Gajeel sat on his porch looking out at his yard and the town's lights that mellowed through the horizon in it's faint symphony. He nibbled on the end of a long wound up strip of iron twisted at its center.

He sighed as he scratched his hair and heard the front door creak open. He listened to the quiet footsteps Levy carried as she made her way to Gajeel's side.

She lowered herself, squatting down until she let herself fall onto the edge of the porch to hang her own legs off the edge of the porch.

"It's beautiful out." She rubbed her hands against the warm mug within her hand. "It's a shame summer will me ending soon."

"We've still got time." Gajeel shrugged, breaking off a piece of the iron with his teeth before crunching on it.

"That's good." She rested her head against the shoulder of her husband, who did little in response, except allowing himself a faint smile.

The smile faded as Levy quickly lifted her head, pointing her hand out to see Laurie walking up the hill to their home.

He was panting, as as he reached the top of the hill, standing several yards before the front porch of the yard. He dropped his hands onto his knees, arching his back forward as his chest heaved. Levy stood up, scurrying towards Laurie as she dropped her hands on his back.

"Laurie! What happened?"

He panted, holding up his finger as though he were saying "one moment please".

Gajeel watched the view patiently, continuing to eat while Levy tried to assist her son.

"Sylvie..." He muttered in a heavy breath.

"What? Is she okay?!" Levy gasped, jumping to conclusions.

"She's pregnant..."

The small group grows silent quickly. Levy, not sure how to respond, removes her hands from her son's back and awkwardly shakes them in the air.

"Yay..." she croaked, hoping Laurie would perhaps lift his head happily, rather than let it hang as though his wife had died. Which is where he kept it, down looking at the ground.

"Laurie's here?"

Gajeel turned his head to see Pantherlily step out onto the porch.

"He knocked Gray's kid up." Gajeel sighed, crossing his arms over his chest as he watched his son faint on their lawn and Levy panic quickly.

Pantherlily looked in shock. "You're saying that Laurie will soon be a father!"

Gajeel shrugged.

"And you a grandfather?"

He turned his head to Gajeel, watching a tear run down his stoic face.

"Shut up..." he choked out.

"Hey looser."

"Sometimes I wonder if you even know my name..." Basil sighed on the other end.

Felicity crossed her arms, looking down at Zailo, who slept on her bare thigh.

"Never mind that, I was wondering if you made it to the archive?"

"Well, yeah. And they didn't really have anything to report missing."

"Really? Are you serious?" Felicity grumbled. She ran her fingers through her hair with a sigh, and turned looked down at Zailo.

"Who are you talking to?" Malcon asked, eating a snack Felicity had stowed away in her bag previously.

"This idiot from the council--"

"Hey, but there was a break in...of sorts."

"What?! You idiot! Open with that!"

"Gosh, you're annoying. It's just they think someone might have been around Washing Hour."

"During what now?"

"Well, there was severe weather occurring, and whenever that happens the entire archive goes on this sort of lock down where it transports all the items in the archive to a different area."

"What? How do they do that?"

"Magic, duh."

"So where did they go?"

"Well, they went outside of the town. Not too far, just far enough to be away from the dangerous weather."

"So...maybe they did actually steal it from that location. So the weather wasn't a distraction, it was to get the archive sent somewhere else. So they could steal it unnoticed."

"Well, I guess that'd make sense...but you don't have any facts to prove it."

"Shut up. Facts are stupid." Felicity hissed. "Are you still at the Archive?"

"Yeah."

"Look up a certain issue for me. It's from almost two years ago...it had an exclusive interview with all the Fairy Tail members. I want you to call me back and tell me who the people on the cover are."

"You do realize how vague that description is."

"Shut up. I can't remember the specifics!"

"Okay, stay safe."

Felicity looked around for a moment. "No promises."

She hung up, slipping the lacrima into her pocket as she felt Zailo roll his head lightly on her thigh.

"Malcon, I think he's waking up." Felicity stated, a bit anxiously.

Malcon lifted his head up, standing to look at Zailo stir.

"Zailo?" She called quietly. "Are you okay?"

He covered his eyes with his hands. "My head hurts..."

"Who are you talking to?"

"Felicity..."

She took in a breath with relief, then pressed her lips together as she looked back down.

"Felicity..." He mumbled. "Could you cover my head? The light hurts."

Felicity looked around, then slipped her jacket off her shoulders, leaving them bare and nude. She pulled the jacket over Zailo's head, shading him from the light.

"Pank You."

"Huh?"

He lifted the jacket a bit over his lips.

"Thank you." He repeated.

Felicity sighed as she rolled her head back into the trunk of a tree her back pressed against. "No problem."

"Felicity."

"Mhmm."

"You're really pretty."

Felicity blushes slightly.

"Um...thank you."

"I just wanted you to know I thought you were also pretty because you seemed a bit annoyed when I was going on and on about how freakishly beautiful I thought that one waitress was. I mean, her face was cute, but I think she was mainly just hot because of her knockers."

"Uh, okay."

"I mean, you're face is just gorgeous, it's angelic. You'd be a babe if you were a few inches taller and a few more sizes breast wise."

"Wow. These words are actually coming from your mouth."

"I mean, I'm not really all to attracted to you, I'm not a pedophile, but you're a very pretty girl. I just wouldn't bang you."

"Says the virgin."

"Wait--" Zailo lifted his head quickly. "How'd you know that?!"

"It was a guess, but that just confirmed it." Felicity gave a malicious smirk as Malcon snickered beside her.

Zailo fell back onto Felicity's thigh. Huffing slowly as he pulled the jacket back over his head.

"You seem to be back to normal?"

"What, was I acting strange?"

"Yeah, you were calling Felicity the wrong name." Malcon added.

Zailo pinched the fabric of the jacket and lifts it over his head.

"What was I calling her?"

Feleicity scrunched up her face just a bit. "You thought I was your sister."

"But my sister isn't a flat chested yandere."

"I'm a what now?"

"Never mind that." He drops the jacket back onto his face with a sigh before breathing in the fabric. "I don't remember doing any of that."

"Wonder what caused it."

"Hmmm."

The three tense up as the hear the deep unfamiliar voice.

"Malcon." Felicity mumbled. "Please tell me that was you."

"I don't sound like Liam Neeson." Malcon retorted nervously.

"Talking blue cat references actor that does not exist in this universe."

"Oh my gosh! It's scaring me!" Malcon cried, grabbing onto Felicity's arm.

"Crap! What the heck is going on?" Felicity wrapped her arms around Zailo's head, looking for security, but simply strangling Zailo in the end.

"Strangles companion from anxiety."

"Huh?" Felicity looks down to see Zailo kicking and flailing his arms up just a bit. She releases him with haste, as he pulls his head up in a struggled groan.

"Gee Felicity, you sure know how to give a death choke."

"I--I didn't mean to!"

"Easily distracted, off topic as is."

"HEY! Who's there?!" Malcon puffed angrily.

A slim man dropped seemingly out of the sky, landing just an inch from Felicity's foot. He had wild hair that slipping to his eyes, a slim body that towered over the group in an aching manner. Looking down at them like ants crawling across his path.

"Good evening."

"Its...11:30." Felicity muttered.

"Oh." He scribbles down into the notepad firmly placed in his hand before dropping his arms back down and looking back to Felicity.

"Goodbye."

"Are...are you trying to give greetings?"

"Yes, what else would I be doing?"

"Because you just said goodbye...as though you were leaving."

"Oh." He pulled his notepad up, returning it to its former position as he scribbled down into it. As he dropped it, he cleared his throat.

"**** you."

"Okay, repeat after me." Felicity lifted her hand into the air, so her palm was about as high as her head. "Hello."

"Sup."

"Hello."

"Digity Do."

"Hello."

"Hasta la vista, baby."

"Screw off."

"Screw off."

Felicity sighs as she drops her face into the palm of her hand, rubbing her temple with her thumb as she glanced up to find the stranger once again scribbling thoroughly into his notepad.

"Okay, let's just pretend that worked as a greeting. Now for introductions."

The man grinned as he cleared his throat.

"Envy, of the Seven Deadly Sins."

Felicity stands up quickly, allowing herself to be at the very least tall enough to look directly at Envy's chest. "Felicity, of Fairy Tail."

"Uses...alliteration." Envy wrote diligently.

"Shut up. That was just coincidental. I didn't realize there was alliteration until I said it out loud."

"Denies everything."

"No I don't!"

"Vigorously."

"Shut up."

"Repetitive language."

"You do say shut up a lot, Felicity..." Malcon confessed from below.

"That's because he doesn't listen..." She growled pulling her hand up to her headsets, as though they were a weapon and she were preparing herself for a showdown.

"Is very short."

"Screw off."

"Has a limited number of insults."

"I will cut you."

He sighs as he snaps his finger. His image soon fades, and Malcon gives a holler in response to the sudden disappearance.

"No! It's a ghost!" Malcon cried.

"No, that wasn't a ghost." Zailo stated, pulling himself to his feet. He stretches his hand out, and his zangetsu flashes into existence.

"Wait..." Felicity drew her hand up, "I think that was Afterimage!"

"The girl knows her magic." Envy hummed from above, watching from the shallow canopy of trees above the three.

"Afterimage? What kind of magic is that?" Malcon muttered nervously as he backed quietly into the tree.

"Memory-Make." Felicity said firmly, her eyes giving a serious glare.

"What--that's some pretty intense stuff!" Zailo gasped.

"Indeed." Envy reappeared on the earth, slipping his notepad into his back pocket. "I'm happy to impress and happy to study. However, I do wish to experience something."

Felicity and Zailo glance at each other, and suddenly, an electric shock blasts down and sends Zailo and Malcon flying away from Felicity and Envy.

Felicity cried out to her companion, but found a hand around her waist, thrusting her downward onto the earth.

As she fell onto her bottom side, she shut her eyes as a quick reaction to the assault. When she opened them, she looked to see Envy resting his head on her bare thigh, recording notes vigorously into his notepad as he did so.

"Interesting. The fatty thigh demonstrates a lovely mushy pillow for one's head." He said, nodding to himself.

"What the--get off me!!" Felicity thrust her leg upward, watching Envy's image fade out of existence. She jerked her head to search for Zailo and call for his aid. "Zailo! Are you--"

She looked to see him flat on his face in a solid defeat.

"You idiot! We haven't even started the fight--"

"Fight?" Envy smirked to himself, standing solidly on a branch several feet above Felicity's head. "What makes you fools think you're worthy of a fight with me, you wouldn't last a moment."

Felicity twirled around with a smirk tugging at her closed lips. Her finger shot up like a dagger as her opposing hand placed itself on her lip she cocked out pridefully.

"Au contraire." She hummed with a cocky grin. "I've got a trump card, Envy."

"Has...trump card..." he scribbled into his notepad.

She slipped her fingers around the right stereo of her headset and placed it snug around her ear so the rubber cushion hugged her ear. "You don't know what kind of magic I use."

Envy's stoic face broke after a few silent moments, and his lips curled into a cocky smile and he bellowed in laughter.

Felicity groaned lightly as she fully slipped on her head sets and pressed on the play button to listen to the music blare into her stereos beside each of her ears.

https://youtu.be/USfoTGFGARE

She looked her opponent dead in the eye, still wearing a confident smile as she tapped her foot along to the music. As her eyes pierced Envy, he slowly began to realize that her confidence was not a show.

He crossed his arms, and his image faded. His real body quickly attacked, a powerful energy burning with in his palm, Felicity swung her self, and her leg, around, slapping her foot against Envy's jaw as she spit out an intense lightning from her feet.

The energy slithered out of her leg and shot Envy back 3 feet.

Her foot returned to the ground, the boot digging lightly into the ground as she tightened her fists with a smirk.

Envy stood up, attempting to maintain confidence. He brushed the dust off his shoulder casually.

"A good hit, but as a Memory-Make caster I can easily use that same spell against you."

Felicity's smile widened as she shined her teeth to Envy.

"Those won't work too well, honey." Felicity said, drawing her arms from their offensive stance and placing them on her hips. "I've got tons of other forms of magic, so you'll just have to try and keep up.

Envy glanced at Walkman at her hip.

"What's that device you're carrying?"

"MAGIC MIX TAPE!" Zailo chanted on the sidelines, being fanned by Malcon.

"No! It's a regular Walkman." Felicity huffed. "Seriously, it's nothing special. Just touch it and I'll cut your finger off."

"Not special at all." Malcon hummed, sighing as he wiped his brow, breaking a sweat.

"It's sentimental, shut up." Felicity hissed. "But I do use it for my magic."

"Wait, what magic do you use?" Malcon asked quizzically as he sat beside Zailo, he glanced to Zai who simply shrugged in response, not knowing either.

"Guys, you seriously haven't figured it out yet?" Felicity huffed, irritation climbing through her voice.

Zailo and Malcon shake their heads.

"Guys, I use Memory-Make!"

They look in utter shock, not having expected such a response.

"B-but--that's really difficult magic! And requires lots of skill!" Malcon spat.

"Yeah! And you're lazy and junk!" Zailo retorted.

She furrowed her eyebrows, crossing her arms as she looked over at Envy with an annoyed expression worn across her face.

"Ah..." Envy gave a smirk. "That explains your confidence. You think that the two of us sharing a magic makes us equals."

Felicity shrugged her shoulders as she pulled her arms back. "Not that, I actually consider myself your superior."

Envy's face remained stoic, showing little amusement.

"We'll see."

Laurie held the tip of the bottle between his lips, his head cocked back as the cold liquid slipped down his throat. He chugged the whole thing without a breath, only to drop the bottle and grab another. It had been like this for ten minutes, whereas the last thing Laurie had said to anyone was "she's pregnant" before he ran into the kitchen and pulled every bottle within the small fridge out to drink one at a time.

He was almost out.

"Laurie, this is ridiculous." Levy huffed, snatching the bottle from her son's lips. "Honestly, you're as bad as your dad."

Laurie coughed lightly, showing his own arm with his spit as he looked to his mother in disbelief.

"Mom--the..." He pulls his hands over his eyes, his fingers massaging his temples as he huffed out a sigh, aggression setting a low tone in his voice. "I can't be a dad, I love Sylvie, and she'll be a great mother but not me."

"Are you saying you don't think you'll be a good mother." Levy snickered, pinching Laurie's cheek lightly, leading to him retracting his hands from his face.

"You know what I mean." He said, swiping his arm to release himself from his mother's grip. "I can't be a dad. I'm gonna screw myself over, I just know it. I'll screw up somehow..."

He let out a low groan as he lunged his upper body forward, dropping his face into his palm.

Pantherlily stood up from his own seat, kneeling down in front of Laurie.

"Laurie, you are a father, and you can't change that. You've got a take responsibility--"

Lily is quickly silenced as Gajeel snatches his own son by the head, wrapping his large hand around the top of Laurie's head and jerking it off the couch he sat on.

"Come on, let's have a chat. Man to man." Gajeel huffed, drawing his fingers back and forth to summon his son.

Laurie rubbed his ruffled hair, trying to set it back into it's original state. He watched his father walk out of the house, settling down on the porch. He glanced at his mom, who nudged her shoulders lightly, as though to say: "Just go already! You need to bond!"

He stood up from the couch, walking out the door briskly and shutting it behind him. Gajeel sat with his long legs draped over the wooden porch. He looked out into the horizon to see the sun had set, and felt it all to be perhaps ironic.

Laurie sat down beside him, settling his hands in between his parted legs as he looked straight forward, not turning to look at his father.

"I know what you're afraid of." Gajeel huffed out. He propped his chin up into the palm of his hand as he structured his elbow on his knee. "You're afraid your kid will hate you, right?"

Laurie looked to Gajeel, a bit confused.

"You think he's gonna feel like you're some kind of enemy, or threat, or maybe not even a father at all. Right--"

"No."

Gajeel grunted quietly, surprised by the quick and confident response. "What?! Really? Then what is it?"

"I'm kinda scared I'll hate my kid." Laurie sighed, ashamed of his statement. "I mean, now...I can't imagine hating my kid. I mean, it's got half of Sylvie, the worst that could happen is it'll inherit her stripping problem...which would be bad if I have a girl...oh boy."

"How could you possibly hate your kid?" Gajeel snarled. "You think any sound minded parent would be disappointed by what happens on delivery day?!"

Laurie pressed his lip gently into the palm of his hand, diverting his eyes so they looked to his feet.

"Were you?"

Gajeel turned his head bravely to his son, who continued to look out into the sky with a stoic expression, unchanged despite the intensity of the question.

It was always unspoken, all these questions the two stubborn fools kept inside their heads. Assuming the other hated each other. It was like a cycle.

The day Gajeel woke up beside his wife in Pride, she cried to him. "Our son, they can't find him, where could he be." She span around all anxious, nervous, feeling like some failure. Her son was always running off somewhere, and it wasn't her fault. Still, she seemed to suffer more than anyone.

Ezzie brought them to ease, explaining how he went to find and save Sylvie, and that when he and her had returned together, they asked her to tell their parents they're sorry, but they've got something to do.

The two married the next day. Through all the chaos, they got on a train, then onto a boat, and there at sea they married. They came back, Gray ready to rip the spine right out Laurie's body.

Gajeel was a little jealous, if only he'd allowed himself to be so impatient with Levy, perhaps they could have settled down so much sooner. Maybe a bit proud, and a bit angry he'd been so foolish. He's got the head of his mother, but the heart of his father, perhaps that's how it was.

"When you were born," Gajeel began quietly, clearing his voice as it suddenly broke the silence, "I was terrified. I kinda freaked out like you when Levy first told me she was pregnant with you, I kinda felt all gross and sick. I was terrified of being a dad."

"Sorry..." Laurie huffed, feeling as though he'd already caused this great damage on his father just from his mere beginnings in existence.

"I was scared you'd hate me." Gajeel sighed. "Or maybe be scared of me, or something like that." He chuckled lightly as he crossed his arms over his chest. "But when I held you, you just sat there in my arms all nonchalantly, like it was no big deal."

Laurie pulled his head up, looking to his father.

"It was a really big deal to me." Gajeel smiled to himself quietly. "And I didn't really care if you hated me or not, I couldn't imagine what you'd grow up to be, it was irritably unpredictable. I just knew you'd be pretty great."

Laurie sat there, struck by the realization of what his father was saying.

"Hey dad."

Gajeel shrugged his stiff shoulders lightly as he turned his head quickly with a pouted lip and furrowed eyebrows...or the spikes her pretended where eyebrows. Laurie smiled at him with a laugh, his pointed teeth showing.

"I love you too, okay?"

Gajeel grunted, almost wanting to deny having ever made such a claim. However, the father and son were soon silenced by the shivering shout of Gray as he marched up the hill.

"Sylvie just called!!" Gray huffed, sweat on his brow from his run here. He was shirtless, likely to have stripped from stress during his journey. "Not only do you marry my daughter without my permission--but you go ahead and run for the hills when you find out she's pregnant?!?"

"Oh crap." Laurie muttered lowly as Gajeel stood up swiftly.

"Hey! Wanna beat my son down, you'll have to go through--"

Gajeel is blown into his own home with haste by the hand of Gray's ice canon.

Levy was inside their home, very distraught by the new hole created in her home.

Levy grumbled lowly as she squatted swim beside Gajeel. "Can't you two just have a simple conversation without--"

Laurie comes crashing into the home himself, through a separate hole this time, ending Levy's argument as she came to realize that the fight wasn't between father and son.

It was between father-in-law and son.

"Sorry mom, I'll fix it later." Laurie coughed, rolling off his stomach. "If I live long enough for it to be later..."

Laurie hopped up onto his feet, sprinting through the house and out the backdoor.

Levy sprung up, stepping cautiously over the rubble of her front door and looked out past the porch to see Laurie running at a wicked speed, with Gray chasing him like a maniac.

Liddan looked at the veil that hung gracefully before her foes eyes. He felt almost awkward being forced to look upon the veil rather than the actual girl's face, feeling like what he was looking at was rather empty.

"Come on, take it off...please?" Liddan pleaded childishly.

"No." Pride hissed.

"But I feel like I'm talking to a curtain."

Pride clicked her tongue in annoyance, swiping her hand forward as her fingers dragged across the air before her, striking a quiet and unnoticed breeze.

Vines spin out of the earth, wrapping around Liddan's ankles tightly as they continued to slither up and around his leg.

"Oh right..." He sighed in a tone that could only show disappointment, "you're a plant mage..."

"Shut up! Plant mages are awesome!" Pride huffed, shaking her finger at Liddan angrily. "Why does everyone underestimate plant mages? They're awesome in fights...they make great landscapers...wonderful farmers."

"I feel like for someone named 'Pride', you're really self conscious..." Liddan mumbled.

"Lugi!" Lugi agree, nodding her head as the vines continued to wrap around her, lifting her high above the ground.

Liddan scrunched up his face slightly in irritation his current scenario. Giving a huff, he slept out a massive flame that ghosted over every inch of his skin, only to feel the vines grip tighter around his able body.

"You think I'd let you get away with that? I've adapted since our last meeting."

Liddan looked down at the twisting vines, and felt them slap against his skin roughly as they strethced his legs apart.

In a quick and loud tear, the garments on his body were all roughly torn off his body. In just a short moment, Liddan found he was naked before the eyes of his own enemy.

"LUGI?!?" Lugi blushed, squeezing her eyes anxiously. "LUGI LUGI LUGI LUGI LUGI LUGI LUGI!!"

Pride chuckled in a sinister tone, her arms crossing over her chest as her hand disappeared behind her veil. "They don't call me 'pride' for no reason."

"Really?" Liddan hummed. "Because I thought it was because your ego was the size of the planet--"

"No!" Pride hissed. "They call me pride because I know how to suck it right out of a man."

Liddan furrowed his eyebrows, glancing at Lugi as they locked eyes.

"I'm sorry...that just sounded very wrong..."

"Lugi..." The cat of fair size agreed with the quick nod of her head.

Pride clicked her tongue, flicking her wrist as the vines spread Liddan's legs apart.

"Ha, I doubt you'll maintain that smile for long..." Pride hummed, crossing her legs over the other as she sat down gracefully on her own winding vine.

However, the cocky voice Pride sold so boldly seemed so shallow and skim. As though, behind that veil, she was hiding something.

She was a good meter or so away from him.

He squinted as he looked over towards her, trying to peer through the thin layer of satin that sat between him and her face.

He sucked in a breath, then puffed out a small blast of fire from his lips.

The flame was much less of an attack, and more of a way to spit fire onto the veil so it would begin to burn off, or she'd take it off herself.

As the veil caught aflame, she swiped her hand forward, tossing the blazing veil to the ground as she stomped on it roughly to put it out.

Liddan looked upon the face of he fair skinned beauty, watching her green eyes and stout lip pucker.

Her cheeks were flushed red as she quickly pulled her hands above her face.

"Still don't want to show your face."

"Y-you're not worthy!!" She stuttered out in a faded version of her initial pride.

He looked to see her thin fingers cupping over most her eyes, exposing her pink quivering lip.

"You liar, you're just covering your eyes."

"O--of course not!"

"Liar..."

"My pure face c-can't be exposed to s-such insolent--"

"What are ya, a virgin?"

"Excuse me?!"

"If you don't want to see me naked, then why'd you and take my clothes?"

Pride pulled her face away shamefully. "The tactic works when I have the veil...because they can't see that my eyes are shut."

Liddan's lips curled into a smile, specifically a cold and bitter smirk. "Ho ho..."

He cocked his head back, so he faces the tangled up Lugi. "Lugi! Human form! Now!"

"Lugi!" She nodded, and with a puff, Lugi transformed into her human self, stretching the vines as he body grew in size.

"What in heavens--" Pride bites down hard on her lip. Screeching quietly as she watched Lugi not only break free from her crippling vines, but strip naked before her.

"Good job Lugi!" Liddan nodded, giving a thumbs up.

"Make a little girl strip like that!" Pride huffed. "How dare you!"

"Come on! Sick em' Lugi!" Liddan hummed with a sinister grin.

Lugi gave a salute as Pride quietly sobbed covering her eyes. While Pride had bent down, Lugi thrusts her foot into the back of Pride's skull.

"Lugi kick!" She proclaimed as she defeated her enemy.

"Been hanging out with my mom too much..." Liddan muttered quietly.

Pride feel face first into in ground upon defeat, and as her energy was swept away from her, the strength in her vines depleted, allowing Liddan a swift escape.

As he looked to see Pride, hiding her face in the filth of the earth as Lugi stood beside her.

Her arms crossed over her head, in a meek and protective stance, hiding her face desperately, protecting it from even a dash of sunlight.

Liddan knelt down, his hand wrapping around the back of her neck gently. His fingers lugged lightly on the strands of long violet hair, then curled around the back of her head, touching her cheek with the tips of his fingers.

"It's not a matter of pride." Liddan stated, his hands pulling her head up slowly, forcing her to raise her head up.

"It's not even a matter of beauty."

Her face turned away from his, her tearful eyes shut loosely, willing to open if you were to ask politely.

"It's just a matter of vulnerability. Isn't that right?"

His hand sank down to her chin, his fingers curling around it as his hand pulled her head to face his own. Her eyes opened, looking up at her in a sad somber way, just like they did before.

He looked upon her beautiful face, watching every scar that torn into her skin corrupt her beauty.

They curled around her eyes, her nose, and even her lips. Boldly shining on her pale skin.

"I've got vulnerabilities too." Liddan stated with a faint smile. He brought his left hand to his right shoulder, and unbuckled the false arm, letting it fall to the ground.

At that moment, Liddan took the small slim hand of Pride, and placed it on the stud of an arm that ended below his shoulder.

The scar present was deep, corrupting the skin.

"But it doesn't stop me." Liddan shrugged.

Pride combing her fingers over the scar, looking at it shamefully as she shut her eyes.

"Please put some clothes on..." She sobbed.

"They're torn to bits." Liddan grumbled with a pouted lip.

"Lugi." The girl, once again a cat, hissed.

"Geh..." Pride muttered.

"Hey, there you are Pride!"

The three look up to see the cheerful face of Reo, sucking on a Popsicle with ease. He stood above, sitting lazily on a tree branch.

"Greed?! What are you--" pride quickly threw her hands over her face. "Reo! Get me out!"

"Wait--" He disappeared, reappearing behind Liddan. "You called me by my name?"

"What--" Pride hissed quietly. "You're right...I did. Sorry."

Liddan was still recovering from Reo's spontaneous appearance. He disappeared, reappearing just beside Pride where he picked her up into his arms swiftly.

"You--you're the one from the train! Are you some kind of teleporter?!"

"Yup!" Reo hummed, snatching Pride away. "If I disappear! Just check your rear!"

In the blink of an eye, the man was gone. Liddan jerked his head around, as did Lugi.

"I like this arm." Reo hummed. Liddan jerked his head around to see his arm being held in the hands of Reo. "I'll take it."

He disappears in a flash, Liddan quickly diving after him, only to land face first in the dirt.

"Lugi..." She said with concern.

"I know..." Liddan pulled his head up. "I was soft."

16 years ago.

"Okay dad! Do it! Do it!"

"Gotta put the alcohol on first, shrimp." Gajeel laughed quietly to himself, as he pulled his son's short blue hair past his ear, rubbing alcohol onto it.

"I can't believe you're doing this behind Levy's back." Pantherlily hissed.

"Relax, he wants to do it, I'll let him do it." Gajeel smirked.

"But he's only a child--"

Pantherlily winces as Gajeel's large fingers wrap tightly around the head of Lily, pulling him off his seat on the arm of the couch, and into the lap of Laurie.

"Squeeze onto Lily when I do it. 'Kay?"

"What--no! I'm not a stuffed animal!!" Lily grunted as he felt Laurie wrap his arms around him.

"Okay! Do it!" Laurie said, squeezing his eyes shut.

Gajeel pressed his thump against his son's ear. And biting down o to his own lip as he quickly inserted the iron into his ear.

He expected a cry, or a wince of some kind. However, his son remained silent.

"How was that?"

"G-great..."

Gajeel bent his head forward, leaning over his Laurie's shoulders as he looked to see him biting down hard into his lip, and squeezing the life out of Pantherlily.

"Wha--hey! Don't kill Lily!" Gajee pried Laurie's hands off Lily, allowing him to breathe again.

"Nothin wrong with given a cry or anything. It hurts, so it's okay to show it." Gajeel laughed, messing with Laurie's hair.

"Yeah, but it really wasn't all that bad." Laurie hummed. "I mean, I want to get piercings everywhere! My nose! My arms! My--"

Laurie felt a rough strike of pain as Gajeel put another bit of iron through his ear. "Let's stick with the ears for now."

"Ya could warn me first..." Laurie grumbled quietly.

Gajeel smiled, as he pat his son's shoulder.

"You think Sylvie would like them?"

Another piercing dives into Laurie's ear.

"What?! You're too young to like girls!"

"Dad!!"

"No way! Especially not with that stripper's kid either!"

"What! Dad! We're just friends!"

"Yeah! That's what they all say. Soon you'll have pregnant and--"

"GAJEEL!!"

The two turn their heads to Levy, who stood at the door with fire in her eyes.

"What do you think you're doing?! Let alone saying?!? And why is Lily passed out on the sofa?!"

Laurie looks up to his father, seeing his bitter and terrorized expression.

Gajeel picks Laurie up from under his arms, plucking him from his seat on the sofa as he began to run like a mad man from his short, 75 pound wife with his son in his arms.

Present Day.

Felicity looked down at Envy, who laid before her in defeat.

She sighed as she pulled her headsets off her ears.

"I guess I'm just a little lazy." She said. She turned her head. Looked around to find she had left Zailo and Malcon from their initial point. "Gee, we went out a little far."

"You can't keep hiding her." Envy hummed with a smirk. "We'll find her, that little girl of your's. And then we'll take her to Wrath."

Felicity scowled down at the defeated demon, crossing her arms over her chest. "I don't know who it is your talking about, but don't expect to be successful." 

Felicity lifted her head up, looking around in the quaint woods and listening to them whistle.

"Felicity!" 

She turned her head to see the small blue cat flying towards her. She hopped over the exhausted body of Envy, and stepping towards Malcon. 

"Malcon, what's wrong?" Felicity crossed her arms over her small chest. "Where's Zailo?"

"He went unconscious!" Malcon proclaimed in a nervous banter. "He started panting and mumbling all this junk, then blacked out right in front of me."

"So you just left him there..." 

Malcon froze, realizing his mistake. "I'm sorry...I thought the best thing was to get you..."

Felicity takes a step, her hand wrapping around the tail of the exceed as she tugged him down roughly into her arms and began to run.

"Come on! Were in the middle of the woods with a bunch of crazy people! There's no way we're leaving him all alone!" 

"What?--Wait! What about that guy?" Malcon pointed to the partially unconscious man lying a growing distance from them.

"Zailo is more important!" Felicity said firmly. 

"So one might say..." Malcon cleared his voice in a serious manner. "You liiiiike him."

"I will drop kick you." 

"I'm sorry..."

Sylvie pressed her knees together as she spoke into the small lacrima that shared a space between her red ears and quivering lip.

"Mom." She stated, curling her fingers around the edge of her skirt. "Of course I'm surprised...it wasn't as thought Laurie and I were trying." 

She pressed her lips together as she listened to her mother talk.

"No, I was happy, I want to be a mother with Laurie...I was just worried he didn't want the sa--" 

The door opened, then slammed shut quickly. 

Sylvie gasped, her lips parting as she looked past the dark room to see Laurie venture inside their apartment. 

"Mom...I'll see you later. He's back." She quickly hung up, dropping the lacrima into her lap, her hands crossing over it as she sat patiently, waiting for some kind of movement from her husband.

He just looked at her, with these sad eyes and a heavy breath.

"Laurie..." She stated with her head bowed. "If you're mad...I can understand. I'm sorry I hadn't told you immediately. I was just in so much shock so I didn't want to tell you right then and there. However...I'm no fool and I know that's far from the reason you ran. And Laurie...if you don't want to be a father, then I'm sorry. But I want to have this child and that is final--"

As Laurie fell forward, his body pushed Sylvie onto the bed, his arms wrapping protectively around her cold body, his fingers brushing through her hair as she smelled the scent of sweat in his own. 

"I'm sorry...I'm so sorry." Laurie sobbed, his lips smacking against her neck with such a desperate affection. "I'm sorry..."

Sylvie took a breath as she set her hand on Laurie's head.

"Why'd you run?" 

"I'd be a terrible dad..."

"No you wouldn't."

"I'm just like my dad..." 

"Yes. It's hilarious really..." Sylvie squeezed her arms around Laurie tightly, a smile tugging on her lips. "You've always thought he hated you because you were different...but really you're both the same..."

Her hands glided over his neck, wrapping gently around his cheeks as he pulled his face up, leaving them inches apart. "You'll do wonderful. We'll figure it out together. I promise."

She looked up at his wet eyes, and kissed his lip kindly. "You'll be spectacular." 

Lillian placed her hand gently on the doorknob of Molly's door. She turned in silently, cracking the door open as light leaked into the quaint room. She peaked inside, watching Molly sleep soundly in her bed.

She smiled and shut the door, walking down the short hall into her own room. She slipped inside quietly as she combed her fingers through her hair with a grin, pulling out the braid in her hair.

The long strands of blonde hair fell into her face as she hummed quietly and set the hair tie she held it back with onto her nightstand as she sat upon the edge of her bed. 

Her head arose to the soft sound of tapping, and she turned to her window, finding a figure peering inside, his finger tapping consistently against the glass.

She jumped to her feet as she looked at the familiar face smiling at her.

"Justin!" She stumbled towards the window, thrusting her arms back to pull the window open. Her hands wrapped around his collar, pulling him into the room and into a welcoming embrace.

"Hey Lilly-bug." He chuckled as he pat her back gently. "Good to see you're still kickin'."

"I've been looking for you." Lillian pulled away. "After you left, I was so worried! Is Andrew okay?"

"Achilles...I guess regarding his life...it's no longer in danger." Aloke smiled, patting Lillian's head as his fingers gently ghosted over her long blonde locks. "Well...he's actually kind of the reason I'm here..."

Lillian tilted her head lightly. "What's the matter?" 

His hands wrapped tightly around her shoulders. 

"Do you find it odd?" Aloke lowered his head, his tone merging into something darker and far more serious. "Your father...he became ill a year before he passed...and had been in the hospital since he first collapsed."

Lillian nodded her head faintly. "Yes...what of it?"

"Molly was born a month after his death..." Aloke lowered his head, tilting it lightly so his eyes wouldn't dare faze over her own. "How could your mother have become pregnant while her husband was on his deathbed in the hospital?" 

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Hello...I feel like this chapter is so short...but I want my chapters to shorter, because I feel like my updates are beginning to grow so far apart! It's not fair to have you guys have to wait a month to read the next chapter!!

So share your opinion, would you rather have long chapters that come out with a larger distance between them, or would you want shorter chapters with less of a wait. 

This chapter is only around 6800 words, which is REALLY short compared to other chapters. My max ever is over 30000 words...it was like 200 pages.

That single chapter was half of a novel. 

Think about that.

I need to start making shorter chapters. 

Any who, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Notice how I got so lazy I didn't even write out the fight between Envy and Felicity...I just was like "nah man. Memory make is just...guh." 

Speaking of which, were any of you surprised by Felicity's magic? Did any of you at the slightest expect it to be memory magic? Well, if you're confused, she'll explain further as to how her Magic Mix Tape (as Zailo calls it) works with her magic.

And, and what the hambone is with Zailo? 

AND PRIDE!! Who's she!?

Ha...I already know all the answers. I'm just being a jerk face to you guys.

No seriously, I really love hearing your theories and opinions. I swear, sometimes you guys guess it, and I'm like "Ohhhh...good job" but I can't say anything because spoilers. 

SO please share your thoughts, and if you liked this chapter, vote for it. But if you didn't, if you press the vote button it will send me a message that explains to me how you didn't like it and stuff. And I'll be sad. And if you didn't like this chapter than I'm sure you'd like me to be sad. So yeah.

See you guys next chapter, and thank you for reading. 

-Katie The Terrible