Oh god, I read the older chapters again so I could fact check and make sure my story wasn't completely messed up, and there are so many dumb things going on. As usual, no clue where this story will end. So hey, if you feel like rereading this series, it'll be much better by the time I've finished. I hope. Enjoy!

Edited 11/10/18

Deet… Deet… Deet…

Strange and vague red glyphs sounded, steadily increasing in speed.

"Levy I'm using my speed magic to slow it down but it's not great!"

"It's fine! Even just a little could make the difference don't stop!"

The safe sat there, and the glyphs kept counting down.

Droy knelt beside Levy. "Levy! My plants still aren't sensing any traps!"

"Got it! Let me know if they find anything!" Levy continued analyzing the spell that powered the timer on the safe. "Keep it up guys you two are doing great!"

Their employer sat on an armchair nearby, holding himself up by cane and looking at the trio with awe. His sister shook his arm.

"Look at them go Harry!"

"Yes, they're quite the team." Jet blushed.

"Aw well, I know Levy and I look pretty good together every—"

Deet! Deet!

Levy quickly adjusted her glasses and flipped a page of her notes. "Jet! Concentrate!"

"Yeah Jet, I'm the one Levy looks good with—"

"Shut up Droy!"

Levy gasped as the beeping doubling in speed.

"Damn it! Jet! How much time!" Jet yelped.

"Sixteen seconds!" Levy said nothing, but her hands flipped through even more franticly. Droy put his hand on Levy's shoulder.

"Levy! My plants are confused! The traps aren't traps they say they're crossing into unknown territory!" Levy's head whipped around and stared at Droy.

"That's it! Vega crosses over Lesu only after revealing Hy using Yamin!" Levy immediately began to whisk over the page as she drew new symbols that replaced the safe's. Both boys managed to nail their "I-know-what-she's-talking-about-face".

The countdown glyphs glowed bright, then faded along with the beeping noise. Levy flung her hands in the air.

"Yes! Guys! We—"

The red glyphs relit and continued to beat faster.

"Uh oh." They looked at each other. Droy picked up Levy who screamed protesting, knocking down a sofa and plopping them both behind it. Jet decided to minimize the damage, grabbing the safe and throwing it high… High up… in the living room. Droy shook his head.

"Jet you're an idiot."

"Shut up dude! At least I did something, unlike you!"

"I tried to protect Levy! You throwing it up totally defeats the purpose of having this couch you numbskull!"

Yeah the safe was thrown quite high, and the mansion's living room had at least several stories of height for it to go.

DEET DEET DE—

POW

The safe transformed itself into a shining ball of that same red light, and hovered down to their employer. Droy slapped his forehead.

"Oh that's what my cuties meant! It was a tracking spell, not a trap—"

Levy held a finger to her lips and Jet slapped a hand on his friend's mouth, immediately wishing he hadn't.

"Heyya Harry! Vanessa." A jovial voice emanated from the light, and then so did a holographic image of a skinny figure with wild hair and an even crazier smile. "Man I wish I was there to see your guy's faces! I bet you were all panicked about a huge explosion and everything and now you get to see you deceased lil bro again! Ahahaha!" Harry and Vanessa gripped each other's hands.

"I know you two are probably bawling your eyes out and missing my wonderful self, so I set up a little joke! I hope you hired mages to crack this bad boy safe cause that timer was counting down nothing. I just set it to make a pretty light once it finished. Boy I bet that got your hearts pumping like you were 40 again huh!" Vanessa was silent, but her eyes were bright and alive. Harry was crying freely, intent on watching the rest of the prerecorded message.

"Anyway, I know I you two never get out much so just thought I'd gift you some fun for a change. And I know you two would never ask for it, so I'm giving you my latest art piece. Sell it, give it away, keep it in your dungeon, I don't care. Happy birthday you two!" And the figure faded, replaced by an ornate drawing. Two hands held each other by the middle and forefinger, reaching over the arm of two red armchairs in front of a cozy decorated fireplace. Both hands were adorned with a red knot. The same red knot wrapping around Harry and Vanessa's fingers now.

Harry shook his head. "It's not even our birthday… Asshole." But a smile danced upon the sibling's lips.

"Recollection Th-Ink!" Reedus's brush touched Levy's forehead, and drew her memories from her head into the air, recreating the paintingHarry had received from his brother. The small crowd of people oohed.

"Hey, that's not bad!"

"Not that you'd know anything about art Macao."

"I can say I like what's in front of my eyes Wakaba!"

Mirajane had a finger to her chin, leaning closer.

"So, this is what was in the safe?" Levy tilted her head.

"Yeah, thankfully it wasn't actually trapped with a bomb. Just a prank. But Harry still payed us the full reward, even when we tried to refuse."

"Well isn't wasn't that just kind of him?" Mirajane ruffled Levy's hair, who laughed and squirmed. "Great job Levy."

"Mira stooop!"

Jet and Droy jumped to their feet.

"How about us Levy?"

"Yeah we did good right?" Levy laughed.

"Yes, yes, great job boys. I couldn't have done it without you two." The boys cheered.

"Hell yeah!"

"Team Shadow Gear forever! Banzai!" There was collective laughter and whooping as others toasted to the cheer.

"Lisanna! Two drinks for me!" The elder sister called.

"Mira-nee!" Lisanna yelled from across the room behind the counter. "This is not what a break is for!"

"Aw c'mon sis~" And the eldest Strauss went over to shower her sister in her usual affection. Elfman and Gray chuckled.

The doors to the guild were slammed open. It was Laxus, back from an deinfestation mission. He made his way past the crowd to his grandfather.

"So?" Makarov inquired quietly. Mirajane folded her arms.

"Kick ass?"

Laxus smirked.

"Fairy Tail's flag flies tall over Oprea again." The guild welcomed back their alpha hound with their calls. The golden-haired slayer walked over to the bar bumping forearms with Mirajane.

"That's another point for me."

"And I have two more since you left."

"What seriously? What did you do?"

"Found the culprit hiding out in some cave, beat him up and then found the cure to his poison that was infecting the city's water." Lisanna coughed.

"Mira-nee, I found that cure. And Elf-nii held you back from beating up the person who helped distribute it to the town." Laxus let out a bellow.

"Let's say we're tied then Mira." Mirajane shrugged.

"They were leeches that wanted to profit in selling the cure to everyone. I think that's definitely worth a point." Lisanna glanced at her sister.

"Even when you still wanted to beat them up after?"

"They had it coming." Mirajane pressed her cheek against her sister's. Laxus chuckled.

"Ah, you cold, cold sweetheart. How can you be so cruel and—"

"So gentle?" Mirajane smiled. "I learn from the best." Elfman joined the group, taking a seat in front of the bar beside Laxus. They fist bumped silently as Mirajane continued to lovingly attack her little sister. Eventually Lisanna was able to escape.

"So Laxus, what did you get up to on the mission?"

"Oh wait till you hear this. So out of everyone they could have made their master, these brainless idiots decided to follow this huge gorilla beast—"

The door slammed off it's hinges, landing with a deafening thud on the floor. Makarov shed a solitary tear.

"Ah… my poor door… Oi! Who—" He stopped short. It was Erza, and she was growling. The nearest guild members scrambled away as her stomps vibrated through the building. As polite as ever, she didn't raise her voice to tell anyone to get out of her way. They all made sure to run before that. She reached the group at the bar, and plopped down.

"Apple juice please. Diluted." Mira giggled and placed an elbow on the counter about to say something when her sister gripped her shoulder. Mira glanced at her, and Lisanna wore a look that screamed: Don't. Mira sighed, and went to the backroom to look for that juice. She hoped they didn't have any. Lisanna waited for her departure, then wiped her hands on her apron and lay across the counter. She held Ezra's hand.

"Erza? What's wrong?" Ezra sighed.

"Oh, Lisanna. You always know when I'm feeling upset." The guildmaster snickered and his grandson laughed. Lisanna glared them both, and the master quickly adopted a careless pose. Laxus stopped making any sounds, but that smirk remained broad.

"Oh, you know me. I notice everything." Lisanna turned back to Ezra. "Wanna talk about it?" Ezra sighed, then growled again and slammed the wooden counter with her free hand. Mirajane quickly poked her head out in excitement, but Lisanna expertly threw a small spoon to smack her in the forehead. Mirajane fell back, giving a thumbs up as she fell to the floor.

"Baka-nee…" Laxus whistled.

"Nice shot for a bird." Ezra then moaned and then sat down clutching her forehead.

"The damn guard let my capture escape!" Lisanna pat her hand.

"Well, it happens—" Ezra growled again.

"Yes, but what's worse is that they tried to hide it from me! If I hadn't gone back to check on them, I would've never found out! And apparently he was able to knock the guard and unlock his magic sealing cuffs before he left the cell!"

"Oh." Lisanna noticed Makarov choking, putting down his mug and slamming his chest.

"Don't tell me you're kicking the bucket already old man."

"Shut your mouth boy!"

"Incompetent fools!" Mirajane placed one jug in front of Ezra and she downed it immediately. Lisanna raised her hands.

"But that just makes it even more impressive you subdued him!"

"Right, and he escaped soon after. A wasted effort." She scowled into her cup. "I hate inefficiency."

"Yes, we know." Mira smiled, until Ezra held her cup up.

"Another round please." Mirajane sulked back into the backroom.

"You shouldn't have gotten so little in the first place!" Lisanna turned back to her friend. "Look Ezra, how about we head to Avante? I'm sure some shortcake will cheer you—" She blinked, and everyone at the bar found Lisanna's feet sliding over the floor as she was dragged out of the guild.

"A wonderful idea! Let us depart immediately! I heard their newest shipment comes with some extra flavours and toppings!" Ezra left with her stolen friend and pointed at the sky with renewed energy.

Elfman waved goodbye to his sister, wishing them a safe trip. Mirajane returned, and saw both her rival and the love of her life missing.

"That idiot didn't even finish her juice! AND SHE TOOK LISANNA!" She vaulted over the bar and sprinted to the door but before she could make it out a titan's hand snatched her by the scruff.

Mirajane began to cry and Laxus laughed. "She's performing her duties to the guild."

On the other side of the room, Droy handed Levy a Mission request.

"What about this one? It's an investigation quest!" Levy took the sheet.

"That sounds great!" Jet read over her shoulder. "Missing animal game. Huh. Wonder why they'd be missing."

"I wonder why anyone cares." Jet said. "But hey, a job's a job." Levy nodded and turned.

"Mira! We'll take this one!" Mira beamed.

"Got it!" She scribbled in the confirmation book. "The Mava Investigation mission is now taken! Best of luck you three!" Levy waved.

"Thanks Mira! We'll tell Lisanna you said hi!"

"Travel safe kids!" Makarov waved goodbye with his still enlarged hand. As Shadow Gear walked out the broken door, they could still hear Elfman comfort his sister's sobbing form.

Felt like getting this out soon and keeping the trend is good, although I'll be going on vacation in a couple weeks for the first half of August, and I likely won't bring my computer. Yeah Ima majorly revise but not outright change a lot of the Strauss meets Natsu chapters so go read those again if you like. I am part perfectionist so seeing my old work as it was makes me cringe. Will be changing those soon!

Welcome to my world Otaku Brothers and Sisters :3

Justin