Chapter 45: The Waiting Game

A/N: Hello once again! Today will be a bit shorter but I just wanted to welcome justenb7, the latest follower and person to favorite this story! And thank you to saracresp for the review, and to the guest reviewer who made a point that I wholeheartedly agree with, the story is a bit slow. The story has been going on for a while now but as with all good things patience is the key. I needed to set up the characters nicely and prepare everyone for what comes next, which will happen soon. What will happen? Not gonna say, just be ready. But there should be no real confusion as long as you read the ENTIRE story, it is long, but earlier chapters explain everything, so check those out if you are confused. Now off the soapbox and on with the chapter, ENJOY!

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Immediately After the Funeral (Laxus POV)

I watch as everyone filed out of the church and back to the guild for the going away event for Gajeel and Levy, and for Gray. Those three were leaving for a time, going off to train and hopefully gather some information on Natsu and his group. I sigh and follow them, not looking forward to this event as many would be looking for me to say something to them, and I had no clue what I would say if they did. 'I already used my brain for the funeral, please don't make me do this too.'

"Sparky, are you alright? You seem off…" Olive said as she came next to me and interlocked our arms, "Worried about not having anything to say to those three who are leaving, huh?" 'Damn, she knows me too well, can read me like a book. Gods I love her.'

I sighed again and looked down at her, "Yeah, I already gave a good speech today for Jiji. I can really only do that once a day, you know? DO I really have do that shit again? I mean I obviously have to… but do you think they'll care? Should I just say nothing?"

I asked her, causing her to look at me and smile her bright and beautiful smile as she said, "Nope. You're the master now; you are the one in charge. They all will be looking to you for everything now, leadership, support, understanding, guidance, to be a father figure for them… Just like Jiji was for everyone."

I looked at her and gave her a blank stare, unable to see myself trying to be like him, 'His little shoes will be ones that I will never fill. They are too big for someone like me, someone who is the opposite of him. I will never fill them… But I must try, that is what he would want and is what he thought I would be able to do when he agreed to name me master. For his sake I must at least try and fill his shoes!'

I grinned at Olive, letting her know she was right and said, "You're right, Olive. Even if I fail miserably, I must try. It is what Jiji would have wanted from me." I kept my grin on and saw her lips break out into one too, and I only stopped looking at her when I realized we had arrived at the guild hall.

I open the doors to see everyone huddled around something, murmuring quietly about it, and I immediately wade my way through them and look at what they are looking at. "THAT FUCKING IDIOT! I TOLD HIM TO WAIT AND SAY GOODBYE! GAH!" Everyone was huddled around a note Gray had left us, on it written in a poor excuse for handwriting, 'Everyone, I couldn't say goodbye. Please excuse me, but I have already left and have taken a train out of here. No need to look after my apartment, I left it locked and gave the key to the landlady so she can look after it. Again, I'm sorry for leaving but I just need to get away and start my training. Please take care of yourselves, I will see everyone in a year. –Gray.' I sigh deeply after carefully reading the note and look to find Gajeel and Levy still here, along little Joi, Pantherlily, and Metalicana (who is outside), waiting for me so we could begin this thing.

"Well, at least you stayed. Are you two ready?" I asked and they both nodded as everyone shut up and looked at them, holding back tears of sadness as yet another person was leaving. "Everyone, do not be sad. Please don't. I do well with crying people." I said and caused some people to chuckle sadly, "But seriously speaking, we are here today to say goodbye to our fellow nakama, even if it's only a temporary goodbye. We say goodbye but promise never to forget you four. You are always welcome to come and stay here for a time, but do remember why you are leaving. Go and get stronger, go and do what you must, we will be here, waiting for your return. We hope that it all goes well and that we can see you again soon. Come forward and allow me to recite the rules all those who leave Fairy Tail must follow: One, you must never reveal sensitive information about Fairy Tail to others for as long as you live. Two, you must never use former contacts met through your being in the guild for personal gain. Three, though our paths may have diverged, you must continue to live out your life with all your might, you must never consider your own life to be something insignificant, and you must never forget about your friends for as long as you live." I finished my speech and looked at them as they looked at their guild marks, which were still there, surprise on their faces. "Now, unlike most occasions your guild marks will not leave you, as you still identify yourselves as a mage of Fairy Tail. Now go. Do the name of the guild whose mark you bear proudly and bring us glory and pride, remember, you are and always will be a mage of Fairy Tail, now get going already!"

I yelled the last part a bit and they smiled at me as I turned away, a single tear staining my cheek, 'And I pray that you stay safe, who knows what plans Natsu has.' I watched as everyone else said their goodbyes and once they were done the family of five walked outside, except for the dragon who was outside, and they all climbed atop of the dragon's back, and waved. Everyone began calling out final goodbyes to them and soon enough they were gone, nothing of them left other than a speck that we knew was them, flying away off in the horizon. 'Stay safe you guys, you too Gray. Natsu… now begins the hard part. The waiting game that is about to ensue while this year passes. What are you up to, I wonder, Natsu?"

(POV Change to Natsu)

I look at the map of Fiore and throw a dozen magnetic dots at it. The dots fly at the map that is on the wall of the meeting room and then suddenly freeze slightly, redirecting to go to the correct city. I look at their resting places and groan, they are all over the place and I whine, "Why are they all so far away from here? And so far away each other? Ugh…"

"Damn, Mern are you sure these are right? One is almost next to Era and another next to Crocus? Those places are way too close for someone like Zeref…" Lucy said and Kurayami was nodding his head as well, agreeing with her.

"Unfortunately yes I am sure. He is extremely arrogant and believes that even that close to the council and the capital they won't catch him. He really is an annoying bastard. So what's the play then?" Mern said and everyone looked at me. 'Hmmm, there's too many places to look for him and he could move a lot, causing us to lose him. Hmmm, wait. Yeah that could work. Yeah! That'll work!'

"Ok, Kurayami, you and Gōsuto, you two can link your shadow dimensions, correct?" I asked and they both nodded at me. "Lucy you can teleport people too right? Rai?" I asked and Lucy immediately understood, while everyone just looked at me. "Ok, so here's what we'll do, Everyone who can teleport people will go with a group as support, and each group will hit one spot for some recon. There will be four groups, and then, since each place is clustered more or less in groups of three, they will go to each place and do the same as the first. Anyone finds him, you communicate via lacrima and tell everyone, then the person who can teleport will bring everyone to the place and we'll send Luce and Kurayami back. Then once they get back, they will send over Lumen Historie and we'll begin our assault. Any questions?" I looked at everyone and saw their assent to the plan and trust that I had mad the right choice.

"Ok, Luce your with me. Rai take Mern and Juvia. Gōsuto take Karr and Rogue. And Kurayami, you have Esoj and Nena. We leave now, but will be taking trains. Except for me and Luce, we'll be riding Igneel, everyone say the necessary goodbyes, and get Rames and tell him he probably should go home, this place won't be safe if we fail. This may be a one way trip, so be ready, because this might go south fast. But it's past the point where we can back out, so I hope you are ready. Go and meet outside in ten." I said and everyone nodded and ran off to do their things. I walked over to Lucy and grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze, letting her know I would be ok. "I'll be back again, I promise."

"I know, just never easy to say goodbye. At least I'll be there to say goodbye before I must go." She said and kissed my lips, an action I soon returned fervently and we stayed just like that for a few minutes, not wanting the moment to end.

But it did as I pulled away and put my forehead to hers, "Yeah, I know. But hey this might not even be the time yet, who knows if we even find him." I looked her in the eye and smiled, and she smiled back nodding. I pulled on her hand and led us outside. Everyone was waiting and I nodded to them, wishing them luck before saluting and beginning the motto we had come to know as the saying that defined all of us. "THOUGH WE MAY HAVE NO TRUE HOME WE ARE NEVER ALONE! THOUGH NO ONE MAY WANT US WILL DO WHAT IS NEEDED! THOUGH NO ONE MAY APPRECIATE WHAT WE DO WE WILL ALWAYS DO THE RIGHT THING! WE ARE THE FORSAKEN, THE FORGOTTEN, THE LOST, WE ARE THE RONIN! DEATH TO OUR ENEMIES AND TO THE EVER LASTING GLORY THAT AWAITS US IN THE FUTURE. LIVE! FIGHT! LIVE AND FIGHT FOREVER!" I looked at them as I climbed aboard Igneel and saluted one last time before we all went our separate ways, hopeful to see each other again. 'So now begins the wait, who will find him first. I hate The Waiting Game.'

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A/N: Here we go! The last set up chapter is done before the action begins! I am so sorry this took so long but I knew that for the past week I wanted to get this done but wanted it to be timed perfectly. And now here we are! I hope you guys liked it well enough and I wonder if anyone noticed last chapter had no name/title, which was intentional. The chapter was one where we see two sides of a coin beginning to reach a new point in life and become blank slates more or less, therefore the chapter had no title, it's place a blank. But who cares about that I just hope you guys had fun with this one! Remember, READ AND REVIEW, OR FAVORITE OR FOLLOW EVEN IF YOU SO PLEASE! ADIOS!