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The One Who Always Gave, But Never Was Given Anything (Levy's Finale)

(A/N) I think it's time we bring our ship home. Song from Wicked, I don't own the cover! Their Youtube channel is at the end of the video.

Fire. All there was was fire in the end. We had launched our counter attack with over four thousand dragons strong. It was a perfect move and our side had won the day. But sadly, my own stupidity and delusions of peace had betrayed me once more.

I hadn't seen the last resort from an enemy fire drake coming. I was blindsided by it's roar, consumed by the flames born of rage for my kind. And then...nothing.

I just aimlessly fell into the darkness I was in right now. Wondering and waiting for some great light to appear, for someone to come and get me. A voice, a sound, a glimmer of hope in this pitch blackness that was my prison. If this is what death is, if this is all I had to look forward to.

Then what was the point in putting stock into seeing them all again?

Lucy, my closest girl friend I had ever had. Jet and Droy with their constant faith and trust that made me strive to live up to the title of leader, and the greatest brothers I'll ever have. Erza and Mirajane for helping me lift books to and from the library when I was alone. Gray and Juvia, Makarov and Natsu, and the rest of the guild.

Panther Lily for having thought provoking talks about what it means to be alive, to care, to love, and even to putting power into the smallest actions of bravery. The exceed I could always count on to have a sure hand and sword to be at my side in a battle.

And him. The stupid, thick headed, stubborn idiot Gajeel Redfox. Words cannot describe the roller coaster he made me strap into. Pulling me along on jobs while I was in the middle of reading a novel in the guild hall. Hulling me over his shoulders when I would say no. Cooking for me because no one believed his food was any good.

For killing my dreams as he died in the capitol that day.

For making me assume the position of leader over Jura, a wizard saint.

For pushing me to wait for fifteen years before kicking the imaginary bucket, winding up dead.

It felt like an eternity before I felt it. The pull of gravity bringing me down to something. The weightless feeling was gone, but my eyes refused to open and look. As the feeling of just laying on a flat surface melted into a feeling of grass, the air cleared from the smell of rotting bodies, smaug, and fire.

I tried once more to open my eyes, the stubborn lids finally opening on command. The sky wasn't a sickly grey color full of embers and dragons, but blue with wisps of feathery clouds dotting about here and there. Sitting up, I noticed my clothes were no longer ripped and worn, but a black tank top with a brown skirt and brown shoes.

I hadn't the slightest idea what was going on. All I knew is that I was dead, it was dark, and now I'm here. Maybe this was it, the other side. But if that was true, wouldn't there be more people? In fact, I was alone here too? When people die, do they come to a similar place to spend the rest of time in solitude?

I sat up, tucking in my legs and hugging them like an old friend. In a way, they were. They carried me far across Fiore, made me stand through the greatest of storms, and helped me run to chase my life as fast as I could.

Now, with everywhere to go, and all the time in the world, I decided to stand after what felt like ages of waiting for nothing to happen. Putting a hand to my forehead to block the sun, I noticed that instead of jagged skin, it was smooth. The feeling of soft flesh made me stand ridgid.

"Solid Script: Mirror." The word 'mirror' appeared before me, producing a glare in the sunlight. The face in the reflection couldn't be me! My hair was no longer matted and wild, but soft and glossy. My face was no longer scarred on the right side, but flawless and albit pink.

The spell drifted into sparkling dust as I stumbled backwards. What was going on?! First dieing, then the change of scene, now my face was magically healed from the unpreventable scars? If this was truly it, then where is everyone?

The sight of smoke rising over a hill in the distance made me stop asking so many questions and only have one idea. "Where there's smoke," I muttered, my legs moving on their own, picking up speed along their merry way, "There's people!"

A hill blocked my view from the source of the smoke, but it wasn't that tall or steep in the slightest. Once over it, I looked down the other side. It was a small town being built in the dip of a shallow valley. Tiny forms of people walked to and fro from building to building. There was a forest on the other end of said valley. A stream ran through the town below, channeling around and continuing to what I could only guess was south.

Fire erupted into the sky, along with the mixture of ice and what could only be a metallic metal. It had to be iron. The attacks were too familiar. Another glint and a shaking of the ground later, I could hear a feminine voice shout what sounded like "Get back to work!"

Before I thought, I ran. My feet flew as I barely touched the ground. Familiar sounds of a fight brewed as I came closer. My eyes blurred as the tears poured out, almost blinding me. The village wasn't far now!

At the entrance a crowd had gathered around the square, watching what could only be a brawl. Faces of recognizable shopkeepers, guild mates, and townsfolk milled about, backs to me. It was to good to be true. I knew that I was too small to get any of their attention. Thinking, I finally thought of something.

Using my hand, I drew the character for 'Amplify'. I had versed myself in the ways of other forms of Solid Script, making me stronger than before. When the character was ready, I sucked in a breath. And with a mighty yell, the word made my voice shake the ground.

"HEY! LIIIIIIISSSTTTTTEEEEEEEN!"

Everybody grapped their heads in shock at the sound. The fighters ducked down as the sound echoed in the breeze before falling deaf in the air. The glowing word dissolved into nothing as soon as I was panting for a breath and gripping my knees. I hadn't yelled that loud since I had to break up a fight between Sting and Rogue over a stupid english muffin.

Many pairs of eyes watched as I gained some composure, mouths open and gazes wide. "I-it can't be..." "I thought she was still alive..." "Levy..."

A grin split my face as I waved to everyone. "Hi..." A body soon tackled me, making me sway. The furry creature that glomped me was none other than Panther Lily. Longing reared it's ugly head as the sobs finally broke me. I buried my face into the exceed's soft head.

I hadn't cried in front of anyone in a long time. In over seventeen years. Now that I was, I wasn't ashamed of the mess I must have looked like. I hand ruffled my head and gave me a tight side hug, a metallic earthy smell hitting me like a comforting blanket.

"Welcome home, shrimp."

A laugh ripped through the crying, causing my smile to return. I looked up from the half dead exceed who flew from my arms and onto the shoulders of the tall dragonslayer next to me. His face held the same cocky smirk, but something reflected in his eyes. A new emotion that I had only seen on few occasions. Now though, it felt commonplace.

"Thank you for waiting..." whispered softly, feeling a gentle kiss on the crown of my head. "Thanks for much more Levy." Gajeel said, his grip loosening to let me into his embrace.

Everyone I thought I had let down, Lucy, Erza, Master, Lily, Natsu, Jet, Droy, Gajeel, and all others of Fairy Tail welcomed me. Instead of disappointment that I expected, it was hugs and some tears. I still know that there was so much more I could've given.

But as the son of a dragon told me many times "You've given enough. You changed me for good, right?" The sentence made me smile, thinking back on all those years of bickering, dancing around what we both knew, and just trying to put the pieces together.

"I do believe we both changed for the better, you big metalhead..."