Gaining Courage: The Search for the Lost Keys (a Fairytail Galu story)

Chapter Thirty-One: Star Fall

Story So Far: Lucy Heartfillia has left the Fairy Tail Guild on her own to have an adventure, hoping to reclaim Aquarius' lost key. To pass the time she took up an S-Class quest to find an ancient mystical Staff and has spent the last year travelling Fiore looking for both running into old friends and enemies on the way. While traveling she ran into Gajeel which lead the two to join forces when a dark guild lead by a mysterious Rowena raised its head trying to stop Lucy. As the quest continued Lucy and Gajeel became closer and as they dealt with their grief over loosing Levy, the two realised that a mutual attraction had sprung up. With two such opposite personalities denial is the name of the game until one day all secrets will be revealed.  

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Once more back in the mountains, Gajeel and I end up in the town of Borage Solstices that as we walked in was hosting a large carnival: the Star Festival a celebration of the constellations. Surprising to Gajeel I was the one that didn't want to hang around town this time, something that immediately made him suspicious. It is when I saw an image of myself and Aquarius from the Grand Magic Games naval battle that I really freaked out; it brought up old wounds for me and my still present guilt over sacrificing Aquarius during Tartarus.

Gajeel knew the basics of the story from Laxus but now after he calmed me down he told me it was my turn to talk. I started by reliving that moment once again. I described it all to Gajeel: the panic, the sorrow, the anger. With tears in my eyes he pulled me close and started talking.

"Bunny everyone has difficulty with their choices and regrets. Tartarus fucked us up more I think than the war did. Zeref didn't care about us we were just in his way. Those demons though they came after each of us and enjoyed how we hurt. Even before the old man tossed us all out the door, that battle left scars that hurt our hearts. You know me Bunny I aren't one for words but getting the old bastard back and then having to watch him just vanish before I could tell him... everything: it hurt Bunny. More than with Shrimp at least with her I got to tell her how I felt and know she loved me back."

Taking a breath I could see that this was upsetting him just as much as me. While Aquarius was gone I at least had the hope of seeing her again, Gajeel would never have that option.

"Bunny, your girl spirit, it's the one that always drowned you, right?"

Nodding my head as I got a hold of myself I could see he was going somewhere with this.

"Me dad Metalicana, growing up he knock me down and moan at me to get back up. Always griping and pushing me to be better, faster; I think I developed me iron head just so the bastard would stop knocking me out every time he swung his tail at me. You get where I'm going Bunny. The old bastard loved me, he maybe couldn't say it, maybe didn't know how, but I felt it every time the old grouch told me to get up. You get it? Your spirit always knew you'd get back up and she'd be right proud of all the work you're doing trying to get her back. If anyone deserves to go to a star festival it is Lucy bloody Heartfilia the most powerful celestial mage ever born. Now dry those tears Bunny before I start to rust."

Going from crying to laughing could only be thanks to Gajeel. Pulling him closer I hung onto him as I tried to say something, anything that would articulate how much what he said meant to me. At last I managed to squeak out the only two words that mattered.

"Thank you."

Hiccupping the last of my tears away, I smiled at his put-upon grimace. Wiping my face I pulled out of his arms and took a calming breath. Who knew Gajeel would be the one giving the pep talk that was usually my role. Taking his hand I led him further into town looking for an inn as it seemed we were staying for a festival.