A Birthday Party for Molly

[Gildarts]

“That’s very possible. Remember Erza with the red hair? She’s in Fairy Tail too!” Gildarts said excitedly, “If you ever see anyone with the same tattoo as me, they’re from Fairy Tail.”

His guild was something he was proud of, it was written all over the wizard’s face as though in bold letters to match his bold features. Perhaps it was the only thing he could take pride in, given his past. Gildarts took the glass of water in his hands and sipped it.

“I sometimes miss it, it is as though the Omniverse pretends to be like my home, but there is a lot more adversity here. One time this woman, a secondary I think, took one look at me and screamed. While that isn’t entirely uncommon, given that some people know the things I am capable of, it was, well… Bothersome. Like she thought I killed people for sport or something, it was kind of shocking.” Gildarts explained how his past sometimes caught up with him, before changing the subject. “Is there anyone special in your past? People you met from your experience living with humans?”

[Guu]

Guu listened to Gildarts get nostalgic for his family. He was so warm and earnest about it, she couldn't help but give him a comforting smile in return.

When he pried about her family, she didn't even hesitate.

"Well, I mentioned Weda, my adoptive mother. She was an alchoholic, and was often times so noisy, but she obviously cared about me and Hare a lot." She began, still sporting that smile. "Hare was her son, the boy I found in the jungle i mentioned. I would constantly bully him with my reality warping powers, and we fought all the time. The odd thing about him though, even though he had every reason to hate me and abandon me, he still cared about me and worried about my well being. It confused me so much how he was like that, so I bullied him more in return. In the end, I guess that's why I followed behind him the most."

"Did you care about him in return?" Gild asked.

"I think I did. I mean, I saved his life whenever he was in danger, for what's that worth. I'm sure that came off as more like 'keeping the lab rat alive' in his though."

"Wow, was there really that much animosity between you two?"

"Yeah, I bet that mushy loaf of a kid misses me in some odd way, but he's most likely glad to be rid of me, too."

"Do you think Weda misses you, too?"

"No, I wiped everyone's memory of me before I left. Only Hare remembers."

"Why?"

"I don't know, I don't remember. I guess I was being angsty at the time."

[Gildarts]

“I think I know why,” Gildarts said to her with the tilt of his head and a knowing smile, “You didn’t want them to miss you, and you didn’t want Hare to forget you. That’s very sweet.”

Before Guu could protest, Mina popped back into blue, serving Guu, a empty blue plate, it was gleaming with light though. Yes, it was empty. And yes again, the female Prime had every intention of eating it.

The scent of grilled lemon mingled with that of the cooked slab of white fish and the bright green sticks that looked like bamboo. Then the brown rice on the side completed the meal. “Wow this looks great,” he said to his waitress who cooed back.

“Enjoy!”

“Often I go without eating for days while I’m on missions, so eating is always a treat for me,” that wasn’t the only thing though, Gildarts stomach had a scar across it, only a trace of it could be seen underneath the pale beige bandage that was wrapped around his ribs. “I guess you don’t have to eat given your origins? Do you sort of collect the things that you store?”

Like she had with the silverware, and other things he’d seen her eat over the time they’d spent together. Both were peculiar beings, Guu probably the most of the two, however, there was a welcoming, warm camaraderie that both of them shared in their heart of hearts. One that was hidden behind the surface of their both very different expressions, but one that held in the layers of the gaze they exchanged.

[Guu]

Guu looked at her blue plate, curious why Mina went ahead and brought her the original order instead of the one she was pressured into. Guess Mina felt bad for doing that earlier.

Not that she was complaining.

"I could eat, I have a separate stomach for food, it just would be pointless. Also, I don't particularly enjoy the... nasty side effects of eating."

"Nasty side effects?" Asked Gildarts.

"Yeah, how it... goes through you and stuff and... in retrospect this is not really date conversation material... I also don't need to sleep, though it feels good so I still do it."

"Could you store an unlimited ammount of things in there?"

"Kind of. Can't store living things anymore."

Gildarts didn't consider the implications of her statement as he started to cut apart his fish and fork a big ol' chunk for his maw. Guu watched him intently.

"I can sense things, as in I could feel things with my mind." She began, Gildarts looking up as he started to chew his food. "Usually to me, eating is all about the science. I can feel the chemicals releasing in your brain telling you it is good, I could feel how full or empty your stomach is. When I pick it up in my senses, it's a biological creature fullfill an essential need. And yet, humans attach so much of their culture, mindsets, their worlds to a meal. There's a reason dinner is the first thing that came to mind for us as the typical date scenario.

"It's like I said, humans find amazing ways to complicate simple things." She said, watching him eat with a smile.

[Gildarts]

Gildarts nodded and swallowed his bite of tender lemony perfection. His eyes looked at her earnestly, “Would you say this is… Complicated?”

“Not so much anymore,” Guu concluded with a growing smile.

Blinking, Gildarts scraped some rice into his fork and nodded to himself, “Alright,” he agreed and continued to eat a large stick of asparagus. The vegetable poked through his skin and created a lump in his scruffy facial hair as he chomped it with his sharp jaw…

Soon enough, his plate was empty and more words had spoken and been etched into his memory. His stomach was mostly full and he took a moment to snap a picture of Guu in her dazzling adult form with his mind.

Her hair was long and beautiful as it ran past her shoulders and past her hips. Her crimson eyes matched her dress and she had a graceful womanly charm to her, one that he hadn’t identified in her child-form. But nothing had changed, and her voice still had that Guu tone to it. He smiled as he thought about it and realized they’d been sitting there well past the completion of their meal. He smiled to her, content with the good company, and good memories being made.

[Guu]

Guu told him tales of her time in the Omniverse, considering zaniness tended to follow her everywhere she went, she always had a crazy story to tell that left the red-headed mage in stitches. She felt warm inside, something she hadn't felt in a long time. While she would always consider Desco her bestie, and she would consider the Ambrosians as her family, it was unexpected she would even need the attention of this sort. Just someone to relate to, someone to talk to about her problems and her life. It wasn't something she was used to having, it wasn't something she was used to needing.

The funny thing, online she would often see Gildarts on "Hottest Guys in the Omniverse" lists. She always figured the girls who voted for him were teenagers that wanted to "fix" the dangerous criminal with their love, and the more she transversed the dataverse, the more this felt like the truth. But after connecting with him she started to notice his studded cheek, his muscle bound bod, his debinair look. He wasn't just the dork she wrote him off as, he was a dork that had some charisma to him. She admittedly went into this date for Molly, but she was beginning to see the appeal.

After paying for their meal, Gildarts offered to walk her back to the palace. They continued their chat on the way there.

"...He he had so much insense burning, it filled the entire quartyard with smoke! I swear, that's not an exaggeration. I bet that place is still smothered!"

The pair shared a laugh for Guu's anecdote.

"How much incense would you need to fill up an outdoors location like that?"

"I don't know! I may never know!"

The two laughed. As their chuckles slowed, they come across the front gates of the palace. Guu stopped in her tracks and turned to face the mage.

"Well, I'm glad we did this. I think I needed this. Thank you for showing me a good time, it's been a blast!" She said, her smile a mile wide.

"It was no problem, you're very good company!" He said back cheerfully.

"I've got a few things I need to do this evening, so I fear this is where we must part. Molly will be opening her presents soon, so you should head over there."

"You're not going to be there?" Asked Gildarts.

"I already gave her my gift, silly!" She said, poking his nose with the tip of her finger. "And I already sensed through the presents. I already know what they all are."

"Well, if you insist. I bid you good night, Guu." He said politely with a bow

She chuckled at this unusually polite posture.

"We should do this again sometime." She said with a smile.

"That we should!" Said gil with a dorky little smile as he rubbed the back of his head.

Suddenly, Guu moved in and gave him a little peck on the cheek much to his surprise. She took a few steps towards the palace and turned around, giving him one last smile.

"See ya later, Gildarts!"

[Gildarts]

Written all across Gildarts’ face was a wonderful warm blush. It had been a while since he’d felt safe enough to share affection with a woman, and now, the moment was fleeting, Guu had vanished and gone away to do princess things, but that didn’t make it any less special. Night had fallen, the party still lingered on, and Molly was sitting on a party-throne, overlooking her disciples and looking at the mound of presents. Gildarts walked among the fray.

Dating a Goddess, Gildarts? You dog! The malefactor sneered and teased as the heat of her lips lingered on his skin.

Leave it, witch, he warned her.

Fine, I guess we’ll move on to the child you abandoned here, your memories don’t lie, you know. she added with an evil twist in her voice.

Hmph, there is safety here and people who are welcoming and friendly. Things that make a childhood, rather than those that break one. Gildarts riposted.

Wouldn’t you know it, Gildarts? You’re the real orphan here. she cackled cruelly.

Indeed I am, and it makes me no less of a man, temptress. You’ll find that while your words will sear when they land, they have no effect on my physical body. Meaning you’re less than nothing not just to me, but to all those who you see through my eyes. Gildarts got dirty.

How DARE you?! Hell hath no fury in this case, he’d pissed her off, which was what she had attempted to do but had been unsuccessful. She began scheming behind the scenes...

In the real world, beyond the tombs of the prime’s mind, Molly stood with a smile as she whispered into Pinkie Pie’s ear and the pink pony looked surprised but nodded in agreement. It seemed Molly was going to be generous, and the best gifts were not those that were received, but given. The little girl smiled as she looked at Gildarts and the present-opening ceremony commenced.

Wrapping paper hit the floor, but the crowd and onlookers soon realized that some of the gifts were being distributed to some of the kids in the crowd too. Molly’s generosity was shining through, she had accepted only a fraction of the gifts for herself, then, assuming most were toys, wanted to share them with the other kids. There was no way she could possibly play with all of them at once, and it was more exciting for her to see her friends in the crowd (mostly humanoid, some puppies, some other species or hybrids) jump up and down when they opened cool toys or inventive presents created by the townspeople. Even Piqui got a toy, it was mouse-themed for the kitten-like Ambrosian.

Molly had saved the best for last, Gildarts’ gift lay in hand. She smiled as she undid the purple ribbon and carefully unfurled the indigo paper from the box. With one open eye, she peered in and saw a piece of fabric. Intrigued, the girl lifted it out and stood up.

It was a cape just like his, a little ruffled around the edges and it also had a collar that added a mysterious allure to the wearer. Just like Gildarts’ though purple and meant for her height. It was the perfect size. Now, they were matching, and Molly was immediately a hero. She tied the cape over her shoulder and jumped up on her chair, zooming around as though she could fly or had superpowers.

Next she zoomed her way over to Gildarts, landing a big ol’ hug into the prime’s solid arms. “Now I can be just like you!” she muffled through the curtains of his own cape.

“You already are,” he affirmed to the little hero and ruffled her pigtailed hair affectionately. “And so much more.”

[Guu]

As the party died down later in the evening and some of the people started to go home, Sylvia and Pinkie Pie watched the crowd part.

"That was quite the success!" Stated Sylvia, shooting her party planning partner a smile.

"Yep yep yep!" She said, gleefully. "I love seeing those good vibes spread!"

The gothic second in command chuckled, she still thought the pink pony was a little weird, but she was starting to warm up to her positive attitude.

"One thing I don't get," started Sylvia, giving her clipboard one more look over, "why did Guu decide to move up Molly's birthday party to today? Do you think she fears Gildarts might leave again soon?"

Pinkie pie laughed at her statement, which the punk girl responded with a scowl, thinking she was being mocked.

"I"m sure that's part of it, but that's hardly the main reason!" She said, bouncing up and down.

"Then what?" She asked.

"Everyone was all happy and cheerful from Princess Guu's return. She wanted to send that postive energy Molly's way, so she moved it up! Would we have had such an epic party if we didn't have Guu's return to light the flames?"

Sylvia thought about it, it made sense. What she thought was just another random act of her princess, was all in Molly's best interests all along. The thought made her smile, despite everything, Guu was still an emotional little goober.

"Come on, Pinkie," She said, grinning at her pink friend, "let's check on the clean-up crews."

The pair walked side-by-side as the last bit of sunlight disappeared form the horizon and officially turned into night.



Guu was back in her child form, patrolling the halls of the palace. While she had warmed up to the company of others, she still needed time alone to process, to gain a good head. She thought about Molly, then she thought about Gildarts, she thought about the date. This was easily one of the best days of her life, and all the more reason to process it.

However, he foot bumped into something in the hall, something she failed to notice in her train of thought. She peered down to see a present on the ground, "for Guu, from Gildarts."

She had forgotten that Gil had gotten her present, too. That was a million years ago this morning so she couldn't be blamed for forgetting that detail. She immediately got down on her knees and ripped open the rapping paper, pulling off the lid to the box underneath.

It was a cape, just like Gildarts', but pink.

She looked at it for a moment, holding it in the stubs of her arms. In one motion, without thinking, she pulled it close to her and hugged it, nuzzling her face against the fabric.

Standing up, she slipped on the cape, tying it around her neck. Her face scarlet, she went back to her patrolling.

[Gildarts]

It all started with a future told...

[spoiler]
The fortune-teller had spent all day and it had bled into the dark of night. It was tiring, and her desperation didn't make things any easier. Cassandra had been by her side, smelling around for him. But they were always one step behind the strongest Prime.

Cana had chased him down, thinking she'd see him at the blowing out the candles, but it wasn't so. Either Gildarts had eaten his slice in one bite, or he hadn't even shown up. There had been a huge mass of people, some of the creatures tall enough to hide the man from her gaze. Now, Cana felt pathetic and helpless. She'd gone back to the diner Cassandra had spotted him at this morning but when she'd asked the pink waitress she oinked back, "Hey! Get your own man! He was on a date earlier tonight and doesn't need another woman's intrusion to distract him from his soulmate!"

Yes, Mina shipped Gildarts X Guu. And their date had gone on well enough. Which had left Cana wondering just how she'd missed him at every turn. "But he was there Cassandra, that has to mean something!"

"Just how long do you think he'll stay if the festivities are over now? You told me his nature. It is best to beat him to the punch and go where he's about to go. Your powers will help you find out where that is, since we've been here we've come up dry, we're facing a ghost and it's been an entire twenty-four hours. You've been awake a long time. You need to sleep and be on your A-game. That's how we will find him, not wandering this town aimlessly with all their huge little buildings and hoards of people swamping the streets." Cassandra advised.

"Ugh I guess you're right, the sun's already halfway in the sky and the party has long been over," Cana said realizing her own fatigue. "I'll consult the cards and then catch a nap."

The secondary chose the closest park bench and planted herself on it on the other side of the bench she got an unexpected visitor. Cassandra stayed in the shade of a tree. The park was completely clean despite yesterday's antics and festivities and the vampire liked the cool weather. She dreamed of finding what she alone was looking for after Cana achieved her goal of finding the elusive prime she was related to.

Cana pulled out her deck and began to shuffle with her eyes closed. When she opened them and completed her shuffle, there was a little girl sitting across from her, she had a vaguely familiar purple shawl on.

"Hi there," Cana said politely.

"Hi! Whatcha doin'?" The secondary asked.

Cana the fortune teller was channeling the power through the cards as she had done as a child to determine when her father would be home from a job. "Telling the future," Cana said delightfully and mysteriously, like Gildarts, she loved children. And even more, loved it when they smiled.

"Whoa, really?" Molly said, mystified with awe.

"Really. Here I'll show you." She laid out the cards in a standard western layout. One card in the center, four on each rectangular side.

"This card signifies the past." She flipped the one on the left over and revealed the card of the forbidden, "It means you are chasing the unattainable," the picture on the card showed a hand, moving toward a shimmering pink gem but never quite able to reach it.

Molly blinked and waited for more of the story to unfold. Cana began next with the "present" and center card. It showed, "This one is the present, it reads I am currently in pursuit of my goal," upon it showed a horse racing toward a finish line, and an unfaced someone riding on top of it.

"The one to the right of it is the future." She flipped over the card and smiled, the card showed a fairy found into the uncharted territory of an Abyss. "A Fairy Tail mage will be at the Abyss, Cassandra, what's that?" Cana turned over and found Cassandra was out of sight.

Molly however answered, "Dante's Abyss? It's a place for primes to participate in games, it's like a tournament, it's public too, so anyone can join."

This information meant everything to the fortune teller. That's where she'd go next, and she'd see Gildarts there! Her excitement was bounding but she had to finish her reading.

"Now back to the card on the bottom of the present, center card," the brunette explained to the child, "Is the reason for the question I'm asking. The reason for the adventure taking flight." She turned the card over and smiled, "That's very accurate, this is the card of truth," the card's image showed a golden light coming out of a book.

"Lastly, the card above the center card is the potential outcome, drumroll please!" She said with avid anticipation as she flipped it over, closing her eyes and then opening them to see the card. "It says that it will likely be successful. It is the card of victory," and upon it is the image of one side raising a white flag in battle while another raises theirs in great conquest.

"What good news!" Cana said.

Molly smiled, "Wow you're amazing! I'm gonna go tell Guu!"

And so the child ran off, while Cana ventured forth, to find Cassandra so the secondary could lead them to this "Dante's Abyss."

"Guu !!!" Molly pounced while the princess was in the middle of some very important affairs. "I just saw something really cool! There's gonna be a Fairy Tail mage at Dante's Abyss!"

"Oh?" Guu was perplexed and Gildarts walked in to overhear it. His heart leapt with anticipation.

"A fortune teller told me! She was so cool!" Molly explained.

"Dante's Abyss... The one that I died in?" Gildarts frowned, immediately feeling protective of whoever was thinking about joining. "I have to find them and help somehow..."

"Well it will be a little different than last year, the host assured," Molly explained.

Guu saw Gildarts stern expression take over his face before he better composed himself and suggested, "You should go and find them..."

Molly frowned at this, but the little girl had a sense it was true. "You're gonna go.. Gildarts?"

The Prime nodded and knelt down on his silver knee, he extended his hand out to her shoulder. "You're old enough now to know that I have my reasons for having to go, and you know you have yours for having to stay. Come on now, give me a smile and promise you'll be good until I come back, alright?"

The little girl put on a brave Gildarts-inspired face and they hugged. "Besides you're a hero now," he tugged her cape with a smile and Piqui the kitten ushered them out of the room.

Ahahaha I remember I found one of my previous hosts at this event, how peachy that we'll be going again Gildarts, I can swap you out for someone who will better have use my services.

"Oh no, missy, you'll be put in storage. Come on Gil, lemme show you. That way you can go without worrying about miss feisty in there getting free and running rampant." Guu said and tugged his steel hand. She was much shorter now, but he liked knowing and having seen how tall and beautiful of a woman she had become with a decade or so in the future. Yes, Guu was one of a kind. 

"You mean it can be taken out?" Gildarts said astounded as Guu lead them to a secret location hidden in Ambrosia. Though this news shouldn't have been much of a surprise since he'd taken it from Whompt in a similar sense.

I am a she, thank you very much Mal corrected as their footsteps carried them to a new place, and her new prison.

[/spoiler]

[Guu]

She pulled the mage along, through the quartyard, into the palace and down a flight of stairs. They had to pass through the palace prison which was currently full of vacant jail cells.

"I haven't had to use this place since they re-opened the prison." She said, informing him who was looking around for the inmates.

My, such a benevolent ruler has such use for imprisonment. What else could she be-

"Shut up!" Cried the princess.

She walked over to a set of bars with a strange machine off to the side. Guu stuck her head entirely into the device.

"User 'Guu' recognized. Access authorized. Opening door." Said a synthesized voice as the bar door flung inward, revealing a set of stairs.

She pulled him along down another flight of stairs, spiralling deeper and deeper into the earth until they were face to face with a gigantic vault.

"Woah!" Called out Gildarts. "Did you just get that put in?"

"Actually, apparently you did." She said, pointing out the Fairy Tail symbol on the giant metal door. "You must have did it in your sleep."

"That could happen?" Asked Gildarts, stunned.

Guu reached over and twisted the giant nob in the center of the door, allowing it glide open.

Inside were a number of shelves, a good number of drawers that look like safety deposit boxes. But the most noticiable item in the room, was a strange device that was a pair of arcs.

"Occording to this owner's manuel your subconcious created," she began, flipping through a small pamphlet, "just stick your hand in that."

"Like this?" said Gildarts, stepping forward and thrusting his arm into the device.

Suddenly, the two arcs began to glow, and a voice inside Gildart's head began to yell.

Wait, stop! Gildarts, take your arm out of that device! I order you! Stop this!

The mage could see a green slime, oozing down his shoulder, sliding across the sleeves of his coat.

You are nothing without me! Don't you dare abandon me in here. Don't you-

The green slime detached from his arm and started to float in the air in the middle of the two arcs. Gildarts pulled away, almost in disbelief of the sheer silence in the room right now. He couldn't even feel her precense anymore.

Deciding to take that step forward, he, with Guu following behind, moved out of the vault, and personally shut the door behind him.

"Wow, it's been so long since I've had my mind to myself. It's so..."

He was taken aback, Guu was her adult self again. She suddenly leapt forward and gave him a big hug.

"She'll be safe here, I promise." She whispered in his ear. "Please, take care of yourself out there, and remember that you always have a home in Ambrosia."

"Okay, I will!" Gildarts said, a little shocked.

Guu pulled away, giving him a slight peck on the cheek on the way.

"Good luck at DA, go find your family!" She said, beaming.



As Gildarts left Ambrosia a small crowd arrived to see him off. He waved good bye as a he traveled onward to the Nexus gate, where his next big adventure awaits!