The long journey ahead

Chapter 7

I took a deep breath as I started running I jumped off the cliff and spotted the rock I had chosen as a target beforehand. I held up one hand to my mouth, "GLASS DRAGON ROAR!" I hit the rock dead on and obliterated it.

"Yes I've got it now," I said proudly to myself as I landed.

"I can do the roar and hit nine out of ten times while in motion only using one hand as support, that's pretty good. I should head back home it's getting late and I have a long trip tomorrow."

"So, this is where you do all your training," looked towards the normal entrance and saw Kai coming towards me.

"Why do you care where I train?"

"Well you are my teammate on this mission after all."

"Well I guess there's that. Did you see my magic by the way?"

"No. it's not like care anyway. Anyway, listen. You can't have Sapphire," he was leaning off a cliff with his arms crossed looking at the sky.

"What do you mean? I don't understand," I grabbed my towel and rubbed my face. I was going to go get my vest. I took it off because it was too hot.

"You're not her type. She needs someone strong and independent, not someone like you who sticks to her like a leech!"

"Okay first of all I never said I wanted to be her boyfriend and second how do you know what she likes and third what makes you say I'm dependent on anyone?! If you want I can show you how independent I am right now!" I was furious. Whom did he think he was talking as if he knows everything about her? Just because they're on a team together doesn't that he knows her any better than the rest of us!

"Ha! Don't make me laugh. You couldn't beat if it was for your life. Also I haven't seen you do a single thing alone since you got to guild except picking a mission you needed help to complete!"

"Wait I… But…" I was at a loss for words. He was totally right I hadn't done anything worth mentioning at all.

"See you later. By the way we're meeting at magnolia station at 7 tomorrow don't be late. Or do I need to send Sapphire to get you at your house."

Ha, the joke was on him I was going to sleep at the station tonight anyway. When he was gone, I snapped.

"GGRR… GLASS DRAGON PISTON!" my arm turned into a glass version of Gajeel's iron dragon pound, I threw it at a Cliffside, and it cracked and started falling towards me. I looked up at it. "GLASS DRAGON ROAR!" and completely obliterated the massive heap of rock falling towards me. That was the largest roar I had ever made and it was without using my hands. I fell to my knees and stared at the sky. Why does he make me so mad? I'm not really mad at him more the things he says to me. They are not meant as insults, he's just telling the truth as it is. The best thing I could do for the team right now was beat Kai at his challenge.

The next day I woke up early because of a train stopping nearby, I got up from the bench I was sleeping on and did my morning stretches. I was so ready to do this. No way was Kai going to defeat more enemies than me.

"Hey weakling you're already here," there was only one voice that comment could belong to. I looked over my shoulder and saw Kai, Silver and Sapphire coming my way.

"Yeah I guess you didn't need to send Sapphire to get me at my house huh," I looked at the person in question and she giggled knowing the truth.

"Whatever. Anyway, this is our train. Come on," we got on the train and found a four-person seat. I sat next to Silver, Kai was on the opposite seat and Sapphire was next to him. As the train started moving, I could almost feel all the energy drain out of me and I started feeling ill.

"I don't feel so good."

"Oh my! Are you alright Jack?" Silver asked and put an arm around me.

"No I get incredibly motion sick."

"Well it's a good thing none of us other do, because this is going to be a two hour train ride!" Kai laughed with a big smile on his face.

"I think I'm going to get some fresh air," I said and stood up holding on to the seat for balance.

"I shall go with you," Silver said. "And while I am gone, Sapphire it is your job to teach Kai some manners."

As the two of us got outside, I felt a little better.

"Silver, tell me something, why is he so mean?"

"Whom Kai? Well I do not know actually. He is never this rude normally."

"I guess I really must have done something to piss him off huh."

"Yes I suppose you have, my friend. If it is any compensation I do not have anything against you."

"Thanks. Are you a strong wizard? Kai doesn't seem like he would want to team up with someone who's not strong."

"That is a hard question to answer. All I can say is that I can hold myself in battle. In addition, due to my versatile form of magic and way of strategizing, I have taken down my fair share of stronger opponents."

"What is your magic anyway?"

"If had to make a qualified guess from looking at me what would you say?"

"I'm guessing it has something you do with your hair."

"You will have to wait and see will you not. I also will not tell you Kai's magic in case you wanted to ask."

"That's alright I don't expect you to tell me all your secrets. I mean we just meet yesterday," to anyone else walking by it would look like a girl talking to a corpse.

After a while where none of us said anything Silver walked back inside to the others. This was going to be a fun trip at least when we got off this blasted train.

After the two worst hours of my life hurling over the side of the train, it stopped and I saw a sign that read 'mangle village' this was our stop I got up and jumped off the side of the train and landed on my face. I sat up and rubbed my head.

"So I see you got off as graceful as ever," Kai said.

"Well I didn't have my sense of balance so there was no way I could have land on my feet."

"You still landed on your face."

"Guys shut up someone's coming," oh yeah! This town had been taken over by Greed Eagle.

"Over here. Quickly," it was an old man's voice coming from a corner. We all looked and ran over there. The old man opened a secret passage hidden in the wall. It lead to a long hallway.

"What are you doing here travelers? Don't you know? This town has been taken over by a dark guild."

"We know. That's why we're here," Kai said and showed him his Mark on his chest. It was the same kind of red as his hair. You could easily see it through his west.

"Oh thank you so much. I prayed but never thought this day would come." the old man got on his hands and knees and bowed his head in respect, but before he had laid there for more than a second, Kai picked him up and put him on his feet again.

"There is no need or time for you to fall on your knees. You're the mayor of this town correct? Show your people a little respect and act like we are on even ground."

"Thank you."

"Anyway we need time to prepare is there a way out of the town through these tunnels?"

"Oh yes of course this way," the old man started walking and we blindly followed. Kai slowed down and let me catch up to him and now the girls were walking in front of Kai and me.

"You see what I did there. That is called respect for your superiors you should try it sometime."

"Thanks for nothing Kai."

"When we attack we will be forced to split up into teams and we will most likely get a girl each. Whomever is with you, you'd better keep her safe," he pointed at me for emphasis and stared directly into my eyes.

"Don't worry I will, I promise. Even if I costs me my life."

"Good, but let's try to avoid that scenario."

"I'm counting on it," we laughed a little. Did we seriously just have a moment were we got along. We did.

We had been walking for a while now and we got to the end of the tunnel. There came a bright light at the end and it opened up to a forest with some really high that were ideal for climbing.

"Thank you mister mayor get to a safe place we'll take care of the rest," Kai said in a calming voice.

"NO! Thank you I don't know what we would do without you. But be warned. They were strong enough to take down all our guards.

"We will don't worry," the four of us walked out into the forest and found a good place to set up basecamp. Silver took out a map of the town layout.

"I was thinking that we split into two groups. One group will consist of Sapphire and Kai and the other will be Jack and myself. Jack and I will cause a diversion here by the west wall. Sapphire and Kai will approach from south unnoticed. While Jack and me are causing a ruckus the two of you get to the city hall were the leader is most likely located. Are there any questions?"

"Why don't Kai and Sapphire get in from the east on the opposite side of town?" I asked.

"Because they will be expecting that, it is too risky." Was the answer.

"One last thing if anything goes wrong… don't get killed! We'll meet up at the front entrance and if all goes well Kai will have taken out the chief by the time we get there."

"At least before Jack gets there," Kai said mockingly earning him a glare from the girls.

"Wait a second what about the elite squad?" I asked.

"Elite squad, Jack?" Silver looked at me confused.

"Well a leader always have an elite squad consisting of three or four people, who are stronger than the rest of the goons,"

"If we run into any of those either avoid the fight or take them out. If one of us is not at the entrance by sunset, we will assume you are dead. Understood?"

"YES!" we all said in harmony.

"We will start tomorrow at twelve. Meanwhile we can train."

"Alright team we have a plan, follow it!" Kai said and looked at me specifically. Did he think I was going to bail on Silver? No way! I made a promise. I walked off to find a place to train. I had walked for a while and found a hot spring with some big boulders on the side. I grabbed one of the rocks and tested its weight. It was about 100 kilo.

"This will do nicely," I said to myself and took off my west and shirt. Then I laid down on my stomach and placed the rock on my back. I started doing push-ups. I didn't see him but Kai was sitting in a tree nearby watching me. He smiled.

"997… 998… 999… … 1000," I collapsed. I was panting.

"Can't stop now. I'll do 500 with each arm and then I'll stop," I began again. "1… 2… 3…"

My body fell to the ground like a sack of potatoes.

"Man I'm beat. How far away is the camp again? I got it I'll take this boulder and run back. That's about 200 kilo for a mile or so," I said to myself. I talk to myself. So what! So do you sometimes admit it.

When came back to the camp I dropped the rock and it fell to the ground and made a large thump. Sapphire and Silver jumped to their feet thinking it was a large beast or something.

"Oh god! Jack don't ever do that again or I won't hesitate to beat the crap out of you," Sapphire said cracking her knuckles.

"Sure. It won't happen again."

"What is the purpose of that large piece of rock you have carried here?" Silver asked looking at the rock.

"Oh, nothing it was just a final bit of training before I go to sleep."

"Will you not be a bit tired for tomorrow's operation?" Silver asked out of concern for my wellbeing.

"No don't worry. I have this," I took a little bottle out of my pocket, screwed off the lid and squeezed the cream out in my hand.

"So you just put this on overnight and all you fatigue form the previous day is gone," I took off my west and tank top and started applying the substance to my skin. I could see both of the girls blushed a little and looked at each other.

"Is there something wrong?"

"N-no it's nothing it's just… uhhm," Sapphire stuttered.

"What Sapphire is trying to tell you is that you have very nice uh… upper body," I have never heard Silver fumble on her words even a little bit before.

"Oh, thanks. I do train a lot. So it's good to know there's a visible result of all that training."

"If you three love birds are done chatting we should get some sleep," No mistaking that voice. It was Kai we all looked up in the tree were the voice came from.

"Fine if you say so, DAD! Good night girls," I laid down on the ground and closed my eyes.

"Goodnight boys," said the girls and went into the tent they shared.

It was tough but this was what it was like to be on a team in Fairy tail!