Chapter 17
"Lucy."
Lucy heard the unmistakable voice of Cana Alberona. She turned around in her bar stool to be greeted with the sight of the brunette. Laxus was behind the Card Mage. Both of them were sporting a relatively stoic expression.
It was Laxus who answered first. "Gramps is calling for the three of us to his office."
"Okay," Lucy drawled. She was about to ask, but her analytical mind already conjured a certain hypothesis regarding the subject of this meeting. She sighed, and momentarily faced Lisanna, who was currently manning the bar in the absence of Mirajane. "Lisanna-san, I will be paying for the Strawberry Milkshake later. Could you put it in the tab? I promise I'll be back."
Lisanna smiled. "No worries."
"Thank you," Lucy sat up, and jumped from the bar stool, waving at the youngest Strauss sibling before she followed Cana and Laxus.
"Hey," Cana hugged her from her side once she managed to catch up with them. "Congratulations, girl! You're an S-Class Nominee!" Cana squealed.
Lucy matched the other woman's cheers. "We're S-Class Nominees! Yay!"
Lucy saw Cana smiled broadly. The brunette added, "Gosh, with Mira as my S-Class mentor, I will be sure to be sore for the next few days!"
"Is Mira really that scary of a teacher?" Lucy asked, imagining how their resident gentle and ladylike barmaid could be a strict teacher.
"Yup!" Cana grinned. "Mira is a slave driver when it comes to training. That's the reason why Elfman and Lisanna were always strong contenders as S-Class Nominees."
Lucy remembered that time when she went against the Strauss Siblings when they were brainwashed by Faris using her Whiteout Magic. At that time, Lisanna was able to withstand the force of a Star Dress Mix Spell.
"This time you're in a team with Bickslow and Loke," Lucy offered.
"Who would've thought that our former competitor will now be my teammate," Cana sighed wistfully.
"Yeah," Lucy agreed, remembering how she and Cana went against the very same man in a previous S-Class Promotion Trial. "And now, you also have Loke too!"
Cana laughed. "On that, I'm not worried. Loke and I have collaborated on quests before. We're a pretty solid team."
"I second that," Lucy agreed.
"Anyway, will you be okay?" Cana asked.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, Loke's your Celestial Spirit. Wouldn't that disadvantage you by him existing here using your Magic Power?"
"Oh, that," Lucy realized. "We're probably going to make some sort of adjustment in our contract. Or he'd probably use his own Magic Power again to open his own Gate here. That way, my Magic reserves won't be affected."
"Oh, thank the gods," Cana sighed in relief. "I was actually worried."
"Awww," Lucy cooed before she hugged the older woman. "Thank you for worrying."
"Ahem," Laxus' voice interrupted their conversation as they reached a stop. They were now on the third floor, near the Master's office. "We're here."
Lucy nodded as a response. She could hear some muffled voices coming from inside the office. Erza and other S-Class Mages are probably finalizing some preparatory plans for the S-Class Promotion Trials. She cast a glance at Laxus. "You're not going to enter?"
"And listen to some boring old lecture?" Laxus chuckled. "Hell nah."
Lucy smiled before she heard feet softly shuffling. 'Ah, they're probably done by now,' she thought to herself.
Click . The wooden door opened. Erza was the first to exit. She was then followed by Mirajane, Mystogan (who is actually Jellal in disguise), and a very tired-looking Mr. Gildarts.
Out of the blue, Erza hugged Lucy. Confused, Lucy returned the gesture. Then, the red-head released her before addressing the man beside her. "Laxus," Erza said, patting the man's shoulder.
Lucy saw Laxus raise an eyebrow.
Erza then visibly and comically sneered and smirked at Mira's direction. The white-haired Mage returned the sentiment with a smiling expression that does not bode well. After that, they filed in a line to descend the stairs.
"Oookayyy…" Cana trailed off. "That's weird, right?"
"Y-Yeah…" Lucy agreed awkwardly. 'What was that about?'
Before Lucy could dwell on it any further, the Master's voice called for them. Master Makarov was sitting comfortably in his chair, his arms placed on the wooden desk. A stack of papers was neatly arranged on one end of the desk. In the Master's right hand was a single white envelope with a wax seal.
"You might want to get comfortable for this," Master suggested.
Lucy scanned the room for something to sit on but Laxus had already placed a chair beside her while moving his own on her right. She whispered her thanks before they took their seats. Cana was already sitting on her left side, a few inches away.
"Master, Laxus said that there's a letter written by the First Master addressed to the three of us?" Cana probed.
Master Makarov nodded his assent. "This letter was recorded by the First Master before we went to war against the Alvarez Empire," Master opened the Magic Letter, performing a circular motion around the wax seal.
The holographic image of the First Master appeared.
"Greetings, Fairies. I am Mavis Vermillion, the First Guild Master of Fairy Tail. The moment you open this letter means that I have finally reached the cessation of my immortal existence. Fret not, my children, for this has always been one of my goals, as life unchanging whilst bearing witness to my beloved people wither and perish is nothing more than a curse. In this, I say that Death is not to be feared. It is neither damnation nor corruption. Rather, it is a gift granted to each and everyone, that they may live life to its fullest."
"In my heart, I know that the guild has and will always be protected by every Guild Master as the pillar and light that nurture its members. However, it would be very remiss of me to leave the guild without sharing with you my final thoughts, that you may be prepared should a danger beyond our comprehension ever appear. We are on the cusp of a war against the powerful and almighty Alvarez Empire. It is an arduous endeavor that would endanger our very lives. However, I cannot help but be alarmed that this may not be the final adversity that we shall face."
"Hence, I have convened with Makarov Dreyar, the incumbent Guild Master, as I write this posthumous letter. He has informed me that Laxus Dreyar has learned and is able to cast Fairy Law , whereas I have seen to it that Cana Alberona is well on her way to gain mastery over Fairy Glitter . It shan't be long before one of the members in your current generation manage to cast the final spell Fairy Sphere."
"As the Fairy Tactician, I cannot just chalk this upon mere coincidence. In the course of our guild's history, The Three Great Fairy Magics have not been cast by mages - including Guild Masters - in a single generation. I fear that the manifestation of these three Spells in your current generation is an omen, warning of a catastrophe the likes of us have never seen. Unfortunately, I cannot predict when such a thing would happen, though I continuously pray that I am proven wrong in this assumption. Nevertheless, as one of my final orders, I beseech of you, casters of The Three Great Fairy Magics , the duty to prepare for such an eventuality."
"To The Fairy Glitter Cana Alberona, I impress upon you the duty to become the merciless light that denies the existence of nearby foes. Prepare the current and succeeding generations of Fairy Tail Mages to be the best of the best. Train them to become worthy and noble warriors that will protect those who are weak, and vanquish those who seek nefarious purposes whether against the guild or the world."
"To The Fairy Law Laxus Dreyar, with the blessing of the incumbent Guild Master, I name you as Makarov's successor, not by your blood right but by your lawful heart full of strength and might. Your journey has taken your heart to the lowest of the lows, and to the depths of the deepest darkness, but it has also taken you to the light of redemption. Hence, your heart is much stronger than any other…even stronger than any of the previous Guild Masters. It knew, knows and will know who is a friend and who is a foe. Guide this guild to true prosperity whilst casting a keen, discerning, and just eye to people who are within and intent to join this family. Be the mighty law that brings justice and fairness to Fairy Tail."
"To the future purveyor of The Fairy Sphere …unfortunately, I am not yet certain as to who you are yet, but I have an inkling of a clue as to what kind of person you are. I sense that you are a magnetic person despite being relatively new to our family…people flock and bond to you in droves. You know people, and you have the insight to truly guide them to their fullest potential, especially if your Magic does not lend itself to raw and brute force. At the same time, you seek to protect the people you love all at the same time. These are the reasons why I have faith that you will be able to cast and perfect my beloved Spell even without my presence. Hence, I name you as the successor to my epithet Fairy Tactician. Become our family's compass, that all endeavors lead to victory and triumph."
"Henceforth, I name the three of you as the Oberon Trinity, the three Fairy Kings that will become Fairy Tail's leaders and guardians in all of its future endeavors. Thank you, my dear children. And goodbye."
And then the holographic image of the First Master clicked off.
"Well?" It was Master Makarov who spoke first.
"That's a shit ton of responsibilities, Master," Cana coughed.
"I know. What the First Master Mavis left was basically her last will and testament," Master agreed. "And I understand that such a responsibility is a burden the three of you must carry," he added. "However, as the Guild Master, it is still my duty to ensure that the First's final words are enacted. Rest assured that I will be assisting you with your transition to your roles."
"Does this mean that our respective teams will be disbanded?" Lucy finally asked, unable to contain the anxiety she felt regarding the possible consequences of breaking away from Team Natsu to join another.
Lucy's heart raced with every passing second that the Master continued to ponder to answer. Lucy cast a glance at the man sitting beside her. Laxus was deathly quiet as he stared at his grandfather. His hand gripped the arm rest firmly. He blinked and his expression changed as if he sensed her gaze. He looked at her as well, and then he offered a weak grin.
Lucy returned the smile before she refocused her attention towards the Master.
"No," Master answered with a huge grin. "There's no need to disband your respective teams. However, I would still be calling for the three of you should there be threats that come the guild's way. The First's words were ultimately ambiguous and unclear regarding the threat but we should not discount the possibility of something more sinister than Tartaros or more catastrophic as the Alvarez Empire and Acnologia. Just as she said, we will be prepared no matter what."
Lucy heard Cana sigh in relief. To her knowledge, Cana is not someone conscripted with a particular team but she has regularly teamed up with some of the guild members. That, or she may not prefer a permanent team at all. As for Lucy, and probably Laxus, they have their respective teams that they work well with already.
"Laxus?" Master probed. "What are your thoughts?"
Lucy noted that Laxus inhaled and exhaled, readjusting himself in the wooden chair. "What I think is that the First Master is called a tactician for a reason. She would not do things for shits and giggles."
"Yes," Master nodded. "But what I am referring to is the position of the 9th Guild Master."
Laxus mildly flinched, and he was silent for a few seconds. "Do I even have a choice in the matter?"
"Unfortunately, no," Master shook his head.
"Heh," Laxus visibly grinned. "Good thing for you, Gramps. I still want the position."
"Excellent," Master replied before his eyes landed on Cana. "Cana?"
"Can't say I'm surprised," Cana shrugged. "The First's fixation on me is starting to get weird. She gave me instructions for Fairy Glitter, and even made sure that I can cast it for at least eight consecutive times. There's bound to be some catch. I just didn't expect it to be a training officer."
"So?" Master probed.
"So, what I am saying is that, I might as well accept. What we experienced as a guild is already abnormal on a daily basis. I'm scared to be caught unaware when there's a big shit that we cannot resolve."
"Thank you, my child," Makarov relaxed his tense shoulders, before his eyes eventually found Lucy's.
Lucy squirmed in her seat, suddenly hyper aware of all the attention that she was receiving.
"Lucy, my dear, sweet child," Master said in a gentler voice, and an odd expression.
"Honestly, it's nerve-wracking," she began, finding her voice cracking. "I accept the role as well. But I do have a question, though."
"What is it, child?"
"Is there a particular reason why this message is relayed to us now? Are we in danger?"
"Ah," Master's expression lightened. "No, no. Not at all, my child. After Acnologia's defeat, the guild received so many requests for help in various reparations for damages. Then, there were so many missions that came pouring from different clients. Adding to that, Team Natsu underwent the 100 Years Quest, combined with Cana, Laxus and you having different schedules. It was actually just a case of missed opportunities."
"Oh," Lucy realized. "Thank you for the clarification, Master."
"Are there other questions?" Master's eyes roamed the three of them. No one spoke. "Very well. Cana, my child, you're free to go. Lucy, stay here for the moment as you will be beginning your training as our tactician for the Grand Magic Games. Laxus, get your detailed notes regarding the guild members. They're at the top of that shelf," Master instructed as he pointed in a certain direction.
Lucy heard the creak of the wooden chairs as both Cana and Laxus stood up.
"See you later, Lucy," Cana waved, smiling as she exited and closed the door of the office.
"See ya!" Lucy smiled, waving her hand as well.
"Here they are, Gramps," Laxus returned, carrying a stack of portfolios. He placed them on the desk, and resumed his seat.
"Now," Master grinned again. His expression was once again odd, as if he was so proud of something. The Master seemed like a giddy child, like he was about to jump and cheer any moment. "I believe congratulations are in order, Mr. and Mrs. Dreyar. May I see the ring, my beautiful granddaughter-in-law?"