The last hour on the train went by quicker than they expected.
As soon as the train came to a complete stop -however- the people on the platform were startled and backed away quickly when the train doors opened revealing 5 dragons who all rapidly fled the metal death trap and oozed their way to the floor below practically kissing the ground, "oh thank the gods…" Sting sighed as he sprawled out on his now happy stomach, "I ain't ever getting' on another train as long as I live…" Gajeel groaned out while he laid on his back, "SWEET SWEET SOLID GROUND, YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN MORE BEAUTIFUL!" Natsu shouted out while he actually kissed the dirt, "you are nasty fire breath…" Gray sneered, scrunching his nose in disgust while he laid on the ground as well.
Natsu's head immediately snapped up to glare at him, "what'd you say frosty?!" he growled out
Gray sat up and glared right back, "ya heard me flame brain!"
Natsu jumped to his feet and balled his fists, "YA WANNA GO PERVERT?!" he yelled
Gray's eyes grew wide and he sputtered, "P-PERVERT!? WHO THE HELL YOU CALLIN' PERVERT?! I AM NOT A PERVERT!" he hollered right back jumping to his feet as well and digging his talons into the ground below.
Natsu smirked, "oh yea? If you ain't a pervert, then why aren't you wearin' a shirt huh? You haven't had a shirt on since we left your cave" he pointed a black claw at Gray's naked chest
Gray's head dropped as he looked at his bare torso and his eyes grew wide, "THE HELL?! HOW DID I NOT EVEN NOTICE?!"
Natsu immediately dropped to the ground clutching his stomach while he howled with laughter, "AHAHAHAHA! OH GODS THIS IS PRICELESS!"
Gray jumped and tackled the cackling fire dragon, "S-SHUT UP! STUPID PYRO!" he screeched while they rolled around attempting to punch one another. The only thing anyone could see was a blur of red and blue tails and wings lashing out in every direction while they toppled over one another.
"OI!" Gajeel yelled out, "KNOCK IT OFF YOU TWO!"
Natsu and Gray paused mid-swing long enough to turn their heads towards the iron dragon, "SHUT UP METAL HEAD!" they both yelled in unison before going back to their brawl.
Gajeel gawked at the two rolling around, he grit his teeth and glared at the ball of dragons, he cracked his knuckles, "you little shits…" he said before jumping into the fight, claws and teeth bared to tear apart the fire and ice dragons, "HEEEEEEY! DON'T FORGET ABOUT ME!" Sting pouted before jumping into the mass as well, Rogue simply rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest while he waited for the others to depart the train.
He didn't have to wait long because a few minutes after Sting joined the fight Makarov, Erza, Lucy and Wendy all filed off the train and were met with the ball of dragon limbs rolling around everywhere while insults and shouts were heard. Makarov sweat dropped at the scene then looked at Erza, "well that didn't take long did it?" he chuckled while Erza put a hand to her forehead and sighed loudly clearly embarrassed, "would you like me to take care of it master?" she questioned when she finally looked back at the ball and cracked her knuckles while a dark aura formed around her. Lucy and Wendy shivered and huddled closer to each other and backed away slowly not wanting to be in the way of whatever was about to happened to the boys, Rogue thought it wiser to stand with them than be around the ball of fighting dragons.
Makarov sighed and shook his head, "no no dear, I'll handle this one." he stated while patting her shoulder, Erza nodded her head and relaxed her body moving to stand next to Rogue and crossed her arms over her armor covered chest.
Lucy, Wendy and Rogue were startled and watched with wide bulging eyes and gaping mouths when Makarov used his magic and made his left hand grow to the size of a giants and then cringed at the squishing sound when he brought said hand down fast and splatted the ball of dragons into a pancake of groaning bodies.
Makarov then shrunk his hand back down to its normal size and walked up to the defeated dragons, "well, now that that is out of your system shall we continue?" he questioned while raising a wrinkled white brow, "…yes sir…" they all pouted, standing back up to follow the elder man once again.
The people all standing around the train platform now weren't sure who they feared more, the unknown dragons or the tiny man who took them all out with literally a sweep of his hand but they ultimately went completely ignored as the group of strange beings walked away from the train station.
Even within Fairy Tail's home town the dragons were not free of the stares or the whispers and the closer they walked to the guild the more Makarov could sense the young ones' anxiety, "I am sorry my children…but it is as I said on the train, ordinary people fear that which they do not understand…they even feared me even though I have lived in this town a very VERY long time." he stopped walking and turned to look at all of their down-casted faces and felt his heart break, Erza placed a hand on his shoulder and gave him a sad smile, "come…" he said quietly, "we are almost home…" they didn't answer him, only nodded their heads and followed behind once again huddling closer to each other seeking comfort within their own kind with Lucy standing on Gray's tail and Wendy standing on Gajeel's.
They turned another corner and the dragons were met with a very heavenly scent drifting through the air and couldn't help but inhale deeply, Makarov chuckled hearing all of them sniffing the air, "it seems Ms. Marie has just pulled out a fresh batch of bread, shall we go visit?" he questioned looking over his shoulder, they again didn't answer but the sounds of growling stomachs were enough of an answer for him and he smiled leading them to the shop where the enticing scent was coming from.
They finally stopped outside a small building with a big sign that read 'Marie's Bakery', "Ms. Marie?!" Makarov shouted while they stood outside her shop, not but a second later the door opened and an elderly woman, who was about the size of Makarov, stepped outside, "why hello Makarov," she gave him a kind smile before turning her attention to the dragons standing directly behind him. They all cringed and awaited the harsh words or fear to come from the old woman but it never came, she actually smiled at them, "and hello to you too youngsters, I see Makarov has brought home even more children," she turned her attention back to the old man, "you better be careful, soon you won't have any more room in that big building of yours, it will be filled to the brim with laughing children."
To say the dragons were shocked would be an understatement, she didn't care what they looked like nor did she even fear them, she treated them just like any other person, "Ms. Marie could we purchase some of that wonderful honey bread of yours?" Makarov questioned the old woman and she gave him a bright smile, "of course dear, I know how much you love your honey bread. I'll be back in a flash." she looked to the kids and winked at them before turning to head back into her shop.
Lucy and Wendy, being curious about the old woman jumped down from their perches on the boys' tails and walked to stand next to Makarov. Marie walked out of her shop and joined the group a few minutes later carrying a basket full of fresh, piping hot honey bread. The dragons were once again surprised by this elder woman when she walked up to each of the boys and handed them their own breads, she walked to Erza handing her one then finally stopped at Makarov, Lucy and Wendy. She bent down slowly and looked the girls in the eyes while handing them theirs, "I hope you like it, this is my special recipe." she smiled at them and watched as they hesitantly brought the bread to their mouths taking a small bite, her smile grew when their eyes widened and stuffed the rest of the bread in their mouths chewing happily, "that was so good! Thank you ma'am!" Lucy beamed her a fanged grin, Marie laughed, "oh you sweet sweet child you," she cooed at Lucy and slowly brought her wrinkled hands up and placed them on Lucys' scaled cheeks, "you are quite welcome and you are always welcome here," she turned to look at Wendy placing a hand on her cheek as well and then looked up at the boys, "you are all welcome here. You come back whenever you want and I'll make sure to always have a fresh batch of bread just for you." the boys' eyes widened before they immediately softened and they smiled back at the elder woman, "C-could we r-really come back?" Wendy shyly asked looking down at her talons.
Marie patted her head, "of course dearie, any family of Makarov's is family to me."
Lucy and Wendy smiled big and carefully tackled her with hugs, "thank you grandma Marie…" Lucy whispered
Marie felt tears build up in her old eyes and hugged the girls back, "oh you two are just too cute for words!" the girls laughed and let her go while helping her stand back up, Makarov chuckled, "thank you Ms. Marie, what do I owe you?" he questioned only to raise a brow when she shook her head and waved him off, "think nothing of it Makarov, it's on the house." Makarov's eyes widened, "oh but Ms. Marie we can't do th- "he was cut off when Marie shushed him, "tut-tut, Makarov. Your company was plenty and bringing these wonderful children to visit me warms these old bones of mine." she smiled at them all before shooing them away, "go on now, I'm sure you have plenty to do today but do please stop by again soon."
Makarov sighed and gave her a gentle smile, "as you wish Ms. Marie, thank you again. Come kids, lets head to the guild."
They all smiled and waved goodbye to Marie before filing behind Makarov once again, Gajeel -however- held back a moment longer. He walked up to the old woman and knelt before her while gently placing one of his massive clawed hand on her head and looked her straight in the eyes, "thanks grams…" he whispered out giving her a half smile.
Marie reached up and plucked his claw off her head and brought it down between them, she gave him a gentle smile and patted the back of his hand while she remained silent. No words were needed because she understood what his thanks was for, it was not for the bread but for the fact that she treated them not as monsters but as the children they actually were -dragon appearance or not- and he was grateful to her.
Marie nodded her head in the direction Makarov and his kin were walking, "go on." she whispered giving his hand a couple more pats, Gajeel nodded his head at her then stood and turned to catch up to everyone. What they hadn't noticed was the people that had gathered around or walked by and watched the interaction between the dragons and the older lady with apprehension and nervousness while they waited for whatever they were expecting to happen. They were actually surprised at how gentle and respectful the dragons actually were to one of their towns oldest and kindest members and actually smiled before going on their ways again.
The rest of the walk was in silence but it was not suffocating as it was before, the visit with Marie really help the dragons relax and Makarov knew he made the right choice to stop by her shop.
The moment Fairy Tail finally came into view -however- made the dragons stop dead in their tracks and just stare with wide eyes and gaping mouths at the building before them. Makarov and Erza both laughed when they turned around to gage their reactions, "welcome home my children!" he held his arms out wide presenting the building before them. The dragons all looked down at the small man and smiled, "you wait here for just a moment while I prepare everyone inside for your arrival." he smiled once more at them before turning with Erza and walked inside the building leaving the dragons all standing right outside the doors.
Lucy climbed back up on Gray's tail and hide her face on his back between his wings, "I'm scared big brother…" she whispered
Gray looked over his shoulder, "don't you worry sis, I won't let anything happen to you. I promise."
Gajeel walked up to them after Wendy jumped up on his tail, he dropped one of his claws on Lucy's head, behind her horns, "we will all protect ya. Regardless of wha' happens n' that buildin' the 7 of us are kin, we're a family now n' we protect our own."
"Don't you worry about a thing Luce! We'll protect you and Wendy!" Natsu shouted from his spot standing next to her.
Sting walked up to stand next to Natsu while Rogue was patting Wendy on the head, "you girls don't got to worry about a thing!" Sting said with a smirk on his face while looking back and forth between the girls.
Wendy smiled at them, "thank you big brothers!" she beamed
Gajeel's metal wings lowered slightly to provide more cover for her and he lifted his tail to wrap it around her middle, "we'll keep ya safe…"
Shouts and cheers were suddenly heard from behind the wooden doors startling the hatchlings out of their conversation with each other and then the doors opened again revealing Makarov to them, "come on kids, come meet your new family," he smiled at them and held the door open to them.
They hesitated for a moment before Gajeel took the first step, Gray was right behind him with Natsu at his side, his tail had come up and wrapped itself around Lucy's to help her stay calm while on Gray's back and Sting and Rogue took up the rear.
