Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or any of the characters


Levy scowled at the book in front of her, leaning back in the chair at her desk.

Normally she would be fine with research all day and keeping her head buried in a book. There were a lot of information inquiries and backlog to tackle. It would still be months before she could hire an assistant - so she was stuck with having to do all the work on her own. Jet and Droy were off training with the Magic Enforcers, and it would be a while before the old Shadow Gear team was back.

When she joined the Research Division, she knew that the soul purpose was to look into mysteries and discover strange phenomenon. She had thought that she would have the chance to expand her abilities and have a little more...well, excitement.

Levy pull the next ticket off her stack and made a face at it. People wanted all manner of tedious things: how to say various words in multiple languages, the correct methods for seals and spells, something about an old recipe for a pumpkin tart...

She did not join the Magic Council to research recipes on pumpkin tarts.

Ruffling over the research tickets, and found one that caught her eye.

This was different.

Research Task 5206: Multiple reports of strange purple fireflies appearing all over the city embedded with an unknown magic.

"Purple fireflies? That's weird."

"Talking to yourself, Levy?"

She looked over towards the door to see Mest Gryder. It had been a long time since she had seen some of the other members of Fairy Tail, but many of them had joined up with the Magic Council. Between their alliance with Princess Hisui and other higher ranking members, it hadn't been much trouble to find employment. When Fairy Tail dissolved, Levy hadn't even left the guild hall before getting a job offer.

It had taken a while to accept, she had been heartbroken over losing the guild. It had been under the encouragement of Jet and Droy to take the job, and she would be lying if there wasn't one person in particular that was the deciding factor in her decision.

"It's strange - living being of any kind getting embedded with magic. All creatures have some kind of nature energy, but this is unique. No one can figure out what kind of energy it is."

"Maybe it's some type of new magic."

"That would definitely be interesting. Better than the stuff I've been seeing lately."

Mest chuckled, "Researched any good recipes lately?"

Levy scowled, "What am I, some freaking party planner? The Magic Council holds so many events, I feel like all I do is look up food and ways to say 'Welcome to Fiore' in multiple languages."

"We're getting more people for the festival. I'm not surprised that the council is holding more events."

"Well, maybe they should have hired more people first," she pointed at the stack of papers beside her desk, "I've got at least another sixty hours of work on top of my regular duties. I'll never have time to go down the training hall at this rate."

"The training hall?"

"I've been doing some research into the art of the solid script," Levy sighed, "I've been trying to train up and learn different way to advance my magic. But I can't do it moldering away in the research lab."

"I wouldn't worry about it, Levy. You have a vital role here. I know it doesn't feel like it but your knowledge in priceless to the Magic Council."

She stared down at the research ticket in her hand and had a weird feeling about it. It was probably someone playing a prank or someone experimenting in the city with different types of magic, but that didn't feel right.

There was a bell chime in the distance.

"Hm?" Mest looked towards the window, "Is that coming from the port? It looks like the advanced Enforcement troops might be back."

There was a rustle of papers and he heard the door shut.

He chuckled to himself.

Some things never change.


Levy jogged out of the front gates and towards the port.

They were coming back today! She was so excited she couldn't help it. It had been over two months since the Magic Enforcement squad left for training. Jet and Droy had left last week with the trainees, but the advanced squad had been gone for much longer.

He was coming back.

In the time that she had come to work at Magic Council, there were a couple of other Fairy Tail members that we working in all parts of the government. She knew that Gray and Erza were up to something serious, she hadn't talked to them in some time.

She was working in the research division.

And the new head of the Magic Custody Enforcement unit...

Levy push through the crowd that gathered. It was always a big affair with the ship came back - it was a huge, decorated ship, and the most advanced in the fleet. The crowds were already big because of the travelers, and it gave her a rush to see everyone greeting their friends and family as they came home. She greeted the people around her, congratulating the returning troops on their hard work.

She would be lying if she said she wasn't jealous. These were the top fighters in the Magic Council's forces, and they trained regularly to keep their abilities at top shape. Long ago she had resigned herself to the fact that there was only so much that she could do, but still - she wanted to get better.

When she joined the council, Levy had secretly started training on her own. The library was full of books on magic that she never imagined. There were spells and skills that she knew she could master, and she spent a good portion of most nights training in the hall. Levy knew there was only so much that she could do, and now she wasn't sure of the next steps to take.

"Hey, shorty."

Levy instantly perked up, turning around to see the one person she had be looking for.

Gajeel strolled his way down the plank like he owned everything. He was more scruffy than normal, probably due to living in the woods for months. She would have rather died than admit that she thought it was attractive.

His clothes were ripped and torn, his hair so windblown that it looks like he had a big black cape around his shoulders, and his face was even scruffy. He was more suited for being an invading pirate than someone who was the same as a police officer. He chuckled as he walked over to her, "Did you come to greet me, or what?"

"Or what!" Levy pointed a finger at him, "You know how long you've been gone?! You said you were going to be gone for two weeks, you jerk. How is two weeks the same as two months?"

Gajeel chuckled, "Sorry, I got kindda wrapped up in stuff."

"Wrapped up in fighting bears in the woods with Lily, you mean."

His hand patted the top of her head, "Aw. If I didn't know better, shorty, I would start to think that you missed me."

"Give him a break, Levy," Lily tugged on her cloak, "Gajeel can't help it that he's a moron."

"Hey!"

Levy laughed, "It's good to see you back, Lily."

"You greet him like a normal person and give me a bunch of shit? What the hell, man."

His voice was angry, but his eyes were laughing.

Levy remembered him when Phantom Lord first destroyed the Fairy Tail guild. Back then, he was always angry and cold. He lashed out at everyone, and even on a good day after he joined Fairy Tail - his social skills were questionable at best. After Tartaros, Levy had seen him mature more in the last six months than she had in the whole time she known him. He had found his element in the Enforcement division, doing the two things that he had always been in the best at - fighting people and training to get stronger.

But, there was something different about him now.

It wasn't unusual that they would take lunch together, or that Gajeel and Lily would hang out in her office on their down time. Sometimes they wouldn't even say anything to each other, Gajeel would nap on her sofa while Lily would sharpen his sword or tell her about spells and enchantments from Edolas.

There was also the little secret of that she was in love with him.

He would laugh if he knew. Levy knew it was stupid, but she couldn't help it. At one point, she had been sitting in her office and just...realized it.

Oh man, I am so dumb sometimes.

Those little moments when it was just the three of them together, it was like they were a family.

"I'm starving, let's go get some grub."

"You just ate," Lily pointed out.

"Yeah, well, I need some real food. You comin', Levy?"

Levy looked up to see them both staring at her. Gajeel at the same, crooked smile that said that she should be expecting nothing from attitude from him. His eyes were laughing and dancing.

"Yeah."