"Ultear? You said to keep an eye on Fairy Tail, right? Well, I have some really big news about them."

The disgraced, former member of the Ishgar Magic Council set down her drink, and waved the young woman over to her. Tablet in hand, Meredy sat down beside her, and started to scroll through some of the files she had taken photographs of. Ultear raised an eyebrow. How did she manage to get into the Fairy Tail guild hall long enough to sneak into their archive? How ever she did so, it couldn't have been particularly safe. Meredy, please don't – Ultear took in a deep breath, trying to stop her running thoughts. She shifted slightly to take a glimpse at the files Meredy was scrolling through. She raised an eyebrow when the fifteen year old paused on a list of names attached to a file which looked to be pulled from a physical record in the background with a simple, telling label. PHYSICAL, RETAINED, BACKUP ANSWERED JOB REQUESTS, X786. The date on the top of the file made – despite her anxiety for her daughters and Jellal – her smile, just a little. November the 19th, X786. Meredy began to talk, though she for a moment did not hear her. All she could feel was the pounding of her heart in her chest, and her ears began ringing almost painfully. She closed her eyes, for a second, trying to figure herself and calm herself enough to focus. It was almost perfect.

A perfect way to get a glimpse into everyday life in Fairy Tail.

And an even better way to keep an eye on them than the one we had a few years ago on their precious, little island.

"The Magic Council is rather irate, from what I overheard," Meredy said, setting the tablet down on her lap as she pulled her hair up in a ponytail. "They're still searching for Jellal. Siegrain was in town a few days ago. I followed him and his girlfriend around, and overheard him tell her that he is hoping Erza will find Jellal and tell him so he can arrest Jellal himself."

"Of course he wants that," Ultear coldly scoffed. "I can only imagine how angry Siegrain still is about my nearly costing him his job, and I am sure he's more than willing to take that out on his brother."

Meredy nodded. "Speaking of Erza, she and some of her friends have been told to meet with a few groups from other guilds to address the issues the Council are having with dark guilds, and specifically the Oración Seis."

Ultear raised an eyebrow. "Well. That's certainly news."

"Fairy Tail is sending Erza, Natsu Dragneel and his cat, Lucy Heartfilia, and Gray Fullbuster," Meredy zoomed in on the image on the tablet. "From what I was able to get photographs of before having to sneak out running, the other two guilds being sent to address the issue are Blue Pegasus and Lamia Scale. But, since you told me to find a way to get an insight into Fairy Tail's activities, I secretly added us to the list."

Ultear turned to her, shocked. "Meredy," She said slowly. "What did you do?"

"I put a false guild on the list," Meredy said with a shrug. "I called it 'Cait Shelter' and put down Wendy's name and her cat's as going to join them. We can get her ready in the next few days, and she can meet up with the others by the end of the week."

Ultear laughed. "Meredy!" She exclaimed, still laughing. "You are brilliant!"

"I was hoping you would say that," Meredy handed her the tablet when Wendy stepped into the room, looking confused, Carla purring on her shoulder. "Wendy, come here!"

The young girl all but ran over to where her and Ultear were waiting for her on the couch, still bouncing a little even when she sat down with them.

"I heard you saying something about me going out?" Wendy eyed her in confusion when Meredy nodded. "You think I can help?"

"Of course you can help," Ultear said, reaching over to wrap an arm over the young girl's shoulders. Carla hopped down to curl up on Wendy's lap. "As you know, Fairy Tail are working with the Magic Council to try and find us and separate us. I know it's a bit of a surprise, but we have the rare opportunity for you to get a close eye on them personally."

"And not just them," Meredy added. "Two other guilds too."

Wendy hesitated. "How am I going to be able to do that?"

"Fairy Tail and the guilds Blue Pegasus and Lamia Scale are looking for and addressing the issue of the Oración Seis, as requested to by the Magic Council," Meredy said, reassuringly patting her little sister's hands. "If you want to, you and Carla can join them. We'll be in constant contact, of course, but –"

"You really think I can help?" Wendy looked between her and Ultear, eyes wide. "That I can help keep us and Jellal safe?"

"You absolutely can," Ultear said with a smile. "Do you want to? We can ensure you get to their meet up point by the end of the week."

"I do want to help! We keep the family safe, right?" Wendy let out a sigh of relief when both her mother and sister nodded. "You guys can get me ready for it in time?"

"We more than can," Ultear reassured her. "We'll start tonight."

"Hear that, Carla?" Wendy affectionately scratched the pristine, flying cat behind her ears. "We're going to go together to make sure everything goes alright and Ultear, Meredy, and Jellal are safe too."

"And I'll be sure to keep you safe," The cat pointedly reminded her. "Don't over extend yourself, Wendy. I know you're excited, but be careful about using your magic."

"I will," Wendy turned to Meredy. "Do you know who will be there when I arrive?"

"Yes," Meredy said, hugging her. "From Fairy Tail, you'll be seeing Erza Scarlet, Natsu Dragneel and his cat – who is a lot like Carla – Happy, Lucy Heartfilia, and Gray Fullbuster. From Blue Pegasus, you'll be seeing Ichiya Vandalay Kotobuki, Hibiki Lates, Ren Akatsuki, and Eve Tearum. From Lamia Scale, you'll be seeing Jura Neekis, Lyon Vastia, and Chelia Blendy."

"Be careful around Jura in particular," Ultear put in. "He's one of the Ten Wizard Saints. Fairy Tail's guild master – Makarov Dreyar – is one of them, too, and so is Siegrain. Jura would have no qualms about handing us over to the Council and putting us behind bars."

Wendy gaped at her in horror. "Why does everyone want to hurt our family?" She exclaimed. "I know we aren't biologically related, but we're still family! Why would anyone want to tear a family apart?"

"Because some people are cruel," Ultear said, a bit of anger rising in her chest. "And it's up to us to ensure they do not get their way."

"Are you sure you're going to be alright when we have to sit down with the rest of the Council to prepare your statement for evidence against your son?" Yajima sat down beside his long time friend, handing him a paper copy of the discovery. "I would recommend you take a look at this before then, too. Especially since Ivan is betting on getting let off and thusly getting a legal guild established with it. He already submitted the paperwork, and, should he get off, there is unfortunately very little the Council can do to intervene against it."

"Ivan submitted paperwork to form a legal guild?" Makarov paled the little he and everyone else in his family could. "With whom? And how?"

"Through his legal team, and with several people, one of whom is a convicted, violent felon, one of whom is on an FBI watchlist, and a few others whom are of note but not necessarily for any of the wrong reasons," Yajima said, annoyed at the notion. "To say the very least, no one is particularly thrilled about the matter, not the least of which because, if he is acquitted, the Council will have no reason to reject the request."

"I found out he was making plans to do this from Laxus when he was fifteen," Makarov swore under his breath. "But I hadn't thought it went any further after that."

"Unfortunately, it seems it has," Yajima took out his communications lacrima, scrolling through some photographs. "I'm most likely not meant to say anything on the subject, but, as I am retiring in a few weeks, I see no issue in letting you know in advance. Ivan's guild – again, should it be given legal status – is called Raven's Tail, and this is their guild mark."

Makarov fell silent, staring at the image in horror. One date suddenly stuck out in his mind.

November the 13th, X776.

If things had gone better, Ivan would have been married for sixteen years. They would have been preparing for Esseca's twelfth birthday in a few days as a family.

Instead, Esseca had stopped Caity from punching someone at school for making fun of her height and having kissed a girl, a girl who had been her best friend at the time.

"You're just a jealous baby!" Esseca had yelled, holding her little sister back. "Bet you'll never kiss anyone!"

Later, Caity had gotten upset, begging him to take her to visit her mother if he had known who she was.

"It's not fair!" She had curled into herself on the couch, her glasses starting to fog as she cried. "You know who mommy is, and daddy's gone now too! I want my parents! I want to see mommy, and daddy can't stop it anymore!"

And, that night, Laxus had fought with him after he had found out the fifteen year old had seen his father since he had been expelled from the guild.

"Ever since I was little, people have only ever seen me as your grandkid!" Laxus had clicked the music on his MP3 player off, but kept his headphones on. "No matter what I do, it's always 'it's because he's Makarov's grandson!' 'He's the grandkid of the master of Fairy Tail!' I can't get any credit for the things I do!"

Makarov had raised an eyebrow. "Credit is all in how you look at it, right? I wonder if anyone gets the credit he deserves."

Laxus had begun shaking badly. "All he said was that he 'doesn't feel comfortable,' and you go dragging his name through the gutter! You don't have any sympathy, do you? Why did you have to go and expel dad?"

Makarov had eyed his fifteen year old grandson closely. "He brought damage upon the guild. What more do you want me to do or say?"

"Give me the real reason!" Laxus had yelled. "I know he's always doing stupid stuff, but he's your son! Right? You're family, right?"

"Even if he's family, I absolutely can't allow anyone to stay in the guild who endangers the lives of his guild mates!" Makarov had shaken his head. "My predecessor had to do the same thing to protect the guild. That is what it means to be in Fairy Tail."

"Then are you going to kick me out too?" Laxus had stared at him in disbelief. "If you do, I'll just go join the guild he made, and come back to crush you."

"He started a guild?" Makarov had let out a short gasp in horror. "Then…you know where he is right now?"

"Don't even pretend you care! Anybody can see through that!" Laxus had scowled at him. "And don't do that to Caity especially. I don't give a damn about whatever it was mom did, because she clearly doesn't give a damn about us, but you not telling Caity anything about it has hurt her even more now dad is gone."

"Wait –" Makarov had begun, side stepping his grandson to stop him from leaving the room. "— He left with information that could be damaging to Fairy Tail! If I don't find him, Fairy Tail will be in danger!"

"Yeah?" Laxus had said, jamming his hands into his pockets, his shoulders creeping up towards his ears. "You're one to talk, after you chased him out."

Makarov had sighed. "Laxus –"

"One day, I will surpass you, you know," Laxus had said, finally getting to the door and stepping out, only turning back for a second to look at his grandfather. "I won't get better for dad. I'll be doing it so I can be me! So I can be my own man!"

"You know, I'm still a bit stunned by your decision to not only give a written testimony against your son, but fully intend to speak at his trial," Yajima remarked, leafing through the copy of the discovery he had pulled several hours before. "Particularly considering Ivan did not request any of his family give testimony at the trial. Speaking of which, have you told your grandchildren?"

"I've told Esseca everything in detail," Makarov admitted. "Because she's the only one who can take it rationally. Laxus and Caity know only the bare minimum. They'll react badly if they know the full extent."

Yajima nodded. "There is one other person I'm surprised Ivan did not request to give testimony at the trial, if only because it would humiliate and upset her," He briefly paused when Makarov took in a sharp breath. "His ex-wife, and the mother of his children. Now, as the Council is not prosecuting, she has not needed to nor appears to have any intention to recuse herself from the matter and void her anonymity. That said, she has been angry in a manner I have not seen in her before. It's apparent to everyone, even though I'm the only one on the Council who knows about that part of her life."

Makarov sighed. "Belno and I were never particularly close, but she was a good mother. As for Ivan, he knows better than to do that no matter how much it would upset and humiliate her. He became abusive towards her, around the end. I'm well aware she has not forgotten, and I don't blame her. I also don't blame her for the anger she's felt all these years feeling as though her children will be in danger if they know her."

"And there's a reason only one of them does," Yajima shook his head. "Perhaps she will finally be able to set the slate clean with her children if Ivan is prosecuted and sent to prison on a long term sentence."

"I hope so," Makarov said. "But I don't have much hope regarding her or Ivan. I hope my testimony will do something, but, still, the not improbable chance of Ivan getting off frightens me to my very core."

"It is a rather unsettling thought," Yajima agreed. "I'm in disbelief that he not only came to answer to the charges, but with a substantial criminal defence. The information and evidence the prosecution has against him is almost exclusively circumstantial, apart from several financial discrepancies and the police report from a few people who claim to have seen and be the victims of him driving recklessly and engaging in carjacking. I'm concerned the prosecution is going to ask for too much."

"That is at the crux of why I feel I have to testify," Makarov said, bitterness edging into his voice. "I have first hand knowledge of Ivan's character as a human being, and the way he is as a person could be important to securing a conviction. Although I won't deny I have a personal stake in the matter."

Yajima turned to him in surprise. "What do you mean?"

"Ivan has information about Fairy Tail he shouldn't," Makarov frowned. "He has since I expelled him from the guild. Laxus didn't hear much of it when he saw Ivan in the year he was also expelled from the guild, but he spent some time with Ivan. I was surprised Ivan didn't try to do anything to him."

"What made you worry about that?" Yajima eyed him strangely. "Even you've said Ivan has almost never done anything that could so much as slightly hurt his kids."

"And that's true," Makarov said shortly. "But I have someone keeping an eye on Ivan for me, and he has for the last two years since just after he joined our guild. I have some serious concerns about him, and still a few issues, but he's reliable. Ivan openly informed him that Laxus became a dragon slayer because of what he did to him, not because Laxus was born with magic that powerful."

Yajima stared at him in shock. "Ivan admitted that to someone? You are going to mention that in court, aren't you?"

Makarov hesitated. "I would," He finally said. "But I was informed it is not considered admissible evidence, as it's hearsay. I had my informant attempt to get Ivan to say it again, but he won't. Ivan knows better than that. And it's infuriating."

"Do you think they would allow Laxus to say that?" Yajima pressed. "Since he was the one Ivan –"

"I considered that too," Makarov barely concealed his anger. "But, because Laxus was nine, because he will be considered an unreliable narrator, I was advised the same. So, I am going to do everything else I can. I don't want Ivan to be able to have his guild become legal. He will stop at nothing to hurt Fairy Tail."

"That's awful," Yajima glanced back towards the discovery, flipping through it again. "I will say that I had always assumed you had expelled Ivan from Fairy Tail for what he did with Laxus, but I hadn't realised he was attempting to do your guild harm."

"The two things go together," Makarov replied. "Ivan was moving further and further away from his family, and, when I expelled him, I hadn't expected he would leave his kids entirely with me. But he did. Laxus was only fifteen, Caity was eleven, and Esseca was twelve. As I've said before, it impacted them terribly. Many things did too, as the years went on, but at the end of the day Ivan's actions are unconscionable to me, and I cannot let him do anything to the guild, or his family."

"It's always strange when I remember Fiore has only been a unified country for a couple centuries, especially when so many of the countries we share borders with have been unified for much longer."

Hisui pulled down another map from one of the shelves in the guild hall's library. Only a few feet away from her, Freed was rolling out a small one, and holding it down to the table with a few thumbtacks. There was something about the quiet in the library that felt calming, even when a mostly silent place so often unnerved him. It was especially painful to feel that silence – in particular complete silence – in the aftermath of the Harvest Festival two years ago. Not having Laxus around changed things for all of us. I suppose, in the end, it was a good thing, including for him, but that did not make it less difficult. Drawn from his thoughts, he started to laugh when, two maps under her arms, Hisui jumped down from the ladder only three steps from the floor. She brushed herself off, laughing a little herself when she came back over to him, laying the two maps down before coming over to take a look at the one he had laid out. Despite its age, it was relatively clear to see, even though there were the occasional glares from the light reflecting off the laminate within which it were preserved.

"What's the date on it?" Hisui glanced at him, her fingers brushing over the map. "I can't quite –"

She and Freed both startled when the doors to the library opened, only to reveal a small, pink haired girl stepping into the room with her glasses slightly askew, a half open bag, and a water bottle in hand along with her communications lacrima.

"Don't worry, I'm not interrupting your map questing," Riley said, pulling a rather thick novel from one of the shelves. "I'm just getting a book."

Freed raised an eyebrow when she set down two pill bottles down on the small table with her water and communications lacrima. "I see someone still carries around a ridiculous amount of things around, Caity," He teased as she took a dose of one of her medications. "Pills now included."

"Well, I would forget to take them on time if I didn't bring them with me. I get lost the second I start touching books. But, yeah, I'm a real pill head," Riley said dryly, taking the rest of her nightly medications. "Three prescriptions to manage bipolar, so I'm always popping pills; one in the morning and the rest at night."

Not giving either of them enough time to reply, she sealed and dropped the pill bottles in her bag and water in her free hand, tucking the large book under her arm, and skipping out of the room, humming to herself.

"I've been meaning to ask," Hisui said once she was gone. "Why do you alternate between calling her Caity or Riley?"

Freed shrugged. "She tends to prefer being called Riley, but she answers to both. Most of the time it's only other family members who are allowed to call her Caity. Or Mira. You didn't hear it from me, but I think she has a serious crush on her."

Hisui smirked. "I heard a little about that."

"From Laxus?" Freed chuckled when she nodded. "He's always been protective of his younger sisters, but seeing them happy is always reassuring to him. And Mira definitely makes her happy. Speaking of Laxus, you seem to make him particularly happy."

Hisui blushed. "What did he tell you?"

"Not much, don't worry," Freed replied. "In the past few years, as he's found himself, I've never seen Laxus happier. He's been through a lot – we all have but especially him and his family – and it's almost hard to remember how angry and out of place he used to feel. But, since he had come back to the guild and Master Makarov reconciled with him, Laxus has been better off than I have ever seen him."

"Truly, words cannot begin to describe how impactful that was for him," Hisui paused. "I'm sure you all have better insight to it than I do, as you were present then, but it has brought him a peace of mind I didn't realise a person could so desperately need."

Freed nodded. "He's in a good place, has come to terms with himself as best he can for now, and it's been a relief for me, Evergreen, and Bickslow in particular. You've been a continuation of that, and I cannot thank you enough for being another wonderful piece in Laxus' life."

"You flatter me, but it's sweet of you nevertheless," Hisui sighed. "I know he felt incredibly alone before what happened with the Harvest Festival, and even more so after. Truthfully, I understand that feeling more than I would care to admit."

"Really?" Freed blinked, surprised. "Laxus did say he worries about you, especially knowing you've faced a great deal of loss since you were young, but I didn't think you were ever particularly lonely."

Hisui hesitated. "Apart from Laxus," She finally said. "I haven't told anyone about what it was like for me when I was younger, but I suppose I might as well tell you so long as you promise to keep it to yourself."

"Of course," Freed said with a polite bow. "I'm honoured you would want to share something so personal with me."

"You're easy to talk to," She said. "That aside, you've been one of the most welcoming people I've met since I've begun to spend more time around your guild and town. I enjoy meeting with other guilds, and people, of course, but I could not have asked for a warmer welcome than what I've felt in Fairy Tail. Though I imagine my feelings towards Laxus certainly have a part in that."

"I appreciate your candour," Freed replied with a smile. "So," He said, sitting down across from her. "You were saying?"

Hisui stepped over to one of the shelves, pulling out a map of Crocus.

"I lost my younger brother when he was barely four years old," Hisui eventually began. "He was just over a year younger than me, so it must have been around the spring or summer of X768. He went missing around that time. I didn't know until recently, but my parents had been forced to end their searching for him because of me, because if they were to continue to involve me in royal engagements, the line of succession had to be up to date. To do so, they had to declare him legally dead. And, after that point, they closed the palace gates. We only left if it were on state business, and life continued in that way until I was around sixteen."

Freed looked at her, horrified. "Did you and your parents ever get even a hint at what happened to him?"

"Not to my knowledge," Hisui frowned. "Although my mother has a few convictions about what happened. My father doesn't seem to agree, and, frankly, I have no idea what to think of any of it. In short, my mother believes a family friend who has since vanished took him, and either killed him or raised him herself."

"Oh?" Freed shook his head. "I hope this isn't overstepping, but I'm rather curious about why she would come to that conclusion."

"I am too," Hisui admitted. "But it's hard to fathom what she's thinking when, every time she and I discuss it, she gets incredibly upset and angry, and even irrational."

"I suppose that's being a parent," Freed tiredly ran a hand through his hair. "If I had lost a child, I'm sure it would eat away at me too. It's not the same, of course, but I have always felt that way whenever I hit another wall trying to find my parents. My biological parents, that is. My adoptive parents were wonderful, and I loved them, but I've always wanted to know what happened for me to end up apart from the parents who brought me into the world."

Hisui glanced up from the map of Crocus, eyeing him closely.

"If it's not too much to ask, did they ever have a hypothesis about what happened to you?"

"A few," Freed looked between her and the maps in uncertainty. "But they all are rather simple, and I suppose my obsession towards searching for my biological parents has come down to attempting to fill the void of that period of my life. Though, I'll admit, the intensity around it did not come until after and during the time where Laxus was not in the guild."

Hisui considered that. "Was that why you went to Crocus with Cana and Mirajane? I hope I'm not recalling it wrong."

"You aren't," Freed sighed, leaning over the maps a little. "It stings to remember how lonely I felt when Laxus was gone. Evergreen and Bickslow will tell you the same – if you can get them to admit to it, that is – and it's one of those things you never quite forget because of what it spurs in you. For Bickslow, it led him to be more open with people. For Evergreen, it led her to be more sure of herself and sociable. For me, it led me down a desperate path for meaning where there is likely none."

"It seems we've both been quite lonely in significant hours of our lives, then," Hisui shook her head. "Truly, there are very few things in the world which feel worse."

"I apologise for being so difficult to pin down," Doranbolt offered Cana a smile as the two sat down across from each other. "My schedule unfortunately keeps me rather busy."

"Oh, believe me," Cana winked. "I know the feeling."

The two of them laughing, they tapped their wine glasses together as they continued their wine tasting. Of all the things you could have suggested for us to do as a date, this was certainly the best one. She tried to suppress her emotions even the smallest bit as she drank. And to think Stella Moore of all people was the one to set us up. I'll have to thank her and Evergreen for it. Three dates in, and I still like him. That may be a new record of sorts. Around them, the chatter of people in the winery was just dense enough to make her body buzz in the excitement of feeling and being alive. Across from her, she could sense he was feeling the same. I wonder if it's a good thing or a bad thing he suggested we go to a winery for a date…he seems to have at least noticed my love for wine. It's sweet. Doranbolt smiled at her across the table, absentmindedly swirling the latest wine in his glass. I hadn't expected her to teach me the proper way to examine and taste wine. She's something else. Taking in the scent, the way it moved in the glass, and even the slow way to sip it had both surprised and endeared him. Cana was an animated speaker, to be sure, but something about the way she talked about wine was captivating. It's the passion, for sure. She goes all in. That passion is something the members of the Council could learn from, at least, passion for something more than just their own positions.

"So," Cana said, leaning back slightly against the plush chair. "How exactly does one end up working for the Magic Council?"

"Depends," He replied. "In my case? Drop out of university after realising studying chemistry was not for you, spend a few months trying to get a job, throw an application at pretty much every decent paying job that isn't joining the military, and take the first one you get an interview for. Apparently, my aptitude scores from attempting to get into university in the first place, coupled with my somewhat inflated CV around my ability with magic and understanding of law, were enough for them. I'm not in a particularly high level position, though, and that isn't likely to change anytime soon."

Cana shrugged. "At least you're honest about how you got to where you are."

"Compared to who?" Doranbolt joked. "Siegrain?"

"It's as though you've read my mind!" Cana dramatically declared. "And, yes. He's claimed for years he got to where he is by accident, just sort of walked into it, but, I'm sorry, that man does nothing on a whim and never has. I bet he doesn't even know what a whim is."

Doranbolt snickered. "He spent his entire life up to that point trying to get to where he is, I'd be willing to put money on that. But it's your turn. How'd you end up a member of Fairy Tail?"

Cana raised an eyebrow. "Well," She said, one hand tapping against her wine glass and the other tapping against the table. "My mother died when I was rather young, and I was taken in by the guild. Well, technically by my father. But he was rarely there."

"That's awful," He reached over to gently touch her hand. "Are you doing better now?"

Cana nodded. "I am," She said, laughing a little. "My dad and I have a perfectly good relationship now, and, more importantly, I do what I want because I'm an adult. Speaking of which, I do have something I should disclose to you about my history with the law."

He eyed her strangely. "Should I be concerned?"

"Eh," Cana conspiratorially leaned towards him. "Let's just say your employers have complained about me before. A few years ago – well, to be specific, two years, three months, and ten days ago – I billed fifteen barrels of wine I had drank on a job in Crocus to the Magic Council. They were unamused."

"They may have been, but I am," Doranbolt said, laughing. "That's one of the best stories I've heard in a long time."

"Really?" Cana grinned. "It gets better."

He winked. "Do tell."

"Master Makarov read out all of the complaints the Council had sent to the guild, including that one. And then he lit them on fire and told the guild to not give a fuck what the Council thinks. The only rule he gave us was to do what we think is right."

"He enjoys spiting the Council, Cana. Don't make it sound like a novel experience."

Startled, both Cana and Doranbolt turned to the woman who had spoken.

"He also jokes about people killing him," She continued. "Although he did get annoyed at Natsu for bringing a real coffin into the guild hall on Halloween only to tell him there was a hole in the bottom of it in the event he was not quite ready to take his ride to the next world."

"This is Levy," Cana set down her wine glass, and pointed at the petite woman with one hand, waving another dramatically at the other two with her. "And Gajeel, and Juvia. They're from the guild. I did not tell them we would be here."

"I believe you, don't worry," Doranbolt squeezed her hand when he thought no one was looking. "So," He said, looking between her and the three. "What exactly caused this lovely meeting?"

"We're on a job," Gajeel said gruffly. "This is just one stop of a couple for us."

"It's much more involved than he's making it sound," Juvia put in. "Then again, we shouldn't be surprised to find Cana here. She is quite the connoisseur of any and all forms of wine."

"And she's not afraid to punch people when they're out of line, either," Levy added. "She punched Laxus a few years back for refusing to help us unless Lucy would go out with him for a date and Cana stripped."

Doranbolt turned to her in surprise. "You punched the grandson of your guild master?"

"Laxus was asking for it, still being a bitch after all," She sent Gajeel and Juvia an apologetic look. "And don't you two feel bad about being involved in fighting us. It's not your fault your guild master was a real piece of shit."

Gajeel rolled his eyes. "You're understating that, Cana, but I'll give you that."

"She did break Laxus' nose," Juvia remarked. "I was rather impressed."

"I was very angry," Cana explained, her fingers dancing over Doranbolt's. "Don't worry. I won't do that kind of thing to you. All other things aside, your face is too pretty to be punched."

"Thank you for that," He teased. "I like to think I'm rather pretty, too."

"What kind of wine are you tasting today?" Levy pointedly elbowed Gajeel when he groaned. "Oh, come on! Do you have any idea how swanky this place is?"

"Have you ever drank wine?" Gajeel countered, grimacing at the thought. "It tastes like bottled death."

"You're so wrong," Cana rolled her eyes. "The only thing I've ever seen you drink is cheap shit vodka."

"Oh, that's a terrible plan," Doranbolt remarked. "It'll make you sick within half an hour."

"Not if you're me," Cana said with a cheeky wink. "But I rarely get drunk."

"And she looks like she's trying," Levy added. "I think I've only ever seen Cana drunk once."

"I've never seen it in the two years I've been around you people," Gajeel muttered. "Which is too bad, because it could be funny."

"I like to think I'm an amusing drunk," Cana wistfully said. "I have all the traits to create that. Cute, up for anything, and happy to fight if the right opportunity presents itself."

"You know, so much as my employers would disapprove, I would love to see you in your natural habitat sometime," Doranbolt said, taken aback when she smiled and nodded. "I have to say, the way you talk about it, Fairy Tail sounds like quite the place."

"It is," Cana replied with a smirk. "And, I promise, you won't be disappointed."

"He still won't say much about it. Honestly? It makes me incredibly uneasy how little gramps has been telling me and my sisters about my dad and what the hell is going on with him now."

Evergreen shuddered at the thought, and leaned back against the kitchen sink in Laxus' apartment, crossing her arms over her chest and her legs over each other at the ankle. Ivan is a real nasty piece of work. It's almost unbelievable how possible it is for him to avoid any consequences for his actions. If the master's testimony doesn't help put him away…what the fuck will? She watched her best friend closely as he paced, almost transfixed by the otherwise uncommon occurrence. He's never this on edge unless something is truly bad. Just like Caity isn't much of a crier unless something is truly bad, and just like Esseca isn't particularly serious about everything unless something is truly bad, Laxus doesn't start pacing and struggling for words unless something is truly bad. Ivan really has been a terrible influence on the three of them. Despite the tension, she found herself briefly smiling when she noticed one of the photographs on the wall – alongside those with his family – were of him and Hisui at the Harvest Festival. She's so tiny and short compared to him. It's adorable. The tension returned almost as quickly as it had left for the levity to touch her. After a long moment of hesitation, the fairy queen finally gave up.

"Is Ivan making you or your sisters talk at his trial?"

"Thankfully, no, not that I know of," Laxus scoffed. "He knows better than to try that. It would never go in his favour."

"Nothing should," Evergreen darkly agreed. "Ivan's horrible. I doubt I'll ever get over the fact he thought the solution to all of your struggles as a child would be to put a lacrima in your chest. I almost can't believe it was one of the first things you confided in me, Freed, and Bickslow about either, but that is a separate story. What's truly chilling is the fact Ivan seems to be poising himself to get off for any and all of the crimes he's committed over the years."

"He's probably going to manage it," Laxus said, struggling to control his anger. "My dad is a lot of things, but he's nothing if not shrewd. And he would never have even considered let alone tried to pull off a stunt like this unless he were nearly certain it would turn out in his favour."

Evergreen shuddered. "Well, that's quite the nightmare to imagine, now isn't it?"

"Worse than that," Laxus said dryly. "It's another show of the person my dad has always been. I used to think he was a good parent, because of how far he went to ensure my sisters and I were alright and had everything we needed and just about everything we wanted. But that changed when he left after being kicked out of the guild. For as angry as I was with gramps about it at the time, it was, in the end, for the best. And, for me, the bravest thing I ever did, after realised I never wanted to be like him, was run. I haven't spoken to him since. The last thing I want to do is be in the same room as him, let alone to try and defend him."

Evergreen frowned. "I do have one question about all of this you may not like."

"Go for it," Laxus shrugged. "It's bad enough as it is."

"Do you think he may require your mother to speak?" Evergreen said without a second of hesitation. "In a way to…well, get revenge on her? Humiliate her? Remind her how she abandoned her kids? And, if he did, would you want to confront her? Since it would force him to reveal who she is, that is."

"If he does, I doubt it'll matter," Laxus paused in consideration. "But, if he were to want to do that, he would have by now, and gramps would have told us. And, even if he did, I don't think I'd feel it's worth it to confront her. She made her choice. There's no point."

"That's fair," Evergreen said. "I still can't help wondering why Ivan is doing this."

"The answer is surprisingly simple," Laxus darkly replied. "He wants to make his dark guild a legal one."

Evergreen's eyebrows shot up in disbelief.

"I'm sorry, but Ivan's quote un quote legal guild is still a thing?"

"He holds a grudge longer than I or either of my sisters do," Laxus said bitterly. "So, yes. His dark guild is still a thing, and, should be found innocent, it sounds like the Council will have no choice but to grant Raven's Tail status as a legal guild."

"Yuck," Evergreen muttered. "The notion of them getting something that important is madness."

"What's worse is the fact it's probably going to happen," Laxus shook his head. "I hate it, but I'm not going to let myself pretend as though this shit is going to go the way it should. My dad's one of the most manipulative people in the world, and he has teamed up with more of those people. Everything is in his favour."

"I know you're right, but, nevertheless, that's bullshit," Evergreen's fingers began to menacingly tap against the sink behind her. "Anyone who believes a word Ivan has to say is either incredibly oblivious, or just as selfish as he is."

"Absolutely," Laxus agreed. "What I want to know, though, is what the point of all of this is. Why is he so desperate to get his guild the legal status?"

"Probably so he can have an easy pass to materials otherwise inaccessible to him, since there is no fucking way he isn't the guild master," Evergreen said, hands clenching. "But there's also the ability to establish himself as a force to be reckoned with. I overheard Bisca and Alzack talking about it with the master the other day, and they seem to think Ivan would be more than eager to have members of his guild compete in the Grand Magic Games next summer if possible. If that comes to pass, I'm sure it will be an especially terrible time for any of us in the guild who go. X787 is already shaping up to be a marvellous year, and it hasn't even started yet."

"It just doesn't make sense," Laxus sighed. "What's the point of doing any of that when, at the end of the day, the only thing he has ever wanted is to spite gramps?"

"Unfortunately, I think it goes a lot deeper than that," Evergreen said with a look of disgust. "Ivan wants to ensure he's the one who comes out on top in your family no matter the cost. Why else would he be as awful a parent and, presumably, as awful a spouse as he has?"

"It wouldn't shock me if that's the case," Laxus hesitated. "And, speaking of his relationship with my mother, I got it out of gramps recently that he apparently threatened her in order to ensure she would never be a part of our lives. So much as I doubt that, considering she has never tried to care for or be a part of our lives in any way, it is absolutely the kind of thing he would do."

"There's very little Ivan wouldn't do, isn't there?"

"That's how it's always been. Like I said, at one point, it seemed to be part of what made him a good parent to me and my sisters, but it was all selfish. There are very few people in the world I truly hate, and my dad is one of them."

"Reasonable. He's certainly not worthy of being considered a parent."

"And if I could pretend that away, I would. The last thing I want is for Ivan to not only try to be involved in my life but try to ruin it."

"I hate saying it, but I wouldn't put that shit past him."

"No one should put anything past him. He's a fucking asshole who thinks of nothing but what he wants."

"It's awful."

"And what's even more awful is realising all of it years after he all but vanished from your life."

Evergreen came over to hug him, tiredly closing her eyes when she let her best friend go.

"Laxus, I know why we're all scared of what may happen with this, but is all of that why you're scared?"

"It's part of it," Laxus sighed, his voice falling quiet. "But much more of it is fear of becoming like him."