Lily yawned as she woke up. Her head hurt and half her body felt like it had been squashed. She opened her eyes slowly and realized that her body still felt like it was being squished. Using her legs as a bed Gear was curled up like a cat snoring away. The rest of the room they were in was full of sleeping guild members.
Lily sighed. She knew it had been a crazy party last night but she hadn't realized they had all forgotten to go back to their room. Lily smiled and gently brushed hair out of Gear's face and then gently, and silently, moved so he was now using Shagotte as a pillow. The cat was used to it. Lily stretched her arms and then headed to the training area. She didn't want to wake anyone else up.
The training hall was on the other side of the base and was full of punching bags, weapons, and cushions for fighting on. The one rule of the training hall was no magic, at all. When they had first allowed magic things had been destroyed way too quickly, not that they weren't still destroyed, and it had cost them way too much money. Especially since their money all really came from the few jobs they were allowed to do. Once a month Igneel allowed a small group to go out and see if there were any jobs people needed help with, mostly protection in traveling. They also got on occasion someone who they had helped before would send them a message requesting help. There were a few people who knew about the group, well except the whole magic part, and supported them.
No one knew about their magic because the moment someone did learn about their ability to use magic then The Caretakers would learn about them and come crush them. A lot of them were confident they could win but Lily knew that wasn't possible. They would be crushed because of their numbers. Maybe if their parents... Lily shook her head and punched the nearest bag. She didn't want to think about sad stuff.
"Lily?" She glanced over to see Milly. "Training?"
"Yeah. I needed to stretch my muscles."
Milly grinned. "What do you say we head into town for a bit to stretch?"
"But Igs-."
"We can come back before he knows. You know you want to!"
"Alright." Lily laughed. "Let's go then." She punched the bag one more time and then followed Milly. They used the back exit, the one where Igneel wouldn't discover them and hurried towards the town.
Lily had been to town a couple times but it felt so exciting every time. All the shops and people. The first time she had been overwhelmed but now she just felt the bubbling excitement.
"Why don't we grab some breakfast." Milly offered pulling out a bag of money. "I've been stockpiling my allowance specifically for the next time I come to town."
"I thought you were saving that so you could buy a new weapon." She looked at the sword hanging at Milly's side. Milly could store her sword in her personal pocket dimension but doing so would mean she wouldn't be able to use it in front of people.
"No I'm good, I'm just hungry."
Lily laughed. "Okay..." She looked around. "The question is what."
"Follow me I know the best place."
"Why do I feel like you do this all the time?" Lily laughed following her to a small place. Once sitting the two ordered. Milly got a pile of pancakes topped in whipped cream and tons of fruit and Lily got a steak and egg dish. While they waited Lily relaxed.
"I wish we could do this normally." Milly glanced around.
"If we did we would get caught." Lily sighed. "Well at least we would have a higher chance of getting discovered."
"I know... If only.." Milly trailed off and glanced around cautiously. "Let's talk about something happier!" She grinned. "So I noticed River and you sparing together the other day, anything interesting I should know about?!"
Lily groaned. "Nothing is going on between us for the last time! He makes a good sparring partner because he doesn't leave himself open and he's always willing to practice."
"He's also half naked all the time!"
Lily rolled her eyes. "Help yourself, I would rather not be with a guy who walks around half naked all the time."
Milly laughed. Lily just shook her head and was happy as the food came. Since they were all still so young and stuck living together it made romance between them all a little awkward and hard. Glitter and Clive had tried dating for a couple months ago but it had ended in a large fight and neither of them willing to talk to the other. Lily didn't really want to date because of that reason.
She enjoyed her friendships and didn't want to ruin them. Milly on the other hand seemed to want to either date them all herself or have one of the other girls date all the guys. Lily took a bite of her food and relaxed back in her seat looking around.
The place was full of happy, or at least content, people who were chatting and laughing. Lilly's eyes fell onto a family sitting at a table across the room. There were two little boys and a girl with their parents. The dad was arguing with his sons to eat their food while the mom and girl were talking about something.
"Lily?" Milly's concerned voice drew her attention away from the family. "You okay?"
"Fine." Lily looked back at Milly and smiled.
"Thinking about your brother?"
"I wonder where he is." Lily admitted. "If he's okay." Her brother had left the guild seven years ago saying he was going to go find their parents. He could never believe that they were gone forever. Lily had tried to convince him to stay, at least for Gear but he refused.
"I'm sure he's fine where ever he is." Milly laughed. "He's a capable guy."
"The problem is he takes more after mom than dad so he's not as strong as us." She shook her head. "I just wish he would send us a message or something to let us know he's okay."
Milly laughed. "Where would he mail it to? We didn't have old man Saul collecting messages for us back then."
"True... We should go check in with Saul while we are here."
"I guess." Milly got up, her plate completely cleaned off. "Let's go."
"Can I finish eating first please?" Lily shook her head and quickly finished up while Milly paid.
Saul was a hermit who lived on the edge of town by himself. He did talk much about himself but he said he was always loyal to Fairy Tail and always would be. Milly knocked on the door and an old man with wrinkles and greying hair opened the door.
"Hello young 'ems." He opened the door more for them to come in. "What can I do for ya?"
"Any news?" Lily asked leaning up against the back of a chair. She looked around the room and smiled seeing old news clippings about fairy tail. He had used old newspapers as wallpaper so there were all sorts of old news articles but most of them were related to fairy tail.
Her favorite was a picture of fairy tail winning the grand magic games. Her father was in that one. "Let's see." The man started looking through a file cabinet. "Ah here we go." He handed a small box to Milly. "All you need is here."
"Thanks." Milly pulled all the papers out and slide them into her pockets. "We really appreciate all you do." She headed to the door.
"Be careful." Lily nodded and followed Milly out. "Now how are we going to explain that to Igs?"
Milly shrugged. "We can say we decided to check so that's why we went." Milly laughed.
Lily shook her head. "There goes the surprise."
"Are you two crazy?" Igs yelled at them as they got back. "Not only did you go into town by yourself but you went without telling anyone else."
"Calm down nothing happened." Milly shrugged dropping the stacks of paper on his desk. "Besides we got the news."
Igs sighed. "That doesn't make it right."
"Oh leave them alone Igs." Layla rolled her eyes in the entryway. "We're all a little bored around here and want something to do." She walked over and snatched up the first paper. "Let's see." She scanned it and started grinning. "I call this job!" She waved the paper.
Igs frowned. "I'll decide that."
"I call it and you can't stop me." She smirked. "Lily you and Milly should come with me on this one!"
"Sure." Lily smiled, she shot Igs a small apologetic smile.
"What is it?"
"Talk of a small rebellious group challenging the caretakers without magic." Layla grinned. "We should try to recruit them!"
"I don't know if we can-"
"Come on Igneel." This time it was Makarov in the doorway. He snatched the paper from Layla and looked it over. "We need to stop hiding and acting. If we get more people we can start to make a stand."
"I'm the leader not you." Igneel frowned.
"He is right Igs." Milly frowned. "The caretakers are getting closer and closer to taking down our whole country. If we want to win we have to strike before that."
Igneel sighed. "Fine." He looked at them. "But we have to be prepared... I'll decide who goes... Wait for the an movement."
"Fine." Layla grumbled and walked out.
Igneel sighed and Luly took that as a sign to leave. As soon as she was in the hallway she was tackled. "Lily did you really go into town?!"
"Yes Gear." Lily laughed and set the young energetic wizard down after wrestling him off her back and into her arm.
"Did you... Hear anything about..." He trailed off and looked down.
"Sorry no, but I'm sure he's alright. He's probably off in another land learning some crazy new type of magic."
"You think so?" Gear's face lit up.
"Yeah. Why don't we go train together."
"Sounds good."
Igneel started at the pile of papers on his desk. He had three job requests plus the rumor of the rebellion. The rebellion seemed to be in the ruins of the old capital town. He sighed. It was going to be dangerous he knew that but he also knew the others were right. They needed to start fighting back but to do so meant they needed more numbers. "Fine." He grumbled out loud.
The next problem was assigning everyone into their teams. Basically he needed five teams. Three for the job requests, one for the possible recruitment job and one to stay and watch the base.
Igneel looked over the jobs and sighed. The first job was a bunch of kids had gone missing and they needed someone to find them. He frowned, he couldn't risk sending the younger but he also could risk leaving it in unprepared hands. "Asuka would be best for that team." Igneel said to himself.
The second job was two towns were having a feud and needed an outsider to come in and help keep blood from being split. Igneel groaned, he knew that needed a calm person, but also someone who could fight without any problems. He glanced towards the recruiting job. He had kind of wanted to go himself but he knew if he sent anyone else to deal with the feud it would turn into a fight.
"I guess I'll go there." Igneel wrote his name on the request. He decided to have Ace and Sky back him up. Ace would be good to keep an eye in the sky while Sky would be helpful in healing wounds if needed.
The third job was a large beast was attacking a town. "Wolfgang." He nodded. There was no question about it. That was the most perfect choice. His transformation magic worked best on those kinds of battles. That left the recruitment team. Makarov would be the best chance, as much as he didn't completely like the guy. Of course Layla wouldn't let him leave her on any other team. He groaned. "FINE!" He stood up and headed out.
Everyone was exactly where he expected, in the training hall. "I have an announcement." He called out. Everyone turned to look at him. "Okay I've got four jobs we are accepting right now. Once I've called you team come up and grab your sheet. If your name is not called them I'm going to have you stick around here and watch the base. First up, Asuka I'm sending you Simon and Pearl out to deal with a missing kid situation. Are you going to be fine?"
"Don't worry about us." Asuka smirked. "I'll look after these two." Asuka walked up and took the paper from his hand as he held it out. "Lets go you two!" She laughed.
"Right." Igneel nodded."Next group. Wolfgang, Glitter,and Ur." You two do your best and work together. Watch each others back."
"Got it." Wolfgang nodded and took the paper. "Come on Glit."
"Don't order me around." She glared angrily.
"Oh come on Glit." Ur shook her head. "Igs choose our leader so let's follow him. You trust your brother don't you?"
Glitter rolled her eyes. "Fine."
Igneel shook his head. "Next up Makarov." He sighed. "I've got a job for you, Lily, Layla, Milly, and River… You guys have the most dangerous job. Makarov you're in charge." He held out the news clipping about the rumored resistance. "Be careful please." He sighed. "Now go ahead and get out of here." He waved his hand.
"Thanks Igs." Layla smiled. "See ya." She rushed out. "Come on guys."
"I'm coming with you." Dragon flew after her.
Igneel sighed. "Okay, Ace you and Sky are with me."
"I guess that means I'm coming too." Lucky flew and landed on Sky's head. "Let's get going."
"What about us?" Fate asked looking around.
"Alright." Igneel sighed. "You three keep eyes on this place, and I'm trusting Fate to be in charge."
"No thanks." She yawned. "I'd rather just relax."
He groaned. "Fine, Gear I'm trusting you to be in charge instead."
"Hey! What about me?!" Clive frowned.
"I don't trust you to be in charge." Igneel sighed. "Shagotte you help them please." He looked at the small white cat.
"Got it." She nodded.
"Lets go." Igneel turned back to his team and looked at the paper in his hand. Good luck to all of us.