Sunset washed over the Akane Resort. Kai leaned against the railing of the hotel room, his back to the sun, while he watched Milliana, Wally, and Sho continue to mingle in their own room. They'd been that way for hours: packing and talking excitedly about stuff. Kai could've listened in, but instead decided to listen to the hollow roar of the ocean and not eavesdrop on his old friends.

Old?

No.

Just friends.

Millianna looked up at Kai quite often, and then over to Iggy. Iggy sat on the railing facing the sunset.

"What makes a sunset so peaceful?" she asked with a purr.

"I'm not sure," Kai said. Sho and Wally accidentally bumped heads and laughed it off. "The colors, maybe?"

"It is rather cozy," Iggy agreed.

The sun caught in Kai's eye in reflection of the glass door, so Kai turned around and looked down, toward the beach, where Gray sat in one of the resort's beach chairs, sipping a drink by himself and watching the sunset as well.

Natsu was probably knocked out still. That Dragon Force power had really taken a toll on his body. They'd been relaxing and catching up at the resort for three days. Erza and Kai were out for most of the first day but spent much of the next couple of days with their old friends. They were at last able to vacation with them. The others couldn't believe the privileges they'd had stolen from them, like warm water showers.

"Nighttime is also coming," Kai said. "A quiet time, I guess."

"That's true."

"But I've never experienced a sunset like this one," Kai admitted.

"Really? It looks like all the other ones I've seen the last three days."

Kai grinned and patted Iggy on the top of her head. "I've never experienced a sunset this quiet and peaceful. Even the last couple of days have had rambunctious sunsets."

"That's because you've had to keep Millianna from clawing into you." She rolled her eyes. "And me, now that I think about it…"

"Mostly," Kai said. "But look at them, Iggy." Kai gestured back at the room without switching his gaze. "They're getting ready to leave."

"I think Erza wants to invite them to Fairy Tail."

"Exactly. Whatever life they had before is over. They're not living a life bound by cages and the walls of a cursed tower, they're living without them. They're living free. They can make mistakes and not get killed for them. They can listen to their own hearts, not the dark will of others'. Even if they join Fairy Tail, where we have rules and guidelines, it's a life where you live by the beauty of the world to help others and defend one another."

"They should take the offer," Iggy said, standing precariously on the balcony railing. "I think I'd call them fools if they didn't."
Kai shrugged. "I'd be surprised if they didn't, at least so they could have Erza and I's protection."

"From what?"

"Their nightmares. Erza and I had eight years to sort through our thoughts about the Tower, and we've only just gotten over them. They've been there all that time, stuck in a timeless hellhole. They may need someone to be there to tell them it's okay."

"You can do that?"

"I want to do that, Iggy." Kai glanced at the little cat with wings. Iggy, though, didn't have a hard face. She was smiling.

"That's why you can."

Kai reached out and Iggy held Kai's hand in both of her paws, then let it go and placed it back on the railing. He leaned forward and didn't react to his sword at his hip.

For the last three days he didn't wear it. He didn't have to.

Dusk fell, pushing away the sun. Kai had joined Gray at the beach while the Ice-Make Wizard packed up his things.

"We really should come out here more often," Gray said. "We don't take enough vacations."

"Problem is that Lucy's rent is just way too damn high," Kai said. "Otherwise you guys wouldn't need to take on all those jobs."

Gray laughed. "That's true. But still, I think we deserve it. I mean this is like, what, a few world-saving trips in a couple months? Gotta admit that's earned us a few vacations."

Kai nodded. "It has, it definitely has."

Gray picked up the rest of his things. "But you don't want a vacation."

"I like to rest, Gray, I really do, but I just can't stop working," Kai said.

"The Tower is gone, man," Gray said. "You can keep getting stronger to prepare you for other jobs, sure, but you don't need to put up your walls anymore. You and Erza can rest easy now, right?"

"Maybe Erza," Kai said.

Darkness came upon the ocean as the sun faded away, its golden light vanished behind the horizon.

"And you?"

Chills coursed through Kai's veins. "I still have another nightmare I need to deal with one day. My uncle, Acnologia. A dragon."

"The dragons are all gone."

"Not this one. I can feel it. When I find Kairi, I'm sure I'll find him." Kai formed a small ball of ice in his hand, perfectly rounded. "I need to be able to help her defeat him. He's tortured and tormented her for so long."

"Well, you are a Dragon Slayer."

"I need that Dragon Force," Kai said. "The thing Natsu was able to get. That's the power to defeat Acnologia."

Kai crushed the ball of ice in his hand and little twinkles of ice drifted into the sky from the sea breeze.

"You know where to go if you need any help against that guy," Gray said, and clapped Kai's shoulder. Kai nodded and let Gray go on ahead.

He had a few moments of quiet to himself, to try and push Acnologia away, but they were quickly disturbed by light footsteps he was only barely able to pick up on. They moved with great delicacy before coming to a halt.

Kai spun and there stood Millianna, her arms behind her back, cheeks red, ears perked. Her lips curled into the slightest smile.

"Mill," Kai said. "You spooked me."

"Sorry," she said, and approached.

Some nerves fluttered in Kai. He really hoped Erza didn't see this and think anything of it. Erza had to know about the crush Millianna had on Kai since they were kids, right?

She stopped next to Kai and looked to all the stars above.

"I thought about you and Erza all the time, Kai," Millianna said. "I wondered if you were ever going to come back. I never thought we'd be the ones to find you."

"I'm sorry you had to find us under those circumstances," Kai said.

Millianna squeezed Kai's arm. "Me too. But…after everything that's happened, I can't help but feel happy, you know? Happy that we're all together again."

Kai sucked in a breath. "But Simon—"

"Has peace. I mean, now he can go on and live with the rest of our friends. Now he can tell them all about how much we've all grown, about the people we've become, and the new friends we've made."

Kai smiled and looked away to hide the little tears sliding down his face. "Wow, Mill, thank you for that."

"He can talk about you and Erza, too."

The hairs on Kai's neck stood. "What?"

"Kai, I know." She tapped her forehead. "Cats are pretty smart, ain't they?"

A fish flopped around nearby and her attention shot over to it momentarily before it returned to Kai. Her gaze shifted from focus to a warmer one.

"I like you, Kai," Millianna said. "I want to make you happy, I want to save you. But someone's already done all of that for you. So I want to keep you happy, and I want you to hold onto Erza. Hold your hearts together. That's what makes you two so strong."

"Mill, I—"

"Trust me. I've thought about this, too." She smiled and then leaned up and kissed Kai on the cheek. She flung her arms around him, wrapping him in a tight—much tighter than Kai expected—hug. "You're both my friends, and I don't want to see anymore pain from either of you, hear me?"

"I hear you, Mill."

She stepped back and replaced her arms behind her back, a cheeky little cat grin forming on her lips.

"And one more thing."

"Oh?"

She blushed again, and took a few steps forward, as if she were letting the ocean breeze carry her a few steps.

"I saw everything you and your friends were able to do. It was amazing. I saw the bonds you hold and carry, and I've seen that in myself, Sho, Wally, and Simon. Sho and Wally want to see the world. And I want to as well."

The waves crashed down on the ocean.

"Good, Millianna, I'm happy for you three."

"But I won't."

Mill turned around and the moon and starlight revealed her true face, a determined one, an assured one.

"I want to do something different, something crazier. I want to make new bonds, more bonds. My heart is full, yeah, but I think I can handle a bit more. Kai, I want to become a Fairy Tail wizard like you and Erza."

The lull of the ocean surged again. Kai couldn't recall a single time Millianna had ever been like this. Not just determined, but confident. He'd thought this when they had a small bout in the Tower, but, this was different. This wasn't just a woman that had some powerful magic; this was a woman who wanted to turn the page in the book of life.

"Then welcome to the family." Kai held his hand out, and his excited feline friend jumped into the air with a loud cheer.

Wally and Sho pushed their boat out to the water on the other side of the beach later that night. Kai, Erza, and Millianna followed them from behind while they tried to "sneak" away. Millianna had already told them that she planned to stay, and they were both respectful and excited for her.

They mumbled to one another about not wanting to bother Erza or Kai as they shoved the boat out into the water. Just as they were about to climb in, Erza called, "Boys!"

Both spun around. Kai and Erza emerged.

"Dang, we hoped you wouldn't see us," Sho muttered.

"Hard enough to say goodbye," Wally said.

Millianna appeared from behind Erza. "It's okay, boys. It's not goodbye, it's just see you later, right?"

Sho sniffled, as if that would stop the imminent sobs. "Yeah, I—I guess so."

"Besides, you can't leave until you've had a proper Fairy Tail Farewell Ceremony," Erza said.

"What?" Wally asked. "But we were never even in—"

"First!" Erza exclaimed, and a brilliant light consumed her. When it died, it was replaced by her resplendent Farewell Armor. "You must never reveal sensitive information to anyone about the guild for as long as you live!"

"Two!" Kai exclaimed, stepping forward. "You must never contact past clients you may have work for while in the guild, for your own personal gain!"

"Three!" Kai and Erza called together. "Although our path must stray, promise to live rest of your life to the fullest. That means you must treat everyday like it was your last day in this world. Never forget your Fairy Tail friends you loved, you must treasure them for as long as you live!"

"Begin the Farewell Ceremony!"

Natsu, Gray, and Lucy, from the shore, cheered and followed accordingly, each of them using their magic to shoot fiery, icey, and golden fireworks into the air that exploded in a brilliant array above all of them. Millianna bounced up and down in cheers. Kai created an icy ramp that the boat started to slip down.

Wally and Sho leapt in and watched and waved to them.

Kai waved back at them. "Live every day to the fullest, leave nothing to chance!"

"Remember your bonds!" Erza said. "Let them give you strength!"

"And don't forget to write!" Millianna exclaimed.

Wally and Sho couldn't call back, but they could loudly sob and wave to them as they did. Kai tried to ignore the knot in his throat, but it quickly grew to be too much and exploded into some tears. He had to bow his head.

He wanted them to stay, he wanted them to be under he and Erza's watchful eye, but they had their own paths.

However, he was sure he would see them again one day.

The next morning they woke to a good old couple of rounds between Natsu and Gray tumbling all around the hotel, startling Millianna.

"Do they always fight like this?"

"Most of the time, yes," Kai said. They were all still in vacation-wear, despite the fact that they were all preparing to head home for Magnolia. Kai was preparing for a dreadful few hours of cart-riding.

Iggy floated nearby. "These two, I swear, just don't know when to stop."

"And there's only more waiting for you at the guild," Kai said.

Millianna watched them tumble out the front door, accidentally bumping Lucy and getting her absorbed into their twister of chaos.

"How does this usually end?"

Kai and Iggy just waited. Millianna gestured for them to answer, but, they didn't. Nor did they need to, as a powerful voice boomed at them and a scarlet-haired queen stepped out from the cart and got them all to snap to attention.

"Like that," Kai said, and nudged his feline friends along to the carts.

"I've got a few more things I need to grab from inside," Erza said when they got downstairs. "Don't touch anything until I return."

"Yes ma'am," the three said, snapped to attention. Happy giggled at them, but when Erza glared at him, he also shut up.

"I'll help you," Kai said, and followed her.

The two travelled in silence, but Erza did reach out and take Kai's hand once they were back in the resort.

Erza opened the door to her room, then grabbed Kai's collar and Kai pulled her in and the two almost slammed their heads into a kiss. They needed to work on that. Kai kissed her again.

"Never took you to be so passionate, Erza," Kai said.

"I've had to wait since yesterday to do that," Erza said, stifling a giggle.

Kai kissed her once more. "Didn't have to wait long for that."

Erza chuckled and slapped Kai's chest. "Careful not to get too naughty in public."

"Naughty?" Kai asked, and Erza just laughed. It filled his heart to hear her do so, to watch her smile and go about life with her shoulders rolled back.

Her armor gone. Her shields were down. Kai reached out and took her hand, squeezed it, then turned back and helped her with her massive bags.

"We should go on a quest after this, Kai," Erza said. "Just the two of us."

"What was that about not being naughty?"

Erza blushed. "No! But I've heard that it's good for couples to go on a little quest together after their union to see how well they work together."

"We've been on hundreds of quests."

"But not together-together."

Kai tilted his head up in realization and understanding. "I gotcha. Yes, I would very much like that."

"Good," Erza said. "Because I may have one already picked—"

It struck them both at the same time. Erza and Kai shook their heads, but their smiles were no smaller with the realization that,

"Fantastia is coming up," they said together.

Excitement fluttered in Kai's heart. He and Erza walked out of the resort together, giggling and chatting about all the different ways they could spend time and go on little dates throughout the festivities.

Kai usually liked going home after a long quest to spend quiet time with Erza. Now? He didn't even mind the impending motion sickness, he needed to get to Magnolia instantly.

His first Fantastia with Erza Scarlet, his girlfriend, and love of his life.

Oh, what a feeling to know that. To be assured that not only did he feel it, but when he looked at Erza, he saw it mirrored in her beautiful brown eyes.

That's a wrap for the Tower of Heaven! Thanks for tuning in! and hope to see you next time!

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