"Life is a dream walking. Death is finally going home."
The next day, preparations for the funeral were complete and the event itself was scheduled to happen in the afternoon.
Opening his eyes, Natsu gazed at the sky from his spot on the soft, moist grass. His body was chilled from sleeping on the ground all night, and from the rain pouring from the grey skies above -- well, as chilled as a fire dragon slayer could get.
He sighed as salty tears dripped down his cheeks, mixing with the cold rain. 'Even the sky is crying.'
"No," the dragon slayer chided himself. "You have to be strong, for them, for us, for her."
When his muttering reached the ears of a certain someone who had been watching the whole time, her heart broke.
"For them, for us, for her, huh? How long ago had I said those exact words? But it was for you, Natsu Dragneel."
The boy in question turned around, his dragon sense on full alert.
"Who's there?" He asked, cautious. When no one replied after a while, Natsu gave up, his exhausted soul not wanting to take any more stress.
"I thought I heard Lucy's voice... I miss her so much that I must be hallucinating..."
The girl gasped inaudibly, shocked. He missed her? No, that couldn't be right. He hated her. Her friends were also shocked. When did this happen? Since when did he even acknowledge her in a good way? Since when did he even care about her?
As they couldn't openly discuss the topic while Natsu was there, the group of five slipped into the shadows and disappeared.
--
At the funeral, Natsu was a mess. The torrents of tears streaming down his cheeks for the better part of the day had turned into full out sobbing, and no one could comfort him, except -- surprisingly -- the other dragon slayers.
Earlier that day, Cobra had arrived to claim Kinana as his mate. Wendy and Romeo had already become a couple by the beginning of Dragon Mating Season, so that was no problem. Unfortunately, they were the only two dragon slayers not in pain/mateless/growing dragon like features.
Somehow, the men/boys of the guild had managed to wrestle the five slayers into suits. But even so, the sorrow in the air was as prominent as ever. If anything, the dark color that everyone was wearing only worsened it.
Then they were ushered to South Gate Park, where the funeral was going to be held. In the park, there was a small band playing a joyous song, gathering onlookers despite the weather.
When they saw them, the onlookers dispersed with looks of pity but the band stayed, instead switching to a song more suited for the occasion.
As five empty caskets were brought in, a melancholic serenade accompanied the tears of the sky.
Four strong winds, that blow lonely,
Seven seas, that run high,
All those things, that don't change, come what may.
The good times, are all gone,
And I'm bound, for moving on,
I'll look for you if I'm ever back this way...
Shocked, the group stoically -- shocked to the core -- and/or emotionally -- didn't want the reminder -- proceeded with the ceremony.
How did that band know their situation? Was it just a coincidence?
--
A while earlier, a group of hooded people -- girls, judging by their voices -- had come up to the band and requested that when Fairy Tail -- and the other guilds, if they showed up -- came along, they would play 'Four Strong Winds'. The band was confused but agreed nonetheless.
As the gloomy members of Fairy Tail slowly came into sight, the band did what the girls had requested. Almost immediately, looks of shock could be seen on the faces of all the guild members.
Who were those girls?
--
As Master Makarov tearily started the ceremony, a certain girl laughed softly. They were watching from a bit away; hidden in the branches of a large magnolia tree -- far enough to be able to avoid the heightened senses of the seven dragon slayers present with minimal caution, but still close enough to clearly hear and see what was going on.
As many guild members from many different guild reminisced about their memories with Lucy, Levy, Mira, Kagura, and Yukino, one girl got bored.
"Ugh. Can we leave now?"
"Not yet! Shh!"
"Hey, you don't think watching you own funeral is fun?"
"Yeah. To have all those people -- some that you weren't even aware you knew -- grieving over you."
"Bleh. Coming back for the last time was so not a good idea..."
"It's not like all of them actually care..."
"How do you know they don't?"
As this, the girl was struck silent and spoke no more, continuing to watch the funeral slowly drag on with her friends.
After a while, even the most patient of the girls was starting to loose her cool. And so, they decided to leave. Unknowingly, they had missed the most important part.
--
Just after the girls left, it was time for the five dragon slayers, Erza, Gray, Juvia, Lisanna and Elfman, Makarov, and some others to give their speeches.
Erza was first. Then it was Gray, then Juvia. After them came Lisanna and Elfman, followed by Makarov. Continuing, members of other guilds and the King and Princess spoke. Bringing up the end -- not rear, the END -- were the five dragon slayers, mourning for their mates.
Stories were told, secrets were spilled, and everyone cried. The sky cried along with them.
"The little sister I never had." - E. Scarlet (about L. Heartfilia)
"A little sister that I had to protect." - G. Fullbuster (about L. Heartfilia)
"Juvia's love rival, but Juvia's good friend nonetheless." - J. Lockser (about L. Heartfilia)
"The big sister that protected us, the one I looked up to, the one I'm willing to die for." - L. Strauss (about M. Strauss)
"She always fought through the pain, but while we always came out unscathed, she didn't." - E. Strauss (about M. Strauss)
"Five beautiful children. Even though I didn't know two as well as the other three, they were precious." - M. Dreyar (about L. Heartfilia, L. McGarden, M. Strauss, K. Mikazuchi, and Y. Aguria)
The dragon slayers came next, each mourning their lost mate. Natsu was last, and his speech was one that would last in people's memories forever, too.
"S-S-S-She was... n-not someone I can describe in one word. But, if I had to, I'd say s-she was s-s-special. S-She was L-L-Lucy. L-L-L-Lucy H-Heartfilia, the a-abandoned princess who turned into a brave fighter; the girl who was strong within, and possessed unrivaled beauty, both inner and outer, the girl who used her past a fuel to strive for a brighter future.
L-Lucy was dear to all of us, and I regret what I did to her. I a-a-abandoned her for Lisanna; I a-abandoned my destiny for a childhood fantasy, a p-precious g-g-gem for a simple stone. T-T-The... the h-holes torn in her h-h-heart were made by m-me, and if I had treated her better... if I had treated her better, she m-m-might have... she m-might have... s-still been h-here, laughing among u-us...
I-I'm sorry. S-She's now g-g-gone and... and n-never c-c-coming back, and it's my fault. I-I r-r-realized t-too late... I-I-I'm s-sorry...
She was a sister, a friend, a companion...
She was my mate."