A/N: It's finally here! Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you my original arc! This is where things get progressively darker and bloodier. It's all been rainbows and sunshine for Fairy Tail but, starting with this arc, everything will be serious and I mean, Bleach-level serious.

On that note, I'll also be restructuring this story and how scenes are divided and transitions are made.

-o0o- = indicates a minor change in time.

-{}-= indicates a location change.

_ = indicates a major change in perspective.

With all that said, enjoy this chapter!

Chapter 34: A Phantom Vengeance

Makarov didn't like this… not one bit.

It was supposed to be a normal day in the guild when he received a letter from one of his spies within the Magic Council. Upon reading the said letter, his face morphed into an angry scowl. What was written within the thin piece of parchment was secret info regarding Fairy Tail's long-forgotten enemy:

Phantom Lord.

It's been seven years since the war with the now-disbanded guild and suffice it to say, Fairy Tail has moved on from that ordeal. Makarov had no clue as to what happened to the other prominent members of Phantom Lord, but he at least knew that Totomaru, Juvia, and Gajeel were living honest lives with the latter two being in Fairy Tail.

However, that didn't mean the wizened mage wasn't wary of Jose Porla and his secret exploits. Makarov knew that the disgraced former Wizard Saint was still out there plotting his revenge on his beloved guild. The deranged man was out to get his children and with the new information he just received, the old guildmaster will take the initiative this time, and deal with the dark guild once and for all.

That said, such a mission would be dangerous for any of his children. Even for his elite wizards, the situation would still be too much considering there were many unknowns regarding Jose and his guild. Makarov needed someone who will no doubt survive the encounter with Phantom Lord and, if push comes to shove, do what's necessary. Luckily, he had one guildmember who fit that description.

That's where we currently find ourselves. Ichigo was analyzing the letter given by Makarov's informant regarding former Wizard Saint, Jose Porla. The hybrid was familiar with the war between Fairy Tail and Phantom Lord seven years back. The result went in his guild's favor but the battle itself left irreparable consequences; one of which was the heavy surveillance by Magic Council. While his presence within Fairy Tail did deter the council comprised largely of pompous bureaucrats not to mess with the guild, it didn't mean that everyone would be Scott-free if they did something stupid.

After reading the letter, Ichigo couldn't help but heave out a tired sigh. He understood Makarov's concerns. The only one in the guild, save for Laxus and Gildarts, who could complete this task with minimal risk was him. He was the strongest member of the guild and unlike the other missions, this might get unsavory.

"So, you want me to find Phantom Lord, get some information they may hold, take the dark guild down, and if push comes to shove, eliminate everyone? Did I get that right?"

Not how he could've worded it, but Makarov nodded in affirmation. "Yes. However, this is classified as an S-class Quest, so you need a mage of equivalent rank to make it official."

"I'll take Erza then," Ichigo suggested. "Anyone else you recommend?"

"Natsu for firepower," Makarov added. "I also suggest bringing Gajeel and Juvia along since they were former members of Phantom Lord. They would be familiar with Jose's movements."

"I'll need Cana, too. Her precognition via her cards would give us some early advantage. Plus, she's a good support mage."

"Most of those we named were for frontline combat or support. We need some subtlety for scouting and reconnaissance. The best one for that job is Lisanna."

That was a name Ichigo didn't expect to hear. He didn't show it, but there was this slight worry over the youngest Strauss in his mind. He had been observing Lisanna for a while now and, while he was slightly suspicious, the girl was showing signs of pregnancy. Ichigo didn't want to risk a miscarriage if she was indeed pregnant, but that decision was up to the girl in question.

"I think that should be enough people," Ichigo concluded. "The more we bring in, the more we run the risk of failure. This is a stealth mission, right?"

"It is." Makarov then reached under his desk and handed another letter to Ichigo. "Written there are the details regarding the quest, specifically the informant that would give you the location of Phantom Lord's stronghold as well as their numbers. Meet him at Oaktown five days from now. He'll tell you everything else."

"Ok. I'll see myself out." Before reaching for the doorknob, Makarov gave Ichigo one final request.

"Would you mind calling those included in the team? I'll be giving them the rundown before the day of the mission."

Nodding, Ichigo left Makarov's office and called the others involved.

-o0o-

After two hours of waiting, the six mages exited the guildmaster's office. They were told to keep this from the other guildmembers and the way they moved was all the indicator Ichigo needed that the mission was well kept.

Upon seeing Lisanna emerge from the office, the reaper quickly pulled her to the side to confirm his observations.

"What's up, Ichigo?" Lisanna asked, curious about what the reaper wanted.

There was an underlying concern behind Ichigo's stern, scrutinizing gaze. However, he needed to ask her because, if he was right, then this mission isn't just dangerous for her.

"Be honest with me, Lisanna," Ichigo began with a soft tone, "Are you pregnant?"

Lisanna froze. Her eyes became wide as she stared at Ichigo in surprise. That was all Ichigo needed for an answer. "How did you know?" the youngest Strauss asked shakily.

"My father used to run a clinic," answered the reaper. "I know the behaviors brought about by pregnancy and you've been showing signs for a while now."

The girl in question hung her head down. No use in denying it when it was clear. All she did was nod.

"And I'm willing to bet that Natsu is the father," Ichigo added which was confirmed by the pregnant teen. "You know it will be dangerous, right? Are you sure you want to come with us?"

Lisanna didn't show any hint of hesitation. Her eyes were lit with a fiery determination and answered with an adamant tone.

"I want to do this, Ichigo. I don't want to feel useless and coddled while all of you go on these missions. I…" she paused, her head momentarily hanging low while staring somberly at the floor, "I don't want to be a burden. I don't want to feel weak. I hate the feeling of being powerless. Maybe…maybe if I had been stronger, I could've saved Maddie."

As Ichigo listened to her words, the reaper couldn't help but feel empathetic to the girl. What Lisanna was feeling right now was the same as when his mother died. Compounded with the lives he couldn't save during the Blood Wars; it was the reason why he became the man he is now – some who will go to any lengths to protect all that he cares for.

"I understand," he answered. "I know I can't convince you otherwise, so I'm letting you in on this quest."

Lisanna was about to give the reaper the brightest smile when she was cut off.

"But… you'll only be relegated to reconnaissance. Once the fighting starts, I want you to get out of dodge, no questions asked." Ichigo was firm with his words. It wasn't a request but a command. "If you have to fight, then it should be when there is no other option. Am I clear?"

Lisanna wanted to argue, but given her current situation, she was lucky Ichigo let her in this in the first place. With a sigh, the youngest Strauss replied, "Crystal."

"Good." Ichigo placed a hand on the teen's head and ruffled her hair. The action caused Lisanna to pout cutely yet it only made the reaper chuckle. "It's not that I don't think you can take care of yourself, Lisanna, it's just your life isn't the only one that I have to look after."

"I understand. Thank you, Ichigo. This means a lot to me."

Lisanna left and descended to the first floor where her lover was. Ichigo observed the two interact, finding their closeness endearing. This is what he wanted to preserve… to protect.

And, if Phantom Lord would even dare try to destroy the peaceful life he had come to share with Fairy Tail, then the disgraced guild will find out what happens when you harm the family of a transcendent.

Five days have passed and the group tasked with apprehending Phantom Lord finally arrived at Oaktown. While Ichigo and Lisanna knew of the conflict that occurred seven years ago, it was a surreal feeling for the others. It's as if it wasn't long ago when the two strongest guilds in Magnolia fought each other and now, Juvia and Gajeel were proud members of Fairy Tail.

"This takes me back," Gajeel said. It was a nostalgic feeling for the son of Metallicana since this was one of his old stomping grounds.

"Yes. It does feel nostalgic," Juvia agreed. While she was remorseful of the things she has done as a Phantom Lord mage, there were also fond moments during her tenure there.

"Like that time when we kicked your asses, right?" Natsu remarked, earning him a sucker punch from the iron dragon slayer. "What the fuck!?"

"That serves you right, lava brains!"

"You want to go at it, metalhead!"

BONK!

The two slayers instantly grasped their heads in pain thanks to an irritated Erza Scarlet.

"It's too early for this, you two," reprimanded the redheaded knight. "This is an important mission and we need both of you to be in your best behavior. Understood?"

"Yes, ma'am," Natsu and Gajeel replied at the same time.

Meanwhile, Cana was snickering at the trouble the two idiots were in. She let out a hiccup and drank from a bottle of beer she brought along. "Heh, those two can't seem to get out of trouble." She was about to take another sip when her drink was snatched away. "HEY!"

Without hesitation, Ichigo chucked the liquor into the stratosphere, the object glimmering one last time before disappearing into orbit.

"MY BEER!" Cana cried out in misery. She fell to her knees as comical tears pooled in her eyes. Eyeing Ichigo, she asked, "Why did you do that? What did my beer ever do to you?"

"We need you sober, not inebriated." Ichigo glared at the brunette sternly. Cana squirmed under Ichigo's gaze, intimidated by the perpetual scowl of the reaper. "No drinking during the mission. Capiche?"

"Eep! Crystal! Clear as day!" Cana replied hastily.

"Alright," Ichigo called, gaining the attention of everyone, "Erza and I will be meeting our informant at the designated location. The rest of you proceed to the hotel we booked prior. I'm not sure how long it'll take, but expect us to come later today."

"Right. What's more, be on guard for any suspicious individuals," added Erza. "The last thing we need are complications."

"Lastly," Ichigo glared at the dragon slayers, "no fighting," then at Cana, "no drinking." The brunette groaned in frustration but Ichigo just kept with his instructions. "Lisanna, Juvia, you two are in charge."

"Eh?" the two mentioned women exclaimed.

"Yeah, you two. I'm not about to leave those nitwits without adult supervision…"

"HEY!"

"…and make sure Cana doesn't get any kind of booze whatsoever."

"Oh, come on!"

"Other than that, do whatever you want but stay vigilant."

"You can count on us, Ichigo!" Lisanna said enthusiastically. She gave the reaper a thumbs-up and a matching grin.

"We won't let you down," Juvia added.

"Good. Then we should be off, Ichigo."

Erza gestured for the reaper to follow her. The patriarch of the Kurosaki walked beside her while they headed to the place where they'll meet the informant.

The others went to the hotel that Ichigo spoke of. Juvia led the group since she knew where said establishment was located while the rest followed behind. The two dragons slayers were still butting heads and Cana was sulking from alcohol deprivation. Lisanna just sighed. Seeing as she and Juvia were the only ones sensible here, then Ichigo was right in saying they were the ones responsible enough to be recognized as adults.

A thought suddenly came to Lisanna:

"I wonder if I'm going to act like this when my baby is born."

-{}-

"Is this your first time in Oaktown?" Erza asked Ichigo while they strolled along the busy streets of the town. "You seem to be taking in the scenery."

"I've actually been to Oaktown before," revealed Ichigo. "However, it was quite different from what it used to be. I'd say my last visit here was ten years ago."

"If I may ask, have you heard of our guild's conflict with Phantom Lord?" Erza's question was out of curiosity. If Ichigo and the Kurosaki family have been in Earthland for fifteen years, then surely they've heard of the guild war seven years prior.

"Conflict? More like a long-held grudge match," Ichigo commented, confirming the redhead's suspicions. "It was mostly on tabloids that I found out about your guild war. As you know, my family and I lived in seclusion, so we only know the bare minimum about that."

"I see."

"That said, after hearing the real reason why Phantom Lord was out for your necks, I find it kind of petty and stupid. Hell, all that fighting just boils down to utter jealousy over Fairy Tail's accomplishments."

Erza also held the same belief as the reaper. While Fairy Tail was making a name for itself, it was never their intention to make enemies of Phantom Lord. "I feel the same way. We were simply doing our jobs. While there was some competition between the guilds, none of us wanted to escalate it to such a degree."

"It didn't help that Jose Porla got a request from Lucy's father, right?"

"Yeah. At least the man has changed for the better during our seven-year absence, bless his soul."

"Still, when all comes down to it, the fault lies in Jose Porla." That's what Ichigo believed. The former Wizard Saint was just too greedy and self-centered that he'd resort to literally removing the competition. "He accepted that request as an excuse to hurt you. All of you did what you had to do to protect Lucy and the guild."

"But, could there have been another way?" Erza asked. While she had no qualms fighting Phantom Lord in the past, she still believed that it could've ended better than it had. "Could the problem have been solved without violence?"

"Says the hotheaded redhead that beats people up for no reason," the carrot top quipped, making Erza blush in embarrassment.

"I guess I need to do something about that."

"I'm sure you do. Going back to your question, I believe that no matter the circumstance, it would've ultimately ended with a fight against Phantom Lord. It's not that you didn't try enough, it's because Jose was just that kind of person."

"So, there was nothing we could do about it?"

"I'm sorry to say, but the only option you had was to fight. It didn't help that you were all goaded to attack their base here when Levy, Jet, and Droy were hurt."

Erza let out a frustrated breath. "Yeah, that wasn't our best decision."

"But, like I said, Jose would've stopped at nothing to see you all hurt… or worse. Even if you didn't attack Phantom Lord, they would've still gone with their plan of seeing Fairy Tail destroyed."

"Hey, Ichigo?" Erza stopped mid-step and stared at the reaper. Ichigo paused and turned to the redhead, anticipating a question. "Had you and your family become members of Fairy Tail back then, what would you have done?"

The reaper didn't respond immediately, gauging the potential reaction of the knight if he were to give his honest answer. "In all honesty? Given the kind of person Jose Porla was, I wouldn't hesitate to annihilate the entire guild."

Erza let out a small gasp. While most of Phantom Lord's members were just as sadistic as their twisted guildmaster, some others didn't deserve such action from the reaper. "Even Juvia and Gajeel?"

"I may just have to beat up Juvia to an inch of her life, but I'll let her live. Gajeel, on the other hand? He wouldn't be alive had I joined this guild seven years ago."

After saying his piece, Ichigo continued walking to their destination. Erza just stood there digesting everything the reaper had said. Most of her thoughts were "what if's," and she didn't deny what Ichigo said regarding the guild war between Fairy Tail and Phantom Lord, especially Jose Porla. However, there was no doubt in her mind that things would've been completely different had the transcendent and the rest of the Kurosaki family participated.

After gathering her thoughts, she quickly jogged to the reaper, catching up to the man as they resumed their walk to the designated meeting place.

The walk didn't last long, though. They had already covered a good distance while they had that conversation. When they finally reached the designated place, they weren't surprised to find a small café situated near the edge of the town.

"I think I've seen too many spy movies that I think this is cliché," Ichigo remarked as he pushed the door open and stepped inside.

Erza followed behind and both she and the patriarch of the Kurosaki scanned the area for their supposed informant. While Ichigo didn't know who it was that will give them the info, the redhead saw a familiar face she didn't expect to be here.

Standing near the counter was a man in his mid-twenties with short, spikey black hair, three scars crisscrossing harmlessly over the left side of his eyebrow and hair, passing over them. He wore a black trench coat accentuated by silver linings and buttons, black dress pants, and shoes for both legwear and footwear. Finally, he had a silver earring with a small pendant dangling on his left ear.

"Over here," the informant called as he waved over to the two.

Ichigo and Erza glanced at each other for a second before shrugging. They then approached the stranger who then gestured to follow him to a room adjacent to the main dining room.

"Follow me. I reserved a private room just for this occasion." He proceeded to enter the room he mentioned with Ichigo and Erza right behind him.

The room itself was modest, with a pair of leather couches sitting across each other, separated by a low center table with a glass top. There were two bookshelves at the edge of the room, filled to the brim with all manner of books on different subjects. The flooring wasn't stone like the main room, but rather oak lacquered with a reddish color that gave it a rustic feel. The curtains, maroon in color, added to the homey feeling of the private quarters.

"You certainly have good taste in décor," Ichigo commented. He was admiring the atmosphere this place gave off.

"Thanks," the man replied he sat down on one of the couches while gesturing to the other opposite to him. "I chose this place since the owner happens to be a secret associate of mine, so we don't have to worry about any information leaking out. Go on, sit, and make yourselves comfortable."

While the two Fairy Tail members did just that, Erza couldn't contain her suspicion regarding their supposed informant. "While I do appreciate the hospitality, I have to wonder how a member of the Rune Knights could be our informant."

"Yeah, I got that suspicion too," Ichigo admitted.

"Well, I won't deny that I am working for the Magic Council, but that's my cover as I gather information for Master Makarov. My name is Mest Gryder, but I go by Doranbolt while undercover."

"What do you mean you gather information for Master Makarov?" Erza asked the man now identified as Mest. "You talk like you've been working with the master for quite some time now."

"That's because he is," Ichigo spoke, finally understanding what their informant meant.

"What do you mean?" the redhead asked her partner.

"The answer is simple," Ichigo eyed Mest Gryder with a knowing smirk. "You're a secret member of Fairy Tail, right?"

Erza's eyes widened as she quickly snapped her head to their informant. Mest Gryder just smiled and unbuttoned his cloak, revealing his right shoulder bearing a red Fairy Tail crest.

"No way," muttered the shocked redhead. "How long have you been a member of the guild?"

"More than a decade now, maybe even longer," answered Mest. "I was tasked by the master to infiltrate the Magic Council and gather information on things that I can't disclose as of yet."

"But then, how come you didn't recognize any of us when you snuck into our S-Class trials?"

"That's because I wiped my memory clean when I entered the Magic Council's service. Honestly, the master didn't want me to do that but I was so adamant that we came up with a compromise. Unless Master Makarov completely removes the spell from my head, I'll only regain my memories during important meetings such as this. He implanted a hidden command that will make me remember my role as Fairy Tail's spy that's already in effect right now."

"Well damn," the hybrid whistled, clearly impressed. "That's some dedication."

"Wow, you must feel awful about what happened to us when Acnologia attacked Tenrō Island," Erza remarked.

"I do," Mest replied with a forlorn expression. He was truly regretful that he wasn't able to do anything for his guildmates during that time. However, his face morphed into one of determination. "That's all in the past now. I may not be able to change my actions in the past, but I can make up for it by helping you right now and onwards."

"That's good to hear," said the knight with a smile.

"Alright, here's the info I've gathered." The atmosphere became serious when Mest took out a few documents from a briefcase next to him. "Two weeks ago, I managed to procure information from one of Draculos Hyberion's spies. Based on the intel, Phantom Lord's Jose Porla is currently working with a few unknown individuals. So far, we don't have any idea if they're affiliated with any of the major dark guilds or if they're an independent group. There are rumors that they have ties with Tartaros. In any case, I suspect that they've been in operation for quite some time now, having been able to remain incognito for so long."

After hearing Mest's initial report, Ichigo posed a question. "Is there any chance that Phantom Lord was working with Laughing Manticore?"

"They have, actually," Mest confirmed. "They were working together for a while but that operation was put to a stop when Laughing Manticore was apprehended."

"Weren't you and Yukino responsible for that?" Erza asked the hybrid. "I remember before the incident with the Phoenix; you two were on an extermination mission in Dunnshire."

"Yep," answered Ichigo. "However, it's the information I found that's troubling."

"What is it?" the spy asked. He and Erza were eager to hear the reaper.

"I'm not sure if the council has gone over it, but it pertains to a secret program known as Project Breakdown."

"Interesting. Go on."

"If I recall, the documents I found stated that the project was meant to break the magical and physical boundaries of beings known as etherius. Does that name ring any bells?"

"This is the first time I've heard of it," Mest answered.

"Me neither," added Erza. "However, from the sound of the name, I get the feeling that these 'etherius' are not human."

"That was my first impression too." It was then that Ichigo's face became truly serious. "But what truly shocked me was a particular drawing that Yukino stumbled upon while searching through some of the filers of Laughing Manticore's guildmaster."

"What is it?"

"A sphere – one that I had hoped to never see in the hands of anyone."

"Is it something from your original realm?" Fairy Tail's espionage expert asked. "If so, how screwed are we if it is in the hands of the enemy?"

"My honest opinion? Royally fucked."

"That sounded a lot worse than what Mest suggested," Erza voiced. "Is it really that bad?"

"Imagine an object that's made from bits and pieces of the Soul King himself," Ichigo described. The mere mention of the mutilated deity was more than enough to put the other two on edge. "An object like that has the power to bring the desires of anyone into reality." Ichigo couldn't help but compare it to The Visionary.

"Now I get why you're saying we're royally fucked," Mest mumbled in exasperation. "An artifact like that could turn anyone into a god."

"Not just a god, but a transcendent being like myself," corrected Ichigo.

"That sounds even worse."

"So," Erza interjected, "just to clarify, we have information that Phantom Lord is in league with an unknown party conducting some sort of experiment with an artifact from Ichigo's original world. Did I get that right?"

"We're not even sure if Project Breakdown is using this artifact," Mest voiced his doubts. "Heck, this might be their attempt to recreate said artifact."

"I have to agree with Mest here," Ichigo spoke. "There are too many unknowns to make a solid conclusion. All we know is that Phantom Lord is one of its potential benefactors and they'll be using whatever results from that experiment against Fairy Tail. A pre-emptive strike is needed. If push comes to shove, we might have to eliminate the entire guild."

At this point, Erza didn't even show her surprise. Ichigo just had a different mindset when it comes to dealing with enemies. Mest, however, knew as a soldier that situations that devolve horribly might need extreme solutions.

"Alright. Now, with that settled, here's their suspected location." Mest drew out a map of Fiore that covered the entire center table. He pointed to a spot marked with a cross that was at least a few miles away from Oaktown. "This is the Tihuaqan Forest. It stretches out for a couple of hundred miles which is the perfect place for any hostile guild to take refuge in. My informants confirmed that Phantom Lord made their headquarters approximately fifteen miles from here. They say that the guild currently has two hundred members present with Jose and two of the Element Four still loyal to him acting as its leaders. Also, this is just a rumor though, but there's a possibility that some members of Grimoire Heart are in league with them."

"That complicates things," commented Erza.

"How so?" questioned the reaper.

"Grimoire Heart used to be the strongest of the Balam Alliance. We fought them seven years ago when they invaded Tenrō Island and sabotaged our promotional trials." Erza still remembered the intensity of the battle he had with Azuma of the Seven Kin of Purgatory. "In fact, Ultear and Meredy were former members of Grimoire Heart. They even used to be in its elite group."

"The Seven Kin of Purgatory," Mest added.

"So, they're strong," Ichigo concluded. The other two affirmed. "Anything else?"

"So far, that's all," the spy answered.

Before they ended this meet-up, Ichigo gave Mest Gryder a heads-up. "One last thing; watch out for individuals in white clothes carrying some katanas. I have a suspicion that they might be our unknown third party. They're called Arrancars, and you can recognize them by the broken masks on their faces. If you spot, do not engage. They're at least as strong a low-tier captain from my world."

"I'll keep that in mind." Mest stood up and rolled the giant map on the table. He stuffed it inside his bag and stared at his guildmates one last time before his memory gets sealed once again. "It's good seeing the two of you. I hope the information I gathered would be enough to fight off Phantom Lord once and for all. Lord knows that Fairy Tail needs a breather after all the shit it's been through."

"You said it," Erza agreed, then smiled at the spy. "If you're still guilty about the whole Tenrō situation, I already forgive you."

"Thanks, Erza. I just hope the others feel the same way."

"They will," Ichigo assured the espionage wizard. "Once they hear your side of the story, I'm sure they'll warm up to you."

"I hope so, too, Ichigo. And maybe, when that day comes, it will also be the day I can reunite with all of you… my family."

It was six in the evening and the other members of the guild not meeting the informant were rather bored with their situation. Natsu and Gajeel were hungry… no surprise there. The dragon slayers were wondering when Ichigo and Erza would return and if they'd bring some food. Cana was still grumbling that she was forbidden from drinking any kind of liquor. Her face was currently flat on the dining table while she mumbled about mean grouchy death gods. Lisanna and Juvia were sitting in the main room in exasperation. While it wasn't as difficult to keep the three in line, especially the drunkard, it was still rather exasperating when they keep pestering the Animal Soul and Water Magic users with their shenanigans.

"Whoops!" Lisanna nearly tripped over when her nausea acted up. This has been going on since after she and Natsu had that moment. While thrilled that she would one day be a mother, she was still hesitant to tell all this to her lover.

"Lisanna, please get some rest," Natsu said with utmost concern. He assisted the white-haired girl to one of the beds when he let her sit down. "I know you volunteered for this mission, but I can't stop worrying when you're not well."

Lisanna's cheeks flushed and smiled at Natsu. While usually loud and boisterous, he was really sweet when you get to know him like she does. "That's so considerate of you, Natsu."

"Uh… yeah," the son of Igneel muttered uncharacteristically. If it was any other girl, then he wouldn't be this embarrassed. However, this was Lisanna, and she had a certain effect on him that no one had. "Can I get you anything?"

The Strauss girl shook her head. "No, just stay with me."

Not far from them, Cana, Gajeel, and Juvia watched the whole thing with amused expressions. The girls, more so Juvia than Cana, were squealing inside. It was just adorable how two childhood best friends turned into lovers. Gajeel, on the other hand, said something not meant to be spoken.

"Gotta hand it to the lava brain, he moves fast. Must've been a real heaven when they did the deed."

The two women snapped their heads to the iron dragon slayer in shock.

"No way!"

"Really!?"

Gajeel nodded. "Yep. Natsu and Lisanna are officially no longer virgins."

"How do you know?" Juvia asked all red-faced.

"I can smell Natsu's scent all over her. Simply put, Lisanna's been marked… in more ways than one."

"Damn!" the brunette drinker exclaimed. A smirk was plastered over her face while eyeing the two sweethearts. "Must be one steamy session, if you catch my drift. Oh, maybe they let their wild instincts take over because, you know, dragon and animal?"

The son of Metallicana laughed heartily. "I can imagine it now. Those two going at it all wild and raunchy."

While the two idiots were busy thinking inappropriate things regarding the fire dragon slayer and her partner, a certain water mage was blushing heavily, all the while imagining her own fantasies with a certain ice wizard.

Just then, the door opened. Erza and Ichigo finally returned from their meet-up with the informant and, to the joy of the fire dragon slayer, had brought food.

"FOOD!" belted the salmon-haired teen.

"Not yet, Natsu," Erza warned, making the son of Igneel slump his shoulder.

Cana looked at the returning duo expectantly but got shot down by Ichigo quickly. "I didn't buy any beer for you, you drunken idiot."

"Darn it." It's back to depression for Cana.

Lisanna went up to the reaper and knight to take the groceries from their hands. "Here. Let me take these and set the table."

"You do that, Lisanna," Ichigo said. While the others got busy preparing their meal, the patriarch of the Kurosaki family sat on a chair overlooking the town. It was evening already and the people were slowly heading back to their homes, making the night grow silent. He never once expected this place to be the former headquarters of a now-infamous guild.

"Ichigo!"

The carrot-top turned around to see the dining table all set while the youngest Strauss waved at her.

"Dinner's ready! Come on and– NASTU! DON'T HOG ALL THE FOOD!"

The dragon slayers were chowing down on all the food while Lisanna and Juvia tried their best to dissuade the two from eating out all their meals. Erza was berating the two but her words fell on deaf ears. Finally, Cana was still in a sour mood since she didn't get any kind of liquor to drink.

Ichigo let out a chuckle at the sight. It was times like these that put him at ease – a reminder of a time when his life still held some normalcy. Maybe not the normal that he thought he'd have back in his original world, but here and now? This was all pretty normal.

"I'm coming and save some chicken for me."

-o0o-

"So, here's what the informant told us…" Ichigo began while he and the other mages stared at the unfurled map of Oaktown and the surrounding forest of Tihuaquan. The reaper pointed to a part of the map that was encircled with a red marker. "This area here is the potential hiding place of Phantom Lord. What Erza and I gathered from Master Makarov's source is that Jose Porla and his guild are the recipients of some freakish experiment conducted by an unknown party hiding in the shadows. Whatever, the results of this experiment are, Phantom Lord would probably use it to attack our guild."

"Well. That's nothing new," Cana commented while eying the potential location of their nemesis guild. "Even after seven years, they're still holding on to that grudge. Honestly, couldn't they just bury the hatchet?"

"I'm afraid not, Cana," Erza answered. "It seems Jose Porla and Phantom Lord's jealousy is truly deep-seated."

"Has it really been that bad while I was gone?" Lisanna questioned. Although, she was looking at her boyfriend.

"Yeah," Natsu answered. He then gave a wide grin. "But we managed to kick their asses in the end."

"Rub it in, why don't you?" Gajeel grumbled.

"I still feel shameful of that day," Juvia told the others. However, she was assured by Erza.

"It's all in the past now, Juvia. No need to feel down about it, especially with the good you've done with us." The redhead also looked at the iron dragon slayer. "Both of you."

"Getting back on topic…" Ichigo interrupted, gaining the attention of everyone, "This mission will primarily be infiltration, extraction, and elimination. Lisanna," he looked at the Animal Soul user, "I want you to do some reconnaissance around the guild's headquarters. Do not engage anyone. Your role is primarily for surveillance and scouting. The only time you will fight is with one of our powerhouses. I'm entrusting that responsibility to you, Natsu."

The salmon-haired slayer lit his fists in fire. "You can count on me."

"Cana, you'll provide support for Erza," the hybrid told the card mage. "If you do well, your tabs' on me for the whole week when we get back."

Cana's depressed state did a complete one-eighty. "I won't let you down, Ichigo!" she said eagerly while imagining the barrels of beer she'll be chugging down. "Hehehe… so much beer."

"Right…" Ichigo deadpanned. His attention then went to the two former Phantom Lord members. "You two will pair up. Considering both of you were former guild members of Phantom Lord, you'd be familiar with each other's fighting habits."

"Sure thing," Gajeel replied. Juvia nodded.

"Also, could tell me who were the other members of the Element Four? Our informant told us that they're serving as Jose Porla's lieutenants."

"You're referring to Aria of the Heavens and Sol of the Earth," Juvia answered. "They are the only members of the Element Four that would remain loyal to Master Jose. As for their abilities, their titles speak for themselves. Sol has Earth Magic with an added ability to manipulate the mind of his enemies. Aria, meanwhile, has Wind Magic that can also suck out the energy of his targets."

"Thanks for the additional info." Ichigo stared at the map again and back to his team. "Aside from the original members of Phantom Lord, there's also speculation that someone from Grimoire Heart is in-league with them."

This bit of information earned some surprised gasps.

"They're back?" Lisanna questioned fearfully.

"No," clarified Erza. "You can be assured that Grimoire Heart is long gone. Ultear and Meredy are the only ones left and they're our allies now. By the way, Ichigo, you're the only one who doesn't have a partner."

Ichigo stared directly into the redhead's eyes and said, "Do you know who you're talking to?"

"Point taken."

Having relayed everything that he and Erza received from Mest and given out their assigned tasks, Ichigo rolled the map and stood up. "Alright, guys," he said followed up by a tired yawn. "Let's get some sleep. Tomorrow's the day of the mission and I want all of you to be well rested. No drinking, by the way, Cana."

"I don't even have anything!"

As everyone went to their respective bed, Ichigo stopped Cana and asked her, "Hey, could you do some fortune-telling right now?"

"Huh? What for?" asked the confused brunette.

"I know I'm not one for superstition but, given what I am and all the shit I've been through, it wouldn't hurt to be a bit cautious."

"Okay?" Still confused, the card wizard took out her tarot cards and shuffled them. It was night time and they needed to sleep early; so, Cana decided to do a quick version of her fortune-telling and grabbed five cards. She held them in a fan face down towards Ichigo. "Pick a card."

The reaper took the one in the middle. He flipped it over and saw the image of a man carrying a bag of ten swords behind him. When he showed it to Cana, the girl grimaced.

"Fuck."

"That bad?" questioned the reaper.

"The Ten Swords," revealed the daughter of Gildarts. "It indicates that disaster might be on the horizon."

Ichigo let out an exasperated sigh. "Wonderful."

Deep within the forest of Tihuaquan, a large, imposing, and compact building composed of stone, taking on the architectonic form of a single body ending in a variety of differently shaped domes stood. The entrance was topped by an extremely high, ornamental part, consisting of an arc held up by two long, square pillars, complete with some arched windows below it, and placed above the smaller arch of the door itself; such zone was intricately decorated with bas-reliefs.

To the entrance's right was an angled zone with several orders of large arched windows lined up one at the other's side, with the orders being six, and the top sporting battlements. The part to the left was instead reminiscent of a hexagonal tower fused with the building, possessing very high and ornamental windows in groups of three in its lower part, with bas-reliefs below them, and simpler, smaller, and more numerous arched windows in its upper part. Each of the tower's angles was marked by a long, round pillar, possessing bulges in correspondence to the various architectonic orders of the building, and going up to the structure's top, where it ended in three bulges topped by an elongated part; the top itself consisted of a large dome, bearing on its top an elongated protrusion similar to those on the columns. Behind such dome, in the central part of the building's top, stood one more dome, smaller, slenderer and more topped by a light flag with the guild's symbol on it; this dome had one more structure on its right, with the bulge it ended in being reminiscent of a flat, round platform.

The headquarters' most distinctive feature was probably the pair of towers adorning its sides on the front: these were extremely high and consisted of many floors which seemed to be separated from one another as if they had first been built individually and then piled up one on the other. Eight floors were visible for each tower; the first seven from the ground were adorned by large, elongated windows protruding outwards, while the eighth floor, which ended in pointed tiled roofs, housed doors, opening in the air.

Within this intimidating structure, Jose Porla sat on his throne like a king. His many mages grinned in anticipation while they cheered his name. beside him were Monsieur Sol and Aria.

"This is such a magnificent day, Master Jose!" Aria exclaimed while tears flowed from his blindfolded eyes. "The destruction of Fairy Tail is at hand!"

"Oui!" Sol agreed. "With the power granted to you by those strangers, no one, not even Fairy Tail's death god can stop you."

"And if he proves to be a handful…" another figure stepped next to them. It was Rusty Rose. "then I will make him fear out with the embodiment of power."

"Indeed, you will, Rusty Rose," Jose agreed. With a gentle swipe of his hand, black and purple energy converged into his hand, solidifying into the shape of a mask that resembled a goblin's face with jagged teeth and tribal markings. "Soon, the very thorn that brought about our humiliation, Fairy Tail, will be destroyed." He called for one of his messengers and told him, "Give my regards to Quiroga Zoroastra for giving us the power of the hollow."