Time passed in the chaotic, wonderful way it only can in Fairy Tail. It was now March of X772, and the infamous "Father" prank had become a beloved piece of guild history. Blake's status as the 'Little Grim Reaper' was solidified, but he'd also earned a new, secondary title.
"Ah, morning, Blake! Come to see if your old man left any inheritance?" Macao would call out, raising his mug.
"Hey, Gildarts' Boy!" Wakaba would shout. "You're lookin' more like him every day! Mostly in the 'terrifying' department!"
Blake would just roll his eyes, a small smirk on his face. The teasing was relentless, but it was good-natured. It meant he was one of them.
After staying in the guild for a month, enjoying the party his 'son' had sparked, Gildarts picked up another quest. He'd given Blake a noogie that nearly rattled his teeth, promised to bring him back a souvenir (which Blake knew he would forget), and then promptly walked straight through the other wall, ignoring the now-repaired hole he'd made on arrival.
Blake continued his life. His mornings were for training; his days were for quests. He'd moved on to high-paying B-Class quests, monster subjugations and bodyguard missions that tested his Haki and Anti-Magic. His spars with Laxus were becoming more intense, a true clash of titans-in-training.
One day, a crisp March morning, Blake's routine was interrupted. He had just finished his grueling workout in the guild's backyard and was in his room at Fairy Hills. After bathing, he was pulling on a fresh black t-shirt, preparing to set out to the guild, when there was a knock on his door.
It was a soft, hesitant knock. Not Laxus, who pounded.
Blake opened the door.
Standing in the hallway was a six-year-old girl. She was small, with big, nervous brown eyes and messy brown hair that fell to her shoulders. She was clutching a small, scruffy pup in her arms, who looked just as lost as she did. She looked up at Blake, her eyes wide with a mixture of fear and desperate hope.
"Brother?"
For a solid five seconds, Blake's brain short-circuited.
Brother? His mind raced. Wait. Did the joke go... too far? Why is she calling ME brother? Did someone put her up to this?
He was the "son of Gildarts." He'd spent a month hearing it. He realized, with a dawning, sinking feeling, that this little girl must have heard the rumors, too. He looked at her again, really looked at her. The hair. The eyes.
Oh, no, he thought, his heart clenching. This is... this is Cana Alberona. She wasn't here for him; she was here for the son of Gildarts, her only lead to finding her father. And his stupid prank was now standing right in her way.
His entire demeanor softened instantly. This wasn't a joke; this was a lost child.
"You look cold," he said gently, crouching down to her level. "Come inside."
He invited her in, and she shuffled nervously into his room, the pup letting out a tiny whimper.
"My name is Blake," he said, keeping his voice calm. "What's your name?"
"I'm... I'm Cana," she whispered, clutching the pup tighter. "And this is... he's just... my friend."
"It's nice to meet you, Cana," Blake said. "That's a very brave pup you have." He paused, needing to clear the air. "Cana... why did you call me 'brother'?"
Cana looked down, shuffling her feet. "I... I heard in town. People were talking. They said... they said Gildarts Clive's son was back. A boy with black hair, who was really strong. I thought... if you were his son... maybe you could help me. Maybe... we were family."
The guilt hit Blake like a physical blow. His prank, meant to rattle Gildarts, had given this desperate little girl a false, painful hope.
He had to fix this. "Cana, let's sit down." He gestured to his bed. "Can you tell me... who is your mother? And who is your father?"
"My... my father is Gildarts Clive," she said, her voice gaining a small bit of confidence. "My mother was Cornelia Alberona."
"Was?" Blake asked gently.
Cana's eyes filled with tears. "She got sick. A few weeks ago... she... she died." A tear rolled down her cheek, and she quickly wiped it away. "Before she... she told me to find my father. She said he was a great mage at a guild called Fairy Tail. I used the money she left me to get here. I've been looking for him. Is he... is he your father, too?"
Blake's heart ached for her. He gently consoled her, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Cana, I am so, so sorry about your mother. You have been so strong, coming all this way by yourself. You are incredibly brave."
He took a deep breath. "But I have to be honest with you. The... the 'son' thing? That was... that was a joke I played on him when he got back. I'm not his son. I'm just another member of his guild."
Cana's face, which had been holding onto that last shred of hope, crumbled. Her lower lip trembled. "Oh."
"But, Cana," Blake said quickly, "That doesn't matter. You're in the right place. Gildarts is your father. You found him."
"Is he here?" she asked, her voice tiny. "Can I see him?"
Blake sighed. "This is the hard part. Gildarts... he's a very powerful, but also very restless man. He left for a new quest about a week ago. And when he leaves... he will likely take a long, long time before he comes back."
Cana's sad face was more than Blake could bear. The last pillar of her quest had just been pulled away. She had no mother, and now her father was gone, too.
Blake immediately went into problem-solving mode. He couldn't let her sit here and despair.
"Hey," he said, forcing a bright, confident smile. "So he's not here right now. Big deal! That just means you get to meet the rest of your family first."
Cana looked up, confused. "Family?"
"This guild? Fairy Tail? It's not just a workplace. It's the biggest, loudest, craziest, and strongest family in the world. And Gildarts is a part of it, which means you are, too. They're all waiting to meet you." He stood up and offered her his hand. "Will you come to the guild with me?"
Cana looked at his outstretched hand, then at her pup, then back at his kind eyes. She sniffled, wiped her nose, and took his hand. She nodded.
The walk to the guild hall was quiet, Cana holding tightly to Blake's hand. When they arrived, the morning chaos was in full swing. Blake guided her through the tables, where she looked around nervously at all the strange, loud people.
He spotted his usual group at the bar. He greets Makarov, who was sitting on the barstool, and Laxus beside him.
"Morning, Master, Laxus," Blake said.
"Ah, Blake, there you are," Makarov said, raising his mug. "And...?" His eyes landed on the small girl hiding behind Blake's legs. "Who is the new kid beside you?"
This was it. Blake grinned. He put a reassuring hand on Cana's shoulder and stepped aside, revealing her to the guild.
"EVERYONE, CAN I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION!" Blake's voice cut through the din.
The guild quieted down, looking over.
"Blake, what is it now?" Macao called. "Found another long-lost relative?"
Blake looked at Laxus. "Laxus, drum roll, please!"
Laxus, who was halfway through a piece of bacon, just stared at him. "What?"
Blake's face went blank for a while. "Ugh. You're useless. Whatever."
He turned back to the crowd, his grin widening. "Let me introduce everyone... to Cana Alberona... DAUGHTER OF GILDARTS CLIVE!"
For the second time in two months, a pin-drop silence fell over the Fairy Tail guild.
It lasted for three seconds.
Then, the entire guild exploded with laughter.
"HAHAHA! GOOD TRY, BLAKE!" Wakaba howled, slapping his knee.
"That's a good one, kid!" another member yelled.
"But we will NOT fall for the same joke twice!" Macao declared, wagging his finger. "You can't fool us! 'Daughter' this time? Clever! But no!"
Blake's face twitched. His eye throbbed. He knew this would happen. He knew it was his fault. But it was still infuriating.
"YOU BASTARDS!" he shouted, his voice laced with annoyance. "This isn't a joke! SHE IS REALLY GILDARTS' DAUGHTER! Her name is Cana Alberona! Her mother... HER MOTHER IS CORNELIA ALBERONA!"
The laughter choked and died instantly.
Makarov, who had been chuckling, froze. His mug stopped halfway to his lips. "Cornelia...?"
Maria dropped the glass she was cleaning.
Macao and Wakaba's smiles vanished, replaced by looks of pure, dawning shock.
"Cornelia Alberona...?" Macao whispered, his voice pale. "As in... the Cornelia? The one he...?"
"The one whom Gildarts married... and divorced..." Wakaba finished, his eyes wide.
The guild members all turned as one, staring at Cana, really staring.
"Wait a minute..."
"The hair... it's just like hers..."
"And the eyes... those are definitely Cornelia's eyes!"
"Her features are just like Cornelia!"
The stunned silence was broken by a sudden, massive cheer.
"IT'S REAL!"
"GILDARTS HAS A DAUGHTER!"
"WELCOME TO THE GUILD, LITTLE ONE!"
Cana, who had been terrified by the laughter and then the shouting, was now completely overwhelmed by the sudden, joyous welcome. A small, hesitant smile spread on her face.
Makarov hopped off his stool and walked over, his expression one of gentleness. He knelt before her.
"Cana Alberona," he said, his voice kind. "I am Makarov Dreyar, the Master of this guild. I... I knew your mother. She was a fine, strong-willed woman. I am so sorry for your loss."
He looked at her, his eyes filled with a grandfatherly warmth. "Your father... that idiotic, wandering blockhead... is gone for now. But this is his home. And that makes it your home, too. You can stay in Fairy Hills, with the other girls and Blake, until Gildarts returns."
The relief on Cana's face was a beautiful thing to see. The weight of her entire journey seemed to lift off her small shoulders. A bright smile spread on her face, and she nodded eagerly.
"Up until then," Makarov continued, patting her head, "you can come here daily and spend some time here. We are your family now. We will take care of you."
Cana nodded again, this time with real happiness.
Laxus walked over, looking awkward but impressed. "So, Blake. You weren't kidding. She's... she's really his." He then crouched down, looking at the pup. "What about him?"
"He doesn't have a name," Cana whispered.
"Well," Laxus said, scratching the pup's head. "He's small and white. Lets call him shiro."
Cana giggled. The first real, happy giggle she'd had in weeks. She was, finally, home.