Few days later at Akane Resort, Natsu and the gang were at the hotel room where everyone is bandaged up from head to toe, except for Natsu who only has bandages on his body that is covered under a black shirt. The man is sitting by a bed that had Haruka and Haruo sleeping on it, Natsu watches them sleep while he just sit on his chair with silence.
Lucy, and Gray watch Natsu look after his twins before they look away.
Gray slides a piece of paper towards Lucy as it had a message for her. The two converse with letters because of the fact that Natsu can hear even if someone whispers and that they had been told of why Natsu joined with Jellal in the first place.
'you think that Natsu will be fine after not getting his ex-wife back?' said Gray on his message to Lucy who quickly wrote her reply.
'I don't know, I just feel like we should let things flow out a bit. Just trying to get the right mood before we can ask him' replied Lucy in her message.
Before the two could continue to converse secretly, Erza came into the room.
"oh Erza" Lucy said as she looks at the scarlet hair woman
"looks like I've dragged you all into a big mess, I'm sorry" Erza said with a sad smile
"how many times are you going to say that?" Gray said as he looks to her "whatever things that happened that time, doesn't matter to the fact that you're a Fairy Tail Mage and we are all Family who stick up for each other"
Erza nodded to him with a smile
"so where is Mira-san?" asked Lucy, not seeing the She-demon anywhere.
"She headed back early to the guild with Juvia" replied Erza "Master called and need her help on the Guild's finishing touch"
"oh, I see" said Lucy before everyone turns to look at Natsu who stood up from his chair and started walking out of the room.
"I'll be taking a walk" said Natsu by the door. "call me if Haruka and Haruo wakes up and try to find me"
Lucy and the others nodded as Natsu went out of the room, leaving them inside.
outside on the beach, Erza met up with her old friends at the beach. Wally, Shô, and Milianna looked remorseful, which Simon was simply looking at Erza with a soft look. After a while, Wally was the one to break the silence.
"I apologize, Erza." Wally apologized as he bowed his head.
"Sorry, Er-chan." Milianna's ears dropped, showing how much sad she was. It was clear that they were hating themselves for their actions against Erza when all she tried to do was to save them.
"No. It was I was unable to do anything for you for eight long years." Erza bowed down, "I'm truly sorry."
"It's not your fault, nee-san!" Shô exclaimed defiantly.
"It isn't your fault. We were foolish enough to believe Jellal and follow him." Simon added. Although he didn't believe Jellal, he still followed his orders.
"If I had done something sooner, then you wouldn't have lost all those years." Erza explained as she bit her lower lip, "But we must continue on." She raised her head, the determination in her eyes, "If you don't have no other place to go, then come to Fairy Tail."
"Heh?! Us joining Fairy Tail?!" Wally sputtered in shock.
"It might be different than the 'freedom' you sought, but it's definitely a good start." Erza tried to reason further.
"They said something like that.." Wally remembered the others when they talked about their Guild.
"That it was a super spiffy guild!" Milianna exclaimed as she jumped up.
"And I'd like to stay together with you all." Erza admitted, smiling, "Come on, let's go back. I have to properly introduce you to Natsu and the others." she wrapped her arms around Shô's and Milianna's waist, as she took them in the Hotel.
at nighttime, things been quiet after the party that everyone had together as they did it all day long.
"Lucy!" Erza barged into the blonde's room, who was writing her usual letter to her mother, "Have you seen Shô or the others?!"
"No, I haven't," Lucy answered her
"I see.." Erza muttered as she knew what was going on.
"What happened?!" Lucy asked
"Tell Natsu and Gray to prepare the 'Fireworks'," Erza ordered as she turned around and exited the room.
"Hey, Wait!" Lucy exclaimed, but it was too late.
"Do you really think we can make it on our own?!" Wally asked as they put their supplies in the small boat. The group consisted of Wally, Shô, and Milianna, "In the outside world?"
"We have to!" Shô replied, "We can't bother Nee-san anymore." his statement met with nods of agreement from both Wally and Milliana. As they finished, a familiar voice shouted from behind.
"Everyone!" Erza appeared before them. They stiffened slightly. They didn't expect her to find out this early. Erza frowned upon not seeing Simon in the group, "Where's Simon?"
"He already left. He said he had to find someone." Wally was the one to answer.
"I see," Erza muttered.
"Where are you guys going?"
"We were raised in the Tower our entire lives. There's a lot we don't understand, that we're uncertain of.." Shô began as he clenched his hands into fists, "But we want to see the outside world for ourselves. We don't want to live relying on others any longer.." he explained, with his companions nodding resolutely, "We've had enough of living for someone else! From now on, we'll live for ourselves! We want to find our own reason to live!"
"That's our freedom!" Wally added.
Erza smiled proudly, even if it saddened her to separate from them, she was proud of them, "If you keep that strong will, you will accomplish anything. It reassures me." The Knight sighed as a serious look crossed her beautiful face, "However, there are three conditions for anyone who leaves Fairy Tail! Listen well." she finished as her body bathed in light.
"Leave? But we never joined..." Wally sputtered again. As he saw Erza wearing the Fairy Tail Departing Armor for the ceremony
Erza exclaimed, getting everyone's attention, as she slammed a staff adorning Fairy Tail's flag into the ground, "One! You must never reveal sensitive information about Fairy Tail to others as long as you live! Two! You must not have unauthorized contact with past clients or profit personally from them!" Everyone's serious facade was broken when Erza momentarily stopped to choke back a sob. The scarlet-haired Knight took a shaky breath to calm herself, as tears streamed down her cheeks, "Three! Even if we walk different paths, we must always live on as strong as you are able! You must never treat your own life as something insignificant!" tears streaming down Erza's eyes, "You must never forget the friends you love for as long as you live!" Briefly bitting her lip to hold back another sob, Erza raised her staff high into the air, "Begin the Fairy Tail farewell ceremony!
"Yeah!" Lucy, Gray, and Natsu appeared behind her.
Natsu lifted his right hand up and opened his palm as he fired s several little fireballs towards the sky that exploded into fireworks. Natsu continued to do so with Gray and Lucy joining in
"Let them blossom in your hearts!" Erza exclaimed in tears
"I wish I could be with you forever." Erza said as she stared at the beautiful display filling the night sky, tears still pouring from her eyes, "But if that ends up holding you back, I wish to bless your newfound voyage."
"You've got it backward, Er-chan!" Milliana struggled to say through her tears. The boat was getting smaller and smaller as it sailed farther and farther in the water.
"With us around, you will be forced to remember all the bad things!" Wally exclaimed, trying and failing to stop his own tears from falling.
"I won't forget you, no matter where you may be." Erza said as she raised her staff into the air, "And it is those painful memories that become the seeds of tomorrow! They make us stronger! Humans have that power!" Natsu, Lucy, and Gray walked up next to Erza, joining her in seeing her old friends off.
Fairy Tail's flag waved proudly from atop Erza's staff, seeming to glow because of the fireworks that filled the night sky, "Go on, stronger and I will do same. If we never forget this day, we will meet again. Stay well, my friends!"
"You too nee-san! And Fairy Tail too!" Shô shouted as the boat began to drift farther and farther away.
"By-bye Er-chan!" Milliana exclaimed, smiling through her tears, as she energetically waved to the Fairy Tail members.
"We'll definitely meet again! That's a promise!" Wally yelled, hiding his face behind his hat.
"It's a promise," Erza whispered, as she tried to wipe away her tears, but they didn't seem to stop.
Everyone waved the group goodbye before Natsu turns to the side and saw a pink silhouette of someone entering the hotel mysteriously.
At the hotel, Natsu is sitting by Haruka and Haruo's bed, the twins are fast asleep alongside Kiara who is curled up in a fluff ball.
Natsu sat by the bed before he sensed a familiar presence coming from behind him as he never felt so relax.
"they grow up so fast" Ikaruga appeared as she looks to her children sleeping so peacefully with each other.
"yes" Natsu replied as Ikaruga leans down a bit to the two sleeping kids and placed a peck to the forehead on each. Ikaruga leans away and smiled before looking to Natsu
"the sakura petals are still blooming?" Ikaruga spoke to Natsu who nodded
"they are" Natsu replied to her as Ikaruga smiled before slowly walking towards the door
"Ikaruga" Natsu called out to her as he stands up from his seat, Ikaruga slowly turns her head towards Natsu as he walks towards her
"what is it?" Ikaruga asked before feeling Natsu's hand on her cheeks
"this" He leans down and connect their lips together in a kiss. They kissed each other for a moment before separating.
"I will always love you" he muttered out as Ikaruga smiled softly to him
"yes, I know" Ikaruga replied
"when we get to the cave, let us end this" Natsu said "I can't live with this separation any longer" Ikaruga looks to him as she slowly nodded "I hope for us, to be a family we had always wanted"
"yes, I as well desire that" replied Ikaruga before she and Natsu embraced each other as Natsu felt tears wanting to pour out of his eyes
The night was silent as the stars filled the sky and the moon at its peak before some sakura petals rain down.
That's a wrap!
Bye bye