Chapter 15: Reunion
Seven long years had passed since the events that transpired on Tenrou Island. Guilds across Fiore were devastated by the news of the loss, particularly Blue Pegasus and Lamia Scale. They searched high and low for months for even the slightest trace, but it revealed nothing. Even until now, they continued a latent search - and would do so for however long it might take. Every nook and cranny, every island, was searched; but nothing, not even debris, was left. IT was as though the entire island had simply vanished.
No one was hit harder than Fairy Tail itself. They lost their best and brightest, as well their Master. Each day was a bit more painful than the last s they remembered all the good times they had had with their friends. Every now and then, someone would break into tears as they recalled what had happened that fateful day. Several ships were chartered and the guild veritably swam tens of miles in any direction they could think of, looking for the slightest trail that would rekindle hope. Eventually, even hope began to drift away.
-o-
It was another downtrodden day at Fairy Tail. As Macao looked out the window, he sighed wistfully; the sun was shining, but it wasn't enough to lift the spirits of the guild hall. Suddenly, the doors burst open. Standing there were some of the people that they had confided their sorrows in - the Trimens of Blue Pegasus, Ren, Hibiki, and Eve; and their flamboyant sensei, Ichiya.
"My friends! Lift your moods at once! The parfum has spoken!" Ichiya said dramatically. Macao noted that the others were smiling; he immediately shot to his feet, his heart beating faster than he could ever recall it.
"What? What does that mean? What is it?" he asked in an urgent voice.
"I was doing some continued research on the ethernano levels in the area where Tenrou Island disappeared. I've been monitoring them continually for a while now…," Hibiki began. Everyone in the guild was quiet, hoping against hope. Bisca slammed her hands on the table as she rose, piercing the arrivals with her eyes.
'Is it…?' she thought.
"… And the levels around where the island was have skyrocketed," Hibki finished, smiling at everyone.
"What does that mean?!" Macao asked, feeling tears begin to well up in his eyes - as they often did for the past seven years.
"It means that we should head over there - immediately. We've already got ships ready and waiting," Hibiki said, waving his hand at the door.
"Jet! Droy! Alzack! Bisca!" Macao roared to the others.
"On it!" Bisca yelled back, quickly grabbing the others and heading towards the port with the others. As they left, Macao collapsed on the chair, head in his hands.
'God, please let this be true. I'll do anything. Anything,' he thought, tears beginning to fall. Wakaba came up behind him, resting a hand on his shoulder as he nodded.
-o-
"What're you thinking?" Droy asked Bisca. Everyone had changed the last several years. Droy had put on several pounds, while Bisca had matured well, becoming a mother; Alzack didn't brood as much, keeping his hair spiked upwards as opposed to falling around his head; Macao's hair had started to whiten and he wore a mustache; while Wakaba grew out a beard (although still kept his smoking habit; Nab had grown a goatee; while Kinana had matured in the same fashion as Bisca; Max had grown his hair out a bit longer; Romeo had joined the guild; and Vijeeter began to wear more traditional clothing.
"I don't know. I don't know anything," Bisca replied, staring ahead in the distance.
"Seven years," Alzack sighed.
"Tell me about it. A lots changed," Bisca mused sadly. Her thoughts soon drifted to a particular Fairy she had struck up a quick friendship with. She wondered if he would be there as well? And how would he react to her new status as a single mother?
"They've gotta be there," Jet said fiercely. The others looked at him before looking ahead. As the ship neared closer to the destination, they felt a bit of dread as they saw nothing. Suddenly, however, Bisca spotted something.
"There, floating in the water!" she yelled. As their eyes drifted, they saw a young girl with flowing blonde hair, green eyes, and a pink dress - about Wendy's age. She smiled at the ship before turning around, heading further away.
"Hey, wa-!" Droy began before the ship started to rumble. They were joined by the Trimens who looked on in awe as they something begin to rise out of the water. Slowly, but sure, a massive island began to roar above the water, sending waves every which way as its surfaced continued to jut higher. Bisca saw the Fairy Tail guild symbol on top of a golden dome that ensconced the island. In the middle of it all was a notable, massive tree.
"Is that…?" Ren began weakly.
"Tenrou Island," Bisca whispered. The rumbling finally grinder to a halt as the dome began to flutter away. They saw the girl hovering above the water, turning to look at them before turning and heading to the shore. The ship quickly followed.
"Jet, go!" Bisca ordered.
"On it!" Jet yelled, following the girl as fast as he could. Even so, she was moving at a speed that he thought unattainable. He followed her deep into the forest before stopping, looking around.
"I could'-," he began before his eyes widened. Sticking out of the stand was what appeared to be a figure, a white, scaly scarf hanging out.
"No way," Jet whispered, rooted to the spot. The others soon caught up with him, eyes wide as they saw what he was looking at. The figure finally pulled free from the sand, looking around wildly.
"WHAT HAPPENED?!" Natsu roared, looking wildly from side to side. It wasn't long until he was tackled to the ground by two ecstatic friends, both of whom cried over his return.
"NATSU!" Droy and Jet said shrilly.
"Hey, what're you guys doing here?! And Droy! Why're you so… fat?!" Natsu exclaimed, taking in their appearances.
"Natsu!" they exclaimed again, hugging their friend.
"Where are the others?" Bisca asked, her hopes higher than they had ever been.
"Over here," they heard a soft, silvery voice say. It was the young girl, smiling brightly at them. She began to lead them to carious points on the island where slowly, but surely, they found the rest of the Tenrou Island team. They all seemed to be in a daze - but most amazingly, they had not aged a single day.
"Wh-what the hell happened?!" Gray exclaimed, rubbing his head as they all congregated. He hugged Jet and Droy back, happy to see the.
"We were all attacked by that dragon and… and… I don't know," Juvia answered, rubbing her head.
"I was able to protect you all," the little girl said again.
"My word… First Master?" Makarov asked in awe. Their heads snapped towards the little girl, who continued to smile - a smile that never seemed to turn otherwise, they thought.
"You saved us?" Erza asked.
"No, you saved yourselves. The bonds you've all created, the friendships you've formed, and the love you have for each other. Those are what saved you. I was merely able to give it a form. You have all been inside the Fairy Sphere for the last seven years. It's one of Fairy Tail's Three Grand Spells. All those that wear the mark of our guild are protected from all matter of evil," she said, proudly surveying the group. "You've done well."
"Thank you, Master Mavis," Makarov said, bowing.
"Wait…," a voice suddenly said. Everyone turned to look at Wendy, who was looking around wildly, tears in her eyes.
"What is it, Wendy?" Natsu wondered.
"Strider," she replied. Everyone felt their heart fall at that. They immediately ripped away from the group, beginning to search and call out for the Wizard all around the island. The search continued for hours until they had covered every nook and cranny.
"Strider?" Mavis wondered, as they all came together.
"The newest member of our guild," Makarov said, sweating bullets as he felt sick to his stomach. The last thing he remembered was craning his head up, watching Strider locked in battle with the dragon.
"The one with the sword and black clothes?" Mavis inquired.
"You've seen him?!" Lucy shrieked, tears in her eyes.
"I'm sorry," Mavis whispered.
"W-what do you mean?" Mira asked, eyes wide as her body began to shiver. She felt as though her heart had been torn out and crushed. Tears quickly began to fall from her eyes, as they did for everyone. Not even the hardiest of the guild were spared. Lisanna quickly hugged her older sister, burying her head into her side; while Wendy held on tightly to Carla; Lucy and Erza looked down, while Cana was just staring wide eyed at Mavis. Bisca's hands were over her mouth as she felt a shot of pain through her heart. Natsu, Happy, and Gray sat with their hands on their head, while Evergreen held on to Juvia; Levy cried onto Gajeel, while the others simply looked down, unable to think of anything to say.
"I saw him fly after the dragon. He was out of the range of the Fairy Sphere to protect him. The last I recall, he was fighting Acnologia. I don't know what happened to either of them, though," Mavis said, feeling her own sorrow grow.
"He sacrificed… himself…," Gildarts sighed.
"No way!" Natsu suddenly yelled. Everyone looked at him as he had a fire in his eyes. "Come on! This is Strider we're talking about! I don't buy for one second he's gone! Erza, Gray, Lucy, Wendy! You know how strong he is!"
"Natsu…," Gildarts began.
"I DON'T WANNA HEAR IT! He has to be alive!" Natsu declared. No one had the heart to argue. Slowly, they began to make their way to the ship.
-o-
As Cana got to a private room on the ship, she broke down on the bed. Her tears began to flow out like a river through a burst dam.
"Damn it! And I… had just told…," she cried, remembering how happy she was before the attack. She had told Gildarts that he was her father and their relationship was looking up; before that, she had almost had her first kiss. Now, she didn't know what to think.
-o-
'Idiot,' Mira thought, her head in her hands as she replayed the events through her mind. Strider had joined her and Erza's hands together before he flew up to distract Acnologia. She felt a sudden pang of guilt in her stomach; what if he hadn't done that? Would they all be dead now?
"Mira," came a soft voice through the door. Lisanna entered, tears streaming down her face as well. Without another word, Lisanna sat next to her sister and rested her head on his shoulder. Whatever Mira would say, Lisanna knew that there was something between the new Fairy and her eldest sibling.
-o-
Erza couldn't remember when she had cried this much before. She wondered if it happened during the Tower of Heaven? She doubted it; if she had to say, she hadn't cried this much since she left that accursed place. Twice, she had almost connected passionately with Strider; both attempts were foiled for one reason or another.
'Natsu is almost always wrong. But please… please, let him be right about this,' she thought, her voice shuddering as she breathed. Again, the tears began to flow.
-o-
"I can't believe it," Lucy said listlessly as she looked out the window. As she sat in a chair, Wendy was crying on the bed, holding the cloak that Strider had draped over the night before as tightly as she could. Carla gently rubbed her head in condolence. Every interaction between Wendy and Strider appeared to be one of a little sister interacting with a big brother. Finally, Carla though, Wendy had someone to look up to.
As she looked at Lucy, she saw silent tears streaming down her face. Lucy said nothing else, justing staring ahead as her mind was awash with pain.
-o-
"Juvia?" a red eyed Levy said, entering the bluenettes room. Juvia didn't turn to acknowledge her, just looking ahead. Levy put her arms around her, giving her a tight hug. While Juvia didn't return it, Levy could tell she was grateful.
-o-
Bisca sat with her head in her hands. She pulled out a gun and stared at it; it was the same one that she had showed him when they had their first conversation. She wanted to ask him when he got back if he wanted to go shooting with her; now, she thought she would never get the chance.
'I wonder what he'd think of Aska?' she thought, forcing a small smile as she saw the two playing around with each other. Immediately, the smile contorted into a pained one as she began to cry anew.
-o-
"You're all very fond of this Strider," Mavis said sadly as she entered Makarov's room. The old man was sitting on the floor, staring at it. As he noticed her come in, he slowly got to his feet and bowed, unable to feel the spring that was usually in his step.
"He was our newest member. Prolific, as wizards go, First Master," Makarov said.
"What kind of man was he?" Mavis wondered. As Makarov thought about an answer, he began to laugh a bit, surprising Mavis.
"Kind and powerful. Charming is probably the word some of the girls would use, though. Maybe to mature for our guild," he said, letting out a small laugh. Mavis managed a small giggle at his reaction before sitting down on the bed, thinking of Strider. She felt as though she had sensed his Magic on the island, before the attack by Acnologia.
-o-
"We'll pay you when we can," Macao told Fairy Tail's lenders. Twilight Ogre, a smaller guild, had lent considerable money to Fairy Tail to keep them operating. They had taken to destroying the guild in the past years, knowing that they couldn't fight back.
"You'll pay us now o-," one of the guild members got out before a vicious kick sent him rocketing across the hall. Everyone looked to see who had come and as they came into view, everyone gasped.
"No way," Macao said weakly.
"Hey, what's th-," another one of the Twilight Ogres began before he was roughly taken by the cuff and thrown outside. The newly returned Tenrou team had begun the process of clearing out the chuff.
"And don't come back!" Laxus yelled at the heap of Ogres.
"You're back!" Wakaba yelled, embracing Natsu. Natsu returned the hug, but Wakaba soon picked up on something.
"You guys are forgetting someone, though. Where's Strider?" he wondered. Gildarts shook his head, confirming their worst fears. Everyone quickly found a seat, putting their head down for their fallen comrade.
"What happened?" Macao finally asked.
"We were attacked by Grimoire Heart and then by Acnologia," Makarov sighed.
"The dragon?" a shocked Wakaba asked.
"That's right. Strider bought us enough time to help cast powerful defensive spell," Makarov said. They saw little drops begin to form below his head.
"He…?" Wakaba gulped.
"We think so," Makarov said.
"Think?" Macao asked.
"He's formidable. If there's… even the smallest chance," Makarov said.
"If he was, wouldn't be come back, though?" Bisca frowned.
"I don't know, child. I… just don't know," Makarov said.
Cana continued to look at the card as she had done for the last several hours; until she was certain no reply would come, she would not be parted from it. She hadn't told anyone else yet, not wanting to get their hopes up only to have them dashed.
"Wh… what do we do now?" Gray asked. No one had an answer.
"You guys get some rest first. We… can figure out the rest later," Macao said. The others agreed and slowly began to file out, hearts heavy.
-o-
"Seven fucking years," Gildarts sighed, head in hands.
"I know," Makarov nodded as he smoked a pipe.
"What Natsu said about Strider," Gildarts began, looking at Makarov. The old man saw the hope that was kindling in the Ace's eyes.
"I don't know myself. He's an exceptional Wizard, but against a dragon… well, you know better than most what that's like," Makarov sighed.
"Maybe so, but he's from a completely different place. Just because we can't deal with them, doesn't mean they can't," Gildarts said.
"I hope you're right. I want you to be right," Makarov said.
"Seven years. And it doesn't even feel like it's been seven hours to me," Gildarts scoffed.
"Fairy Sphere is a potent spell. But as with all the Grand Fairy Spells, there are consequences," Makarov said, looking at his hand.
"Have you told the others?" Gildarts asked seriously.
"No. And you won't either," Makarov answered sharply.
"I know, I know. Still, don't use it if you can help it. Especially not now," Gildarts said.
"I know. Huh… I wonder what happened to the others?" Makarov wondered.
"Precht and them?" Gildarts asked.
"Indeed. Only those with out guild mark are protected by Fairy Sphere. While he was a member, he renounced it a long time ago," Makarov said.
"Maybe he was caught in the attack?" Gildarts said.
"I don't know. The authorities had picked them up, I believe, but it was close to when we were attacked. I'll have to check in soon," Makarov said.
"Did he ever say why he was there?" Gildarts asked.
"They were looking for Zeref," Makarov answered.
"Zeref? Seriously?" Gildarts asked.
"That's what he told me," Makarov frowned. "Whether he was there, I can't say."
"Maybe he was just rambling," Gildarts shrugged.
"Precht is many things, but foolish is not one of them," Makarov said.
"If that was the case, he wouldn't have attacked us, Master. He should know that better than anyone," Gildarts said, managing a small smile.
-o-
Cana's eyes widened as she suddenly came across a card she had all but forgotten. On his second night in Fairy Tail, she had given him a gift after he walked her home; a call card with her contact imbued in it. In her hand, she held the lifeline. It had his face on it, smiling up at her as it gently shifted across the page.
'There's no other way,' she thought. She brought the card to her lips and whispered to it.
"Strider. We're alive. We're back. We need you," she said, tears coming down again. She put the card down, hoping, wishing, praying, that he would get the message.
-o-
It hit him like the weight of Ancalagon's roar. It was a sound that he never thought that he would hear again; only in his dreams did he hear it. Cana. She was back. That meant only one thing to him - Mira, Erza, Lucy, Juvia, Wendy, Carla, Levy, Evergreen, Lisanna, Natsu, Happy, Gray, Laxus, Gildarts, Makarov, Elfman, Freed, Bixlow, and Gajeel - they were back. He shot up from his throne, looking to the massive figure on his right side before looking at the card that Cana had given him. He didn't have many things from his stay in Magnolia, but he kept two things close to his person at all times; the guild mark on his wrist, and the card.
"Glaedr," he said.
"Strider?" the golden scaled dragon inquired, opening an eye. His body had recovered impressively over the last seven years, his scales shining brighter than ever.
"It's them. They're back," Strider said, his voice breathless. Glaedr opened his other eye and looked on in surprise. He knew the stories; all that Strider trusted knew the stories.
"Impossible. I thought they fell?" Glaedr said.
"I thought so as well. But there's no mistaking her voice. It's the same as it was seven years ago. She's back. They're all back," Strider said.
"What do you intend to do?" Glaedr asked.
"I can't waste any time. Inform Ancalagon," Strider said.
"Hmph. When he wakes up in a few months, perhaps," Glaedr said, before he smiled - or as close as to a smile a dragon could muster. "Go. Enjoy, my friend. But do not tarry extensively. We have work to do."
Strider exploded with the force of a bomb, cratering the room his was in almost completely. As he erupted from the south face of the mountain, a tall peak began to crumble, crashing into the ground below. The event caused a small earthquake in the ream they inhabited, felt miles away. Hoping against hope, Strider ripped across the sky at a a speed that burned his hair. He created a sonic boom as he rushed faster and faster, further and further. As night had fallen, he let the stars illuminate the path for him. He had never felt such desperation to get somewhere before.
-o-
The days had continued to drone on and the mood in the guild was listless. Blue Pegasus insisted on a celebration and had left to go plan it, but no one at Fairy Tail felt like celebrating - until they suddenly felt the guild rock to its foundation.
"What's that?!" Natsu exclaimed. He rushed out ahead of the others. As Erza came up, she bumped into him. She was about to scold him for his abrupt stop until she saw the reason. As they others came up, they had the same look of shock and disbelief.
Standing as surely as he always did was their thought-to-be-lost comrade. He wore a cloak similar to the one that he had first worn when he came to Fairy Tail. On his hip was the same sword they had always seen. And even seven years later, Strider hardly looked as though he had aged a day; the stubble was still there, the hair still reached the tips of his shoulders, albeit was smoldering; and his gaze still had that warmth they remembered. No one moved a muscle; no one said a word; no one dared to be the first to do anything.
His eyes twinkled brightly as they passed over each and every one of his friends that he thought he had lost on that fateful day seven years prior. They rested a bit longer here and there, boring into eyes that he had particularly missed seeing. To his surprise, not only did they still look like he remembered them; but they had not aged a single day!
Finally, someone broke through. Tears streaming down her cheeks, Mira began walking towards him. Strider soon closed the difference, bringing her in for a particularly tight hug. She returned it in full force, her arms wrapped so tightly around his neck that he was almost suffocating.
'It's her. It's them,' Strider thought, feeling her warmth envelop him. He felt a swell in his heart that hadn't been there for close to a decade - and for the first time in seven years, he felt complete happiness; security; and glee. A few seconds later, Strider felt more arms begin to wrap around him; Lucy buried her head in his side, silently crying, while Erza squeezed him and Mira closer together; Cana took the other side, her wailing audible to everyone.
"STRIDER!" Natsu finally yelled, breaking through the silence. It wasn't long until they had piled on to the Fairy, taking him to the ground as they got their hugs and kisses in.
"YOU'RE ALIVE!" Happy cried out, hugging his head particularly tightly.
"YOU'RE BACK!" Wendy sobbed, squeezing between two of the girls and holding him around the waist. Strider made sure to get every one of them - everyone that he hadn't seen over the course of the last seven years.
"YES! TEAM NATSU IS BACK IN ACTION, BABY!" Natsu screeched, letting a tremendous plume of flame fly from his mouth.
"I thought you were dead," Lucy cried.
"Woah, woah - everyone! Let the man breathe, at least!" Gildarts said, grinning wide. No one paid any attention to him as they kept going.
"THAT'S RIGHT! REAL MEN DON'T DIE!" Elfman yelled.
"WE DON'T WANT TO HEAR THAT NONSENSE RIGHT NOW!" Evergreen retorted, smacking him although smiling as she did it.
"Welcome back, welcome back," Bixlow's tiki dolls chanted as they flew around him. Makarov was off to the side, smiling happily as a few tears fell loose.
'We made it. We all made it,' he thought.
Finally getting back to his feet, everyone began to head inside.
"It's good to see you again, child," Makarov said, bringing up the rear with Strider.
"You have no idea, Master," Strider said, his voice the same as well.
"I assume you know what I'm going to ask?" Makarov said.
"Yes, sir. It's a… uh… story. I'll tell you when we get a moment later. Until then, I just want to enjoy it all," Strider said.
"As you wish child. I'll see you all inside," Makarov said with a knowing glance as he left Strider alone with Mira, Erza, Cana, Lucy, Juvia, and Bisca - all of whom looked at him expectantly.
"You're back," Mira said with more tears as she quickly hugged him again. Strider sighed in delight as she did and rewrapped his arms around her waist, holding her tight. His eyes washed over the others smiling features as well. Strider soon felt Mira's tears begin to soak through as they stood in the star-illuminated night. As she finally let go, Erza quickly usurped her spot, squeezing him tightly.
"Welcome back," she whispered.
"I'm so happy to see you," Strider replied, gently rubbing her back.
"I can't believe it," Cana said, doing the same.
"Thanks for the call," Strider said, kissing her atop the head. She nodded before she was quickly wrenched back by Juvia.
"My love! You're back!" she exclaimed.
"I thought she was nervous about the whole thing?" Cana whispered to Erza.
"Perhaps the shock of thinking he was dead stirred something," Erza offered.
"Welcome back," Lucy said brightly.
"Thanks. You guys… look pretty much the same," Strider said in surprise.
"Yeah, that's… a story as well. We'll tell you inside," Lucy said.
"You guys go ahead. I want to talk to him about something real quickly," Bisca said with a smile. Shrugging, the others left. Sure they were gone, Bisca finally turned to Strider. As she did, Strider felt a vicious pang in his heart. Bisca. Macao. Wakaba. Romeo. Kinana. The others.
"Bi-," he began before she slapped him hard across the cheek. Gulping, he nodded slightly before turning back to her; and again, the slap cracked through the night.
"You were alive," she said in a cold voice.
"I'm sorry," Strider said, meaning every letter.
"Sorry? Is that seriously all you have to say!?" Bisca hissed at him.
"It… there were extenuating circumstances," Strider said.
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" she demanded.
"I'll explain it. I promise," Strider said.
"You weren't dead but you let us think you were," she said.
"I-," he began before she held up a hand. As he saw tears trickle from her eyes, he felt his heart drop.
"You didn't even let us know," she said, her voice shuddering slightly.
"I know," Strider whispered.
"No. No, you really fucking don't," she said, wiping her tears away. With one last glance, she headed to the guild, trying to manage a small smile for the others. Pausing for a while longer, Strider finally entered as well.
-o-
The party was going on in full force and for the night, for most, the seven year absence was all but forgotten. The noises began to wake up the neighbors, but no one minded; in fact, the party continued to grow and grow as more people began to join in on the festivities. Natsu and Gray each took the pleasure of knocking down a door to allow easy access inside and outside of the guild. Master Makarov was playing with several children, entertaining them by growing his limbs to different heights and smacking around some of the more troublesome guidlmembers.
"WELCOME BACK!" one of the men roared, holding his glass high. Others began to do the same, cheering wildly for the returned mages.
"It's Mirajane," several more said, hearts in their eyes as they held out magazines and pictures for her to autograph. Smiling wide, Mira did so, taking more pictures here and there, happy to see the smiling faces around her again. They tried to do the same for Erza; for some, a single glance was enough to make them rethink their advance; for others, a single glance made their whole night.
The Exceeds were having their own fun as well; Happy and Carla were playing around with more children while Lily was wrestling people here and there, raucously laughing.
"Hey, Strider," Wendy said with a smile as she came up to him.
"Hey, Wendy. What's going on?" he wondered, hugging the girl.
"I'm glad you're back," she said, squeezing him tightly. Strider smiled as ruffled her hair, suddenly noting that she was wearing a lot more black that usual.
"Is that my cloak?" he asked in surprise.
"Yeah! I wanted to return it to you," she said.
"Ha. Thanks, Wendy - but you know what? Keep it," Strider said.
"Really?" she asked in surprise.
"Yeah. I might need to resize it a bit, but it suits you. Plus, I'd feel a lot better knowing that you have it on you," Strider said distantly.
"What do you mean?" she wondered.
"Sorry, just… rambling. Here, I'll take for now and give it back to you in the morning, yeah?" he offered.
"Sure. Thanks, Strider," she said, handing it over and hugging him once more before joining Carla. Strider looked at the old cloak fondly, remembering how well it had served him - as well as how many times it had saved him. Now it would do the same for the young girl.
-o-
"A child?!" Erza asked in shock.
"Yeah. A little girl. Two now," Bisca smiled.
"I missed so much," Erza whined.
"It's fine. I'll bring her around the guild this week so you can get acquainted. I'm sure she'd love you," Bisca giggled.
"And the father? Is it…?" Erza wondered, looking sideways at Alzack. Alzack quickly locked eyes and offered a wry smile as he walked away.
"Ah. No. The father… didn't stick around," Bisca said bitterly.
"Oh. I'm sorry to hear that," Erza frowned, anger rising. Sensing it, Bisca hugged her.
"It's fine. Doubt he'd have made a good one anyways. Anyways, I'm just happy you're back. Things are starting to look up again," she whispered.
"As am I," Erza replied.
-o-
"Master," Strider nodded as Makarov joined him off to the side.
"Everyone is enjoying themselves, child! You ought to do the same," he grinned.
"I will in a bit. For now, I just… want to watch," Strider said.
"I understand," Makarov nodded.
"Forgive me, Master," Strider suddenly said.
"What for?" the old man inquired.
"As you can see, I wasn't dead. But… I didn't come back either. It… I…," Strider stumbled, gulping. Makarov looked on in surprise; in the few months he had known Strider before the event, he had never seen him stumble over his words before. Wondering what to say, Makarov put a hand on his shoulder.
"I'm sure you had your reasons. It's been a trying time - for everyone," Makarov said.
"I just hope they were the right ones," Strider said. "But on to the other point for now - I think it's better if we talk in private after the party dies down. I'm not sure who else should know, though. I was thinking that everyone who was there has a right to but it's your call, sir."
"Mmm, I see. Jura is on his way here, as is a member of the Magic Council - a good friend of mine, Yajima. Us four will talk first, and then you can inform the others. Until then, however, we'll keep the circle small. That said, you're still alive. Whatever happened, you might find that you'll be watched - closely," Makarov said.
"I understand, sir," Strider nodded. As Makarov left, Erza soon came up to Strider.
"Come with me," she said. The other girls watched them go, eyes narrowed.
-o-
"What's up?" Strider wondered as they headed into one of the spare bedrooms upstairs. As the guild had to change halls due to inability to pay rent on the other one, the room was a bit messier - although, it still had the Fairy Tail charm.
As he spoke, Erza pulled him in for a tight hug. Strider hugged her back, inhaling her sweet scent. She hadn't changed one bit in all that time, he thought.
"You're alive," she said, feeling here and there to make sure it all wasn't a dream or illusion.
"And in the flesh," Strider replied.
"What… happened?" she wondered.
"It's a long story. I'll tell you guys a bit later. But for now, I just want to enjoy this moment. Seven years," Strider said. As Erza leaned back, she saw that his eyes had misted over, tears beginning to form in the corners. She brought her hands to his cheeks, gently wiping them. She remembered being in this position with him not to long ago to her senses; but to him, it had been seven years. In all that time, she wondered what else had changed. Scanning his hands, she saw they were as rough as they had been seven years ago; but otherwise unchanged.
"Seven years, and you still look like you did. Exactly like you did. It was literally only yesterday for us," she whispered.
"Good genes, I suppose," Strider said.
"Do you…," she mumbled.
"Hmm?" he inquired.
"Do you… remember? That day?" she asked.
"Vividly," Strider sighed.
"Do you remember… what almost happened before that?" she asked, hesitation clear in her voice.
"Vividly," Strider replied, the corner of his mouth twitching upward. Erza smiled and leaned a bit closer, until her head was touching against his. Inhaling deep, she took in his scent; earthy, but sweet. As she felt his warm breath on her lips, she wondered what she should do. While in her mind, things hadn't changed all that much, on his side they might have changed drastically. Before she was able to make a decision, however, the door burst open. Mira, Cana, Lucy, and Juvia walked in, eyes narrowed as they saw how the two held each other.
"What're you doing?" Mira demanded of them.
"We were about to make furious, passionate love," Strider replied, making them all blush a scarlet as vivid as Erza's hair.
"WHAT?!" Juvia yelled, her glare focused on Erza.
"W-w-we were?!" Erza asked in shock, eliciting a chuckle from Strider.
"Relax. We were just talking," Strider said placatingly.
"T-that's right, just talking," she said in a smaller voice. Her mind quickly shifted to an image of their naked, sweaty bodies pushing furiously against each other on the bed, both in the throes of ecstasy; she had to fight the urge to smile at the thought.
"Oh? About what?" Lucy asked.
"Just how good it is to be back," Strider said.
"Got that right," Mira grumbled, quickly embracing him before the others could.
"Mira! Not you too!" Lucy whined.
"Hmm?" Mira wondered innocently.
"Ugh…," Cana replied. Strider kissed Mira atop her forehead, making her blush a bit further.
"And what're you doing?" Erza grumbled.
"The same for Mira, I guess," Strider chuckled.
"Anyways, we came to get you two. Lamia Scale and Blue Pegasus are just about here," Lucy said quickly.
"Let's head down then, shall we?" Strider said. As they all began to file out, Cana held Strider back. Quickly locking the door despite the protests, she pulled him in for another tight hug. Strider quickly returned it, particularly thankful to her.
"I've always kept it close," he whispered.
"I'm glad. I'm so happy," she replied, pulling her card out. Strider did the same, observing it with a smile; even more than before, the call card had become a prized possession. "Still, I'm surprised you kept it so long."
"Well, we only had a few months together but those were some of the happiest of my life. And now, to have you all back again…. When I got your call, I rushed back as quickly as I could. Took me a week to fly here my first time. Barely took a tenth of that this time. I don't think I've ever flown that fast," Strider said.
"Been busy these last seven years?" Cana wondered.
"That's putting it mildly. But - we'll talk about that a bit later. Right now, I just want to enjoy the party," Strider said.
"Let's go," she smiled, taking his hand and leading him downstairs.
-o-
"I never expected you to be the one to fill the big shoes, Macao," Makarov said, tilting one back with the current Guild Master.
"They never quite fit, sir. Now that you're back, you'll probably want to wear them again," Macao chuckled.
"Oh, I dunno about that. I was thinking about letting you wear them for a while longer," Makarov said.
"Really?" Macao and Wakaba asked in shock.
"Huh… First Master Mavis, Second Master Precht, Third Master Makarov… and Fourth Master Macao… That's got a nice ring to it," Macao glibly said to himself.
"This might not be the best idea you've ever had, but it should be hilarious," Wakaba said.
"That's why I suggested it," Makarov replied, giggling like a schoolgirl with Wakaba.
-o-
"Reedus, is this supposed to be a picture of me?" Wendy asked, squirming as she looked a picture of what Reedus imagined she would look like.
"Oui. I decided to draw what you all would look like seven years ahead, and this is the result," Reedus said, handing out the other pictures to their respective owners.
"Looks good to me," Natsu grinned; he was riding a dragon, spewing fire in the air.
"Can't be better than mine," Gray grinned; he was in a frozen tundra, sitting on a throne of ice with his hair grown out a bit longer.
"It's not fair," Wendy comically cried to herself, looking at her thought-to-be-older self, lamenting her proportions. "Why does reality keep crushing my dreams like this?"
-o-
"No way, Romeo!" You're a Fire Wizard as well?!" Natsu asked excitedly. Romeo, who looked up to Natsu as a hero, had begun dressing like him - down to the scarf. And as his hero, he decided to work on Fire Magic.
"Yup! Check this out. I can even use different kinds of fire. This purple one catches things like a net and this blue one is cold. There's this yellow one as well, but it just kind of smells funny," he said.
"Watch out, world! It's getting hot up in here!" Happy added happily.
"Huh. You ask me, you've already outclassed your old man. Probably kick Salamander's ass in a few years as well," Gajeel said.
"Wait… I remember that smell!" Natsu suddenly said, taking a whiff of the yellow fire.
"Aye," Happy lamented.
"Don't tell my dad, but I've secretly been taking lessons from Master Totomaru," Romeo whispered.
"No kidding? Ha. I didn't know he started teaching," Gajeel said with a rare smile.
-o-
Finally, the doors flew open.
"That parfum!" Ichiya said. As she heard it, Erza shuddered.
"Not again…," she grumbled.
"My beloved! So good to see you. Twice in a day - I must be in Heaven!" Ichiya said dramatically. Ren, Hibiki, and Eve followed - but hardly anyone paid them attention. All eyes were affixed on the woman with them. A tall and busty blonde, she was the spitting image of perfection. Her wild hair flowed down her back, tied up symmetrically but still allowed to go a bit wild on the sides. She wore a light purple dress that flattered her figure, showing a decent amount of cleavage and running two slits along the thighs, exposing the creamy white legs that elevated her figures. The high heels that clacked on the floor added a few inches to her height, despite already being tall. She wore gold bracelets on both hands, arms moving gracefully as she headed through. Strider found his eyes trailing hers and as she turned her head, they connected, blue boring into black. She slowed down for a second before continuing, sashaying through the hall until she reached Mirajane, whom she hugged tightly.
"Mira!" she squealed.
"Jenny! It's so good to see you again!" Mira said happily.
"Likewise," Jenny replied.
"Erza, my beauty - your parfum. Still the same as ever, like a…," Ichiya trailed off into a metaphor that Strider tried to follow but gave up on. Catching his eye, Erza deadpanned as she saw him chuckling to himself.
"Gray!" came another voice.
"Lyon," Gray said, getting up to greet the man. Lyon, Strider saw, hadn't changed much either. Sherry, he saw, had grown a bit since he last saw her. She wore a black vest with a collar and tie that covered just half her breasts. A purple band covered her stomach and just below, a tight skirt. with her was a man sporting a muscular body, wearing just jeans, glasses on his forehead, and a sock around his neck. Another member that Strider didn't recognize wore a green coat and khakis, his blue hair braided down his back.
Jura, Strider saw, had grown a bit taller. He was still bad, but his black beard reached his waist. His very presence captivated the room; and as Jura looked around, he caught Striders eye. The two men nodded at each other before Jura went to converse with Makarov. Behind him entered a shorter, older man with bushy eyebrows, a toothbrush mustache, orange striped shirt, and black jeans - Strider assumed him to be Yajima. He approached Makarov as well, and the three soon headed upstairs to continue their discussion.
-o-
"Congratulations on Miss Fiore, Jenny!" Mira said excitedly. While her rival, she always liked Jenny.
"Well, at least now I'll have some competition," Jenny said sweetly.
"It's been so long. What've you been up to the last seven years?" Mira wondered.
"Been keeping busy with modeling, honestly. Started acting a little while ago," Jenny said proudly.
"Sounds fun," Mira said.
"Has its perks. It's been boring without you and the rest of Fairy Tail though. You guys were like half the gossip," Jenny giggled.
"Don't let Natsu or Gray hear you say that," Mira sighed.
"Been meaning to ask, though - whose the new guy?" Jenny wondered, nodding her head in Striders direction. Overhearing, Strider smirked. He continued talking with Wakaba, watching the mans smoke tricks before pulling out his own pipe.
"His names Strider," Mira said with a sigh, having an inkling of where this would go.
"Strider, hmm? I haven't seen him before. Kinda cute," Jenny said, swiveling her head towards the Fairy. She eyed him up and down, particularly interested in the black cloak he wore - a material she had never seen. Mira finally got a good look at it as well. Much like his other one, it was pitch black; however, on the back of the cloak was a sword with a white hilt and red blade driving through what appeared to be a golden ring. Mira tilted her head, wondering what the significance of it was.
"He was pretty new here. He joined just a few months ago before… what happened," Mira said, snapping back.
"He was there with you guys?" Jenny wondered.
"No. Honestly, I'm not sure what he had been up to those seven years," Mira sighed, her mind wandering to the possibilities. She felt her heart drop as she wondered if he had gotten married or found someone in all that time. She admonished herself - it wasn't as though he belonged to her, or she to him; still, her eyes scanned his fingers. Noting nothing there, she let out a sigh of relief.
"Are you two…?" Mira wondered.
"What? No!" Mira said, a bit hasty.
"I'm going to go introduce myself," Jenny said, getting up.
"Jenny…," Mira trailed off.
"Hmm?" the blonde hummed.
"I… nevermind," Mira said with a sigh. Jenny was about to head off towards him when something caught her eye. A couple of smokes figure began to waft around the guild hall to much applause from the others. Wakaba had summoned a ship from his cigar which was be pursued by a large bird that Strider smoked. As the figures drifted into the ether, Strider excused himself and headed to join Mira and Jenny.
"Hey, Mira," Strider said with a smile.
"Hey," she replied, smiling back.
"Hi there. I'm Jenny Realight," Jenny said, extending her hand. Strider took it and kissed it, giving Jenny a smoldering look.
"A pleasure, Ms. Realight," Strider said.
"Please, just call me Jenny," she said, the slightest hint of a blush on her cheeks.
"Jenny," Strider nodded.
"So I'm curious - how well do you and Mira know each other?" Jenny wondered.
"Very well, I hope," Strider said, putting his arm around her. "Honestly, if it wasn't for Mira, I dunno where I'd be. She's one of the big reasons I decided to stay in Magnolia. Also part of the reason I'm back," Strider said, meaning every word. Mira felt her heart race at the words.
"I see," Jenny said.
"What about you two? You seem to be good friends," Strider noted.
"Mira and I both model for Sorcerer's Weekly," Jenny said, giving him a pearly white smile.
"Model? Really?" Strider said.
"Yup," Mira answered.
"I didn't know you were a model, Mira," Strider said, slightly surprised. He scolded himself; of course she was a model. He had gotten used to seeing her so often, but considering her wholly yet again, Mira was a high watermark when it came to beauty, angelic in nearly every way - from her looks to her silvery voice, to her kind spirit. She even seemed to glow, Strider thought. He felt his heart begin to beat a bit faster before he quickly got it under control.
"Yeah, Jenny and I have modeled for a while now," Mira said.
"I'm an idiot for not noticing. You really are stunning," Strider said, so quietly only Mira heard. She blushed deeper, feeling her own heart beat faster.
"You know, you should come up for a shoot sometime," Jenny said.
"Ha. What?" Strider laughed.
"I'm serious! You're a handsome guy and you look strong enough. I'm pretty sure you could get a cover, to be honest. I can see it now: Strider, Fairy Tail's Most Eligible Bachelor," Jenny smirked.
"Ah, I'm afraid I'm camera shy," Strider said.
"Oh come on, don't be like that! If you come up, you can spend more time with me," Jenny said.
"Ah, now that's much more difficult to refuse," Strider said.
"So you'll do it?" Jenny wondered.
"Difficult, not impossible," Strider winked.
"Ugh," Jenny grumbled. "Fine. At least come up sometime. I can show you around Crocus," she suggested.
"Now that I gladly accept," Strider said. "If you'll excuse us for a minute, Jenny."
"Sure," Jenny said, going to get a drink. Strider and Mira got up; he quickly hailed Erza, who was happy to get away from Ichiya.
"What is it?" Mira wondered, her mind halfway caught between doing a shoot with Strider and his comment on her beauty.
"I wanted to let you tow know that I'm going to be talking to Master Makrov, Jura, and Yajima about what happened after you guys disappeared," Strider said.
"Why only them?" Erza frowned.
"Master Makarov thought that was for the best. I'll talk to you guys about it later," Strider said.
"Why not now?" Mira demanded.
"It's his call, I'm afraid. I'll be heading upstairs in a bit. In case anyone tries to eavesdrop, I need you two to stop it. I can't blame them for being curious, but it's not something to listen to behind closed doors. I promise to ask if I can talk to you all about it," Strider said.
Mira and Erza both looked at each other before sighing and nodding. As Strider was about to turn and leave, he felt Erza stop him. Turning, he saw both of them looking at him with a slightly downcast look.
"I'm not leaving again. I promise," he whispered. They paused for a while before nodding, satisfied with the answer for now.
-o-
"WHAT?! LAST PLACE?!" Natsu yelled.
"Whose first?" Lamia Scale?" gray asked.
"We're second," Lyon replied.
"And we're third," Ren added.
"Sabertooth is first," Eve said.
"Never heard of them," Gray said, wracking his brain.
"Not surprising. They were bottom of the barrel. But five years ago, five really powerful mages joined their ranks. And that was all she wrote," Eve said.
"Five?! That's it?!" Lucy gasped.
"Yup," Ren nodded.
"How'd we fall to last, though?!" Natsu asked.
"You guys were our strongest," Macao said grimly.
"Yeah. After that, we just couldn't keep up," Wakaba said tiredly.
"That's not true," Gildarts said, coming up to the conversation. "You kept the Guild going throughout the years. We can't ever pay you guys back for that."
"Damn straight! Don't worry about it, guys! We're gonna be on top again in no time!" Natsu exclaimed.
"I take it you guys are going to join the Grand Magic Games, then?" Hibiki said with a fond smile.
"What are those?" Natsu wondered.
"They're the Wizard Games that starts five years ago. Whoever comes in first is considered the strongest guild in Fiore. That's how Sabertooth got the title," Hibiki said.
"Yeah. We placed dead last every time," Macao sighed.
"Not anymore! We're going straight to the top this year! Happy, you in?!" Natsu yelled.
"Aye sir!" Happy exclaimed happily.
-o-
"So you and Mira really aren't a thing?" Jenny wondered as she came up behind Strider, who leaned against a wall outside, taking everything in.
"Really," Strider nodded.
"You're attractive, she's hot. Guess I'm wondering… why not?" Jenny asked.
"Any particular reason you're so curious?" Strider wondered.
"She's a good friend of mine. I'm looking out for her," Jenny said, crossing her arms.
"You haven't seen her in seven years, while to her it probably hasn't been that long. You don't think that'll change anything?" Strider wondered.
"That… mmm… I dunno," Jenny said, looking down.
"I see. Unfortunately, I've no answer. I suppose we haven't explored it that deeply yet. Perhaps it's just me, but whenever I do get a moment with her, we get interrupted a few minutes later," Strider laughed.
"Do you want to explore it?" Jenny wondered.
"That's for me to know and you to find out," Strider answered.
"Mmm…," Jenny hummed.
"What?" Strider asked.
"Nothing," she replied lightly.
"Nothing is always something," Strider laughed.
"Ugh, I hate it when guys say that," Jenny grumbled.
"Because it's true?" Strider said.
"Just let me coy," she said in a mock-haughty tone as she leaned against the wall with him, taking a deep breath. "It's a nice night."
"Indeed. Quite beautiful. More so with present company," Strider said, looking at her. She blushed at the compliment before letting out a little giggle.
"Careful. I don't want the girls to get pissed at me," Jenny said.
"Sorry. It's just who I am," Strider said.
"Ah. The flirt with anyone type, hmm?" she inquired.
"I find that flirting is a great uniter, no matter where you live," Strider said.
"What do you mean? Are you not from around here?" Jenny wondered.
"Nope. I'm from a bit further north," Strider said.
"Oh? Like around Hakobe?" she wondered.
"Mmm, a bit further," he said.
"The coast?" she wondered.
"A little more," Strider said.
"An… island?" she guessed.
"Keep going," he said.
"I can't. There's nothing else but ocean," she said.
"Keep going over the ocean," Strider said.
"You can't be serious!" Jenny exclaimed.
"Completely," Strider nodded.
"You're trying to tell me you crossed the ocean? Just to get here?" she asked.
"More or less," Strider said.
"If you want to impress a girl, that's fine. But next time, maybe keep your lies a bit smaller," Jenny said, rolling her eyes. Smirking, Strider faced her. He held out a hand for her take.
"May I?" he asked.
"May you what?" she replied, raising an eyebrow.
"Show you something. It does require I hold on to you," Strider said.
"And… what is that supposed to mean?" she asked.
"May I?" Strider repeated himself. Jenny thought about it for a second, biting her lip. Finally, she sighed and took his hand, a blank expression on her face. Strider put an arm around her hip before levitating both of them quickly into the sky. Jenny barely had a moment to catch her breath as they came to a sudden stop. She buried her face into his chest, hesitating to lean back. As she did, however, she gasped audibly. She could see all of Magnolia around her, the stars shimmering brightly above.
"We're…," she began.
"Yup," Strider said.
"Flying," she said.
"Yeah," Strider nodded.
"You… can fly?" she asked, stunned.
"I can. Makes crossing the distance easier," he said.
"No way," she said.
"Way. Keep holding on," Strider said. She quickly hugged herself tighter to him, squealing cutely as she thought she was gonna fall. As she heard Strider chuckle, she hit him on the back of the head.
"That's not funny!" she said.
"Sorry. That was cute is all," Strider said.
"You're lucky that this is… fucking incredible," she said, continuing to look around.
"Glad you think so," Strider said.
"Is that all you have to say?" she wondered.
"I figure it's best if I stay quiet and just let you enjoy what's around us. That's the best way to experience this," Strider said. Jenny was about to speak but decided to take his advice. She swiveled her head here and there, a wide smile plastered on her lips.
-o-
"Well, it's official," Jenny said, resting her head on his chest as they continued to float.
"What is?" Strider wondered.
"This is the best date I've ever been on," Jenny said.
"Happy I could be of service," Strider said.
"How the hell are you doing this?" she asked.
"Telekinesis. I can use it on myself, letting me float," Strider said.
"Couldn't you just float me without touching me, then?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I could," Strider said, eliciting a giggle from her.
"I suppose you deserve something. Here's your prize," Jenny said as she tightened the arms she had around his neck and pressed her lips against his. Strider was slightly surprised by the kiss but rolled with it.
She felt how rough his lips were, but through them felt something else. Her entire body began to tingle as she felt him lean deeper and deeper into it, quickly taking control. She felt his tongue come through, exploring her mouth and flicking against her own. She moaned in pleasure as she let him taste her completely, giving him all the access he wanted before setting her own to work. Her tongue snaked on top of his, the sensation of pleasure rising more and more. What started as a gentle liplock evolved into something else as she felt his hands descend her body, hands gripping tightly on her waist. Finally, the two broke apart, lingering to take in the others scent and presence. Jenny was breathing rapidly as she pushed her breasts up against his frame, the warmth of it tickling Striders lips.
"Let's head down," she heard him say.
"Mmm… yeah," she replied, swallowing. Without another word, they set back down. As they headed back into the guild, Jenny stopped him. Fiddling around with her hands, she handed him a call card.
"We'll pick this up again real soon," she said, clicking her tongue before kissing him once more, licking his lips gently as she parted and walked inside, sashaying a bit for him. As they crossed the threshold, they ran into Mira and Erza, both with a dangerous expression on their face.
"Oh ho ho, will you look at the time! I have to talk with Master Makarov about that the thing that happened with the guy in the place! I'm counting on you two!" Strider said.
"Strider, wait! You can't just leave me like this!" Jenny said, horrified.
"Huh? What? Sorry, can't hear you!" Strider called back as he headed up with a fervor.
"Jenny…," Mira began, her She-Devil aura beginning to surface.
"Crap," Jenny said in a small voice.
-o-
As Strider entered the office, Master Makarov was in a deep conversation with Yajima, with Jura only listening to bits and pieces. Telekinetically keeping the door shut, Strider took his seat with all three elder wizards focusing on him.
"Good to see you again, Strider," Jura nodded.
"Likewise, Jura. It's been a while," he said.
"Seven years. I take it you've been well?" Jura asked.
"Well…," Strider trailed off, bobbing his head side to side with a tired expression. Jura sighed and nodded; he expected as much.
"This is Yajima. He's been a part of the Magic Council as long as I have. He runs the Eight Ball restaurant and he used to be a member of Fairy Tail as well," Makarov said.
"A pleasure, young man," Yajima said, nodding.
"Hello, sir," Strider replied.
"So where to begin?" Makarov wondered.
"I think it's best if I just dive right in. Won't take to long to explain, honestly. I was on Tenrou Island when the event took place. Originally I come from the Northern Continent, but I arrived in Ishgar several months before joining Fairy Tail. I traveled for a while before finally settling in Magnolia and joined Fairy Tail. While on the island we were attacked by Grimoire Heart. We were able to beat them but the morning of the next day, we were attacked by the black dragon, Acnologia," Strider said.
"Right. We know what happened up until that point," Jura said.
"The others we sealed in a protective spell, I imagine. That's where things picked up on my end. I followed Acnologia to a mountainous region. It was a few days until we began our fight," Strider said.
"Fight?" Jura asked in surprise.
"Right. While dragons are rare here, they're not exceedingly difficult to find where I come from. I've had dealings with several in the past. While not easy to fight, there are… skills and strategies one can employ to deal with them. That said, even then it's an effort that could take hours if not days to see until completion. The long and the short of it is that we fought. He was a tough bastard, but eventually, I was able to land a killing blow," Strider said. They looked this sword, which his hand kept on brushing.
"Killing blow? In what manner?" Yajima asked.
"Ah. Well, I had to get a bit creative with that. You see, a dragons scales are impressive. Acnologia was no different; I brought down boulders the size of houses and they still didn't faze him. That said, he was slightly incapacitated during the fight; a wound in his eye, which Master Makarov helped burst, kept him blinded on one side. But in the end, I had to… uhh… well, I'm not sure how to say this," Strider said sheepishly.
"What?" Makarov wondered, curious.
"Well, I jumped in his mouth," Strider sighed.
"What?" Jura asked, stunned.
"I uh… jumped in his mouth. Dragons are pretty big; big enough to swallow a person whole. Well, I took the initiative and went inside. While his scales were strong, the inside was another matter. I began to cut him apart from the inside. That was all it took in the end," Strider said.
-o-
As soon as Acnologia had completed his transformation, Strider telekinetically threw a massive boulder at him. The boulder buffeted the dragon ever so slightly, but left no lasting damage. Acnologia roared at Strider who took it head on, his eyes full of hate. The roar did nothing to inflict fear; Strider ripped towards Acnologia, his sword licking the air in front as it hoped for a drink.
Landing on the head of the dragon, Strider began slashing. The cuts were evident, but hardly scratched the surface of the beast. Acnologia quickly shook him off, but Strider recovered and hovered in the air in front. Acnologia refocused on him and began to prepare another attack. Strider held his ground, waiting for the right moment to move. As soon as Acnologia let it go, Strider shot upwards. The attack crushed hundreds of feet of the mountain, which Strider focused his efforts into moving. Boulder upon boulder began to fall on the dragon, who remained mostly unfazed.
'He's a tough bastard,' Strider thought. The scales were a massive problem, especially considering the size difference. He looked at Anglachel; despite the swords power, dragon scales were always a problem. They were much stronger than any metal; iron and steel held no sway, and even mithril might not be enough. Strider looked at his foe for a weakness when a thought struck him - the space between the scales. He shot downwards at the dragon, who was still dealing with the onslaught of rocks. Landing on a scale at last, Strider drove Anglachel between the space between them. He smiled as a slight bit of blood erupted. The dragon roared, feeling the incision, and immediately took to the sky. Strider tried to extend the cut, but it was of little use; he lacked the leverage. Separating from the dragon, Strider began to play defense avoiding swipes and crushing blows from the tail here and there.
'I can't rely on just cutting between the scales. Death from a thousand cuts won't work here,' he thought. He wracked his brain, wondering what to do.
The hours dragged on and neither side had done much meaningful damage to the other. Strider attempted to attack between the scales, but the attacks weren't all that effective. The pain in his shoulder continued to grow, but he paid it little mind - focusing all his willpower on the task in front of him. Keeping to Acnologia's blind side, Strider kept pelting him with boulders, each inflicting almost no damage as they broke on his impervious hide.
'Damn it. I'm going to have to get creative. Can't let this go on to long,' Strider said, grinding his teeth. As Acnologia reared back to let out another Dragon King Roar, Strider had an idea. He immediately burst forward, rushing down the dragons throat. The move took the dragon by surprise and he tried to regurgitate, but it wasn't any use.
As he was going down, Strider kept stabbing and slicing. He smiled inward as he saw blood begin to seep from the cuts; while Acnologia was hardy on the outside, he was as fleshy and soft as anyone inside. As he trailed down the esophagus and landed around the stomach, Strider looked around. He was squeezed and squished by the organs and soon began to cut and burst them open. He put up a telekinetic barrier around him, but acid still managed to spill on to him, burning his skin. He gritted his teeth through the pain. He continued slicing and stabbing, determined to end the fight soon. He was becoming more and more aware of a striking pain around his ankles, where acid and blood were piling up. They soon numbed, but he paid it no mind.
Strider felt the liquid he stood in begin to shake around as the dragon swung from side to side in pain. As he kept going, Strider finally struck gold. As tall as he was, beating in front of him was the dragons giant heart.
'Fall,' Strider thought with a low snarl as he cut the arteries that held it in place. As the top two were sliced through, the heart fell to the side, spraying blood everywhere. Strider cut the bottom two, letting the blood continue to spray. He rocketed upward, trailing his sword behind him so it pricked the dragon all the way around. As he finally landed outside, covered in disgusting bile and blood, Strider looked back and saw Acnologia throbbing about. The dragon shifted back into his human form, a horrified expression on his face. Strider quickly grabbed his hair, giving him a few punishing punches.
"The dragons I asked you about! Where are they!?" Strider roared. Acnologia tried to answer but only blood came forth. As Strider squeezed his head, the dragon let out a howl of pain.
"I… don't know," he managed to say, wheezing out more blood.
"What do you think you're doing? You don't have permission to die just yet!" Strider yelled. He threw his sword on the ground and gently contorted the fingers on his left hand. The blood suddenly stopped pouring. Acnologia looked at him with a snarl.
"What have you done to me?" the dragon asked.
"I don't know any healing magic, but I can keep you alive a bit longer," Strider said, throwing the dragon into a mountain wall. He ripped at him again, laying into Acnologia with a barrage of punches. Holding him down with one hand, Strider laid into his stomach until more blood began to seep through. "Do something!"
"Go… to hell," Acnologia spat at him. Strider scoffed as he held his head between his hands. He began to squeeze harder and harder until Acnologia screamed at the top of his lungs, trying to pry him off. Strider was unrelenting, however; he continued to squeeze the head until blood began to pour from the ears and mouth. He telekinetically brought the sword to his side, swinging it menacingly. Finally, Strider added a bit more power and crushed the skull in his hands. A sickening crunch reverberated through the valley as the last of the dragons life left him.
'It's dragon blood. It'll be enough,' he thought. He swiftly cut off the dragons head before plunging the sword down his esophagus. The blood began to swirl around the sword yet again before it flowed into it. Strider shuddered as he felt it vibrate excitedly in his hands. He kept holding the sword as it slowly, greedily absorbed every last drop. Finally, Acnologia's body fell back against the wall. Strider soon collapsed as well. The sword began to burn an eerie black as it waited patiently for its master to awake, eager to be held again.
-o-
"You killed him from the inside?" Yajima asked, incredulous.
"More or less, yes. It still took a while. It's part of the reason I had to leave. Dragon blood is extremely acidic. As far as I know, my homeland is the only place I could go to get it treated. Even before that, however, the fight had taken its toll. It was a while before I finally got back there and started treatment. I still have some of the marks," Strider sighed, rolling up part of his pant legs. The three recoiled as the they saw the splotchy, red and black markings - as though he had been burned.
"Does it just look bad or does it still hurt?" Makarov asked.
"It stopped hurting a while ago, but the pain comes back here and there," Strider said.
"What of the body?" Jura asked.
"I left it in Valmar Keep. It's my home in the north of Fiore," Strider said.
"A fortress?" Yajima asked, unable to hold back a chuckle.
"Pet project," Strider said sheepishly. "Would you like to examine the body?"
"We'll have an answer for you on that later. First we have to decide on how to best approach the situation. Acnologia… Most just considered him a legend. A warning. I don't know anyone that believed he existed," Jura said.
"I understand. I'll follow you three on this. That said, after viewing it, I'd like to request the body be destroyed," Strider said.
"For what purpose?" Jura inquired.
"Dragons blood is laced with powerful magic. While I drained him of as much as I could, I'd rest a lot easier knowing that it completely done. I suppose it's as much for closure," Strider said.
"I have no problem with that, but some of the council might not agree," Makarov said.
"I personally have no wish to see it being experimented upon myself. I will support you on that," Jura said.
"As will I. The sooner this is done, the better," Yajima said.
"Jura, Yajima, could you give us a moment?" Makarov asked. The two nodded; with a smile and bow at Strider, they took their leave.
"What's up Master?" Strider wondered.
"I'm curious why you didn't come back," Makarov said plainly.
"I… several reasons. I suppose a part of it was guilt. I… I could have… it…," Strider said, unable to find the right words to say. He turned his head down, gulping as he felt a surge of guilt rise in his heart. Sensing it, Makarov put a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"You have nothing to be guilty for, my boy. Whatever the reasons - all that matters is that you're back," Makarov said.
"Thank you, Master," Strider said, managing a small smile. "Should I let the others know? The basics, at least."
"Hmm… Yes, that shouldn't be a problem. I'll bring them up here. Leave out the particulars, however - as well as the whereabouts of the body," Makarov said.
"Sounds good, Master," Strider nodded.
As Makarov exited, Jura and Yajima were still standing there.
"An exceptional Wizard," Jura noted.
"Indeed. Quite the catch, Mocky," Yajima said.
"Damn straight. There's no stopping us now!" Makarov exclaimed before heading downstairs.
-o-
As Mira entered the room, she saw Strider looking out the window. She saw a tired expression on his face, frowning as opposed to the usual smile he typically wore.
"Hey," she said, making her presence known.
"Oh, Mira. What's up?" Strider wondered.
"Master said you can rejoin the party for now. He's going to call everyone up here when the party begins to die down a bit. Everyone leaving now would just make the others curious," she said.
"Alright. How're you feeling?" he wondered.
"I'm… happy for the most part. But seeing how hard it was on the others without us…," she whispered sadly.
"I know," Strider sighed.
"What about you?" she wondered, taking his face in her hands.
"Tired," Strider said with a small smile.
"Is that it?" she wondered.
"If only. Happy. Sad. Guilty. Ecstatic. A few hundred other things," he said.
"Don't worry. We're back now. It's gonna be just like it was before," Mira said, hugging him tightly.
"I hope so," she heard him whisper. The two held on to each other for what felt like hours before Mira leaned back, gently stroking his cheek with her thumb. "You haven't aged a day."
"Good genes," Strider said, his hand mindlessly going down her side before resting on her jeans.
"Ha-ha," she said, rolling her eyes. "Come on. This party is for you as well, you know."
"Stay for a sec," Strider said, holding her hand. Mira looked at him curiously before nodding and walking back. She put her arms around his waist and rested her head on his chest, taking in the soothing heartbeat. She felt a shiver of pleasure go down her spine as she felt him weave a hand through her hair, gently rubbing her back.
"This is nice," she whispered.
"It is," he replied.
"Hey, you remember the night before it happened?" she wondered.
"Vividly," Strider replied.
"Remember how you were singing?" she asked.
"I do," he said.
"What was it?" she wondered.
"The language? Or the meaning?" he asked.
"The language was Sindarin, one of the many where I'm from. The story… it's about a mortal man who fell in love with an immortal woman. Her father didn't like him much, so he gave him an impossible task to complete if he wanted her hand in marriage. He went to attempt it, but she followed and was captured. Both eventually made it back; he lost a hand and was unable to keep the object. The king, moved by their actions for each other, gave them his blessing," Strider said.
"It sounded… kind of sad when you were singing it, though. What happens after?" Mira asked.
"Mmm… he went back one day to find the monster that took his hand and the object. He did, eventually - but it ended in a fight. He had enough energy to make it back to the king and give him the object, after which he passed. She died soon after, from heartbreak. As the legend goes, when she passed on to the next life, she was singing in hallowed halls. The God that judged Spirits heard her and moved by the words restored her and her love to life, giving them another chance as well as a mortal life - for both. They moved to a new home and continued to live the rest of their days in peace and love," Strider said. He felt tears begin to seep through his shirt; Mira was obviously moved by the story.
"Wow," she whispered. The story as he explained it was sad, but in the other language it had a touch of beauty. "Do you know any other songs?"
"A few. But they're best told under the stars," Strider said.
"Can you sing some more for me later?" she asked, looking up at him.
"I'd be honored to," Strider said. With a smile, Mira took his hand yet again and began to lead him down. This time, Strider followed, taking a deep breath before rejoining the party.
-o-
"Leaving so soon?" Strider asked Jenny.
"Afraid so. Don't worry - I think I'll see you soon enough. Besides, the Grand Magic Games are coming up. You guys definitely have to be there," Jenny said as she hugged him. Her heart fluttered in excitement as she recalled the moment the two shared.
"I look forward to it," Strider whispered.
"Feel free to give me a call before that, though," she said, winking before taking his leave.
"Oh, you dog," Macao said with a grin as he came up behind Strider and put his arm around him.
"I dunno what you're talking about," Strider said, returning the grin as he did the same. The two grabbed a drink and clinked the cups together, downing the contents before filling them again.
-o-
As the party died down at last and people started to go home for the night, the Tenrou Team stuck behind, having been informed of what they would learn.
"No need to go to the office now. Let's just do it here," Makarov said.
"Bisca, aren't you going to head back?" Mira wondered.
"No. I have to hear this," she answered. Mira just nodded, having an inkling of where she was coming from. As Strider leaned against the bar, he took another moment to look at his returned friends.
"Hey, guys," he said with a smile.
"Yo. Master Makarov said you're gonna tell us what happened?" Gray wondered as he took a seat on the floor.
"The gist of it, yeah. Before that though, I don't think I can put it into words how good it is to see you all again. I can't recall many times that I've been this happy," Strider said. His words were met by smiles all around. "Now, I'm going to tell you what happened after the attack. I'd like it if you guys kept your comments and questions saved until after I finished."
Strider launched into the story about what happened after he collapsed in the water. He told them about his tracking of the dragon and the eventual fight they had in the mountains. He praised Makarov again for blinding Acnologia, something that had helped greatly. Looking at Natsu, Wendy, and Gajeel, he told them how Acnologia didn't know where they were. He told them of the long and difficult battle and how he ended up landing the killing blow, leaving out the gratuitous details. As he ended, they sat in silence, pondering what he said.
"You said the acid burned you?" Gildarts said. Rolling up his pant leg again, they saw the marks and recoiled.
"Because there are so many dragons where I come from, it was about the only place I could be treated. Even with that, though, it took a year before I could walk without any pain. Even now, though, it throbs from time to time. I'm doubtful of it ever being one hundred percent again," Strider said.
"That's pretty fucking metal," Gajeel said, his voice slightly admiring.
"So you've officially slain a dragon?!" Natsu asked.
"I suppose," Strider said.
"That's awesome!" the Fire Dragon Slayer exclaimed, spewing fire everywhere.
"Ha. Glad you think so, Natsu," Strider chuckled.
"So… he's dead, right? Like… he won't come back?" Cana asked, gulping.
"As far as I can tell, he won't be back," Strider confirmed.
"Good riddance," Lucy grumbled.
"Alright, everyone. It's been a long and tiring night. Get some rest. We've got some things to take care of tomorrow!" Makarov yelled. The others nodded and began to file out. With a sigh, Strider headed to his room. Bisca soon followed; Mira, Erza, Lucy, Cana, and Juvia watched but didn't say anything for the moment.
-o-
"Hey, Bisca," Strider said, gulping.
"So you were recuperating?" she asked.
"Partly, yes," he said.
"What's the other part?" she wondered.
"You remember there was a war?" he asked.
"Yeah," she said.
"When I came to Ishgar, the war had just ended. The restoration effort had only begun. I left because I wanted to get away from it all - at least for a while. When I went back, though, I found that they were divvying up the land. Different rulers got bits and pieces so they could exert their influence and power and restore it quicker. I… was obligated to help," Strider said.
"Obligated?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah. A lot of damage was done to a few particular areas. I had to take charge over the last seven years. It's… been hell. I only got much of it finished up until a weeks ago, but there's still a lot of work to be done," Strider said.
"So you're not sticking around?" she asked.
"I am! But there'll probably be some back and forth. At least I can fly faster now," Strider said, chuckling before stopping as he saw her blank face.
"If the others didn't come back, would you have?" she asked.
"I… I don't know," Strider said as he sat on the bed, his head hanging in his hands. To Bisca's surprise, she saw tears begin to fall and puddle at his feet.
"Strider…?" she whispered, gently moving towards him.
"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry… I let you down. I let you all down. I let them down. I…," Strider said, fighting his hands around his hair. Bisca didn't know what to say; this was the last situation she expected to find herself in. No longer did did the strong and resolute Strider she knew sit before her; instead he was, for the first time she had seen, vulnerable.
"Come on," she whispered, resting her hand on his shoulder.
"I…I've lost so much. And then them. I couldn't… look at… I…," Strider continued, unable to construe a sentence. Bisca felt the hair on her neck stand up as he said that. Sitting down next to him, she gently rubbed his back, at a loss for what to say.
'I want to be angry, but…,' she trailed off, unable to inflict her emotion on him. Slowly, she brought him in for a hug. She gently stroked his hair, whispering kind words to him as she let him cry on her.
-o-
"Sorry about that," Strider whispered as he came back to the room, having washed his face.
"It's fine," Bisca said, managing her first real smile that night.
"Bisca, I… I'm… sorry," he said.
"I know," she replied, getting up to hug him. "Anyways, I'm going to call it a night. There's a lot I need to think about."
"Sure. Sweet dreams," Strider said, kissing her on the cheek. With one more smile, she took her leave. Sure she was gone, Strider collapsed on the bed.
'They're back. They're back. They're… back…,' he thought, managing a smile of his own as he thought of his friends. His smile soon fell as he looked against the wall where Anglachel rested and vibrated a bit. Mustering the strength he could, he walked over and picked it up.
"Still a glutton, aren't you?" he asked softly. The sword vibrated in affirmation. Strider let out a scoff as he put it down. "Maybe that's why we work so well together."
Resting his head down again, Strider was out like a light. As he fell asleep, a faint murmuring emanated from the sword, hoping to be used again soon.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone