~X774~

When Laxus turned thirteen he remembered things around the guild getting strange. Well, stranger than usual for Fairy Tail. It was all because of that one woman. Irene Belserion. One day he turned up to the guild after a job only to find it in absolute chaos. There were children he didn't recognize running around everywhere, and he nearly tripped over them multiple times crossing the hall to his grandfather.

"Hey Gramps!" He shouted out, getting Makarov's attention from his seat at the bar. "What's going on? It's like a zoo in here."

"Ah, my boy, you're back!" Makarov said with somehow more cheer than usual, gesturing to the filled seat next to him. "You wouldn't believe who has turned up!"

"Huh? What, is Gildarts back in town or something-" The words died in his throat as the seat beside Makarov's swiveled around, revealing a face he hadn't seen in years. "Grampa Rob?!"

He threw himself at the older man, who wheezed from the sudden weight. "My, you've grown these years! It's good to see you too, little spark."

"Same, you old geezer!" He said cheerfully, trying not to tear up at the nickname. No one had called him that since the man had gone missing. "What happened? Where have you been?!"

"It's a long story, but we can talk about that some other time." Rob said in a tired voice as he looked past Laxus to the guild behind him. "I'd rather just be with you all again. I've missed this place so much…"

"Hey Grandpa Rob, Can you- Oh!"

Laxus turned to see a blue haired boy with a red tattoo over his right eye. He looked to be around ten years old, but it was hard to tell due to how obviously malnourished he was. A quick glance showed that most of the children he didn't recognize were in similar states of impoverishment.

"Is there something you need, Jellal?" Rob asked the boy kindly.

"I'm sorry, I know we just had lunch but… could I have some more to eat?" Jellal looked away, almost ashamed to ask the question, and Laxus couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the boy's skittishness. He looked like he was expecting a beating just for asking about a bite to eat. Though honestly with how thin he was, he didn't him for feeling peckish.

"Of course you can!" Makarov replied cheerfully, turning to his grandson. "Laxus, could you be a dear and show Jellal where he can get a snack. In fact, why don't you help him grab something for all his friends!"

"What?!" He looked at his grandfather in surprise. He wanted to complain, but seeing the look Rob was giving him made it impossible to argue. "Oh, fine then. Come on kid." He began to walk off towards the door leading to the pantry behind the bar, and Jellal hurriedly followed behind him. As they entered the back, he tilted his head to look at the pipsqueak behind him. "So, what's the deal with all of you?"

"Huh?" Jellal stopped, glancing up in surprise at him.

"Look, I don't need your life story or anything. I just want to know what happened to Grandpa Rob, and I know whatever Gramps tells me won't be the whole story." Jellal looked hesitant, so he decided to sweeten the deal. "Look, I happen to know where Gramp's secret snack stash is. A quick explanation, and you'll be dining on the finest chocolate in Fiore. What do you say?"

"Chocolate?" Jellal looked up with wide eyes. "I can't even remember what that tastes like anymore. I don't know if Millianna and Sho have even had some before…" He quickly shook his head. "No, we can't steal from the Master, not after he took us in. It wouldn't be right."

"Yeah, well I'm the Master's grandson, so what's his is mine!" Laxus said. He stomped over to an inconspicuous drawer, pushing it aside to reveal a hidden compartment in the wall. He flung it open to reveal a treasure trove of goodies. He grabbed the first chocolate bar he saw, a Rose Garden Dark, and unwrapped it, shoving it towards Jellal like he was tying to coax a stray dog on the street. "So, what do you say now?"

"I-I…" Jellal looked at the bar in his hand like it was a forbidden fruit. He could hear the boys stomach rumble, but he still held back. "But I don't want to disappoint-"

"The only one you're disappointing right now is yourself!" Getting up, Laxus stomped over to Jellal and shoved the bar into his move with one lightning quick motion. "Just eat the fucking chocolate bar already."

Jellal reflexively bit down, snapping half the chocolate bar into his mouth as he stumbled back, tripping onto his rear. He could see the fear in Jellal's eyes, and Laxus was afraid he'd messed up, but that fear soon faded away as the chocolate melted in his mouth.

"I'm sorry about that kid. Are you okay?" Laxus asked, kneeling besides Jellal. But the boy didn't answer, instead snatching the rest of the bar from his hand and shoving it in his mouth. "Hey!"

He wanted to yell at the kid for his poor behavior, but stopped as he saw the tears welling in Jellals eyes. As he chewed on the entire bar of chocolate stuffed in his mouth, tears streamed down his puffed-up cheeks. Once he finally gulped it all down, he wiped at his face, leaving streaks of tears and melted chocolate all over his face.

Laxus wasn't sure what to say anymore. He had never seen anyone break down over a single candy bar. He just let out a nervous chuckle as he put a hand on Jellal's shoulder. "So, I guess you liked it?"

Jellal suddenly threw his arms around Laxus as he began to cry. His shirt was getting covered in chocolate, snot, and tears, but he didn't have the heart to push the kid away. The cries Jellal let out were so hard that it shook his entire body. Laxus had only sobbed like this once, when his old man had but that stupid lacrima in him. What had Jellal gone through? He wrapped his arms around the smaller boy, trying to comfort him as best he could.

Eventually Jellal's cries lessened, and he could spare enough breath to explain what had happened to himself and his friends. It came out of him in a deluge of nigh-incomprehensible words, like a pressure had been building in him finally burst. Laxus was able to understand enough between harried breaths. About the hell that the children had been put through. About how they all looked up to Grandpa Rob, who kept them together with stories of the guild.

"I… Damn. I didn't mean to bring all of this up. Sorry…" Laxus felt terrible for forcing him to tell him. If only he learned how to keep his nose out of other's business.

"No, I… I think I needed to tell someone." Jellal said in a shaky breath. "I keep acting like everything's fine for the others, but I'm not fine. Not yet. But I don't want everyone to freak out, so I just stayed silent."

Laxus couldn't help but think back to when he was Jellal's age, and his father had put that Lacrima in him. His old man had said that he needed it for his weak body, but that if anyone found out about it then they would take him away. He wanted to tell anyone about what had happened, how much it had hurt, but couldn't for fear of what would happen to his father. He did it to help him after all, so he could take it. But this was different.

"I know how you feel." Laxus said, and Jellal looked at him in confusion. "I mean, not with the whole slave thing, but about pretending like everything's fine."

"What do you mean?"

Laxus looked conflicted for a moment before continuing. "I'm sure you've noticed by now, but my Gramps is the Master of this guild. Dad is always saying that means I must be better than everyone else so that I can live up to my family name. So, when I see everyone look at me like I'm perfect because of my grandfather instead of the work I do I just feel like a fake. But I can't complain because it wouldn't look good, y'know? I just grin and bear it, make everyone think I really am that good." Laxus glanced at Jellal and could tell he was beginning to lose him. "What I'm trying to say is you shouldn't keep the bad stuff bottled up. You don't have to put on a strong face for everybody."

"I guess you're right." Jellal nodded in understanding. He looked over Laxus a moment, eventually steeling his face. "Hey, can you… train me?"

"What?" Laxus froze. He did not expect the sudden request. "Train you how?"

"To use magic! To be big and tough! To actually be strong instead of just putting on a face!" Jellal said, now with a fire in his voice. "Rob always talked about how amazing you were. About how you were super strong, and never showed any fear. And how all the other kids in the guild looked up to you. I also wanted to be able to inspire my friends around me to not be scared. I… I wanted to be just like you."

Laxus was stunned. He was surprised to hear that Rob had spoken so highly of him. He had never really had anyone train under him before, but something told him that this kid wouldn't take no for an answer.

"Alright, fine." Laxus eventually relented. He saw Jellal perk up, and he shot him a serious look. "This is a big deal you know. I won't go easy just because of your age or anything, so if you fall behind then you'll have to catch up on your own."

"That's fine!"

"Alright then, my new apprentice," Laxus smirked as he grabbed an armful of candy and shoved it into his arms. "Your first task is to hand out Gramp's candy out to your friends."

The two of them eventually walked out of the backroom, arms overflowing with rare sweets. Laxus saw Makarov's surprised face, but the children were upon them before he could save his stash from being devoured. As Jellal handed out the candy, he walked over to Rob and Makarov.

"You brat! What do you think you're doing with my chocolate?!" Makarov cried as his treats disappeared in front of his eyes.

"Glad to see nothing has changed while I've been gone." Rob said heartily. "I was worried, but it looks like Jellal will be able to fit in after all. That put's my mind at ease, that he'll have someone to look up to in the future. Be a good example for him, will you?"

"You bet! He'll never think of me as anything but the best of the best!"

~X775~

Laxus spent a year waiting so that the two could go on missions together. It took time for Jellal to strengthen his body up enough, but he eventually recovered from all the work he had been forced to do in the Tower of Heaven. And on top of that, it was discovered that he had an incredible talent for Magic. As soon as Porlyusica gave Jellal a clean bill of health, he began having Rob teach him how to use magic, while following Laxus on some of his missions.

The older boy couldn't take him on too many missions though. Laxus usually took the hardest jobs he could find, and even he knew that taking along someone who was just learning the basics was a recipe for disaster. Jellal nagged him whenever he got back from a solo mission, but it was for his own good. He would have just let Rob teach Jellal until he was at a good enough level, but life wasn't always that simple.

A bit over a year after returning, Grampa Rob passed away.

Porlyusica said that all the work he had done caused permanent damage to his aging body, and that him returning only helped to delay their effects. He hadn't let it show to any of the kids though, as none of them knew he was dying until a few days before he passed. All of the kids that had looked up to Rob had been inconsolable after he passed. All but Jellal.

Sure, he cried a bit, and he comforted his friends when they came to them, but he stood strong for them. Laxus could see right through him though, and a week after Rob's death, he found Jellal standing over the mans grave in the middle of the night. When he confronted Jellal, the boy cried into him like when they first met.

After that, Master Makarov took over teaching Magic for Jellal, a final request between the two old teammates. Laxus had been surprised, as he rarely had taken time back in the day to teach him anything. Always busy with some problem or the other due to the guild. But somehow, he found the time for Jellal, and he quickly got stronger. Strong enough for Jellal and Laxus to finally work together.

Every time they went out on a new job, Jellal showed off some new spell. Fire, water, earth, even electricity. It seems he pulled out something with each request. When Laxus had joked about him knowing more magic than him while out on a job one day, Jellal had just laughed it off.

"You don't need to lie like that! I'm sure that Gramps taught you all of his magic years ago. I mean, you're his grandson, right?"

Laxus had just laughed along with him at the time, but on the inside something uncomfortable stirred in him. Makarov had never taught him a thing when it came to magic. His health when he was young was so bad that Makarov had refused to teach him, and once he got the Dragon Slayer Lacrima and toughened up, his father had reminded him what would happen if his grandfather were to find out about it. He couldn't help but feel a bit left out.

It wasn't until they got back from the job that he realized that Jellal had also called Makarov 'Gramps'.

~X776~

"You need to stop going on jobs with that boy."

Laxus shot a look up at his father. He had decided to approach him while Jellal picked out a job from the bulletin on the other end of the hall. His dad gave him a disapproving look, but Laxus just stared back unflinching.

"What's it matter to you?" Laxus shrugged. His father, Ivan, had never had an issue with him going out on jobs alone, so for him to butt in now was strange.

"You really don't see it, do you?" Ivan said with a sigh, shaking his head as if Laxus was an idiot. It took everything to not snap at his old man, if only because he knew that's what he wanted.

"What's there to see?" Laxus finally said through steady breaths. "I promised to help him be like me, so I take him out on some missions. What's the big deal? I mean Gramps likes him."

"That is exactly my point, child." Ivan said, leaning down before continuing in a quiet voice. "Don't you see how bad it looks for you? That child is already receiving lessons that the Guild Master didn't even deign to pass onto us, on top of being personally apprenticed by you. While you may not think much of it, the image it shows to the others is… degrading."

Laxus shook his head at his fathers fretting. He was always concerned about the two's image. He wasn't stupid enough to notice the slowly worsening glances from him each time he came back from a job with Jellal. But for him to think that hanging out with Jellal was somehow ruining his image? He feared that his old man was losing some of his marbles.

"What the hell are you on about? No one's said anything about me lately. I know I wear these headphones a lot, but I'm not deaf." Laxus quipped. He went to walk away, but his father grabbed him by the wrist. "H-Hey!"

"It seems I need to spell it out for you, Laxus." His father gave him a serious look, and Laxus locked up. He never used his name like that, not unless he was in serious trouble. "The reason no one's talking about you is because they're talking about him. They see a boy being trained personally by the Master of Fairy Tail, who is equal to his grandson in strength."

"He's not as strong as me!"

"But for how long? What happens once you've taught him everything you know?" Ivan stared down at his son with a calculated look. "I've already heard the rumours, you know. About how much of a rising star Jellal is becoming. About how he'll be a second coming of the Third Master. About how he'll have earned his spot as future Guild Master, instead of receiving it on a silver platter…"

"Shut up!" Running a spark along his arm, he pulled out of his father's grip. He glared up at him in anger. "How dare you… you know how much trouble I have getting the proper credit for the things I do!"

"Of course I do, son. I'm the one who gave you the strength to stand by yourself, after all." His father tapped a finger against his chest, right where the Lacrima he had been implanted with was inserted. Laxus felt himself involuntarily flinch as the pain of the procedure ran through his body like a bolt of phantom lightning. "Which is why I am giving you this advice. Everything I do is for us, after all."

With those final words, Ivan walked away. Laxus just continued to stare into the middle distance as what his father had said ran through his mind. Eventually he felt a tug on his arm, and he snapped back reality to see the source of his thoughts standing in front of him worriedly.

"Hey, are you okay Laxus?" Jellal looked up at him in concern. Laxus saw a job flyer crumpled up in one hand. "I saw your dad talking to you. What the hell did he say?"

"N-Nothing! I mean, it wasn't important." Laxus tried to shrug off his concern. "He just gets worried about me a lot is all. Being a mage is a dangerous job and all."

"If you say so." Jellal looked unconvinced, glaring at Ivan as he left the guild. "I know he's your father, but I get a real bad feeling around him sometimes."

"What?" Laxus raised an eyebrow at Jellal's statement. He had noticed that Jellal and his father never seemed to be together. Was Jellal avoiding him? "Why's that? I know he's done some stupid stuff, but he takes care of me well enough."

Jellal looked uncomfortable, glancing away from Laxus. "I don't know. I just get this feeling from him is all. And Gramps told me a bit of the stuff he's done and-"

"Gramps did what?!" He couldn't believe it. Gramps never talked about the mistakes that his father made. Like the times he accidentally mishandled some of the guild funds, or mistakenly made connections with mages who turned out to be from dark guilds. They were serious, and could ruin his family's reputation if they got out. "Why the hell did he tell you that? What is wrong with him, dragging my dad's name through the mud?!"

"It was nothing like that, seriously! Look, lets forget about that and just focus on the job." Jellal tried to insist. He brought up the job flier in his hand, showing it to Laxus. "This is a giant crab extermination quest! It'd be perfect for that new spell that Gramps showed me yesterday! It's a multi-hit light spell that-"

"Y'know what, I think I'll pass." Laxus said with a huff. He wormed his way around Jellal, heading for the job board by himself. He couldn't deal with this right now. He needed to be by himself. Show everyone he was still the future king of this place, not by blood, but by action.

"What? But what about training?"

Laxus waved a hand dismissively. "This is your training. You can't keep relying on others. Learn to be strong by yourself, then we'll go back to doing missions together again, got it?" He glanced back expecting to see Jellal on the verge of tears, but froze when he saw the look of determination in Jellal's eyes.

"I think get it." Jellal nodded in agreement. "I need to be able to stand on my own, that way I'll know others can truly rely on me. Thanks Laxus, I won't let you down!"

"Um, right…" Laxus just stared as Jellal ran out the hall door by himself. He hadn't meant to have such meaning behind his words, but if it got Jellal out of his hair for a while then all the better. He needed to find something in the meantime to show that he was really strong, and there was only one thing he could think of.

The S-Class Mage Promotion Trials. If he could become S-Class, no one would be able to refute his status as the best in the guild. The only ones with the position were Gildarts, Irene, and Ur. Joining that group would allow him to take jobs that would surely stun everyone into recognizing his greatness.

He quickly ran up to the board and grabbed the toughest job he could find. He'd be sure to impress Gramps so much that he'll have no choice to take him along for the trials next year.

~X777~

"Why wasn't I selected?!"

Laxus banged his fists onto his Gramp's desk, staring at the man sitting on the other side. The Mages for the Promotion Trial had been selected, yet his name hadn't been mentioned at all. Eight participants had been chosen, and not one of them was as tough as him. He knew it, Gramps knew it, and so did everyone else! So why?!

Makarov simply sighed, giving his grandson an apologetic look. "It wasn't an issue of talent, I assure you. You're just to young is all."

"Bullshit, I'm sixteen! Sure, I'd be younger than most participants, but you know I can take it, so why?" Laxus shouted at his grandfather in a rage. He had likely completed more jobs by himself in the past year than half the guild combined. "What am I missing? Please tell me!"

Makarov stared up at Laxus as he leaned over his desk. He eventually sighed and got up, walking around to stand beside Laxus. As Laxus crossed his arms in a huff, he finally spoke. "Hypothetically, if you were accepted to take part in this trial, who would you have chosen as your partner?"

"Huh? What does that have to do with anything?"

Makarov simply shrugged. "Humor your grandfather for a minute."

Laxus put a hand to his chin and thought about it. He had honestly been so focused on jobs that he never gave the idea any thought. Who would he have taken? "I don't know. I mean, I doubt anyone would be able to keep up with me anyways. I could just go by myself, right?"

"That, Laxus, is precisely why who weren't chosen for the trials." Makarov shook his head in disappointment. "Strength is an important part of being S-Class, but there's so much more to it than that. It's about being a pillar that holds up the guild. It's about leadership, guidance, and fellowship! The fact that you have done nothing but solo missions this past year have been impressive, but it has not brought you any closer to the rest of the guild. Your strength has made you stand tall Laxus, but you stand alone currently."

"Guidance?" Laxus stared in bafflement. That is grandfather would speak of teaching others despite never showing him a single thing. Did he even realize how hypocritical he was sounding right now?

"Exactly." Makarov nodded sagely, walking past him towards the door. "You should take an example from Jellal!"

"What?" Laxus froze, face suddenly souring at the mention of Jellal. Makarov continued speaking , unaware of his grandson's worsening mood.

"Over the past year he has been taking his friends out on jobs, and every time they come back stronger than when they had left. Jellal isn't just improving himself, but the entire guild. You could learn a lot from him, as you two might be becoming S-Class Mages in the near future."

Laxus's knuckles went white as he balled his fists. Him? Learn from Jellal? He was the one who was supposed to teach him how to be the best. And yet the two of them were being put at the same level in his Gramps' eyes. No, he was seen as lower than Jellal. All because he dragged along some friends on jobs. It's not that damn impressive, right? Jellal was only teaching them what Gramps' had taught. What Gramps should have taught him. It was like…

It was like Makarov was training someone to be just like him.

At that moment there was a knock at the office door, and a few seconds later Jellal himself walked in. "Hey Gramps, I know you're busy preparing the Trial, but do you think we have time for a quick lesson?"

"Jellal…" Laxus nearly growled, staring dead ahead at the source of his frustration. Jellal unknowingly shot a smile at him.

"Ah, Laxus! I heard that neither of us were selected for the Trials. Better luck next year I suppose." Jellal rubbed the back of his head bashfully. "Not that I expected to get selected before you or anything. But it'd be nice if we somehow passed the S-Class Trial at the same time, right?"

"Right." Laxus said tersely. He couldn't snap, not right now. He had a better temper than that, and he knew what his father would think if he caused an incident where the guild could here.

"Ah, Jellal. I'm afraid I'm rather busy, as you guessed." Makarov glanced between the two of them, and a figurative lightbulb went off over his head. "I know, how about the two of you do a job together! I'm sure with a bit of cooperation you'll both be more than ready for next years Trial."

Jellal looked apprehensive about the suggestion. "That sounds great, but Laxus said that I needed to get stronger before we could-"

"That sounds like a great idea."

Makarov and Jellal both looked at Laxus in surprise, but Jellal quickly smiled as Laxus took his hand and led them out of Makarov's office. "Are you really taking me on jobs again? I can't wait!" Laxus ignored him as they stomped towards the exit. "Huh? Aren't we going on a job?"

"No. Not yet." Laxus turned his head to look at the younger boy seriously. "I need to see if you've really improved enough to go on jobs with me. We're going to spar."

Jellal immediately lit up at the statement. "Alright! I can't wait to show you everything I've learned! This is going to be great!"

Laxus rolled his eyes at his overexcitement. There was no way that Jellal had improved enough to reach his level, and it's time he learned that. Once he wiped the floor with the brat, everyone will have no choice but to admit that he was still the strongest around.

"So… Laxus… How did I do?" Jellal asked through gasping breaths. He barely stood, leaning to one side, and covered in dirt and even a bit of blood. But he was still standing on both feet. That's more than could be said about his opponent.

Laxus was laying in the middle of the clearing, face first into the grass. He tried to get back up, but could barely get up onto his knees. He had completely used up his magical energy, including the strength of his Dragon Slayer Lacrima. But despite that, he was the one eating grass. "How… How are you so strong?"

"I don't know?" Jellal shrugged as he stumbled over to Laxus. "I just thought about the reason I wanted to become stronger, and that just kept me going."

Laxus stared up at Jellal, who reached a hand down to help him up. He just swatted it away, pushing through the pain to his feet. He tried to take a step, but felt his knee give out and he fell back to the ground. "Gah! Fuck!"

Jellal immediately leaned down to help him. "Are you okay? Maybe we should go see Porlyusica?"

"No!" Laxus shrugged Jellal off him, getting up again and staggering over to a knocked over log. He sat down on it and put his head in his hands. "Just… go away! You passed or whatever! Just leave me alone!"

"Oh… I-If you're certain."

Laxus heard Jellal shuffle away, leaving him alone in the middle of East Forest. He felt tears well in his eyes as his frustration finally boiled over. He just couldn't believe that he had lost to Jellal. Sure it had been close, but that didn't matter. Even with a year of pushing himself to the limit, even with the power of a Dragon within him, he still couldn't beat Jellal.

The boy had been so excited to finally work together that he hadn't even realized that he was stronger than him now. Everyone would know about their little duel soon, and then everyone will flock to Jellal, proclaiming him to be the best heir for the guild.

It wasn't fair! He should be the one that everyone looks up to. He should be the one that Gramps was teaching. He should be the strongest in the guild. That's what his father always told him, so why wasn't it actually true?

He eventually heard the sound of someone approaching. Probably Jellal coming back to check on him. he swung his head up in a glare, hoping to scare the boy away. "I told you to go away you-?! D-Dad?"

His father stood over him, looking down at Laxus with a sad look. He silently sat next to his son on the log and put a hand on his shoulder. "I warned you, my boy."

"I-I know! I'm so sorry for not listening to you!" Laxus began to cry again as his father rubbed his back reassuringly. "I just wanted to prove that I was still strong, but instead he was able to beat me, even after everything you've done to help me!"

"There, there. I know how it feels, to lose what you feel is rightfully yours." His dad gave him an understanding look, and Laxus understood. He knew that his old man always resented Gramps for not retiring and handing the guild over to him. He reached into his coat and held a bottle in front of his son. "You look exhausted Laxus. I can't have you getting sick from a simple spar. Please, drink this."

"Thanks Dad." Laxus took the bottle and quickly chugged the entire bottle. It was sweet, possibly some energy drink? He wiped his mouth as he finished and tossed the bottle over his shoulder. "Jellal suggested I go to Porlyusica, and he's probably right, but I know I can't go there. We don't want anyone to find out about that Lacrima, right?"

"Quite right you are." His dad said, turning to Laxus with a sly grin. "I'd go as far as to say it is more valuable than you are now."

"W-What? Don't joke about that dad." Laxus gave his dad a funny look. He wasn't the kidding type, but he must be attempting to cheer him up, rather poorly. The sky darkened as grey clouds began to roll in.

"Oh, I'm very serious Laxus." Ivan stood up, glaring down at his son with a sudden coldness. "You were supposed to use that Lacrima's strength to become the undisputed next Guild Master. Instead, you squandered it while some inconsequential orphan boy took your place, as student and grandson. I knew that Makarov always cared little of me, but to think it extended to you as well."

"How dare you! That's… not… true?" Laxus tried to stand up to his father, but instead fell backwards off the log as his eyes grew heavy. Lying on his back, his gaze drifted lazily to the bottle he had downed. "What did… you do… to me?"

"Putting you under for a little while. You see, a contact from the guild that sold that Lacrima to me recently reached out. They were willing to pay a handsome refund and then some to have it returned to them." Ivan slowly walked over so he was looking into his son's eyes again. "Since your hope at becoming Guild Master has been dashed, it's only right I make the most of this failed investment. Don't worry, you've grown much over the years, so it shouldn't be too dangerous to remove the Lacrima."

He tried to fight whatever his dad had given him, but the exhaustion from the fight left him to weak to even move. The last thing he saw as his eyes closed was his father leaning over him with a wicked grin.

Laxus shot his eyes open as he jolted up, suddenly regaining control of his body. He quickly cringed in pain however, and fell back onto the bed he was lying on. Glancing around the room frantically, he realized he was lying on a cot within the guild buildings infirmary, and not the dark and damp lab that his father usually worked in.

With great effort, he brought a hand to his somehow bandaged chest, feeling for the crystal within him. With a small spark, he detected that the Dragon Slayer Lacrima was still imbedded inside him. He was surprised it was still there, as it felt like his chest had been cut open. But why had his father not taken it? Did he change his mind?

The door to the infirmary creaked open, and Laxus turned his head expecting to see the usually perturbed Porlyusica checking in on him. He nearly jumped out of his skin when his eyes crossed with the fiery gaze of the Scarlet Angel, Irene Belserion. The woman wordlessly walked up to him, throwing a hand up and using her magic to check on him as he remained frozen with terror.

Irene Belserion, in simple terms, terrified him. She was a Wizard Saint, like Gramps, but there was clearly more to her than that. Gramps had to work for decades to earn his spot, yet she got it in less than a week, seemingly by accident. From what he'd overheard in one of Gildarts' drunken rambles, they didn't even test her for the S-Class Trial. Just handed over one of the most important positions in the guild to her without a fight. The scariest thing about her though was how damn strong she was, and no one else seemed to realize it.

Yes, she was one of the strongest in the guild, that was of no question. But Laxus knew the truth, and she wasn't just strong, she was inhuman. He had this feeling from the Lacrima in his chest that fluttered whenever she was nearby. This sensation that he was standing up against a monstrous beast, and to run as far away as possible.

So, to have her leaning over him while he could barely move his body had him understandably nervous.

"Did you know the risks?" Irene suddenly asked, giving him her usual cold glare.

"H-Huh?"

"Of inserting and removing Dragon Slayer Lacrima's from your body. Were you aware of how risky it was? Or do you not even know what that thing inside you is?" Irene asked again, this time with an inpatient tinge to her voice.

"I-I Know what it is!" He shot back, before quickly cowering as Irene's eyes flickered to him. "W-What's it matter to you?"

"I take the matters involving the endangerment of children very seriously, especially when the ones doing the endangerment are their supposed family." Irene said through gritted teeth. "Now, answer the question, boy."

"No! But does it matter? Dad said giving it to me would make me stronger, and it did!"

Irene gave raised an eyebrow unimpressed. "Oh, and did he tell you that inserting it into such an underdeveloped body should have instantly killed you or given you permanent nerve damage?" Irene looked down at him like he was a misbehaving child as she continued to speak. "That facial scar of yours isn't some fancy tattoo, it's a remnant of your body literally tearing itself apart. With the amount of electrical energy inside that Lacrima, you're lucky you didn't completely paralyze yourself. I'm still not sure how you didn't go into cardiac arrest when you received it…"

Laxus could only stare in disbelief as the woman continued her rant. Sure, the process had hurt. He still felt phantom shocks to this day. But that it should have killed him? There's no way his dad would have done something risky, right? "Y-You must be mistaken. There's no way my father would do something so dangerous to me."

"Don't bother trying to cover for that craven." Irene said harshly. "We already know he was trying to remove the Lacrima from your body. He was caught red-handed by your little student."

"Jellal?!"

"Yeah. He went back to check on you after your little duel, but when he couldn't find you, he began searching your usual hangouts, until stumbling upon Ivan in the middle of his little surgery." Irene let out a little chuckle, glancing back out the door nostalgically "The boy somehow managed to beat him, before dragging the both of you back to the guild. Honestly between the three of you, he ended up in the worst condition."

"Then why am I the only one here?" He glanced around the room nervously, noticing the rest of the beds were empty.

"I happened to have recently adopted a girl who can use healing magic. As Jellal was the most injured, she healed him enough to get him back on his feet. She had to come back the next day to heal you-"

"Wait, next day?! How long have I been out?!" He shot up from his prone position, fighting against the pain to stay sitting up.

"I'll take it from here, Irene." The familiar voice of Makarov spoke out as he walked into the room. "I think you've terrified my grandchild enough."

"If you insist. He's perfectly fine now, by the way." Irene shrugged, walking out the room as quickly as she had entered as Makarov slowly hopped up onto a chair next to the bed.

"Glad to see you are up, my boy. You have only been asleep for about a day or so, so no need to panic." His grandfather looked tiredly at him as he let out a great sigh. "I was worried when Jellal came stumbling in with you, and even more so when I found out what Ivan had planned to do to you."

"Where is Dad anyways?" Laxus looked around nervously. "Irene said something about Jellal beating him up. That can't be right though, right Gramps?"

Makarov looked down with a disappointed look, before facing his grandson with a hard stare. "You're father… He's been arrested by the Magic Council."

"Why?!" Laxus shouted in surprise.

"Why?!" It was Makarov's turn to look surprised. "You can't be serious my boy. He was experimenting on you like some sort of lab rat. And according to Irene he'd been doing it for years now! Why didn't you tell me about what he did to you? Did he threaten you?"

"What? No! Dad never did anything like that!" He wasn't sure what to do. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. His father was the only one who believed in him still, he couldn't have left him too. This was all becoming too much, and he could feel his head pounding.

Makarov continued to plead with him, ignoring the boys torment. "Then why did you go along with such a dangerous thing? Why didn't you come to me?"

"Why should I have?!" Laxus shouted as he felt his patience finally snap. "You never trusted me with anything! Not as a kid with magic, not to be an S-Class Mage! Dad was the only one who tried to help me improve! I used to hate getting compared to you! It annoyed the hell out of me, but now people treat me like a waste of space! And it's all your fault! Yours and Jellal's."

"W-What does Jellal have to do with this?" Makarov was stunned by the sudden accusation, but found himself unable to interject as Laxus continued to shout.

"He has everything to do with this! This whole thing started when he showed up! I should have known what he was after the moment he showed up here! He somehow managed to get you to teach him all you know, while I never got a thing! He's convinced you that he's somehow better as an S-Class Candidate with all that talk of his friends! He never followed me to be like me, but to replace me, and now he's gone and got rid of the only one who still believed in me!"

"Laxus…"

Laxus glared down at his grandfather, but his eyes caught a figure peeking into the infirmary behind him. It quickly disappeared when he looked up, but he managed to catch a glimpse of familiar blue hair, and Laxus knew immediately who was there. He saw red and immediately threw off his sheets, stomping towards the door.

Ignoring the pain and Gramps' cries, he entered the hall just in time to see his target run outside. Pushing the looks of his fellow guildmates aside, he sprinted outside as well, following closely behind the younger boy he was tailing. He shouted out at him. "Jellal!" The two teenagers finally stopped in the middle of the street, and he stared at the back of Jellal. Rain began to fall as he refused to turn around and face him.

"What's wrong? Am I not good enough to even look at now?!" Laxus practically screamed.

"I… I didn't want to hurt you so much." Jellal said quietly, almost unheard through the rani. "I just wanted to be like you. That's all I ever wanted."

"Well, you've done a great job of that!" Laxus spat out. "You've got Gramps eating out of the palm of your hand! You've got the guild acting like you're a shining star! And you've gotten rid of the only person who saw how dangerous you really were!"

"That's not why-! Laxus, your father was an evil man!" Jellal finally turned, glaring back at him. "Why are you so upset about him?! He could have killed you!"

"Shut up! My father… he took care of me! He wouldn't do something that dangerous!" Laxus glared back at Jellal. "And even if he did, he's still the only family I had left after you went and stole everyone else from me! Though I doubt you know what that feels like."

Jellal froze at his statement, eyes turning to the ground. "You don't… I was just trying to protect my family…"

Laxus rushed over to Jellal, grabbing him by his shirt collar and pulling him up to meet his eyes. His family? What the hell did he know about family?! He had done nothing but steal Laxus's for his own! "You've done nothing but ruin my family, you snake!" Jellal's eyes were covered by his rain-soaked hair, but the frown on his face was clearly visible. Laxus threw the younger man down onto the ground, landing in a puddle with a splash. He towered over him as he spoke again through gritted teeth. "It's fine. I can prove that I'm the best all on my own. And once I do, I'll be able to show everyone the truth of what you are, and I'll reclaim my rightful place. Just you wait, Jellal."

And with that final statement he walked of into Magnolia, leaving Jellal behind.

~X784 – Present Day~

Laxus sat on his coach, going over the plans for the Battle of Fairy Tail in his head. He needed to ensure that everything went perfectly, even more so now that Jellal would be put on the spotlight during the festival.

He supposed that it worked better for his plans in the end. The point of the game was to prove how weak following Jellal had made everyone, and the extra attention on him will only serve to exacerbate that. He just needed to put a couple finishing touches on how their confrontation will go.

There was a sudden knock on his door, and Laxus jumped up to his feet. He looked past the destruction around his room to the front door, trying to think who would come to see him in the middle of the day. The Thunder God Tribe had already reported in. Could it be Gramps or Jellal? He slowly walked over to the door, and he creaked it open.

"What the hell?"

Standing outside his door was none other than Mystogan. The man wore his usual cloaked outfit, and held one of his many staffs in one hand. In the other was an envelope. He glanced past Laxus, and he could see the unimpressed look in his uncovered eyes as he stared at the destruction in his apartment.

"It's good to see you too, Laxus." Mystogan said plainly, holding up the envelope in his hand. "For you."

"Since when the hell did you play delivery boy?" Laxus said hesitantly. "And who is this from?"

"Who do you think?" Mystogan asked rhetorically.

"So, he's too much of a coward to talk to my face? Or is he too important now to spare the time now that he'll be Guild Master?" Laxus looked down at the letter with disappointed scoff.

"He knows how best to reach each member of Fairy Tail." Mystogan said, turning to leave. After a step though, he glanced back at his fellow S-Class Mage. "There are plenty of reasons to be strong. What is yours, Laxus?"

"That's easy! Because I have a duty to become the Guild Master of Fairy Tail." Laxus responded almost immediately. "What about you? You never seem to care much for anything, so what's your reason for acting so tough?"

Mystogan stood contemplatively, before finally responding. "I have my own duty as a future leader. I need the strength to stand against those who would harm my people."

"You're starting to sound a lot like Jellal there, Mystogan." Laxus said playfully, before turning to close his door. "Everyone in Fairy Tail is too focused on others to think about themselves. How can you get stronger when your busy worrying about others?"

"You've got it backwards. It's because we worry for others that we get stronger." Mystogan replied, finally walking away as his body dissolved into mist. "Goodnight, Laxus."

As Mystogan vanished, Laxus closed his door, mulling over his parting words. "Worrying about others makes you strong? What a joke. I'm concerned with nothing but myself, and I'm doing just fine." He looked at the envelope from Jellal in his hand with disgust, before shoving it into his coat pocket.

It was probably just some empty words about how he should shape up or such nonsense. If he was really so concerned, he'd tell him to his face. Maybe he'll rip it up in his face after defeating him in the Game. Show that worm how much his words really mean to him. Yeah, that sounded perfect.

Just a few more days, then he'll take back everything that was rightfully his. He'll be the next Guild Master, and everyone will finally remember who the real grandson is. He'll steal back what that thief had taken from him and then some.

Next Chapter: The Devil's Dream