The Key(s) to Victory

by dxvilcj

There was nothing Lucy could do as she stood and watched in pure horror as 10,000 Dragons entered Fiore, destroying everything in their path. She got separated from the others during the initial attack, but the lack of magic and prideful shouts that she knows Fairytail was capable of, confirmed her doubts to be true. Everyone was dead. She had to go back, to save the future.

27. You Know it's Not the Same as it Was

It wasn't what she had…expected.

Or rather, she should say that it wasn't what she had imagined her first experience to be the moment she became an official member of Fairytail. The blue stamp had burned into her thigh, making her feel liberated. An action, that was taken by herself.

Of her own free will.

It wasn't as if she never had any to begin with. But society's isolation of her plus the never ending depression that triggered from it made as if she couldn't do a thing. Not even to help her own self, as foolish as it may seem to others. There was nothing and everything that had stopped her simultaneously.

But she took a step forward today, and she was proud of herself.

Juvia was used to the stares, they no longer bother her anymore. She was not naive to think that she would be welcomed with open arms by all, but she supposed that it did help that not many people saw her fight during the war. She was known for being one of the Elemental 4, but it was just a title at the end of the day. Half of the members didn't see her in action, and that's probably her saving grace.

Well, other than Lucy Heartfilia and Gray Fullbuster, that is.

'And don't you dare forget about what had happened with Team Shadow Gear, Juvia.'

"Juvia is…" Words failed her as she stood before the former, feeling anxious as sharp brown eyes looked at her. Juvia had been debating with herself feverishly on whether or not to approach the girl in the first place. She had been under orders to capture the woman, and it wasn't really her idea to attempt to hurt her in the first place. Besides, the blonde was more than capable of handling herself based off of what Juvia remembered from their encounters.

If it had been anyone else but Gajeel by her side the second time, she probably would've escaped again.

"Juvia is sorry for everything, and if you don't want to see Juvia again, then-"

"That's enough," Lucy cut her off with a small hand and a soft breath.

Juvia closed her mouth instantly, but the small bit of remorse was still in her eyes. Clearly, she didn't know what to expect from this conversation, and was fearing the worst. Lucy just gave her a brighter smile this time around, and gestured for her to follow her out of the Fairytail Guild Hall.

Walking down the bricked path was something that Juvia had grown to immensely enjoy. Was it possible to be addicted to the Sun? Juvia was curious as she feels the loving warmth radiating on her skin. She's grown to really love the outdoors now that she had the chance to expel all of her clouds. Deprived from it almost her entire life, she swore to never let herself stumble down that path again, for this is what normal people experienced on the daily.

She would never give it up.

And it was all thanks to Fairytail, in a way.

"It's a lovely day outside, isn't it?" Lucy looked over at the rain woman conversationally. Juvia wasn't sure what to say, so she nodded. Yes, the weather felt nice, indeed. However she still felt the slight chill of the unknown, and she was scared to make another move due to it. What if she says the wrong thing, and everything goes to hell again?

"It's been a couple of months, but Magnolia truly feels more at home than what I've experienced my entire life." Lucy confessed, letting out a slight chuckle. They ended up stopping by the bridge and she turns to rest her arms against the railing, looking out to the river below. A leaf blew into her hair, but she simply plucked it and dropped it, watching mindlessly as it began to fall to the water, where it began to float above, never sinking.

"You remind me of that leaf, you know."

"What?" Juvia was utterly confused.

Lucy looked over towards her and rested her chin on her hand and hummed, "Floating along, following orders. Stopping and then falling, and yet once you hit the ground, you float. You don't crash, you just…float. Rock bottom, to some's eyes, but not mine. Almost like a checkpoint."

"Do you sink or do you continue to float?"

A gust of wind blows and the leaf is picked up once more, flying high into the sky once again for a new journey.

"Or do you soar?"

Juvia stared at the leaves that took flight once more, as she took in the metaphor. It seemed Lucy Heartfilia truly was wise for her age, even though they were around the age if she really thought about it. It goes to show that age is merely a number, and that wisdom comes from experience, which can happen for all ages, young and old. Juvia did not know it, but Lucy was young and old.

A paradox.

And it was Rushii , that she was speaking with right now.

As she was teaching both Lucy and Juvia a lesson here, as they watched her silently. One from within and the other by her physical side. Rushii let out a soft sigh as she gestured for Juvia, who was still unsure where this was going, to follow.

"I forgive you." Rushii smiles, opting to not look at the rainwoman. Juvia stares at the back of her head in slight disbelief. She had offered her apologies and she was forgiven, but Rushii was sure that she was still in shock at the fact. Why was it that people don't expect to be forgiven? That they automatically assume that they should shoulder the guilt of what they had done for the rest of their lives?

No, it was time to put it all to rest.

"Why?"

"What do you mean why? Did you not just apologize to me, silly?" Rushii chuckled as she shot Juvia an amused look over her shoulder. Juvia flushed and just shrugged as she looked away, not sure how to reply to that. This is out of her comfort zone, after all. Partially feeling guilty on her own behalf, partially following orders from Makarov to apologize.

But he never did say what and where to go from there.

Freedom, he had told her.

So many choices, no one had told her.

"Juvia did…but she is still surprised. Do you not see Juvia as an enemy, still? Are you not wary of Juvia's intentions?"

"Nah," Rushii said easily, "Call it a gut instinct."

Were all Fairytail members so…easy going? Juvia doesn't know if she'd be able to say the same if the roles were reversed. But also, if the roles were reversed, she would still be in misery and emotionless. There is much to learn about Fairytail's ways, indeed.

"Having empathy means to understand how someone becomes who they are, evil or not. To acknowledge the circumstances of their origins and to not downplay their beginnings just because you can't relate. Blasphemy to one, but parallel to another, it is all different. You can empathize with an opponent, and still strike them down ." She puts an emphasis for the latter, as a message to Lucy. Lucy had troubled understanding Rushii's acceptance of Gajeel and Phantom Lord for what they've done, but it was more than the surface level of war. The true wickedness had laid within Jose Porla, a man who was sin at it's very core.

He had poisoned his members with his idealology, but that didn't mean that they didn't deserve a chance for the cure. Most of them didn't even know that it was an option to begin with, and who can blame them?

"It was all they knew, Lucy. Perhaps some of Phantom Lord took the measures to the extreme, but it was a gospel to them, my imouto. In a world where no one seemed to love them, where people had abandoned them, a place where they were isolated and different. Phantoms. Jose Porla brought them together, evil or not."

It could have been us in their shoes.

Rushii lets the words simmer, unspoken. She had ran away from neglect after all, what if she had been unstable, and decided to seek comfort in Phantom Lord instead of finding Fairytail?

They were both places for the lost, they just had different goals.

And if Jose's ambitions hadn't been so vile, it would have been fine to live as Phantom Lord.

"I forgive you, Juvia, because I understand why you followed the rules. I think in your shoes, I would have done the same." Rushii said as she came to a complete stop. She turned around to face Juvia, who was staring at her with growing red eyes. She sniffed.

"Do you miss them?"

It was dysfunctional at best, Phantom Lord. They were mean, they sneered and they didn't tolerate the weak. She was rather isolated there too to be honest, but there were few that made it okay.

Gajeel .

"…Yeah." Juvia sniffed, feeling emotional. It was dysfunctional at best, but it was still her family. And they were now in ruins. Juvia understands why, she fought in the damn war herself. She knew that what they had done was wrong now. But it doesn't change the fact that she won't be able to go back to a place that was familiar, and that while Fairytail seemed to be lovely, it did not change her childhood.

Does that make her a traitor already?

"Phantom Lord was the only home Juvia had." Juvia quietly sobbed.

"And Fairytail isn't the same," Rushii whispered and she gently took both of Juvia's hands and squeezed. "Don't replace those memories of home, aim for a new chapter instead. I would never tell someone to forget where they came from, because there is something that we did learn from our pasts. The good and the bad."

"Juvia is now loyal to Fairytail, she promises." Juvia says as she cried. But it was Lucy this time, back in control of the main body as she consoled and moved to hold the former S-Class mage. It was Lucy who finally understood what Rushii was telling her, and was beginning to share the same empathy that her Nee-san had possessed.

Of course, there are those who could never be forgiven.

There are those who cross lines and that is why they are rendered hell-bound. But most of society falls into a gray category. People always do something that goes against a moral of another, but you could never known the full extent of the circumstances that people are willing to go. And if everyone thought the exact same as you did when it cames to morals, then how could we call ourselves diverse?

Juvia wanted to change on her own free will.

And frankly, there wasn't much "hatred" inside of Lucy at the rain woman to begin with.

"...my father attempted to kidnap me, neglected me for over a decade, and yet I still love him." Lucy held Juvia tightly and she froze for a moment. A foreign feeling that felt lovely, so lovely that Juvia was frozen from surprise and quiet happiness.

"There isn't any shame in still loving Phantom Lord, Juvia."

Juvia held Lucy back just as tightly once she heard those words.

They stood there for a moment before Juvia let go first, feeling a bit overwhlemed at the physical contact. Lucy flashes her a cute smile and puts her hand on her hips.

"So, you're at a crossroads now, yeah? Are you gonna float just above the surface or soar into the skies, because now that we've had this chat, sinking is not an option."

Juvia giggled as she wiped her eyes and sniffed, "Juvia supposes that it is in Fairytail's nature to aim for soaring high, no?"

"Welcome to Fairytail, Juvia."

-J-L-

"Juvia was..not alone when it came to wanting to move on and do better." Juvia began as they walked back to the guild hall. Lucy had took the initiative to hold the rain woman's hand, and while it was shocking and made Juvia feel a bit odd, she had allowed the woman to continue to do so. Why? Because she was eager, as a short explaination. Eager for all the forms of friendships that await her in the newest chapter of her life.

"Is that so? I'm sure they'd be welcomed if they came to join Fairytail, just like you." Lucy flashed a smile at Juvia but the girl didn't return it as she looked down. Lucy looked at her in slight confusion, "What is it?"

Or rather, who is it?

"Juvia doesn't want to say."

"Is it-don't tell me it's that Earth guy at least," Lucy cringed at the thought of the disgusting man and their first encounter together. He may be a formidable opponent, but at the extreme cost of his personality. Juvia mirrored her actions and scowled,

"Juvia does not know what happened to Sol, but she does not care in the slightest. Some of the worst things that happened during the war was because of Sol's sadistic intentions, Juvia hates him."

"Air guy?"

"Juvia also doesn't know what happened with Aira. She doubts that he'd want to join Fairytail in the first place, though. He enjoyed the idea of harming Makarov, with Jose. His pride would never allow him to attempt to join after two failed attempts on Makarov's life." Juvia spoke of the "assassinations" attempts with an ease that only showed that she had come from a previous guild prior. Fairytail was not new to violence, but it was often paired with a strong emotion. They hurt others, and really that's what it is at the end of the day, even if they did it for good intentions, only when it calls for it.

Probably wasn't the same for Juvia, who spoke about what happened as if she was clinically dissecting the entire war. As if it was something to be studied, and there wasn't bloodshed that had been split.

"Totomaru, um Juvia supposes you know him as "Fire Guy"," Juvia said with big quotation mark gestured and Lucy couldn't help but to laugh at the seriousness expression on her face as she did it, "He was the most likable of the three, if you ask Juvia. Juvia doesn't know much about his whereabouts, but of all of them, she hopes that he is okay. Juvia remembered that he really loved kids, and that if he wasn't apart of Phantom Lord, he'd be doing something with them."

"I hope he gets the chance, then."

"Agreed."

Lucy realized that probably left one option left, and the fact of it made her fill with unease. She does not know what to think of the iron dragon slayer, as she still felt cross with the man but listening to Rushii's and Juvia's stories have helped her with her previous anger at least. It was a one sided anger at the time, and while she felt as if she did have a good reason to be justified in it, it wasn't as if she experienced what Levy had, for Spirit's sake.

It will take time to understand and accept him, if what she guesses is coming.

"The only one who is left is…"

"Gajeel." Juvia said a bit miserably. She was worried for him ever since she had walked out in a feat of anger, wanting to start their new lives already. Juvia hasn't had the courage to go back to the safe house, scared of what she'll find. A letter, no note at all, or perhaps a betrayed Gajeel, staring at her like he never wanted to see her again.

"Ah." Lucy said with a wry smile and Juvia sighs.

"Juvia knows what happened in the kidnapping, she doesn't expect you to easily forgive him like you did with her. Perhaps forgiveness wasn't even on the table, it-it's something is between the two of you, not Juvia. Regardless, Juvia feels the need…" She trailed off, unsure of how to express what she was feeling. Gajeel got on her nerves too, but in the end, she did still worry for him. She did still care.

"To defend him? Help others give him the benefit of the doubt?"

"...yes, how did you know?"

Lucy just shrugged, "That's easy, really. I'd do that for any of my friends too."

Juvia freezes at the words and stares at Lucy in shock. " Friends? Is that what we are?"

"If you are willing to help Gajeel despite everything, then considering your familiarity with each other, I would say that does make you friends."

She had to speak with him soon.

Lucy looks Juvia deep into her eyes, as if she was detecting the chance for any lies, as she hesitantly asked, "Is he really not that bad?"

Juvia stayed silent for a moment as she processed the question. It was a loaded one, in her eyes. "At his core, Gajeel's nature is loyalty. It's not something that he handed out like a free give away card, in fact, Juvia guessed that only Jose at the time had earned it. Um, perhaps it applies to Juvia as well, in a sense. Juvia was the only one with a nickname, while everyone else got snarls and sharp words. He did it with her as well but it was just different. Juvia thinks that while he isn't one to regret what he has done on orders, she thinks that is moreso based off of the fact that you can't change the past once you've done it, so it was no point in worrying about what you did. There has been moments where he's hesitated in doing something, but carried out with it anyways. Because he's loyal, and that triumphs his own pride."

She gave Lucy an interested, calculative look for a moment that caught the latter by surprised. "What?"

"You said he had locked you away on Jose 's orders, right? Did he hurt you, Lucy?"

Lucy thought back at the moment, "I mean, he flicked his hardened skin at me and I'm sure I was cut here and there but…he didn't beat my ass to oblivion, if that's what you're asking."

Juvia smiled. "He doesn't like to hurt people who he thinks are weaker than him. He will shout and call you names as he sneers in disgust, but his pride won't allow him to attack you willingly. Gajeel was only interested in the strong, being the only ones "worth his time"."

"He…reminds me of Natsu." Lucy said after digesting her words. A darker, sharper Natsu, but still held the same values nonetheless. Based off of Juvia's experience with him, if he had been from anywhere else other than Phantom Lord, and if they had met, she thinks that maybe it wouldn't have been so bad to talk with him.

"Makarov is the holder of Gajeel's loyalty now, Juvia thinks. What he will do with that, Juvia isn't sure. She hopes…they can sit side by side at the guild hall table one day." Once again .

"Yeah, we'll see." Lucy nodded. Ultimately, her opinion of the iron dragon slayer will come from what she sees should he join the guild. For now, she's reserved herself to be at an impast when it comes to him. No longer severely disliking the man, but not actively supporting him either.

It will take time.

-L-H-

Everyone looked at the two as they re-entered the room, smiling as they talked. Deep down, there were many who didn't know how to feel about the former Element 4 member joining the guild. The war was over, but some of the memories still lingered every day. But to see Lucy Heartfilia, Fairytail's new Golden Girl, and the Element 4 member smiling as if the memories were non-existent, everyone's internal worries had immediately disappeared that instant.

Because Lucy, who arguably was the biggest victim in the entire war, was smiling and comfortable. That meant that Juvia Lockser wasn't as bad as she was rumored to be from Phantom Lord.

Lucy eventually waved Juvia off and Juvia took a seat down at the table, feeling emotionally exhausted at everything that had happened. To say that the exchange with better than she had expected was an understatement. It went astonishly well, so much so that Juvia could begin to see herself call the celestial spirit mage a friend if they continued to speak. Her second friend, or maybe third.

Regardless, she was tired but happy.

And that was another foreign emotion, but it excited her.

It felt nice.

"Hey."

Juvia blinked and suddenly there was a dark haired boy that was sitting next to her, shirtless with a silver chain around his neck as he looked at her with hopeful eyes while scratching the back of his neck. Gray Fullbuster flashed her a small grin and she felt her cheeks warm up.

Ah, Gray Fullbuster. What an anomaly.

"Hello."

"Uh, I..saw you were with Lucy for a while, did it go okay?"

"Yes, our conversation went well. Juvia had apologized to her and we talked about other things." Juvia said a bit stiffly. She still was unsure about what to think about the man who had bested her, but she couldn't deny the subtle fluttering of her heart everytime they made eye contact.

And as they talked, they didn't realize that they had a small audience watching them from a distance.

For once in his life, Natsu was opting out of the usual brawl as he slumped against Lucy, resting his head on her shoulder as he hugged her from behind. She was leaning onto him for support as they sat, letting Natsu idlely play with her hair as she eyed the blue duo in the distance. She slurped her slurpee and chuckled, "Well, I've always liked a good enemies to lovers trope."

"Is that what you think this is? They don't hate each other enough, in my opinion. The boy was whipped the moment she had timidly walked into the fucking room, looking as if he couldn't believe it." Cana snorted as she looked over at them before eyeing the pair that was sitting near her. Natsu had opened his mouth, and Lucy had allowed him to sip from her drink without even looking at the boy, who had begun to hum happily at the flavors.

Cana scowled and quickly called Mira over.

"Yes, dear?"

"Come sit on my lap, we're the only one in a fucking relationship around here, but why do I feel the most single?"

Mira smacked her with a wet cloth and Cana pouted as Natsu laughed at her. Yet Lucy, who had understood the hidden message between Cana's words, simply flushed and stared at Cana with wide eyes as the alcoholic merely smirked at the celestial spirit mage.

"I know what you are," She mouthed evilly and Lucy flushed even harder as she quickly got revenge, calling Mirajane back over after lying and saying that Cana was being crude again. This lead Cana to be forced to help Mirajane at the bar much to her chargain, and she wasn't mature enough not to flick Lucy off as she followed her girlfriend. "Stupid fucking blondes."

"Love you too, Cana!" Lucy teased.

"Did everything go okay?" A deep voice whispered against her ear and Lucy fought down the urge to squirm. It did not help that she was currently encased within strong arms, and a nice warm body that was very comfortable to lay against. "She didn't try anything, did she?"

"Natsu," She said a bit disappointedly, "We can't sit there and think the worst of our newest members! Fairytail welcomes all, you of all people should know that."

"Yeah, and if it was anyone else, I wouldn't have questioned it," Natsu said easily. "But you know you're different for me. I don't care if it was Makarov himself that dared to question you, I wouldn't stand for it."

"Why?" Lucy blurted out as she turned around in his arms, brown eyes matching a darker brown. "Why am I an exception compared to everyone else?"

"You just are ," Natsu said softly as he looked into her eyes. How could he express in words that she makes him want to fight every single person that dared to look at her wrongly? That his hands always ached to touch her in any way possible, that just seeing her in person with his own two eyes never failed to make his day.

That talking to her and sleeping by her side never failed to calm even the biggest of his worries.

She was his other half, it felt like.

"One day, I'm going to force you to explain more," Lucy huffed as Natsu grinned before turning her back around, forcing her flush against his body again. "Uh huh."

"Make my words, Natsu Dragneel. I didn't teach you how to read and write for you to answer like this!"

"Right, right."

"...you're so annoying."

"I love you too." He said just as cheekily.

-L, V, C, S, A, T-

The Celestial Spirit Realm was a place that defied time and space, which is why none of the spirits really think about it. It mimiced the Mortal Realm in terms of scenery when it comes to forests, mountains, rives, etc, but it doesn't mimic the actual location. It was just a vast, seemingly never ending space where spirits that one celestial spirit mage rested.

There were rules though, like only spirits owned by the mage could stay in their specific "plane".

All of the spirits that were in this world were owned by Lucy Heartfilia, which is why even if Leo had wanted to begin the search for Aries, he wouldn't be able to. Aries was not owned by Lucy, and therefore she wouldn't be here.

The thought alone makes him sigh as he sits on the edge of the cliff, looking out into the distance.

That is, until a harsh kick had knocked him over board, causing a rather high pitched scream to escape as he fell, before he managed to teleport back to his previous position and whipped his head around to irritatedly snap and who he knew was the perpetrator.

Only to be surprised once more.

"C-Cancer?!"

"Sorry- ebi ." Cancer sighed with his hands on his hips, "I lost a bet with the mermaid."

"What?" A bet? What in the world…

"Are you done howling at the fucking moon like a weirdo? If so, hurry up and join us. The break is fucking over." Aquarius snapped as she walked past, giving Cancer a sleazy smirk causing the crab to roll his eyes before he grabbed his own backpack to follow the mermaid. Leo spluttered,

"Howling?! That's not what lions do, you know . And it's not even the moon that's out right now, it's the fucking sun. And-" A hand on his shoulder signaled him to stop his irritated rant, and he looked over to see that it was none other than Sagittarius that was the one to do so. Leo raised an eyebrow at the man, who merely shook his head.

"Forgive me, Sir Leo, but I do believe you have been "gaslit", moshi-moshi ."

"What?!" Leo raged.

"I can't believe this..," Virgo said as she walked past and rolled her eyes as she let out a sigh of her own, ducking under one of the leaves with her own backpack. Leo looked at her in slight annoyance, and she wordlessly pointed in Aquarius's direction. Cancer just chuckled as he raised his hands behind his head as he walked, "Backpack hiking, huh? Just when I thought I've seen it all…"

"It was for team bonding, what the mortals do sometimes in order to develop deeper bonds with one another."

"Has centuries not been enough time for all of that?" Leo snorted as he looked at the ground in irritation. What the hell was the meaning of all of this? What did "bonding" have to do with being "gaslit" and kicked off a cliff? If anything, it just made him angrier- "What the hell is any of this for, anyways?"

"The Leo that I knew centuries ago wouldn't have asked such a question and would've known what was happening," Virgo shot Leo a look who suddenly looked peeved.

"Well I'm sorry that I just went through-"

"Stop it, guys." Cancer sighed as he shook his head. He turned to Virgo first, "That was uncalled for. You know he's a bit sensitive after everything he's been through, and that people change. Hell, you used to just take orders and not speak unless spoken to centuries ago. Now you got a bit of a bite that can rival Aquarius's, so clearly things are different."

Virgo looked away.

He threw an arm around Leo who huffed out and looked down, "And you . I don't know why you've gotten so pissy all of a sudden, do not forget that we all worked together to save your life. You need a drastic change in your life, Leo. Otherwise, you'll fall down the same path that you did before and you won't even realize it."

"I won't ever wish Lucy harm, not after all she's done for me. I didn't deserve it," Leo told Cancer fiercely, and that's when the crab let out a small, sad smile.

"But isn't that the thing, Leo? You did deserve it. You deserved to be loved, just as I told you before- ebi ."

He kissed Leo's head and rubbed his hair that resembled a lion's man, and Leo just stared at him as he held his backpack straps. Cancer flashed him a grin, "That's what this trip is about, anyways. Like a small reunion as yet another one of us has found each other, no?"

"Another fucking annoyance, I'll say." Aquarius spoke as she slowed down to all the others to catch up to her and Taurus in the front. Taurus waved at Leo, who let out a small wave back. They continued to make small talk as they walked through the trail that magically extended and morphed for them, and Leo decided that he would at least try to heed Cancer's words.

"I have packed excellent spiritual protein shakes for our consumption, fellow Spirits!" Taurus announced proudly.. Aquarius sneered and told him to stop yelling right beside her ears before she turned fully towards the slow walkers. "And pick up the pace you guys, we are supposed to reach the campsite thingy soon."

"Camp site? I thought it was hiking." Cancer raised an eyebrow but Aquarius just rolled her eyes. "It's all the fucking same if you're out in natural with bugs and whatnot. It's all gross."

"Then why are we—" Virgo scowled as she began to pipe up but a quick, rare stern look from Cancer caused her to fall silent. Cancer let out an internal sigh, first they had Leo and Virgo in irritated moods. Sagittarius was too polite and nervous to speak up. Aquarius at least had the right idea with this whole operation, but her attitude never helps.

The only saving grace was Taurus yet Cancer is sure it was only a matter of time before Aquarius begins to argue with the "meathead". For someone who is supposed to be rather airheaded, he sure does like to grind Aquarius's gears. Cancer has his suspicions that sometimes he does it on purpose, but hey, so did he.

Maybe this was doomed from the start, Cancer shook his head.

Eventually, they reached the campsite and everyone went to work. Aquarius took charge as she ordered everyone to do their part respectively, although everyone knew she was just trying to get out of doing the grunt work. No one said anything though, as they began to mimic the humans's camping setup process with a comfortable silence.

By the time they were finish, Sagittarius managed to light the fire with the brand new trick that he learned from his summoning to Lucy's aide a while ago. The flame lit up the the area around them as the sky glowed purple, and everyone took a seat around the heat source. Cancer and Virgo were sitting on the floor, the former stretched out languidly while the other sat with a firm posture. Aquarius was sprawled on a log and propped her arm up to use as a rest as she looked into the flames with a thoughtful experience on her face. Sagittarius had let out a soft sigh as he took a step back and sat down next to her.

This left Taurus and Leo sitting normally on the log, but Leo refused to look at the center and off to the side as he felt the tension begin to dispate and rise from inside of him. As if he needed to be on edge in case something happened . As if he needed to keep his sharpness and wits about him as he looked around the around with unease.

"Calm the fuck down, Leo." Aquarius called him out for it.

Leo immediately scowled, "I am calm."

"Friend Leo, I would have to disagree from the state of your muscular-" Taurus spoke up from beside him, but Leo had had enough at that point. He shot up, taking in a strangled breath as he glared at everyone around the campfire.

"What is with you guys with constantly asking if I'm okay? I am completely utterly- " Leo choked in the middle of his outburst, taking in the looks of the others. He swallowed the words that was inside of him as he just let out a sharp breath as he lost the edge he had to look them in the eye. God, what was he doing? These were people he's known for centuries, and yet here they were taking the brunt of his blowup.

He took a moment to collect himself before he let out a weak sigh, "I'm fine , alright?"

"But you aren't, and I hate it." Virgo finally speaks what's on her mind. What has been bothering her ever since Leo had been reunited with the rest of them, yet not mirroring the lion that she had remembered so vividly back in the day. How could someone render him into such a haggard state?

That is what she was upset about. It is childish for her to be irritated for something that Leo obviously wasn't able to control, but it was hard to look at him and not compare himself to what he was before. Their leader was a shell of himself, and it made her nausecous at the mere thought.

"Yeah, well," Leo scoffed as he felt a lump in his throat at Virgo's words, for they had stung deep. "You're not the only one who hates me either. I hate myself too."

"How could you let yourself fall like this?!" Virgo accused suddenly, rare tears welling in her eyes. She looked up to Leo, when she was younger. He was a man who embodied confidence and fairness, with a playfulness that had made him a favorite from all spirits that interacted with him. She shot up onto her feet, and glared at Leo with such anger and sadness that he was rendered speechless for a moment.

Even Aquarius got up to stare at Virgo as she continued on.

"I looked up to you, because you were practically my older brother. How dare you give up and almost fade away like it was nothing if you'd left. You're our leader Leo."

"AND I DIDN'T ASK FOR THAT." Leo roared as he flexed his hands. "It's supposed to be Capricorn, everyone knows this. He's the oldest after all."

He gestured wildly around the area, "I mean, look at all of this. Capricorn isn't here, so Aquarius picked up the leadership position. They always had the traits, and when any of us are in trouble, they were always the ones to pick up the slack and help us out. I should've never been fucking leader, and you all know it."

Aquarius sneered, "I'm sorry , what exactly is the topic at hand that we're fighting here for? Because you being an pissed off kitten these days, and your role as the leader of the Zodiacs are two different conversations."

"None of us asked to be born if you put it like that," Virgo sniffed. "But we all were and we had our responsibilities. Just because you went through some shit recently doesn't mean that all of a sudden, it's been like that since the beginning of time."

Cancer just closed his eyes and let out another long internal sigh. It hurts to hear Virgo and Leo argue because they had practically been inseperable in the past. If Aries was Leo's light and soulmate, Virgo came from the same womb. They were different as Virgo was stoic while Leo was mischevious, but they brought out the best in each other. It's a different kind of love between them, so Cancer knows that Leo is feeling the burn of Virgo's words.

"One bad thing and all of a sudden, everything is just the worst thing ever. Give me a fucking break, Leo. We've all suffered before, but none of us has ever been desperate enough to kill ourselves because of it, you coward ." Virgo spatted and everyone's eyes widened as they all shot up at once to reprimand the maiden.

"That was too far, Virgo." Taurus frowned in disappoinment as Leo looked at her shellshocked. Virgo just quitely sobbed as she fell back down and shook her head in her hands. Aquarius's jaw clenched as she wondered if this was a mistake to even bring up this idea in the first place. Sagittarius looked uncomfortable at all of the emotions running around while Cancer just tsked and placed his hands on his hips as he stood up.

A tense silence settled once more, stronger than before.

The fire crackled and popped.

"Do you think we were always sentient beings, moshi-moshi ?" Sagittarius quietly asked.

No one had an immediate answer as Sagittarius quietly looked around as he debated to continue. He had been thinking about this question for a long time now, ever since he had found himself rescued by Lucy Heartfilia. "I think we did have feelings, and did have emotions. But we were just living, you know? Following orders, doing what had to be done and then awaiting when it was our turn to be summoned again. We are all different, so clearly there was something in the mix of our creation."

Sagittarius suddenly let out a shaky breath as he recalled his past, away from the others and everyone looked at him in surprise. Sagittarius was always a polite gentleman, that rivaled Virgo and Capricorn in their own ways. A literal-minded being who had a hard time determining whether or not someone was using sarcasm and so he stayed quiet so that he didn't ruin moods.

But today, he thinks he understands Cancer's and Aquarius's intentions with them gathering here, and he decided that he will be the trailblazer for this moment.

"I was abandoned." Sagittarius whispered the confession, and his face fell as he looked at the fire, feeling more comfortable than giving eye-contact to the others.

"I can no longer remember when the last time I was summoned outside of Miss Heartfilia's call. Before she had found me, it was endlessly…nothing. There wasn't anyone to talk to or to even sit in silence with. I just sat there, patiently waiting until it was my turn to be called upon again."

A shaky exhale.

"Um, and then the water came. I was adrift at sea, and there wasn't anything that could even help me for miles on end. At first it was peaceful, but then gradually it turned into a prison. The loneliness that I had obtain from the entire experience…it's beyond words." Sagittarius shuddered at the reminder of Galuna Island. It was a darkness that he had never wanted to experience again, and it made him desperate.

To escape and see spirits, people, anything again.

"I say that to say that I did not realize that I could…feeling such a powerful emotion before until that happened." Sagittarius finished his tale with a quiet, slow breath. Aquarius had moved beside him and sat there, allowing him to feel her presence. It wasn't in her nature for hugs and kisses, but she was always a pillar for strength for the others. Her company was enough.

"So I asked that question earlier for a reason, moshi-moshi . I have theored that perhaps we were living beings all along, but we were never alive . And it wasn't until recently that we have…unlocked that part of ourselves. To some, it was a good memory that did it."

Cancer spoke up then, "I can validate that. Before, I was a pretty relaxed and chill spirit. I did care, but everything was just something that was interesting and when it stopped being intruiging, I moved onto the next. Plus, it wasn't like I was used for much anyways. Most of my summoners used me for domestic purposes, like cutting hair. It wasn't until I saw a child with a brightness in her eyes that made me think on my own free will; I want to protect her with my life. "

Cancer looked at Sagittarius thoughtfully, "It…unlocked something inside of me. All of a sudden, I was more…aware? And accepting. Thoughtful, creative."

Sagittarius nodded, "It was the same for me once I met Miss Heartfilia, moshi-moshi . Finally, the darkness was over and I had a-I think I cried once I was alone. I didn't know we could cry ."

"We can," Aquarius confirmed as she lazily waved around, "I mean, the last time I shedded tears was when Scorpio and I were separated."

"Liar," Cancer drawled as Aquarius rolled her eyes before she scoffed, "It's the fucking truth. Sure, I wallow every now and then here, but they're for the theatrics. I…haven't seen Scorpio in eons. Am I still in love with him? Or just the memory of our happiness when we were together? If he were to stand in front of me right now, would my heart skip a beat like it used too? Or would I just fucking stand there and die a little inside, because he wasn't what he used to be. Like Virgo did with Leo."

"You-" Virgo snapped to look at her, thinking that Aquarius was picking a fight with her again, but Aquarius just looked her in the eye with a serious expression that made her falter. Aquarius was being deadly serious.

"I didn't speak up against Virgo's actions initially, because if that was Scorpio in front of me and I had felt what Virgo had felt, I think I would've said the same thing. And that thought makes me seem bitchier than what I normally am." Aquarius hummed.

"So, I suppose that was my moment where I realized that feelings fucking hurt sometimes."

Everyone chuckled lightly at her words as she crossed her arms, looking off onto the side as she thought briefly of Scorpio. Dreading and longing for the day of their reunion.

"...my story isn't as deep as yours-" Virgo starts off but Cancer interrupts her immediately.

"This was never to compare traumas to see who was the most broken. It's to give us all a chance to share a glimpse of what's happened since our separation, for most of us. It doesn't matter if the worst thing you've experience was a stubbed toe, if it matters deeply to you, then it matters to us."

Cancer was always a great mediator between all of them.

"...The last time that I wasn't so obedient was when it was just us 12 working for the Celestial Spirit King," Virgo tsked as she looked away. "I've always been naturally the more following the rules type and that's because I like them. Somewhere along the way I had formed a montomous cycle that made me feel like a puppet. But it was for so long that I didn't even remember what I was beforehand."

She looks at Aquarius who nods knowingly, "It…wasn't until I met Aquarius again that I had a moment of clarity. A reminder, of what it was before."

Virgo wiped her eyes and turned towards Leo, "I'm sorry, Leo. I yelled at you for so many things, that I-I'm a hypocrite. Seeing you in your state had shocked me, because I never thought that something could break you. And it had reminded me of myself, what I'm still going through as I…become more sentient again. It all comes out at once sometimes. Just like your bouts of anger."

Leo just watched her quietly before getting up to walk over. Virgo tensed a bit at the action, but Leo ignored it as he plopped himself right next to his sister and threw an arm around her as he pulled her in close. Virgo was stiff in his hold, but managed to soften up bit by bit as he whispered that he forgave her, and that he was sorry too.

"I'm sorry, everyone." Leo spoke up higher, as he looked around with a tiny piece of his old self shining in the surface again. Like the pieces were finally starting to come back together again, because as much as he wished for Lucy becoming his new owner to be enough to stop his inner demons, that was not the case. He still had some time to recover from that self-depricative mindset.

Because Virgo was right to a certain extent. He had almost died, and he had almost wished for it to happen.

He had given up.

"I-I'm not fine, and I probably won't be for a while." Leo sniffs as he cleared his throat.

"I can't be the leader you want me to be right now, I..I can't do it."

It was too much responsibility, and how could he reclaim that title when Aries was still out there, awaiting for him to lend his helping aide? Call him selfish, but he couldn't afford to be a leader and focus on the others again when she needed him. When he still needed to recover himself. Maybe that's why he was feeling unease despite his new environment.

Would things go back to how they used to be?

He had unconsciously dreaded the thought.

"It's not fair for Friend Leo to be put in such a position despite how it was in the past," Taurus nodded as the bull shot him a bright smile. "A long time ago you were our leader, but we cannot expect things to be the same as thousands of years ago. Take your time, Friend Leo. There are no more expectations except to serve Lucy with your upmost loyalty."

"She's the one who is slowly connecting us all back together, after all." Sagittarius nodded with a small smile. Cancer chuckled,

"I don't think I've ever heard you talk so much, Sag."

Sagittarius blushed and just blinked as Cancer rubbed his hair messily.

And just like that, things were back to normal again.

Virgo and Leo were quietly talking to one another off to the side, intimate in a siblings ways. They always had that kind of bond, so it wasn't entirely surprising to see them go back to their roots like that. Taurus was teaching Sagittarius how to perform a new exercise in order to get more bloodflow, because apparently he was looking too thin.

Sagittarius looked as if he was ready to faint from the position Taurus had him in.

Meanwhile Cancer opened his pack to bring out some spirit wine and walked over to Aquarius, who saw him come over and rolled her eyes while letting out a dramatic groan,

"Just because everyone else is having a bonding party, doesn't mean it's our turn crab ."

"Ah, what a shame. And to think that I brought your favorite…"

Aquarius raised an eyebrow and narrowed her eyes suspciously, "No fucking way. That's only up in the castle near the King's quarters. It's his favorite too, and that's why that old bastard hides it from me because he knows I love it too."

"You do cause him great misery and headaches, Aquarius. A shot to ease the pain, I say."

"I'm gonna fucking boil you and eat you alive," She grumbles as she grasp the glass that Cancer had handed to her with a smug grin and immediately downed it in one go. Cancer whistled as he was impressed before he did the same and let out a content sigh.

"All in all, I say that this is a success."

"You're just fishing for compliments," Aquarius snorted as Cancer huffed out a laugh.

"Ah, I see what you did there. "Fishing" for compliments, huh?"

"Thank you, thank you. I'll be here all fucking day." Aquarius curtesied in her seat as Cancer chuckled louder before he poured them another glass.

"...I didn't know about that thing with Scorpio."

"...and I'm surprised you decided to share your experience with Lucy rather than the fact that you saw Layla die. You never did share that fact with Lucy, did you." Aquarius quietly accused.

Cancer took a slower sip this time before he answered softly,

"I always knew that I was going to take care of Lucy, for Layla. But when I looked Lucy in the eye, she looked so much like her mother that it strunk me deeply. I had to take off my glasses in order to make sure that I wasn't seeing a ghost." Cancer sighed at the memory.

"I meant everything I had said though. Looking at the awe in Lucy's eyes made me feel as if I was something worth to keep around. That I, a lowly spirit, had the ability to make others day brighter. That I could help this kid find strength from the loss of her mother."

Aquarius hummed and she looked at Cancer for a moment before looking away as she knocked her fist gently against his cheek.

"You're one of the younger ones, it's okay to take a break once in a while and let us olders handle things."

"I'm like, right in the middle you know." Cancer grumbled, annoyed.

"Then listen to your elders, punk." Aquarius huffed as she smiled into her glass. She knew what he was talking about, of course. She had felt the same thing the moment she truly met Lucy for the first time, being summoned by her. They had both seen Lucy as a young child, but it was just a tiny organism. Didn't have much of an impact, back then.

As they were different.

"We did good, today."

Cancer looked at Aquarius's side profile and how it glowed from the flames of the fire, before looking back to see everyone content in their own way. He looked down at his own glass before he nods.

Aquarius doesn't say anything when Cancer lays his head on her shoulder as Virgo came over with the others in tow in order to drag them into the conversation, much to her secret bemusement and outwordly annoyance. Of course, she knew that everything wasn't settled tonight. That outburst with Leo not wanting to be leader came from within, and it'll probably have its moment to rear it's heard when they inevitably argue again. But they were going to do better, and be more aware of each other if Aquarius had anything to fucking say about it.

One step at a time, or whatever the fuck humans say.

But she can't hate too much, it seemed like the mortals were right after all about this camping shit.

Good for the soul and whatnot, she thinks with a slip.

-G-R-

He stood in front of the guild hall with such tension that he almost felt physically ill. A studded eyebrow furrowed in apprehension as he looked up at the haunting doors. He knew what was bound to await him, that there was no avoiding it.

Juvia hasn't been back since then, and he blames her for making him feel this way too.

So eager to start a new life, was it really that easy? Was she happy here already? Or was she too embarrassed to come back to Gajeel, and that Fairytail had disappointed her and casted her aside.

He bites back a snarl that threatened to escape as he scowled at the thought. They better have fucking accepted Dewy, because if not, he'd fucking enter this building and turn it into rubble. He swaggers up to the doors and places his hands on the wood, ready to bust through.

His body stops him as it shakes for a moment.

Gajeel takes a step back in annoyance at his own self.

There was no fucking way he was being a pussy about this. He was going to go in and look for Juvia, and if she wasn't there, he'd threaten someone to find her whereabouts, and then he'd…leave.

Yes, that was the plan.

He definitely was not entertaining the idea of joining Fairytail.

Gajeel cracked his neck and let out a tense breath. He definitely was not -

The door slammed open as his eyes widened at the suddeness of it all, feeling his previous attempts at psyching himself to enter the guild hall disappear as he froze. He didn't allow himself to show his…uncomfortableness on his face as he stared at the two boys who had opened the door to leave.

Fuck .

Fuck, could this shitty day get any fucking worse.

Jet and Droy waved behind them as they prepared to leave the guild hall, before turning around and freezing in their tracks as a phantom stood before them. Their body shook in spasm at the man, muscle memory reliving the beaten they had partaken weeks ago. A cold fury settled in soon after, erupting like a volcano as they paused at the sight of Gajeel.

A glass breaks in the distance, and Gajeel snaps his eyes from the two men he had beaten in front of him, to the person who was inside of the guild hall, shaking as her hands trembled. His red eyes make eye contact with wide brown as he stared at Levy McGarden, and fuck .

He takes a step forwards without even realizing it.

And he was punished for it not a single moment afterwards.

"You motherfucker -" Droy spatted out in disgust.

"How dare you show your face around here," Jet growled as the two launched themselves at a dazed Gajeel, who was momentarily stunned at his rotten luck.

A punch directly to the face sent him stumbling backwards and Gajeel quickly steeled his mind as he began to become a human punching bag out of his own choice. Knowing full and well the anger that they possessed because of what he had done to him, he allowed them to take their hits out of anger. Knowing that Makarov was probably watching to see what he does, he doesn't risk defending himself with the basic techniques, despite his instincts screaming for him to put his arms up.

So he just growls when they stop for a moment, sealing a nostril to snort blood out the other before spitting out red on the ground.

Yet he bared his teeth as if to silently say, "You done?"

Some would say that he deserved the next series of onslaught that come from the provocation, but Gajeel doesn't care. He knew how to communicate with violence, after all.

Each punch had a "fuck you" laced within them and he was fluent .

[ Tower of Heaven Arc {1} Begins ]