AN: Hello all, here I am back with another chapter, and much sooner than before.
That said, I'll be honest. I'm not all that happy with this chapter. It just feels wrong, I've had to condense things as otherwise the pacing would have been too slow, and there would have been too many POVs, so hopefully it works. If not, well I can always come back and try and retool it.
That said, here is chapter 33, the last chapter of this Arc, I hope you all enjoy. The next chapter will begin the new arc, and which will be recovery, and a mini arc for Percy and Erza, and then after that we'll be moving on to the Grand Magic Games.
Please leave a review etc. If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to PM me, or if not join me on discord.
Speaking of which, I am a part of a discord group, there's tonnes of others there, plenty of writers, admittedly mainly PJO, but other stuff too. Feel free to pop along and say hi, I'm always happy to chat about the stuff I am writing. So if you fancy it please do to join by sticking this: discord .gg / elibrary into discord, with no spaces, or using the link on my bio.
Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians or Fairy Tail.
( - )
(Last Time)
For the first time in her life, she felt truly safe, truly happy, and truly complete.
From nearby, she could almost feel Knightwalker's dissatisfaction, even as the other redhead coughed audibly several times.
Not that she paid the other redhead much mind, as she instead closed her eyes and basked in the warmth of his embrace.
"You're alive." Percy muttered, his voice thick with emotion. "We're alive."
( - )
Chapter 33
( - )
(With Percy)
Seven years.
It had been seven years since they had first left Magnolia to take part in the S-Class trials on Tenrou Island.
The atmosphere back then had been one of excitement and anticipation, so much so that even the old hands like Makarov, Gildarts and himself had been drawn into the enthusiasm.
Seven whole years had passed since that day, though it felt like literally a day to them, and now they had returned to find that everything had changed. Suffice to say, the atmosphere on the boat was mixed to say the least.
The Guild, from what the others had said, had shrunk; both in the number of members it had, and its reputation. With the once large and famous Guild now being relegated to an average sized Guild at best, with limited influence and a mediocre reputation.
On top of its reputation, the Guild's membership had changed too.
Where before the Guild had boosted nearly one hundred members with half a dozen of those being experienced S-Class wizards, now, even with the return of those thought lost, they numbered barely fifty.
Things had changed a lot, more so than Percy had realised, even after listening in as Jet, Droy and the others caught up with those they had thought were dead.
All of those they had left behind had grown up and matured; more through necessity than anything else, and by the sounds of it not always for the best.
The ones left behind had been forced to become stronger, tougher and in some cases more cynical and bitter, due to the experiences and struggles they'd had to fight through over the last seven years.
Without their strongest members, times had become hard for the Fairy Tail Guild.
Still, from what he had heard, through Laxus's leadership and because of the dedication of those that had remained behind, they had managed to persevere and had kept the Fairy Tail Guild going.
It was both admirable in a way, and heartening too, to see that at least one member of Makarov's bloodline had inherited his indomitable spirit.
Percy froze at that thought, his arms tightening around Erza as he pulled the sleeping girl closer to him.
Makarov was dead.
In some ways, it still hadn't sunk in yet.
He'd known the man for nearly ninety years. He'd been there at his birth, and had held him in his arms before he'd even opened his eyes and taken his first look at the world, and now he was gone.
It hurt.
More so than he thought it would.
He closed his eyes, and took a deep breath.
There was a reason he had tried to avoid serious relationships and having children for.
It was the same reason he tried to avoid making bonds with people.
Watching them grow old and die hurt, as did burying them, and later visiting their graves, and yet, even so, he never learned. With every generation that past he found friends, students and comrades. He found people he came to care for, despite knowing that he would one day have to say goodbye.
It was hard sometimes.
The lives of mortals were fleeting, and perhaps all the more beautiful because of that fact.
Their time on the earth was finite, as such they had to cram as much living as they could into their lives before they ended. They lived, loved and laughed hard, as they only had so much time in which to experience life, before it was snuffed out.
He, however, was permanent, and had been ever since Bob, or Iapetus, had given him his Blessing, or maybe his Curse – even now he wasn't sure which it was.
There was a good chance that his immortality was meant as a Blessing, and had been bestowed upon him as an act of kindness by Bob, his friend. It could have been given to him as a gift, one that would give him a chance at living through Tartarus, and eventually escaping it.
Or, it could have been a final vengeful Curse from Iapetus, a final 'fuck you' from the Titan he had wronged all those many years ago when he hurled him into the River Lethe and washed away his memories.
At times, he honestly wasn't sure.
What he did know, however, was that although he'd seen it as a Blessing originally, especially after he had escaped the Pit and had started living once more, nowadays, he saw it as more of a Curse.
Percy let out another sigh at that, even as he ran his hand through Erza's fiery red locks.
He was a fool, perhaps the world's biggest, and yet he couldn't help himself.
Snorting slightly, Erza shifted her position in his arms, before with a cute snuffling noise she buried her head deeper into his chest, her arms instinctively tightening around his waist.
Smiling, Percy continued to run his hand through her silky red hair, even as he looked around at the rest of his Guild.
They were on a ship bound for Magnolia.
From where he was sat he could see the others all either sleeping, talking quietly in small clusters, or were simply standing at the ship's balustrades, staring off into the distance.
The atmosphere after Mavis had revealed herself had been an unusual one.
At first, there had been awe when she described the magic she had used to protect them.
She had literally removed the island and all of its inhabitants from space and time for seven years. Even he had a hard time getting his head around what she had done, and he was more familiar than most with the Fairy Sphere, the spell she had used.
There had also been happiness and excitement too. After all, those that had been left behind, had been reunited with people they had long thought were dead. While, those who had one to the island for the trails had managed to survive both Grimoire Heart's invasion, and the destruction of the island.
He could understand the relief, as well as the exhilaration, they must've felt, after all he'd once felt the same back when he had been younger. It was the feeling he used to have after returning home after completing a particularly difficult and dangerous mission or quest.
Their excitement, however, had not lasted long, not when the enormity of what had happened settled on them.
Master Makarov, a permanent fixture in all of their lives, was dead.
They'd all been heartbroken when that realisation had sunk in, and that, too, he could understand.
Just as he could understand why they were all exhausted, even as they hung around the ship, waiting to make land.
In the hours that had passed, there had been a lot to do.
Dozens of Grimoire Heart wizards had been trapped on the island with them during the time skip, and so had to be tracked down and arrested. They now had more than three dozen dark wizards imprisoned below deck, waiting to be handed over to the local Rune Knight barracks upon their return.
They had also had to collect the many dead wizards strewn across the island, and give them a proper burial.
He had elected to take on that task alone, much to the other's displeasure, and had instead sent the others to search for the surviving dark wizards and prepare for the trip back home, even as the injured continued to rest up.
Thirty seven dark wizards had lost their lives in the assault on the island, including Hades and his elites, and that wasn't counting those that had been swept into the sea by his tidal waves, or those that were incinerated by Zancrow.
It had been a grim job, but a necessary one too.
His hand stilled as he remembered, the stench of death and the feeling of handling all those bodies, even as he used his geokinesis to bury them deep below the earth.
He didn't regret his decision to do it alone.
The others had already suffered enough, they didn't need to see the aftermath of the assault.
Letting out another sigh, he continued his ministrations, his gaze shifting to where the Strauss siblings were crowded together on the far side of the deck, talking.
If there was one clear example of just how much time had passed, Lisanna and Elfman were it.
Both of them were in their early/ mid-twenties now, and so were several years older than their still nineteen year old, older sister.
The same could be said for Jet and Droy, both of whom he could see fawning over Levy, even as the blue haired girl continued to look after Gajeel.
A lot of time had passed, and a part of him dreaded what was waiting for him back at Magnolia, especially when it came to Wendy.
Percy sighed internally to himself at the thought of the young Dragon Slayer.
Before he had left for Tenrou, he had promised her that they would talk on his return and discuss the implications of their visit to Edolas, and the fact that they might be father and daughter.
He had even left Backbiter with her as a symbol of his promise to return, so they could talk about things.
Unfortunately, for all his gifts, he wasn't a child of Apollo and so didn't have the ability to see the future. After all, how was he supposed to have known what was going to happen. It was supposed to have been just another set of trials, the same thing that happened every year. Only, instead, they had been attacked by one of Fiore's most powerful Dark Guilds.
That had been seven years ago now.
He felt his stomach tighten with guilt and dread at that realisation.
She was no longer the vulnerable and insecure twelve year old child he had known any more.
Instead, she'd now be nineteen years old and an adult.
It made him nervous, particularly the fact that she wasn't here now with Droy, Jet and the others.
He hadn't yet asked the others about her.
Instead, he wanted to see for himself what had become of the girl.
He owed her that much at least.
No, that was a lie, he owed her so much more than that.
For one, he owed her the chance to find out about her origins, if indeed they were related.
Percy sighed at that, and rubbed his eyes with his freehand. .
"It'll be fine," Erza Knightwalker's voice cut in from beside him.
Glancing over, he saw the other redhead glaring down at her spear.
She'd chosen to sit near to where he and Ezra were resting, and had, over the last few hours, made intermittent conversation with them.
She was not exactly happy, that much was obvious.
But at the same time, she didn't appear angry or upset either.
If anything, she appeared conflicted and confused.
It was an odd sight to see, especially when compared to her usual coarse, assertive demeanour.
"Maybe," Percy replied with a small shrug.
Looking up, her eyes met his.
"Some things change, but others remain the same," Erza continued. "There's no point in stressing over something that might not happen. You're worried about Wendy, I get that. But what happened wasn't your fault, and she probably knows that too. I didn't know her well, but she seemed sensible enough. So stop sighing and grumbling, and just grow a pair and face shit head on like you usually do."
"As eloquent as ever I see," Percy chuckled.
Erza Scarlet stirred as his laughter disturbed her sleep, a slight moan leaving her parted lips as she shifted her position a bit, before settling back down as he continued to run his hand through her long, silky, crimson hair.
"She loves you. You know that, don't you?" Erza Knightwalker said, bluntly. Her expression becoming stoic once more.
"Yeah, I know," Percy sighed, gently brushing some of her hair off of her face. She was once again sleeping peacefully.
He had known of her feelings for a while.
Erza was many great and wonderful things, but she was not subtle.
He knew she loved him, just as he knew he loved her.
It was weird, especially considering the expansive age gap between them, and the fact that he'd been intermittently in her life since she was fourteen. Sure, he'd not been around that often, with him instead regularly going on long missions; sometimes for six months to a year at a time. But after every mission he'd return to the guild for at least a month or so, and spend time with the guild members both old and new, including Erza and the other members of her cohort. In fact during one of the longer periods of time he'd stayed at the guild, he had even spent the better part of six months training the sixteen year old Erza, Mira, and twenty year old Laxus, personally.
He'd never been a father figure to the girl, or even an older brother figure. They'd never been that close. But he'd been her superior, and then her mentor, and finally, her friend. He'd known her for years, and had watched her grow from an emotional scarred girl, to a strong and powerful woman.
He'd also fallen in love with her, just as she had fallen in love with him.
No matter how wrong it was, or how much he hated getting attached. To love was human, and despite everything, he was still at his core part human.
"I love you too," Knightwalker continued, her expression softening, as she idly played with her spear.
She wasn't looking at him now.
"You barely even know me," Percy replied softly.
"Since when has that mattered? The heart is a fickle fucker. It wants what it wants, and there is fuck all we can do about it." Erza snorted, shaking her head firmly, her long, wild red hair waving about behind her at the motion.
It was strange sometimes, just how many similarities there were between the two Erzas, and also how many differences.
"It is at that," Percy agreed, gently tracing his thumb across his Erza's cheek.
"So I guess this means you're with her now?" Knightwalker grunted, looking up again. Her gaze was now on a point just over his shoulder.
"We've not really spoken about it." Percy shrugged.
"Well, I'm not giving up." She replied, finally meeting his gaze again. "I want you too."
Percy's eyes widened slightly at her words. He honestly didn't know what to say in response.
"You don't have to say anything. But all I'm saying is this. I love you, and I'm not just going to stand aside. So prepare yourself. Just because she's won the first skirmish, doesn't mean she's won the war." Erza said. Her tone was one of absolute certainty, and the expression on her face was firm and uncompromising.
"I…," Percy trailed off, his eyes wide.
Smiling, Erza pushed herself to her feet, her gaze momentarily shifting down to her Earthland counterpart. "Get ready because by the time I'm done you'll be begging to fuck me."
Her face went slightly pink as Percy's eyes widened again.
"And who knows, if Scarlet is good, I might let her watch, or maybe even join in." Erza continued, her face practically steaming now as she did an abrupt about-turn and marched away from him, her shoulders stiff, and her head held high.
"Well fuck…" Percy said, a hint of colour appearing in his own cheeks as he watched her go.
Why did things always have to be so complicated?
( - )
(In Magnolia)
They were back.
Looking around at the town she'd begun to think of as her home, Lucy couldn't help but feel disappointed.
Magnolia looked just like she remembered it. The buildings, the street, the docks, and even the market, were all unchanged, as was the rest of the town.
Looking around, it didn't feel like it had been seven years, or at least not when looking at the physical structure of the town.
Glancing at her fellow guild members, Lucy's brow furrowed for a moment.
Lisanna had grown up to be as beautiful as her sister.
Elfman meanwhile, was a towering giant, who stood taller and broader than both Gildarts and Percy.
Alzack and Bisca were happily married, and even had a daughter together.
Jet, Max and Droy, while still acting like she remembered, were all looking, older, and more mature.
They were all physically older and more mature, but they still the same people she remembered.
She hoped the others were the same.
As stupid as it would probably sound to those that had been left behind, but she really had missed them, even if it had only been a few days for her.
Looking to the side, her frown eased as she saw both Gray and Natsu arguing with both each other.
It was a very familiar scene.
Smiling, she couldn't help but roll her eyes as she watched two of them were gradually getting further and further ahead of the rest of the group, as they appeared to start racing to be the first one to reach the guild hall.
The two of them were completely oblivious to the growing number of stares their group were receiving as the locals of Magnolia began to recognise them.
Looking around, she could see men and women pointing and whispering to one another, even as kids, some of whom probably hadn't even been born when they first left, stopped and stared.
Turning her head to her other side, she could see both Levy and Gajeel were walking side by side – the two of them were walking very close to one another – with Jet and Droy dancing around them. The four of them seemed to be getting on very well. Or at least the old Team Shadowgear were getting along well, and reminiscing. Gajeel meanwhile, just seemed to grunt and scowl every now and then. Which, seeing as this was Gajeel, was a pretty friendly and open response all things considered.
Gildarts and Cana, meanwhile, were both walking side by side some distance from the rest of the group. The two of them had been noticeably close ever since they had got back to Magnolia, and had been talking quietly to one another ever since.
Something had happened between the two of them on the ship.
She wasn't sure what, but she had her suspicions. After all, Cana was Gildarts' daughter, not that Gildarts knew it since Cana had never been able to muster the courage to tell him. Instead, she had kept putting it off over the years, before finally deciding that she would only tell him when she herself became an S-Class wizard….
Looking at the two of them now, she couldn't help but wonder whether Cana hadn't broken that promise to herself. A part of her dearly wished she had, after all she wanted her friend to be happy.
Shifting her gaze away from the father and daughter duo, she instead noticed that Mira was once again bombarding both Lisanna and Elfman, both of whom looked quite embarrassed, with questions.
She could imagine what she was asking, after all, who would have guessed that Elfman and Evergreen would have got married and had a family?
Her smile widened for a moment at that thought, before fading almost as quickly as it had arrived.
They'd all missed a lot over the last seven years.
Looking at the rest of the group, she immediately spotted several people were missing from their number.
Erza Knightwalker, she knew, had volunteered to remain on the ship and keep an eye on the thirty-something dark wizards they still had locked up in the hold.
Erza Scarlet, meanwhile, had announced on their return that she would be going to contact the local Runeknight barracks to both alert the Magic Council of their return, and to organise the collection of the prisoners.
That said, a part of her suspected that Erza might not be handing over all of the prisoners. After all, on the journey back from Tenrou when she was not holding onto Percy – and wasn't that a weird though maybe not unexpected development – she was talking with Meredy, the youngest member of Grimoire Heart's elite Seven Kin of Purgatory, and incidentally the very same girl that she herself had defeated back during the invasion.
Considering what she knew of Erza's past, she wasn't too surprised that the redhead empathised a lot with the younger girl, and understood at least a little of what she had gone through.
She wasn't one hundred percent certain, but she was pretty sure she knew what Erza would do.
For all that the redhead could be inscrutable sometimes, she was also predictable.
Rolling her eyes, Lucy looked over at the final member of the group.
Percy was looking grim.
Or at least more so than usual.
It was odd in a way.
She would have thought he'd be happy, after all he'd kicked the crap out of Grimoire Heart, survived the attack on the island, and had ended up in a relationship with the super-hot and beautiful Erza Scarlet too.
The guy should have been over the moon, and yet he was obviously tense and nervous about something.
Perhaps Master Makarov's death was still weighing on him, as it was weighing on her as well?
It was a possibility, but she doubted it.
Percy had always seemed different to most normal people, more so than anyone else she'd met in the Guild.
In all the time she'd known him, he had never really acted or emoted like a normal guy.
Instead, he'd always come across as something more, or maybe something less, it was difficult to quantify sometimes. But either way, he'd always come across as someone strong, unflinching and unbreakable. Where others felt fear and ran away, he had always seemed like the kind of person that would stand up and face whatever it was in front of him face on, and without flinching.
He had always seemed inhuman to her.
Maybe it was because of his almost legendary power, or because of his age – she'd known him for the better part of eight months now, and she still didn't know how old he was – but he had never struck her as the kind of person to get nervous, or tense or worried or sad.
Which was partly why it was so odd to see him looking so… off kilter.
Shaking her head at that thought, Lucy tore her gaze away from the Guild's Ace and look ahead at the nearby guild hall.
Both Gray and Natsu had already arrived and burst into the guild hall in spectacular fashion, and as she approached she could already hear the roars of shock, surprise, joy and excitement coming from within the building even as the rest of them caught up to the two knuckleheads and made their own presence known.
From what she could hear, some things hadn't changed.
She smiled at that thought, even as she stepped through the doorway to the guild hall and greeted those inside.
It was good to be home.
( - )
(With Percy)
Looking around at the celebrating and partying wizards, took a large gulp of ale.
Their initial arrival had been met with a great amount of enthusiasm and surprise. Especially from the older members of the Guild. It had been heartening to see everyone reuniting, and the sheer joy and surprise on the faces of those who had been left behind.
Unfortunately, however, the enthusiasm and joy had only lasted a short while before news of Makarov's passing had begun to spread through the guild, which in turn had put a bit of a dampener on things. More so for those that had been with the guild for more than seven years.
The revelation had been unavoidable, as the Third Master's absence had been noted straight away, and for all that he'd wanted to hold off on telling them what had happened, he hadn't.
It would have been unfair to lie to them about it, and to give them false hope.
Suffice to say the mood had turned sombre after that, or at least it had until Laxus, the Fourth Master, had stood up, raised his mug of ale and made a toast to his grandfather's memory and the long and happy life he had lived.
This in turn had led to the odd situation he was looking at now.
Those present were still drinking and laughing together as they celebrated the return of those they had thought were lost. But the partying was also now undercut by an odd feeling of solemnity and remembrance as well.
It was contradictory in many ways, but also seemed to be working as it allowed those in mourning to remember Makarov fondly, even as they drank and caught up with, and in some cases met for the first time, those who had returned.
In many ways, he was glad it had turned out this way. After all, Makarov had a long life and had lived it well. To him at least, it only seemed right that they celebrate the life he had lived, and not commiserate over the tragedy of his passing.
Not that the celebratory mood had struck him personally, as unlike the others he had kept to the side. He had made small talk and had greeted and shaken hands with some, but had otherwise deliberately sunk into the background.
Taking another gulp of ale, Percy turned back to the bar.
"You don't look happy." Laxus said suddenly, as the younger man slipped into the seat beside him.
Glancing sideways, Percy hummed in response, and took another drink, before finally replying. "You've done well, as Guild Master, that is."
Laxus had changed a lot over the last seven years.
He looked older for one.
His hair was shorter and less wild than it had been, and his body had got bulkier. It looked like he had gained a little weight. Not enough to be called fat, but he was noticeably not in the same condition he had been in previously. He looked, happy, hale and healthy. More than that, he also seemed calmer, and more at ease with himself than Percy had ever seen him before.
Then again, maybe that wasn't surprising. After all, Laxus was nearly thirty now, and had for the last seven years, lived a more sedentary lifestyle as he moved from fighting and taking on missions, to leading the guild, doing paperwork and just generally herding the more self-destructive guild members around. He'd had responsibility thrust upon him suddenly, but instead of buckling under the pressure, he'd risen to the occasion magnificently.
Already, he could see he was a very different person.
He was calmer, and more at ease with himself than he had been before.
His arrogance had developed into a quiet confidence, and his anger at the world had mellowed considerably.
He had grown into a decent, well-rounded man, and a good Guild Master.
Percy was proud, and he knew Makarov would have been too.
"When I first learned how long it had been since we went missing, I had feared the worst. I thought the Guild would have collapsed, or at least that it would have been on the verge of collapse. But instead you stepped up, and held them together." Percy continued, putting his beer down and turning to face Laxus. "I'm proud of you, and of everything you've done."
Laxus smiled. "Thanks, that does mean a lot."
Percy nodded. "I always knew you had it in you, so did Makarov."
The lightning user's smile turned a bit sad.
"Did he suffer?" Laxus asked plaintively, into the short silence that followed.
"I don't know," Percy replied honestly. "I wasn't there at the time. But no matter what happened, I don't think he died with any regrets. He died protecting his loved ones, and well, you know what he was like…."
"It's the way he would have wanted to go." Laxus nodded, his expression forlorn. "You'll have to tell me what happened?"
"And I will," Percy nodded. Laxus deserved that much. He deserved to hear the whole story of what had happened on the island, the entire Guild did. "But not tonight."
"No, not tonight," Laxus shook his head. Breaking eye contact, the blonde shifted in his seat and looked out at the rest of the Guild. "Things will get better now you're all back. We did the best we could to keep things going in your absence, but we've lost a lot of reputation and influence. We're still a shadow of what we were before. It's about time Fairy Tail got back on top."
"You've something in mind, don't you?" Percy asked shrewdly.
Laxus might have changed a lot from the brash young man he had been. But to those who knew him, he was still easy to read.
"Yep," Laxus nodded, a slight smirk playing around his mouth. "But not now, tomorrow."
Percy chuckled, and nodded. "Fair enough, tomorrow."
"By the way," Laxus continued, his smile turning slightly sly as he changed the subject. "You and Erza?"
Glancing up at Laxus's comment, Percy gave him a flat look in response.
The two of them still hadn't properly talked about it yet. Nor had they acted on anything. They didn't even know what they were to each other yet.
"Say no more," Laxus grinned, raising his hands in surrender.
"Uh huh, and where's your partner?" Percy asked snidely.
"I've not got one. I've not really had the time to be honest." Laxus shrugged lazily, his gaze now on his own mug of ale, as he swirled it around in his hand. "But there is someone I'm interested in…."
"Oh really, and who's that?" Percy replied, grabbing his ale again, a shit eating grin spreading across his face.
"That's for me to know, and you to find out, maybe." Laxus smiled good-naturedly.
Percy shook his head at that, and smiled. "You've changed. Seven years ago, you would have been pissed off and embarrassed about me asking about your love life, and then after that you would have been shouting at me and challenging me to a fight…."
Back in his youth, Laxus had been more like Natsu and Gray than he would ever be willing to admit.
"Yeah, well change is natural, isn't it? We can't all be as permanent and unchanging as you." Laxus laughed.
"Yeah," Percy said, his smile fading slightly as he took another drink.
"So I'm curious." Laxus pressed on, his expression shifting from amusement to curiosity. "Why are you here moping by yourself and not out there drinking and having fun with the others, or chasing after Erza?"
"Not in the mood, I suppose." Percy replied mildly, his gaze momentarily moving to the recently arrived Erza as he saw her chatting animatedly to Bisca, Mira, Lisanna and Kinana. The redhead had been practically flocked the moment she entered the guild, and as much as he wanted to go over there, he also wanted to give her space too, so she could reunite with her friends.
Gray and Natsu were in the middle of the guild hall, and were as always the centre of attention, as they argued and drank, with Romeo, Jet, Droy and a number of others joining in. From what he could see, it looked like the duo would soon be brawling.
Levy, Lucy, Cana and Laki were huddled at a table nearby laughing together as Laki and Lisanna caught the other two up on some of the more amusing things that had happened over the last seven years.
Mira was sitting with a red-faced Elfman and Evergreen, and animatedly talking to them even as she cuddled her newly discovered nephew.
Gildarts meanwhile, was getting hammered with Wakaba, Marco, Freed and Bickslow.
Knightwalker and Gajeel were talking off to the side.
The two of them were noticeably standing apart from the others, and seemed very much wrapped in their own conversation. Though just as noticeably, he could occasionally spot Gajeel looking over at Levy, and Knightwalker's gaze shifting over to him every now and then.
Laxus cocked an eyebrow.
"People are missing," Percy said after a moment.
"Yeah, not everyone stayed." Laxus frowned. "I can't blame them for leaving, really. The first few years were difficult."
Percy nodded.
"When we found out you were all missing and presumed dead, well, the news wasn't taken well." Laxus continued, his voice slow and his words carefully chosen. "Most of the new members left within the first month. They didn't see us lasting long after losing our Guild Master, Ace, and nearly all of our S-Class wizards. It really didn't seem like we'd survive. Some stuck with us for longer…."
Percy didn't say anything.
"They were the more dedicated. But even then, some of them started to waver." Laxus said, his tone turning a shade sadder. "For the first few months we constantly funded massive search missions, and scoured the oceans all around Tenrou for any sign of you, for any trace. We tracked down the dark wizards that escaped, not that there were many, and managed to get a general picture of what happened. The Magic Council were pretty helpful too. After hearing rumours of the attack, they even sent a Rune Knight fleet to reinforce you."
"I remember seeing the fleet." Percy finally spoke. "They were decimated before they even made it to shore."
Laxus grimaced. "That tracks with what they told us. The survivors managed to make it back to Fiore, but hundreds of them didn't make it."
"It was rough," Percy said after a moment. "So, what happened to the Guild after the searches ended?"
"Who said they ended?" Laxus smiled bitterly. "They got smaller and less frequent, sure, but we still searched. But each one came back with nothing. There were no answers, and no bodies. People began to lose hope."
Percy grimaced.
"Juvia was the first of the core group, as you know them, to leave." Laxus continued. "After she heard Gray had 'died' she kind of gave up for a while. She fell into depression, started drinking, and began to take on harder and harder missions. It was like she had a death wish."
"She loved him," Percy said, "and love is perhaps the most dangerous emotion of all."
"Speaking from experience?" Laxus asked.
"More than you'll ever know." Percy sighed. "So, what happened with Juvia?"
"She got in trouble on a mission, and got badly hurt. Luckily, Lamia Scale was there too, and they saved her. After that, well, she kept in contact with the ones who saved her and started visiting their guild hall, and well, one thing led to another and she just… drifted away. In the end, she didn't even say goodbye, or officially announce she was leaving. Instead, we just arrived at the Guild one day, and she was gone. She is an S-Class wizard in Lamia Scale now, and as far as I can tell, she's happy."
"I'm glad," Percy smiled. "She was a good person, and honestly, Gray never treated her as well as he should have. I'm glad she found her way in the end."
Laxus smiled. "Me too, I miss her, but sometimes if you care about someone, you have to let them go."
Percy's smile faded at that statement, his gut twisting painfully.
"What about Wendy?" Percy asked after a moment of uncomfortable silence.
"Ah yeah, Wendy and Carla," Laxus smiled sadly. "They searched for you for years. They joined every search attempt. They did dozens of mission across Fiore, and tried to track down every survivor from Grimoire Heart. Wendy did more to find you than anyone else, at first…."
"But then?" Percy asked, dreading the answer.
"But then she lost hope, and after that, she got angry." Laxus winced. "It was difficult. I mean you have to remember she was so young when you all disappeared, and in many ways she was also still a bit emotionally vulnerable after what happened with Cait Shelter, and…, well I mean it was difficult for her…."
"I can imagine," Percy said softly.
"She left about three years after you disappeared. Didn't say much, she just turned up at the guild hall one day with a packed bag and her sword on her back, and said she was leaving. I've not seen her since." Laxus sighed, rubbing his eyes tiredly.
"Have you heard from her at all, or do you know where she ended up?" Percy asked, a hint of desperation entering his tone, despite his attempts to mask it.
"I'm sorry," Laxus patted his shoulder. "I've only heard rumours. But, well, it's been seven years since you last saw her, and although I know it's not your fault you didn't' come back, that's still nearly a third of her life."
"I know, and I'm not blaming you." Percy sighed, rubbing his temple.
Laxus nodded for a moment. "From what I have heard, though, I think you'd be proud."
"Oh?" Percy asked curiously.
"Yeah," Laxus perked up slightly, a small smile playing around his mouth. "She's apparently S-Class, and is known as the strongest woman in Fiore. She even got a few titles of her own."
"I dread to think," Percy chuckled. Giving out monikers and titles to powerful mages was somewhat of an unfortunate tradition in Fiore. He himself had been given several over the years, as had Gildarts, Makarov, Erza, Mira and Laxus. It just seemed to naturally occur when a wizard got strong and famous enough, and unfortunately, most of the monikers were awful. The God of Fairies was not one he was fond of, and the Ace of Fairy Tail was the only one he grudgingly accepted as a preferred alternative.
"Yeah, there are a couple, actually. One of them is the 'Sky Goddess', and another is the 'Goddess of Victory'; I wonder why they caught on…? Then we have the 'Queen of the Skies', oh, and the 'Sky Dragon'." Laxus chuckled, his smirk widening as he saw Percy's reactions to the list of titles.
"They could be worse, I guess. Most of them are better than mine, at least." Percy smiled weakly, before he shook his head. "So you don't know where she ended up?"
"Not definitively, but I've heard rumours. I know she joined Blue Pegasus for around six months and took their trials, and made it to S-Class when she was sixteen. After she left Blue Pegasus I know she then joined Mermaid Heel and worked there for about a year, but I also heard that she left very soon after their new, and current, Guild Master took over. There was apparently a disagreement, but I'm not sure about the ins and outs." Laxus shook his head. "Not exactly sure where she went after that. I'd heard she did some dark wizard bounty hunting for a bit, and also did some work for the Magic Council. But yeah, the last I heard she'd joined up with Sabre Tooth, but that was a few years back, so honestly, she might've moved on since then."
"Sounds like she's been doing a lot of travelling." Percy muttered.
"Remind you of anyone?" Laxus shot back.
"Point taken," Percy allowed, before frowning. It sounded like she'd grown up to be both strong and resourceful. Which was something he was proud of. At the same time, though, it also sounded like she was a bit directionless too. "Sabre Tooth, are they a new Guild?"
"Sort of," Laxus scowled, his hand coming to rest on the bar. "They were established about a decade ago, but only rose to prominence over the last six years. About four years ago, they were named the strongest Guild in Fiore."
"So they're the competition?" Percy smiled slightly. He at least had a lead on Wendy now, which was better than nothing, all things considered.
Laxus grinned viciously in response.
Laughing quietly at his reaction, Percy shook his head in amusement. "So what's been going on with you then? Aside from being a Guild Master and eternally single, anything exciting happen?"
"Dick," Laxus rolled his eyes. "And yeah, I'm now the Sixth Ranked Wizard Saint."
"Well, congratulations. You've done well." Percy smiled proudly.
"Thanks," Laxus muttered, a hint of red entering his cheeks as he deliberately looked away.
"Who took the Fifth Seat?" Percy asked, before frowning. "Oh yeah, and I take it the top four seats have all remained the same?"
In his experience, it was often good practice to keep track of the great powers.
"Jura Neekis from Lamia Scale took the Fifth Seat, as for the Four Gods of Ishgar, yeah, they are the same as you remember. Though, the first and third seat haven't been seen for a while. From what I've heard, they both left Fiore a while ago and have been 'travelling' since then, whatever that means." Laxus said, his fingers drumming on the surface of the bar.
"Good for Jura," Percy nodded. He remembered the bald wizard, he'd been a good man. Or at least had seemed like a good guy at the time. "As for what they mean, well, it's an excuse. What it actually means, is that they don't have the slightest clue where they are, or what they're up to."
"Something bad maybe?" Laxus asked.
"Possibly," Percy hummed. "I'm not all that familiar with the current four. I've met them a few times, both before and after they gained their current rank, but it's been a while. Warrod is the only one I know well. Still, from what I remember, God Serena was always an odd one. He was narcissistic and arrogant, and far too obsessed with power. I wouldn't trust him as far as I could throw him. As for Wolfhiem, well, he was always tricky to figure out. He was a nasty and ambitious shit when he was young and up-and-coming, but he calmed down a lot with age and experience."
"Hmm, I'll ask some of the others, and see if Jura or one of the other seats know anything." Laxus nodded.
"Sure, but I wouldn't worry about it too much." Percy said, patting Laxus on the shoulder. "Whatever will be, will be. All we can do is deal with it the best we can."
"You know, for a vain old fossil, you're not as wise as you think you are." Laxus rolled his eyes.
"Vain?" Percy asked aghast, some of his previous humour returning.
"Well, how else would you explain your youthful appearance?" Laxus shot back. "For being old enough to remember my grandfather when he was a baby – and yes, Warrod told me – you do look ridiculously young. Which is why I'm thinking it's either an illusion, or you've somehow found a way to retain your youth, despite your age. Either way, it all points to you being a closet narcissist who can't handle getting old."
"You're a cheeky fucker, has anyone ever told you that?" Percy laughed.
"Yeah, you have, like several dozen times after you kicked my ass over one thing or another." Laxus shot back, also laughing.
"Well, obviously the ass kicking never stuck." Percy shook his head, with mock sadness. "I'll have to remedy that soon."
"If you think you can keep up." Laxus smirked cockily.
Rolling his eyes at the challenge, Percy deliberately ruffled Laxus's hair, much to the younger man's chagrin, even as he looked back out at the guild hall.
Like he'd predicated, both Gray and Natsu had started fighting, with half a dozen others having already been dragged into the brawl.
"Oh for fuck's sake," Laxus sighed, as he too turned and noticed the ongoing chaos. "Natsu's been back for all of an hour, and he's already trashing the place."
Glancing sideways at Fairy Tail's Fourth Guild Master, Percy noticed the small smile playing around Laxus's mouth, even as the blonde gave him a curt nod, before he then stormed over to break up the brawl before it escalated too much.
"The more things change, the more they stay the same," Percy muttered to himself, draining his tankard of ale as he did so, before he then got to his feet and quietly headed for the door.
He needed some fresh air, and some time to think.
Quietly, taking advantage of the distraction the fighting caused, Percy slipped outside.
Night had already fallen.
Taking a few steps outside, Percy took a deep breath of fresh sea air, and then looked up at the starry night sky.
The constellations were painfully familiar, and yet they were not the same ones he'd been born under.
"How long has it been," Percy muttered, looking up at the moon.
"It's been a while." A familiar voice said from beside him.
( - )
AN: So there we go, things are progressing once more. So please stay tuned for more.
Hopefully you enjoyed reading the chapter/ story, and continue to do so. If not, then please do tell me what you didn't like, or what you thought could have been done better. Please leave a review if you can, they are very useful. If you have any questions or suggestions feel free to hit me up.
Also I am on discord with a load of other writers, the invites at the top, please feel free to pop in and say high.
Thanks for reading, and I'll catch you later.
Seagate.