Chapter 04: Won't You Go Home?Fanfic by: Geraint(Nero's POV)
On Tenrou Island, I was grilling fish skewers in front of Lolibaba's grave. Why? Because she had the nerve to eat the garlic butter fish I made for the both of us—all by herself.
That greedy old ghost... I hope she gets fat and chubby in the afterlife.
While flipping the skewers with practiced ease, I noticed old man Makarov sitting nearby, watching me silently.
"Still don't believe I'm Lolibaba's adopted grandson, huh?" I asked, raising a brow.
...
No response. Just that stoic Dreyar stare.
I took that silence as a yes.
"Well, now that I think about it... she told me something interesting once. That you were the son of her old friend—Yuri Dreyar and Rita."
...
Still no response. But this time, I caught the flicker of surprise in his eyes.
"Old man... if you're still going to doubt me, then just leave. Go home. I don't like wasting my breath trying to prove myself to people who won't listen. I know who I am—and I'm telling the truth."
His expression hardened.
"No," he said at last, serious and firm.
We stared at each other in heavy silence.
Sigh.
This won't be resolved unless Lolibaba shows herself.
She's been refusing to appear in front of him, but I have my own way of dragging her out—willingly or not.
I stood up, inhaled deeply, and shouted with every bit of breath in my lungs:
"LOLIBABA, SHOW YOURSELF!!!"
My shout echoed throughout the island. Makarov flinched, covering his ears in surprise. Birds took flight in a panic, scattering from the trees.
'Hey, stinky Nero! I told you I can't show myself to them yet!' her voice echoed in my mind through telepathy.
Lolibaba, I don't care about your reasons. He's your godson. You're supposed to guide him—and besides, he's too old to still be doubting like this. Show yourself already!
'You little brat…'
If you don't show up, no pudding for a month.
...
Silence.
And then—
"NERO, NO! DON'T TAKE AWAY MY DELICIOUS PUDDING!"
A blur leapt from behind her tomb, clinging to me like a koala.
There she was—Mavis Vermillion herself. The ghostly troublemaker known fondly to me as Lolibaba.
"I'll introduce you," I said, adjusting to the clingy spirit on my back. "This is Mavis Vermillion, my grandmother. She adopted me."
Makarov's jaw dropped.
"M-Master Mavis?!"
Lolibaba slid off me and landed gracefully, adjusting her ethereal form and bowing slightly.
"Ahem. I apologize for this child's rudeness," she said.
"Lolibaba…" I mumbled, embarrassed.
Makarov, flustered, waved it off.
"N-No, it's alright! I was the one who doubted him. I even attacked him…"
"You see," she continued, sighing, "this ungrateful grandson of mine has a habit of stirring up trouble when he gets bored."
She gave me a look.
"Raising him reminds me of when I was still guild master of Fairy Tail—always fixing someone's mess."
Makarov chuckled in sympathy. "I understand. Nothing much has changed in my time as Guild Master either."
"Oh, right!" I suddenly remembered. "Lolibaba, I need to practice that magic today."
I began to run off toward the coast.
"Wait!" she called, grabbing my arm. "What kind of magic are you using this time?!"
"Planetary Devastation."
Her expression immediately shifted to horror.
"Use it on a smaller scale!"
"Eh?! Then how about Shattered Heaven?"
"No crashing giant meteorites! Use a small boulder or something!"
"Boooring. Then cast Fairy Sphere over the island! I won't be able to use magic for a while after casting those."
"Fine, fine. But only if you promise it's a small meteorite. I don't have the strength to maintain a powerful Fairy Sphere without bonds and faith."
She looked at Makarov.
"Third Master, can you help?"
Makarov nodded, "Of course, Master Mavis."
"Alright! Let's head to the coast!" I shouted, grinning.
At the Coastline
"Stinky Nero," Lolibaba pointed, "use those boulders on the shore below the cliff. And I mean small. No mountain-sized destruction, understand?"
"Yeah, yeah…" I jumped off the cliff, landing on the water's surface and walking toward the shore.
Makarov watched, stunned. "He's walking on water?"
"When he first did it three years ago, I was shocked too," Lolibaba said. "He says it's magic power control. I can sense the energy under his feet."
I clapped my hands and formed a black sphere between them, tossing it into the sky.
"Planetary Devastation!"
The orb activated, pulling boulders into the air. The island trembled as they were drawn together, forming a floating satellite—like a mini moon.
"I… Is that the small version?!" Makarov gasped.
With the target immobilized, I raised my hand and shouted:
"Shattered Heaven!"
A meteorite began to descend from the upper atmosphere. Even Jellal's Sema looked like child's play compared to this.
"STINKY NERO, ARE YOU TRYING TO DESTROY THE ISLAND?!"
"Skill combo, Lolibaba!"
"Get over here! Makarov, help me channel magic—now!"
"Understood!" he said, placing his hand on her back.
I leapt behind her and began transferring my power.
Lolibaba raised her hands, summoning a glowing spell.
"Fairy Sphere!"
A radiant barrier surrounded the entire island with the Fairy Tail crest and wings glowing at its center.
The meteorite slammed into the satellite, and together they crashed into the sea—
BOOOOM!
A monstrous shockwave surged. The whole island shook violently as a massive tidal current slammed against the magical shield.
After several tense minutes, the sea calmed. Lolibaba lowered the Fairy Sphere.
"Haah… That was close," I muttered, wiping sweat from my brow.
"You ungrateful little brat!" she yelled, pinching my cheeks.
"OW! Lolibaba!"
"I told you to find a small meteorite!"
"I did! That was the smallest I could find!"
"At least look harder next time! You nearly wiped out Tenrou again!"
"I'm sorry, okay?!"
She released me and turned to Makarov.
"Third Master, I have a favor to ask."
"Yes?"
"Please take care of my stinky grandson for the time being."
"Wait—are you kicking me out?!" I protested.
"It's like you're passing the troublemaker torch to me…" Makarov muttered.
"No, Stinky Nero," she said, eyes sparkling, "I want you to travel around Fiore and collect new recipes for me. Then come back and cook them for me!"
"Ooh! Now that sounds fun!" I said, instantly excited. "I've always wanted to try the local dishes."
"Now go, Stinky Nero! Make me proud. Bring back good food!"
"You got it, Lolibaba!" I grinned.
"Oh, and drop by once or twice a month! I'll miss your cooking. And don't forget to bring me interesting books, too—it gets boring here!"
"Sure thing." I gave her a thumbs up.
She turned to Makarov. "Please take care of my grandson."
"I'll be in your care, Uncle!" I added with a bow.
...
"These two…" Makarov sighed.
(To be continued.)