Reviews are Nice; The pairings are NOT decided yet. I get people like Vander/Lucy, I like them too, they're adorable when she's sassy and keeps up with him, but...I really don't know if they will get together or if it will be a friendship...or how far this darkness is going to go.

I don't own Fairy Tail. Mashima Does.

I don't own the Pradesh Clan. Desna does (and thank you for them).

I own the Storyline. That's it.

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Kaleb stared Hestor down, arching an eyebrow slowly, "well?"

Hestor scowled as he sat back in the lounge, grumbling darkly as he did so. Did the man ever sleep? He didn't care if the mindbender heard the dark accusation. They just stared at each other as it took most of Kaleb's self restraint to not dive into the Celestial Mage's mind.

Hestor just continued to stare, "Drink your water."

Cristoff opened his mouth and took a breath and then flinched as both of them looked towards him with dark looks. Oh, this was going swimmingly he could tell already...and he wasn't even a mind mage. The Slayer scratched the back of his neck, "I'm...going to wait out in the hallway…" The man quickly retreated, unsure of the tension in the room and truly, he wanted to know without...bringing it up. Instead of leaving too far, he camped out on a chair out in the hallway, leaving the door just barely open.

Hestor drummed his fingers on the arm of the lounge, arching an eyebrow, "what you did was beyond stupid, beyond moronic and makes you look like more of a gods damned moron than Lucy on one of her bad days."

"I was protecting my mage," Kaleb snapped back, refusing to give an inch. He stared Hestor down, waiting to see what the Celestial mage was going to throw at him.

Hestor took a deep breath as he sat there, speaking in an even, if harsh tone, "you are the guildmaster. I don't give a fuck what you think you were doing. What you did do was stupid as hell."

Kaleb's eyes narrowed as he let out a low, warning growl of the other's name, but he didn't get to speak as Hestor continued to talk.

"I have darkness in me from my keys," He pinned Kaleb with a firm look. "That thing was a dark relic, it wouldn't have harmed me half as fucking much as it did you, fucking moron."

"I am your guildma-"

"You are a fucking moron," Hestor leaned forward, scowling, "one of the biggest, egotistical, selfless morons that I fucking know.." his voice rose and he motioned towards the door, "and I know lucy!"

Out in the hallway, Cris flinched and coughed slightly. Well, this could have...gone better, he supposed. He debated on going in and letting them know to stay calm, but the outburst that came made him decide to just sit and listen...it was almost entertaining...in a strange, morbid way.

"You will not tell me what I can or cannot do, Hestor!" Kaleb near roared in annoyance. This man got under his skin more than Lucy, which was saying a lot.

Hestor slammed his hands on the arm of his chair, "oh? When it was me that you blocked that attack for, you fucking…" The man paused and sneered, "Pretty boy wanna be hero, I can!"

"Excuse me?" Kaleb's eyes narrowed dangerously.

Hestor let out a laugh, it was a bitter sound, "That only works when she says it, not you." He got up, getting right in Kaleb's face and snarling, "you're smarter than that. You know what's at stake most of the time!" He grabbed the man's shirt, "So don't even fucking dare to tell me that you, of all people, couldn't realize that if they were going to use anything it wouldn't be something that would slam dark power into the person harmed!"

The mindbender growled, voice raising enough to rattle the door and windows, "I know! That's why i did it! You're not as dark as you think!"

"I don't fucking care! I could have handled it better than anyone other than your brother Vander!" Hestor half screamed, chest heaving as he stood there and then his free hand came out and he seemed to move on reflex to slap the mindbender.

Kaleb's hand came up and grabbed Hestor's wrist before it got too close, "you sell yourself short. All Celestial Mages seem to, what the hell is wrong with all of you?"

Hestor yanked on Kaleb's shirt again, snarling, "well, maybe if we weren't surrounded by overpowered, overbearing fucking ass-"

At the choked off sound, Cris blinked and leaned to the side, slowly opening the door and blinking. Well, he certainly hadn't expected Kaleb's hand to suddenly yank Hestor, nor the other one locking into place at the back of the man's neck to drag him into a kiss. He grinned though as he crossed his arms and waited, watching as first Hestor stiffened, then melted into the kiss. Oh, this was going to be good.

The Celestial Mage though struggled after a moment and let Kaleb's shirt go, hand going to where he knew the wound was, and pressed, looking self satisfied as the mindbender hissed in pain and let him go. With a snarl, Hestor stepped back and heavily slumped into his seat, "uncalled for."

"It got you to shut up," Kaleb snarled as he sat there, hand resting on his stomach, "it's a good way to shut people like you and Lucy up."

"Oh, People like us?" Hestor's hackles were raised and Cris could even see this. If it was going to start out as a nice conversation, it deteriorated quite quickly. "What does that mean." The man's voice was dark, having a warning edge on it that had the hairs on the back of Cris' neck standing up. Oh, this was bad. Very, very bad and it seemed like, for once, Kaleb, his smart, amazingly well organized mindbender brother...was oblivious.

"Celestial mages!" Kaleb snarled, "that's what you all do! You get things in your head, you've got such...issues because you're seen as weak! You fixate and then you don't let anyone get a word in edgewise."

"Weak," Hestor's voice dropped another octave as he sat there, "so...we just...run our mouths? Is that what you're saying?"

Kaleb narrowed his eyes, "well you do!"

The Celestial mage when completely cold, mind slamming down barriers as he stood, "we're done here, Guildmaster, I'll let Thane know when I'm leaving again to look for keys."

Cris' eyes met Kalebs after Hestor stormed out and he arched an eyebrow, "...really put your foot in your mouth there, Kaleb…"

Kaleb let out a frustrated sound, "he did what she does! Wouldn't let me get a word in edgewise!"

The dragon slayer snorted, "and you've still not learned in a decade to let them get it out without biting back? It's only her and him i've noticed...anyone else…." Cristoff trailed off, shrugging.

Kaleb scowled softly, "What are you insinuating."

"Me? Nothing," The dragon slayer's lips quirked, "are you seeing a pattern?"

"Get out."

Cristoff shrugged and held up his hands, "Fine, fine, but think on it."

~)~)~)~)~

Hestor let out a scream of frustration as he slammed the door to his room shut, snarling and not even realizing that he had visitors, "stubborn, pig headed, holier than thou-"

Lucy, Zen and Vander sat there, blinking as the man raged across the room, stuffing things into a bag without caring if they ended up wrinkled. All three sets of eyes blinked almost in unison as shock ran through them, both their own and shared through their bond feedback.

"Who does he think he is?! Who?!" Another drawer was wrenched open and things simply shoved into his luggage, his tone mocking when he continued, "I'm a guildmaster, that's what I am! I know best!"

Hestor snarled as he near yanked a drawer out of the bureau, "a fucking moron, that's what he is! Can't use his fucking brain half the time! Especially in the heat of battle."

Vander murmured, "should we…?"

Lucy shook her head, "nah...I think something happened." In Fact, she looked amused as one of the sisters swirled out and onto the vanity stool, wondering what the female spirit was doing.

"He goes by instinct," The woman looked no more than fifteen and she picked up the brush there, starting to slowly run it through her black hair, "he can't help it."

"Yes he can!" Hestor rounded on the spirit, looking ready to burst, "I've more than enough dark magic in my veins that I could have survived without being harmed much!" at the arched eyebrow, Hestor let out a low growl, "Do not give me that look, Kek-t!"

"I don't know what look you speak of," The spirit looked amused as she continued to brush her hair.

"That! That look that says you know something!" Hestor pointed at the spirit, "I've known you too long, Kek-t!"

The Female spirit shrugged, "maybe, maybe not." she let out a hum, "so you will be going with the three off them to look for the last three keys?"

Hestor snarled, not wanting to give into the change of topic, "yes, yes we will be and then…"

"Then what?" Kek-t let out a hum, "his martial prowess is well above yours…" she purred, "sexual prowess, we'll, I've heard stories…"

"He's pretty damn good in bed," Lucy chimed in with a grin, watching as Hestor snapped his head around fast enough that his body jerked and he lost his footing, falling into the bed.

"THE FUCK!?"

"That's what you want to doooOOOoooo to hiiiiiiiim," Lucy giggled as she sat there, eyes dancing.

It clicked for Zen and Vander and then both were torn between what to do, but Vander gave into snickering. Zen let out a low hum as he stared at the Celestial mage that was pulling himself back to his feet, "what are your intentions for my brother?"

Hestor's eye twitched, "Nothing! Nothing is going to come of anything with that stubborn asshole!"

Vander smirked as he nuzzled Lucy's hair, "That sounds like denial."

Lucy grinned as she looked at Hestor, "it's okay...we'll go key hunting for the next few months, let you cool your head off."

Hestor groaned, "...suddenly i feel a headache coming on…"

"We have to be back by Christmas! And New Years!" Lucy grinned wider, "So...maybe if both of you have space and time to cool down…" she shrugged, "Things will become clearer."

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Kaleb groaned as Thane delivered the message the next morning that the four were already off. It was a Cheery note about key hunting from Lucy that made him just stare. She'd made off with the three men like a thief in the night and he'd barely slept the evening before, trying to figure out what Cris had been attempting to say.

He didn't have time for this, he truly didn't. The man slowly got ready for the day, shaking his head and deciding that he just needed to get his mind on straight. It was nothing more than temptermentalness from dealing with being hurt and them being affected by what happened. Yes, that was it. It had nothing to do with the strangeness of Celestial Mages only telling one person in their entire life about the ins and outs of their magic. Nothing at all.

Hestor was just being an ass because of the stress. Kaleb slowly drank from his cup of coffee, nodding to himself mentally. That was it. The whole thing was stress, he hadn't said anything wrong to the man to get him to blow up like that. It was his job as Guildmaster to make sure all of his mages were kept safe.

The man took a deep breath and closed his eyes, relaxing in the dawn light. He was entirely vindicated in what he did. Hestor couldn't have known it was going for him. It could very well have been going for Zen or Lucy. He had a full day of inductees to deal with and he wanted to spend time to see if he could better refine some of the algorithms that the Guild system used. His eyes closed and he enjoyed the coffee before he stood and decided to start his day, strangely wondering if the mental bitching about him not sleeping enough was right. It was there for all of a minute before he brushed it aside.

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Zen and Vander knew better than to get in the middle of two ranting Celestial Mages, so as the two were both going off on some poor, low end Dark Mage, they stood there, shrugging at the man as he was chewed up one side and down the other verbally. Twice. By Each Celestial Mage. About Proper treatment of Celestial keys.

"This...shouldn't be as funny as it seems, should it?" Vander stood there, one hand over his mouth to hide his grin as his eyes danced and he did his best to not snicker loud enough for the two ranting mages to hear.

Zen managed to keep a stoic face as he stood there, but his eyes were dancing, "no, it probably shouldn't. First they kicked his ass, then they took his keys...and now…"

"It's like the poor man's getting chewed out by a teacher for being bad," Vander snickered softly, "it's rather ironic…"

"We should probably step in…"

Vander and Zen both looked at each other as the two mages continued their tirade and grinned, both speaking at the same time, "nah."

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Lucy hummed as she ate some of the Middish noodles she'd ordered, watching the crowd around them at the bar. Well, Around her. The boys were off gathering some information and had blatantly told her to stay put. She'd debated arguing, but her stomach had let itself be known and she'd given in to the urge for food.

She could see Zen at one end of the bar, talking to a large man, Hestor speaking about halfway down the bar to the bartender and Vander...She rolled her eyes with a soft smile as she watched him dance. She wondered if she would ever get jealous over his carefree nature, but hummed to herself as she bit into her food. It was highly doubtful, Vander was fun, pure, unadulterated fun and she saw no reason to deny him any fun he wanted...as long as she got to watch. They, thankfully, hadn't been contacted by Grendace, but it was probably because of what had happened at the games. The man probably was at least partially worried that it would happen to him.

In Fact, she was fairly certain that it would happen to him once they got all the keys that Hestor needed. It was something that was always burning in the back off her and Vander's minds, something they'd have to deal with soon enough. They'd found a dozen keys and only one of them was one that Hestor was looking for. Most of them were duplicates of the silver keys the two already had and had been put away for...whatever they decided to do with them. She'd gotten one key that was the same pink-silver as Leo Minor, which was Ursa Minor's key.

As it was, this was their last stop before they had to go home for the Holidays. She could see tension that had bled out of Hestor slowly growing as time continued to tick down and she felt only partially bad. It was the holidays. They would be home. Christmas was where she gave to everyone, even after all these years and the traveling made it so that she had plenty of interesting gifts to give. She fully understood the reason that New Year's Eve and New Year's Day was important, she was just a Christmas girl, plain and simple.

She stretched a bit now that her stomach was filled and leaned back. Part of her wanted to be testy about them making her table sit, but it gave her a good view of the club and able to actually watch what was going on without too many people actually paying attention to her. The woman relaxed as she waited, letting herself sink back into the booth as the boys...looked for whatever information they wanted.

~~)~)~)~)~)~

While Lucy had expected some tension, she hadn't expected the current 'discussion' going on. She was frustrated with Kaleb, but it seemed like Hestor was willing to rise to the occasion.

"So, did you four enjoy your little trip, galavanting around while searching for keys?"

Hestor slowly took a breath and then sipped his drink, "Yes, in fact, your brother.." He smiled lightly to Farron and bowed his head, "was quite accommodating the few times we came across him in the last four and a half months."

Kaleb's eyes narrowed, he could easily push through the barriers the male Celestial mage had, but the small smile on Farron's lips left little to understand what could have happened, "I see." he wasn't sure why that made him angry.

Hestor shrugged as he slowly cut his meat up, looking at it for a moment before putting the bite in his mouth and then chewing, "he showed us quite a few places that were helpful." his lips quirked into a small smirk, "Including amazing bathhouses in Minstrel."

Vander snorted, "You mean the steam rooms?" He grinned a bit, shrugging slightly at the sharp look Kaleb slid to him. He wasn't going to lie, or hide anything, but honestly, they'd heard Hestor's rant, knew there was some sort of tension and that was to say that there was nothing wrong with what the male celestial mage did with their eldest brother, especially after some of the more stressful parts of their trip.

Hestor arched an eyebrow at Vander and then shook his head, "the shopping districts as well were wonderful." he kept a fairly neutral look on his features, but smiled softly, "and the sleeping accommodations were wonderful."

Farron smiled, "The company and the conversations were delightful." He sipped his mulled wine as he sat there, "I just wish we could have had extra time, there was much I wished to discuss."

Hestor bowed his head slightly, "we won't be heading out until mid-January, i think?" He glanced towards Lucy.

Lucy let out a low hum, "Somewhere around there, Zen, Van and I are going to retreat to a nice, cozy place because I want to relax and recharge."

"It's settled then," Farron smiled warmly, "we'll have plenty of time to get caught up, talk more."

Kaleb's jaw clenched a bit, "right."

Arman wanted to help out with the conversation, but he could feel the tension and even as an Ambassador knew when to stay out of it...he did go to Alta very often. The man shook his head, "So...what keys did you find while you were out?"

Lucy smiled warmly, "one more key of the Brothers of Ma'at set, duplicates which we're going to lock up for now...Ursa Minor…" she sipped her drink and chuckled, "not a lot of new ones, but...plenty of people that needed a good stern talking to."

"Is that what you're calling it?" Zen arched an eyebrow and looked at Lucy, who looked at him wide eyed and innocent, "between the two of you...I don't think they wanted to hear any more chastising over what they were doing…"

"Well, i'm glad for the both of you," Kaleb managed to ground out as he finished his food off, "excuse me for a moment, I need to use the bathroom."

Farron arched an eyebrow, not talking for a few moments, "he's acting oddly."

Hestor snorted softly, "he's acting like his normal self you mean." even an oblivious person would have been able to catch the bitter tone in the celestial mage's voice.

Lucy let out a low whistle as she sat there, "I don't get why he's so bent out of shape over you two sharing pleasure…"

Cris gave Lucy an incredulous look, "...please tell me that was an attempt at not sounding as smart as we know you are."

Lucy looked at Cris over the table, slowly arching an eyebrow, "well...if he didn't imply that Celestial mages always needed looking after…"

"...he...did kind of put a few nails in a coffin for that one, didn't he?" The slayer sighed and shook his head, "Look, you two rile him up in ways he doesn't understand…"

Farron leveled Cris with a firm look, "Kaleb is powerful, we all know that...but he's had to keep so much control, keep so much in check…even had special jewelry made to let him know when he goes too far...that...doesn't excuse acting like he did just now. He's never had issues sharing before, we all know it."

Hestor sighed as he finished his meal, "Let him stew." the celestial mage arched an eyebrow, "I've other ways to fill my time than putting trust into someone that doesn't trust me."

Arman flinched, if only slightly. That was the reason that he didn't mind the male celestial mage so much he understood the rules in which they worked under. "Well, I am sure he will open up again, you two seemed to be getting fairly close there for awhile."

Hestor smiled warmly to Arman, "Thank you, Ambassador." he took a breath and then leaned back to ruffle Lucy's hair, "I'm going to get going. I think I want to go to my apartment and just...be for awhile."

Farron frowned as he sat there, "why don't I drive you? I can head back as well."

Arman arched an eyebrow and smiled, "well, both off you be safe then?"

Farron chuckled, "I will, Dad, promise."

Lucy pouted a bit, "okay...we'll get together and do some sort of trivia night next week?"

Hestor nodded as he stood, "of course." he chuckled a bit and then moved to get his coat, "just be good. "

The group watched the two go and then Arman spoke, "You can stop lurking at the top of the stairs."

Kaleb scowled as he came back down, "I was not lurking. He's an infuriating man."

Lucy's lips quirked a bit, "yes, well, so are you." her eyes narrowed, "my holiday, don't say anything you won't regret...because we know what happens next week."

Kaleb groaned softly, "fine. Just... fine. " the mindbender downed his drink and mumbled, "..times like these...I do wish I was able to actually get drunk again."

~)~)~))~

Hestor stretched as he got out of the car, "Thank you for the ride, Ambassador, really…"

Farron arched an eyebrow, "I told you to call me Farron."

The Celestial mage shrugged, "I'm aware."

The two looked at each other, the one standing on the curb and Farron spoke, "Share pleasure with me."

Hestor stood there, debating and then let out a snort as he slid back into the car, "mmm, sounds like a good plan to forget the evening, Farron. "