Not Alone
Gray walked with purpose to the elven girl who was enthralled by Happy's words, hanging on to the details about the many exploits he'd been on with Natsu. It was only now that he saw her smile that the ice mage realized he hadn't interacted with the elven girl before, having never found the time to speak to her with Brandish sending for him to be her guard dog and rarely getting a moment to himself. The sudden stop had garnered Itami's attention since they had been walking in step, the Japanese man curious by the troubled look on the ice mage's face. Unbeknownst to the lieutenant, Gray was thinking on his feet about how to get Tuka to talk to him and couldn't believe how blinded he was that his answer had been walking beside him.
"This plan to help Tuka is going to need you to play your part, Itami. You're going to have to get her to come with me, I've got an idea of how to help but I need space." Gray said as Itami nodded his head and walked towards the group on his own, figuring that it would be easier if he asked her alone.
Itami wasn't sure what the blue flying cat was telling them, but from what he gathered it involved a mushroom growing out of his head and a part of him was curious to see how that looked on the cat. Kurokawa had giggled at the mental image before she noticed Itami's presence coming towards the group, having a predetermined inclination on who he was coming to see as she lightly tapped the elf's shoulder. Tuka was a glow at the sight of her father and jumped to her feet to meet him, the medic quickly rising to her own in preparation if the elf wasn't at full strength yet.
"Father, it's about time you came back!" Tuka said jovially as she clasped both her hands around Itami's to drag him towards their booth. "You must listen to Happy's stories, he's been on so many amazing adventures!"
"Well, I'd like to hear some of them for myself, but I need to talk to you about something first." Itami began as he held his ground, Tuka tilting her head in question as he pulled her in the other direction. "I know you haven't gotten to know Gray yet, but I thought it would be a good idea to have a chat with him."
Itami tugged Tuka along until he managed to get behind her and push her along to the waiting ice mage, the blonde elf was quick to give a short bow of greetings to him as she drew closer. Gray gave a short head nod as the trio stood in silence together, the lieutenant unsure why the ice mage wasn't saying or doing anything as an awkward air began to form around them. Luckily, Gray had come around as he cleared his throat and began to address Tuka directly.
"I know that you and I haven't spoken to each other since the incident with Italica, but I'd appreciate it if you'd be willing to go on a short walk on the beach with me," Gray said as Tuka gave a conflicted look towards Itami which he quickly gave her a thumbs up to encourage her.
"Okay, this will be my first time being so close to the sea. I got to see it during my trip to Japan, but we never got the chance to step foot near it for security reasons." Tuka replied as the ice mage gave another nod and signaled for her to follow him, the elf was still wary about following him until she realized that her father would be trailing behind them.
Gray weaved his way through the guild hall without much of a problem, always a few steps ahead of someone passing through while being visible to Tuka who at times stopped when someone stood in her way. Perhaps it was the desire to see the ocean or the comfort of knowing her father was right behind her that allowed Tuka to venture forward behind the ice mage, feeling everyone's curious eyes land on her as she passed through. It wasn't anything new, Japan had plenty of people who blatantly ogled her as she walked beside the others, but within Fairy Tail, it was as if everyone looked on with curiosity but turned away to not make her feel awkward. Through it all, Tuka focused on following Gray and exited through a rear door he was holding for her that led to the rear of the guild and gave her a full view of the ocean.
She watched as the waves crashed against a rock formation not too far from them and listened to the cries of the birds who soared on the ocean breeze, a tranquil sensation seeming to befall an otherwise overexcited guild hall. The elven girl watched as Gray signaled for her to follow as he descended a flight of stairs that led to the beach below, nothing too steep but Tuka looked back to make sure Itami was still behind her. Said man gave her another nod to continue and the elven girl proceeded, catching a glimpse of one red-haired princess coming out of the guild hall as she descended. Tuka was unsure why Pina had followed them, but she believed that the ocean would help calm her soul as she had noticed how much it waivered ever since they departed for Japan and Fiore.
"I know that this was sudden, but there was something that has me curious about your past. This may seem rude of me since we don't know much about each other, but I think this may bring us closer to understanding one another." Gray began and Tuka was curious by his words, piecing together the limited information she had about him that could help her figure out what he meant.
"Does it have to do with the way I was found by the JSDF?" Given how they all met by way of a fire dragon, Tuka figured that was what he was referring to.
"Yeah, I was told that your village was burned to the ground, and you were found in a well in the aftermath."
"Then you're all caught up, there isn't much to tell beyond that. After my rescue and our battle against the Flame Dragon, I've primarily stayed by my father's side." Tuka wasn't sure why Gray made a troubled face for a moment but couldn't dwell on it for much as he began speaking again.
"Does your father happen to be with us currently?" The elven girl thought it was an odd question since her father wasn't that far behind her and he had been talking to him not that long ago.
"Of course, I'm having this conversation with you under his supervision after all." Tuka thought Gray was being silly to help lighten the mood of getting to know each other, but she had realized that she couldn't recall a time when the ice mage wasn't serious.
"I don't mean the man standing across from us," Gray replied, and Tuka could only look at him confusedly, unsure whether he was playing a prank on her.
"I don't understand," Gray had asked her about her father, so Tuka obliged and now he wasn't referring to her father?
"Don't worry, it'll be clear to you in a moment. All I ask of you for now is that you follow my instructions." Gray said as he faced the ocean, Tuka mimicked his example and began staring out to the great expanse of blue. The elven girl wasn't so sure why she had to, but she'd rely on the trust he and his people had gained with her to follow his words.
"Am I supposed to look out for something?" Tuka had asked after a moment of silence as a ship sailed across the horizon although she was unsure if she should go along with the ice mage.
"Sort of, the ocean will act as a focus for you," Gray said as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I want you to close your eyes and reach out with your other senses; feel the ocean breeze, listen to the waves crash against the shore, and allow the Ethernano of Earth Land to flow through you."
Following his instructions, Tuka allowed herself to open up to the world around her and did her best to take in the entirety of her place in the new world. A part of her was confused at why Gray wanted her to do meditative exercises but allowed those thoughts to drift away as she sensed the ocean and shore around her. The sudden sensation of Earth Land's magic had surprised her as it openly accepted her as a magic user and allowed her to take in this new feeling without another being speaking to her through the connective force of the forest.
The further she extended herself into the world, the more relaxed she became, and it put into perspective how hectic her life had become in recent months. Through surviving a dragon, a large-scale assault on an Imperial city, and bearing witness to two whole new worlds, Tuka had barely a chance to consider it all. She went as far as finding that moment of peace by the oceanside of a completely different world with fantastical magic beyond anything she could've ever dreamed of. Her life had become an adventure beyond the scope of her simple village life, she just hadn't had the chance to take it all in until this very moment.
"Looks like you've gotten attuned to this place, so we'll move on to the next set of instructions I have for you," The ice mage said after a time as he slowly noticed Tuka becoming less rigid in her stance beside him. "For this part, I want you to dig deep within yourself and think about your father."
Tuka furrowed her brow at his request, the ice mage quickly taking note of it, and knew that this was where things would grow complicated. As for the elven girl, Tuka couldn't understand why she needed to think deeply about her father when he wasn't that far behind her but had gone along with it for the time being. She cleared her mind of the confused stupor behind his request and focused solely on her father.
"Once you've got him in your mind, describe him in as much detail as you can. Who is the man that embodies the title of "Father" to you and what makes him such a person?" Gray posed the question but was already planning to further things the more she came to describe Itami than her actual elven father.
"Okay...?" At this point, Tuka had no real idea what he was asking for but would try her best to interpret his request the best way she could.
As before, she made the ocean her focus and concentrated on the image of her father and what he stood for. Her mind began to cast away the curiosity of the new world, the doubt of Gray's intentions, and the exhaustion of her spirit from her adventurous new lifestyle to bring her father as the sole focus. Tuka was asked to describe him and figured that the ice mage wanted to know what made her father, "her father" in a sense. If her memories served her right, then it wouldn't be that difficult to explain it to Gray and yet there was a part of her that felt troubled by it, but she pressed on, nonetheless.
"He's caring despite the troubles he's had to go through; he finds a way to smile around me even if he's in a tough situation and in the face of his shortcomings, he doesn't give in to the situation at hand. My father looked after me the best he could and even then, he worried that it wasn't enough and believed he could do more." Tuka said as a silhouette began to form within her mind of the familiar shape of the man she trusts and cares about.
"Good, now describe his appearance for me, but be warned that I will add on specifics for you to answer," Gray said as Tuka prepared herself to remember the distinct features of her father and whatever quirks he possessed. "Starting with this one, what did he look like from the well you were found in?"
Just as Tuka was about to respond by seeing his broad back in a green uniform, she kept silent as she gave it more thought. Though her memories had been a bit scattered the first few weeks since being pulled out from the well, some of them had returned to her bit by bit and at times in her dreams. They were more like nightmares though as she witnessed her village burning to the ground, families she'd known for decades disappearing in pillars of fire, and the screams that would resonate around her until all she heard was the roar of the flames. Those nightmares were her memories, the same ones plaguing her mind for nights on end and she wasn't sure when they'd stop. She took comfort every day she woke up and saw all her new friends and father lingering about, but her mind could never wipe away the terror she felt that day.
"I know this may be hard for you Tuka, but I need you to focus on the way your father looked like." Eyes still closed, the elven girl heard Gray's request and tried her best to sift through her memories and even her dreams to determine what her answer should be.
There was pain and terror, feelings of helplessness, and the most vital sense of sorrow as she delved deep into her mind. It was there, it was at that well that she could see different visages of what she believed to be her father. Her caretaker, her protector, the one person she wanted to come to her in her time of need and make sure everything would be alright. She saw herself looking up at the mouth of the well as a green broad back leaned against it that was quickly followed by a bucket fast approaching her and then it changed to a reassuring face surrounded by flames and an ominous creature behind him.
"He looks like me although masculine and older yet youthful just the same with blonde hair swept back behind his ears. It passes just a bit below his shoulders on top of a blue tunic and white undershirt and he's about a head and a half taller than you." Tuka said aloud for Gray, feeling that this was what he wanted or rather expected instead of describing the man not that far from them.
Tuka had been right in her assumption as Gray quickly envisioned her descriptions and began forming the appearance of her real father in his mind. Although limited in detail to a degree, he took some artistic liberties when it came to "her features but masculine" to depict the male elf and what clothes he would be wearing beyond the tunic and undershirt. Considering other factors, Gray quickly formatted all the information he had obtained and began casting his maker magic as he noticed Tuka struggling with her thoughts. As quickly as he weaved his hands an ice sculpture emerged from thin air, standing quite tall and firm adorned with the smile of a loving father that Gray could only depict by his own experiences.
"Alright Tuka, for the last of my instructions; you must ease your mind from inner conflict and when you're ready, I want you to open your eyes," Gray said as the elven girl knitted her eyebrows firmly together, having some difficulty of relaxing herself from her deeper thoughts.
Tuka personally thought that Gray's words were easier said than done as now she couldn't help but think of the man that she somewhat resembled, let alone the very memories she'd deeply ingrained him in. It felt surreal to have those glimpses, but it felt far more worrying to know the implications behind them. Tuka struggled to make real sense of it and worried if she could ease the tension building in her heart, but she persevered and did her best to ease her mind. In truth, she struggled greatly to do this as her mind wandered back to those nightmares until she was reminded of what the ice mage told her about making the ocean her focus.
She stretched out her senses once again towards the beach, the air, the sea, and the magic that surrounded her to help center her once again. Curiously, Tuka felt the slightest presence coming from the ocean itself as she reached out and through it, she could feel it easing her further as if telling her she was safe and that she could trust the young man beside her. The elven girl gave herself a few more moments of this encapsulating peace before she decided that it was time to open her eyes again.
In utter disbelief, Tuka's breath caught itself in her throat as she laid eyes upon a remarkably close representation of the man from her nightmares. Some of his features weren't completely accurate to what she remembered but it was extremely close, so close that as she stared at his deep blue eyes and warm, comforting smile she could feel the very fear of those last few moments take her heart in a vice grip. Her mind raced at all the implications that this meant as tears pooled in her eyes, gripping her head between her hands, and crying out in horror to realize the ugly truth as her legs buckled beneath her. Tuka fell to her knees in despair as the very sounds of burning flames echoed in her ears and as she looked up to the statue of her true father, she witnessed the horrifying visage of the Flame Dragon appearing behind him. It was as if she was being thrown back into that well in her village all over again as she cried out in pure agony to truly remember the fate of her loving father.
Gray watched on with subdued remorse, knowing all too well that feeling of distraught at knowing the painful reality of losing a loved one. That pain is never easy and when hidden away so well, it becomes devastating when it emerges towards the surface. This was the breaking point, the exact place Tuka needed to reach to help her recover, and the hardest hurdle she had to pass. As the elven girl cried her heart out at the feet of the statue, Gray threw his hand up to stop Itami from advancing any further down the beach. The ice mage knew the soldier was at his limit in seeing Tuka reach such a low point, but this was where she needed to see that the only other way left was up and that that road wouldn't be traveled alone.
"He can't be dead! He was alive, I felt it!" Tuka cried as she recalled those moments at Alnus where she awaited the return of her father at the base. "He's with me, he promised to always stay by my side!"
"Is that the reality, or was it what you wanted to believe?" Gray asked and although it came off as insensitive, he wanted the blonde elf to know if she truly knew how to differentiate what she wanted versus what she knew.
"Of course, it's what I believed; he did come back to me! He cared for me, helped me make friends in the JSDF, he took me to see new places and have new experiences!" Tuka exclaimed as the ice mage could see the conflicted look on Itami's face from where he stood, no doubt seeing the fantastical truth Tuka made up for herself.
"I'm sorry Tuka, but that's not what happened. None of it happened, that was all Itami's doing." Gray said evenly as he placed a comforting hand on the blonde's shoulder which she quickly shoved off as she looked him dead in the eye in tears.
"You're lying, why are you lying to me? Why are you trying to hurt me." Tuka balled as she tried her best to wipe away her tears, failing as even more streamed down her cheeks. "What did I do to you?"
"Nothing, nothing at all but I'm not trying to hurt you. I'm trying to help you." Gray made no further advance as he simply stood by her side, watching as she turned back to look at the conflicted face of Itami.
"But my father's right there, where he said he'd be." Tuka mournfully said as she pointed towards the soldier, hoping to see some acknowledgment from the Japanese man.
"Itami cares about you, but even you can see that he isn't your father."
"Why can't he be!?" Tuka argued defiantly as she did her best to see the twisted nature of the ice mage for causing her pain, but only ever saw the empathizing gaze of a tired soul.
"Because you'd be abandoning the memory of your father to save yourself from pain. The only one hurting from that would be yourself." The ice mage stepped away, moving closer to the water's edge where the sea suds receded into the water.
"You've been through this pain before…" Tuka didn't need foresight to know this and both Lelei and Rory made it quite clear that his story was of his own life, so it wouldn't be so farfetched to think that he's familiar with loss.
"I can tell that you're putting all the pieces together already, but I need you to understand how close our stories are." Gray weaved his hands in an intricate motion as the very sea water began to rise and tower over them before taking shape and freezing in place.
"You watched as a Flame Dragon tore apart everything you ever loved, I watched a demon tear apart the only life I knew." The ice mage concluded as a massive, horrific creature finally took shape and Tuka couldn't believe her eyes at the sheer terror such a beast could incite if it were alive. "The people I cared about have been dead for years, but that doesn't mean they're truly gone."
The elven girl watched as the ice mage weaved his hands once again, this time it was only ice that had taken shape and two figures emerged from his creation magic. One was of an average-height woman with dark hair that didn't fall too far past her upper back, wearing casual clothing akin to the kind she saw in Japan as a larger arm was draped over her shoulder. This arm belonged to a man nearly as tall as Gray, prominent rugged features gave him the allure of a scoundrel betrayed by the welcoming and almost warming smile he wore. Between both creations, she could see the familiar resemblance Gray had to them and it was obvious from the onset that they were his parents. One interesting caveat though was that all three wore a cross accessory; his mother wore a similar cross pendant Tuka recalled Gray wearing when not in his armor and his father wore a pair of cross earrings.
"I saw their deaths; I mourned their passing and I've never forgotten their memory after all these years. I've had father figures come into my life before, but not once did I ever believe I could replace my own with any of them. I'm grateful that they were there for me, but I knew that I couldn't forget who came first." Gray said as he began to weave his hands once again, the shape of a woman beginning to form next to the sculpture of his mother.
"But even I can't say I'm completely free of seeing someone else as a parent. My master, Ur, taught me how to wield my magic and had in a way become like a second mother to me. My impatience and blind need for revenge cost her life to the demon that took my parents, but in her last moments did she help make things clear for me."
Gray offered his hand towards the elven girl on her knees, watching as she looked between his hand and the sculpture of her father before taking it. The ice mage gently helped her to her feet and created an ice bench for them to sit on, sitting before the sculptures and the ocean. Tuka remained silent as she stared at her clasped hands, letting out a sniffle here and there as her tears continued to fall. With a shaky sigh, Tuka looked up once again and stared directly into the eyes of her father and though her mind felt lost in a fog, the attempt to recreate his appearance was helping her remember what he looked like.
"Why are you telling me this?" Tuka said quietly, wondering what the ice mage wanted to accomplish by being so personal with her.
"To help you understand that we're two of the same coin, just on different ends. The loss of the people we cared about made us equals, but we took that pain in different directions." Gray replied as he lifted his head to look up towards Deliora's face. "The loss fueled my want for revenge while it made you forget and blind yourself to the truth."
"What happens now?" If that was what Gray wanted to show her, he made his point truly clear to her. To what end that was going to accomplish, she struggled to come up with a clear answer.
"That's up to you; face the darkness and walk towards the future or turn your back and accept the new reality you made for yourself," Gray said, leaving the elven girl with what was essentially an ultimatum of how she would live her life going forward. "But before you make your decision, roll up your jeans and walk barefoot into the ocean, then follow my earlier instructions again."
"What?"
"Trust me, you'll understand once you do it."
With another odd request from the ice mage, Tuka decided to follow through with it despite feeling worn out from just about everything. The elven girl was made to see the truth of her actions, made to accept that all she was doing was running away from the pain that was just around the corner. Was her walking into the, most likely cold, ocean giving her a moment of clarity to decide on what she wanted to do with herself? Then again, it wouldn't make sense for her to stand in it and allow herself to connect with her surroundings for that to be the case.
With a momentary pause before the very edge of where the suds would recede into the ocean, Tuka steeled herself as she walked into the water as far as she could go before the water could splash her rolled jeans. As she had thought, the water was cold, and the massive sculpture of Gray's demon wasn't helping in any way. The elven girl tried her best to ignore the cold, focusing her senses once again on the world around her as she closed her eyes and allowed herself to connect to the energies of Earth Land. As the waves crashed against her shins, the ocean breeze blowing against her frame and through her hair, she felt a presence approaching her from the ocean.
Tuka had first thought that it was just some fish she sensed but as she tried to feel it out, she realized it was so much more than that. It gently came to her, a tenderness like a mother coming to embrace their child and it was then that Tuka felt the familiar sensation of a soul. A human soul that became one with the ocean was reaching out to her and with her knowledge of spirits and her magic, Tuka wanted to reply to it. This world had magic beyond anything she had ever seen and like the curious mind that Lelei had, the elven girl believed that the young mage girl was right and that there was so much more she could do in this world than her own.
"Oh spirits of the wind and water, grant your power to give form to the soul before me." Tuka chanted as the wind swept around her and the water began to take shape before her very eyes.
It seemed to ripple in its effort to create its form and Tuka pushed her magic further to help the process, watching as the figure had a familiar resemblance to something she had just seen. Taking a glance behind her, Tuka noticed two things; the first was that Gray had gotten to his feet in awe and the second was that the water was taking the shape of the second woman the ice mage created with his magic. As she turned back, the figure had finally taken form, and standing before her stood the soul of Gray's former master in a water body in her likeness. The wind spirits kept her form through air pressure and the water spirits helped to fill the space to give her both depth and a means of appearance.
"My, how much Gray has grown after all these years." The water woman said in an ethereal voice, though Tuka knew she could only speak to her thanks to her connection to the spirits.
"You are his master, Ur, aren't you?" Tuka asked as the Water Ur seemed to be staring past her before focusing her attention back on the elven girl.
"I was, but that was many years ago. He's grown up without me and yet, it feels as if he never left my side." Water Ur replied as this experience on its own was far more than even Tuka could've ever believed possible.
"Were you what Gray had planned for me when he told me to walk into the ocean?" It was her presence that Tuka had felt earlier, calling to her when she followed Gray's instructions the first time.
"Most likely, but I don't think he expected it to go like this." Tuka watched as the water woman rippled as if she was giggling to herself, the elven girl still caught off guard at how surreal this experience was. "Although I do know that his heart was in the right place. Gray likely wanted you to commune with me to know that all he wanted was to truly help you."
"But is exposing me to such pain helping?" Tuka said as she cast her gaze away from Water Ur and towards the expanse of the ocean.
"My dear Gray has known pain for most of his life, his heart has taken too many blows to truly open to anyone anymore. In the times he comes to the ocean to find peace and speak to me, in his way, I can safely say that he does it for a good reason." Water Ur said as she reached out to caress Tuka's cheek, turning her face to look back at her, and in that instant, the elven girl was hit with a swath of vivid memories that depicted the key moments in the being's life.
"What reason would that be?" Tuka timidly asked as Water Ur turned to face the awe-struck and speechless Gray on the shore again, the elven girl in the meantime doing her best to not be overwhelmed by the previous experience.
"To make sure you don't become him." Water Ur said in a sad tone, taking Tuka aback by her answer. "Gray has spent years learning to let go, even when I've asked him to all those years ago. He's burdened by his pain and wants to help you avoid that fate, he wants you to be open to people you trust and care about to heal."
"And it's difficult for him now, right?"
"Sadly, it is, for as much as he's grown there is still a part of him trapped by the things beyond his control. Just know that he's trying his best to help even if it is in a roundabout way."
"Do you think I can heal, that I can step away from the pain?" The former master had given Tuka a new perspective and there was no malice or deceit in the spirits that formed her. Just a feeling of longing and tender love, an emotion the elven girl couldn't believe a human soul could still manifest beyond the physical plane.
"I do, you simply must take the chance given to you and believe in yourself. If you can accept the help of others, then you're on the right path of healing." Tuka could feel the caring smile Water Ur was giving her and the spirits that gave her form joined together to help reassure her as well. "And if possible, could you help me express that sentiment to my forlorn student?"
"I…I can." With Water Ur's words circling within her mind, Tuka knew that she was capable so long as she tried.
Tuka turned back to the shore and signaled for Gray to come to her, watching as the ice mage stumble on his own two feet as if they were weighed down by boulders. The elven girl could tell that the spirit-given form of his master had entrapped his attention as he didn't bother himself in trying to keep his clothes dried as he walked into the ocean. Gray drew close to the pair and Tuka watched how in awe he was as he looked at the water form of his former master, while the master raised her head to look up at her student. Gray locked eyes with the watery interpretation of Ur and could feel the same connection he had with the ocean emanating from the water, no more doubt in his mind that he had been reunited with Ur once again.
Water Ur turned to look at Tuka, pointing towards her mouth and the elven girl understanding that it was through the spirits that they were able to communicate with each other in the first place. The blonde elf nodded her head as she walked over towards Gray who refused to take his eyes away from Water Ur before Tuka made him look at her and cupped his ears between her hands.
"Oh spirits of the wind lend this man your wisdom to hear as you do." Tuka chanted as her magic flowed around her hands as Gray could feel a newfound sensation enveloping his ears.
"Gray?" In one swift moment, the ice mage's thoughts stopped as the familiar voice he hadn't heard in years rang in his ears.
Tuka dropped her hands and stepped back as Gray turned to face the water being, his face still appearing in utter disbelief at what stood before him. He was silent as his tall frame towered over Water Ur who noticed the ice mage swallow a lump in his throat as he opened his mouth.
"Is it you? Ur?" Gray knew this feeling, knew that there wasn't anything that could betray the familiarity of it and yet, he still wanted to know that his hopes weren't in vain.
"I would think you'd still remember your old master." Water Ur lightly joked but was caught unawares as Gray hugged her watery body tightly which caught both her and Tuka by surprise.
"I didn't want to believe that it wasn't you," Gray said and as Water Ur returned the hug, she felt the ice mage shuddering and pulled back to see his tears.
Much to Tuka's surprise, when Water Ur pulled away to check was the moment Gray fell to his knees all the while clasping the water being's hands within his own. The elven girl wasn't sure what she was supposed to do and was growing worried while a sad smile graced Water Ur's face. The blonde elf took that as a sign that the water being had it under control and had shown her that there was a bond between the former master and her student that helped them understand each other. Tuka looked towards the ice mage who held his head low before Water Ur, seeing a side of a proven warrior she never would've expected to see. More so for the fact that he didn't shy away from fights that were far too deadly for any person to survive in any other league below his own.
"I've let so many people down and failed to save others, I've done nothing but fail," Gray said as the sad smile on Water Ur's face faded to one that of a gentle one. "I'm so sorry, Ur. I've failed Lyon, I've failed to protect Ultear for you and I still failed you." Gray shuddered as he let go of her hands and slammed his own into the water.
"Don't be." Water Ur said as she took his face between her hands, using her thumb to wipe away a tear as it disappeared into it. "Failure will always be part of life, for all that you believed you've failed at, just know that there is plenty of good that you've done."
As Tuka looked on, she couldn't help but feel like the spirits themselves were being empowered by this growing force that seemed to come from the bond between the souls of both the master and the student. For all that she's known about spirits and magic, the blonde elf had never seen anything like this before where even the spirits weren't relying on her magic that much anymore. There was something special within this world when it concerned magic, something that transcends some form of limitations that exist in this world, and Ur's soul is capable of emanating emotions after several years is a powerful indicator of that. Her musing was cut short as Water Ur helped Gray back to his feet, patting his hand as she looked up at the young man her student had become.
"Ever since I melted away into the ocean, you've come near the ocean to find peace because you knew I was out there. Even when I couldn't speak to you directly, you still felt comfort in the idea that I was beside you." Water Ur reached up and held Gray's face with one of her hands, a proud smile on her face as she looked up at her tear-stricken student. "But it's time that you, too, start on the path of healing."
"What do you mean?"
"You're trapped within the pain of your own heart, my dear Gray, but others are waiting for you to let them in. People who care about and feel like they're losing you." This time Water Ur embraced Gray as she sent Tuka a look that the elven girl was quick to understand before she pulled away to look at the ice mage's face again. "You need to walk a different path now; I will always be by your side but know that you are not alone. Not anymore."
Water Ur let go of Gray as she took a few steps back, raising her hand to stop the ice mage as he attempted to get close once again. She tilted her head with a beaming smile as she threw up the back of her hand into the air with her index finger pointing to the sky and her thumb out to the side. Tuka was unsure what that symbolized, but she didn't need to guess for long how deep the meaning was as Gray let out more tears.
"I've sealed your darkness, Gray! Now go and shine the way for the future!" Water Ur called out as the magic and spirits that helped give her form began to sparkle the Ethernano surrounding them before the water was gently dissolved away back into the sea.
"UR!" Gray cried out as he rushed forward, falling to his knees at the spot where she disappeared knowing that his master was already gone.
"I'm sorry, Gray," Tuka said as she tried to find a way to explain herself in the best way possible as silence befell the two in the water.
"No need to be sorry." Gray calmly said, breaking the silence as he stared off into the horizon and only snapped his finger to dispel his creations. "And thank you."
"What for?" Now Tuka was confused since she thought she needed to be the one to thank him.
"You helped give me peace of mind; I can only hope that I still managed to help you in some way," Gray replied evenly as the water crashed over his thighs, trying his best to center himself again.
"You have and I think that I would be far worse off if it wasn't for someone like you. There's still a lot to come my way, but I now know that I'll face it with the people I care about the most at my side." Tuka said as she took in Ur's words and looked back at the ones that Gray spoke about. "And I'll make sure my father's legacy lives on, just like Ur's."
"Do your best to make him proud." Gray simply said as he let out a tired sigh and Tuka could see his turmoiled soul finding a new balance, something that gave her comfort in knowing. "You can head on back without me and let Itami know that he doesn't need to worry anymore, I'm going to be here for a while longer."
"Are you sure? Will you be alright?" Given Ur's words, Tuka was unsure if she should be leaving Gray's side, finding a new sense of kinship with the ice mage, and witnessing what it means to truly honor a legacy.
"I'll be fine, don't worry about me. Just need a moment to appreciate the day." Tuka watched the ice mage for a moment longer before heading back to the shore, Itami waiting for her with a towel ready and a look of concern.
The elven girl had to admit that after coming to this world and feeling the overwhelming power of the Ace of Fairy Tail, she wasn't expecting this turn of events on the same day. There was a scope of magic and spiritual energy that dwarfed what was possible in her world, not to mention that there was some type of powerful magic at play that transcended her understanding of the true potential of magic. This world was special, but what made it so wasn't just the magic but the people who called Earth Land home.
"Are you alright, Tuka? Things got weird there for a second that I had half a mind to get Makarov." Itami said as he handed the elf the towel, looking at the kneeling figure of Gray out in the water.
"I'm fine, Itami," Tuka replied, sitting on the ice bench Gray left still intact as she wiped off the wet sand from her feet. "Gray says that you don't need to worry anymore, I guess you know what he's talking about."
"Hey, you just called me by my name." Itami had to take a moment to point out that there was already a change in Tuka's behavior. "Guess all that was insightful to you, huh?"
"More than you know, tomorrow will be a new day for more than just me," Tuka said as she put on her last boot, standing back up and leading Itami back to the guild hall.
"Tuka, wait a moment," Pina said as she finally walked up to the pair from her place further away from the beach. "May I ask what that was about?"
"Gray helped me get a new perspective, which I think was long overdue." The elven girl replied as she looked back towards the beach, where a lone figure kneeled in the water.
"I see, well hopefully you could tell the truth apart from those lies of his," Pina said with a bothered expression towards the figure, though Tuka had found herself bothered by her accusing tone.
"What lies would those be?"
"That entire royalty story that he fabricated, making me and the Rose Order look like fools for believing him. Not only that, but he had practically lied to the subjects of the Empire with his story." Pina said in a half-hearted huff, crossing her arms as Tuka fell back on Ur's words about Gray.
"Even if he isn't royalty, Gray still lost everything to a monster and maybe he was trying to find a way to keep the peace in a roundabout way. There's a lot we don't know about the people from Earth Land and a lot that we need to learn to respect too." Tuka replied as she gave a curt nod and began walking away from the imperial princess, a surprised Itami trailing after as they left a confused Pina by her lonesome.
As Tuka entered the guild hall with a huff, Itami stopped her as that was quite the change in the elven girl he hadn't anticipated when he asked for Gray's help with Tuka's trauma. He figured things would be difficult, that her mind would need time to mend, and that she'd need support in those harsh times. He wasn't getting any sign of that since it seemed as though Tuka found a sense of confidence even after she was balling her eyes out a while ago at the sight of her real father. It didn't make sense to him and was worried that something drastic had changed in the elven girl that he wasn't prepared to handle, much less ready to understand the state that Gray was in after leaving him at the beach. Itami needed answers, but a part of him was afraid to learn what they were since he was most definitely out of his element.
"What happened back there, Tuka? You were far more straightforward with Pina than the last time you two spoke." Itami asked as the elven girl let out another short huff as if the mention of the princess annoyed her.
"She calls Gray a liar, but even if his background wasn't truthful, has he ever hurt anyone because of it?" Itami tried to find the right way to answer that since he couldn't be seen condoning lying, but he couldn't say that Gray hurt anyone with it.
"Well…"
"There's also the fact that if she believed her own words, why did her spirit waver at calling him out as such?"
"It could be…"
"Has every one of his actions and those of the FEFs mean nothing compared to a little lie? It wasn't as if he fully used the title of prince to its furthest extent possible in the Empire, right?"
"Not that I recalled…"
"Short-sightedness is what led the Empire to its current problem and it's what'll keep it that way if Pina doesn't break past the same way of thinking."
Itami truly wondered what happened to the once reserved Tuka as she now was firing off complaints about the third princess of the Empire nonstop. He was so used to the meek version of her that he was getting whiplash at comparing the former version of the elven girl to the current one. It was like she received a buff to her confidence and rode that wave toward the sunset without a care in the world. It almost felt like he was dealing with another Kuribayashi, with less physical aggression and more teenage complaining. God help him if this Tuka would point out all his faults just like his petite subordinate, he didn't think his heart could take it if the elven girl looked at him with contempt.
"My, my, my" Came the sultry voice of Rory as she walked up to the pair, a devious smile on her face as she carefully examined Tuka. "I never would've thought I'd see a Soul Touch in this world."
"Soul Touch?" Itami repeated curiously, now interested as the sound of it alone made it out to be some rare mystical occurrence, more so since Rory's long life span has most likely given her knowledge about it.
"Long ago, during the ages of great heroes before the territories had finally been settled, heroes who had lost their ways would seek out spiritual beacons. Alnus was one such place and there they would try to commune with the great heroes of old to guide and empower them." Rory began to explain as Tuka was enwrapped with her words since her father used to tell tales about the heroes of old.
"Like a martial artist searching for an elder master to show them why they failed, right?" Itami was thinking about a certain character at first, but these types of scenarios happened a lot in the media even before that character came to exist.
"Yes and no because although they do learn where they failed, they also connect their very souls. Essentially the heroes of old are known as Guides while the current hero would be known as a Seeker, one shows the way to greatness while the other searches for the path that will help them along the way." Rory replied and Itami was taken aback since he hadn't seen anything remotely close to that in his memories.
"So my soul is now connected with another?" Tuka asked as she placed a hand on her chest, troubled but not worried about being connected to such a person as Ur.
"No, not to that extent. More like the strength of will and power the other soul possessed has been shared with you, practically unlocking your truer self who isn't burdened by the troubles of the past."
"A confidence booster then?" For something that sounds so mystical, Itami couldn't help feeling a little disappointed that it was akin to pep talks.
"Don't sound so disappointed Itami, Soul Touch can only be performed when both the Seeker and the Guide are extraordinary in their rights. As a high elf, Tuka is already quite remarkable with her magic and the spirit plane so the soul she spoke with must've been just as great." If there was someone who'd be able to be a Guide when their time came, Rory could only name a handful of people she met in Earth Land who'd get there so this soul had to be remarkable.
"She was, despite our conversation not being all that long, somehow in our brief interaction I connected with her and learned the very life Ur led. Through troubles, heartache, and disillusionment, she never gave in to the despair that had crept its way into her life. Beyond even that, she smiled with nothing but love in her heart as she sacrificed both her body and soul to stop a monster far worse than the Flame Dragon. Ur is inspiring." Tuka said as she recalled her interaction just a few minutes ago, a part of her still trying to process what real power has kept her whole all this time.
"Your admiration comes from truly being enveloped by her strength, the same kind that she's given to you. It allows you to be surer of yourself, unafraid in the face of what once gave you pause, and have a new unwavering conviction to protect what you hold dear. You've been Soul Touched, and I congratulate you, Tuka. You've accomplished something that's a near impossibility in our current era." Rory said as she had to think back nearly three centuries ago to the last time she met another who'd been Soul Touched
"I can say that I'm proud of you too, Tuka, although I'm not completely sure how this differs from a far grander pep talk." Itami had to be honest that he wasn't getting the nuance when it came to something mundane being made out to be this huge event.
"My dear, foolish Itami. The difference couldn't be that much more obvious, as not only has Tuka been pulled arm in arm to stand and bask in the light of a brighter tomorrow, but she's also been inspired to follow in the example of her Guide." Rory explained as she gazed at Tuka's soul once again, watching as that once soft, teal-tinted soul she possessed now looked as if it were emitting an ice-blue aura that was empowering it. "She'll strive to be strong for those she loves so she too could face the end without fear, but only have love in her heart."
"Sorry, I guess…" Itami had a better grasp of what this Soul Touch thing was, but he was still unsure of the real benefit of it all aside from the confidence boost. "But I think that it helped you all the same, Tuka."
"I think so too, although I'm more or less aware that it won't be enough to face an angry Gildarts head-on." Tuka joked as she recalled the suffocating power that the mage had released against them.
"Confidence helps you stand; caution keeps you alive," Rory said with a sage air about her and Itami could only awkwardly chuckle at her old master routine. "Embrace it all for the future in front of you and before I forget, where did that silly princess go? Her knights had been hounding me on whether I've seen her or not."
"She's still probably down by the beach behind the guild hall." Tuka curtly replied and the Japanese man wondered if her attitude concerning Pina was thanks to whatever soul the elven girl bonded with left behind.
"She's in good hands though, Gray's out there so I doubt anything bad will happen to her," Itami added but was weary of the look Rory was now giving him.
"I must admit Itami, I can't believe you still like to tempt fate in such times. Is your current life not entertaining enough for you?" The Reaper mused aloud in a tone that nearly betrayed the otherwise innocent exterior she had been showcasing.
"Don't say such ominous things like that, Rory! I don't think my heart could take on the added worry behind those words, let alone the paperwork if something happened." That last bit was mainly whispered to himself, but Itami couldn't shake this bothered feeling weighing on him now.
"No need to worry, it's as you said; "Gray's out there", so everything will be alright," Rory said in a singsong-like tone as she began walking away, the soldier now having more than half a mind to step back outside and look after the princess himself.
"It'll be fine Itami, besides, I think Pina would appreciate it more to have a chance to speak to Gray without any of us around," Tuka said as she pulled on Itami's sleeve as he was a mid-turn towards the rear entrance.
"I understand, I'm just worried is all."
"And that's something all of us appreciate about you. This time: however, give your mind a rest and let things handle themselves." Tuka said as she moved from a secured grip on his sleeve to guiding him by the hand back towards the rest of his squad and friends.
Pina stood there on the beach, still stunned by the way Tuka had spoken to her, and rightfully so as she hadn't expected such a clear annoyance from her since knocking out Itami by accident in Italica. Although, she couldn't lie to herself about the fact that the elven girl's words made her think about her current situation concerning the FEF and Gray. It was a fact that neither she nor anyone from her world had a solid idea of the people from Earth Land and it was painfully obvious that ignorance comes with hefty consequences that no one was prepared to pay.
Beyond those troubles, the main one circling her mind was how Gray had been lying to her for quite some time and all the others were in on it. She didn't want to be underestimated and a part of her wanted to express her disappointment with his decision, but Pina was slowly realizing that the main obstacle that frightened her had already passed. With Queen Hisui giving her blessing in a modest amount, she attained an amount of support in her quest to save the Empire. That meant that there was no real need to have any form of relations with the young man anymore since she didn't need to keep on his good side.
That was the truth, Pina had no real need to speak to Gray any further since her main liaison for support would be Supreme Commander Jura and to a possible extent the War Maiden or rather Erza Scarlet. The Third Princess had to get used to addressing her by her actual name now seeing as that everyone's origin, save for the busty blonde, was a fabricated story. Overall, the Third Princess truly believed that she could just turn back at this point and reenter the guild without another word. She should've done that, but what little self-respect Pina had after everything she went through told her that she had the right to an answer. Before she could even debate if it was worth it in the first place, her feet were already on the move toward the lone figure of the ice mage standing on the beach.
"And here I thought that you were going back inside," Gray said aloud without turning around, Pina standing a few feet behind him, somewhat curious as to how he knew it was her but figured that it was the obvious choice.
"Against my better judgment, I demand to know why your first instinct was to lie to me?" In a trained motion, Pina placed her hands on her hips and stood assertively even if Gray couldn't see it.
"I may have agreed to go along with it, but it was Natsu who came up with the idea. For a Charcoal Brain, he made a decent argument as to why we should lie." Gray replied without turning around, still gazing off into the horizon as the sea breeze blew past them.
"I wanted the why, not the how. What possessed you to falsify your identity for not only yourself but the rest of your team?"
"It was obvious, if nobility is recognized in the Special Region, then shouldn't we use the misunderstanding to our advantage?" Pina wanted to argue his point, but even she understood the truth behind his words as she knew of an honorable man driven mad by the JSDF still warranted an amount of respect from her.
"Face me and answer me when I ask you what your end goal was." The Third Princess watched as Gray let out a bothered sigh as he turned around, Pina quickly noticing his red irritated eyes against his pale face. He'd been crying.
"To get as close as we could to the person running the show and demand that our people be returned. Peace will always be an option, but it was one conveniently misplaced after witnessing the hardships those who had been kidnapped had to endure." Gray said remorselessly and a chill went up Pina's spine at how deathly serious Gray sounded. "The truth is that many in the FEF tolerate the Empire currently because a number of us in higher positions try to dissuade their rightful hatred to keep things amicable in the hopes we would be working together."
"And if they didn't step in to calm the masses?" It was rhetorical at first, but Pina's morbid curiosity got the better of her and wanted to know what would've laid in wait for her people.
"Then the Empire would've faced total annihilation with Natsu spearheading the assault. Many felt that it was pointless to negotiate with "savages" and that they should be killed like the rabid animals they were."
"Then they would've become the very thing they came to hate," Pina replied that those people would've reversed the crime the Imperial soldiers committed back at the Empire.
"They knew who threw the first punch and they knew that the innocent weren't targets, they had righteous fury but weren't completely blinded by their hatred to kill everyone that stood in their way."
"Do you believe that your people wouldn't seek to punish the uninvolved for this horrible act?" Pina had a hard time accepting the idea that an entire kingdom's population wouldn't want to inflict the same or even worse pain than what the Imperial knights had done.
"There would be some people out there who'd want that, but overall they are an extreme minority simply because everyone could be pacified with the notion of punishing those at the highest standing of your government."
"Who wields that much influence to satiate the masses by simply focusing their efforts on attacking the elite of the Empire?"
"Queen Hisui, of course. She stepped up in her role as queen and has helped Fiore rebuild after one of the most devastating wars in recent history. She's a woman who never backed down even in the face of her own mistakes and strives to do what is best for her people." For people who could be considered the average citizen, Pina had expected such words but to hear it from someone extraordinary like the ice mage builds a clearer picture.
"She's that well respected, I see." Most people only ever refer to her father in contempt when they had a stable enough political footing or in fear if they were liable to meet the executioner without much in the way of resistance. "No older than I am either."
"She may be young, but many a mage respects her just as she respects them. That is how both she and many others in higher positions have managed to keep the peace when holding onto the idea of a peaceful resolution." Gray replied as he started walking up to Pina, the redhead mentally stopping herself from taking a step back.
"Now that one has been established, perhaps this little charade I've been keeping up to appease you can stop. There won't be much benefit now after everything's come to light and set in stone." Pina was testing his reaction, wanting to see what his actual feelings were during their time together.
"If it'll help you relax, then go right ahead. Nothing's come of me claiming to be the Foolish Prince; sure I went along with it to trick you and your knights, but I've never gained anything meaningful out of it." Gray replied with a dismissive wave of his hand and Pina felt that she had just got the drop on him.
"That's a lie, you've gained plenty by it. From the attack of Italica, possibly as far back as the Flame Dragon attack on that caravan you saved." Pina said with a tiny hint of smugness, but Gray gave her a deadpanned look wondering if she was serious.
"The most that came from those villagers' rescue was information about Italica and its whereabouts and as for the city itself, I made sure that the FEF took credit for the defense. Not once did I claim that I did it." The redhead wanted to counter, but her memories proved her wrong as she could recall wondering to Hamilton why he didn't want credit after the revision of the treaty. "Not to mention that even after that whole wrongful detainment and arrest Itami and I had gone through, neither one of us made a mention of it nor a complaint. It was an honest mistake due to lack of communication; it couldn't be helped, and we understood it."
"Then what's left?" Pina said breathlessly, a wave of frustration building inside of her at the realization that Gray hadn't taken advantage of them in the slightest from what she could recall.
"What's left?" Gray parroted as he was visibly confused by the redhead's words.
"That's right, what's left!?" Pina exclaimed as all the reasons she had to be upset and felt justified for were seemingly nonexistent. "This whole time I was prepared to tell you off, expose you for the greedy liar you were, and now I don't have a shred of proof. I gave up my pride and I wanted a chance to defend what was left, just for it to be a fool's errand."
"I've been told that pride comes before the fall and I've lived to see it, learning that lesson the hard way no less. Maybe in your opinion, I don't have a right to speak to you anymore, but I will say that you're still standing and that's what is important."
"In what way?" Pina could tell that Gray struggled to form his words before he spoke, but besides that, she couldn't understand why he was trying to comfort her at this point.
"If you'd stayed the course that your father's on, you'd be crushed by Queen Hisui and then the rest of the FEF. From what I can assume in your one-on-one meeting, she didn't pity you but I think in the end she likely empathized with your dilemma. If you've given up your pride in that instance, then Queen Hisui probably saw the potential for change thanks to you, you've been humbled instead of letting your pride get you crushed."
Gray's face showed understanding and his words seemed to try to be uplifting, so Pina tried to see where that optimism of his claim was coming from. Looking back to the way her father ruled the Empire, he always found satisfaction in rendering prideful fools into defeated husks of themselves, especially when they remained defiant to the bitter end. Then it became clear to her how much pride meant to those of her world, seeing as her brothers were adamant on showing how prideful they were in their accomplishments to appease their father. They became bullheaded in their ways, just like their father and if he was in her current position then he would've never bent the knee and Hisui would have no chance other than to destroy the Saderan Empire to achieve their goals.
Willingly showing that the mistake was on her behalf most likely ensured mercy from Hisui, even if her court was against the idea completely. That's when it became clear to Pina that the young queen chose the more difficult route of helping her instead of destroying the Empire because she showed an opportunity for change by sacrificing her pride for her people instead of herself. The ice mage had cleared a confusing point that had sprung up from her conversation with Queen Hisui and even if she wasn't fond of the idea of being deceived, Pina could acknowledge when someone was looking out for her during her moment of weakness. The redhead knew that to make it far in the political world, trust is something that is rarely if ever given out, but she was willing to give Gray another chance with it thanks to Tuka's words. After all, he'd done it for a reason but not once used it for his advantage and though it seemed like she was easily forgiving him, the redhead knew she had to be a bit more weary of the ice mage now.
"You and I won't be on such equal terms as before, but I am willing to start again for the sake of the alliance between myself and the FEF," Pina said as Gray gave a satisfied smirk in response, sticking his hand out to her.
"Then for the sake of this alliance, allow me to reintroduce myself. My name is Gray Fullbuster, S-class mage of Fairy Tail." Gray said as Pina took his hand and shook it, the ice mage looking a bit surprised at her knowing what action she needed to take.
"I am Pina Co Lada, Third Princess to the Saderan Empire. May this alliance prove beneficial to us all" Pina knew she'd still be skeptical of the FEF given how they readily agreed to lie to her, but if their well-respected queen could put her faith in Fairy Tail, then perhaps she could too.
As they let go of each other's hand, Gray let out a short chuckle as he turned to face the ocean, which confused Pina since she wasn't sure what was funny. She decided to stand beside him and looked out towards the ocean as well, curiously finding a sense of tranquility compared to the rowdy guild hall behind them. Pina peeked towards the ice mage and noticed that though he held a neutral expression, she could tell that there was a sense of peace in him.
"You know, it's kind of funny," Gray began as Pina quickly set her gaze back towards the ocean, "I'm struggling to understand how we've come to a peaceful resolution between us before the day's end."
"We're adults, instead of dancing around the topic and letting it drag on to the detriment of us both, we've decided to confront it head-on," Pina replied as disputes in the Senate were like this to a degree, albeit a tad more costly, but the redhead has learned that the sooner conflict between parties is resolved, the sooner more important matters get the necessary attention. "Though I must admit that I was given a push to do so earlier."
"Adults, huh? You're barely even seventeen, you're practically as old as Wendy." Gray joked and although Pina enjoyed the fact that he thought she was mature for her age in a way, she too wasn't fond of the idea of being seen as childish.
"I'm a grown woman of nineteen years, therefore I am capable of adult thought and know very well that settling the matter between ourselves was the right thing to do." Pina defended herself, knowing she didn't have to, and felt satisfied that she could share the same casualness that Bozes shared with him.
"And what about the others, you do know that they went along with it and Natsu could still pose a danger." Pina had thought of that beforehand but in all honesty, the interactions she had with the rest weren't so pronounced that she didn't need to find their justification for lying. It could also be that with Gray, it was somewhat personal by comparison.
"Since no one aside from ourselves and Natsu is aware that I know the truth, there won't be much trouble if we explain things to them. As for said mage, he is a hurdle I must overcome on my own. Either we come to an understanding, or I do my best to minimize his destructive anger, in any case, my job will be difficult."
"I have to admit that in some ways, you've matured and understand the roles we're all playing for the sake of everyone's future," Gray said as he crossed his arms, slightly turning his head to look at her. "So just know that from here on out, you're not alone."
"Even if I feel that the future for me and my people is uncertain, it is a comforting thought to have in mind."
Deep down Pina knew that there were plenty of problems still out there and specific factors that could add to them, but for now, she could put her mind at ease. Come what may, but for the first time since word reached her about the army's destruction by both forces, Pina could feel as if her worries were finally being laid to rest.