Magnolia had always been a city where magic thrived, but even here, the changes across six years were astonishing.
From the airship, Rhodes gazed down at the cityscape with mixed emotions. The skyline had grown taller, dotted with new buildings that made the Magnolia he remembered feel distant and unfamiliar.
The great lake behind the Guild still gleamed in the sun, and the canal winding through the city flowed as steadily as ever, but the vessels upon the water were no longer the same. Few small wooden boats remained, most had been replaced with modern craft, sleek and enchanted.
The Cathedral, once Magnolia's proudest monument, had hardly changed at all. But where it once dominated the skyline, it now seemed small and humble, overshadowed by new towers.
Rhodes's gaze drifted toward the neighborhood where his old home once stood. His modest two-story house was gone, along with its neighbors, replaced by a sprawling new building. A heaviness settled in his chest.
The airship soon roared over the Guild itself, slowing as it descended to settle upon the lake. Everyone stared down in silence.
It was still their Fairy Tail, but not quite the one they remembered. The walls bore the scars of repairs, patched in places with mismatched timber and stone. Though the backyard had been kept neat, the entire Guild carried an air of quiet decay.
The pool behind the hall had long since fallen out of use. Tables, chairs, and parasols still stood in their old places, but time had stained them. Rhodes even spotted his old exercise equipment piled in a corner, untouched for years.
The sight made the Guild feel less like a home and more like a memorial, preserved for memory's sake rather than lived in. Only the routine of cleaning seemed to keep it from crumbling away entirely.
Max and Alzack, who had lived through these six years, were used to it. But for the Tenrou group, who had left behind a newly rebuilt Guild just days earlier in their minds, the contrast was painful.
Laxus emerged from the cabin last, his expression more complicated than anyone else's.
Max tried to soften the blow. "It's been six years… things are bound to look old. Don't worry, it's still clean inside."
Inside the Guild, the sound of the airship had already drawn attention.
Airships themselves weren't unusual, people often saw them soaring above Magnolia, but Fairy Tail could never afford one anymore. With so few members left, they didn't even need one.
That afternoon, only a handful of people were inside.
Nab stood rooted in front of the mission board, staring blankly despite the pitifully small number of requests pinned there.
Laki was at the bar in Mira's old spot, wiping a wooden wine glass over and over again, so long that it would have gleamed if it were glass. Her hands moved out of habit more than purpose.
Kinana, now grown into a young woman, sat opposite her, chin in hand. "Do you think they're getting close to finding Tenrou Island?"
"They should be," Vijieeter muttered. His flamboyant clothes and carefree dancing were gone. Now he sat quietly in a simple robe and headscarf, serving as a still model for Reedus.
Reedus himself had changed the most. Once plump and lively, he was now lean and sharp, glasses perched on his nose as he painted with unusual care. "Vijieeter, if you're tired, we can take a break."
"Don't worry." Vijieeter kept his voice calm, though his eyes betrayed unease.
"Blue Pegasus said they'd find Tenrou Island. We just have to believe them."
At a table nearby sat Macao, now forty-two, his once-thick hair retreating but his smile surprisingly warm. He worked hard to keep it there, for Romeo's sake.
Romeo sat across from him, fists clenched. "I should have been there back then. I should've gone! Then I'd be the first one to see them!"
Wakaba, pipe in hand, leaned back and muttered with doubt, "Even if Tenrou's still there… after six years without a trace, can they really still be alive?"
"They are alive!" Romeo slammed his small hands against the table, standing so fast his chair scraped. His eyes burned with conviction as he shouted.
"Fairy Tail wizards aren't so easy to kill. Sometimes… they just can't find their way home."
Wakaba wanted to mutter that Rhodes was simply good at comforting words, but in the end he just took a silent drag from his pipe. His once-thick pompadour was gone; now his thinning brown hair clung short to his head, his receding hairline worse than Macao's.
The rumbling roar of engines made him glance upward irritably. "So noisy… why does it sound so close today?"
Macao frowned. "It sounds like it stopped behind the Guild… Who could it be? Did Lamia Scale come to deliver news?"
"Let's go see!" Romeo ran ahead and pushed the doors open.
The moment the Guild doors swung wide, two groups froze, staring at one another in disbelief.
The Tenrou group, lined up behind Romeo, instantly recognized the boy.
"Romeo? You've really grown up!"
"Yo! Young man!"
"Not bad, you've joined the Guild too."
"We're back!"
"Quick, grab some drinks!"
"Sorry we made you wait so long."
They all spoke at once, some cheerfully, some awkwardly, as if they'd only stepped out for a short job and were simply returning home.
Romeo never expected such a miracle just from opening the door. His throat tightened, tears streaming down his cheeks as he forced a trembling smile. "Welcome back!"
The rest of the Guild members inside were struck speechless. When they rushed forward and saw familiar faces up close, tears spilled down their cheeks too, though they laughed as they cried.
"Guild Master!"
"Gildarts!"
"Even Laxus is here!"
"Erza!"
"Rhodes!"
They shouted names at random, every face stirring a flood of memories and relief.
Then Laki's cry broke the moment, "Mira-nee!" as she hurled herself into Mira's arms. The fragile control shattered, and the Guild fell into chaos.
They crowded together, hugging, crying, laughing, unable to let go.
For six long years they had waited, searched, and prayed, clinging to hope against despair. At last, that hope had been answered.
Even if it was only a dream, they would gladly keep dreaming forever.
And so, the Guild that had stood quiet and desolate for six years was alive again, brimming with noise, warmth, and joy.