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Chapter 36: Return of Gildarts
It was like any other day for Fairy Tail. The sun was shining, the sky a neat hue of blue, and the hall itself a flood of chatter and cheer. Over at the bar were Cana and Cynthia talking over mugs full of beer served by Mirajane as she passed orders around. With the guild hall's new size to fit more of its members, she was sorely in need of help being only one person. Fortunately, that came in the form of Adrian assisting the bartender in all but name going as far as to dress sharply in a black suit with a silver bowtie. In the two weeks Adrian joined Fairy Tail, it grew on the members as there was a certain charm to a dabber twelve year old bringing orders of food and drink. Wendy to her shame that brought a blush as she the thought (and inner glee) took advantage of that having her orders specifically given to her by Adrian when he was on shift. At least Carla never had suspicions of Wendy's ulterior motives.
'He looks so good in a suit.' Wendy swooned as her eyes landed on the approaching redhead.
Though there were the times when Wendy 'felt' Adrian was being used for his position for ulterior motives. The lines of thinking was born when the women of Fairy Tail, especially the older members. These people ordered drinks and snacks frequently and every time Adrian arrived he would be pushed and pulled for those womanly members to adore at his cuteness for what was cuter than a little waiter. They hardly even consumed their orders and only did so just to have Adrian in their grasp. Every time Wendy saw that, she knew there were taking advantage of him in someway and definitely not because they kept pinching his cheeks, ruffling his hair, and holding his hands. That was her job!
The pressure around Wendy was already increasing with a dark blue aura surrounding her body. Such was the growing dread in her power that some of the guild backed away. To her shame, Wendy hated when the older women got at Adrian. Her only fortune was that he was completely clueless, but by her Grandeeny did she hate those harlots!
That all instantly disappeared when Wendy caught sight of Adrian approaching and she flashed her crush a bright smile. This time, Adrian was off duty in the kitchen and arrived with both of their breakfast meals of the day. Wendy had taken a bench in the corner that was remotely more secluded in comparison to the rest of the guild hall. Just enough to give Wendy and Adrian some modicum of privacy. Giving the Dragon Slayer a greeting smile, Adrian set down Wendy's meal that was a stack of chocolate-chip pancakes served alongside scrambled eggs and a strawberry smoothie. For himself, Adrian brought a more savory meal with a plate of hash browns over corn beef and a cheese omelet.
He set it down next to Wendy, who happily scooted over to give Adrian room but just enough that their shoulders would meet. Whenever she could, Wendy wanted nothing more than be close to the God Slayer to feel his warm aura. It was all she could do as her heart raced in her chest. Across from the pair were Natsu and Lucy, hogging their whole side of the bench covered in their impressively sized meals. Their meals were any usual breakfast, but had a bizarre quality to it that all the food was either surrounded or covered in flames in multiple colors ranging from red to blue. Lucy and Natsu's gorge on the fires slurping into their maws kept away the danger of burning the guild hall. Happy was sitting on Natsu's shoulder chowing on a whole fish.
"Remind me to thank Mirajane for making these delicious flames." Lucy complimented, almost moaning in the taste after biting into a piece of egg burning in blue fire. "How did she come up with this?"
Natsu's usual wide smile for a moment became strained. "Let's just say a... very close friend figured something out."
Happy chewing slowed down as he was hit by a wave of depression so suddenly knowing who that 'close friend' is. Lucy herself knew instinctively that she stepped onto a rather foul memory by the slight shift in Natsu's demeanor, but for the sake of Natsu did not press on it. Until the time comes Natsu was comfortable enough to talk about it, Lucy won't try to force it out of Natsu. The blonde Demon Slayer chose to turn her attention to Wendy and on sight brought a warm smile to her face.
"So Wendy, have you been doing well now that you have settled in Fairy Tail?" Lucy asked.
Wendy, in the midst of enjoying her pancakes, widened her eyes in attention and swallowed her food to speak clearly. "Yeah. Fairy Tail is so cool. It's like everything from Cait Shelter, but bigger - and real. Though I don't think I would have gotten my bearings if it weren't for Adrian."
"Don't sell yourself short." Adrian quipped, turning to face Wendy. "All I did was help you out on that mission. You did all the hard work and without breaking a sweat. You're far stronger than you think, Wendy."
"Thank you, Adrian." Wendy said in a bright blush.
Lucy hid a snicker as she drank a mug of apple juice. She found it so cute whenever Wendy blushed red till her took the hue of a cherry and it contrasted so nicely with her deep blue hair. The Demon Slayer was very much proud how the Sky Dragon Slayer got along with Fairy Tail. Like any mother hen, she had worried Wendy would be out of place, but the charisma and kindness that was the guild did not push her away. The only thing missing from Wendy was the Dragon Slayer joining in a brawl instead of hiding away from it.
'She is stronger than she realizes.' Lucy thought, thinking to her Wendy's Sky Dragon Slayer Magic and the incredible ocean of power Lucy had only witnessed at Cait Shelter. 'All of us know that.'
Twin satisfied sighs caught Lucy's attention to her boyfriend Natsu (how giddy she felt every time she thought of that) and Happy with a graveyard of empty plates and fish bones before them. They were leaning back patting bellies full of food letting only a single burp escape.
"That hit the spot!" Natsu snickered with his usual toothy grin. "Nothing beats a full-course of all the tasty delights."
"Aye, sir!" Exclaimed Happy.
"Oh..." Lucy said, giving Natsu a sultry look. "But you haven't had the tastiest treat yet?"
Natsu, bless his default naivety, gave Lucy a quizzical expression followed with a grunt in the same manner. Before he could question his confusion, Lucy sprang upon grabbing his vest and abruptly pull him close to smash her lips on his. The surprise from Natsu caught him off guard for Lucy to slip her tongue through to keep his mouth open. Then came the golden hellfire breathed from Lucy for Natsu to feed. In a second, Natsu relaxed in the kiss and few seconds after that did Lucy decide to let go, a bright blush and cheeky grin on her face whilst leaving a slightly stupefied Natsu.
"Oh, jeez..." Adrian muttered, looking away as his cheeks flushed red.
"So bold." Wendy commented, not trying to hide away and instead paying rapt attention to the scene.
"Well, how about that?" Lucy said.
Natsu gave a tipsy grin. "That definitely tops it all."
All motion and sound in the guild, and Magnolia Town to an extent, halted as the bells of Kardia Cathedral tolled. Lucy knew instantly the bells' signaling was different both by the pitch and the reactions from the guild members. Even Cana and Cynthia magically got out of their flushed state. Eventually, the hall filled with the sound of anxious whispers.
"No way, he's back!?"
"After all this time!?"
"Sure took his sweet time!"
Quizzical expressions appeared on the newer members of Fairy Tail, including Wendy, Lucy, and Cynthia. Adrian showed no dramatic reaction, but a smile did grace his face. Out of everyone Lucy saw, it was Natsu who seemed the most excited by the smile on his face.
"Oh yeah, Gildart's back." Natsu cheered, followed by most of the Fairy Tail members.
"Gildarts?" Lucy said, tilting her head. "He sounds important, but I don't think I've heard of him. Who is he?"
"It's not impossible to not know Gildarts. He is a reclusive man, and for good reason."
Lucy turned to the right where Erza now stood over her. A smile blessed the redhead's face, and to Lucy's shock the plate of strawberry cake in held in her hand was untouched.
"The toll of the bells is a signal that Gildarts is returning to the guild." Erza explained. "He is quite popular as he is the strongest mage in the entire guild, already surpassing Master Makarov long ago. Even I can't hold a candle to him; Gildarts is in a league of his own."
Lucy widened her eyes in surprise. While Erza was not exactly boastful of her strength like Laxus, the blonde held the Queen of Fairies in high regard. In her mind, Lucy thought they were at least on par unless the Demon Slayer used her Demon Force. A grin stretched her face at the thought of testing herself against Gildarts, and her demon side was cackling in excitement the more she pondered on it. Her expression was caught by Erza and the redhead knew on sight what Lucy was thinking.
"I would not try it, Lucy." Erza lightly chastised. "Gildarts is too strong for you to have a test of your strength, much less defeating him. Besides, you will have to get in line behind Natsu. You might want to hold onto something."
"What do you - Woah!"
"Eep!"
Even as she was standing, the sudden and tremendous shaking of literally everything forced Lucy to wail her arms till she latched on the table and seat of the bench. The shaking was so intense, Lucy could feel the cramps that came from her weakness to mobile vehicles. Everyone else was more or less the same grabbing a hold of something sturdy to keep their balance. Adrian had one hand on the bench to keep himself steady while Wendy latched onto him for support. Makarov seem to have the least trouble with his seat on the bar content with his mug of ale. Cynthia...
"Weeeee!" Cried the vampiress in joy as she and bar stool she sat on slid up and down the hall.
"What the heelll?!" Lucy cursed, steadily regaining her balance from all the shaking.
Erza answered her pleas. "It's called the Gildarts Shift, built throughout the entirety of Magnolia. Gildarts is a user of Crash Magic, but his power is so overwhelming he destroys anything simply walking by. It was deemed necessary for the entire town to shift to create a singular, open path for Gildarts to walk through and straight to the guild."
"Are you kidding me!?" Lucy exclaimed. "Oh gods, don't tell me that's where Natsu picked up his destructive habits. And why is that he's been gone for so long?!"
Erza replied. "Gildarts went on the highest level of quest, a Hundred-Year Quest. Some of us honestly never expected the man to return. The fact he is here now is quite joyous."
Finally, the shaking stopped and after mentally thanking still ground Lucy made her way to the front of guild. Slamming open the doors, the Demon Slayer's eyes widened in disbelief at the view she was greeted. The entire town had literally transformed at such magnitude with entire streets conjoined, to entire blocks rising as high as mountain and spread so far apart. All this for a single road wide enough to have a score of people march through, but one man walked down it straight to Fairy Tail.
With her enhanced vision, it was easy for Lucy to take in the appearance of the man known as Gildarts. He had a head of burnt orange hair with stubble around his face and wore a tattered brown cloak that hid his upper body. Nothing much to go on, but Gildarts's stature let to his intimidating factor as Lucy had never seen someone so tall and rugged before.
Despite the slow pace, it didn't take long for Gildarts to enter the guild hall. Everyone stood in silence to stare at the stoic man, not daring to speak a word until he did. Then a smile spread his face and he raised his hand up high in a greeting wave.
"Yo, I'm back." Gildarts said in a voice expected of a forty year old.
On cue, the members of Fairy Tail erupted with cheer. Even Cynthia joining in raising a mug of ale while also studying the ace of Fairy Tail. Gildarts looked over the crowd, complimenting familiar faces like Gray and Erza to how much they have grown since he has been gone. He was especially guffawed by the contrast of the current Mira to the sadistic girl he knew before he left. The ace continued through this until he made it to Master Makarov.
"Hey, old man, I'm back." Gildarts greeted with a smile.
"So you have." Makarov replied. "Did the mission go well?"
Gildarts took on a bashful look. "Ah ha... about that. Turns out the quest was too hard for me."
Silence fell on the entire hall at the words Gildarts just spoke. To most of the guild, the concept of their ace failing was unfathomable. Natsu for a second had a look of disbelief, but quickly washed it away to curiosity. What would make someone like Gildarts abandon a quest.
"Sorry, old man." Gildarts apologized. "This won't look good on Fairy Tail's reputation."
"Bah, forget about that." Makarov waved off the concern. "All I care is that you are home safe and sound."
Gildarts chuckled. "Thanks. Now, I know there is someone I'm missing here. Where's Lisanna and Na-"
"Fight me, Gildarts!" Cried Natsu, leaping over the air with his signature battle grin and fist of fire.
Lucy smacked herself with a facepalm and groaned into the palm. She had let Natsu out of her sight for one second, but it was enough for him to be a reckless idiot. Manhandling had already failed with using her fire whips, but Natsu was getting wiser and eating them instead. Maybe fucking him stupid will get the regular stupid out of him?
She expected for Natsu to cause a commotion before eventually beating defeated by Fairy Tail's ace. Lucy did not expect for Gildarts to not give Natsu a glance and straight up strike him nonchalantly hard enough for the Dragon Slayer to hit the ceiling to stay there. A blow of course that didn't outright knock out Natsu, but left him dazed for a good while.
"Good to see ya, Natsu." Gildarts greeted, turning around and looking up at the salmon-haired teen. "After all this time, you still haven't changed, huh?"
Blinking the daze out his eyes, Natsu flashed Gildarts a grin that the ace returned. Even after all this time, he was still as strong as ever. While part of him felt irritated that the progress he has made over the years haven't made any difference, it was all drowned out by the sheer excitement Natsu felt at facing the strongest person he knew.
"Fancy having a drink, Gildarts?" Makarov offered. "Even coming out alive from a hundred year quest is sure to have you quite drained."
"Yeah, but I'll get some rest at home." Gildarts replied, making his way oddly towards the wall. "Natsu! Come to my place when you can. I've got some neat stuff for you. Now pardon me."
As he said those goodbyes, Lucy watched in confusion why the man was still approaching the wall without care. Surely he would simply bump into it. Instead, the wall gave into him as once Gildarts was in reaching distance the bricks glowed a pure white in a paneled pattern and disintegrated in an explosion the next second to give way to Gildarts. Lucy gawked at the display; it wasn't even on purpose rather than the sheer waves of his power were so dense they acted on their own.
"Wonder what he's got for me." Natsu exclaimed excitedly. "I simply can't wait for whatever cool stuff he has."
To her dismay, Natsu proceeded to copy his idol and punch another hole in the wall for himself to walk through. Shock turned to slight anger ready to be used to reprimand him until he turned back towards Lucy with an expectant gaze.
"Well, why are you waiting for, Lucy?" Natsu asked as Happy flew over to perch on his shoulder.
Lucy blinked for a moment to process the question. "You... want me to come with you to see Gildarts? Shouldn't be better if you alone see him? I mean, it's been so long and I don't want to im-"
"Pfft, Lucy you aren't making any sense." Natsu interrupted. "I want you to come with me. That's the point, so let's go. I'll introduce him to you and you'll see how much of a cool guy he really is."
Lucy sighed and gave Natsu a wistful smile. "Fine, you win."
The Demon Slayer walked in step a pace behind Natsu. Their journey went to the outskirts of Magnolia where hills of green grass and crystal clear streams were a plenty. They soon came to a stone bridge where on the other side Lucy could pick Gildarts' scent leading inside of a hut that had to be his home. At first, Lucy found it strange the ace lives in an isolated area, but it made sense given his immense power and Crash Magic.
Natsu didn't have the decency to knock and slammed open the door. "Yo!"
"Hey, sir!" Added Happy.
"Oh, you're here." Gildarts greeted from where he sat on stool looking over a burning fireplace. "Ah, you brought a new lady friend over, too. Who is this beauty that you have with you, Natsu?"
"My name is Lucy Heartfilia." The Demon Slayer chose to introduce herself before clinging onto Natsu's right arm. "And I am Natsu's girlfriend."
Gildarts widened his eyes in surprise. "W-Woah! Really? Is this true, Natsu?"
"Yeah." Natsu confirmed, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment. "That's Lucy in a nutshell."
"So... how close are you, really?" Gildarts pressed on with a glint of anxiousness.
Lucy gave a sly smirk and nibbled at his ear. "Very close."
"Lucy's a pervert." Happy chimed.
"I WILL COOK YOU!"
A whimper grabbed the trio's attention back to Gildarts. To their bafflement, rivers of tears streamed down his face. They were not tears of sorrow as they looked at Natsu with a father's pride. He suddenly lunged forward, wrapping Natsu in a one-armed hug.
"I'm so proud of you, Natsu!" Cried Gildarts. "You've become a man. And with such a beautiful girl."
'Don't tell me this guy is a womanizer!' Lucy thought in dismay.
"Tell me Natsu," Gildarts said, a strange grin forming on his face, "how did it feel the first time? How plush did her skin feel under your touch?"
At this point, a nasty tick mark appeared on Lucy's forehead. Her eyes turned to a vibrant pick and she raised her fists encased in golden fire awfully tempted to deck Gildarts. On the other hand, Natsu, being clueless as he was, gave Gildarts a quizzical expression at the questions.
"What kind of questions are those?" Natsu said in an annoyed tone. "If you're talking about when we have sex, then she has a habit of not letting go. And her chest is very heavy, especially when she squishes my head in them."
'Too much information!' Lucy thought as she settled her ire on Natsu.
"Natsu dear..." Lucy spoke in a menacingly sweet tone, making Natsu freeze as the Demon Slayer planted a crushing grip on his shoulder. "Be a darling, stop being an idiot, and please shut up."
"S-Sumimasen!" Natsu whined like a kicked puppy, his face going pale.
"Ha-ha-ha-ha!" Gildarts laughed jovially, releasing Natsu from the hug. "A part of me thought I'd never see the day Natsu was finally reigned in by a woman with her own fire. Aah~, young love is quite the thing, isn't it?"
Gildarts paused in silence, deciding to simply stare at the pair. His smile became a bit forced to one of sadness. In his eyes, he had the look that wasn't exactly there to what his mind was showing him. A memory played, filled with the laughter of a beautiful bruenette. What Natsu had right now, it was too similar that it brought up painful memories.
"I'm happy for you, Natsu." Gildarts said softly. "Truly, I am. Still surprises the heck out of me. I had a half a mind to expect you would pair up with Lisanna. You two are inseparable. Speaking of, where is the little Strauss?"
"Lisanna's dead." Natsu answered in a tone that made Lucy stunned how cold it was from the normally energetic Dragon Slayer. "She's been gone for two years."
"L-Lisanna is what!?" Gildarts sputtered in shock, burying his face in his right hand. "I-I didn't - Oh gods! That's why Mira was so different. Natsu, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean-"
"No, that's enough." Natsu interjected in that same tone, making his way to the door to leave. "Let's go guys. We're done here."
"Natsu..." Lucy muttered in worry.
The more Natsu spoke in that tone, the more it pained her. It was a voice full of bitterness and on a deeper level intense emotional pain. Lucy knew it the most because she was like that a year after her father was murdered. However, hearing it from Natsu made her chest freeze up.
"Wait!" Gildarts called. "That's isn't what I wanted you hear! I met a dragon!"
All motion froze at Gildarts' statement. Natsu instantly turned around and faced the ace with rapt attention. It was also shared by Lucy and Happy, both knowing full well how important it was for Natsu in his quest to find Igneel.
"Where!?" Natsu exclaimed. "When!? Was he red!? Was it Igneel!? Answer me!"
"Natsu!" Gildarts said in a deadly serious tone that made Natsu clam up. "Yes, it was a dragon. I didn't see it; I met it. Or rather it met me. But it wasn't your father Igneel. This dragon was black, and it's no friend of any of us. In fact, he's the reason why I had to leave the quest."
Gildarts moved aside his brown cloak to reveal his bare torso and legs, and the tapestry of injuries littering them. A gasp escaped their lips at the network of stitching lines across his abdominal as if the injury itself had shred his intestines out. His left leg and arm were missing and replaced with prosthetics, but the area where the used to be indicated the limbs were torn off brutally.
"I never stood a chance." Gildarts stated, closing his cloak. "Before I knew it tore off my left leg and arm, then shred my guts out. I barely survived since it lost interest after that. This black dragon - No, this monster is an enemy of humanity. Don't go looking for it."
"Maybe I can." Natsu argued, lighting his fist in dragon fire. "I'm a Dragon Slayer. It's what I am born to do."
"I doubt that." Gildarts immediately denied. "No, don't go chasing after this one. Igneel may be a friend of humans, but not this black dragon. It's impossible for a human to beat it."
Emotions stormed on Natsu's face. There was anger, hope, and even fear. Baring Igneel, Natsu felt that Gildarts was one of the strongest people there. So to hear that he was beaten so soundlessly, and by a dragon so evil by his count it was hard for him to accept. Instead of arguing further, Natsu bolted out of the hut with a concerned Lucy chasing him down calling his name.
Okay, so it has been a while. But here we are.
Up next is Chapter 37: Edolas
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