— Chapter 67: A New Era
"Six Months have passed since that day..." Sje began, scribbling within the diary she kept at her desk. A content expression rested upon Lucy's features as she continued writing. "Daityas and the others...we haven't heard word from any of Tartaros since that battle. After half a year we've decided to remain vigilant, but to not let them haunt us and to just keep moving on. Zeref himself however. It's almost hard to believe we defeated both him and Acnologia...or at least, Natsu did with our help. Lives were lost that day, including White Eclipse's Adamantine. I know it's been half a year, but losing someone so early...I'm sure it's never a feeling you never truly escape."
Stopping for a second, she looked up to the ceiling of her own apartment with a small sigh, then another smile — reminiscing about everything's that's happened over the past six months.
"The town has been rebuilt, and over the course of it all, a bunch of new guilds have either appeared, or have become more popular than before. Guilds I've never even heard of before like Twilight Zone, Black Phoenix, and Shaman's Haven. Luke and White Eclipse are still the biggest pain in our sides..."
"...But no matter how close any of them come, there will never be a guild Fairy Tail"
After a second of realization, Lucy jumped. "That wasn't my voice!?" She exclaimed. Just then, Natsu and Happy appeared over her shoulder, reading her writing with a smile. "Always a way with words, Lucy!" The Salamander said with that ear to ear smile of his. "D-don't sneak up on people like that!" She yelled in a panicky tone whilst attempting to cover up her journal with her own hands. "Or at least, Natsu did with our help!" Happy mimicked some of the writing, now holding a paw over his mouth as he spilled out. "She liiiiiikes you!"
"Cut the crap, cat!" She retaliated viciously.
"Oi, if you three are done.." Gray said, magically appearing upon one of Lucy's chairs with nothing but his underwear as Wendy shamefully stood next to him with Carla merely shaking her head. Erza stood in front of Lucy's dresser, opening the usual drawer and looking through it with astonishment. "Can we head to the guild now?"
"Please..." Wendy reiterated, symbolizing just how uncomfortable she was with Gray's new disposition; his lack of clothes.
"How did you all get in here!?" That's what was priority to Lucy at this moment. The freaked out blonde was in a humorous panic as the team continued their usual antics inside her apartment.
"Lucy.. I think it's time for me to ask you...where do you get most of these?" Erza asked, openly staring in awe...and a bit of fear into Lucy's underwear drawer. Natsu joined in, face now mimicking Erza's as he stared. "I've seen like half of these and it's still a shock."
"Aye.." Happy chimed in with the same look as Erza and Natsu. Suddenly the drawer was slammed shut with Lucy's hands firmly pressed against it. She kept her head down, shamefully responding to herself. "I've seen like half of them, he says... I'll never get married. Gray! Put on some clothes!"
"Naked again, huh ya sick bastard!?" Natsu asked the obvious, butting heads with Gray as the two immediately jumped into a hostile mode with each other. "You got a problem with me, gasoline breath?!" Gray shouted back. "How did that start a fight!?" Lucy added, now dropping to her hands and knees as tears began flooding comically. "Please, just don't break anything. I'm begging you."
"Both of you. Sit down!" Erza's absolute orders caused both Natsu and Gray to drop their potential quarrel, mimicking Happy with a scared "Aye" as they sat right where they were. "No, don't sit. Leave..." Lucy pleased once more.
"She's right though. We should be going. A new member is getting introduced today, remember?" Wendy reminded everyone, Carla nodding along before speaking. "They're probably waiting on us right now."
"A new member?" Lucy asked, placing a finger to her chin. "I didn't know we were getting one."
"Two." Natsu chimed in with folded arms. "Both girls."
"You've met them already?" Lucy asked, turning to the Salamander curiously. He simply nodded. "Well then, let's go! I want to see them!"
—
"Welcome everyone, the new class of recruits. All fresh out of their initiations." The familiar voice rang through the snowy mountain side made famous by none other than White Eclipse. Reve Volver stood between the veteran members, and the new batch of rookie mages that just joined their ever growing guild. "First, everyone, meet someone who's basically a little brother to me. We grew up in the same house before I become a Mage. Ralo Reiss."
The spiky dark red-head waved, revealing himself as a tall figure, almost Reve's height despite being much younger, and blue eyes just like Reve's as well. "Please, call me Reiss. I use Native Summoning Magic. It's a pleasure to meet and eventually surpass my idols here."
"Yup, that's Reve's brother alright." Luke said with a sweat drop.
As Reiss took a step back, an excited female hopped forward with her hands clasped together. She had light purple hair her dark purple eyes. "My name is Ilaria Verdone! My magic is Soul-Binding and I'm excited to be here because Reve-Senpai is here and Reve-Senpai is amazing so that means I have a chance to be too!"
The entire guild, save for Reve, sweatdropped as Jaxon called it out. "So far its been the Reve show. We should have known better than to leave the recruiting all to him."
Everyone then nodded in unison. Ilaria hopped back to her spot as another female then moved forward. White hair, yellow eyes, she bowed once before retracting back to a full standing. "My name is Micaiah. I'm best known for my Light Magic."
"Like me!" Namiyaka shouted with a smile, pointing to herself happily. A bit shy, Micaiah didn't say anything else as she slid back to the group quietly. As she did, another female moved towards the front. She bowed just as Micaiah did before speaking. With short blue hair and teal eyes, the female took in a single breath. "My name is Lluvi Palmero. My magic is Barrier and Dispelling Magic..."
"Dispelling? Oh man, that's a hassle to deal with." The Frozen Dragon Slayer Waiston admitted, remembering a certain Demon General they faced half a year ago.
Finally, the other of the two males stepped forward to wrap up the introductions. Placing a hand on the back of his head, rubbing through his blackened locks as he sighed before beginning. "Well, my name is Tyson Bryant," he said, closing his green eyes. Under the left eye held two beauty marks. "I'm a Maker Mage, but I call it Fusion Make. I use a multitude of elements and combine them into one thing. I won't go out my way and say something stupid like I'm here to surpass you all, but I'm here to grow stronger...—"
"You taking a shot at me already and you don't even know me?" Reiss barked, taking a step forward to stand next to Tyson. "I do know you, idiot. You just introduced yourself."
"That means nothing you shit head! I'll kick your ass right here!"
"Tyson-sama..." Ilaria whispered aloud in a trance like state, as if she was smitten over the male. It caused Lluvi to gain a surprised expression as she looked Ilaria's way and thought to herself, "You just met him..." Micaiah was trying her best to voice her want for Reiss and Tyson to stop fighting. "Guys. Not in front of the superiors!"
She failed, but everyone else just laughed as Reiss and Tyson continued to go at it, with Takeru ending the meeting with his own statement.
"It just reminds me of my first time here." He said, replacing the five rookies with himself, Taya, Selene, Cygnus and Jaxon in the same exact scenario. "They'll fit right in."
Later that day for them, Reve was seated upon the couch with Tayakata next to him. The gunslinger and Dark Vector Mage exchanging conversation with each other casually became more and more of a daily moniker. "We've lost a few people over the months. You sure you didn't just pick these five up to fill the voids?" Taya asked in her usual tone; a bit condescending even when questioning. Yet as always, Reve simply grinned, leaning back into his seat as his sapphire eyes turned towards the ceiling. He sighed once, a sign of relief,
as if stress was escaping him. "Kairi, Adamantine, Zain, Heather, all gone. But nah?
I don't replace people. These five would be here even if those guys didn't leave. You heard Takeru. They fit right in. They'll grow, and not a single one of them is lacking in the unique magic department. Native Summoning? That surprised me! Soul-Binding? Fusion Make? Like I've said before, leave the recruiting to me and I'll come through."
"Cocky as always, cowboy." Taya added, rolling her eyes with arms folded over her chest. "As long as you're honest though, then I can't judge you."
"Judge me?" He asked, leaning forward. A single stint of snickering escaped him as he turned to face before him. "Me? Such a nice guy? You sure you're not just judgmental, Taya?" He teased, causing her to simply glare his way.
Behind him, Namiyaka and Kuro peered around the corner, watching them both closely. Though Kuro didn't care that much for it, Nami on the other hand was about to bite the collar to her own shirt off. "Those two! Stop arguing on purpose and talk to each other!"
Kuro turned to Nami with a sweat drop and a nervous look and laugh. "Nami..." Was all he could manage as Taya's sister continued to burn a hole through both her and Reve with her own glare. Nami then pressed two fingers to her forehead, focusing out loud as if she had psychic powers. "And...be nice to each other!"
"Nami it doesn't work like—" Before Kuro could shoot her down, inaudible laughing was seen coming from Reve as Taya shared a similar expression. This caused Nami to cheer to herself, fist pumping to herself as her eyes sparkled. Kuro just looked at Nami in astonishment, having to reassure himself that she indeed did not have any psychic abilities.
"So what now?" Taya asked, now loosened up from the unheard exchange between herself and Reve. "The Games are exactly six months away, and we've lost three key members from last year's second place team. You're not expecting any of them to replace people like Kairi or Adam, are you?"
"I am." Reve replied, causing Taya to arch a brow. She wanted to hear this, because she just couldn't see it. "At least one of them. That's all we'll need. We can shoulder the rest of the weight, but I know that one of those five will come through, and that's just this year. All five of them will eventually become a force to be reckoned with. Until then, it's up to us to show them the way. You okay with that?"
Taya shrugged, but she was well aware that what Reve was saying was correct. Eventually, she gave the smallest of smiles towards him. "You're the captain, so of course I have no quarrel with your words. I just don't like losing, so let's turn that final corner this year."
Reve nodded in agreement. "Don't worry, we will." He then turned to the window to his left. Outside, Takeru was training alone as usual, intensely as sweat poured from him like a faucet. It caused Reve to repeat himself once more as if Takeru's presence was reassurance of his words. "We will." He then turned to her with a curious visage. "What about you? How did that mission go?"
Taya immediately sighed at the mention, leaning back in her seat more as she folded her arms again. "Like I said, the mission was cancelled in the midst of it all. I didn't get to do anything but pretend to be a member of another guild." "Inferno Crescent, right?" Reve asked. She nodded. "I was supposed to be watching a certain person there, but ended up forming a group with her instead. It was me, her and two others, but that's all I can talk about, so let it go."
"I remember this much. Her name was like So—"
Taya slapped a hand over his mouth to stop the name from spilling. "Let it go, cowboy."
"Master!" One blonde haired Aira shouted as she entered the room with a metal tray filled with homemade food and a couple of medicinal pills. "It's time for your medicine! I brought your favorite food along with it, so please eat it all with it!" She placed the tray down next to Calium's bed as the old guild master sat up from his lying position. "Thank you, Aira. Have you been training? Please don't let me reduce you to just some nurse."
Smiling, she feigned a flexing arm. "Of course! And don't worry about me, Master. You just keep getting your rest until you can get on your feet again!"
"I will, don't worry." He said, but as soon as he gave her such false hope, the guild master of White Eclipse went into a coughing fit. "...Master..—"
As Aira reached out for him, he held out his hand to cease her action, signifying that he was okay. Removing his hand from his mouth, he kept it in a fist as he waved her off. "I'm fine, I'm fine! Thank you again for the food. Go enjoy your day."
Aira would then put on another smile for him. "Hai, I'll see you tomorrow." She then walked out, closing the door behind her. Now leaning against that door, Aira's hair overshadowed her green eyes until she finally raised her head once more to smile. As she did, the five rookies stood before her curiously, unaware of anything as Reiss spoke for the group to Aira. "We were just wondering. When can we meet Master Calium? Is he okay in there?"
Aira simply smiled a little lesser, trying to keep composure as she patted Reiss on his head while addressing the others. "Master isn't feeling well, but he will recover. He's just at a hump right now that his body can't seem to get over." As she spoke, on the other side of the room, the sickly Calium would open up his right hand, showing a splatter of blood in his palm. It caused him to sigh heavily as Aira continued on with one more statement. "But, the second he's recovered, you five will be able to meet the man who was once the strongest Mage in Fiore. So train hard, because he doesn't like those who don't give their all every day."
—
"We're here!" Natsu shouted, kicking the door open with a powerful right foot and nearly knocking it off its hinges — completely noticeable. "What did I tell you about harming the guild!?" Makarov shouted back just as loud, yet more intense than Natsu's previous salutation. "Gray-Sama!" Juvia yelled , clinging to the Ice Maker. "Juvia has missed you so much!"
"I've been gone for an hour." He replied, unsure of what to do with his new disposition. "It's about time." Cana chimed in, leaning across a barrel of alcohol with a cheeky grin — inebriated. "Now we can finally introduce the new members."
Everyone stopped their own conversations as they gathered around. Makarov cleared his throat. "Alright everyone, it's official time to do so. First off, we have—"
"Natsu!" She shouted happily as if her day gained an instant boost in morale. Sun kissed skin, blonde hair with a single red and white streak intertwined perfectly, and emerald green eyes that sparkled — dressed in a bikini like top and skirt that almost looked like a beach towel that just draped around her waist; she smiled brightly, lighting up the room as Natsu met her halfway with a double high five.
"Feo!" He shouted in return once they met. She then puffed out her cheeks in a cutesy like pout. "Reo!"
"Oh yeah! Reo, my new sunshine!" The atmosphere in the guild could literally be heard cracking like glass as the two remained oblivious to it. Reo placed her hands on her face, feigning a blush as she swayed back and forth. "Natsu, please!"
Gray was the first to snap out of his trance of what he just heard. "So you two have met already, huh? I didn't think that they would be this casual already."
"His sunshine?" Lucy asked aloud, unaware of doing so. Happy flew over with a brand new phrase, hovering over Lucy with that same mischievous look on his face. "She's jeaalllllous!" At that point, Lucy simply side eyed him. "Stick to your regular teasing, Happy."
"Well, she is very pretty...and curvy just like you, Lucy." Erza added as the two continued to high five each other — Lucy slumping from the curvy comment. Gray nodded in agreement. "Yeah, that's true."
"LOVE RIVAL!" The obvious shouted, turning an evil face towards Reo who quickly hid behind Natsu. After the antics ended, the spotlight was back on Reo. "My name is Reo. I'm from a wandering tribe, but I'm the first in my tribe to be able to use magic." Raising a single index finger, Reo created a small ball of fire that resembled the sun itself. "I have Sun Magic, as Natsu calls it."
"OH!" The guild collectively exhaled at the same time.
"Ah, it makes sense now. For a moment I thought Natsu was a man!" Elfman shouted. Suddenly, a kick to the chin was present, sending Elfman flying. "Whaddya say, bastard!?"
Landing through a wooden table, Elfman jumped right back up, pissed off as he growled Natsu's way. "The hell!? That wasn't manly either! Fight me straight up!" He retaliated as his arm began to glow, signifying a transformation about to take place. Suddenly, flames filled both of The Salamander's hands as he dared Elfman to charge him. "Lets go then, ya big chin bastard!"
Before Natsu could take a step forward, a powerful fist of lightning struck the top of his head, striking a one hit KO. Natsu was now implanted into the floorboards as Reo looked on with a shocked expression. Everyone else held their usual, either sighing or laughing. "You're next if you don't quiet down, Elfman. We still have another member to introduce." Gulping, Elfman quickly heeded Laxus's words and slid back a few feet as Makarov awkwardly cleared his throat. "Right. Finally, here she is. Come on out and introduce yourself young one."
As asked, she dragged her feet forward a few steps, keeping her head down so her black hair covered her tealish eyes. Lucy smiled, gasping once as she bent down to her level. Hands on her knees, she exclaimed. "Aw! She's Wendy's size! Hello! What's your name?"
She didn't answer. She was too shy — no — afraid to do so. Now that all eyes were on her, the female's breathing began to pick up in a panic. Her own eyes began shifting around at all that surrounded her. To her, nothing seemed peaceful, and her panicky breathing picked up more. "Please..." She started, causing Lucy to gain a confused expression. She felt suffocated, ready to explode it seems until...
A petite hand placed itself on her shoulder. Suddenly, her vision cleared as Wendy stood before her with a smile. "It's okay. I was nervous my first day too. My name is Wendy! Can you tell me yours?"
She blinked once, and the realization that all of her panting, her panic attack...it vanished. She nodded once.. "Cynthia...Rose..."
"That's a nice name, Cynthia. Welcome to Fairy Tail!" Wendy's words settled in, eventually causing a smile to appear on Cynthia's features. "Well that's the first time she's done that." Makarov added as the rest of Fairy Tail joined in on the rising mood. He then turned to Erza. "I want you guys to watch over her. She's a Dragon Slayer of Fire you know."
"Slayer!?" Lucy exclaimed. "Fire!?" Natsu added, now grinning excitedly as he hopped up from the floorboards. Quickly he leapt her way. "Oi, Cynthia! Fight me and show me what ya got!"
Of course he was stopped short, but not by brute strength this time. Instead, a ball of fire flew by his vision, and like a dog he changed direction and caught it with his mouth. As he landed, a chorus of laughter was led by Reo herself — the culprit. "You caught that like a dog." Gray added while laughing. That soon stopped as the two were head to head once again. "What did ya call me!?" He demanded. Gray fired back. "You heard me you damned mutt!"
More laughter ensued as the guild for once allowed a naked Gray and a heated Natsu fight it out. Makarov was in on the laughter when he noticed Cynthia and Wendy now standing next to each other, laughing along. A smile graced his olden features, but his thoughts tell a different story. "Please keep that one safe. She's no ordinary Dragon Slayer. Keep her safe...mostly from herself."
—
A giant cube like fortress sat in the middle of nowhere. On its surface, ten hooded figures were seen heading in different directions. The spotlight was on the one headed eastward.
"Six months and so far, nothing besides the usual bad guy bullshit. Did the old geezer send me on a wild goose chase?" He asked himself, looking around before pulling off his hood. A metallic face that looked anything but human, he began struggling as his face slowly began to reform into its normal state. "Geez!" He cried out. It hurts to keep that damned form. To use my iron that way is so fuckin' painful!"
Once in his normal state again, he raised back up to a stance, pulling out a picture from a pocket of his. A smile graced his features as he stared at the picture of him... and Lily...and Levy together. "Hang in there, Shrimp, Lily. You can kick my ass when I get back. Until then, I'll find what Tartaros is up to now that Zeref is gone." He then slammed his right fist into his left palm, grinning from ear to ear. "Then I'll take them down! Gihi!"
