When Erza and Mirajane crossed over to the world of Edolas, they didn't just spend their time there recovering from injuries. They also discussed something with that world's Mirajane—
—Reviving Edolas Lisanna.
Although Pappy had once told them that Edolas Lisanna's soul and body had completely vanished without a trace, and that there was no medium left to bring her back, the thought of giving up was unbearable.
Neither Mirajane nor Erza had known Pappy for very long, nor did they trust him fully. That trust was as fragile as a sandcastle at the edge of the sea—ready to collapse at the slightest touch.
Was it possible that Pappy simply wasn't strong enough? Or perhaps… that he didn't want to try his best?
That last, rebellious thought disappeared quickly after flashing through their minds.
But the desire to revive Edolas Lisanna didn't fade. It lingered.
When they first arrived in Edolas, right near the Fairy Tail guild there, the subject of the Tower of Heaven came up in conversation.
Once Mirajane of Edolas learned about the tower's true purpose, a tiny seed of hope sprouted within her heart. It grew wildly, quickly becoming a towering tree that consumed her every thought.
If Jellal hadn't even obtained Zeref's body and soul—
And yet he still intended to use the tower to resurrect him—
Then why couldn't it also be used to bring Lisanna back?
Mirajane of Edolas confided this thought to Mirajane of Earthland, and Mirajane supported her without hesitation. She already carried guilt toward her Edolas counterpart, and this became one more reason to help.
That was why Mirajane and Erza had chosen not to act until Jellal sacrificed Ikaruga into the Tower's lacrima.
They weren't hypocrites—if achieving their goal required killing, they would do it. And if someone else was willing to dirty their hands first, all the better.
After all, Fairy Tail was still a light guild.
Their plan was simple: defeat Jellal, seize control of the Tower of Heaven, coordinate with Pappy, then have him transfer the tower to Edolas—and change the "target" of revival.
But Jellal's reckless actions had disrupted their plan. The tower was now on the verge of collapse. The ritual had to be completed immediately.
That was why Mirajane had called into the air earlier—it was their last resort.
They reasoned that since Pappy was tied to the Council, and since Jellal's schemes were bound to involve the Council as well, then once Jellal set his plan into motion, Pappy would be watching the Tower of Heaven closely.
So their gamble wasn't hopeless.
Whether or not Pappy would respond—or even could respond—remained unknown.
All they could do was hope that his power was great enough.
Thankfully, the worst didn't come to pass.
The glowing characters that appeared in midair dispelled their unease.
"Can you open a spatial tunnel large enough to transfer the entire Tower of Heaven to Edolas?" Mirajane shouted, tension heavy in her voice.
"You want to use the R-System to revive Edolas Lisanna?"
The glowing word "Present" swirled, reshaping itself into new characters.
Mirajane stiffened with nerves. That was her plan. She had intended to reveal it only at the very end, but Pappy had seen through her instantly. She nodded hard, closing her eyes, bracing herself for a scolding—
But none came.
Instead, five hundred meters above the sea, a colossal ring three kilometers wide unfolded in the sky. A blinding pillar of light cascaded downward, enveloping the Tower of Heaven in an instant.
When the brilliance faded, the tower was gone.
In its place was a crater several kilometers wide and tens of meters deep, already flooding as the sea rushed in to fill it.
The scene shifted—to Edolas.
There, the colossal ring reappeared in midair, unleashing another brilliant beam that seemed strong enough to pierce the planet's core. Yet, despite its apocalyptic appearance, it caused no harm to the ground below.
Instead, the Tower of Heaven—along with its foundation—manifested quietly, almost gently, in the new world.
It's smooth, impossibly precise cross-section where it had been severed; the crushed vegetation buried beneath its weight; the liquid-like waves of lacrima flooding out like mercury; and the crystalline spire piercing the sky—
Everything about it was foreign, unnatural, utterly incompatible with its surroundings.
Proof that it had never belonged to this world.
"You may begin. Here are the steps for the ritual."
Pappy's voice was as calm and detached as ever. He didn't care about their mistrust—like a breeze brushing through, he simply set everything in order. He didn't even close the spatial tunnel above.
Just in case, if Edolas Lisanna's soul accidentally drifted to Earthland instead, the magic wouldn't fail.
The likelihood was minuscule—almost nonexistent.
After all, the people of this world carried no magic power within them. The [Soul] (a higher-dimensional form of magic) did not react to them.
And yet, exceptions existed. Mystogan had no magic, yet had crossed into Earthland. Porlyusica too—brought by accident into another world.
So better to prepare than to regret.
Erza and Mirajane hadn't even considered such a possibility. Seeing Pappy calm, unoffended, and even guiding them through the next steps, they finally breathed out in relief and set to work.
They took the diagrams that appeared out of thin air and followed the instructions carefully. Soon, their voices lifted in chant.
A beautiful, ancient hymn filled the air, carrying with it an unnameable rhythm that seemed to pull them back into a lost, glorious era—an age when gods walked among humans, and dragons soared above mountains.
In that distant time, beings of heaven and earth wielded wind and fire, reversed life and death, split mountains and rivers with their will…
Somewhere beyond mortal sight, an unknown presence turned its gaze toward them. It did not intervene. It merely watched.
The chanting swelled and waned, like waves rising and crashing. The Tower of Heaven pulsed in rhythm, its light brightening and dimming with the melody.
And then, at last, everything was drowned in light.
Erza and Mirajane held tightly to each other's hands, their bodies nearly crushed beneath the unbearable pressure of the R-System's awakening magic. Bones threatened to shatter, organs to burst—yet they endured, gritting their teeth, refusing to falter.
They shared one glance, one unspoken vow—then continued chanting.
Finally, the spell reached its climax.
The R-System roared into the sky, becoming a pillar of pure radiance that split heaven and earth before bursting outward. Countless motes of light rained down like a storm of stars.
Amid those lights, a crystal the size of a person appeared, floating gently in the air.
Gradually, it softened into liquid. Within it, a shape took form. Hands, feet, flowing hair, a delicate face—
A face identical to Lisanna's.
Veins wove themselves within the body. Organs—heart, lungs, liver, kidneys—sprouted and connected. Skin spread across the frame, color returning to cheeks.
A heart began to beat.
Life had come.
But it ended there.
The girl's body collapsed at once, writhing in pain, crying loudly like a newborn.
Startled, Mirajane and Erza rushed forward to support her. Erza quickly pulled clothing from her Requip space to drape over the trembling figure.
They pried open her eyelids—eyes alive, sparkling, yet filled only with ceaseless tears.
"Old man, what's going on? The ritual worked, didn't it? Why is Lisanna like this?" Mirajane cried, panic rising as she turned to Pappy.
"This world's people have no magic. Their souls are fragile—when they die, the world reabsorbs them almost immediately.
The R-System used Ikaruga's body to rebuild her physical form, but it could not call her soul back.
What you see before you is an empty shell. If you care for her, she may one day develop a consciousness of her own—but she will never be the Lisanna you remember. Just as a grown child is not the same as their parent."
The metaphor was awkward. A better one would have been splitting cells, or the immortal jellyfish.
Mirajane collapsed to the floor, devastated. "How… how could this happen?"
"..." Erza rested a hand on her shoulder. She wanted to speak but found no words. Instead, she embraced Mirajane tightly, her silence saying what words could not—
No matter what happens, I will always be your family.