After Kotone finally found her way back to where the Edolas fairy Tail was, she thought she had gotten lost again. Where the guild used to be, was an empty void. Kotone walked into the void to make sure it wasn't an invisibility spell or something else.
"Ah, I see you made your way back. I had a feeling you would be coming to see me again," Edo Kotone said. She walked into the void, only stopping when she was a few inches away. Her bound eyes, she claimed, was from an unfortunate accident, causing her to lose her sight when she was born.
"What happened? Did this Erza Knightwalker person destroy the guild?" Kotone asked.
Edo Kotone suddenly jumped back and started doing cartwheels and flips around Kotone. "Nope!" she said. "We moved and now our guild is fighting with the other Earthland wizards. I was originally fighting with them, but I ditched and came here."
Kotone drew a deep breath to calm herself. She never thought that any version of herself would ever abandon friends in the middle of battle. "Why would you just leave everyone like that?"
Edo Kotone landed a back flip and brought her hands to the sides of her head, "Oh, super dizzy!" Edo Kotone hugged her knees in an attempt to rid her dizziness. Our Kotone waited patiently, knowing the answer was coming.
Edo Kotone stood up and ripped her own bandages off, "I didn't abandon them because I faked my death." Her voice was so calm, that if she hadn't faced Kotone when she said that, Kotone wouldn't have known she was crying.
"You see," she continued, "I'm kind of like the Lisanna girl. You realized that she wasn't from Edolas and in a sense, neither am I. We were both supposed to have died when we were born, but something happened in the Earthland and the result is that we both survived. The worlds trying to remain balanced. After what's happening here in Edolas, the worlds are going to try to balance themselves again. That's where we come in, isn't it?"
Kotone looked away, she knew after she was told about what interfered with her birth. The crack her mom put in the egg didn't only break one silly little egg.
Edo Kotone smiled sadly and Kotone returned the same smile.
"Your arm is still broken right?" Edo Kotone stated.
Kotone nodded, but didn't say anything. Wendy had nulled the pain and set the bone, but she didn't heal it.
Edo Kotone place her hands on the broken arm, "Let this be my gift to you." Edo Kotone started to fade, but Kotone felt her fingers twitching. "With this, I can give you enough time to tie up loose ends…I can only marvel at how the existence of one person can throw off the balance of the world!" she said enthusiastically.
Kotone smiled back, "Well I guess that makes us one important person now doesn't it?"
The Kotone-s giggled, trying to relax in the serious atmosphere. Edo Kotone slowly became intangible as Earthland Kotone was able to move her wrist without any pain.
"You know something?" Edo Kotone began. "It is possible to maintain balance with us in the world."
"But I'm not really happy with what we have to do in order for us to stay."
"No, just you. All I'm doing is returning and I want my original soul to be happy. Either path you chose isn't very happy."
"It's the only choices I have. I want to choose the one where the least amount of people suffers."
"Liar, you're choosing the one where you don't have to suffer for long."
Kotone clenched her hand and her nails dug into her skin. Her knuckles turned white and Edo Kotone glanced up to see far away eyes that could be mistaken as a blank expression. Edo Kotone was shocked at the contrast between the calm expression and the powerful body language.
"Is it wrong?" Kotone asked.
Caught off guard, Edo Kotone gave her a confused look.
"Is it wrong that I'm being selfish?"
Edo Kotone placed her hands on the sides of her original's face and looked her in the eyes. Kotone regarded Edo Kotone with confusion and bewilderment at her sudden intent.
"We both know who the most important person in your life is. How would you feel if that person chose the choice you want to choose?" Edo Kotone interrogated. Slowly, as her feet faded away, her serious face melted into that angelic smile that Kotone possessed. So full of innocence and love, that Kotone didn't want it to go away.
Tears formed in her eyes as she returned the smile. She patted her other self's head and said, "You did good, thank you."
Edo Kotone's eyes started to over flow and she brought her hands to her face to wipe away the tears, smiling.
To anyone who would have happened upon them at that moment, would have thought it was a mother congratulating her child. But that was not the case, as Edo Kotone's legs faded away; they their last words to each other.
"I'm sorry I'm the cause of your pain," Kotone said.
Edo Kotone shook her head, "No, you are the cause of my happiness. Because of the sudden change of order, I was allowed to exist in this world. I am upset that I'm never going to see my friends again, but I'm okay with it. I realized that even though I'm going back to you, the memories I share with everyone will never disappear. Even if they forget me, it doesn't mean that it never happened. Besides, who knows, my memories might become yours. And you know, I'm happy that I'm finally becoming complete…Our situation was weird from the beginning, wasn't it? By day we walked amongst our friends, by night we visited each other in our dreams."
Kotone couldn't help but smile, "I liked hearing your stories about your side of the world. You were so happy all the time. It's hard to imagine that someone could be that happy while knowing they're not real."
By now, Edo Kotone's head was starting to fade. "But I was real, Kotone-sama, you gave me life…" Then she was gone.
Kotone's hand still hovered in the air as her clone's words echoed in her head. Her hand fell to her side and she raised her head to the night sky.
The constellations in Edolas were completely different from Earthland's, but Kotone didn't care. She wanted to see what Edo Kotone described to her.
Little orbs of light that danced across her eyes, making her gaze in wonder at the calming powers they seemed to possess. Kotone rose to join them, feet coming off the ground. The bandages on her previously broken arm came loose and weaved its way around Kotone. The yards and yards of bandages made intricate patterns in the air and mingled with the stars above. Soon, Kotone was above the trees, beholding the enchanting dance of the stars and bandages.
"What are you doing over there? Holding a little ribbon dance?" a voice called.
Numbly, Kotone turned her head to see Natsu, glowing and waving to her.
It was only then that she realized that she was glowing as well and that she wasn't the only person floating.
"Do you know what's going on?" she asked.
"The magic is being sucked out of this world and we're going with it," Gajeel grumbled.
Kotone returned to gazing at the magnificent sight of the dancing stars, but then had a sudden thought. She jerked forward and looked down at the people of Edolas watching them go. Among them was Edo Fairy Tail and Kotone had the urge to tell them something.
"Kotone loved you all; please don't forget her as long as you live!" Kotone called down to them.
She was returned with waving and loud cheering. Some of the voices she heard said things like: "We would never!", "We loved her too!", and "Please don't forget us either!"
Kotone waved back, smiling her angelic smile. The ribbons waved their goodbyes as they swayed back and forth in Kotone's glow, adding even more of an angelic feeling to her.
It wasn't until the magic had completely disappeared from Edolas that the Edo Fairy Tail started to wonder how Kotone knew Edo Kotone was gone from them. For, she wasn't there when they saw Edo Kotone fall in battle.
Now back on Earth, Kotone stayed in the shadows of the forest when Natsu and the others had their heartwarming reunion with Lisanna. Kotone's heart would race at the thought of going to see Makarov again. She couldn't help but wonder if he hated her for leaving him behind. If he hated her, she realized it would be easier to continue with the choice she had to make.
"Psst! Natsu, who is that girl?" a blond haired mage asked Natsu in a hushed voice.
"Who? Kotone?" Natsu said, not bothering to lower his voice.
An armored clad girl stepped forward, "Actually, I was wondering the same thing. It seems you are acquainted, so she couldn't be an enemy."
A shirtless boy grunted his agreement and Kotone gave him a questioning look, which had him scrambling for a shirt.
Wendy grabbed Kotone's hand and dragged her over to meet everyone, noticing her arm was healed. "Well," she started, "this is Kotone. She helped Natsu, Gajeel, and me defeat the Dorma Anim. While this *she pointed to the blonde girl* is Lucy, *pointing to the girl in armor* Erza, and *pointing to the now fully clothed boy* Gray."
"Nice to meet you," Kotone quietly responded.
"Wow, she's really quiet! Hopefully she'll rub off on you, Natsu!" Gray said enthusiastically.
Natsu got in Gray's face yelling, "Shut up ice freak!"
Gray retaliated and got up in Natsu's face, but Natsu backed off and in all seriousness said, "No, seriously. Don't make fun of Kotone, even if it's to slam me."
"Gray, please be nice to Kotone," Wendy chirped in.
Gajeel came up behind Kotone, crossing his arms. They were obviously remembering the dream they had in Edolas, where Kotone was constantly the victim of verbal abuse and having rocks thrown at her where ever she went.
Gray, noticing how he was out numbered backed off. Lucy and Erza were slightly alarmed at how the dragon slayers all jumped in to support Kotone and both thought it might be that Kotone was another dragon slayer.
Only, Erza had the guts to go any farther on the topic, "Are also a dragon slayer?"
Lucy gasped at Erza as Kotone quietly said, "I guess you could call me that."
With this, Kotone started to walk away from the group, but was stopped by Wendy.
"You're going to the guild aren't you?" Wendy asked.
Kotone nodded and made a move to continue walking. Wendy held on and said, "I want to go with you. But, I want to do something else first. Do you mind waiting?"
Kotone shook her head and followed the group to a cemetery. Lisanna reunited with her brother and sister, crying.
Wendy, Natsu, and Gajeel all looked at each other and nodded.
Wendy tugged Kotone's hand and they followed the happy trio to the guild.
Wendy stopped Kotone from entering and said, "Wait a moment, so everyone will be focused on Lisanna and they won't notice you when you go see the Master. In the dream, we felt how uncomfortable you were, so we're doing as much as we can for you. Sorry that it's not much…"
Kotone placed her hand on top of Wendy's head and thanked her, smiling as she did.
Wendy seemed to find something fascinating about her feet as she said, "Um, Kotone? I need to tell you something. In the dream, we experienced everything you did, everything you felt, and everything you thought. Natsu, Gajeel, and I…we're going to be selfish and ask you not to make this choice. You may not be a member of Fairy Tail, but we see you as a comrade. I think that we may know more about you than you do, Kotone. For instance, you don't want anything to do with dragons and you wish to be as human as you possibly can. But, when you smile, there is a sense of other worldly-ness…if that makes sense. You seem inhuman, but in a good way! When you smile from happiness, you look like…you look as if you think everything is perfect. I don't know how to explain it, but we don't want that smile to be extinguished. Please don't make that choice, please."
Kotone listened to Wendy, eyes wide. She didn't think the flute would make such a vivid, accurate dream. She had to blink a few times to get her shock under control.
Kotone moved her hand from the top of Wendy's head, to her chin. She leaned in and kissed her forehead. Quietly, she said, "Thank you young one, for caring. But, all great dreams must come to an end eventually. I can say that because of people like you, I have enjoyed mine."
Kotone stood up straight, from bending over to kiss Wendy's forehead, and touched the handle of the guild's door. Her hand trembled slightly, but she took a deep breath and turned the knob. The door creaked open and Kotone's eyes were greeted with images of crying and celebrating mages. People were singing, jumping, dancing…She couldn't believe there were so many people smiling in one area.
Makarov, you've raised a magnificent guild, Kotone thought.
Kotone stepped in and it seemed as if her foot drained the happiness out of everyone there.
Kotone swallowed her nervousness and walked to the bar.
A girl with white hair walked over and asked, "Can I help you?"
Kotone turned and faced the girl. The girl was obviously concerned about the condition Kotone's clothes were in, shredded and dirty. Kotone looked at everyone in the guild to see questioning eyes burrow into her head. She realized that none of them were hostile, or even judgmental, they were honest eyes with good intentions. Kotone didn't feel uncomfortable like she did when she last walked into the guild.
She felt that smile take over her lips. Her eyes closed in the serene atmosphere and she said, "Don't mind me. I'm just looking for someone important to me."
Then, the sound of a cup hitting the floor rang in the silent guild. Everyone turned to look at who caused the sound.
Makarov was standing on top of a table, hand extended. He probably dropped the cup with that hand.
The girl with white hair rushed over to him asking if he was okay.
Makarov didn't seem to hear her, instead he asked, "I'm sorry. It's just that you look like someone I knew long ago. Now young one, what's your name?"
Kotone placed her hands on her hips and raised her eyebrows in disbelief. "Wow," she said, "it's amazing that I can still be called young at my age. After all I'm more than triple yours Makarov."
Kotone's smile turned into a big toothy grin as Makarov's jaw dropped.
"It couldn't be," he murmured as tears started forming in his eyes. "Your eyes aren't bandaged."
Kotone walked over to the table he was standing on and she was still a little bit taller. Kotone reached into her pocket and pulled out the coil of bandages. She glanced up at Makarov's face as she placed the bandages in his hands, "I worked hard so you could keep these bandages."
Makarov started crying like a baby and Kotone picked him up in the biggest bear hug she could manage.
"I'm sorry I left you behind," she whispered as a few of her own tears crawled down her face.
This only made Makarov cry even harder and Kotone started to scold Makarov for being a softy.
As this went on, Wendy, Natsu, and Gajeel watched from a corner of the room. Wendy and Natsu were crying along with Kotone and Makarov, but Gajeel just leaned against the wall, too cool to cry.
"If she keeps walking on the path she's chosen, the old man's gonna be crushed," Gajeel stated.
Wendy and Natsu nodded, all three silently promising to stop Kotone from making a fatal mistake.
Miu: Wow, these chapters do take a lot of work! But they are ubber fun and I put off homework just to work on them…glad to know I have my priorities straight right?
Kotone: Who wouldn't want to spend time working on perfecting all this? I mean, you gotta say that I'm totally awesome!
Miu: Kotone, you're really out of character in my A/Ns…
Gajeel: *Pft* ya just noticed?
*Thwack!*
Kotone: What was that? I thought I heard an annoying bug, but I guess it was just my imagination.
Natsu: Aww! How come Gajeel gets into all the fights in the A/Ns?
Miu: Natsu, I promise you'll get a fighting scene in the next chapter. Feel better now?
Natsu: *Fists burst into flames* Oh yeah! Who am I fighting against?
Miu: Patience is a learned virtue.
Nastu: Patience is a what?
Wendy: Miu, why are you turning this story into a sad story?
Miu: What? I'm doing what?
*Brother stomps in*
Bro: I saw you! You ate all of my sushi when I helped mom bring the groceries in!
Miu:…that was my long lost identical twin…Kaida….
Bro: I'll get you for this! *stomps out*
Miu: *gulps* totally worth it…Now for the reviews! There was only one from:
TheOrangeNeko who is writing another Fairy Tail story called Water Dragon Slayer. You guys can see how it caught my attention. I thought it was so cool that somebody else came up with the idea of having another dragon slayer! Even though my dragon slayer isn't really a dragon slayer…oh well! Thanks so much for the compliment TheOrangeNeko! I can't wait to read your story!