Galuna Village: Tower, Night…
Minato and Kakashi stood in the tower while the villagers, Gray, and Obito all were waiting expectantly.
"You remember how high the last magic circle we saw at the temple was?" Minato questioned.
"I can get it close enough." Kakashi stated.
Minato nodded. "I need you to body flicker that high, put some ice there, and embed one of my kunai with in." He produced two. "The second one you'll need to hold onto or put in the fround. Got it?"
"Understood." Kakashi stated as he accepted both kunai. "Body Flicker!"
Minato began forming a Rasengan. Kakashi appeared high in the sky and immediately pressed his hand to what was a solid object leaving behind ice. As he fell, he threw one of the kunai hard enough to embed itself within the ice.
The Copy Mage then turned to look at the ground. "Body Flicker!"
He vanished and appeared on the ground, to the shock of the villagers, before throwing the second kunai into the earth. He then turned to his Sensei and gave him a thumbs up which Minato returned before vanishing himself.
He appeared from the kunai in the sky as his Rasengan doubled in size. "Giant Rasengan!"
He managed to slam it into something above him before vanishing again and appearing on the ground next to Kakashi. Everyone watched on in shock or amazement as the moon seemed to shatter. It was revealed to be something glass like which shattered letting in the white light.
"What was that?" Gray asked. "What's going on?"
"As a result of the moon drip, a purple membrane covered the entire island." Minato explained. "That membrane is why the moon looked purple." The people and land were glowing gold. "With it busted, everything will return to how it was three years ago."
The glow dissipated, but the people were still demons.
"If that's the case, why are they still demons?" Obito questioned confused.
"It's because these are their true forms." Kakashi replied. "If the moon drip affected appearance, any of us would have been affected the moment we set foot on the island; however, we never were. It instead altered their memories through long term exposure."
"Ah, so rather than humans changed into demons, they were demons changed into humans." Obito understood.
Gray was shocked and immediately approached the nearest demon. "Is that true?"
"Maybe. I don't know. We looked human when we meet you guys, right?"
"That's because you possess the ability to take on human form." Minato explained. "Thanks to the moon drip, you believed your temporary state to be your real form. Clearly, the moon drip was something witch only afflicted the demons."
"I always knew I could trust Fairy Tail." A familiar voice stated.
This shocked everyone because it was Bobo who was a maroon demon now.
Moka couldn't believe it. "Bobo…"
"I thought you were dead."
"Getting stabbed in the chest hurt pretty bad, but you got to do more than that to kill a demon." Bobo declared.
"What about the boat?" Gray questioned. "You just disappeared."
He flew up as this demon had wings. "I hope you can all forgive me for not telling you the truth. I was honestly the only one without memory loss. I had to leave because everyone went nuts. I knew I was a demon, but they thought they were cursed humans."
"Bobo." Moka flew up with tears in his eyes.
This led to the demons celebrating in the sky while the Wizards shared a smile. Soon, the demons wheeled out a feast to celebrate and honor the Wizards. By the looks of things, Gray was quite popular with the demon girls of the island.
Minato sat with Bobo and Moka. Seems as though their help led to the demons now realizing that not all humans are bad. The village would now be willing to venture out while also dissuading the whole curse myth they came up with.
Kakashi noticed Obito standing near a hut, so he decided to approach. "So, I know you've lived quite the life, but I don't think your original excuse of helping me out is going to fly when you next see Rin."
"I suppose not." Obito chuckled to himself before sighing. "You know, I spent years looking for her, yet I never found her. It's actually how I met Ur." He shook his head. "Something about her drew me in. We didn't live the longest of lives, but it was good."
"I bet it was." Kakashi stated. "Listen, if you're going to ask me…"
"Minato Sensei already explained your situation to me." Obito shook his head. "That war feels like a lifetime ago. Still, I remember it as well as what Naruto taught me."
"I'm glad to hear that." Kakashi looked at his old friend. "Even if we are both stuck here, I'm glad you managed to carve out some happiness for yourself."
"Ur made it easy." Obito nodded. "One day, I'll find more happiness. I'm not sure where or with who, but I won't stop looking."
"You could always come back to Fairy Tail with Sensei and I." Kakashi offered. "They're a good group, and I'm sure a Wizard of your caliber would be welcome."
"Sorry Kakashi, but I think there's someone who may need me." Obito smiled at his friend. "Besides, Fairy Tail has you and Minato Sensei."
"Worth a try." Kakashi chuckled. "So, when do you think you and Lyon will set out?"
"Not sure, but I was thinking of at least dipping out of the village some time tonight." Obito informed.
Kakashi smirked. "Knowing you, something's bound to come up making you late."
"Hey, I may have reconnected with who I was Kakashi, but I'm never late now." Obito retorted causing them to share a laugh. "Kakashi, I kept tabs on you before, so if you have a chance at happiness, seize it. This world gave me the chance to be happy, so you should be no different."
Kakashi scratched his cheek as a certain Card Mage came to mind. "I'll keep that in mind."
"Oh, does the ever-stoic Kakashi actually have someone in mind." Obito gently elbowed him and smirked. "That's unexpected. I won't ask details since I'll likely meet her someday, but take it from me, don't let time pass you by."
Before Kakashi could speak, Yuka and Sherry walked into the village drawing everyone's attention. The wizards immediately grouped together.
"How can we help you?" Minato asked.
"You Fairy Tailers are tough." Yuka was smiling. "The Flame Emperor is so banged up that he couldn't even make it down here."
"That's why we came to pay you a visit in his place." Sherry informed.
Kakashi stepped forward. "If you want to do this, you got to fight me again." He shrugged. "In the off chance you best me, we got an S Rank and Fire Devil Slayer just waiting along with the guy who took your Flame Emperor down singlehandedly."
"I think you misunderstand." Yuka stated. "We already know you're an outstanding warrior."
"Truth is, we'd be no match for you." Sherry added. "Let alone your comrades."
"So, you're not here to attack us or this village?" Obito questioned.
"I doubt this will make up for the trouble we caused, but we wanted to apologize." Yuka stated.
"The Flame Emperor filled us in on everything." Sherry stated. "Thanks to you, we can finally let go of the pain Deliora caused long ago."
"So, you were victims of Deliora to." Gray stated.
"When we were children, that monster ravaged our village." Yuka admitted. "We watched it murder our friends and family."
"The Flame Emperor had a plan to kill the demon, so we joined him." Sherry continued.
"We wanted revenge, but we hurt innocent people to get it." Yuka admitted.
"We were so caught up in our hatred that we ended up acting no better than that monster itself." Sherry continued. "From now on, we'll treat others with respect and love."
"It takes courage to own up for one's mistakes." Minato stated. "Deliora caused a lot of pain and heartache to many, but with him gone, those afflicted by him may now live their lives. Make the most of this chance you have."
"Thank you." Sherry nodded. "We'll take our leave, but Lyon wanted us to give his master a message."
That shocked Obito since he didn't think Lyon would ever acknowledging him again.
"He said, 'Master Obito, I'm sorry I was a terrible student'." Yuka relayed.
"Perhaps there is hope for you after all my boy." Obito smiled. "Tell him, I'll see him soon."
"Will do." Yuka stated.
The pair then walked out of the village, and the party was in full swing once more.
Tree Nearby
Zalty sat on a branch observing the group while his now restored crystal ball floated next to him. "Where you able to see all of that sir?"
"Yes." A familiar voice stated. "You should probably leave before they find you." On the other end, there was a man sitting in the dark. He looked exactly like Seigrain except he wore black rather than white. "If it's not my brother, it'll be Fairy Tail Wizards who pose a threat."
Zalty removed his mask and dropped his transformation revealing that she had been Ultear the whole time. "That's true." She stood and glared at Obito. "My, how your strength has increased. Still, you will pay the ultimate price father."
Village: Mourning…
It was finally time to leave, and every Wizard, save Obito who had dipped out last night, was given an equal split of the 7 million jewels which game out to over 2.3 million jewels for each of them. As for the gate key, it was given to Kakashi who intended to give it to Lucy.
"We cannot thank you four enough for all you've done." Moka stood across from Minato and bowed. "Know that you four are always welcome here."
Minato smiled. "That is very kind of you."
Bobo stepped forward. "Of course, I will gladly take you all back to Hargeon."
So, the group sat off with the demons giving them one heck of a sendoff.
Cliff Overlooking the Sea
Lyon, Yuka, Sherry, Toby, and all the villagers watched as Fairy Tail headed back to Hargeon.
"You know, they weren't all that bad." Yuka stated.
Toby was crying. "I'm not crying. I just got something in my eye."
"Could have fooled me." Yuka replied sarcastically.
"Are you okay Lyon." Sherry looked at him with a slight blush. "You never got the chance to say goodbye to your friend and give him your love."
"I suppose I could have sent him a message as well, but I think him and I spoke all we needed to." Lyon stated.
"Speaking of messages, I did tell you I'd see you soon." Obito had climbed up the cliff before giving his student a genuine smile. "Yo, Lyon."
"Obito." Lyon was shocked before he chuckled. "You always did like climbing things. Though, that was usually through windows."
"True." Obito crossed his arms. "Hey, this is good enough."
The two of them shared a smile.
Lyon then looked to Sherry and Yuka. "So, you two were in a guild once. What's it like?"
Magnolia: Days Later…
Minato, Gray, and Kakashi made their way along the streets heading back towards the guild.
Gray smirked. "I can't wait to tell dragon boy all about the S Class Quest."
"Honestly, I'm just glad we're home." Kakashi stated.
"Agreed." Minato smiled. "I'm looking forward to the craziness which follows our guild."
Fairy Tail Guildhall
The group of Wizards entered the guild and were greeted by everyone.
"Looks like your all back from your island getaway." Cana observed.
"Hey Cana." Kakashi greeted. "I wouldn't call it a getaway, but we did come back with a completed job. How's it been going with you?"
"Pretty well actually." Cana winked at him. "Been thinking about that coffee you owe me actually."
"Well, we are in the guild." Kakashi stated. "If you grab a booth, I'm sure Mira can whip some up for us."
"You got yourself a deal." Cana walked away while swaying her hips. "Don't keep me waiting."
Minato chuckled and patted his back. "You certainly know how to pick them Kakashi."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Kakashi questioned.
Minato simply walked away smirking while Gray decided to ask around about Natsu. Kakashi eventually got some coffees from Mira and sat across from Cana in a booth well in the back of the guild.
"So, how was your first S Class Quest?" Cana asked.
"Reminded me a lot of the higher missions I'd receive back in the Leaf actually." Kakashi replied. "Turns out, the curse was the easy part. The real problem was something completely outside the quest parameters, but it was best we handled it."
"Were you the one to handle it?" Cana questioned.
"Not really." Kakashi replied. "It was Gray's business while Minato and I alleviated the pressure. By the way, is the master around? I didn't see him when we arrived."
"Master Makarov had a council meeting to attend." Cana replied. "He's been gone since yesterday."
"I see." Kakashi stated.
"By the way, did you get anything for saving the island?" Cana asked.
Most would assume Cana was speaking about the reward, but Kakashi picked up that she meant something more related to his Icha Icha series.
"Nah, all we got to show for our efforts is the reward split three ways, so a little over two point three million jewel." Kakashi replied. "Oh, I also got possession of the key, but Celestial Wizardry is Lucy's style. Next time I see her, it's hers."
"Wait, you have one of those key's Lucy wants?" Cana asked rather excitedly.
"Yeah, why?" Kakashi asked with a raised eyebrow.
Cana smirked. "Kakashi, would you do me a favor?"
"Depends." Kakashi stated. "What do you need?"
"Look, whenever Lucy comes in with her team, I hear Levy talking about this book Lucy's been writing." Cana leaned forward. "I tried to get Lucy to let me read it, but she's been stubborn. So, for me, tell her you'll only give her the key if I get to look at the book whenever I want."
"I suppose I could do that, but I was planning on just giving it to her." Kakashi leaned forward. "What do I get out of it?"
Cana gave him a seductive smirk. "What do you want?"
"I want nothing." Kakashi sat back. "You'll get your looks at her book whenever you like."
Cana seemed to deflate at that which cinched it for the Copy Mage. The Card Mage was easy to talk to, liked to challenge him, was strong, she wasn't a fan girl, and she didn't belong to another village like Hanare. Not that Cana and Hanare were the same.
Still, Kakashi only ever felt that something could happen with one other person. Sure, maybe he'd return to the Elemental Nations one day, but it was better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all.
"That said, how'd you like to go on a date with me?" Kakashi asked. "Regardless of your answer, I'll still get you the chance to read what Lucy's been reading."
Cana was floored. Sure, she had been wanting Kakashi, but she didn't think anything would come of it. All this time, she'd walked that line between being able to spend time with him and flirting for some amusement.
"You really want to go out with me?" Cana asked.
"I would like to get to know you more, but I'll understand if you aren't looking." Kakashi stated.
"No. No." Cana quickly stated. "I mean, I'd be glad to go out with you."
"How about tomorrow night at my place." Kakashi offered. "I'll make a simple dinner and we can have privacy."
"Yeah, sounds good." Cana stated rather quickly.
She couldn't believe what had just happened, but she wasn't going to turn this down. Her self-esteem wasn't that low, and Kakashi wasn't like any other guy in Fairy Tail. He had a certain amount of class over them.
With Natsu
Natsu had heard about how everyone who went on the S Class Request returned, and he was certainly steaming. It didn't help that master had forbade him from going on missions until the group returned.
He learned not to do that again. Now, that they had returned, he was looking for a job. Natsu grabbed one that caught his eye only for Gray to approach him wearing a noticeable smirk. The Dragon Slayer was suddenly jealous.
"Hey pinkie, I guess we know which of us is closer to being S Class, huh?" Gray questioned.
Natsu got in his face. "We both know the reason I didn't get to go you frozen stripper."
"Yeah, you decided to steal a job like a moron." Gray countered.
"You really want to make something of this popsicle?" Natsu questioned.
"What's that?" Gray smirked. "Sorry, can't hear you from the second floor."
That did it. He punched Gray and the guild soon erupted into a brawl. Natsu's job he'd picked was completely forgotten. Levy would end up picking it up later and Shadow Gear would make an easy 500,000 Jewels.
The Bar, Later…
With his and Cana's plans set, and the fighting having died down thanks to the guild master returning, Kakashi decided to have a seat at the bar.
"Hello Kakashi." Mira greeted with a friendly smile.
"Hey Mira." Kakashi nodded. "Should have figured Gray would take the first chance he could to antagonize Natsu, huh?"
"That's about the size of it." Mira smiled. "That was one of their livelier brawls to."
Suddenly, they were interrupted by the sounds of Natsu and Happy arguing. That was peculiar since Kakashi figured those two never fought. Heck, the worse he's heard them get was over who loved food more.
"Yeah, well you're just a meanie!" Happy shouted accusingly.
"I already told you that I caught the fish, so we should eat it my way!" Natsu shouted back.
"I told you fish tastes better raw!" Happy shouted.
"If you wanted to eat fish raw, you catch it and eat it your way!" Natsu exclaimed.
"Those two are fighting?" Lucy had approached the bar. "That's rare."
"Hey Lucy." Kakashi nodded. "Good to see you."
"Kakashi." Lucy hadn't seen him there, but she smiled. "Sorry, I should have been paying better attention."
"Don't worry about it." Kakashi looked at the arguing duo. "Those two are quite attention getting at the moment." He pulled out the golden key. "By the way, I believe you collect these, right?"
"Is that…" Lucy got close to Kakashi. "It is! This is one of the Zodiac Keys." She looked at him. "Where did you get it?"
Kakashi pushed her back. "It was a reward on that S Class Request I undertook with Gray and Minato." He held it out. "You can have it on one condition."
Lucy declared. "Anything."
"Promise me you'll let Cana have a look at the story I hear you've been writing any time she wishes." Kakashi requested. "Give me your word, which I know you wouldn't break as a Celestial Wizard, and this key is all yours."
"Cana put you up to this, didn't she?" Lucy asked.
"Does it really matter?" Kakashi questioned. "I am the one with the key after all, and if you don't want in, I'm certain a shop would pay…"
"Don't you dare!" Lucy snatched the key. "I give you my word that Cana can read my story any time she wants. Just let me keep this key!"
"It's all yours." Kakashi smiled. "Unless Cana gets to me first, any other Golden Keys I somehow acquire will be yours free of charge."
"I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN!" Happy and Natsu screamed.
This drew Kakashi and Lucy's attention as the two of them stormed out of the guild in an angry fashion.
"Looks like someone needs to knock some sense into their heads." Kakashi stood. "Time to see what I can do."
Outside the Guildhall
"Stupid cat…" Natsu grumbled.
He had crossed his arms and was glaring at the grass directly in front of him in a childish way.
"Hey Natsu, you okay?" Kakashi asked.
This caught the Dragon Slayer off guard, but he smiled as he realized it was just Kakashi. "Oh, hey Kakashi. Everything actually sucks because Happy's got me pissed off."
Kakashi took a seat next to him. "Want to talk about it?"
"What's there to talk about?" Natsu questioned angrily. "Happy thinks raw fish is better than grilled, and I think he's stupid."
"You know, I actually expect stupid arguments from your and Gray over you and Happy." Kakashi commented. "I mean, aren't you two best friends?"
"Well, he started it." Natsu was starting to see that he should be the mature one, but the Dragon Slayer never liked it. "Look, did you come out here to nag me or make me feel better?"
"Depends." Kakashi chuckled. "How stupid will you decide to be?"
"If you want me to apologize, forget it." Natsu stated defiantly.
"You guys have known each other for how many years?" Kakashi questioned seriously. "You two are close. Practically like brothers, yet you're letting something this dumb cause you to fight."
Natsu crossed his arms. "Well, we have known each other for a really long time. I actually raised him since he was an egg."
"An egg?" Kakashi questioned.
"Yeah, I hatched Happy." Natsu stated. "It's actually a good story."
"Well, would you mind telling me?" Kakashi asked.
He figured Gray talking about his past helped the Ice-Make Wizard open up, so the same should apply to Natsu who delved into the tale.
"With how gung-ho you are about the guild; I'd never have thought you'd be a lone wolf as a kid." Kakashi commented.
"Yeah, there weren't many people I got along with back then." Natsu stated.
"You're honestly telling me that Erza and Mira, of all people, used to fight like you and Gray?" Kakashi questioned.
"I don't lie." Natsu declared. "It kinda pissed me off. Erza wouldn't let Gray and I fight, yet the second she saw Mira, the two would destroy half the guild. It was totally unfair!"
"I could see how that could be annoying." Kakashi nodded. "Why did they fight all the time?"
"They had a bit of a rivalry." Natsu replied. "At the time, they were both tied for the title of Fairy Tail's strongest female, so I guess that might've had something to do with it. Then, everything changed when…"
The Dragon Slayer's expression suddenly became rather sullen. The Former Jonin realized something unpleasant must have happened.
Kakashi wasn't about to pry further on that, so he decided to redirect the conversation. "Why don't you just stick to telling me what happened with Happy?"
"Uhm, right." Natsu nodded. "Anyway, after we found the egg…"
For the next half hour, the dragon slayer had told him exactly how Happy came to be a part of this world. Kakashi was surprised to hear certain things. Apparently, Elfman used to be timid and Mira was an angry person. Also, Cana didn't always drink.
It was an amazing story, but there was one question Kakashi couldn't get off his mid. "It is quite the tale, but who's this Lisanna you've been telling me about? Is she a member of Fairy Tail?"
Kakashi quickly wished he hadn't asked about her as Natsu's expression was heart wrenching. Not only that, but the pink-haired teen visibly winced at the mention of her name. Yeah, he could piece together what happened to her.
"She… she used to be a member of Fairy Tail." Natsu replied in a shaky voice.
"Sorry, I didn't mean…" Kakashi began.
"No, you don't need to apologize." Natsu sighed. "You're a member of the guild, part of my team, and my friend. Truthfully, you should know about her. Lisanna used to be a member of Fairy Tail until a few years ago. She was Mira and Elfman's younger sister…"
As Kakashi heard what happened to the siblings, all he could do was shake his head. Obviously, he was no stranger to death, but you never could become used to it. If you did, you risked losing your humanity.
"I told you before that Mira used to be an S-Class wizard." Natsu stated. "Heck, she was almost as strong, if not stronger than, Erza. Well, after Lisanna died, she lost the ability to wield her magic energy. Ever since then, she's been working at Fairy Tail as an employee."
"How do you know what happened?" Kakashi asked.
"Elfman came to me with what happened about a month after the funeral." Natsu explained.
"She was someone special to you, huh?" Kakashi asked sympathetically.
"She was my first and only friend for a good while." Natsu shook his head. "To tell ya the truth, there are three people who still haven't gotten over her death, and each of 'em blame themselves."
After that, there was a silence as neither of them chose to say anything. Kakashi knew perfectly well who those individuals were, but he wanted to give his friend the respect he deserved for his emotions. He also knew what the death of a loved one could do to a person.
"If I had only pushed a bit harder, I could have with them like Mira offered." Natsu shook his head. "Every time I think about her, it's a thought that never leaves my head."
"Before I go, I want to offer some advice on what you should do about Happy." Kakashi stated. "You and he have been together for a long time, and while fights are natural, nothing should ever come between you two. Just think of what Lisanna would tell you to do."
Kakashi then walked back into the guildhall while Natsu sat in place with an expression of deep thought etched on his face. Lisanna considered herself Happy's mother from the beginning, and in a lot of ways, she was. She always stressed that family never lets a fight come between them.
"Thank you, Kakashi." Natsu thought with a genuine smile. "I think I needed to hear that."
Natsu then headed off towards where he knew the blue-furred cat would be.
Guildhall
Kakashi came back to the bar. Lucy was there and Gray was a few seats down. As the former Shinobi took a seat, the blonde looked at him with an expression just begging him to tell her how his talk with Natsu had turned out.
"Kakashi, how'd it go with Natsu?" Lucy inquired.
"I think it'll be alright." Kakashi stated. "Actually, I'm pretty sure he left to find Happy."
"Wow, that's surprising." Lucy stated. "What'd you say to him?"
"It wasn't an easy tale for him to relate, and I shouldn't tell you everything we talked about." Kakashi stated. "Still, he told me a lot about him and Happy. When he finished telling me his story, I just told him to think of what someone he used to know would say." Kakashi explained.
"You… you wouldn't happen to be talking about Lisanna, would you?" Lucy guessed.
"Yeah, how do you know who she is?" Kakashi asked.
"Mira told me the same thing Natsu told you when I asked." Lucy informed.
At this, Kakashi looked around the room to see that the traditionally upbeat barmaid was nowhere to be seen. He also noticed that Gray had tightened his hold on the cup before him. Still, considering her sister had been brought up, this was cause for worry.
"She told you who Lisanna is?" Kakashi questioned. "What'd she say exactly?"
"Just that she was Happy's mom… and that she's no longer… um…" Lucy didn't want to continue since she was rather uncomfortable with death.
"Where is she now?" Kakashi asked.
"S-She left the guild after we'd finished talking. She did seem a bit less happy after she did though…" Lucy replied.
"Mira." Gray sighed. "Lucy couldn't have known how sensitive a topic this was for Mira." He stood. "Still, someone should find her and see if she's alright." Gray stood up"You two stay here." Gray put his hands in his pockets and walked on. "I'm going to find her."
"Good luck." Lucy stated with admiration.
She could tell what Gray planned to do, and she could respect it.
"You may want to take an umbrella." Kakashi offered. "They say it may rain."
Gray nodded before taking off.
"Something about this must have really impacted Gray." Lucy commented.
"It's not my place to say, but Gray can certainly relate to her." Kakashi stated.
Magnolia Cemetery: Lisanna's Grave, Sunset…
Dark clouds seemed to line the skies as if acting as an indicator of the mood that one person currently felt. That person was none other than Mirajane Strauss who stood in front of her sister's grave in silence.
She'd arrived some time ago, but she hadn't said anything. Something seemed to be preventing her from speaking. It was odd. To her, roughly three years had gone by, yet she still couldn't bring herself to speak instantaneously at this grave.
"Hello Lisanna." Finally, Mira found her voice. "It's your big sister, Mirajane." She could feel tears form in her eyes. "I-I don't know if you can hear me, but I want you to know I haven't forgotten you. Your face, your smile, your kind heart, and the blue eyes the two of us shared…"
Mira did her best to hold back the waterworks and maintain a stable voice. She found it necessary to pause when thunder sounded off in the skies above. Actually, it was fortunate the white-haired woman now had a moment to gather herself.
"I want you to know that I'm sorry, and I will always love you, Lisanna." Mira sobbed. "I will… always…"
Before she could finish her final sentence, tears fell openly from her eyes. At the same time, it began to downpour drenching Mira. She didn't care. If anything, it gave her the ability to blame the water streaming down her cheeks on the rain.
It was never good to lie, but she could never stand to make Elfman worry. "I'm just glad no one can see me like this."
Mira wiped away the tears in a futile gesture to dry her skin. Even if she were to somehow find a way quell her tears, the rain didn't stop falling. Such thoughts; however, turned out to be countered by the presence of another person in the cemetery.
"You know, you shouldn't be out in the rain like this." A familiar voice called out.
Mira's eyes widened significantly before she turned to see a raven-haired teen standing directly behind her with an umbrella in his hand. His appearance was shocking and confusing to say the least, but it quickly transitioned into soothing.
Gray walked up to the woman and used his umbrella to shield her. "If you keep standing out here, you'll catch a cold."
"I-Gray…" Mira uttered out of surprise. "H-How much did you hear?"
"I already knew the story, but to think it affected you to this extent." Gray shook his head. "I should have picked up on this given my own history."
"Gray, did you come to check on me?" Mira questioned sounding somewhat touched.
The former demon of Fairy Tail would never openly request to be comforted, and she never would have expected this from Gray. The fact that he was here now meant a lot to her. Just knowing that someone cared enough to want to console her made her want to smile.
"Look. Mira…" Gray scratched his face. "I want you to know something important. What happened with Lisanna is on a lot of people's shoulders, so the blame doesn't rest solely with you."
"But it was all my fault!" Mira shouted. "If I had been stronger, or if I had decided to bring someone and be more careful, she would… she would still be here with us."
Fresh tears fell from her eyes, but now there was no rain to conceal them as she stood beneath the umbrella.
"Mira, I know where you are because I've been there." Gray admitted. "The image of what happened to someone important keeps playing through your head, and that moment you saw her life end will forever haunt you. Honestly, that hole in your heart will never completely disappear, but blaming yourself never solves the problem."
"I… I-I don't know what… what I should do." Mira's voice was so shaky. "Y-You said you understand. What did you do?"
"When I experienced the loss of someone I loved, I used that as motivation to get stronger." Gray sighed. "Not only that, but I honor them by living the best life I can. One day, when I see them again, I want to have a lifetime of stories to share with that person."
"Do you really know about the pain? Do you know what it's like to go by every day thinking that someone you loved died because of you?" Mira asked.
"I do." Gray stated. "The person I lost, the one I am responsible for killing, was my master Ur." Gray stated. "After losing my whole village, she was there. She took me in, trained me, and became the shell which took my darkness away."
Gray delved further into his story from losing his village, to being found by Ur, Obito, and Lyon, to the recent mission he undertook to Galuna Island. Mira couldn't imagine the emotional pain and mental stress Gray lived through. Even though he lost so much, the Ice-Make Wizard was the picture example of composure.
"For a long time, I blamed myself for what happened." Gray stated. "I didn't listen to Ur when it mattered. I went to fight Deliora as a stupid, rebellious kid with barely any training under my belt."
The story Mira just heard was something she could relate to, yet Gray held himself together even though Mira could tell he wanted to break down himself. He wanted to ensure that she was fine. The white-haired woman instantly sprung forth and latched onto Gray.
She held him tightly while burying her head deep into his chest and crying once more. This time, it was out of sadness for herself, and the kindred spirit whose body she had captured in her grip. Gray wasn't as uncomfortable with this as he thought he'd be.
Mira sobbed and squeezed him harder. "Gray…"
At first, the Ice-Make Mage was surprised due to how sudden the action was, and he even blushed with how tightly he was currently being held. Even if he weren't fine with this, there wasn't a chance in hell he'd back away with how much Mira was hurting.
With that in mind, he wrapped his free hand around the woman's body and placed it firmly on her back in an affectionate manner. Nothing but the sound of rain and thunder could be heard for a decent amount of time.
"W-What did you do if you still blame yourself for Ur?" Mira asked.
"I remind myself every day that Ur wouldn't have wanted me to wallow in my sadness." Gray replied. "I think that's the big thing. I remember Ur for the wonderful master she was. Use the past to help you look to the future." Gray stated.
The two stood in silence for several more minutes, Mirajane still hugged the raven-haired teen tightly, and Gray allowed it. Soon, the barmaid released him and looked at his face significantly calmer now.
"Can you… can you walk me to my home?" Mira asked bashfully. "I don't have an umbrella, so I was just wondering."
"I have no problem with that." Gray stated.
Mira grabbed onto his left arm to remain close to his body. It was raining, so it wasn't entirely out of the ordinary for her to do something like this. So, the pair walked on as Gray was aware where the Strauss' lived.
Magnolia: Outside the Strauss Home, Some Time Later…
The majority of the duo's walk consisted mostly of silence. Throughout its entirety, Mirajane didn't let go of Gray's arm, and the rain didn't stop. In retrospect, Mira believed she had held onto him tighter than she needed to get some kind of message across.
As the two walked up the steps to her front porch, Gray spoke up. "Well, this is it."
After what seemed to be an eternity, Mira finally released the Ice Make Wizard. She then took several steps off to the side and turned to face him. Gray had retracted the umbrella slowly feeling it necessary to give the message that he was in no hurry to leave. Given what she's been through, he'd stay if Mira needed him to.
"I… I appreciate you telling me what happened to your master." Mira bowed her head slightly. "I know that had to have been hard for you, so I want to let you know I'm grateful."
"I had a lot of time devoted to how I feel on that S Class Request, so how I feel about anything right now isn't all that important." Gray stated with honesty and concern. "What matters now is that you're alright."
"You're sweet… I'm fine…" Mira replied in a somewhat dazed tone.
They just stood there staring into one another's eyes for the time being. Despite himself, Gray couldn't take his sight away from the look of genuine gratitude he saw in those blue orbs that were no more than a foot in front of him. The first movements were done by Mira.
She had started to step forwards to bring their faces closer together. This was a gesture to test the waters. When she saw that Gray was still gazing into her eyes, she decided to gather her courage and allow herself to properly show him how she currently felt.
Unfortunately, the opening of the door caused her to freeze in place as she began to move forward once more. This snapped the duo out of their trance and directed their gaze towards the entrance to the Strauss household as opposed to each other's eyes.
"Big sister! Are you okay?! I've been worried sick!" Elfman exclaimed distraught.
That reaction was perfectly understandable given that it had been pouring outside, and the eldest Strauss had left the guild without giving a real reason. Elfman knew where she had gone, but since Mira took great pains to not bring up their sister, he decided not to mention it.
Still, his worried expression was replaced by a glare the second he realized the position Gray and Mira were in. Gray, a male by gender, was far too close for comfort. Even though he never expected this, he knew Mira was desired by men based of her looks.
"Did I interrupt something?" Elfman asked.
Gray and Mira instantly looked at one another and realized their position. They immediately backed away from each other with noticeably blushes evident on their faces.
"What the hell was that?" Gray thought. "Oh various gods, did I just develop feelings for Mira and not realize it?"
"I-I'm fine Elfman… thanks to Gray." Mira finally replied while giving a genuine smile to the man at her side.
The male Strauss looked very closely at the smile his big sister was currently directing at the man to her right. "Big sis, would you mind if I spoke with Gray for a moment."
"But I…" Mira began to protest.
"Its fine, Mira." Gray was still shocked as he assumed he'd merely be comforting Mira and nothing more. "If he wants to talk, I have no issues with it."
At this, even though she didn't want to, Mira nodded walked into the house, but she did shoot her sibling quite the powerful scowl. "Elfman, I swear if you do anything I wouldn't want you to…"
Her younger brother was many things, but tactful was not one of them. The muscular Fairy Tail wizard looked back to see his elder sister walking up the stairs which meant she was now out of earshot. A split second later, he turned to the raven-haired teen.
His glare completely vanished in favor of a grateful smile. This, in turn, confused Gray. Elfman was known for being protective, and that had been a compromising position he and Mira were in. His confusion only grey by what Elfman did next.
"What the hell?" Gray wondered as the man hugged him.
The momentary embrace ended as quickly as it began, and Gray looked at his fellow guild member with a lost expression as if begging for an explanation. He supposed one would be given, and if not, then this would have just been outrageously weird.
"Thank you…" Elfman said in a tone of genuine appreciation.
"What?" Gray asked confused.
"You know, Mira gets really upset when our sister is mentioned. When that happens, I can't do anything to cheer her up. She doesn't like to talk about it in front of me, and even with the progress I made, I don't know if I could. So, thank you for cheering her up. You are most certainly a real man!"
"Don't mention it." Gray stated genuinely. "I just hope she feels better."
Elfman nodded in understanding before Gray readied his umbrella and began to walk off. When this occurred, Elfman bid the man farewell before walking back into his home. His intent now being to speak to his eldest sister.
Mirajane's Room
The white-haired beauty gazed out of her window at Gray's retreating form with a dreamy look in her eyes. The man had just done her an amazing service.
"Gray… thank you… I don't know if I will ever be able to forgive myself… Maybe one day I will, and I'll have you to thank for it."
She went to sit on the side of her bed a moment later as her mind now examined the advice she was given. It was quite simple to think of a reason for wanting her powers back once again, and it was none other than the very reason Gray offered.
Realistically, one of Mira's desires was to protect her family, which included Fairy Tail. The difficult part; however, was still rooted in letting go of her emotions. The ones she attached so readily to the memory of losing her sister.
Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, the white-haired woman adopted a clam expression and focused on what she believed would work. She didn't quite see a reason to put off moving forward any longer. A way was offered, and there was no reason not to try.
Slowly, but surely, she began to shack off her feelings until her mind was clear. The rage she felt at herself, the frustration and sorrow she felt for her sister's death, all of that was put as far away from her current state of mind as possible.
"Okay… now I have to image what I want to protect"' Mira thought with determination.
The former demon of Fairy Tail began to imagine her comrades, one by one, flashing through her mind. Erza, Natsu, Lucy, Happy, Elfman, Cana, Levy, Jet, Droy, the master, Kakashi, Gray, and many others continued to bounce around as images within her mind.
She focused on nothing more than those people relying on her. On those people needing her help desperately. The reason didn't matter, but the constant factor remained that their pleas were evident. When this mindset had become absolute, that's when it was felt.
Mira's eyes shot wide open as the very power that had left her once again surged through her veins. The moment that her pseudo-mediation had dropped, the magical energy stopped flowing, but the fact that it was present, if only briefly, was undeniable.
"Mira, are you alright?! I just felt a huge spike of magic energy and assumed something bad was happening!" Elfman exclaimed.
He had immediately rushing through the door an instant after the energy had surged. His words; however, elicited no response from his older sister.
"For a moment… I felt it… I felt my magic energy, all of it, come back to me." Mira thought
"Mira?" Elfman called once more, breaking the eldest Strauss out of her daze.
"I'm fine… you must have just been imagining things." Mira said.
"Sorry then… I guess I'll let you be. Goodnight, sis." Elfman said.
"Goodnight." Mira replied as her brother closed the door to her room.
Hallway
The only male member of the Strauss family stood in place. His hand still lightly grasping the doorknob to his sister's room. What he just felt left him in a state of shock. Slowly, he began to walk away with a dazed expression marking his face.
"Gray… I don't know what happened… but I felt my big sis's full power. Whatever you said. probably holds more weight than you think it did." Elfman thought.
This raised a high concern that perhaps the Ice Make Wizard had forged a stronger connection with his elder sister. He chose to overlook it for now and resolve it in the future.
hiareportsyou (ch 4): I think it has to do with how popular it is and how much the people want to change the story. You put the main crossover character with the people who seem to have the most impact on the story to give them that same impact.
hiareportsyou (ch 5): I think I've said this before. While Kakashi will be an important character, probably could be considered a main character alongside Natsu, I'm attempting to make the Guild the main character. Fairy Tail is a place where people can belong, and in my mind, the GMG arc exemplifies the guild as the main character. Will I perfect at this. I don't think so, but I'm going to try my best.
JAKEkenstein (ch 10): I would like to thank you for offering up your pairing ideas. I can't guarantee they'll be the ones I use, but that first one you gave... I'm not saying anything or am I? We'll just have to see.