As the bells started ringing and the city started shifting, the Fairy Tail members started cheering and partying. However, new members like Lucy and Wendy didn't know who Gildarts was. Makarov and Ryuga also walked up to the new members' discussion as Mirajane was explaining who Gildarts was.

Mirajane: "Apart from Ryuga, Gildarts is Fairy Tail's strongest wizard."

Lucy: "Eh!? Wait, even stronger than Erza?" She looked utterly shocked.

Erza: "I'm not even in his league yet."

Lucy: "I'm afraid this guy's gonna be real scary then."

Ryuga: "Not really, Gildarts is about as calm and laid back as they get." Lucy jumped.

Lucy: "Ah, Ryuga, Master, when did you get here?"

Ryuga: "Hmm, I think I can speak for both of us when I say that we just wanted to hear the voices of beauties such as yourselves." Makarov Chuckled.

Makarov: "Well I suppose he's not wrong, hahaha!"

Wendy: "E-Even me?" Ryuga got to one knee and pat her head.

Ryuga: "Wendy, you're the most adorable human I've ever met in all my years of living. If I could wrap you up and put you as a decoration in my castle, I would."

After he said that, an arm was slung around his shoulders.

Lillian: "I don't think that'd be too bad, Wendy. If you ask nicely, maybe he'll really do it." Wendy blushed cutely.

Wendy: "I don't know about that..."

Lucy: "Anyway, what's with the celebration?"

Mirajane: "It's only natural; it's been about three years since he's been here last."

Lucy: "Three years? What has he been doing?"

Mirajane: "He went on a hundred-year quest. It's a quest that hasn't been completed for one hundred years."

Erza: "I still think Ryuga should try it, but he won't."

Ryuga: "I probably won't. I wouldn't be able to stand to be away from Fairy Tail for a hundred years."

Mirajane: "Well, personally, I'm glad he hasn't gone on one."

She looked at him with her bright, smiling face.

Carla: "Glossing over that, isn't this a bit much for one mage? Even the city is changing."

Erza: "That's because Gildarts uses Crash Magic. If he isn't paying attention, he'll just walk through people's houses."

Lucy: "That sounds way too dangerous!"

Not long after she said that the guild doors opened and in walked Fairy Tail's Strongest Human... Gildarts.

For being the second strongest wizard in Fairy Tail, he was dressed pretty casually. He had a long cloak on, with straps holding up his back luggage. His pants were as normal as normal could be, and his shoes weren't any less. He stopped at the entrance then sighed after looking around. He started walking towards the middle of the guild, looking confused.

Mirajane: "Welcome Back!"

Gildarts: "Hmm? Miss, I was pretty sure there was a guild named Fairy Tail around here." Mirajane just kept smiling.

Mirajane: "This is it. Oh, and I'm Mirajane." Now Gildarts looked really confused.

Gildarts: "Mira???" Ryuga walked up to him.

Ryuga: "Come on now, don't tell me you've forgotten her adorable face."

Gildarts looked at Ryuga, then back at Mirajane.

Gildarts: "OH! You've changed a lot, Mira! And wow! The guild looks brand new! Although I can't say the same about this old man here." He pointed at Ryuga.

Ryuga: "Hmm? I don't know what you're talking about. I think I've changed quite a bit. I even grew two strands of hair."

Gildarts: "Hmm." He examined him closely. "Ah! I see it now!" They were interrupted by a yelling Natsu running down the stairs.

Natsu: "Gildarts!"

Gildarts: "Oh, Natsu huh? It's been a while."

Natsu: "Fight me!"

Natsu jumped off the stairs and punched at Gildarts, but Gildarts just lifted his hand and threw Natsu into the ceiling.

Makarov: "Gildarts!"

Gildarts looked around a little bit before he felt something kick his shin. He winced and looked down to find Makarov staring at him.

Gildarts: "Oh! Master, long time no see."

Makarov: "How did the job go?" Gildarts laughed before making a serious face.

Gildarts: "I can't do it. It's impossible for me, where I currently stand in strength."

The guild all was speechless, and Makarov just looked down at the floor.

Makarov: "Hmm, I see. Well, let's see how much strength you've gained then!"

The guild cheered, and Lucy looked nervous.

Lucy: "Eh!? How do they measure a guy like that's strength?"

Mirajane: "How else? He goes up against Ryuga."

Lucy: "EH!? A match!? Right here and now?"

Gildarts and Ryuga stood face to face, in the middle of the hall, and everyone else backed up a decent amount away. They both put their right hand on each other's chest, and Makarov walked up to them.

Makarov: "Ready?" He looked at Ryuga.

Ryuga: "Yes."

Makarov: "Ready?"

Gildarts: "Yeah!"

Makarov: "GO!"

A crashing sound was heard, as they both pushed against each other. Gildarts was sent flying across the guild hall as Ryuga looked like he didn't move at all.

Ryuga: "Ah, you've gotten stronger. This time you made me move back about an inch."

Gildarts stood up, wobbling around.

Gildarts: "Haha! I've made him move! Did ya'll hear that?"

The entire guild clapped since this was the first time that Gildarts was ever able to make Ryuga move at all.

Gildarts: "Ah, now I'm really tired. I'm gonna go home to rest. Man, I'm beat... Natsu! Come by my place, later on, I got souvenirs."

That's what he said, right before he walked through the wall and towards his home. Not long after that, Natsu did the same.

Makarov: "Ryuga. Let's talk... In private."

They both walked up onto the roof of the guildhall, as the sun was setting.

Ryuga: "So? What'd you want to talk about?"

Makarov: "There are now three dragon slayers in our guild, just like the old lady said. Fate is beginning to move."

Ryuga: "Fate? Don't be ridiculous, Fate is only a concept."

Makarov: "I don't know about that one. Don't you demons have some sorts of spells to see the future?"

Ryuga: "No. No one can see the future, we can only see what is most likely to happen."

Makarov: "That's sti-"

Ryuga: "No, it's not." He clenched his fists. "If it were the same, I would have been able to save Lisanna."

Makarov: "... I'm sorry."

Ryuga: "Don't be. There was nothing we could do. She's gone, and I've been too scared to go to the Forsaken Realm to find her soul. If I did find her there, I don't know how I would approach her now."

Makarov: "Is there a spell to..?"

Ryuga: "No. Demons and humans are different. Us demons can choose to release our souls when we die or go to the Realm of the Forgotten. With humans, it's different. When they die, they either go to the Forsaken Realm or The Garden to stay. They don't have a choice to release their souls for others' use. Also, since I'm a Demon God, I can't enter The Garden. The Celestial Gods placed a curse on us demons. They decided that we were too evil to enter The Garden. Since it's an ancient curse, I can't do anything about it."

Makarov: "Weren't those the old demons and gods though? I don't know a whole lot about your history, but I know that the Millenia War of Discord is over. Aren't you able to negotiate to lift the curse?"

Ryuga: "I've tried, but the Ancient God Aise, God of Justice, is now dead. His curse cannot be lifted by anyone except him, not even his children. I've talked to his sons and daughters, but they can't help. The demons and gods no longer have any feud, but we still cannot go to The Garden to rest, because of our ancestors' mistakes. My people are cursed from the first day they are born."

Makarov: "I see, sorry to hear. Looks like you've got your own troubles huh? I've seem to forgotten that you're royalty in the underworld. You have your own people to look after, just as I have mine."

Ryuga: "Yeah, although, I'm not even sure if the underworld would still accept me as royalty. It's been so many years since I've been there."

???: "Of course they would. Our people still miss you."

They looked back to see Lillian walking up to them.

Lillian: "Sorry. I know this was supposed to be private, but I couldn't help but overhear the conversation about our world."

Makarov: "That's fine. We were just talking about an old friend anyway, right Ryuga?"

Ryuga: "Yeah."

Lillian: "Oh! That's what I forgot to tell you! Speaking of old friends, Aosoth is getting married!"

Ryuga's jaw almost dropped to the floor, as he looked at Lillian with wide eyes.

Ryuga: "What!?!"

Lillian: "Isn't it great? I forgot to tell you, but a couple of days ago, I got word from your father that she's marrying Yzelo!"

Ryuga: "HUH!? But those two hated each other!"

Lillian: "Haha, oh, my dear nephew. Don't you know that that's just the kids' way of flirting? Oh, come to think of it, I guess you don't since you were never really into women back home anyway." Ryuga grabbed his head as he looked down.

Ryuga: "I don't believe it. That's just crazy. Those two hotheads are actually getting married? Inconceivable!"

Lillian: "Well, you better believe it, because they want you to go to their wedding, and they've also requested that you bring some of your friends."

Ryuga: "Friends? You mean... bring humans... to the underworld?"

Lillian: "Why not? It'll be fun."

Ryuga just sighed as he slowly nodded.

Makarov: "As much as I'd like to go to the underworld... Let me rephrase that. As much as I'd like to go see a beautiful wedding, I think it's best that I stay here. Why don't you take some of the girls with you? I'm sure they'd like it. The guys probably don't have any interest in it."

Ryuga: "I guess I'll ask around."

He walked down the stairs, still confused about this information. Once he was in the main hall, he saw some of the girls together, talking amongst themselves. He walked up to them and waited till someone noticed him, so he could speak. Of course, Mirajane was the first to notice him.

Mirajane: "Ryuga? Do you need anything?"

Ryuga: "Yes, actually, I have a question. Would you like to attend a wedding?"

Mirajane, thinking that he just proposed, blushed in the face, but, little did she know, he wasn't done talking.

Ryuga: "Two of my friends from the underworld are getting married, and they would like me to bring some of my friends here to the wedding."

Mirajane: "Oh..." She looked dejected all of a sudden.

Ryuga: "Is everything okay?"

Mirajane: "Ah, uh. Yeah! I'd love to go to your friends' wedding."

Ryuga: "Great. Would any of you like to also go?"

Lucy: "Wait wait wait, you mean go to a wedding... for demons... in the underworld?"

Ryuga: "Yes." She defensively crossed her arms.

Lucy: "Thanks for the offer, but I think I'd be too scared there."

Ryuga: "Okay, no problem. Anyone else?" Erza stood up.

Erza: "I'll go. I think it'd be very nice to finally learn more about your culture and where you came from."

Wendy: "I-I'd also like to go too if you'll have me."

Ryuga: "I'd be happy to have you two. Anyone else?"

Cana: "Wedding? Nah, that ain't my style."

Juvia: "The only wedding I need to go to is with Gray."

Ryuga: "I see. In that case, I'll ask a couple more guys and see what they say."

He walked around until he found Natsu, who was sleeping in a chair. Ryuga tapped his head, and Natsu jumped up, ready to fight.

Natsu: "Who dares to wake this sleeping dragon! Oh, hey Ryuga. What's up?"

Ryuga: "Do you want to go to a wedding?"

Natsu: "Wedding!? Ew no! Sounds gross!"

Ryuga: "Uh, okay."

He walked away, trying to find his next target. Once he saw him, he slid up next to Gray, causing Gray to get shivers down his spine.

Ryuga: "Gray."

Gray: "Y-Yes Ryuga?"

Ryuga: "Do you want to go to a wedding?"

Gray: "Uh, hey man, I like you and all, but I ain't-"

Ryuga: "No, I mean. My friends are getting married in the underworld, do you want to come?"

Gray: "Hmm. Is Natsu coming?"

Ryuga: "He said he didn'-"

Gray: "I'll go!"

Ryuga: "Oh, okay. Awesome."

He left Gray to find the last person he wanted to invite. Sure enough, he found Elfman bench-pressing a table with Wakaba and Macao sitting on it.

Ryuga: "Hey, Elfman."

Elfman: "Hold on a minute, I got two more left."

Ryuga stood still, waiting for him to finish. Once he was, he stood up and pat Ryuga's shoulder.

Elfman: "What's goin' on?"

Ryuga: "Do you want to go to a wedding in the underworld?"

Elfman: "Wedding? Sounds manly! I'm game!"

Ryuga: "Huh, that's surprising. All right, so we got you, Mirajane, Gray, Erza, and Wendy coming. Five people, I believe that's a sufficient number."

After he got his list of members, he went to his apartment and found Lillian laying on his bed. Ryuga kissed his mother's forehead and held her hand.

Ryuga's mind: "She's always been there for me, even though I talked bad about my mother when I was young. I guess that's what a mother's love is."

He was dragged out of his thought when Lillian pulled his hand and he fell on the bed. She started snuggling up to him, with a small amount of drool and a wide, smug grin. He chuckled and pulled the covers up. He put the usual pillow in-between them, even though she was still latched to his arm, and, within a matter of minutes, he fell asleep.