Fairies Fly

Only a few days had passed since Fairy Tail had begun their reconstruction efforts. Through the assistance of the entire Guild, in addition to the townsfolk, the work had been swift and the building managed to accommodate for the majority of the Guild in its lower floor, albeit the bar hadn’t been properly stationed as-of yet.

Life continued quietly for the rather desolate Guild. With the exception of the occasional clinginess of Juvia to Gray, there was little to feel joyous about today. After all, three of the Guild’s vital members – Natsu Dragneel, Happy and Makarov Dreyar – had gone completely off the radar.

It was the former’s disappearance, however, that struck Lucy the most. Shirking on one of the seats near the makeshift bar, her head was bowed down and almost glued to the table; the passing glances of Mirajane could do no more than pity her situation.

“Natsu…Happy…” Lucy muttered to herself. The tears began to stream down her face as her palms coiled into fists. Her two strongest links to the Guild suddenly disappeared, and all she had was a terribly written letter the former. “How could they so easily just…leave?” She knew sitting here brooding was never what they would’ve wanted. But she didn’t want them to leave, either!

“Juvia.” Gray softly said, all the while looking at Lucy. Juvia, smiling, let go of Gray’s arm and allowed him to go comfort his friend. “At this time, Juvia can’t consider a love rival…”

Gray walked towards the table Lucy sat at and stood behind her. The entire Guild began to stare at them – at Gray. What was he going to say? How was he going to console her?

“Lucy.” Gray spoke and Lucy refused to address him. “Lucy.” He repeated, and was once again met with disapproval. “...LUCY!” Gray shouted on top of his lungs, startling everyone in the Guild. At that point, Lucy turned her seat around, finally meeting gazes with her bloodshot eyes.

“Gray…I…” Lucy stuttered while the tears fell from her eyes. She didn’t know what to say, what she could say. This wasn’t a situation she could recover from that easily.

Gray glared at Lucy with some level of intensity. It briefly looked like Gray had been judging her. But it was the complete opposite. Gray took a seat next to her, grabbed her head, and placed it atop his shoulder. “Cry all you want. It’s fine. The moment we lay eyes on that pink-haired idiot again, we’ll tie him up to a chair with that damn scarf of his and you can make him cry as much as you did. So don’t take too long crying, or we’ll never catch up with him.”

Lucy was shellshocked, and so was the rest of the Guild. Gray had barely displayed sincere kindness to anyone in the Guild, and yet he became fully willing to be a shoulder to cry on for her. Lucy smiled for a moment, before she burrowed her face into his shoulder. “I…I will.” She tearfully spoke, “I’ll make sure of it…”

“Try not to completely soak the jacket in the meantime.” Gray commented with a grin, earning a few laughs from the spectating audience. That is, until Gray realized he was being watched ardently. “Oi, stop staring!” Gray bashfully explained, leading everyone to quickly avert their gazes while chuckling.

“I’m glad…” Mirajane thought to herself, smiling. For the majority of Lucy’s time in the Guild, Mirajane had acted as her guide in times of confusion. She was glad that Lucy had others to take that role for her.

“Ah Juvia’s jealous…” Juvia thought internally. She placed her hands towards her cheeks as her face began to fluster. “''But Gray-sama is so cute acting all bashfully!! Ahhh...But Juvia wants him to act like that to Juvia!!! Juvia should ask Lucy-san for advice…But she’s also Juvia’s love rival!! Ah, what to do…''”

On the higher level of the Guild, that was only barely refurbished, sat both Erza Scarlet and Laxus Dreyar: two S-Class Mages of Fairy Tail. Even while seated, there was an aura of tension surrounding them both as their stiff posture would indicate. They were soon joined by Mirajane Strauss, a fellow S-Class Mage, who placed three glasses of water on the table placed in the center of the trio.

“Mirajane, have you been able to contact Master at all?” Erza inquired, her voice and tone clearly conveying her tensions.

“Not yet, I’m afraid. I’ve tried the Communication Lacrima plenty of times, and even had Cana assist with her Magic Card. We couldn’t find anything.” Mirajane responded with a slightly somber tone.

“Tch. Damn Gramps. Who allowed him to just leave without saying anything anyway!?” Laxus was enraged, his voice echoing down to the lower level of the Guild.

“Laxus, calm yourself. We need to find a solution to this.” Erza attempted to console him, not wishing for the rest of the Guild to be caught in the issue.

“She’s right, Laxus. Master must have had a reason for leaving so suddenly…” Mirajane also stressed, although her voice lacked the same resolve her friend’s did.

“Whatever that reason was, you’d think he’d at least leave a letter!” There was clearly a sadness behind Laxus’ anger, though he wouldn’t dare express that pain in front of others.

“Everybody is going to be anxious if we continue on like this.” Erza bluntly stated. “One of us needs to be elected as the new Guild Master.”

“Why does it just need to be one of you?” Another voice entered the scene. The trio of S-Class Mages turned to see the holder of that voice. They saw a young girl with long blonde hair, adorned in almost fairy-like robes. Mavis Vermillion, the first Guild Master of Fairy Tail.

“The First…” The trio said, almost in unison, causing Mavis to let out a small chuckle in response.

“I’ve observed you for the numerous events that preceded today. All of you, during the Grand Magic Games in particular, demonstrated qualities that are both necessary and – at the same time – unbefitting of an ideal Master.”

Mavis began to say, as her gaze focused on Mirajane. “Mirajane. You, like your fellow S-Class Mages, certainly do possess the power to be Guild Master. You also possess an innate charisma and influence among the Guild that is second-to-none. However, your shift from passive to demonic is far too erratic and would cause negotiations to fall flat quickly.” Mirajane’s face primarily conveyed shock. The First had analysed them to this degree?

Mavis’ words were then directed at Erza. “Erza. While you certainly possess the necessarily qualities of a leader in combat and increasing morale, you are incapable of showing the understanding and ambition required of Fairy Tail’s Guild Master. Your thoughts are too clouded about the safety of your friends that you'll never let them go through the punishment they need to grow.” Erza’s head bowed slightly. She wasn’t worthy after all?

Finally, Mavis paid attention to Laxus – the one who many considered the most viable candidate. “And Laxus. You possess both the heritage and power to be worthy of the name Guild Master. You are undoubtedly ambitious – as I was told by Makarov during the Fighting Festival. Moreover, you also care for your comrades deeply. However, therein lies your biggest flaw. You quickly take upon all the burdens on your own shoulders with no intention of sharing them, eventually collapsing under the weight. That sort of unreliability is ill-fitting of a Guild Master.” Laxus was both surprised, but internally knew all of these flaws. Reminding him of the Fighting Festival, however, was a low blow…

“That being said. If it isn’t painfully obvious to you all now, Fairy Tail’s 7th Guild Master will be…” Mavis briefly paused. The entire Guild had paid attention to the conversation occurring upstairs, and the tension was killing them. “Erza Scarlet, Laxus Dreyar and Mirajane Strauss.” Cheers were heard across the Guild. While they all refrained from saying it, this was truly the only outcome they could have thought of regarding who could lead the Guild.

“Is…is this allowed?” Erza questioned, perplexed at the nature of this selection.

“It has never been disallowed.” Mavis replied, forming a smile.

“Heh. I suppose you two wouldn’t mind if I drilled in some practice to these weaklings, would you?” Laxus grinned.

“Ah, don’t go too overboard. We don’t want Erza to be too drained while she’s being the nurse…” Mirajane smiled.

“Heh, don’t mind me. I’m willing to stake my all on this!” Erza proclaimed, leaving the trio to laugh to themselves.

“Did I just…make the three ultimate sadists in charge of our Guild?” Mavis thought internally, slightly scared at what the trio was capable of.

Fin