2Chapter 1: The Worst Day
Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or its Character. It is all owned by Hiro Mashima
The incarnate of the Apocalypse.
That was how it felt seeing the Black Winged Dragon up close. Every single Fairy Tail mage present felt the chill of horror went up and down their spines. A nightmare had been attracted to the smell of the battle of Tenrou Island, their enemies Grimoire Heart already left a little bit ago. It didn't help that the Black Wizard inhabited this island and that Natsu fired a roar mixed with fire and lightning that was seen from many miles. The Fairies were left at less than their best, the beast let loose a howl more powerful than a hurricane.
Everyone was stationed by the beach of their founding master's home were all varying stages of recovery. Some were really bandaged up from their past fights and others still had a little more fight left in them. The cerulean etched wings of the gigantic avian headed creature raised upward and slammed down, causing the landmass to tremor and the sea adjacent to surge back. The blistering air stung their bandaged bodies, forcing them to raise arms to protect their eyes from further harm.
But deep down, they knew it was a futile gesture. It was an impossible task for them to survive this onslaught.
"H-He's here!" Gildarts stammered, his prosthetic arm trembling in place and the wounds long since healed throbbed at the point of his last encounter with the fell beast. "Now...of all times...this is the worst!"
"Are you kidding me?!" Gajeel grunted out, his bandaged body already ebbing sweat as he soaked in the enormity of the creature mounted upon the isle's beach. "How are we supposed to fight that?!"
"You can't," The Ace of Fairy Tail replied, his eyes narrowing up at the vapor breath escaping the behemoth nightmare. "There's no escaping this…
"No…" Wendy Marvell despaired, falling to her knees as her skin paled and her eyes shrank at the sight of the monster turning its gaze towards her. "I'm...going...to die?"
"Everyone!" Makarov Dreyar yelled, stepping forward, and throwing an arm from his diminutive sized frame at the guild's best behind him. "Get back to safety! There is hope for escape yet!"
"Old man…" Laxus gasped out, his eyes widening at the small back of his dwarf of a grandfather's actions. "Don't tell me you're…?!"
"This is bullshit!" Natsu cried, slamming a fiery hand into a bandaged fist. "Gramps, let us help fight! This is why we have Slayer Magic! On your own you'll-"
"THERE IS NO TIME TO ARGUE! LIVES ARE ON THE LINE!"
Makarov's words, louder and harsher than expected, cut through any fighting spirit Dragneel had at his disposal. Stunned to the point of speechlessness, the light red haired man could only gawk as a massive silhouette grew in place to the lean bodied midget he once was. A colossus in size, he even matched the immense grim reaper in size, though the bandages remained over his now towering muscular figure; a reminder that this was likely his last act of Guild Master.
"NOW! EVERYONE!" Makarov bellowed, slamming his upper body into Acnologia, wrapping his around its bird-like neck and pushed him away from the rest. "LIVE! GROW OLD! LAUGH! AND DO NOT LET THIS OLD MAN'S DEATH BE IN VAIN!"
The Guild known for surviving together, through thick and thin, wept at this. Gildarts led the charge, hailing thetimid and the uncertain behind him. Those that trailed behind were the terror stricken Wendy, led by the hand by her Exceed partner -Charle-. Ahead of her was the Salamander, eyes shut tight but tears never ceasing descent of his face. Laxus looked over his shoulder mournfully, knowing this would be the last time he'd see his grandfather.
And, as they disappeared out of sight, Makarov grinned.
Whether the beast could tell what he was feeling or not didn't matter. Seconds after he loosened his grip unconsciously, the Dragon lifted his body upward, deftly hoisting him off the ground while standing on its own hind legs.
"Hrrrrrrrrrrr!" Makarov grimaced between clenched teeth, eyes bulging as he felt himself flung around like a burlap sack. To and fro, his body whipped about, a streak of bandaged muscle and bruised skin.
Seeing this didn't work, the Winged Apocalypse slammed its talons into his unguarded sides, piercing his skin. Letting his arms slip as he let out a gurgling cry, the creature hissed with malicious glee. Thrashing him into the beach with the force of a bomb, a tidal wave erupted from the beach's seaside while splitting apart the sandy ground beneath them.
Bleeding between his teeth, Makarov couldn't suppress chuckles escaping his mouth up at the massive beast. The blank eyes of the avian shaped creature stared down, a damning light swirling within the back of its throat.
"This...is a good end...for a Master...eh, First?" Makarov grated out, eyes closing as an overcast of pure silver began to overtake his face. "I am content. I lived a full life and I saved my family. I couldn't ask for a more noble finale-"
Interrupting his line of thought came a sudden explosion of fire cracking against the side of Acnologia's head. It didn't so much as budge him, but the Dragon did cease its
swelling magic it was preparing to use on the massive old man. Craning its neck up, it'd see a bandaged figure ebbing flames.
And he wasn't alone.
"Gramps!" Natsu yelled out with a raised, fist that was ignited with flames. "We can't leave without you!"
"No, you fools!" Makarov croaked out with panicked eyes. "I am not worth it! Leave now while you still-!"
"Master!" Erza Scarlet cried out, raising a sword towards him. "I seem to recall *every* Mage of Fairy Tail has value. Or did you forget what we did to Phantom Lord for Lucy?"
"We aren't leaving you behind, Old Man," Laxus proclaimed his body igniting into a fierce mantle of lightning. "Don't like it? Then I guess we're all banished from the Guild! And that means we don't have to listen to stupid orders like leaving you behind!"
"E-Everyone…" Makarov stammered as his eyes began to water.
Acnologia released a damning howl towards the returning quarry it had set out to kill. Despite the earlier terrifying scream, a just as mighty cacophony of cries was returned. Dozens of mages leaped into the fray on their master's behalf, releasing hundreds of magical explosions of all kinds across its scaled body.
The devil swung its arms around, swatting at his foes like hands to gnats. While some were thrown back by the force of its clawed limbs, others more tenacious appeared.
Gildarts landed a punch to one arm with his prosthetic, leading to Laxus flying headbutt into its exposed jaw to make it meet up. Following that, the two most powerful men of Fairy Tail drew back their legs and sent a shattering blast of white and yellow energy to send it scraping over the sea away from the island.
"Vernier!" Wendy chanted, using what magic she had to boost Laxus, Gajeel, Natsu and herself. "Ille Vernier!"
After the second enchantment was used, the four Slayers swiftly took to the edge of the beach. While the beast snarled at the continuous bombardment of elements, weapons and other miscellaneous spells, its blank eyes fixated on the enhanced four Slayers. Through its pupiless gaze it's reflected the colors of their aura, their chests swelling with energy… and then, a massive torrent of power cutting a swathe through the ocean towards it.
Combined, it detonated with the force of a bomb that would have leveled the island. A tumultuous rolling sphere of burning, electrified, razor filled wind pushed back the body of water and dented it to the shallower part of the seaside floor.
The light caused many on looking and fighting mages to cover their eyes, wincing at it. The shockwave that came after even brought some of them off their feet, while others barely standing still despite it all.
But, a whooshing blur of black threw back the glare of light and water even further. Outstretched arms and curled talons revealed a gaping mouth that let loose a voice something akin to a gurgle and a howl. It became evident what it was when Gildarts gazed ahead with a knowing look.
"He's laughing at us…" He spoke lowly. "Just like I thought. This didn't even faze him…"
"D-Dammit!" Natsu swore aloud, heaving heavily from the exertion along with the other mages standing defiantly on their feet. "I put all I had into it...and he didn't even budge?"
"What's the point of us being Slayers if we can't even dent one lousy Dragon?!" Gajeel growled out with balled fists at his side, indicating his indignation.
Before Wendy's horrified gaze, she saw the Black Winged Apocalypse lunge straight towards the sky. High above the island, where none could reach they would see a second Sun glaring down at then; which they soon realized was just the shine of their imminent enemy's magic about to be released.
As a feeling of dread was about to commence, Lucy held out a hand for Natsu to hold despite the current predicament. With water in her eyes, and a sad smile, she spoke with nothing but love for her friend.
"Let's go home, Natsu."
Smiling back, somberly, the Salamander took her hand into his and nodded with a simple, "Yeah."
Endeared through this act of mutual kinship, Erza took hold of Natsu's other hand. Linked in soon by Gray, Juvia and then Levy with Gajeel, a circle of united love for each other replaced the dread that was festering within them. It ended with Lisanna, grabbing Mirajane hand and reaching around to another's when her eyes looked up-
And she faltered in reaching for Juvia hand.
What she saw was no longer a swirling ball of light but a curling pair of wings within a inferno. The center of it she could make out as a ghastly wave of death, all screaming out to her inevitable demise. Grimly staring down at her the young take-over mage shook in place was trying to shake herself out of her own self imposed paralysis of shock.
But by then it was already happening.
A pillar of silver roared below from Acnologia's gaping mouth. Streaming down into the center of the isle, an overwhelming dome of erasing energy bore fruit from its epicenter. Doubling and even tripling the size of the four Slayer combined breath spell, any hint of the best of Fairy Tail existing was soon dispelled.
The island and its inhabitants were gone, with only the rolling tides acknowledging the space that was once present.
Howling, the devil split the heavens with the might of its voice. Distant spectators of the Magic Council would see its behemoth silhouette soon lurch and then spirit away into the horizon; leaving the once sacred birth of Fairy Tail in complete oblivion.
The force of the explosion from Acnologia knocked Lisanna Strauss into the swirling vortex of the water. Her body was floating in the churning currents of ocean, still being rocked by the strength of Acnologia's breath attack. She struggled to keep herself afloat; from every direction, she could see only water — massive waves rising high, blocking her sight of the horizon.
Lisanna was beginning to feel terrified; she escaped Acnologia only to be fighting against the immense power of the ocean.
The massive waves pushed Lisanna to and fro, the take-over mage helpless against the force of the ocean. Acnologia's strength was something to be feared. His breath attack, and its resulting destruction, had created an effect on the nearby waters that could only be compared to a severe storm. Sweeping upwards, the waves crashed down, dragging Lisanna underneath the frigid blackness. Lisanna struggled upward, forcing herself to fight against her own body and drag herself back to the surface. Bobbing her head upwards, she gasped for air, searching desperately for anything to use as support.
Nothing.
She began to panic again.
How do I get out of this...? thought Lisanna desperately. I can't die. She was fighting the sting of the salt water, and continued her desperate search; once again, she came up empty. The surge lifted Lisanna up high, before dropping her again, merely reaffirming the power of the ocean and their own powerlessness.
After what seemed like hours of seeing nothing and getting nowhere, Lisanna pooled together her magical power; from her leg, she sprouted a purple mermaid tail, one of her partial take-over. Water churned around Lisanna, separate from the swirling waves and crashing surges. With immense effort, the Fairy Tail mage pulled herself through the water and swam in the ocean.
She was expending all of her magic like this in the hopes of finding somewhere dry? It was almost impossible, but Fairy Tail banked on impossible odds, and she would not let herself die here.
Had she been swimming for minutes? Hours? Had it been a day? Lisanna didn't know but she pushed on, even as her tail began to flicker and fade. In her eyes, something mixed in with the colours of blue and brown. The faded hues of purple and pink? Lisanna slowed to a stop, her tail vanishing at this exact unfortunate moment.
"I...see it..." she spluttered between coughs of salt water. And so she did. It looked like a small boat. Was it inhabited? She had no idea, but it was close enough to swim towards. The mage paddled there, desperately keeping her head above the water level as she swam. It took an excessive amount of effort, but with the ocean calm, Lisanna was able to pull herself onto the boat. Surveying the boat, she saw that it was ridiculously small, and there were two women on it.
Exhausted, Lisanna breathed a sigh of relief, and collapsed on the boat.
"I'm...alive..."
The Next Morning
The sound of sniffling woke Ultear. Rubbing her eyes with her hand, she looked around and saw a white haired girl. She was hugging her legs, her body shaking; it was obvious she was crying. Ultear got up and walked over to Lisanna. Tentatively, she reached towards the girl's knee; at contact, Lisanna jerked away, raising her head to reveal reddened eyes where tears were flowing freely.
"Who are you?"
It took her as a great surprise when Lisanna pulled her into her arms, still sobbing hysterically. Ultear was flabbergasted, muttering incomprehensible words. The wizard was unable to get a proper word out of herself, or to get Lisanna to say anything beyond unintelligible blubbering. "It's alright, my name is Ultear and this is my companion Meredy..." Ultear reached up to stroke Lisanna's white coloured hair.
"It's not fair...!" Lisanna wailed. "I...I'm...everyone died back there...! Why... do I always seem to escape death." She was shuddering violently, her sobs increasing. "What have I done... Elfman...Natsu...Mira...everyone..." She couldn't believe the idea that she escaped death yet again... first it was when Elfman almost killed her in the beast incident and she was sent to Edolas. Now because of that dragon Acnologia she was separated from her siblings yet again. It just wasn't fair that she was always getting separated from her family.
The tears began to well up in Ultear's eyes as well and she looked and saw the pink sensory link on her hand; she spent so much time the previous day struggling to see how she could become a better person now that she and Meredy left Grimoire Heart. She couldn't believe what happened to the Fairy Tail guild when Meredy and her saw that dragon destroy the island. She wished that she could see Gray but that would never be possible.
At this point, Lisanna would give anything even to hear an "Aye sir!" from Happy, just to hear that familiar voice that was always there. The two of them began to cry in unison, and their wails filled the silence of the otherwise tiny boat. They cried without shame, and without stopping, mourning their lost friends with all of their heart.
Hiccupping, Lisanna finally spoke. "W-What do I do now...? Where am I, Ultear?"
"We are somewhere in the middle of the ocean," replied Meredy.
"I-I don't know..." replied Ultear, realizing for the first time that she truly had no idea what they should do. She never expected that they would have come across a member of Fairy Tail.
"I was so...desperate to get somewhere safe...t-that I just swam,"Lisanna hiccupped. "B-But...I'd think that everyone would w-want me to live..." The shaking from their sobbing hadn't subsided, but the tears has finally ceased. Her voice was becoming stronger. "I should get back to Fiore...and tell everyone what happened. I can't afford to just sit here."
Ultear nodded slowly. "Y-You're right..." She knew this, but she desperately wanted to keep crying. She felt like it was her fault that everyone had died. She led the attack on Fairy Tail and she was responsible for attacking Zeref and causing so much problem for Gray and the others.
Lisanna let go. When everyone stood their ground against that dragon, she had let go. Lisanna wasn't there with everyone when Acnologia had dealt the finishing blow, and at the expense of everyone else's lives, she'd survived. "I can't...dishonor everyone's memories like this." The young take-over mage forced herself to her feet.
"Alright!" Her voice was still weak, and she looked shaky. "I'm...going to head ho..!" Unprompted, Lisanna fell back towards the boat, dizziness overtaking her. Exhaustion and a lack of food and water had overtaken her. Quickly, Lisanna's world went black.
"Lisanna!" Ultear shouted in concern.
"What do we do Ultear," Meredy asked.
"We need to take her back to her guild. That will be the first way that we atone for what we've done," Ultear declared.
Author Notes
I haven't really seen a lot of Fairy Tail fanfic covering this time period through the idea of one of the supporting characters lens of surviving through Tenrou. I thought Lisanna would be an ideal candidate as she was the only Fairy that has already lost her family once as a result of a disaster. This fic is going to focus on Lisanna working with Fairy Tail to build them into a stronger guild as well as seek help from the Magic Council and aid Crime Sorciere in atoning for their sins.