Dawn of Arcadia Chapter 65 - Fairy Tail/Tales Of
,Story cover/Artwork drawn by Iceiclesified/Iceikory Check out her websites, www.facebook.com/iceiclesified/ , twitter.com/iceiclesified and www.instagram.com/iceikory/?hl=en ----Darren, his mother and three other men step out of the office together after a meeting that lasted for nearly an hour. As Darren and his mother stand outside the main door to their office, one of the men turn around and extends his hand to the manager."Thank you so much for the presentation, Mr. Leong." The middle-aged man said to Darren with a broad smile."And thank you so much for your interest in doing business with us, Mr. Hartono." Darren said as he shakes his hand."We will be in touch." Mr. Hartono said. With that, he and two of his associates turn around and walk over to their car. As they stood there, Darren and his mother watch another one of his associates opening the car door for Mr. Hartono. After the middle-aged man sits comfortably in the back of the car, the associate closes the door for him before he and the others hastily get in and drive off. When their latest business clients are out of their sights, Darren and his mother turn and squeal as they pull themselves into a warm embrace."What a great way to start the year of the Dragon, isn't it?" Darren said excitedly."Indeed! First Malaysia, then Brunei, then the Philippines, and now we are expanding our business into Indonesia as well!" His mother said eagerly."We've taken our business to the next level once again." Darren said as he and his mother break away from their hug."Your father would be so proud of you." His mother smiled at him with her eyes softened."Yeah…he would." Darren uttered.Two years and three months have passed since Darren returned safely from Earth Land to Singapore. Shortly after his return, he made his way back to his apartment where he finds his mother crying in front of his father's shrine on the wall. He could vividly remember the shocked expression on his mother's face after he called out to her that night.While hugging and crying onto his shoulder for nearly ten minutes, his mother revealed to him that shortly after he disappeared, or in reality, abruptly transported to the town of Underwood in Earth Land, she tried to call him, but quickly realized that he had left his phone in his room. She quickly called the police soon after and begged them to find him no matter what, for he is the only family that she had left after her husband's death. Almost every night for the next three months, his mother would cry over his disappearance, usually lamenting that he may have run away because she has failed as a mother. She would also call the police every week to get the latest update in their search for him, but always told that there was no progress. Even still, she holds a tiny bit of hope in her heart, believing that one day, her son would be found. Darren cried as well after hearing his mother's explanation and apologized for making her worried sick for the last three months. Although he could not tell her exactly what happened to him during those three months as no one would ever believe that he got transported to a fantasy world filled with magicians and flying cats, he did tell her that during that time, he had gone through a lot of self-reflection and vowed to her that he will become a better person moving forward.For the next seven days, Darren looked up the Internet to learn that Alicia, Shinji, Shouto, Momo, Brenda, Amelia, Mei Li, Sami, and many others have also safely return to their homes and countries. Stories of hundreds of missing people around the world mysteriously showing up and reuniting with their families all on the same week circled everywhere on the Internet, leading to several newspapers and websites questioning this phenomenon. Although their names and identities were hidden in the articles he found online, Darren knew exactly who they are by looking at their hometowns. The only one who did not remain anonymous though is Shouto, whom Darren was surprised to learn that he is the son of a member of the National Diet of Japan. He was also amused by the photo in the article he found of him looking annoyed while his politician father weeps uncontrollably as he hugs his beloved son. His mother, brother and sister look equally overjoyed by his return while standing in the background.Seven months later, Darren finally mustered the courage to take the advice of Natsu and Lucy in trying to reconcile with Wahid. He was able to track him down on social media and sent him a personal message, apologizing to him again for what happened back then and wish they can be friends again. To his surprise, Wahid responded to his message the following day, and they met each other again for the first time in seven years over a meal. They were able to converse for more than an hour, and it simply warms Darren's heart that they can chat and enjoy each other's company again. They kept in touch with each other afterwards and their relationship grew warmer with every conversation ever since.Darren also became more focused in running his family's business during the last two years and three months. Thanks to the times he had spent with Alicia, Sheena, Team Natsu and Brave Vesperia, Darren finally emerged from his life as a social outcast that followed him for the last six years, and it only got better since his reconciliation with Wahid. He took over his mother as the new manager of the company within a year, and under his leadership, he has helped continue his father's legacy and expanded their business outside the country."Darren, are you okay?" His mother asked."Huh…what?" Darren replied, realizing that he has been staring into space with a smile on his face.His mother chuckled and said while adjusting his tie, "Come on now. Stop dozing off and get in your car. You had your appointment with Wahid, don't you?""Oh yes!" Darren said anxiously as he straightens his black suit. "Look after the office while I'm gone!""Sure thing." His mother said. Darren plants a quick kiss on her cheek before he hastily runs over to his car parked at the other side of the road. He quickly gets into his car, puts on his seat belt, and waves his hand goodbye to her. His mother smiles and waves her hand back as she watches her son drives his way out of the industrial building.----Later, Wahid, dressed in a dark grey suit, looks down at his watch with his eyes narrowed as he waited outside Lau Pa Sat hawker center. He and Darren agreed to meet each other over lunch yesterday, but his friend still has not shown up. Just as he lowers his arm, he could hear Darren calling out to him."Wahid!"Wahid turns to his right and sees Darren running over to him. When he stops in front of him, Darren takes a moment to lower his head and catch his breath."It's about time you show up." Wahid said flatly as he folds his arms."Sorry Wahid. Am I late?" Darren asked wearily as he looks up at him.Wahid stays silent as he continues glaring at Darren, causing him to worry. But just as his face begins to turn pale, Wahid suddenly burst into hysterical laughter."Nope! Not at all!" Wahid whooped. Darren frowns at his friend as Wahid continues laughing and gives him a pat on the shoulder. "Seriously, you should have seen the look on your face.""Haha, I forgot to laugh." Darren replied sarcastically as the two friends walk into the hawker center together.They soon order their food and found a table located at the center of the dining area. For the next hour, they ate their meals and converse with each other by sharing what had recently happened to them this week. Wahid congratulates Darren after telling him that he successfully expanded his family business into Indonesia. Darren also congratulates Wahid for his recent engagement to his fiancée. They eventually finished eating their food and leave the hawker center together through where they originally entered. After stepping out of the building, Darren and Wahid shake hands with each other."Goodbye, Darren." Wahid said with a warm smile."See you around, Wahid." Darren replied as he smiled back at him."Good luck with your family business." Wahid said."Thanks. And don't forget to send me an invitation after you and your fiancée have set up a date for your marriage." Darren said."Of course I won't." Wahid winks an eye at him before he turns and waves goodbye. "So long!""Bye!" Darren said, waving his hand back at him. He briefly watches his friend leave before he turns around and makes his way back to his car.After walking a block away from the hawker center, Darren finds himself walking alongside an office building. He stops in his tracks when he heard laughter coming from the overhead bridge built near the office. Darren slightly turns to his left and sees a group of five young employees conversing with each other as they slowly walk down the stairs together. He continued watching them from a distance as they make a turn and walk towards the glass doors."So, I'll see you later tonight on Gun Gale Online?" One businessman asked one of his co-workers."You bet. Meet me at Kessel Avenue by 8 pm." He responded to him. "Teach me how to master the S-Ravage shotgun, alright?""I sure will." The businessman smiled at him while holding hands with the woman beside him."Oh, you boys and your crazy sci-fi weapon fantasies." The woman teased, causing the other four employees to laugh as they enter their office.Darren lowers his head and sighs inwardly as their light-hearted conversation greatly reminded him of his travels with Alicia, Sheena, Team Natsu and Brave Vesperia. He lifts his head back up about a minute later and resumes his journey back to his car.----Later that night, while his mother head to the kitchen to prepare dinner, Darren goes straight into his bedroom. After closing the door behind him, he gently places his suitcase down on the floor. He removes his tie and suit and places them neatly on his chair in front of his work desk beside him. He walks over to his bed, turns around, sits on it, and stares down at the plywood floor.Things were not all bright after Darren's return to Earth. After reuniting with his mother, Darren headed into his room and dug out the paper Alicia gave him the night before, which contains her e-mail address and the links to her social media pages. He managed to track them down on his computer and the first thing he did right away was to send her a personal message, asking her if she had arrived home safely. To his delight and relief, Alicia replied to him a few minutes later, telling him that she is back home with her parents. But their conversation was brief as Alicia told him afterwards that while it is great that they can keep in touch, it will take some time for her parents to accept the truth that she is in love with someone from another country and had no idea who he is at all. So, Alicia strongly urged him that until she finished university and convinced her parents to let her create her own path in life, it is best that they remain silent and do not communicate with each other. Darren felt disappointed at first. But knowing that her current situation with her parents was understandable, he reluctantly agreed. Alicia thanked him and promised that no matter how long it takes, they will see each other again in the future. Two years and three months later, that was still the last time they had ever spoken to each other.Knowing that his life must go on, Darren decides to focus on his family business and fulfill Wataru's dying wish in the meantime. He spent one night reading through his notebook, and knowing that Yukino, Aizawa and his family would not believe him that they were transported to a magical world, and Wataru was a victim of mind control, Darren came up with a different story that still parallels and stays faithful to the events that happened between them. He made two copies of his notebook with a photocopier in his office and contacted Momo through social media to help create a prison guard's badge and credentials for him with her magic. He received them from her two weeks later.Once he was fully prepared, he booked a flight to Tokyo on the third week of January. Thanks to the information Lenalee gave him on the night before their return to Earth, Darren found the home addresses of Yukari Yukino and Shouko Aizawa.Darren can remember how their meetings went. He explained to the both of them that he was a prison guard who transferred from Singapore to Tokyo in September 2021, and he proved to them that he was thanks to the badge and credentials Momo created for him. By the time he first met Wataru, his mental health had already deteriorated, and he began fantasizing that the prison they are in is a fantasy world and dungeon which includes humans with fire-breathing abilities and animal-like features. He would usually get into fights with him and other prisoners because of his unstable condition which he had no idea what caused it at the time. One day, Wataru was placed in solitary confinement after killing a fellow prisoner and tearing off his ear for believing he is an anthropomorphic rat. While Wataru was kept there, Darren and his friends eventually discover on their own that Wataru had been a victim of abuse and torment from some prison guards. They hope they can gather enough evidence to prove that Wataru's murder and violent behavior was the cause of torture and mental illness, and it would spare him from a possible death sentence. Unfortunately, it was too late for them as Wataru manages to escape solitary confinement and try to attack him and his friends once more. Darren had no choice to put him down in self-defense. During his final moments, Wataru apologized to Darren and confessed that he only wanted to find worthiness and inner peace in his life after being rejected his family, but because he could never depart from the path of anger and self-hatred, it ultimately led to his further downfall and eventual death. His death had a silver lining however as thanks to the evidence Darren and his friends have gathered, the investigators arrest the prison guards whom abused and tormented Wataru, as well as the warden who allowed this to happen, and they were all sentenced to life imprisonment. Darren later quits his job two days later but continue staying in Tokyo for nearly three months before deciding to return to Singapore, but not before paying a visit to Yukari, Aizawa and Wataru's family and explain to them what happened to him in prison.Yukari and Aizawa accepted his story before Darren hands each of them a copy of Wataru's notebook. He could remember their reactions and responses well. For Yukari, she thanked Darren for telling her the story and giving her a copy of his notebook, saying that while she will never forget that Wataru is responsible for her firing from Shinjuku High School back in 2014, she will also remember him for paving the path for her in regaining her strength and self-confidence, as well as finding new happiness and the man she loved.For Aizawa who has since been living with her boyfriend and became a silver medal winning Paralympian, she immediately breaks down in tears after receiving a copy of Wataru's notebook from him. Her boyfriend sat beside her to comfort her. Aizawa said that she will never forget what Wataru did to her body which eventually caused the loss of her foot, but she thanked Darren for delivering closure to her tragic past.After successfully delivering his story and Wataru's journal to them, Darren finally pays a visit to the Yoshimura family. Aizawa provided him their home address and he made his way there. Initially, upon arriving at their household and telling them he worked in the same prison Wataru was in, his parents refused to invite him in, saying that they have disowned Wataru as their son years ago. But one person inside the apartment insisted his parents in letting him in. It was Yuya, the younger brother of Wataru.As Darren and the Yoshimuras gathered in the living room, he proceeds to tell them the same story he gave to Yukari and Aizawa, as well as adding that Wataru wanted nothing more but to see his family one last time before his death. The family was silent at first until Yuya breaks down in tears. He confessed to Darren that even though Wataru was a criminal, he had never forgotten and disowned his older brother. He had thoughts of paying him a visit from time to time, but his parents urged him not to and focus on his studies instead. But Yuya still desire to know how Wataru is doing in prison for the last four years and four months, and it breaks his heart to finally learn from Darren that he has been suffering both physically and emotionally. As Darren hands the genuine version of Wataru's notebook to Yuya, his parents began crying as well, and the Yoshimuras later thank him for bringing him home.Darren lets out a heavy sigh. He had always dreamed of visiting Tokyo, but not like this. A day after his visits to Yukari, Aizawa and the Yoshimuras, he returned home to Singapore and focus on running the family business along with his mother. But although his life has become busier, there was never a day he did not think about Alicia. She should have gotten her associate degree back in the middle of November last year, yet she still did not contact him about her current situation, which caused him to worry that she is having trouble confronting her parents to let her live her life independently.But at least Alicia is still living in the same world as him. What about Sheena, Team Natsu and everyone else they have befriended back in Earth Land? He misses them dearly too and wonders what they are currently doing since the end of the war. How is Brave Vesperia doing right now, and is Karol still their leader? How is Sheena managing as the summoner of Mizuho? Is she still doing fine forming a pact with Volt every year? How is everyone in Team Natsu and Fairy Tail doing? Are they still the number 1 guild in Fiore? Did Allelujah, Marie and all other refugees who were displaced during the war manage to return to their hometowns? How is the relationship between the humans and demihumans now? Has Fiore fully recovered since the end of the war?There are so many questions regarding his friends and the current state of Earth Land that Darren wish he knew the answers to. But he will probably never know. There is simply no way to return to Earth Land and see them again. And sadly, as Lucas said back then, that is the way it is supposed to be.Darren looks up and sees his scabbard hanging above his computer and work desk by a display stand he drilled onto the wall. For a time, that katana served as his tool for protection and self-defense. However, with the war over, it only now serves as a reminder that everything Darren, Alicia and a minuscule percentage of Earth's inhabitants had experienced in Earth Land was real. From time to time, Darren would carefully withdraw his katana from its scabbard to polish it, but never again use it for battle. And as he polishes it, he would always recollect the memories of the fights he participated, and the wonderful times he spent with his friends back in Earth Land. Although his time there had its ups and downs, he would gladly relive it all over again if he were given the chance.As Darren continues gazing at his scabbard with a pensive frown, he can recall what some of his friends said to him and Alicia on the day they return home.'Don't ever forget about us as long as you live.'Darren slowly gets up from his bed and walks over to his work desk.'You two are some of the strongest people I've ever known. Never forget that.'He soon finds himself standing in front of his desk and continues staring solemnly at his scabbard.'Let this sword serve as a memento…that you are never alone.'Darren slowly reaches out his hand and gently places it on top of his scabbard.'True friendship never dies.'As he closes his eyes and sighs inwardly, Darren slides his hand across the scabbard as one last quote came into his mind.'Keep living out your life with all your might.'When Darren opens his eyes, his expression of sorrow now became one of newfound determination. It was as if whatever doubts he had before vanished in an instant. Although they will never see each other again, Darren vows to keep them in his memories for the rest of his life. And as long as he never forgets the journey he had with them, he will always remember what a strong and capable person he truly is. Team Natsu, Brave Vesperia and Sheena helped him become the man he is today, and no matter how far they are from each other now, he will not let them down.He also continues to have faith in Alicia too. She lived through the same experience as him after all, so he of all people should know that she is as strong and capable as him. With the strength and wisdom she gained from their journey, there is no way she will disappoint him and the others as well. And no matter how much longer he will have to wait, Darren believes that one day, she will return to him. After removing his hand from his scabbard, Darren turns to his right and walks over to his bedroom window to watch the sunset."Alicia, I promise you…" Darren whispered. He continues staring at the beautiful sight in the sky until he heard a creak coming from the door."Darren? Dinner is ready." His mother said to him while standing outside his room. Darren turns around and gives her a wide smile as he replied,"Coming."----Six weeks and a day later, Darren and his mother welcomed a group of clients who recently flew straight from Kota Bharu to Singapore into their office. They escort the clients into a small but still sizeable meeting room where two of their employees are waiting for them. One of them being a young woman in her early 20s and has blue eyes and long black hair that goes down to her shoulders. After the two employees greet and shake hands with the clients, both groups of four sit down at opposite sides of a wide rectangular-shaped table and face each other. The meeting was rather uneventful for the first thirty minutes."These are very interesting products your company has to offer, Mr. and Mrs. Leong. But can you elaborate how much different and better your products are compared to others currently in Kelantan markets?" The leader of the clients inquired."Well, sir. Our-" Darren was soon interrupted when his smartphone chimed. His mother narrows her eyes at him in annoyance as he chuckled sheepishly. "So sorry."As everyone in the meeting room stare at him, Darren hastily takes out his phone from his pocket. But before he was about to switch his phone to silent mode, Darren widens his eyes and drops his jaw upon seeing the message displayed on its screen.'Care to meet me at the airport?'Darren jolts up from his chair, much to the bewilderment of everyone in the meeting room."Darren?" His mother asked dumbfounded."My apologies, gentlemen. You will have to excuse me." Darren said to the clients as he puts his phone back into his pocket."W-What?" The leader of the clients said in confusion as Darren turns and leans down to the black-haired woman."Rikka, can you take over the meeting for me?" Darren whispered into her ear."What? Are you serious?" Rikka replied softly and incredulously."Hey, don't worry. You got this." Darren said reassuringly to Rikka. He winks an eye at her before he turns around and walks out of the meeting room. After the door closed behind him, his mother and Rikka turn back to the clients who are still trying to comprehend what just happened. Rikka chuckled and smiled warmly at the clients before placing her arms on the desk and clasps her hands together."So sorry about that. But regarding your question…"----Darren rushes out of the office and into his car immediately after leaving the meeting room. He berates himself for leaving the meeting halfway and he would have to apologize and explain to his mother afterwards, but this is something that he must urgently attend to. After putting on the seat belt, Darren takes out his phone again and replies to the message.'Which belt are you in?'He receives a response a minute later.'Belt 8. See you soon.'Darren puts his phone back into his pocket and places his hands on the steering wheel. He drives his car out of the industrial building and makes his way to Changi Airport. When he arrived at his destination thirty minutes later, Darren drives his car into the carpark of Jewel, the airport's signature shopping mall. He hurriedly drives through every floor of the carpark until he manages to find a vacant parking space near the elevators to the mall, much to his relief. After parking his car into the empty space, Darren quickly gets out, enters an elevator, and makes his way up into the mall.When he arrived at the first floor, Darren hastily runs through the mall and head to the bridge connected to Terminal 3 of Changi Airport, not caring about the incredulous looks the passers-by gave him as they wonder why he is in such a hurry. As he runs through the bridge, Darren began sweating and breathing heavily, but he never once thought of stopping and taking a short rest.After arriving at the terminal, Darren takes the escalator down to the lower floor where the arrival hall is. He quicky makes his way to the middle of the hall where the exact belt he is supposed to meet up is located. He skidded to a halt when he arrived there. Darren frantically looked around and searched for any sign of her. But when his attempts fail, he turns to the left side of the arrival hall, takes a deep breath, and yells at the top of his lungs."ALICIA!" Darren's voice echoed throughout the arrival hall. Most of the people in the area stare at him in bewilderment as Darren whirls about to the other side of the hall and yelled again, "ALICIA!"When he still did not get a response, Darren continues his shouting as he turns around in circles while everyone else in the hall continue watching the strange display of a frantic man in search for a lost friend with a mixture of confusion and amusement."Alicia! You don't know how long I have waited for you! How agonizing it has been for me for the last two years! And I'm sure you felt the same way too!" Darren paused for a moment to catch his breath. "I kept our promise that we would not speak to each other until you sort things out with your parents! So you don't know how overjoyed I was to learn that you are finally here! You actually did it! You confronted them and came back for me! You kept your promise! So now it's time for me to do something for you in return! You told me that you always dream of being an environmentalist! THEN LET ME SHOW YOU THE WORLD! Let's travel around the world together! See all sorts of interesting plants and animals! Experience different cultures and people! Let us discover how beautiful our world truly is!" He paused again to take a few breaths and a gulp. "So please…I beg you, Alicia…SHOW YOURSELF!""I'm right here."Darren skipped a beat upon hearing her voice. After a few moments of awkward silence, a large smile finally takes form on his face as tears well up in his eyes. He adjusts his glasses and pushes away a few strands of hair from his eyes before turning around to face her."Hey there. It's been a while." Darren said softly as he stares at the blonde-haired woman who is currently dressed in a sleeveless black sweater, blue jeans, and white boots, and had her hand placed on the handle of her metallic green luggage. The two of them silently gazed at each other until Alicia burst out a chuckle."You haven't changed much." Alicia commented.Darren wipes away his tears before he and Alicia run straight towards each other. They both wrap their arms around each other and pull themselves into a tight embrace, accompanied by loud cheers and applause from everyone in the arrival hall as they watched the spectacle."This is so much better than last night's episode of that Korean Drama!" A middle-aged woman said to her husband in amusement as they sat together at the waiting seats.As their clapping dies down, Darren and Alicia pull away from their hug and stare into each other's eyes again."So, um…care to explain to me how you got here?" Darren asked. "Did you manage to convince your parents to let you set your own path in life?""Yes." Alicia nods her head. "When I return home late that night, my parents cried and hugged me, saying that for the last few months, they were worried sick that they might have lost me, just like Daniel. But of course, their mindset in having me attend university in Auckland and become the next CEO of their medical company did not fade away. So, I did go to university two months later in January. And for the next twenty-two months, it was just study, study, and more study for me until I got my associate degree on mid-November last year. After the ceremony, not only did I told my parents that I wanted to take a year-long break from university before pursuing my bachelor's degree, I also finally told them that I do not want to become the next CEO of their medical company. I still want to become an environmentalist and forge my own path in life." Alicia gently grabs his hand. "And I also finally reveal to them about you, and I wanted to move to Singapore to be with you. Unsurprisingly, they were not happy to hear any of this, and for the next three months, it was mostly arguments and debates between me and them.""Harsh." Darren said."Oh, you think that's harsh? During January, my mother tried to persuade me to stay in New Zealand when she introduced me to some spanking rich guy who worked for some big company. Of course, because he is nothing like you, I rejected him. And you should have seen how red he was after I threw water at his face." Alicia laughed."Oh, how I wish I've seen it." Darren said as he chortled along with her."They were really mad at me for resisting them. But I do not care what they threw at me. I still stand by my desire to live my own life and see you again." Alicia said."So, what finally made them change their mind?" Darren asked."Well, they were starting to become weary and exhausted in arguing with me by the first week of February. One night, I told them that while I appreciate their concerns, nothing will make me change my mind, because the life they are trying to give me will not make me happy. Everyone deserves to find their own happiness. And if Daniel were still alive, he would never want that life for me either." Alicia paused as her face turn grim. "My father cried afterwards. He realized now that he was so focused on caring about pursuing his own happiness, that he completely forgot about how I feel and what I want. So, he finally gave in and allowed me to be independent. My mother soon agreed with him. I thanked my parents for everything they have done for me up to that point, and I spent another month packing my stuff afterwards…" Her lips curved upwards. "Before I finally book a flight to Singapore and meet you."Darren smiled back at her as he grabs her other hand. "I am so proud of you.""I would never break a promise…" Alicia replied. "Ever."Darren closes his eyes and leans his head towards her. However, Alicia places her fingers on his lips to stop his advance, causing Darren to look back at her in confusion."First, tell me, is it true that you will show me the world in return for keeping my promise to you?" Alicia asked with a smirk.Darren smiles at her, and he replied as she removes her fingers from him, "Yes. Of course I will. Whether if it's the Amazon rainforest, the Grand Canyon, or even Antarctica, I will take you anywhere.""Promise?" Alicia asked. Darren releases her hands and slides his fingers across his chest."I cross my heart…" Darren vowed before holding up his right hand. "And hope to die."Suddenly, Alicia throws her arms around Darren and plants a kiss onto his lips. Darren stares blankly at her for a moment before he closes his eyes and finds himself kissing her back. Everyone in the arrival hall erupt with cheers and applause again as they watch the couple share a tender kiss with each other.As she and her husband stay in their seats, the middle-aged woman wipes away a tear and commented, "This is so beautiful. Naneun geugeos-eul joh-ahanda!"After breaking away from their kiss and hug, Darren and Alicia exchanged glances before they chuckle and place their foreheads against each other. They both first fell in love with each other in a different world, only to be separated when they found their way home. But after nearly two years and five months, they are finally reunited in their own world, and they could not be happier.----Later that day, Darren drives Alicia to his office and introduces her to his mother, Rikka and some of their employees. Darren apologizes to his mother for leaving the office halfway during their meeting. Although she felt a little frustrated, she nevertheless forgives her son, and demands him to give Rikka a raise. Thanks to her, their business meeting with their clients from Kota Bharu was still a success. Darren thanked and praised Rikka for her handling of the meeting.Darren and his mother spent the rest of the afternoon giving Alicia a tour around their office. When his mother asked her how they first met, Darren and Alicia knew they could not tell her the entire truth. So instead, they told her they met each other through social media. They enjoy chatting and getting to know more of each other until Alicia decides to move to Singapore and meet Darren personally.When early evening came and all their employees have left, Darren, Alicia and his mother drive to their favorite hawker center and have dinner together. The three of them happily converse with each other as they eat. Not only did Alicia love the Singaporean cuisine, but she also enjoyed telling Darren's mother about herself and all sorts of interesting information about New Zealand. She was delighted to learn that Alicia is a plant enthusiast like her and her son. In return, Darren and his mother shared with her stories of their lives in Singapore.Because Alicia has not found an apartment of her own yet, Darren's mother decided to let her live in their home for the time being. Since there are only two bedrooms in their apartment, they all decided that Darren and Alicia will share the same room together, as long as they sleep in separate beds of course. Darren decided to give up his bed for Alicia while he sleeps on a spare mattress on the floor.After entering their apartment, Darren, his mother, and Alicia gave their respects to his father as they stood in front of his shrine. Afterwards, Darren takes Alicia to his room and opens the door for her. When she first entered, Alicia was astonished by the shelves placed at the left side of his room. They are all filled with comic books, video games, action figures and a few statues."Y-yeah, I'm…quite a nerd." Darren said sheepishly as he stands at the doorway and scratches the back of his head."No, it's okay. I like it!" Alicia said as she turns around and smiles at him. As Darren chuckled, she also noticed his scabbard hanging on the wall above his computer. Their smiles disappear as Alicia walks over and gently places her hand on it."You took good care of it." Alicia said softly."Do you miss them?" Darren asked."Of course, I do." Alicia said as she turns to him. "Even while I was busy with my studies, I not only think about you every day. I also think about them.""Alicia…" Darren uttered as he walks over and places his hand on her shoulder. "It's going to be alright. Remember what Gray said?"Alicia smiles at Darren again and nods her head. "Don't ever forget about them as long as we live. We became what we are now because of them. We won't let them down."As he smiles broadly at her, Darren holds up his hand. Alicia grabs it firmly and they both stare at each other, with confidence and determination.----The next day, Darren and Alicia had their breakfast together at a nearby hawker center and market before buying some food and groceries back for his mother. Because their office is closed on weekends, Darren and Alicia decide to spend most of the afternoon and evening today travelling around the city together to do some shopping and sightseeing. When they are done with their tasks, Darren and Alicia leave the building while carrying the bags containing the food and groceries they helped bought for his mother and walk down the sidewalk together as they make their way home."You should teach me some of that Chinese you spoke to those store owners earlier. I couldn't understand a single word you just said." Alicia said to Darren. She is currently wearing a plain grey tank top, black shorts, and white shoes while her boyfriend is dressed in a simple brown t-shirt, tan khaki shorts and black sandals."Or you can just speak English to them. Most of us Singaporeans are bilinguals after all." Darren replied with a smirk. Suddenly, he could hear his phone ringing. Darren takes out the phone from his pocket with his free hand and briefly stares at the screen before answering it. "Yes mom, what is it?""Darren! There are a lot of people outside our home right now! I'm not sure who they are!" His mother panicked."What?" Darren said to her in concern. "Calm down, mom. Who are they?""I don't know, but there are like…ten of them!" His mother responded. "One of them has spiky pink hair, another has dark purple hair, and one woman has long pointy ears that go sideways for some reason! I am scared they may be gangsters or something! Hello?"Darren fell silent upon hearing the descriptions of their mysterious visitors. No. It cannot be. It had to be a coincidence. But then again, why would anyone on Earth have ears that go sideways?"Darren, what is it?" Alicia asked. Darren lowers his phone as he turns to her."M-My mom said…there is a man with spiky pink hair…and a woman with long ears that go sideways outside our home…" Darren said. Alicia gasped in shock."No way…it can't be…" Alicia uttered."Hello!" Darren could hear his mother cried to him on the phone."Mom!" Darren replied as he places his phone beside his ear again. "Can you ask the man with pink hair his name?""What?" His mother replied incredulously."Just do it, please!" Darren pleaded. He could barely hear his mother questioning one of the visitors in the background for about half a minute before she got back to him. He widens his eyes and drops his jaw after hearing her answer."Mom…it's okay. They are my friends. Let them in." Darren said before hanging up his phone. He hastily puts it back into his pocket before turning to Alicia. "It's him."Darren and Alicia suddenly sprint down the sidewalk, make a sharp 90-degree turn and run across the pedestrian crossing, not caring about the driver who blared his horn furiously at them while bringing his car to a halt.They soon arrived at the bottom of their apartment building at the other side of the road and quickly get inside an empty elevator. They make their way up, and the elevator stops at the floor they lived in. As soon as the doors open, they rush out of the elevator, run over to the corridor on their right, and make another right turn to see Darren's mother standing near the entrance to their home."Mom!" Darren called to her as he and Alicia run over to her."Darren! Alicia! Your friends are in the living room." His mother said. "I just stepped outside and-" She is soon interrupted when Darren and Alicia hurriedly pass the food and grocery bags to her."Yeah, yeah. Here you go, mom. Exactly what you asked us to buy." Darren said to her before he and Alicia walk past her and over to the door at the end of the corridor. They notice ten different pairs of shoes, boots and sandals placed all over the mat and floor. The two of them briefly exchanged glances before they grab each other's hands and look back to the door."Guys?" Darren called out to their guests inside their home. When he and Alicia place their hands on the door, they gently push it open to reveal ten people and two winged cats sitting and standing around the living room."SURPRISE!" Team Natsu, Brave Vesperia and Sheena all exclaimed as soon as the door is pushed wide open.Darren and Alicia froze at the doorway in shock. No. It can't be. It's not possible. This cannot be real at all. But it is. Sitting and standing right before them were the original twelve companions who travelled alongside them since their first mission in Halure and till the final battle in Crocus.Natsu and Lucy sat together on the sofa behind the coffee table. The Fire Dragon Slayer is dressed in a long-sleeved black jacket with yellow outlines, a black shirt underneath it, a black belt with a silver buckle around his waist, white pants, and his signature white scaly scarf around his neck and collarbone. Lucy on the other hand has her long blonde hair tied to two ponytails by light purple ribbons and currently wears a sleeveless pink tank top with light purple horizontal stripes, a pair of light blue denim shorts, and black socks that go up to the bottom of her knees.Sitting on the armchair next to the sofa is Erza, who is currently dressed in her signature sleeveless white blouse with a blue ribbon tied around her collar, and a blue skirt that goes down to her thighs.Standing beside Natsu and Lucy on their right are Gray, Wendy, Happy, Carla and Sheena. Gray is dressed in his white long-sleeved coat with dark blue outlines, a black shirt and his silver cross necklace underneath it, a brown belt with a silver buckle around his waist, and dark green pants. Wendy had her long dark blue hair tied to two long ponytails by pink ribbons and wears a green long-sleeved jacket with a pink shirt underneath it, a white skirt, and a black pantyhose.The ice mage and Sky Dragon Slayer are also currently holding Happy and Carla in their arms. The blue exceed remains the same as he is while the other is wearing a long-sleeved pink blouse and a pink skirt.Sheena still keeps her black hair in a messy ponytail, but she is currently dressed in a dark purple long-sleeved jacket with a white crop top underneath it that exposes her midriff, a white belt with a gold buckle around her waist, and black jeans.Finally, standing beside Erza on her left are Karol, Judith, Estelle, and Yuri. Karol has his brown hair mostly swept back, while keeping several strands of hair hanging in front and over his right eye. He is dressed in a white long-sleeved shirt with a red ribbon tied around his collar, green pants that reach down to the bottom of his knees, and white socks.Judith is wearing a long-sleeved unbuttoned white suit with a dark red collar shirt underneath it, a black belt with a silver buckle around her waist, and black pants that exposes the sides of her legs.Estelle has a white hair clip on the front of her shoulder-length pink hair and wears a long-sleeved light orange sweater with a tan shirt underneath it, a short red necktie around its collar, a brown plaid skirt, and long black socks that go up to the bottom of her knees.And lastly, Yuri has his long dark purple hair tied to a hair knot and wears a short-sleeved dark blue uniform with a white collar shirt underneath it, a black belt with a silver buckle around his waist, and dark green plaid pants."Guys…" Alicia uttered. She and Darren take a gulp as tears consumed their eyes."It's you…" Darren said. When he and Alicia are finally able to comprehend that their minds are not playing tricks with them, Darren shouted ecstatically as his tears roll down his cheeks, "IT'S REALLY YOU!"Not caring to take off their own footwear, Darren and Alicia both make a beeline towards their friends, and everyone in the living room burst with unbridled joy as they all pull themselves into a warm group hug."Karol! Judith! Erza!" Alicia squealed as she and Darren gleefully give hugs to each of their friends."Natsu! Lucy! Sheena! Everyone!" Darren cried in delight. "You're all here!""We miss you all so much!" Alicia added as she and Darren finish by giving their last hugs to Lucy and Natsu respectively."We miss you too, guys." Natsu chuckled as he and Darren pull away from their hug."But why? Why did you come here?" Darren asked incredulously as Alicia and Lucy back away from each other. "If you guys came here from Earth Land through Cornelia's machine, there is no way for you guys to return back to your own world!""That's true…until now." Natsu said."You see, because we immediately miss you two after you step into the portal and return to your own world, us Fairy Tail and Brave Vesperia submit a proposal to Queen Hisui and the Magic Council to use the magic from Cornelia's machine to create teleportation routes between Earth Land and other worlds." Lucy explained."Of course, we needed their approval first." Estelle said. "This kind of magic is extremely dangerous when it is under the hands of someone like Cornelia and Mard Geer after all, and we remembered what Lenalee said about the people in your world being afraid of what they can't understand and comprehend. But long story short, after six months of debates, discussions and planning between Queen Hisui, the Magic Council, the guilds and the town leaders, the project to establish a transport hub between worlds was greenlit. The golden rule we established is that Earth Landers are allowed to travel to different worlds as long as they do not reveal their magic to their inhabitants as much as possible. Rune Knights will be dispatched into those worlds to apprehend anyone breaking this rule.""You really got to thank Rita and Sheena for making this transport hub into a reality." Yuri said. "Thanks to Rita's knowledge and oversight in this project, within a year and seven months, we are able to finish building it and establish multiple teleportation routes with many worlds outside our own including Edolas, Telsis and of course, Earth.""Passenger ships will be able to travel freely between worlds, and at fast speed too thanks to Volt's Lightning." Sheena said."Volt's Lightning?" Darren said. Sheena nods her head to him."After the end of the war, my people realized how vulnerable Mizuho still is despite its defenses and why it is so important to cooperate with Crocus and other settlements in Fiore to combat any future threats. So, after many generations, Mizuho finally abolished its isolation policy and opened itself with the rest of the world." Sheena said."Earth is the biggest and most populated of all the worlds, which is why we established four different transport hubs throughout your world, hidden and isolated from the rest of the public. One of them being right here in Singapore." Gray said."We spent another two months testing out the teleportation routes. Mages from several guilds including ours and Brave Vesperia volunteered in travelling through these routes. Thankfully, all the tests we conducted were a success. And another month later, the transport hub is finally opened to the public." Erza said."The response from the public was overwhelmingly positive! Millions of Earth Landers show up on opening day, eager to see what these other worlds outside our own look like!" Happy squealed."Of course, the first world we all decided to visit on its first day of operation is yours, and we remember Darren lived in Singapore. Thanks to Natsu and Wendy who remember how he smell like, we were able to travel all the way from the city to your home. And that's how we got here." Carla said."With four different transport hubs here in your world, this also means you guys can visit Earth Land again and anytime!" Lucy said excitedly before she leans towards Alicia and whispered into her ear, "We'll give you both the secret location of the transport hub here in Singapore later.""If you ever drop by at Earth Land again, come visit Mizuho! My hometown is now welcoming tourists from all over the world, which of course keeps Mei, Kallen and Sumeragi busy!" Sheena said with her arms folded and a wide grin on her face."We can finally visit Edolas again without the need of Aqua Aera!" Wendy cried happily."Aw man, you should see how cute Edo-Lucy and Edo-Natsu's daughter is!" Natsu said with a grin."And you should visit Telsis too! It's really beautiful!" Judith added cheerfully."What about Allelujah and Marie? Are they okay?" Darren asked concernedly."Don't worry, they are doing fine." Estelle said reassuringly to him. "They and the other Azadistanis returned back to Azadistan after the end of the war. Their city has since been reconstructed, and like Mizuho, they have opened to the rest of Fiore. And both Allelujah and Marie now have a wonderful pair of twins together.""In fact, all the cities and towns in Fiore have been rebuilt since then. Zaphias, Lhant, Baticul…turns out a lot more civilians and former praetors survived the war than we expected." Yuri added."That's great." Darren smiled back at them, relieved to finally know that his Azadistani friends and everyone else are alright. "I should definitely pay them a visit one day so we can catch up on things.""Speaking of catching up, I can't wait to introduce you two to Aquarius! I reunited and reforged our contract with her during the 100 Years Quest we took after you both left Earth Land." Lucy said eagerly to Darren and Alicia."If you are wondering about the suit by the way, Makoto and I have been working part-time as demihuman ambassadors for the Magic Council to help promote peace and friendship between the humans and demihumans." Judith explained before she smiles tenderly and cups her chin with one hand while placing the other behind her back. "I still look attractive in this suit, don't I?""And man, I can't wait to share with you two about Brave Vesperia's first ever participation in the Grand Magic Games! We came in second last in the end though, but it was still a great experience!" Karol said excitedly."We all still have big dreams." Yuri said as he and Estelle both smile at Darren and Alicia while clasping each other's hands."But enough about what's been happening in our world for now. We got questions for the both of you about your world too. Like, are men seriously not allowed to show off their chests publicly on the streets in this world? What's the deal with that?" Gray asked with an arched eyebrow."You should have seen the look on Gray's face when he got scolded by the knights!" Happy snickered, failing to hold back his laughter."SHUT UP, YOU!" Gray bellowed as he glares down at Happy."Knights? You mean police officers, right?" Alicia said in confusion."Yeah, that." Wendy chuckled before she and everyone in the living room chortled.When their laughter dies down, Darren and Alicia observe the smiles on everyone's faces, and they could not help but feel the urge to cry once more as tears of joy form in their eyes again."Thank you…all of you…" Alicia said to them softly."You did all of this…just to see us again…" Darren added."Of course we would come back for you." Lucy replied as she, Sheena, and the other members of Team Natsu and Brave Vesperia could feel tears pool up in their eyes too."We all see you both…as family." Natsu added."And a family always stay together!" Happy squealed as he lifts his paw up in the air, with tears freely rolling down his cheeks like tiny rivers.As they all begin weeping silently, everyone present in the living room go up to each other and pull themselves into another warm group hug, completely unaware that Darren's mother has been standing outside the doorway the whole time and watching the display with a wide smile.As they stay in their embrace, Darren and Alicia look back on what an amazing journey this has been, and it all started with them being mysteriously transported into a completely different world after suffering tragic fates back in their own. As if it were arranged by destiny, they would later meet Sheena, Team Natsu and Brave Vesperia, who took them on an adventure that later turn from a journey to return home, into a mission to save the world. The fight for survival was terrifying for them at first, but it eventually ended with victory over the enemy, and they both came out of it with a renewed sense of hope and determination for the future.And just when their story could have ended with their reunion years after their return home, they are now also reunited with their friends from Earth Land. Now it is their turn to experience a whole new world. And as long as they have each other, they look forward to whatever lies ahead of them next. For as they have always wish for themselves…keep living out your life with all your might.The End----Song Suggestion:The Story Ends and the Journey Begins (From Ring a Bell) by Motoi Sakuraba (Throughout the epilogue)----Epilogue…(A slideshow of pictures of what Darren, Alicia, Sheena, Team Natsu, Brave Vesperia and all the surviving characters are now doing after the end of the story.)Later in the afternoon, Darren takes everyone to the Merlion Park where they get up close and personal with the country's iconic white statue of the mythical creature with the head of a lion and the body of a fish. With the entire view of the right side of the Merlion statue in the background, Darren, Alicia, and their friends all stand close to each other and smile cheerfully as their mysterious photographer help take the shot for them with Darren's smartphone.In the next picture, as they stand in front of the left side of the Merlion statue, Darren, Alicia, Natsu, Lucy and Sheena all huddle close to each other and made ridiculous grins to the camera as their photographer takes a shot of this moment.Next, Erza smiles blissfully as she stands in the middle and rests her head against Natsu as she wraps her arms around him and Gray. Both Natsu and Gray look equally annoyed while Lucy, Wendy, Happy and Carla crouch and stand in front of them as they smile for the camera.Next, Sheena and Karol positioned themselves in front of Yuri, Estelle, and Judith as they pose together in front of the left side of the statue. As she crouches beside him, Sheena and Karol grin as everyone gave peace signs to the camera. Yuri and Estelle laugh as they lean their heads against each other while Judith smiles calmly.Lastly, in a picture that shows an angled view of the Merlion's head, Happy spreads out his arms and squeals in delight as he sits on top of the statue.Later, Darren takes everyone inside the Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands. As they enter, Alicia, Sheena, Team Natsu and Brave Vesperia look around the interior of the large and vibrant shopping mall in awe.As they stand outside of a Western restaurant near the entrance, Natsu and Happy gawks at the food laid on one of the tables while the customers stare at them in fear and concern. Lucy, Erza, Darren, and Alicia chide Natsu and Happy to stay away from the food and apologize to the customers.Everyone momentarily went their separate ways. Inside a women's clothing store, Lucy and Estelle happily converse with each other as they look through a rack of dresses together. Standing nearby, Erza and Judith smile approvingly at each other as they each hold up a beautiful sleeveless dress in front of them.In a men's clothing store, Yuri tries on a leather belt in front of a mirror. Nearby, Gray holds up a black leather jacket in front of him…while he is shirtless. The store's manager is about to go over and advise him to put his coat back on and only strip in the dressing rooms.At a toy store, rather than being amazed by the toys that the shop has to offer, the children instead gather around Wendy and Karol who are both carrying Happy and Carla in their arms and wanting to stroke or give a pat on the exceeds' heads. The four of them all laugh and smile happily in the picture.Both Sheena and Alicia stand outside the supermarket after buying some sushi and drinks for themselves. Sheena eats her sushi with her eyes wide, realizing how delicious they are and wish they had this back in Mizuho now. Alicia stands beside her and watches in amusement while carrying two bottles of coke in her hands, and a plastic bag of other types of sushi they bought around her right elbow.Inside a sports shop, Natsu sits down on a chair and converses with Darren while showing him a pair of black sports shoes with red and orange flame decals that he is currently trying to wear. Darren smiles as he stands beside him and holds up two other pairs of fancy sports shoes that the Fire Dragon Slayer can try on.After everyone finish their shopping, they reunite at the middle of the mall where the canal and fountain are. Darren, Alicia, Natsu and Lucy sat together in a sampan, and they smile and wave their hands to the photographer as they ride along the canal.Gray, Wendy, Karol, and Judith ride together in another sampan while Happy and Carla sit on their laps. As their sampan makes a slow turn around the fountain, they all smile and wave their hands to the photographer just as water pours down from the top and splash beside them.Yuri, Estelle, Erza and Sheena sat together in another sampan. As their ride is about to come to an end, Estelle widens her eyes in shock as Yuri plants a surprise kiss on her right cheek. Erza and Sheena simply smile and gave peace signs to the camera as they sit in front of the couple.After leaving the mall, Darren takes all his friends to the Gardens by the Bay. Shortly after entering the Cloud Forest, everyone took another group picture as they all stand close to each other in front of some falling streams of water coming down from the top of a lush green mountain behind them.Natsu and Lucy take a picture together by crouching in front of a large sculpture of a white lotus flower. They grasp each other's hands as they smile for the camera.Darren and Alicia also take a picture of themselves as they stand against the railings of a metal bridge, with a section of the lush green mountain behind them. They also hold hands and lean their heads against each other as they smile at the photographer.When they all reach the top of the mountain, everyone took another group picture as they all stand in front of a large display of plants, ferns, and flowers in the middle of a pool of water. Darren, Alicia, Natsu, Lucy, Sheena, Yuri, and Estelle wrap their arms around each other while Carla, Wendy, Gray, Erza, Judith, Karol, and Happy crouch in front of them. Everyone smiled as the photographer takes a picture of them.Later in the evening, after almost an entire day of shopping and sightseeing, Darren takes them to Makansutra Gluttons Bay, a food court located beside the Esplanade Theatres. After ordering what they want to eat for dinner, Darren, Alicia, Natsu, Lucy, Erza, Gray, Wendy, Happy, Carla, Sheena, Karol, Judith, Yuri, and Estelle all stand in front of their tables and close to each other while holding out their plates of food. They all smile at the camera as the photographer takes a shot of them.After taking their group picture, Darren, Alicia, Natsu, Lucy, Happy, Sheena and Karol sat around one of the round tables. In the middle of the shot, Natsu and Happy are pigging out on their mee goreng, barbeque chicken wings and fried fish. Lucy, who sat beside them on their right, chided them while trying to eat her fried rice. Darren and Alicia simply laugh as they sat beside Lucy on her right and watch the Fire Dragon Slayer and his exceed in amusement while eating their nasi lemak. Sheena and Karol are both speechless and have sweat rolling down the side of their heads as they sat beside Happy on his left and watch the display with their plates of chicken rice in front of them.Gray, Wendy, Carla, Erza, Judith, Yuri, and Estelle sat around the other round table beside theirs. Gray blissfully eats his ice kachang while Wendy takes a bite on a satay stick with her eyes wide as they sit beside each other at the left side of the picture. Carla munches on her fried fish as she sits between Wendy and Erza. Erza and Judith converse happily as they sit beside each other while eating their bowls of laksa noodle soup. Finally, as they sit beside Judith on her left, Yuri and Estelle smile at each other as they both pick up some of their fried carrot cake and place their chopsticks inside their mouths.After finishing their dinner, everyone crossed a bridge and make their way back to Merlion Park. They all sit down on the stairway beside the Merlion statue, and they widen their eyes and gape their mouths open in awe at what is displayed in front of them right now.In the next picture, it is revealed that they are currently watching the spectacular night light and water show across the other side of the Singapore River. Jets of water pump into the air at the other side of the river, while the Shoppes, the Marina Bay Sands building, the ArtScience museum, the Helix Bridge and the Singapore Flyer are all brighten up with beautiful shining lights.As lasers shot down from the top of the Marina Bay Sands and onto the Singapore River, Darren holds up his smartphone to take a quick selfie of him and some of his friends. Alicia, Sheena, Erza, Natsu and Lucy stand close to him as the latter grabs the arm of their photographer and pulls her into the shot, revealing to be Virgo who has been helping to take pictures for them all along. While Virgo remains expressionless, Darren and the others all smile for the camera with the laser show and Marina Bay Sands building in the background.As the light and water show comes to its finale, Darren, Alicia, Sheena, Team Natsu and Brave Vesperia take one last group picture together as they stand at the edge of the river with the Marina Bay Sands building and its surrounds in the distance. Virgo takes the shot as they all huddle close to each other, creating another memorable photo that they will cherish for years to come.Darren, Alicia, Sheena, Team Natsu and Brave Vesperia are not the only ones enjoying their time in Earth.Over in London, Rita, Raven, Patty and Flynn are standing at the side of River Thames. With the iconic Tower Bridge behind them in the distance, they all wrap their arms around each other and smile at the photographer.In another part of London, Bacchus, Jager, Nobarly, Rocker, Semmes and Warcry all walk across the zebra crossing at Abbey Road together, recreating a certain iconic album cover.In Barcelona, Asbel, Cheria and Sophie all stand in front of Sagrada Familia. They smile as they look down at the lacrima phone which the new mayor of Lhant is holding downwards with a selfie stick. Asbel takes a shot of them with the top front view of the iconic basilica in the background.Over in Paris, Jeanne and Jack smile at the photographer as they lean against the metal railing at the balcony of their new apartment, with a perfect view of the Eiffel Tower in the background. When she first arrived, the Maid of Orleans shed tears of joy upon setting foot on the capital of France for the very first time in her life.In the Johannesburg township of Soweto, Nolan, Velvet, Laphicet and Eleanor take a group picture with several children and townspeople they have met and befriended during their visit. Nolan holds up his lacrima phone with a selfie stick as he, Velvet, Laphicet and Eleanor stay in the middle, while the residents of Soweto stand around them. They all look up at the camera, wave their hands, and gave their happiest smiles as Nolan takes a shot of this beautiful moment.Over at Geneva, Noel, Makoto, Tsubaki, Ragna and Jin are enjoying their boat ride around the city's lake. They lean against the railing at the top of the boat, wrap their arms around each other and smile at the photographer as they pose in front of some mountains in the distance.Somewhere at the outskirts of Fairbanks, Jason and Yegor are in the former's family ranch. They both smile for the camera as they sat on the saddles of their horses.In downtown Chicago, as they take a photo of themselves with the Cloud Gate behind them, Kirito crouches down to Yui's level, wraps his arms around her, and snuggles his cheek against hers. Yui giggles as they both smile for the camera.At Liberty Island in New York City, while wearing similar crowns on their heads, Juvia, Gajeel, Levy, Panther Lily, Cana and Gildarts wrap their arms around each other, look down at their camera and smile as they take a shot of themselves with the entire front view of the Statue of Liberty behind them.Over in Los Angeles, Mirajane, Elfman, Lisanna, Laxus, Freed, Bickslow and Evergreen wrap their arms around their shoulders while Makarov places his hands on the sides of his hip as he stands in front of them. They all smile at the photographer as they stand in the middle of a palm tree lined street with a clear view of the Hollywood Sign in the background.At the Grand Canyon, Alzack carries Asuka in his arms as he and Bisca stand behind the metal railing with a gorgeous view of a section of the canyon behind them. They stand close and lean their heads against each other as the family of three smile for the camera.At Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Tryo, Macey, Miruko and Pony all smile and each gave a thumbs-up to the camera as they stand behind the railing and take a shot of them with the entire view of the sculpture of the four presidents.At a beach in Oahu, Sol, Aria and Totomaru are dressed only in their trunks as they lie down on their mats they placed on the sand. They all have huge smiles on their faces as they place their hands behind their heads and rest.Over in Pisa, as they stand far away from the Pisa Cathedral and the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Ivar tilts himself to the side and extends his left arm out as he wants the photographer to take a good shot of him looking like he placed his hand onto the iconic bell tower. Unfortunately for him, as Ivar starts to lose his balance, the photographer was a second late, and they ended up taking a picture of him tripping over with his eyes wide and his jaw plummeted. Milla, Jude, Leia, Ludger, and Beatrice stare at him with a mixture of concern and amusement as they all stand beside him at the left side of the picture.At the Acropolis of Athens, Kira, Lacus, Achilles and Atalanta all huddle close to each other and smile for the camera as they stand in front of the Parthenon. The four of them travelled to Greece to take a break from their duties as leaders and protectors of Petunia.In Berlin, as they stand at the center of a sidewalk, Brenda holds down her smartphone with a selfie stick, and she, Emmanuel, Yukino, Sting, Rogue, Minerva, Sorano, Lector and Frosch all smile and pose for the camera with the Berlin Victory Column in the background. During their visit, Brenda revealed to Sting and Yukino that she had since managed to return the possessions of the former members of her expedition, including of her late friend Petra, to their relatives during the two years and four months since her return home. Both Sting and Yukino are happy to know that Brenda is now doing fine on her own.At the Himalayas, Allelujah, Marie and their nomad successfully climbed up to the top of a ridge. As the husband and wife wrap their arms around each other, their nomad help take a picture of them smiling with a clear view of Mount Everest behind them.Over in Seoul, while dressed in colorful hanboks, Ichiya, Hibiki, Eve, Ren, Nichiya, Jenny, Sherry, Sherria, Lyon, Yuka, Toby, and Jura all gave their flashiest grins and poses for the camera as they stand at the center of the square in front of Geunjeongmun Gate in Gyeongbokgung Palace.In Xi'an, Amelia, Mei Li, C.C., Road and Lero happily bite on their sticks of sausages and fried squids as they stand in the middle of the street through a night market in the Lianhu District.At the district of Ikebukuro in Tokyo, Celty, now dressed in a plain black biker suit and black gloves, stands beside her new companion Shooter, disguising as a black motorcycle, as she poses for the camera and in front of the Cinema Sunshine building in Sunshine 60 Street.Inside a restaurant, Archer, now dressed in a white long-sleeved uniform, black pants, and black leather shoes, stands in front of the cash register with his arms folded and his lips curved slightly upwards to form a wan smile. As Miki Okudera and her husband Shoji stand beside him, the two of them smile delightfully at the camera, welcoming their newest chef.Inside the Sky Restaurant in Tokyo Skytree, Gilbert Bougainvillea and Violet Evergarden sat across from each other at a dining table next to the windows, showing an aerial night view of the bustling city. As Gilbert places his only hand on the table, Violet places her new right prosthetic hand on top of it while she uses the other to hold up a glass of water. They both turn their heads and smile at the photographer while enjoying their dinner.In a small Chinese restaurant located in the middle of the streets of Shinjuku, Allen gorges himself on his bowl of rice, youtiao, and pork rib soup. Lenalee, in her casual clothes, smiles sheepishly as she sits beside him and realizes what a big appetite her boyfriend has. Her friends, Yukari Yukino, Takao Akizuki, and Taiga Fujimura all laugh as they sit at the opposite side of the table and watch the display with amusement. The restaurant owners, Lin Tai Feng and Izumo Kamiki, smile as well as they stand nearby.At Palette Town in Odaiba, Shinji and Misato sit beside each other inside one of the cars of Daikanransha Ferris wheel. They both smile at the camera in delight as Misato holds out her smartphone in front of them. Since his return to Earth, Shinji's relationship with Misato had greatly improved, and he also finished his senior year of school with flying colors and graduated in November last year.Over at the district of Asakusa, Shouto, Momo, Tenya, Mirio and Mei stand beside their friends, Izuku Midoriya and Ochaco Uraraka, and behind Katsuki Bakugo, Tsuyu Asui, Eliot Smith, Melissa Shield, Denki Kaminari and Kyouka Jirou who are crouching down. They all smile cheerfully as their photographer takes a group shot of them in front of the Kaminarimon at Senso-ji Temple.At the other side of Oshima Island where Momo's former summer house is located, Tokoyami stand alongside his new friends, Mina Ashido, Eijiro Kirishima and Nejire Hado. As they stand together in the center of a forest between the house and village, Kirishima holds out his phone in front of them and they all smile for the camera.On the shore of Nagahama Beach in Kozushima Island, Hodaka, Hina and Nagi all pump up their fists and jump with joy while dressed in their trunks and swimsuit, ready to spend the entire morning having fun and enjoying each other's company.At a floating market in Bangkok, Kallen and Sumeragi purchased some canned drinks and a coconut from a drink vendor they passed by earlier. As they sit beside each other at the center of a wooden boat, Kallen and Sumeragi slurped up their coconut water, their eyes wide as their mouths puckered around their straws.In downtown Kuala Lumpur, as they look down at the camera in front of them, Tsugumi and Ayase smile as the half-demihuman places her hands on the handles of her friend's wheelchair, while standing below and in front of the Petronas Twin Towers.In Sydney, while standing at the viewing platform at the back of a tour boat, Jellal, Erigor, Erik, Meredy, Richard, Wally, Shou, Macbeth, Sawyer, Millianna, Kagura, Beth, Arana and Risley all huddle together and smile at the photographer as they take a shot of them with a clear view of the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge behind them.At the Western Desert of Egypt, Lucas and Sayyid turn their heads around and smile at the camera while sitting on the backs of their camels as they ride towards the direction of the Great Pyramid of Giza.Somewhere in Finland, as they stand far away from their cabin, Sami and Vasda, both dressed in their winter clothes, smile and wave their hands at the camera as they take a shot of themselves standing under the Northern Lights in the night sky.At the Mexican state of Yucatan, their photographer takes a shot of Sorey, Mikleo and Raine squealing in excitement as they run towards the Temple of Kukulkan in Chichen Itza. As they chase after them, Rose, Alisha and Genis call out to the three to wait for them while Lloyd, Colette, Zelos and Lailah laugh.Over at the Red Square in Moscow, Luke, Guy, Tear, Anise, Natalia, and Jade stand in front of the Monument to Minin and Pozharsky and Saint Basil's Cathedral. Everyone stood close to each other, except Guy who placed himself about a meter away from Anise and the others, and they all smile for the camera.On the viewing platform at the top of Sugarloaf Mountain, Magilou, Rokurou, Edna, Eizen and Zaveid stand behind the metal railing, wrap their arms around each other and smile at the photographer as they take a shot of them with a beautiful aerial view of Rio de Janeiro behind them.Finally, in the Indian city of Agra, Romeo, Macao, Wakaba, Mickey, Pii-Chan, Kinana, Laki and Mest stay close to each other as they crouch down in front of the reflecting pool that leads up to the Taj Mahal. They all smile and hold up peace signs as their photographer takes a picture of them with the iconic mausoleum behind them in the distance.In one final picture, Darren, Alicia, Sheena, Team Natsu and Brave Vesperia stand together in front of a small playground located below and behind Darren's apartment building.Darren and Alicia stand together in the center and wrap their arms around their shoulders. Happy, Natsu and Lucy stand beside them on the left as the Fire Dragon Slayer and the Celestial Spirit mage have their arms wrap around their waists. Happy simply places his paws on the sides of his hip. Karol, Wendy, and Carla are standing next to Darren and Alicia on their right. The leader of Brave Vesperia and the Sky Dragon Slayer have their hands place behind their backs while Carla folds her arms.Standing behind Natsu and Lucy are Yuri and Estelle, who hold each other's hands and lock their fingers together. Beside them and behind Darren and Alicia are Judith and Sheena, who both hold up their hands and gave peace signs. Finally, beside the Krityan and the summoner of Mizuho are Gray and Erza, who place their hands on the shoulders of Karol and Wendy as they stand behind them.Everyone smiles blissfully at the camera as Virgo takes a clear shot of all of them.This picture has been placed inside a wooden frame and beside his computer in his bedroom to serve as another memento for Darren that no matter where his friends may be, they are still much closer to him than he thought.
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