Chapter 17: Aftermath and Advancement
Two days later
In the hallowed, marble halls of the Magic Council HQ, the atmosphere was far more frigid than the rowdy warmth of the guild. The air was thick with the scent of old parchment and the weight of political maneuvering.
A semi-circle of Council members sat in elevated chairs, their faces obscured by shadows or fixed in expressions of stern disapproval. The topic on the floor: the Lullaby Incident.
"It is an embarrassment," one councilman grumbled, his voice echoing off the high ceiling. "A Dark Guild like Eisenwald nearly wiped out the regional Guild Masters using a Forbidden Magic of Zeref. The security of our world was hanging by a thread."
"And yet," a smooth, younger voice intervened, cutting through the tension like a blade.
All eyes turned toward Siegrain. He leaned back in his chair, a faint, almost mocking smile playing on his lips. His blue hair caught the dim light, and the crimson mark over his eye seemed to glow.
"We should perhaps show a little more appreciation for those who cleaned up the mess," Siegrain said calmly. "Fairy Tail neutralized the threat using only four of their members. If those Guild Masters had perished, the political fallout would have been a disaster for this Council."
"Fairy Tail is a collection of hooligans!" another member barked. "They destroyed a railway station and half the surrounding canyon! Their methods are as dangerous as the magic they fight."
"Perhaps," Siegrain conceded, his gaze sharp and unreadable. "But results are results. They stopped a demon of the Books of Zeref. Surely, a little property damage is a fair price to pay for the lives of the Masters."
He watched the other councilmen mutter amongst themselves, his fingers steepled.
"However, to maintain the appearance of order, we must remind even our... saviors... that laws apply equally to all."
Org, a particularly stern-faced councilman, leaned forward. "Then we are agreed? Fairy Tail will face consequences for their recklessness?"
The Council members murmured their agreement.
Siegrain's smile never wavered, but his eyes gleamed with calculation. *Perfect.*
His gaze drifted to a document on his armrest—a report from the Lullaby incident. One name appeared repeatedly in the witness statements.
*Yume Kai Minato. The "Shadow of Fairy Tail." Present at both the Erigor confrontation and the Lullaby battle.*
*Interesting. Very interesting indeed.*
He made a mental note to learn more about this particular mage.
The session continued, but Siegrain's attention was already elsewhere, calculating his next moves in the grand game only he could see.
***
Magnolia
The morning sun filtered through the curtains of Lucy's small apartment, painting her desk in warm golden light. She sat with a pen in hand, paper before her, trying to find the right words.
Dear Mother,
She paused, chewing the end of her pen.
So much has happened since I joined Fairy Tail. It's only been a few days, but it feels like I've lived an entire lifetime.
We stopped a terrible plot. A Dark Guild called Eisenwald tried to assassinate the regional Guild Masters using a cursed flute—a demon created by Zeref himself. Can you believe that? Me, Lucy Heartfilia, fighting alongside mages against an actual demon.
Natsu is wild but incredibly brave. He never hesitates, never backs down. Happy is always by his side—they're inseparable. Gray is cool and reliable, even if he has a weird habit of losing his clothes. Erza is... well, Erza is absolutely terrifying in the best way possible. Strong, disciplined, commanding. I've never met anyone like her.
And then there's Yume—turns out he's my neighbor! I had no idea when I moved in. He's so quiet, always in the corner of the guild with his coffee. But when he fights... Mother, I've never seen magic like that. Weapons that transform, creatures made of shadow, and this presence that makes even experienced mages pause.
Lucy's hand trembled slightly as she remembered the Lullaby demon's massive form, the suffocating aura of death.
I was terrified. Truly terrified. But I also felt... alive. Like I was finally part of something real, something that mattered.
I feel like I finally belong somewhere.
I wish you could meet them, Mother.
Your daughter,
Lucy
She sealed the letter carefully, setting it aside for mailing later.
Not that it would ever be mailed.
The drawer beside her desk held dozens of similar letters—months of one-sided conversations with a woman seven years gone. It helped, somehow. Made the loneliness less sharp.
But maybe, she thought, glancing toward the guild, I'm not as lonely anymore.
A soft knock on her door made her jump.
"Lucy! You in there?"
She opened the door to find Gray standing there—shirtless, naturally—with his hands in his pockets.
"Gray! Where are your clothes?!"
He glanced down, seemingly noticing for the first time. "Huh. Must've left them somewhere."
"That's not—never mind." Lucy sighed. "What are you doing here?"
"Came to get you. Natsu and Erza are finally having their fight today. You don't want to miss it."
Lucy's eyes widened. "Their fight?"
"Yup. Master's refereeing and everything. It's going to be epic." Gray grinned. "Come on, everyone's gathering at the guild."
Lucy blinked, "Okay, okay, let me grab my keys—"
She considered inviting Yume—they were neighbors, after all. It would be easy to knock on his door.
But then she remembered his quiet request, spoken that first night: "Don't tell anyone in the guild where I live. Especially Natsu."
She'd laughed then, thinking he was joking. But his purple eyes had been completely serious.
He trusts me.
She smiled, a warmth spreading through her at the thought of his quiet request. It was a secret, just between them, and she found herself respecting his privacy all the more for it.
***
The sun hung low over Magnolia Town, casting warm hues across the bustling streets of Fairy Tail's guild. The air buzzed with anticipation their eyes widening at the sight unfolding before them.
Natsu Dragneel stood poised in the center of the training area, fists clenched, flames flickering faintly around his arms like eager sparks. Opposite him, Erza Scarlet adjusted her gloves, her expression cool and commanding, already halfway through requisitioning her armor. The guild members had gathered in a loose circle, drawn by the promise of spectacle.
"Wait, what's going on here?" Lucy gasped, her voice cutting through the chatter. She elbowed Gray gently, pointing toward the fighters. "They're really doing this?"
Gray smirked, crossing his arms.
"I'm gonna beat you today, Erza!" Natsu roared, igniting his fists.
Erza met his gaze evenly, her hand resting on her hip. "Hmph. Then I shall fight you seriously, Natsu. Don't expect mercy from me either." Without hesitation, she requipped into her Flame Empress Armor—a dazzling ensemble of crimson plates etched with intricate designs, glowing faintly with inner heat. The armor shimmered, its very presence radiating authority. "Now, feel free to try. But remember, my Flame Empress form neutralizes any fire-based attack to half its power. So bring everything you've got."
Lucy found herself caught up in the energy, moving toward the bar where Mirajane was wiping down glasses with an amused smile.
"Who do you think is actually the strongest?" Lucy asked, turning to the group gathering nearby.
"It's hard to say," Mirajane said with a smile. "Erza is incredible, but Natsu has a way of surprising people."
"Erza's armor makes her a wall," Gray added, having somehow acquired a shirt in the thirty seconds since they'd entered. "With Yume off training in the woods, she's definitely the most intimidating person in this room right now."
"Training in the woods?" Lucy asked.
"That's what Mira said earlier," Cana chimed in from her table, barrel of ale in hand. "Shadow's been MIA since we got back. Probably doing his lone wolf thing."
Levy, Jet, and Droy approached, the latter two looking slightly disgruntled.
"It's a shame Yume isn't here to see this," Levy said, adjusting her headband. "He's the only one who appreciates a tactical fight without blowing up the building."
"A real man doesn't need tactics!" Elfman declared from across the room. "As a man, I believe I rank highly among the strong!"
"That's stupid," Jet muttered.
Levy perked up "Strongest? That's debatable. Erza's definitely top-tier, " Droy chimed in excitedly, "And don't forget Laxus!"
Makarov stepped between the two combatants, his small frame somehow commanding the entire room's attention.
"Alright, you brats!" he called out. "Let's keep this clean—well, cleaner than usual. Try not to destroy the guild hall. We're still paying off the last repair bill."
"No promises, old man!" Natsu grinned.
"Let the duel... begin!"
The battle erupted.
Natsu lunged with a flaming kick—"Fire Dragon's Claw!"—but Erza parried with her sword, the impact sending a shockwave that cracked the floorboards. She twisted, blade flashing, and Natsu barely rolled aside as her strike carved a line through the spot he'd been standing.
"You're fast!" Natsu laughed.
"And you're predictable!" Erza countered, pressing her advantage.
They seemed perfectly matched, a whirlwind of steel and fire. Natsu's flames roared, but Erza's armor absorbed and nullified much of their power. Her swordsmanship was surgical, each strike calculated to exploit an opening.
"She's toying with him," Gray observed.
"No," Mirajane said quietly, eyes tracking the fight. "She's testing him. Seeing how much he's grown."
Lucy watched in awe. This was what true Fairy Tail mages looked like—powerful, skilled, fearless. The kind of strength she aspired to reach.
Natsu dodged a horizontal slash, countered with "Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!"—Erza blocked with her gauntlet, the collision sending both skidding backward.
The guild was roaring with excitement, members cheering for their favorites.
The air hummed with the resonance of colliding magic. Natsu's flames roared, a living torrent of orange and gold that surged toward Erza with the force of a landslide. On the other side, Erza stood like an immovable bastion in her Flame Empress Armor, her blade cutting through the heat as if it were mere mist.
The guild members held their breath; for a moment, the two seemed like celestial bodies locked in an eternal, balanced orbit of destruction.
"Is that all you've got, Natsu?" Erza's voice rang out, clear and sharp above the crackle of the fire.
Natsu grinned, a feral light in his eyes. "I'm just getting started!"
He lunged, his fist trailing a comet-tail of fire, while Erza pulled her sword back for a decisive counter-strike. But just as the two were about to clash in a world-shaking impact, a cold, authoritative voice pierced the roar of the battle.
"Halt this at once!"
The command wasn't loud, but it carried a weight that made the very atmosphere of the guildhall feel heavy. Natsu and Erza skidded to a stop, their momentum dying as they turned toward the entrance.
Standing there was a man clad in the formal, austere robes of the Magic Council. He held a scroll sealed with the Council's official wax, his face a mask of grim professionalism. Behind him, a small contingent of Rune Knights stood at attention, their armor gleaming with an unwelcome, sterile light.
The rowdy cheers of the Fairy Tail mages died instantly, replaced by a confused and wary murmur.
Makarov's eyes narrowed, his playful referee persona vanishing as he stepped toward the newcomer.
"A messenger from the Council?" the Master rumbled, his voice low. "To what do we owe this interruption?"
The messenger didn't look at Makarov. His eyes were fixed solely on the crimson-haired mage in the center of the yard. "I am here on behalf of the Magic Council," he declared, his voice echoing off the guild walls. "We have an arrest warrant for the mage known as Erza Scarlet."
A collective gasp rippled through the crowd. Lucy's hands flew to her mouth, and Gray took an instinctive step forward, his jaw dropping.
"Arrest?" Natsu shouted, his flames flickering out in pure shock. "For what?! She hasn't done anything wrong!"
"The charges are for the catastrophic property damage caused, complete obliteration of the Guild Masters' Regional Assembly Hall, a historical landmark dating back three centuries." the messenger replied coldly, unfurling the scroll. "The Council demands that she be brought to the branch in the Kingdom of Fiore to stand trial immediately."
Makarov's eyes narrowed. *So it begins. The Council makes an example of us.*
He didn't argue. Not yet. Erza could handle questioning—she was strong enough. But if they tried to imprison her...
*We'll cross that bridge when we come to it.*
Erza stood silent. She didn't argue, nor did she reach for her sword. Slowly, the glow of her Flame Empress Armor faded, the magical plates dissolving into light as she returned to her standard silver armor. She looked at her guildmates—at Natsu's outraged face and the worried eyes of her friends—
Happy grabbed his shoulder. "Natsu, don't—"
"Like HELL ! They can't just—"
"NATSU." Erza's voice cut through his rage like a blade. "Stand down."
He froze, trembling with barely restrained anger, but obeyed
Erza gave a small, solemn nod to the messenger. "I understand," she said, her voice steady. "I will go with you."
Lucy looked stricken, but Mirajane placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "It's alright. This is just... how things work sometimes."
Erza met Makarov gaze briefly—a silent exchange. She could handle bureaucrats and paperwork. He'd handle the guild's restlessness while she was gone.
As the Rune Knights escorted her out, the guild watched in tense silence.
[End of chapter]