Heya there!
This is the fifth to the last chapter of The Same Sound. It's been fun writing an AU, but I really do miss being able to write fight scenes with magical stuff in them. But I'm happy that I managed to put in some details from Fairy Tail to pattern it like:
- 7-year timeskip
- Jellal being a villain to being a friend
- RoWen *aggressive wink*
- Simon dying (I love Simon tho, I still believe he would have become a better love interest for Erza than Jellal, but no better than Gray of course)
- Makarov in a wheelchair
- Laxus and Ja---
Well anyway, CVSF!
Byeonara~!
-/-/-
Five months have passed since I last saw Erza. We went back to Crocus after the wedding and the honeymoon, and it was back to reality for me and the hotels. I worked harder and harder just so I could forget her, but whenever I had the chance to check up on her, I'd drop everything.
First, I stayed in touch with Wendy, and apparently, Erza's classes had been earning more and more students, much to her delight, after the anonymous promotion... which I had done through one of the employees, whose kid was actually enrolled there.
"Miss Erza really enjoys having a lot of students around that she spends morning to afternoon every Saturday here," Wendy says into the phone. "We're getting short on staff, but Romeo comes around sometimes to help."
"That's amazing," I reply while reading the monthly report on earnings. "I'm glad that she's enjoying it. Kids should really put music as one of their primary passions in life."
"Definitely. I haven't told her you were the one who offered the promotions, though."
"Yeah, don't worry about it."
Then of course, there was Jellal whose life was filled with music, so he'd stay during gig nights at the cafe to search for new and upcoming talents. He and Gajeel also seem to be searching for Laxus's love life.
"Dude," Gajeel says as we SeeTime, "you gotta come around sometimes. Erza's killing it at these gigs."
Jellal pushes Gajeel and faces the screen, saying, "Come on, Gajeel. He hasn't even forgiven himself for what had happened for the seven years. That's kinda impossible to do in five months."
"Y'know, you guys are just the real examples on why I should die single," I tell them, sighing.
"Definitely not Laxus, though," Gajeel replies, grinning widely. "He's hung up on some brunette he met at Kardia, and he's waiting for her to arrive at the cafe."
"To the point that he had me promoting the cafe's gig nights just so she'd find herself in one of them," Jellal adds before drinking some beer.
I sigh again. "Just check up on Erza for me, okay?"
"Will do," Gajeel answers before raising his thumb.
"Absolutely," Jellal also says.
And of course, one thing that made me keep going back and forth from Magnolia to Crocus consistently was because of a very big announcement.
"WE'RE HAVING A BABY!" Natsu shouts as soon as I get into the car.
"GOOD FRICKIN' MAVIS, WHY ARE YOU--- did you just say you were having a baby?" I ask.
"Mhm," he answers, nodding with a bit of tears in his eyes. "I mean, I knew it some months ago, but I just wanted to tell you in person—yes, just today—because we're finally figuring out the gender!"
"Today?!" I ask, yelling even louder before Natsu's phone rings and he puts it on speakerphone.
"Hi, Hubby!" Lucy greets him. "And Gray. I know he'd put it on speakerphone."
"Wow, I think me being a part of this event is way more planned than the baby," I say before the two shush me, one in person and one in the phone.
"Hi, Wifey!" Natsu greets back. "What's the news? Oh, I can't wait."
"So, I went to the doctor...," she begins, "and Hubby, as you know, you're going to be the father..."
"Oh, why am I shaking!" he shouts as we listen.
"You're the father, she just said it," I point out.
He faces me with tears streaming down his face and says, "I'm Daddy."
Good Mavis.
"Ehem!" Lucy gets our attention. "And so the doctor told me... Gray, you're going to have a niece!"
"What?" I ask.
"HUBBY, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A DAUGHTER!" she squeals into the phone happily.
"THANK MAVIS!" Natsu shouts before dropping his phone and hugging me.
"WHY DID YOU GUYS ANNOUNCE ME HAVING A NIECE FIRST THOUGH?!"
He picks up his phone and laughs maniacally. "Oh, Nashi! That's gonna be her name! Or better yet, Lucy Jr.! What a ride! Lucy Dragneel-Heartfilia II!"
"Then it'll just be Lucy again," I say, laughing. "Oh, whatever! The kid can take either parent's surname, as long as I'm... the godfather."
"And Erza already told me she'd love to be the godmother," Lucy adds.
"Dear Mavis," I mumble, and Natsu pats my back.
So far, it's been a good almost half year, but it could have been better if I weren't such a coward. Since working had been non-stop for me, I didn't realize that months were actually passing by until...
"Happy birthday, Mr. Gray!" Juvia greets me upon entering the office, holding a birthday cake with a candle lit.
Mr. Igneel is beside her, smiling. "Hey, Gray. Happy 25th birthday! Juvia asked if she could hold the cake for you, because today is a special day."
"Oh," I mumble. "Today's... today's my birthday?"
"Silly you!" Juvia exclaims. "You've been working too hard to realize that you've turned 25. Come on, blow the fire off this candle and make a wish."
I do stand up and make a wish, but I don't think wishes can actually be granted. Please let Erza be happier. Please make sure her life is successful and that she finds a better guy. Please make sure that Natsu and Lucy's child is doing fine. Make sure that Mr. Igneel is also doing fine, and so are the people around me. Just make sure everyone's fine. I blow the candle, and Juvia and Mr. Igneel cheer.
"Well, Juvia, Gray and I have something to discuss," Mr. Igneel tells her. "Can you have the cake boxed again and put it in the fridge? We'll talk business later."
"Oh, sure," she answers slightly disappointedly. "I'll see you later, Mr. Gray. Happy birthday!"
When she leaves, Mr. Igneel sighs and sits on the corner of my table. "Happy birthday, kiddo," he says, smiling. "I got something for ya."
"Uh, oh, right. We'll be doing the transfer tomorrow?"
The transfer was something really important, because after Dad had transferred all his powers to Mr. Igneel before he died, he told him that he could only transfer the powers to me when I turned 25. Tomorrow's the day, and I'm a little jittery, but I do think I've studied and worked hard enough for the position.
He nods but takes this little box out of his coat's inside pocket and hands it to me. "That's from your dad," he claims, and I widen my eyes in surprise.
"What?"
"He told me to go look for that box in his drawer before he died and give it to you when you turn 25," he explains. "I don't know what's in it, but it's not a will or anything, because if it were then we should have a lawyer with us right now. Anyway, kid, happy birthday. Take it sleazy, won't ya?"
When he leaves, I stare at the small red box in my hands. This is probably one of the last things Dad had ever touched, and when I take a sniff of it, it does have a bit of his perfume on it, which is kinda weird but it's probably because he and Mr. Igneel use the same one. I carefully open the box and see a silver ring with a tiny piece of turquoise on top. Inside the box's lid is a piece of paper taped to it with digits written on it with Dad's penmanship.
"Coordinates," I mumble before turning my computer on and typing the numbers into the search engine. 29 Evangelist Street, Amethyst City, Algeak.
"I don't get it," I say to the box as if it were Dad before looking at the next line of digits under the coordinates. 07-19-X768. A date. I'm a little creeped out by the entirety of this, but I put the ring back carefully in the small red box before filing for a five-day leave, immediately postponing the transfer.
Dad wants me to find something.
---
Algeak is an island not too far from Fiore, but it takes two days to get there because it's not too near either. I've read some books back in high school that claim Algeak was the city of terror but likewise the city of time, but of course upon arriving, it looks more like Hawaii.
The people seem to be hospitable, but they do express their concerns regarding few hotels in the island, which calls for a new business plan. I stay in this little cottage by the sea, which seems to be the ideal life, but sometimes crabs sneak into the house which is funny.
I manage to get a map of the small island from one of the tour guides, and it seems like Amethyst City is not too far from the capital. Gajeel and Jellal SeeTime me while I clean out the cottage.
"Yo," Gajeel greets me as he and Jellal pop up on the screen. "How's the vacay? Sorry we weren't able to make it to the party yesterday."
"What party?" I ask. "I left for Algeak immediately after work two days ago."
"Juvia was handing out invitations, so we presumed there was a party?" Jellal replies in much more confusion.
I groan in frustration. "She's really nice, but..."
"Well, you really are gonna die single," Laxus says as he pops into the screen. "How's Algeak? Pops is asking if we could set up shop there."
"Ideally, it's a great place, but I think we gotta wait for some more years until it becomes kabooming," I tell him. "Now, are you saying you aren't single?"
"Laxus finally found the brunette after three weeks of gig nights," Jellal says, grinning. "Went on a date, had some drinks, took her home, and---"
"You're telling it wrong!" Gajeel cuts him off. "Went on a date, had some drinks, took her home, and---"
Someone knocks on the door of my cottage and opens it. "Hi," a woman with long black hair and a sly smile greets me. "I'm Ultear Milkovich."
"Gotta go," I tell the guys on the screen.
"COME ON, LAXUS BARELY HAD A LOVE LIFE, YOU GOTTA HEAR THE REST OF---"
"Hi there," I greet Ultear with a smile. "Is there anything, uh, you need from me?"
"I was told that you'd be here today by my mother," she says before holding out a picture of a woman who looks like her but with shorter hair. "She's Ur, she's my mother, and she was friends with your father. Apparently, he had a plan of his that he entrusted to my mother, but she died, so I'm carrying out the plan. I believe you're looking for 29 Evangelist Street, Amethyst City?"
"You don't even know who I am," I tell her, crossing my arms and trying to dry the well of doubt in me.
"Come on, Gray Fullbuster," she replies with much more sassiness than I have. "You're gonna want to see it."
I follow her anyway, because she knows my full name, knows the address, knows my father, and her mother knows him too. At first, it felt unsettling, but upon seeing a familiar face at Ultear's car, I was relieved.
"Meredy!" I greet one of Juvia's friends from Locks and Co. happily. "Wow, who thought we'd be here in Algeak at the same time?"
"Tell me about it!" the pink-haired girl says. "Don't worry, Juvia doesn't know that we're here. Ultear's a great friend of mine, 'cause she's like a sister and a mother."
"Yeah, we have all the time for chitchat on the way," Ultear says as she hopes on her awesome 4×4. "Come on. Lyon's waiting."
"Lyon?" I ask.
"Lyon Vastia," she answers. "He's a friend of yours, I think, in elementary?"
"Oh, right, Vastia," I mumble. "What does he have to do with this?"
"You'll see," Meredy says, winking.
It takes around half an hour for us to reach Amethyst City, and Ultear drives around the traffic to find ourselves in Evangelist Street. We stop at this small green-painted house, and they both get off to be greeted by Lyon Vastia, a memorable face from elementary school. "Fullbuster!" he greets me, smirking but hugging me anyway.
"Lyon, been a long time," I reply, patting him on the back. "Wow, you guys really are involved in all of this, aren't you? It feels like a treasure hunt."
"Actually, Ultear just asked for some help," he says. "She's a good friend. Come on, you gotta see this place."
Lyon unlocks the door and opens it to reveal a semi-furnished but clean household. There are empty picture frames nailed on the walls, and most of the furniture looked a bit expensive. It was classy and modern, but it felt simple, but what the most shocking thing was a room filled with musical instruments that I have no words for. Oboes, saxophones, violins, cellos, drums, and more just stayed there in pristine condition, waiting to be played by a musical master. It was too perfect that it kinda hurt, but the one thing missing was a keyboard.
"My mother went here every week to clean this place," Ultear mentions, smiling at her fond memories. "She had a checklist of all the instruments, but there was one that was never really here."
"The keyboard," I whisper, standing in the spot where the keyboard should have been.
"The owners, apparently, took it before they left the island for the city life," Meredy continues. "They left this house on that day, July 19, X768 for a reason, because the owner's wife was pregnant with a baby boy, and the owner had business to take care of in the city. They could afford everything, but never a peaceful life, because the father needed to work in the city."
It all started to make sense. The puzzle pieces began fitting the board, and I ran out of the room to look for more proof. The three followed me, still explaining.
"The mother loved music, and so did the father, but they had priorities," Lyon says as we climbed up the stairs. "They had to leave their dream home for a bigger manor at Magnolia, Fiore, even though the business was in Crocus. The father became successful, the child was a prodigy at music, but the mother became sick."
There were two doors upstairs. I open the one to my left to see a queen-sized bed with four pillows, the bedsheets gray, the blankets red. There are more picture frames on the bedside table, and they're of people I recognized and loved.
"When the mother died, the father had to visit and tell my mother that this was no longer their dream home," Ultear tells me. "He told her to keep it clean until his son came back with a family of his own, so that his own son could live the dream that he and his wife couldn't."
"This is the ring he proposed to her with," I mumble, taking out the silver ring in my pocket out of its box.
"Go check the other room," Meredy says, smiling. "We'll be downstairs."
When they leave, I hastily open the door to the room. It was painted blue and there were snowflakes painted on the walls as well. There was a crib, empty shelves, a lazyboy seat, a window, and there were stacks of books placed beside the empty wardrobe. On top of the books was a piece of paper conveniently sticking on the cover. I read it with tears in my eyes.
Gray,
Happy 25th birthday. I hope you've successfully found your way here with Ur's help just immediately after you turned 25. If I've forgotten to give you the box, do tell me. But then, how would you tell me if you didn't know it existed? Oh, silly me.
Your mom, Mika, she died a month ago—well, many years ago, of course. She was the love of my life, and I believe I will not find anyone like her. I wrote this letter in hopes of reliving our memories in this house, this room that was supposed to be your room. I hate myself for choosing my work instead of my family, but Mika always told me it was the right thing to do. She always knew what to do. I felt like an imbecile standing near her, but she will always be my wife.
Now that you're 25, I want you to pursue whatever it is that your heart yearns for. Of course, stay with the business to earn money, but when you're financially stable, you can follow your dreams. When you find the woman you love, take her home here and make sure your child stays in this room. Use the ring I proposed to your mother with. It is silver, as amazing as your father's name, with a turquoise gem, as blue as your mother's eyes.
I feel like a failure after your mother died, but I want you to know, my dear boy, that I love you with all of my heart. Make music. Mika would love that.
With love,
Your father, Silver
Admittedly, I was a crybaby, so there I was on the floor of my childhood bedroom sobbing like the crybaby that I was, but I was finally free of the emotional chains that I held myself in for so many years. My father had given me this house, my mother's ring, and all his music to me, and I don't even get to thank him. "Thank you, Mom, Dad," I mumble in between sobs.
I finally found myself in this adventure. Now, it's time to get Erza back.
-/-/-