When the Anima released Team Natsu, they fell from the sky and landed on top of each other. Natsu jumped up. "Where's Alex?" He asked. "Did the Anima send her home?"
The others looked around. "I don't see her," Lucy said worriedly.
"It seems the Anima did take her back to her world," Erza said after looking around with her guildmates.
"What are you talking about," Gajeel asked. "She landed in that tree over there." He pointed to Alex, laying in the branches of a tree nearby. She rubbed the back of her neck and started climbing down. "And what do you mean, 'her world'?"
Natsu and the others ignored him and ran over to Alex. Erik sighed and walked up to him, Wendy following him. She was also confused at her friends' words. "Come on, you two. I'll see if I can explain everything to you."
Lucy ran up and tackled Alex in a hug. "I'm so happy you're here," She said, smiling.
Erza slammed her hand into Alex's back and smiled. "Indeed. It would have been different without you here."
Alex winced and rubbed her back but smiled. "It's good to see you all again too."
Gray looked at her. "I'm sorry you weren't able to go back home, though. It has to be hard being away from your family."
Alex shrugged. "It's not like I have the monopoly on that," she admitted. She looked at the ground. "I'll admit I'm disappointed I didn't get to go home. It would have been good to see my parents and sister again."
"The Anima brought you back here, didn't it?" Natsu asked. When she nodded, he grinned. "Then the answer is obvious. You're already home. Fairy Tail is your family. And until you find another way back to your homeworld, we'll be here for you."
Alex smiled. "Yeah, I guess you're right." She looked up. It was raining again. "Let's go home."
The group began their walk back to Magnolia. "I can't believe you're from another world," Gajeel muttered. "And you almost left." He pulled Alex away from the others. "I'm glad you didn't leave," He admitted. "There's still not a lot of people around here that accept me as well as you do. It would have sucked if you left."
Alex smiled and patted his shoulder. "I would have missed you too." She looked at Team Natsu. "I guess it's a good thing the Anima didn't take me back like we thought it would. I would have missed so much here."
The walk was silent until they reached the outskirts of Magnolia. "Hey, look!" Natsu cheered. "We're home. Everything's back to normal!"
"Magnolia is too," Lucy said, relieved.
"Hang on," Erza said. "It's too early to rejoice. We need to make sure everyone is safe, too."
"Everyone's fine!" A voice shouted. The group looked up to see the Exceeds flying above them. "We got to Earthland a bit before you, see," one of them said.
"We've already flown around a bunch!" Another added. "And the people in the guild and city are all safe. It looks like none of them even realized they had turned into lacrima."
Alex grinned up at them while the others stared in shock. "Thank you for checking on our guild." She looked at her friends. "Why are you all surprised? The magic was taken from Edolas, and that includes people with magic in their bodies like the Exceeds."
The Exceeds landed in front of the Fairy Tail members. "The Exceeds are dangerous!" Carla said, pointing at them. "We have to send them back to Extalia."
Wendy kneeled in front of Carla with an encouraging smile. "Extalia is gone, remember? They have nowhere to go."
"We are sorry we threw stones at you when you were trying to help us," One Exceed said.
"But we don't have anywhere else to turn," Another added. "We'll change our ways. Please forgive us."
"Who cares about that?" Carla asked, frustrated. "You sent me to Earthland with orders to eliminate the Dragon Slayers!"
"That's right!" An elder Exceed said. "The Queen stole our eggs! I ain't ever gonna forget that, no way!"
"Is that what you think happened?" Alex asked. She thought about it for a minute, confused. Her face cleared, and she smiled sheepishly. "No wonder you were so upset with me. I forgot the timeline of things." She kneeled in front of Carla. "You need to calm down. The Queen didn't send you down here to eliminate anyone. It was for your safety."
The exceed Queen looked surprised. "How did you know that?" She asked.
Alex smiled and shook her head. "Not important." She pushed Carla closer to the Queen. "You should hear her out," she suggested. "I'm sure everything will be clearer when she's done."
The Queen and the elder Exceeds explained to Carla and Happy what it was they wanted to do. They wanted to protect their young from a disaster the Queen had predicted would happen. And to keep the other Exceeds from worrying, they came up with the lie of them being sent out to destroy the Dragon Slayers. Their explanation made a lot of things clear for the other exceeds as well. The plan was kept secret from the rest of the citizens of Extalia so they wouldn't panic about the impending doom of their country.
When the Queen and the elders finished their explanation, the Queen looked at Carla. "We didn't expect you would have the same ability to see the future as I do. But it seems you activate it subconsciously and confuse it with your memories. There was no mission."
"So I saw flashes of the future?" Carla asked, confused. She looked at Alex. "Why didn't you tell me? It would have made everything so much easier."
"Would you have believed me?" Alex asked, tilting her head. "It's hard enough to believe right now, isn't it?"
"So many hardships and the front I had to show the citizens of Extalia, combined to cause you so much suffering. And when I stole the one-hundred eggs from people's families, I caused incredible sorrow. That is why I handed you that sword earlier. It is not the Exceed as a whole who are at fault, but me. I'm so sorry for all the pain I have caused you." The other Exceeds were quick to disagree with their Queen. They let her know it was their fault for being too overconfident in themselves, and she was just looking to protect them.
The Exceed decided to fly around Earthland to find the other children who were evacuated with Happy and Carla. The group of Exceed took off into the sky, waving as they flew off. The Queen and the elders were relieved when Carla accepted their apology, but not before asking them why she had the same power as the Queen. They managed to avoid the question while Happy had a conversation with the Exceed, who looked like he could be Happy's father.
Natsu and Gray began to copy the Exceed Nadi, and Nichiya started to freak Erza out with how much he resembled his Earthland Doppelganger.
"For now, we'll live near here," The Queen told Carla. She held a hand out and pulled her into a hug. "We can see each other whenever we want." Carla melted into the hug after a moment, while Happy's mom invited him to visit whenever he wanted. They flew off to join the rest of the Exceeds.
Alex smiled and waved as the Exceeds flew off into the distance. She was happy the Exceeds were going to be close by. Happy and Carla deserved to have all of their family near, even if they didn't know they were family. She was beginning to feel homesick, so not wanting to bring down her friends' mood, she began to walk back to the house she shared with the Oracion Seis.
Erik looked over to her and rolled his eyes. "Hey, wait up," He said, walking up next to her. Alex smiled and let him catch up to her so they could walk back together.
"Alright!" Natsu cheered. "Let's go back to the guild."
"How should we report this to anyone?" Lucy asked, curious.
"Do we have to say anything?" Gray asked. "No one knows anything even happened."
"We have to say something," Erza said. "We can't keep quiet about what happened to Mystogan."
"Hang on a minuted," Gajeel said. "Where's Lily? I ain't seen Panther Lily around anywhere."
"If you're looking for me, I'm over here," A voice said. The group turned to see a small version of Panther Lily standing off to the side. "It seems as if Earthland doesn't match well with my constitution," he said when they commented on how small he was. "Right now, I want to join this guild that took such good care of the Prince. You'll keep your promise and help me get in, right, Gajeel?"
Gajeel grinned and began squeezing the Exceed. "Of course I will, partner!" He let the Exceed down. "I'll talk to Alex, and I'm sure we can get the Master to agree to let you in the guild." He smirked. "If she can convince him to let a bunch of former criminals in, I'm sure she can convince him of anything."
Panther Lily nodded. "Now on to other matters. I caught a couple of suspicious people." He yanked on the rope he was holding and pulled two people out of the trees.
"Hang on," A woman's voice said earnestly. "We're not suspicious. We're members of Fairy Tail." The two girls came forward. "What is with this cat? Are you an Exceed?"
"Lisanna?" Natsu asked, surprised.
Lucy looked at the two. "Hey, is that Amber?"
"What's your problem?" Gajeel demanded of the two girls. "You talkin' crap about my cat?"
Amber looked at Lucy and ignored Gajeel. "You're Lucy, right? One of Alex's friends?" Lucy nodded. Amber smiled at her. "It's good to see you again."
"But that's impossible," Gray stammered.
"Lisanna!" Erza cried.
"But I thought those two were from Edolas?" Happy said, confused.
"How did they follow us?" Wendy asked. "What'll we do?"
Lisanna looked at the group in front of them. She gasped in surprise when she saw Natsu and ran forward, tackling him, Panther Lily and Amber being dragged along with her."Natsu!" She cried. She smiled at him. "Finally, I get to see you. I get to see the real Natsu." She squeezed Happy and told Erza and Gray how happy she was to see them again.
Amber groaned and tried to stand up. "I'm still tied up with you, woman! Control yourself."
"Sorry, Amber," Lisanna smiled sheepishly. "I'm just so happy to see my Natsu again."
She told them what happened when she had 'died' and how she had been living her life, pretending she was that Edolas' Lisanna.
"Amber was one of the first friends I made back on Edolas," Lisanna said, smiling. "She was one of the few people I was going to be sad to leave behind because I knew there wasn't another one of her here." She gave the blonde a hug. "So I'm so happy she was able to come too."
Anber rolled her eyes. "Alright. I'm pretty glad I got to come to." She looked to the Fairies surrounding them. "Can one of you untie me now?"
Lucy stepped up to her when Erza pulled her back. "This could be a trick of some kind. Can you be sure she's who she says she is?"
Lucy looked at the girl in front of her and nodded. "I'm sure of it." She looked around. "It would be better if we could ask Alex. She would be her sister."
Erza nodded and looked around for the Devil Slayer. "Where did she go?" She asked.
Wendy stepped forward. "I think I saw her and Erik-san head home already," She said.
"I see," Erza said. "Unfortunate." She turned back to the two girls. "Lisanna has already proven she is who she says she is, and since she trusts, you Amber, so will I. However," She held a sword to the girl. "Make no mistake, Alex is a guild member and a friend. If you only intend to harm her, you will have some dangerous enemies to deal with." She used her sword to cut the ropes on the two girls. "Let's go home."
With Erik and Alex
"You know, you could have told them you weren't thrilled to be back," Erik said, walking behind Alex on their way home. "They would have understood."
"Sure they would have," Alex retorted. "It's Natsu and friends. But I would have ended up upsetting them, and I can't do that. Besides," She added, upset. "I shouldn't be upset I came back here. I have too much I'm doing now. I can't go home and leave you and the rest of my housemates to fend for yourself. Going home would have been selfish."
Erik snorted. "No offense, but we can take care of ourselves, Fairy Girl. And you're allowed to be selfish every once in a while. You can be upset about not seeing your old world or your other family again."
Alex sighed and sat down next to a tree in the park. "Then can we just sit here for a little while?" She asked. "I don't want to go back to the house yet." Erik nodded and sat down beside her. She leaned her head against his shoulder, tired. "I miss home," She muttered as she watched the rainfall.
"I know Fairy Girl, I know," Erik patted her head as they watched the rain.
The two watched the rain until they heard footsteps coming their way. "Erik!" Erza shouted. "What are you two doing in the rain?"
Before the Poison Dragon Slayer could utter a retort, Amber spoke up. "It's something we used to do back home. Isn't that right, big sister?"
Alex looked up, and her eyes widened when she saw Amber standing there. "Amber, is that you?" She stood up and ran over to her. "It looks like you..." She moved the girl's bangs to see a faint line across the girl's eyebrow. "There's the scar you got from trying to fly off that rock when you were seven." She grinned and hugged the girl. "It really is you!"
Amber laughed and hugged Alex back. "It's so good to see you again. I wasn't sure you were you when we met back on Edolas."
Alex looked at her. "I have so much to tell you! But first, let's get you out of the rain. I'm sure you're ready for some dry clothes."
"Sure," Amber smiled. "But first," She looked at the tree Alex was under earlier. "Do you think we can just sit here and watch the rain for a little while?"
Alex grinned. "Of course." She looked at Erik and the others. "We'll be along soon. Do you think you can let the others know where I am?"
Erik nodded. "Yeah, don't worry about it, Fairy Girl. Just hang out with your sister."
Amber raised her eyebrow at the nickname. " 'Fairy Girl, huh?" She asked when the group left the two alone.
Alex laughed and sat down by the tree. "Settle down, little sister. Do I have a story to tell you."
Hey everybody! As promised, here's another chapter. I hope to get back to 1 chapter a week, but I won't make any promises. The Fairies are back home! And I am thrilled to introduce you all to Amber, who will be a permanent character I think. I hope you all grow to love her. Thank you all for reading my story. I hope you continue to enjoy what I write as much as I enjoy writing it. I'll see you all in the next chapter! Bye for now!
