"You can go to any other guild to take missions! Have you no shame!"

"You guys really hold a grudge. Can't just let bygones be bygones, huh?"

Hmm, is that Jet and Gajeel that I hear? What's going on?

"El-niisan?"

"Just checking something out. You head to the guild first, I will be back shortly. Help me get a good spot to read while you are at it."

Yukino rolled her eyes and she continued to walk to the direction of the guild as I waved her off. I'm pretty sure canon Yukino wouldn't do something like rolling her eyes. I guessed I must have spoilt her.

It doesn't matter to me, as long as my little sister can live a carefree life, I regret nothing.

I cloaked myself with invisibility once more and headed towards the source of the disturbance. I know Jet and Droy still held a grudge against Gajeel for what he did in the war with Phantom, but I had hoped that they do not go and do anything stupid. They may not realise it, but it takes a lot of courage for Gajeel to join Fairy Tail, a guild that used to be the enemy of his former guild, a guild that he once warred against for the wrong reasons.

Gajeel deserves a chance to redeem himself just as Jellal did.

When I reached the source of the commotion, Gajeel was already lying on the floor with bruises all over his body and Jet and Droy stood over him. Levy had hidden herself partially behind a tree, looking torn between supporting her teammates or helping Gajeel.

"Hey, what are you up to?" Jet taunted.

"That can't be it for your power." Droy added with a tinge of anger in his voice.

"Being picked on, huh?"

Ah crap, Laxus.

I revealed myself immediately. Knowing his personality, Laxus is definitely going to stir some shit up.

"Can someone tell me what the hell is going on?" I announced my presence and called out with feigned ignorance. I did a lazy stretch of my arms on purpose and gave an exaggerated yawn, trying to diffuse the tense situation with my casual behaviour. I helped Gajeel up, who seemed surprised at the gesture. The only time we had interacted in earnest before this was during the short period of time when he challenged me to a battle to keep me away from the preparation of my surprise birthday party, we did not have the opportunity to get to know each other well yet.

"El." Laxus spoke, his voice dripping with venom.

"Laxus." I greeted in reply. "Glad to see that you are back. How long are you staying this time?"

"Why would you care, traitor?" Laxus sneered. "Can't wait to get rid of me?" Laxus turned his gaze on to Gajeel. "So this is the punk that turned my guild into a mess? The old fart let you join for some shitty reason? It's because of this that we're looked down upon DAMN IT!"

A large bolt of lightning fell down from the sky and I barely had time to raise a barrier to prevent the lightning from striking down onto Gajeel. I gritted my teeth, Laxus had not only become a lot stronger, but faster as well.

"STOP GETTING IN MY WAY, EL!"

"Stop hurting Gajeel, he is one of us now. That goes for you two as well, Jet, Droy. I'm not blind. I will settle things with the both of you later." I aimed my words at the two males of Team Shadowgear. I did not like how they handled things. What they did is a blatant disrespect to Master's orders when he explicitly said to not make things hard for Gajeel. I don't expect them to forgive him immediately or for everything to be all sunshine and rainbows, but I certainly didn't expect them to physically hurt Gajeel in their rage. They can at least be a little more professional in their behaviour.

Their behaviour needs to be corrected.

"Stop it, Aegis." Gajeel said from behind me as he put a hand on my shoulder and stepped forward. "Appreciate your gesture, but this is my business. If these punks have issues with me, then I will settle it with them."

I clicked my tongue in annoyance, Natsu was right when he called Gajeel bolt-for-brains. Jet and Droy is one thing, but Laxus is a totally different story. Gajeel will get himself fried into a lizard kebab if he takes on Laxus's attacks as he is now.

Gajeel walked up to Laxus and met Laxus's enraged stare with his own determined gaze, and it was at that moment, I felt a sense of respect for Gajeel rising from within me. Maybe it is fitting for him to be an Iron Dragon Slayer, Gajeel does have an ironclad will. Not everyone can walk up to an impossible situation and stare at it in their face without fear.

"It's all your fault!" Laxus screamed out in rage as he sent a huge blast of lightning at Gajeel, which propelled him backwards. Laxus didn't relent on his assault, and continued to blast Gajeel with lightning.

"Stop it, Laxus! You are going too far!" Jet cried out. Even he cannot take the cruelty being inflicted onto Gajeel any longer. This is borderline torture.

"It doesn't matter how strong Laxus is, Gajeel should be able to fight back! Unless, from the very start..." Droy started to contemplate.

"He wanted us to recognise him as a nakama, so he didn't fight back?" Levy, who was hiding behind a tree all along, whispered out.

I readied my shields, and I made sure to make them transparent. I will step in if Laxus takes things too far. I will not allow him to injure a nakama fatally right in front of my eyes.

"It's all your fault we are being made fun of!" Laxus said as he punched Gajeel in the jaw. "Why don't you just die!" Laxus kneed Gajeel in his gut while sparking with lightning. "I'll kill anyone who goes against Fairy Tail!"

I was about to step in at this point. Even if Gajeel wished to take this all by himself, the current situation had escalated to far beyond what he could handle with his body. That idiot didn't even bother to defend Laxus's attacks with magic. He will get himself killed at this rate!

Funnily enough, Gajeel wasn't the one I needed to defend.

"Stop! That's enough! Laxus!" Jet cried out.

"SHUT UP! LITTLE RIFF-RAFF SHOULD BE QUIET!"

Laxus sent a bolt of lightning in Team Shadowgear's direction and it was headed straight for Levy. I tried to quickly raised a barrier in front of her, but I'm not sure if I will make it in time with the speed the lightning bolt was heading for her. Laxus's attacks have gotten a lot more faster over the period of time that I didn't see him. Furthermore, the majority of the barriers that I have discreetly prepared were at Gajeel's direction and Levy is too far away from me.

"LEVY!" Jet and Droy both cried out as they tried to defend their teammate, their eyes widened both in shock and fright. Levy isn't a combat-oriented mage even though she can hold her own in combat. Taking a direct attack from Laxus can possibly injure her fatally. The attack that Laxus fired is potent, and even I will be feeling the effects for a few days if I just took it on like that undefended.

A black blur put himself in harm's way and blocked the lightning bolt heading for Levy. Gajeel stood firm as he stared at Laxus with determination even when he is sporting wounds all over his body.

"Is that enough?" Gajeel asked as he panted slightly, trying to ease his ragged breathing. "I've got work to do."

"Laxus." I called out slowly as I gradually released my powers. The invisible barriers that I have secretly prepared revealed themselves as they floated all around Laxus in all sorts of shapes. "You pull this kind of shit one more time, I will end you. We are nakamas. Nakamas don't hurt each other like that. You have gone too far."

Laxus said nothing as he turned around and walked away from the area. Seeing that the incident is over, Gajeel walked away as well to complete his job, even if he had trouble walking in a straight line. We tried to convince him to go seek medical help, but he waved away any concerns about his injuries.

Stupid idiot. Einstein was right to say that stupidity is infinite. At least go get your injuries checked out for crying out loud!

"Right, so since we are done here now..." I said out loud and dusted my hands as we watched Gajeel disappeared round the corner. Team Shadowgear turned to look at me, and I slowly rotate my head to look and Jet and Droy, who suddenly seemed very uncomfortable at how I am staring at them.

"It's time we talked about your behaviour."

"You made them what?!" Elfman said as he nearly spit out the drink in my face. Luckily, I managed to raise a barrier to block it in time.

"Made the two of them clean up the guild's male toilets for a week. It's a pretty light punishment." I said calmly while taking another sip from my mug.

"No wonder the two of them looked so tired the entire week. Cleaning the toilets, even if it is only for the males, has to be tiring. Our new guild building is pretty huge." Elfman said as he ate a huge serving of apple pie. "Master approved of the punishment?"

"He did." I replied as I finished the last of my drink and opened up another book to read. "What they did is a blatant disregard to Master's orders. If everyone can simply get away with disobeying the orders of a guild master like that, who will listen to Master? How will he command and lead the guild? Furthermore, they injured a nakama on purpose. As a leader, there are times you need to punish your subordinates in accordance to the law of the organisation or group that you are leading when they are in the wrong, even if you do not wish to. How else will you maintain your authority and leadership? How else will the group function if everyone can get away without getting punished even when they had made mistakes?"

"It's starting!" Yukino yelled as she ran up to me and Elfman. "Hurry, hurry! The Ms Fairy Tail contest is starting! Mira-nee and Lisanna-nee are competing and I don't want to miss it!"

"Coming, coming." I replied as I snapped my book shut and walked up to Yukino together with Elfman. Yukino held our hands and she tried to drag us along to hurry us up. "Relax, Yukino. We still have a lot of time."

All I got in reply from Yukino was a kick to my shin.

"Have you learnt that spell I found for you?" I asked as I ignored the kick from Yukino, it barely tickled. Yukino didn't put much strength in that kick.

"Yes, I did. The only problem is that my magical reserves is not yet large enough to use it at its full capacity. Where did you find the spell from anyway?"

"The guild archives." I replied dryly. "I honestly don't know why nobody visits the guild archives more often. The guild did collect a huge library of spells and magics ever since its founding and most of it is just sitting there and collecting dust. The First Master must be rolling in her grave if she knew about it." Even I cannot believe my own eyes when I found that spell. I knew that I absolutely have to let Yukino learn it when I first found it when I was browsing through the guild archives. How did the Fairy Tail main cast from canon missed it? The book that documented the process of invoking that spell is just sitting right there on the shelf!

Yukino looked at me in disbelief.

"I really found it in the guild archives, imouto." I emphasised the last word just to make her face flush. Her face never failed to go beet red whenever I address her as my younger sister instead of her name. The way she sputtered with her flustered looks makes a cute combination. "Why don't you believe in your onii-chan?"

"St-Stop calling me that! It's embarrassing!"

I put a hand over the area where my heart is and my face scrunched up in mock hurt. "Ah! My imouto just rejected-"

A loud crash can be heard as Yukino punched me in my gut and stomped off, leaving me lying on a pile of destroyed wooden tables while staring at the ceiling.

Huh, that punch actually hurt. Since when had she trained herself to this degree?

I really should try and do something about my failing memory. How did I managed to forget that the Ms Fairy Tail contest is the trigger to the start of the Battle of Fairy Tail arc?

"The time limit is three hours. If you cannot defeat us, they will turn to sand." Evergreen said as she gestured towards the petrified female members of the guild who had participated in the Ms Fairy Tail contest. Unfortunately, Mira and Lisanna are caught up in it as well. "The battlefield is the entire Magnolia town. The battle starts when you find us."

"DONT MESS AROUND!" Master roared out in fury as he activated his Titan magic, increasing his body size.

"Calm down, old man. Let's enjoy the main show."

With a bright flash of light, the entire Thunder God Tribe disappeared, leaving a stunned Fairy Tail gaping at the contest stage in shock. Chaos immediately erupted as the rest of the guild immediately rushed out of the guild building to beat Laxus into a pulp and save the petrified girls, I didn't even have time to raise my barriers to stop them from making their way to Magnolia. What they are doing right now is exactly what Laxus wanted! Can't any of them see?!

To make things worse, Freed have cast a restriction spell with his Jutsu Shiki, preventing any statues or anyone above 80 to make their way out, effectively trapping Master and the Dragon Slayers within the guild building. Everyone was confused as to why the Dragon Slayers were trapped, but I knew better. Our Dragon Slayers are people who traveled 400 years from the past to the present. Technically speaking, they are over 80 years old.

However, this time, another additional rule that I was sure that did not appear in canon was added. Jellal and I were not allowed to leave as well. Laxus had probably deemed us as too big a threat to his plans since I am supposedly his equal and Jellal used to be a member of the Ten Wizard Saints. We are too strong for his taste.

Damn it.

Laxus will destroy a huge part of Magnolia at this rate! I know what happened in canon, it was pure luck that the Thunder Palace was even stopped! The battle between our mages will rip the entire town apart! We are not known for controlling our powers in a fight!

I could only watch anxiously as reports of the Battle of Fairy Tail popped up one by one, courtesy of Freed's magic. Master was probably even more anxious than me. He could only stand and watch as his children were forced to battle one another against their will, his heart would have felt as if it was tossed into a grinder.

"Breathe, Master. We need to put our trust in them. We will find a way to stop this somehow. Have faith, and take care of your health." I said as I patted him on the back in encouragement. Master's face is a little pale, his body is not as fit as it should be when he was younger. His old age is finally catching up to him.

"Indeed." Jellal joined in. "Someone will be able to take Laxus down for sure. We just have to wait until the barrier is dispelled."

"I WANNA JOIN IN! WHAT'S WITH THIS STUPID INVISIBLE WALL?!" Natsu complained as he pressed himself against the restriction barrier and hoped that it will be enough to let him through it.

Master chopped him on the head with his hand and began ranting about the seriousness of this issue. I tuned out their conversation and just lie down on one of the empty tables and closed my eyes. There's nothing we can do about the barrier for now. I will need my full strength when I go out later, might as well save my strength.

"El-niichan! This isn't the time to be sleeping!" Yukino cried out in worry. Thank god she didn't ran out stupidly like the rest of the guild. At least she realised that at her current level of power, there's no way she can stand up to the likes of the Thunder God Tribe.

"I know that someone will get the Jutsu Shiki down, and when that happens, I want to be at full strength. You stay here, Yukino. You are not yet ready to take part in a battle like that." I replied simply as I dozed off and let my thoughts wander off despite Yukino yelling into my ears.

My thoughts wandered elsewhere. I remembered the blond haired boy who befriended me on my first day at Fairy Tail. I remembered the boy who trained and practiced magic with me. I remembered the boy who I used to went on missions with. I remembered how he said to me that he will one day succeed Master Makarov and takeover the guild to continue his legacy. I remembered how we made a promise that I will be his Ace if he ever becomes the guild master. I remembered how we achieved our first unison raid. I remembered how we first formed the Thunder God Tribe and how we saved Freed, Bickslow, and Evergreen and bring them into Fairy Tail. I remembered how happy we were.

I also remembered how I lost my friend.

Laxus, it's time to settle things between us once and for all.

It's time to bring my best friend back.

"El. It's time to wake up."

I opened my eyes as I tried to see who is trying to shake me awake. Mira's face came into view as she smiled at me from above. I checked the time with my watch, I didn't fall asleep for very long. It seemed like someone had undone Evergreen's spell while I was asleep.

"The battle is still going on." Mira explained. "However, Laxus had activated the Thunder Palace. We have only slightly more than an hour left until it obliterate the whole of Magnolia. Master is not feeling well too, his heart is giving him problems. All the stress and anger is bad for him." She said this with a grim face. "Levy had just rewrite the runes so that everyone can now pass through it freely. However, the Thunder Palace is inscribed with Organic Link magic. Trying to destroy the Thunder Palace will reflect the damage back to the attacker. It already got Bisca."

So it finally happened, huh.

"I will get rid of it." I assured her as I made my way out of the guild building with Mira beside me.

"El! Don't!" Levy said as she run up to me. "That's suicide!"

"Don't worry about it." I waved off Levy's concerns with a small smile on my face. I turned to Mira. "Can you take Freed down? His runes are too dangerous, and fighting him will be wasting precious time. Time that we can use to destroy the Thunder Palace."

Mira playfully flicked my forehead with a finger. "Watch your tone, Aegis. I am the Demon of Fairy Tail. Don't underestimate me." With a bright shine of light, Mira transformed with her Satan Soul. "Stay safe, El."

"You too, Mira."

I watched as Mira flew off to search for Freed. Jellal and our two Dragon Slayers had ran off to town some time back even before I woke up. For now, I can leave the fighting to them, I need to get rid of the Thunder Palace. I let my magic out as I floated high into the air in the middle of the town as the air currents swirled around me in response to my power.

"Senbonzakura."

"You are Bickslow?"

"Heh, I never thought I will be facing someone who was a previous member of the Ten Wizard Saints. How did being controlled for eight years felt like? Care to share?"

Jellal ignored the Seith mage as his dolls cried out "Care to share? Care to share?", imitating the last phrase said by their master. Jellal is determined to not let his past dictate his future. He was offered the opportunity to walk in the light once again, he will not squander it away.

Jellal took off his coat and threw it aside, revealing the fighting suit that he wore underneath and returned Lucy's keys to her which he had picked up along the way. He was glad that he was able to make it in time to save Lucy from Bickslow. The Seith mage might have ripped Lucy's soul out from her body if it wasn't for his intervention.

"Lucy, stay back. This battle is now between him and me."

"Jellal! I can help!"

"You can help to evacuate the nearby townsfolk. Our battle can get a little...destructive."

Lucy looked between Jellal and Bickslow uneasily before she ran off to help evacuate the nearby townsfolk, making sure that no innocent bystanders will come near to the site of the battle.

"Heh, look at you. Acting all high and mighty now. What a hypocrite."

"You are right."

Bickslow was nearly slammed into the ground as Jellal appeared behind him in a blink of an eye and sent a fist at his back just as he said those three words. What insane speed!

"Baryon Formation!"

At Bickslow's command, his dolls positioned themselves in a pentagonal pattern and began to spin in an anti-clockwise motion rapidly before firing a huge beam of energy that tore at the ground where Jellal once stood. Bickslow didn't let up his attacks as he commanded his dolls to fire magic repeatedly at Jellal, but Jellal is too fast to be hit.

"I am a hypocrite, but at least I now know that I was being controlled. I am a sinner, I won't deny it, but it wasn't on my own volition. What are your reasons?"

Bickslow sent his dolls to tackle Jellal, but Jellal batted it away with a single backhand swipe. Bickslow continued his long range assault, tearing up several shop houses along the way and destroying the gravel pavements. But no matter what he did, Jellal remains untouched and unfazed.

Things are looking very bad for Bickslow.

"Laxus is all the reason I need! He will be the one who bring Fairy Tail to greater heights! He will make Fairy Tail the strongest guild in existence! I will bring you down, Jellal! Fairy Tail doesn't need criminals in the guild!"

Bickslow threw off his visor and revealed his Figure Eyes. He cannot afford to hold back when facing someone on the level of a Wizard Saint.

"Behold my power! Line Formation!"

Bickslow's dolls stood atop one another in midair and released a crescent shaped wave of energy towards Jellal, who was forced to close his eyes to prevent himself from getting controlled by Bickslow's Figure Eyes. To Bickslow's horror, Jellal stopped the advance of the attack with a single hand and crushed it by simply clenching his fist around the condensed energy.

"H-How?"

"You can't call yourself the strongest with an attack of this calibre. If this is all you have then I am sorely disappointed." Jellal spoke up with his eyes still closed. "Meteor."

Jellal dashed forward in a bright yellow light as Bickslow commanded his dolls to protect him in an X Formation. However, Jellal swerved to the side unexpectedly at the last minute despite the speed at which he was going and got around to Bickslow's back.

"Fall. Nine Thundering Stars."

Extending his arms, nine swords made out of lightning came into existence as Jellal shot them towards Bickslow, who screamed out in pain at the attack.

"You should treasure what you have." Jellal spoke as he walked up to the unconscious form of Bickslow. He picked his coat up from where he threw onto the floor prior to the battle and slung Bickslow over his shoulder, and started to fly off back in the direction of the guild.

"Don't commit the same mistakes as me. Not everything can be forgiven."

Jellal dropped Bickslow in the guild where some of the members who were released from their petrified state are still around. They will be able to help heal Bickslow's wounds.

"Don't end up like me."

"So we finally meet, El."

"Laxus." I greeted as I walked into the Kardia Cathedral where Laxus is. "Stop this farce. I have destroyed the Thunder Palace. There's no need for this to continue."

Laxus ignored me as he continued speaking. "I knew you will be the first one to find me, El, even if I had Freed trap you inside those runes of his. I know that you will be the first who managed to locate me. You always did."

I remained silent as I let Laxus continue his speech. It will be the last time I will hear anything from him in a long while. There's no doubt Master will excommunicate him from the guild once this is over. Laxus had gone too far.

I will lose Laxus no matter what the outcome of this impending battle is.

"There were always rumours flying here and there on who is the strongest in Fairy Tail. It was always between me, you, and Mystogan." Laxus drawled out.

"You are forgetting Gildarts." I replied. "Have you forgotten how he handed our asses to us in our S Class trials? There's always Erza and Mira too. They are strong as well."

"Eh, Gildart's not coming back, he doesn't count. Erza and your little chick shows a lot of promise, but they are ultimately still weak. Don't you see it, El?" Laxus said as he spread out his arms. "Two out of three of the contenders for the title of the "Strongest" are right here! If we work together, there is nothing that can stop us! You know it! We were unstoppable when we were a duo years ago!" Laxus held out a hand to me. "Come, El! Join me! If we work together, there's no way Fairy Tail wouldn't be the strongest guild in the whole of Fiore! No, the whole of Earthland! We will be the strongest in the world! I will be the guild master, and you will be my Ace of the guild! Just like how we promised each other back then! How about it? I can forget about you leaving the Thunder God Tribe! We can start all over again! Just like old times!"

My eyes softened as I imprinted this sight into my mind. If only I had managed to save Laxus from these thoughts back then, this would not be happening now.

I am really a failure as a friend.

"I will make you another offer, Laxus." I said as I took the hands out of my pockets. "Stop this now. Please." I pleaded. "It's not too late to turn back now. Please, just come back."

Laxus's expression fell as he let his arms hang limply by his side.

"So even after I offered to let bygones be bygones, you still stand against me, eh?" Lightning started to spark around Laxus and the air started to buzz with static. All talks are off the table now. "There's no point in talking then. I had hoped that after what the both of us had been through together, you will be the one who can understand me, why I did all these. It's for Fairy Tail!"

"I know you mean well." I said as the petals of Senbonzakura swirled into existence. "But what you wanted for the guild is not what the guild needs." More of the petals came into life as my magic pulsed outwards in dangerous amounts. "I have failed as a friend to bring you back from your path of self-destruction. This ends now. I am bringing you back today, even if I have to beat it into you until both of us cannot move anymore."

A savage grin appeared on Laxus's face. "Let's settle this once and for all, El, with the title of "Strongest" at stake!"

"You are right. It's time to settle this once and for all." I said resolutely, this fight will be one of the hardest fights I have ever encountered.

Silence fell upon the cathedral as lightning and petals stood opposite one another, crackling and swirling with immense power. With an unspoken signal, both of us charged at one another.

It's time to settle things once and for all.