"Tell me Ultear, what do you think of it? Isn't it magnificent?"
Ultear quietly gazed at the specialized jar where the eye was being stored. She wasn't sure what to make of it, only that it had a strange yet powerful presence to it.
"Is it true, Master Hades? That this special type of eye once belonged to a powerful wizard, one who lived in the same era as Zeref?" she asked, curiously observing the strange ripple-like pattern of the eye.
"Indeed, though his real name was lost to history, the people of that time revered him as a hero" Hades affirmed, "It is said that he possessed power so overwhelming, nothing could stand up to his might, and yet, rather than conquer the world or destroy it, this wizard sought to protect it from certain calamity."
Ultear was skeptical about all of this and made no effort to hide it. "I can understand Zeref because his works still exist but how do we know if the legends of this wizard are even real?" she argued, "I mean, if it was from four hundred years ago, wouldn't it make sense for the people of that time to simply make it all up?"
"Not this one" Hades answered firmly.
The master's answer simply gave way for more questions for Ultear. The eye indeed looked unique and she could not deny the fact that it emanated a unique aura. But did it really possess such power? And is it the same eye as the one the belonged to a mythical figure? She had to know the answer. "But Master Hades, how can you be so sure?"
"Because I've seen the power an eye like this possesses firsthand" Hades answered with a sigh. "At first, I too did not put much thought into it, but during my time, fighting in the Second Trade Wars, I believe I met a descendant of that wizard, someone who wielded the same eye as depicted in legends. He never told me his name but he crushed armies and powerful wizards with ease. I've never seen someone with such magic powers as he did."
The answer that was given took Ultear by surprise as she widened her eyes. But as she began putting more thought into it, the pieces eventually seemed to connect. "And do think the boy is related to that wizard?"
Hades glanced at Ultear, intrigued by her curiosity and deductive skills. "It was only for a moment but when I looked at that boy, he resembled that wizard in many ways: the color of his hair, his eyes, and the way he carried himself" he agreed, "Perhaps he is a grandson or someone closely related. But regardless, I believe he is the last of his illustrious lineage; the only one of his kind left."
"The last of his kind" Ultear mused on the words of her master as she reached out her hand and touched the jar. She kept staring at the eye as her interest in it grew more and more. If what Hades said was true, then the wielder of such an eye would have magic comparable to Zeref if not stronger. Of course, the boy himself didn't seem to display such prowess, otherwise, he'd have easily destroyed everyone in the tower. The only possible explanation for this would be that he probably didn't know the full extent of his left eye's true potential.
"So, what became of the boy?"
Ultear was snapped out of her thoughts by the question imposed by Hades. "I'm not sure. According to Jellal, he escaped the tower with another prisoner" she answered.
"I see," Hades sighed, sounding disappointed, "still, we have what we needed from him, so he's of no interest to me for the time being. And speaking of the tower, I'm impressed you managed to convince its new master to hand over the eye to you so easily."
"I wasn't a problem, Master Hades" she gave a prideful smirk with regards to her handiwork, "Once he was within my grasp, he was as loyal and obedient as a puppy."
Hades let out a small laugh when he heard her speaking like that. Still, he could not deny how devious and cunning his student had become in such a short period, especially in comparison to the rest of his pupils. There was no doubt that she was the best and brightest amongst all of them.
Now that the issue of what the eye and the nature of its validity were answered, the only question that remained in Ultear's mind was what were they going to do with it. The most obvious choice would be to implant it in the hopes of using its full power. Though, that also gave way to another question of who would be taking it.
Ultear let go of her hand from the jar and looked up to Hades. "So….Master Hades, about this eye…will you be implanting it for yourself?"The girl asked, but deep down she was hoping for a particular answer.
"Without knowing the outcome of that procedure? No" he bluntly replied.
The young girl pouted in disappointment. Truth be told, the answer that she wanted to hear was one where he chose her to be the subject for such a procedure. Having a legendary power within her grasp would no doubt push her towards her goal of obtaining the happiness she sought faster. Alas, she had to go along with his decisions for the time being.
"I know what you must be thinking. To not do anything with such a gift would be to waste it" Hades said, "But there is a reason for this. Like all forms of magic, this one most likely comes at a price; one which we do not know yet."
"So what will we do with it then, Master Hades?" she asked, "We can't know what it's capable of unless we put it on someone."
Hades chuckled as he began walking away. "Patience my dear student" he replied, "We'll have plenty of eager volunteers from our subsidiary guilds, willing to test the eye out for us. Once we know its full capacity, then we can discuss whose worthy of wielding the eye."
Ultear sighed as she watched the Master walk away, leaving her alone with the eye in the ship's research department. The dark and eerie room did little to make her feel scared as she had become accustomed to it, in much the same way as she was getting used to seeing such a strange eye. If everything that was said about it was true, then she would need to have it in near future. That much was certain.
For now, she would patiently wait to see if it would live up to its hype.
Gray Fullbuster was not having a good day. A lot of things had happened to him since morning and none of them were good, even before he began walking into the guild. And now it seems, fate was trying to play a cruel trick on him by rubbing it in his face.
"Do it again Cana! You must've read the cards wrong 'cause today is NOT my lucky day!" He complained, slamming his hands on the table, shirtless up top and wearing only briefs below.
"Look, I know what I'm doing and I didn't read em wrong" an annoyed Cana asserted, "It's your lucky day so just deal with it for crying out loud!"
"Well, I don't believe it!" Gray argued, resting his hands behind the back of his head, "Jeez, I fell into a ditch on my way here this morning and now I can't find my stupid wallet. Today totally sucks!"
As the shirtless boy kept whining, the guild's door suddenly opened and paved the way for two strangers to enter the place. Silence descended upon the usually rowdy guild as everyone, including Gray and Cana looked on quietly as a girl walked towards the center of the guild carrying what looked like an injured boy.
While most of the guild members began whispering amongst themselves regarding their 'guests', Macao and Wakaba began openly discussing the nature and identity of the two kids.
"Take a look at the other one next to the girl," Wakaba stated with a cigarette in his mouth, staring at Sasuke, "You seen any marks like that before?"
"Don't think so," Macao answered, eyeing the two kids with interest, "But whatever it is, it looks like it's about to make him keel over. And neither of them looks like regular kids off the street."
Erza ignored the whispers and talks about the two of them as she observed her surroundings. The same went for Sasuke as he looked however he could.
"This is it, Sasuke" she said, holding onto the Uchiha to make sure he didn't fall, "The guild Grandpa Rob told us about."
"Yeah" Sasuke replied, completely exhausted from the journey but still alive nevertheless.
The two adults figured they couldn't just sit still and do nothing as they got up from their seats and approached the two children. They may be strangers, but as members of Fairy Tail, Macao and Wakaba were obligated to help anyone and everyone as much as they could.
"Hey kiddo, is something wrong with your friend there?" Macao greeted them and tried to probe into the matter.
"If you tell us what's going on, maybe we can help you" Wakaba added, showing off his uncharacteristic smile as a way to ease them in.
Erza was taken aback by the warm reception, especially after the harsh journey they both had to endure to make it all the way to Magnolia in the faint hope that Sasuke could be cured of his affliction. She initially tensed and nervously looked away before eventually easing up. "W-well, it's-"
"Is the guild master here?" Sasuke bluntly interrupted her.
Macao awkwardly shifted his feet and rubbed the back of his head. "You mean Master Makarov? Y-yeah, sure he is. You both sit tight while I call for him" he replied before turning around and making his way to the upper floor where the master resided.
Before either of them could respond, Wakaba gently took Sasuke off of Erza and slowly walked him towards one of the benches so he could rest. "In the meantime, why don't you take a seat here and rest up, you both look like you've been through the wringer," he said with a smile.
Both of them were taken aback but were too exhausted to complain. Sasuke gave a blank stare towards Wakaba whose shades hid any sort of nervousness in his eyes, but eventually, he gave in and rested his head on the table and took a quick nap. Wakaba gentled brushed Erza's head and nudged the girl to do the same. Erza looked up to him and blinked before she too took a seat beside Sasuke while Wakaba sat on the other end.
While all of this was happening, Gray was curiously watching the two, interested in their stories and their reason for coming here.
…
Erza quietly walked through the East Forest, following Macao and Wakaba, who in particular was carrying Sasuke on his back. Makarov was walking ahead of them as he led the way to the healer.
She was initially uncertain as to whether or not the old man or their so called 'healer' would be able to do something about Sasuke's condition, even to the point of being skeptical. But Rob trusted them and spoke highly of their skills and that was enough for her to give them the benefit of a doubt. The fact that he was willing to help them out with no strings attached only served to build her trust with him.
While Makarov did reassure her that he would be able to help Sasuke, Erza was still worried for him. He had been through so much, taken so much punishment at the tower on top of losing his eye just to save her life; part of her felt guilty for it as if she was indirectly complicit in his suffering.
"What's wrong, little lady? Are you worried about him?" Wakaba glanced at Erza and asked, noticing that she was looking at him with concern. "Don't worry, he'll pull through" he reassured her.
She remained quiet and did not respond. While it's true that she was concerned for his wellbeing, what Erza didn't tell them was the fact that she was afraid; afraid that she would lose the only friend she had left from that tower.
"Erza" Sasuke called out though his eyes were closed, indicating that he was talking in his sleep, "It'll…. be fine."
The red-haired girl looked at him before quietly nodding. She had her doubts but his words did alleviate some of her fears, if only for a bit as they finally began reaching their destination. It was an hour-long walk but they had finally reached what looked like a clearing in the forest as an enormous tree stood in the middle.
Erza looked at it in awe as they got closer to the towering tree. It had a door and a few windows on its bark, almost looking like a makeshift house was hollowed out of it. Despite being amazed by its grandeur, Erza did her best to restrain herself under the advice of Makarov, who told her that the resident of this tree wasn't exactly the friendliest person in the world.
"See? Nothing to worry about" Macao stated in response to Sasuke, "Walking around without an eye and a curse? He's a tough kid. And that old hag will patch him up in no time."
It would seem Macao spoke too soon as the door to the tree house immediately swung open before Makarov could even knock. An old lady stepped forward with a menacing glare, shooting daggers straight towards Macao. "An old hag, you say?" she sarcastically asked, face fuming with irritation and anger.
Macao began sweating profusely as he trembled before her and slowly backed away. Wakaba was equally as terrified and even Makarov seemed a bit nervous.
Erza herself felt an intimidating presence about her, even if she was just an old lady. She was beginning to understand why everyone in the guild was so fearful of her, the one called Porlyusica: Fairy Tail's resident healer and medical advisor.
"Hmph, humans are always so annoying" she grumbled as she narrowed her eyes towards two unfamiliar faces; the first was a young girl with red hair while the other was a boy with strange markings all over his body. She sighed and glanced over at Makarov, who looked at her with a goofy smile before shaking her head "Why am I not surprised? I suppose you'd want to bring them in."
As Porlyusica sighed and walked inside, the rest of the group followed behind as both Macao and Wakaba heaved a sigh of relief.
The interior was quite spacious, despite being a singular room, with several bookshelves, neatly carved wooden tables for concocting potions, chairs, and even a few plants both common and exotic. Natural light entered from the windows and made the place feel warm and cozy.
"Place him on the bed there" the old lady ordered as she pointed towards a singular bed on the right side of the room.
Wakaba nodded, gently lowering Sasuke from his back before laying him down while Macao closed the door behind them.
Porlyusica walked towards Sasuke and began observing him while the Uchiha stared back but remained silent. "Now then" she began, "Explained to me what happened to him."
"Honestly, I don't know how it happened and the young lady here won't tell me the full details," Makarov replied, "However I do know that this is a botched possession spell."
"A possession spell?" the old lady inquired, almost looking surprised by his answer.
"A failed one, yes" Makarov nodded, standing beside Porlyusica as he watched Sasuke.
"Can you help him?" Erza asked, earnestly gazing towards the healer.
"I can, but the process will be long and difficult, not to mention painful as well" Porlyusica candidly answered.
Erza was a bit concerned the moment she heard the healer mention the word 'painful'. "Oh," she said with a saddened look as she turned away. Sasuke had been through enough as it was; she couldn't bear the thought of putting him through more torture, even if it meant curing him.
Makarov noticed how distraught the young girl looked and came up to her with a big smile. "You have nothing to worry about," he said, trying to cheer her up, "Porlyusica is one of the best healers around. She'll have him recover in no time."
"But she said that-"
"I'm well aware that it will be painful" the master interrupted her, his tone slightly more serious than before, "But if he is to be completely free of this pain, he must endure it one last time. Rest assured, I won't let any real harm come to him. So long as I'm alive, you both are under the protection of Fairy Tail."
Erza blinked, initially confused by his declaration before eventually conceding as she silently nodded. Macao and Wakaba looked on silently with smiles on their faces.
However, the touching moment didn't last long as Porlyusica began to grimly stare at everyone else. "Now, I need to get started on the medicines and I can't stand the sight of you humans" she firmly stated, enough to make the three adults nervous again as they began taking their leave.
Makarov walked up to Erza and gently smiled, "Best we listen to her and get out of here for now. She needs some space to work in peace and we'll only get in the way. We can visit him once he's fully healed".
As they began walking away, Erza stopped near the door and looked back."How long will it take for him to be back to normal?" she asked with a hopeful tone.
"If all goes well, then it should only take a few days" she answered.
For the first in a long time, Erza smiled. Things were finally starting to look up again, and maybe just maybe, they can put the past behind them for good.
Having said her piece, Erza left the room with the others, hoping that everything would work out as they promised her that they would.
…
A day after bringing the boy to the healer, Makarov returned to the East Forest to check up on the progress made by Porlyusica. He lingered outside as he heard muffled screams of agony, waiting for it to stop before slowly opening the door and coming inside once things were quiet. "How is he?" he quietly asked.
Porlyusica glanced towards him coming her way before facing the boy. "The process is punishing but he'll live. I've done all I can, time will do the rest."
Makarov nodded in agreement as he looked towards Sasuke. The boy was fast asleep yet panting heavily, probably exhausted from the arduous process. The healer had given him a special concoction made of medicinal herbs and other unknown ingredients which were slowly expelling the curse from his body, which was one of the reasons why it was painful. But the guild master knew that Porlyusica was competent in her craft and was aware of what she was doing, evident by the fact that the markings were slowly disappearing.
"Then there's the matter of his left eye. At first, I thought it was only damaged but it turns out, there is nothing left of it, almost as if it was plucked out."
The guild master looked surprised as he looked at Porlyusica, whose gaze remained firm and steadfast. "Ah yes, the young lady vaguely told me of what had happened. She said he sacrificed it in exchange for her life and their freedom."
"Is that so?" Porlyusica asked, still somewhat wary of the legitimacy of that story.
"Indeed" Makarov confirmed, "In fact, she blames herself for it, saying that her weakness was what forced him to do it. I could see how guilty she felt."
Porlyusica however, wasn't fully convinced yet. She was given the reason for the cause but not the context behind the events that led to it. "So what's their story?"
"She's not much of a talker but apparently Rob sent them to me."
"You mean our Rob!?" she asked, looking uncharacteristically surprised "Well does she know where he is now?"
Hearing this, Makarov lower his head, a clear indicator for Porlyusica that something had happened. "According to the child, he's dead" he replied in a somber tone.
The healer gasped before taking the medical tray from the bedside and turned away. She went to place them on a nearby table as she began arranging them neatly, hiding her sorrow from the guild master. "It still doesn't make sense. But if Rob went out of his way for them and you feel they're trustworthy, then I will stand by that decision" she quietly conceded and buried her suspicion along with it.
"Thank you," Makarov said.
Continuing to watch over the boy, Makarov realized that the panting had stopped and that he was fast asleep once again. His blood boiled at the thought of someone even having the audacity to physically torture a child with cursed magic. He didn't know much about him and he barely had the chance to talk, but from what the young girl said, the fact that he was willing to sacrifice a piece of himself to save her life meant that he was a kindhearted child. "How could anyone be so heartless?" he muttered to himself as he rolled his fists, furious at the thought of children being put in harm's way.
"Worrying like that won't do him any good" Porlyusica sharply stated, continuing to work on the desk making a new patch of potions. "He needs peace and quiet along with plenty of rest," she said while mixing various batches of herbs.
Makarov sighed in agreement. "Yes, of course," he grumbled, walking away from the sleeping boy.
As the door behind her shut, Porlyusica briefly looked back with a scowl before diverting her attention to the sleeping boy. "Hmph, humans…..always so loathsome and needlessly cruel, inflicting pain on others for their own selfish needs."
The sweet scent of flowers and spices roused Sasuke from his slumber. Slowly opening his eyes, the Uchiha gathered his thoughts and tried to recall everything that had happened after he passed out in the guild hall. He could remember glimpses of memories passing by as well as the excruciating pain every time he was forced to drink some kind of potion.
"So you're finally awake again," Porlyusica said, carrying a tray of ingredients, many of which Sasuke assumed were the ones that were in the potion he drank. "Tell me, how you are feeling right now? Anything strange?" she asked.
The Uchiha pushed himself upwards to where he was able to sit upright on the bed. He looked at his arms only to find the markings had disappeared; what's more, the pain was no longer there and his body felt like it was regaining its strength again. "No...Nothing at all" he answered, "In fact, I feel fine now."
"Then it means the medicine did its work," the old healer said, with confidence in her voice.
Sasuke was beginning to see why Rob suggested he seek out his guild. He always spoke highly of them and the fact that they were willing to go out of their way for a stranger like him only reinforced that fact.
"Can you walk?" she asked.
"Walk?" The boy was a bit perplexed by what she was asking. Could he walk? Of course, he could! "Alright," he said, deciding to play along with the old lady's request, Sasuke removed the blanket and placed his feet on the ground. He wobbled for a bit but slowly began to regain his balance. Before long, he was standing upright as he moved around.
"I see" she stated, "Then that leaves only the eye. We can work on it now if you feel like it."
"The eye?" Sasuke thought. Could she have meant his left eye? Was it even possible to transplant another eye in this world as well? Considering the fact that she was able to lift the curse from him and how self-assured she was in her words, it was a possibility that she could pull it off. But then came another question for Sasuke: Did he even need another eye? Did he deserve it? Especially after everything that he had been through and the things that he had done. Surprisingly, the answer was really simple for him.
"No…" he stated, shaking his head "That won't be necessary."
Porlyusica was surprised by how straightforward his answer was, though she speculated that this was simply because he was a kid and wasn't in the right state of mind to think properly at the moment. Anyone else would have probably killed to have a lost part of their body replaced.
"Are you certain?" she asked, "Do you think you can live with only one eye for the rest of your life?"
"Yes," Sasuke firmly responded, remaining steadfast in his decision. "It's better this way."
He had reasons but he doubt explaining to her would make any sense. Even if the possibility of gaining a new eye was tempting, the Uchiha felt that living with one eye was better. It was a solemn reminder of his past and the sacrifices that he had to make to prove that he had changed.
Porlyusica sighed in defeat, accepting his answer. "Dumb kids," she said to herself as she placed the tray on the table and walked towards Sasuke, "If that's the case, then my work here is done. It's time for you to leave this place, young man. Nothing personal but I don't care much for people." The boy probably had his reasons for not wanting a new eye, but she figured it was none of her business trying to prod it out of him.
"None taken" he answered quietly, and honestly, he felt the same way for the most part since he just wasn't that good with people either. "Sure," Sasuke said, as he began walking over to the door.
"Wait"
Porlyusica suddenly called out to him and stopped him. She made her way over to the Uchiha and handed him an apple. The boy gave a confused look before the healer explained, "You've been here for three days without proper food. Eat this to build up your strength."
Sasuke awkwardly stared at the fruit, unsure of how to properly thank the old lady. She was less tactful than Majorie, the first old lady he met in Rosemary village, but she was kind in her own way. "Right…thanks"
"Just don't expect another one" she blurted out, moving past him and opening the door. The Uchiha assumed that this meant he had to leave now since he had overstayed his welcome. "I'll walk you through the forest to where Magnolia is, after that you're on your own."
"Alright, lead the way" Sasuke accepted her offer as Porlyusica walked on ahead. She may seem like a grumpy old lady but she had done more than enough for him. Once he reached the town, he'd have no trouble finding the place so there was no need for her to hold his hand. Still, he was thankful for all she had done.
…..
"I feel bad for her, she's always alone," Cana said with a look of concern as she watched Erza sit at one of the tables that were far away from everybody else and quietly ate her meal.
"Don't just sit there feeling sorry for her, go say hi" Gray suggested, watching the girl alongside Cana.
"I tried that, but she totally ignored me" Cana pointed out and sighed, "Guess the only person she's thinking of right now is that friend of hers."
"Well," Gray smirked, "She should understand by now that she's not gonna get anywhere in this guild if she doesn't wanna talk to 'The Gray'."
Cana rolled her eyes and cringed at his comment; being the only Ice-make wizard had inflated his ego and it was only getting bigger with each passing day. "You're getting waay to big for your britches there, streaker" she stressed, trying to reign in his ego.
Sadly, it did not affect Gray as he completely ignored her words and made his over to the girl, making sure his footsteps were loud enough to be heard. "Hey! What's up?" he greeted her with his hands on his hips while wearing a big grin.
But then, it was Gray's turn to receive the silent treatment as Erza completely ignored him and continued eating her food. The half-naked boy was completely taken aback by the cold shoulder that he was given as he angrily kicked the table and the girl's lunch along with it.
"Is there a problem?" she asked, glaring at Gray but without a shred of emotion in her voice.
"You know this is a wizard's guild right? That stupid armor won't protect you!" he angrily stated, possibly in retaliation for being ignored.
"Maybe not, but at least I have the common decency to wear something. That's more than I can say for you, perv" Erza snapped back.
Gray jumped back at her comment, frozen in embarrassment as the entire guild burst out in laughter. The great Gray Fullbuster being the subject of mockery was something he could never fathom.
"Be careful guys, looks like we got a live one!" Wakaba remarked, laughing alongside everyone else in the guild.
"She sure figured you out quick, Gray" Macao added fuel to the fire.
The novice ice wizard felt like his whole world was crumbling before him. With just a few words, this newcomer was knocking him down a peg and humiliating him in front of everyone. "What'd you call me!" he snarled.
The redhead remained calm and collected. She had seen and faced things far worse than the empty threats of a kid wearing nothing but his undies. "If you're smart, you'll leave me alone" she warned him, giving her own icy glare towards him.
"That does it!" Gray yelled out as he raised his fists and brought it down on the girl, only to widen in surprise as Erza not only caught it but retaliated with a punch of her own.
The rest of the Fairy Tail guild watched what could only be described as a one-sided beating as Gray was effortlessly pummeled to the ground. If they didn't know before, they now realized that this girl was not to be underestimated.
Leaving Gray dazed on the floor, Erza dusted herself off and tried to move to a different spot, only for the boy to regain his senses and get back to his feet, raring for another beating. "I'm not done yet!" he yelled as he stubbornly charged forward with Erza waiting for him.
But before he could even throw a single punch, the doors to the guild hall once opened as everyone's attention was diverted towards the new arrival. Or rather, the return of a familiar face as Sasuke stepped through the door and walked towards Erza, completely ignoring the silent looks that he was getting.
Gray watched as the red-haired girl's stern expression softened at the sight of him, even looking like she cracked a smile as he approached her.
"Sasuke….you're alright," she said with a gentle smile.
"Yeah," the Uchiha affirmed with a nod, before slowly looking at his surroundings once again. Eventually, his eyes fell upon the boy standing next to the two of them with his face all bruised up.
"What? You got a problem?" he grumbled in response to the stares he was receiving from the raven-haired kid. If they were really close, then it was safe to assume that the one-eyed kid was just as insufferable as the girl.
"No" Sasuke bluntly answered.
An awkward silence followed as neither said a word. However, Gray's pride eventually got the better of him as he couldn't bear the thought of the other boy thinking lowly of him for losing to a girl. "For the record, I was going easy on her, alright" he explained, though no one was buying it as everyone save for Sasuke and Erza burst into laughter.
Jovial cheers broke out as Macao and Wakaba went over to greet Sasuke, who had a hard time figuring out what to make of all this.
"Well, looks like you're all fixed up now kiddo" Wakaba stated with a grin, chomping on his cigarette as he patted Sasuke's back, who in turn gave him an annoyed looked with narrowed eyes.
"What did we tell ya, little lady? The old hag patched him up in no time, just like we said she would" Macao tried to cheer Erza up and raise her spirits, only for the girl to look at him confused.
"I-well-"
"Well, don't just stand there" Macao interrupted Erza as he addressed Sasuke, "Sit with us and have some food."
"Yeah, it'll be our treat" Wakaba added as he slowly pushed Sasuke towards their spot, with Macao and Erza following suit. Normally the Uchiha would just ignore them and do his own thing, but he had just recovered from a grueling spell and the offer of free food was tempting. Besides that, the old healer had told him that they were the ones who carried him over to her, and for that, he could at the very least try to entertain their request.
Gray watched the confused faces of the two kids as the adults talked their ears out, while they awkwardly sat quietly. "What is it with those two?" he lamented, scratching the back of his head, "they're so weird." At that point, Fullbuster had already forgotten about his bruised ego at the hands of the girl. He figured he could challenge her later on if he wanted to, and maybe even test out her guy friend too.
Laughter filled the guild hall as everyone seemed like they were having the time of their lives, even if this was just another usual day at Fairy Tail. However, there were two who didn't look like they were having any fun.
The first one was Gray, who was sitting on a bench all by himself and sulking about as he nursed his wounded pride. Within a span of a few days, the sight of him getting bruised up after picking a fight with Erza had become a regular occurrence. His position at the top of the junior pecking order had been taken over by the girl.
"Did you let that little girl beat the crap outta you again?" Macao asked, snickering as he tried to hide his laughter.
"You know, I'm starting to think that you like it. Or maybe you just like her" Wakaba sarcastically pointed out.
"Oh, shut up!" the ice wizard shouted.
But his protest fell on deaf ears as the two senior members of the guild continued conversing amongst themselves. "She must be pretty tough if she can take down 'The Gray'" Wakaba mockingly stated, clearly trying to get a rise out of Gray.
"Yeah, if she keeps this up next thing you know, she'll be calling the shots around here" Macao joined in on the teasing with his partner.
Gray reached a breaking as his whole world seemed to have turned upside down. "No, she won't! She'll never be one of us!" he declared, storming out of the guild hall, letting the teasing get to him.
Macao and Wakaba looked at each other for a moment before shrugging and laughing it off. This was pretty a routine act within the guild to rile one another without going too far. Knowing Gray, they knew he would come around.
The same could not be said of the other boy sitting by himself on one of the empty tables at the corner. With a brown cloak covering most of his body, Sasuke quietly stared at the drink that he ordered, his thoughts privy only to him.
While Erza had officially become a member of Fairy Tail, Sasuke was still on the fence on whether or not he should do the same. The past few days had been chaotic at best and it was only getting worse. His body had healed completely, but his mind was still troubled by the memories of the events of the tower and Jellal in particular. The only reason he even stuck around the guild was because of Erza's insistence.
He managed to earn a living without being in the guild was by performing odd jobs around Magnolia, it was how he could afford the food, the cloak, a new pair of shorts, and boot-like shoes. Several people had encouraged him to join up as Erza did, even Erza herself wanted him to. But the more he thought about it, the more he felt like it wasn't the best idea for him.
At first, he didn't pay much heed to it and to an extent, didn't even care about what others said. But after everything that had happened, Sasuke was beginning to think that maybe he really was cursed. The innocent people of Rosemary village, the kind elderly couple who took him in, Wally, Simon, Shô, Millianna, Rob, and Jellal; all of them suffered horrible fates the moment he entered their lives.
Was this some sort of divine punishment for him? A constant reminder of his sins and the things he did? The sight of Jellal turning his back on him and nearly killing the two of them, reminded Sasuke so much of his old self: the one who was willing to throw away his friends and even kill them for the sake of his own goals and ambitions. The feeling he had when Jellal betrayed him was probably the same feeling everyone including Sakura, Kakashi, and Naruto felt when he turned on them. What a cruel twist of irony.
"You know, I always thought of you as my brother: someone who could understand me better than anybody else, someone who would be by my side through everything. But I guess I was wrong!"
That line kept playing in his head over and over again, even in his dreams. He couldn't fathom the idea of someone so kind and optimistic as Jellal changing into a monster in such a short span of time. Was this a form of punishment? To let him get close to people like Jellal, one who he could even consider a best friend, only to corrupt him and twist his mind in order to show how much he wasted his life trying going after fruitless goals while casting away his bonds.
If that was the intent, then it was working. He already knew how much he screwed up a long time, but now, it was like he reliving all of his misdeeds from the perspectives of those who suffered at his hands.
Sasuke looked at the happy faces of those hanging around in the guild, his hands trembling as he gripped the wooden cup tighter while he bit his lip. He couldn't fathom the idea that this was not the end of his punishment. What if everyone here at Fairy Tail was next? He hardly knew anyone of them, but they were kind enough to help him even when they had no reason to. Not only that, but they accept Erza and gave her a place where she could be acknowledged and accepted.
Sasuke exhaled as he let go of the mug; he had made up his mind. Slinging his travel bag across his shoulder, Sasuke got up and began leaving the guild. He could faintly hear Macao and Wakaba calling out to him, but the Uchiha decided to ignore them and walk away. It was rude of him, but it was probably for the best that they didn't get caught up in his mess.
He was not going to let this place suffer for his sins.
….
Sasuke decided to walk slowly and take his time enjoying the scenery of Magnolia. Without a doubt, it was a beautiful town and this was probably the last time he was going to see it. A small smile slipped through his lips, content in the idea that Erza was going to spend the rest of her life in this town. At least now, she would have a future without any suffering.
However, he stopped in his tracks when he noticed Gray and Erza by the riverside. Gray was sitting with his legs folded with Erza standing next to him, both looking at the glistening water that reflected the color of dusk. "They aren't fighting?" he asked him, noticing the odd behavior that had come over them as sat quietly. For days on end, he had witnessed Gray challenging Erza to a fight only for her to pummel the kid in return. In a way, it reminded him of the way Naruto used to challenge him, making him almost smile at the thought of it.
As he lingered on, he realized that Erza had noticed his presence and was now looking at him from a distance. He froze in place, unsure of what was going to happen. His worst fear was that of her running over to him and trying to stop him. Explaining to her would be a pain and he was in no mood to fight either. As the two locked gaze, Sasuke noticed an uncomfortable expression on her face as she turned her eyes away from him with a sad look in her eyes. Sasuke did the same and lowered his own with the feeling of shame.
After a minute or so, Sasuke realized that she wasn't going to stop him. He was surprised by this turn of events and wasn't sure why she would do that. Could it be that she secretly resented him for being the source of all her misery? That was a plausible explanation for her lack of resistance. After all, she was the biggest victim of his punishment, being with him for the longest. It was only logical that she would want him gone.
With a heavy heart, Sasuke began walking away as a quiet Erza remained in her place while a puzzled Gray looked on.
The half-naked boy stood in front of Erza as he looked at her and asked. "Hey what's going on? Where's he going?"
"He's leaving"
"Leaving?" he repeated, looking bewildered. The two of them came to the guild stuck like glue and the kid was probably the only person she ever talked to until now, so he assumed that they were close. But if he was going somewhere else, then apparently his assumptions were wrong. "But why? I thought he was going to join up too."
"He probably hates me, now more than ever. I'm the reason why so many bad things have happened to him" Erza looked at him with a guilt-ridden face. "I don't blame him."
"C'mon, that can't true!" Gray protested, finding all of this ridiculous, "Right?"
Erza was at a loss for words. She'd had just buried the hatchet with Gray and now, a new wound had opened.
She momentarily averted her gaze from Gray before looking back at him. "That curse he was under was because of him trying to protect me. And then, he gave up his left eye to save me, even though he was in a lot of pain. I'm the reason he suffered so much. He probably thinks it's better if he stays away from me."
Gray stepped back as he was beginning to understand what this was all about. Yet there were still things that weren't making any sense. "But you two were close, weren't you? He's your friend isn't he?"
"Friend?" Erza reiterated, with a hint of reservation, "y-yeah, he was. The first one I ever had and the longest one too. I was all alone before that, so when I met him, he was like…..family to me. The only one I had in a long time."
"Gimme a freakin break!" Gray shouted, grabbing her arms "If he's family to you, then why aren't you stopping him!? Do you really think he hates you? How do you even know that?"
Erza remained quiet and did not answer. Her face was somber as she looked at the ground and away from Gray.
Gray was having none of it, however. Finding this whole ordeal utterly ridiculous, he let go of Erza and began dashing his way upwards to the main road.
"Where are you going?" Erza asked.
Gray's face scrunched in anger as he looked at Erza. "Where do you think? I'm going to stop him and bring him back. If he's really your friend then he should stick by you. And if he doesn't, then I'll just kick his ass and drag him here."
"Wai-"
Before she could even say anything else, the half-naked boy had already disappeared from her sight. She admired his determination, but Erza could already predict an outcome from this should it ever come to blows.
…..
Sasuke silently walked through the streets of Magnolia, nearing the town's end as he was close to the bridge that separated the town from the forest that surrounded it. Part of him felt bad for leaving things like this, to walk away without even saying a word. But at the same time, he had caused Erza enough pain already and he didn't want to stir up further conflict for her.
"There you are!"
The Uchiha heard a voice shout from behind, stopping him. He felt like he knew that voice but hesitated to turn around. Fortunately for him, the kid rushed on ahead and stood in front of him, panting heavily. Sasuke looked in surprise when he realized who it was, "You're that kid from Fairy Tail."
The boy did not say a word as he tried to catch his breath. Once he had recovered, he stared down Sasuke with an angry look on his face.
"Alright, spill it! What the deal between you and Erza?" he demanded, pointing his finger at the Uchiha.
Sasuke narrowed his eyes as he stared back at the other boy. "It's none of your business" he nonchalantly stated.
"I don't care. If you're her friend, then why the hell are you ditching her like this?" Gray rebuked, standing firm and blocking Sasuke from his path.
Sasuke twitched in annoyance but did his best to remain composed. He took a deep breath and exhaled before speaking again, "Like I said, it has nothing to do with you."
Gray was fuming with anger hearing this. The one-eyed kid may not be aware of this, but he reminded the ice wizard of himself just a year ago, before he joined the guild. That time when he ditched Ur and Lyon to go off on a futile quest for revenge against the demon that destroyed his home and killed his family. His hatred of Deliora and his need to exact vengeance on him cost Ur her life and his relationship with Lyon.
"I don't know what you and Erza went through or what problems you have with her! But the least you can do is talk to her about it!" Gray growled as he kept glaring at Sasuke looking frustrated.
Sasuke blinked before looking to the side, "A lot's happened since we got here, and frankly, its better this way. Not just for her, but everyone else too, including you."
"Seriously!" Gray whined, crossing his arms. This guy was just so hard to read, and his words were just cryptic. He sighed before speaking again, "At least tell me you're not leaving because you hate her or something."
Sasuke was taken aback by his question but decided to answer it anyway. "No," he said as he shook his head, "Of course not."
The Uchiha could hear a sigh of relief coming from the other boy.
"So if you don't hate her then why are you leaving? Can't the both of you just talk it out? I mean, whatever problems you're both having can't be that bad" Gray asked again, looking less angry than before, "Can it?"
Sasuke sighed as he touched the missing eye, feeling the empty socket through the eye patch. "Sorry, but that's something the neither of us can talk about, ever. It's…complicated."
As Gray's eyes widened, Sasuke expected him to either pick a fight or prod him for more answers at any given moment. He had been particularly nosey and annoying, pestering him on behalf of Erza, though he had his doubts about whether or not he truly knew how Erza felt about him and what he had done.
Instead, the boy gritted his teeth and started growling in frustration as he kicked the dirt from underneath. "Dammit! And here I was, thinking about kicking your butt and dragging you back to the guild."
Gray's actions confused Sasuke. Was he conceding and letting him go? Just a few moments ago, he looked like he was raring to go to stop him, and now he changes his mind? "What's wrong? Not going to stop me anymore?" Sasuke asked.
"I….I can't" Gray faced the ground and avoided eye contact with Sasuke, struggling just to say those words.
The Uchiha looked on puzzled and in disbelief. "But why?" he asked again.
Gray clenched his fists, on the verge of tears "Because…I've been through the same crap too, alright! And I'd also hate it if someone was trying to pick their nose into my business!"
When he first walked into the guild, Sasuke's initial opinion towards Gray was indifferent at best. On the worst days, he thought of him as nothing more than a shameless streaker who liked picking fights. But now, he was beginning to see that there was more depth to the kid than he first thought. He took a deep breath as he looked up at the orange sky, "Guess we have a lot more in common than I thought."
"And that's because pain is something that each and every one of us share on a fundamental level"
Both Sasuke and Gray looked at each other with eyes wide open as they turned towards the arrival of another voice. They saw a tiny old man walking towards them with his hands behind his back. Both knew that it was none other than the guild master himself, Makarov Dreyar.
"We all experience different kinds of pain, but it's that same pain that allows us to understand others who suffer misfortune of their own and share them to an extent. That's what helps us connect to people and in turn, forge a strong bond that lasts a lifetime" he continued.
Sasuke knew better than anybody else what Makarov was talking about. After all, that's exactly how he would describe his own relationship with Naruto. Two boys with different paths growing up, yet both felt the same pain of loneliness that helped them understand each other. It was apparently the same for Hashirama and Madara as well. And to an extent, he felt the same way towards Erza, Jellal, and the other kids in the tower, and now he could add Gray to the list. It was only a shame that he never valued it until it was too late.
"Gramps?" Gray said, watching Makarov make his way towards them.
"I overheard the conversation you boys were having" he explained, before looking at Sasuke, "So I take it that you're not going to join Fairy Tail?"
Sasuke glanced off to the side, feeling a bit guilty that he was doing all of this. "I don't mean to come off as ungrateful" he explained, "I appreciate what you and the guild have done for me and Erza but…."
"But what?" Makarov urged.
In response, Sasuke activated the power of his right eye as the color of the iris changed to red with black circular patterns forming on its pupil. Makarov raised his eye while Gray looked on with amazement. "This eye? Pain and suffering follow it wherever it goes and it's been like for a very long time" Sasuke said, covering the eye with his right hand, " It's a reflection of my heart and a reminder of my sins. People close to me suffer because of it…people like Erza. And the same will happen to you and everyone else at Fairy Tail if I stay here any longer."
Gray gave a blank stare in response to the answer given to him by Sasuke. The ice wizard was having a hard time finding the appropriate response.
Makarov on the other hand simply rubbed his chin and contemplated on it before speaking again, "Hmm, I see. And do you truly believe in what you're saying?"
"And if I say yes, are you going to stop me?" Sasuke inquired, his eye reverting to normal again.
"Of course not. Whether or not I believe what you say is one thing, but I have no right to force you to stay against your will" Makarov vehemently objected, "If you have no desire to join Fairy Tail, then I respect your decision."
Sasuke was surprised by how patient and understanding he was, almost as if he knew where he was coming from. But then again, as a veteran wizard who looked like he was in the twilight of his life, much like Rob, the Uchiha probably guessed that he had seen and experienced a lot of things in life, both good and bad.
However, he still couldn't shake off this feeling of guilt by leaving them without giving back anything in return. "You have my thanks," Sasuke said, respectfully nodding, "I'll repay the favor whenever I-"
"There's no need" the guild master stopped him before he could finish, "As a wizard's guild, it is our sacred duty to help others in need, whether they are members or not. While it's true that we take compensation for requests, we are not so heartless that we would turn away others in need of help, especially when we have the power to do so. That is what it means to be a wizard."
That speech almost reminded Sasuke of the way Rob used to speak, and because Makarov was his master and superior everyone else likely picked it up from him. Not that it was a bad thing, in fact, if there were more people like Rob and Makarov, then the world would probably be a better place.
"I see" Sasuke acknowledged, walking away "then I'll take my leave then."
"Sasuke, wait" the old man called out, stopping the Uchiha as he turned back to face him, "I almost forgot."
Reaching deep into his pocket, Makarov took out what seemed to be a black eye patch and handed it over to Sasuke.
"This is…" Sasuke said, curiously looking at the piece of eyewear.
"Porlyusica told me that you refused to transplant a new eye" Makarov began, twirling his mustache, "So I figured that if you're going to live the rest of your life with an eye patch, you might as well wear a good one. I had originally planned to give you this as a welcoming gift, but….I suppose, a parting gift works all the same."
There was no practical need to have another eye patch, other than the fact that the new one looked more visually pleasing. Still, it was intended to be a gift for him, one that came from the heart and the least he could do was not squander it.
With another nod, Sasuke placed it in his pocket, planning to wear it at a later time. Right now, it was getting dark and it was for the best that he depart early. However, he could spare a few more minutes for one particular person.
"Hey," he said, looking towards the younger boy, "You're name's Gray, right?"
"Yeah" Gray replied, looking back at Sasuke, "What about it?"
"You came here to stop me for Erza, didn't you? Guess that means you're her friend now. If that's the case, look after her for me" Sasuke requested.
"You don't need to tell me, I was already going to do that" Gray remarked, his arms still crossed, "But when you stop being a chicken and come back here, you'd better make up a good apology!"
"Stubborn kid" Sasuke smirked as he turned his back on the two of them and began walking away. This was it; there was no turning back now.
"Sasuke" Makarov called out once again, but this time, the Uchiha did not stop nor did he answer back as he simply kept walking. If the old man wanted to say his peace, he'd have to do it now, while he was still within hearing range.
Fortunately, Makarov knew what was happening and instead of trying to stop the boy with his magic, simply raised his right hand to the sky with his index and thumb open while the back of the hand faced Sasuke. "It's true that we suffer pain, sadness, and sorrow, but I also believe that not even the most jaded among us want to live the rest of our lives in misery. If you ever overcome your sadness and come back here, know that Fairy Tail has a place for you. Until then, farewell Sasuke, live your life to the fullest, and may the stars guide your path."
There was no response from Sasuke as he kept on walking, so neither Makarov nor Gray had any idea if Sasuke even heard what was being told to him. But when Gray looked over the guild master, all he could see was a look of content.
"So he's really gone huh," Gray commented, looking over the road where Sasuke walked as he was no longer in sight.
"For now," Makarov said.
"For now?" Gray repeated, looking puzzled, "So you think he's going to come back?"
"I can't say for certain," Makarov answered, lowering his right hand, "He's a troubled boy, one who carries with him a great burden and many scars, both on the inside and out. He needs time to figure things and sort out his feelings on the matter. These are things that only he can answer. But I do know this, whether or not, he comes back to us, I have faith that our paths will cross once again someday."
AN: So I finally got around to finishing the final season, and honestly I can see why people were disappointed. There was so much hype behind the Spriggan 12 and most of them went down like chumps in one or two hits. And I feel like Mashima intentionally reduced Zeref's intelligence just so Natsu could win. I mean, he beat Natsu and was just inches away from completing Neo Eclipse and instead, he takes his sweet ass time and monologues, giving Natsu plenty of time to recover. People also said that Natsu had the power to kill Zeref with his flames, but honestly, I don't think that's the case since it's never been proven and Aconologia himself, who's leagues above Natsu couldn't do it either.
To the credit of August and Irene, they were just as badass and dangerous as they were hyped and they never lost their fight. I mean, other than Acnologia, August is probably the only other person who Gildarts couldn't beat and that's saying something. Also, Irene is just so freakin hot!
Darth Lelocuh: There are a few minor changes, such as Erza not losing her eye, which might not seem like much now but can have drastic consequences later on. Since this is a slow burn fic, I prefer baby steps over big bold strokes.
Fate: I'm not sure what part of Sasuke I'm making like Naruto. Is it the mannerisms? His choices? Or his desire to try to better himself as a person and not repeat his past mistakes? If I were to write him like Naruto, he'd be screaming at the top of lungs how much he's going to change the world or something.
M2R: Like everything else Hades knew about Zeref, he's halfway correct but mostly wrong about everything else in his assumption.
black luster: Glad you enjoy it. I'm trying my best to upload as fast as I can but my schedule makes it hard.
Emn93: I usually place the plot and characters first before all the power levels, explosions and abilities etc.
narutocrazy 101: it's a little bit of both but mostly it's the pain of betrayal and the deaths that pushed him this time.
Dxhologram: I actually read that chapter of Boruto. I was more disappointed that Sarada wouldn't be able to get the ems or Rinnegan anymore. They're seriously trying to hold her back.
Gen2324: To be honest, Naruto is given a lot of Jesus vibes to him, especially when he starts magically restoring eyes while Sasuke is treated like a fallen angel who sided with hell or something.
Kensei-1085: Don't worry, one-eyed boys are handsome too! Just take a look at Kaeya from Genshin Impact, lol! Also, regarding the deviation from canon, I'm taking a middle route for that one. Not too much that it becomes a mess and something else entirely and not too little that it feels like a re read of canon. The best part about Fairy Tail is that it's world and lore are so huge, that there are tons of original stories just begging to be told. I actually got this after getting to know Gildarts.
Hated and love: Yeah that part confused me a lot. Madara and Sasuke can summon Susanoo with just one eye or no eyes at all, but Obito can't.
Kaleidoscope's Beauty: Absolutely, you can listen to those while reading the scenes. For the final scene, I myself to Sadness and Sorrow while writing them.
Stand Up Be Strong and Protector for all: Yeah, I was aware people were going to pissed off. I'm more surprised that many of them kept sticking around even after I told everyone in chapter 2 that I'll be nerfing him for a while before making him strong again, only to get accusations of nerfing now. But it is what it is.
Banarock509: Hades knows about the Rinnegan as much as he thinks he knows about Zeref, which is almost correct but all the way wrong.
Nearsighted: It mostly lean towards his emotionally instability that lead to its' reactivation. The loss of Rob and Jellal's betrayal in particular.
Doortolight 47: Makarov and Gildarts would definitely understand, since they have experience dealing with troubled kids.
gildas13579: You're assumption is spot on. Seeing Jellal reminds him of his old self, which is why he decides to sacrifice his eye in the hope that Jellal can change someday too. Also, regarding the comments, I knew this chapter was going to upset some people. And that's fine by me, they have the right to express how they feel about it.
Chrisplayz: Glad you like it. Honestly, I always wondered if magic can serve as a substitute for chakra and vice versa.