This work is an original creation and is protected by copyright. The characters and elements of the Fairy Tail universe belong to the mangaka Hiro Mashima.
Important:
As I have said before this story is an original work created by me, InsideBlu. But since my native language is not English but Spanish, I have used the application DeepL to translate it to reach English-speaking readers. I have tried to remain faithful to the original text, but some adaptations may have been necessary to ensure clarity in English.
Fairy Tail: New Extalía
Chapter 2: Return
Introduction Arc
Now, determined to leave, Happy turned to look at the guild for the last time, with tears in his eyes, accompanied by a small smile. "It's not a goodbye, it's a see you soon, Fairy Tail."
Happy wiped away his tears, kept his gaze up, and now with a clear goal and the determination to fulfill it, he headed towards Tenrou Island.
1 Year Later
February of X795
In the Fairy Tail guild, excitement and joy resonated throughout the hall. The large doors of the guild suddenly swung open, revealing Natsu and Lucy, who wore faces of apparent victory. Their arrival stirred up the guild, and everyone began celebrating their successful mission. With them, most of the guild members were relieved, as Natsu and Lucy had gone on an S-class mission and had returned safely.
Carla noticed the arrival of the two and hurried over to speak with them. After a quick glance, she realized that the other objective had not been accomplished. There was quite a noise in Natsu's group, as it seemed that Natsu and Lucy had returned from their mission with no real news about Happy. Apparently, the supposed sighting was only from an unreliable witness.
"So the rumors were false," Carla said with some annoyance and frustration. "Damn it, I knew you can't trust those kinds of rumors!"
"Maybe you should calm down, Carla," Wendy said, trying to reassure her friend.
Carla nodded and started taking deep breaths to calm herself down. "I appreciate it, Wendy, but this all leads to the same point," she said, pointing to one of the empty seats in the guild, where Happy used to sit regularly to eat fish. "We have no information about him, and it's been a year since he disappeared without a trace," Carla explained.
"I know, but most of us thought maybe Happy just went off to train, like the time Natsu and he went away for a year to train, only leaving a letter for Ms. Lucy," Wendy said, remembering what had happened.
"I don't think that's it. I know Happy, and he would never leave without leaving some kind of message, at least for me..." Carla said, the last part in a barely audible whisper.
"Did you say something?" Wendy asked, as she hadn't heard her clearly. "Could you repeat that, Carla?" she asked.
Carla, however, ignored her and decided to leave the guild, as the noisy atmosphere of the place made it difficult for her to think clearly.
"How is Carla doing?" Lucy asked. "Although the mission was a success, the truth is they only accepted it because they heard a rumor about a supposed sighting of Happy near the border with the Bosco country."
"She's not calm at all," Wendy replied. "I don't understand why she's so worried. Could it be that she finally likes Happy and that's what makes her worry?" Wendy said, trying to lighten the mood, but without success.
"I don't think that's it," Lucy responded. "I've been thinking... maybe... Carla knows something more about Happy's disappearance. We should ask her," she suggested.
"Why do you think that, Lucy-san?" Wendy asked.
"Don't you think it's pretty strange and coincidental that Happy disappeared after talking to Carla?" Lucy said, pointing out the detail. "They might have argued, and that caused Happy to leave. At least that's what I think," she said.
The conversation between the two didn't lead anywhere, and each of them decided to return to their homes.
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In the Guild's Bell Tower
At the highest part of the Fairy Tail building, the bell tower, Carla was reflecting on Happy's disappearance and everything that followed. She never imagined that Happy would come to worry her like this.
A soft sound alerted her that someone was nearby.
"I suppose I can't be alone, can I, Touka?" Carla said, glancing sideways to see the other Exceed sitting a bit lower down.
The one sitting below was Touka, an Exceed with lilac fur and violet stripes. She came from the world of Elentir, where Exceeds also existed.
Natsu's team had met her during the 100-year mission, when she was being controlled by the white mage, Faris, who was then their enemy.
However, things turned out quite well since they helped Touka and Faris save their world from a magical power threat that had been endangering it.
From the moment Carla met Touka, she didn't think that Touka would cause them great trouble. However, she began to raise suspicion in Carla, as Touka wasn't an Exceed from Edolas, which made Carla question her true identity.
And something that bothered her even more was the fact that she seemed to be in love with Happy—not because of the love itself, but because Touka was always too attached to Happy at important moments, and it seemed like she threw indirect comments at Carla during serious situations.
Carla didn't care that Touka loved Happy; what bothered her was that Happy also got distracted by Touka at important moments. But after saving Elentir, Touka had asked Carla to look after Happy. She promised that they would meet again.
Carla thought she would never see Touka again, but she was wrong—Touka came back to the Fairy Tail guild two more times. On her first visit, she shared the news that she was seriously thinking of joining Fairy Tail to be with Happy, but she mentioned that she needed to settle some matters in Elentir first before thinking about joining. Natsu's team told her they would be waiting, and Happy was happy she was considering joining. But Carla still distrusted Touka's actions, believing there was a deeper reason why she was so close to Happy.
Carla knew that Touka wasn't a bad person, but her intense feelings for Happy made it clear that she could be very impulsive in her actions and thoughts.
Carla quickly pushed those thoughts of Touka aside. "I know you're worried about Happy, but I'm telling you again, I have no idea where he is," Carla said hurriedly. "You don't need to spy on me; that's disrespectful. So, tell me, why are you here?" she asked.
"I wanted to talk to you, and seeing that you were alone, I thought it would be the best moment," Touka explained.
"What is it about?" Carla asked with a tired expression.
"Carla" she began, "You know I haven't been in the guild for long, and I still have a hard time adjusting to the guild's lively and intense atmosphere," she said, gazing at the horizon. "I expected Happy to be here when I arrived, but I see that wasn't the case," Touka confessed.
"I know what you're talking about, but as you know, Happy disappeared more than a year ago," Carla replied.
"That's the point I want to get to. I need to know what happened after the disappearance of my dear Happy. I know he disappeared, but I feel like there's more information I need about the time leading up to his disappearance."She said with a clear tone of concern in her voice. "Something could have happened in the guild before that date, and it would also help if you could tell me what happened after Happy left. I mean, if you can recount everything that happened up until my arrival," she said. "So, I beg you, please help me with that!" Touka added, pleading with Carla.
"I suppose you deserve to know what happened with Happy," Carla said, feeling empathy for Touka.
Carla began to recount the events surrounding Happy's disappearance. She explained that Happy had seemed somewhat down before he disappeared, and she suspected it was due to something that had happened to him, but she had no idea what.
Carla told her that she was the first to notice Happy's absence, as she had gone to his house to discuss an important matter, but noticed that no one was home. At first, she thought Happy had simply hurried off to catch up with Natsu and Lucy on their next mission.
But after they returned and realized that Happy was not with them, a massive search was launched throughout the city of Magnolia and its surroundings. Carla was the one who coordinated the search groups the most, as she was deeply worried that something had happened to Happy due to their argument. Although she never told anyone about that detail.
Over a year had passed since then, and part of the guild had dedicated themselves to searching for any clues or sightings related to Happy.
During that time, after gathering some data, Lucy concluded that something must have motivated Happy to leave, probably to train, almost the same way that he and Natsu left after the Tartaros battle, a few years ago.
Carla also mentioned that during this period, Touka returned to the guild to join permanently. However, Touka was unaware of Happy's disappearance, so she too had been investigating his whereabouts without success.
Touka thanked Carla for sharing all the information about Happy.
"Can I ask you something, Touka? Why did you wait until now to ask me about it?" Carla asked, curious.
"You won't like the answer," Touka said, somewhat embarrassed.
"Just tell me the truth!" Carla exclaimed.
"I waited until now because I know what your friendship with Happy was like, I know about the problems you two had at first and the harsh way you treated him," Touka confessed. "Lately, I've been hearing rumors in the guild that you had something to do with Happy's disappearance."
"So, you suspected me, right?" Carla got upset by Touka's intrusion. "Think what you want, I've already told you what I know," Carla said, turning halfway to return home.
Surprisingly, Touka hugged her from behind, leaving Carla shocked by the sudden action.
"I know you're worried about Happy, even though you don't show it in public. I'm sorry for having suspected you," Touka said, with a faint smile. "I thought you didn't care about Happy, but seeing your reaction when Natsu and Lucy returned and you realized that Happy wasn't there, I realized that Happy is someone important to you," she revealed her thoughts. "So, I apologize, Carla." Touka broke the hug and knelt down in an apology.
"Don't exaggerate, Touka!" Carla exclaimed. "It's fine, I accept your apology, but don't kneel like that, it makes me uncomfortable," Carla said, helping Touka to stand up.
"If you're interested, I want to invite you to a nearby café for some tea," Touka said, inviting Carla.
"Alright, we'd better hurry then," Carla said, accepting the invitation.
The two girls left the bell tower and headed to the mentioned café.
[...]
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[...]
In the center of Magnolia city
On the streets of Magnolia, a hooded figure walked, dragging a cloth bag that seemed to contain a variety of eye-catching objects. The hooded figure was distracted, gazing at the clear water of the canal that ran through the city.
Suddenly, the figure accidentally bumped shoulders with a passerby who was part of a group.
"Hey, you idiot, watch where you're walking, you fool!" shouted the angry person.
"I apologize for my clumsiness, I had my head in the clouds," said the hooded figure with a nostalgic air. "It's been a while since I've seen this place," they smiled and tried to continue walking.
"Who cares? Looks like we'll have to teach this guy some manners," the person said, grabbing the hooded figure's shoulder firmly.
The person quickly glanced at the cloth bag the hooded figure was holding and noticed something shiny that reflected light.
"Well, well, if you'll excuse me, now this belongs to us, idiot. Hand over everything!" the person said, pointing at the bags and threatening with a sword.
However, the hooded figure ignored them and kept walking. "Hey, idiot, we said something!" one of the people shouted. "I warned you, idiot!" Immediately, the person swung the sword, attempting to strike the hooded figure from behind.
The sword sliced through the hood, and to the surprise of the thieves, the hood fell to the ground, but there was no one wearing it.
"Boss, behind you!" one of the thieves shouted. As he turned around, a heavy bag was thrown at full speed and hit him in the abdomen, causing him to be dragged back and crash into a wall.
The leader of the thieves fell unconscious from the blow, and all the others were stunned. As they searched for the culprit, they realized that from under the fallen hood stood a young man with light blue hair, with two locks of hair that looked like cat ears. He was picking up the bag he had thrown at the thief.
"What bad luck, some of the gifts I prepared got ruined!" the young man with light blue hair said.
"What did you do to the boss, idiot?" two of the thieves shouted, rushing to attack the young man.
The young man reacted immediately, skillfully sliding on the ground. As he approached the two thieves, he quickly got up and launched a hook kick that barely missed the thieves, who smiled in relief. However, the young man with light blue hair smiled and exclaimed, "Wind Exceed Style: Hook Kick - Blade Exceed."
Immediately, gusts of wind emerged from the trail of his kick, hitting the thieves with great force, sending them crashing into the railings surrounding the canal.
The remaining thieves fled in terror after seeing the strength of the light blue-haired youth. However, one thief tried to drag the boss away but was immediately knocked out by someone else. A metallic sound gave the light blue-haired youth a clue.
It seemed that this person had been watching the entire fight.
"You're one slippery bastard, furball," the person exclaimed, laughing. "You can't fool a dragon's sense of smell," they said. The light blue-haired young man immediately recognized who it was—red eyes, metal studs on the face, and the smell of a dragon.
"It's good to see you again, Gajeel," the young man exclaimed.
"Gee Hee! You're Salamander's cat, Happy. Your appearance doesn't match at all, but your scent is the same as always," Gajeel said, laughing at the situation. "I hate to admit it, but I guess the rabbit was right," Gajeel added, remembering Lucy's words that Happy had gone to train.
"I don't care if you came back or not, but I'll tell you something—the guild has been looking for you all this time. I hope you have a good excuse for leaving without leaving any explanations," Gajeel warned Happy.
This statement left Happy confused, as he remembered leaving a farewell letter for Natsu. A sense of guilt and remorse began to weigh on him.
"What do you mean?" Happy asked, somewhat confused. "Before I left, I made sure to leave the farewell letter for Natsu in a visible place," Happy replied.
"Maybe you should ask Natsu directly," Gajeel said seriously. "I don't know the details, but since you left, most of the guild made an effort to find you, especially Wendy's Exceed," Gajeel said, referring to Carla.
This information left Happy speechless, as he thought Carla wasn't that concerned about him.
"By the way, even though you've transformed into a human form, I can assure you that my Lily could easily defeat you," Gajeel exclaimed, with a sense of pride as he referred to his Exceed partner. "Although I must admit, that magic seems interesting. I guess it's wind magic."
"Aye," Happy replied with a proud smile. "That's how I was able to defend myself from those ruffians."
"Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to head back to the guild," Happy said, picking up the bags that had ended up on the floor due to the fight.
"Me too, I suppose the twins are probably waiting for me," Gajeel said. "Levy sent me to buy them food, and I got distracted with you," Gajeel exclaimed, knowing how terrifying his wife, Levy, could be when it came to their children.
Gajeel headed north towards the city. Meanwhile, Happy headed towards the guild, feeling a mix of excitement and worry, unsure how the guild would react to his return.
"I hope this ends well," Happy muttered, becoming more nervous than usual. "Maybe I should go home first. I hope Natsu is there," he said.
Although Happy was heading towards his home, he unknowingly began to subtly stray from his path, as if he were avoiding the route that would lead him directly back to the guild.
[...]
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In the guild
Apparently, the news of a fight in the center of Magnolia had reached the guild's ears. However, they hadn't paid much attention, as they were unaware that Happy had been involved.
Natsu returned home, taking Lucy with him, who had agreed to help him clean his house.
There was a noticeable air of tranquility, as the most troublesome members were currently out of the guild. Natsu and Lucy were at his house. Gray was at home with his partner, Juvia. Gajeel was out of the guild due to a request from his wife, Levy.
The rest of the members occasionally appreciated the calm.
The guild members were chatting when suddenly a loud noise came from outside, followed by a distant "AAAYYEEE?!" The peace that had reigned in the guild was abruptly interrupted by a deafening scream from outside. In an instant, the guild's door was shattered, and several tables were knocked over when Happy, thrown with force, crashed through the entrance and hit the floor.
From outside the guild, it was clear that Gajeel had been the one responsible for the commotion.
Gajeel, who had grabbed Happy by the neck to "give him a little push" inside the guild, ended up throwing him toward the building. Gajeel appeared behind him with a serious expression, in his own way helping Happy reunite with his friends.
Everyone wondered what the hell had happened.
A few minutes earlier.
Outside the guild.
Happy was on his way back home, deliberating whether or not to show up at the guild. However, when he arrived home and was surprised to find Natsu and Lucy already there, his heart sank.
Torn between facing them or continuing to avoid them, he chose the latter and headed back toward the guild. Happy stood silently for a moment, observing the guild from a distance while struggling with his emotions.
"It looks like you need a little push to get over your problems," said Gajeel.
Before Happy could respond, he felt Gajeel grab him by the neck and throw him with such force, sending him straight toward the guild.
So, Happy crashed through the shattered door and slammed into the floor. It was as if Gajeel had decided to "help" Happy enter the guild in an unconventional way, grabbing him by the neck and launching him inside with such force that it seemed like he'd forgotten the door even existed.
The guild members started to gather around the spot where Happy had landed. Some of them immediately recognized who it was.
"No way, is it really you, Happy?" A female voice exclaimed.
Happy weakly lifted one of his trembling hands. "Aye!" he said, his voice filled with pain.
The people began to surround him, bombarding him with a myriad of questions.
"Is it really you?"
"Where have you been?"
"Since when are you in town?"
"What the hell happened here?"
"Are you okay?"
Countless questions rained down on Happy, not giving him a moment to breathe. Every voice blended together, creating a confusing murmur of curiosity and concern. To Happy, it felt like being caught in the middle of a storm of words, unable to distinguish who was saying what among the crowd of voices.
"SHUT UP, YOU BRATS!" A shout echoed through the entire guild. People were startled by the authoritative tone. When everyone finally fell silent, they realized it was Master Makarov, who was sitting in his wheelchair.
Master Makarov, despite his advanced age, was still the guild master of Fairy Tail. Pointing at Happy, he told him he wanted to see him in his office to talk privately.
Happy nodded and followed the master to his office. Outside the office, the guild members couldn't stop murmuring about what had happened with Happy's sudden arrival. At that moment, Alzack decided to inform Natsu and Lucy about what had happened.
Alzack left the guild and ran into Gajeel. "Hey, what the hell happened with Happy? You threw him into the guild." Alzack asked.
"I had been following him ever since I saw him in the city," Gajeel replied. "I saw him wandering around the guild and decided to give him a little help," he laughed as he explained. Alzack nodded, somewhat confused, and continued on his way to find Natsu and Lucy.
Elsewhere, in Magnolia City.
Natsu and Lucy were hurrying toward the guild. They were so absorbed in their rush that they didn't notice Carla and Touka coming out of a nearby shop, and inevitably, they bumped into each other.
"Watch where you're going, Natsu!" Carla yelled in anger. "What happened for you to be in such a hurry?" she exclaimed, crossing her arms. But Natsu ignored them and kept running toward the guild.
"It's about Happy. Natsu picked up Happy's scent near his house," Lucy explained, a little out of breath. "The scent is fresh, so he must be nearby." Lucy hurriedly explained while helping Touka up.
The declaration surprised both Exceeds, and they quickly headed toward the guild.
In the master's office.
The atmosphere in the master's office was very tense. Happy was sitting on a sofa across from the master, with a small table to the side. On the table was a coffee pot and two empty cups.
Happy felt quite uneasy under Master Makarov's gaze, aware of the authority, power, respect, and trust he held among the guild members.
Master Makarov broke the silence. "So, you've finally returned, Happy," he said calmly. "How has your journey been?" he added, gesturing for Happy to serve the hot coffee.
"Quite unexpected for my taste," Happy replied while pouring a cup of coffee.
"Let's stop with the pleasantries and get to the point," Makarov said, pulling out a mission approval notice. "I suppose this has to do with this," the master said as he showed Happy the mission poster.
Despite his efforts to stay calm, Happy couldn't help but feel nervous at the prospect of facing Master Makarov in such a delicate situation.
Happy nodded and stayed silent while Makarov began reading the details of the mission aloud.
"This mission is somewhat peculiar as it specifically requests you, Happy," Makarov said seriously, focusing on the part that caught his attention. He cleared his throat before continuing. "The author of this mission is a retired naturalist named Ryota Shīto, and he has requested you and any Exceed who might want to accompany you."
"According to this information, you met Mr. Ryota on your journey back, didn't you?" Makarov asked, and Happy confirmed that he had met him.
"Yes, I did meet him. Since I'm an Exceed, Mr. Ryota allowed me to rest in his home," Happy explained. "He lives with several Exceeds because he is an elderly man, and the Exceeds, who are his only companions, help him around his house," Happy informed him.
"Yes, and because Mr. Ryota is concerned about the well-being of his companions, he requested the services of a fortune teller. According to this information, when consulting the seer, she predicted that something would happen to the Exceeds—not just to Ryota's family, but to Exceeds in general," the master explained. "So, this mission is to find out what will happen to the Exceeds and prevent it at all costs."
Happy looked down, feeling uneasy because he knew what was coming. "Ryota-san told me about that prophecy. At first, I didn't believe it, because Carla is the only person I fully trust when it comes to predictions," Happy said, showing his full confidence in Carla.
"But this fortune teller had a different and peculiar method: she could only predict when the sun set, according to her, during the evening twilight," Happy continued, pouring himself a cup of coffee. "Unlike Carla, who has visions, this woman had the ability to draw the future, but only once a day," Happy explained while taking a sip from his cup.
"To test her power, she made a prediction: she drew me being chased by a flock of crows," Happy recalled. "To my surprise, that prediction came true when I tripped over a sack of seeds and was chased by those dark birds."
Master Makarov took another sip of his coffee and asked, "What did she draw about that future involving the Exceeds?"
Happy went silent, finding it difficult to explain with words. "She drew a white light falling over the land where the Exceeds live, and after that light, the drawing showed several Exceeds motionless in the field."
"That sounds both horrible and mysterious," the master said, noticing how Happy seemed somewhat downcast. It was clear that talking about that prediction had affected him. "Did the girl tell you anything about the meaning of that prediction?" he asked.
"She explained that the farther a prediction is from the present, the more inaccurate it becomes," Happy said, looking out one of the windows."Ryota-san told me he planned to present a request to the Fairy Tail guild, and he wanted me because I already knew the details. But the place we're heading to doesn't allow humans," he continued.
"Then he told me he needed your approval to get permission to take this mission," Happy explained. "That's why I'm here," he concluded.
Master Makarov nodded and explained that Mr. Ryota's mission couldn't be taken lightly for two reasons. If the prediction is correct, this mission would be classified as an S-Class mission, meaning high risk. And that leads to the second issue, Happy.
"You're not an S-Class wizard, and you're not qualified for this mission," the master scolded. "Besides, from what I understand, you plan to take this mission whether I give you permission or not!" he added in a serious and authoritative tone.
Happy trembled with some fear, but decided to confront the master. "I plan to take the mission regardless of your approval, because if it's true, the Exceeds will be in danger, and that includes Carla, Pantherlily, and all the Exceeds we know," Happy exclaimed, determination in his voice. "I want to protect my friends—that's the reason I left!" Happy nearly shouted.
"Don't you understand, Happy? You're a Fairy Tail wizard!" the master nearly shouted at him. "As long as you're a Fairy Tail wizard, I consider you and anyone in this guild like my own children." He continued, his voice stern. "Whether you're an Exceed or a human, I see you as one of my children, and no parent wants to see their children get hurt," he said.
"Then tell me, what's the reason you're willing to disobey?!"
"This is the reason!" Happy yelled, his voice ringing out. "I DON´T WANT TO PUT ANY OF MY FRIENDS IN DANGER!" His words were filled with raw emotion, and it surprised the master.
"Alright, then, if you want to put yourself in danger, let's put you to the test!" the master responded calmly, much to Happy's surprise. "You against Pantherlily. If you truly want to protect your friends, show me your power and the strength of your heart by defeating him."
"If you win, I'll qualify you as an S-Class wizard, and then you can take the mission on your own," the master explained. "But if you lose... You'll face a punishment appropriate to the mission's level," he concluded. "You can leave now and explain your disappearance to your friends."
The master grabbed Happy and dragged him out of the office. Happy was surprised by his own courage, as he realized that, had this happened before, he would've most likely passed out from fear.
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Happy flew down from the second floor when he realized that most of the guild was waiting for his meeting with the master to finish.
His comrades immediately started bombarding him with questions, but Happy explained that he would only answer them once Natsu was there.
"Well, you won't have to wait long, Happy!" exclaimed a voice from outside the guild. As he stepped out, Happy recognized the voice instantly—it was his friend Natsu.
Happy found himself facing Natsu, and immediately his eyes filled with tears. "Natsu?!" exclaimed Happy as he rushed to hug his friend.
Natsu and Happy were reunited after a year, and the joy of both was clear from a distance. Far away, Lucy, Carla, and Touka watched the heartwarming reunion between Happy and Natsu.
"Happy-sama really has come back," Touka said with immense joy. She and the girls nodded and decided to listen to the reunion between Happy and Natsu after a year. But Carla noticed something strange in Happy, though she decided to stay quiet for now.
Natsu and Happy embraced each other in their reunion, while Happy cried tears of happiness.
"Finally, you've returned home, partner," Natsu exclaimed with a wide smile. "Welcome back home."
"Aye, Sir!" Happy replied cheerfully. The joy had arrived, and the celebration filled the Fairy Tail hall as everyone began to celebrate.
End of Chapter 2
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InsideBlu says goodbye, until next time.
Bye bye!
Next Chapter: Exceed Confrontation