There are a few names in here that you might not recognize. These are actually Fairy Tail characters created by Mashima. You can look them up. For purposes of this story I may tweak their magic just a little bit so that it...makes sense according to established Pradeshverse magic theory, but only if they manage to earn more screen time.

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"Listen up, Brats!" Alanza looked up from handing a bottle of water and a wrapped sandwich to Jet shifting the full basket on her hip. Makarov had appeared just before noon to hem and haw over the rising hall. He was now perched on the wooden arch that would become their front doors. "You've worked hard today! I'm very proud of you. However…" Alanza shifted nervously at the serious look in his eyes as he looked down at them.

"These past few days have pointed out some of our weaknesses. You are all strong wizards, but I know you can be stronger. Therefore starting this afternoon we are instigating group training. We will have a list posted next to the job board of people that should be working together. I strongly suggest you make the most of this learning experience. Depending on who is out on missions and progress made these teams will change. I want you to at least talk to the people in your group every day. And remember...you are training with the group you are assigned to for a reason."

There was whispering and chattering through the ranks as Makarov hopped down. The sound of a hammer sounded from the mission shed as Cana hung the list where everyone could see. Mystogan plucked a water bottle and a sandwich from her basket and made a low sound.

"He moved fast. Didn't expect him to actually enact that till...at least until The Thunder Legion got back."

Alanza snorted at that and nodded towards where Gajeel was crouched next to Levy, grunting and listening to her talk as he ate. "What happened to the girls… I think that shook him."

Mystogan's dark eyes tightened and he looked towards where Wendy and Ryos were perched up on top of the guild's frame with their Exceeds in their laps. "Maybe I sound callused when I say this, but I am relieved it wasn't worse." He jumped slightly when Alanza patted his arm.

"We'll train. Get stronger. Wendy has grit and is a Dragoness. You don't know why that means yet, but trust me. She's strong, inside and out." Alanza smiled up at the man before moving to hand out more of the lunches Mira had prepared. His curious gaze followed her before he went to sit in the shade and eat. His mask stayed on as he pulled off bites to eat.

There was an odd wailing sound over by the shed and Alanza's eyes widened slightly as Nab sank to his knees. The big man was...crying? "I'm going to die. Why? Why would Master do this to me?

Jet placed a hand on Nab's shoulder. "At least we will be remembered fondly."

Alanza inched closer and blinked at the listings. Nab, Jet, and Frosch were...assigned to work with Erza. Alanza paled and placed a hand on Nab's other shoulder. "I suggest you use the kitten as a shield."

Nab cried some more. Alanza inched away froze when big blue eyes appeared in front of her. Mira's pupils were... heart shaped. This couldn't be good.

"So...I see Cana's cards have you training with my brother." Oh fuck no. Noooooooooo. "He's a strong mage, you know. Super sweet."

Alanza threw up her hands and tried to back away. "Er...Yeah! We can...arm owrestle. See how long my arms and Booger can last against Lizardman. In theory dragon iron could crack those scales." She looked towards the list. Macao and Laki. What were Cana's cards thinking! How were the four of them supposed to actually train? "Try to hunt for Bowser?"

"Hunt a dog?" Mira looked confused.

Alanza shook her head. "Bowser is a turtle. Sort of. He has a spiky shell and breaths fire." She was making wild gestures in the air as she tried to describe the video game character. "And he laughs really loud and echoey. Waaah, ha, ha, ha!" People were staring at her. She shrugged. "Just...accept it."

Gajeel shook his head. "Yer crazy, Foxy."

Alanza grinned. "I know. Looks sexy on me, right?" She posed dramatically while the guild laughed. Wendy descended from her perch to help Mystogan when he inhaled something and went into a coughing fit.

Alanza yelped when a hand grabbed her ass and then rolled her eyes when Cana draped herself over her. "Very sexy sugar." Her voice dropped. "Cards are crazy. I wish Freed was here, because some of that makes no sense to me." She seemed...mostly sober.

Alanza smiled. "You've got this. It will be an adventure."

Cana snorted. "I'm training with the Tea Cat. Bisca and Gray I can handle. The Tea Cat?"

Alanza snorted and remembered Edolas Cana sipping tea and wearing a sunhat. "You'll survive. You get to work with a virgin pussy." Cana gaped before howling in laughter. Wendy and Ryos turned red and Gajeel snickered.

Juvia blinked at Cana curiously as she came over and got lunch from Alanza's basket. "What did sister do to Cana?"

Alanza snorted. "Well, I didn't grab her ass." Cana howled some more when Juvia blushed. The three women moved to sit in an open area, Juvia waving for Laki to join them. Bisca also came over and the group more or less devolved into gossip.

Cana smirked at Juvia. "Master made Mystogan promise to stick around when my cards surfaced with his face. I'm jealous." She looked over at the cluster of blue and black heads, snorting as Mystogan and Gajeel bickered. "He's sexy. You get him to lose his shirt I'll pay for a picture."

Juvia blushed. "W-why would Juvia do that?"

Bisca grinned. "Because he's sexy. Why these sexy boys try to cover up I don't understand." Her eyes went to Alzak in his poncho.

Laki made a low sound and a devious grin formed on her face. "They are reserved and demure. The vestal very often are."

Alanza snorted. "That doesn't work. Bix. Bix wears a *skirt* for fucks sake and he's Boscan." There were thoughtful hums from the other girls. "I think they're teasing us on purpose."

"T-t-teasing?" Juvia steamed a little and Alanza grinned.

"Girl, If you don't toughen up you'll get put in the hospital when Bix gets back." Alanza chuckled when Juvia hid her face. "Mavis help you if his brother comes to visit."

Laki leaned forward. "He is a co-inheriter of his genetic lineage who surpasses his philanderous tendencies?"

"Uh….no?" Alanza smiled. "Not exactly, but yes?" The other four stared at her and she rolled her eyes. "I'm sure you'll see someday." She looked toward where she guessed the Thunder Legion was today. The group was silent for several minutes.

"Does sister think...they are safe?"

"Yeah." Alanza didn't smile because she had a long list of things in her mind that *could* go wrong. "Of course. They're strong wizards and working with a good team of people right now. They'll be back." They had to come back and be fine. Anything else...would be her fault.

Cana patted her knee. "Tonight. Ice cream and booze for Fairy Hills girls."

Alanza sighed and nodded. "If I have the energy." The familiar sounds of elemental bickering were heard from the direction of the train station and Alanza grinned. "Team Natsu is back!"

Chaos erupted as the five wizards who had been gone (Alanza did not count Happy) returned to the Guildhall. Nab cried some more when Erza got excited and requipped into ...Bunny armor? Natsu tried to fight Mystogan the instant he heard they were working together. Mystogan put him to sleep. Gray stripped, then stripped some more while Carla was lecturing him about modesty. Loke immediately started flirting up his little harem and anything else that moved. Lucy groaned and facepalmed. Happy...made everything worse. Once everyone had eaten and settled down the training teams started heading off in different directions.

Levy's group got metaphorically dragged along with Mira's because Gajeel and Ryos refused to leave her 'ungaurded'. The two clearly considered Warren and Reedus, Chico, and Joey to be less than satisfactory protectors. Happy almost lost his tail to iron teeth when he tried to make a joke about it at Levy's expense. Mystogan literally dragged Natsu behind him by his scarf as he led Juvia and Max away from town.

When Wakaba led Wendy, Alzak, and Vijeeter in one direction Cana intentionally took her group in the other to make sure Carla and Wendy were split up. Lucy had to threaten to kick Loke to get him moving towards the woods, a grinning Mickey and a sulking Droy trailing behind them. Erza...was going to throw down right there until Gramps insisted she take her victims far from town. Frosch was the only one of the three who expected to come back alive.

The longer Macao talked as Alanza, Laki, and Elfman followed him towards the park, the more Alanza understood why Fairy Tail had collapsed during the Tenrou years. He was a sweet man, not stupid either. He was just...naive and drive-less. Content to be where he was, as he was. The man was not designed to be a leader. Not his fault. The world needed all types. He did have excellent bits of advice for the group. Things you only learned from years of experience.

Laki ended up being the driving force behind the training session. She was sharp and intense, demanding the utmost out of the whole group. Elfman threw his manly heart into pounding the other three into the ground, ad Alanza just...tried to stay standing. She was immensely grateful for all the training Laxus had given her on their mission, as well as the shelf Gajeel had given her after.

The group put extra focus into two things. Increasing the extent of Elfman's takeovers an boosting his confidence was vital to their future survival and Alanza was able to point the group at that. The other three were concerned about Alanza's lack of magical defense and drilled her...a lot. By the time they were done she was covered in bruises and sweat and let herself collapse on the ground.

"Leave me. I'm done for. Save yourselves." Macao laughed from his seat under a tree and Elfman grinned down at them both.

"I believe our striving for superior selves has sired superlative results." Alanza blinked up at Laki. How did she...do that? Was there a thesaurus in her brain?