A/N: Hello, readers! Welcome to the first chapter! Enjoy!

edited on april 12th, 2024 @ 8:50pm

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𝓒𝙷𝙰𝙿𝚃𝙴𝚁 𝙾𝙽𝙴,
𝓣𝙷𝙴 𝚈𝙴𝙰𝚁 𝙾𝙵 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝚁𝙴𝚃𝚄𝚁𝙽. 

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X791 . . .

𝗦𝗔𝗠𝗨𝗘𝗟 𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗢𝗗 𝗜𝗡 𝗙𝗥𝗢𝗡𝗧 𝗢𝗙 a familiar grave with a bouquet of flowers in his hand, looking at the writing etched onto the stone.

Gray Fullbuster.
X766 - X784.

He sets the flowers down. "Hey, Nii-san." He greeted. "I can't believe it's already been seven years. Romeo still waits at Port Hargeon, expecting you all to come back. In a sense, I know how he feels."

"Sam, come on!"

Samuel sighs before standing up. "I'm heading out on a job with Takashi and Kali. I'll come by later." He promised as he left the graveyard to join up with his friends.

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Later . . .

Fairy Tail was currently having a welcome back party for the Tenrou team that had returned after seven years. Lamia Scale had eventually joined in on the celebration. It was then that Gray looked around, seeing a certain someone was missing. He looked over at Macao.

"Hey, Macao. Where's Sam?" Gray asked.

"Come to think of it, I haven't seen him around at all." Lucy realized.

"Indeed. I thought he would've been the first one to welcome us back." Erza added.

"He's out on a job with Takashi and Kali. Although, they should've been back by now." Macao responded.

Makarov raised an eyebrow at the unfamiliar names, but he figured they had joined the guild while they were in stasis for seven years.

Voices were soon heard outside of the guild.

"Way to go. You costed us our reward money."

"Eh? Are you saying it was my fault?!"

"Sounds like they're back." Max muttered.

"That's exactly what I'm saying. Now we don't have any money to pay Twilight Ogre this month."

"We wouldn't even have to pay them if Master would just let me burn down their guild hall to ashes."

"As usual, you use destruction as a way to solve things. No surprise there."

A shout of annoyance was heard, followed by a grunt.

"It's no use. I've known you for how long now? I can easily predict your attacks."

"Predict this, you bastard!"

A blast of flames soon exploded through the guild doors as someone was sent crashing behind the bar, nearly hitting Kinana in the process. This action caused the Tenrou team to be on high alert.

"Don't be so alarmed. This happens once in a while. It'll stop eventually." Jet informed.

An eighteen year old male with black and white colored hair that was in a ponytail and black eyes soon entered the guild hall. He wore a red tank top and black cargo pants that were tucked into brown pirate boots. A red Fairy Tail guild mark outlined in black was located on his right shoulder.

"Seriously, you two?" Kinana questioned.

"Takashi... you flaming piece of shit..."

A nineteen year old male with black hair and dark blue eyes stood up. He wore a black coat with a white shirt underneath, black jeans, and black combat boots. Gray gasped upon seeing the male was an exact carbon copy of him.

The male places his fists together, shocking Gray even more as frost appeared. "You want a fight? You've got it!"

Takashi grinned as flames soon appeared from his hand. "Come at me, Samuel!" He challenged as the two charged at each other.

"Cut it out, you shitheads!"

A large gust of air sent Samuel and Takashi flying on opposite sides of the guild. Lucy shrieked as Samuel had crashed into her.

A nineteen year old male with short silver-colored hair and brown eyes arrived. He wore a gray tank top, black jeans, and no shoes with tape covering his feet and wrists. He also had a brown pendant earring dangling from his left ear. A silver Fairy Tail guild mark was located on the back of his left hand. He sets a massive, single-edged black blade on the ground, making a loud sound echo throughout the guild hall before it disappeared in a golden light.

"If you continue, you'll destroy the only guild hall we've got!"

Takashi stood up from his spot on the ground, stumbling back a bit as Samuel groaned, doing the same.

"And he's right on time." Jet sighed.

"Kali, you jackass! You made me crash into Lucy-san!" Samuel exclaimed, stomping towards the silver-haired male.

He stops suddenly, realizing what he said as he blinked and looked around, seeing familiar people he thought were long gone.

Samuel then scoffed. "Now I know I'm hallucinating shit. Because what the hell is Laxus-san doing here?" He asked.

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Laxus shouted in anger, making everyone laugh.

"You're not hallucinating, Samuel. They're really here." Max informed.

Samuel widened his eyes. "You mean—" He started to say as Max nodded. Samuel glanced over at Natsu.

"Natsu-san..." Samuel muttered as Natsu sends his signature grin. He turns to look at Lucy. "Lucy-san..."

Lucy waved. He looks over at Erza and Juvia. "Erza-san... Juvia-nee..." Samuel continued. Erza had her arms crossed while Juvia slightly smiled at him.

"Wendy..." Samuel looked down and saw Wendy beaming up at him.

Samuel made eye contact with Gray, who was walking over him. "You've grown up a lot, little brother." He spoke.

Tears streamed down Samuel's face. "N-Nii-san!" He cried out, hugging Gray tightly as if he would disappear if he let go. Samuel continued bawling in Gray's chest, who embraced him back.

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Samuel was now sitting with the Tenrou team, sniffing as he wiped any last remaining tears he had. "Still a crybaby, huh?" Gajeel teased.

"Shut up! I'm just... really overjoyed right now." Samuel sniffed out. "I still think I'm in a dream. If I am, I don't want to wake up."

"I promise you we're here, Samuel." Erza reassured.

"You practice Ice Magic now, correct?" Lucy asked.

"Yeah. Lyon-nii taught me Ice-Make Magic." Samuel replied, shocking the Tenrou team as they didn't expect it.

"Only because you wouldn't stop nagging me to teach you."

Everyone glanced over, seeing Lyon walking over to the group. "I didn't nag." Samuel denied as Lyon raised an eyebrow. "Okay. Maybe I did."

"So you're probably really strong now, right?" Happy asked.

Samuel grinned. "Of course! I had Lyon-nii as my teacher, after all. He's really the greatest." He responded. Gray scoffed under his breath, which didn't go unnoticed by Lucy.

"If you don't mind me asking, what kind of magic do you use, Takashi-san, Kali-san?" Wendy asked.

"I use Fire and Lava Magic." Takashi replied.

"Infinity Sword Magic." Kali added, getting Erza's attention.

"Infinity Sword Magic? What's that?"

"It's a type of Caster Magic that allows me to create and manipulate various magical tools. Each of them having various effects and abilities." Kali explained. "It's more advanced than Requip."

"Oh! That reminds me!" Samuel spoke up suddenly. "All of your apartments should be up to date. So you guys don't have to worry about that. I kept up with everyone's rent."

This takes everyone by surprise. "You paid everyone's rent... for seven years?" Lucy questioned.

Samuel smiled. "I wanted to make sure you all had homes to come back to. If you ever returned." He replied.

After the mini reunion with Samuel, Gray and Lyon went to talk on Fairy Tail's roof, while Alzack and Bisca informed Erza about Jellal. Samuel walked up to Lucy.

"Lucy-san." He said, getting the blonde's attention. "There's something you should know... about your father."

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"I see... So he's gone?" Lucy questioned after hearing Samuel's news.

"He passed a month ago." Samuel replied, taking something out of his back pocket, revealing a folded up letter. "I came across him after I had finished a job. He knew who I was and wanted me to give you this."

An eighteen-year-old Samuel was walking towards Onibus's train station after finishing a job. He was wearing a teal and black plaid flannel that revealed his chest and black cargo pants. A man in his forties walked past him, but gasped upon seeing a familiar guild mark on his pectoral.

"Excuse me, young man!" He called out, causing Samuel to turn. "Seeing your guild mark, I assume you're a wizard from Fairy Tail, correct?"

"I am." Samuel responded, narrowing his eyes. "If you stopped me to badmouth my guild, I don't wanna hear it."

"No, no." The man waved his hands. "I would never. My daughter is apart of your guild."

Samuel blinked. "Daughter?"

"Yes. Lucy."

"You're... her father?" Samuel's eyes widened before his face turned to one of sympathy. "I'm sorry. But Lucy-san is—"

"I already know about Tenrou Island. However, I believe my daughter is alive." Jude interrupted. Samuel frowned as Jude hands him a folded piece of paper. "Do you think you can do me a favor? Can you give this to Lucy when she returns?"

Samuel takes the folded paper. "Sure thing, Jude-san."

Samuel watches as Lucy unfolds the paper and reads what was written. Tears fell from Lucy's eyes as Samuel wraps her in a hug. Lucy hugs him tightly and continues crying into his chest.

Meanwhile, Gray and Lyon were having a conversation of their own. "So, you taught Samuel Ice-Make Magic..." Gray muttered.

"I did." Lyon nodded. "He's grown to be an amazing wizard, Gray. I think you'll be proud of him."

Gray goes silent, lost in his own thoughts as he stares at Samuel, who was still comforting Lucy.

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Samuel and Gray walked to their house from the guild. "You okay, Nii-san?" Samuel asked, causing Gray to hum. "You didn't join in on the conversation when I was talking with Natsu-san and the others."

Gray sighed. "I'm just upset that I missed out on seven years of your life. You've grown so much, Sam. You're no longer that annoying twelve year old who would follow me around everywhere." He replied.

Samuel nodded. "It does feel weird. I'm a year older than you. Maybe you should start calling me Nii-san." He joked.

"Don't even start! If my age wasn't frozen, I would be 25!"

"I was kidding. You're still my older brother." Samuel grinned.

Gray huffed. "You got a girlfriend yet?" He asked as Samuel flinched.

"No. No girlfriend." Samuel responded.

The members who stayed behind plus Takashi and Kali fully accepted his sexuality, as well as Lyon. But when it came to Gray and the rest of his heroes, he wasn't sure how they would react.

How were you supposed to tell your older brother and the wizards you looked up to since you were a kid that you were into boys?

Samuel did not want to have that conversation. At least, not yet.

"We should be near the Kardia Cathedral. Come with me. I want to show you something." Samuel told Gray.

Gray raised an eyebrow before following Samuel. They entered a graveyard where Gray saw all of the names of the Tenrou team on headstones. It gave him a painful reminder that the members who were left behind really thought they were dead.

Samuel finally stops at two headstones as Gray looks at them.

Gray Fullbuster.
X766 - X784.

Juvia Lockser.
X767 - X784.

"You buried me next to Juvia?" Gray asked, making Samuel deadpan.

"I knew you would complain about that." He replied, sighing. "Anyway, I would come here everyday just to talk to you and Juvia-nee. Sometimes Lyon-nii would accompany me. Other times..."

"Sting would come with me whenever he visited Magnolia." He added in his head before continuing. "Other times, I would just come alone."

"I would sit here for hours just telling you two about how my day went. I fell asleep on your headstone one time and Alzack-san and Bisca-san had to fetch for me." Samuel finished.

Gray stayed silent for a moment. "It's weird seeing your own grave marker..." He admitted.

Samuel chuckled. "Yeah, well, now that you and the others are alive there's really no need for this anymore." He said. "Nii-san?"

"Hm?"

"Welcome home."

Later that night, for the first time in seven years, Samuel Fullbuster went to bed with no nightmares invading his sleep.

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A few days later . . .

"Sabertooth?" Natsu repeated as he leaned on the bar counter with Happy at his side.

"Sabertooth, as in the tigers with the saber-like canine teeth. They've surpassed Pegasus and Lamia and are currently the strongest wizards' guild in Fiore." Romeo explained.

"Never heard of 'em." Gray commented.

"They hadn't made much of a splash seven years ago." Alzack said.

"Then they've suddenly risen to prominence these past seven years, huh?" Gray questioned.

"What did it was changing their guild master and the induction of five extremely powerful wizards into their ranks." Max responded, holding up five fingers.

"Things can change that much with just five people?" Lucy asked.

"Sting's one of them..." Samuel thinks to himself.

"Tch! They aren't all that. They're just a bunch of cocky, arrogant, egotistical—" Takashi began to rant.

Kali slaps him on the back of the head. "Ignore him. He has a huge hatred for them. In truth, their power is no joke." He said.

"They got some guts." Natsu commented.

"Incidentally, how is our guild ranked?" Wendy questioned.

"You're gonna ask that?!" Happy asked.

"Wendy, there's no need to rub it in." Carla told her.

"Huh?"

"We're bottom-ranked." Romeo responded.

"We're a totally wimpy guild." Alzack sighed.

"The weakest guild in Fiore." Bisca said.

"The laughing stock." Kali added.

"I'm sorry!" Wendy apologized.

Natsu laughed. "That's even better! It's more fun!" He exclaimed.

"Huh?" Gray turned to him in confusion.

"I mean, right?! Think of how much fun it's gonna be climbin' to the top again! I'm fired up!" Natsu said.

"Yeesh..." Gray said, making Lucy laugh.

"I'm no match for Natsu-nii." Romeo stated.

"You're right! Yeah!" Wendy agreed. "I'm looking forward to it!"

Cana soon entered the guild. "Hey, you guys... Have you seen Gildarts?" She asked.

"What, do you get lonely when Papa's not around?" Gray teased.

Samuel kicks his older brother in the shin. "Ow!" Gray exclaimed.

"Nii-san, you really need to watch what you say." Samuel scolded, gesturing his head subtly over to Lucy.

Gray soon realizes what he just said as he turned over to look at Lucy. "Sorry..." He apologized.

"No, that's okay. Don't worry about it." Lucy reassured him.

Juvia peeked behind the request board. "She's consoling Gray-sama?!" She thought, making a dent in the board.

"Gildarts went with the Master to the original Fairy Tail base of operations." Erza informed.

"Alright! Then I'll go out on a job while I have the chance!" Cana cheered, leaving the guild.

"It's amazing how lovey-dovey Gildarts is with Cana." Happy commented.

"You fawn over Carla the same way..." Lily thinks to himself.

"And he's supposed to be the guild's strongest... This is such an oddball guild." Carla claimed.

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A/N: The first chapter is finally completed! Thanks for reading!

Word Count: 2465 words.