Sorry for taking so long to update, I hope you liked this chapter and are enjoying the sequel.
If possible, comment what you think or anything else. Happy reading and enjoy.
Ryker crossed the room and went to the dining table, sitting down and being served a beautiful meal prepared by Alice who then sat down across from him with her large plate of food. It was a special occasion and they were celebrating in a way.
"So tomorrow you're really going back to your guild?", Alice asked. She tried not to show it, but there was a whine in her voice that Ryker noticed.
"Yes, I will, I think it's time. I intend to leave early in the morning", he replied and looked at his companion of the last 6 months, 8 if you count the two months he was in a coma. "You know you can come with me, don't you?" he said.
Alice smiled looking at him. "This is my place. This is where my memories are."
"But I wouldn't want you to be alone again. Come with me. I'm sure you'll like Magnolia and Fairy Tail", he said, trying to convince her to go with him.
"I'm not alone anymore, Ryker," she said. "I have you, and knowing that you will be alive and well is enough for me," Alice smiled graciously.
Ryker sighed. "But I won't be here and who will take care of you?", he asked, genuinely worried.
"I think I was the one who took care of you and not the other way around," she said with a slight mocking tone. "I'll be fine, Ryker. I know how to take care of myself and I'm strong enough. Furthermore, a mother should raise her children for the world and not for herself. Children must leave home at some point and move on with their lives. That's why you have to go. But you must promise me to stay alive and well, always seeking happiness and trying to do good for others. This is how you should live."
Ryker listened to her and looked at her for a while and smiled. "I promise".
For the rest of the night, they spent talking animatedly, remembering stories and sharing good times in the short time they spent together. The next day didn't take long to arrive and Ryker was at the front door with his luggage, ready to go. Alice was with him, looking at him for the last time, before saying goodbye. It was June and relatively cold for summer. Alice gave him a brown leather overcoat that reached Ryker's knees, a last gift for him.
"Thank you for everything, Alice. I will never forget you," Ryker thanked her for saving his life and for everything she did for him in those months.
"Just be careful, darling," she said worriedly and adjusting the collar of the coat he was wearing. She reached over and gave him a kiss on his left cheek. "Don't forget your promise," she said seriously.
"I won't, I promise," he joked. "Maybe I feel a slight pang of missing you," he smiled sarcastically.
"I know you will," she smiled.
Ryker and Alice shared a tight and warm hug, before separating, he looked into her eyes one last time.
"I will come to visit you as soon as possible. And I'll always be coming to check on you. In fact, buy a communication lacrima, so we can always talk to each other", he said.
Alice laughed and nodded. "He is well. It's better to come, you stubborn one, now go. It's going to take a few days to get home, you better not be late," she was almost pushing him.
Ryker smiled in thanks, he turned and began his journey back to Magnolia. He didn't look back even though his heart was heavy he knew it was right. Alice was at the door looking at him disappearing into the horizon, some tears ran down her face, a mixture of sadness, joy and an emptiness that his absence would leave in her heart in that house. When his figure could no longer be seen, Alice turned and entered her house, closing the door behind her. Looking around she sighed at the stillness and solitude that had returned to her home. On the coffee table, she picked up a portrait from a photo they took when they went to town and smiled at the sullen, grumpy face he made. Returning the portrait to its place, she returned to the tasks she was accustomed to. Sooner or later, she would adapt to living alone again and arrange a lacrima to talk to Ryker the next time she was in town.
A few days later in Magnólia, a festival was taking place and the entire city was decorated and the residents were excited, walking from one side to the other finishing the preparations. It would be a big festival with games and food, but the busiest and most excited were the Fairy Tail wizards, who were looking forward to some fun outside of their routine.
"UHAAA!", shouted Natsu excitedly. "Today's festival will be amazing!"
"Don't you think it's a lot of excitement for a party and a bingo game?", Gray asked, irritated by his friend's excitement.
"It's the first event since the new year and the first of the year in the city. How not to get excited? I'm all excited," Natsu smiled.
"He is right. It's been a long time since we've done anything like this," Erza commented, equally excited. "And besides, I'm sure Wendy is excited too, right?"
Wendy shrank into her seat. "I think so," she held Carla on her lap. "I want to have fun like everyone else."
"Tsh! I'll never understand that about you," Gray retorted, but suddenly felt tight. He looked as Juvia had hugged him tight while looking at him with hearts in her eyes.
"Juvia hopes to win a weekend at Akane with Gray-sama this time," she said dreamily. She imagined herself at the resort with Gray and all that stuff she usually imagines...
"Ca... calm down, Juvia!", the ice wizard tried to contain his girlfriend's emotions, feeling completely embarrassed.
Lucy laughed at them and looked at her other companions. "I'm also excited about today. It will be a fun party and it will be good to lighten the mood of recent times", she stretched.
"Are you ready?" Levy, who had arrived at their group, spoke. She carried her babies in a twin stroller. Lucy, Erza and Juvia crouched down to look and admire their friend's children.
"We are and you?", Gray replied.
"Can't you see Stripper?", Gajeel replied. "I hope you idiots don't cause any trouble there. If you bother my children, I will make you pay for it", he said looking at Gray and Natsu fiercely.
"And what could happen?", Natsu said dismissively, with his arms behind his head.
Gajeel got angry and looked at him irritated. "What else could happen to the biggest troublemaker in the guild!?"
"Don't worry, Gajeel. Nothing's going to happen," Gray said.
The Dragon Slayer looked at him with wide eyes. "It's already happening! Don't you dare be naked around my kids, you pervert!"
"Gray clothes," Cana warned him dismissively as she took a sip of her drink.
The ice mage looked down and saw that he was only wearing his boxers. "But when…!?"
"Don't worry Gray-sama! Juvia is going to get your clothes", she ran out taking all the clothes that Gray spread around the guild, she will know how.
"Unbelievable," Gajeel put his hand on his temple.
Levy and Lucy were having fun with the scene. "Don't worry so much Gajeel" Levy said calming him.
In the other part of the guild, Mirajane and her sibilings were also preparing for the upcoming event.
"That will be so manly. I want to win that trip for Akane," Elfman said with excitement and hope.
"To take Evergreen, right? After all, you have the right to a companion", Lisanna said provocatively.
Elfman blushed and turned his face away. "It's nothing like that!" he replied.
Lisanna laughed and turned her attention to her sister. "And you Mira, are you excited about today? Do you want to win something, too?", she asked.
"Huh! What did you say?", Mira was distracted and didn't realize that Lisanna was talking to her.
"I asked if you wanted to win something at bingo," she repeated. "Is everything okay, Mira?"
"Ah yes, I just got distracted for a moment", Mira replied smiling.
"Well, what do you want to gain?" Lisanna asked.
Mirajane put a finger on her lip thoughtfully, wondering if she wanted something. "I can't think of anything I want right now."
"There must be something you want", asked Elfman
"No, really nothing that interests me," she replied.
Lisanna and Elfman looked at each other and shrugged. "Then let's just have fun," Elfman said and everyone agreed smiling.
The Strauss sibilings continued talking as they packed their things to take to Magnólia Park, for the party and bingo promoted by the guild. In the meantime, Makarov came from his office to the guild hall.
"I hope everyone is ready. Today our only mission is to have fun", Makarov announced and everyone in the guild roared in response. "Since everyone has agreed, let's go to the park," he walked out and led the way.
Along the way, several residents greeted and saluted them. Like it or not, they were the biggest attraction that Magnólia had and whenever they were present or organized something, in some way, it was great. It would be no different that year, the bingo they planned had big prizes and the population looked forward to them, they were an attraction apart from the entire festival.
As soon as they arrived at the park, everyone from the guild quickly took their seats and went to enjoy everything the festival had to offer. Natsu and Gray ran to the food stalls, competing to eat more. It can be said that that year there were much more varieties than in previous years and the two wizards had their work cut out for them, if it weren't for Wendy curing them of their illness from eating too much, they would have spent the rest of the day lying down moaning.
On the other hand, Lucy and Levy took advantage of the cultural stalls, Mirajane and her sibilings attended musical stalls and tents, as well as taking the opportunity to try food from other regions that they didn't know. Erza is always looking for weapons and things like that. Each guild member went wherever they were most interested.
Throughout the day the entire guild was having fun, eating, picnicking and talking to all kinds of people and enjoying all the festival attractions. Almost the entire city was in the park in a riot of sounds and crowds.
Mirajane, like everyone else, was having fun, relieving the weight of the last few months. At one point she looked at the clear sky with few clouds and a pleasant temperature on a day with fresh winds and smiled, feeling inexplicably light.
Meanwhile, a train arrived at Magnolia Station...
"Sir! Sir!", the train employee called to the man who was sleeping on the bench. "We're here."
He woke up and looked at the attendant calling him. "Ah yes, thank you", he thanked and got up and took his travel bag from the luggage rack and left the train. On the platform he looked everywhere, showing a slight smile. He had come home, Ryker had returned.
Arriving at the station door he looked at the city that was his home last year, feeling nostalgic and happy to finally be back. Anxiety took over his body, because in a few moments he would be back at the guild that sheltered him and Mirajane. At the same time, he was apprehensive and afraid. Doubt had been lingering in his mind ever since he left Alice and the mountains. Was his Mirajane still his? Did she move on as he asked and had she already found someone else? He didn't know why he was thinking that, but at that moment he just wanted to see her again and pushed those thoughts away. Then he would decide what to do in any case.
Looking at the guild building on the other side of the city, he took a deep breath and started walking in that direction. He walked through the city streets with his black overcoat and backpack on his back. Little by little, Ryker approached the guild, some people looked at him, but he didn't care and continued walking. Maybe his big beard and determined look caused something to people around him, especially with his not-so-friendly look at that moment.
Minutes later, Ryker was at the guild door. He stopped and remembered everything he experienced in that place, the people he met, the work he did alone or in a group and smiled. Ryker opened the guild doors and entered, but there was no one in the hall, what surprised him most was how silent it was. Usually that place was a mess.
"Where did everyone go?" he wondered. Ryker looked around, tried to listen, went behind the guild, but found no one. "Well... the only way is to wait for them to come back", he thought.
Ryker went to the bar and walked around. "If they haven't changed things…" he crouched down and opened a closet. "Bingo! The best drinks are always kept here", he smiled to himself, taking one of the most noble and expensive bottles of Whiskey. "The master's favorites. Sorry Makarov, but Mira has never been very good at keeping secrets, at least from me." Grabbing glass and ice, Ryker sat at the bar and filled the glass with the noble drink and sipped it, hoping his companions would return sooner or later.
At the end of the day, with the sun starting to set, everyone from Fairy Tail was returning from the park to the guild.
"Awww!", Juvia whined sadly.
"What is it Juvia?" Gray asked.
"Juvia wanted to win the trip to the Akame Resort," she said with a tearful expression.
The ice mage smiled and put an arm around his girlfriend. "Don't worry about that. Alzack and Bisca deserved it anyway. And we can go on our own any day," he consoled her.
Juvia looked at him with hearts and a dreamy face. "Really?" she said hopefully. Gray nodded and she jumped at him in happiness. "Juvia is so happy!", she shouted, to a now desperate Gray.
"It looks like Juvia was happy," Lisanna said, laughing at the couple.
"When she's not there, when she's around her precious Gray-sama?", Lucy laughed.
"It was a beautiful moment, anyway. Even though we didn't win anything, the picnic was worth it," Erza said, eating the last piece of strawberry cake as they walked.
"I agree, Erza-san. We needed this," Wendy said. "He would have liked today."
"I know I would have," Erza placed her hand on Wendy's shoulder and smiled fondly. The little girl looked at her and smiled in response.
"Now let's go back and finish celebrating in our guild. Today was a beautiful day," Makarov said.
Everyone walked back talking and joking with each other. When they arrived at the guild Natsu opened the guild doors, and everyone entered. They were agitated and didn't notice that the Dragon Slayer stopped in front of them, causing a small bump between everyone. Natsu stared at the figure of a man he didn't know.
"Who are you?", Natsu asked rudely. Due to the position he was sitting in, the fire mage couldn't tell who he was.
When Natsu spoke, everyone looked in the direction he was looking. There was a guy in a brown overcoat, looking at a glass of whiskey in his hand. No one recognized him and they were on standby for any possible combat.
"I asked, who are you?", Natsu repeated the question, getting irritated.
"Natsu, what's going on?", Lucy asked worriedly.
Ryker turned his eye to the guild door, glancing at them sideways. He took one last sip of his drink and smiled slightly.
Wendy, who was also prepared for a fight, sniffed the air, recognizing that scent perfectly. She opened her eyes wide and stood in shock for a few seconds, trying to understand what was happening. She then began to move among the wizards.
"It can not be! It can't be true," she said as she walked.
"Wendy, what are you doing?", Erza asked intrigued.
"No, no... He's... He's...", Wendy said and started running and tears started streaming down her face.
Ryker stood up from the seat he was in and slowly turned to face his former companions. "Hey fellas", he said calmly, as if nothing had happened, smiling out of the corner of his mouth. Everyone was in shock when they saw him.
"Ryker!", cried Wendy, running and jumping on top of him, grabbing his neck and crossing her legs around his waist. Ryker held her in a hug as she buried her head in his neck.
"Hey, Wendy. It's good to see you again", he said hugging her. Wendy cried into his neck, not wanting to let him go for anything in the world.
"Is it possible!", Lisanna looked scared at Mira who was in shock and unresponsive when she saw Ryker back.
The other mages were stunned and it took seconds for them to process what they were witnessing. When they understood, they ran to Ryker to celebrate the return of a friend they thought they had lost.
"Come on, Wendy! I can't greet everyone with you on top of me," Ryker said with all the mages around him, cheering.
"No! I'll never let you go again", the little girl cried, clinging even tighter to him. Ryker smiled discreetly.
"How? How did you...?", Erza asked with mixed feelings.
"I'll explain later, Redhead", he called her as he always called her. Erza wasn't bothered, she just smiled happily at his return.
"It's good to have you back," she said, wiping away a few tears that were streaming down her face.
"Ryker...", Lucy greeted him, hugging him (as she could since Wendy was glued to him) and crying and happy.
"You haven't changed anything, have you, Lucy?", she shook her head and wiped the tears from her face.
"You look different," Gray noticed. "But it's good to have a friend back," he said, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"It's good to be back," he looked over and greeted the ice mage.
"Juvia is happy that Ryker-san is back. She missed him," she said with choked eyes.
Ryker was surprised. "Serious? Did you miss me?"
"Of course, you are a member of Fairy Tail and a friend of Juvia, just like everyone else", she replied smiling.
"You idiot!", Ryker heard the scream and felt a push. By his voice and his appearance, he knew perfectly well who it was.
"Cana... Polite as always", he turned his face towards her, smiling with the corner of his mouth.
"Don't give me that stupid smile! Don't ever scare us like that again", the brunette said, looking at him seriously and with an irritated expression. Despite the harshness, Cana's eyes were teary and she was truly happy for his return.
"I don't intend to, Cana. I'm glad you're okay," he replied.
Cana looked at him and sighed, she stretched out her arms and pulled him into a hug. With one free arm he wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged her back. They didn't need to say anything else, they understood each other that way.
As soon as Ryker and Cana separated, he felt a strong blow from behind, making him stagger. He looked back seeing Natsu with his fist raised and with flames on it and a wide smile. "Never do something stupid like that again! Anyway, welcome back", Ryker immediately understood and smiled in response.
"Hey, idiot!", Gajeel called him. Ryker turned and looked at him, Levy was next to him, visibly emotional, holding the stroller with his two children. "Welcome back," Gajeel smiled.
Ryker walked up to them and looked at the Dragon Slayer. "Always kind, Nailhead", he looked to the side and saw Levy emotional. "And you Levy?"
"I'm fine, Ryker. Glad you're back," she said, her voice breaking. "Do you want to meet our children?" she pointed to the stroller next to her.
"Oh! Twins!?", he was surprised.
"Real men do two at once," Gajeel boasted.
"Don't say things like that!", Levy hit him.
Ryker looked closely at the little ones with a sideways smile. "Good thing they look like their mother."
The whole time Wendy was glued to him, but he didn't care. He also missed the little one. That's when he felt another strong hug, enveloping him. And another, even stronger, squeezed him, almost taking all the air from his lungs.
"Elfman! Let go of me!" Ryker shouted, being squeezed.
"Hugging is so manly that I'm crying!", he said, shedding liters of tears. "I'm glad you're back!"
"I... I appreciate it, but... let me go or I'll definitely die!", Ryker squealed, almost breathless.
Elfman released him and wiped his tear-filled eyes, still crying at Ryker's return. He looked to the side and Lisanna was hugging him, more gently than her brother.
"I think you're happy too," he commented.
"It was you, wasn't it?", she asked with teary eyes. "In that town, when we were little, you found us, didn't you?"
Wendy pulled away and looked at Ryker and Lisanna curious about her question. "What?".
Ryker looked at Wendy fondly. "I'll explain later," he said. Turning to Lisanna he smiled and patted her head. "You've grown up, Lisy."
Lisanna let the tears fall from her eyes and buried her face in Ryker's body, and cried. "Don't leave again," she begged.
"I'm not going anywhere. I promise," he replied, wrapping one arm around her while holding Wendy with the other. He hugged his two little sisters.
"Ryker," Lisanna called him and pointed to her sister. "I think you should go talk to her." Ryker looked at Mira, who hadn't moved since he arrived. She was staring at him. They exchanged glances and again, Ryker drowned in those beautiful blue eyes, the most beautiful he had ever seen.
He took Wendy off his lap and gently placed her on the floor. "Stay here for a while, Wendy," he said and walked towards Mira. Wendy smiled seeing her 'brother' go to Mirajane's side.
Slowly he approached Mirajane, who didn't move a muscle, waiting for him to get to her. She still couldn't believe it was him there. A whirlwind of emotions took over her that she didn't know what to do.
Ryker stood in front of Mira and they looked into each other's eyes. "Mi... Mira," Ryker stammered. "How are you?" he asked awkwardly.
Mira took a step forward and placed both hands on his face, she looked at him in disbelief, but at the same time admiring him. "Is that really you?"
He placed his hands on her face in the same way. "It's me Mira. I went back".
"Like you said you would."
"You remembered," he smiled.
"How could I forget. This is what gave me strength during these months", she had tears streaming down her face. Ryker gently wiped them away with his thumbs, while stroking her face.
Ryker looked at her with regret, he sighed heavily, as if the world was on his back. "Mira, I…" he tried to say, but was interrupted by her pulling him into a kiss.
"No! I'm proud of what you did. You were a hero," she said inches from his flushed face.
"Bu, but I made you suffer," he lamented for the pain he caused those close to him.
Mira pulled him away and let his forehead rest against hers, while she gently held his head. "You are here with me now. You came back to me and that's what matters. Nothing else," she whispered.
"I love you, Mirajane Strauss," he said, smiling in a way only Mira knew he did.
"I love you too, Ryker Koga."
And all his fears were gone. They sealed the distance with a fiery and loving kiss, reaffirming their vows and reconciling after eight months. Killing the longing they felt for each other and the desire to be close.