"Not that," Juvia shook her head, unflinching despite his outburst. If anything, she looked at him with almost painful sympathy. "Juvia doesn't believe that Gray-sama's feelings didn't reach this person at all. Gray-sama was able to reach Juvia even as enemies, so this person must have also heard Gray-sama!"
Gray stared at her in surprise. Then, uncertain where to even begin addressing her words, he deflected, "You're awfully supportive about this. Wouldn't it be better for you if I forgot all about her?"
"If Gray-sama's heart is already full, Juvia knows there's no way to fit in love for Juvia," she said with frank earnestness. "If... Gray-sama were to ever feel a gap, then Juvia would be happy to fill it... But more than anything, Juvia wants Gray-sama to feel the same happiness Juvia feels because of her love for Gray-sama. So Juvia wants Gray-sama's love to be returned!"
Looking at her determined expression, Gray couldn't help but chuckle. "You're amazing," he admitted, shaking his head.
"But not enough to make Gray-sama's heart skip a beat, right?" Juvia said wryly.
"Sorry," Gray said. "Really, I'm sorry."
"Why? There's no need. Juvia hasn't lost anything," she said honestly. She had known from the start that he didn't feel the same, after all. "No matter what, Juvia won't regret meeting Gray-sama. That's how strong Juvia's love is. And Juvia is sure that Gray-sama's love is just as strong. That's why Gray-sama should try to reach that person one more time. Juvia is sure it won't be in vain."
"Love, huh?" Gray mused.
"Is there any other word for it?" Juvia wondered.
Gray chuckled. "I guess not," he admitted. Looking out across the river, he couldn't help but hope that she was right. That Jellal had been wrong, and Ultear had hesitated even for a moment, after everything. That his feelings had reached her, just a little.
'If we meet again... I'll try one more time,' he decided. 'I won't give up, Ultear.'
~.~.~
~Wendy~
One night, two mysterious cloaked figures had appeared at Cait Shelter, one slumped bonelessly over the back of the other.
"I heard that the Sky Maiden in this guild can use healing magic," the conscious one, a woman by her voice, had told the guildmaster Robaul. That was all she needed to say. Their guild had never been one to turn away those in need of help, and neither was Wendy herself.
"Bring him inside," Robaul said. Glancing to where Carla had been hiding and eavesdropping, he added, "Nabula! Fetch Wendy." Despite shooting him an unhappy look, Carla did as she was told.
Wendy had emerged messy-headed and sleepy-eyed as they were laying the unconscious man on a spare bedroll. His head lolled to the side, the hood sliding off to reveal a handsome face framed by blue hair and a bisected by a red mark.
"...Jellal?" Wendy gasped.
The hooded woman turned toward her sharply, her gaze piercing even when hidden. "You know who he is?" she asked, her tone unreadable.
"It's that boy?" Robaul realized. "The one that brought you here?"
Sniffling back her tears, Wendy nodded. "I'm sure it's him. It's Jellal," she said, her hands already glowing with gentle magic as she reached for him. "What happened to him?"
The hooded woman regarded them closely for a moment longer before apparently accepting their sincerity. "He absorbed a large amount of magic," the woman revealed. "He was strong enough to survive, but it caused his own magic to become unbalanced and he's fallen into a coma as a result." Hesitating for a moment, she added, "I heard about your healing magic, so I thought you might be able to help him."
Wendy bit her lip, but said, "I will. I'll help Jellal. I owe him so much..."
"It's unexpected to see him again," Robaul said, as he and the woman surreptitiously backed away to give her space to work. "That boy was the one who brought Wendy to our settlement seven years ago. But he left suddenly, and we haven't seen or heard of him since."
"Seven years ago..." the woman muttered to herself. The corner of her mouth quirked down in a frown.
"Nabula. If you don't mind me asking, what is your relationship to him?" Robaul asked, his manner deceptively mild.
"...None," the woman replied. "I found him in this state on the southern shore. You must not have heard, but this man... is actually a criminal. I was concerned that, with the Council as it is, they might execute him or even just let him die if I turned him over to them. So I brought him here to be healed instead."
"A criminal?" Robaul repeated in surprise. His bushy eyebrows rose, and he glanced toward Wendy, studiously bent to her task over Jellal's prone figure.
"I expect he will be weak even after recovering, so you can ask him about his situation yourself," the woman said. "There may be reasons for his actions that no one knows. After what happened, perhaps he'll be able to tell you... if he remembers. Cases like this often lead to at least temporary memory loss. Or you can call the Rune Knights to take him away. The choice is yours."
She turned away without waiting for reply. "Are you really just going to leave him? After going out of your way to save his life?" Robaul called after her.
The woman paused for a moment. "...It was just a whim," she said quietly. "There's no meaning to it."
Pulling her hood further down over her face, she slipped out into the night.
"How suspicious," Carla muttered, hovering over to Robaul's side. "You don't trust this, do you?"
"Hrm," the guildmaster drew out, stroking his full beard. "She was hiding something, yes... but what can we do? He is the boy Wendy has wanted to meet again for seven years. She will help him no matter what. Afterwards... we will decide once he awakens. That is the least we can do."
Carla huffed, far from satisfied, but didn't protest further. She knew Robaul was right. Despite her timid demeanor, Wendy would stand by what she believed was right and those she cared about it. There was no helping it now; they were stuck with this Jellal...
Silently, they watched Wendy's healing light pass over his body and waited, lost in thought.
~.~.~
They didn't get to hear Jellal out — when he woke, the next day, he had nothing to tell them. His first words were to ask who Wendy was, and then to ask who himself was. His memories were all but gone. Even Carla could not in good conscience turn him over to the Rune Knights in that state.
It seemed almost impossible to fathom that he was a criminal terrible enough that the remnants of the Magic Council would wish to execute him. His disposition was calm and kind, if hesitant, and it was clear that being told he was a wanted man weighed heavily on him, even if he remembered none of it.
Robaul wasn't surprised when Jellal approached him one day to state his intentions of leaving Cait Shelter to seek the truth of his past and his memories. "I'm truly grateful for everything you've done for me," he said. "And I understand that I'll need to take care not to be recognized. But if I've committed some great crimes, then I need to know."
"Nabula, nabula," Robaul muttered to himself, stroking his beard. "If that is your wish, we can't stop you. Though I fear you won't like what you may find."
"I understand," Jellal said again. "Nonetheless..."
"You have to go," Robaul finished.
Hiding just outside the doorway, Carla sniffed and whispered, "And good riddance. We'll be better off without him putting everyone just danger just be being here." Despite her harsh words, there was a note of unhappy worry in her voice, and she glanced with concern at Wendy, also eavesdropping next to her.
The guildmaster sighed, his figure slumping in an old weariness. "Perhaps it is fate. Yes, it is that time, isn't it?" he mused to himself. "Jellal, when you leave, take Wendy and Carla with you. Take them out into the world and help them join a fine guild."
Wendy and Carla gasped in shock, but it was covered by Jellal's protests. "I'm a criminal! They'll be in danger just being around me!"
"You were the one to bring Wendy here, so it is only right that you lead her to the outside world now," Robaul said. "You do not remember, but seven years ago, you told Wendy that you would take her to a magic guild. I don't know what occurred, but you instead left her in my care. I've done the best I could to raise her well and give her a happy childhood, but it was always inevitable — that the day would come when she would have to depart."
"I don't understand," Jellal admitted. "Why can't they stay here? Isn't this a fine guild too?"
Pinning Jellal with a solemn look, Robaul said firmly, "No, this is not a guild."
"But even if it's just a village, it's still their home..." Jellal tried to say, but the old man shook his head.
"This is not even a real village. It is only an illusion," he said. "Do you understand? The Nirvit tribe that once lived here died out more than 400 years ago, and it had no descendants. It's the same for me. I am only a ghost."
Jellal could only stare at the guildmaster in shocked silence, unable to tear his eyes away even at the sound of a loud thud behind him.
Having tripped over her own feet as tried to jump out of her hiding spot, Wendy scrambled to her feet and rushed toward Robaul. "Grandpa, that can't be true, right?!" she demanded, tears of fear already welling up in her eyes. Carla, flying after her, clung to her shoulder for support. "You're just joking, right?!"
Robaul's eyes softened, watching the two girls sadly. "I wasn't sure whether to tell you," he admitted. "But you have a right to know. It's true. I am only a ghost. I have watched over the sealed power that sleeps under this great forest for four hundred years. That was my only purpose and my self-appointed task. But when you were entrusted to my care, I tried to make a happy place for you to grow and created this illusion of what my people were once like..."
"No... that can't be true..." Wendy refused, shaking her head. Tears were streaming down her cheeks openly.
Smiling gently, Robaul reached out and laid a wrinkled hand on top of her head... only for it to pass through Wendy as if it had no substance and was only a trick of the light.
"I am only a ghost," he repeated. "We cannot be your family forever. There would always have to be a day when we parted and you went out into the world to find your future."
"I don't want to... I want to stay with everyone!" Wendy sobbed.
"Wendy, we can't," Carla said quietly, trying to soften the blow by running her paw through the girl's hair. "If Master is really not... not alive, we can't stay forever. We'll have to leave someday."
Sobbing harder, Wendy only continued to shake her head.
"If you can, please remember your time here as a pleasant dream," Robaul said. "And don't be afraid to reach toward your future. You will find a wonderful new family out in the real world, a fine guild that will love and support you."
Wendy jumped as a warm, solid hand rested on top of her head. Surprise stopping her tears for a moment, she turned to look up at Jellal. "I will bring them to a good guild," he promised the guildmaster. Looking down at Wendy, he smiled gently. "That what's I said I'd do, wasn't it? I'm sorry for making you wait."
"No," she sniffled, "you already did... Even if... even if we join another guild a-and find a new family, Cait Shelter will always be our home too! Just like Grandine... Grandpa and everyone here will always be my family too!"
She began to cry again, her tears unabating even when Carla slipped into her arms. There was nothing that could help, when faced with such a parting.
Jellal stepped back, letting the girls comfort each other. Instead, he turned toward Robaul, his expression distant and slightly pained. "A power sleeping under this forest... the Nirvit..." he said. "It sounds so familiar. I can't explain it, but I know something about it. There's a single word that appeared in my mind when you mentioned it... Nirvana."
"You know of it?" Robaul said in surprise, his bushy eyebrows rising.
"I think so. I think I know where it is and... how I could destroy it," Jellal said, struggling to grasp at the loose recollections deep in his subconsciousness. "That's why your spirit lingered in this world, right? To stop that power from being misused? If it was destroyed, then maybe you'll be able to rest in peace."
Robaul closed his eyes for a moment, considering. It concerned him, that a former criminal would know Nirvana's location, but there was no reason to distrust Jellal at this point. In any case, he couldn't bring himself to doubt Jellal when he looked at the old man with the same earnest gaze as when he was a child, entrusting Wendy to him.
Nodding, Robaul felt an ancient weight lift from his shoulders.
"Then... we'll depart when I return," Jellal said quietly and, with one last glance at Wendy and Carla, slipped out.
~.~.~
Traveling with Jellal again was something Wendy had dreamed off for years, but now walking hand in hand with him felt only bittersweet. She let him lead her along without even looking up at their surroundings. The outside world, which Wendy hadn't seen in seven years, held no interest for her now.
'What a pathetic state of affairs,' Carla judged critically.
She was sad too, to have had to leave their home and say goodbye to their guild forever. But unlike Wendy, Carla had never quite... opened her heart to Cait Shelter. She cared about them, but there had always been a distance between them that wasn't due to her being an Exceed surrounded by humans or anything like that.
Only Wendy herself had managed to slip past Carla's walls. And now, like always, Wendy needed Carla to stay strong and keep a steady head on her shoulders.
"You promised to take Wendy to a good guild, but do you even have any idea where you're taking us?" Carla demanded, pinning Jellal with her most stern look. "You better not just be planning to wander aimlessly until you see one that strikes your fancy. And asking around is a bad idea too, since you could easily be recognized!"
Jellal nodded, taking her criticism in stride. Or perhaps he was too distracted to notice her sharp tone. He had drifted off in his own thoughts increasingly often since he returned from setting the self-destruct circle on Nirvana.
"Yes, you're right," Jellal agreed. "But I... think I know a good guild. A great one. It's the guild that... that..." He trailed off, his brow furrowing in discomfort.
"Your memories are starting to come back?" Carla guessed, her demeanor softening a little. "Don't push yourself. It would be inconvenient to deal with, if you collapse."
Jellal smiled goodnaturedly, accepting her backhanded concern. He glanced down in surprise when Wendy tugged on his hand, her inherent concern for others overriding her gloom. Healing magic glowed around her hands as reached up to gently touch Jellal's temples. "Does this help?" she asked quietly.
"Yes, thank you," Jellal said, his grateful smile making Wendy fidget in embarrassment. Straightening, he pulled her along, onward in their trek. "Come on, we're almost there. It's just ahead... I think."
"You think," Carla sighed.
Fortunately, Jellal thought right. A town appeared in front of them not long after. As the number of people around them increased, travelers going to and from the town, Jellal ducked his head and pulled his hood down lower, while Wendy pressed closer to his side. To be surrounded by so many strangers was intimidating...
But also a little exciting. She couldn't help but look around in wonder, especially once they entered the town itself. With its wide paved streets, neat brick houses, fountains and even a park, it was certainly very different from Cait Shelter's tiny village.
The crisscrossing streets were a maze, and Carla had to bite her tongue to keep from questioning Jellal again.
He read her frustration anyway. "It's alright," Jellal assured her, though he didn't even glance at her, his gazed focused on something deep in his memories. His tone was distant too. "It's just ahead... Grandpa Rob's guild. The place where..."
His brow furrowed again, some memory slipping through his fingers.
"This is a guild?" Wendy wondered, staring up at the building that loomed over them — nearly a castle, with multiple stories and a massive bell on top. Bright banners were draped over the walls, and a large sign over the gates proclaimed that this was...
"Fairy Tail," Jellal said quietly. "The strongest magic guild in Fiore. The guild that..."
A voice came from beside them — someone had come up to them unnoticed. "It's the guild I'm part of. It's a great guild. Are you looking to join?"
Wendy and Carla spun around in surprise, staring at the young woman who had spoken. 'Her hair is bright red! And her armor's so shiny!' Wendy marveled. "U-um! Yes!" she stammered. "We want to join!"
"We're considering it," Carla said more conservatively.
The woman smiled. "We're always happy to have new members, if you choose to join. Why don't I show you around and introduce you to the master? Oh, I haven't introduced myself," she realized. "I'm—"
"Erza," Jellal spoke up, his voice barely a strangled whisper.
Erza turned toward him sharply, suspicion and something like hope warring in her expression, but Jellal ducked his head, hiding his face completely. When she reached for him, he stepped back quickly, then continued to back away until he suddenly whirled around and ran.
"Wait!" Erza called out after him, but hesitated to follow, glancing uncertainly at Wendy. In those moments, the cloaked figure disappeared from sight. Instead, Erza turned to Wendy and Carla, and asked, "Do you know... that person?"
The girls exchanged a look. "...No," Wendy said quietly. "We just... ran into each other on the road."
"I see," Erza murmured. She glanced in the direction he had gone for a moment longer, then shook her head and forced a smile. "Come, you still want that tour, right?"
It was just a trick of the light and wishful thinking, she told herself. Even if Jellal had somehow survived, he wouldn't have been foolish enough to come to Fairy Tail. And if he had, Erza would have been obligated to turn him over to the Rune Knights, to pay for all his crimes.
It hadn't been Jellal. But even so, she couldn't help but feel a small sense of relief.
~.~.~
NEXT: Before Tenrou
~.~.~
