[Fanfic] [Fairy Tail] Moonbows

Chapter 22: New Beginning

A/N: This is it, the last chapter!

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The next few weeks following the war with Alvarez were spent rebuilding the town, again, and for everyone to get reacquainted with each other once more after a year apart. The time away from each other didn't really have that much of a big impact on the bonds between their friends and family. Most of them got more mature in that time, such as Wendy, Gajeel, and the Shadow Gear, while some remained more or less the same as their old selves, like Natsu and Mirajane. Erza was pleased to find herself surrounded by her family once more, filling that aching part of her heart that had gone dormant and so quiet when they were away, waiting and longing to be whole again.

Natsu and Gray told her what had happened with Master Mavis and Zeref, or at least, their theory of what had happened since none of them knew exactly how the situation between the two of them unfolded. Natsu said he left Master Mavis and Zeref together after his fight with his older brother had concluded and both their First Master and the Black Wizard disappeared right after that, leaving no trace of either darkness or light in the aftermath.

Erza learned about Aquarius's reappearance in Lucy's life once more from the blonde. The Celestial mage told her that another Water Bearer key had respawned somewhere in the world, and Lucy was determined to go find it to be reunited with her oldest friend, by any means necessary. The redhead had no objection to her girlfriend's determination, and soon they found themselves planning a year-long journey around the continent to search for Aquarius's key, just the two of them together, and Erza could barely hold in her excitement at this new adventure awaiting them in the horizon ahead.

In the meantime, Lucy stuck to Anna Heartfilia like glue, spending every moment of her free time eager to learn everything she could about the Heartfilia bloodline, ancient history, and Celestial magic from the older woman. Anna's eyes were softer than when Erza saw them when they were being chased by Acnologia, her smile a tad brighter and posture much more relaxed. She looked so much like Lucy in one of their lazy mornings together when her guards were down, rare as it was, albeit with more signs of aging lines on her face. Tiny wrinkles here and there, light crow's feet marks at the corners of her eyes, and Erza was struck by the realization that Anna was basically what Lucy would look like some ten, twenty years in the future.

And that was how the Requip mage knew she wanted to see Lucy like that too. Some ten, twenty years in the future. She wanted to see what kinds of experience would leave their marks on the blonde's tender smile, wanted to see how the passage of time would nurture her caring heart, and wanted to see how their lives together would illuminate the lovely sparkles in her dazzling brown eyes.

She wanted all of that, and so much more, too.

Master Makarov called her into his office one day, when they had finished rebuilding the main guild hall and two weeks after the war ended. Although using Fairy Law in that fight with the enemies didn't take away his entire life force, the consequences from it rendered him immobile from the waist down, and Master had been confined to a wheelchair ever since. But he was still alive, and that was all that mattered to Erza in the end.

"My child, I want you to become Fairy Tail's Master, for good this time." His eyes were so kind, so loving, so patient when he took in the surprised expression on her face, "I'm getting too old for this. And I think, it's time to pass down the torch to the next generation, just like Precht did when he felt I was ready enough to take on the responsibility for the guild."

But Master Precht left the guild right after Makarov succeeded his title, and Erza didn't know whether he intended to do so as well. Her trepidation must have shown clearly on her face, because Master Makarov simply smiled and explained in a soothing voice, "I'm not going anywhere, Erza. Fairy Tail is my home, there is no other place I would rather be. So I will always be here, to help you with whatever trouble you may encounter in the future. That's what a parent does, right?"