Time: May 11th, X820, mid-morning
Location: Fairy Tail guild hall
Objective: Speak!
Nashi and Cris sat near the foot of Reiki's bed.
The former stared ahead into space.
The latter was scrolling through his phone.
"Do you think Mr. Anti Social Media will ever actually use his InstaLacra, Tweeter, or QwikPik accounts?" he mused.
"Hmph. I doubt it. He only set those up so we could tag him," she pointed out.
"Yeah, that's true. At least he uses L-chat and L-mail. I remember for a couple years he was stuck on parchment and ink."
Cris looked over at his salmon-haired friend.
"Hey.".
"Yeah?"
"You okay? You're normally picking aggressive yet unnecessary fights with me."
Nashi leaned her head back.
"I'm frustrated. It seems no matter what I do, I end up in a dead end," she growled.
Cris looked over at his sleeping friend.
"I'm sure the two of you can commiserate."
"Hah. Fat chance. He actually gets results. Without even trying. That a**hole."
"You're both doing better than me."
Nashi rolled her head to the side and glared at Cris.
"You're just along for the ride. I don't think you actually care," she snarled.
He rolled his eyes and met her gaze.
"I do care! I want you to finally get your brother back!" he hissed.
She sat up and faced her body towards him.
"Then why don't you do more?!" she seethed under her breath.
"I'm trying!" he gritted, "But I'm not as smart as you! Or Reiki! Or Cal! Or Eli! Hell, it seems like even Jace is smarter than me! Do you realize how hard it is to keep up with all of your ridiculously high IQ's, unstable emotions, and random trains of thoughts?"
"Mr. Genius and Moon Gal are in their own categories. But there is still plenty you could do! You just choose to get cold feet!"
"Like what?!" he softly squeaked.
"Like delivering the message to Hayley!" she whispered.
Crispin immediately twisted his body to face her.
"I told you I didn't want to be called a vile creature again! I'm a f***ing human!" he cried.
"Oh Mavis you're a snowflake!" she shouted.
"I'd like to see you get name-called and still want to return to that hell!"
"I'm a fiery monster and I embrace hell! So no! Name calling doesn't bother me!"
Cris rolled his eyes and sunk back into his chair.
"Yeah, well, I don't know if you noticed. But like, I'm not a fiery monster! I'm a human. I bring love, not destruction," he sassed.
Nashi exhaled sharply and stared at the door.
"Humans bring both," she muttered.
Cris rolled his eyes and resumed scrolling.
Neither one moved for a few minutes
"How much has he slept?" she asked.
"Hm?"
The teenage woman grabbed her friend's head and twisted it towards the hospital bed.
"Oh! Him. He's been asleep for five days now," Cris noted.
"No s*** Soggy Water."
He paused.
"Did you by chance mean before he collapsed?" he asked.
"Yes!" she snapped.
Cris stared at the bed and deactivated his phone.
"Oh. I...I don't know, honestly. But after hearing the hell he and Rosemary have been through...I honestly can't blame him. Plus he's got this...uh...thing going on that he's managing."
"Mhm. He's been taking that challenge Master Laxus gave him very seriously. Which probably means he's been staying up till ungodly hours."
"Reiki once told me he wakes up at 8am every day to get ready," bluey pointed out.
"He does? Oh yeah, he has mentioned that before," pinky noted.
"Yeah. He doesn't come to the guild hall until 9am, but he still needs to get ready."
"Oh. Well, I wake up at 8:45am, dress, brush my teeth, grab a breakfast bar, and then dash here. Sometimes I don't eat at all so I just buy food from the bar," Nashi admitted.
"Seriously?! You get here about the same time as Reiki!" Cris exclaimed.
"Uh-huh. Well, he always manages to beat me by a few minutes."
"What about showering?!"
"I do that before bed. That way when I wake up my hair won't weigh me down."
"How do you get ready so fast?!" Cris cried.
"How long does it take you to get ready?" his friend wondered.
"Let's see, here. So about twenty minutes to like actually wake up. Ten minutes to eat breakfast. Thirty minutes to get dressed. Ten minutes to do my hair. And then that leaves like fifteen minutes of spare time. Usually it's looking at L-mail or You-Watch for the first ten minutes then rushing the last five," he answered.
Nashi's face contorted into utter shock and disbelief.
"What?!?! Seriously?! That's, that's, that's. An hour and a half! To get ready! What the hell is up with the thirty minutes of getting dressed? You grab a shirt, you grab pants and actual pants, ya put on shoes, and you're good!"
Cris half-groaned.
"You. Don't. Understand. I can't just put something on and call it done. I have to look nice. I have to present myself correctly. And if I don't dress with the right mood then my whole day is thrown off," he stated sassily.
Nashi rolled her eyes.
"Says the person wearing an unbuttoned, purple shirt with pink and yellow polka dots. Oh, and over light brown pants. And sandals," she pointed out.
"Hey, it's not stripes! Even though you were the one who forced me to buy ten of them. At 4000 jewels ($40) each," her friend countered.
"I did not force you. I suggested it. There's a difference. And I picked my favorite of the striped shirts but you went ahead and just bought them all anyways 'In. Case. You. Needed. Them.' "
"But then you looked at them again and said they look like s*** on me!"
"Crispin Silver Fullbuster! You should know very well that Nashi Luna Dragneel does not NOT NOT NOT have a sense of fashion!" she exclaimed.
Cris opened his mouth, but Nashi interrupted him.
"Wait, four 'nots' means that it's 'not not' twice in a row. Effectively they cancel out so that would imply I do have a sense of fashion, which I don't. So! I do NOT NOT NOT or NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT have a sense of fashion. There. Fixed. If that's grammatically possible."
Cris rolled his eyes.
"This is why you're the writer not me," he mumbled.
A light groan emitted from the bed as the covers stirred.
Nashi and Cris tensed up.
Reiki rolled onto his back, stretched his arms above his head, and yawned.
As he brought his hands down his dark green eyes slit open. They blinked a few times before everything was clear. He saw a pair of chocolate brown eyes and solid blue orbs staring right into his soul.
"Gahhhh!!" he screamed, sitting up quickly.
Three foreheads collided.
"Owwwwwwww," Cris groaned.
"AAAAAHHHHH!" Nashi screamed.
Reiki silently rubbed his head.
'What...is going on?'
He looked around.
A younger Rosemary was smiling through a flushed face.
His heart pounded against his chest.
Tears streamed from both of Erza's eyes as she reached out.
Each breath became shorter and strained.
Jellal pulled his hair back, interlocking his fingers on the top of his head and exposing his forehead. A few hairs flipped back to the front as he smiled with relief.
The figures flashed away as pinky and bluey quickly embraced him with a huge hug!
"Thank goodness. We thought you were dead," the former mumbled.
"Nah, we didn't. Nashi did. Although that would've been a great tragedy for her story," the latter mumbled.
Scarlet smiled.
'Right. This is X820. What day? What month?'
Nashi let go and glared at Cris.
"My stories are not based on real life events!" she cried.
"Yeah yeah suuureee," Cris taunted.
"But anywayyys. How do you feel, Reiki?" she asked, looking at her best friend.
Cris' eyes widened.
Reiki blinked.
'Did she...use my real name?' he wondered. 'Her eyes...they're not happy. Or angry. And that smile is definitely half the usual size.'
He gave his signature sweet smile.
"I feel fine right now, actually. Having you two here puts me at ease," he answered.
Cris' eyes watered.
Nashi's grin broadened.
Reiki frowned and stared at his hands.
"Nashi?"
"Yes?"
"A-about Needleworks."
"What about it?"
"I'm sorry."
"You said that already."
"I thought you might still be mad."
"I am. But I can't fight someone who just woke up."
He furrowed his brows and looked up.
"Do you have a fever?" he wondered.
Nashi violently shook her head.
"Nope! I've just decided to fight you after you're better."
A smirk poked his lips.
He half-chuckled.
"Good. I'd be worried if you didn't," he muttered.
"Oh! That reminds me! Wendy wanted to ask you some questions after you woke up," Nashi added.
"She did? Did she describe the subject of these questions?"
Nashi and Cris exchanged grimaces.
"Uhh, well, you see–" the latter started.
"Jace told Skyler about the Needleworks trip, and Skyler naturally told her mother, so now Wendy wants to grill you for why you abandoned Guthrie," the former interrupted.
'S***!'
"Oi! Nashi!" bluey hissed.
"What?! It's better he knows the truth! We already told our side of the story!" pinky squealed.
Reiki bit his lip.
'How much does Little Rose know?'
"What did you two tell her?" he gritted.
"What we saw. Three mages stopping us from entering Needleworks. Being divided by cyclones. Eli breaking an illusion after dressing handsomely," Cris admitted.
"Guthrie's scent exploding in my nostrils. Jace, Blakey, and I fighting him. Jace telling me he couldn't hear Wendy, Romeo, or Skyler in Guthrie's memories," Nashi stated.
"What??" Reiki hissed.
His friends nodded in unison.
"To further burn the wound, Guthrie told me Fairy Tail was the. Worst. Guild. In. History. Not that you would've known that 'cause you locked yourself up for a week," Nashi seethed.
A pang rang throughout Reiki's body.
His jaw dropped.
All muscle movement froze.
"Oh, and you might want to know this. Every single one of Jace's memories returned from the previous trip. As in the quest he did with Team Scales and Danger," Cris added.
'Every memory? So Jace knows what happened the last time he was there?'
"Wh-who else has he, ahem, told?" Reiki croaked.
Nashi and Cris shrugged.
"Oh wait. Alexis and Adad," the latter reminded.
'Are you serious, Jace?!'
"H-how much?"
"Just that his memories all returned. The twins weren't much interested in the details, though," Cris stated.
Nashi looked around and leaned in.
"You also might wanna ask Jace about Vee," she muttered.
"Who?" Reiki asked out loud.
Slam!
Stomp! Stomp! Stomp!
A figure stopped at the foot of Reiki's bed.
The scarlet teenager's eyes widened.
'Oh no. This is bad. No, this is atrocious. An absolute mess!! What in Mavis' name is going on?!'
"Jellal! When did you get here?" Nashi cried.
Jellal held up one finger as he put his hands on his knees and caught his breath.
The window's light illuminated the thick gray strands amongst his ragged, blue locks.
He wore his first Crime Sorciere outfit without the cloak.
After a few moments Jellal stood back up.
"I came here to see my son. Is there anything wrong with that?" he half-retorted.
Reiki gulped.
'Yes, there is everything wrong with that! Please leave me alone!!'
Nashi and Cris exchanged brief glances. A moment later they shook their heads.
"Then let me talk to him please," the fifty-five-year-old stated.
Pinky and bluey saluted.
"Sir, yes, sir!" they cried.
Both rushed out as they looked back with glances of worry.
Reiki began to squirm.
He bit his lip and looked down at his fidgety fingers.
After a few moments of awkward silence, Jellal pulled up a chair next to the bedside.
He sat with his legs apart, elbows on knees, and hands folded.
Beads of sweat formed on the teenager's paling face.
Every muscle in his body started to twitch and shake.
"How long have you been awake?" Jellal asked quietly.
He raised his gaze, but it wasn't returned.
"Reiki?"
"U-um. N-not too long," Reiki whispered.
Jellal quietly nodded.
"Your best friends sent word via Lexi who talked with Metallico. Asuka and Metallico returned for supplies twenty minutes ago. So I came back with them. Unfortunately, it looks like I'll have to leave by the end of tomorrow," he stated.
'Nothing new there,' Reiki thought.
The man lowered his head a little.
"I'm sorry. For not getting here sooner," he apologized.
The boy shrugged.
"I-it's fine. You didn't miss anything. I was asleep," he mumbled.
The hum of the guild hall could be heard through the doors.
Jellal licked his lips and took a deep breath. He raised his eyes to his son's face again.
"Reiki? Are you okay?" he asked.
Reiki bit his lip and nodded. He watched his fingers become increasingly oily and sweat with each movement.
"No, Reiki. Are you okay? In general? Not just right now," Jellal pressed.
Reiki's hands became rigid.
"Why do you keep so many secrets? Reiki, I know you're an honest person and you can't lie like Dad and I, but haven't you kept secrets long enough? And isn't that just as bad as lying? Big Brother. You have a heart of gold and you are the most compassionate person I have ever known. You hardly ever think of yourself...But, it's okay to show that you're affected too. As Mom has always told us, tears show strength not weakness."
Rosemary's voice echoed in his head.
Reiki gritted his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut.
A few tears dripped out.
'No. I'm not okay. I have way too many memories I want to forget but I can't! And you're part of them! So please leave!!' his thoughts screamed.
He sucked in some air.
'The Hebios', Dragneels' and Conbolts' grief has been tearing them apart for nine years, six months and however many days! Mom's anger at your absence and Little Rose's crying for you are unbearable! I question my friendship abilities each time Nashi screams or Cris' inner struggle comes out! I never want to abandon another guildmate like I abandoned Guthrie! Now I'm going to be grilled and I may spill the secret! Those f***ing Grand Magic Games in X817 have caused nothing but crippling anxiety, nightmares, and irrational fears you will never understand! How the f*** has Cal forgiven me?! Not to mention your newly revealed past has kept me awake and questioning your moral validity!!'
He clutched his right arm over the left side of his chest.
'I hate these scars! Please! Somebody make them all disappear!'
He shook his head.
"No. I'm not okay," he whispered.
His face was now red hot and overflowing with rivers.
Jellal tightened his folded hands.
"I...I...I'm sorry," Reiki squeaked out.
Jellal's Adam's apple bobbed.
"For what, Reiki?" he uttered.
Reiki coughed and sputtered.
"I want to help...Little Rose get s-stronger...Cris find inner peace...Nashi find her brother...our family to heal...Y-yet nothing seems," he gulped, "to work!...And I want to understand why," he gasped, "Why Calypso f***ing f-forgave me! I nearly stole her life! I-I almost became you!"
Jellal shifted in place.
"Every n-night," Reiki stammered through vicious shudders, "I w-wish for rest...B-but somehow I a-always remember...th-that d...d-day. The day when I woke up...th-there was a kn-knife in my chest...,"
'October 7th, X810,' his mind recited.
The redhead hugged his knees to his chest and squeezed himself into a little ball.
"I-I was so s-scared...I was gonna d-die...," he gulped, "Even though Wendy healed me...I-I remember y-your faces...horror...worry...sadness...fear...,"
Reiki took a deep breath.
"I r-remember when you first c-came in...after my f-first round of healing...how your eyes w-widened...tears formed...your body shook...,"
The blue-haired man furrowed his brows.
He watched the trembling teenager fight for air.
"A-and you almost passed out from shock...," Reiki squeaked, "Y-you tried to n-not sh-show it...so that I wouldn't g-get scared...But it was too late!...And now...,"
Jellal gulped loudly and sucked in a shaky breath.
Reiki gasped for air as his tears mixed with his saliva.
"It hurt too much...to s-see you like that...You were were always th-the dad...who knew when to be...g-gentle or tough-gh...Even...even back then I knew you carried...weight...and I didn't want to...to b-burden you even m-more...But...now...I don't know what to think of you!" he cried.
The memories flooded his eyes and blinded him.
He burst into an ocean of tears.
A few seconds later, Reiki felt the bed sink a little from extra weight.
A pair of strong arms wrapped up his torso.
His head was brought into a firm yet comfortable chest. He could hear the heartbeat and welcomed its warmth.
Slowly his body rocked back and forth.
Jellal squeezed the tears out of his son.
After a few minutes, Reiki calmed down.
"Reiki?" Jellal muttered.
"Yes...?"
"No matter what you think of me, I'll always love you."
"Hmph. I...I h-haven't forgiven you...yet."
"Take your time."
Reiki swallowed.
"It might be never, Jellal."
"It'll still be on your own time."
Reiki blinked against his stinging eyelids.
He shoved himself away and stared at his father.
"You're...okay with that?" he asked.
The older man exhaled.
"If I had forgiven myself I would have told you my past a long time ago," he admitted.
"But on December 28th X808 right after Master Makarov's funeral I asked how to deal with grief and you told me you got through your own grief by moving forward."
"Forgiveness and moving forward can overlap, yet they are not the same."
The teenager swallowed a lump.
"Reiki," Jellal said.
He matched his serious, dark green spheres with Reiki's sweet, dark green seas.
"I love you. I always have, I always will. And all of my intentions have been nothing but to provide you with a safe, loving family. Something your Mom and I never had," he said.
Reiki bit his lip.
His scarlet brows knitted together.
A tightness spread across his chest.
"Then why did he run away on October 13th, X810?" he challenged
Jellal took a deep breath and rose from the bed.
He pulled his hair back, interlocking his fingers on the top of his head and exposing his forehead. A few hairs flipped forward.
The older Mage stuffed his hands in his pockets and stared out the window.
"I don't know. And I also don't know why I haven't found him yet."
Reiki crossed his arms and huffed.
"After I came home on October 9th, X810 you and him were constantly fighting. He wanted to go on a S-class quest, but you would only let him go on small, short quests."
"He was fourteen. And he was asking to leave for a long time just after three children had been kidnapped plus his own little brother nearly died."
"He told you he was going to look for them."
"Yes, that is exactly what he told me. But I didn't think he would be equipped."
Reiki rolled his eyes.
"Oh for Mavis' sake! He was an S-class Mage at age thirteen! The youngest anyone has ever been! You and Mom told me his Magic activated when he was ten! And he had completed one hundred and seventy-three quests alone from ages eleven to fourteen!
'I know that exact amount because on July 22nd, X808 after he saved me from falling out of a tree, he comforted me by letting me count his diary entries of wins and quest fliers! Both matched perfectly!'
"Not to mention he managed to self-teach himself a brand new Magic that fused the basic elements in different combinations as well as Echolocation! He was extremely equipped to find his family! I just don't think you were!"
Jellal whirled towards his son.
"In terms of Magic he could have easily been nominated a Wizard Saint. But he was fourteen. His mind wasn't properly developed. So I did what I thought was best for him."
Blam!
Reiki slammed both hands on the bed.
"If you had been home long enough you would've known that the best thing for him would've been a chance to go out and look! He was an explorer who always knew where home base was! Mom knew that. I remember she sided with him, and you still didn't back down."
"I was afraid that if he went out I would lose him!"
"Well clearly your method didn't work because he's gone!!"
Silence rang throughout the room.
Just outside the door, Cris held his hands over his mouth and nose. Nashi gripped onto her scarf and bit her knuckles. Their widened eyes stared into the bustling guild. Slowly they looked at each other.
"Mad," bluey whispered.
"Very," pinky hissed.
He bit his lower lip and looked away.
Her eyes drifted down to her scarf.