Magic Mayhem

The rest of the day was spent with planning and sorting of teams and where each person would go or stay. Children of the members would stay in the guild hall for safety, plus Mr. Oliver and Calista seemed to enjoy treating to the children. True there was only a handful of them, but it was still a treat to them and the adults who catered to them.
The s class wizards that had returned to the guild would go out with kenji and the guild masters and Wizard saints. Which Rosco was glad to hear. He hated being cooped up for too long, but he would make the best of the time he had back at the guild. He looked to his other S class guild members and chuckled around his cigarette, "Been some time since I seen y'all. What you been up to?"
"Must you smoke those revolting things inside?" Eistu asked and waved her hand in the air to fan the lingering tendrils of the smoke away from her face. She sighed when Rosco just laughed off her statement, "well....I've just come from sorting a magic library, seems that a few ancient texts were discovered and I was helping them decipher and catalog."

"That's nice Eistu, always a scholar you are, learn anything interesting?" the lofty child Yumeko said telepathically to the group while still sleeping on his floating pillow "I've just been battling Candy Cane Clowns in a battle to save the Rainbow Drop Kingdom from destruction--"he said as his voice mentally yawned and drifted off

"Even his telepathy is lazy!? Everything he just said is all a dream, he's been asleep as usual up in the dormitory until needed"Kita said sighing "I don't know what's the worst assignment guarding this brat or guarding the guildmaster. But whenever I'm not doing that, I'm still taking up odd jobs as a bodyguard. Being a yojimbo is what I'm best at." She stated motioning to the swords on her back and waist

"I go whever the wind takes me, usually making sure Ms. Sonia doesn't get into trouble. We still make quite the team you know."Quan-Li said pouring himself some tea happy to be reunited with his other S-Class peers he grew up in the guild with during the days of Kenji's father Craven as guildmaster

"What about you old man?"Iroh said looking over at Roscoe of the group only Roscoe and Yumeko were older than he was but Yumeko was a half demon contained in his child form so it didn't exactly count "What have you been up to since old Craven passed away?"

"Just wonderin'. Like I always do." He said and and took another long drag off his cigarette. "Got into some nasty business there for a while when a buncha of bandits and rustlers where targeting this one guy and gal. Some rivalry or somthin'." He add offhandedly while he pulled a silver pistol out of the hip holster. "But I got this here fancy price out of the whole thing." He said and held it out to iron. It was a rather unique looking weapon. Many magical pistols and guns had carvings of runes or shapes that gave them power, but this one had not only thought, and grated there were many, but also additional filigree and extra, stranger looking markings. Rosco usually left the holsters empty, being a quick change wizard like Erza, but just with guns and weapons of the sort rather then armor.

"Well that's something you don't see everyday"Iroah said as he checked out the gun "This is unlike any other gun I've seen before. And you say this was the reward from the job? Where did they manage to find something as rare as this, and clearly they must not have known how much it's worth to depart with it so readily. Are you sure you didn't scam them?"he asked questioningly

"I'm a charmer' but not that good." He chuckled as he took it back. "Nah' it was a family relic. But they said that that since I......got rid of their problem, they didn't need it 'round. Figured I'd get better use outta it." He said. "Wait till you see it in action. Sure packs a whallop."

"For something like that I'm sure it does. If it didn't I'd be asking for a better payment." Sonia said as she finished her glass. "Anyway other then working with Quan-li, I'm babysitting the dragons...peaking of....iron, you were with them in this last trip. They give you any idea what was going on with them?" She asked

"Well no not quite"Iroh said scratching the back of his head "I'm not like Kenji people don't just openly tell me their problems. Because they know I'm not a problem solver, I'm a man of action."he said

"Ahh yes we know. Old Iron Iroh at his finest."Quan-Li said avoiding the death glare from Iroh "The little ones are always a primary area of concern. Sonia and I do all we can, but it truly is a 24 hour job."he said sighing

"Yeas, that is true.....and this whole thing with their families....that can't be easy." Eitsu added. "Layla's parents killed and Akihkos brother being involved in that somehow........that can't be easy."

"Which is why we make sure our young friends aren't to do anything too brash in the Guildmaster's absence"Quan-Li said shaking his head "I didn't think that this situation would be so convoluted the way it is but we have no choice now but to deal with it"

"You faced this lot Iroh.....any idea what their after?" Rosco asked.

"It was a crazy fight."Iroh said shaking his head "It sucked because Julia was taking care of the kids in the house. But honestly it seemed like they were after the dragon slayers AND Kenji. The guy he faced was tough, Kenji had to resort to his black hole tactic to chase him off, but I feel like he could have really done some damage to Kenji if he wanted to, half of his energy was erecting a barrier. But I feel like they wanted to take him as unharmed as possible. Same with the girl. They didn't want to hurt her, and Akihiko's brother could have killed the runt as well...but he also didn't. But that may just be personal ties and not business related."

"Is it just our dragon slayers or will the others be in danger as well?" Eitsu asked. "I don't think that we have to worry about the other Dragons. When we were in Fayluna Valley, we were given a glimpse into what happened there. I think they want...or maybe need something from Layla." Sonia speculated. "What about Akihiko? He wasn't there when the attack happened." Eitsu pointed out. "He was already being raised by his Dragon raised far from there."
"Maybe his power. He is pretty strong." Rosco said.

"Probably the same reason they have interest in Kenji too." Iroh said as he crossed his arm "Kenji's star energy deals with combustion, and Akihiko's lightning is self generated. Laxus is a lightning dragon slayer too but his power comes from lacrima, unlike Aki's from his dragon. And look at their magic, for their explosion spells they have to sacrifice a whole body, that's a lot of energy being used. Whatever it is I feel like they are abducting people whose magic can generate large sources of power. Natsu of Fairytail may be a possible target but Makarov already knows that."

"That makes sense. In Fayluna Valley, the cult was attempting to create some sort of large fire or explosion or something for the sacrifice but it was interrupted. Perhaps instead of attempting to sacrifice a whole village they found an alternative route. Involving whatever they need Layla for...and they need a huge power source to fuel whatever it is they are planning."Quan-Li said putting hte dots together

"they way it looked on the glimpse we were given...layla was born during this strange ritual or just shortly before...Perhaps it has something to do with that..." Sonia said. "You don't think that they would use Kenji or Akihiko to hurt Layla? Or each other?"
"Speculation at this point. As is their reasoning behind it." Eitsu said. "We just need to make sure it doesn't happen."
"Damn straight." Rosco said.

"That is quite true. That is the biggere picture here"Yumeko said "But I think that is the reason we've all be reunited anyway. It isn't very often that all of the S-class wizards are called together like this. And do be shown one of the guild's oldest secrets as well...the times must be quite serious for that to occur."

"It has been sometime." Eitsu said. "And seeing as we may not get a lot of time to actually enjoy each others company during these coming days, I say we do tonight."
"Yeehaw! Now yetr talkin', Darlin'!" Rosco said as he waved to one of the bar maids, "drinks sprouts! My treat!" He said

"Well if it's on you."Quan-Li said setting his tea down with a grin as the other's happily cheered as the drinks went around as the guildmembers partied late into the night as Kita hiccuped in her drunkenness "Ya know...we never did really determine who was the best team when we were under Craven. Eitsu was such a nerd back then."she laughed "And Sonia was a bitch and Cali was an airhead and I was a tomboy, we were all so rough around the edges yet developed into such wonderful ladies"

"Yeah you were all strange, the boys were cool though"Quan-Li said as Yumeko laughed "Hardly, you were a weirdo quiet kid, Kenji was a nerd too, and Iroh was a dick and they were constantly fighting each other. I'm honestly surprised Craven had time to teach all of you."

"And Rosco was old...." Eitsu said, having since lost her ability for proper speech. "Hey! I ain't old, just well seasoned." He slurred.

"They're sloshed." Layla said from where she sat with Akihiko and the other dragon slayers. Though this wasn't all of the dragon slayers, it was nice to have them all in one place. Real dragons had a true sense of family in their own ways. But there was something about the Dragin Slayers that made that bind stronger. Layla figured that was how Natsu was able to forgive and bind with both Lacus and Gajeel after how they treated him. How Gajeel was able to become a better and kinder person in his own way, and how all of them had come to care and Love Wendy like a little sister whom they all wanted to keep safe. She felt the same was also true for Sting and Rogue from Saber Tooth, though they were from a different guild? Like Layla and Aki, they too were part of this select tribe of Slayers that had their own special way with each other.

"Yeahhh old. Hey you used to be on a team with my old man when Grandpa Iroh was the guild master back in the day right? What was the guild like in its prime?"Iroh asked curiously

"Yeah what else is new? That's all the adults ever do is drink"Akihiko said looking over at the members of Fairy Tail who had joined in the drunkness "I think that's just what adults do...i mean I know we are practically adults too. But we are a new generation, much more responsible"he said with a laugh tapping his foot

"A bit stricter. Your grandpa ran this place like he was building an army. But back in those days there was a lot more trouble from dark guilds."

"Yeah but still as destructive as the pure here." Gajeel teased before downing the rest of his drink

"Well that is true. Dark guilds used to wreak havoc on people" Kita said "Could you imagine living in a time before the Magic Council and the alliances?" she commmented tapping on her hips "People allowed to do whatever they want without consequences"

"Let us not forget it is because of those days we gave the council now." Eitsu said and pushed her glasses back up on her nose. "Laws are there to protect us as well as keep us in check. Without them it is chaos."

"Laws are also there to be broken."Kita said with a sly grin over to Eitsu "You're so bookish still Eitsu it's kinda endearing in a way."she said with a laugh "I wish I could have been around during those free times."

"It was really something to witness"came a softer female voice as the spirit of Aria Raven had somehow drifted over to their conversation "Magic flowed from almost every crevice of the world it felt like. It covered your entire being. Made you feel alive. The earth feels so depleted now."

"Cause' yes got them stuffy Council members bottelin' it all up. Not good if ye' ask me." Raso said as he finished his Cigarette, "Why do you say that?" Sonia asked, "Wouldnt better control over it be wiser? Safer?"
"Nah. It's like taken a wild animal and caging it. Looses its spark. It's Spirit." he said and took a drink of his own glass, "That, or worse. Gets angry. Violent. Feral. Wouldn't want to be in the saddle of somethin' ye cant control. then you gotta think...can you trust the person who controls that beast?"

"I fear that he is right on both of those counts."Aria Raven said "The source of magic is something deep inside the spirit of the earth itself. It is something that radiates through all life and all things that is stronger than we can ever fathom. It is so much so that even the celestial heavens feel its effects in their own way. It is harmonious with all things. And that was my life's purpose and why Raven's Nest was created. To protect the source of magic and all who use it. Magic is neither good nor evil, but the user and the way it can be used can be. Roscoe is right in asking can you trust the person in control of something so great. And that is why just like the Raven, we collect all manners of magic and return to the nest to nurture the creation. That is why we fight to protect that what is right in the world."she said truly inspiring to behold their first guildmaster passionately telling their story

Rosco and the others smiled a bit hearing their First Master speak. Her resonating with each of them and feeling them with Pride in their guild. "So no matter what happens, council or no, we do our best to defend and to represent this guild." Sonia said and raised to her glass, "To Ravens nest! To the first master and to Kenji."
"To the guild!" Rosco cheered and even Eitsu raised her tea in agreement.