There were laugher and loud voices coming from their table. It was to be expected when members of Fairy Tail were involved. The restaurant owner had warned every other costumer who tried to get a reservation the same day they did. He still managed to get a full house, Fairy Tail mage might be loud but they attract lots of curious. Left and right people were stealing glances at their table. The adults noticed but they didn't mind, they were too focused on their children for that.
It was an important day after all. The Fullbuster eldest and the youngest Redfox had come back from boarding school for the summer break. They were both the same age, twelve, and had been schooled at the academy of the magical counsel since they were six. To celebrate both families went to the restaurant together, as they had always been very close. The two children going to boarding school had been decided after a few incidents at school, children had been mean to Lorcán, the young Redfox boy, and the two hadn't been able to answer with anything other than violence. They had ended up being expelled and both very much set on the idea that they would never go to school again. The academy of the magical counsel was a magic school and easy to get places for Gajeel and Levy as they had worked for the magical council.
The probleme Lorcàn had met with other children was due to his appearance. While he had been generally graced with his mother fine traits, he had also inherited his father red eyes and shaped tooth. On top of that due to a draconification process (that his parents with polyussica's help had managed to stop) he had patches of scales here and there. He had two fingers on his right hand and, worst of all, an eye that was dragon and not human. Now his long black hairs hide the eye effortlessly but it hadn't been the case when he was a child.
Ul didn't had that problem, it was generally agreed on that she was beautiful and growing more radiant every day. She had her mother pale skin and curly hair, although much darker, a marine blue that in darkness could be mistaken for black. She was always told that she had her grandfather eyes, which made her dad very happy. But recently, as she had started to develop breast earlier than her classmate, she found herself doing her best to hide her body.
Both children had strong insecurities about their appearance and did their best to hide it from their parents. Even though they knew that they probably had guested. It was something common in their families, not saying everything. Most of their conversation only held half of the information and you had to guess the rest. They were used to it and managed perfectly that way. Apart from Levy and Fionn, Lorcàn older borther, who liked sharing their thoughts and emotion, everyone was very happy to always keep some things for themselves.
Lorcán and Ul had always been perfectly content with it and didn't see any reason to change things. Until today. Or, actually two weeks ago. Yes, two weeks ago they had started wondering things about their parents. And they wanted answers, full answers.
It's Ul who found the courage to ask "What did you do before?"
Her mother looked her confused "What do you mean"
All eyes were on her, even her little sister Marina had stopped jumping on her chair to look at her. Her eyes were the most difficult to meet, she was cute little girl who looked so much alike their father, she had a round face, dark straight hair in two cute little pig tails. She had always admired Ul, something rather normal for a little sister, and oddly the separation due to Ul going to boarding school had only made that feeling stronger. Seeing this adorable ten-year-old girl stare at her with confusion in her dark blue eyes, made Ul worried and think that maybe she should have waited to be alone with her parents, but then the Redfox wouldn't have been there, and they needed to talk to all of them.
"I mean… well… "
Lorcán took over for her "When we were at school another student, an older one, told us that he didn't understand how both of you could be together after what our parents had done, so we wonder, what did you do before?"
None of the adult moved, while all the children stared at them waiting. They seemed surprised but there was more than that. Levy looked worried and she had her arms in front of her, almost protectively. Gray was looking straight at them with a dark expression on his face. But Gajeel and Juvia, they were the strangest of them all. Gajeel was looking down at his feet, his shoulders were slumped and his eyes were clenched shut. Juvia looked paler than any of them had though possible, she had shrunk back and her eyes were wide.
They had never seen their parents like this. Instinctively Lorcán turned toward his older brother. But Fionn looked just as confused as he was. His brown eyes were narrowed, underneath his long nose his lips were slightly parted, it seemed that he was holding his breath. He didn't bother putting back behind his hears the short black strands of hair that had fallen over his face.
Seeing his eighteen-year-old brother this perplexed didn't made Lorcán feel better. Seeing this all scene in front of his eyes made him think that they shouldn't have said anything at all.
Finally, Gray broke the silence, "We'll talk about this later" he said as he put an arm around Juvia which seemed to calm her down. She relaxed and gave him a smile, but the children could tell that she wasn't fine. In the same manner Levy placed her hand on top of Gajeel, he straitened up and gave her sad look, which was probably only meant for her but the children saw it anyway.
Levy change the conversation and they tried to finish their meal. The tension didn't disappear and they stayed tens from the entrée to the desert.
When Ul got home she found that the house felt cold. Her family had never been fond of heating but she knew that wasn't it. It was cold was from the lack of affection they received from their parents. Usually the second they entered the front door their mother would put them in a bare hug and their dad would ruffle their hairs. But tonight their mother wouldn't look at them and went straight to the parent's bedroom, with less energy than Ul had though possible. Their dad followed her with a worried expression on his face. Neither reminded them to brush their teeth.
She took her little sister to the bathroom nonetheless. She could tell that the little girl was confused, and Ul felt guilty about it. Perhaps she shouldn't have said anything, the other student tone did indicate that whatever happened it wasn't good, she hadn't though it would hurt her family this badly. Her poor mother, who was always so kind and thoughtful, now looked devastated. Ul hadn't meant to hurt her that way and she felt that she would never forgive herself for it.
Once they brushed their teeth and washed their faces, Ul took Marina back to the room they shared. The two twin bed were waiting for them, but not their parents. Tonight mom wouldn't brush their hair and dad would read them a story. Ul had already out grown all of that, but Marina hadn't and seemed distress.
"Mom and Dad aren't coming" she said, it wasn't a question but a statement, despite her young age she had understood that part of the situation.
Ul didn't know if should be happy or sad about that.
"Come here I'll brush your hair"
Marina sat between her legs as she undid her pig tails and brushed her hair, slowly to make sure she didn't hurt her.
"What's wrong with what mom did before?"
"I don't know" said Ul truthfully.
"It has to be bad or she wouldn't be like that."
"I know"
"Can I go give her a hug?" That was Marina's answer to problems, she wasn't very good at cheering people up, when she tried speaking, she only hurt them more, her parents said she got that from their dad. It was Ul who had one told her "just give them a hug" and Marina had acted that way ever since.
"I'm not sure if that's a good idea" the simple fact that Marina had felt the need to ask was enough to know that she shouldn't. Seeing them would probably made their mother feel worst.
She managed to put her sister to sleep, but took a grand total of five stories before she finally fell asleep. Now Ul needed to use the bathroom, she decided to go quickly and then get her sleep. She was now, thankfully, far too tired to worry about her family history.
In the corridor she passed her parent's bedroom and froze. She was hearing sobs coming from her inside. She knew it was her mother. She had made her mother cry. She felt like she would cry as well, she did her best to hold it in, but she heard that it started raining outside. It always happened when she held her tears. She hoped her parents wouldn't notice. She heard her mother sobs get louder and stronger; she had noticed. What was wrong with her, why did she keep hurting her mom that way?
"Hey, it's going to be okay" she heard her father said through the door.
Her father could help her mom, he had to.
Everything was quiet at the Redfox home, which was unusual, normally they would a record playing, people talking or something breaking, there would be noise. The noise had always been comforting to Lorcán, it's what made him feel at home. This all atmosphere was making him edgy, and both his parents were avoiding his glances. He thought of putting on some music himself but it didn't feel right and scared him.
His brother was in his room and right now he was only person he wouldn't feel awkward around. So, he entered, he didn't find reading a book, meditating, or playing a game, as he usually did. Instead the eighteen-year-old was sitting on his bed with a thoughtful look on his face.
Lorcán closed the door and asked "Do you understand what's going on?"
Fionn offered him a sympathetic look and made some room on his bed for him to sit. Lorcán sat next to him and his brother said "Not really no."
"But you have to know something"
It was to him an unchanging truth of this world that his brother knew more than him, and was always thirsty for knowledge. He knew a little about everything and a lot about certain things. He was already an S class mage and knew some of the secrets of the guild.
"All I know is that Dad and aunt Juvia used to be in another guild before joining Fairy Tail"
"What happened to that guild?"
"I don't know I always assumed it got disbanded"
This just brought more mystery, but also a clue. Whatever had happened it had to do with this guild.
"Do you know its name?"
"No, I never really asked."
He could find out more about this guild than he could found out what was going on with his parents. This gave him a new determination. He heard the rain pouring outside, he hoped it wasn't Ul's, but he had a strong feeling that it was. Clearly, they had to find the truth and they had to do it fast.
The next morning, he skipped out of the house, no one tried to stop him, as the awful mood of the previous night had followed them the next morning. He immediately went to the Fullbuster home, it was less than five minutes away, and he knew that Ul would already be dressed and ready, a habit they had picked up at school. The second he saw her; he knew the rain of the previous night had been hers. He grabbed her and as he took her to the guild, he told what his brother knew. It didn't take long for her to grow curious and like him she reached the conclusion that to solve their problem they had to find out the truth.
They went to the guild, because if Fionn didn't have the answers than Viktor probably did. It was there best shot really. They found him easily, as his team always surrounded him. They approached the group of teenagers and saw him at the head of their table. He was the undisputable leader of this team, even though he wasn't very imposing, not that he needed to be with the power of his magic. He was tall, and as he was sixteen, he had not finished growing, but he was thin, he had curly reddish hair that he hid underneath a bandana. He wore rather simple clothes excepted for his large black leather pants.
"Viktor" Ul called out. He gave them a nod to show that he acknowledged their presence. "Can we talk to you? Alone."
He raised an eyebrow but stood up and followed them to a deserted corner of the guild.
"So?" he asked.
They explained to him what had happened with their parents, and asked if he knew anything. He seemed thoughtful but then said "Oh yeah I see what this is. You see before Gajeel and Juvia were-"
"Don't" said a loud and strong voice. It was Laxus Dreyar, Viktor's father. "That's for their parents to explain"
Lorcán expected Viktor to get angry at his dad, as he had always been of the rebellious sort, but instead a look of understanding came to his face and with a shrugged he said "Sorry kiddo"
He started walking away, and both Lorcán and Ul were in a state of shock. Lorcán recovered quickly and managed to say, "Wait! Is it bad?"
Viktor stopped and turned to them "Depends how you look at it."
This just left them with more question.
Things didn't go better in the days that followed, Juvia and Gajeel were still avoiding their children eyes. They barely talk, excepted for a few "Diner is ready", "Wash your tooth" and "Take off your shoes". Both houses stayed quiet, as if ghost leaved inside. The guilt Ul and Lorcán felt was getting worst. They were also worried about what it could be that their parents were hiding.
One day the Redfoxs came with their children to the Fullbusters. The children were sat on the couch while the parents were in the kitchen. Lorcán had told his brother about their conversation with Viktor, he hadn't been able to draw any conclusion from it. All they knew was that the entire guild apparently knew.
The parents returned with tea and biscuit. Everyone took a cup awkwardly. No one said anything. They stayed that way a little, until Levy said "So, I think it's time we talk."
"Is it about what I asked when I got home?"
Juvia started by saying "What you need to know first is that not one day goes by where we don't regret it." This did not make them feel better.
"We used to be part of another guild" said Gajeel "Phantom Lord. We were rivals with Fairy Tail. And… one day we took that Rivalry too fare."
They already knew about the other guild, having taken a rivalry too fare could mean a lot of different things.
"It started when I attacked the guild empty building."
There was a sigh of relief, he had attacked an empty building, that wasn't a big deal. But then why were their parents so worried.
"And then" Gajeel paused, there was pain in his eyes, Levy took his hand and she finished for him "He attacked Jet, Droy and Me"
Lorcán froze and he could feel that his brother had done the same.
"I crucified them to a tree."
There was gasp. Lorcán had tears in eyes. This couldn't be true, his father had always been very protective of his mother, he could never have hurt her, he loved her too much for that. This had to be some kind of sick joke. But it wasn't. He could smell the shame on his father.
"And" continued Juvia "while Fairy Tail attacked Phantom Lord in retribution, I abducted Lucy."
Now Ul was confused, her mother and Lucy had always been close friends, hadn't they?
"Of course, Natsu got her back, after that we came to attack Fairy Tail. It was a real war. I fought your father."
Ul felt Marina take her hand, she squeezed her tight, they both waited for more.
"He defeated me, not without difficulties."
"And I got beat up by Natsu."
"A few month later we both joined Fairy Tail and we mend our relationship with the other members"
The children sat in silence. They were confused and angry. Had their parents lied to them? No, they had simply omitted the truth all these years. There was so much. Ul got up, grabbed Marina and they ran to their room. Juvia started crying. Gray putted his arms around her while looking toward where his daughters had disappeared.
Lorcán stared at his foots, he didn't know what to say or to think. It was as if everything he had ever believed about his father was lie.
Juvia dried her tears and the Fullbusters went to their children's room.
The first one to recover enough to ask a question was Fionn, who said, "How did you forgive him?"
Their mother offered them a small smile "It took time, time during which he apologies and tried his best to make sure no one else would ever hurt me. I also got to know him and I realised that he was doing his best to never be the man who had hurt me again."
"Why did you do it?" asked Lorcán, his parents didn't seem to know which of them he was asking, and to be honest he didn't himself. Why had his father done such a thing? Why had his mother choose to be with that man?
His father chose to answer, "Phantom Lord was the kind of place where you had to show you were the strongest, and I always did my best to show I was the toughest of them all. It was the only thing I had in my life, that's how I believe things were supposed to be. My father had always told me that humans were cruel so it all seemed normal. One day the master told me to go hurt one of Fairy Tail members, one I knew would hurt them the most. So, I went after Levy. It was the first time I questioned my way of life."
Lorcán didn't know what to think of any of this, he wanted to leave.
"I'm going to go … see Ul" he said.
"I don't understand" said Ul.
"You're going to have to be more precise" answered her father.
Ul and Marina were sited on her bed, across from their parents who sat on Marina's bed. She had run here with her sister after the revelation. Marina hadn't said a word; she had sat here and stared into nothingness. Ul had kept an arm around her, she didn't know what she was trying to do and she didn't how to feel about any of this. Her mother had always that sweet and kind person, sometimes too kind and sweet. She knew she had a temper; she had seen it back when she had problems at school. But she could have never imagined her hurting an innocent in anyway. And yet, she had just been told that she had kidnaped Lucy and went at war with Fairy Tail. How could any of this be possible?
That boy at school had been right: how could they be together after what her mother had done?
"How do you go from …?" she couldn't finish, because she didn't know how to finish it. How do you go from being enemies to spouses? How do you go from that kind of person to who you are now?
Her father chose the end for her.
"We met again, we got along. Then your mother joined the guild and I got to know her better and I realise she was someone I could see myself be with. You see I've come to understand why your mother obeyed the order she was given and I know she wouldn't do it again. She has grown a lot since then, I have grown a lot since then. I guess we both grew in a way that brought us closer and made us family."
"But she-" she stopped and looked at her mother, who had her head down and dried tears on her cheeks "you did- you hurt people, people you" she turned to her father "cared about!"
"She did but at the time she couldn't fully understand that."
"How old were you?"
"She was 17"
"I'm old enough to understand, why couldn't she?"
"She grew up differently from you, she didn't have anyone to teach her the difference between right and wrong, it took her more time."
Ul was astonished, what kind of childhood could her mother have had that she didn't understand such fundamental things? She wanted to ask more. She was about to ask more but Marina spoke first.
"Was mum a bad person?" she asked.
Their father immediately said "No" but their mother said, "Yes"
"Juvia-", the raised hand of their mother cut their father.
"Mum was a bad person, she did have a small understanding of good and evil, but she knew evil better, she understood that certain thing hurt but she also grew up alone. She learned self-preservation very fast. She cared about herself first and watched other from a far. The first time she trusted someone else didn't go well. Mum had already told you that when she was young the rain followed her everywhere. People didn't like that, they ran away from Juvia, she though she was curse and that perhaps people were right to feel that way. But then one day a man came and told her that the reason they flied from her was because she was so much stronger and more amazing than them that they didn't know how to cop. He was the master of Phantom Lord and he also was the first person in the world to be kind to Juvia. So, she followed him and she extended her idea of self-preservation to him and slowly to all of Phantom Lord, she loved them and she thought she loved him. She was willing to do anything for the one she loves and that's still the case. She did what he asked because he said it was needed to protect Phantom Lord. She has learned since then to see the world differently. She has free herself from the rain and that allowed her to meet people as they were. That changed her a lot, but it didn't change the fact that she is willing to do anything to protect the one she loves. Mum will always protect you no matter how and no matter why."
Marina got up and hugged their mother. Ul didn't follow her; she was still digesting all of this. It was a lot she was slowly coming to understand. Many of it was still foggy in her mind. But when it became clear enough to understand what her mother had been through and how hard she worked to change. She got up and hugged her as well. Soon their father joined.
The door opened and Lorcán walked in. Ul could see the distress on his face, she got up and they left the house. He didn't say anything at first but she could tell that they were thousands of thoughts going through his head many he wanted to speak but none he dared to. They sat together on the grass for a while. The time he took to calm down gave her time to think, about her mom. She had heard her words and she was able to understand, on an intellectual level, on an emotional one she was still hurt. Hurt to have learnt that her mother wasn't who she thought she was. And if she still had that pain, it could only be worst for Lorcán.
"How is Marina?" he finally asked.
Ul wasn't surprised that this was his first question, as a matter of fact hearing him speak that way told her he was already better. Putting Marina first as if she was his sister as well, that was the Lorcàn she knew.
"Better now, I think" she answered truthfully. "What about you?"
"I don't know." She said looking down "my father he… he hurt my mom, I didn't think he…"
"I know."
"But it has to be okay if she forgave him, right?"
"I guess… I mean she's the one this actually concerns."
"It just feels weird."
"Yeah"
They let a few moments pass, no word said, just the wind and their breathing. The silence was appeasing, when they sat together without any distraction, they could just swallow all the information from yesterday. Digest them. Accept them.
"It's kind of incredible" said Lorcán.
"What is?"
"That they could go from that kind of person to who they are now."
Ul took a second to think about it, and really, there was nothing to do but agree. Going from being someone who hurt others at the first order given to someone who cared so much about others, that was amazing. And she thought about her dad and Levy, and about how they were able to see beyond the past pain inflicted by her Mom and Gajeel to see what they had become.
"How are parents found the strength to forgive them, that's also incredible." She said.
Lorcán nodded, "Our parents are amazing." He said smiling
Ul smiled back and said, "They are."