Being back feels great.
Being back only to find out that he had missed out on seven years of his children's lives, not so much.
Being back to realise the kind of things his children had been through all these years fills him with great sorrow and anger.
But seeing his dear children smile once more makes him happy. So much had changed in the seven years that they were gone. Their guild is no longer located in the original guild building. Alzack and Bisca are now parents, Macao and Wakaba had aged so much from the stress of trying to keep the guild together. Romeo is now so big, Reedus is now so thin. The list goes on.
But certain things do remain the same, like how crazy their parties are and how the smaller space of the little tavern does not affect their fun in the slightest. Some of them have aged, some haven't, but they are still Fairy Tail, still family.
"You did a great job, Macao."
"I-Is that so?" Macao actually blushed a little at that praise. "I… I just want to keep everyone together, you know? There were times that we were so close to disbanding and I…"
Wakaba patted his friend on the back as Macao held back a sniff. Makarov's heart twisted in pain at the sight and he made a mental note to go down and give Twilight Ogre a visit and a piece of his mind when he's free.
After the party, of course.
"What am I sobbing for? This is supposed to be a happy occasion dammit," Macao let out a laugh and gulped down another huge mug of booze. "Oh yeah, I'm not sure if anybody told you about it yet, Master, but we do have a new member in the seven years that you guys were gone."
"Oh, Argus, was it?" Makarov scratched his chin in thought. He did remember one of his children telling him about it in passing. Was it Jet who told him, or was it Droy?
"Yeah, he's out on a job for the moment. It would take a few months for him to return and I am afraid it would be near impossible to contact him. We will have to introduce him to you guys at a later date," Macao sighed. "The kid, I swear, loves to take all the jobs that bring him to weird places."
"What is he like?" Makarov asked in curiosity. "I don't know anything about him other than his name."
"He's… seventeen this year, I believe," Macao tried to recall while also doing his best to ignore the buzz from the alcohol. "Uses Light Magic, always covered with a cloak and hood. He's crazy strong too. Bested Sabertooth's best mages by himself, solo. He's a bit of a lone wolf with some trust issues but he's a nice kid at heart, Master. He probably experienced too much before coming over… oh! He's from the west too, just like Bisca. Alvarez."
"Alvarez?" Makarov confirmed, and Macao nodded. That reminds him, how is Mest doing? Shit, that serious fool is still under the influence of his own magic, isn't he? He will have to correct that as soon as he can.
A yell followed but a shout was what signalled the next brawl to break out and Makarov groaned. Some things really don't change.
"Tell me that we have enough for repairs."
"About that…" Macao laughed sheepishly. "Business has been getting better, but we are still barely managing to stay afloat as it is..."
Makarov took another look at the brawl taking place, then back at his mug, then decided to just fuck everything and empty the contents down into his belly.
The money can wait. For now, they party.
"Hello? Can anyone hear me? Helloooo?"
I sighed, and was about to give up calling the guild through my communication lacrima until someone called back and Macao's wrinkled face came into full view.
"Argus? Hello? Is that you?"
"Finally," I lamented. "Yes, it's me. I'm here to give my biweekly update and to tell you that I am not yet dead."
I am conveniently ignoring the fact that the last time I called him was one month ago. To be fair, it wasn't my fault. Reception is simply that bad in this part of Fiore.
Things have been getting slightly better for Fairy Tail, financially, after my inclusion and after word had spread that there is a new powerful mage in their ranks (namely, yours truly). There are jobs sent to Fairy Tail requesting specifically for me to complete it and this leads me to where I am now, in some remote part of Fiore where even communication lacrimas barely work at all.
Macao is a master who cares for his members, and he made it a point to regularly check on the members going out for jobs for extended periods of time. That usually only applies to me because I am usually the only one who would disappear for months on end and to not make him worry, I promised that I will call back at least once every two weeks.
This is one of those calls.
"Where are you now?"
"I dunno, some… forest or something. Busy tracking down some stupid S Class monster thingy that looks uglier than the vulcans," I yawned. "Is that all? Because I really have to get-"
"Wait wait wait don't hang up yet! They are back! They are back!"
"Who is back? Your old flame?" I asked.
"NO you dolt! Not her! It's them! I mean, the Tenrou group, they are back!"
"What?"
I have been expecting it, but even when I have finally received the confirmation that they had really returned I was still stunned by the news.
I mean, great, it is a good thing that they have returned, but on the other hand, whatever that will be coming next…
I'm not sure if I am looking forward to it.
"Hello, Argus? You still there?"
"Uh, yeah," I replied lamely and put on a smile. "I mean, congrats! Uh, I mean, it's a cause for celebrations, right? I am not very sure what is going on here but- You know what I mean."
"Yes, I do. I couldn't believe it either when they suddenly showed up," Macao chuckled. "I will fill you in on the details later on how this whole thing happened but for now, don't hang up, I need to introduce you to Master Makarov. Goodness, did you know that I had been trying to reach you for an entire month? Where have you been this entire time?! We had been trying to reach out to you for one month! ONE Month! I nearly sent out a search party for you!"
"I get it, I get it," I grumbled but not bothering to keep that smile off my face. I saw through the lacrima as Macao ran and skidded to a stop at the counter and passed his orb to someone else. The face of an aged man came into view, his smile wider than I thought possible.
"Hello there! Argus, I believe? It's nice to see you!"
"Master Makarov, I take it? It's nice to see you too, and welcome back," I greeted him in return. So this is Makarov.
"Thank you, child. If I may ask, where are you now exactly?"
"Uh…" I looked around my surroundings. "Somewhere… near the Mysterious Canyon, I think?"
"Oh dear, do be careful, that place is not kind," Makarov said with a slight frown. "That said, it is my wish for you to return to Fairy Tail as soon as you can, Argus. If it is needed, give up your current job entirely."
"May I ask why? This job is an important one, Master," I informed dutifully, my heart lamenting at the loss of the reward should I be forced to give it up. It's a whopping four hundred thousand jewels. FOUR HUNDRED THOUSAND!
A shit eating grin broke out across Makarov's face.
"We will be participating in this year's GMG that will be taking place in two months' time, and we will climb back up to the top. We want you to be there too, Argus. I had heard a lot about you from Macao and the rest and if I deem you to be qualified and if you don't mind, you can take part in it too, together."
Makarov's words invoked a sense of warmth filling my heart. Despite having never met me in person, he wants me to be there with the rest of the guild, because to him, I am family too.
After all I had been through, it sounds really nice to be part of something big and loving, really.
"Yeah, I will be there to cheer you guys on. Crocus, in two months, is it?"
"That's right," Makarov said with a wide grin.
"I will wrap up my job by then and meet you directly at Crocus. I won't be late," I promised. "What date will the GMG be starting this year?"
"The 1st of July. The guild will book an entire inn during our stay there. I will have Macao relay to you the specifics when we have finalised just which inn is it. Keep a lookout for it."
"Roger that, Master."
"You stay safe too, Argus. We look forward to seeing you there."
The call ended and I tucked the orb back to where it belongs. Two months, eh?
'Someone is motivated, I see.'
'Yeah, it's weird, but I am motivated now.'
'You've gotten soft.'
'Perhaps,' I mused. 'But, I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing, you know?'
'Have you forgotten what you've been through? Are you going to trust the words of a stranger again, only to be betrayed?'
'Maybe, just maybe,' I thought as I traversed across the barren land as a ray of light in search of my target. 'I can try one more time. Besides, I do have an idea what kind of people they are.'
'Fictional stories are just that, fiction. Reality is often… what would you usually describe it? Ah, disappointing.'
'Reality is disappointing,' I agreed. 'But it's a fairy tale that I am living in right now, so your point is moot.'
'You are hopeless. I'm stuck with a hopeless host.'
'You were the one who chose me. Suck it up and deal with it.'
'How on earth did we end up in the mountains?'
'You are asking me? I was about to ask you that same question.'
'You are not helping bruh.'
'I am helping. I am helping to point out how absurd it is to arrive at the mountains when we were supposed to be hunting for magical gorillas in a freaking canyon.'
'I swear the tracks were what led us here.'
'Are you even following the correct tracks? Do you even track bruh?'
'Don't bruh me. I copyrighted that.'
I leapt from one boulder to another as I followed after the tracks of what I identified to have been left behind by a species of creatures known as the Volcanic Ape, a beast that may sometimes be ranked at S Class due to the kind of magic it wields and the kind of destruction it can possibly bring about. The older the ape, the higher the threat level.
'There it is.'
'Finally, bruh. It's been almost two months.'
'Stop that bruh thing, bruh.'
'Bruh, you ain't stopping me from bruh-ing you, bruh.'
'You are annoying.'
'Heads up, bruh, it's coming for you.'
The volcanic ape stood on its hind legs and started to beat its chest in challenge before running at me, its fur already lighting up like molten lava.
"Shackles!"
Chains of light snared the beast instantly, causing it to fall. The ape thrashed in fury and is using its monstrous strength to try and break free. However, I am not giving it the chance to do so.
"Piercing Light!"
The ape managed to somehow swerve its body to a side at the last second, causing my spell to hit its right arm instead of blowing a hole straight in its head. The ape howled in pain but it was still not giving up, spewing a large flow of magma from its mouth in an effort to drown me in it.
I leapt upwards to avoid the attack, creating constructs of light in midair for me to use as footholds. I point my palm downwards towards the ape, invoking my next spell.
"Final Spark!"
A laser with the colours of the rainbow bathed the ape as it screamed in agony. Knowing that it will take more than this to put the Volcanic Ape down, I began to cast my next spell, a sword of light already held in my right hand and glowing with the immeasurable power of holy light.
"Excalibur!"
I swung the sword down, cleaving everything in its way and obliterating it from existence.
I floated back down and picked up an ear that once belonged to the ape, planning to bring it back as proof of completion of the mission. Mission complete.
'One monkey down.'
'It's a gorilla.'
'No difference to me.'
'Whatever, let's get going.'
I stretched my arms into the air, feeling the satisfying pop in my bones. If I am quick enough I could maybe reach some semblance of civilization around sunset and I could finally sleep on a soft bed instead of the cold hard ground.
That is, until I felt stares on me and I turned to see just who or what the stares originated from.
"What a… man."
Right above me on a nearby rocky ledge are four people, three women and a man, with one woman in dark brown hair and the rest with hair about the same shade of white as mine. I couldn't see their faces clearly from here because I am facing the sun and I have to squint to even try and make out the colour of their hair in the first place. From the looks of it the muscular man was the one who broke the silence and honestly, I never expected to meet anyone out here in this remote region of Fiore.
"Uh, hi?" I waved lamely with my right arm, already prepared to leave at any time because I am not going to camp in the wilderness for a single day longer. "And… goodbye? Bye!"
"Wait!" One of the ladies shouted at me but I am planning to just bolt out of here. Nobody gets in between me and my desire to be back in civilisation and the comfort of sleeping in a real warm bed.
"Wait, he has a Fairy Tail guild mark on his forearm!"
"Wait, what? Hey, wait up! It's us!"
I looked back at my now exposed right forearm, which had been exposed when the sleeves of my shirt fell when I was using my right arm to wave at them earlier. What are these people anyway? Enemies of Fairy Tail or something? Macao didn't owe anyone else more money other than those stupid ogres, right? I wouldn't put it past him to not tell me that we actually have other creditors outside of those ugly ogres.
Wait a minute, wasn't Macao moaning on and on about the lack of funds in the guild's treasury just before I set off for this job? He couldn't really have started to borrow loans again, could he?
Right…?
Actually, forget it, Macao totally would. Ah crap, another creditor knocking on our doors already?
"I have no money! Get somebody else!" I yelled back while running as fast as I could with those four people in hot pursuit. Nobody is getting their grubby hands on my four hundred thousand jewels reward!
"It's not about the money you dimwit! Get back here and stop running!"
Like hell I would stop running when they are pursuing me like the hounds from hell.
I slid down a rocky slope and bounced off a large boulder, turning back for a second to check if my pursuers were still chasing after me. One, two, three… Wait, where's the fourth?
"Excuse me."
I whipped around in surprise when I felt a tap on my shoulder from behind. A stunningly beautiful woman with ivory white hair smiled sweetly at me but somehow, I felt like I should be afraid of her.
"There you are," The brown haired woman finally caught up while panting. "You are freaking fast!"
"A real man," The muscular man nodded solemnly with his arms crossed and the last member, another white haired girl, simply giggled.
"Alright, how much did Macao owe you this time?" I squatted and sighed, deciding to just resign myself to my fate. Goddammit Macao, I'm so going to skin you alive the next time we meet.
"Owe us…?" The brown haired woman asked in puzzlement and this time, it's my turn to be confused.
"You mean you guys are not our creditors? Macao didn't borrow money from you guys?"
"Wait, what? What's going on here?" The large man is now visibly confused. "Macao borrowed even more money? I thought he said that the only loan left to repay is the one about the ogres, which, uh… What's that guy's name again?"
"Argus," The short haired lady reminded him helpfully.
"Yeah, that Argus guy helped to repay so he's our only creditor left right?"
"Wait, your creditor?" I asked and stood up on my feet immediately. "Dude, this- Wait a minute, who are you guys?"
"We are from Fairy Tail!" The man boomed out with a smile on his face and tilted his head a little, showing that familiar mark stamped on the left side of his neck. "My name is Elfman Strauss!"
Oh
Oh
"Likewise, Lisanna Strauss," The short haired girl introduced herself with a sweet smile. "We saw that you have our guild mark on your forearm, so we thought that we might have run into someone we knew."
"He doesn't sound like anyone we know though," The brown haired woman commented while taking a swig from the flask that she had attached to her hip. "Name's Cana. Cana Alberona."
"And I am Mirajane Strauss. Call me Mira," The woman who had crept up to me without me realising earlier introduced herself with a smile as sweet as her sister's. "Are you Argus?"
"Wait, he is Argus?" The man asked in surprise.
"Like Cana said, his voice doesn't sound like anyone we already knew, and what we saw him use was Light Magic. Laki told me that Argus also uses Light Magic."
"Oh that's right, Macao said that he is a loner that usually covers himself with a hooded cloak too," Cana added with a look of sudden realisation on her face. "And that he really loves his money."
"Excuse me, can you not gossip about the person in question when the person in question is standing right here?"
"So you really are Argus! We finally get to meet you!" Lisanna exclaimed happily with her hands placed on my shoulders.
"Who would have expected for us to meet such a man in a deserted mountain! Man, what a man!"
"What the hell are you guys doing here?" I blurted out. "I mean, I'm here to hunt the Volcanic Ape as part of the job request, but you guys…?"
"We are training for the GMG!" Cana exclaimed as she slung an arm around my shoulders as though we had known each other for decades, her flask of booze still held in her hand.
"Why here though? I mean, seriously, why here?"
"Why not? This is a nice place."
"You and I have a very different definition of what nice is," I deadpanned as I observed the rocky barren mountain that we are now on. There's nothing here.
"Oh come on, it's fun! I brought a lot of booze too!" Cana cheered as she ushered me along towards where we came from, probably bringing me to wherever they had set up camp in this godforsaken place.
"Getting drunk is not training."
"It is!"
"Only for Cana," Mirajane added with a laugh.
"So you guys chanced upon each other? That's good, I can sleep easier at night if Mira is there to watch you."
"I'm an adult, old man, I can take care of myself," I deadpanned and Makarov guffawed.
"Whatever you say, Argus. Train well, eat well, and sleep well. See all of you at Crocus!"
"Goodnight Master!" Mira said sweetly from where she is standing behind me together with the rest.
"Your cooking is as good as ever, Mira," Cana said with a blissful sigh from where we are crowded around a fire, eating the meal Mira had whipped up for us. We were halfway into our meal until Mira thought about informing Makarov that we had found each other. Apparently, Makarov had asked the various groups that were out on their own training trips to keep a lookout for me and to inform me about the guild's decision to take part in the GMG because I couldn't be contacted back then.
"Yeah, this is good," I agreed, my hood already taken down when I was having my meal. If the four of them had anything to say about my scarred face, they didn't show it and that is enough for me.
"I'm glad you loved it! Seconds?"
"Yes, thank you."
"Feel free to help yourself to more! Don't be shy!"
"Argus has a huge appetite! What a man!"
"How old are you?" Lisanna asked.
"Seventeen this year," I replied.
"That makes us the same age! Uh, physically." Lisanna laughed. "Still trying to get used to this whole time stasis thing."
"Must have been hard on you guys. Grimoire Heart, then the dragon, then waking up to find yourselves seven years into the future," I listed off while continuing to eat my meal. "But at least you guys are back. Macao looked so much happier during the call. Never seen him smile that wide before."
"It was that bad for them, huh?" Mira had a sorrowful look on her face after hearing what I had to say. "I had heard about it from other members, but hearing you say it…"
"Really puts things into perspective. I mean, you joined after we were gone. Your views are the most objective," Cana added with a similar frown on her face. "Seven years… They waited for us for seven years."
"Better late than never," I spoke up, trying to defuse the situation. "I know Macao's been wanting to get back our original guild building. If we can win the grand prize…"
"We get our home back," Elfman punched his fists together with a grin on his face.
"And we also get to claim our spot of number one once more," Lisanna added with a knowing look in her eyes.
"Sounds fun," Cana smirked.
"Oh my, oh my, it's getting a little heated here, but I like it," Mira laughed with a hand over her mouth.
"You guys look and sound scary," I concluded. The sinister look in their eyes and the way they smiled… Yeah, absolutely evil.
"You haven't seen the worst of it," Mira smiled sweetly and for some reason, I totally believed her claim.
