24Sparks
A/N: Hello everyone, and welcome back to A Tale of Black Fairies. Last time we left off on the climactic conclusion of Lucy and Yuno vs Laxus. This chapter is the wrap up of that chapter, plus some setup for a new arc I'm having. Plenty of familiar faces will finally make an appearance, but for now, it's time to clean up the mess Laxus made.
Comment Response Time!
Sorry, this took so long. I'll try and update sooner.
Anti-Mage 29 - Yuno activated Spirit Dive mostly unconsciously, but it won't be too long until he figures it out. Don't worry about Asta, he's going to get a cool title of his own later. I'm glad that you're excited for the Witches Forest and Oracion Seis, but it's gonna be a bit of a detour until we get there. We'll still have some early appearances soon, so don't worry.
Dbswagking12 - Glad that you enjoy my chapter drops, hope this one doesn't disappoint. I'll try to update a bit more often, but we'll see what happens.
"Gah!"
Yuno woke up on a bed gasping, his mind still racing from his fight with Laxus. "The last thing I remember was beating Laxus. I guess I must've passed out afterwards." He tried to move his arm but felt a jolt of pain instead. He looked down to see that his left arm was in a case, and after feeling the same thing below his abdomen, realized his right leg was as well. "Damn, guess I can't make fun of Asta for his arms anymore."
As soon as he said that he heard a sound like a giant fist going through a wall. He turned his head to see his brother standing in front of an Asta-shaped hole in the door to his room. "You're finally awake!"
Unable to give a hug with his broken arms, Asta instead leaps onto Yuno's stomach, who lets out a grunt of discomfort. "Damn, you wouldn't think someone so small could be so heavy."
Asta turned on his side to face Yuno. "Hey! That's just because I have a lot of muscle mass!"
Yuno scoffs. "If that's how your way of saying that you're a fat-ass."
"Why, you!" Asta growled as he locked foreheads with Yuno. The two glared at each other for a while before Yuno broke first and started chuckling, which prompted Asta to join in on the laughter.
However, Asta's laughter slowly transformed into something else. Yuno stopped laughing as he realized what his brother was doing.
Crying.
"I'm so glad that you're okay! I was worried when we brought you to Porlyusica that you might be hurt too badly! I mean what if-" Asta's sniffling was stopped by Yuno wrapping his good arm around him and bringing him into the closest thing they could call a hug at the moment.
"It's alright, Asta. If you wanna cry, then go ahead. It's nice to not be the crybaby brother for once."
Asta sniffled once more and then wiped his face on Yuno's shirt (Damn it, how's he gonna explain that to MJ? Well, the outfit was already ruined from fighting Laxus, so he'll have to replace it anyway.) before giggling at him. "Hey, don't think I forgot about Galuna Island? Crybaby Yuno was back in full force then."
"You mean that mission you tricked us into going on?" Yuno deadpanned.
"W-well technically I told you what was on the job." Asta stammered.
The two playfully bickered with each other before Yuno brough the topic back to being serious. "So, what happened while I was out? Is everyone okay? What about the master?"
"Well, not much really. It's only been a few hours since me and Natsu dragged you and Lucy back to the guild so Porlyusica and Mimosa could heal you. The master's fine, we just have to not stress him out too much, and Lucy's been up and walking for a while since apparently her clothing helped protect her from Laxus's lightning. The cranky lady said that you'd be fine and to wait a few days before Mimosa tried healing your bones since she hasn't done it before."
Yuno eyed his rival skeptically. "If that's the case, then why haven't we fixed yours yet?"
Asta seemed shocked at the question as he tried to respond. "U-uh, that's because I kept fighting way longer than I should have. That despair guy almost tore my arms off for god's sake. I just gotta wait a little longer and they'll be back to normal, no problem!"
Despite Asta's cheery exclamation, Yuno had doubts about his answer. 'I know for a fact that can't be true. Anytime Asta has ever been injured, he's healed way faster than anyone else in Hage. If I had to guess, that must be his body's way of making up for his lack of mana, which means he should already be close to healing normally by now.'
"Asta-" This time Yuno was interrupted by the door being slammed open.
"Good, you're up." Porlyusica said as the two rival faced her. "I noticed your little friend here arrived earlier based on the whole in the door."
Asta laughed sheepishly as Yuno sighed at his brother's recklessness.
"Well, that old fool just can't stop picking up problem children, can he?" The hermit shook her head in exasperation. "It's his own damn fault if his stress makes him keel over."
She then turned to leave out the door. "I was just about to leave when your friends begged me to check on you one last time. Those three girls were especially insistent, so make sure not to end up in my care too soon boy, for their sakes."
Yuno turned to hide his blushing face while Asta was completely dumbfounded at what the old woman was talking about, and he couldn't remember the last time his rival blushed since joining Fairy Tail. 'Who could make him have a reaction like that?'
It was a completely unsolvable mystery.
With that, Porlyusica left the room, leaving both of them on their own. "So, you wanna go downstairs? It sounds like everyone's excited for you to wake up." Asta asked.
Yuno nods. "Yeah, let's go."
Downstairs, all the Fairy Tail members were laughing and drinking as if the Battle of Fairy Tail wasn't a few hours ago.
Among the victors of the prior battles, Natsu was begging Lucy to tell him more about her fight against Laxus. "Come on, how awesome was it to fight toe to toe with Laxus? The last time I fought him I didn't even get a chance to hit him."
The dragonslayer's girlfriend sighed, her face and arms marked by several bandages. "I'll tell you about it later, okay Natsu? My fingers and toes are still numb from being shocked so much. I don't wanna think about fighting right now, and when I get home, I'm gonna sleep and never wake up."
"Don't do that, Lucy!" Happy cried. "If you never wake up, where are me and Natsu gonna hang out?"
"How about your own house!" Lucy yelled at the pair. "I may be dating Natsu, but I'd like it if you didn't keep breaking into my house while I slept."
"Well then tell Celeste to stop inviting us." Lucy's eyes widen at Natsu's answer as she moves to open her grimoire. The tiny angel inside pops out yawning.
"What is it, mother? Do you need my assistance again?" Celeste asked.
Lucy's eye twitched as he asked her daughter a question. "Sweetie, have you been inviting Natsu and Happy over when I'm not awake."
Celeste innocently beamed up at Lucy. "Of course, mother. I just want father and brother to have as much time as possible to be together with us. Sometimes I watch while everyone else sleeps."
Lucy slammed her head on the table, unable to handle all the ridiculousness of this conversation. "We're gonna have a conversation about that later, but I'm not doing this right now."
While Lucy was struggling with her dysfunctional family, the other heroes of today were being celebrated as well. Just like his role model would, Romeo was boasting about his win to his friends. "And then I yanked Mimosa right towards Evergreen, and the next thing I see is a wall of green in front of me. And thanks to me, I managed to turn all the girls back to normal. It won't be long now until Natsu brings me on missions."
Romeo was explaining this to his friends who were both infuriated at him for different reasons. Sting was jealous that Romeo got to do something cool while he wasn't allowed to go fight once the barrier was down. Rogue was upset because his precious Frosch had gotten injured fighting Evergreen, not to mention that Romeo had taken them without permission.
"So, you're telling me that you made no effort to protect Frosch when his life was in danger?" Rogue growled. If one paid attention, they could see his shadow miming the motion of choking someone.
"You didn't actually beat anyone; Mimosa was the one who actually beat Evergreen." Scoffed Sting.
"Stop being so whiny guys, it was a team effort. I needed Frosch and Mimosa as much as they needed me. In fact, you could say that I helped beat Laxus in a way. Hahaha!" Romeo chuckled before the twin dragon slayers got fed up with his arrogance and pounced on him.
The trio began rolling on the ground, the guild ignoring their antics as they're used to it with previous members in their youth. And adulthood too.
"I'll show you that a white dragon's powers are way cooler than dumb hot gum!"
"Don't call it gum, that makes it sound lame! At least my power's make sense, what kind of magic is 'white' anyway?!"
"I'll make you pay for the suffering you inflicted on Frosch!"
"Why's it my fault?! If you wanna blame someone then you can blame the crazy lady who shot him!"
"Hey, Rogue! Watch where you're punching before I take you down as well!"
"You're implicit in the crime as well. You'll both pay!"
As the trio continues to tussle, Frosch and Lector cheer on their partners, Macao watches alongside his best friend Wakaba, tears streaming down his eyes. "I can't believe it, Wakaba. My little boy's growing up so quickly! He's making friends and fighting other wizards! It won't be long until he's all grown up and won't want anything to do with his old man."
"Geez man, the more you talk, the more I feel my bones wither to dust." Wakaba complained.
While Romeo thrived in his five minutes of fame, Mimosa was not feeling the same. The plant mage was holding her face in her hands while Vanessa rocked her back and forth in one arm, a wine bottle in the other. "Everyone give it up for our flower princess here for kicking ass today!"
"Congrats girl!" Cana chimed in, equally drunk as her counterpoint. "Guess working alongside Mira so much turned our sunflower into a fly trap. What else did you learn?"
Cana raises her mug to take another swig of her beer before Mira swipes it away. Cana groans as Mira moves on to grab Vanessa's drink as well while Noelle manages to slip Mimosa out of the drunkard's grasp.
"Mimosa doesn't like being the center of attention to much." Noelle explains. "If you push her too hard then she starts to like Grey." The royal nods her head toward the blue haired girl who had gotten secondhand embarrassment from watching Mimosa being celebrated and was attempting to disappear by hiding behind Elfman's large frame, who was utterly baffled by her attitude.
"Alright you've had your fun girls, let Mimosa enjoy her herself. Unless you'd like for me to cut you off from the bar for a week?" Mira's threat succeeds as the two back off and allow the two royals to talk in private.
The celebration was immediately halted, however, by a loud voice coming from upstairs.
"Hey guys! Look who's awake!"
Everyone looked to the second floor where Asta and Yuno were standing at the top of the steps. Everyone cheered loudly as the two came down. Yuno leaning on his rival while adjusting to his crutches. (He technically didn't need them, but floating around all day would have been very annoying.)
The first person to greet him was a small form shooting through the air at the speed of a bullet towards him. Thankfully, once the ball collided with his chest, Yuno found that his back was against a large fluffy cloud of cotton.
Yuno smiled as he looked down at the food gremlin attached to his chest. "I'm glad that you're doing okay Charmy."
"La, thank god you're okay Meal Prince!" Charmy cried. "I was so worried when I heard that you went to fight that I could hardly even focus on eating!"
Charmy continued to ramble until Yuno patted her on the head and stunned her into silence. "Thanks for the meal earlier. I wouldn't have been able to beat Laxus on an empty stomach. You were just as integral to us winning today as me and Lucy. Guess I owe you now."
Charmy's face heated up instantly, as her crush thanked her. 'My Meal Prince, he's not just nice, but he's humble too! I-I-I…'
"Laaaa…." At this point, Charmy had passed out from embarrassment and was being held by Mira.
"Haha, I think she got a bit overexcited." Mira chuckled as she handed her off to Vanessa before facing Yuno. "Congratulations on beating Laxus. I know it wasn't easy, especially since he was even stronger than we knew."
"I concur." Erza says as she joins the conversation. "Having heard the details of you and Lucy's battle against Laxus, I doubt if me and Mira could have done the same without exhibiting a similar level of teamwork that you two displayed."
"Thanks for the compliment, but I'm sure you two would have managed somehow." Lucy said. "But yeah, Laxus being a Dragon Slayer is something I sure would have loved to know before fighting him."
"Yeah, who knew that Laxus had something like in his back pocket?" Asta asked rhetorically – only to get an answer.
"Oh, I've known that for years."
…
"…Why's everyone looking at me like that?"
Everyone's eyes had zeroed in on Natsu, who looked genuinely confused at everyone's reaction.
"…Natsu. Are you telling me that you knew Laxus was a Dragon Slayer this whole time?" Erza asked, shadows covering her face.
"Uh, yeah. But-"
"And you're telling me that you didn't think about telling anyone that before we went to fight him?" Mira said, her smile hiding the true fury underneath.
"Hold on a minute, I can explain!" Natsu had started taking steps back until he bumped into another figure. He turned his head to see a truly terrifying expression on Lucy's face.
"You also didn't think it was relevant to tell your beloved girlfriend any details about how strong the man she was fighting would be? I might've died for god's sake!"
At this point, Natsu was cowering under the gaze of the guild's three strongest woman and struggling to come up with a response. "Well, it all worked out in the end, so it's okay, right?"
"No!"
"Hey, lay off of Natsu." Asta came in to defend Natsu, something no one else in the guild would ever consider at that moment. "I'm sure he had a reason for it."
Natsu looked as if he could kiss the swordsman for giving him some breathing room. "Thanks, man. To be honest, I was thinking about telling you before you left Luce, but I figured it would be rude because he never wanted to talk about it. Sure he's done a lot, but talking about a guy's private stuff is kind of rude."
Lucy looked shock at Natsu's explanation before she remembers how oddly contemplative, he looked shortly before she left to join the battle. Even when Laxus revealed his true power, Natsu wasn't shocked at his strength, but rather the fact Laxus willingness to reveal it. "Ignoring your willingness to tell anyone, how did you even know that he was a Dragon Slayer?"
"Also, how the hell is he even a Dragon Slayer in the first place Salamander? Wasn't he raised by humans?" Gajeel interjected, also interested in the appearance of a new Dragon Slayer. Sting and Rogue nodded in agreement, having thought the four of them and one other were the only Dragon Slayer's in the country.
"I noticed it after the first few times I challenged Laxus. I've never been great at sensing stuff like Luce and Yuno, but I know what dragon magic feels like after being hit directly with it. Eventually, I cornered him while he was training in the woods and asked him about it. I guess he figured I'd start bothering him about it in public if he didn't tell me, so he made me promise that I wouldn't mention it unless someone managed to push him hard enough to use it in a fight. All he told me was that he got it from having a lacrima put in him when he was young, and that's how he became a Dragon Slayer."
"Wait, he had a lacrima implanted into him as a child?" Mimosa and many others looked horrified. "Stuff like that could kill someone if even one thing goes wrong in a surgery like that."
"Not to mention the way he talked about it when we were fighting, apparently Master had known about this the whole time." Lucy noted.
"Hey, are you accusing Gramps of experimenting on his grandkid? He would never risk Laxus's life like that, or anyone else's!" Gray defended.
"No of course not." Lucy corrected before anyone got heated. "I don't think that Master would ever do anything to endanger his family, blood related or not. However, that means someone else that Laxus trusted must have done it to him at such a young age. The only question is who?"
Everyone looked stumped by Lucy's theorizing, except for one person. Yuno thought back to his conversation a while ago with Cana, where she mentioned that Laxus's father had been kicked out of the guild for endangering the lives of guildmates. You didn't have to be a genius to put two and two together, meaning the person who gave Laxus his magic must have been…
"I'd appreciate it if you stopped musing about things that aren't any of yours business, Blondie."
The entire guildhall instantly turned to face the doors to the guildhall, under which stood the man that had ruined today for everyone, his body covered in bandages from his defeat. No one made a sound, so Laxus decided to be the one to break the silence. "Where's the old man?"
His question made the surrounding guild members infuriated and they proceed to hurl insults at him.
"What, you suddenly care now that you lost?"
"There's no way we're telling you anything about the Master's condition!"
"Yeah, who knows what you might pull!"
"Just get the hell out of here you bastard!
Erza was about to silence them once before someone else did it for her.
"Shut up!"
Everyone was stunned into silence by the forceful shout by none other than Yuno. Seeing someone usually so calm and collected be so loud was enough to quiet them once more.
Yuno walked forward on his crutches and looked Laxus in the eye. Instead of the deranged look Laxus had worn the entire day, now his eyes looked tired, as if he knew what was waiting for him. "The Master's in the infirmary. Thankfully, he'll make a full recovery."
Laxus looked surprised at Yuno's honesty before nodding. "Thanks." He then proceeded to walk towards the infirmary, every step seemingly taking longer than the last while every single eye was glued onto him.
Eventually, he was in front of the door where his grandfather lay behind it. He reached toward the doorknob before he stopped. He knew that he had to face the consequences for his actions, but he knew that what awaited him was gonna be painful. He already knew what the old man was gonna say so maybe he should just lea-
"Hey, Laxus!" Natsu's voice manages to cut through Laxus's thoughts as he turns to face the dragonslayer. "Once you get better, prepare yourself! Now that you're done hiding your true strength, I'm gonna be the one to beat you in a one-on-one fight, you got that?!"
"And don't think I forgot all those comments you made about me either!" Asta joins Natsu in challenging the lightning mage. "As soon as my arms get back, I'll make sure you see what a real future Wizard King looks like!"
"Hey, what's the big idea! I'm the one who called dibs on challenging him first, so but out!"
"Well, I've been planning to fight him as soon as he called me a midget!"
"I've been planning to fight him for years! You already stole my fight against Erza, I'm not letting steal another win from me!"
"How about once we're both at full power, we fight and the winner gets to go up against Laxus?"
"No problem, you'll make a great warmup!"
…
"…Pfft… haha…HAHAHAHA!" Laxus couldn't help it. He just tried to kill everyone in Fairy, destroy Magnolia even. Not to mention that he had thrown attacks meant to kill their girlfriend and brother personally.
Even still, they didn't treat him any differently than they had yesterday.
Laxus takes a breath. "Phew. Thanks, I needed that you two." He then finally put his hand on the doorknob and opened the door. As he walked in, he addressed them once more. "I'll take you on anytime."
And the door closed
Laxus was standing in the infirmary with his grandfather, leaning against the wall and refusing to look at him. "Those guys sure are noisy."
Makarov sits up from his bed. "Do you have any idea what you've done?"
"…"
"Look me in the eye, Laxus!"
Laxus does.
Makarov maintains that eye contact as he talks. "A guild is supposed to be a place where you gather with your friends and get jobs. A family for those who have none. It's not a thing that belongs to any one person. Guilds are held up by the trust and integrity of each individual, from the strongest wizard to the weakest. And even more than that, it's the ironclad bonds that form between members. Those bonds are unbreakable, and no matter how hard outside forces may move against them, they will never shatter."
"Unless of course, that strain comes from another guildmember."
Laxus does not respond.
"Do you understand, boy, that you have broken that trust? You may be my own flesh and blood, but I cannot overlook something like this."
"I know that!"
Makarov does not flinch at his grandson's exclamation. Laxus simply looks down at his hand and clenches it in frustration. "It just… it all made sense to me. I thought that as long as I made the guild stronger, then it would be better. Seeing the stuff trash magazines would post about our guild, or the way people talked about members… I couldn't stand any of it."
Makarov could only sigh. "You really are clumsy with dealing with people, yet your Thunder Legion is loyal to a fault. I wish that whatever you showed them that made them trust you was something you showed to the rest of the guild." Makarov continued to speak as he got off the bed. "When you first asked me to start teaching you magic, you seemed so joyful. I never knew you would grow up to be so serious. If you would lighten up even a little, then maybe my words would finally break through to you. Life can be so much more fun if you enjoy it with others. After all these years, have my words really meant nothing to you? Or rather, did they mean to much, and we never spoke on the same terms?"
Then, in a hushed tone he asked, "Or maybe you stopped listening after what I did to your father."
At this point, Laxus had looked away, too ashamed of himself to answer.
"When you were growing up, I lived to see how you would change each and every day. In my eyes, you never needed to be strong. Even if you never wanted to join the guild in the first place, I would have accepted that, no matter how much it hurt my heart. Because at the end of the day, all I wanted was for you to be happy and full of life.
"…" It took every ounce of Laxus's willpower not to tear up that moment, his body trembling from the strain. He couldn't cry now. He had made his decision and had to face the music. The conversation up until now was between a grandfather and son. What came next was a discussion between a guildmaster and one of his members.
Makarov clenches his hand, dreading the words he had to say, no matter how painful it was. When his grandson joined Fairy Tail, Makarov thought he would get to see his grandson until his days met their end. Now, he was punishing both of them for his arrogance that Laxus's issues would be solved on their own.
"Laxus! From this day forth, I you are hereby expe-"
"Ah! Wait a minute, don't go in there now!"
"What are you doing, Gramps and Laxus are talking right now!"
"You are not allowed to disturb the master's conversation!"
BOOM
In a gust of wind, the door flew off of its hinges and hit the wall behind it. Yuno is the one standing there, his face blank as he looks at Laxus and Makarov. "I did not mean to hit the door that hard. I just wanted it to open."
Before he can continue, Erza grabs him by the cloak and yanks him behind her. "I'm sorry, Master. I have no idea what came over him. Rest assured, I will punish him accordingly."
"No one is punishing anybody today!" Yuno shouts. "Master, were you about kick Laxus out of the guild weren't you?"
Several gasps emerge from Yuno's accusation. Natsu in particular does not take kindly to this revelation. "Gramps, you can't be serious?! Laxus may be a jerk that made some mistakes, but he's been a part of Fairy Tail forever."
Makarov responds plainly. "My decision as guildmaster is final. I understand that many of you have been harboring negative feelings in regard to Laxus's attitude, I can only imagine how many of you feel now. Actively endangering the lives of guildmates, not to mention innocent civilians, is not what a Fairy Tail member does. So yes, I am expelling Laxus from the guild."
Erza puts her hand on Yuno's shoulder. "The guildmaster has final say on who is considered a member of Fairy Tail. You may disagree, but ultimately it is up to him."
Yuno shakes her off. "I understand that, and I agree that what Laxus has done is terrible. Hell, I have the injuries to prove it," Yuno shakes his broken arm and leg. "But I don't think that Laxus should be expelled now."
Makarov stares at Yuno with a look of intrigue. "And why is that my boy?" Makarov was no dictator, and while this was meant to be a private affair, for someone sensible like Yuno to be adamantly opposed to Laxus' s expulsion made him wonder what his reasoning was.
Now actively feeling the entire guild's focus on him, Yuno turns to Laxus. "I know that your feelings about it may be complicated, but the one who gave you a Dragon Slayer Lacrima, it was your father, wasn't it?"
The whole guild was shocked at Yuno's indictment, while Laxus managed to hide whatever emotions he felt. "You'd be right about that. When I was younger, I would get sick all the time. According to the old hag, I had too much magic in my body."
Gray's eyes widened, noting that his conditions were similar to that of Ultear's as a child, but remained silent.
"My father had the great idea that putting a lacrima in my chest would solve it. He was right in the end, but I didn't get out of it unscathed." Laxus's hand went to his lightning shaped scar over his eye. "Apparently, the fact that I didn't lose my eye entirely was a miracle, I was lucky that it didn't straight up kill me either. Heck, I wasn't able to control my hearing, so I had to wear headphones for a while until I got used to the guild's loud noises. Soon after, I stopped getting sick cause the lacrima was passively helping me control my magic better, and as I got older, I also got stronger and stronger, but it didn't take long for the old man to notice."
"He kicked my dad out without hesitation, since he was even more of troublemaker than I was. As a kid, I respected my dad, and thought he only wanted me to be stronger because he thought it was best. Even now, I don't really know what was going through his mind, but that was what turned me against my grandfather in the first place."
While the rest of the guild listened in silent horror at how his own father used Laxus like a guinea pig, Makarov, who knew this whole story gritted his teeth in frustration. "Even all these years later, I look upon that moment with shame. I should have known my grandson was hurting, and I should have realized my son was one responsible sooner. Laxus, I'm-"
"Save it, old man." Laxus interrupts his grandfather's apology. "I don't regret what happened to me. I wanted to get stronger and stop being sick, and my dad gave me what I wanted. It was the best gift a kid could ask for. I never even cared about the scar either, so don't feel bad about it." Laxus then addresses Yuno. "Thanks for trying to speak up, but I don't need you to pity me for my own mistakes. I fucked up because I couldn't see past my own bullshit, and I came here knowing what would happen. I wanted to throw away the weaklings in the guild, so I can't complain now. You said it yourself, didn't you? I'm weak - I thought I had power, but in the end, I have nothing."
"You're wrong, Laxus." Yuno countered. "I meant what I said then, about weakness and strength, but just because you are weak doesn't mean you have no strength."
Laxus and everyone else was confused, so Yuno continued. "If you remember, I also said that strength was about paving a way for others to grow. While I don't know the entire history between you, I have to believe the Thunder Legion wasn't just following you out of blind obedience. They clearly respected you as their leader enough to overthrow the master, but more than that, they loved you as their friend and wanted you to succeed."
"Pfft." Laxus scoffed. "Well, some friend I am, dragging them into a mess they had no business being in."
"Unfortunately, that is part of being friends," Yuno glances at Asta, "but Freed said to me that he would never betray your trust after all that you've done for him. I assume the rest of your teammates must feel at least somewhat similarly to him."
Laxus's heart swelled at the belief that his teammates had in him, not realizing how much he took them for granted. Well, that was just something else he had lost then.
"Well then that's their fault for being dumb enough to believe in me. I'm clearly not worth the effort, and I'm sure they want nothing to do with me anymore."
"That's not true!"
Everyone turns to yet another new voice, revealing it to have come from Freed, who had arrived along with the rest of the Thunder Legion while the guild wasn't paying attention.
"We followed you of our own volition, Laxus! Stop putting words in our mouth to try and take the blame for yourself!" Evergreen chastised. "We're adults and chose to help you knowing what the consequences would be!"
"Yeah! When you first brought up the idea, I knew it would fun, but it was a blast! I can't remember the last time I enjoyed myself that much!" Bickslow cheered. "Following you was the best idea I ever had!"
"As you can see, none of us have any misgivings about supporting you." Freed said. "The time we spent together as the Thunder Legion meant something to all of us, so don't try and pretend it meant nothing – like you are worth nothing."
Laxus was shocked by the dedication his friends showed to support him at a moment like this, even knowing that this meant they would get in just as much trouble as him. He didn't deserve them.
"A friend of mine said to me not too long ago, that it's important to remember that being weak is okay." Yuno went on, "You hated the feeling of being weak so much that you rejected the idea of weakness entirely Laxus, but that's the wrong way of looking at it. Weakness simply means that you have much more room to grow, and that's something that everyone in this guild can attest to. And now, for the first time in years, you have the chance to know what being weak is like, and you need to embrace that feeling as much as possible."
For a while, the guild was left in silence, as no one truly knew what to think. Sure, many of them were still infuriated at Laxus and the Thunder Legion for what they did, but others understood what point they were all coming from. In the end, despite the heartfelt speech, it all came down to one person's decision.
Makarov's face was one of deep contemplation, as he considered what he should do. Letting Laxus stay was dangerous, as there could be no doubt that their familial relation would have something to do with his decision. He made the mistake with Jose of not removing him the guild earlier, and he refused to let the same thing happen again.
However, what Yuno said had merit. Clearly, Laxus was not like his father, who showed no regret at what he'd done and simply howled in frustration at his expulsion. Laxus had come to face his punishment head on and accepted his misdeeds as his own fault. He even tried to protect his friends from receiving a harsher punishment as well.
In the end…
Makarov sighed… "Yuno, if – I repeat, if – I was to let Laxus stay, what should I do as a punishment? I cannot let someone who endangered the guild get away without repercussions, and as the one most vocal about his continued membership, I'd like to know your opinion."
While you would expect him to be nervous being put on the spot to think of a punishment, Yuno instead smiled. "I'm glad you asked that because I had the perfect idea. Clearly, Laxus does need a change in perspective, to see what it feels like to be weak. So, I propose three things."
"One, I say that he is stripped of his S-Class ranking until you deem, he has earned it back." Yuno looked at Laxus, who simply nodded, that seemed like that most obvious punishment, but still rather light.
"Two, also until you deem otherwise, he is unable to take jobs with the rest of the Thunder Legion." This one actually got a call of rejection from Evergreen and Bickslow, but Freed told them that it was necessary for them as well to prove that the Thunder Legion was not reliant on Laxus's power.
"Now, my final proposal, is a bit unconventional, but I think you need to be taken out of your comfort zone. But first…" Yuno then walked toward Vanessa and whispered into her ear (too quiet for certain dragons even), much to everyone else's confusion.
Vanessa's eyes widened as she listened to Yuno's request. "Oh, that sounds hilarious. I'm sure he'll agree." She then opened her grimoire and started weaving something.
Asta gasped as he was the first one to realize what his brother was planning. "Wait, you can't be serious?! Would he even allow you to make that decision?"
"Hey, what's with all the suspense?" Gray complained. "Can you explain your idea to the rest of us please?"
"It's pretty simple. Since Laxus cares so much about what people think of Fairy Tail's members, he should learn what it's like to be part of its most infamous group." Yuno explained as Vanessa finished her handiwork and handed over a small cloak to him.
Yuno then holds it out to Laxus, and everyone realizes his plan once they lay sight on the black cloth.
"Laxus, welcome to the Black Bulls."
…
"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAT!"
Everyone blew up at Yuno's words. No one suspected that to be his plan, and now that it was on the table, it seemed like an unbelievable idea.
"Wait, you can't just do that! Wouldn't Yami just kick him out?" Lucy asked.
"Nah, he'd either laugh himself into a coma or accept it offhandedly." Vanessa answered.
"But, would Laxus really be willing to join that group so readily?" Erza asked. No one had an answer, so all eyes returned to him, wondering what his response would be.
Laxus shrugged. "Well, it's not really up to any of us, remember? Gramps has final say if I'm even gonna be a member by the end of the day." Everyone glanced at the master who had not interjected during Yuno's proposal.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the Fairy Tail master spoke once more. "Fairy Tail is a place where anyone can find a family. We laugh, cry, and bleed together because that is all part of being a family. However, sometimes one of our family members strays from the path we all walk on, and sometimes it simply means they're moving onto a new stage of life. Other times, it is because they have not taken the lessons that they've been taught to heart and disregard all the hard work that others have put in to love them. So wouldn't it be an even greater crime if the ones who put in the effort to show them care and affection, pushed them away the moment the focus of their love starts to show the first signs of recognition?"
"Master, are you saying…" Mira trailed off, as everyone realized the meaning of Makarov's speech.
"Yuno, my boy," Makarov said while looking him in the eye, "thank you for stopping me from making a mistake that would have caused nothing but short-term relief for some, and long-term pain for others. People say that my compassion knows no bounds, but I am relieved every time one of my children shows that their hearts are bigger than mine, and have only started growing."
Makarov then took a deep breath before shouting out his announcement. "The decision is now final! Laxus Dreyar, now a member of the Black Bulls, shall remain a member of Fairy Tail under probationary conditions!"
For a moment, the guild was left silent at Makarov's grand declaration before the guildhall erupted in cheers. Laxus was immediately tackled by his squad, Freed crying into Laxus's chest while the lightning mage smiled exasperatedly at not being separated from his closest friends. He then looked over to Yuno who was currently being squeezed by Natsu.
"Thanks a lot, Yuno! It would've sucked if Laxus got kicked out of the guild before I got my chance to kick his ass! Hey, you ever want to fight, just go ahead and ask me, I'm up for it anytime!"
Yuno, who already had several bruises and broken bones, was now blue in the face from Natsu's hug. "Thanks… let go… now."
Fortunately, he was saved from being choked to death by Lucy yanking Natsu off of him. "Don't get too overexcited, mister. I still haven't completely forgiven you for not telling me about Laxus earlier, though I do get it."
She then addressed her partner for today. "Congrats on keeping Laxus in the guild by the way. I don't know if I would be willing to help someone after they hurt me so much."
Yuno shook his head. "Don't undersell yourself. If you can handle being in a relationship with a walking fireball, then I'm sure you can be nice to anyone. Besides, I'm usually much harder on people."
"Well then, I guess I should be thanking you for knocking some sense into me." Laxus walked over, still dragging his friends along as they refused to let go of him yet. "I got no complaints for my punishment, but I doubt I'm gonna start singing songs and holding hands after living with you psychos."
"That's fine, Laxus." Yuno answered. "You'll always be a proud person, you just need to stop taking yourself so seriously all the time, and from personal experience, hanging out with a group of psychos is the perfect way to do so."
Laxus smiled. "Hehehe. You know, when I first heard that we had newbies racing to be the Wizard King, I thought you were just some naive kids, but you've actually got some bite, and so does your brother. If you three keep up this pace, I'm sure you'll get there in no time."
Laxus then took the cloak from Yuno's hand before going to walk out the doors. "I'm going home, today has been pretty tiring for us as well, so we're gonna sleep the rest of the day. We'll be watching the parade, so don't disappoint us. I'll bring my stuff around the Bulls' place the day after, so until then, enjoy being the hero for today."
As Yuno watched Laxus watch off, Fairy Tail was getting ready to throw another huge party. Yuno thought back to his conversation with Freed and how inadequate he felt to his rivals.
"To be honest, I don't think I'm anywhere close to their level. I don't think I'm very inspiring, and I tend to not be the center of attention. Even so-"
Yuno smiled. "Even so, every once in a while, I feel like I'm once step closer to the me I want to be."
The night after, the Town of Magnolia was finally able to enjoy the long-awaited Fantasia parade, and Fairy Tail did not disappoint. It was a dazzling spectacle that could only be formed by a group as unique as Fairy Tail. Every member came together to entertain the town, the performers giving more than 100 percent to make up for the delay caused by Laxus. The Black Bulls who had missed the Battle of Fairy Tail came back to participate in the parade, though some members were vocal about not getting to participate in the "fun". Even Natsu and Gray got to be involved, as their magic finally returned to them that morning. (Natsu complained that it took so long and he missed all the fighting yesterday.)
Watching a fair distance away from the crowd was Laxus, who had decided to enjoy the parade on his own. It had been years since he had bothered to watch one of these, and he figured it would be easier for everyone if he was out of sight to not bring the mood down on the parade.
Laxus thought back to when he was a child, and the thought of being in the Fantasia parade was so exciting to him, and how his grandfather promised to be in the audience watching him. He even had a signal to show him that he was always watching.
Looking at them now, Laxus could only think of the harsh words he used to describe them a day ago. He called them weak and worthless, yet there they all were, laughing and enjoying themselves, as well as spreading cheer to everyone watching. They couldn't possibly be weak if they enjoyed living so much.
Unfortunately, his viewing was interrupted by an annoying voice.
"Hey, look what we found. The biggest troublemaker Fairy Tail's seen in history." Laxus sighed as he glanced over his shoulder to find Yami Sukihero and Ur Milkovich standing behind him.
"What do you want, Yami? If you're gonna attack me, you could wait until tomorrow."
Yami took a drag of his cigarette and laughed. "Nah, I'm not gonna do that. From what I heard you've already got all the ass beating you need. I also heard about your punishment from the old man right before the parade. Finral went off to guy to try flirting, and I'm only here now because I finally stopped laughing my ass off."
Rolling his eyes at Yami's remark, he then addresses Ur. "What about you, then? I only saw you once, but you're Gray's teacher, right? Well, he was left out of the games entirely, so you got nothing to worry about."
"That is true," Ur agreed, "However, my best friend's daughter was one of the people that beat you, so I wanted to see how you were doing. To be honest, you're handling your loss better than I expected. Usually, testosterone filled men like you get a lot more pissy when they lose like you did, especially, when it was so public."
"Gossip sure does spread fast." Laxus says.
Yami chuckles. "Not just that, there was a whole article about it on the front page. Had a picture of the three of you at the end of the battle. Mr. Perfects gonna have a lot of fans after it reaches Magnolia."
Laxus doesn't respond, instead choosing to watch the parade once more.
"…You know I hate you right?" Laxus eventually says. "I'll take your silence as a yes. I haven't told anyone this, not even the Thunder Legion, but the moment I made the decision to take over the guild was when Gramps announced you as his replacement for being a Wizard Saint. He didn't even bother to tell me about it."
Flashback
Several Years ago…
Laxus at this time was an experienced S-Class wizard, the first of his generation, and lauded as a prodigy for his skills.
One day, he had a joint mission with both the Silver Eagles and Golden Dawn. It was a directive from the Wizard King himself and he was proud to be one of the two S-Classes on that mission. The other one was Langris Vaude, a newly S-Class wizard by then and the second in command of the Golden Dawn alongside them were the Silva siblings Nebra and Solid. It was part of Julius's plan to lessen the animosity between the nobles and commoners, and he figured this would help in furthering that goal. Laxus was proud that the Wizard King had seemingly recognized the strength that he held, and figured that the mission would go without a hitch.
It failed spectacularly.
The mission itself was a success, but it was the worst job he had ever been on. The Silvas had been the whiniest bastards he had ever met, constantly moaning that things were too hot or cold. They would use their authority as Silvas to try and get answers from people, but half the time it just alerted the wrong people about their presence. Not to mention their idea of comedy was constantly comparing dissatisfying things to their younger sister.
Examples of this included, "I can't believe how bad the food at that restaurant was, it was like one of those crappy meals Noelle would try and give us," or, "That clerk was so ugly, all I could think of was Noelle's dreadful face," and even, "These wizards were hardly worth fighting us, I bet they couldn't even beat our sister if she was blindfolded. Nah, that's giving her too much credit."
Langris Vaude was no better. He and the Silvas loved to talk about how he should be honored to work with them, as he was nothing more than a simple commoner that was lucky to breathe the same air as them.
Suffice it to say, he hated them.
The only reason he didn't punch their lights out was because he doubted, he could do it without repercussions to either himself, the guild, or his grandfather at least. Instead, he vented his anger the same way as he always did, by punching his enemies twice as hard.
Eventually, they finally ended that mission, and he was desperate to get on a train and forget this excursion ever happened, until Langris made a comment that stopped him in his tracks.
"I wonder how it feels to know that your grandfather prefers a stranger over his own blood."
Laxus froze on the spot and whirled on Langris in an instant. "What the hell are you yapping about now?"
Langris remained cool as he answered him, "Oh, did you not know? I heard Master Vangeance mention that your grandfather was finally retiring as Wizard Saint and had chosen Yami Sukihero as his successor."
"Stop talking bullshit!" Laxus yelled. "That's obviously a lie! If anyone would replace the old man as Wizard Saint it'd be me!"
"No, I believe he's right." Nebra chimed in. "I remember our brother Nozel complaining about how some foreigner had managed to secure himself a seat among the Wizard Saints recently as well."
"Yes, I imagine it must be humiliating, not only for a foreigner who only joined your guild a few years ago to be picked over you, but for the decision to be made by your own grandfather no less." Solid's face was unbearably smug in a way that made Laxus want to shock him until there was nothing but ash.
Langris mockingly put his hand on Laxus's shoulder. "As nobles, we understand how important bloodlines can be, but for Fairy Tail's master to reject his blood not once, but twice? Well, I can't imagine it's a good look for your guild, especially since your guild has only gotten more uncouth commoners since that foreigner joined. I don't know why a talented wizard would ever stay in such a vulgar guild."
CRACK
That was the sounds of bones popping as Laxus grabbed Langris's hand, the lightning wizard leaning down to look him in the eye, the noble and the two siblings having stopped smiling from his menacing aura. "The only reason the three of you aren't charred to cinders right now is because I actually have a thing called human fucking decency. However, I refuse to sit here and let you trash talk Fairy Tail in front of me. Next time I hear stuff like that coming from your mouths again, I'll make sure no one can recognize your bodies, damn the consequences."
Langris finally yanked his hand out Laxus's fierce grasp, massaging it while he regained feeling in that limb. "You'd better watch your mouth. When my family hears about this-"
"Go ahead and whine to your mommy and daddy," Laxus turned his back on them before looking at the Silvas, "Hell, tell your brother for all I care. I'm sure they'd love to hear how you pissed your pants in fear because a commoner held your hand too hard. Or you can watch your words a little more, better yet, never talk to me again."
He then walked away without another word, still reeling from what they just told him. Gramps picked that foreigner over him? Yami had only joined a few years ago, and while he had apparently made a name for himself in the Gray Deer, the guild that the current Wizard King had formed before he had taken office, but still, they were comparable in strength and experience. Hell, he wouldn't even be the youngest member since that Siegrain guy recently joined.
If it had been Gildarts, Laxus might have been more understanding, as even he had to recognize that geezer's strength, but he was barely around as it was, so there was no way he'd get called to be a Wizard Saint.
Laxus didn't go back to the guild for a while after that, instead disappearing for a week to drown his anger away in booze and women. When he finally got back, it was public news about Yami's ascension to Wizard Saint, and while everyone cheered him, Laxus stewed silently in fury.
'He's stealing what should rightfully be mine. First the title of Wizard Saint, and who knows what's next? At this rate, the old man is gonna give him the whole damn guild! This is my home, and I'll be damned before some random guy takes it from me!'
"Congratulations, you're the first people who get to hear that story. And just so you know, I'm still pissed that he picked you over me. Now I understand why, but I can't get behind him keeping it a secret from me."
WHACK
Laxus did not expect to get bopped on the head by Ur instead of Yami at the end of his story. "Christ, you really are a stubborn bastard! Why the hell would your grandfather tell you about a decision that doesn't involve you in any way?!"
"Well, I-"
"Am an idiot, yes that's very clear." Ur jokingly finished. "You weren't chosen, the same as every other wizard in the guild that he didn't pick to be Wizard Saint! He probably didn't talk to you about it because he knew you would whine ten times harder than you are now!"
Ur took a deep breath. "Look, your grandfather clearly cares a lot about you to keep you in the guild after what you did, hell, Yuno had to convince him otherwise. If you pulled a stunt like that as a Wizard Saint, Julius would catch wind of it and have no choice but to arrest you, so be glad that he was smart enough to not pick you. You clearly have a lot to learn about family if you're still whining after all this."
Yami decides to take a seat next to Laxus before throwing away his finished cigarette. "Look, I don't really care for the whole sob story I just heard, or what you told the guild. Hell, I have no idea why he picked me as a Wizard Saint anyway."
Yami's eyes then gained a faraway look, as if he was seeing someone else in front of him. "I think if your family is willing to forgive you for something that is unforgivable, then you should definitely take that chance before they don't consider you family anymore."
Yami then put nudged Laxus with his shoulder, directing him towards the parade. "Besides, I don't think that road is as hard as you think it would be."
When Laxus's eyes land back onto the Fantasia parade, he's so stunned that he almost forgets to breathe. Every single member of the parade float had followed Makarov in the same pose, pointing their index finger into the air while leaving their thumb extended. To most watching it meant nothing, but to Laxus, it meant everything. This signal was the one his grandfather made with him so long ago, back when he just loved being around his grandfather.
"Engrave this into your mind, kid. Never forget how this moment feels, not even when you're dead," Yami said. Him and Ur decided to pretend as if they didn't notice Laxus's tears. Instead, they decided to watch the show like normal partygoers.
Even after the parade, Fairy Tail was far from exhausted. The guildhall as full of noise and laughter throughout the night as everyone celebrated a job well done.
Eventually, everyone started to come down from the nonstop excitement of the past few days. Surprisingly, the first one to leave was Asta, who made a show of saying that he needed to rest so that his arms would get better faster.
"Huh, that's odd." Lucy noted. "Isn't Asta usually one of the last people to go home?"
"Yeah, he usually doesn't leave until we're about to close," Mira mentions.
"Well, I can't blame the guy." Gray says. "Things have been pretty busy, but he hasn't really been able to do much with his arms broken."
Natsu slams his fist together, letting out a bit of flame to just show off. "Yeah, I bet he's just really fired up and can't wait to get back to fighting."
"Asta truly is an interesting individual," Erza acknowledges. "Even without any magic of his own, he's strong enough to make me take him seriously. I know few wizards that could match his tenacity and drive."
As everyone started to talk more and about Asta, one individual sat in silence. Finral's heart tightened with every mention of Asta and his strength, remembering the conversation that he mistakenly overheard and the disastrous consequences that no one else was aware of.
"He's kind of loud and annoying, but you can really depend on him when it counts," Noelle admits while trying (and failing) to hide her blush.
"Yeah, every time he fights, I learn something new about him, and I can only imagine what he'll accomplish once his arms are working." Mimosa says.
"I didn't see him in action, but the way you guys describe him is pretty interesting. I almost wish I fought him instead of Salamander." Gajeel commented.
Finral kept his mouth shut. He has a reputation to uphold as a nice guy that people could trust with secrets, it makes him popular with ladies.
(Neither of these are true, he is just delusional.)
So, he'll just sit in silence…
"The kid could spend less time screaming, but he's pretty fun to have around." Yami said.
…like a good person…
"I'm glad that our guild has been a place that even someone without magic can be a member of our family. I daresay any other guild would have rejected him once they found out, much less upon learning about Liebe." Everyone nodded at Makarov's speech while Finral wanted to disappear.
"Getting injured on a mission is an inevitable part of being a wizard, so let us be glad that it was only temporary."
'Oh come on!' Finral exclaimed internally.
"A cheer to Asta's speedy recovery!"
"YEA-"
"Asta can't use his arms anymore!"
The room went quiet.
Finral had closed his eyes during the announcement, knowing what the reaction would be, but the silence was too much, and he finally opened his eyes.
Unfortunately, his prediction was correct, and everyone was staring at him in astonishment.
Eventually someone managed a weak "what," but it could have been anyone.
Finral knew that he had no choice now but to explain his ridiculous claim. "I overheard him talking about his injury to Porlyusica. She told him that the damage to his arm was more than we had thought. She said that the bones in his arm were practically disintegrated, and to make things worse, he was hit ancient curse on top of that, one that is incomparably more complex than one made by a modern mage."
"But… Asta's devil arm… wouldn't it be unaffected since it emits Anti-Magic?" Lucy asked, still unable to believe what she was hearing.
Finral shook his head. "Apparently, the curse is buried under the skin and is more powerful than what his arm is capable of eliminating."
"T-that's not fair," Noelle whimpered. "He was just trying to protect us, and now…"
"He'll never swing a sword again," Mimosa finished, tears threatening to fall out of her eyes.
"But… his dream of being Wizard King…" Lucy's muttering was breathless, but no one dared finishing her sentence, almost as if saying what they were all thinking would make it more real than it already was.
Natsu gritted his teeth in frustration. "Damn it… Damn it!"" With his second exclamation, he smashed his hand through a table, but no one bothered scolding him, as the entire guild was ready to do the same.
Except for one person who got up and walked toward the guild doors, all without saying a word. Everyone was utterly baffled, as they thought he would be the most vocal of the reactions to this disastrous news.
"Hey, Yuno! Where the hell are you going?" Gray shouted, but received not a response from the wind mage, but instead someone else.
"Idiot, there's only one place that he could possibly go right now." Laxus said as he got up and followed Yuno. The rest of the guild, intrigued by what he meant, quickly decided to follow him.
Asta was sitting on a cliff facing the crescent moon in the sky, his only companion besides the small black bird next to him. His mind raced with everything that had happened since joining Fairy Tail, from his fight against Erza, to his mission on Galuna Island, and he thought that things could only go up from there.
But then, fate decided that he had apparently wished for too much, and now his arms would never work again.
Distracted by his own thoughts, Asta was unaware of the audience that was hiding in the trees behind him, the members of which were the entire Fairy Tail guildhall. Everyone could only watch in sorrow as their fellow guildmate began to cry-
"LIKE I'M GONNA QUIT NOW!"
Or not.
The onlookers were blown away by Asta's declaration. The tiny swordsman quickly jumped on top of the rock he was sitting on before ranting at the moon.
"FATE, YOU ASSHOLE! YOU'VE MADE IT PRETTY CLEAR THAT YOU DON'T WANT ME TO ACHIEVE MY DREAMS, BUT I DON'T GIVE A SHIT! THAT JUST MEANS I GOTTA TRY EVEN HARDER SO THAT YOU CAN'T STOP ME NEXT TIME!"
"I HAVE NO IDEA HOW, BUT I'M SURE I CAN FIGURE OUT SOME WAY TO FIX MY ARMS! I MANAGED TO SAVE UR'S LIFE WHEN SHE TURNED INTO ICE AND I STILL HAVE NO IDEA HOW THAT WORKED, SO THIS WILL BE A CINCH! EVEN IF I DON'T, I'll JUST FIND NEW WAYS TO FIGHT, YOU GOT THAT!"
"I CAN'T JUST STOP NOW! I'VE GOT A TON OF NEW FRIENDS, ENIMIES, AND RIVALS TO BEAT, SO I DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO SIT HERE AND CRY ABOUT IT! MY MAGIC IS NEVER GIVING UP, AND I'M GONNA NOT GIVE UP SO HARD, MY ARMS WILL HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO WORK!"
Asta continued his frustrated raving at the concept of fate, but the members of Fairy Tail decided that this was a sign that they shouldn't give up on him either. Silently, everyone walked away to plan how they were going to help their teammate.
"WAKEY-WAKEY, EGGS AND- wait where is everyone?"
Asta woke up, ready to put on a brave face for another day, unwilling to upset everyone with the news of his arms being broken for as long as possible. Instead, what he found was the entire Black Bulls base was empty, save for Yami smoking a cigarette.
"Don't ask me what they're doing, I got no idea," was the only answer he got out of Yami.
This did strike him as odd, as usually there would at least be people sleeping on the couches, but he figured that they might have just partied too much at the guild, which was his second stop of the day. So, he left to the guild with Nero on his head as usual, but…
"Hey, everybody what's… going on?" Asta was left confused once more as Fairy Tail was completely empty, save Makarov at the counter. "Hey, is the guild supposed to be closed or something?"
Makarov shook his head. "No, my boy, we are open as usual. Most of our members were just so excited to get back to work after the Fantasia parade. Though we do have several members working in the library, so I wouldn't bother them while they're working."
"Oh." Asta wasn't sure how to react. Sure, he knew that his team would eventually start taking missions while he was unable to fight, but he didn't think it would be so sudden. "What should I do then?"
"Just enjoy yourself, Asta. That's all anyone would ask of you." Makarov responded. Asta's ki flared up, as he sensed there was a much deeper meaning to his words, but he had no idea how to get him to confess.
Instead, he decided to try and use his ki (ooh, that's what he'll train with until he fixes his arms) to sense anyone around the guildhall. He sensed a few people behind the guild and entered his patented 'stealth mode' to listen in on them.
'I wonder what everyone's planning. It better be epic if I was left out for so long. I'll show the-'
"Is that everyone?" Asta's thoughts were interrupted by Noelle's voice as she talked to Lucy and Finral.
"Yeah, everyone's off trying to figure out a way to fix Asta's arms." Finral answered, though he looked very exhausted. "If the whole guild is gonna start using me to go on jobs, I'll have to charge for it because making so many portals is exhausting."
"Thanks a lot, Finral. I know Natsu was really raring to get started on helping Asta, and he was even more excited once he heard he didn't have to ride a train." Lucy remembered the tears that came from her boyfriend's eyes. "I decided to help Levy and the others look through the guild's library to find a cure for his curse."
"Well, I owe Asta at least this much, since I broke his secret and all. Plus, he saved our lives back in the Sea Temple, even though he was probably in intense pain." Finral said guiltily.
"Well, who would've ever thought a royal like me would be helping a moronic, vulgar, peasant like him." Noelle said, trying to hide how hurt she feels knowing her crush is in pain.
Lucy's hand moved to her keys. "I can't imagine being told I could never use my keys again. I don't think I could handle even one of my keys being lost to me, and I'm sure Asta's just hiding that pain."
Asta couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"He has no magic, but still, he refuses to give up."
All his life, he had been told how his lack of magic made him worthless…
"He has no magic, but he always charges in first to fight and tries harder than anyone else."
…How he was foolish for even trying so hard on his ridiculous dreams…
"He has no magic, but he can stand up to the strongest people he knows and endears himself to all of us."
…At times he had even cursed the hand fate dealt him.
"But it's because he's like that, he can give us the strength to fight! Now it's our turn to help him!"
But now…
Asta silently walked away, his expression known to none, not even the bird on his chest. He eventually stopped in front of the guildhall and raised his head.
"I… I always hated that I wasn't blessed with magic. It frustrated me so much. It took me a while to realize, but I get it now."
Asta's face was full of tears, snot escaping from his nose, and his mouth trembling to remain still.
"I was blessed with the best friends in the world!"
"Yeah, we sure do feel like idiots don't we." Asta didn't flinch at the voice making itself known, as Yuno walked to his side. "I only realized that a couple of days ago myself."
"Ghhh…" Asta didn't respond, still doing his best to not start bawling on the spot.
"Wanna go get something to eat?"
Asta nodded his head.
"Then let's go, my treat."
And so, the two brothers headed off, unsure of what the future would bring. It could be great fortune or horrible disaster, but today, they would simply enjoy what time they had, free of all the expectations and judgment that would return in the near future.
Meanwhile
In a random village on the outskirts of Fiore, a bar was set on fire. No one was injured, but when asked about what caused the building to be inflamed, the owner had this to say:
"It was a tall amazonian woman, her face looked extremely bored as she came in and called for a drink. While she waited at the table, she decided to read some of the Sorcerer Weekly magazines we keep from the past month or so, and her face changed from incredibly uninterested to extremely pissed."
"The next thing I know, the bar burst into flames. Thankfully, no one else was there, but the woman refused to move, so I gave up and left her there. As I watched my building burn and collapse on itself, she emerged from the flames completely unharmed."
"As she walked away, her hair the same color as the flames she left behind, I felt less like I was watching a person, and more like a lion on the hunt for its prey. I couldn't move in her presence as she walked by me like I wasn't there, but I did hear her mutter – no, growl – one thing."
"Fairy Tail."
Things are about to get heated based on that teaser. Wonder who that could be?
Anyway, thoughts on this chapter? First, I'll adress the biggest change I made this chapter, that being Laxus's continued membership as part of Fairy Tail, and a part of the Black Bulls. This is meant to be the emotional climax for Yuno this arc, and I wanted to make sure that I didn't give him too much of a pass because of the soul business. (Side note, Yuno fits right in Fairy Tail because sometimes he'll just use a giant spell for no reason. I love that man.)
We also had a bit of a flashback with our favorite royal siblings, plus Langris! I felt like giving them a bit more screentime to show what assholes they are to people that aren't just Noelle. Also, Yami being picked over Laxus as Wizard Saint was obvious drama to me.
Now everyone is also aware of the condition of Asta's arms. I hope the additions I made to that scene were good, it's one of my favorites in Black Clover. I enjoyed writing Yuno's nonreaction as well, since he knew how his brother would feel once it was revealed. I will admit that the reasoning for his demon arm to not work is kind of bs, but it wouldn't feel as hopeless if he still had one arm that could be used.
Finally, yes you are correct. The Uncrowned, Undefeated Lioness is making her appearance early in this series! It seems like she has set her sights on Fairy Tail, but what could possibly be the reason why? Feel free to speculate in the comments!
Next Time: Ignition