A/N: Aaaand I'm back! School has been kicking my butt and I really should be grading papers right now, but that's no fun. So here I am with a new update! I have a few chapters written ahead; I'm so close to tying this into canon. But unfortunately, bridging gaps is the hardest part. Hopefully early next year you'll start seeing some canon events. Until then, updates should stay regular. But for now, enjoy! And don't forget to read and review!

Shout-out to deafdragonwriter for pointing out that I accidentally uploaded my chapters out of order! I've just posted Chapter 24, so go back and read that before continuing on. Again, please read and review!

Chapter 25: First S-Class Mission Begins

After packing all his usual essentials, Harry left for the train station with fifteen minutes to spare. He was determined to be early. Laxus arrived two minutes after Harry had, with five minutes before their deadline. Laxus scowled, seeing Harry already waiting for him, but didn't say anything. They purchased their train tickets and boarded the train.

Once they were seated and the train started moving, Laxus said gruffly, "Give me your pack."

Feeling a little smug, Harry handed it over. He watched as Laxus unpacked it one piece at a time. Soon, the seat beside him was littered with Harry's supplies—a tarp that could be used as a tent, an extra blanket, basic camping gear such as a fire-starting kit and basic cooking supplies, including a small pouch of Harry's preferred spices for camping on the road; two changes of clothes, a utility knife, a notebook and a pencil. Laxus's eyes narrowed with each item he removed, then he inspected the pack itself. It was worn, but sturdy, not to mention Harry's extra enchantments to keep it waterproof and to stay shut. The runes Harry had learned from Levy had come in handy for those.

By the time Laxus was done, he was scowling, but Harry could tell he was grudgingly impressed. Then he made Harry repack everything. Feeling even more smug, Harry did so quickly and efficiently. He kept out the notebook and pencil, though, and then pulled the job flyer from his pocket.

"'S-class mages wanted," Harry read aloud, "'to investigate sightings of alleged cursed creatures spotted in the woods and fields surrounding Osier Town. Livestock and townsfolk have gone missing. Sightings of strange tracks have been reported leading deep into the woods. Dark magic experiments are suspected but unconfirmed. Contact Renfield Baldric for further information.'"

"I already read the flyer, pipsqueak."

Harry ignored him. Laxus had said this was his mission once they got on the train, so Harry was taking charge—whether Laxus liked it or not. "Looks like a breeding experiment, if in fact the sightings are true. They could be hallucinations," Harry quipped. Laxus scoffed, not appreciating his humor.

Harry went on, thinking aloud. "The hideout is probably deep in the woods, where the tracks led. The 'cursed' creatures probably were either released or escaped on their own. Even if dark mages are involved, it could be either one…We'll definitely have to talk to this Renfield to get direct eyewitness accounts." Harry frowned in thought, scanning the flyer again. "If livestock is going missing…they were probably either taken for the experiment's sake or are unfortunate victims of the creatures' appetites. The townsfolk, too, come to think of it…Or, of course, they could have been put to work," he added with a half-shrug.

"Great job. Any amateur could have figured that out," Laxus drawled.

Harry narrowed his eyes at Laxus. "If you have something useful to add, by all means, say it. But you said this was my mission once we were on the train." Harry spread his arms comically wide. "Look at that! We're on the train." He lowered his arms and gave Laxus a pointed look. "So, we do things my way. Unless, of course, you have a valid opinion you want to contribute. I'll be happy to hear it."

Laxus raised an eyebrow, then shrugged and leaned back in his seat, gesturing as if to say, carry on.

Harry didn't give Laxus another look as he returned his attention to the flyer. He scribbled down a couple of notes, then resumed thinking aloud. "I'd like to talk to all the known witnesses, even if their story doesn't quite fit the scenario. I'd also like to get an idea of how long this has been going on. If it's been a while, the threat has probably grown significantly since the request was submitted. When was that, anyway?"

Harry scanned the flyer, searching for the stamp Mira or the guildmaster always put on requests when they first arrived. Finally, he spotted it, dating the flyer back… "three months ago…" Harry cringed. "The townsfolk might be really struggling. Less livestock means less food available, and with how remote it is…" Osier Town was way north and west of Oshibana, which was the second-northernmost city in Fiore. It was also surrounded by thick forest and rugged mountains, so it was hard to get to.

Harry addressed Laxus directly this time. "We'll have to work carefully, so the townsfolk don't panic. We'll also have to contain the fight, if there is one, to the woods, so we don't risk any more damage or casualties within the town limits."

Laxus stared at him. "That may be the first time ever anyone in Fairy Tail even considered limiting casualties."

Harry scowled. "Yeah. Most of you are hit first, think second. I did that once. I dearly regretted it," he said darkly. "I've had too many experiences where I was forced headfirst into danger without knowing all the information, and through no fault of my own, either. It got too many people hurt that I cared about. I'm not doing that anymore."

Laxus's eyebrows show up at Harry's vehemence. "Fine. We'll limit the casualties. Carry on."

Harry was surprised at Laxus's easy acceptance, but he nodded in thanks and continued. "The flyer says that dark magic experiments are suspected…I wonder what their evidence is. This country is full of strange creatures. Maybe one just wandered out of the mountains or the Waste Forest and is being demonized." Harry frowned. "I don't think we can get anything else from the flyer. We'll get as much information as we can from Renfield and the witnesses and go from there."

Laxus raised his eyebrow again. "I guess there really is a brain in your head. Unlike some," he muttered.

"You mean Natsu?" Harry raised an eyebrow in return. "He has his moments. He's definitely the hit first type. Forget the thinking part though."

Laxus gave a startled laugh, then looked annoyed with himself. "Well, there's still a long way to go. May as well get comfortable."

With that, he leaned back in his seat again and closed his eyes. Harry doubted he would actually go to sleep, but he was impressed with the act anyway.

Three hours later, Harry found himself shaking Laxus awake. "This is Oshibana," he said. "It's on foot from here."

"Finally," Laxus groaned. He looked a bit pale, Harry noted with surprise. Maybe Laxus got motion-sick, too? But a second later, he was swinging his pack onto his back. He threw Harry his, then led the way off the train.

The first thing Harry did was talk to the station master about where to find a map of the surrounding country. The station master handed him one off his wall of flyers and brochures for vacations and getaways in the mountains. Laxus gave a gruff nod of approval—or at least, that's what Harry took it for. It was so brief and shallow it could have just been a twitchy muscle in Laxus's neck.

Harry then led the way to a café, as it was growing dark. He purchased himself a meal, and Laxus bought three. They ate in silence. But once Harry was finished, he took out the map and his pencil. He spread the map on the table and studied the space between Oshibana and Osier Town, looking for roads or trails they could follow. There were several roads, in fact, but none of them were direct.

"Well, we could take the scenic route toward Shirotsume Town and then this dirt road that branches off back toward Osier," Harry suggested. "That looks like the best route if we don't want to be hiking through the back country most of the trip. It'll take about the same time."

"How far can you go in a day?" Laxus demanded to know.

"If the terrain is good and the weather is fair, between 10 and 12 miles. In bad weather, or without a clear path, probably no more than 8," Harry admitted. He'd been on extended missions only a few times in the past. With Gray, he could go pretty far. If Cana tagged along, or Loke, they had to aim for the lower end because they both fussed.

Laxus scoffed. "Amateur," he muttered. "But I guess I can't expect more from a newbie."

Harry opened his mouth to protest, but then he realized there was no bite to Laxus's words. He was simply stating a fact.

"How far can you go, then?" Harry challenged.

Laxus smirked. "Me and my team can go fifteen to twenty miles in a day," he bragged.

"Is that why you're always gone forever on your jobs? Because you hike everywhere?" Harry asked. "Why?"

Laxus scowled. "I hate trains. Bixlow prefers hiking—did a lot of it before he joined Fairy Tail. And it's fun to watch Freed and Evergreen get squeamish about bugs."

Harry blinked at the tidbits Laxus had just shared. Aside from their names and a vague idea of their magic. Harry knew virtually nothing about the Raijinshu, or the Thunder Legion, as Laxus's team called themselves.

"Hmm."

"So how long will it take us to get to Osier?" Laxus asked. "If we move at your snail's pace, that is."

Harry ignored the taunt. "Hmm…it's about thirty miles, so…three days? We should probably plan on four or five, though, in case the weather turns or something else goes wrong." Harry had made that mistake once or twice on jobs with Cana or Gray, mostly hiking out toward Mount Hakobe for various jobs. Once a nasty blizzard moved down from the mountain, turned into a raging thunderstorm, and left them stranded in the open for a day and a half without sufficient supplies. Luckily they could do magic, or things could have ended badly.

Laxus raised an eyebrow. "Planning for things to go wrong? Do you have no confidence in your plans?"

Harry scoffed. "I have zero confidence that anything will go according to plan. There's a saying I've heard a lot: hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. I'm hoping we'll get there in three days. But I doubt we'll be that lucky." Harry snorted. "Preparing for the worst is the only reason I've survived this long," he added under his breath. Laxus's ears twitched and an expression flashed across his face, too quickly for Harry to understand it. Did Laxus hear him? From his performance in his S-class trial, Harry figured Laxus had some enhanced senses, to be able to locate him while he was silent, disillusioned and concealed by fog.

Laxus snorted lightly. "I guess that's one way to do it. All right. What's your next step?"

"Find an inn and get a good night's sleep," Harry stated frankly.

"Good enough for me." Laxus got to his feet and let Harry lead the way.

Before they left the café, Harry asked the owner where a good inn was nearby. The owner gave directions to a decent one a few blocks away. Harry scribbled the directions down in his notebook, thanked the owner, and led the way.

They checked in to separate rooms, agreeing to meet at 8 am in the hotel lobby. Harry took a shower, then crawled into bed, setting the hotel alarm for 7.

Harry woke to the alarm with a groan, resenting the early wake-up. But he couldn't afford to have a lie-in; they needed to be on their way as soon as possible. So Harry pulled himself out of bed, double-checked his supplies and made a mental list of additional things they'd need, then went to the hotel lobby to wait for Laxus.

To Harry's surprise, though, Laxus was already there. It looked like he'd been up a while, in fact. He sneered at Harry as he came down at 7:30 am. Harry scowled back and helped himself to the free breakfast the inn offered. Then, at 7:45, they headed toward the market.

"We should at least have some fresh food setting out," Harry pointed out as he browed the market stalls. "Even I'm limited in how good I can make dry jerky and stale bread taste."

"You can cook, can't you," Laxus stated, as if he'd just remembered. "Get the stuff for your beef stew. I want to see how it tastes on the road."

Harry raised an eyebrow at the obvious request, but he complied. He also bought half a dozen apples to split with Laxus and a few spices he needed to replenish anyway. On a whim, Harry also purchased a new knife. His worked fine, but it couldn't hurt to have a backup. Laxus bought a few of his own preferred trail snacks, and by 10am, they were ready to leave.

Taking the main road out of town, they made good time. They stopped once to refill water bottles. Harry cheekily showed off his self-refilling charm. Laxus stuck his nose up, but made Harry apply the charm to his, too. They didn't talk much while they walked, but it wasn't an uncomfortable silence, either. Like Harry, Laxus was a private person who kept things close to the chest, and he wasn't of a mind to enjoy banal chatter.

When the sun began to set, they started looking for a good campsite. Laxus had Harry choose, clearly as another test. Harry chose a spot in a copse of trees a good way off the road but not completely out of sight. It was level and a narrow stream ran nearby, and the tree canopy would provide some shelter in case it rained—which, Harry noted, looking at the clouds, it just might.

Laxus gave a grunt that may have been approval. Nevertheless, he dropped his pack against a thick trunk and gestured for Harry to get on with it.

Rolling his eyes, Harry moved to set up a firepit. "You know, even if this is my mission, it wouldn't kill you to help out a little," he pointed out. "Since you're testing me, I'll do it all tonight. But after that, you'll help me collect firewood and pick the campsite. Deal?"

Laxus raised an eyebrow. "Are we negotiating now?"

"No. I'm giving you an ultimatum," Harry stated. He turned to face Laxus and crossed his arms. "I accept that you want to test me. I accept that you don't like me, because I don't like you much either. I agree that you probably don't need to be here and I probably don't need your help. But since we're stuck together anyway, we might as well be civil and work together."

Laxus raised his other eyebrow. "Or what?"

Harry smirked. "Or I get to tell your grandfather that you left me to fend for myself, the baby s-class mage against the big bad monsters."

Laxus narrowed his eyes. "And here I thought you were all about honor and fairness."

Harry shrugged. "When the people I'm with also value both, then sure. But since you clearly don't value either, I have to use a different method to get your cooperation."

Laxus scowled. "Fine."

Harry grinned at his victory, then busied himself preparing the campfire and then the beef stew. He didn't have any fresh vegetables, but there were plenty of fresh greens he could add. He'd read a dozen books on edible plants while helping Levy in the library. Some things just stuck. Gardening for the Dursleys hadn't hurt, either, Harry thought darkly. Aunt Petunia had gone through a health phase after fourth year where the entire family ate nothing but greens. Part of it was because of Dudley. The other part was she wanted to look impressive to the neighbors by eating out of their own garden. She'd made Harry grow whatever spices he wanted to use in addition to vegetables like lettuce and carrots.

About an hour later, as the sky grew fully dark, the beef stew was finally ready. Harry hid his smirk at Laxus salivating at the smell. Laxus's portion was gone in minutes, and Harry figured it was a good thing he'd made extra. He offered seconds and Laxus devoured it just as quicky as his first helping. Harry chuckled as he ate his own. If nothing else, he thought, he could bribe Laxus with his cooking.

Laxus didn't say a word as he returned the dishes to be rinsed, but his usual scowl wasn't quite as deep. Harry cleaned up his cooking gear and banked the fire for the night, then hung his tarp over a low-hanging tree branch and staked it to the ground against the wind. He spread one blanket to sleep on, then pulled on his jacket and laid his second blanket out. Using his light pen, Harry then drew a few basic runes to keep the tent try and in place and a second rune alert around their whole campsite in case a wild animal or something else came sniffing about during the night.

Laxus watched him critically, laying against his pack, having shifted his heavy fur coat around to use as a blanket. When Harry was finished, he crawled back into his tent and removed his boots, then cheekily waved good-night to Laxus as he sent a slightly jealous look at Harry's makeshift tent.

Soon, the only sounds were the wind through the trees, the chirr of night insects, and the faint babbling of the brook. It wasn't long before Harry drifted to sleep.