Wishfull-star: Thank you!

"You spoke to Sting and Rogue?" Max asked in surprise. Ace nodded, eating his toast. He wanted to go on a job, but there literally was not a single job on the board right now. It was frustrating, because Ace was wanting to get back to his busy schedule of constant jobs and all. Seven years of staying in one place was awful. Sure, his and Marco's vacation was nice, but it wasn't enough, he wanted things to do.

"They only seemed rude once hey found out who we are," Marco said. "Then when we were polite and non-reactive, they came back to make amends about the ridiculous interaction before. Apparently they're both third generation dragon slayers."

Laki said they were both very strong. Two of the five strongest in all of Saber Tooth. They were a huge deal, the strongest guild at the moment while Fairy Tail was the worst. No jobs, no pay. But now everyone was more happy with the return of their missing members. Ace had gotten used to being back surrounded by people, which he was happy about.

"Fight me!" Gajeel shouted. He kept challenging him, like how Natsu challenged Gildarts. Ace supposed he should be flattered, but he was more annoyed than flattered. He sighed and stood up. He agreed, sounding annoyed. The room went quiet before everyone cheered at seeing a fight between a generation one and generation four dragon slayers.

"No way have I gotten weaker over seven years," Gajeel said defiantly. Natsu just said Ace had gotten stronger. They stayed the same. "Speak for yourself, Salamander!" Gajeel shouted. Ace transformed his arms into dragon ones, scaled and clawed. Gajeel turned his fists into metal poles, like he used to beat people up easily.

When he shot it at Ace, he grabbed it with one clawed hand, gathering ethernano there. It weakened the pole greatly, and Ace cracked it. Gajeel pulled it back and sent a vibrating sword down, but seemed to remember that Ace was still made of fire in this form. It cut right through him. Ace sent flames at him from below, and he jumped, only for Ace to grow his wings instantly and fly to him, slamming him into the fire below.

"Ethernano dragon roar!" Ace shouted, and a bright blast of pure, raw magic particles slammed into him, making him scream. However, they dissipated quickly after the initial hit. It felt weird, breathing them out. It was easier coming out of his hands. But this was more how dragon slayers attacked, and he did want to be grouped in with them loosely. Gajeel shot up again, grinning madly, and cut right through Ace. When his weapon went through Ace's abdomen, he solidified it, locking him in place, where Ace proceeded to punched his lights out before turning himself back intangible; to let the guy slip out of his fire and fall, unconscious.

Ace landed lightly, but was breathing heavily. "It seemed Gajeel needs more training," Panther Lily said casually. "Though Ace looks quite exhausted."

He thought of something. Dragon slayers could eat their element. Natsu ate Ace's own fire before on jobs to power him up. Ace opened his mouth, and pictured eating the ethernano around him, absorbing it through his mouth and not his hands.

But he ended up choking on it, since it solidified in a way when it entered his body. He coughed and got it all out. "Well, can't be a traditional dragon slayer, after all, huh?" Gajeel said. "I'll whoop your ass, just you wait." Ace smiled, glad he performed well enough for his beaten enemy to praise him in a way.

Wendy ran up to him, and said, "I can help you be more of a dragon slayer! Use wing attacks and all!" She sounded very excited. Ace smiled and said he had seen Natsu do it countless times, but learning from someone else might help also. "Yay!"

He went inside, bummed he couldn't eat what was in the air like Wendy could. He could only absorb it into his body. He'd rather act more like a dragon slayer. It was confusing, because some things were more effective than how dragon slayers did it. But he would do his best to fall in line as close as he could.

Everyone outside was watching a new match, Natsu versus Max. Ace stayed inside, feeling sleepy. He was stronger attack wise, but his stamina seemed to have fallen. For him, it had been seven years since a last fight. It was only natural he was tired afterwards. He fell asleep at the table, but woke up on one of the more comfortable chairs.

"Don't overdo yourself."

"I wanted to go all out. He deserved that. Besides, maybe I would have lost if I hadn't," Ace replied to Sabo. "I need to fight more people and get better stamina. I can't fight one opponent and then be exhausted. It's just not good, y'know? I'm still not as strong as you…"

Sabo smiled softly. "You'll be stronger than me for the rest of your life." Ace asked what he was talking about. "You survived that. The seven years of near complete isolation. Don't dispute this, it's not a compliment, it's a fact. I don't know if anyone else in this guild could have handled that, Ace. Honest. Maybe Gildarts since he's always off on his own… I don't know if I could have survived."

"There was plenty of water and food-"

"Suicide Ace." He went silent and his eyes widened. "As a kid, I did anything to escape the loneliness I felt, and that was around people. It was suffocating, how lonely I felt. That was with people around me. Voices, moving bodies. I mean… I don't know how to explain it. It was just painful, debilitatingly. Even if I didn't commit suicide, I still don't know if my mind or body could handle it," he explained, voice quiet, face looking down at his hands.

Ace hugged him. "Then never leave me alone again." Sabo hugged him back, and sniffled out an apology. "I forgive you, and everyone else. I never blamed you, or anyone else. We're all out and free, now. I want to move on, okay? Can you move on, too? For me?" Sabo nodded, before he broke down into tears.

His big brother held him close and let him cry, glad nobody came in and intruded their special moment, just making sure each other were there, and were not separated anymore. Never again.

-x-

"Don't be so upset, Natsu," Ace scolded while Natsu pouted in the corner of his house. Happy came to get him when Natsu wouldn't get up. He was cranky and humiliated after he was beat by Max, and then beat himself up by using the lightning flame dragon mode that sucked all the energy out of his body. "You want yourself to bring yourself down? Isn't that more embarrassing than someone else taking you out? I know for a fact that it is."

"You don't get it, you're all strong now! And a fire dragon slayer, too!" Ace worried this would happen. Ace pointed out that he didn't eat fire or anything. "Still, you can use fire and a bunch of other stuff, now, too!" Natsu said defiantly.

Ace simply said, "Then become better than me. If there are two fire dragon slayers in Fairy Tail, don't you want to be the stronger of the two? Or do you want to lose to me completely?"

"No way will I lose to you or anyone else! Not stupid Gajeel, either!" Happy pointed out that Gajeel lost to Ace, so he was stronger. "Ace! I'm coming for you!" Natsu shouted, pointing at Ace with a determined face. Ace looked exasperated.

"It feels like I'm everyones' goal," he said with a sigh. "But I'll take on the challenge. I'll be the strongest dragon slayer." Natsu grinned, fist balled, and nodded firmly. "But that doesn't mean we can't work together."

Happy interjected, "If we ever get jobs again," unhelpfully. Natsu exclaimed that they had to be number one as soon as possible or they'd have no food money. Ace was lucky, because Thatch bought their apartment, they weren't renting anymore. He bought it because of the memories, and planned to leave it empty if he had to, as long as that place belonged to nobody else.

So Ace didn't need to pay rent! Just all the utilities. Marco paid for all the food. It was working, and Thatch was just happy they didn't need to worry over rent anymore. Sabo still had to pay his own, but he'd had a safe under his floorboards with hundreds of millions he'd saved over the last seven years of increasingly higher paid jobs.

"I gotta go get training!" Natsu shouted, an zoomed away, with Happy shouting at him to wait. Ace stood up and left their dinky home, taking the key laying on the table, and locking the door behind him, putting the key n the mail slot beside the door. There was no point in a locked door in a home this beat up. But they did it anyways.

Ace felt happy that things seemed to be fixed to a degree between himself and Natsu. He wanted to try and change things. Maybe he'd try to alter his flames to look differently. Perhaps change the texture. He already had all these moves and techniques he'd gone over time and time again in his head, but he had one more idea.

To truly fit in as a dragon slayer, he couldn't have attributes of the others. Especially not his friends.

-x-

Fire, lightning, iron, air, light, shadow, poison. Fire, lightning, iron, air, light, shadow, poison. Fire, lightning, iron, air, light, shadow, poison. Ace couldn't be any of those. He sat on his bed, Marco reading in the corner, silent so Ace wasn't focusing on him, but there in case anything happened.

He had his legs crossed and hands down as if he were meditating or praying. He had the bathroom mirror propped up against the wall. He focused to combine what he'd always been, fire. He was fire. Made out of it, able to control it. To combine it with his new abilities with the ethernano. He wanted to replace it. Both could be intangible and dangerous. But he also liked the props of having fire, so he'd change the appearance to match.

The things he did for his friends. This was not and would not be easy or comfortable, but he was willing to do it.

When he looked at his fire body, only his head not made of fire, Ace breathed in deeply, and then out his nose again and again, sucking in the magic particles into his fire, mixing it until it was a shade of purple. Not bright blue. Red and blue made purple. He didn't feel any heavier. In contrast, he was able to barely push off the covers of his bed with one foot, and was airborne.

"Help?" Marco asked.

"Not yet," Ace replied, and then attempted to remove some of the ethernano from his fire, and he was brought back down. He was still lighter than before. He brought his hand up, and lit it on fire, willing it to bond with the different textured and colored magic. Both were made of magic. His hand burnt purple, and he set he cloth on fire in the tub floating in the water bowl.

It burnt into nothing but some blue dust, not ash. It was enough for one day, and he let out a deep sigh. His body changed back to red and orange before reforming as a human. He instantly passed out for the rest of the day.

"C'mon, wake up, Ace," Marco soothed. "You're starving." Ace opened his eyes, exhausted. "I've never heard something louder than your stomach when you're hungry." Ace smiled slightly, indeed voraciously hungry. He ate a sandwich with his favorite jam and peanut butter. "You should try to pace yourself."

"Natsu, he's doing his best. I have to, too."

"He's trying to increase his power, you're trying to warp your magic into something different, which should be near impossible for people. You can't use it if it weakens you like this."

"I'm not weakened."

"That sure is a shaky hand. You have arthritis, then?" Ace narrowed his eyes at him, and Marco snickered. "Just don't over do it. You did spectacularly with pacing yourself over the last seven years-"

"It's different. I had time to throw away. Now, I'm aging, everyone is aging, I can't spend years on one technique." Marco looked like he really did disapprove. He asked what Natsu would think of his methods. "He'd approve. I wouldn't ask him for advice on anything, though." Marco shook his head. Ace would keep practicing. He'd survived enough shit to be able to control the appearance of his fire.

-x-

Ace was exhausted of magic. It had been that way for two days now, and Ace was stuck at home in bedrest to try and replenish. He was unable to get any boosts from the magic around him. He's completely run out, so could not pull that off. It made him sick, and he felt like crap.

He woke up to the door knocking, and told whoever it was to come in. He was surprised to see it was Natsu. He looked upset at Ace. The freckled one was sweating heavily, but was having chills. He asked, "Is this from training to change your magic? Marco said you're trying to do that so there won't be two fire dragon slayers." Damn Marco. But Ace couldn't say he was surprised. Ace sighed and confirmed this. "You felt that much pity for me that you hurt yourself trying to change?" He sounded sour, but also sad.

Ace let out a long breath, looking at the ceiling. "I want to fit in with the whole dragon slayer concept. But I want to be my own. I can't be fire dragon slayer no. 2," he said. "It's not pity, though I worry that you won't want to be my friend anymore. If it seems like I stole your stuff. I want to be unique."

Natsu frowned deeper, and said they'd always be friends. "I want to be as strong or stronger than you, but I can't even do that if you're killing your own magic. You should be who you wanna be. Without killing yourself for it." Ace told him he was a hypocrite, saying that. "I guess, but it's still the truth."

Giving up, Ace promised he'd not force himself to do it anymore. It hurt and drained him of energy. Natsu was glad he was going to stop. "We've been talking about some pretty exciting stuff lately at the guild. With no jobs, everyone is there all day. It's getting boring! But, there's a huge magical competition that happens every year, now!

"The Grand Magic Games! We've lost every year we tried, and were in last place last time. But if we get first place, then we'll rocket back to the number one guild! It'll be awesome and so fun!" Natsu said enthusiastically. Ace smiled. It did sound fun. And a way for all of them to test themselves fully.

"Let me guess: Saber Tooth is number one?" Natsu nodded. "So, we'd be facing other dragon slayers?"

"Yup! The ones we haven't met before," the pink haired teen said. "Imagine their reactions when you turn into a dragon. Haha! They'll be stunned!" Ace smiled. It would indeed be fun to see the public react to him. Would be risky, perhaps. But still fun. After talking for a bit, Natsu left, and Ace fell back asleep. It was a long, tiring conversation, but he didn't want to worry his friends.

-x-

Hearing the real Master say he was retiring really hurt. He didn't say that Macao wasn't Master material. He'd let everyone down in a way. Ace held no grudges, but he just didn't think he didn't think he was suited for it. So when Makarov said he wasn't retaking the place, Ace's heart clenched. He had barely any time with him besides the others.

But when Gildarts was to be named Master, and he ditched before it was official, he resigned without even beginning. His own orders as the Master (in name only) was to accept Laxus back. Ace thought he already was since he was living there and going to the guid. At least it was official now, though. Ace held no grudge against him, and neither did he.

His other order was to make Master the real Master again, reinstating his place. Where he belonged. Master wasn't happy about this, but didn't seem too angry. Gildarts last order was for them to all become Fiore's number one guild again. Gildarts didn't say when he'd be back, but promised he would.

"If we're going to the top, when are we joining the Grand Magic Games?!" Natsu demanded.

"When it's held in three months." Ace hadn't been there for the talk about it, only what Natsu told him afterwards when he was sick. They'd already decided to take part in it. Ace wanted them to get their place back. He had a feeling Sabo would be one of the contestants from Fairy Tail. Maybe all the S-Class wizards. None from the Tenrou group became one or were considered to pass the trial. It was a bummer, but understandable.

The others who weren't locked away for seven years didn't want to join, but it was out of their hands. Fairy Tail wouldn't lose this time, no way.

"We won't stand a chance! There's strong guilds other than Saber Tooth there!" Warren shouted. The Master simply said they were joining whether they wished to or not.

"We have three months until it starts," Romeo said. Everyone knew this but for Ace, which he was glad they were explaining it a bit for him. Ace was holding Marco's hand, sitting on the table with his boyfriend sitting on the bench. Sabo was there, reading, though it was interrupted right now.

"That's more than enough time! We'll make Fiore the number one guild again!" Natsu exclaimed confidently. The Tenrou group were all eager to overperform and claim their spot once again. Ace did wonder if every year they had to do the festival to keep their place. What if they didn't participate? Would they stay number one? He didn't ask, though, and returned to lean against Marco's side.

Makarov officially announced that Fairy Tail would be joining the Grand Magic Games. "Yeah!" most shouted back, the older members still not happy with it. Well, tough. No matter what they said, they'd be going. And the training was to begin. A lot of people fought over Ace. The Tenrou group mostly.

Gajeel demanded he go with them until he could defeat Ace. Lisanna wanted him to come along as well. Then there was Levy. But the loudest contender had to be Natsu. Ace talked it over with Marco and Sabo, and they were find to be training together by themselves. Marco could get some one on one time with an S-Class wizard.

So Ace agreed to go with his original group, which also featured Juvia and Team Shadow Gear. It was weird, being fought over. He was glad his training paid off, and he wasn't weak. But the Tenrou group wasn't weak either. They were just a little behind and all. So their group headed to the beach, and right away, it was clear they'd be distracted by the fun stuff there.

Swimming was the main thing. Ace kept reminding them to train until he gave up for the first day and swam, too.

The next day, the training began. Natsu went up against Ace when he was at his strongest, in dragon force. He couldn't beat him, but he did land a few punches. Ace had a feeling most people, if not all, were not made of fire, so his punches would work. Natsu knew this too. His punches weren't to strengthen his arms, but to aim it right. They knew he would be unable to hit Ace, but this was good practice, with Ace hitting him hard and fast.

When Natsu was recovering, Gray went after him. His ice didn't work against dragon force, and they had to assume Sting and Rogue had this, as well. If they went up against them, they needed some practice. Ace was panting by the end, after a good half hour of holding dragon force, and took a long, undisturbed nap. He wished Marco cold be here to be his pillow.

After training, they all went to a hot springs. They could hear the girls talking, but Ace didn't really care. He wished Marco was here, and he could get a nice view. It made his cheeks red in a different way. He was exasperated when the other guys, all of them, attempted to peep. Erza noticed and flung swords at them, hitting them all.

"Haha, that's what you get," Ace chuckled. Droy was annoyed by Ace's attitude, and said not everyone had some guy they fell in love with. It sounded demeaning, like he was insulting the fact that Ace liked another man. He got up, and left, feeling clean enough.

When he was inside, changed into pajamas, Erza came in, in a bath robe. "Are you okay? I heard what Droy said."

Ace said he was fine. It was just a bit annoying. Everyone seemed fine with it, but now he wondered if that was accurate. "You can't help who you love," Erza said honestly. Ace looked down. He said he wasn't ashamed of their relationship, but just wanted to be accepted by everyone. "Do you want to sleep in the girl's room with us?"

"No. Thanks though, for the offer. I think it would make the girls uncomfortable." Erza said they'd trust him not to peek. "It would just make things more awkward with the guys."

"Maybe they'll learn a thing or two. How to treat women, and not peek at them." Ace thought it was a good point, and thought the peeking was wrong unless it was consensual. So he agreed, and moved his things.

None of the girls seemed bothered, and he felt it was best for them when he fell asleep the second he laid on his mat. He didn't hear any arguing, and just slept soundly until the next morning, when he woke up to the smell of food, and found a whole meal laid out that the girls were eating from.

They asked him to go over, and wondered how the guys reacted to last night. "They were kind of jealous, but they were also annoyed with what Droy said, and had already given him a talking to." Levy spoke up, and honestly said she felt they were making an unintentional jab at her, too. Ace noticed how she would look at Gajeel, and thought it was cute. He didn't say anything. But it seemed like everyone in this space knew who she was referencing.

After breakfast, things were a bit awkward with Jet and Droy, but Natsu and Gray were fine. After all, Erza had hinted many times that they had once bathed together. Much more than sleeping the whole time he was in there the night before. "I'm sorry I said that last night," Droy said. "I didn't mean for it to come across in the way it did."

"Maybe I overreacted. I forgive you." Erza said he hadn't overreacted, but that she was glad the air was cleared.

"Time to train!" she exclaimed. They were on their third day out of three months. They had a ton of time.

Ace's training, when he wasn't being attacked in any form, was spreading the blast of magic that his dragon force brought out. If he could power up someone else. But when Natsu tried he got sick, like it was a moving vehicle. Ace knew what it felt like on their way here. It was awful. After that training, and he got tired, he went to watch the others.

Then Virgo, Lucy's maid celestial spirit she'd received after Everlue was arrested all those years ago. She told them the celestial world was in danger, and Ace hurried over to listen. "We'll be taking all of you." They were shocked, and then a golden, sparkling beam rained down on them.

Ace was left behind. They were all gone.

He fell to his knees, and Jet hurried over. He wasn't alone, after all. "They left me again," Ace said quietly.

"Not completely, we're here, too," Droy said. They were speaking gentle to him, which he did appreciate. Ace asked why he was left behind in that beam. "Maybe dragon slayers unlike Natsu can't enter."

Ace stood, and said it was also possible his ties to Acnologia kept him from going. It was that dragon's fault for them disappearing. Ace looked up at the sky, but there wasn't a trace of the beam or anything that would suggested something like that just happened. Jet suggested they wait for the day for them to come back. No more training. But Ace disagreed. They needed to train. But they also had to wait there, so they were sitting in a circle, all three in a meditation stance.

Juvia and Gray had once completed a unison raid. How strong could the three get if they mastered a high level attack like that? Their magic didn't mix well at all, but they would still try to at least combine their magic. When Ace's magic aurora around himself widened to accept Jet and Droy as well, if snuffed out their magic circles, but didn't steal it away. Instead, the ethernano particles in Ace's aura seeped into them and powered them up a bit.

They both stood, and used their magic strongly. Ace smiled. But it was impractical to do that all the time or when it counted. It was in no way a unison raid. And only about five little ethernon balls actually sunk into them. They ran out of that overpowered magic after about five minutes. But it showed Ace could mix with his friends.

He believed that it would not work the same if an enemy was around. Not that he'd meditate like that for ten minutes if he was facing an enemy or opponent. He hoped he was chosen to take part in the Grand Magic Games. Not to be self-absorbed, but he honestly thought he deserved it and would do great for them.

They waited all day, trying to stay composed and patient. But their friends didn't return that day. They had no idea where they were, and if the celestial world really was falling apart and they were in danger. It was terrible.

After the first week of them not returning, Ace decided he needed to leave. Jet and Droy were surprisingly understanding with Ace needing to be distracted, and Sabo and Marco were perfect for that. Besides, he wasn't leaving them on their own, they had one another to train with. They had to do it without Ace's help. Not that their magic were suited for fighting Ace's.

He knew Ace and Sabo were in the mountains training, and he knew just where. There was no option to walk there, so he changed into his human form with wings, and launched off of the ground, and flew away from the beach.

He still had over two months to train. He made it to Ace and Sabo's camp only twelve hours after starting the flight. When he landed, both were surprised and fearful at first until they quickly realized it was Ace. "Ace, what are you doing here?" Sabo asked in surprise. Ace explained that his team disappeared.

And, well, he couldn't handle waiting there. It was too familiar. "I hope I can train with you guys." Sabo smiled, and said that was fine. He and Marco were training mostly on having Marco persevere through different obstacles. Different attacks. "I'm using my various colors to put him in uncomfortable or painful situations."

Marco smiled, and said, "So far, I've improved a bit." Ace smiled for him, too. "You should train me, too. The strongest siblings in the guild." Ace blushed, and promised to train him too. They would all help one another out, but Sabo promised he'd focus more on training them. He was training himself by using his colors, but wasn't going through rigorous work. Just working to maintain his colors even longer.

They trained and had fun the whole three months. Ace didn't know if his team was back, and tried not to think about it. He had faith they'd be back, and wouldn't be killed in the celestial spirit world. He wouldn't deny he'd wished he could have seen it, too. But he couldn't, and there was no use crying over spilled milk.

All three of them were stronger by the end, Marco improving the most. He could now force himself to hallucinate and grow stronger in mind, which pushed his body. It wasn't just magic they were training. All three of them were more defined by the end, lifting rocks in the area and other strenuous physical activities.

It was satisfying, and Ace flew them back to the guild, all three confident in his flying in dragon form with them riding. When Ace landed in front of the guild, it was with a big thump. But he didn't break the ground or anything. He hurried inside, looking around, and saw his group there! He hurried over, furious about them leaving them.

"We didn't mean to be gone so long. We're sorry, for bringing back things you didn't want to think about. But the spirits didn't do it on purpose," Lucy said, defending her friends. "You just couldn't enter. We got no clear reason. It wasnt that you weren't allowed, it just wasn't possible."

Ace nodded, and said he forgave them. It wasn't their fault. "Did you get a lot of training there?" he asked. They all looked defeated and depressed. He was shocked when they said they didn't get any real training, only having their amount of magic use at once heightened. Erza promised to tell him later.

"Where were you?" Gray asked. Ace said he'd gone to his brother and Marco to train. They did well together, so the three months weren't completely wasted. They weren't angry with him leaving, which was good. Though they had no reason to be since he was only gone to them for couple days, not three months. "The Master is choosing who will take place in the festival, now."

Everyone grew silent. He immediately named off the five who would be participating. "Erza, Natsu, Gray, Ace and Lucy." Ace beamed, and he and Natsu gave each other high fives. Lucy was the only one in the group that wasn't happy. Was nervous. But it was clear they were chosen because of their teamwork.

If it were about strength, Sabo was there to use. Mira and Erza as well. Those three were S-Class wizards. Laxus didn't count. Only one of those chosen were S-Class. Ace looked to his brother and boyfriend, and they looked smug and extremely proud, though not surprised. Ace was so excited to take part, and would help them win.

And they would win.