Author's note: Here we are! The Final Chapter! Thank you everyone for sticking it out with me the past 8 months I've been writing this. I am truly and forever grateful that everyone enjoyed this. For those wondering, yes, I do have a new series coming out after this. Actually- two series' coming out! One will be a two week update series and one is a weekly. However, I will be taking a small break to work more on the series' and focus on other things.
My methods are outdated when it comes to writing and I sincerely want to try a new method with writing. One that I have been testing on the side recently and I think will save me time with editing and getting the fictions out way quicker. I would say this will take me up until mid-to late July. It won't be a very long break; but it will also help me figure some things out.
Not only that, I got some good news to share! 1st, I got a new job! I've been job hunting for months and after so long I finally got work! Since I start in the near future, I will have to also juggle out how it goes with writing and other things. 2nd, I'm writing two books! It was an old dream of mine as a kid, but I'm actually writing two of my own original works! I'm hoping to get both manuscripts ready by the end of the summer for publishing!
Also, for a while I've been live streaming on a phone app called Unlocked. For those who don't know, Unlocked is created by David Vincent and Bryce Papenbrook and it's an app to connect fans with actors and other people. I stream in their community section for live art streams every single week, check me out as MangaGuitar96! Okay, enough of my life, let's show what you've all been waiting for!
Chapter 26: Epilogue
The Fairy Tail managed to leave the Forbidden Sea unscathed and reached a port that was mainly controlled by the Order Of The King. The Phantom Lord's remaining crew was arrested by members of Jellal's company and taken off The Fairy Tail.
"Thank you for your help Captain Gajeel." Jellal smiled "Thanks to your help, The Phantom Lord won't be a problem anymore."
"Eh, he had it coming." Gajeel shrugged as he cleaned his ear out with his pinky. As the remaining members of The Phantom Lord's crew was taken off The Fairy Tail, Gajeel caught a glimpse of members of The Order of The King gawking at the ship with awe. It's not everyday you see a true pirate legend in front of you.
"So, what's going to happen to you?" Levy suddenly asked Jellal. The blue haired agent blinked at the loreist before giving her a smile.
"Well," he spoke in a low tone "I've been thinking about leaving The Order for quite sometime actually. The pay is good I must admit, but I personally am a man who likes to travel. I like the freedom and personally, I do have a strong sense of justice. A lot of the pirates we arrest aren't all bad, they were just trying to get by. I was actually also wondering if The Fairy Tail is looking for new recruits as well. I am quite good with a sword and I do know my way around a ship."
Gajeel, Levy and Lily exchanged glances before giving Jellal a smile.
"We'd be happy to have ye on board." smiled Lily.
"I know Erza will be too." Levy winked at Jellal, causing his face to turn tomato red.
"Captian Jellal!" a voice suddenly hollered "You're not going to believe this, but one of the pirates is offering to give the whereabouts of Pirate Lord Warrod's granddaughter!" the group looked to the man in shock.
"That's wonderful!" Jellal hollered "I'm on my way now!" he left the conversation to join his team on this.
"Captain," Lily suddenly spoke "do ye thin he deserves a cut?"
"Of the treasure?" Gajeel pondered "He did help us and is joining the crew, he deserves a cut I guess." Lily nodded in agreement.
Natsu was downstairs in the bowels of the Fairy Tail, looking over all of the cannons, cleaning them and reloading them. This may have been a self repairing ship, but even they needed to be cared for at times.
"Ahoy Natsu!" a voice called out. The Pyrotechnic expert looked up from his work space and found Lucy, making her way downstairs.
"Ahoy Lucy!" Natsu waved back before continuing his task.
"What're you doing?" she asked.
"Cleaning these tanks." he replied "They're filled with 100 years worth of cobwebs. I know it's a ship that can heal itself; but everything still needs to be maintained every now and then." a moment of silence passed before Lucy spoke up.
"Hey Natsu, do you have any idea what you plan to do with your share of the treasure?" he looked at her with a curious thought.
"Nah, might save it for something big one day. Ye?"
"No. I might save it as well."
"If all else fails, I could buy more explosives. I've been thinking about creating a combustion cannon ball. One that could set fire to a ship in a mere matter of seconds."
"I see. Um, Natsu?"
"Hnn?"
"Listen, now that The Fairy Tail is ours and everything, the crew is looking to plan a celebration at the Blue Pegasus Inn. I was kind of wondering if you'd like to be my date."
Natsu's face was blank the moment he heard those words pass Lucy's lips, he looked over her body and noticed she was looking away from him, her face as red as a tomato and then, a smile appeared on his face, he knew how she felt and he had to admit, he felt the same.
"Aye." he spoke "I'd like that. Hey, want to help me clean these cannons out? It would be a lot quicker with ye around." Lucy smiled at his request.
"I'd like that."
"Man, this ship is huge!" Gray hollered as he looked from the crow's nest, looking out to the sea "And this view is gorgeous!"
"Juvia heard it's the largest pirate ship to have ever existed." Juvia, who was next to Gray replied. They were on the crow's nest, exploring the ship and soon came to see the view the ship had to offer. There was a moment of silence between the two, it was a good silence because they wanted to take in the breathtaking view in front of them.
"A lot's changed since this crew started huh?" Gray asked Juvia. Juvia looked to him with a slight pink tint on her cheeks
"It has." she nodded "Yer an amazing sword fighter Gray-sama. Juvia always wanted to tell ye that."
"I remember seeing yer try out for the crew. Ye were incredible out there." Gray smiled "Juvia, any plans with what to do with your savings?"
"Juvia might invest." she confessed "So that way there's more money coming in."
"Sounds really wise." Gray smiled "I think I might start a brewing company on the side. Sell mead to pirates. I'll still be with the crew of course, but this will bring an extra savings in."
"That sounds wonderful!" Gray looked over to Juvia, his cheeks tinted pink and he cleared his throat for a moment.
"Uh, don't take it as anything; but would you like to go with me to the celebration at the Blue Pegasus Inn tonight?"
Juvia suddenly hugged Gray and gave him a kiss on the cheek for this.
"Juvia would love to go with Gray-sama!" she squealed.
"Woah easy there! We could fall off!" Gray warned yet laughed "Alright then! We're going to the party!"
The sun was starting to set on the small isle not too far from Caracole Isle and the sea washed across the white sandy beaches of the isle. Gajeel, Levy and Lily were standing on the beach, in front of Mavis and Zeref across from them. The wind blew gently on everyone's hair, also adding a salty sea scent thanks to the nearby ocean. Mavis was wearing a pure white sundress, her hair had a tropical flower in it and a pearl bracelet was on her wrist. Zeref wore a white shirt with a white set of pants and like his girlfriend, he was barefoot.
"Thank ye." Mavis spoke to the three "For everything. For saving us, for ending our suffering once and for all."
"It was nothing." Gajeel smirked "I've been through worse, trust me."
"Ye saved us." Zeref smiled "Thanks to ye and yer crew, Mavis and I can finally live the happy life we always dreamt of."
"If ye don't mind me asking," Lily asked "but what will ye do now? What about yer crews?"
"We disbanded our crews." Mavis explained "The Fairy Tail has a new crew now and Zeref's ship rotted long ago."
"But more importantly, this is a new world to us." Zeref added "Our loved ones are long gone, there are more pirate crews out there than there were in our time, and since there's nothing for us, it was best we disbanded our crews. Everyone will go on and make a living in their own way."
"And what about you two?" Levy asked them.
"We're retiring from the lives of pirates." Mavis smiled "Zeref and I wanted to after we fell in love. Now that we're free, we plan to build a home on this isle and start a life together. Even look to raise a family."
"Family eh?" Gajeel smirked before looking at Levy who was unaware.
"Gajeel," Mavis suddenly spoke "please take good care of the Fairy Tail for me. This ship holds a lot that is dear to me and is what I called home for years. She will only respond to ye now. And I ask ye to use yer new power wisely."
"Ye have me word." Gajeel promised.
"Are you planning to come to the celebration tonight?" Levy asked the couple.
"Nay." Zeref denied "Mavis and I want the chance to be alone, we haven't had that in a long time."
"We understand." Lily smiled.
"We wish ye well!" Mavis spoke "If ye ever need anything, please find us!"
"We will!" Levy smiled. They said their goodbyes to the couple and soon took the ship to Caracole isle.
The Blue Pegasus Inn was very lively that night. The Fairy Tail's newest crew partied like no tomorrow, having booze brought to them, their meals served and music playing through the night. Some of the Fairy Tail's crew walked around the inn in a drunken stupor, enjoying their night, singing horribly to the pirate shanties playing, it was a nice to remember.
Gajeel looked around the building and soon spotted Levy who was speaking with Jet and Droy. Something has been on his mind since their conversation with Mavis and Zeref and he wanted to finally say what he wanted to say. He made his way over to the lorist and smirked at her.
"Oi," he spoke to her "can I speak with-"
Ding ding ding!
The room stopped their chatter and the music stopped playing when the sound of a glass clinking. Everyone in the room looked to find Bob, the owner of The Blue Pegasus Inn clinking the glass.
"Attention everyone!" he hollered "I am terribly sorry to interrupt; but Captain Gajeel, a messenger arrived and he had a letter for ye." Gajeel made his way over to the bar and took the letter that Bob had left there.
Gajeel opened the letter in front of everyone in the crew and began to silently read it to himself. As he read it, his eyes widened in shock and surprise, his jaw finally dropped at the end.
"H-holy shit." he spoke.
"What is it Gajeel?" Lily asked.
"It's from the Council of Pirates. They heard about what happened at the isle and because of me bravery, they're looking to nominate me for a Pirate Lord! They want to meet with me next week!"
The crowd cheered at Gajeel's large announcement and the celebration turned into an even bigger one. The night continued as more drinks and food was served until finally, everyone soon passed out.
Levy awoke amidst the passed out bodies and rubbed her eyes. She looked up at the clock and learned it was two in the morning, very late into the night.
"Hey, yer up." she heard a voice speak. Levy looked around the Inn to find Gajeel, leaning against the nearby wall looking towards her.
"Ahoy Gajeel." Levy spoke "What a night."
"Tell me about it. Can't believe it, not in my wildest dreams did I think I'd become captain of The Fairy Tail or nominated for Pirate Lord."
"Life works in weird ways." Levy pointed out, Gajeel chuckled at Levy's words "Hey, Gajeel, what did you want to say to me earlier?" the captain made his way over to the loreist and smirked.
"I decided what I want to do with the cut of my share." he admitted.
"Of the treasure? W-what do you plan to do?"
"Build a manor. Off an isle where no one can find it. It can be a place we can stay when we aren't on the sea."
"That does sound nice, I admit it can be tiresome being always on the- did you say "we"?"
"I did." Gajeel smirked "I want ye to come live with me in that manor. And when the day comes, we can get marri-" he was stopped short when Levy passionately kissed him. Gajeel was shocked at first before melting into the kiss.
"Absolutely." she replied after breaking from the kiss "Absolutely!"
"Oi easy! Yer gonna wake everyone up! Gihihi!" he pulled Levy closer again and kissed her with much passion. If you could ask Gajeel how he felt right now, he would tell you that he felt top of the world right now. And he knew somewhere out there, his father was smiling down on him.
The End