Beginning of the end

It is said that before death, your whole life flashes before your eyes. If you remove the dragon slayer part, Wendy was but a normal human being and her life was flashing in various pictures, seemingly slow. It felt as though the time stopped only to give her projection of her contemplations and inner thoughts, intertwined in some morbid picture album. Wendy realized all of her sad moments, but they were seldom. Most of her life was a happy one; she had friends, a lot of fun and adventures.

Alas, it was but a second, only a single moment in time and it passed on. Wendy, good Wendy, kind Wendy, who always helped others with the wide smile and cheerful eyes slammed the ground with the full force of gravity. The pain was strong, but short-lived, and she saw her broken body lying in a rose colored puddle. Realizing she's indeed dead, Wendy tried going back, but, alas, it was impossible.

"Wendy, are you hurt? Please, tell me. I will heal you. Wendy." Charla gasped for breath, trying to revive her dead friend. With every shake which her paws made with Wendy's limp hands, she was losing control of her emotions more and more. Lucy sobbed, trying to hold back her tears as Natsu pressed her head on his chest. His face was cold, and distant. But the corners of his mouth twitched in horror and pain.

Juvia screamed and Gray pulled her aside, trying to comfort her, but his eyes involuntarily filled with tears. Charla finally screamed in agony and pain, holding her dead body and then Lucy broke down, along with everybody else.

"I will never forgive that wizard. I'm going to kill him! Wendy!" Natsu screamed, rushing forward. Trying to act high and mighty wasn't cutting it anymore. He succumbed to the emotions, bawling like a child over her broken corpse.

Wendy watched it all, helpless, unavailable to act. She tried going back a few times more, but it was almost as though some seal was put over her body. Her soul was forcibly squeezed out, like the toothpaste from the tub – without any chance to get it back inside. Helplessly she was crying, trying to get to Charla who was catatonic now. Exceed's throat broke from screaming and one little drop of blood formed a path across her chin.

Suddenly, something grabbed her ankles and pulled her down. It was a firm and strong pull, and Wendy found herself inside of some underground cave. It was dark, filled with shadows which danced everywhere around. It was a macabre dance of the corpses with fiery eyes, demons which sung her songs about an unfathomable evil ahead of her.

"So, another one who gives up? I'll gladly take you… little girl. Oh, we're going to have so much fun." evil voice shouted from the walls. Wendy tried screaming, closing her eyes, but a voice called from inside of her head. And pictures formed even with them being closed.

"No, please, stop! I'm innocent! Please! Let me go back, my friends need me!"

"You're negotiating, worm? Weren't you the one who left her friends behind? They all cry now. I say let them… pain tastes so good."

"What will I do now? Where am I?" Wendy asked.

"You're in the place where all the doomed souls go, Wendy Marvell."

Just as Wendy lost all of her hope, suddenly she felt the air shifting around her. The darkness faded away and the colors swirled, dancing around with a fiery blaze. She felt so heavy, and suddenly her eyelids opened up.

"Where am I? Is this Demon realm?" she asked the cold air around her. Her eyesight was blurry, but as it sharpened up, she saw somebody who she never thought she would see again. It was the face of her friend. It was Mavis, and she held her just one meter above the ground, slowly gliding down. Her hair fluttered in the wind around her pretty, young face.

"Wendy, you're awake? You fell unconscious." Mavis whispered.

"I'm… I'm not dead?!" she yelled in question.

"I came by just at the right time. You jumped down, but passed out because of fear, and I somehow managed to catch you in my Fairy Sphere. Are you alright?" she asked, caressing Wendy's blue locks.

"I.. I guess I am…" she whispered. Mavis smiled with relief.

"Live on, my fairy. It's not your time, not yet. You said you've betrayed me, but it's not true. You haven't disappointed me, I'm not sad. As I said, I will always watch over you."

"Master Mavis!" Makarov yelled, running closer, followed by the rest of the guild. Wendy slowly fell down, and in the next moment she broke down, screaming in pain. She held her hand on the face, sobbing.

"First, what has happened?" Erza asked, kneeling next to Wendy. Cana was with her, seemingly not angry.

"Everything is fine, Seventh. She will recover." Mavis smiled.

"Wendy! Wendy!" Gray's yelling was heard as he neared the scene, along with Juvia.

"Please… please… just go… I'm such a disgrace…" Wendy sobbed, planting face down in the ground. Cana took her face, raising it up. Her smile was genuine, warm and full of care.

"What a joke, Wendy. You're a brave girl. I have to thank you, actually. Erza and I straightened our problems out because of you. Now we're not fighting anymore. In fact, our bond became even stronger. Don't be so fast with giving your life away. We still need you."

Charla flew forward, screaming in relief.

"Charla, oh Charla, I'm so sorry! I won't make you cry, ever, again!" Wendy screamed, hugging her Exceed friend.

"You're…suffocating me… Wendy…" Charla gasped, but her eyes filled up with tears of joy.

"I love you, Charla! You're the best friend, sister and my mother at the same time!"

"I feel the same, Wendy." Charla hugged her, closing her eyes with a big, honest smile.

"You know how it goes in Fairy Tail, Wendy?" Gray asked, followed with Juvia. Both looked happy.

"Yes..?"

Gray nodded to his friends, and every single one of them raised their index fingers high up in the air. Laxus kind of chuckled, remembering that this was originally intended for him. But he wasn't angry. After all, the point was still here.

"No matter where you are…" Cana started.

"No matter how do you look like…" Gray continued.

"No matter what happens to you…" Mavis chirped.

"We will always be watching over you. You're a treasured friend, Wendy." Erza smiled. Wendy broke down in tears, but now those were tears of relief. She held her hands by the side, looking at the skies as she screamed and cried.

"Thank you, thank you, thank all of you!" she yelled.

Suddenly, a strong ray of light appeared from the sky. She heard a voice inside of her head.

"Wendy… have you realized it now? Have you realized the meaning of support, love and friendship? Have you realized the importance of support in your life? You don't have to force it, my dearest. You don't have to force growing up. Enjoy those things that are close to you right now."

"It's you… it was always you… right, Grandeeney?" Wendy whispered.

"This is my final, parting gift, Wendy. I haven't had time to tell you everything. I'm sorry for making you go through all of this. But you know me – I tend to enjoy poking at people sensitive sides. I hope you've learned something valuable these days."

"I did! I definitely did! Thank you, Grandeeney! Thank you for everything!"

"Farewell, Wendy. We won't see each other again."

"Farewell, Grandeeney. I love you, a lot!"

"I love you too, Wendy. Keep getting stronger and braver, so you can support your friends when the need arises."

As the ray of light passed on, Wendy looked around. She was surrounded by her friends, along with Mavis, and both of them were quite happy. As she averted her gaze down, she was absolutely shocked and happy. Her dress looked quite wide now; her bra wasn't holding anything inside, anymore. Her fingers were smaller, her legs were shorter. Upon realizing she's back to her old self, out of sheer glee she hugged Mavis and she responded, rubbing her back.

"I'm glad you've realized the importance of small things in the end." she smiled.

"It was all thanks to you!"

"No… it was all thanks to you. You're already having it inside."

"Let's go back and celebrate, already!" Natsu screamed.

"Aye, sir!"

"Natsu, Happy! Read the situation!" Lucy retorted.

Epilogue

They say that all is well, that ends well. Such it was for Wendy, too. In the months to come she became happier than ever before. The things she went through made her mature, a lot, and she had proven herself as the valuable asset for her friends. Charla and she had a lot of fights, of course, but those fights have always ended up well. Wendy continued being good, nice and a kind girl – with adolescent lash outs from time to time. After all, she was still in the puberty. Oddly enough, she developed a secret attraction for indecent magazines.

Cana and Erza are, indeed, best friends now. With Wendy's help they have realized the mistakes they have made, and worked hard on fixing them. Both have forgotten the accident with Wendy – after all, some things are better left forgotten. Erza has, also, proven herself as a decent Guild master, leader of Fairy Tail, one who led the guild to the even greater heights than before.

Gray and Juvia continued being all lovey-dovey. The doubts that have happened to those two have made their bond stronger than ever before. There were some whisperings that Gray was going to propose, but it remained only a whispering. Alas, who would know? Maybe in the end he will propose? It remains to be seen.

And about Mavis? You all must have been asking yourself what has happened to her that day. Well, nothing special, quite frankly. She went to secretly meet with her friend, and now is safe back on the Tenrou Island. She's still watching over her guild, peacefully, just as she did so many years until now. Some things are better unchanged. But, with the threat looming on the borders of Fiore, maybe they will soon change?

For, the Albareth Empire may soon launch another attack. And when it happens, nothing will be safe anymore. And the bonds will be tested, again.