Salamander's new team is coming together rather nicely. He now has Thunder Legion on his team. To think he was once his old bully. Either way, it seems like it's all going rather well. Now that Thunder Legion is joining the team, they'll be even stronger. Of course, Laxus is going to be needed to show the ropes. He has the powers, but he never really used them. That's why Salamander and Thunder Legion stood at the top of a building and was doing some patrol.

"So this is what patrol is really like?" Thunder Legion questioned.

"More or less." Salamander said. "Our job is to be ready to act whenever something is going on. When something is, we jump in and put a stop to it."

"I might be more suited for a moment's notice sort of act." Laxus said. "Keep in mind that I have a job and working on getting my ideal job."

"That's the best part of working on a team." Salamander said. "The others can handle things and we can be called on when we're needed. Speaking of which, what exactly have you been up to?"

"At the moment, I'm just working at a athletics store and doing some coaching." Thunder Legion said. "I'm aiming for a career in that department."

"Fitting." Salamander said since Laxus was the star football player back in school. Just then, they heard a crashing sound and could hear the alarm of the bank. They looked down to see one guy shooting into a bank with a getaway car pulling up. "Here's that moment's notice." Salamander dived down and Thunder Legion jumped into action. The robber made his way to the car, but Legion fired a blast of lightning and kept them from going anywhere.

"Robbing a bank? What a cliché for my first hero mission. Bigger complaint is that there's only two of them." Legion complained.

"You can't help it, but you can beat them to get that frustration out." Salamander said as he was getting ready for a fight.

"How aggressive of you, Salamander." Salamander knew that voice and almost couldn't believe it. They both looked towards the bank and saw someone he didn't expect. Coming out of the bank was none other than the old gang leader of Sabertooth: Jiemma.

"Jiemma?!" Salamander said as he was surprised to see him. "What are you doing here?!"

"Right now, it's getting rid of you and your friend." Jiemma said as he used his incredible strength and pulled a mailbox right out of the ground and threw it right at the two of them, but they ducked down and avoided it.

"Isn't he the leader of the Sabertooth gang?" Legion questioned.

"Yeah, but this isn't really him. You try to hold him off while I take the other two." Salamander said as he headed for the getaway car. The shooter tried shooting bullets at him, but Salamander kept moving around and avoided each shot. As for Legion, he went right at Jiemma. He charged right at him and smashed his fist against his face with an electrical charge. However, Jiemma barely flinched.

"Not bad." Jiemma said as Legion was surprised Jiemma was able to took that. Then, Jiemma punched back and knocked him back. As for the two goons, Salamander fought them off. One kept shooting at him, but then Salamander jumped at him and knocked the gun out of his hand with Salamander giving him an uppercut that knocked him down.

"How about showing your face, coward!" Salamander said as he ripped off his mask, but was surprised to see who it was. It was someone he knew. "Sting?!"

"Salamander!" Salamander looked to the driver and he showed his face and showed that it was Sting's best buggy: Rogue. "You've got to let us go." Salamander didn't understand what was going on. Why were these two with Jiemma?

"Sorry about this." Sting said and hit Salamander right in the face. Jiemma and Sting jumped in the car and they drove off.

"Damn. What's that Jiemma guy made out of?" Legion questioned as he recovered from him. "What happened? Why didn't you try to stop them?"

"Because I know them. What the hell is going on?" Salamander questioned as he didn't like that those two were with Jiemma.

...

The Airship

"Jiemma? This is a surprise." Jellal said. Salamander and Laxus returned to the airship and informed the others about what's going on. "He was the former gang leader of Sabertooth. A real nasty piece of work, and it looks like he's back at it."

"Sure did." Laxus said as he still felt his jaw nearly came out of place. "That guy is a beast. I can only imagine the hell he went through to get his body the way it is now."

"What happened to the rest of Sabertooth?" Wendy asked.

"Disbanded." Jellal said. "Years ago, there were three gangs competing with each other to earn a top place with a notorious man." Salamander remembered that...as well as who that man once was. "The Oracion Seis, Grimoire Heart, and Sabertooth all competed with each other and tried to outdo the other. Eventually, they all broke apart. The rest of Sabertooth turned away from that life and tried to put together whatever normal lives they could; especially Minerva, Jiemma's own daughter."

"Who were the other two?" Gajeel questioned.

"Salamander, you said you knew them." Laxus said.

"I did." Salamander said. "He tried acting like Robin Hood, steal from the rich and give to the needy. Sting wanted to join the Sabertooth gang, but with help from his two friends, Rogue and Yukino, we were able to talk him out of it and kept him from messing up his life. That's why I can't understand why those two are with him now."

"There must be a reason." Jellal said. "Regardless, Jiemma is a violent and dangerous man. Unlike others, he isn't trying to change his life around. He believes might makes right and that he can do whatever he wants."

"Jellal, listen to me. Sting and Rogue are good guys. We've got to try and salvage them before something happens that messes up their lives." Salamander said. "You've got to trust me." Jellal did trust Salamander, but they are dealing with criminals. Despite that, Jellal knows Salamander could be right.

"There might be someone who can help." Jellal said as he pulled up a file on Minerva. "Minvera is Jiemma's daughter. She might know something."

"Maybe, but she could have cut all ties with him." Laxus figured since he's in the same position as her.

"It's worth a try." Jellal said. "Salamander, maybe you should go talk to her. You can find her working at Greek restaurant. The rest of you should try to learn more about this Sting and Rogue. Let's see if we can find a motive as to why they're helping him." They all agreed to that. Salamander remembers Sting and Rogue, and is now getting worried. What could have happened that those two would being helping a behemoth like Jiemma?

...

Minerva

Minerva might be the daughter of Jiemma, but she put her criminal life in Sabertooth behind her. She just now wants to live a decent life. Something happened that made her turn it all around and now she's working as a waitress. It might be tough, but at least she's trying to make a decent life.

"Minerva, it's your turn to take the trash out. You can also take a break if you want."

"Thank you." Minerva said as she did just that. She walked to the back of the restaurant and threw the trash into the dumpster. She feels exhausted, but it's better than the alternative.

"Is the salad here good?" She was surprised as she looked up at the wall and saw Salamander.

"What are you doing here? As you can see, I've turned my life around." Minerva said.

"Yeah." Salamander said as he jumped off the wall so he could talk to her. "Looks like you're doing rather well. Good for you, but I'm here about your father." Hearing about him seems to have given her a good scare.

"I'm not in Sabertooth anymore. Last I heard, he's on his own." Minerva said. "I wish I could help you, but I want nothing to do with him anymore. I can't go back to that." She claimed, but she seemed like she was afraid. That wasn't how Salamander remembered.

"Are you okay? Last time I remembered you, you were a lot more confident. You acted mighty like a queen or something." Salamander said.

"Well, I've looked back at my life. I'm not exactly proud of what I've done." Minerva said. "I tried being the type of daughter he wanted me to be. When I pulled away, I looked backed at the type of person I was and I didn't like any of it."

"So what happened? Despite everything, he was still your father." Salamander asked.

"Rufus and Orga managed to escape. Rufus is now working at a library and Orga now is working on being a carpenter. I was lucky that the manager of this restaurant was kind enough to give me a break and have a job here." Minerva said. "The thought that I would be alone with that man..." Minerva couldn't even finish that sentence as fear was getting a hold of her and she was shaking with her holding herself. "Please, I can't go back to him. I swear I don't know anything. I can't help you...and I don't want to near him again." Salamander could see that she was really scared. She must have suffered from a great deal of abuse from that monster. One can only imagine what that creep did to his own daughter.

"It's okay." Salamander said as he isn't going to push for anything. "Let me just ask you about two guys named Sting and Rogue."

"Sting and Rogue? I remember them, but I've only met them a couple times. I'm afraid I don't know much about them." Minerva said. "What do they have to do with this?"

"They might be Jiemma's latest victims. Don't worry about Jiemma." Salamander said as he turned away and started walking. "I'll make sure that animal gets locked away." Minerva certainly hopes so. Her own father is a monster that needs to be stopped. Of course, this doesn't explain Sting or Rogue. They didn't act like they were being abused, but why would they help him? Just then, his communicator went off and was alerting him. "What's going on?" He questioned when he answered.

"We found Rogue, and he's alone." Steel reported. That's good because now they can get answers.

...

Sting

"We've done what you ask, Jiemma." Sting said as he and Jiemma were talking. "Rogue and I have done what you said. Aren't we done yet?"

"Not until I say so. Speaking of Rogue, where is he?" Jiemma questioned.

"Getting some damn beer for you, but that's besides the point!" Sting called. "We've been keeping our end of the bargain! It's now time you kept your end of the bargain!" He claimed, but Jiemma was just ignoring him. "Hey! Don't ignore me, you bastard!" He reached out and grabbed him like he was going to attack him, but Jiemma knocked him away and sent him flying across the room. It felt like getting hit by a wrecking ball.

"You're done when I say you're done." Jiemma said. "Until then, you will do as I say."

"You're a cruel and cold bastard." Sting said as he tried to pull himself together.

"I didn't get where I am by being nice. Nice is for the weak, but that piece of trash Salamander has gotten in my time and time again." Jiemma said. "Until I am done with you and your pal, you will do as I say." It's obvious that those two didn't get along, especially with how Sting glares at him, but he feels like there's nothing he can really do. Jiemma does seem to be abusing them, but there appears to be more to it since neither of them appeared to be afraid of him. They're more angry than scared. What could Jiemma have over them?

...

Rogue

"Thank you." Rogue said as he paid for some beer and was on his way. He just carried the case with him and was on his way. Rogue didn't like he was going back to Jiemma either, but it seemed like had to. As he made his way down a dark alleyway, but that was when he saw someone step out in front of him. "I don't want trouble, so just step aside."

"That's funny coming from someone that just robbed a bank." Salamander said as he stepped into the light and showed himself.

"Salamander!" Rogue said with surprise. "Listen, I know I have to explain myself, but now isn't the time or place for this. You just have to trust me."

"Why should I trust someone that knows what he did when he knew better, and still did it." Salamander said. "I thought you were a good guy, Rogue, and didn't want anything to to with Jiemma. Not to mention Sting. He wised-up and managed to get out."

"I know, but I'm afraid I can't tell you right now." Rogue said as he turned around and tried running for it. He tried making it down the other way and ran for it, but that was when Black Steel came down and grabbed a hold of him.

"You ain't going anywhere." Black Steel said as he held him and wasn't letting him go. The others came out of hiding and Rogue was now surrounded.

"Listen to me! It's not what you think!" Rogue called.

"Now you want to talk? Just now you were trying to run away." Salamander claimed.

"We think you helped a vicious man robbed a bank. How much more clearer can it be?" Thunder Legion claimed.

"Salamander, I swear Sting and I aren't trying to be criminals." Rogue said. "We're actually trying to save Yukino's life!" When he said that, Salamander instantly understood what was going on now. Hearing that a friend is in danger is all that Salamander needed to hear.

"Steel, let him go and let him talk." Salamander said. Black Steel did just that as he dropped him and now they were all listening.

"Yukino? Isn't that the other friend you mentioned?" Sky Maiden said.

"She is." Salamander said as he dropped down to talk to Rogue. "What happened, Rogue? Where is Yukino?

"I don't know. Jiemma kidnapped her and is holding her captive somewhere." Rogue said. This sounded like it was rather serious.

"Start from the beginning. Tell us what happened." Salamander said.

"It happened just a few days ago." Rogue explained. "Yukino's apartment was torn apart like there was a struggle. We tried reaching out for her, contacting her, but we didn't know where she was. We were getting worried about what might happened to her. That was when Jiemma showed up and told us he took her hostage, threatening to kill her if we don't do what he says."

"Why you and Sting?" Sky Maiden asked.

"He remembered when Sting was foolish enough to try and get into the Sabertooth gang despite his reasons." Rogue claimed. "He thought Sting had potential, and now he wants to exploit that since his old gang decided to quit and got out of there. He's been using us for grunt work until he is satisfied with what he gets."

"What about you? If he wanted Sting, how did you get mixed up in this?" Salamander questioned.

"I was there with Sting when Jiemma confronted him." Rogue said. "I offered to help in anyway I could. That's how Sting and I ended up in this position."

"Why didn't you alert the police?" Sky Maiden questioned.

"We don't know where he's holding Yukino. We don't know anything." Rogue claimed. "I'm a little worried she might not even be alive..." That didn't sound good at all, but at least now they know why these two are doing this. "It wouldn't matter. Things between Yukino and Sting have gotten...intimate and serious. He'll do anything for her."

"And people often exploit that." Steel said as they all felt bad for whatever Sting might be going through.

"Sting and I have been friends since we were kids. He's like a brother to me." Rogue said. "That's why I want to help him however I can. I know what we're doing is bad, but he's got his hands on Yukino. Until we can save her, I don't know what we're going to do."

"That's easy." Salamander claimed. "We're going to help you and get Yukino back." He offered. Salamander always knew these two were good men, and he's not going to let someone like Jiemma ruin their lives like this. Jiemma thinks he's so strong, but not when Salamander and his friends get through with him.