The Will to Live: A Mystwalker Fanfic

7 Keys 7 Years

How I managed the 7 year gap...

Tide fingered the keys as she peered at them with the skill of a thief king.

"Sergent Tide!" King Jellal murmured, "I was not expecting you here."

Tide jammed the keys into her jacket pocket. "Your majesty." Tide kneeled down on one knee, "Captain Knightwalker is tending the fields they cleared out with the farmers. I believe Fairy Tail was going to show up around there, aye?"

"You're correct, they have made a new invention, one that apparently is for dimension travel. It's called Fairy Sphere since it was made by one of its founders." King Jellal said in his calm voice.

Tide stayed kneeled to the King before her, "Fairy Sphere, eh? I heard it was banned for anyone other than Fairy Tail to use it."

The King stayed silent.

"Permission to speak freely?" Tide requested, still on the floor.

"Of course!" King Jellal said awkwardly, "None of the soldiers do this formal-I mean none have this formal manner when it-"

"It was the way we were trained, your highness." Tide replied, "If I may, your majesty, it would be wise to consider Knightwalker's view of the world as a world forced upon her. She gave up many things for a world without magic, she believed in it and I still do. Even though I know it is wrong to steal, we did it because we would rather other people suffer than our own."

"What are you saying, soldier?"

Tide lifted her head to stare at the King. "I may be mad and crazy, your highness, but it would be a wonder if you weren't insane after everything."

"I still don't get it!" King Jellal admitted, "She killed many people that were innocent and killed even more! They say there used to be 26 working systems all destroyed by her, she killed so many! Her hand was dirty before she got here, according to military documents, she was a child!"

Tide's eyes darkened as visions of Simon dying appeared once more. "My king, history is a bunch of opinions and lies spun into one depending on who wrote the history book. It's best to know both sides of an argument before protesting, no?"

Tide rose to her feet and bowed, "I must get going, my king or Captain Knightwalker will think I'm dillydallying again."

"Alright, soldier. You've given me a lot to think about. I'll ask Erza when she gets back."

"On first name terms, your majesty?"

King Jellal ducked his head to cover his blush, "I don't know what you mean, Sergent!"

Tide nodded her head, her face lacking any sign of emotion, yet her eyes twinkled as if silently laughing at him.

Too bad no one told him Erza and a lot of the Fairy Tail members wouldn't return for 7 long years.

After one year, King Jellal couldn't bring himself to appoint another Captain. No one had that 'sense of duty ' Tide had said.

After two years, the captains were remoted to their original positions and powers.

After three years, people started giving up hope.

After four years, Fairy Tail fell into a depressive state as many moved on to another life. Like how some of them became soldiers or mastered in a craft.

After five years, Tide became a First Lieutenant. King Jellal finally realized he like Captain Knightwalker and his arguments, after lots of Tide's teasing him in a polite manner.

After six years, Tide resigned from the army due to the loss of her many comrades and her loss of her two legs during in a trip. Tide resorted to keeping up with a journal, full of letters to her missing friend. Words of advice were written down, snarky comments were too, Tide poured her life story and her soul into that journal.

After 6 years and 10 months, Tide passed away, leaving a letter message to the King, pleading him to give the journal to Erza as well as the golden box Tide had discovered and left unopened.

It was a regular day as always. King Jellal was skimming through the army reports as he thought about how a red-haired captain would stand in the shadows and counter his arguments before he presented his ideas.

Thump. Thump.

Pitter. Patter. Pitter. Patter

Crash!

The door was sprung open as a messenger burst through the door, "Your majesty!" The guard announced, "Captain Erza Knightwalker and the missing Fairy Tail members are back!"

King Jellal jumped out of his chair and whisked away, "Erza!" he yelled as he ran.