*Last chapter, folks! Just Makarov reminiscing about his guild. I figured it make a nice pretty epilogue. Thanks for reading, and I'm sorry I couldn't get to every single one of your requests - I honestly racked my brains for plots to use, but I'm out.

Don't worry though, there is still plenty more Fairy Tail to come from me. If you liked this, then feel free to check out my other story, Seven Secrets. Also, after I wrap up some of the other stuff I'm working on, I will be publishing a Gajeel/Levy story, Black and Blue, and a Lisanna/Bixlow story, Lost Souls, for those of you who like fluff. For those of you who are into parody, adventure, and/or humor, I will be starting my very own AU story, A FairyTaile. And some time after I finish those, I have solid plans to produce yet another Fairy Tail story, Repulse.

Keep an eye out for all of the above; for more information, you can go to my profile page. Until then, au revoir! Thanks again for reading and reviewing!

Oh, also, you should know: Mashima Hiro owns Fairy Tail, not me.

A Most Powerful Magic

by: SmurfLuvsCookies

Makarov was wise, but he didn't pretend like he knew everything. In fact, at eighty-something years of age, he still considered himself a child in the world. It wasn't every day that he was taken by surprise, but there were those rare moments that shocked him into deep contemplation. Most of the time, these precious moments were sparked by his guild.

They were proof that Makarov still had much to learn. Young mages striving for adventure, knowledge, and friendship, all the while growing stronger and wiser with each passing day. They each came with their own painful story and they prepared for the hurt that was inevitably to come, but that was not to say they were afraid of it. They surged on with their lives like determined soldiers, supporting each other unconditionally despite their quirks, their differences, and their pasts. By looking at them, you wouldn't be able to tell how much weight they each really carried on their shoulders.

Truthfully, the mages of Fairy Tail had never been children. No, the things they'd weathered had made them so much older, aged them beyond their years. Yet somehow they also seemed to cling to their childish mannerisms, cloaking themselves in the simplicity of a young mindset.

Now, Makarov was beginning to see the first signs that his children were really growing up.

Over the course of a few months, something had happened at the guild; it was a subtle shift in atmosphere, something imperceptible to those who were not attentive. It took Makarov days to figure it out, but on February 14th, he finally did.

It was Natsu devouring his box of chocolates while Lucy pursed her lips at the hand-made card. It was Juvia hiring an orchestra for Gray's arrival that morning. It was Gajeel's flushed face as he hooked the necklace around Levy's throat. It was Alzack's stuttering as he asked Bisca to be his Valentine. It was Evergreen's delighted surprise when Elfman actually remembered the event. It was Mirajane's smile as Fried helped with the decorations, and it was Bixlow's look of horror when he saw that Lisanna had tied pink ribbons on all of his dolls.

It was his children. They were falling in love.

Makarov blinked at the absurdity of it all; the kids who ran rambunctiously through the guild, coupling up and beginning that quest for their other half? It seemed impossible that so much time had passed so quickly, that the first stages of life's greater journey had arrived. When did it happen? Where did the time go?

Despite himself, Makarov was rather sad to see it happen. He knew he shouldn't have been, but he was just the same. He remembered himself at that age, dipping his toes into what would be one of the most difficult, painful things he ever endured. But then, the greatest rewards always had the worst risk. He could only prepare for what things lay ahead, set his children up to be the best that they could be, and hope for the best.

No matter what happened, Makarov knew for sure that nothing could ever tear Fairy Tail apart. He had nothing to worry about on that account. Makarov had seen magic of many calibers, but nothing could compare to the magic that held Fairy Tail together, that kept them all from collapsing from the weight of the world on their shoulders. It was a magic that ensured that, while it's members would all eventually leave the halls, Fairy Tail's legacy would live on, burning bright in the sky.

So Makarov sat back and watched the Valentine's Day proceedings with a tender smile, pushing the troubles of the years to come from his mind. Fairy Tail, his children; they had nothing to worry about. He, Makarov, had nothing to worry about. The magic that was the very essence of Fairy Tail was something irrefutably powerful, the greatest force on the face of the earth.

The funny thing is, you don't have to be one on the Ten Wizard Saints or something to wield this magic. You don't even have to be a mage. All you have to do is open your heart, unconditionally and genuinely, and it is then that you will truly witness the most powerful magic in the universe:

Love.

A Most Powerful Magic - End