I couldn't believe I was doing this. Of course to understand what I'm talking about I must tell you what I was doing. I was in a small branching tunnel in a series of caves fighting off monsters. As I cut down monster after monster in the tunnel I thought back to how my day had gone from great to horrible.

Laxus was a jerk the whole train ride there, on the short walk to the clients, and on the hike to the caves. He was arrogant in front of the clients and in telling me what to do on the train and in front of the client, and he left me to smooth ruffled feathers. He didn't tell anyone his great battle plan of walking into the cave with the biggest flash of lightning I have ever seen and straight into what could easily turn into a death trap. Laxus walked into the biggest room in the caves, the room where monsters could come at him from any angle. And he left the exit and his back wide open. I would say that I was watching his back, but he was walking too quickly for me to be of any good. It would have been easier to fight like I was: let the monsters get stuck in the small tunnel and only attack me one on one. Sure he was a big guy, but there was a bigger tunnel to my left that he would fit in.

Monster after monster came at me, and I cut down each and every one. After a while my anger at Laxus dwindled and I was just tired. Luckily for me, so did the monsters. I looked up and down the tunnel. I didn't see Laxus or any monsters coming so I decided to check if there were any monsters hiding. The thing about being an elemental is that unlike dragon slayers who just create, manipulate, and consume elements, I (if I try hard enough) can sense things through any element. Mavis theorized that if I gained enough power and control I could become the elements themselves. Now that I have meet Gajeel I didn't think that was so farfetched now. One down side to this though, was the fact that I could not create my own element. I could only manipulate what was already around me.

I put my grimy hands and forehead against the cool rock wall of the tunnel. I muttered, "Invocabo elementum terrae. Virtute cede." Opening my senses I reached through the rock. I searched through every nook and cranny for any sign of monsters. Instead I found Laxus walking back toward the exit. I quickly pulled away from the wall and climbed over the bodies to meet him the entrance.

He walked up with a scowl on his face. "Where were you? I was in there alone. I don't know how the Guild ran things when you were a round," he barked, "but now a days we don't work like that,"

I tried to keep a neutral expression, but that quip about "when I was around" hurt. "Alright Guild Boy, I'll try to remember that the next time my partner rushes in without telling me any kind of plan," I snarled, "Now do you have a lighter?"

His face got a little red from anger and he choked out, "A lighter?!"

I nodded and tried not to act like he was a little kid, "Yes a lighter, to clean up the bodies."

Recognition donned on his face, but the skepticism never left, "What can you do with a lighter? For a job this big we would need Natsu." I held out my hand in reply. If he couldn't remember that I was an elemental user why bother telling him again? He grudgingly placed a metal lighter in my hand.

I flipped it open and smiled, "Haven't seen one of these-" I cut myself off and pushed past Laxus. He already knew I was gone 300 years why bring it up again.

When I stepped inside the room Laxus had been in I let out a low whistle. It was trashed. The room was still just fine, but random monster parts and large blood splatters were everywhere. "It never gets easier, Invocabo elementum ignis. Virtute cede," I mumbled to myself and flipped it open and lite the flame. Slowly and gently I drew the fire out and spread it to the gory sight before me. It all quickly caught on fire and I walked out of the room before the smoke could become too much. With the time a tolled it would air out just before the client needed the caves. I repeated the same process with my tunnel. I meet an oddly quiet Laxus standing outside the caves.

"I'm gonna get the money from the client, you get tickets," he ordered once we reached the town. The train ride home was quiet, and I almost fell asleep watching the darkening scenery flash by. Falling into bed, even an unfamiliar one without sheets, was heavenly.