Chapter 59

To the Grave

"Speech"

'Thoughts'

"Magic"

Flashback

Location / Date / Time Skip

Juvia had dropped to her knees as she stared up at Meredy. "All of our senses are now merged into one. And if either of us were to die, then so does Gray. It doesn't matter what you do."

"Whats wrong with you?" Juvia asked as she stood up. "There won't be any victory in this fight if you do that."

"That is the point." Meredy replied. "The only thing left for us is die."

Juvia's back flinched as she felt a rough texture on it. 'What's this feeling on my back? Is Gray leaning against something?'

"I know where Gray Fullbuster is." Meredy said. "This fight is no longer necessary, because I'm going to end this right now!" Two blades appeared at her neck and she pressed herself against them. "I will die to achieve my goal!"

"No don't!" Juvia shouted as she raced over through the water.

"This is the end of all three of us!" Meredy shouted.

Juvia ran as fast as she could, but she knew she wouldn't reach in time. 'Gray, please forgive me!' She punched herself in the leg with her magic and buckled. Meredy did the same from the sensation and the blades missed her neck.

"You attacked yourself for him?" Meredy asked in shock. "Just because my magic lets us share our senses doesn't mean I'm going to share the wound with you. If you want to stop me, you'll have to kill me. But doing so will also doom Gray to die as well. You can't hurt yourself enough to stop me. Nothing you do will stop me, Gray Fullbuster will die and so will we!"

"There's another option..." Juvia mumbled. "Just leave Gray alone and we can all live!" Her deceleration shocked Meredy. "Just because we're enemies doesn't mean we have to kill each other! Fairy Tail has taught me that!"

"Utter nonsense!" Meredy shouted as stood up. "Once Gray Fullbuster dies, Ultear will finally know peace!" A blade appeared above her head and began falling.

"I won't let you..." Juvia mumbled as she stood up before hobbling forward. "Even if I knock us both out I will stop you!" Meredy screamed as the blade fell closer to her head.

Years ago

A town burnt to the ground around a young Meredy as she cried her eyes out. Footsteps stopped her tears as Ultear walked forward. She came to a stop in front of Meredy before cries started again. "Now, now, stop crying." The time wizard said as she crouched down. "You're safe now, I promise."

The tears stopped as Zancrow and Kain entered view. "Why is this kid still alive?" The blonde asked.

"She's tougher than she looks." Ultear said.

"So do we kill her?" Kain asked.

Meredy started crying again after hearing the threat. "I'll take her with us." Ultear said.

"The hell did you say?" Zancrow asked. "Master Hades told us to kill everyone in this town and find Zeref's key. So we have to kill her."

Meredy continued to cry as Ultear picked her up. "She reminds me of myself." The time wizard explained, confusing the other two. "I'll take responsibility for her."

Years passed and Meredy stood next to Ultear on the airship. "Why do you look so sad, Ur?" Meredy asked.

"How many times have I asked you to not call me that?" Ultear asked back. "Ur is my deceased mother, and my name died with her."

"She's dead?" Meredy repeated in shock.

Ultear turned back to look at the sky. "One day, I'll tell you the story." She said.

Meredy wrapped her arms around Ultears in a hug, confusing the time mage. "You're my mother, Ultear. Forever."

"You're far too mature to be my daughter." She replied, making Meredy smiled.

Present

Juvia gripped Meredy in a tight hug as her magic destroyed the blade. 'I don't... I don't understand...' Meredy thought in confusion. 'She's crying...'

Juvia pushed herself back and looked Meredy in the face. "You know what love is!" She shouted. "You have someone you love more than anything!"

'Is it possible that... my spell shared parts of my memory with her?' Meredy asked. 'How I see this possible...

"You must live." Juvia mumbled before looking Meredy in the eyes, showing the tears falling from her face. "You have to live for her sake. We have to live for the ones we love! If you have someone's you love then you have to live!"

'Love...' Meredy thought before eyes started to water. 'These feelings... I can't fight them.' She started crying herself as the brands on their wrists faded. 'These feelings... I can't fight them...' Both dropped to their knees before they started falling backwards. "I can't fight you..."

"My beloved... stay safe just a little longer." Juvia said as they hit the water.

With Gray

Gray stared at his wrist as the brand on it disappeared. "Okay, that was weird..." Gray mumbled before feeling his face. 'Tears? What the hell was that?' He turned back to look for the woman, but he was already behind him. 'Shit!' He thought as he stood up and turned to her.

"Why were you following me?" Ultear asked.

"Just who the hell are you?" Gray asked back.

"I'm sure you've figured it out by now." She replied. "I'm the daughters of your master Ur, Ultear."

Gray gasped in shock as she confirmed what he thought. 'This can't be... Ultear was the same person who helped Jellal destroy the magic council. Now she's a member of Grimoire Heart?' "Great, so your here to kill me. Is that it?"

"Not remotely." Ultear said, confusing Gray. "I've wanted to meet you for a very long time. I want to make things better between us. After all, I'm a friend."

"You're a friend?" Gray asked in confusion.

"Correct." She nodded back.

"Listen, about..." Gray mumbled.

"No need to explain." She replied. "My mother did what she thought was right. It's a teachers job to protect her students, after all."

The rain was the only sound heard for a while before Gray spoke up. "Look, don't take this the wrong way but I don't care what you think about me. And you've got a funny way of showing your pride in your mother. That creep Zeref created Deliora and that's what killed your mother! And now you're planing on using him to create a horrible world to live in!"

"You have it wrong, Gray." She replied. "I plan on setting things right. This is Ur's will after all."

With Natsu and co.

The rain poured outside the cave the team had taken hold of. Mest was sitting against the wall as he stared down at the third master. "Well, what do you think?" Lucy asked as she stepped out from behind a rock in a new dress.

"You look great." Wendy said.

"Garments from the celestial world suit you, princess." Virgo said, having shown up in the cave on her own magic power. She then went over to Wendy and held out another set of clothing. "Now for you."

"No one asked you to do do this." Wendy replied.

"It's no problem. Now hurry, you don't want to catch a cold." The maid said.

"Okay. Thanks." Wendy said before hurrying behind a rock.

"Now, as for you, miss Laki..." The maid said, holding up some clothing options.

"Nah, I'm fine." Laki said, having torn off her scraped up sleeves.

"Look." Natsu said as Carla flew into view. "Yo, what happened to Lily and Rose?"

"The three of us split up once we found the base camp." The white cat explained. "Gajeel and Mirajane weren't looking too good when I left, so they're sticking by while they recover."

"Hope they make it." Happy said.

"It's not all bad." Carla said as she landed on the ground. "We found the Grimoire Heart airship on the eastern side of the island."

"Let's go kick some ass." Natsu said.

"Wait, I think we need to go back to camp." Lucy spoke up. "We can regroup with the others and come up with a plan."

"She's right Natsu." Laki said. "We're gonna need all the power we can get if we're gonna storm their ship."

"If you say so, Laki." Natsu nodded in disappointment before walking over to Makarov. "I'll carry the master."

"What about me?" The spy asked.

"Just keep the council from blowing us up." Natsu said as he leaned down and picked up the master.

The spy looked down in shame. "Look, either help us or don't. We can handle Grimoire Heart and Zeref on our own." Laki said.

"Please, just tell them that Etherion isn't necessary." Wendy begged.

"You think I'm the kind of guy they listen to?" Mest asked back.

"Then just trynand buy us some time." Natsu said as he walked forward before the group walked into the rain.

"Are you all insane?" Mest shouted. "No one who's fought Grimoire Heart and lived to tell about it! What you planing to do?"

"Hit them hard and 'em hell." Natsu said simple as they walked into the storm.

With Erza

"Wendy! Where are you!?" The red head cried out as she walked through the forest.

"If it isn't the famous Erza Scarlet." A voice said from around her.

"Come out here!" She ordered.

The tree above her began growing a limb before it turned into a face and body. "Finally, I've found the woman know as Titania. And as for this Wendy, I've taken care of her."

"You'll pay for that." She said back.

Grimoire Heart Airship

"Incredible... I never imagined that even Meredy would fall in battle." Hades said as he put his glass down. "I never pictured an event where more than half of the Kin would fall them. It leaves me with no choice."He turned to the side on,y to find Bluenote was gone. "So he's already left... forgive me, Makarov. I had hoped to never send him into battle again."

Fairy Tail Base Camp

The damaged wizards laid on the ground as Lily and Rose explained everything to Levy and Lisanna. "Great. Natsu and the others are coming here." The snowette said with a smile.

"It'll be great to see Lucy again." Levy added.

"They should be here soon." Lily said. "Carla's leading them here right now."

"With so many of our wizards down, we need every little bit of help we can get." Lisanna said, looking over at her siblings, Gajeel and Evergreen.

"When Makarov gets here, we're going to have to take care of him too." Rose explained.

"I can't believe someone managed to beat him." Levy said before turning to Lisanna. "They're going to pay for this. When everyone gets here, we'll send Grimoire Heart packing. When we work together, there's nothing we can do."

A footstep caught their attention and they turned around. "I admire your bravery but you must always be aware of the difference in power in individuals. Your drums beat in fear as you prepare for your oblivion." Rustyrose confidently said.

"You're dead wrong!" Pantherlily said as he triggered his battle form.

With Natsu and Co.

The group raced through the island when Wendy turned back to Carla. "Do you think Doranbolt is okay?" She asked.

"Put that man out of your mind for now." Her cat told her. "We don't need his help anyway."

"I hope Cana is okay." Lucy said as she raced alongside Happy.

"Maybe she's back at base camp with Erza." The blue cat suggested.

Natsu came to a stop when he saw someone walking towards them. "Heads up. Someone's ahead of us." He warned.

The man was walking through a massive amount of rain that was seemingly focused on him. "What's with this guys power?" Laki asked in fear. "It's like he's holding a rain cloud over his head."

"Are you one of the Kin?" Natsu asked.

Bluenote came to a stop before them and stared them down. "Have any of you learned to fly?" He asked before holding out his hands. "No? A shame... then you can all fall!" The magic hit them and forced the group to the ground before the stone itself stared to curve around them.

"Neither Grimoire Heart nor the Fairy Tail guild matter to me." Bluenote said as they tried to push themselves up. "But there is one thing I want to do on this island. Tell me, where is the grave of Mavis Vermillion?"

"Even if we knew where it was, what makes you think we'd tell you?" Laki asked. "Thats more than a grave. It's scared to our guild. Only members are allowed anywhere near it. So you're fresh out of..." She started floating off the ground before gravity crushed her and the rocks underneath.

"Laki!" Natsu shouted in concern. "Just what do you want with the grave!?"

"All I want is the Fairy Glitter spell." Bluenote stated. "One of the three grand Fairy Spells. It's on the same power as the Fairy Law."

"Go find a craft store if you want glitter!" Natsu replied only to get crushed as well. "I can't move..."

"I want that spell." The dark wizard demanded. "Tell me where the light is or I'll pop you like a grape. Maybe I'll just crush your friends one by one until your speak."

"Like you can keep me pinned to the ground with that little spell!" Natsu shouted as he forced himself up. "I won't let you beat me!" He let out a roar as he charged the man.

"Legend say it was buried with Mavis." Bluenote said. "Just tell me where it is and I'll let you live." Natsu jumped and swung his flaming fist, but crashed into an invisible wall before he crashed to the ground. "Don't you know it's rude to interrupt someone who's talking?"

Bluenote looked down and stared at Makarov laying on the ground. "So, you've brought Makarov with you? Why don't I ask him?" He increased his magic and all six crashed to the ground again. "Now, I'll ask you one last time. Where is Mavis' grave?"

With Cana

Cana walked through the cave in exhaustion before finally coming to a stop. 'The grave... finally, I can become an S-Class wizard... I can finally face my father...' She walked through the light and found herself staring at the grave. "What's going on... the grave... It's glowing..."

She walked forward towards the grave in confusion of the fire at the grave. "What's with this light? It's like magic power. And the rain... it's stopped." She reached the grave and held out her hand to the flame, before it pushed her back. Runes materialized over the flame as Cana stated in confusion. "'Here lies the Fairy Glitter, one of the three grand Fairy spells. May it's light always pierce the darkness.'"

Cana gritted her teeth in anger as she stared at the grave. "Is this some kind of sick joke? I don't want a spell, I want a grave. I can't finish this trial without it! Master! Where are you!? I finally made it here and this happens... maybe I'm just not good enough to get through this... have the last twelve years meant nothing?"

12 Years Ago

Rain poured down around Cana and her tiny dog as she stared at the grave in front of her. Her mother had just died, and her will told her that she's to live with her father. So she began the long treck to the Fairy Tail guild. All she knew was her father's name; Gildarts.

Cana stood outside the building as her father walked next to her. "Hello there, little lady." The older man said. "What are you doing here?"

Cana looked at him with hope and a smile. 'Daddy...'

"I would hurry back home if I were you." He said, shocking her as he walked away. "Stay here too long and you'll end up stinking like a boozehound."

She reached out to him, but her hand lowered in shame. Days passed and Cana waited for her father to return to the point that she joined the guild to make her stand out less. When he finally did return, he then immediately left on another job. It became a curse for her to say. She picked up card magic and started doing jobs herself, all to make herself closer to her father. But he was the ace of the guild, someone she was unworthy of being related to.

Time passed and she became scared of telling him the truth. The S-Class trial came and she made a vow; she would tell her father the truth when she became an S-Class wizard. But year after year she failed. Even newer members like Erza became S-Class before her.

Her mind then traveled to her time in Lucy's apartment before the trial. "That's all there's is to it. If I don't become an S-Class wizard, I'll leave the guild. It's that simple."

"Let me be your partner Cana!" Lucy shouted. "I won't let you leave the guild! I'll turn you into an S-Class mage!" She stared st the blonde in shock.

Present

A soft cry for help snapped her back to reality before she reached into her purse. She dug out a small card with Lucy on it and stared at the face. Flashing though the trial, her hand started shaking before her legs collapsed. "What have I done? Lucy... I'm sorry." She bawled out in shame.

'I never wanted this... I didn't mean to betray my friends. I don't care anymore...' She gripped the ground before standing up. She reached out to the flame and gripped it making magic explode out of it. 'I don't care if I become an S-Class wizard or tell my father. I just want to help my friends!'

"Plesse, give me the power I need to save my friends! My heart will always belong to Fairy Tail. So help me protect my family!" The magic turned into a bright light and Cana would swear she heard a voice in it. The shinning grave died down and a red tattoo appeared on her arm.

"Thank you..." She said before smirking. Turning on her heels, she broke out into a sprint and raced towards Lucy. 'I don't care if I'm heading to my death. I've got so much kindness to repay, and I'm starting now.'

She raced through the forest as her card shined brightly. 'Just hold on, Lucy. I'm on my way and I plan on going all out. I'm bringing Fairy Glitter with me. Whoever is attacking you is about to wish they never set foot on this island.'

She slid down some rocks and came to a stop at an overlook over the fight. "So you're the one who's gonna pay for this!" She shouted, catching Bluenotes attention.

"Cana!" Lucy cheered in joy.

"Thank goodness." Carla sighed.

"You're gonna pay for what you did to my friends!" The card mage jumped and threw her cards at the dark wizard, who used his magic to make them miss. "Time to collect!" Her arm started glowing shocking everyone else.

"Why is her arm shining?" Carla asked.

"I don't know..." Happy replied.

"Is that?" Bluenote asked before snapping back to his senses. Activating his magic, he slammed Cana to the ground. "Tell me where you got that magic or else I'll kill you now."

"You don't think she actually learned Fairy Glitter, did she?" Carla asked.

"Lucy, I'm so sorry for leaving you back in the forest." The brunette said to the blonde. "I crossed you and all of Fairy Tail. I can never forgive myself." She stood back up and glared at Bluenote. "But now I can start to make things right. With this spell, I can take him out."

"That's great!" Lucy cheered. "So does this mean you found Mavis' grave?"

"You went to a grave?" Natsu asked in shock. "Wait... do you mean the test..."

"You mind if we talk about that later?" Cana asked. "Give me a hand defeating this guy, Natsu. Distract him while I build up some magic power."

Bluenote held up his hands and blasted both sides with magic power, sending all of them tumbling backwards. "Do you really think you'll be able to defeat me?" He asked. "After all these years, Fairy Glitter is just hand delivered to me. Now, hand over that spell now."

"Nice try, but this spell only for members of the Fairy Tail guild." Cana replied. "So unless you wanna join us, you're out of luck."

"If you knew the origin of magic, then you should know that all magic is the same at its roots." Bluenote retorted.

'Magic is the same...' Laki thought. 'Wait, Drusta told me about that...'

Bluenote raised his hand and Cana floated of the ground. "Because of this, I don't need to join your pathetic guild to use the spell." He closed his fist and Cana started screaming in pain. "Now, I'm going to ask you this one time; can you actually use Fairy Glitter."

"D-damn right!" She spat back.

"It's a powerful spell that gathers light from the sun, moon, and stars to destroy those the caster deems a threat." Bluenote said. "If someone like you can use it, then it's not as impressive as I thought it would be." Cana screamed again as she felt the gravity crush her.

Natsu roared again before the gravity forced his head into the ground. "Fire Dragon Roar!" He muffled from under the ground as flames ripped through the rock and hit Bluenote.

"Annoying fly." The dark wizard said before blasting Natsu's side with gravity again.

"Nice, Natsu!" Cana cheered as she was dropped to the ground.

"Go for it!"" He shouted.

"Time for me to end this!" Cana raised her arm and the tattoo started glowing. "Gather, a river of light guided by fairies." A light surrounded her before it broke through the storm clouds. "Let your fangs shine and vanquish all evil! Fairy Glitter!" She pointed her arm at Bluenote and a ring of light surrounded him.

Both screamed, one in power the other in pain, before Bluenote dropped to his knees. "Fall!" He placed his hand on the ground and it shattered, cushioning him as well as blasting them all back. "This is your Fairy Glitter? Absolutely pathetic." He stood back up and glared st Cana. "No matter how powerful the spell is, it's the wizard that matters the most."

He started walking over to her. "Just do you know, I don't need you alive to take the spell from you." He reached out for her as the others begged for her to run. "Looks like I couldn't fly again. But sending you to hell will put a smile on my face."

Just before he could grab her, a second hand reached out and blasted Bluenote back. All looked to see Gildarts standing in front of Cana with an angry look on his face. The others cheered as Cana could only tear up. 'Father...'

See, THIS is some fatherly issues that I can get behind. Trying to impress him when he doesn't even know you exist? Sign me up. Lucy could have used some of this drama when she went through her little arc. Well, not much if Laki in this chapter, I know. But that should change soon. You'll see what I mean.

Beta read by JballinR12.