Last time: Wendy and Cana had met in the hot spa. Talking about their problems, they had somehow ended up doing lustful things. First Master, Mavis Vermilion, had been watching it all from the side. She's seriously worried about the youngest Dragon Slayer.

Unknown place

Unknown day

Unknown time

Blazes of fire scorched her skin. She tried running forward, finding at least somebody who had survived. Her bare, callous foot stepped on the unrecognizable, burned corpse and she almost screamed in terror. Then she heard a whimper. Rummaging around the ruin of the former Red Lizard guild, she found a little, black haired girl.

"Zeira! I'll save you! Don't worry!" She yelled. Girl coughed, opening her eyes.

"No… don't do it. Please, I don't want to leave my father and friends alone!"

"But you'll die here!"

She took the black haired girl on the shoulder because, soon afterwards, girl lost her consciousness. Carrying her on the shoulders, she stumbled to the forest nearby. But, black haired girl who she had saved was dying. Opening her eyes, just a bit, she whispered:

"Will you be my friend, Mavis?"

Zeira's body was already full of burns, eyes lined with black, and her mouth was dry with broken lips. She coughed, and a black tar slithered down her chin.

"Friend…? Yes, I will! Of course! I will take you from here, you'll be alright!"

"Ah… I'm glad… I'm glad I have met you, Mavis." she smiled. Mavis hugged her, and Zeira hugged back but her embrace soon became weaker. As they moved away, Zeira fell down on the ground. Mavis suddenly felt sharp pain in her chest and tears somehow filling her big, green eyes. She grabbed Zeira, checking her pulse. It was gradually weakening.

"Zeira, you'll be alright, right? Please, don't die on me! We just became friends! Zeira!"

She passed through her hair, and Zeira let a little smile, but it remained on her lips, frozen. Her skin gradually became colder.

"Zeira! Zeira! ZEIRA!"

Mavis woke up in the little house on the Tenrou Island, where she'd lived. It was still a night outside, and she was covered in cold sweat. Her breath was shallow and she shivered, looking around the dark room.

"Another nightmare…" she whispered.

Mavis has a daily routine. This is something she's doing every day of the week. Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, all the way up to the boring Sundays. Sometimes it changed, but mostly it was same. Routine made her forget how much days have already passed since she was like this – and it was easier this way.

Every day, she's waking up at 10 am, give or take. After a quick shower and the brushing of her teeth, she walks out of the house. Yes, she can brush her teeth. And she can eat. Lucky for her then that the Tenrou Island is big and ripe with vegetation, so she's having enough to eat. Usually she never eats meat, so she plucks mushrooms and plants, frying them or eating them raw.

After breakfast, usually around 11 am, First Master cleans up. Quite fatigued by the labor, but feeling satisfied, she sits down - reading until around 2 pm. When the time comes, she visits Magnolia so she can check on the guild. Lately there have been problems, but everything worked out just fine. All in all, Mavis Vermilion was satisfied with the progress her guild was having.

With the dawn already coming down, Mavis goes back home. By that time, she feels fatigued from all the walking so she reads more. There are many books in her home, so she never feels bored.

With stars glittering on the night sky, her eyes are also glittering as she stargazes. From time to time, she makes a wish on the falling star. So far, her wishes haven't become true. But soon enough, she was sure, they surely will. Indeed, this solitude gradually became loneliness.

One day, her daily routine was abruptly stopped. As usual, she woke up around 10 am. Brushing her sleepy, big eyes she dragged herself into the bathroom. It was a small house, so the bathroom was small – even for her standards. Half asleep, she fumbled around, taking her night gown off. Shower was refreshing and it woke her up. Later she chose a simple, white dress and went out to collect ingredients for the breakfast.

Walking around the forest, she enjoyed the frisk, windy air, which played with her hair and her gown. Big trees around her offered some sort of shelter and she felt safe while walking around. Only once this ancient home was threatened, and she hoped nothing similar will happen – ever again. Fresh rays of sunlight marked white spots on the ground. Under one of those was a cluster of brown, shimeji mushrooms.

"Lucky!" she hollered, plucking them.

Moving along to get more, she was very confused and surprised when she saw a movement behind the trees. Indeed, Mavis knew every animal which lived on the island. She was a friend with most of them. However, this wasn't an animal. Its aura felt somehow familiar. Fearful of possibilities, she ran forward, sprinting with her bare feet to catch the perpetrator.

"Got you!" she yelled, projecting an illusion of cage around the unknown person. She heard a shocked yelp and a cry for help and suddenly it became clear – it wasn't unknown thief, nor was it somebody like Zeref. After all, he wouldn't fall for something this simple.

"Wendy! What are you doing here?!" she hollered in shock, immediately dispersing the illusion.

"Master Mavis, I'm terribly sorry for this intrusion!" she bowed down. Mavis was even more confused by this.

"Oh, no, no, don't bow down! You don't have to apologize! Besides, I'm not your master anymore!"

"You're still my master and you're very important!"

"Platitudes. I'm just Mavis now. More so, I'm your friend. You don't bow in front of your friends, right?"

Wendy brushed her ankles, standing up. Mavis suddenly felt sort of annoyed. Up until now Wendy was kneeling, hiding her body. And now, as she stood up, Mavis realized she indeed doesn't look like a little girl anymore. She blushed, looking down at her breasts, and then looking up at Wendy's.

"This isn't right…" she said in an undervoice.

"You said something, First?"

"Oh no! No! Please, can you tell me why you're here?"

Two girls started moving towards Mavis' house.

"I was sent to have a talk with you."

"If it's about the bill for the recent damage on properties, you can tell them that Makarov and I already sent the payment."

Wendy snickered.

"No, it isn't. Well, I'd rather tell you all once we get to your place."

I haven't put a description of Mavis' house until now. It was, actually, a small wooden shack where she lived. It had one, heavy, oaken door, and single window. Roof was thatched but neatly trimmed on the edges. House had a one, single living room with the bed under the window. There was, also, one short legged table, or chabudai, with tatamis around, fireplace and few paintings on the walls. Two doors led to the pantry and a bathroom.

"Feel like home, Wendy!" Mavis smiled, making a slight bow.

"Wow, it's so pretty! You live here all alone?"

Mavis kind of felt sad for a moment.

"Y-yes. I do. Want to eat something? I have some surplus food left."

"Yes. I'm hungry."

Wendy knelt down on the tatami, waiting for Mavis. First boiled the noodles. After this was done, she boiled those shimeji mushrooms in the opposite pot, and finally she sliced them up, mixing them with noodles. She, also, added some cheese inside. It was a strange recipe, but tasty.

"You prefer eating western style or Japanese?" Mavis smiled. Wendy looked at her with confusion.

"What do you mean?"

"Spoon or sticks?"

"Uhm… let it be sticks. I know how to use both."

Mavis took a pair of sticks from the drawer, sitting on the opposite side of the table as she served the food. Wendy was truly hungry, wanting to eat but she stopped her.

"I have a habit of mine which I like doing, Wendy. I want you to do it with me."

"Yeah?"

"Every time before I split my chopsticks, I make a single wish. If I split them neatly, there's a chance this wish will become true!"

"What kind of sticks have you used..?" Wendy asked in confusion, but complied. Both of them put their sticks lower to the knees, pulling them apart. Of course, they split up quite nicely and Mavis let a happy chirp.

"Yes!"

After the lunch was over, Wendy had decided it was a high time to start talking about the real reason why she was here. Ever since that embarrassing moment when she asked Doranbolt to teleport her here, and he exchanged it for a hug which was uncomfortably long, Wendy searched for Mavis. She had every intention to fulfill the second part of her quest. But Mavis looked hyped up, leaning over the table to look Wendy straight in the eyes.

"Wendy, now that we ate, let's go and catch a fish in the stream! I will show you my favorite method! And then we can go to Magnolia and do some shopping together! I swear, this will be your happiest day ever! Oh, and then we can watch stars together! I haven't had any visitors for such a long time, it was getting so lonely, and then we can-"

"Uh… Mavis… I came here for a reason. I do not intend to stay long."

Mavis let a silent "eh", stopping in the middle of a sentence, slowly sliding her hands on a table as she sat back on the tatami, with the empty look in her eyes. Vermilion borders of her lips somehow hanged down as she tried holding her tears back.

"I… I see… What a shame…"

"I'm sorry! I just really want to do what I came here for!"

Mavis raised her head up, and her eyes just involuntarily filled up with tears. Her lips fluttered and two tears simply glided down her rosy cheeks.

"It's alright! I'm feeling fine! I'm not crying!"

Wendy brushed the tears from her cheeks, feeling pity and sadness for the little, blonde girl. She was probably so alone out here, all by herself.

"Mavis, if you want to I will come here after getting back to normal. But you're the only one who can help me with that!"

Mavis looked up to her, brushing her tears off. Indeed, she'd heard about Wendy's problem yesterday. About a curse, and everything else. Wendy's trouble was of utmost importance right now.

"Alright. I'm sorry that I've cried about this. Tell me, everything."

"I was cursed, and not by a simple curse. This is a curse stronger than magic. If it was curable, something would've been done already. Only way to lift the curse is to do the three tasks. I've already done one of those, I've… I've…"

"It is fine, you can tell me everything." Mavis heartily smiled.

"Well, I've slept with Cana! I know, but it's the only way!"

Wendy's face was so red that Mavis couldn't help but laugh.

"Ahaha! I'm sorry, but you've blushed so much! Don't worry, I don't find it strange. Tell me about the rest."

"Second task, and the one I'm doing now, is going to you. You're supposed to teach me about the meaning of the little things in my life – whatever that means."

"Which you've blatantly rejected." Mavis whispered, but Wendy hasn't heard it, continuing.

"Third task is to disrupt love between Gray and Juvia. I know! But I have to do it!"

Mavis looked at her with a deadpan face, like she doesn't understand some sort of joke.

"Are you sure? Disrupt love? Is that really needed, for curse reversion?"

"I don't know! But I don't want this! I want to be old Wendy, again!"

Mavis felt sad for her friend. Making the illusion of the little bird, she let it fly around the room. Pointing at the little, chirping thing, blond girl started her explanation:

"Those little birds, they know nothing of the fear and troubles which are plaguing us every day. They're free, without a care in the world. Not needing to prove anything, to anyone. They just are. Wendy, we need to be like those birds: living without fear, without doubts, our minds free."

"But we're more complex than that."

"Indeed. Just yesterday, I've had a horrible nightmare. I've seen my friend leaving me, turning into a huge dragon. He came back with flapping of the huge, scaly wings, and then he ate me. I screamed to be spared, but there was no mercy. So I decided to connect to him, mentally, and we had a talk. He told me the story of a princess which suffered from the nightmares – and the only way to revert the curse was to dance with the elven prince under the moonlight. Indeed, they had a dance and he disappeared when the moon reached the peak. Turning into her dream protector, he sheltered her from nightmares. Just as she was protected, he told me he will forever protect me if I'm in a nightmare. You see, it only took a little thing like a talk, and I'm feeling so much better. Even with another nightmare this night, I'm not feeling afraid anymore. Because I know there's always somebody watching over me."

"What kind of person is he like?" Wendy asked, curious.

"He's funny. I haven't seen anybody that large in my whole life. He's full of flaws, but also has a lot of good sides. But more importantly, he's my treasured friend. I know that he'll always be there for me, as much as I'm there for him."

"Is he handsome?"

Mavis looked at her, laughing.

"Most important question, I see! Well, he's cute. But, when I remember his face it's not his sex appeal I remember, but that warm feeling I have every time we're near. Do you have some treasured friend, Wendy?"

Wendy looked down, suddenly feeling sad when she remembered how she behaved around Charla these last few days. And truly, Charla was her mother, sister and a best friend – all in one. She felt a sting of regret in her chest, raising her head up. Mavis had just dispersed an illusion of the bird.

"I… I do. But we're, kind of, in a fight right now. Few days ago I've said a lot of mean things to her, being angry about her bossing over me. But now, when I've calmed down, I feel regret."

"What do you want then, Wendy?"

"I want her to accept that I'm growing up. I also, want everybody else to stop looking at me as a child. I may look young, but I feel mature in heart. Even though I make mistakes sometimes."

Mavis let a little chuckle, looking at the girl. Taking her palms, she softly said:" I know exactly how you feel. You know, I've also felt the same when I've learned about the consequences of my premature use of Fairy Law. I was to never grow up in body, again. It felt alright, I was able to live with it. But other people constantly looked at me as a child. It's so annoying, feeling mature in heart, while feeling that everybody's being condescend! But, you know, there's certain charm to it. I've managed to get my way, a lot of the times."

Mavis let her hands off and Wendy finished her noodles, brushing her mouth with a napkin. After putting sticks down on the napkin, she decided to ask the most important question.

"Mavis, what about my quest in the end? How will you teach me about a meaning of the small things?"

"We've already started. This talk was only the first step. Eating wonderful meal with a friend, talking about problems, enjoying the time together. Those are all very important, albeit small, things. I'm going to take you around the Island, too. It's very beautiful this time of a year."

"But how is it going to help me?"

Mavis went silent for a moment, thinking about everything which Wendy told her. Finally, she came to the conclusion.

"Everything happens for a reason. Following that, your curse is also having a purpose. You said you got in a fight with Charla, and yet you're regretting it now. You're made like this so you can learn about the meaning of being mature. Or to regret being mature, so you can enjoy being child once this is all over."

"That certainly makes sense." Wendy concluded.

"But your way is yours to make! For now, let's enjoy our time together!"

Afternoon already spread warm fingers all through the island, as two girls neared the place where Mavis' grave was. Sighing, she sat on the one of those stones, looking somehow lost in her thoughts. Wendy, only now, realized that she doesn't know anything about her First Master. She saw her on the Grand Magic games, when dragons attacked the capital, and few times in between, but other than that Mavis was one huge unknown.

"Come, Wendy, let's watch the animals together! For some reason, they like coming around here." Mavis smiled, calling Wendy with her hand.

"Eh? Alright!"

Wendy ran forward, sitting next to Mavis. It was a peaceful moment, like they were asking for a benediction from a nature itself. Girls have watched the little clearing, waiting for something and really, animals started coming. There were squirrels, deer, few bears and wolves. And yet, not a single animal attacked another.

"Hello, my friends. Have are you all faring today?" Mavis asked. One of those bears came closer, sniffing her hand and then it sat down. She smiled, looking at the animal with a relief in her eyes.

"Wendy, touch him!"

Wendy felt a fear in her heart, not wanting to risk getting her hand bit off.

"N-no way!"

"Don't worry, he'll not bite!"

Fearful, Wendy reached out to touch the animal and it was, indeed, one of the most peaceful moments she had ever felt. Touching the wild animal like this felt like a blessing – the feeling was quite unexplainable. It felt just magical, and animal wasn't trying to run away. Wendy smiled, going through the thick fur.

Suddenly, a pair of birds landed down on Mavis hand and she spoke to them with a whisper. Wendy was in awe – all of this was indeed beautiful. Suddenly, she felt like she could stay here forever. Peaceful moment of nature's benediction, in the forest, felt like eternity. Wendy felt unity with the forest around herself.

"I see what you've meant, Mavis! This is indeed beautiful! But, could you address it as a small thing?"

Mavis smiled.

"Yeah. You can feel this every time you go outside. It doesn't cost anything."

"But, how are those animals so obedient?"

"That's because I know them only as a friend could." Mavis smiled, taking her by the palm.

On the late afternoon, Wendy and Mavis sat on the side of a small, beautiful lake. Blonde haired girl took a little, polished stone, throwing it. It made exactly thirteen hops on the water surface, afterwards disappearing. Mavis had been counting.

"Ten, twelve, thirteen…"

"What are you counting, Mavis?" Wendy asked, throwing a stone. It made few hops, disappearing below the water.

"Oh, nothing!" she hollered, blushing.

"But you were counting something!"

"If you're that curious, I was counting the years I have lived as a human being." she smiled, with a longing on her face.

It was already a night, outside, and Mavis led Wendy through the forest all the way to the place where the boat was already docked. Girl had contacted Doranbolt, who had hired a boat to get Wendy back to Magnolia. It was a beautiful night, colored with a blue moonlight reflecting on the grand oaks around themselves. Fireflies danced around the bushes, and animals have followed everywhere where her eye had seen. Mavis hummed a happy tune, leading her by the hand. She looked peaceful, and happy. Her blond, wavy hair was painted by the silver moonlight rays.

"Mavis, I had a wonderful time today. That moment in forest, I… I will never forget it. Thank you!" Wendy hollered in excitement.

Mavis turned around, with the happiness on her face.

"I'm always glad to help one of my fairies. Just remember to enjoy the small things, will you? One day, you might miss them."

Wendy felt the sadness in her voice, and they've already reached the place where the boat was docked.

"Blue haired girl! Who are you talking to? Well, never mind, we have to sail!" one of the sailors yelled, obviously oblivious to her company.

"This is Mavis! Can't you… oh, yeah. Nevermind! Mavis…"

Wendy had turned around. Sure, Mavis was there, but gradually, animals and fireflies around her have faded.

"Mavis, where are those animals?" Wendy asked in shock.

"Wendy, please be happy with everything you have, will you? My happiness right now can only be an illusion. No animals can't see me. I'm a ghost."

"But… what with that scene in the forest…? And with everything on the way here?"

Mavis smiled, and her eyes filled up with sadness.

"All an illusion. I'm the illusion mage, first and foremost. And this forest is haven where I can have everything I've ever dreamed of."

"Mavis… are you, also, an illusion?"

Wendy asked, coming closer. Reaching out to grab her hand she felt her soft, little palm under the fingers.

"Maybe… or maybe not. Illusion, reality, that doesn't matter. What matters is what you hold inside of your heart, Wendy. If you believe in dreams, love, friendship and if you enjoy the small things, it doesn't matter. Now go on, little fairy! I'll be cheering for you!"

Suddenly, her vision started disappearing. First her fingers, then her toes, then her body. It somehow just started fading away.

"It's time for me to go, Wendy."

"Mavis! Mavis, don't mess with me! What is this all about?!" Wendy yelled in shock.

"Always, always I will be cheering for you."

"Mavis! Don't go! I want to at least say my goodbyes, and watch you as I sail away! Please, don't go!" she screamed, but Mavis had totally disappeared.

"Mavis…" she whispered, suddenly breaking into uncontrollable cry.

"I'm here, in your heart. You'll never be lonely."

"Blue haired girl, are you alright?!" that same sailor yelled, again. Wendy sobbed, turning around. The forest in front of her, somehow, wasn't as magical as before. The trees were large, and dark, and there weren't any animals. It all looked so alien – like everything a moment before was a dream she just woke up from.

"Y-yes! I'm sorry, I will come!"

Standing on the ship, leaning on the fence, watching the waves. It was all so peacefully, but nothing like the feeling which she had. In the end, Wendy retreated to the cabin. Taking a quill and the ink, she wrote a single letter, sealing it inside of the bottle.

"Mavis… I hope you will get this message. You're a true friend." Wendy smiled, dropping the bottle to the waves.

It had disappeared somewhere in the distance, floating towards the island which gradually disappeared from a view.

Wendy's letter to Tenrou Island

Tuesday

Mavis, thank you for everything! I regret my lack of knowledge about you! Why have you disappeared in the end? Do you have to go back to your world to manifest yourself again? Or you've disappeared forever? Or your whole existence is simply an illusion? But I'm glad for that time which I've spent with you. Even if it was short, even if it was just a day, it was more beautiful than whole year which is already behind me. I will never forget everything you've taught me today, because you're the first person in this quest who has treated me as an equal human being.

Wendy Marvell

P. S.

I will apologize to Charla once this is all over.