Fairy Tail: The Divine Soul

A few days later, the Fairy Tail guild was buzzing with activity once again. Everyone was back, except for Ryuu, which intrigued some of the guild members. At the front of the guild, an intense battle was raging between Erza and Natsu. A duel that, unlike usual, didn't draw the enthusiastic crowd around Natsu. No one was betting on him this time.

"Erza is going to crush him, that's obvious," Gray murmured with a mischievous smile, watching Natsu launch another fiery attack.

"I'm betting on Erza. Natsu doesn't stand a chance," Lucy added, an amused look on her face. Even Happy didn't seem so optimistic for Natsu, sadly shaking his head.

Master Makarov, as enthusiastic as ever, acted as the referee with a broad smile, enjoying every moment of the fight. Natsu, in his usual style, threw a fiery punch at Erza, but she blocked it effortlessly with a simple swing of her sword, countering with a lightning-fast attack that sent Natsu flying backward.

Everyone watched the scene with smiles of anticipation, as if Erza's victory was already certain. But it was at this moment that the atmosphere suddenly changed.

A heavy noise was heard. A human frog, accompanied by several Magic Council guards, barged into the guild, abruptly interrupting the fight. All attention turned toward them.

"Erza Scarlet, you are under arrest for the destruction caused during your recent missions," the human frog announced in an authoritative voice.

A heavy silence fell over the guild as everyone turned their gaze to Erza. Natsu, still panting from his last blow, slowly sat up, confused. But before he could say a word, another unexpected event occurred.

"And you too, Ryuu," the human frog added, looking beyond the guards. A moment later, Ryuu appeared, walking casually behind the frog, a tired look in his eyes. He shook his head as if waking from a long sleep before quickly finding his characteristic smile.

"Well, looks like I missed something fun," he said, arms crossed, still sporting his childlike demeanor. "Hope I didn't interrupt a great show."

The guild members were a bit surprised to see him like this. Natsu, however, couldn't help but get angry. "What is this?! Why do you want to take Erza and Ryuu?!" he shouted, ready to intervene.

The human frog, with a serious expression, replied without hesitation, "We must take them to answer for their actions to the Magic Council. Erza Scarlet and Ryuu, you are summoned."

Ryuu then turned to Natsu with a mocking smile. "Don't worry, Natsu. I'm just passing through, it's fine. Good luck with your fight, though, but I think you've already lost, right?" he said, laughing lightly before turning to the guards.

Erza, still calm, observed the situation without opposing it. "I'll come with you," she said quietly. The guards then placed magical handcuffs around their wrists, and the escort began to leave.

Natsu felt powerless, but he turned to Erza and Ryuu. "Take care, both of you," he said, even though he wasn't sure what was going to happen.

Ryuu, for his part, gave them one last wave with a smile. "No worries, I'll be back before you even realize it," he said, before following the guards, leaving the guild behind.

In the prison cell, a heavy atmosphere hung as Ryuu, Erza, and Natsu were stuck together after being captured by the Magic Council. Erza, arms crossed, was clearly furious. She stood upright, looking at Natsu with a stern expression, ready to explode, while Ryuu, on the other hand, was quietly laughing.

"You couldn't just follow the rules, could you, Natsu?" Ryuu said with a mischievous smile. "All of this was just for the show. They just wanted to prove the Council still has control over everything. If you hadn't snuck in, they would've let you out today without this little scene."

Natsu, hands behind his head and a nervous grin, scratched the back of his head. "Ah, sorry... I thought I could help. Guess I was wrong, huh?"

Erza, eyes narrowed, kept a cold silence, but deep down, she knew the situation wasn't entirely Natsu's fault. They were both trapped, and even though she was angry at him, a part of her knew he hadn't done it on purpose.

"You got a bit carried away, Natsu," she said in an annoyed tone, but with a look that couldn't hide a slight relief that it wasn't worse.

They all sat in the cell, the situation growing calmer, although they were in such an uncomfortable place. Natsu, exhausted from everything that had happened, quickly fell asleep, snoring loudly. Ryuu, on the other hand, stayed sitting, his posture relaxed, a childlike smile on his face as if he didn't care about the situation.

Erza, still with her arms crossed, watched Ryuu for a moment. He seemed more distant, more tired than usual. The dim light of the cell only accentuated his apparent exhaustion, and a feeling of sadness washed over Erza. She turned to him, determined to ask him a question that had been nagging at her for some time.

"Ryuu, what's going on? You haven't been yourself for a while," she said softly, her voice calm but full of concern. "Something's wrong, isn't it?"

Ryuu, eyes fixed on the ground, smiled faintly, but that smile didn't mask the exhaustion weighing on him. "Don't worry, Erza, I'm fine," he replied in a slightly too cheerful tone, as if trying to hide something.

Erza wouldn't let him lie. She raised an eyebrow, still as determined as ever. "You're lying, Ryuu. And I hate it when you lie."

At these words, Ryuu froze. An almost imperceptible shiver ran through his body, and his smile slowly faded. His eyes, usually full of energy and carefree, dimmed slightly, and a shadow of sadness appeared on his face. He sighed, a long, tired sigh.

"You know," he began in a voice that was almost gentle, "since Lisanna died, I've become like this. It's hard to explain… but there are days when I can't even smile anymore."

Erza blinked, taken aback by Ryuu's confession. She hadn't expected such vulnerability from him. "Why did you say she wasn't dead?" she asked softly, her gaze more piercing. "You told me she wasn't dead... Why say it now?"

Ryuu leaned forward, his hands clasped in front of him as he got lost in his thoughts. "I... I wanted to give you all hope, Erza. I wanted to make you smile, make you believe there was still a chance. I thought it would help you. And it helped me too, for a while. But... I couldn't lie forever. The truth is, Lisanna... she's gone."

A shadow of pain crossed his eyes. Erza felt a pang in her heart as she listened to Ryuu speak like that. "But why go on missions if you couldn't forget?"

Ryuu slowly turned his gaze to her, fatigue weighing heavily on his features. "I left because I thought it would help me forget. I thought focusing on a mission would make the pain go away. But I couldn't. Every step, every moment reminded me that she was gone. It was like my magic was betraying me, like I was only half there, half lost."

Erza straightened up a little, compassion in her eyes. She understood the pain he was feeling, even if she couldn't fully grasp it. "You don't have to face everything alone, Ryuu. You can count on us, you know."

Ryuu, still marked by sadness, gave her a small smile, much softer than the ones he usually gave. "Thanks, Erza... but I didn't want to worry you all. I'm... still far from healed. But I'll be better. One day, I'll find a way to accept it."

As he finished speaking, Natsu woke up with a start, shaking his head. "Hey! You're still here? What's going on?"

Ryuu sat up and gave him a knowing look. "We're stuck here for the night, Natsu. We'll wait a little longer."

But deep inside, Ryuu knew this night was different. It wasn't just another mission or a simple trial. It was an important step in his inner journey. He wasn't carrying this burden alone anymore.

The conversation gradually died down, and a heavy silence settled between the three, each lost in their thoughts, as the night fell over the Magic Council's prison.