S.R: I'm really happy with how some of these scenes turned out. I really wasn't expected to spend this much time revising the other spots though. But enough of my rambling you're here for the story. Oh, yeah. There will be a lot of small jumps through time this chapter. Mostly because I'm only going to show the big events that happened during the seven year time skip. Though there is going to be a mini arc to help fill up some of the time.
Just like Natsu and Cana had said, Laxus was welcomed back into the guild without any issues, everyone having already forgiven him. After the party started winding down, the blonde made his way towards the infirmary.
Stepping into the room he couldn't help but frown when he saw Mira's tear stricken face. The pain that was etched into every one of her features was clear as day.'They weren't kidding when they said she took this horribly.' He thought with a frown. But he shook his head after a moment, after all if anyone would be able to get her to respond and listen it would be him. Before he became the arrogant prick he was when he got exiled, Mira was the one he was closest with out of everyone in the guild.
Reaching out, he gently shook the white haired woman's shoulder. It didn't take much for her to start reacting. Her hand came up to her face to rub the sleep out of her eyes before she looked towards the person waking her. Blinking the white haired woman looked up at his face in confusion while sitting up.
"Laxus?"
Her voice came out sounding weak. It hurt him to hear her sounding so vulnerable. But he didn't know what to do, unsure of how she'd react once she realized it wasn't a dream. But to his surprise she gave a weak smile.
"I knew you still cared. Even if it was hidden."
"Wh-what are you talking about?"
He asked curious as to why she was acting so differently compared to how he'd been warned.
"If you're here then that means you heard about what happened to everyone on Tenrou. The only reason for you to show up would be because you still care."
Because she didn't seem to be breaking down, Laxus just went with the flow of the conversation. He didn't want to risk her falling apart before they could talk after all.
"Yeah… I just. I pushed all of that aside back then. I was just so fed up with constantly being compared to gramps and I snapped."
The white haired woman giggled softly.
"We all knew that silly. But a few of us were scared you really would stop caring after being kicked out."
He didn't know how to respond to that. So Laxus just blushed awkwardly. Mira didn't say anything either. Not for a few moments at least.
"Wait, if you're here does that mean the others held the memorial service already?"
Laxus flinched, at her sudden shift. But it was towards the topic he wanted to talk with her about, so he sighed.
"Can you think about it without breaking down?"
Mira tilted her head at that, not understanding why he wanted to know. But she didn't say anything.
"I ask because there is something you need to know, but everyone else kept telling me that you have a mental breakdown whenever you think about them being gone."
Instead of saying anything Mira just reached out and grabbed his hand. Lacing her fingers into his she looked up into his eyes.
"If I need to hear it, then I'm trusting you to keep me from breaking apart. If it looks like I'm going to stop listening, then squeeze my hand. I know the others think of everyone in the guild as family, but it just isn't the same. Which is why I'm trusting you."
Laxus was a little shocked to hear Mira dismiss the others like that. But then again, he knew that despite how close she was with the others in the guild, Mira was far closer with her siblings. Basically the situation boiled down to her trusting him more than the others because they were the ones that actually were family with people that were on Tenrou. Closing his eyes, Laxus took a deep breath.
"You know about Fairy Law right? How it's one of three spells the first guild master left for Fairy Tail?"
"What does that have to do with this?"
Mira quickly asked, not comprehending what Laxus was trying to say.
"Quite a bit actually. Anyway, you know how Dragon Slayers have sharper senses than others right? Well Natsu and that new girl, Wendy, both noticed something in the video that the Rune Knights showed you all."
Here Mira's eyes went wide, understanding what Laxus was trying to say.
"They saw something and believe it was one of the other spells the first master made for Fairy Tail?"
A smile came to Laxus's face as he mentally praised her for being such a quick thinker.
"Yeah. Natsu and some of the others searched through the library to find out more. They believe gramps used a spell called Fairy Sphere to protect everyone. But from what I've been told about how the spell works… Well let's just say, it could be a long time before anyone sees those guys again."
At this point the two heard footsteps. Turning to face the door Laxus and Mira were greeted by a smiling Cana and Natsu. Michiko being fast asleep in the arms of her father.
"You okay now Mira?"
A Few Weeks Later
Thanks to coordinating it with the council and everything else that was going on, the guild had decided that the would unveil the memorial for the guild members that were at Tenrou island on the last day of January.
Which was why they all could be found standing in the plaza out front of the guild with the mayor, giving a speech about the new memorial. A few members of the council had come in person to see the memorial, Jura and the others from Lamia Scale that had worked with Fairy Tail in the past had come to see it as well. Master Bob, and Master Goldmine, along with their aces had shown up as well. It was a rather large crowd. Once the mayor finished his speech Cana stepped up as the new guild master to give her own.
"Our friends, no, our family on Tenrou island may not be here in person with us, but the are still alive. How can they die, so long as we keep them alive in our hearts and in our memories? Fairy Tail shall stand strong and remain vigilant for the day we see them again."
Even though it was a very short speech, her words were full of passion. Enough so that the entire crowd started to clap, not just those that understood that Cana was saying that so long as they had faith that their friends were still alive, they would wait for them to return.
After that the crowd began to dissipate with Fairy Tail and it's guests returning to the guild hall. Cana and the guild masters moved up to her office to talk while Natsu and Laxus entertained the mages from the other guilds.
"That was well said Cana."
Master Bob commented after they sat down. Mater Goldmine nodded his head in agreement.
"I just thought about how Master Makarov would have spoken."
"Maki has always had a way with words after all."
"That's certainly true."
The two guild masters agreed after hearing the brunettes influence.
"Anyway, we've been monitoring the waters where Tenrou island is supposed to be at, but there hasn't been anything unusual. I promise we'll keep an eye out though. The moment we notice something I'll let you know."
The master of Blue Pegasus said after a moment.
"I know we all hope that it won't take long for them to return, but I can't say I expected you to find anything just yet. From what we read about Fairy Sphere, it should take a while. After all it somehow converts the bonds between us into magic. Given just how strong Fairy Tails bonds are, it makes sense that we'll be waiting a bit."
"Right. Just look at how you guys fought back against Phantom Lord. That's all the proof we need to see just how strong your bonds are. Anyway I promised Natsu that I'd bring you guys some of our guild specific requests to help keep you afloat. We don't have a whole lot right now, and I need them too, so I only brought a couple."
Goldmine commented as he handed two sheets of paper over to the newest guild master of the group. Cana took them with a grateful smile.
"Thanks. These will help immensely. Especially now that Laxus has returned."
Meanwhile downstairs, Laxus and Natsu were chatting with Jura.
"With your return to Fairy Tail I'd say things are looking much better."
The Earth mage commented as he looked towards Laxus.
"Yeah, but it's still going to be tough. Gramps once told me that the S-class jobs were the only reason Fairy Tail was still in the positive money wise. But he also said that the saving grace was Gildarts taking on all the Decade and Century quests he did."
"I find that hard to believe."
Here Natsu butted in. Though is attention was on Michiko who was sitting in his lap.
"Have you forgotten just how destructive we can be? I wouldn't doubt it if Gildarts jobs were the ones gramps used to pay off the bills for all the destruction we caused."
"That reminds me. With Gildarts gone right now, who is the ace?"
Laxus asked.
Macao who was sitting at the bar behind them overheard the question and chuckled as he turned to join the talk.
"Right now the council appointed Natsu as our ace."
Laxus went wide eyed, shocked that the council would agree to that given the pink haired mans track record. Jura just smiled. From what he could tell it was something that made sense. Natsu and Laxus were the two most powerful people currently in Fairy Tail based off what he sensed. Shaking his head, Laxus turned to smile at his fellow Dragon Slayer.
"Given how hard you fight for anyone in the guild I'd say you deserve to be the ace. So Congrats."
No one else got a chance to say anything as at that point Blue Pegasus and Quatro Cerberus left to return to their own guilds. Since it was the last day before most of the guild would be leaving on quests Cana had already gotten to Natsu's side, and pulled him up out of his seat.
"Sorry guys, but I'm stealing my boyfriend. Today's the last day I've got to spend time with him before the guild starts going crazy on jobs."
The Next Day
Natsu, Cana, Mira, Laxus, and Macao were the first ones to show up to the guild.
Walking up to her office to get started on the day, Cana placed Michiko in the baby swing they'd bought to place in her office so the little girl would be occupied while she worked. Macao joined her as they had been going through some paperwork that they needed to finish up with.
Since Mira and Laxus had joined in on the training that Natsu had offered to the rest of the guild when Cana told him that they wanted to join in on his sessions with Wendy, they were feeling far more confident in being able to keep the guild together.
"I still have my job as a model, so I'm not going to be taking as many jobs as you guys, but all the money I make from the modeling will go to the guild anyway so it should be fine."
Mira commented as she looked over the S-class jobs with Natsu and Laxus.
"I'd try and talk you out of that, but you are Fairy Tail's poster girl, so I guess it makes sense for that money to go to the guild as well..."
Laxus mumbled as he pulled a job off the board.
"I'm only going to be doing one job at a time. I refuse to let Cana raise Michiko on her own."
Natsu reminded the white haired girl as his eyes narrowed in on one of the requests. At that moment Macao walked out of the office. He had heard their conversation and had something he wanted to point out to them.
"We got word back from the council. To make up for the fact we lost a couple S-class, they've decided that if we feel someone has earned it Cana can instantly promote them. So keep an eye out on the others. If you think someone is ready take them with you on a job or two as a test, then let Cana know."
Laxus and Natsu both nodded. In Natsu's case he was already planning to do that anyway. Mira thanked Macao for the heads up before finally deciding on her job.
"Well I'm going to take this one. On the way back I'll be stopping in Crocus for a photo shoot."
She commented before moving down the stairs to leave the guild hall.
Laxus had grabbed a second job request at that point.
"these two are pretty close to each other so I'll be doing both, but I'm gonna take another one as well. The more jobs we get done quickly the better right?"
At that point Natsu had decided for certain to take the one he was looking at when he had spoken.
"I'm taking this one."
S.R: And that's were this one ends. Mostly because the first year or two are just going to be little shorts describing Michiko's growth, and I'd rather keep those all together rather than split them up between chapters. I do actually have some things planned but not enough to really do much before the fanon arc I have in the works.
Side note: I haven't decided yet, but for everyone asking me not to make Laxus X Mira a thing I just have one thing to say. Well two actually. 1. I actually like this pairing more than I do Natsu X Mira (except for when she's part of a small harem). and 2. The only other person I like the idea of pairing Laxus with is Cana, which can't happen in this story.
