The day he was born, he was given a larger family than most children can even imagine. Most kids just wanted one or two siblings, he had dozens, nearly hundreds. And the second he came into the world, he was accepted alongside them, no questions asked. They all stood before him and had nothing but unconditional love for the child.

On the very same day he was born, the crest of his guild was placed on his back. It was the only place the symbol would fit as his body was still far too small. Most guilds didn't allow children to join until they were old enough to produce magic, but this one was different. From that day forth, the boy would be a member of Lamia Scale.

He grew like a weed and fought with determination to start walking and talking by the age of one. Even before that, his expression gave away exactly what his personality was. Hard headed and determined to a fault. As soon as he could hold his head up on his own, he was fighting to crawl. Once he had that down, it was a quick transition into walking. He was determined to stand beside his family, even if that meant falling down quite a few times.

Each time he tripped, his face would scrunch together in frustration before he would pull himself back up and try again. The first few times he fell, others would laugh so he wanted to prove that there was no reason to laugh at him. It wasn't cute to him and he wanted to be just as skilled as those around him. Walking was just the first step.

Throughout his journey to walking, he was an extreme babbler. No one really knew what he was saying, but you always knew that he had something to say. Most of the time, he didn't even bother to stop talking even when there was no one to talk to.

Once real words started to fall from his mouth, he couldn't have been more proud of himself. He was finally able to talk to those he held so close and tell them exactly what he was thinking. And he made sure to make use of that skill more often than not as, like normal, he never could keep quiet.

If you asked anyone, it would be very clear that he was the spitting image of his father. The fiery red hair and stubborn auburn eyes made me look just like his father in every way. But as the years went on, it was shown that he was far more like his mother.

His father was calm, collected and never once let his emotions get the better of him. Whenever the child cried, it was his father who would come in to help as he knew his mother wouldn't be able to handle it. Every single time he lifted the child into his arms, the cries would cease.

His mother on the other hand was what one would call a spitfire. Despite the fact she was an adult, she constantly acted like a child. Maybe that was why she was usually the one playing mindless games with the child without feeling the slightest bit bored. Her words were full of sarcasm and wit, never once was she without a snarky comeback.

The one thing they both had in common, was their love for their son. There wasn't a single thing they wouldn't do if it meant providing him with the best life possible. They would go to the ends of the earth before they even considered giving up when they were thinking of his best interests.

"Kiara! Put Hayden down before he falls and breaks something!"

The blonde woman stood in the middle of the room, a single hand outstretched as she allowed her gravity magic to bounce the five year old boy through the air. His giggles echoed through the guild hall as he moved from wall to wall as if it were a trampoline. This was a game they often played together and his mother, Kiara, was always careful. But it still didn't stop his father from yelling.

"Calm down, Alvin," Kiara grinned, keeping her focus on Hayden. "He's just fine. Right sweetie?" She mused up at her child.

The boy gave two thumbs up as he spun through the air. "You bet!"

"This is ridiculous…" A red haired man, Alvin, muttered as he walked up beside his wife. "You're teaching him terrible habits."

"Nah," She stuck her tongue out. "I'm teaching him that having fun is a good thing. I'm leaving all the serious and boring crap to you."

Somehow, despite their differing opinions on how Hayden should be raised and what he should be taught, their son still seemed to be turning out alright. The only argument they seemed to have over it, was when he should be taught about magic. They had both assumed that he would have shown signs of one of their respective magics, but he still hadn't. It was unlikely that he was born without it, so now the choice was, who was going to teach him and what was he going to be taught.

Kiara was certain that he should learn about gravity magic as he often asked her to use it on him. Alvin on the other hand thought it was irresponsible and that Hayden should be taught light magic like he was. It was an argument they had been having for the last year, but they never dared bring it up in front of their son. It was the last thing he should have to worry about when he was still a child. He was still trying to grasp the concepts of reading and writing, magic should not be on that list of worries.

"Get down this instant or I'll spin you!" Ooba's voice erupted from her spot near the front of the room. Her arm was already moving in a spinning motion as she geared up to punish the child.

Hayden's face lit up at the thought. "That's a great idea! Spin me, granny!"

"On that note…" Kiara grumbled, lowering the boy to the ground, much to his disappointment. "I'd rather now have you throwing up all over everyone today." Hayden had only just had lunch minutes before she launched him into the air. If Ooba started spinning the poor kid, that lunch was going to come right back up.

"But mom…" Hayden pouted, crossing his arms in protest. "Don't you wanna know what would happen if granny spun me around up there? That would be so cool!"

"Well…" She began but caught the glare that Alvin was sending her way. "Not really, no."

Alvin sighed, kneeling down in front of Hayden. "You really need to be careful when you're doing things like that. We don't want you getting hurt."

Hayden puffed out his chest as if to show that he was stronger than he truly was. "I'll never get hurt! You worry way too much!"

A chuckle fell from the older male's lips. "Yeah, sure I do." It was only a matter of time before one of their little stunts actually ended up getting Hayden hurt. Alvin was glad he was having fun, but there was a difference between having fun and being reckless.

He straightened up to look at his wife. "We should be heading out anyway. It's a long train ride."

Kiara groaned. "It's all about the work with you… Fine." She reached down and ruffled Hayden's hair with a grin. "Remember, Miss Celeste will be picking you up at four. You be good, alright?" Removing her hand from his hair, she held up a fist in front of him.

A matching grin crossed Hayden's face as he bumped his own fist against hers. "No promises."

"That's my boy." She pulled him in for a hug before standing up straight.

Alvin simply placed his hand on the boy's head, nodding to him. "We'll be back in a couple of days."

After the simple words, the couple began to head for the door as Hayden frantically waved at them both. "Bye! Bring me back something cool!"

"You got it, kiddo!" Kiara gave him a thumbs up. "We love you!" With those final words, they were out the door.

The couple went on jobs all of the time. At least once a week if not more depending on where the jobs took place. With one big job a month, they had plenty of money to support their small family. They never wanted to leave Hayden for too long so there were times only one of them would go while the other spent time with their son. But no matter what, they were never gone for very long.

So as Hayden continued to wave at them through the door, it didn't even cross his mind that this would be the last time he ever saw them.

No child should ever be without their parents. Yet in this line of work, that was always a possibility. People go missing and never turn back up or they may be killed by whatever it was that they were hunting. It was no different for Kiara and Alvin Cordair.

Their job had taken them to the outskirts of Fiore to hunt down a small dark guild. As they developed a plan to take the guild out, they were ambushed and killed without a single hint of mercy. They didn't even have time to react.

When the news reached Lamia Scale, it was a dark day. Any time a guild receives word that one of their own was found dead, it was a tough blow. What made this one worse, was that someone had to tell the son that his parents were never coming back. No one had the heart to do it, but one boy stepped forward to take it on himself.

Jura Neekis was only fifteen at the time and he was often the one that Hayden spent the most time with when his parents were away. The young boy was already more attached to the quieter members of the guild and Jura was no exception. Maybe it was that he liked to hear himself talk or maybe he simply thought Jura was lonely. It wasn't certain, but the older boy appreciated the company nonetheless.

Celeste heard of the news and didn't walk Hayden to the guild that day, not wanting him to be exposed to the negative emotions the other guild members were bound to have. She simply waited for someone to come and explain the situation to the boy. She would do it herself, but she couldn't bring herself to tell him the truth.

Jura stood in the doorway, afraid to even step foot into the home as Hayden stood before him. It broke his heart that the bright smile the boy had would soon fall and there was nothing he could do about it. Instead, he knelt down before the boy and placed his firm hands on his shoulders.

"Your parents…" He trailed off, his heart skipping a beat as he feared the words he had to speak. "Your parents aren't coming back."

The redhead furrowed his brows. "Huh? What do you mean? They're coming back today aren't they?"

It was a concept that no one wanted to teach a child. The concept of death. Maybe if someone had taught him earlier on in life, it would have been easier for him to accept, but no one had the desire to do so. Then again, no one thought he would need to know for years to come. They all thought he would lose a pet before he ever lost his parents.

"No." Jura closed his eyes for a moment, not wishing to face the truth. However, he knew full well that he had to face it head on. If not for himself, but for the child in front of him. "They won't be back. I'm sorry…" His grip on the boy's shoulders tightened. "Your parents are gone. Dead."

The concept went over Hayden's head for a moment as he tried to figure out what Jura had meant. All the older boy did was wait for him to figure it out. It didn't take long for his auburn eyes to widen. "N-No… You're lying!" He reached up and threw a fist at his chest. "You're a big liar! Mom and dad are coming home today! Why would you lie to me?!"

The boy cried out for a few long moments and all Jura did was take the beating. His small fists pounded against his sturdy chest, but never once did he consider letting the child's shoulders go. Nothing would make the boy feel better, the least he could do was stand firm for him.

After the long moments passed, Hayden's form loosened as tears welled up in his eyes. "I want my mom and dad…"

It was then that Jura pulled the boy closer and wrapped his arms around him. He couldn't bring himself to say anything as he knew if he started to talk, he would cry alongside the child. That wouldn't be of any help and he knew it. Instead, he let Hayden cry into his chest and simply held firmly onto him. But his parents were gone.

And no amount of tears was going to help that.

Days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months. Hayden was moved from his home into the dorms, free of charge as the members of Lamia Scale didn't want to leave him to fend for himself. At least in the dorms, there would be people around to keep watch over him and help him when he needed it.

The bright spirit that Hayden normally had was gone. He often wandered into the guild and sat on his own, unsure of what to do. What could he do? He didn't have any magic so he couldn't make money on his own and he didn't have his parents to help him along. He was lost and he wasn't quite sure how to fix it. All he wanted was for his parents to walk through those doors and apologize for making him feel this way. That they would never do it again.

It didn't take long for Jura to take notice of the boy's behaviors. It was difficult for him to watch such a kind child lose all hope for life. At first, he wasn't quite sure what to do about it. He didn't have much experience with children, but he also knew that Hayden couldn't be left to deal with his experiences alone.

It was then he decided that he would take Hayden under his wing and teach him the ways of earth magic. The child needed something to put his heart into and focus on when everything else in the world failed him. If that meant teaching him a form of magic outside of what his parents specialized in, then so be it.

When the concept was brought up to Hayden, he rejected it, saying he was fine on his own. However, just days later, he had been the one to approach Jura to ask for help. Jura only asked him once if he wanted to learn earth magic, it was up to Hayden to pursue it. The older male was happy to see that he took the chance in the end.

From then on, the two spent almost every waking moment together. Just as Jura hoped, Hayden put everything he had into training and did so with a smile on his face. Very similarly to his childhood, every time he failed at a task, he got right back up and tried again. Not once did he get down on himself when he couldn't perform a skill as well as Jura did. He knew the older male had ten years more experience so there was no point trying to catch up right away.

Their routine was simple. Wake up every morning to meditate and connect with the earth's elements, practice hand to hand combat, practice magic skills, then the day ended with a hearty meal. Whenever one of the boys was seen without the other, the guild members questioned if something was wrong. They were attached at the hip.

As the two grew older and Jura grew wiser, the older man fell into a fatherly role for Hayden. He was often scolding him when he misbehaved as well as praising him for his accomplishments. It wasn't a role Jura expected to fill, but he certainly wasn't going to complain. He had grown fond of Hayden and wanted him to succeed.

The years rolled on and as Hayden neared the age of thirteen, Jura started to hear the boy comment about how he desired to surpass him. Not an obsession, simply a goal. It was around this time that Jura started to figure out that the boy would not be sticking around forever. His goals were steep and he likely wouldn't be able to achieve them within Lamia Scale.

Hayden began to develop techniques of his own that differed from Jura's and would often practice them alone so the older male wouldn't see. The more secretive the training became, the closer the time came. When Hayden turned thirteen, Jura knew it was time.

"I think… I think I'm gonna go."

Jura and Hayden sat in their normal meditation area and the whole morning, the red head couldn't focus. It wasn't until he chose to speak up that Jura understood what was happening.

The Iron Rock hummed, opening his eyes to look at the boy. There wasn't a single ounce of hesitation in his eyes. He was certain that this was what he wanted to do. "Is that so?"

Hayden nodded. "Yeah. I think it's time." He smiled softly, never once breaking eye contact with Jura. "You've taught me a lot, but I need to learn more on my own."

"Where will you go?" Jura questioned, his heart soaring at the determination in the boy's voice.

"I don't know yet." The redhead stated, shrugging his shoulders. "The earth hasn't failed me yet, might as well let it lead me to my next adventure."

A smile broke out on Jura's face. The boy had truly taken every lesson he had been taught to heart. "Then go. I will not keep you here if you choose to leave."

"Thank you." Hayden got to his feet, turning his gaze to the sky. "I think I'll come back when I'm finally able to surpass you. Until then…" He trailed off, looking back at his teacher. "I'm going to keep getting stronger. The next time you see me, I'm going to be itching for a good fight."

"If that is your desire," Jura began, standing up to stand before the boy. "Then follow that desire to the end of the Earth. Don't let anyone hold you back."

Hayden was silent for a moment, processing the advice. A small chuckle fell from his lips. "Since when have I let anyone hold me back?" He reached out and held a hand towards the man. "The day the earth tells me I'm ready, I'll be back, sound good old man?"

The comment didn't bother Jura at all. Despite not being much older than the boy, he considered the old statement to be a compliment. It showed that Hayden had respect for him, even if he was showing it in his own way. So Jura reached forward and took the hand in his. "Alright, I'll look forward to it."

The deal was made and the very next day, Hayden was gone. Nothing was left behind except an empty room. The redhead hadn't even bothered to say goodbye to the other guild members. He simply removed his guild mark and left without a word. The only person who needed to know was Jura. He had no intention of going through dozens of emotional goodbyes. This was his journey and he wasn't gonna let anyone stand in his way.

The sun's bright light began to dip beneath the horizon, allowing the moon to begin its ascent into the sky. I stood on the main bridge in the middle of Margaret Town, staring down at the water below. This day certainly didn't go the way I had planned, the way that I had expected. I suppose even the earth doesn't hold all of the answers.

When I had awoken that morning, the earth had told me it was time to return home. I had instantly jumped to the conclusion that it meant I was finally ready to face Jura without thinking of the other possibility. It had wanted me to go visit Lamia Scale, it didn't want me to face my old teacher just yet.

Of course it picked the time to send me when he had just left to take down a dark guild of all things. Maybe if I had been paying attention to what was going on at Fairy Tail this morning, I would have noticed that they were discussing teaming with other guilds to take out Oracion Seis. I would have known Lamia Scale would be involved and in turn, Jura. Then this whole trip could have been avoided.

The earth had never steered me wrong, so why now? Why send me out here if not to complete my goal?

"Hey, you alright?"

I peaked my eyes up to see Cece approaching and my gaze softened. "Never better." I muttered. "Where's Phillip?"

"Back with Celeste." She spoke as she walked up and stood beside me, resting her arms against the railing. "He really wanted to learn about gardening… Says we should start a garden back at the guild." She sighed, shaking her head. "But he said he would meet us at the train station in time for the last train."

I nodded in understanding, returning my attention back to the water. Celeste had lived up to her statement and made a rather large meal for us. It was the perfect distraction as she asked question after question to catch up on the events of the last five years. But as soon as dinner wrapped up, I found my disappointment returning and I couldn't help stepping out for a breath of fresh air.

Beside me, Cece's gaze focused on my face. It wasn't often she looked at me like that. With pity. "Why didn't you tell me before?"

"I don't know, in all honesty." I let out a half hearted chuckle. "It didn't really bother me before now. I thought I had gotten over my grief a long time ago."

She hummed. "I think I understand what you mean." She stood up straight to fully face me. "I'm not going to say I understand how you feel, but…" Her voice trailed off as she tried to find the right words. It was interesting to see her try and comfort me. Part of me wanted to stop her since her presence was comforting enough, but I let her continue. "You can talk to me. If it's actually important, I can at least listen to what you have to say."

You can talk to me. Those words sent a pang through my heart and I couldn't help but smile. The girl that had done nothing but ignore me for nearly five years and now she wanted me to talk. If she wasn't changing then I didn't know what more she could do. "Thank you. Really… Thank you."

A hand touched my shoulder and I flinched at the contact. Looking over, I saw Cece smiling back at me as she gave my shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "Whatever you need. What are friends for?"

Friends, huh? I sighed, reaching up to place my own hand over hers. "Cece?" She raised an eyebrow in confusion. "I… About that…"

"About what?" She questioned, looking me over with worry. "Is there something else?"

My gaze darted toward her for a moment before quickly moving away. Thank god it was dark or else she would have been able to see my flustered face. This was one of the few times I was caught, unsure of what to say. I wanted to say it, express everything that I had been thinking over the last few months, maybe even years. It was on the tip of my tongue, but whenever my mouth opened, no words flew out. I couldn't do it. Not yet.

I gave her hand a squeeze before releasing it. "Nothing." I pushed myself away from the railing. "God my thoughts are all jumbled. I need a nap." I groaned, quick to divert the focus away from my previous thoughts. "Come on, let's go before the train leaves without us."

As I began to walk, I could feel Cece's concerned gaze on me. I would have to do a bit more work to get her to forget about what I could have possibly said. Good thing we had a three hour train ride ahead of us and no spare bottles of water. She wouldn't remember much after that.

I didn't get much sleep that night. My mind continued to swirl and I couldn't seem to put a stop to them. The moon was still raised in the sky when I finally gave in and got out of bed. There was no point in suffering to fall asleep when I could do something productive.

One of the thoughts that didn't seem to go away was something that Celeste had said and I couldn't quite shake it. Something about it left a bad taste in my mouth. If anything was going to make me feel better, it was taking care of that task. With my sights set for Fairy Hills, I left the comfort of my home.

With only one quick detour on the way, I found myself grabbing hold of a low branch of one of the trees that surrounded the dorms. A grunt fell from my lips as I hopped up to a window I knew very well. Hesitantly, I pulled the glass pane open and slid in with a soft thud. Inside, Cece and Phillip rested quickly without a care in the world. It was one of the few times I was thankful for Cece's sleep tendencies. Nothing could wake her once she was asleep.

I quietly snuck into her kitchen and began my search for a pen and paper. It didn't take long to find the tools and I scribbled out a short note. I set the note on the table before turning my attention to the reason I had come in the first place.

"It seems they don't get flowers quite as often as they should."

In my hand was a simple bundle of wildflowers that grew near my home. No flower shop was open this late at night, but I wanted to make sure that the first thing Cece saw that morning was these flowers. I was never the kind of person to give flowers, but if I didn't, Celeste would forever hold that against me. Then again, if there was any person who deserved them, it was the black haired girl that rested peacefully in the room next door.

Gently, I set the flowers down beside my note, giving them one more look over before making a swift exit. If either Phillip or Cece caught me in here, I would never hear the end of it. I was already going to get an ear full tomorrow morning once they figured out what I did. It wasn't like I could hide that I had snuck in.

Just a short time ago, my mind was filled with agony. But as I jumped from the tree and my feet hit the ground, I had nothing but joy written all over my face. After the fiasco today, I truly felt like I was growing. Even if I didn't achieve my goal, there would be other opportunities. I wasn't going to give up after one little hiccup.

I was going to have to apologize to the earth in the morning for ever questioning its decisions. It always knew what I needed, not what I wanted. I needed to see my grief. Now I can spend some time kicking grief's ass and getting back to what I do best. Being a member of Fairy Tail.

Just having you by my side is enough to keep me going. Thank you for today.