I do not own Fairy Tail. Enjoy the chapter!

Thirteen Years Later

A dark haired you man stood off to the side of the street, leaning casually against a brick wall. People rushed by him, too busy in their daily lives to take notice of his form. He ran a pale ran through his thick hair, bringing it down to his neck and inconspicuously pulling his collar up; letting the fabric hide a majority of his face. He kept his gaze low, not wanting to make it obvious he was looking for questionable activity among the somewhat tranquil town. His eyes landed on a certain figure. A man probably around his mid-thirties was walking a little faster than the others in the town. A leather briefcase was clasped in his hand. The man's shoulders were tense, not in a way that would indicate stress, but rather that of someone who was always posed to handle an attack without any direct damage.

The raven slid his eyes over to his partner. His comrade had a newspaper he had picked up in front of his face, shielding him from the subject of interest's sight. The raven strode towards him, keeping his calm demeanor on to continue their little charade. His partner didn't even bother to look up as the raven approached him. His colleague leafed through his paper, not letting on that he obviously knew the other. "I take it you realized him too."

Gray snorted at the other's lack of concern. "He fits the profile. He's carrying something too. Whatever he was sent here for, he got it."

"Hmm." His partner looked at Gray through his dark tinted glasses. "How much are you willing to bet he has information on him."

"You don't think he has weapon plans?"

"Of course not." Gray's partner brushed his long, snow white bangs from his face. "The big man's smart. He wouldn't send an agent out with plans that big. Not in such an exposed place." Gray didn't answer. After countless years of going on missions with Lyon he had learned not to question his brother's instinct. Lyon looked past his brother and at their suspect in time to see the man disappear from sight. "He's heading to the meeting place now. Did you checkout those blueprints for me?"

Gray had to fight the urge to roll his eyes. "What do you take me for? Top floor is deserted, bottom floor is too open, most likely he's on the second floor. Only exits are the roof, back alley, and directly through the front of the building."

"Very well." Lyon folded his paper and dropped on the bench seat beside him. "You take the roof. Make it quick."

Gray did roll his eyes as he brother brushed past him with a certain grace that a king would showoff to his peasants. He walked a few steps behind Lyon, trailing him down the street. He ducked in the alley beside the building while Lyon continuing forwards. A rusty, fire escape later was bolted to the side of the building. Gray gripped the first rung; rust flaked off in his hand when he did. He hoisted himself up, making his way to the roof. He heard a muffled sound that sounded like someone falling to the floor when he passed the second level. He swung his leg over the edge off the roof and landed silently on the horizontal surface. His eyes traveled across the flat roof, landing on an escaped hatch to the floor under him.

A crashing sound caught his attention and he knew Lyon was almost done below him. As to confirm his belief the door of the escape hatch flung open. A man with an already bloody nose gripped the edge of the hatch, trying to pull himself up. Gray calmly walked over to him and placed his boot on the man's face. The man fell back, joining the fellow enemies in the building. Gray jumped down the escape hatch and into the second level. His gaze took in the scene in one sweep, noticing everything with the one movement. Years of training would do that to you, and with his job, he had to be observant. He would be dead otherwise.

Lyon had easily traveled to the second floor, meaning both exits on the floor were taken care of. The snowy haired man had even managed to take out a few enemy agents as he did. A few unconscious forms littered the ground. Gray "tsked" and swung his leg out, nailing another agent in the head. He couldn't let his brother have all the fun.

The raven brought the base of his hand up, pushing against another agent's nose. Gray heard a satisfying "crack" and the man stumbled back, holding his gushing nose. Gray swung his leg out again, hitting a third guy square in the side, and knocking him into the guy with the bloody nose. He spun back on his heels, eyes landing on the last guy standing other than him or Lyon. The man from earlier was still holding the briefcase, this time clutching it behind his back, as if that would really stop Gray or Lyon from getting a hold of it.

Gray swung his arm out, control the force of his blow from his elbow directly into the man's neck. The man stumbled but didn't fall, his eyes narrowed and Gray watched as the dark red magical energy began to swarm around him. Gray's mouth twitched. Of course at least one man was sent on this job was actually capable of something.

A thin sheet of ice appeared under the two, courtesy of Lyon. The man slipped, his head cracking against the frozen floor with a "thud."

"I could have handled him." Gray turned and gave Lyon an irked look.

The later shrugged. "I know, but I'm sick of wasting my time here." The snowy haired boy reached down and snatched up the briefcase.

"You know," Gray offhandedly nudged the man's head with his boot. "I would have thought someone decent would have been sent for this."

"Isn't it obvious?" Gray raised an eyebrow at the other. "Igneel doesn't know we're back yet."

Natsu clanked his glass against one of his friend's, a cheer rising up from those around him. Guild members of Fairy Tail chatted happily and enjoyed themselves as they often did, completely careless and unconcerned. Mira, the guild's white haired barmaid, gaze the dragon slayer one of her heartwarming smiles.

"How did the mission go?"

The pink haired mage replied back with one of his famous grins. "Great. We only-"

"He burnt half the town down." Lucy cut him off, giving him one of her scoldings. "Cost me my rent to." She muttered under her breath.

"Aw, come on Lucy, it's fun destroying things."

"Try telling that to my landlady."

"My, my, sounds like quite a mission." Mirajane smiled at the blonde.

"Aye!" Happy, Natsu's blue cat cut in. "Even Erza destroyed a majority of the village."

"That's not a good thing!" Lucy snapped. Happy ignored, finding the fish he was interesting much more interesting than the celestial mage.

Erza shook her head at the group's rowdiness. "On the Brightside, we at least fulfilled our job. That's all that matters."

The white haired barmaid gave her old long term rival a joy filled smile. "Erza's right. You never know when something keeps you from finishing something."

"That sounds like an omen." Lucy groaned.

Natsu grinned wildly. "Not for me. Anything gets in my way I'll just burn it to a crisp." As to emphasize his point he lit his fist in flames. "Someone just try me. I'll take them down."

"You two are back earlier."

"Nice to see you too, General Mikazuchi."

Kagura ignored Gray's side remark and instead looked at the case held in Lyon's hands. "Anything good?"

Lyon let out a long sigh. "Just the usual." The older boy unceremoniously dropped down in one of the chairs in the office the three of them were currently in, sliding the case across to Kagura as he did.

Gray plopped down in one of the office seats, propping his feet up on Kagura's desk. An action she would have slaughtered him for without a second thought had Gray not been one of the best field agents in the organization. Kagura shuffled through the files in the case, eyeing the papers carefully. After about a minute she pushed the case to the side, uninterested. She was probably going to make one of the poor slobs in the information department look it over. Gray eyed the woman carefully, Kagura may seem calm and in control (probably because she always was) but he knew she was plotting something behind her front. "What do you think he's up to?"

Kagura looked up at Gray's blunt question. "I believe…" Kagura slid her eyes over to Lyon. "That Igneel has something up his sleeve."

"More than usual?" The white haired man raised an eyebrow.

"Intelligence came up with a few interesting facts while you two were gone." Kagura reached down and pulled one of her desk drawers open. She pulled out a thick manila envelope. "You two wouldn't happen to recall the background check we did on Igneel's son a few years back, would you?"

Gray gave Kagura a curious look. "Yeah, we judged he wasn't worth pursuing. He only knew the basics. Igneel was too tightlipped around him."

"In spite of previous findings, we decided to reopen his case. We need an inside agent, going directly through Igneel is too risky. Tactics decided to send a man to get close to observe his son. From there we move forward."

Lyon eyed the General. "Inside man huh? Good try, but Igneel keeps an eye on his son. If he recognized one of our agents hanging around the kid he'll fry them to a crisp."

"Exactly." Kagura turned fully towards Gray. "You may be too identifiable, Lyon, but he isn't."

Lyon let out a choking sound. "Gray? You have got to be kidding!"

"You know I'm right here." Gray let out an irritated groan. As much as he loved his brother, Lyon often tried making the raven's own decisions, regardless of the younger's opinion.

"Gray is the best agent we have that Igneel won't recognize." She tossed the envelope to the raven. "Everything you need to know is inside. Dismissed."

Gray got up, pulling an arguing Lyon with him, and went out the door. "Damn woman, thinks she owns the damn place!" Gray rolled his eyes at his brother's ranting.

"You're not a General yet. Calm down, Major Vastia."

Lyon narrowed his eyes at his younger brother. "You're not even a captain yet. Sergeant Fullbuster."

Gray punched his brother's arm playfully. "Yet who's the one being sent out on a solo mission."

Lyon snorted. "You watch it. Don't forget who's been on more assignments here."

"Ultear?" Lyon smacked the back of Gray's head. A smirk twisted across Gray's features. "I'm sorry. Should I say General Milkovich?"

Lyon growled at that, earning a laugh from Gray. The raven could never forget the look of jealousy Lyon had when Ultear was made one of the five Generals the previous year. Back when they were kids and they joined the organization they had discovered Ur had practically ran the whole organization as a General. Of course back then there had only been three general positions. After Ur never came back the organization reformed in hopes to become stronger than the rivaling organization. Of course the head of the rival organization, Igneel, always had a way to match their moves. Two underground organizations that focused on destroying the other. What could be better?

Gray tore open the top of the envelope Kagura had given, looking over the contents. "Dammit!"

Lyon looked over his shoulder at the info sheet Gray was examining. "What is it?"

"The bastard lives all the way in Fiore."

Lyon rolled his eyes. "You forgot that already? He lives a few hours south of where we think Igneel himself may live."

Gray let out a long a sigh and waved over at one of the runners that worked in headquarters'. "Oi! Coco!"

A shorter, barefooted, young girl with long brown hair came up to the raven. She gave Lyon and Gray a salute, as was custom when addressing someone of a higher rank than you. "Yes, Sergeant Fullbuster."

Gray smiled down at the younger. "How many times do I have to tell you, it's just Gray."

"Yes, Sergeant Gray."

Gray sighed. The younger girl had always been so respectful of everyone since she joined. "Very well, Private, I need you to run down to Planning to make arrangements for my departure."

"Yes sir." With that the girl turned away from him to deliver the message.

"You leaving tomorrow?" Lyon asked.

Gray shrugged. "Might as well get this over with."