A/N: Some cute filler for you guys! I know, I know, you're desperately waiting to see what happened to Jezran and Macbeth and I'm just dragging it out. ;) Soon, friends. Soon. In the meantime, enjoy the laughter and smiles. Side note: I am aware that, at this point in the canon, Laxus would not be in Fairy Tail; however, considering it's cutesie filler, mostly just for fun and feels, I decided to leave him in. Enjoy!

Chapter 52: Operation Mustard Sandwich!

The storage closet was musty and dark. The only light was what filtered down from the cobweb ridden, rectangular window above the highest shelf. Crouched on the cement floor, huddled together over a small lacrima-powered flashlight, were two children. A girl of about seven, black hair in long pigtails, wearing a trench coat that was much too long for her, and an oversized top hat that belonged to someone else. A boy with beady, giant eyes and purple-tinged hair, wearing a black hoodie—hood pulled over his head.

"Commence operation 'Mustard Sandwich,'" the girl whispered.

"Why are we calling it 'Mustard Sandwich,' Syllest?" the boy whispered back.

"Because that's Mom's favorite food, Romeo," she explained, in a tone that suggested this was obvious. "Let me see the list."

Romeo shone the light on a clipboard in his lap. Syllest looked over it with narrowed eyes, chewing her lip in thought. Her eyes widened and she jabbed him hard in the collarbone.

"Ow! What was that for?!"

"I told you to use codenames! What if someone finds this? The operation will be ruined!"

She dug in her pocket and pulled out a pencil. She furiously erased something on the paper and started to write again.

"Sal…amand..er," she sounded out.

"Syllest, everyone knows that's Natsu."

"Ha! That's why it's a trick," she said smugly. "Salamander is the codename for Nab, not Natsu!"

"Oh..." he blinked in understanding. "You're a genius!"

"I know, right?" She giggled and finished scribbling on the sheet. "Next! Do you have the evidence?"

"Yes, ma'am!" Romeo lifted a five-gallon Ziploc baggie with the word "Evidance" written on it in sharpie. There looked to be an array of random items inside, varying from some envelopes, to an origami dragon, to some potato chips, and a live frog.

"Great!" She nodded in approval and raised her hand for a high-five. "That means… it's time."

Their eyes met. They nodded slowly, looks of determination etched on their small faces.

"First on the list… Codename: Walnut."

"Wait, who's—"

Before Romeo could finish asking the question, Syllest was opening the storage room door and tugging him into the hallway. She pulled the top hat down further on her head before she began to creep along the wall. Romeo scrambled after her.

They snuck along the walls, diving behind pillars when anyone walked past. Out to the guild pool, where they crouched behind the towel-stand.

"There he is…"

Laying on his stomach, soaking in the sunlight, was Gray Fullbuster. He was strewn out on a beach chair, wearing blue swim trunks. A red-faced Juvia was currently applying sunscreen to his exposed back, hearts bursting in her eyes.

"Grab a disguise," Syllest commanded. She snatched one of the white spa towels and donned it on top of her top hat.

"These won't make very good dis—"

The death glare in her pink eyes was enough to shut him up. He pulled a towel over his head as well. Then, with Syllest in the lead, they crept toward Gray and Juvia. Juvia was too awestruck by Gray to notice them approaching, and Gray's head was turned in the other direction.

"Gray Fullister!" Syllest tossed her towel dramatically off her head and pointed a finger at him. He lazily turned his head to look at her.

"Huh?" He yawned. "What's up, kid?"

Romeo stood at Syllest's side with his towel, and now hers, covering him.

"Exhibit A, Watson!" Syllest commanded. Her companion dug in the sandwich baggie, almost freeing the desperate frog. He handed her an envelope.

"Exhibit A, miss Sherlock!"

"Oh! Look at you two working together!" Juvia squealed with joy and clasped her hands. "It's absolutely adorable!"

Syllestra ignored her completely, instead pulling a lock of black hair out of the envelope.

"How do you explain this, Mr. Fullister?" She waggled the hair in front of his eyes.

"What?" he sat up and scratched the side of his head. "What is that?"

"Is that a lock of my darling's perfect hair?" Juvia leaned forward to look at it.

"That's right!" Syllest put her little fists on her hips.

"When did you get that?" Gray ran a hand through his hair, self-consciously.

"I'm the one asking questions here!" the little girl huffed and put her nose in the air. "First question! What color is your hair?"

He blinked. "Uh… black?"

"Watson?"

Romeo nodded and made a checkmark on the clipboard sheet.

"What is your favorite season?"

"Geez, I don't know… Summer, I guess."

Her pink eyes went wide. "But you're an ice wizard!"

"Yeah, well, I can't swim in the winter." He gave a noncommittal shrug.

Romeo shook his head and scribbled an 'X.'

"Is it true, Mr. Fullister, that you take my mom on dates to Jimmy's Sandwich Shop sometimes?"

Gray rose an eyebrow. Behind him, Juvia began to shake uncontrollably.

"Excuse me? Just what are you suggesting, young lady?" Her eyelid twitched. "My sweet, darling Gray would never take another woman on a date, am I right, dear?"

"You got the wrong idea, Syllestra. I bribe her with food so she'll charm Freed for me." He straightened up and leaned his elbows on his knees. "And your mom is more of the 'picnic in the woods' type of girl."

Juvia went pale. "H-How do you know that, darling?"

Syllest frowned and looked over Romeo's shoulder at what he was writing. "So…" she turned her bright pink eyes back on Gray. "You're not my father?"

Juvia went rigid and fell over sideways into the pool. Gray blanched.

"Sorry, but no." He awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck. "Dreamer's cool and all, but she's not really my type."

Romeo took out a red marker and slashed out "Walnut" on the list.

Syllest gave a sad sigh. "Okay…" She examined the black lock of hair in her hand, holding it next to a strand of her own.

"Don't worry, Syllestra." Romeo patted her back. "We'll find your dad! Let's keep looking!"

She met his eyes and nodded, regaining her previous determined expression.

"Next! Codename: Fluffy!"

Syllest grabbed Romeo's hand and they were gone in a puff, leaving a confused Gray—and a floating Juvia—behind.

A blue-haired script mage was reading a book in the library, sporting magical red glasses. To her right, sitting cross-legged on the ground, was a certain iron dragon-slayer.

Levy glanced over after she had sped-read the last page of her current book. The red glasses slid to the tip of her nose.

"You don't have to sit and wait for me to finish, Gajeel," she said. "Not that I don't enjoy your company." She smiled sweetly.

He huffed. "It ain't like I got anything better to do."

She giggled quietly as she looked at him. Scarred arms crossed defiantly over his chest, eyes closed and brows furrowed on his tan face. He was tenser than usual.

"You're worried about Macbeth, aren't you?" She turned in her chair to face him, a knowing smile touching her lips. He opened his eyes. "It's been a few days since anyone has heard from him and Jezran, right?"

"Yeah," Gajeel relaxed a bit, unfolding his arms to lean back on his palms, "but I ain't worried. Beth can take care of himself."

"You two really are close, aren't you?" Her smile got warmer. She took off the reading glasses and sat them on the desk.

"Well duh," he scoffed. "We're best pals, no matter what snake-breath has to say about it." He bared a canine at the mention of Erik.

"I think it's sweet, how much you care about him."

Gajeel's cheeks took the slightest shade. "Yeah well… that bastard needs to come home so we can make it to our next gig. If he's not back in the next two days, I'm going after him."

She was about to respond when she saw his nose twitching. He leaned his head back and sniffed the air. Moments later, two little heads popped up right next to her, causing her to squeak and fall off the chair.

"Thought I smelled pipsqueaks." Gajeel smirked at the sight of Syllest and Romeo, garbed in oversized black spy-gear.

"Gajeel Redbox!" Syllest pounced up onto the desk, knocking all of Levy's books on the ground.

"Hey, this is a library!" Levy caught a handful of them and scolded the girl, who wasn't listening to her in the slightest.

"What's up, Dreamer's kid?" he cocked his head to the side.

Syllest narrowed her pink eyes and regarded him harshly. She pounced in a flash, suddenly pulling a large chunk of his black hair.

"Hey, what gives?!" Gajeel winced in pain and surprise.

"What do you think, Watson?" Syllest held a black lock up next to her own.

"Uh… Take your pigtails out," Romeo answered while stroking his chin. She did so, allowing her own black hair to fall to her waist.

"Hm…" Romeo's eyes flicked back and forth between the little girl and the dragon-slayer. "It's a close match."

"His hair is thicker than mine," she noted, with another hard tug.

"Alright, hands off the merchandise, kiddo!" Gajeel stood up and pushed Syllest's head back with the palm of his hand.

"Mr. Redbox!" She put her hands on her hips and started to pace in front of him. "What were you doing on Tuesday, the fourth, at nine thirty AM? Watson, take notes!"

"How the hell am I supposed to remember?" His bottom lip jutted out. Levy finished placing the books neatly back on the desk. She giggled at Gajeel and the kids.

"Let me jog your memory!" she gestured dramatically. The over-long sleeve of her coat drooped over her hand. "You were in the garden putting a spider on my mom's hair! Do you remember now?"

"Am I bein' detained or something?"

Romeo scribbled furiously on the clipboard.

"What's he writing anyway?"

"I'm the one asking the questions, mister!" Syllest shouted. Gajeel's lips pinched shut. "So, tell me Mr. Box. Do you like teasing my mommy?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Look, the spider thing was Beth's idea, not mine. I ain't done nothing wrong!"

"Answer the question, Mr. Redbox!"

"No way! I'm not being interrogated by snot-nosed punks!"

Sparks flew between Syllest and Gajeel's eyes.

"Romeo, what's this about?" Levy asked quietly while the other two "children" had a staring contest.

"We're trying to find out if Gajeel is Syllest's dad!"

Levy's jaw dropped. Gajeel blinked, officially losing the contest.

"If I'm what?"

"We're trying to find Syllest's dad! He's gotta be someone at the guild, right?"

"Well it sure as hell ain't me!" Gajeel roared, eyes bulging.

"The evidence disagrees!" Syllest said triumphantly. "We're the same! We both have black hair—"

"You're both scary mean," Romeo added helpfully.

"And we can both make music! Exhibit B, Watson!" Syllest held her hand out and caught a ukele that Romeo tossed to her. She cleared her throat and began to strum an awful melody.

"Shoo bee doo bee," she said, as one of the strings snapped.

"First off, it's 'shoo bee doo BOP. Second—"

"Shoo bee doo bo?"

"Shoo bee doo BOP!"

"Scooby dooby?"

"KID I AIN'T YOUR DAD!" Gajeel snatched the ukele out of her hands. Another string broke. Syllest's eyes started to water. "Oh shit."

She sniffled. Her pink eyes were the size of plates, filling with sparkling tears.

"H-Hey, don't cry, okay?" He waved his hands frantically in front of him. "I didn't mean to yell!"

"Way to go, Gajeel," Levy said, disapprovingly.

"Pipsqueak, it's not like I hate your old lady or anything, but I've never… We never…" He looked at Levy with horror on his face, when he realized what sort of conversation he was about to have with a seven-year-old girl. "And if I ever thought about anything like that, I'd be dead in a ditch somewhere—Beth'd make sure of it."

Syllest whimpered, eyes wavering, tears reaching the breaking point.

"Sherlock," Romeo said, walking to her side. "It's okay! We still have a lot of people to check! We'll find your dad, I promise!"

She nodded weakly, then put her nose in the air and strode purposefully away from Gajeel—without shedding a single tear.

Crickets chirped when the library door slammed shut behind her and Romeo.

"She's quite the little tsundere, isn't she?" Levy sweatdropped.

"Man, she might be as scary as Erza one day," Gajeel shuddered. "You really think one of the guys here is her old man?"

"For his sake, I hope not." Levy laughed nervously. Both imagined a very furious looking Macbeth and shivered.

Syllest was on a rampage now. She stomped her way through the hall to the main room of the guild, thrusting her oversized coat on the ground in an angry huff. Romeo stumbled to keep up with her, as she marched straight up to the job request board.

"Salamander!" She pointed at Nab, who was, as always, examining the board with a grim expression.

"Salamander?" He blinked at her in surprise.

"Are you my dad?" She gritted her teeth, eyes shooting daggers.

Nab blushed deeply. He muttered something incoherent and stroked his arms in embarrassment.

"He wishes!" Wakaba shouted.

"You ever going to ask her out, Nab?" Macao asked.

Nab's face paled in terror. He vigorously shook his head.

"He can't now, old man," Wakaba laughed, with a puff on his pipe. "Mac would string him up on the request board."

Macao laughed out loud. "You're right about that! Looks like you missed your chance, Nabby. Better luck with the next girl!"

Syllest stormed past Nab and leapt on the table Macao and Wakaba were sitting at. Her little pointer finger jutted at Macao next.

"Are you my dad?"

"Syllest, that's MY dad!" Romeo pulled on her shirt to tug her away from him. "He'd tell me if I had a sister!"

"It's not me," Macao laughed. "But you know, Dreamer's not exactly hard to look at…" He and Wakaba shared a dirty look.

"Watch your mouth, geezer. Who knows when the Night Terror will be back?"

"Good point."

They shivered.

Syllest had already moved on. She was climbing over tables, pushing people aside, scanning the faces.

"Syl—I mean Sherlock—I mean… Wait for me!" Poor Romeo ran as fast as he could to keep up.

"Catch, Happy!" Nearby, Natsu and Happy were playing catch with Lucy's hairbrush.

"GIVE IT BACK!" The furious blonde was in between the two of them, only one pigtail up.

"Haha! No way, this is too much fun!"

Happy did a backflip in the air and caught the brush. "Ew, there's a Lucy hair in my mouth!" He narrowly avoided Lucy's arms as she lunged at him. "Your turn, Natsu!" He chucked the purple brush toward Natsu's outstretched hand. But instead of it reaching its target, the brush was smacked out of the air by a small karate chop.

"Natsu Dragon!" Syllest faced him now, fists on her hips.

"Huh? What's up, Damien's daughter?"

"Geez, Natsu, it's Daisy, get it right," Happy said, hovering over his head.

"Syllest," Romeo caught up, heaving for breath. "I don't think Natsu is—"

"His hair is pink," she cut him off, sharply. "Like my eyes."

"Yeah, but I don't think that—"

"Natsu, do you like my mom?" She asked, straightforward.

"Huh?" He crossed his arms over his chest and cocked his head to the side. "Well yeah, sure. I like Deena."

Lucy was huffing under her breath and retrieving the now broken hairbrush. "Oh, man." She sighed in exasperation.

Syllestra took a deep breath. She kept her gaze even. "Mr. Dragon… Natsu. Do you think you… could be my dad?"

Lucy's eyes went wide.

"Yeah! Of course I could!"

Lucy's jaw hit the floor.

"R-Really?!" Syllest's face lit up, hands clasping together.

"Yeah, I'd make a great dad!" He rose a fist and grinned in determination.

"I don't think that's what she meant, Natsu," Happy said.

"Course it is!" Natsu beamed. "She needs a dad, right? I'll be the coolest dad ever! I'll be as great as Igneel!" He opened his arms wide to Syllestra. "Come here and give me a hug, pumpkin!"

Syllestra giggled and ran into Natsu's outstretched arms. Happy snickered, Romeo sweatdropped, and Lucy's temple began to pulse.

"I knew my dad had to be someone cool!" Syllest said, as she sat on his knee. "Does this mean you're going to move in with us?"

"Yeah, Natsu, you moving in~?" Happy sang and snickered even louder.

"Huh? I never thought about it. I kinda like the place I've got with Happy." Natsu tapped his chin, as if he were seriously considering this.

"Mom will cook for you! She cooks as good as Auntie Mira!"

"Alright, I'm in!"

"You can't be serious!" Lucy's foot came down.

"Do you got an extra room at your place?"

"No, but Mom has a big bed. You could share with her! That's what mommies and daddies do, right?"

Three pulse marks now stood out on Lucy's head.

"Uh oh, she's gonna blow!" Happy donned a helmet and dove dramatically away from the blonde monster.

"Do they?" Natsu blinked. "I mean sure, it doesn't bother me. I can share a bed with Dreamer!"

"NOW he gets her name right?"

"Romeo, we did it! We found my dad!" Syllest grinned brightly at the little boy, whose sweating face didn't seem so sure.

"Natsu…." Lucy's voice was low and furious. Her fist came down on the top of his head. "You're such an idiot!"

"Ow! What was that for?!"

Lucy lifted Syllest out of Natsu's lap and stood her up. She put both hands on the girl's shoulders. "Syllestra, Natsu's not really your dad." Her voice was gentle. "What's all of this about?"

Syllest looked down at Lucy's boots. "I… I just want to know who my dad is…" The tears sprang back.

"Hey." Lucy ruffled her black bangs and smiled softly. "I know what it's like to lose family, and to wish you got to know them better. But, aren't you happy with the family you have here at Fairy Tail? We're all like your moms and dads and aunts and uncles, aren't we?" She gave an encouraging chuckle.

But her words fell on deaf ears.

The space in Lucy's hands where Syllest had been, was now empty.

"Sorry, Lucy!" Romeo apologized on Syllest's behalf, waved to Lucy and Natsu, and ran after Syllest, who was already approaching a new figure.

It was a scruffy looking man with five-o-clock shadow, whom she'd never seen before.

"Gildarts?" Romeo caught up. "When did you get home?"

The man blinked at the two of them and took a swallow of beer.

"Are you my dad?" Syllest asked, harshly. She had abandoned all formalities, now. In fact, she threw the top hat she was wearing onto Romeo's head. He was now carrying the evidence bag, clip board, coat, top hat, and spa towels.

"What, me?" Gildarts opened his eyes wide and examined her over. "Hell if I know! Who's your mom? Claudia? No, you look more like you could be Lisa's. Gemma?"

"Dreamer."

"Delila?" He facepalmed. "Oh man, I could be your father for all I know."

"No, her name's Dreamer!" Syllest snapped.

"Dandy?"

"DREAMER!"

"Oh… Well I don't think I've ever been with a Dreamer before." He scratched his stubble in thought.

She fumed and turned on her heel. She scanned the faces. He had to be here somewhere. He had to be one of them... She started toward Erik, who was leaning against the bar, chatting with Kinana. Before she could get within ten feet of him, though, his voice came out in a hiss.

"Don't even think about it, kid. Trust me, I'm not him either."

She stopped in her tracks and trembled.

"Syllest, maybe Lucy's right." Romeo said. "Maybe it doesn't really matter who your dad is."

"Yes it DOES!" She pushed past him. Her next target was in sight. A group of people gathered at a table near the stage.

It was Laxus and the Thunder Legion, playing a game of cards.

"Hey!" Syllest called out to them. They ignored her.

"Freed, that was a shit move," Bixlow complained. "You're gonna give Laxus the game if you play like that!"

Freed's cheeks took some color and he hid behind strands of green hair.

"HEY!" Syllest climbed on the stage and shouted again, louder. Again, the four of them ignored her.

"Draw another card, baby," Bixlow taunted Evergreen.

"I hate playing UNO with you, Bix," she snapped, as she drew another "draw 2" card.

Syllest jumped. Right onto the draw pile. Four sets of eyes fell on her. She swallowed in nervousness, but kept her head held high.

"Oh no, how am I gonna tell Dreamer she's dead?" Romeo whimpered, hiding behind a pillar nearby. "When Macbeth finds out I let Laxus kill Syllest… I'm gonna have to leave Fiore!"

"Don't you know it's bad manners to interrupt adults, young lady?" Evergreen snapped, her voice a condescending drawl.

"Bixlow," she was too horrified to ask Laxus first, so she settled on the armor wearing weirdo with the tattooed tongue. "Are you my real dad?"

Bixlow threw his head back and laughed out loud. "You asking me if I shacked up with your mom?" He stuck his tongue out, lewdly. "I'd like to say I did."

Evergreen smacked him in the back of the head. "She's a child, Bixlow. Show some restraint, please. And watch your tongue."

Syllest scowled. There was no way she was related to that freak anyway. She folded her arms over her chest and looked finally at Laxus. He regarded her with a hard expression. Suddenly, she forgot what she was going to ask. All confidence melted away when she looked at the scar over his right eye, and the way his whole body seemed to spark with electricity.

"You asking me now?"

She swallowed dryly and nodded.

"I'm not your father," he said simply.

"Nor am I," Freed added.

"I wasn't going to ask you," Syllest blinked at the green-haired wizard, who immediately began to sulk.

"You're asking the wrong people, kid," Laxus added. "Your dad's probably not a Fairy Tail wizard."

This news hit her like a ton of bricks. Like gravity magic. Like boulder magic. She sat down on the table on all the UNO cards. Her eyes welled with tears once more.

"Whoa! Laxus, man, you made her cry!" Bixlow jumped back. "Dreamer'll kill us if she finds out we made her kid cry!"

Evergreen and Freed both backed away in terror as well.

"It's true. Dreamer is as frightening as Erza when it comes to Syllest," Evergreen said.

"And don't forget Macbeth!" Freed added. "We will be doubly dead!"

"I'm not saying it's impossible," Laxus continued. "But if your father was anyone from Fairy Tail…" His voice drifted off. Syllest perked up, clinging onto his words like a buggy-eyed monkey.

"Who? Who would it be?!" She scooted toward the lightning dragon-slayer.

"Oh yes…" Freed tilted his head in thought. "There were rumors."

"Rumors? About who?!" Her black hair whipped back and forth.

"You're not talking about him, are you?" Bixlow frowned.

"They did seem close," Evergreen's glasses caught in the light as she smirked deviously.

"WHO?!" Syllest was shaking with barely contained energy.

"That's because they were close," a new voice joined the commotion. Erza approached, dressed in a swimming suit. "But I do not think his relationship with Dreamer is relevant to Syllestra's hunt for her father."

"Whose relationship?" Syllest clasped her hands together and begged. "Please, tell me who!"

"Oooh, are you guys talking about Mystogan?" Mira suddenly popped out of nowhere and was sitting next to Laxus, looking positively thrilled by the gossip.

"Mystogan?" Syllest said the name slowly, testing it out.

They all nodded their heads.

"I used to ship them so hard!" Mira squeed. "Dreamogan~ But that was before Macbeth came and Mystogan went back to be king of Edolas."

There was a moment of silence as everyone thought about the friends they'd lost to the parallel world.

"Syllestra," Erza said again, "it's highly unlikely anyone at this guild is your father. Maybe that's something you need to talk to your mother about."

Mira smiled weakly at Syllest. "Yeah. Maybe it's time for Dreamer to talk to you about it. We can ask her together."

"Really? You'd go with me, Auntie Mira?"

"Of course I would!" Mira scooped Syllest off the table and held her up in an embrace. "We're family."

"And I can go with you, Sherlock!" Romeo said, after finally being brave enough to come out from behind the pillar. "I told you I'd help you find your dad, and I will! I promise!"

"And just remember, kid," Laxus said, with a gruff smile. "Fairy Tail is your real family, alright? Blood doesn't matter much in the long run."

Syllest's bottom lip quivered. The same tears that she'd been fighting during this whole adventure welled up in her eyes once more. This time, they spilled over. She cried out loud. Mira snuggled her close, Romeo hugged her as well. In fact, in a few moments, a whole group of Fairy Tail members were group-hugging the little girl. Erza, pulling Syllest's head against her bosom, the Thunder Legion. Even Laxus ruffled her hair.

Syllest pulled away suddenly. "Wait, were Mystogan and my mom really dating?"

Crickets chirped.

Syllestra's face broke out in a wicked grin. She held her hand out to Romeo, who tossed her the top hat and coat. "Watson, what do we have in the evidence bag about 'Mister Wan?'"

"Looks like we have an old mustard sandwich, a scrap of green cloth, and an apple with a bite taken out of it!"

"Perfect! Operation Mustard Sandwich is still ongoing! Come on! Let's go sneak through Mom's closet!"

"Yes, ma'am!"

The Fairy Tail member's all sweat dropped in sync as Romeo and Syllest marched out the guild hall doors.

"And that's the next generation of Fairy Tail…" Evergreen said, with a note of concern.

"Oh, I'm not worried!" Mira smiled. "That kind of determination and friendship will always be a part of what Fairy Tail really is."

There were nods of agreement. And then…

"Did I hears you's right?" A black boot thudded on the table, scattering more UNO cards. "Tall, dark, and mysterious had a t'ing with Dreamy, eh?"

"Piper, you were listening?"

"That bastard! I knew they had a business relationship with those sleepin' pills but I never woulda thought… Where is he? I'll wring his damn neck!"

"Piper, he's in Edolas."

"Open the portal! Someone get me to Edolas, I'm kickin' some ass!"

Cana chucked a beer bottle at his head. "What happened to being over her?!"

Piper flushed, ignoring the bleeding cut on his head. "I-I am over her, babe! It's just the principle, you's know?"

"Yeah, whatever."

He was pleading in front of her. "Honest, doll!"

Mira and Erza giggled at the sight of this exchange.

"Such a lively group of characters, wouldn't you say?" the red-head said fondly.

"Yes. Fairy Tail really is the best family anyone could ask for."

A/N: I had to leave you guys with this cheery filler because the next chapter is... heavy. Prepare yourselves.

I loved your comments on Resmond! Particularly the reviewer that said they'd let Resmond punch them in the face and call them a piece of trash. I think I died laughing. I'm glad I was able to master a simultaneously sexy and horrifying villain.

Howlingwolvesonfire, you mentioned that Resmond reminds you of Mard Geer... Dear god I *knew* someone would say it, dammit. Here's the thing... I created Resmond before even watching the Tartaros arc. I literally had never even heard of Mard Geer before creating my sexy, black-haired, emotionless sociopath who likes roses. When I finally watched the arc, I was cursing under my breath the whole time. Dammit, Mashima-sensei, WHY do we think so much alike?! I have been told by my editor that Resmond is actually more heartless than Mard Geer though, so... that's a relief. And Resmond doesn't have the excuse of being a demon from Zeref's books to explain why he's horrible. He just *is.*

Actually, since I introduced two new characters, I guess I'll continue with Simana's request for development information! Would you like to hear about how I came up with Sange, or the King himself?

Lastly, someone asked about Erik's role since he hasn't been mentioned much in the past few chapters. Don't fret, he makes his presence fairly powerful in coming chapters. It should be assumed that, for the time being, he's been carrying out chores for Fairy Tail under Kinana's supervision, much like Macbeth did initially.