So... the time has come... this is the end. I have a feeling several of you are going to be disappointed in how this turn of events happened but I did it for a reason. This is real, as real as I could make it and so... real life doesn't have happy tied up endings and you can't always tear a whole country to pieces when they do something that makes you crazy, that hurts you, this is what happened to Bickslow and why it took him years to get back home, even with his father pushing at every step of the way to get the ban on Seith Mages removed.
The good news is... this was always meant to happen... and don't worry... they'll all be happy, they will build and grow and have full lives, I just won't be showing you. From here? The story is yours to fill in the blanks.
I'm moving on, working on new and better things, taking some of these ideas and expanding on them in an entirely new universe, maybe several universes and at the end of the day... I'm proud of what I did here, this is the first full length chapter fanfiction I've completed and from here out will ONLY be improvements.
I love you all, thank you SO MUCH for coming on this journey with me, for commenting and liking and following and telling me where I'm going right and wrong and really getting into the world I set up. I can't tell you how grateful I am that you did, it's given me a lot of confidence in my writing when before... I had none.
Love you all! I hope you enjoyed the story and I hope you stay tuned for the new stuff I've got cooking!
Enjoy!
-Starry
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Chapter 51: Epilogue
Lucy had promised herself… one day… that she would get revenge on Sting… and revenge on Vander… and today? Today was that day.
Ganier was down for her nap, the little blonde toddler was a happy kid and had been since she was born, dark purple eyes all her father's despite the fact that otherwise she looked just like her mom and had just about as much energy as the both of them combined, which was saying something and so Lucy's pranking had been… postponed. But today? Today was the day she FINALLY was going to get her revenge.
She started with Sting, finding him in the guild and casually speaking with him and Yukino, just enjoying a lunch but… very much using it as an excuse to get close… or for Gemini to.
"How's Julius?" Lucy asked, tilting her head a bit and Yukino grinned, "He's amazing, Lucy… just like his dad… but it seems like he's a bit more reasonable," she laughed, "Quieter."
"I believe you," Lucy smiled, "Ganier… may have a crush… Zen doesn't like it but he'll be fine," she grinned as she took a bite of food, looking over to a pouting Sting, "What?"
"I'm perfectly reasonable," he argued, glaring slightly at his wife who just arched a brow and the slayer sighed, "Fine… okay… so maybe you have a point," he said, returning to… the food on the fifteen plates stacked in front of him.
Lucy giggled, "Right… so reasonable," she snorted, looking back at Yukino as she finished her meal, "Alright… well it's been fun… I really only had time for a quick lunch but thank you so much for meeting me…" she winked at Yukino before leaving, the woman escaping the hall quickly, Sting blinking after her with slightly narrowed eyes before his wife… pulled him into a kiss to distract him.
The blonde haired celestial mage was downright cackling as she left the guild hall… and Gemini appeared… looking exactly like Sting… as they started walking around the city, flirting with every woman and man they came across.
Lucy… took a video, grinning a bit as she sent it off to Yukino.
Lucy to Yukino - Video File attached. Give him hell. I've got those chocolates I made for your reward after you let him off the hook. Have fun!
Yukino to Lucy - Got it! Oh man this is perfect… not at all a bad deal for me, watching him squirm sometimes is amusing.
Lucy laughed as she skipped down the street for her second lunch date… with Vander, who was in town after his last long job and had agreed to meet for a quick lunch to discuss the revenge she was going to get on Sting, the man had seemed excited because she'd agreed to let him glitter bomb Sting's gym locker.
She walked into the little cafe, spotting a wickedly smirking Vander flirting with a woman passing by who was clearly interested and half climbing into his lap. Lucy snorted as she approached and took a seat, not interrupting at all.
"Okay… your company is here," the woman laughed, "Wicked thing, I'll see you later… right?"
"Sure thing," Vander grinned, winking, "I'll call you when I'm done here," he said as she climbed off of him reluctantly, the man smiling at Lucy when she pulled herself toward a group of friends that were all whispering and groaning, eyeing Vander.
"Well… I see you've been here a minute," Lucy snorted as she got settled and Vander nodded, "Just one, got here about a minute before you did… I just work fast," he smirked.
"Yeah? Slow and high quality is more my style," she grinned and Vander laughed, "You calling Zen slow?"
Lucy blushed, "...no… damnit, Vander," she grumbled, putting in an order for her drink when the waiter approached, blushing, the shadowquip smiling at the man, "Cherry coke float, yes please…" he practically purred, eyes trailing up and down the man who… went redder and hurried away.
"Anyway…" Lucy cleared her throat and took a breath, "Glitter. Sting needs glittered."
"Yesssssss… yes he does," Vander grinned, leaning forward in his seat, "You're really okay with this? Aren't you friends with his wife?"
She smiled, "Yeah, I am, I already talked to her. She plans on going shopping tomorrow so you have free reign… just be careful, he bugs the fuck out of Laxus when he's bored and he's always bored when Yuki is out… and if you sparkle Laxus…"
"If you sparkle Sparkles he's gonna fry your ass," Cobra said, growling as he walked past them both and found his own seat in the corner, "And I'm not okay dealing with the buff fucking pikachu on a rampage so… don't."
Vander's eyes trailed Cobra and the slayer growled, baring his fangs at the shadowquip.
"Challenge accepted," the black and red haired mage said happily, plucking the cherry off the top of his float when it was brought and popping it in his mouth, eyeing Lucy, "Why did we need to meet if that's all you had to say?"
"No reason," Lucy smiled, "Just haven't seen you in a while."
"Been busy," Vander shrugged, taking a drink and smiling, "How's my niece?"
"Ganier is fine, Van, she's been slapping people with that 'glitter wand' you gave her though…" Lucy admitted with a faint sigh, "We keep taking it away but she keeps… getting new ones… or finding them…" she paused and glared at the man, who raised his hands looking supremely innocent, "I haven't a clue who would possibly slip through shadows just to give their niece more toys…."
Lucy put a hand to her face and laughed, "Of course. Must be sleep deprived to not have thought of that."
"Or just too oversexed to sleep…" Vander grinned, "Zen keeping you busy?" he waggled his eyebrows and the celestial threw the salt shaker at him, "Stop that! I swear if I catch you spying…"
Van laughed and held up his hands, "Nope, I won't. I know better. I'll be over for dinner tomorrow though, if that's okay? I need actual quality time with Ganier and I may be going on another long job soon."
"You sure?" Lucy blinked, "You just got back… that's… why?"
"Just have to, Luce," Vander shrugged, "Don't think too much on it, I like to work."
The celestial mage nodded, "Okay…"
Her com buzzed, the woman blinking at it a moment as she smiled softly at the photo of Ganier playing on the jungle gym that Zen sent to her and shook her head, "The kiddo is up, I should go. See you tomorrow after the glitter fest?" she smirked.
Vander laughed, "Yup, just after that," he said, eyes trailing toward a still-growling Cobra as she stood and moved toward him.
"Fuck that guy," Cobra glowered as Lucy came to hug him, the man going stiff like… a toddler being hugged by his mother in front of his friends and the celestial mage snorted, "He'd like that, Coby."
She headed out, watching as Vander slunk toward the other and Cobra hissed.
Lucy ignored them as she slipped out and shook her head, they could both take care of themselves and Vander wouldn't pressure anyone into something and Cobra wasn't the type to be pressured into things so she wasn't worried in the least bit as she skipped along the streets of Palerno.
She waited until she was gone several blocks before she called Gemini out again, having closed his gate about the middle of her lunch with Vander and the spirit grinned as it morphed into shadowquip, "Can I help you?"
"Yeah… before you go act like a clumsy buffoon and have ZERO game as you talk to people in town today… what's the most embarrassing thing you've ever done?" Lucy asked Gemi-Vander.
The spirit paused for a moment, seeming to think before 'Vander' blinked, "Mistress… there are things you should know about my job… and I believe you'd like to get Xally's boyfriend away from her…"
Lucy blinked, nodding slowly, sending Gemini away and communicating with them mentally, getting information that had her… just horrified, though she hid those emotions as she walked out of the quiet alley and toward her home, pulling out her com lacrima.
Lucy to Arman, Farron, Kaleb, Zen: We need to talk… we're going to get Vander freed from the Steel Council if I have to do it myself.