Precht Gaeblog A.K.A Captain Hades was no more. The evil man who had let jealousy and hate consume him so much that he slaughtered those he blamed for his own terrible life choices had reached his final end. With him gone the pirates of Grimoire Heart or at least the ones who managed to get out of the water before being eaten by the dragon, disbanded and would never be heard from again. The Celestial Indians could finally live peacefully and never have to fear losing their land again. As for the ship, Gray decided to take it as his own.
He was the captain, Natsu and Gajeel were his first and second mates, there were two ladies on board even though myths would say that any female on ship would bring bad luck, and the remaining group of boys scuttled about the deck to have everything ready. Gray had already lashed himself to the wheel and waited eagerly for the chance to use it to steer the vine vessel. The lady of the ship approached the new captain, looking at him with a teasing smile.
"What?" He asked.
She just giggled.
"Oh, the cleverness of you."
That earned her a teasing smile from him as well.
"Yes I am very clever aren't I?"
They both shared a playful laugh with each other and shortly after a pink light flew up to them. It was Meredy who looked very ashamed and remorseful when she perched herself into the palm of Juvia's open hand. She said some words though to Juvia's ears it sounded like the twinkling of bells.
"What did she say?" She asked Gray.
"She said that she was sorry for how awful she behaved toward you." Gray translated. "That she felt you would either hurt me or take me away from her. That fairies struggle to find a balance between emotion and reason. She also says that she doesn't expect you to forgive her and she'll try to keep her emotions under control from now on."
Juvia looked down at the fairy in her hand, touched by her words.
"I forgive you Meredy."
The pink haired fairy made a look of shock and relief.
"Really? You do?" Gray asked. "Because you should know that no one here would blame you if you didn't forgive her. Ow!"
Meredy had pulled Gray's hair to prevent him from ruining the moment.
"I'm just kidding. Lighten up." He told her.
"Silly ass." She called him before flying away.
"Fairies." Gray huffed in annoyance. "They can be loyal friends but also a real pain in the neck."
"I know." Juvia agreed. "But no matter how big of pain they may be I'll always believe in them."
"That reminds me. Thank you."
"For what?"
"You heard me didn't you? When I was reaching out for kids to believe in fairies. I didn't think I'd reach anyone but I reached you."
"I didn't hear your cry Gray but I felt it. I don't how I did but somehow I felt what it was you were begging for us all to do."
"So you declared your belief and you encouraged the boys to do the same, they reached out to all the other kids out there, and it brought Meredy back. You saved her life and I know that she'll never forget that."
"And I'll never forget her." She said. "Or you. I'll always remember you Gray Fullbuster. I promise."
"I know." He grinned bashfully as he raised his fingers to touch his mouth. "I know."
"Now I have something I would like to ask you."
"I am at your service Madame." He replied.
"What are you going to do now?"
"Now I'm going to get this ship up and running. Show everyone how to really sail."
"Could you tell me where we're sailing?"
"To Magnolia, England Madame."
"Really?" She said looking surprised by what he was implying. "You mean it?"
"I guess you could say that I've changed my view point on some parents."
She smiled elatedly.
"Tell the boys that they better have all their things ready because I'm not making any trips back to retrieve stuff that had been left behind."
"Oh Gray." She hurried down to inform the others. "Romeo! Natsu! We're going home!"
The children cheered ecstatically at these news. All them rushing to prepare themselves and to make sure that they had everything they needed.
"So you'll be leaving now." Lucy said to Natsu upon finding him packing his things alone.
"Yes I will. I miss my mother and my father."
"That's good that you're going back." She said trying to hide how sad she was feeling about his departure. "You still have a mother and father to go back to. Treasure them while you can because before you know it they'll be gone. Like mine."
"I...I...I'm going to miss you. You're pretty much the first girl I ever thought was interesting...And pretty."
"Am I really?" She said once again flashing him that coquettish smile.
"Yeah." He said trying to stop his face from going pink again.
"I will miss you too. You're not the first boy I've ever found to be interesting but you are the first one to make me laugh. I don't think I'll ever know anyone more funny."
"Thanks. So what will happen to you?"
"I shall just continue to live here with my people."
"I think not Princess." Lucy and Natsu turned to see that all the Indians of the Celestial tribe had climbed on to the ship, now healed and recovered from their injuries. They spoke in a language that was foreign to Natsu but perfectly clear to Lucy.
"Oh thank goodness you all are alright." Lucy spoke to them in their native tongue. "I feared the worst."
"It takes a lot more than cannons and pistols to wipe out us." Said the Indian shaman known as Scorpio. "We are spirits created to protect this island and the fairies. Therefore we are bound here and must live on forever with no other purpose."
"But you are not a spirit." Said their leader Aquarius. "You were not born in this world, you do not have to serve one purpose, and your life is short. You do not belong here."
"What are you saying?" Lucy asked not understanding them.
"Lucy we love you dearly and we took care of you when you lost your first family but we knew that you could not stay here forever. We had every intention of returning you to the world of your birth when you were ready and now you are."
"No...No I'm not."
"Yes you are. You have been ready for a long time. When you first came to us you were traumatized, grief-stricken, and had no reason to leave this place. But now the trauma has gone, the grief has healed, and you have a reason to return."
"What do you mean? I have nothing back in that world. My parents are dead, I have no living family back there."
"But you have experienced first love which means someday you will desire to have a mate. But there is no hope of you finding a mate if you continue to stay here."
"I don't need a mate to be happy." She said now becoming tearful.
"You say that now but you will change your mind." Aquarius moved her hands to hold the girl's face gently. "You will always be a member of our tribe but you do not belong to us. You do not belong here anymore. Deep down you must know that we are right and that it is for the best that you leave."
"But...But...I don't want to leave you all. I love you."
She embraced Aquarius, she embraced her back, and all the Indians embraced the young girl who they had looked after and cared for, for so many years. They knew from the moment they took her in that there would come a day when she would have to go. That is why they ensured that she never forget what happened before her arrival like the lost boys did. All too soon the embrace ended, Natsu watched as Aquarius said a few more words to Lucy before they all excluding the blonde girl disappeared into beams of stars that flew away.
"Lucy." Natsu said with concern upon seeing her tear filled eyes. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine." She answered with a bitter sweet smile. "I just have some news."
"What?"
"It turns out I'm going with you."
"You are?"
"My people and I have decided that I'm ready to go home and start over."
Natsu clasped her hand in a comforting way.
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be. We all knew this was a longtime coming. I knew one day I would end up leaving this place but I thought if I didn't acknowledge it then it would never happen. How naive we are at this age."
"You're really going to miss them aren't you?" He asked.
"Yes but I'll be okay. They told me that even if I'm not on Tendrou Island, I'll see them every night when the stars are out. They're celestial spirits after all. They're a part of life and nature so they'll always be with me." She wiped her tears away. "Problem is though, I don't know how I'll live once I get back there."
"What do you mean you don't know how you'll live when you get back? You'll live with me...Well maybe not with me but my parents will help you find a home and a family. I'm sure of that. Come on, let's go tell the others."
When once the ship was secure in perfect condition and the children had everything that needed and or wanted packed, Gray made a whistle with his two fingers that summoned all the fairies of Tendrou Island together. The flew all around the ship, coating it in fairy dust which in turn made the ship rise up off the water and into the air. The pirate ship soared over the wind, the clouds, and even the stars. It was an exhilarating experience and some wanted to stay up on that ship forever but upon seeing the clock tower of Magnolia, England the ship went down and set a course to that desolate home from which the three Fernandes children had taken flight so long ago.