8K.

Arigato. I love you all.

Anyway... hey, minna! It's been a while, yeah? Busy with school lately, so I couldn't update. And, it's kind of the start of the dreaded Project Week, a week that teachers shove projects in our faces. I'm already having a lot of trouble right now, with my Technology and Livelihood Education (TLE) subject and the assignment. To ease myself, I decided to update.

So, let us begin!

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Chapter Twenty-Nine - Dramatic Faith

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DAY SIXTEEN - THE FATE OF HUMANITY

9:33 am

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It had been a day since they left Algeak. According to Wendy's prediction through the air, they had nine days until the tornado arrives at Fiore. Also, it would take them three days to get to Fiore because of the storm.

Gray sighed as he ate his breakfast. He actually isolated himself from the rest, because he felt like, the only person he could talk to was the cook, Jade. He didn't want to see anyone else.

"Are you okay?" she asked, "That's a good healing coffee. You should drink up."

"Yeah, I know."

"I don't know why you're as cold as your ice these days, but I'm pretty sad for you. You're like, this huge and important part of the glacier that got chipped off because of all the pressure," she said, mixing some of the soup she was making, "It's sad, really. Why don't you tell me what's up?"

"What's up? Oh, I don't know, the possibility of losing Erza for the fucking fifth time? How about you?" he said sarcastically.

But, it was true. The first time he lost her was in the Tower of Heaven. The second time was when she went missing. The third time was when she got taken away by Synarto. The fourth was when she fell into the Dark World.

He was on the verge of death as well, but he wondered why... why was he the one being saved, not Erza? Who was the one saving him? Was it Jellal, or Jade, or Juvia? No one, to be exact.

Somehow, he always found a way to be alive.

Jade didn't reply. Her cooking was distracted. She put ketchup in a mushroom soup.

"Fuck," she facepalmed and repeated the soup, "But, you know... life gets so hard that you misplace something. Like the ketchup in the soup. Like the spoon in a hotdog sandwich. Like---"

"Me and Erza? Yeah, probably."

"No, that's wrong," she said, "You and Erza are meant to be. Don't have doubts; have faith. It's the thing that keeps us alive."

"It's not about believing you're good together," Gray replied, "It's about believing you will make it, and I know we won't."

"No, idiot," she smacked him on the head, "It's just like what I said. The wrong people become the best combinations. Like, you know, peanut butter and jelly."

"Like bacon and eggs?"

"Like you and Erza," she smiled at him, "Trust me. We'll find a way out."

"Thanks, Jade."

"No problem... okay, do me a favor and taste this soup," she handed him the soup with the ketchup. When he tasted it, he nearly puked.

"What the hell?!"

"But, sometimes, the right people become the worst combinations," she grinned before handing him the real mushroom soup.

"FINALLY!"

"Heh."

---

DAY SIXTEEN - THE FATE OF HUMANITY

10:11 am

---

The man with the blonde hair calmly walked down the corridor of the rooms. He was looking at the architecture of the ship. He remembered what Jellal told him earlier that day.

"You got this whole ship constructed in just seven months?" he asked.

"Yeah. It took us a long while. We had to hide in an island near Tenroujima," he grinned, "We sort of wanted to repay you guys for everything in the Grand Magic Games. Oh, and Ultear... she told us to."

"Speaking of which, I haven't seen her in a while. What's up with her?"

"She's... um, moved on to another... life."

"Oh, sorry 'bout that, man."

"So, how about you? Are you hittin' on Mirajane?"

"No. But, she's good-looking."

"Are you hittin' on Jade?"

"Psh, not even close. But, somehow cool and pretty."

"Then, who the hell are you hittin' on?"

"Simple. Her name starts with an 'N' and ends with an '-one'," he smirked.

"Well played."

"I know."

Laxus sighed. Even though he despised human affection (according to Bickslow, he was allergic to human affection ever since he got the lightning scar), he was a little concerned about his love life.

Should he stick with those bimbos he sleeps with at night?

Or should he find a person worthy enough of his real love?

Seeing all his fellow Fairy Tail members in love like Gray and Erza and Alzack and Bisca nearly made him puke like he ate a soup that had ketchup in it. He thought it was disgusting. He also hated the fact that each of the Raijinshuu had love interests, except for him. Bickslow liked Lisanna, Evergreen liked Elfman and Freed was still obsessed with looking at 3D pictures of the Trimens, naked.

He shuddered at the thought.

Yuck, he scowled in disgust, I just hope I don't turn into those idiotic lovebirds.

He sighed and went inside his room, no longer caring about his love life.

"Absurd," he mumbled.

---

DAY SIXTEEN - THE FATE OF HUMANITY

12:01 pm

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"Lunch time, minna!" Jade yelled once she finished cooking.

"Finally! I'm starved!" Natsu grinned.

"You ate biscuits six minutes ago," Lucy pointed out.

"I'm kinda excited for what she cooked us," Gajeel smirked, "Gihee, something metallic, maybe."

"Gajeel-kun, have you forgotten that an expert chef does not cook with metal?" Juvia asked, sweatdropping.

"I'm so psyched to eat again," Wendy grinned, "It energizes us all!"

"I think so too!" Meredy smiled at the girl, "Why don't you try cooking with me and Jade?"

"I like her food," Jellal said to Laxus, "It's like tasting heaven on earth. I see why you like her so mu---"

"Shut the fuck up, man," Laxus clamped Jellal's mouth, pissed.

"You've finally eaten with us again, Gray," Erza smiled at her boyfriend.

"Yeah, I missed eating with you," he smiled, "I missed all of you, Erza."

"Even my armor?"

"Except your armor."

"Cut the romance," Laxus complained.

"Sorry," Gray did a peace sign.

Before they could all enter the dining room, the ship began rocking back and forth, with people falling into each other. The storm became stronger, harsher than it was.

"It'd take us two more days now," Jellal predicted as Meredy steered the wheel frantically, "Is that fine with you guys?"

"As long as we're going to arrive, we're fine with it," Erza said, her armor crushing Gray's arm.

"Well, still, lunch!" Jade yelled.

"Aye sir!"

"I'm a girl!"

"Aye ma'am!"

They all ate lunch and Jade stated about the flow of time inside of Algeak changing into the time of all of Fiore. That was a good thing. They could all keep track of time and day again.

"Has it been storming like this for days?" Lucy asked Jellal.

"Yeah. Since the flow of time in Algeak and in Fiore used to be different, the weather also changed. When it's sunny or extremely hot in Algeak, it's storming like crazy outside."

"I don't really watch the weather news when it's stormy in Algeak," Jade said, "I got used to it eventually."

"That must have taken a toll on you," Gray added, eating a piece of chicken with a fork.

"Yeah, but after staying in an island for years, like I said, I got used to it," she repeated, "Geez, you should use your ears once in a while."

"Sorry," he did another peace sign.

"The land also changes, right, Jade?" Jellal turned to her.

"Yeah. Especially when it's so stormy."

A loud roar of thunder broke their silence. Laxus had a look on his face that said That, now, was not me.

"What a dreaded storm," Juvia mumbled.

"Hey, Jellal," Natsu turned to Jellal.

"Yes?"

"You know how to unlock memories, right?" he grinned, "You see, someone evil locked a lot of Jade's memories up. Can you help her recover them?"

"Yeah, I'm dying to know a lot of them," Jade smiled.

"Sure. I'll do it later, alright?"

"Alright," she nodded.

"Well, I'm still starved," Gray put his hands behind his back, "Is there anything else to eat?"

"Eat your own skin," Gajeel scoffed.

"What did you say to him?" Erza towered over him with a sword in her hand.

"Nothing..."

"Very well."

After a moment of silence, everyone laughed.

Except for Laxus, who rolled his eyes.

---

DAY SIXTEEN - THE FATE OF HUMANITY

1:05 pm

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Jellal began concentrating his magic into Jade's brain, carefully scanning her brain without injuring her. One slight mistake could lead to her imminent death. Everyone would kill him for that.

He noticed a lock. A single memory was locked. Was that memory so important that only a certain, powerful mage could unlock it? Jellal decided to open it.

"Is it working?" Natsu asked.

"Yeah. There's only one memory... left."

As soon as he said the last word, the memory was unlocked. Inside that memory were certain words. Words that nearly made no sense. Until the two of them realized it.

"Erza," Jade mumbled.

The memory had magic in it. It was Dark Magic. That did a great damage to her brain, making her faint. Wendy immediately went to heal her.

"W-What is it?" Erza looked at Jellal nervously.

Everyone was dying to know.

"What on Earth-Land... was that?" Jellal was still in shock. His brain could barely process. It was impossible.

They were taken to the Tower of Heaven, and their parents were killed. Jellal was in utter shock.

"Erza, your father's alive."

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Huaheheuahehauheahauehahueha.

Love, Leafa ⚡