Chapter 65: I know I've lost

A/N: Two. That's all that remains of the main story. Epilogues will happen, but as of Wednesday, you won't be seeing anything from me for at least two weeks. Maybe more, I need to rest. Well, enough of the sadness, onto the shout outs: today we have as always sashaXmafuyuFOREVER, Dazz Tugz again, and Matty G91 and to answer your question you'll see soon enough. Now ENJOY THE SECOND TO LAST MAIN STORY CHAPTER!

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Half an Hour Later (Natsu POV)

I'm still hugging Lucy when I hear a gasp from someone and I turn to see the members of Fairy Tail that did not partake in the battles standing there. I turn to face them and see the one who was gasping was Mirajane and I ask, "What? You thought we would actually lose? Please."

Then Elfman stepped forward and asked, "No I knew you would win, but tell me: Why did you kill Lisanna?!" His voice did not have his usual tough man bravado and instead sounded desperate to know the truth.

Then surprisingly Mirajane spoke up, her voice still a little shaky from her surprise about something, "I know why." I looked at her confused, wondering if she really did know.

(POV Change to Mirajane)

I paused a moment, wondering, 'Should I really tell them the real truth? Should I justify Natsu and Lucy's actions? Can I really do this to my own sister, throw her under the bus? Because the fact of the matter is that she did do everything they accuse her of and she was also becoming a demon. I knew ever since the beginning, but I thought I could stop it. I failed. What should I do? Live with the secret as my own, or tell my nakama the truth? But if they know the truth, would they still think of Lisanna as a murdered nakama or as a demon that needed to die? I- I-I- can't be certain of their reaction… I know what I must do.'

I looked at Natsu and my stare became a glare, as I leaked out some of my demon aura and said, "He did it because he has no capacity to take any responsibility. He hurt Lucy and lied to her, saying it was Lisanna. He is a murderer and a liar, he killed anyone who drew his ire and somehow, our poor little Lisanna drew his. There is no other rhyme or reason for him to do it. He just did it because he can."

Then I saw Natsu scoff and turn away, before saying, "You all know what the truth actually is. If not, then oh well. Everyone, let's go. We have a guild to found. And a guildhall to rebuild. Ugh, anyone know a good construction company we can call?"

Then a dragon appeared, the dragon being Metalicana I recognized as he had come several times to visit Gajeel. I called out to Levy, asking, "So what? You're just gonna leave? Just like that? Even after calling this place home for so long and calling us your nakama for so long, you're just dumping is like we were trash? Huh? HUH?!" I then realized I was shaking now, my quiet anger at the betrayal that I did not see coming now being visible for all to see.

Levy looked at all of her ex-fellow guild members and sighed sadly before saying, "This place no longer feels like my home anymore. I'm sorry we never told you guys this, but Gajeel and I along with our family stayed with them for over a week before we finally reported in. And we felt like that was our home. It felt right being there, and here… it doesn't anymore. It feels wrong to call this home now. I'm sorry everyone, but the Redfoxes are now Ronin."

She looked ready to cry as she said everything, sad by the fact that she was leaving the place she called home. But she also looked determined. Like she knew this was the right choice. She turned and joined everyone on Metalicana's back, and then they flew off, leaving us all there alone and defeated once again. Then I saw three flying cats following them and that was when I started crying, even the exceeds were leaving us now. Fairy Tail would never be the same.

I felt a strong hand on my back and I turned to see Elfman who said, "Come on. We have to get everyone to an infirmary room. Let's go." I nodded, knowing he was right and began walking down to the entrance, silently crying knowing my home had just been destroyed from the inside out.

Three Hours Later

We finally finished moving everyone who was inside to an infirmary room, but could not find Sting or Rogue. Then we found them tied up already inside the guild with a note saying. "To wherever they go, may they know they got owned. –Ronin" We sighed and called Sabertooth to come and pick them up. Their plan had failed, just like all of our plans had.

I sighed and went to check on everyone and saw Olive arriving from wherever Laxus had told her to stay. I sighed as she ran up to me and I pointed her to Laxus's room. She thanked me and I watched her go off, off to her husband. I watched and saw something I had missed about her before, she was carrying a sleeping Maks and it was then that I realized that maybe not all hope was lost. 'The present make up of the guild is ruined, but its future is still bright. Maks is already born and should be strong, Juvia and Gray will have some babies (THEY WILL BE ADORABLE!) and everyone else will have babies too! And new people will come. The guild is actually more enticing than before, a chance to restore Fairy Tail's glory? Who wouldn't want that? Yes, right now we are in a bad situation, but the future will be just fine!'

I smiled, for the first time in a while, and it was genuine. It wasn't a very big smile but it was a smile of hope. Hope in our future. I straightened myself up, washed my face since I had been crying, and got back to work. Work that will never be done as far as I'm concerned.

One Week Later (POV Change to Laxus)

I wake up and sit up almost immediately. But it was a mistake, as I felt every muscle in my body protest. I lay back down and groan and I hear Olive sigh, "Come on Sparky. You should know the drill, you fight and then sleep for a week and feel like a dragon landed on you. Now stop trying to move and rest."

I looked at her and sighed, "I know. I also know I've lost again. Again. I worked so hard and yet… He beat me again. Am I really that inferior to him? Is the gap really that big…"

I was cut off as Olive slapped me. Then she slapped me again for good measure when I tried to finish my question. I was about to say something else but then she almost slapped me again, so I said quickly, "WAIT! Wait, I just wanted to say your right. I'm being a baby I know. I just wanted to win so badly. I'm the master of Fairy Tail for a reason, I should be able to protect everyone and yet I failed. I understand that no one is going to judge me or think less of me because of it but I do! I feel like I failed Jiji again. Just like all those years ago…"

"No, you have not." Someone said and I looked to see gramps and Mavis there in the room. "You fought admirably and have done your very best. You protected everyone and was willing to sacrifice yourself for the guild. You almost did what every master of Fairy Tail wishes they could do, but hopes that never happens. You were willing to sacrifice yourself and everything you have for those you call your nakama. That is something that is truly admirable. Truly." Gramps looked at me and smiled.

Then I looked at Mavis and she merely nodded with a soft smile on her face before she said, "You have done what many wish to do. And you have done so without needing our guidance as much as I thought you would. You have impressed me greatly seventh master. I am proud to call you the master of Fairy Tail."

I looked at them and saw them both beaming at me, and I finally felt like I had done something right. But there was one question I knew needed to be asked but I dreaded asking, "What happened to Ronin? Were they granted their freedom or…?"

Olive sighed and handed me a paper, it was dated six days ago and I opened it, "Ronin Victorious! The group known as Ronin had successfully defeated the guild coalition in their rematch and has down so with a clean sweep. But not before having been betrayed by rogue mages Mern Greer and Karr Strauss, whose whereabouts are unknown. But they assure us as does the council that they are looking for them. But now back to Ronin, they have successfully earned the approval of the council and are now considered a legal guild. The agreement put forth by the council was signed early this morning by the newly minted Ronin guild master, Natsu Dragneel and his advisor Esoj Anoren. The two shook hands with each council member and then took several pictures with each one individually (On page 22) before leaving. They are now home at their guild in Naito and are currently renovating the guildhall, it should be done within the next week. As for Fairy Tail and the others in the guild coalition, we have two mages who will now be retiring: Gildarts Clive (Age) and Jura Neekis the leader of the coalition (Injuries: Back and Age). The others including guild masters Laxus Dreyar of Fairy Tail and Sting Eucliffe of Sabertooth have yet to wake up but are expected to pull through and make full recoveries. In other mage news…

I sighed and put the paper down and said in a low whisper, "Damn you Natsu. You did get your fairy tale ending. Oh well." Then in a louder voice said, "Olive, find Freed and Bickslow for me. They should be back from the mission to protect the council that I sent them on along with Evergreen, I want to give them new orders." She nodded and poked her head outside and the two men I wanted came right in.

"Good you were waiting, here's the new game plan. Tell everyone who sends us requests that we are open for business again. Freed I want you to go to the master's meeting for me, it's in three days and I will in no shape or form be capable of travel by then. Bickslow, I want you to go to Era and report to the council that we are open for business again. After that, I want you to go to Naito and, yes I'm being serious here, and take Ronin a congratulatory gift on becoming a guild. We may hate them but we must seem like gracious losers at least. We will have to work with them eventually anyways so might as well do this now and pretend like there are no hard feelings. Understood?" They both nodded, smiles on their faces due to my maturity in this situation, "Good. Now go. Oh and Freed, please send Erza to check on Wendy and Doranbolt. I'm pretty sure she hasn't heard what happened."

Freed was about to leave when I gave him his last order and nodded over his shoulder. I sighed and looked at gramps, who simply said, "Well done Laxus. You must show everyone how to move on first then everyone else can as well."

I nodded and looked at my hands for some odd reason. Then I looked at gramps and Mavis and said, "You know, I thought I would be madder about losing. But yet, I can't seem to feel the rage that I should feel. No instead I just, I don't know, don't feel anything about my lost. Like…"

"Like while you lost you still won on a subconscious level?" Mavis asked and I nodded.

"Yeah, that's it. Hmmm, maybe because I did. I think I grew up that day. I think I really did. I lost that anger that was inside of me. I think it was replaced by, well, your spirits. The spirit of kinship and the spirit of nakama. I may have been desperate to try and use fairy law in that situation, but now I think I know why I didn't care if I died. If it was to protect my nakama, then it was worth it." I said and everyone in the room beamed at me. Even little Maks did, though I assume t had something to do with the smell that was coming from his direction that almost had me vomiting from one whiff. "UGH! Olive change his diaper."

"You do it." She said back curtly.

"How the fuck am I supposed to do it if I can't even move right now?!" I yelled/asked her, our moment now ruined.

"I don't give a fuck how, just do it!" She yelled back at me and we started yelling at each other, but did so with smiles on our faces, knowing that whatever the outcome, today was a win.

(POV Change to Gray)

I watch as Freed and Bickslow run off, smiles on their faces and I sigh, "Don't they even realize we lost?"

"Yes, but they do not hate those we fought like we do. Juvia will never forgive Lucy for what she did." Juvia said and I nodded. I turned to my wife and looked at her. Seeing an angel I thought I must be the luckiest man alive and that I was lucky that she was mine forever.

I sighed again and took her by the arm and said, "Come on. We just got released from here so let's go home. We have a year of… um well you know to make up so let's get busy."

She blushed and looked like she a blue tomato, her hair now normal again. I laughed and led us out of the guild and back to our home, happy that she was safe again. But also thinking about Natsu and Lucy, 'If we ever meet again, I will kill you. Don't know how I will, but I will. You nearly ruined my life and I will never forgive you Natsu, and especially you Lucy. From now on, the Fullbusters and the Dragneels are mortal enemies.'

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A/N: Fin. Well at least for Fairy Tail… although there might be a lemon upcoming for a certain couple… Guess if you want. I hope it's pretty obvious. Now I'm not saying there is going to be one but there might be, there will be maybe, one at the start of next chapter. MAYBE. Probably. SO, the next chapter will be the last one and I hope you guys enjoyed this one. And I hope no one cries or anything that this is ending because as it is said, "All Good Things Must End. As Must All Mediocre Things Too. And All The Bad Things… You know what everything ends eventually so yeah. Everything ends." Well after making fun of a very good quote, Remember! READ AND REVIEW, OR FAVORITE OR FOLLOW EVEN IF YOU SO PLEASE! ADIOS!