If there was anything Haven Dreyar resented, it was the freedom she saw the other children possessing while she, the eldest daughter of Master Laxus, had hardly any.

This wasn't wholly true, of course, considering the fact that she was able to go out on jobs and did spend a lot of her days, ambling about Magnolia, but still. She'd grown up hearing stories about how her aunts and uncles and family friends, as well as both her parents, were able to travel all about Fiore from young ages and fulfill their magical destines. She felt like she was being held back from that.

But Locke, Navi, and Ravan? Her two friends and one mortal enemy? Oh, they had all the freedom a child could ever want. And they did nothing with it.

That was the most frustrating part. Navi, fine, her mother tried to keep a reign on her, but her father sure did. It was much the same for Locke. They could, in theory push the limits and boundaries and they never did any of that. Any of it. It was so aggravating. And Ravan's sort of caretaker Erza would probably only beam with pride if he took of for the capital on a job above his qualifications.

If Haven had any of their parents, then she would definitely be on her way to being the best mage every by now. She was certain of it. But no, she had stupid Laxus, who never took her out on jobs with him, at least, even, because he was the stupid guild master and her mother, Satan Soul, one of the strongest people ever, she rivaled Erza, would only sigh and tell her that she had no desire to do those sorts of things any longer.

Imagine having all the power in the world (and between Raijin and Satan Soul, Haven was certain her parents did) and deciding to stay in stupid old Magnolia, at the dumb old guildhall. Was that not the lamest thing ever? Haven felt like it was the lamest thing ever.

It was so frustrating, all of it. She felt as if she were being handicapped by things that, under normal circumstances, would bless her. But her mother was scared of her going too far away, it seemed, because of what happened all those years ago to her Aunt Lisanna, and liked her to just take simple jobs. There would be the tougher ones when she was older.

And yeah, okay, fine, but what was Laxus' excuse? Something to do with stupid Ivan, she was sure. He never said it, he never would, but Haven was certain that a lot of his hesitance rode on that. And that was so dumb. Laxus was so dumb. She hated him.

He probably didn't want her to be strong either. She bet on that one as well. He sucked like that. He was probably afraid that if, like, she got super strong, without a lacrima in her, without a cheater magic like him, then it would make him seem weak and like a loser.

Yeah.

It had to be that one.

Haven had had enough of this one day as she sat around the guildhall, listening to her stupid little sister Marin and Kai, Ravan's idiotic brother, tell Evergreen about their adventures the night before. And, by adventures, Haven meant how they'd gone out with Erza into the city late at night, to pick something up last minute at the market.

It was so mind numbing and dumb and it just wasn't fair! She was being held down by everyone around her and forced to stifle her growth. This couldn't keep happening. She had to do something.

"I was real worried about getting lost, it being night and all," Kai was going on as Evergreen seemed, honestly, as disinterested as Haven. "Erza says next time it happens, she's going to ditch me in the middle of the city and make me find my own way home. She says it shouldn't be too hard, since she always sticks a map to her house in my pocket before I leave, but maps are super hard. I think I'm just not good with directions is all."

Evergreen frowned some at the boy and was probably going to make some sort of disparaging comment, but then Haven suddenly shoved up from the table in a loud huff and stomped off.

"What's her problem?" the woman of stone asked though she didn't move to follow or even call after her. She and Haven had an...interesting relationship, to say the least. Raising her drink to her lips, Evergreen took a sip, still only mildly interested in anything.

"I dunno," Marin remarked softly, watching after her sister. "I guess she didn't like Kai's story."

"No," the boy assured his friend with a shake of his head. "It couldn't have been that. It was very interesting."

Evergreen made a nose in the back of her throat before only saying, "Marginally."

Having left her aunt and sister behind, Haven marched across the bar floor to where her father sat with Freed at his side, the latter going over some paperwork while Laxus handled the mail.

"Go away, brat," he said before the girl could even speak. "I'm busy tryin' to pay bills. Don't got time for you."

"I'm here," Haven told him with a growl in her tone that about matched his, "to talk to you about guild business."

"As a member, eh?" He snorted then, still not even glancing at her. "Office hours are posted on my office door. Go check 'em, brat, 'cause they're not right now."

"Laxus-"

"Haven," he retorted in the same tone and she was seething now.

He was derailing her again. Belittling her. The nerve.

"I," she started again as Freed, finally, put his papers down and looked to her, "am gonna take a job."

"So? Seriously, Haven, are you attention deprived? Huh, brat?" He snorted again, her father did. "I'm busy. So-"

"Laxus." Freed gave him a look that time. "You can at least listen to her."

He got a look for that one, the rune mage did, but Mirajane wasn't around to make the dragon behave so someone had to at least attempt to. Still, it got the slayer to toss the bills on his hand down before looking down at his daughter, his face no longer so smug.

"What difference does it make, Haven?" he asked her, honestly, that time. "Go take a job. Why do you need to talk to me about it?"

"So I can go take a job?"

"Are you asking? For permission? Yeah, fine. Whatever."

"Any one? That I want?"

Finally, the man seemed to be catching on. He frowned at her a bit as he said, "No. Is that it? Why you came over here? You take one in the limits-"

"No. I want to take a real one."

"The ones you take are real ones!"

"They are not. They're dumb. I'm gonna go take one that I have to travel and stay over night somewhere and-"

"You are not."

"Yeah, I am, Laxus."

"I'm Master. I say no."

She was going to kick him then, in the leg. Freed could just tell. Though he wasn't as big a staple in Haven's life as Bickslow and Evergreen, given that they were involved with her actual aunt and uncle, he was around a lot. He knew her just as well as them.

"Haven," he said quickly in an attempt to stop what was about to happen. "Is there a job that you have in mind? On the board? Right now?"

He was the one derailing her then, Freed was, but his question did hold her up some as, yeah, she was probably going to kick Laxus with all her might and yell and scream at him.

"No," she said slowly, looking to the rune mage. "I don't."

"Why don't you go and find one then? Hmmm? And then return with it."

She felt as if he were being a bit tricky, Freed was, but she also wasn't too sure what his game would be. He was on Laxus' side, always, no matter what, of course, but at the same time, she could see no avenue in which her going to find a job would help her father more than her. Still, though Freed frequently seemed annoyed with her, he'd never outright attempted to undermine her, so Haven slowly did walk away.

At the very least, the action gave her a chance to calm down.

"She is not," the slayer growled at his most faithful follower, "going out of town on a damn job. Overnight? No. She's-"

"She's the age that we all were," Freed argued simply, "when we did far more."

"I don't care. Things are different now, then they were back then."

"How? Laxus?"

He wasn't sure. And it didn't matter. Instead, he only growled before replying, "We didn't have parents that gave shits when we were running around, doing whatever the fuck we wanted. I give a shit. I can't just drop everything and watch over her. To go get her if this all goes wrong. They're not like us, when we were kids. We were independent. These kids, the ones in this hall, they're not that way. I'm not going to let them go get themselves hurt or killed just to prove points."

"Laxus-"

"No, Freed. No. It's my daughter, my guild, my-"

"You have to let go eventually."

"She can go on serious jobs in a few more years. When-"

"You're being ridiculous."

"Do you have kids? Huh? That's what I thought." He huffed too, the slayer did, before adding, "You don't know, Freed. What it's like."

"You can't just let her play mage forever, Laxus. If you wish for her to be a real wizard, as you say you do, then-"

"Here."

Haven was back then, shoving a job at her father. He didn't take it.

"It's too," he told her simply, hardly even glancing at the request, "far."

"It is not!"

Haven's theatrics had finally attracted Laxus' true tamer and, rushing over, Mirajane frowned at the three of them.

"What's going on?" she asked as her daughter, once more, looked to be raring back to attack her father. "Laxus? Are you teasing Haven?"

"What? No. She's the one-"

"What's this?" And Mira moved to take the job then, from her daughter, glancing over it. "Who's taking this job?"

"No one," Laxus tried, but Haven was having none of it.

"I am," she said.

"No. You're not. You-"

"I have to! I can take jobs too." And this time, Haven stuck her tongue out at the man though, just as quickly, she was looking up at her mother. "Ravan can do whatever he wants. And Locke and Navi too! How's that fair? I'm way stronger than all of them and smarter and more responsible and just better. Why can't I go on jobs? I'll just go there and back!"

There were a lot of fallacies in her statements. A lot. Ones that both Freed and Laxus picked up on. But Mirajane only became stuck on a single thing she tossed out there. One that Mirajane had never considered before.

Erza's practical adopted son was venturing further and further into the path of her footsteps than Mirajane's full flesh and blood actual daughter.

This could not stand.

Haven had never had that before. Her mother in her corner. Or at least she'd never felt it. Mirajane definitely cared about her and she knew that, but she seemed many times to see her as an annoyance or a nuisance. At least that's how Haven felt. Everyone did. They all thought that she was annoying and a brat and they didn't want to deal with her. She was used to that meaning getting her way, when it came to others, but Mirajane seemed to be the only one that laid down the law with her oldest.

Not that day though.

No one in the hall had ever seen the little girl so happy. Ever. She was quite literally smiling and actually hugged her mother at the woman's words of agreement while Laxus had his turn then, of fuming and stomping off. Evergreen was finally coming over then, to Freed, to question what was going on, while Marin and Kai just stayed where they were, watching it all unfold.

"Wow," the boy whispered as Marin stayed silent. "Is your mom gonna be okay? I've never seen Haven hug a person before. Is that some kind of spell?"

But Marin kept quiet, even as her sister rushed back over to them then, knowing she had to hurry. Get out of Magnolia fast. If she didn't, Laxus might have a chance to overrule Mirajane and, while that didn't happen often, her mother siding with her was much more rare. No need to give lightning a chance to strike twice.

"Where," she asked Kai, "is your brother?"

"Why?" The boy was very cautious. "Are you gonna hug him too? Is this a trick?"

Just like that, her joy was snatched right out of her. Glaring, Haven repeated herself, this time in a much harsher tone.

"At Erza's," the little boy was quick to say. "I guess. But-"

"Are you going on a job?" Marin asked her sister slowly and Haven was glaring then, at the two of them, but she did nod.

"Yeah," she said simply. "On a real one. So I won't be home for a few days."

"Well… You should be careful," Marin offered up slowly. "If you're gonna go far."

She was expected a harsh response back from her sister, but Haven only turned, leaving them. She didn't have time to bother with the two of them. The babies. No. She had to go get the others. It was the one requirement Mirajane handed down to her.

She had to take the other kids.

This didn't bother Haven too much. She usually went out with them anyways.

Locke was the easiest person to convince. He'd seen the entire thing, anyways, over there with his father and mother. And Lily too. Haven only came over to glare at him and tell him to come on, or else he'd get left, and Locke looked to his parents, worried that his mother would make some sort of complaint, but they both nodded at him. Though Gajeel did caution him about one thing.

"Don't let that girl run you, huh?" he griped. "And don't get yourself into someone kind of situation? I don't wanna have to come get you."

He only nodded though before rushing off, because Haven seemed to be leaving him behind, and they went to collect Ravan next. He was very busy out in the backyard, training with Erza, and only glared when the pair came through the gate.

"What do you want?" He growled. "I'm bus- Erza!"

She'd caught him then, as he'd turn to stare at the other children, and rather than striking him with her sword, she'd kicked him to the ground where he only took to glaring up at her.

"You never take your eye off your opponent."

"We're only sparring!"

"My statement stands."

"We're going on a job, loser." Haven always found it best to just not mess with Erza. Ever. At all. Avoid her at all costs. She was probably the only person in the hall the little girl truly feared. "Are you coming or not?"

"No," he grumbled as he shoved up. "I'm busy. I-"

"It's in," Locke told him then, after having read over the flier himself, "Haiko."

"Haiko?" Erza was interested, finally, in the pair of them as she sent her dull training sword back to it's reequip space, just so she could cross her arms. "That is a long ways off. Your father knows about this, Haven? The Master?"

"He's the one who agreed to it," the blonde responded honestly. She knew better than to play tricks with the woman. "And my mother."

"Hn." Erza almost seemed pleased at the idea. Maybe. Then she kicked at Ravan. "Get up. You must join your friends on their journey."

"They're not," he growled, though he did get to his feet, "my friends."

Still, he left with them under the direction of the swordswoman and though he was still a bit pissed that she'd kicked him, he did nod his head when she handed down instructions to behave himself.

"You are representing the future of Fairy Tail," she informed the three children. "I expect you to carry yourselves in a a respectful manner. And remember, you either come back successful or not at all."

Even Freed would find that sentiment a bit harsh, but Erza was serious. She expected much out of the children. Ravan above all.

Navi was the last of the brood and she was, to the best the others knew, at home that day. They were a bit relieved, honestly, to find her there, saving them from having to search the town.

Her whole family was home, it seemed, from her mother and father to Happy to her two twin brothers. It was lunch time.

"A job?" Natsu seemed excited at the idea. "Sounds like a great idea."

"They're not asking you," Happy snickered.

The pair were at the table, scarfing down their meal, while Lucy stood in front of the two high chairs in the corner, trying to get the two little boys as interested in their meal as their father. Navi, who'd been eating as well, had jumped up to answer the door before, and now stood in the kitchen, leading her friends back there when they explained why they'd come.

"Can I go?" she asked her mother who frowned a bit at the idea.

"I dunno," she said slowly. "Haiko is kinda far and it's just the four of you..."

Unlike all the others, Lucy didn't have that sense of freedom young. She was alone, in a sprawling property that slowly felt like a prison. While she agreed, to an extent, that the kids needed to spread their wings to become true wizards, she had more practical, average parental parameters. Freedom was earned, sure, and Navi was typically a rather reserved child, but she was still that; a child. And freedom was far different from zero adult supervision.

"Mom." Navi was rare to argue with her, but if Lucy ruined this for her, she'd be mortified. "It's not that far."

"It's past Mt. Hakobe," the celestial mage pointed out. "And besides, what is this job? You guys will probably be gone-"

"Ah, Luce, let 'em go," Natsu insisted then, with a bit of a shrug. Glancing over the children, he said, "They gotta start somewhere. Navi's plenty ready for this."

"You don't even know what the job is," Lucy argued, but he only shrugged.

"I have faith in ya," he assured his daughter.

"I can go." Happy jumped off the table then, taking to the air just so he could go fly over to Navi and fall into her arms. "And watch out for the kids. If you guys want."

"We don't," Haven retorted as Navi only frowned down at the Exceed, though she held him closely still.

You gotta stay here, Hap," Natsu insisted. "Without Navi, you have to help out with chores."

"What?" Suddenly, the Exceed wasn't pleased with this new idea at all. "No way."

"Someone does need to take out the trash," Lucy sighed. "And me and Natsu are super busy with the twins right now-"

"Navi, you can't leave me here with them," Happy complained though, slowly, she was going to set him back down on the table. "This is torture! Unpaid labor."

"You live here for free," Lucy pointed out. To her daughter though, she only said, "You can Navi. Go with the others. But this is your one chance. If this doesn't go well-"

"It will." And she rushed then, first to hug her mother and then her father. "And I'll take out the trash. Before I go."

"Thank you," Happy said as she came to pat him on the head as well. "It's just not a fair chore for me."

"You make," Lucy griped, "most the trash, cat. It's literally all fish bones."

"Not all."

But most.

Still, Navi was happy to take out the trash and Natsu went down there with the kids, out of the apartment and to the street, to see them off.

"You'll do fine, Nav." He hugged her once more. Unlike the other kids, this didn't embarrass her in the slightest. Haven found her parents unnecessary and Ravan found Erza annoying, while Locke just didn't like to be teased, but Navi loved both her parents. Especially her father. No one could make her feel differently. "By this time next year, you'll probably be taking jobs like this all the time! Alone!"

But that thought depressed him a bit, because it meant without him, and Natsu only slid her some extra jewels, just for emergency sake, and then the children were off.

They were hardly to the train station before they had a fight and, for a good portion of the journey, Ravan wasn't even allowed to sit with them. Haven was that angry at him.

Still, eventually, the kids reconciled enough and they sat together as they looked over a map and discussed the job at hand.

The request read as follows:

Assistance requested!

Under the guise of providing aid following a disaster, a dark guild has taken hold of our city. Any help in ridding our town of them will be greatly appreciated.

"What's that even mean?" Locke asked with a frown. "What sorta disaster? And how did a dark guild-"

"You take help from anyone you can," Ravan snapped at him with a heavy frown, "when your town needs it. Idiot."

"I know that, but-"

"Are you guys sure that we can do this?" Navi, seeing the job for the first time, suddenly wasn't having fun anymore. In fact, she kinda wished her father or Happy was there. Or her mother. They'd know what to do when they go to the town. How to proceed. Have, Locke, and Ravan though… And her… What the heck did they know about anything. "I mean-"

"Of course we can." Haven turned her typical anger onto the Dragneel girl then. "If you don't think you can, then just ride the train back home, Navi. We'll do this with out you. I can do this without all of you. I-"

"How'd you even get Master to agree to this?" Locke asked then. "Haven? Why'd he say yes?'

"Why do you care?"

"I was just ask-"

"No more questions then." And she shoved the flier back into her pocket. "Just be quiet. And get ready. It'll be a long walk from the train station."

Ravan only snorted though, at the three of them, and took to staring out the window. He would never admit it, but he was nervous too. Erza told him that he had to go and complete this job. He had to. She hadn't been serious, he knew, about not coming back at all, but he didn't want her to think that he was weak. Or not capable. Because he was.

He'd prove it to her. Just like Haven would to her father.

Five chapters. After this, we start the one-shots that start the more rapid age progression for the children before we get back to the bigger, more important stories to finish out the series. We're nowhere near done, guys, but we're definitely setting the stage soon.