Last chapter before the epilogue! :o

A huge weight left Evergreen's shoulders the moment she laid eyes on her brother. Laxus was there and Laxus was alive. For the moment, she could only see his silhouette sitting on the ground, but she was certain it was him. She heard herself screaming his name as Elfman called his sister's. Then, as she came closer, she noticed something that caught her off guard. Apparently, she wasn't the only one who had fallen for a Strauss those last few weeks. Despite guessing the particular attention his brother had for Mira Stauss, she couldn't help to be a little surprised as they broke their kiss seeing them as she never saw Laxus interested by any girl. But as surprising as it could be, something in his expression showed her that Mira, her, wouldn't be another story without a tomorrow.

"W...what are you doing with my sister?" finally said Elfman as he got out of his stupor in with the situation put him.

In opposition of Mira's crimson cheeks, Laxus didn't seem embarrassed to the least and simply showed his natural indifferent expression. Only the small shade of pink could betray his true feelings.

"The same as you with mine" he bluntly retorted.

To that comment, Elfman stuttered something incoherent making Laxus smile in a mocking smirk.

To that reaction, Evergreen smacked him behind the head.

"Idiot! He had no clue. You just confirmed it to him!" she complained.

The young man, however, didn't seem phased by it and turned to her.

"So what? I... I don't want to hide it anymore, Ever."

She instantly felt herself blushing. Before she could say a thing, Mira emitted a small squeak, the later seeming as surprised by their relationship as Evergreen have been about Mira's and Laxus' a few seconds ago. Mira seemed to disappear into her own thoughts, clearly imagining ridiculous scenarios between her and Elfman. So Evergreen decided to ignore her, placing her attention on the pitiful state of the two.

"You have to tend to your wounds!" Took the lead Lisanna who simply smiled in silence during the reciprocal reactions of the two new couples.

"Lisanna..." let out Mira who seemed to meet her for the first time.

To that strange reaction, Evergreen figured there was something she didn't know uniting both white-haired girls, but it wasn't the priority for the moment. Despite their nonchalant expressions, Mira and Laxus had endured serious injuries that could have very well have been fatal. The young woman had no doubt it was only a matter of time before the got worse if they kept neglecting them.

"Can you walk?" Asked Lisanna, also worried.

As if Lisanna just challenged him by that question, Laxus tried to rise up.

"Tsss. As if I couldn't..."

Laxus's reckless attitude fell as his legs gave up under him. The only thing preventing him from biting the dust was Elfman, one of the only people she knew who was even more imposing than Laxus.

"Ever, could you help my sister?" he asked as he pulled Laxus on his back.

Evergreen nodded and imitated Elfman, carrying the one that could very well become her sister in law in more than one way. Blush rushed back to her cheeks at that thought, the young woman walking a little faster, hoping no one saw her.

The sun was high in the sky when Wendy was done tending to their heavy wounds. Despite her apparent fatigue, the small healer never complained and went from one patient to another.

"How are our wounded?" Asked Lisanna to Evergreen and Elfman as Wendy was walking away.

"They're fine!" said Elfman. "Wendy said they would recover like real men!"

"That's not exactly how she put it" laughed Mira, a hand on her cheek "but I'm feeling better already!"

Lisanna answered with a smile, obviously glad everyone was fine.

"Okay then! I'll let you some family time" she said with a wink, referring to the new couple she had witnessed.

A small stress filled Mira's heart to that sentence. Could that miniature replica of herself really be her sister? She had to talk to her and Elfman but simply didn't dare to open up that door to her past. What was she afraid of? Mira didn't know why the situation put her in that state. She, however, didn't get the chance to torture herself much more. Laxus, only other person aware of the truth, understood in inner turmoil and got to his feet, leaning on evergreen.

"Stay with them kid" he simply said to Lisanna. "And you, come with me" he added to his sister. "I have something to tell you".

He didn't need to say more. On a golden platter, he was offering her the occasion to talk to her... siblings. As for him, his heavy tone indicated that he planned on sharing his greatest secret with Evergreen as it was obvious she'll soon ask him how they defeated Blackburn in their state.

"Mira?" Repeated Lisanna, pulling her out of her thinking.

"Yes?"

"Do you know why Laxus asked me to stay with you guys? I, of course, don't see why not, but he doesn't seem to be the one to say something for nothing".

Mira couldn't help but smile at that last comment. If Laxus had many traits, talkative wasn't one of them.

"You're right" smiled Mira. "Please, sit down" she added, taking her hands into hers. "You too Elfman!"

The young women took a deep breath then looked at Lisanna once more.

"Can I ask you a personal question?"

The youngest girl was surprised by the seriousness of the conversation but still nodded in approbation.

"Can you tell me about your parents?"

Lisanna's traits darkened.

"I never met them" she let out. "All I know is that my mother arrived badly injured, her clothes all shattered in the village where I grew up, ready to give birth. They helped her the best they could but she didn't make it through the night. She couldn't talk very much but from what the villagers understood, she had just escaped from a terrible place. No one found out from where before she passed out".

To he sister's words, Mira couldn't hold back the tears the threatened to fall for a moment.

"Hey! Don't worry" tried to reassure her Lisanna. "I'm sad I never got to meet my family but you don't have to cry for my sake! And look!" she added "I at least could keep that. It was hers..."

Her hand in her pocket, she looked for something before taking out a bracelet. That bracelet, from the same model as the neckless hanging in her neck brought her more tears.

"Mom's bracelet..." let out Elfman.

"What" Asked Lisanna, confused. "It couldn't possibly your mother's, its..."

She was interrupted by Mira hugging her. Collecting her courage, Mira caught Elfman's hand with her left one, Lisanna's still in her right hand.

"Lisanna... Never again will you be without a family, I promise you".

Then she told them everything. From the moment their mother was selected to the horrible things Laxus father imposed on him to the events that took place only a few hours before.

"I... I have siblings" stuttered Lisanna, a flow of tears on her cheeks.

"I understand I you want to return to your hometown" said Mira "but know you'll always be welcome..."

"My brother and sister!" She cried, jumping in their arms, holding them closer than she ever held someone. From now on, they would be together.

A long moment passed before any of them moved. It was a lot of information to handle. Even if they had spent most of their lives separated, there was such a natural connection between the three Strauss.

"Thank you for telling me all that Mira... you didn't have to tell us about Laxus's past" said Lisanna after they finally let go of the embrace. "I promise you his secret is safe with me" she sincerely said.

"I agree!" Added Elfman. "If he protected you as much as you said, he's a real man! And real men don't betray each other's secrets".

As if she didn't have cried enough for the day, more tears filled her eyes, tears of relief.

"Thank you" she simply said, appeased that her family understood and accepted the situation of the one who became her hero despite the improbity of that happening.

"After all, I have to accept my brother in law!" whispered Lisanna to her ear to tease her.

"Lisanna!" Exclaimed Mira, her cheeks bright red.

"What? I have to live up to my status of younger sister after all" she said with a wink. "Don't worry, I won't spare my big brother with his Evergreen neither!"

And just like that, the Strauss siblings talked about everything and anything. After all, they had a lot of catching up to do. So they spent the day together, just like would do siblings, just like would do a real family.

My name is Mirajane Strauss and this is the story of a doomed kingdom. At least, that's what I believed a few months ago.

Since then, we discovered that the organism who swore to protect us was, in fact, the source of our worries. With the help of soldiers, now aware of the truth, the monstrous beings behind all this were put to justice. One of them, Jellal, accompanied by his childhood friend and girlfriend Erza, had reassembled many of these soldiers. Together, they could form an alliance to, truly this time, protect the people and repair the damages caused by the DFA.

The work to do is still immense and painful are the scars that would never fully heal in our wounded hearts, but I now have faith in the future.

Today is a special day because, for the first time in twenty years, the kingdom will renew with the outside world as we will get rid of that atrocious wall.

So that how, surrounded by my family and friends from Fairy Tail, we are now standing before what once represented our worst nightmare. The beauty in it? Seeing all those wonderful persons standing straight and fearless as all of them didn't care to hide their hands anymore, proudly revealing their bearer nature.

As for my own ring, it's intertwined with my boyfriend's, Laxus, as my hand's attached to his to witness that memorable moment. The moment where we'll finally be able to see behind the wall.