Discord: discord .gg /eHuxNeZfyS [Come chat with me]
pat.reon: Keanu_Eugene [Read ahead & support me]
You.tube: @KeanuEugene [Giving away all my writing knowledge]
CHAPTER START---
"What's going on Gramps'?" Laxus asks as they walk into Master Makarov's office.
Oberon is one step behind him as they move to sit on the couch opposite the man.
"Only good news my boys. Today, you become real Guild Wizards!" Makarov proudly announces.
"You're letting me take a job?!" Laxus asks.
"Yes, but before we get to that," Makarov looks at Oberon. "How long have you been able to manipulate the Magic Formula for Light Barrier after casting the spell?"
"I figured it out while studying last night, why?"
Makarov strokes his chin as he stares at Oberon, wishing now more than ever that he could properly sense the boy's Magic Energy.
"You've surpassed my already great expectations, keep this up and you may very well reach the summit of Magic," Makarov says. "We'll discuss this more after you've grown some more."
"Thank you, Master," Oberon says.
"Now can you tell us about the other thing?" Laxus asks.
"Ah, yes, it's quite simple really," Makarov takes out the letter. "An old friend of mine has a farm two towns over. In Talonia, well, just outside the town really. And something has killed one of his cows and eaten it. He wants it gone. How you two get it to leave is up to you, so long as it isn't his problem anymore."
"That seems easy enough," Oberon says. "Is that far?"
"You should be able to get there before lunch," Makarov says, noticing Laxus isn't reacting. "In fact, why don't you head down to the bar and have Enno prepare some lunches for you two, searching the forest could take a while on this job, I need to talk to Laxus."
"Ok, I'll be downstairs," Oberon says as he leaves the room.
"I thought you said we were ready to become real Guild Wizards," Laxus says, frowning at his grandfather.
"Yes, and Guild Wizards take jobs from the Guild, which is what you're doing."
"Yeah, but you're sending both of us," Laxus looks away. "If you think I'm not ready just say that..."
Makarov sighs, "I'm not sending you together because of you, Laxus."
Laxus looks at his grandfather, surprised, "You're not?"
"I'm sending you with Oberon to help him, the boy has only ever been in his mountain village before he woke up in Era, at which point I brought him here. He's not used to traveling like we are, and will need someone to look out for him."
"Oh, so you're sending me to make sure he's alright?"
"Yes."
"And it's not because you think I need help?"
"To scare off a wolf or two," Makarov laughs. "You're a Dragon Slayer, what could a pair of wolves do to you?"
Hearing that Laxus smiles, "Yeah, you're right!"
"Of course I am, but Laxus," Makarov takes a more serious tone. "Both of you shall become exceptional Wizards, I expect you both to surpass me, and hopefully I'll be alive to see it. But, only one of you is expected to be Guild Master, only you, are being trained for that heavy burden. Is it still something you want?"
Laxus thinks about it for a moment, and a serious, determined expression forms on his face.
"Yes, I want to protect Fairy Tail."
Makarov smiles, "Protect Fairy Tail huh, well, that's part of it. But you will have powerful Wizards like Oberon and Gildarts at your side, with those two, I doubt Fairy Tail will rely on its master for strength."
Laxus looks a bit confused, "So, I don't have to be strong?"
"Oh no you must be strong, to earn the respect of the greater Wizard community, but what is more important is being a great teacher, a great leader. You must be strong, wise, firm, and gentle, all at once. It is a far more difficult task than simply being a powerful Wizard. And this Job is your first step toward that."
"It is, really?"
"Yes, even after so little time I can already tell, the bond you and Oberon share is strong. You push each other to get better, and help each other along the way. If that bond goes unbroken, nothing can stop you. If you wish to be Guild Master, having someone like that at your side will be all but essential, so while he must simply become stronger for his goal.
You, my beloved grandson, must become powerful, and a man, a leader, worthy of admiration from people just as powerful. Can you do that?"
Laxus goes silent for a while, recalling the hundreds of Wizards he's seen pay their respects to Makarov Dreyar, Wizard Saint, Guild Master of Fairy Tail.
And he feels like the shadow is a mountain that he can never summit.
"I don't know," he says in a scared, shaky voice, staring down at his lap.
Makarvo smiles and walks over to hug his grandson.
"That's the only correct answer," he says while hugging Laxus. "We do not decide if we are worth following, the people we wish to protect decide for us, that is one of the most important lessons a Guild Master must learn."
Laxus smiles, "Yeah Grandpa, you're right. I'll be sure to look out for him, I promise."
"I know you will, that is how I raised you after all, that is how Fairy Tail works, by caring for each other," Makarov smiles, proud of his grandson. "Now, how about you go get ready for your first official Job..."
Laxus's eyes widen, "My first real Job," he mutters in disbelief. "I'm going on a real Wizard Job!"
Makarov laughs with his grandson, celebrating his first real step toward becoming Guild Master.
---1 Hour Later, 9 AM...
"Are you sure you kids have everything?" Macao asks as Laxus and Oberon finish packing their bags.
"Yeah, we're ready," Oberon says before storing his bag in his second card, the first carrying his books.
Seeing Laxus do the same thing Wakaba can't help but nod, "Damn that's useful, hey Master, How much did you pay for one of those, can you get me the same deal?"
They look at the man sitting on the bar counter drinking his beer, and he simply shrugs, "I called in a favor the maker owed me, they normally cost a couple million each, but that's if you don't want the security and tracking features those have."
Wakaba rubs the back of his head, "Well, nothing wrong with my ole reliable travel pack anyway."
"I couldn't agree more," Macao says. "Maybe when I make it to S-Class I'll save up for one or two of those."
"How do you become S-Class anyway?" Oberon asks.
"Oh, you---" Macao begins explaining only to be interrupted by Master Makarov.
"Laxus can explain how the promotion process works on the train, which you'll miss if you don't head out now," Makarov says.
"Alright, see ya later Grandpa," Laxus says.
"We'll be back soon," Oberon says as he follows Laxus out the door.
Makarov, Macao, Wakaba, and Enno watch them leave with smiles on their faces.
"So, anyone else feeling old right now?" Macao asks.
"Always," Makarov says. "But watching new Wizards start their journey can certainly have that effect on you."
"Man, I tell ya," Wakaba takes out his pipe and begins smoking, "Everyone in Fairy Tail is capable, but those two? They're special. It's like I can just tell they'll change the world, and I can't help but just be happy that I get to see it."
Macao nods and drinks his beer, "Couldn't have said it better myself, hey Master, now that it's just us, how talented do you think those kids really are anyway?
"What exactly are you asking?" Makarov asks as Enno refills his mug.
"Those cards, teaching the new kid your own Light Magic, and Gildarts got drunk and started talking about how he can't wait for him to become S-Class too, so, how bright is our future?"
Enno and Wakaba look at Macao, then focus on Makarov, who is staring down into his mug, gently swirling the alcohol around as he thinks. Trying to find a way to quantify instinctual feelings to more common mages.
"Well, I do believe that everyone in Fairy Tail is special, each with a unique purpose and desire," Makarov looks around the guild hall at the dozens of Wizards, going about their own business. "But, if I had to put a number to it. I'd say...when comparing to the entire world, and not the wonderfully talented mages we have here.
You and Wakaba are better than most in the world, Wizards like you are one in one hundred, capable, and with enough hard work you can certainly grow much stronger."
Macao and Wakaba smile and clink their mugs together.
"Gildarts however, hmmm" Makarov rubs his chin. "His innate power and Magic are great, but he lacks the aptitude to learn and implement a wide variety of Magics, which greatly holds him back from all he could have been. Mages like him are one in, maybe one in ten thousand."
Macao chokes on his beer for a moment, "Seriously?"
"If you ever saw him go all out, you'd understand," Makarov chuckles.
"What about you?"
"Oh, me," Makarov smiles. "Well, not to pat myself on the back too much, but I'm not a Wizard Saint for nothing.
I spent my life making myself into what I believe to be the perfect image of a Wizard, well versed in dozens of Magics, capable of learning more, knowledgeable, and powerful. Even in my old age, I'd really make Gildarts work to get past me, and that's assuming he even could.
And thanks to my hard work and aptitude, I was able to learn Magics that I don't believe any Wizard can stand against."
"Those three spells," Macao says quietly.
Makarov nods.
"Yeah I'd imagine learning even one of those could take some people an entire lifetime, Gildarts said he never bothered to try learning them."
"That brute is no good at delicate applications of Magic, which means half of what makes Magic wonderful is forever out of his reach," Makarov says. "So, all things considered, I'd likely put myself at about...maybe one in fifty thousand."
"My gods," Enno mutters. "Are all Wizards Saints that powerful?"
"Oh no my dear, we aren't all created equal," Makarov says. "Wizard Saints must be powerful, but we also have to command respect in the greater Magic community. Some of them only have, or are simply only capable of using one Magic, unlike myself. And one of them doesn't even have any combat spells."
"So does that mean you're the strongest of them?" Wakaba asks.
"Hmm, if I fight for myself alone, for selfish reasons, then no, I'd say I'm 5th."
"But if you fought for Fairy Tail," Macao says. "So you could use those spells."
"Then, so long as I was able to cast the spell. One-on-one, I'd win..."
Wakaba whistles, amazed, "Makes me even move curious about seeing them now, especially since the Magic Council calls them the Ultimate Spells, if even they call them that it must be serious."
"Most of the world thinks they are no more than a children's story," Makarov says, looking around the guild to see everyone still going about their business. "I'd rather it remain that way, which is why unless Fairy Tail is in danger, they will never be used."
"That's for the best, yeah," Macao says. "So what about the kids?"
"Oh, that's quite easy really," Makarov says. "Laxus doesn't have my aptitude for Light Magic, but he more than makes up for it with Lightning, and everything else he has is much like me. However, he has more Magic Energy than I did when I was his age, much more in fact."
Macao and Wakaba share a somber look, which confuses Enno, but Makarov quickly moves the conversation along before she asks them anything.
"I'd say Laxus is, one in one hundred thousand, as expected of my dear grandson," Makarov laughs wildly, drawing some attention from others in the Guild Hall before they go back to their conversations.
"So the kids are that good huh," Wakaba can't help but smile. "Guess we're in good hands, huh Macao?"
"That doesn't mean we shouldn't try to pull our own weight, someone has to set an example after all."
"I figured Master Makarov and Gildarts had that part covered, but I guess you're right," Wakaba takes a big puff of his pipe.
"Well, I said Laxus is one in one hundred thousand, at least according to my estimates, which means even in Guilds that attract exceptional Wizards, he will stand out, but Oberon is an entirely different matter."
Wakaba and Macao look at Makarov with wide eyes, "you're saying he's even more rare?"
Makarov takes a big gulp of his beer, then laughs. "How the heck would I know? Kid is so much of a freak I've never even heard of anyone like him, if anything he's closer to the First Master than me, and she's only one of two wizards to exist at that level before..."
Makarov feels a warmth coming from the Fairy Tail Emblem on his chest, looking down slightly into his shirt to see it glowing.
'Is that why you're so fond of this boy Mavis, because he reminds you of yourself, or does he remind you of Zeref?' Makarov ponders as he continues drinking...
END CHAPTER---
Discord: discord .gg /eHuxNeZfyS [Come chat with me]
pat.reon: Keanu_Eugene [Read ahead & support me]
You.tube: @KeanuEugene [Giving away all my writing knowledge]