" ": You talking

' ': You thinking

* *: Narrator/Voice-off

3rd Person POV:

Lucy: Ahhhh... Okay ! I'm gonna give it my all today, too !

*One year since the battle with Tartaros. Year X792, royal capital Crocus.*

Chapati: The fourth day of the Grand Magic Games begins now !! Today, too, heated battles unfold ! The man who's shown us his overwhelming strength so far, Chrisack of Dullahan head, what kind of battle will he give us today ?!

Chrisack: Yo ho !

Chapati: His opponent is Berik of Dwarf Gear ! This seems like it's going to be quite an interesting bout ! Yajima, would you happen to have any insight to give on which contender we should pay particular attention to?

Yajima: Chrisack really is a strong mage, isn't he ?

Jason: COOL COOL COOL !! I should be able to get an interesting article out of this for sure ! Cool !

Lucy: Senior ! I'm sorry for showing up late ! There was quite a crowd, and...

Jason: Lucy ! Today's gonna be a cool day again !

Lucy: Did the battle start already ?

Jason: Not yet, not yet ! Even so, this is probably just going to be another walk in the park for Chrisack.

Lucy: Right ! let's put our back into it and cover this event !

Jason: COOL !!

*One year since that day. I'm working as an editor-in-training at Weekly Sorcerer magazine. Natsu and Happy suddenly left on a quest... And the next day, Fairy Tail's dissolution was announced.

Unable to take all in at once, I sank into a deep depression for quite some time. But... Everyone else began walking their own paths shortly thereafter. And that too, unexpectedly optimistically. I guess deep down they were all somehow aware of the master's true intentions.

I've got to continue on my own path as well. And just as I was coming to that realization, Jason gave me a job.

As a gravure model.*

Jason: Cool ! You should just become my exclusive model, Lucy !

Lucy: Er, uh... I wanted to have a job that involves writing... You know, actual sentences. Can you please hire me for something along those lines ?

*And now, in the present day...*

Lucy: Okay, I guess I'll do the article and the layout.

Jason: Thanks, that'll be a big help. You know, this year's Grand Magic Games were sort of a letdown. Sabertooth, Lamia Scale and Mermaid Heel didn't make any appearances...

Lucy: Neither did Blue Pegasus or Quatro Cerberus...

Jason: Or Fairy Tail ?

Lucy: You know why... It's long gone...

Jason: ... That crest, on the back of your hand...

Jason: But yeah, I guess they really are gone... It really is a damn shame, huh...

Lucy: ... ... ...

*This past year... I haven't had any contact with anyone from the guild. I've been busy. No... That's just an excuse. Everyone's started walking down their own, new paths... And I guess, lately... I've started to want to see them again.

That, too, is a lie...*

Lucy: ... I want to see all of them.

*I want to see everyone, but I don't have the courage to go out and actually do it.*

Lucy: ... I WANT TO SEE EVERYONE !!

Neighbor: Oi, neighbor ! Keep it to a mild roar will ya !!

Lucy: M- My bad...

*That's why I became a reporter. Even though they have gone their separate ways, I try to keep track of everyone's movements as best as I can. Reports of sightings, or even rumors... Anything I can get my hands on. This past year... I've begun the search for everyone. So that I can get us all together again.*

Lucy: I guess there's no news of Natsu or Happy today either...

*... If I could get everyone together again... What would I even do ? Fairy tail doesn't exist anymore...*

Lucy: Whew. All right ! Today, i'm going to give it my all !

Chapati: IT'S THE LAST DAY OF THE GRAND MAGIC GAMES ! Very soon, the number one guild in Fiore is going to be decided ! One of the last guilds left standing in the finals is led by the overwhelmingly powerful Chrisack, DULLAHAN HEAD !!

Chapati: yet their opponents have won battle after battle with miraculous victories coming from behind ! SKULL MILLIONE !!

Chapati: Because this year's Grand Magic Games are in an elimination format, these two guilds will go head to head with each other in the finals and battle for the top spot !

Jason: Cool cool cool !! I'm sure we'll get an awesome article out of this ! Right, Lucy ?!

Lucy: ... ... ...

Jason: ... Hello ?

Lucy: Oh ! Sorry, what's up ?

Jason: Look ! It's the finals ! It's gonna start soon !

Lucy: ah. Looks like a total farce.

Jason: It's nothing of the sort ! Skull Millione has won every single one of its battles coming from behind ! Maybe, just maybe, even this final... No, wait a sec...

Lucy: Like I said, it's all a farce. To be sure, Chrisack is strong. But according to my notes and what I've observed, the members of Millione Skull are stronger. I estimate that each one of them is, individually, almost twice as strong as Chrisack. They've just been hiding their magic power.

Jason: WHA ?!

Lucy: Looks like they wanted to up their bookies' profits, huh.

Jason: WHAAAAAT ?!

Lucy: Skull Millione is going to win. Handily.

Jason: COOOOOOOOOOOL !!

Chapati: An... An unbelievable... !

Yajima: Oh my, that was quite a shock...

Chapati: SKULL MILLIONE ARE OUR CHAMPIONS !! And the odds... An impossible 100 to 1 !! They've made a killing !! FIORE'S NUMBER 1 GUILD IS SKULL MILLIONE !!

Millione: Went better than expected. Fufu. Make it rain~.

Lucy: Ahhh...

Jason: Wow, Lucy ! You actually predicted it !!

Lucy: They are strong, I guess, but I can't believe these caliber of people are going to be the number 1 guild in Fiore...

Chapati: ... ... What's this ? Everyone in the stadium is celebrating, but... What the... Hell is going on ?! A mysterious figure is making his way into the arena...

Millione: Who the fuck are you ?!

Lucy: An intruder ?!

Lucy: This feeling... This level of magic power... ! Get everyone out of here !

Jason: Heh ?!

Millione: You've got big balls, picking a fight in the capital. This guy... Could he be the one from the recent reports... the wandering black-cloaked... there's no way.

???: So you chumps are the number 1 guild in Fiore, huh ?

Milione: Hm ? Yeah, what of it, bitch ?

???: i'm your next... CHALLENGER !!

Chapati: he's gone and taken them all on !!

Lucy: I've got to get all the mages that can fight together !!

Crowd: WHAT THE HELL ?! EH ?! HEAT !!

Chapati: With that heat, my clothes have... No way... The ring itself is melting !!

Lucy: Kyaaaaahh !! What is this heat... heat ?!

Lucy: NATSU ?!

Jason: COOOOOOOOOOLL !

Happy: Long time no see, Lucy !

Lucy: Happy ! What's...

Happy: Well, Natsu you see, at any cost... Just had to see what the champions of the tournament were made of, so...

Lucy: they've all already been flattened, though..

Natsu: SOMEONE, ANYONE, I DON'T CARE WHO ! BRING IT ON !!

Mages: SOMEONE STOP THIS LUNATIC !!

Natsu: I'M GETTING FIRED UP !!

Crowd: THE RING IS TOO ! WHAT CRAZY HEAT POWER !! M- MONSTER ! RUN !!

Happy: Geez... You need to learn how to hold back a bit, Natsu.

Natsu: ... Yo, it's been a while, hasn't it ? Lucy !

*At that moment, I heard a voice inside me.*

Lucy: .. You okay ?

*Fairy Tail isn't gone just yet, it said. It just needed...*

*GROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO*

Lucy: What now ?!

Natsu: I'd recognize that anywhere... I had a hunch I was followed, but this close behind...

Lucy: W- Who... ?

Natsu: You already know who... it's been a year, but he's already back for more...

Lucy: H- he... You don't mean...

Natsu: Here it comes ! Brace yourselves !!

*SCHBROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM*

Lucy: That... That shadow... It can't be...

Happy: Looks like we're in for a whole lot of trouble again...

Natsu: You again, huh ? You never had enough.

???: Enough ? We just began. And you know that- BUARF !!

Natsu: I told you we were supposed to arrive at the same time ! You ruined my entrance, dammit !!

???: You already ruined the stadium by yourself !

Lucy: Wait, that's...

Your POV:

"Owwwww... Man, have you exclusively trained that right hand all this time ?"

Lucy: Y- Y/n ?!

"Hm ? Oh hey there Lucy. I didn't notice you there."

Natsu: Why were you late ?! I though we planned this, man ! The giant dragon looming over the city, with the cloaked mage on top, that would've been so cool !!

"hey, i'm sorry, okay ! I ran into an inconvenience on my way here !"

Natsu: What kind of inconvenience ?!

"... ... You want the duck's wing or leg ?"

Natsu: ... ... Leg.

Guard: Acquittal ? As in innocent ? Released ? Free to go... ?

King: Yup.

Guard: He made a complete mess of the Grand Magic Games and partially destroyed Domus Flau !

King: Let's just chalk it up to youthful exuberance...

Hisui: Fufu...

Guard: Y- Your majesty !!

Guard: And don't come back !!

Happy: Aye.

Natsu: hehehe.

"See that ? I don't think we would've gotten away with it so easily with the initial plan."

Lucy: Looks like you go acquitted.

Natsu: Guys ! You came to see us all by yourselves ? Where's the rest of the guild ? Aren't they with you ?

"Oh, right... You left the day just before, so you don't know..."

Natsu: Don't know... ?

Natsu: Fairy Tail... broke up ?!

Happy: Wh- Wh- Wh- Why ?! Why ?! Why ?! Wwhhhy ?!

"As I told you, it happened the literal day after you guys went missing."

Natsu: But why... Did they... break up ?

Lucy: ... I still don't understand it either... Can't wrap my head around it at all.

Natsu: Where can I find Gramps ? I'm gonna bash his brains in ! Better yet... Pluck out what's left of his hair !!

Happy: You could at least leave his moustache...

"The master's been missing as well."

Natsu: What about everyone else ?! Erza ?! Gray ?! And the others...

"Everyone went their separate ways. Even though... You know what ? There's a handful I know about, and I've got some business to take care, so I'll gladly be giving you directions."

Natsu: I... I can't... Believe this... Everyone was okay with the guild... Just breaking up like that ?

Lucy: I wonder...

Natsu: Well how else could it have happened ?! Even if gramps told them to break up, they could have just refused ! Laxus could have easily taken over as the next master...

Lucy: Do you really have the right to say that, Natsu ? After all, you didn't ever think of the guild, did you ? You didn't discuss it with anyone when you just went off on your own journey...

Natsu: Err...

Lucy: i'm sorry... You guys probably had a lot on your mind.

"I can swear that to you, Natsu. Not a single day has passed without thinking of the guild. I'm sure things were the same for gramps and everyone else."

Natsu: Whoaa !! This is your crib, Lucy ?!

Happy: You've been living in Crocus !

Lucy: It's close to my workplace, so... You probably don't have anywhere to stay, do you... I'll let you crash here.

Natsu: Ooo, praise you, my angel !!

Happy: Our benevolent goddess Lucy !

"Ahhh... Looks like some things never change, do they ? I'm just planning going back tomorrow, so don't worry so much."

Natsu: You have a place to stay ?

"Oh, we haven't been just wandering all around the place like you. We found a nice house in the woods to settle in, Erza and I."

Happy: You guys have been living together ? Pffff...

"I'll stop you right there, Happy."

Lucy: That's weird... I thought you and Natsu met up... All that talk about your entrance...

"Yes, but actually no... I just felt Natsu going for the capital, and met him midway. That's when he decided on this little taunt he as gonna pull off."

Lucy: ... Does Erza know you're here ?

"We had a feeling that Natsu moving would mean something. But even so, I wasn't expecting... This."

Lucy: Heh. So just you know, this is my house. So, don't you dare damage anything ! And another thing... Do NOT set foot into my bedroom, 'kay ?

*Scritch scritch*

Lucy: What did I just fucking say, stupid cat !!

Natsu: Ahh, what a relief. This feels so good. Wanna join in, Lucy ?

Lucy: Like hell !!

*It's been so long... Since I've felt like this...*

Natsu: hey...

"Hm ?"

Natsu: Is the guild... really gone ? I can't believe it is.

"It was a shock for everyone at first, Natsu. But, you know... 'A guild isn't defined by a building, but by the mages who are part of it'..."

Natsu: Gramps used to say that.

"It's gone... For now. It's only up to us to bring it back, don't you think ?"

Natsu: ... Only one thing to do right now... let's go draw on Lucy's face while she's asleep !

Happy: I've got the pens ready to go !

"... Unbelievable..."

*Creeaaaaaak*

Natsu: Kukuku, she's asleep... She dares to sleep !

Happy: Make sure you don't wake her...

Natsu: Softly... gently... Hrmm ?

"Wait... That's..."

"Everyone's locations. Incredibly detailed notes, information on sightings... Even the dates they were seen..."

Natsu: Lucy...

"... Looks like the one who wanted to bring back the guild the most, all along..."

Soldiers: This is the house. Should be bust in, captain ?

Lucy: H- Huh ?! What's going on ?! What the hell is the army doing in front of my house at the crack of dawn ?!

Natsu: man, did they sniff us out already ?

"On their behalf, we did leave them quite the hint..."

Lucy: THIS IS YOUR DOING... ?!

Natsu: Well, time to haul ass, guys !

Lucy: What the hell did you do ?!

"RUN FOR IT !!"

Soldiers: There they are !! The culprits !!

Lucy: How did I get sucked into your shenanigans again ?! You can put me down now !! What did you do ?!

Natsu: hehe. We raised the beacon for Fairy tail's revival ! In the place where it would stand out the most !!

Guard: Your majesty...

King: I... I for.. Forgive...

Jason: Fairy tail's revival ?! COOOL !! KILLER SCOOP, BRO !! Go and knock 'em dead, Lucy ! Do it cooly, tho.

"After all, if you're gonna do it, go big or go home !!"

Happy: Don't worry, that flame is a kind that will disappear on its own.

Lucy: That's the least of my worries !! Even if you say you want to revive Fairy tail...

Natsu: We can do it if we just believe.

"We're gonna go gather everyone up... And bring back the guild !"

Natsu: So, what do you say ? Come on !

Lucy: ...Yeah !!

*And just like that... our new adventure began !!*