Two years had passed since Ryuu had convinced Mirajane, Elfman, and Lissana to join Fairy Tail. He was now a recognized mage, strong enough to complete S-Class missions on his own. After several days away on a mission, he was finally returning to the guild, his clothes slightly worn but his demeanor still mischievous and relaxed.
As he pushed open the guild hall doors, he immediately noticed something was wrong. The atmosphere, usually loud and joyful, was heavy with sadness. Some members were silently crying, while others tried to console Mirajane and Elfman, who looked particularly devastated. Mirajane, usually strong and proud, had her shoulders slumped, her face streaked with tears. Elfman kept his head down, his fists clenched, his eyes red.
Ryuu blinked, a bit confused. He stepped forward, his footsteps echoing in the heavy silence, and asked in a light and almost childish tone:
"Hey, everyone, what's going on here? Why the long faces? Did someone lose a bet or something?"
No one answered him immediately. The gazes dropped even lower. Makarov, standing near Mirajane and Elfman, approached Ryuu with a grave expression.
"Ryuu... something terrible has happened," the master said in a low voice.
Ryuu raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms.
"Terrible? Like what? Did someone burn the dinner stew? Or did someone break a barrel of beer?" he joked, trying to lighten the mood.
Makarov sighed deeply before reluctantly saying:
"It's Lissana… She's... she's dead."
Ryuu stopped moving. His eyes widened slightly, but his expression remained strangely light. He scratched the back of his head as if he hadn't heard correctly.
"Dead? Pfft, come on, that's a joke, right? Lissana, dead? She's as tough as you, Master."
No one responded. The atmosphere grew even heavier, but Ryuu continued to act as if nothing had happened. He walked nonchalantly to an empty table, jumped onto it, and lay on his side, propping his head up with his hand. With his back to the guild, he asked again, this time almost mockingly:
"Seriously, though. What happened?"
That's when Mirajane exploded. She stood up abruptly, tears streaming down her face, and shouted with a mix of rage and pain:
"She's dead! It's my fault! She's dead because I couldn't protect her!"
The tone of her voice echoed through the guild. Even Ryuu, who loved to toy with people's nerves, stayed silent for a moment. Slowly, he turned his head toward Mirajane, his eyes glinting with a more serious light, though his expression still seemed detached.
"Dead, huh?" he said, this time with a bit more seriousness in his voice. "Where's her body, then? If she's dead, where is she?"
Mirajane choked back a sob, her body trembling.
"Her body... it disappeared…" she murmured. Then she burst out again: "She turned into light and vanished! She died because of me!"
Ryuu narrowed his eyes slightly at her words. He sat up a bit, now sitting on the table with one hand resting on his knee. He looked at Mirajane, then swept his gaze across the guild, observing everyone present.
"Hold on a second…" he said, his tone now more serious, almost amused but with a hint of challenge. "Since when does a dead body disappear into light? You really believe that? What kind of logic is that?"
He slowly stood up, jumping off the table with ease, his feet landing with a soft thud on the floor.
"If Lissana turned into light, then there's more to this than you think. She's not dead. You're all idiots if you believe that."
His tone was arrogant, but not cruel. He crossed his arms, looking Mirajane straight in the eyes.
"If she turned into light, it means there's something else behind all this. She's not dead. She's just... somewhere else. Somewhere we can't reach right now."
Mirajane stayed silent, bewildered by his words. Tears still streamed down her face, but now she seemed troubled by Ryuu's statement, as if he had planted a seed of doubt in her mind.
Ryuu smirked slightly, a confident and mischievous grin spreading across his face.
"So, instead of crying, we'd better start getting ready for when we can go where she is."
Ryuu crossed his arms, a confident smile still on his face, but he didn't have time to say more. Mirajane, tears still streaming down her cheeks, suddenly rushed toward him and hugged him tightly. She was sobbing uncontrollably, her face buried in his chest.
"Thank you, Ryuu... Thank you..." she murmured between sobs.
Ryuu froze for a moment, his arms raised awkwardly as if unsure of what to do. Then, with a light sigh, he placed a hand on her back and patted her gently, though somewhat clumsily, as if trying to comfort her.
"Hey, hey... stop crying, Mira. There's no need to get like this, okay? Lissana wouldn't want to see you like this." He paused before adding with a teasing smile, "And if you keep soaking my shirt, I might end up drowning!"
Despite her tears, Mirajane let out a faint, nervous laugh, which made Ryuu smile even more.
"Come on," he said, gently pulling away from her. "Let's go out for a walk around Magnolia. It'll take your mind off things, and maybe we'll find a place to grab a good lemonade!"
Mirajane hesitated for a moment, wiping her tears with the back of her hand, then nodded.
"Alright... Thank you, Ryuu."
Ryuu, already back to his playful attitude, turned and began walking toward the guild's exit, his hands clasped behind his head, bouncing slightly with each step.
"Hey, hurry up, Mira! If we take too long, all the good snacks will be gone!"
Mirajane followed him, a faint smile forming on her face despite the pain still lingering in her heart. They left the guild together, walking side by side through the streets of Magnolia. Ryuu continued to walk with his carefree, relaxed demeanor, talking about anything and everything to distract Mirajane.
Inside the guild, a heavy silence still lingered. Makarov watched the two leave, his expression thoughtful. Suddenly, his face shifted, as if an idea had just struck him. A mysterious smile spread across his lips, and he began to chuckle softly, loud enough to catch the attention of the guild members.
"Master?" one mage asked, stepping closer. "Why are you laughing like that?"
The other members looked at him, puzzled, while Makarov crossed his arms behind his back and took a few steps forward.
"You know," he began, "I just remembered something. Polyussica... she's not from here. She comes from another world. An alternate universe, so to speak."
A murmur spread through the guild as the members exchanged surprised looks.
"Another universe? Do you think Lissana could be there?" one mage asked incredulously.
Makarov nodded.
"It's a possibility, yes. If her body disappeared into light, it might mean she was transported somewhere else, not that she's gone. But..." He paused, scanning the guild with his eyes. "For now, there's nothing we can do. If she truly is in another world, it'll take time before we figure out how to reach her."
A new silence fell over the guild, but this time it was different. It wasn't just filled with sadness—there was a glimmer of hope in the eyes of Fairy Tail's members.
Makarov smiled softly before adding:
"In the meantime, we'd do well to follow that kid's advice. Let's keep living and fighting for her. She wouldn't want us sitting around here lamenting, would she?"
The guild members nodded, some still hesitant, but others regaining a bit of their courage thanks to the master's words.
Meanwhile, outside, Ryuu continued to walk, bouncing lightly on his steps, tossing out jokes and teasing remarks to distract Mirajane. He turned his head slightly toward her and, with a mischievous grin, said:
"Hey, Mira, you know what? One day, when I'm super strong, I promise we'll go find Lissana, no matter where she is. So, get ready, because we've got one hell of an adventure ahead of us!"
Mirajane, her eyes still glistening with tears, couldn't help but smile again. She nodded softly, feeling a bit more at peace thanks to him.
Ryuu continued to walk, bouncing slightly with his usual carefree attitude. Keeping his hands behind his head, he cast a sidelong glance at Mirajane, a mischievous smile spreading across his lips.
"Hey, Mira, you know..." he began with mock innocence.
"What now, Ryuu?" she replied, raising an eyebrow and looking at him warily.
"When we go find Lissana and bring her back," he continued, pretending to ponder, "maybe she'll find us already married, you and me. After all, she used to say we'd make a great couple, remember?"
Mirajane stopped dead in her tracks, her cheeks turning a vivid shade of red.
"W-What?!" she exclaimed, her eyes wide.
Ryuu, delighted by her reaction, burst into laughter, sticking his tongue out slightly in his usual teasing manner.
"Hahaha, look at you blushing like a tomato! Relax, Mira, I'm just kidding... Well, halfway!"
Mirajane, though flustered, clenched her fists, torn between hitting him to shut him up or simply changing the subject. But, surprisingly, she just blushed even more, avoiding his gaze.
"Y-You're talking nonsense, Ryuu..." she muttered, her eyes fixed on the ground.
Ryuu shrugged, still laughing, and turned to continue walking. But he didn't get far. Mirajane suddenly grabbed his hand and firmly pulled him toward a street stall, cutting short his moment of triumph.
"Come on," she said, her voice softer but still slightly hesitant. "Let's get something to eat. You talk too much, and it might help shut you up for a bit."
Ryuu, caught off guard, let himself be dragged along, his smile shifting to an amused expression.
"Oh? Now you're holding my hand? Are you sure you're not trying to confirm what Lissana said?" he asked, chuckling.
Mirajane shot him a furious glare, but the red in her cheeks betrayed her.
"Shut up, Ryuu. And pick something to eat before I make you swallow your tongue."
Ryuu raised a hand in mock surrender, his smile unwavering.
"Alright, alright! But just so you know, Mira, I think jealousy suits you quite well."
Mirajane sighed, shaking her head, though a glimmer of amusement flickered in her eyes. Despite his endless teasing, Ryuu had a knack for lightening the mood and making her forget, even if just for a moment, the pain she still carried in her heart.
As they looked over the options at the stall, Ryuu enthusiastically pointed at a strange-looking dish.
"That one, Mira! It looks spicy—perfect for me!"
She rolled her eyes but couldn't help smiling slightly, following along with his ridiculous choices, all while wondering what the future had in store for them.
The next morning, Ryuu pushed open the large doors of the Fairy Tail guild with an energetic flourish. The building was already bustling with activity—members chatting loudly, some training, others enjoying a well-deserved breakfast. Ryuu strolled in with his carefree gait, a mischievous grin plastered on his face.
"Hey, Ryuu! Fight me!" Natsu shouted the moment he spotted him.
Ryuu raised an eyebrow and, with a swift motion, narrowly dodged a flaming punch from Natsu.
"Tsk, you never give up, huh?" he said, leaping onto a table to avoid another attack. "You're gonna tire yourself out before I even lift a finger, Natsu!"
Natsu growled, determined to catch him, but Ryuu vaulted onto a beam and landed at the base of the staircase leading to the second floor, sticking his tongue out provocatively.
"Sorry, Natsu, but I've got more important things to do than fight you… like literally anything else!" he quipped before quickly climbing the stairs, leaving a frustrated Natsu behind.
At the second floor, Ryuu scanned the S-class mission board, searching for something that would get his adrenaline pumping. His eyes landed on an intriguing quest: eliminate a dark guild causing chaos in a neighboring region. He tore the flyer from the board, a thrilled smile spreading across his face.
"Perfect. This one's mine."
He descended the stairs, dodging other guild members who called out to him as he passed, and made his way to the bar. Makarov was sitting cross-legged on the counter, sipping a cup of tea.
"Hey, old man, check this out," Ryuu said, slapping the quest flyer down in front of him.
Makarov set down his cup and read the flyer carefully. He furrowed his brows slightly, but after a moment of thought, he nodded.
"Hmm… This is a dangerous mission, but you're ready for it, Ryuu. I trust you. Just don't let your arrogance get the better of you, understood?"
Ryuu shrugged as he sat on a stool.
"Come on, Master, when am I ever too arrogant? I'm just... confident!" he replied with a wink.
Makarov shook his head, an amused smile on his face. Their conversation was interrupted by a familiar voice.
"Ryuu!"
He turned and was left speechless. Mirajane stood there in the middle of the guild, wearing a simple yet elegant white dress, her hair cascading around her shoulders. She smiled softly, but that smile alone was enough to take Ryuu's breath away.
"Wow…" he murmured, unable to look away. "Mira, you look… stunning."
Mirajane blushed furiously, nervously twirling a strand of her hair.
"T-Thank you… You too," she stammered.
Ryuu burst out laughing, quickly regaining his laid-back demeanor.
"Me? I literally look the same as yesterday!"
Mirajane shook her head, a shy smile on her face. They chatted for a while, joking as usual, until Ryuu finally decided to leave.
"Alright, I gotta go. This mission isn't going to complete itself," he announced, standing up.
"A mission?" Mirajane asked, her smile fading slightly.
"Yep, it's gonna be fun," he replied enthusiastically.
Mirajane crossed her arms and turned away, her pouty expression betraying her dissatisfaction.
"Hey, what's wrong, Mira?" Ryuu asked, stepping closer to her.
She didn't respond, turning on her heel to walk away, her cheeks puffed out in frustration. Ryuu raised an eyebrow in confusion and turned to Makarov.
"What's her deal?"
Makarov, along with all the married men in the guild, burst into laughter and shouted in unison:
"Good luck, Ryuu!"
Ryuu looked at them, perplexed, before shrugging.
"Tsk, you're all weird," he muttered as he walked out of the guild, waving casually over his shoulder.
True to himself, he leapt joyfully over roadside barriers, whistling a light tune, ready to take on his next challenge.