Disclaimer: I do not own Hiro Mashima's Fairy Tail, any work professionally associated with it nor any pop culture or classical references. All original plots and characters are mine.
In a land far, far away lies the kingdom of Fiore, a small, peaceful nation of 17 million, and a place filled with Magic found in every home, bought and sold in every marketplace. For most, Magic is merely a tool, a mundane part of everyday life. For some, however, Magic is an art, and they've devoted their lives to its practice. These are the wizards. Banded together into magical guilds, they ply their skills in search of fame and fortune. Many such guilds dot the landscape of Fiore. But there is a certain guild in a certain town that soars high above the rest, one from which countless legends have been born. A guild that will no doubt continue to create legends well into the future. Its name...is Fairy Tail.
The room was dressed head to toe and Heart's Day galore with candles lit for those they loved and lost. Red hearts and pink hearts and white hearts littered the living room with other candles staged for ambiance. Rose petals decorated the table set for two with candelabra all dolled up and pretty. The food would come soon enough, but the plates and salad plates and the forks and spoons and knives and cloth napkins were set with chalices for the iced wine. Gifts were set up, however, for this date, but one was the most important gift. It was a photo album that spelled:
TALES OF HEART'S DAY
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
•
Here we are on a journey
That tells of friendship and romance
Another tale, a new adventure
Another spun story meant to enchant
•
The fire is warm, come sit down
For we have quite a legend to tell
It's about the journey, not the destination
It's about how you should follow for what prevails
•
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
The gift was none other than a book—a first edition of its kind. It had taken many calls and emails and connections to track it down, but the first edition had finally be acquired. Except it had not been looked after. Dust and some dirt had drifted onto the first edition as if to display its true age to those who gazed upon it.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
•
After Peter Pan left, Wendy was alone
And she missed him dearly
She wanted him to come home
•
But today, you see, Wendy is prepared to meet a new boy
But to do so, she'll have to grow-up
And to do that, she'll have to forget her Peter Pan
Her lost boy
Her best friend
And maybe once…her first love
•
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
It was one of those warm nights that had fireflies and bonfires. The breeze was subtle; it was not trying to get on your bad side with a gust of cold air. The cicadas and crickets were making their usual nonsensical racket while an outdoor-only cat pounced on a mouse for their late-night snack. An owl took to the skies with its mate on the search for dinner. A snake slithered under a bush and coiled itself.
But in one house, the window was open with flustered curtains and little stickers on the panes. A delicate music box sat properly on the windowsill, but rather than a ballerina, a beautiful goddess was arranged and unlike her ballerina predecessors, she was enchanted to move on her own accord.
And the music box handle slowly churned.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
shizuka na yoru ni mado wo akete
nemurenu toki wo chikutaku to sugireba
chiisana yousei ga sasoi ni kuru
「owaranu yume」, nebaarando e…
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Once upon a time, a long time ago, there was a lost boy with nowhere to run…
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
A shadow cut through the grass of the backyard as though something was chasing it away. In the distance, angry dogs barking like madmen and their pounding parts disturbed the air, but the shadow had no time to waste. It kept sprinting like its life depended on it.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
His name was Peter Pan, the Boy Who Never Grew Up.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
The shadow hid alongside an unfamiliar house. A breath of relief left when the sounds of those dogs were nowhere close, and their hard paw steps were going in a different direction. Little shoulders drooped until…
His ears perked.
He heard…music.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
But one day, Peter Pan found himself hiding near a house where strange music was playing from a music box…
And for some reason, he had to possess it and take it with him back to Neverland.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Flames clung to his hands as he scaled the side of the house, determined for his next target. But just as he got underneath the window to greedily get his hands on his newest prize, he was forced to stop and stay hidden.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
But something stopped Peter Pan from possessing his latest treasure…
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
His eyes widened when he heard it.
A tinkling giggle.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
And that something was a curious little girl…
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
STEP… STEP…
He held perfectly still when he heard heavy footsteps move to the window as a scold came with them. "You can't leave your window open. Someone could come into your room, you know."
A giggle. "But I like guests! Maybe someone really special will come!"
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
…and her name…
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
A terse grunt. "Whatever. Now come on. You promised you'd read me a story," came rumble. "And I even bought you a new book."
"Yay! I can't wait! Oh, my music box!"
STEP-STEP-STEP!
He looked up when he saw trundles of blonde hair flaunt past the window and glint in the moonlight. His nostrils flared as a down draft blustered about him. Pretty…
"Hurry up," came drawl. "You have to go to bed soon."
"Okay!" She put her hands on her music box and winded it back down. The twirling goddess folded herself back in, and the curious little girl was able to close the music box once it was silenced. She sighed as she looked out her window and unto the vast expanse of green beyond her home. But more than that, the stars and the moon looked so ethereal and right like she could touch them in one jump. Eyes closed, she leaned out her window to taste the breeze and feel the wind in her hair.
"You're going to fall out of the window," came warning with an edge of worry.
She sighed. "I know, Nicky. I just wanted to feel it for a second." She opened her eyes. The moon glinted in such innocent violets that looked at the world like it was the most enchanting sight she could see. "August is the best month for feeling the breeze."
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
…was Wendy.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
•
hitori ja kowakatta yoru demo
futari de nara tasukeatte
chikazukeru SATERAITO
irodoru machi o tobikoetara
sashidashita te o tsukamu "yatto aeta ne"
futatsu no kiseki ni omedetou
•
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
"And it's a little bit…expensive."
Gale took up Mary Jane's room with an agitation expression marring his face while Mary Jane looked all too happy to have the situational advantage. He crossed his arms as he thought about the offer. "How much?"
"How much is this information worth to you?"
TICK!
"Just give me a damn price!" Gale snapped.
Mary Jane hmphed and petulantly turned away from him to check her nails. "I'm not liking all this negative energy you're giving me since it's throwing off my vibe," she sniffed. She ignored the way Gale gawked at her. "If you're just going to snap at me, maybe I should keep this all to myself."
"I—!" Gale shut his mouth and tried to snuff his growl. You're so lucky Igneel is a crazy son of a bitch and would put me in the ground if I did something. He closed his eyes and let out a deep exhale. "Mary Jane—"
"Goddess."
"What?"
"Call me—"
"Fuck no."
"Call me 'Goddess'." Mary Jane stopped his accursed protest with a head tilt. "I don't want to repeat myself since time is a precious resource to me." She did not budge under Gale's death stare, only shrugging. "Well?"
Gale narrowed his eyes. "I'm not liking this little power play here."
"I can make you kneel before me—"
"O Goddess," Gale gritted out with a pinched scowl, "I'll concede to any rates you give me."
"Any rates?"
Gale flinched when he saw the hungry look in Mary Jane's eyes. "Yeah, sure." He smirked. "But when the Hell did you become such a gold digger?"
"I'm not a gold digger," Mary Jane said in defense of herself. She muttered in addition, "My mom totally cleaned me out playing poker, so I need jewel to compete against her again."
You want gambling money?! Gale held his temple with a hand. "Janie, that's the worst fucking plan I have ever—"
"If you say, 'no', guess I'll just have to let Luna be all sad and alone—"
"Wait, wait!" Gale gritted his teeth under Mary Jane's smug grin and wrestled out his Compact. "Goddamn gambling psychopath," he jeered. "Fine. I'll pay whatever you want in gambling money." He held out his Compact to her. "Here. Just put in the amount and transfer it to yourself, okay?"
Mary Jane turned giddy taking his Compact. "Maybe I should fine you a couple grand with all your vulgarity."
"But you used to be as bad as me!" Gale huffed and tried not to garner a headache. "Can you just friggen get to the point and tell me what I need to know? I have bought the information fairly, y'know."
"Right." Mary Jane hit a button and offered the Compact back. "Here. Thanks for your contribution." She tapped her chin as Gale looked at his Compact only for comical horror to take up his face. "Now, where to start…?"
"My… My money…" There was a straight-up murder he had witnessed, and it was his bank account. He was in shock. In mourning, really. All my money… She just… She took that big of a chunk… Eye twitching, he looked out his main account and how all those zeroes he had before just up and dwindled. She just robbed me blind… "H-Hey… Janie… Was all this really necessary? I mean that was a lot of jewel…"
"Hmm?" Mary Jane pretended not to hear him. "Sorry. No refunds or negotiations. My bad. Should've negotiated prior to payment."
TICK!
Gale raised a shaking fist. "You are such a b—!"
Mary Jane feigned a gasp, slapped on a love-struck look, and clasped her hands. "Igneel, you're home!"
"What?!" Gale landed on the grind, wild-eyed. "I-I-I didn't touch her, bro, I swear! I didn't…!" But all his panic was for naught when his ears caught Mary Jane's snickering and not a whiff of Igneel was in sight. "You are a dangerous woman, lady." He got up and dusted himself off, irked when she snorted. "Okay, yeah, sure, whatever, laugh it up. But if he comes back and knocks me six feet under, I'm coming back to haunt your ass."
"Igneel wouldn't kill you," Mary Jane dismissed. "He's too sweet for murder."
"Seriously?" Gale snorted and shook his head. "Your boy isn't that sweet. Maybe to you. He was about to straight-up scorch all of us because of y—"
Mary Jane's mirth faded into confusion when Gale cut himself off. "What?" When Gale said nothing, she pressed, "What were you about to say, Redfox?"
Gale blew out a breath. "Look, all I'm saying is he gave you his scarf, right? The scarf he clings to like a security blanket? He clung to you for years no matter how many times you gave him the cold shoulder. He risked a lot for you." He lifted his chin so rubies clashed with scarlet-cerulean.
Mary Jane faltered, however. "Yeah, well… He did that because we're guild. We're friends."
"And you are," Gale affirmed, "but you and I both know the shit I'd do for you is worlds apart from what I'd do for Blondie."
Mary Jane looked at her lap as she remembered those kind onyx eyes that raged into emerald on command. Igneel… Her hands clenched. "Whatever you're implying is wrong." Spine straight, words stern. "Igneel has a first love he's still in love with. It's disrespectful to her and to him with what you're saying, so drop it."
"So why do you smell upset?"
Mary Jane held firm. "I'm not."
"The nose doesn't lie." Gale softened when he saw Mary Jane's flinch. "It's pretty obvious Igneel affects you, Janie." Tone soothing. "You're hurting. You're unhappy. Am I upset Livy left? Hell yeah I am. But I have fully accepted she needed to leave us behind to move forward." He added lowly, "Have you accepted that with Igneel?"
Mary Jane opened her mouth to answer, but no words came to her and, eventually…her silence was her answer.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
And then…
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Mary Jane watched as Gale took off down the street, but the pit in her stomach would not leave. She abandoned the window to cup her elbows in thought. Am I that unhappy someone like him could tell? She left the room to trudged back upstairs into the sanctity of her room.
"Are you happy with Peter?"
She went onto her bed and sought the comfort of the scarf, but she held back to look at the material.
"It's pretty obvious Igneel affects you."
Warm onyx filled with tears. "I will…always protect you."
Mary Jane swallowed as her eyes stung. Why did you have to go? She curled on her side and cuddled the scarf close. And why does it still hurt? Why can't I just move on? Her breath shuttered as she looked over at the framed photo of her and Igneel. Why can't I just be like Wendy and grow up?
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
•
Fairy Adventure 084
•
Tales of Heart's Day Weekend
Tale of Mary Jane
Peter Pan
•
ハートの日の週末の物語
メアリージェーンの物語
ピーターパン
•
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Laxus had on his reading glasses as he worked in his office. A spreadsheet, email chain, and another file were on his dual monitors for his DAL, and he had a hard copy of a proposal sitting before him. The meeting with a legal treasure hunter was winding down when a faint knock on the door caught his attention. He grunted a reply, and one of the office doors opened. Laxus could not help but soften seeing a frown on his daughter's face.
Mary Jane saw he was on the Com and was about to leave when he gestured for her to come in.
"Yeah, let me look over the proposal with Warrod and my lawyer," Laxus replied as Mary Jane kept close to the door, shifting on nervous feet. "Uh-huh. Uh-huh." He held out his hand and nodded, and Mary Jane drifted over. "Yeah. I'll get back to you by Monday."
Mary Jane leaned on her father's shoulder just as Laxus finished up his call. "Yeah. Yes, definitely. Thank you, yeah, I'll pass the message to my wife. Okay. Okay, thank you. Yeah, you too." Call ended, the Compact was set aside, and Laxus could put his full attention onto Mary Jane. He sized up her despondent look with a worried frown. "You don't look as happy as you were for breakfast, butterfly."
"I don't feel that happy either," Mary Jane mumbled. "I just…" She loudly sighed. "I don't even know what to feel like."
"Then talk me through what's going on," Laxus encouraged her. "Maybe I can help."
Mary Jane hedged. "I know you're working, Daddy—"
"Family comes first. You know that." Laxus guided his daughter to sit on his left leg. "And my work is flexible." He noted the look in his daughter's eyes. "Something happen with your boyfriend?"
Mary Jane hesitated, then she shook her head. "No, not really…" She swallowed as thumbed her acorn button charm. "Daddy, I, um… Can I ask you something?"
"Always."
"How do you know when you think about someone too much?"
Laxus furrowed his brow. "What do you mean?"
"Well…" Mary Jane caught a thick lock of her hair and combed through it with her fingers. "I just…" A sigh through her nose. "It was just…a stupid thought. I mean, I'm dating Peter. He's my boyfriend, and we kiss—"
"That better be all you two are doing," Laxus grumbled.
Mary Jane rolled her eyes. "Daddy…"
Laxus lifted a hand in reluctant surrender. "Go on."
Mary Jane huffed, but she went on: "But he's my boyfriend. So I should be happy with him. And I am! Happy, I mean. I love going on dates with him and calling and everything, but then…" Her eyes fogged as she remembered the wall of golden flames and that glowing emerald gaze. The hands combing through her hair slowed to a stop. "I miss Igneel a lot, Daddy," she murmured in quiet confession. "It doesn't matter how happy I am. I can't stop…thinking about him. I can't even sleep without his scarf—" She shook her head. "I'm being stupid."
"No. That's not what you are, butterfly." Words gentled and accepting, those stormy green-oranges brimmed with resignation and affection. "You're just someone who's hurting."
"But why am I hurting?" Mary Jane wanted to know. It was as frustrating as it was draining to not understand a cause behind the symptom. "Igneel left two months ago, and I know that. I know he's doing something he needs to do. I know that, but I…"
A fangy grin. "Friends forever, right, MJ?"
Mary Jane's eyebrows came together as her expression pinched into sorrow. "Even though I'm happy with Peter, I can't help but think about Igneel." Tone sparked with exhaustion and deaf. "I can't even be partners with someone else in Fairy Tail because it feels wrong if it isn't him, and I don't understand it. I don't know what's wrong with me, Daddy. He's just my friend, so why…?" She palmed her acorn button charm to look at it, the symbol of her ties to him. Igneel… Why can't I stop thinking about you?
A long sigh. "I have something to show you."
Mary Jane looked at her father in surprise. "To show me?"
°•°•°•°
Mary Jane watched with her hands clasped behind her back as her father stood before one of the doors in the basement. But even so, it perplexed her because… "Daddy, why are you showing me the other guest bedroom?"
Laxus sighed. "Hold on for a moment." He hovered his hand over the door's center rather than go to the knob. Much to Mary Jane's surprise, a Magic Circle blossomed before her father filled with rings of Ancient Language. His hands found the right symbols and twisted the rings until the symbols aligned. Sigil gone, the door clicked.
We have a secret room? Mary Jane wondered.
"Stay here, butterfly," Laxus warned as he opened the door.
Mary Jane nodded. "Okay." She bounced onto the balls of her feet as Laxus retreated into the room that gave her more questions than answers. I didn't even know we had any sort of Magic Seal down here. Shouldn't I have noticed it? This bothered her more than she wanted to. How come no one told me? Is my Magic that weak that I couldn't sense it?
Laxus came back out with what looked like a well-taken care of manuscript. He resealed the door before he looked down at the manuscript in his hands with conflict. This is for the best. He turned to his daughter and presented her the manuscript. "This is for you."
Mary Jane took the manuscript, but the second she felt the cover, something pinched her heart. This book… She read the cover aloud. "It's called 'Peter and Wendy'." Her brow wrinkled. "But… I don't understand." Scarlet-cerulean into stormy green-orange. "This is the fairy tale of Peter Pan, right? How come it was locked up?" The cradling of her acorn button charm was instinctual. Igneel… This was one of your favorite stories, wasn't it? I remember him telling me part of the story, but I fell asleep. But if it's his favorite story…
"We locked it up because—"
"Can I read it?"
Laxus caught the determined look on his daughter's face and had to bite back his sad smile. This was the right thing to do. "It's yours, butterfly," he assured. "It's one of the first editions of the manuscript I could track down. Treasure it."
"Thanks, Daddy." Mary Jane gave her father a brief hug before she absorbed herself in smoothening her hand over the cover as she walked away.
Laxus watched after her as he pushed back his hair. "Damn. I need a smoke." He put his reading glasses into his hair. Igneel… If you're really that serious about her.. Grayed emerald-oranges softened. Then I guess I'll have no choice.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
And then…
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Mary Jane did not care that she had missed her nail appointment. Nothing mattered outside of reading this manuscript in front of her. With Igneel's scarf wrapped around her, she had barreled through the text and took note of every word, every subplot—everything. She could not put it down and finished it with a sense of…something in her chest.
I can see why Igneel like the story so much, Mary Jane thought. It's sweet and adventurous. It feels Wendy is telling Peter Pan's story, but we still get enough of Wendy's story. And I think I understand both of them. How Wendy was an optimistic but also a realistic while Peter escaped reality since it was too harsh for him. And when he tried to do that with Wendy…
Mary Jane glossed over the pages for a third time. This is when Wendy gets taken by Captain Hook, but… She frowned. Huh…
She flipped to the afterthought of the story. Reading about how Wendy grew up, it just… She could not shake that feeling. She did not know what to call it, but it was that feeling. APeter just keeps up the cycle, right? He takes Wendy's daughter, then granddaughter… It's like the story of Peter and Wendy keeps happening and happening until… She gripped the acorn button charm.
"But when does the cycle end?" Mary Jane murmured in her aloud musings. She sat up a little more. "I mean, if you think about it, doesn't it seem a little weird that story just keeps repeating? So what's supposed to make the cycle stop? What makes Peter grow up? Can he grow up?"
Flecks of violet shimmered in scarlet-cerulean.
Peter's immortal, Mary Jane remembered. But immortality is more of a Curse than a gift. So he was Cursed into living forever. It's not like he chose to be Cursed forever. At first, when he did it, he never really thought about it because he had fun. But then living while everyone else grew up…
"It just seems…lonely," Mary Jane ventured to assume. Delicate fingers traced the words on the page. "Everyone grew up around him. He was all alone. I guess Wendy was the first person he encountered who he thought could stay with him forever." But Wendy never saw it like that. She knew Peter was lonely. Her head slowly cocked as she took in the story. I wonder…
THUD!
Mary Jane had a start. "Gosh! My heart!" She looked around. "What just fell? Oh…" She had to climb to the edge of the bed and stretch to reach for it, but she retrieved it and got back in her comfy position to study the item. "This is the book I was reading about Mavis and the Black Mage," she recalled, perplexed. She checked her bookmark and opened it experimentally to skim the contents.
It's been a good read, honestly. First Master was so brave. Mary Jane skimmed over the words with a little smile. She fought so hard for everything she believed in.
Her eyes widened over a line. Wait… What is…this…? She whispered, "Mavis says… 'Aren't you—'?"
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
"—lonely?"
Death sprinkled around them. The fate of every living thing around them had been death, and nothing could erase that. But the two of them were alive. Her with the dark green eyes that had seen blood, with the heart burdened with regret and guilt. Him with those midnight eyes that carried a despondence with heart resigned to never be shared.
"I don't know." The answer was honest. Vague and yet significant. But his eyes that used to be bleak, dull, dead, carried a semblance of a spark as he looked at the kind young lady across the way with her expression of concern the first one he bore witness to in all his years of living. "It's been a long time, but I believe I'm enjoying this, talking to you."
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
"That's right," Mary Jane breathed. "The Black Mage… Mavis said even in all the darkness within him, he was lonely. His life was Cursed to be immortal while everything else around him would wither and die. But Mavis was his contradiction. She was the first one to—"
More violet erupted in her mixed eyes.
Mary Jane closed her book to set it beside the Peter and Wendy manuscript. No… No way… But that's…that's not…
RINRINRINRIN…!
Shakily, her hand reached for her Compact. She did not check it. She could not keep her eyes off the books before her as she answered the call. "Hello?"
"Mary Jane." Penelope's voice would never change from that toneless pitch.
Mary Jane swallowed as she kept her Compact up with both hands. "Penelope…" A deep breath. "Why did you give me Mavis' book to read?"
Three dead beats.
"Did Uncle Laxus give you the manuscript?"
"Y-Yes, but…" Her breathing felt stuttered now. "How did you—? Nnngh!" She cringed as a pain shocked her temple. "My head…"
"Mary Jane. You once asked me if I would take you to the meeting place of First Master and the Black Mage," Penelope stated. "Are you free now?"
"Ah…" Mary Jane could barely keep her eyes half-open, but the pain was ebbing away as she took a deep breath. "I-I-I, um…" She glanced back at her steamed dress before she looked at the time. "Well, um…"
TING-A-LING.
Mary Jane beheld her acorn button charm, and that was all it took about her decision. "Yes." A flash of warmth flitted through her and gave her the stability she needed. "Yes, I'm free."
°•°•°•°
"Good. I'll be by soon."
The call ended.
Penelope drew away her Compact and let it float to the floor. Levitating crisscrossed, she had been meditating up until that Compact call. But the time for meditation was over. She sank back to the ground as her sigil ran down her to give her a gothic Lolita doll dress and her glasses back. So. It's time.
She flicked her hair as she adjusted her glasses. She glided towards her desk. It was scattered in work for Master Erza with books and scrolls that had yet to be digitized and her own thorough notes alongside her wax candles she had been using to light her room and meditated. She blew them out one by one.
I wonder… Which cycle will this be? Will it continue or will it break?
The flame of the last candle reflected in her eyes.
Her lips parted. "You tell me…"
The flame flickered emerald for a moment.
"…Igneel."
Without her help, the flame was gone.
Snow could be such a burden, but Fiore very rarely had to deal with troublesome snow, mind you. Outside of the mountains, the snow in the Magnolia Forest was crunchy and stable. Granted, this was the territory of a Fire Dragon and a Fire Demon on top of that, which meant heat trails would pop up now and again from his pillages and training sessions. But the animals did not mind. They kept to themselves. Nobody bothered them, and they bothered nobody in return.
Mary Jane and Penelope touched down. Penelope had done so with grace, but Mary Jane still had some time until she could perfect her landings. She staggered, but her balance sprung back within a moment's notice. Her eyes glanced around, nervous, on edge, in anticipation, but she stuck close to her cousin.
"Are you sure we're in the right place?" Mary Jane whispered as though fearful we would disturb the wildlife. "Shouldn't we have checked with Misses and Mister Dragneel if we could come onto their property?" She shrank away, and her head whipped when she heard the pitter-patter of paws. "M-Maybe we should go…"
CRUNCH… CRUNCH…
Mary Jane gawked when she saw Penelope was walking away. "H-H-Hey! Don't leave me here!" She hurried to catch up to Penelope and kept herself two paces behind. Her stomach knotted, and she felt like she was spooked at every sound even though it was broad daylight. What's wrong with me? I feel so nervous. "Maybe we should go back," she tried to appeal one more time. "I don't think this is the right place—"
"Do you believe in reincarnation?"
Mary Jane quietly huffed. Well, I guess she's just ignoring my anxiety. She crossed her arms, agitated. "Why? Will you even listen to my answer?"
"I was listening before."
Mary Jane scowled. "Then how come you didn't answer me?"
Penelope was quiet. Then, she said, "Reincarnation follows the same principles as birth, life, and death."
She's ignoring me again! Mary Jane cried.
While Mary Jane fumed silently, Penelope went on: "When you are born, you are given a physical body." Her eyes flared into mystical jade as her hand came up to conduct her spell into life. She forecasted to Mary Jane the curled body of a glowing baby. "But your body is your tether to physical existence. Alone, it does nothing. It exists. That's why you are given two more gifts."
Mary Jane watched in wonder as Penelope created two orbs.
"The first gift given is a soul." One of the orbs merged with the baby. "The second gift given is a spirit." The second orb merged with the baby. And just like that, the baby stirred, ready to be born into this world. "And with that…"
Mary Jane's eyes rounded when she was no longer in the forest. As she and Penelope walked on solid ground, the world around them had shifted. Like gods, they walked through the stars with Earth Land in front of them in its deep blues and heavy greens. You could see the lights of the popularized cities. You could see the silly wars being fought. You could see all.
"…you have life." Penelope's hands moved in a series of movements. The Earth Land she projected pitched forward, but it did not hurt when it passed through them. Instead, Penelope submerged them a strange world. The stars were around then in their luster, but the pair of them walked on a thin bridge made of the aurora borealis.
"This is amazing, Penelope," Mary Jane breathed.
"It is," Penelope agreed. "Birth and life are sacred. Without a soul and a spirit, the physical body cannot survive. It is your soul that brings you to life, but it is your spirit that gives you the power to withstand life."
"I remember this lesson," Mary Jane recalled. "My mom taught me a little bit about it. The spirit and the soul are so heavily connected that people use them interchangeably, but that isn't the case. Your soul is what connects your body to life, but your spirit is what connects you to you and everything around you."
"Indeed." Penelope spread her hands before whirling them around. Like clockwork, she changed the world around them and brought them in an infinite loop of sunrise, sunset, moonrise, moonset. "Those with a stronger connection to the Ether Core—the very nature of this planet that allows us to exist—are given the gift of an Ether Spirit. Ether Spirits come in many forms, but as they are intimately connected with our souls, to rid the body of our spirit would mean our madness…and our death."
Mary Jane's breathing hitched as she witnessed a solar eclipse that blackened the sky and made her feel like all the happiness in the world was gone.
"Death is The End for all living creatures." Penelope made a series of gestures with her hands before she blew on them.
Mary Jane gave pause when she realized Penelope had crafted an abnormal desert around them. Midnight blue painted the sky and entrapped stars. The sand thickened like it was a trap and would sink you down if you were not careful. It served as the prison and warden to the unfortunate silhouettes destined to always struggle to progress. And all of them had one common goal—they were all trying to move forward to the grand doorway of white glowing light that would take them beyond this hellscape.
Penelope led the way with Mary Jane right behind. Neither wrestled aggressively with the sand. They passed through it as though they were ghosts. Maybe Penelope had no curiosity or fascination, but Mary Jane was enthralled with all she beholden.
So they must be creatures going to The End, Mary Jane theorized. But one of the silhouettes begged for her attention, so she paused and gave it to them. A man dressed as widower stood with ease on the sand, but he was no normal man. The human side of him looked desolate, from his crimson hair to his freckles to his good eye lacking laugh. His hand had been so severely bandaged that you did not know how many times you had to unravel it to see a peek of skin. But the other half of him was crafted in fuzzy shadows to make an uncertain silhouette of what his completed body would look like.
He… He looks alive. Mary Jane asked aloud, "That man over there doesn't belong here. He's still alive, isn't he?"
Penelope did not have to look to know who Mary Jane spoke of. "That man is called a 'Dull'," she explained. "He sits between life and death. He will never again fully live. That being said, he will never again fully die. He will be stuck here for eternity."
"That's so sad." Mary Jane stopped to watch the strange man, concern in her eyes. "Isn't there anything we can do for him?"
"No." Pale reds quieted. "Leave him to despair his fate."
Mary Jane lingered before she turned away and followed Penelope. They made it closer and closer to the bright light that awaited for these creatures to cross. But she had to ask, "Where are we going now?"
"Who knows?"
That surprised Mary Jane. "You don't know?"
"Does anyone know?" Penelope asked back. "No one knows what waits for them after death. All we have are the guesses and the stories we tell ourselves. I can't show you what lies beyond when I don't even know myself."
"Okay…" That made Mary Jane's insides twist when they did not stop going to the bright light. "So then… Where will this take us?"
Penelope kept walking.
"Penelope?" Mary Jane tried harder to catch up. "Penelope! Wait!" She tried to grab her cousin before she entered the bright light, but it did not matter. Both of them had tumbled through. "Penelope!" Blinded, she could not feel the ground beneath her, and panic reared its ugly head as she shouted. But her cry for help was not needed when her feet touched the ground only seconds later. She hazarded a look around to see—
Wow…
Mary Jane walked to Penelope's side as the pair of them stood on a beach. The waves made as little noise as possible, and the stars were out, but it made no sense when the burning star was simultaneously melting into the cannibalistic ocean and yanking free from the water's imprisonment. It was as if they were caught in the middle of daybreak and moonlight. The beginning and the ending.
"What is this place?" Mary Jane had to know. "How did you…?" She looked over at Penelope in curiosity.
But Penelope looked at the burning star. "Many souls stay here in the place of the beginning and the end and the end of the beginning. Their bodies have died, but the soul and spirit haven't rested," she told her. "Rebirth is a special event. Death and Life, Time and Space—they have to agree upon which souls return to the beginning. They separate the spirit and soul, but the connection is faint but there."
"I've read about that," Mary Jane realized. She stooped down when she noticed a seashell. "I've seen those forums about a lot of little kids who remember strange things about their apparent past life that turn out to be real, and some adults too."
Penelope hummed. "Shedding a spirit from one soul and onto the next isn't easy. Not even an Exorcist can do that. It takes time. Children and certain others are more sensitive to their previous spiritual connection before their own spiritual connection solidifies." Her head tilted. "The Heartfilia Clan have a connection to the Spirit Realm which makes them have a strong spiritual connection with the world around them and themselves."
Mary Jane tucked hair behind her head. "I never knew…" She stood back up. "So why create all this? Why talk about rebirth?"
"Huh…" Penelope looked up at the sky. "Why did I talk about rebirth…"
Mary Jane sweatdropped. Don't tell me you forgot already…
"Mary Jane." Pale reds slid. "Did you know the Black Mage and First Master were rumored to be given the gift of rebirth?"
That jolted Mary Jane. "What? Really?"
"Yes."
"But…why?" Mary Jane could not wrap her head around it. "Their story ended, right? So why be reborn?"
"That is the question," Penelope murmured. "Who is to say why souls are reborn? I don't know. I don't really care." She deliberately paused. "But I'm sure a god could answer that. Wouldn't you agree, Mary Jane?"
Mary Jane frowned. "I, uh…"
Penelope flicked her hair. "The reasons behind rebirth are fickle and theoretical. Everything is true and everything is false. A contradiction and a paradox, but it's an answer. Either way, it isn't to be taken lightly about the rebirth of the Black Mage.'" Her eyes closed as her hands pressed into a triangle.
Mary Jane watched as Penelope folded the world around them and reconstructed it. But rather than an elaborate realm for them to explore, they were stranded in a field of glowing white with a pond as their only friend. "Penelope?"
Penelope walked until she stood beside the pond, so Mary Jane followed her and waited for her words. Penelope instructed, "Touch the water."
Mary Jane did a double-take, but she crouched down. She saw her own reflection until her hand came down and ruffled the pond. It dizzied itself making ripples until Mary Jane's reflection was gone. Instead, she saw the reflection of a young man with dark eyes, black hair, and a lawless smile. Her eyes narrowed until the pieces fit together. "He's—"
"Yes." Penelope's eyes narrowed. "He is the Black Mage." Her head tilted. "Before he was the Black Mage, he was nothing more than a scholar, brother, and obedient child who wanted for nothing. But his desire to get revenge on Death led his descent into madness and, ultimately, his Curse of nothing more than Death and immortality. He was a man who hated conflict, but he lived to create it. The Contradiction Curse. In his wake, he spread madness and scorched the world in fire and ash."
Mary Jane's eyes softened as she looked into the Black Mage's eyes. "Yes, I see." Her hand reached out, but she hesitated. But from here…he looks so—her hand caressed the water to touch his reflection—lonely…
DRIP.
DROP.
To Mary Jane's astonishment, the Black Mage was gone. In his place was the one person that made her heart ache with his trademark grin, those burnt-gold locks, and those onyx eyes that held subtle teasing. Igneel… A sadness burned her. Are you lonely too?
"I don't know."
Mary froze. With care, she lifted her head to see Igneel standing on the other side of the pond, but he did not look like the Igneel she knew. The Igneel she knew smiled like he meant, and his eyes spoke of worldly adventure. But this Igneel had the dark eyes of someone fated to die, and his smile was beyond repair.
"It's been a long time, but"—Igneel cocked his head and a little bit of a spark held in those dead eyes of his—"I believe I'm enjoying this, talking to you."
Mary Jane was slow to rise to her feet in this world of white where a pond was the only place was existence, but she saw him. She saw him. He was there right before her. He was here. Her mouth worked. What was she supposed to say? What was she supposed to do? But all she could get out was a choppy, "Igneel…"
Igneel turned away from her with a grimace as though ashamed and guilted. "But to be honest…" His hands clenched to fists. "I… I keep thinking that my powers will kill you if you stay too close to me." Flames erupted on his hands, much to his grief and utter despair. "I don't want to kill anyone, MJ," he told her, voice cracking. "But my fire… It's like it's telling me to burn and burn until the world is covered in my flames." He groaned when the fire climbed up his arms, and his own feet burst into red flames tinged with black. "MJ…. I can't stop it. I can't stop my flames!"
"H-H-Hold on!" Mary Jane begged of him as she tried to get her stubborn body to move. "St-Stay-Stay right where you are, Igneel! It'll be okay! I can help you!"
But the flames claimed all of Igneel's body in one fell swoop. His pain tripled as he hunched over. The fire cackled and clung to him like a parasite, but it did not chomp away at his skin to consume him. No, this fire would use him as the very vessel—the host—to accomplish its sinister needs for the world to burn, burn, burn in a sea of flames and ash. "I have to go!" Several voices pitched into Igneel's own. "I don't…want to kill you! My fire… It's trying to burn everything!"
Igneel's head came up. And his eyes—those eyes that looked at the world in challenge—had inked themselves black as a heated red consumed his irises and tears of lava rained down his cheeks and cracked against his skin.
"Igneel!" Mary Jane looked down at her utterly useless legs that would not work no matter how hard she tried. "It's okay! Don't worry, okay? I'm right here! I won't leave you!"
"No… Don't come near me…!" Igneel moaned as he clutched his hand. "The fire… It won't stop! I can hear its voice!" The flames expanded as Igneel's agony tore him apart. "Stay away!" he begged. "I can't…control it…!" He threw his head back. "Ah…!"
And it was like the dam broke.
Mary Jane could not escape if she wanted to.
The flames that claimed Igneel as his host wanted more. They needed to feed. They need to burn. They unceremoniously flared to consume all of existence into the dark heat of the sun that boiled your insights even from a distance. Like a wave, the flames crashed onto the ground and quickly tore up everything in sight. But Mary Jane could not move. She was stuck. The heat of the flames overwhelmed her into a white-hot hell, but she was not given another moment to consider her life or her death when the fiery wave hovered and crashed into her to—
"Mary Jane."
The intense heat was gone, but she would forever remember that heat. The feeling of your hair being singed, your skin becoming so blinding hot that you went numb, and the smell of clogging smoke and ash—none of that would leave her anytime soon. She was still blinded in the sea of flames—
"Mary Jane… Open your eyes."
But… Were her eyes not already open?
Mary Jane gave it a try. She tried to open her eyes. She thought a light would blind her when she realized her eyes had indeed been shut, but grayed shadows were her saving grave instead. The blurring refocused, and she found herself on solid ground and in cool air. The world crafted for her was one she did not anticipate. A darkness had taken over this segment of the forest where the trees were thick and the forest floor had been scraped of snow. Nature could not flourish here. It was impossible. Char marks welded into the earth and marred many trees and a hush fell over this abstract portion of forest, like it could not be bothered to breathe. Dead leaves had crumbled on the sickly ground, but not even moss and mushrooms could exist here. Nothing could. The only other thing in existence was the pond.
"Did you make this?"
Penelope stood at her side. "No." Tone soft. Lofty. "I didn't."
"Then this is…?"
"Yes." Penelope looked around. "This is the place where First Master Mavis Vermillion who dubbed herself the Black Wizard met the God-Cursed Black Mage." She held out a hand to show a dead leaf. "This was where she came to remember the battle she took part in and the lives that had been lost. She had come for consolation. She had come for answers for strength to live this life. But in the end"—the dead leaf crumbled in her palm and withered away into ash—"she found the one who would become her weakness leading to her death."
Mary Jane allowed the solemn majesty flow around her. She could feel the remaining darkness. It was an undercurrent. It was not powerful enough to overwhelm even a novice Wizard. But it was subtle enough that a novice Wizard would touch something and not realize the repercussions. It was like when you walked and had a vague sense someone was orbiting you. She got that feeling. "The Curse isn't gone, is it?"
"No." The wind picked up and blustered through their hair. "Do you know about the research I conduct for Master?"
Mary Jane replied with a negative hum.
"Since the death of the Black Mage, strange events have occurred. It was as though history repeated itself the moment the Black Mage had died," Penelope told her. "But my research looked into more of the history of Earth Land. The Black Mage was not the first Black Mage to roam Earth Land to cover it in fire and ash and madness. The one before him was Cursed, and it consumed her. Her recounts offer very little, but as Master has tasked me with this research, I'll continue it."
Pale reds darkened. "When Black Mage Zeref died, it could be true his soul was reborn into another physical body. If so, the reborn Zeref poses no threat to our present nor the future. However, the Spirit that powered the Black Mage did not leave this earth. If it had, the Curse on this place would have dispersed and nature would have grown back."
"So the Black Mage is alive?" Mary Jane questioned, voice hoarse and conflicted. "He's here?"
"Not in the sense you or I would normally understand," Penelope answered. "But that Spirit—that same madness—has been reborn. While the soul of the Black Mage reached fulfillment, the madness was never controlled. It's my working theory that until the madness has found a suitable host to control it, it will continue to reemerge time and time again with the need to scorch the earth so all that remains is ash."
"Why are you telling me this, Penelope?" Mary Jane's voice cracked between audible and inaudible.
Penelope looked over at her cousin. "You know why. Would you say so…"
Eyes bounced down to the pond to look at the young lady with fear in her eyes. Her violet eyes.
"…Mary Jane?"
She blinked around before she looked in front. "The story of Peter and Wendy," she rasped. "Igneel loved it."
"Yes."
"And I…loved it."
Penelope showed a spark of something in her eyes. "Yes. You did."
"I… I remember…fire…" Mary Jane was stuck, so transfixed on a point in the distance. "Igneel… He was so warm… His flames wouldn't hurt anyone. His flames…never…hurt anyone. I-I-I don't… I don't understand…" Her stare ricocheted to her cousin for guidance. "Penelope?"
Penelope angled herself towards Mary Jane to explain, "You've been asleep for a long time, Mary Jane."
"Yes…" Mary Jane blinked thrice. "There was…this voice… No, there were two…"
"Three," Penelope corrected.
"Three?" The shock hit her before it lessened into a daze. "There were three… One was so angry at me… The other one sounded so nice, but… The third… She sounds like me, Penelope. Why…? Why did she sound like me? The m-m-memories…"
"I can't explain everything without correcting the disconnect between your soul and your spirit," Penelope told her. "But the disconnect is something you pay for every day."
"The headaches… The pain…" Mary Jane absently touched her temple. "Whenever I'd remember…she'd hurt me…"
A flicker of sadness skated by Penelope's features. "She hurt you a lot," she murmured. "The one who sounded like you…" Her eyes strayed to the dead trees. "You created her."
"I…created her?"
"Yes." Penelope turned her stare back to the absent violet-eyed Mary Jane. "The pain you received… I can't describe it. But I saw it. So you created a version of yourself where she wouldn't hurt you. I thought I lost my family when you went away. We…"—her hand clenched into a fist before slackening—"all thought we lost you when you went away."
A thick silence birthed it away into the deadened forest.
"I…left him."
DRIP.
A tear streaked fast down her cheek, cupped her jaw, then—
DROP.
It fell onto the ground and splattered.
"It hurt…so much…" Mary Jane's hands shook. "The pain… She would tell me…she would kill my parents if I didn't listen…she'd kill my family if I didn't do what she said…and when I didn't listen…" More tears streamed. "But Igneel… H-H-He stayed. And I left him." She looked out her trembling hands. "What's…? What's wrong with me?"
Penelope answered as best as she could. "There is nothing wrong with you. The power you have has a mind of its own."
"S-S-So I'm Cursed?"
"No. A Curse would be simpler to understand and tame."
"So then…? I'm just…a monster…" Mary Jane's legs gave out as she fell to her knees. Even though she stared at her reflection in the water, she did not see it. She had sight but no vision. "I had just…wanted a friend… I just wanted…my own Peter Pan to take me away…" Her fingers dug into the dead leaves and dirt. "But she… And he…" The tears fell into the pond.
Penelope looked on as though to give a stricken Mary Jane the privacy to shed her tears. "Your life is your own, Mary Jane. You're the master of you. And no one will take you away from the life you deserve." You're home now, Mary Jane. You have no idea how much we've all missed you—how long Igneel has been waiting. But you're home.
"I hid." The words were quick and whispered and nuanced with shame. Mary Jane looked at her reflection to see herself. A fraud. A coward. "She wouldn't…stop hurting me… I h-h-hid, I…" A noise crossed between a sob and a sniffle let her as she trembled. "I'm so sorry… I didn't… I'm sorry…"
A tear streaked and dropped into the pond to ripple it.
Igneel's reflection took up space. Emeralds warm and that smile merry, he gazed at her as though he had all the time in the world.
Mary Jane wanted to touch the reflection, but she cringed back. "She'll hurt him again." Pained words. "Penelope, she'll hurt him. She'll hurt everyone." Age-old dread took control of her that had her heart pinch and her mouth taste like blood. "I don't want to hurt anyone, Penelope, but she said… She said…"
"You don't have to hurt anyone, Mary Jane." Penelope fully faced Mary Jane. "Your Peter Pan is waiting to take you away to Neverland where you can be yourself. You won't need to hide. You won't need to go back to sleep. You can finally live."
"I can…be myself?"
Teary violets streaked in hope collided with pale reds.
"She… I won't hear her voice? I won't hurt anyone anymore? I can…stay awake now?" Mary Jane asked.
Penelope extended her hand. "Yes."
Mary Jane lifted her hand. I… I remember… The life I had before I woke up…before I hid… A warming breeze comforted her and kissed away her tears. My Peter Pan…who came to my window… A little boy who was rough around the edges, but…he was my greatest friend… And the promise we made… Her fingers tips reached for Penelope's hand. That day…in August… Her eyes sparkled. If I can live as myself now…then… I want to keep my promise to you… Her lips curled. …the promise that we… Her hand hovered over Penelope's. …that we…
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
KRRRRRRRRRRRR!
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Fairy Adventure
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
KRRRRRRRRRRRR!
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
The scream Mary Jane unleashed would never leave Penelope's memories and would echo into her very soul.
Power broke into reality quicker than a blink. A violet haze expanded and expanded as Mary Jane clutched her head, but the power she had spread was nothing of her fault. It was her only defense against what attacked her. Her nose bled under the severe eruption, and her eyes gleamed violet. But physical pain was nothing against the pain she felt inside.
It was that pain that sledgehammered your head and wrecked your inside. Your body felt cold even though you were sweating and your blood felt hot. You wanted to slam your head into the ground and curl into a ball as though you could ward off the pain that way, but that would never work. The pain latched deep into your blood and bones, and it would not be so easily chased away. It was crafted to make you suffer. It was crafted to make you cry and beg for your death.
An angry voice rampaged in Mary Jane's mind and fed her wave after wave of malicious madness. You! You're still alive!
"Get out!" Mary Jane screamed. "Get out!" Her back bowed when she felt hands claw into her head as though trying to tear her down from the inside. "My head! Ah, my head!" Her head was thrown back as a burst of scarlet flared into her eyes. "I should have killed you!" she hissed in a voice that was not her own. "You—!" But the scarlet evaporated back into violet as Mary Jane screeched and thrashed her head. "Get out, get out, get out!"
Deep in her heart, she pleaded, Someone… Help me!
A growl responded.
The agony that diseased her had a semblance of relief when Mary Jane felt that spark, that flame—fire. Gold flames wrapped around her, in her mind, in her body. The malice that maimed her and intended to murder her in cold blood was replaced with such a fierce love and protection that swaddled her. Through her ears, she watched as the gold flames swathed her and that scent of spice and smoke fill her nose and soothe her.
Igneel… Mary Jane felt her body relax in his presence. I remember how warm you felt… I missed you so much…
A shiver tanked her spine as a coy whisper touched her mind, Then he can die first.
What? Horror took over Mary Jane when she saw scarlet energy thrum off her. She was a bystander as this madness suffocated her, tethered her, and it was sucking everything else in. If this power could not be appeased, then no one could. No… The scarlet energy infected the gold flames. No…! No, Igneel! She tried, and she tried, and she tried, but no matter what she did, the power never responded for her cries to stop. It spread like a wildfire to consume the flames that were meant to protect her.
"Don't kill him!" Mary Jane begged as all she could do was sit and watch as this power worked selfishly. "Please! Don't kill him! Don't—!" It was like someone had closed her throat and she struggled to breathe.
This is my body, the voice hissed. You might have been given a soul for this body, but this body belongs to me. You could have lived having the greatest power no mortal could withstand. But if you won't obey me, then I'll kill everyone you love until you do.
Mary Jane cried when a knife twisted and she could feel the agony Igneel withstood when his own flames were corrupted. No! Igneel!
"Mary Jane!"
In the cloud of grief and chaos and death, Mary Jane could hear Penelope's call over it all. Penny…
"Hide!" came Penelope's command. "You have to hide! She can't find you there!"
But… I want…to live… Mary Jane could only cry as she felt the madness try to strangle Igneel's hold on her. She could sense every sinister ambition it carried. She could sense its delight to torment another living soul, the thrill to drive him insane. But it went deeper. She could feel her power seek out to make Igneel be the one who sought for his own death. But what's living…without you? She closed her eyes as a depressive smile cupped her face. She drowned out the pain, the scarlet, the violet, the haze. She drowned herself into a darkness she knew well.
I'm…not worthy to be your Wendy… I'm just…a coward… But even if I'm a coward…
A flame tried to warm her, reach her, feel for her in her solitude of darkness, a place where she had no voice, no autonomy. She cupped the flames in her prison. Igneel… I'm lucky to have woken up to have felt your warmth again…but I have to leave… The flame stubbornly ignited itself. If you stay with me, she'll kill you. She let the flames go as she drifted down into her resting place. Her cage. Her hiding spot. One day, I'll wake up and won't be a coward… I can be your Wendy again.
A violet tear.
One day…I can live…
Another tear.
One day…I can love you again…
Another tear.
But for now… She heaved a sigh. The tethers, the connections, her remembrances of being physical—she swept them away for rest. …I need to protect you… Her detachment—those flames—died. She had nothing now. Just like before. I'll see you soon…my Peter Pan…
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
SHIIN
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Penelope watched as a spectacle happened before her. The scarlet that had taken over Mary Jane no longer had a reason to seek out and destroy. It snapped back inside her and left her as a husk, a shell. She watched the forest in how death-like she looked. Not a breath. Not a heartbeat. The noise that had abandoned this forest now made it seem like everything—even the sky itself—was holding its breath for her to reawaken.
Her head moved first. Her breath intake was quiet. Her heartbeat was steady. "Ugh… My head…" Her head lifted to snoop around this forest. "Where…am I?"
"What do you last remember?"
Mary Jane slowly got to her feet. "I…was in my room." The confusion was clear if that was correct or not. "Um… I think I spoke to Gale…" She shook her head as she massaged he hands. "It's fuzzy. But I don't remember coming to this place. So where are we"—she turned her head and scarlet-cerulean clashed with pale reds—"Penelope?"
Penelope's hand clenched. "Nowhere important. You accompanied me on my field research, but you…passed out from the hike. Your body, it's…" She gritted her teeth. "You have…a weak stamina…"
"Thanks, Penelope," Mary Jane dryly appreciated. "Sorry for passing out on you, I guess." She yawned and fanned herself. "I feel so sluggish." Her eyes widened. "Oh! The time!" She patted herself down for her Compact and ripped it out from her pocket. "I need to get back home! I have so much to get ready for! Oh, look, and Peter called too!" She sent her cousin a pleading look. "I'm sorry, Penelope, but I have to go—!"
"I'll take you home." Penelope waited for no one as she pushed off the ground with her Magic cloaking her and she was in the air. She did not have to check to know Mary Jane followed her swarmed in her mystical cerulean, but she could not look back at her cousin. Not now. Not when everything was fresh and made her tense with an unfathomable emotion.
I swear to you, Mary Jane. I will work harder to bring you back so you never have to hide, Penelope vowed. You deserve to live as yourself. You deserve to come home and feel warm again. You don't deserve to have to hide, but… Hiding is the only way you can preserve the memories you shared with the only person you could be yourself around. Hiding protects him. I understand that. Even so…
Pale red darkened as a quiet fury overtook her. I'll stop this nightmare from ever coming to reality in the first place. I'll make sure the Spirit of the Black Mage never returns. And I'll make sure Mary Jane, that your body and blue and red power inside you belong to you alone. Because I made a promise.
Her hand left.
A sliver of a golden flame emerged before it snuffed out.
Because Igneel—pale reds glinted—isn't the only one who has been mourning over you.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Later that day…
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
"Are you sure I look okay?"
Mary Jane worried as she settled in front of the tri-fold full-length mirror housed in her parent's room. Ena had worked her Magic (though, it was more like Mary Jane had no choice). A deep scarlet saturated her halter dress with fingerless long sleeve gloves and her lace-up block heels sharing the sanguineous color. Mira had worked Mary Jane's hair so the top had been Perench braided and tied with a neat scarlet bow and the rest of her hair was swept into a high ponytail. The make-up had been light. She had meant to just shyly ask Veronika, but that speared somehow into Esme, Justin, and Ellie laying down the groundwork, so by their command, she kept to a light blush, little eye shadow, and her lips doused in a deep blood red. Even her clutch was red and the peacock coat.
Mira came to smoothen out the skirt of Mary Jane's dress. "You look gorgeous," she complimented. "I was finally able to dress one of my daughters for a dance!" She held her cheeks as a blissful aura surrounded her "It's happening! Finally! I finally accomplished a mother-daughter dress-up moment!"
"Yeah, well, Veronika did things her way, and she always got dressed with Esme with their friends somewhere," Mary Jane remembered. "And I wasn't too big on dances to begin with. But Lance and Nik went to dances, right?"
Mira sighed. "Yes, but suit-shopping with those boys was never fun," she lamented. "Nik kept complaining the entire time. The times I wanted to kill him were unreal." Her hand filled with a malicious violet aura. "And I could have done it so easily too. He wouldn't have even felt a thing." Something sinister crept in those ceruleans. "No one would have heard him scream."
"Nik never liked getting dressed up," Mary Jane pointed out as she checked herself in the mirror. It was refreshing she never lost sight of how warm and nurturing her mother was regardless of how volatile she could be. "I never liked his dates."
"Neither did I." Mira did away with her Magic to clap her hands with a pout. "Nik was so mean to his own mother, keeping me away from all his dates like that. But his dates were never nice women to begin with." She shook her head, sighing. "But then again, Nik was always so ill-mannered. I don't understand who he could have gotten it from."
Mary Jane snorted. "From Daddy. He has the worst temper out of all of us."
"Why are women slandering my name again?" Laxus popped in with a hand to shield his eyes and a grin tugging on his lips. "The Hell did I do this time? After all the trouble I went through to make sure you didn't have this house filled with family."
Mary Jane grimaced when she remembered how hard it was to face a comically-sobbing Lisanna, Evergreen, Ellie, Justin, and one very adorable Liberty who begged and pleaded to see her off for the dance. Her stiff upper lip she used to have trembled and she would have caved in a heartbeat. "Yeah, thanks for that, Daddy." She groused, "They played dirty and used Liberty as their lucky charm. That's so not fair."
"Since when does anyone in this family play fair?" Laxus drawled. "Now is it okay if I see you all dressed up?"
"No pictures," Mary Jane reminded with a glare thrown at her innocent mother who put her hands behind her back. "I mean it," she stressed. "I hate pictures, you guys, and you promised!"
Mira sniffled, and she forced those blues to water. "But—"
"Daddy, look at me now before Mom starts fake-crying!" Mary Jane cried.
Mira pouted, her plan thwarted, while Laxus dropped his hand and he had to smile at his daughter. "You look beautiful, butterfly." He came over to teasingly pull his wife's cheek. "And like we promised, no pictures."
"Thanks, Daddy." Mary Jane did a little twirl. "I hope Peter likes it."
"Why the Hell should it ma—? Gah!"
"He'll adore you in it!" Mira gushed (and she ignored her husband, who was in dire pain from her heel slamming into his bare foot). She came forth to smooth out any flyaways in Mary Jane's hair. "Make sure to watch out for Luna," she reminded. "She'll need a good friend like you to have her back." She caught a dim in her daughter's eyes. "What? What's wrong?"
"Oh, um…" Mary Jane clenched her hands. If I tell them Luna isn't going to the dance, they might tell Uncle Natsu and Aunt Lucy. Luna and Gale are probably together too. She feigned a beam. "Nothing, Mom," she chirped. "I already gave Luna the rundown, but I'll make sure to keep an eye on her." Her reflection gazed back at her. I hope I did the right thing…
BZZZZ…
"My Com! Peter must be close!" Mary Jane jabbed a warning finger in her father's direction. "Don't scare him, Daddy."
"I wasn't gonna!" Laxus huffed in defense. He avoided looking at his wife. "Your mom said she'd kick me onto that crappy ass couch in the basement if I touch him anyway."
Mira tittered. "And I won't hesitate to make you have only nightmares too," she cheerily added. She pinched an agitated Laxus' cheek as she simpered, "Oh, Laxus, you'll just have to accept our Mary Jane is a powerful and intelligent young woman."
"I know she is," Laxus grumbled. "But the guys her ages aren't all that bright." He looked at Mary Jane. "Why not just come home straight after the dance?" he appealed.
Mary Jane rolled her eyes as she heard her Compact vibrate in her bedroom. "Best behavior, Daddy," she sang in warning as she abandoned the bedroom. She shivered when she heard her mother's giggle. Ugh. And they worry about me acting like a stereotypical teenager. She got to her bedroom to see Peter was calling her, and she was quick to clamor her Com and answer the call. "Hi."
"And I'm already a gone the second you say, 'hi'."
Mary Jane giggled and leaned against her dresser. "Are you close?"
"Yeah." A beat and clicking. "I'm, like, maybe a few minutes away," Peter told her. "Please tell me your dad hasn't, like, put out some sort of bounty on me or alert the Guard or anything."
"Ha!" Mary Jane messed with the scarlet clutch Ena had crafted for her. "No, thankfully not. My mom's got him on a tight leash, so we should be fine. Just as long as I'm home tomorrow by noon."
"Right, I remember. And like I said before, the dinner with my friends is optional—"
"I want to go," Mary Jane cut in with a smile. "It'll be good for you to see my friends." She added coyly, "Plus I'm totally going to ask about embarrassing stories of you." She went to scratch her neck when her arm brushed against metal. She looked down at her necklace and a frown overcame here. This is…
Peter groaned. "Dammit, now I don't want us to go. Those guys are snakes, and they're totally gonna rat me out." A loud sigh. "Sucks Bleu won't be there, but it saves me from him telling you too many embarrassing things about me. And you're sure Luna is okay?"
Mary Jane tried to pull her focus back into the call as she faced her dresser mirror and feathered her necklace. "Um… Yeah, um…" She shook her head. "Yeah, she's fine with it, don't worry. Like I said, I talked to her." She toyed with the charm.
Vibrant emeralds.
Luna's irked question. "Are you thinking about Peter or Igneel?"
"Hey, um… My parents are calling me to convince me to let them take a picture," Mary Jane excused. "I have to go, but I can't wait to see you soon."
Peter replied: "I can't wait either." His voice dropped, steady and warm. "I've missed you, Sweets."
"I've missed you too," Mary Jane murmured. "I'll see you soon. Yeah, okay. Bye." She ended the call and slid her Compact onto her dresser before she admired the acorn button charm. She pawed it into her hand, this little charm that meant so much more than people could realize.
"It looks pretty good on you." Igneel's soft compliment tingled in her ear. "Just know those two charms symbolize the bestest of friends, and the promise that no matter how old we'll get, we'll always remember each other. It's a…Neverland promise."
I made a promise…to never take it off, Mary Jane remembered. Her gut coiled, and a pang hit her full of sadness. But I… She grimaced as voices crowded her.
"Igneel wants you to be happy, y'know."
"Are you thinking about Igneel or Peter?
"You know he still cares about you, though."
"Because to live your life the way you want is an awfully big adventure."
"After all, even Peter Pan can't resist seeing his Wendy, right?"
Mary Jane swept her ponytail to the side as her hands went back to get to the necklace's clasp. But you're wrong. I'm…not his Wendy. I've…never been his Wendy. She unhooked the necklace and pulled it from her person. The impenetrable warmth that coated her like a second skin was gone now, and she looked at the gathered charm and necklace in her palm with stinging eyes and a deep-seated frown. Peter is my boyfriend now, Igneel. I care about you, but…
"Are you thinking about Igneel or Peter?
Her eyes closed. I…care about Peter more. I'm… She brought the acorn button charm up to kiss it, hissing an exhale. "I'm sorry, Igneel," she whispered. She pulled her hand away to lay the necklace down on her dresser. In a movement of finality, she grabbed her clutch and her Compact before turning out the light and abandoning her bedroom.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
I remember the story of Peter and Wendy very well.
Wendy left Neverland to grow up.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Mary Jane descended down the steps, head held high. Her parents were waiting for her at the bottom with her mother holding her scarlet peacock coat for her, and her father a mixture of stern and adoring. She thanked her parents with hugs and kisses just as the doorbell rang. Peter was let inside, dapper in all black suit with a red tie to match his date. With greeting exchanged, the farewells followed (and Laxus begrudgingly kept his mouth shut with any warnings).
Peter escorted Mary Jane to her side of the car and made sure she was settled before getting onto his side. They shared a sweet kiss before it was time to head out.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Perhaps you find it cruel for Wendy to leave Peter. Maybe you find it even more cruel how she wanted to go with him, but her parents wouldn't let her.
And Peter was left to be Cursed and alone, hopeful Wendy would come with him to a place he made just for them.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
The dinner had been brash, but Mary Jane had not minded at all. She enjoyed the atmosphere as her boyfriend blushed and complained as his friends swarmed her like the white knights they certainly were not and offered up any sort of information she wished. Laughter and jesting were passed along in an easy rhythm, and Mary Jane's cheeks flushed when Peter fed her.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
To be honest…I wished Wendy never had to leave. Why couldn't she stay with Peter Pan?
Why couldn't I…?
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
The dance was over the top, and that was saying something. The student council and the DAFT committee (Dance, Activities, Functions, and Trips Committee—yes, the name was horrible, but it was a very real committee) had carded the gymnasium in reams of streamers and balloons of red, white, and pink, and went hard for romantic violet and red and blue lighting. A DJ was pumping up the student body with a popular Josean song that had people chanting and dancing along.
Mary Jane laughed when Peter whirled her into him and welcomed him with a kiss.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
In those years Wendy grew up, it's said that Peter Pan never knew.
But he knew.
He knows.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
The hotel looked quite the contemporary luxurious space, and a popular hotspot for couples or their friends to rent a space. Doused in marbles with accents of black, it was no small feat to book your stay here. Hordes of students from surrounding school systems and adult couples had come for a weekend of love and tomfoolery. The staff knew this weekend would be one of nightmares, extra charges to rooms, and someone was going to have the Guard at some point.
After saying goodbye to Peter's friends who hooted and hollered, arm-in-arm, Peter and Mary Jane made it inside one of the elevators, pink on their cheeks. Mary Jane rested her head on Peter's shoulder, but her eyes fell shut when he pressed a kiss on her lips.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
In truth, Wendy was nothing more than a coward. She wanted to stop the pain of growing up.
She wanted to stay with Peter Pan, but…
But…
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Peter wrangled out the keycard from his pocket, but a bundle of nerves were shared between them and written all over Mary Jane's face. He paused from opening the door to their room to face her and hold her face in his hands. "I'm fine with us just hanging out," he wanted to make clear. "I just missed my girlfriend."
"I know." Mary Jane exhaled to relax under his touch. "Whatever happens, happens, right?"
"Yeah." Peter smiled. "Whatever happens, happens."
Mary Jane swallowed and nodded. "Okay." She looked at the door. "Let's go inside."
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
She hid.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Peter nodded and swiped his keycard. The light turned green and a faint click could be heard. Peter was the one to open the door first, but he waited for Mary Jane to enter the suit before him with determined steps and a slightly unsteady breath.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
She was a coward.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Peter followed her inside.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
And Peter would know she grew up.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
The door was slow to close, but in those final moments, Mary Jane had turned to Peter and wrapped her arms around him to sink him down into a kiss.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
He would always know. He would feel that betrayal.
And yet The Boy Who Never Grew Up…would still wait in Neverland for his Wendy to come back.
Even when Wendy had broken her promise.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
The door shut.
CLICK!
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
I'm sorry, Igneel… I'm so, so sorry…
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
The first edition found for such an auspicious day had been restored to its true and full glory. Proudly, the first edition was labeled Peter and Wendy to tell the tales of the Boy Who Never Grew Up and the girl who would become someone more important to him than he would ever know.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
•
Wendy's story is not over, neither is Peter Pan's
We have yet to learn how they met
And how they became friends
This was just the beginning of their tale
But you may question that
If the Wendy we see isn't the true Wendy
Then who is she hiding from
And that Dull she saw… Who was that?
•
We'll wind down from Neverland—but don't fret, there's more
A future to tell of their story
Of their love
And their lore
•
But our next story is one you'll find perhaps odd
It's not a story of Sleeping Beauty or Prince Philip
But of Maleficent and Diaval
So we hope to see you again
Please stop in when the time is right
Happy Heart's Day to all!
And to all a good night!
•
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
nagare dashita MERODI tsunaida bokura no sono te wo
tsutsumi komu hachi-gatsu no kaze hibiki atte
mou mienai sekai wo natsukashi garu demo kuyamu de mo naku
kimi to nagamete itai
•
kimi to sugoshite yuku
•
kimi ni kiite hoshikute tsukuri ageta senritsu
itsumade mo kono basho de kimi to kanaderaretara
TO BE CONTINUED…
Next time
On Fairy Adventure
Episode 085
TALES OF HEART'S DAY WEEKEND
MALEFICIENT
Voices of Characters in Order of Appearance
— • — • — • —
Narrator – Kelsey Grammer
Mary Jane Dreyar – Erica Lindbeck
Nikolai "Nik" Dreyar – Jason Liebricht
Gale Redfox – Greg Cipes
Igneel Dragneel – Bryce Papenbrook
Laxus Dreyar – Patrick Seitz
Mavis Vermillion – Leah Clark
Zeref Dragneel – Joel McDonald
Penelope Strauss – Cristina V
Mirajane Dreyar – Monica Rial
Peter Shuusei-Thompson – Joe Zieja
Luna Dragneel (voice only) – Brynn Apprill
Nashi Dragneel (voice only) – Lauren Landa
Majerle – Ry McKeand
• — • — •
Additional Voices
Opening Narrator – Mary McGlynn
Description Narrator – Mary McGlynn
Closing Narrator – Melissa Fahn
— • — • — • —
⌜OPENING SONG
⟪ Prism ⟫
ClariS & GARNiDELiA
Lyrics by
Ryosuke Shigenaga⌟
•
⌜INSERT SONG
⟪ Portrait of Pirate F ⟫
Kagamine Rin & Len, MEIKO, Megurine Luka, and KAITO
Lyrics by
Hitoshizuku-P × Yama△⌟
•
⌜ENDING SONG
⟪ August Breeze ⟫
GUMI V3 Power
Lyrics by
40Meter-P and Mogelatte⌟
The jungle heat was nothing to sneeze at. A second too long without consistent water and you would be left with a dry throat and a drier mouth. Even the bugs and insects who adored the heat were tired and withdrew. The tigers and jaguars and Wyverns who lived here could only take so much of this place, but they still needed to eat and drink. A part of hunters from a nearby tribe were on the prowl for a magical wild boar with their bows and spears while the nurturers and gathers headed to the stream with their young, sick, and elderly to get the sweat and grime washed from them. A battle progressed in the jungle, but it had turned into a three-way battle. The Magic Council faced against the Faction, but the Spiritless tribespeople got into the mix to kill all Wizards in the area.
From up here, while it would be hard to see such specifics, but it was not hard from him. He could hear from the far coast of this land as smugglers took magical prisoners onto their docks and the footsteps as the SEAL Council Agents took their positions to stop the air. He could listen as one of the tribes played a radio. While the language still escaped him, spurts of Minstrish came into play. It looked like a mystical water creature managed to round up two others of its kind to drag in a Wyvern who was far too thirsty to resist a convenient pond.
The wind carried a despaired apology that imprinted on his soul. I'm so, so sorry…
No… His jaw went taut. Don't be sorry for protecting yourself when I can't protect you.
CAAAAAAAAAAAW…!
His chin lifted as he watched a swift bird doused in orange-gold flames barreled its way back to him. It circled him once before it dropped down. Its flames burned it alive, but it did not disintegrate into ash. It formed a person. Short and wiry, the boy looked like a middle school student with his sclera red but the irises were peak gold. Outfitted in a junior high uniform with a button-down, tie, blazer, and shorts, a tattoo laid on his neck that had been embroidered onto his blazer.
He tipped his head. "Did you find it, Majerle?"
"Yeah, I did. Your welcome, by the way," Majerle answered. "It was a big of a drag, though. The flight totally sucks and there's no decent service anywhere there, but"—he sighed, shrugging—"at least it's clear of humans."
⌜CELESTIAL SPIRIT
Name: Majerle
Subtype: Phoenix Constellation
Key: Silver
Magic: Infinite Fire
Likes: social media Dislikes: chopsticks
Special Note: Majerle is the rare Phoenix Constellation! The drawback to Majerle is that he might get a little carried away with Instagraph…⌟
"I understand." His nostrils flared as he took in this wind. "Find Tigerlily. She'll take over while I'm away."
Majerle looked at him in both surprise and concern. "Hold on a sec. You're not strong enough for that flight," he warned. "You can't just go off by yourself—"
GRRRRRRRRRRR…
Majerle abruptly stopped, then he brushed it off. "Whatever." His golden irises crossed the sky. "I was just giving you a fair warning. After all"—those sunflower yellows tanked in red slid over to him—"a teacher should always warn their star student."
A long silence. "I'll take Arunima with me," he reluctantly conceded. "She can help me heal." He looked at his arm and flexed as flames clung to him like a second skin. "But I've gotten strong enough to get there. And if I want to get stronger, I have to get there."
Majerle regarded him for a moment before he shook his head. "Whatevs, my dude. Don't say I didn't warn you."
"Consider me warned then." He stepped to the edge of the cliff with league between him and the rainforest floor. It's only been two months, but I had to force myself to get to where I am now. I have to keep going. I don't have a choice. Smoke and embers left him when he breathed out from his mouth. I don't know which August it'll happen, but I have to get stronger to make sure it doesn't.
Torrid violet.
"Majerle, let's go." Smoke flooded from his nose and carried in the wind. The eyes of a hunter glowed in a predatory emerald. "Time to visit my grandpa"—flames trickled from his mouth and he bit them down with sharpened fangs—"and my dear ole uncle."