A Gift of Forgiveness
A while back, Fairy Tail had claimed victory over the nefarious guild Phantom Lord. The guild hall that was destroyed by their rivals in the grueling war between two guilds was transformed into a much more grand and inviting one, with fun locations like a swimming pool and a café being added to it. A gift shop was also included, and it would be promising to visitors touring the town of Magnolia and would like to see what Fairy Tail would be like to them.
Ariella Maxwell was enjoying the celebration of the guild hall's reopening with the members, but something else was hindering her from the festivities. She recalled all of the disturbing events that occurred when their old guild hall was annihilated and the enemies struck down two of Fairy Tail's strongest members. Those were the Wizard in Armor, Erza Scarlet, and their most trusted head master. Lucy Heartfilia, the Celestial Wizard of Fairy Tail, was the target of the Phantom Lord guild and their purpose was to return her to her wealthy father. However, Natsu Dragneel was eventually able to defeat the Phantom Lord guild with help from his teammates, including the Ice Mage Gray Fullbuster. He was also successful in saving Lucy from the evil guild's clutches and freeing her from being returned to her father. It was because he never gave up, even when he was taken down roughly in his precarious fights.
Gajeel Redfox, the Iron Dragon Slayer, was the most menacing of all the Phantom Lord members, but he reluctantly just joined Fairy Tail. It was an offer he had to accept from the head of the guild, Master Makarov. He was the same old stubborn self he had been since joining, and Ari observed him sitting at a table by himself in silence. He was now bearing a black Fairy Tail guild mark on his left shoulder, since his deep red Phantom Lord mark had disappeared not long after the dark guild's collapse.
Ariella was grateful to see her friends out of harm's way, even though she couldn't stand them suffering in pain from Gajeel's vicious assaults. The most heartbreaking attack to her was him being physically aggressive towards Lucy, and even Ari's nature magic was no match for his Iron Dragon Slayer magic. But now that Gajeel was no longer the villain he once was, she was willing to accept him as a part of Fairy Tail.
I should forgive Gajeel for all of his wrongdoings…, Ariella thought to herself mentally. I just want him to be accepted as a new member of Fairy Tail, but he's not willing to be warm and friendly to everyone. He's being his old grumpy self and he's very introverted.
"Is something wrong, Ari?" a voice asked her, snapping her out of her thinking.
Ariella turned to see Mirajane Strauss, the guild's caring barmaid, holding a tray of drinks in her right hand and knew that she was currently busy with her job. However, Mira was concerned about her and wanted to know what was bothering the Nature Mage.
"It's about Gajeel," she said to her. "He was once intimidating to us when his dark guild attacked us, but now that Phantom Lord's disbanded and he's a new member of Fairy Tail, I feel that I should absolve him for his actions."
"That is a wise decision," Mira replied. "Not everyone is happy about him at this time, but if he redeems himself and apologizes to everyone he attacked, he will eventually be accepted by all of us. It's surprising you're the first and only one to acknowledge him."
Ariella nodded to her and she spoke up: "I think I have an idea on how to show my exoneration towards Gajeel. With my brilliant knowledge of botany and mastery in flower arranging, I'll whip up a small bouquet for him."
"How nice of you," Mirajane said, smiling warmly at her. "Hopefully he will love them."
"We'll see, Mira," Ariella replied to her. "I might also conjure a flower for him to give to Levy. He attacked her and her teammates and I feel that he should be forgiven for that."
"Yes, he really should learn from that and have any feelings of remorse for them," Mirajane assumed. "Good luck, Ari."
"Thanks!"
Once Mirajane left to resume her job, Ariella turned to see Levy McGarden chatting with her two colleagues Jet and Droy.
Levy…, she thought of her. Gajeel may have assaulted you and your team, but I feel that he should be forgiven for that since he's joined Fairy Tail. I have to do something to make you and your team accept him, and I know how to do just that.
Back at her apartment in Magnolia, Ariella was crafting a bouquet that was made up of purple hyacinths and white tulips, which she had purchased at her boss Adela's flower shop. She was pleased with how colorful they turned out and they truly spoke of forgiveness to her, but then she felt that something was missing. It was very important to her as a master flower arranger.
"Now what completes a bouquet like this…?" she wondered aloud. "It has to help it look very special."
It took a minute or two for her to think for an answer before something came to her mind right away.
"That's it! Baby's breath," Ari said of it, as she spotted some pickings of baby's breath left over in her basket. "It's the perfect piece to this puzzle!"
Ari pulled out the bunch of baby's breath from the basket and set them next to the bouquet on her oak worktable. She then inserted each picking into the bouquet one at a time, before covering it in white wrapping paper. For the finishing touch, Ari tied a beautiful slate gray ribbon onto it, as the color would symbolize the Iron Dragon Slayer to her.
"It's finally finished! Now I'm ready to give it to Gajeel!" she said, feeling proud of herself for her hard work. She placed the bouquet into her basket and headed out the door to search for him. Wherever he could possibly be, she was ready to show her exoneration towards him.
As she was dashing through the streets of Magnolia later that afternoon, Ariella was searching far and wide for Gajeel throughout the roaming crowds. However, there was no sign of him and she continued looking for him as she made a left turn.
"Where could he possibly be?" she wondered aloud.
But as she kept on running, Ariella didn't notice something—or rather, someone—blocking her way and she bumped into it, causing her to drop her basket on the road.
My bouquet for Gajeel! she thought worriedly.
Ariella turned to see her basket lying on the street and immediately headed over to it. She picked it up and looked to her relief that her bouquet was unharmed.
That was a close call…, she thought to herself. Now, to find Gajeel…
"Hey…," a familiar voice said to her, startling her. "Are these flowers for me?"
It was Laxus Dreyar, the grandson of the guild's master Makarov. He was always trying to woo the Nature Mage by asking her out on dates and using romantic gestures on her. She would turn him down every time, as she was aware of his cocky attitude toward the other members of Fairy Tail.
"L-Laxus! What are you doing here?" Ariella exclaimed.
"I was just hanging out when you crashed into me. Should've watched where you're going," he answered her. "Anyway, I heard from Mirajane that you were making a flower bouquet. I assume that it's for me; if so, I'm taking you out for dinner. How does that sound?"
"My answer is no, Laxus," she said to her with a frown. "And this bouquet is not for you. It's for someone else."
"Ohhh, so you have feelings for someone else, ehh?" Laxus inquired her mordantly. "How sweet. Perhaps you still care about me, don't you?"
Ariella shook her head and she walked past by him, ignoring his ironic laughter.
"Aww, don't go just now!" Laxus crooned to her, as he watched her leave him. "I'll buy some flowers for you in return, sweet pea!"
"No thank you, Laxus!" she called back. "And don't call me sweet pea!"
Once she reached the guild hall, Ariella entered inside and looked around the area. She finally spotted Gajeel sitting all by himself at the same spot he was earlier.
There he is! she thought, her eyes lightening up with excitement.
Ariella slowly made her way over to the Iron Dragon Slayer, her heart fluttering like a butterfly on a spring day and feelings of anticipation were straight on her mind.
"Excuse me… Gajeel," she said to him.
"Hmmm?" the Iron Dragon Slayer replied as he turned to her.
"I… I want to express my forgiveness to you," she said to him, holding up her bouquet. "I made you this bouquet. With my expertise in flower arranging and symbolism of flowers, I'm showing my exoneration to you for all the destruction you caused when you were a Phantom Lord member. Now that you've joined Fairy Tail, I want to accept you as a part of the guild this way."
Gajeel took the bouquet from Ariella and examined it for a moment. He took a sniff of the fresh aroma that the flowers produced, with Ariella watching in anticipation.
He's smelling the flowers, she thought of him. Does that mean he may like them?
"Hmmm… these flowers smell nice," he said to her. "It's pretty impressive that you made them with your knowledge of flowers. Makes sense since you're a Nature Mage."
Ariella nodded to him, confirming him of her magical status.
"I suppose I'll pick a flower from this bouquet and give it to the little half-pint. I regret attacking her and her teammates."
"That will be wonderful, Gajeel," Ari replied to him. "I'm sure Levy will forgive you."
"I hope so," Gajeel replied to her with a small nod. "Thanks for the flowers… ummm…"
"It's Ariella. Ariella Maxwell," she said to him.
"Ohh, yeah. Ariella… I forgot what your name was. Do you have a nickname?"
"Yes. It's Ari," she answered. "You may refer to me as that if it's easier for you."
"You got it. Thanks for the flowers, Ari."
A warm smile formed on Ariella's face and she replied to him: "You're very welcome. And welcome to Fairy Tail."
Gajeel observed her depart him and looked down at the bouquet again. He pulled a white tulip out of the bouquet and saw Levy chatting with Lucy at a table across from his.
It's time I show my sign of sympathy to this girl, he thought of her. I was a monster when I attacked her and her teammates, and even physically assaulted the blondie. Now I'm repentant about it all. As Ari said, I hope she will forgive me.
The moment Gajeel paused at Levy's spot, he placed the white tulip in front of her and he walked away back to his spot right away. Levy paused her conversation with Lucy and looked down to see the tulip in front of her.
"Is something the matter, Levy?" Lucy asked her.
"I… I wonder who left this for me…?" the Solid Script Mage asked, holding the flower in her right hand as a light blush formed on her face. "It's such a beautiful tulip."
Gajeel was watching her reaction from across his table, and he was having high hopes that he would receive forgiveness from Levy, just as he did with Ariella.
The End
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