This chapter is a little late but please forgive me since it is also long like the last one. I got overexcited with it since it has a scene in it that I've been SUPER wanting to write! I'm so happy with how it turned out.

Enjoy!

A day after his discussion with Mirajane, it was with great pleasure that Mystogan could finally put some faces to the names in all of the complaints he was receiving from the Magic Council and the City of Magnolia (yes, one of those had magically appeared on his desk - the much dreaded bonfire complaint had become a reality after all).

Not because he had acquainted himself with the members personally, but rather because Mirajane had taken it upon herself after their conversation to rectify one of the things he lacked most as a guild master - familiarity with his charges. She and Cana had put their heads together to make a start on his desire for a comprehensive list of guild members. Although the pile of papers they'd gifted him with along with his lunch had been less of a list and more of a compilation of dating profiles (Cana's own observation, as Mystogan wouldn't have known what those looked like without her… invaluable insight). Originally, Mystogan had only sought to know names, and maybe a brief blurb about their magics (to better estimate what sort of chaos he was trying to wrangle here), but not only did the profiles contain all of that, they also included ages (when known), likes and dislikes, and summaries about personalities and relationships to other guild members. There were even photographs of the members included. Mystogan didn't really want to know how they had managed to accomplish that in such a short span of time.

Cana had even promised that more were incoming, but the ones they'd concentrated on first were the ones they knew caused trouble on a regular basis.

Words could not express the sheer rush of gratitude and affection he felt for the pair. They had truly gone above and beyond for him. He was going to have to think of a way to make it up to them, beyond a simple raise or extra booze. They would be getting those as well, of course, but those rewards lacked a… personal touch. Gifts like that wouldn't really convey how he felt towards them.

…Not that he had any real experience with gift giving. Maybe he could consult with Makarov. Mystogan desperately needed to have a meeting with him anyway to pry out the location of that missing stamp after all - and the missing information he had neglected to give Mystogan about… everything involved with running the guild.

Perusing the stack of profiles, Mystogan saw a number of familiar faces from his childhood. Natsu, Gray, Erza… and even Mirajane and Cana's own profiles were included. That was a nice little touch and it brought out an unbidden smile on Mystogan's face when he saw those. Although the likes and dislikes for the both of them weren't… super helpful for deciding on gifts for them, he put them aside to read them more carefully later. Aside from that, the thoroughness of the information provided was certainly enlightening. Mystogan had had no idea that Macao had gotten divorced. Now at least he could avoid walking straight into that landmine by accident if he needed to speak with him.

There were also several people he did not know by face, but now knew by name thanks to the complaint reports. Loke and Laki's profiles joined Mirajane and Cana's for further review.

It was then that Mystogan came across a certain profile that made him pause entirely.

On his desk lay a little bell, an item magically paired with one downstairs in the bar. Mirajane had pointed it out to him during their meeting as a reliable way to get her attention should he need anything but not wish to leave his office or wait for her to check on him. Mystogan gently picked it up, giving it a slight shake. A clear tone rang through the office.

Not more than five minutes passed until a knock sounded on his door. "Guild Master? You called for me?" Mirajane's voice rang out from beyond it, reminiscent almost of the bell that had summoned her.

"Come in."

She opened the door and came to stand before his desk, her hands clasped together in front of the apron she wore. A fine layer of white dust stained her clothing. "Sorry that took me so long. I was preparing some bread dough for tomorrow."

Mystogan shook his head. "No, you were fast enough. I was wondering if you knew whether…" He paused to double check the profile page. "...Max Alors is in the guild today."

Her face turned pensive as her mind turned over the question. "...Yes," she answered after a moment. "I believe he is currently in the basement. Would you like me to bring him to you?"

"Yes, please."

"Of course." Without further ado, she departed his office, returning a short while later with a sandy-haired man in tow. After ushering the nervous mage into the guild master's office, she inquired, "Do you require anything else?"

"No, thank you, Mirajane. That is all."

With that, she left them alone, closing the office door behind her. The snick of it closing caused Mystogan's guest to flinch.

"Please sit," Mystogan told him, eying the man carefully as Max jolted at being addressed directly by the new guild master. The blonde man seemed a bit… twitchy, to Mystogan.

Max swallowed thickly as he obeyed Mystogan's command. "Is… uh… did I… do something wrong, Guild Master…?"

Suspicion flooded Mystogan's very soul. "No," he responded cautiously. "Unless there's something I should be aware of?"

"Nope!" Max replied quickly. "N-nothing at all!"

Which meant that there was definitely something.

But that wasn't why he'd called for Max, so Mystogan did his best to shove his misgivings deep down. For now. He might have to get back to that topic later.

Mystogan cleared his throat. "I have a note here I wanted to ask about." He tapped the profile page with a finger. "It says you're currently in business school?" At Max's furious nods, he continued, "Can you tell me about that?"

Relief shone from Max's face, and he sank a little in his seat. "Oh. Yeah, sure thing. I guess Makarov mentioned our deal?"

Deal? Makarov? What?

"Not… many details," Mystogan told him. Actually, none. None details. "Please explain the deal in full to me."

Max smiled brightly at the guild master. "He's been paying my way through business school. In exchange, once I complete my degree, I agreed to open up a shop to promote Fairy Tail merchandise. The contract has the exact specifics laid out including the profit arrangements and licensing. There's also a blueprint for the stand structure along with Laki's construction contract."

Ah. Wonderful. Now if only Mystogan knew where any of that was located.

Then, suddenly, Max stiffened up again. "Wait. Um. That… that deal is still… good, right?"

Blinking rapidly, Mystogan gazed at Max, perplexed. "I have no issue in keeping the deal in place." It would only benefit the guild. In fact, it was so beneficial, Mystogan had a hard time believing that Makarov had come up with it. Maybe it had been Max's idea? "Have the fees already been paid?"

"Uh…" Max thought about it. "I… think so? I'm on my last semester."

"Please let me know if you need any supplies," Mystogan reassured him. If the fees weren't already paid, then the bill must be around here… somewhere. He would find it if it killed him. "I will support you, just the same as Makarov." More or less.

Max let out a laugh. "Be sure to keep that checkbook handy, then!"

Mystogan's head tilted slightly as he ran what Max had just said through his mental glossary. "Check… book?" he inquired after a moment of dredging up nothing but sand for his efforts.

The other mage froze in his seat. "Yeah. To keep your checks in." When he was only met with silence, he tentatively ventured, "The ones you would have gotten at the bank when you went to be added to the guild's bank accounts…?"

Yeah… that had not happened.

Goddammit, Makarov.

Mystogan propped his elbows up on the desk, interlacing his fingers and only hiding a little bit behind them. "I've only just taken over leadership. I haven't had the chance to do that just yet." He tacked on a mental note to shake Makarov until answers fell out of him.

Letting out a nervous laugh, Max nodded along to what Mystogan said."Ah, that makes sense."

Clearing his throat, Mystogan sought to change the subject. "Can you tell me more about the sort of things you're learning? I would like to hear more." Very much so.

Needing no further prompting, Max began to do just that.

Max was beyond elated to have the new Guild Master - the ever elusive Mystogan (whom he had never even spoken to before now!) - take an interest in his studies. Even Makarov had kept it mostly professional and hadn't concerned himself with the minutiae of the deal, leaving the execution and setup largely in Max's hands. Which Max had found incredibly fun, don't get him wrong.

Sure, Makarov cared; that had never been in question. But the old man's eyes would often glaze over whenever Max came to him with a concern and his attention would wander. Max was a skilled observer, much like Mirajane, and he prided himself on that fact, so this hadn't gone unnoticed. It was unavoidable, as far as Max was concerned, especially given Makarov's advanced age; it was just another detail in his grand business plan.

Although he hadn't seen much of Mystogan's expression with the face mask and bandana covering most of it, Max had taken note of Mystogan's keen gaze. At some point during their meeting, the guild master had began to lean forward in his seat slightly, and throughout he had asked questions whenever Max broached a topic that Mystogan wasn't familiar with. Which was… shockingly a lot, but it further drove home Mystogan's engagement in the topic at hand.

Having Mystogan listen to him, in a way that Makarov never had before… well it was honestly quite the rush.

The sand mage had been a little apprehensive about the new guild master before this, honestly. Although he had his contract with Makarov, it wouldn't be difficult for Mystogan to break it. Despite how official he'd made it sound, the original draft had been shakily scrawled on bar napkins while both Max and Makarov were giggly drunk one night. If Mystogan had decided to void the contract, there wasn't much Max could do about it. There had been no clauses for remediation in such an instance written into it. Again… both Max and Makarov had been stupid levels of drunk (which was also a justification for the contract's annulment, should Mystogan have chosen to pursue it).

In which case Max would have a degree, a lot of debt, and no job to go along with either. The security of working for the guild had been what had prompted this idea in the first place for him, long before he'd worked up the (liquid) courage to pitch it to Makarov. The potential lucrativeness of it was also very appealing, admittedly.

It was little wonder that he'd been mildly terrified of what the change in leadership would mean for him.

Now it seemed as if not only were his future plans still secure, but that Mystogan would be taking a much more active role in making them a reality.

…Although, truth be told, he was a little worried about the guy too. A lot of what Mystogan had asked of him was things that Max would have considered common sense prior to the meeting. But then again, it wasn't really his place to judge how people chose to live their lives. It was a part of what had made him want to join Fairy Tail, after all. What might be common sense for one person wouldn't necessarily be for another. Besides which, Fairy Tail was largely a cash business anyway - it wasn't all that strange to not know what a check was, right? And honestly there were plenty of guild members way more nutty than their new reclusive Master.

Max made a resolution.

He would show Mystogan exactly what kind of hospitality Fairy Tail was capable of.

It was just the thing to perk up anyone's spirits!

Unfortunately for Mystogan, Max's idea of a good time was very much not in line with his own.

Against Mystogan's will, a party had been organized in his honor.

Max had followed through on his promise (threat) from day one to throw a party for him. Worse than the noise, worse than the inevitable bill, and worse than the paperwork he could already feel this creating (actively! There was already a drape on fire!) was the fact that he was expected to… participate.

Preposterous. They threw this celebration on their own, so they could just keep him out of it, he felt. But no. He was the person they were celebrating, so of course he 'simply must attend.'

It didn't help that Mirajane had tricked him into the whole thing. She'd asked him to come downstairs after hours to go over the bar ledger with her so she could train him in how to properly read one after he'd divulged his distinct lack of experience in that area to Max. Only to be ambushed by the other guild members hiding behind the bar, under tables, and against the shadowy walls.

When they all leapt out from their hiding places and cheered for him, he just about jumped out of his skin.

Was it any wonder that his first instinct had been to put them all to sleep in self-defense?

…He did feel a little bit bad about that, honestly.

Which was why he was now tolerating the continuous line of guild members approaching him to give their congratulations individually as he sat at the bar. Beside him, Makarov grinned like a fool at his successor. Sadly with all of the witnesses present, Mystogan would have to table his plans to cause Makarov bodily harm… for now.

To add insult to injury, the guild lights had been turned up once the party had gotten underway, and Mystogan was now sweating profusely under his disguise.

Behind the bar, Mirajane cast him an apologetic smile. "Sorry, Master Mystogan. I thought this would be a good way to familiarize yourself with the guild members you haven't met yet, so I took it upon myself to approve Max's party plans."

It was a good point, and he hated it.

"Here," she said, sliding a beautiful blue drink towards him. "A token of my apology."

Mystogan eyed the glass suspiciously, watching condensation bead on the outside of it. Eventually, it was too much for him, so he took it. With the straw in it, it was much easier to drink from than the tankards being passed out left and right, and it brought sweet, cool relief to his overheating body. Before he knew it, it was already empty.

The barmaid smiled knowingly at him. "Would you like another?"

He nodded. If he was going to be stuck in this torture, at least he wouldn't be dehydrated.

He may have spoken too soon.

It was about four drinks in that he started to notice something amiss. The drinks, which at first had been incredibly refreshing, didn't seem to be working anymore. He could feel the liquid sitting, cold, in his stomach, but his skin had begun to feel as if Natsu had set him on fire. Every inch of him was hot, his own personal desert wearing him down to a salty puddle of sweat and nothing more.

"How are you holding up, my boy?"

Mystogan peered at the old man sitting beside him. For some reason, Makarov looked rather wobbly. Great, Makarov was already drunk. "Fine," he managed to answer, suppressing a wave of nausea that chose that exact second to hit him like a freight train. "Mas… Makarov," Mystogan course corrected mid-address. "There's some things I need to speak to you about."

Raising a near-feral gray eyebrow, Makarov looked his successor up and down. "And you want to do it now?" He slapped Mystogan on the back, causing a fresh swell of queasiness to rise up inside the teenager. "Parties are for partying! Guild business can be handled later."

With a shake of his head, Mystogan forged ahead. "No, I think there's a few things that you forgot to tell me about-"

His sentence was cut short by the arrival of yet another well-wisher - this one, unfortunately, proving to be an excellent distraction.

"Hey, Mystogan! Congrats on making Guild Master, man!"

Gray's lack of clothing was not doing Mystogan's stomach any favors.

"Aren't you supposed to be in jail?" Mystogan asked. Then he shut his mouth with a snap.

Goddammit, he did not just say that.

Luckily(?) Gray didn't seem to take any offense at the brusque reply to his congratulations. "Yeah, Loke came to bail me out for the party. They know where to find me if they need me. I'm a pretty frequent visitor."

Why did he sound so proud of that?

Another wave swept over Mystogan.

"Uh… are you feeling okay…?" Gray inquired. "Aren't you roasting in that getup? Do you need me to cool you down?"

I need you to put on some clothes.

Thankfully that thought stayed locked in the confines of Mystogan's head, as he managed a small shake of his head. "I think I need…" He clamped a hand over his mouth, letting out a strangled groan.

Understanding dawned on Gray's face. "Ah, gotcha. You should use the downstairs toilets, the ones up here are wrecked already."

Wonderful. Awesome. Superb news.

Nonetheless, Mystogan would take the excuse to flee his party. Didn't hurt that his bladder was also beginning to feel… uncomfortably full. "Will do." With great effort, he hauled himself off the bar stool and shakily made his way towards the basement stairs.

Gray took up his vacated seat beside Makarov, watching the new guild master curiously. "What were you two talking about? Sorry if I interrupted you."

Makarov gave him a shrug. "Ah, nothing important. Mystogan just wanted me to know I forgot to tell him some things about running the place. But I told him to leave it be for now." He raised his tankard into the air. "You gotta party while you still can!" Then he took a huge draft from his beer.

"Forgot? Like what?"

"Hell if I know! I forgot after all!"

Maybe it was the stress. Or maybe it was the drinks that Mirajane had been supplying to him all night, or the absurdly long stairs he'd just fallen down - far more steps than he recalled the basement having. Or the strange room he'd stumbled into instead of the familiar basement, adorned with the Fairy Tail insignia and painfully bright light that had assaulted his gaze when he opened the great doors leading out of it.

Regardless of the reason, it did little to soften the horrific sight that lay before him once the painful brightness had faded into the soft gold and blue of the nearby pulsing lacrimas. Machinery hummed persistently beneath the din filtering down from above, where the guild members were blithely making merry.

A young girl, suspended in a clear lacrima, her long golden tresses doing little to cover the fact that she as naked as Gray, many stories above the chamber.

Mystogan felt drained - exhausted and unable to react with anything other than tired resignation to what he was inevitably going to have to deal with. Somehow. Although at the moment, he had no idea as to what form said solution would take.

Near to where Mystogan stood, a low table sat, covered with all sorts of notes and miscellaneous objects he could not even begin to guess the purpose of. But alongside it was something he very much did, sadly, recognize.

All of this, he could feel pushing at him. But, as if he too were surrounded in a clear lacrima, it didn't quite reach him.

Ah, he realized suddenly. I want to run away.

But at least he'd found THE GODDAMN FUCKING STAMP.