Hi, everyone! Here's Digi….
Mira: How was the mission trip?
Oh, it was very nice. It got to put some insulation into a house.
Natsu: Sounds fun! I wanna go!
No way! Knowing Fairy Tail, just you and Gray could destroy half of Kentucky!
Gray: I think half might be an understatement…
Lucy: That's not helping our case!
Anywho, I want to thank Teh AWESOME BeastMODE6, cureheart1023, Fairy Tail Shu Heller, HeartLuvAnimeGirl, GingerFury, and geekyglamour413 for favoriting and following Alternate Tail. I also want to thank Fin-Fish Jun-Tenshi, Ray Akaba 210, OneWhoCharms, GingerFury, and DeAmonQuEen (Who I am very happy to see again after all these months) for their reviews.
Glad you loved it.
For this disclaimer, I'll have Lisanna do it.
Lisanna: Why me?
Because in canon, this is around the time you return.
Lisanna: I guess that make sense… Okay, DigiXBot does not own Fairy Tail
Heading Back Home
As the sun rose on a new day, Laxus, the new King of Edolas, climbed onto the massive pile of rubble Gajeel created in his rampage. He raised his stave to the sky as he faced the crowd.
"The Demon King Kurogane has been defeated!" He proclaimed. "We may not have magic power, but as long as we have life and spirit, humanity shall persevere!"
The crowd cheered as they raised their voice with him, ready to join him in making a new future for Edolas. A new era had begun, one where they shall remember what was important to them, and that was pure willpower to survive.
Hidden in a forest, a black-haired man wearing a black robe with white toga stirred awake from his nap. He gazed up at the heavens.
"The magic in the world has increased." He muttered. "Already a sign on how sad the sky is."
In Earthland, the rain that began the heroes' journey was still pouring through the morning sky. So no one noticed a hole in the cloud as spit out three figures
"Ahhhhh!" Gajeel and Levy both screamed until they crashed into the ground before. A small bop was heard as Lily, now in his small form, landed on Gajeel's head.
"We're alive?" Gajeel said as he gripped his wounded shoulder. He smiled "We're ali-" He stopped when he heard screaming and looked up. "Oh, come on!"
Next things he knows, Lyon, Natsu, Merudy, and Lucy crashed onto the three, followed by Mira, Kagura, Carla, and Happy.
"Why do I even bother?" He grumbled from underneath the pile.
Much later the group undid their entanglement. "Um, Mr. Lily," Happy began to ask as Levy applied Solid Script: Heal to Gajeel's shoulder. "You, um, shrunk."
"Don't worry about it, Happy." The older Exceed replied. "This is just a side effect of being in Earthland."
"Oh."
"And done." Levy said as the pink word faded away, revealing the stab wound on Gajeel to have disappeared saved for a faint scar.
"So now he is alright?" Lily asked.
"Mm Hmm." Levy nodded.
"Good." Suddenly Lily transformed to his larger form. One moment he was walking to a confused Gajeel, the next he threw a fierce punch at the slayer that send him crashing into a tree.
"What the hell?!" Most of the other Fairies shouted.
"That was for putting yourself in unnecessary risk." Lily said coldly as he rubbed his fist.
"'Unnecessary risk?!'" Gajeel shouted as he got up. "You and Mask-man were planning to be sacrifice lambs!"
"You let yourself be stabbed by a sword! You were lucky that Laxus made sure not to hit an artery or a vital organ!"
"I had it all planned out, ya know!"
"I shouldn't be surprised." Carla said, shaking her head. "Gajeel punched Lily earlier just to bring him to focus."
"Gajeel just had a sword wound and Lily had a hole in his chest." Merudy said. "And yet those two can move like it never happened.
"Those two are just brave and bold." Levy grinned.
"Or just noble and stubborn." Mira quipped.
"I guess that's how their friendship works." Kagura stated as the two began to calm down, with Lily shrinking in size
"Guys, look!" Lyon shouted. Then looked past the hill they were on and saw that Magnolia was where it was once more.
"It's all back to normal! Even the guild!"
"Do you think everyone's okay?" Lucy asked.
"They're fine!" A voice said. When the eleven looked up, their jaws dropped to the floor.
"We got to Earthland before you guys!" An Exceed, one of many flying above them, said.
"So we took a look around!"
"All your friends are back to normal!"
"They don't even remember turning into Lacrimas!"
"What…" Carla began, then shouted. "What are the Exceeds doing in Earthland!"
"Every bit of magic was expelled from Edolas." Mira said. "Looks like that includes the Exceeds. We should have guessed with Happy being here."
"I don't care how it happened. What matters is that the Exceeds are too dangerous! We must send them back to Edolas!"
The Extalia citizens all had faces of guilt and apology.
"How would we even do that?" Levy asked skeptically.
"We'll have Lily open an Anima!"
"That's not something I am capable of." Lily deadpanned.
"Don't you think it's time to forgive them," Kagura said to her furious partner. "Extalia is gone, and they all know the truth…"
"We're sorry for throwing rocks at you two." One Exceed apologized.
"But we have nowhere else to go."
"And like she said, we're reformed."
Despite all the apologizes, Carla refused to calm down. "I don't care for that! I won't forget what they did," she glared harshly at their queen. "Especially the one who sent me here to kill the Dragon Slayers."
Shagotte flinched at the white Exceeds statement.
"Yeah!" They heard Lucky yelled from behind the crowd. "The Queen stole all our eggs! She almost sent our son to this crazy place!"
"Carla, enough." Lily said as he stood in front of Carla. "You have to at least let her explain."
"Explain?" Carla hissed. "Why should she? Unless you were a part of this as well?"
"Actually…"
"He wasn't." Shagotte interrupted. "The 100 Exceed Eggs plan was conceived after Lily and Laxus left Extalia."
"Carla," Mira said to the young Exceed. "You should let them explain."
"Why should I?"
"So you can learn the truth. Without you'll just be paranoid. Before this whole thing, I thought there was a chance that Mystogan and Lily could be our enemies. Maybe it was because it was after the Tower of Heaven or maybe it was because I was a bit suspicious after Galuna, but I didn't put faith in those two. Don't make the same mistake."
Carla gave a stern gaze before sighing. "Perhaps you're right. I'll let her give her reasoning."
"Thank you," Shagotte smiled sadly. "I suppose we should start the beginning, when we met Laxus.
"Sounds good to me." Mira shrugged.
"When he was young, he was taken from his home. We still don't know if it was rival nobles or enemies of his father. But it lead to him being in the desert, left alone until Pantherlily found him."
"He was weak when I found him, due to injuries and dehydration." Lily continued. "Because of this, I took him to Extalia, where its medicine might save him."
"The problem was it was forbidden for a human to step in Extalia, due to the risk of them learning the truth of our true nature." An elder added. "The risk was even greater when we learned that he was King Faust's son. But Shagotte formed a compromised, the boy would stay in Extalia until he recovered, and then he and Pantherlily would have to leave."
"But why?" Levy asked. "Lily was only trying to save his life."
"That was our law." Lily said. "While I did not agree with them, I recognize they had reasons."
"Even though it was a short time, I treasured those days." Shagotte said fondly. "Laxus was an amazing child, a boy of hope and determination. He got along well with Lily. I felt I was raising him as my own child.
"But on the day he left, something unexpected happened." She faced Kagura and Carla. "You remember that my only power is to see the future right, right? Well, that power acted up in a mysterious way.
"One moment I was about to say goodbye, the next a barrage of information penetrated my mind. The first set of visions was from here, Earthland.
"From what I believe," She continued while the Earthlanders looked in shock. "An event in Earthland released a tremendous amount of energy that it reached Edolas seven years ago. In that vision, I saw a group of wizards covered in shadows. And in the focus of them were five children, five children that carried a title that echoed to me: Dragon Slayer." She looked straight at the wizards. "Actually, I believe it was then I first saw you two, Gajeel and Natsu."
"You saw us?" Natsu gapped in shock.
"Did you see our Dragons?" Gajeel asked frantically. When the queen shook her head, he sighed. "Never mind.
"But afterwards was the most terrifying, when I saw Edolas's future. I saw the islands that filled our sky crashing into the earth. I saw rivers of magic, flowing from our world to a massive hole in the sky."
"You're talking about the Anima." Levy realized.
"We believed at the time that Faust's use of the Anima would cause the destruction of Edolas." Lily stated. "And we knew that Faust would not listen even if Shagotte commanded him to stop. So the three of us devised a plan. Laxus and I would travel to Earthland and shut down the Anima's from that end. We reached there using an Anima controlled by Project Freelancers."
"That's where that Florida guy comes from." Gajeel growled.
"Yeah, and those others like Wash and South." Natsu added.
"But the Anima was too unstable. In the arrival Laxus and I were separated and sent to two separate areas of Earthland.
"Where am I?" Lily said as he got up from the ground. But as he rubbed his head, he was startled by how small his paw was. He looked all over and saw that his entire body has shrunk.
"Oh no…" His eyes then widened in worry. "Laxus?"
"Pantherlily?" A blond-haired boy with a lightning bolt scar said as he looked around. "Where are you?"
"We ended up on different paths in fighting the Anima's, making different encounters."
A young Laxus held out a hand to the young girl in front of him. "My name's Laxus."
Kagura smiled and shook his hand. "My name's Kagura."
The boy Gajeel screamed as he leaped out of the bush to tackle the distracted Lily. But the Exceed simply transformed into his larger form and caught the slayer with his hand.
"Luckily, fate allowed us to meet again in Fairy Tail."
"But what does that have to do with the mission?" Carla questioned
"That was a year later." Shagotte replied. "I received another vision of that future, this time seeing Extalia crashing to the earth. I originally thought the lost of magic that would occur caused it, until I saw two human girls fighting in its streets."
Mira sheepishly rubbed the back of her head. "Oh, sorry about that."
"It's alright, Mirajane. You were only trying to stop your counterpart."
"Shagotte told us of this vision," An elder stated. "And we realized that the decreasing magic would cause the humans to declare a war on us."
"So to save our race," Another continued. "we decided to gather one hundred Exceed eggs, and send them to the world Pantherlily and Laxus were in."
"So they weren't going to be warriors?" Lucky asked in shock. "They were going to be… refuges."
"In order to prevent our people from learning the truth, we told them that the one hundred were being sent to defeat the Dragon Slayers, the children I saw in my vision." Shagotte said. "Of course we had no qualms with the slayers…"
"But you needed a reason for gathering the eggs." Levy finished.
"And you couldn't tell the truth, because it would cause a panic." Lucy added.
"But about our son?" Morrow asked. "When we came to get him back, you let us do so."
"Your worry for him showed that not all parents would be so willing to lose their children, even for a 'nobel' cause. We still had to banished you two to prevent more parents from risking the future.
"But even among the 99 eggs left, there was one element we did not foreseen. That element was Carla's gift," She looked at the younger Exceed's shocked expression. "Your own precognition."
"I can.. see the future. So the mission…"
"Master, the egg hatched!" A young Kagura said cheerfully as she and the other Cait Shelter wizards gathered around the white furred kitten laying amongst broken egg shells.
But unbeknownst to them, the hatchling was facing a dark 'truth.'
We were sent… to destroy the Dragon Slayers… She thought. To save the magic of Edolas…
"I constructed it from those visions."
"As Shagotte saw the Dragon Slayers of Earthland, you saw glimpses of your old world." An elder stated.
"Still, to have it activated at such an early age." Another mumbled. "Even Shagotte did not activated hers till her early teens at thirty."
"Even the tunnel was a vision." Carla murmured, not hearing the other two. "A warning of our capture." She turned to Lily. "You were going to tell me this in the cave, weren't you?"
The Exceed warrior nodded. "I knew Shagotte since we were children, before her powers first emerged. I am aware of its characteristics."
"Please forgive us, Carla." Nadi said tearfully. "It would have been better to tell you the truth sooner."
"We thought it was best to show off our Queen's amazing power first!" Nichiya bawled. "Men! Please forgive us!"
"That's why I asked you to slay me, Carla." The Queen admitted to her. "It was not the fault of the Exceeds for rejecting humanity. It was mine alone. My meddling and bluff was what led to Extalia's fall, and caused so many families to be separated."
The many Exceeds, especially those that were parents, were conflicted.
"That's why I gave you that sword. It was not the Exceeds to be blamed, only me…"
"That's not true, your Majesty!" An Exceed protested as the rest joined in cheerful flight.
"You only acted in the best interest!"
"We're the ones who were prideful in our existence!"
"Since we're in Earthland, we can find the kids you evacuated."
"A brave new world and a brave new mission!"
"We can start by living in harmony with the humans!"
"What a positive outlook." Levy said.
"See that," Lily smiled at Shagotte. "They continue to believe in you, since your actions were meant to help them."
She held her hands to her mouth as she struggled to hold back her tears of joy. "Everyone… thank you."
Carla was still frowning until she relented with a sigh. "Fine. I will acknowledge that you had the best intentions."
"Carla…"
"But I have one last question. Why is it I happen to have this power?"
At this, Shagotte, Lily, and the elders shifted nervously.
"That is… an odd coincidence…" The queen coughed.
"It must be some sort of… convergence…" An elder suggested nervously.
"How suspicious." Carla muttered.
"Hmm." Happy hummed. "Hey dad."
"Yeah?" Lucky responded.
"Don't you think that Carla and the Queen look alike?" Both father and son held up their paws.
"Hmm, you might be right."
"And their movements too."
"I think that Carla and Lily share a few." Natsu said as he joined the two.
"Hmm, is that so…" Lucky paused. "Kaah! Who the heck are you?!" Morrow chuckled at the sight of the three.
"Whelp," Gajeel said with a smirk while thrusting his fist back and forth. "All well that ends well!"
"Indeed!" Nadi added in agreement as he did the same with his paw.
"You do notice you're copying him, right?" Lyon stated.
"So are you." Levy deadpanned. She then turned to Shagotte. "I got to admit, convincing all of Edolas that you were a goddess is pretty amazing."
Shagotte chuckled humbly. "It wasn't easy at first."
"Still, it must have taken generations, for both humans and Exceeds."
"How old does that even make- Ow!" Gajeel shouted as Levy jabbed him in the stomach. "What?!"
"You don't just ask a lady her age!" Levy hissed back.
"Well can I least ask Lily's." He suggested as he pointed to his partner. "They're around the same, right?"
"I withheld my age to avoid startling you." Lily mumbled, then faced his guildmates with a smile. "But I suppose we know each other long enough."
"So what is it?" Gajeel asked bluntly.
"I am currently 189 years old."
"..." The other Fairies were silent for a few seconds before.
"What?!"
"Holy shit!" Gajeel shouted. "You're older than the old man!"
"Forget that…" Lyon gapped. "He's older than the entire guild!"
Lily sweatdropped. "And this is why I did not reveal my age when I met you."
"I'm not sure what the big deal is," An elder whispered to another. "That's not even middle age."
"Humans have short lifespans."
"Oh yeah…"
"Just how long can an Exceed live for?" Merudy questioned curiously.
"The oldest of us are around 400," Nadi answered cheerfully. "but estimates say that we can live up to 600."
"... Never mind." She deadpanned
"Such a shame," Nichiya said as he sniffed a shivering Mira. "For such sweet parfum to last for a small time..."
"Get away!" Mira quickly kicked the yellow Exceed away. She then flinched when she realized what she did. "Sorry! You just reminded me of someone I knew."
"Meow…"
"We're planning of living nearby." Shagotte explained to Carla and Kagura.
"That's mean we can see each other whenever we want!" The swordsgirl said cheerfully.
"Why are you happy about it?" Carla questioned.
"That's right…" To the young Exceed's surprise, Shagotte wrapped her arms around her and held her close. "We can meet at any time, Carla."
"Hey…" Carla was about to protest, but found herself relenting as she felt drawn closer to the older Exceed. So warm…
"Well, we better be going soon." Morrow said as she and Lucky prepared to leave. But they stopped and turned around, where they saw Happy looking nervously at the ground while kicking the dirt. "Happy?"
"Um, actually," Happy began. "I won't be coming with you."
"What?"
"Kaah! What are you blabbering about?!"
"This is an entire new world," Happy said with a smile. "And I really want to explore it. And the best way to do it is with my new friends, like Carla and Natsu. Plus, I promised Natsu I'll be his partner.
"I know you don't agree, but-" He stopped when Morrow placed a hand on his shoulder.
"I understand, Happy." She said tearfully. "I will be worried, but I can't hold you back from your dreams"
"And you're already a grown boy." Lucky added as he held back his tears. "So you're old enough to make your own damn decisions."
"Really?" Happy asked hopefully. He then felt a familiar palm on his head.
"Don't worry." Natsu said with a confident grin. "I'll keep a good eye on him. You can trust me."
"Thank you, Natsu-san." Morrow said. "Just promise to be careful, Happy."
"Aye!"
"Kaah! You better take good care of him, Dragon Boy! And make sure to visit, boy!"
"Aye sir! I'll try not be gone for about seven years or something!" He frowned. "So what about you guys?"
"Taking care of you were the best six years of our lives." Morrow said. "But it was not fair to be the only parents to see their children grow up. So we'll be helping other parents find their children." And with that, she and her husband flew up and joined the leaving Exceed flock.
"Bye Ma!" Happy waved tearfully. "Bye Pa! See ya soon!"
As the other Exceeds waved goodbye, so did the Fairies.
"We'll wait till next time!" Natsu said cheerfully.
"See ya soon!" Gajeel shouted.
"Don't be strangers!" Levy said.
"Bye bye for now!" Kagura added.
"Stay safe," Lily smiled. "All of you."
"We will." Shagotte replied as Morrow helped her to the air
As the Exceeds flew off, Lucky turned to Shagotte. "How come you didn't tell her you were her mother."
Shagotte glanced down at her daughter Carla before answering. "Until I find all the children evacuated six years ago, I have no right to call myself a mother."
"Don't worry," Morrow reassured. "You can see her anytime."
"I won't," Shagotte smiled back. "Besides, she has her father watching over her, even if she doesn't know it yet."
"I have to admit, I never knew that you sent your child here as well."
"I may be a queen in title only, but as a parent, I know that one's child is the most beautiful to them."
"Days after you and Laxus left, I discovered I was pregnant." Shagotte explained to Lily in the Edolas forest. "The egg that formed would hatched to a white-furred Exceed that had precognition just as I do."
"So your… our daughter…" Lily gasped. "Carla is our child."
Lily smiled tearfully as he saw the Exceeds, including his life partner, fly off. As the other Fairies continue to pump their hands to their confusion, he gave a glance to Carla.
I won't let anything happen to her, Shagotte. He thought. I'll make sure our daughter is safe.
He looked up at the sky. All this makes me think how Laxus is handling things…
Back in Edolas, the citizens were in a joyful mood as they removed the rubble cluttering the streets.
"Hey, can you give me a hand here?"
"Sure!"
"Boy, did Kurogane caused a mess."
"Can you imagine if the prince, I mean, his Majesty didn't stop him in time?"
"Well, he could have done it before we lost all of our magic…"
"Don't be so glum! We may not have magic, but we still got our two hands."
"Right!
Gajeel Rosavulpe watched them from above a building as she wrote on her notepad. "Even after everything that happened, we still have the strength to continue." She smiled as she tilted down her hat. "You really helped change things, Redfox."
King Laxus stood on the highest balcony, looking out at the nation that now rested on his shoulder.
"Your Majesty." At the sound of a chipper voice he turned around and saw Agent Florida. "My fellow prisoners and I are present and awaiting your decision ."
"I see." Laxus replied gruffly. "I have to ask, Florida, why keep quiet?"
"It would counteract what you and Redfox-san accomplished. And that will only bring chaos to Edolas."
"Fine by me. Go and wait with the others."
"This?!" Lisanna Rhea shouted at Levi as she pointed at their guildhall. "This is your brilliant idea?!"
"Quit whining." Levi scoffed back. "You wanted a way to move our guildhall around, and I gave you one."
"How is that suppose to help?!" All the Fairy Tail wizards were gathered around their headquarters, which was now in a massive cart with a humongous handle.
"It is a bit big…" Elfman muttered.
"Without any magic, this might be the only way to get around." Kagura commented.
"Where are you going?" Lucy growled as she caught Natsu about to sneak away.
"Ano," He replied meekly. "I think I can get that moving." He ran to his race car, tied a rope to its bumper with one end and the massive handle with the other.
Getting into his car, the pink-haired wizard smirked confidently. "My Fireball will get us to the Royal City ASAP!" He twisted the key into the ignition-
And only heard his vehicle, coughing in thirst.
"What's he waiting for?" Lyon asked in concern.
"He forgotten that our equipment is useless without magic." Erza commented.
"Look," Levi pinched his forehead as he heard Natsu screaming under one of Lucy's techniques. "The only way we'll get around is by pulling this with every muscle we got. Ya with me?"
"Yeah!"
The guildhall was only moved for a couple miles before stopping. "This is… impossible…" Elfman gasped for breath shortage.
"Try… heh… harder…" Reedus wheezed as he let out a series of curses.
"How come we haven't got that far?" Levi grumbled.
"Keep moving!" Lucy shouted as she and the other female members watched from the side their male guildmates panting.
"We have a long journey in front of us!" Merudy added cheerfully.
"It'll go faster if you help us!" Levi roared at them.
"You're asking we delicate maidens to slave away in such a task." Cana asked in feigned pain.
"Delicate maidens?!" The male members shouted in protest while the girls heading inside the guildhall for tea.
At the same time, Laxus stood in front of his gathered targets, including the Captains, the Freelancers, Coco, Byro, and Faust.
"Edolas has now changed." Laxus stated. "And now I have to prepare for its future." He glared at his father. "Sir Faust. For multiple crimes, including Magic Hoarding, Assault on an Alternate World, and Attempted Genocide, you are to be banished from the kingdom forever, to wander alone."
"... I understand." Faust easily accepted his charges.
"Mirajane Rheas. Marcus Hughes. Theodore Franklin Sugarboy-Donut. Nemos Byro. Reginald Hullum. None of you are allowed to leave the Royal City without me knowing about it. For your punishment, you will help the citizens in rebuilding the city." He faced Florida. "Captain Butch Flowers. You will join them after making a visit to the Mother of Inventions. You'll be the one telling Director Leonard Church that his organization is shut down by my orders for inhuman procedures."
"Yes, your Majesty." Florida nodded politely
"Why the hell are we getting a free pass?" South grumbled.
"You, Agent Washington, and Coco realized the true level of our actions and choose to save lives. For that you are cleared of your crimes."
"You want us to march around in a humiliated state?!" Mira questioned furiously. "We were prepared to surrender our lives!"
"Yeah, no offense." Hughes grumbled. "But we rather be dead than deal with this crap."
"Hmm, we were actually preparing for that action, your Majesty." Sugarboy added.
"You can't die, guys!" Coco begged. "Do you really think that we won't miss you?"
"We have committed many atrocities in his Maj- Sir Faust's name." Byro countered.
"No point hoping to live an extra minute." Wyoming stated.
"You dying isn't going to fix Edolas." Laxus explained. "Yes, you committed atrocities, but all in the belief of saving Edolas. And you all possess traits and abilities that are irreplaceable, that will benefit in guiding our world to a new era."
"He's right." Faust stated.
"Sir Faust-" Mira began.
"I know he will lead this nation well." Faust began to walk out of the castle. He paused. "Coco?"
"Y-yes?" The girl replied nervously.
"Never stop running, child." The former king said. Coco nodded tearfully in response.
Laxus left the others to guide his father to the castle's exit. "You sure you'll be alright?"
"I'll be fine." The old man held a rucksack over his back. He then smiled at his son. "Did you know on that night, I spoke with that boy."
"You mean Gajeel?"
"Yes. I asked him if he had fun being in a guild, and he was proud to say yes." He sighed. "Solidarity. Camraderies. Compassion. Those mortal traits, so easily found in that guild you and him were a part of, were traits I have forgotten long ago. I know that with those traits, you will lead wisely, my son."
"And you?"
"I must use this exile to learn, to learn what it means to be human." As Faust walked further into the desert, Laxus let out a smile smile.
"Just be careful."
"Nothing else to say?" Mira asked as she walked to right next to him.
"Nah. I know you'll be fine." He was silent for a few seconds. "What about you?"
"What about me?" The captain gruffed back.
"Don't you want to see them."
"I doubt they feel the same way."
"You don't know that." When Mira looked at him in skepticism he continued with a smile. "In Earthland, I kept watch of my guildmates. I saw the strong bond between the Strauss siblings, and I know the same is true for the Rheas family."
Eventually, with all their strength and struggle, the male members of Fairy Tail managed to get their guildhall to the city square of the capital.
"Finally." Lyon huffed as he and the others collapsed to the ground while a curious crowd gathered around them.
"Did they really dragged that thing all the way here?" A civilian asked.
"That symbol seems a bit familiar."
The girls then came out of their building, each holding an inviting smile.
"Fairy Tail is open for business!" Lisanna announced.
"Let us know of your troubles, and we'll be happy to help!" Merudy added.
"We're ready for anything." Lucy boasted.
"Our will is once again aligned with Edolas." Bisca stated.
The citizens quickly took up on the girl's offer. "I need my roof fixed."
"Any of you know how to make plumbing work without magic?"
"Since when can we do repairs?" Lyon grunted as he and the other boys managed to get up.
"Hey, at least we get some hard work." Nab said optimistically.
"You're the only one happy about that, Nab." Jet grumbled.
Suddenly, the sounds of footsteps started to overwhelm the crowd. The footsteps grew louder as the crowd parted away, revealing…
"Nee-san…" Elfman gasped tearfully. "Why are you…"
"It's Captain Rheas!" Natsu shrieked.
"What's she doing here?!" Lucy growled.
"We need to attack." Kagura said as she braced for a fight, but she was stopped by Lisanna's arm.
Everyone was silent, fearing a move would ignite the gunpowder that the tension was forming. "What do you want?" Lisanna questioned.
"...I see you're doing well." Mira stated.
"Yeah, so?"
"His Majesty is having the captains helping in repairing the Royal City, so we'll be seeing each other more."
The captain then sighed. "I get it. You don't want to see me again, not after what I did. But I'm willing to talk about if you are."
Lisanna only remained quiet in response. Mira frowned, then began to walk back to the castle.
"Hey!" She turned around and saw Lisanna marching towards her. Everyone's eyes were on the seen.
"You don't think that Lisanna could…" Cana began in worry.
"I'm not sure." Erza replied.
Lisanna stopped right in front of her older sister. She then scowled and raised up her palm.
Mira closed her eyes and awaited the coming slap. But as seconds past, she became confused. Even more so when she she felt arms surround her.
"You finally ask for that after so long, Mira?" Lisanna asked as tears escaped her.
"Lisanna…" The older girl said as her eyes watered up. "I thought you, hated me…"
"No matter how much I tried, I couldn't truly hate you. You're still my big sister…"
Mira soon entered the embrace. "I hoped fighting for the kingdom would let me save you and Elfman…"
"Let's not talk now…"
"Nee-san…" The two girls turned their heads to see Elfman at the point of breaking down.
"Come here already." Lisanna teased.
"You haven't changed, huh Elfman." Mira added.
"I'm just so happy!" He ran over and pulled his sisters into a tight bear hug.
The other Fairies, while a bit on edge with Mira's presence, could not help but smile at the sight of the family reunion.
"You really are a softie," Levi said with a smirk. "Aren't ya, Rheas?"
"Like you're one to talk." Gajeel said as she came over to him.
"Pfft." He scoffed. "Must be getting me mixed up with my Earthland self. She's more like you than me."
"Hmm, now that you mention it, my rougher double is a lot similar to you." She teased back.
"Like hell he is! I'm one of a kind!"
She laughed, then smiled in amusement. "Speaking of counterparts, what do you think they're up to."
Levi smirked. "They're Fairy Tail, aren't they? I bet they're having the time of our lives."
"As many of you know, Mystogan has left Fairy Tail." Makarov said somberly to his children. "He has taken on a responsibility in the home he came from." Everyone gazed up at a poster of the masked man hanging above the bar. "All we can do is believe he will have the strength, the strength of our guild, to guide him forever more...
"So in his honor, let's throw the biggest party we even have!"
Everyone cheered and entered celebration at full gear, drinking and partying at their fullest.
"So they were doubles of us there." Cana asked Merudy and Lyon.
"And many were the opposites of us." Merudy said, then chuckled. "You should have meet your other self. It was like seeing your reflection in a Funhouse mirror."
"Well, don't leave me hanging! Spill the details already!"
"And the Alzack and Bisca there are different too." Lyon added. "Those two don't mind showing some PDA."
Meanwhile, the two gunmen were blushing at the thought of their counterparts interacting, and secretly wishing they were that bold.
"Drinks are here, Kina!" Kinana, having recovered from her restoration, served the three their drinks.
"Thank you, Kina-chan!" Cana grinned as she drunk down her beverage.
"Just watch…" Levy said as the Nebula Knights, Kagura, Lisanna, and Lucy watched from their seats. "Holy Scrioptúr: Bogha!" She quickly formed the bow around her arm.
The girls and Bixlow clapped. "That's so cool, Levy-chan!" Lisanna cheered.
"I bet that really helped against that Byro guy." Lucy added.
"Guess you are getting stronger." Evergreen stated.
"It kinda looks painful though." Bixlow noted. "All that bone coming out of ya wrist. And you have to shoot from it two"
"Painful. Painful. Wrist."
"Very impressive, Levy." Freed said as he rubbed his chin. "You have already mastered four spells of Holy Scrioptúr. And you managed a partial transformation with one of them. I'm sure your grandfather will be proud of you."
"Thanks." The Solid Script mage flushed in embarrassment.
"Hmm, Evergreen-san." Kagura said. "You look a bit different." Indeed the Petrify Mage had her brown hair free and was wearing a skin tight green halter dress.
"Glad you notice child." Evergreen said proudly as she fanned herself. "A new look that fits the definition of Fairy!"
"Some things haven't changed that much." Levy deadpanned.
"I think Lily's making some change." Bixlow said as he pointed at the center of the party.
"Iron Dragon's Sword!" Gajeel charged with a smirk at Lily, who also held a smirk while holding up his wooden stave. The stave was charged with energy and it easily blocked Gajeel's attack.
"Damn," Nab gapped. "That's some power."
"Lily's already a man." Elfman nodded. "But with that kind of magic he's even more manly!"
"Are you at the same level as Mystogan?" Erza asked curiously.
"Not quite." Lily replied humbling as he put away the stave and reverted to his smaller form. "I only required Stave Magic to shut down the Anima's. Lax- Mystogan was more of a master in that art than I." He patted his sword, where underneath was the booklet his partner gave him before leaving Edolas.
"I think you should expand what you can do with it Lily." Mira stated. When he looked at her, she continued. "Mystogan was your partner and guildmate. By using his magic, you'll be honoring him."
Lily was shocked at first, but smiled when he recognized the nobility in it. "I agree. There's still a lot that Stave Magic can give us
"Hell yeah!" Gajeel smirked. "With you around, Fairy Tail'll be the best guild ever!"
"Calm down, Gajeel!" Max shouted.
"Geez," Wakaba grumbled. "How rough ya think Edolas's Gajeel is?"
"Actually," Lily said. "She was a bit more patient and calm from what I heard. Though she still had the same stubbornness of course."
The jaws of the nearby men dropped. "Edolas Gajeel isn't a man!" Elfman shouted.
"Yeah, and the Shrimp there is a tall, jackass dude." Gajeel added.
"Geez…" Macao whispered.
"Yep, that guy was a handful."
"No, I'm trying to imagine what a chick you would be. How big was she?"
"Don't perve on my other-me!" The Dragon Slayer punched away Macao and Wakaba.
Meanwhile, Happy, the newest member of the guild, was watching the scene in amazement. "So many people. And they all have their own magic in their bodies?"
"That's correct." Carla nodded.
"Are they just as scary as Natsu and Lucy?"
"How is Lucy scary?"
"Every wizard in Earthland has magic." Lily explained. "But the magic doesn't really matter, only who uses it."
"Whoa…"
"Hey, Gajeel!" Makarov called out to the rampaging slayer as he sat next to Gildarts by the bar. "With all this talk about counterparts, what type of person was mine."
"Yours." Gajeel squinted his eyebrows, then shrugged. "I think, that you were the king there. A jackass, but still a king."
"A king, hmm."
"What about me, Gajeel?" Gildarts asked hopefully.
"Eh, don't remember seeing him."
"Aww." The Crash Warlock pouted.
"Don't fret, Gildarts." Makarov consoled. "A parallel universe means infinite possibilities. I'm sure he is out there."
"Yeah," Gildarts smirked in thought. "I bet he's awesome. Maybe he's the captain of a group of pirates…"
"Or he could be a fish." Gajeel grunted. "Or a frog."
"Don't ruin my dreams!"
"Metal Face! Kagura!" Natsu roared, as he pushed away some partying wizards. "Let's have a cat fight! Happy against your Exceeds!"
"Um, what…" Happy's jaw dropped at his proclamation as he sweated nervously.
"Looks like you've been targeted." Levy said to Kagura.
"Eep!"
"Yah think that your blue cat can win?!" Gajeel shouted as the two butted heads. "My Lily's a badass with a capital 'B!'"
"And Happy's a cat with a capital 'C!'"
"I rather not fight…" Happy said meekly.
"How pitiful. You want to give up without trying?" Carla asked in a teasing tone.
Happy blushed at the thought of Carla having faith in him. "You think I can do this?"
"Hold on, Happy." Lily said as he flew over. "I have a century's worth of battle experience. A fight would only leave to unneeded injuries to you."
"Well, if we can't fight," Happy smiled and held out a paw. "Then let's be friends!"
"Comrades in arms, then." Lily replied as he shook the younger Exceed's paw.
"And hopefully the normal definition of friends." Carla said. "Instead of that of these fools." She pointed at Gajeel's and Natsu's fight, which was now joined by Lyon and Elfman.
"Oh yeah!" Cana cheered as she swung her arm. "Haven't got rowdy in a while!"
"Now this is a party!" Bixlow laughed as his dolls danced around him.
"Let's see what you got, Gajeel!" Nab said.
"I also wish to demonstrate my skills." Freed stated, and the four joined the fight as well.
"Be careful!" Kagura called out
"There they go again." Makarov mused. "Seeing them like this, makes me wonder how Mystogan doing there."
"He'll be fine." Gildarts said. "From what I heard, he was prince, then got raised by cats, then travelled here, fought super soldiers, helped a little girl in searching for her brother, and joined the craziest guild ever. Running a kingdom will be easy for Mysty."
"I guess you're right." Makarov smiled. "Say Gildarts, how long are you staying here?"
"Not sure yet. Probably for about two to three weeks."
"Good. That time year is coming up, you know…"
Meanwhile, in the city of Era, the new Magic Council was in an uproar.
"This is ridiculous!" A wild looking councilor councilor shouted as he threw a stack of papers onto the table. "All these reports, and one guild is responsible for them alone!"
"Yes, Fairy Tail." A man with an Afro and glasses said. "They've been a headache for generations!"
"Calm down," Org, the only remainder of the old council, said sternly. "They may be chaotic, but Fairy Tail has always acted in light. They managed to destroy the Oracion Seis of the Balam Alliance."
"But there is no record of the council approving of such a meeting." Another councilor with a gray mohawk argued.
"It was enacted by a group of local guilds," An old woman said. "as if their authority superseded ours."
"Even more, despite the Oracion Seis being a dark guild, the attack on them is in violation of the Inter-guild-war Prohibition, one nearly a century old."
"And the Balam Alliance might choose to attack in retaliation."
"Unlikely. The Balam Alliance is only a non-aggression treaty between the dark guilds."
"The real trouble in that report is about that scoundrel Laxus." A female councilor stated. "It says that they claimed he was their comrade…"
"But didn't the interrogation of Midnight revealed that Ultear was controlling him when he fired the Etherion…"
"It's still a dangerous mindset!" The Afro councilor argued. "Who knows how long till they get tired of us!"
"Then what are we waiting for?!" The first councilor argued. "We must regain the trust the old council threw away when they fell for Ultear's game! We must show our new strength on the guilds! Isn't that correct, Grand Councilor."
Grand Councilor Gran Doma, wearing an ornate cloak and holding a serpent staff,rose from his seat. "Fairy Tail has been overconfident on the promise of a next time. Send word to Lahar and Doranbolt. For the next time Fairy Tail goes out of line, that guild will be splintered apart until even their S-Class's can't bring it back!"
The councilors sans Org, who pinched his forehead in foreboding, clapped in agreement.
"Let's pertain order in the Magical World!"
"Pertain order in the Magical World!"
The next morning, Levy stirred awake in the guildhall, and looked at her unconscious guildmates.
"That was some party." She said a lot. She chuckled at the state of her friends, from seeing Natsu cuddling Happy to the Strauss siblings sleeping peacefully by each other.
She then saw Gajeel and Lily sleeping next for each other, the latter looking very serene.
It must have been great for Lily to see his Laxus and Shagotte again. Her focus shifted to Gajeel. I hope Gajeel will have the same chance with Metalicana.
She walked over and knelt next to him, then smiled as he snored. He kind of looks cute like this…
"I… I…" She heard Gajeel mumbled.
"Wonder what's he dreaming of..."
"Iron Dragon's Hard Fist!" A metal covered fist at her face sent her crashing out through the roof.
"Gh hi hi." Gajeel laughed in his sleep. "Eat that… Ice Prick."
"Ow…" Levy, hanging on the edge of the canal, said as she rubbed at the bruise where Gajeel hit her. "I should have known that would happen."
That night, the black-haired boy was slurping up water from the river.
"Ah…" He sighed in relief as the cool fluid rivered down his throat. He gazed up at the full moon, admiring its beauty.
But the sounds of growls startled him as he saw that a pack of wolves had surrounded him.
"Keep back. I am not an enemy."
The alpha wolf let out a vicious bark, and soon the entire pack was leaping towards the boy.
But before the wolf could even touch him, the alpha suddenly to fall to the ground in a dead stillness. And soon, the rest of the pack joined him in death.
"I'm sorry," The boy said sadly as the foliage around him withered away, while birds stopped flying and plummeted to the ground. "I tried to warn you to keep away. No one can come close to me. No matter how much I want to not take life, the world still rejects me."
A tear rolled down his face. "It's been seven years…"
He then muttered five names. Begging for them to come to him, wishing to see any one of them. And two of those names, were Gajeel and Natsu.
Hmm, a moment of rest opens the way to the next arc.
Kagura: So that man… don't tell me that it's…
Yeap. Anyway, leave your reviews and favorite and follow if you want. And stay tune for next week when I do a special chapter.
