[IC] Tsubasa and Black Ninja: Fairy Tail: Next Generation

[tsubasa]

Zelia looked at Trex and smiled, "I will. I promise."
She walked through the guild and managed to find Levi. She smiled at the girl, "Levi, have you seen Gajeel?"
The blue haired girl nodded and stood, "I think he should still be in the arena, training. I can come with if you want."
Zelia shrugged, "The more the merrier. We are asking about an Exceed, that's lost its Dragon Slayer."
Levi frowned, "Poor thing."
It didn't take them long to convince Gajeel to come and help them. He may be a scary man, but he had a soft spot for the Exceed. They went back to the bar area to find Bodo explaining what brought him to Fairy Tail with them.
Bodo shook his head and Natsu, "No... I've lost my Gyastu and Trex saved me... He said he'd help me find my Dragon Slayer, so that I won't be alone," He hugged Trex's leg. Zelia covered her smile as she looked at the two of them and walked over to the group, "We were hoping you guys might know something about Gyastu... Some hints to where we can find... Gyatsu."
~~~~
Flynn looked at Skye wide eyed as she explained that she knew were to look. He grinned at her, "Really?!"
He listened to her as she explained and asked if they should head home and grab the others. He pursed his lips, "It would dangerous to go alone... We could run into the Caelum wizards and I don't feel like being outnumbered by them any more than we already are... But Trex and Zelia are taking the horses to Trex's... His parents are going to want them to visit and I'm sure Zelia with oblige... I say we stay we head back and see if we can find out anything on this tree in the Fairy Tail library... It is clearly something magical... So, the library ought to have something... Right?"

[Black Ninja]

Trex repressed a groan as the exceed clutched to his leg. Great. Now he looked ridiculous. He could already hear the teasing coming from it. Thankfully, those right there were either to busy talking discussing the new dragon slayer or were to polite to say anything.

"Gyatsu." Natsu frowned thoughtfully. The name did not ring a bell to him. He shook his head. "Nope, not familiar with him." He declared. "What kind of dragon slayer magic does he use?" He inquired excitedly. They already had wind, iron, and fire. And if you included Laxus' power lightning. "Is he natural or second generation?" He inquired referring to if the wizard was trained by a dragon or had a lacrama implanted in him.

"That's not important." Gajeel replied cutting in. "The question is what kind of cowardly Dragon slayer will leave behind his kitty cat?" He demanded, seeing the injustice at this.
Apparently Bodo, despite the fact he had been left behind, was not pleased with the question. Finding off the verbal attack, Gajeel raised his hands in surrender. "Sorry." He declared. "No offense was intended."

"But seriously, why were you left behind?" Carla inquired curious. She had no clue what would happen if Wendy left her behind. The thought alone terrified her.

"We don't know." Trex declared. "That's why we are searching for Gyatsu." He informed them. "Once we find the dragon slayer we can get some answers." He looked at the various dragon slayers. "So none of you know the whereabouts or even heard of this guy?" He inquired.

They shook their heads. "Sorry." Wendy said frowning, a bit upset that she couldn't help. Though she was no longer a child, she still was young and very tenderhearted.
~~~~~
Listening to Flynn's reply, Skye nodded. It sounded like a good plan for her. And it would probably be quicker than trying to find a vague reference in the enormous library. Though a large library had a lot of benefits, to large made it difficult to find anything. Though large, the Fairy Tail library was not that big comparatively and would probably still have some information regarding it. "I guess we should head back then." She stated rising.

Technically, her work at the Great Library was complete. She had found what she was looking for. Well, confirmed her fear. Now there was nothing to do but head back. "Should we acquist a wagon?" She inquired. Though she did not mind walking and had done so for most of her life, a wagon was faster. And when it came to the Fairy Tail wizards, they seemed to think that speed was more essential than walking. Which made sense when one had money to pay for it. She did admit it was nice getting from town to town within the day instead of having to spend several days on the road between towns.

Quickly getting their stuff, Skye watched as Flynn checked out before following him outside to go find a mode of transportation. It did not take them long before they found a merchant heading to Magnolia who would give them a ride for a reasonable price. Though it did mean they had to ride in the back between bags of food stuff. At least they would have something to lean against.

Skye was glad that Flynn had stated they should just head back to Magnolia and wait for the others. Though she did not show it, she was relieved that if they were going back into Waas Forest at least there would be four of them. Not only would they have a better chance against whatever was in there but if Tye did show up to cause trouble there would be more people backing Skye up. She shuddered. Hopefully, Tye would not show up. They were going to have enough issues in the forest and Skye did not want to add to them. Leaning back against a stack of flour she stared up at the bright blue sky. No clouds were around which meant it was going to get hot later but at least it was a beautiful day.

[tsubasa]

Bodo opened is mouth to say something to Natsu when Gajeel cut in, saying it was unimportant. He shut is mouth again and held tightly onto Trex's leg as Gajeel spoke. He didn't enjoy how he spoke about his Dragon Slayer. His eyebrows knitted together, "Hey! Gyatsu is strong and not after of nothing! Probably ten times the dragon slayer that you are," He stuck out his tongue as Gajeel surrendered and apologized to the Exceed.

As they all declared that they truly did know nothing about the Exceed's Dragon slayer, Zelia walked over to Bodo and picked him up, removing him from Trex's leg. She looked at him, she knew that he had been particularly comfortable with how close the Exceed was when it was just them. She couldn't imagine how felt while they spoke to their stronger comrades. She sighed and looked at Trex, "It looks like we aren't going to get anymore information hanging around here and we need to get on the road..."

Lucy looked at him, "You're leaving without Flynn and Skye?"

Zelia nodded, "We bought the horses off the old man that we rent from. So we got to get them to their new home... That's actually part of the reason we left without Flynn and Skye to begin with. We deal with the horses and they look for the next key."

She adjusted Bodo on her hip and the Exceed lean against her, looking sad. She jerked her head toward the door, "The sooner we get a move on. The sooner we'll get there..."
~~~~~
Flynn leaned against a sack of something as they made their way down the road. He looked out of the back of the wagon, watching where they had been disappear. Every once in a while, he'd look away from the view of the retreating road and looked over his map and book, along with his note. So they'd be heading the Waas forest... Hopefully the Caelum wizards wouldn't find that out and get there before Trex and Zelia were back. He saw waiting for them as the ideal plan but if that lost them the key to the Caselum Celestial Wizard... He wasn't going to be to happy. Then again, who knew if this key was even there? Sure, colour keys were new to him, but some people already knew. Someone could have found it ages ago and lived their life with the key and died leaving it somewhere else completely. Of course, he'd have to check the area of the tree before he could even start to think about where else it could have been taken to.

He just really hoped that the other wizards didn't manage to get their hands on that book or any others.

What if they ran into Amber along the way? They had become friends, he would hate to have to race her to get the blue key, especially since he just swiped the yellow key out from under her nose... and all because he somehow summoned Pea without even wanting to. That was still something he had to try and figure out what was happening with. Why did he keep accidentally summoning her? I made no sense. He leaned back further into the sack of unknown items, and closed his eyes, thinking.

[Black Ninja]

A bit disappointed, Trex looked over at Zelia. Thankfully, she had picked up the exceed and was now holding the little guy. Glancing at Lucy, he nodded in agreement as Zelia replied. "Thank you for your help." He told them. "If you hear anything please let us know."

"We will." Natsu promised. The idea of another dragon slayer excited him. If they could get the guy into their guild they would be even more powerful. There weren't that many dragon slayers around, and even less natural ones. He did not know any other guild that had more than one. Considering they had at least four now that Laxus was back, they were becoming pretty famous as the dragon slayer guild. Besides, maybe this new dragon slayer will know what happened to Igneel. After all these years, Natsu still hadn't given up hope that he will one day find the dragon.

"And we'll check with the other guild members to see if they've heard anything." Wendy promised. Though, the odds were doubtful. If anyone in the guild heard about another dragon slayer they would have let Natsu and the others know right away.

"Thanks." Trex stated gratefully. Giving a firm nod, Trex turned followed Zelia back outside. "Well that was a bummer." He declared. He looked toward Bodo. "Sorry little guy. You'll have to stick with us until we find this Gyatsu." He stated, however long that took. Untying the horses, Trex grabbed the reins. "You ready?" He inquired looking at Zelia. "Did you want to stop off at your apartment and drop your stuff off?" It was on the other side of town but he did not mind. The trip out of town was going to be a long walk and there was no reason to carry extra gear unless desired. Of course, if they had to stop somewhere in the middle of nowhere, the extra gear might come in handy. But then again, he was keeping his as he liked to be prepared. And knowing Zelia, she would probably keep hers as well.
~~~~
With Flynn looking like he was sleeping, Skye pulled her bag over and opened it. Pulling out a book she had borrowed from the Fairy Tail library, she opened it up and found her spot. However, her mind was not into reading. Every bump caused her to glance up as if it was an attack. Finally sighing, she closed the book and put it back. She glanced over her shoulder to the road ahead.

The man driving the wagon seemed lost in his own thoughts. A piece of wheat hung from his teeth and every so often he would move it aside and spit tobacco to the side of the road. Grimacing, Skye looked away. How anyone could stand such foul stuff, she could not understand. She had tried it once, having been pressured to give it a try. Of course, it was more of a joke on her. "It's good. You'll like. She shook her head. She should have known better. But oh well.

The ride was long and a bit boring. Yawning, Skye leaned back and looked back up at the clouds. It was going to be a long day. She wondered what the others were doing and if they had made it safely. She hoped that they would make it safely back to Magnolia as well. Where was Tye and the others? She frowned thoughtfully. They would not have given up so easily. It wasn't in Tye's nature. Skye knew that she her sister would not rest until she had her way. Nothing seemed to please Tye more than to torment her younger sister. Skye sighed. It was a shame they had even came to Fiore. At least the others seemed more interested in getting the keys than in her. She bit her lip and pushed thoughts of the old gang away. No need to spoil such a good day. However, fear still rang in the back of her mind and she knew that whether it was today, tomorrow, or in a month. Tye would come back and deal with her and then her friends will know who truly was and leave her high and dry. She grunted. There was no need for Tye to kill her. There were worse things than death.

[tsubasa]

Zelia shook her head when Trex offered to walk to her apartment to allow her to drop off her things, "We might not make it there tonight, I'd hate to be unprepared. Besides, what are the chances that your parents are going to let you drop off the horses and leave. I'm going to need my change of clothes."

She adjusted Bodo on her hip and smiled at him, "After all, the sooner we get there... The better."
~
At some point Bodo got his energy back up after learning they were no closer to finding Gyastu than they were before they got to the guild. He flew along side them as each of them led one of the horses. It took quite a bit of convincing from Zelia to let Trex allow her to walk one of the horses. In the end, the point that both of his hands being occupied could be dangerous if they got ambushed. Sure, they didn't have much for bandits to even think about wanting but it was still a possibility and Trex didn't want to have to worry about that if it did happen. She smiled at him as they continued to walk. They had hardly seen anyone since they started walking. Nothing but trees and the odd merchart cart. They had started to play the spotting game but Zelia had take such a large lead in the game, they stopped. She sighed as her feet started to grow tired and the day started to grow dark. She thought they might have to stop along the way when she saw a few lights poking through the trees as space between them started to become more frequent. She looked at the farm that slowly came into view then looked to Trex, "Is that it?"

[Black Ninja]

There had been a lot of walking and parts of the day dragged but Trex enjoyed the trip overall. He enjoyed Zelia's company and was glad that she was willing to come with him. Despite the fact he was a bit apprehensive about what his family would say. He had no doubt they would welcome Zelia with open arms. He just hoped they did not think he was bringing her home as a potential spouse. He knew that just her showing up was going to get some hard ribbing from his brothers. But that was his brothers. He had given back almost what they had done to him. How many times had he got them into trouble or tattled on them. Not that he tattled a lot. A lot of things stayed between them. Though they got into fights a lot, the three of them would quickly band together against any outsider. It was part of being siblings.

As they walked down the road toward his family's farm, Trex felt his heart lighten a bit and his aching feet seemed to ease a bit. They were almost there. Everything brought back memories. The trees they climbed in. The pond they swam in. The spot where he and Robert tried to catch a ride out of here. Good memories. Snapping out of his thoughts when Zelia spoke, Trex glanced ahead. Lights could be made out on the farmhouse ahead. He nodded. "That's it alright." He stated a smile coming to his face. It wasn't much but it was home. Heading up the lane, Trex kept his pace contained and though he had a small smile he kept his excitement contained. It had been some time since he had last been home. The life of a wizard was hard and difficult. And since he was either on the road a lot or pushing all his effort into training, he did not have the time to just come by and visit.

"Let me put them in the barn before we go in." He told Zelia pausing as they reached the farmhouse. They were probably starting to eat soon and he wanted to make sure that the horses were cared for before going in. Otherwise, in all the excitement of the reunion they might get temporarily forgotten.

Going into the barn quietly, Trex pointed out a few of the other animals to Zelia, before going over and greeting each one by name. Well, except for a few that he did not know yet. Finally getting to some empty stalls he let Zelia deal with the reins and harnesses from the two horses and comb them down while he went up to the loft and knocked some feed down. As he picked up the pitchfork he heard barking. Glancing down as the barn door opened he blinked back as the lantern brightened the room.

"Who are you?" A deep voice demanded spotting Zelia. In one hand he grasped the lantern and in the other he held the collar of a very large dog. Though the dog looked a bit old there was no mistaking how much of a threat he still was.

[tsubasa]

Zelia nodded, it made sense to drop off the horses. She walked with him into the barn and took the other horse from him as he stated that he was going to grab them sometime to eat. She tied the horses up to allow herself to remove their saddles. Once they were both comfortably bareback she started to brush them down one by one. She was part way though brushing the leg of the first horse when she heard the barking. She turned to look at the man who held the lantern and dog, who she assumed to be Trex's father. She looked toward that hay loft, to realize that Trex was out of sight. She blinked a few times, as the brightness of the lantern started to hurt her eyes. Zelia bowed to the man, "Sorry, Trex and I were going to drop off the horses before coming in to see you... I'm Zelia, I'm part of your son's team at Fairy Tail...."

She felt incredibly awkward, she looked up at the hayloft to see Trex looking down at them. Frowning, she levitated him off the hayloft and down to the ground below. She smiled at him then walked over to him and pushed him toward the man, "Say hello before he sicks the dog on me," She whispered with a small laugh.

[Black Ninja]

The man stared at Zelia for a second before catching sight of Trex levitating down. Landing on his feet, Trex brushed himself off. "Hey Pa." He said straightening.

The man stared at him a second a bit surprised to see him there. However, he quickly recovered. "Trex." He stated giving him a slight nod as if it was everyday his youngest son showed up and flew around the barn. He released the dog who immediately dashed forward. However, it ignored Zelia and instead ran up to great Trex.

"Hey Bruno." Trex said hunching down and giving the dog a good scratching. Rising he went over and the two men clasped hands and embraced. "It's good to see you again, Pa."

"You too. You know your mother is going to be ecstatic." The older man declared as they broke apart. His eyes fell on Zelia. Heading over he offered his hand. "Name's Marcus." He informed her shaking her hand. His grip was firm but not death tight and his tone was overall pleasant. Spotting the horses, he gave Trex a glance. "Ran them into the ground did we?" He inquired not sounding pleased with what they looked like.

"Got them off a man who had no desire to take care of them." Trex replied. "Thought you would be able to get them healthy again. Zelia actually got them." He declared.

The older man glanced at Zelia and then nodded. He looked at the two of them. "You better get inside." He stated. "I can finish up here. Your mother will kill me if she found out I kept you out here to long." He nodded to Zelia. "Pleasure meeting you. Our house is yours."

Nodding, Trex headed toward the house. "Don't mind the dog." He informed Zelia as Bruno dashed around them. "He won't bit. At least not when I'm around." He declared a slight twinkle in his eye.

The overdue reunion was loud and after everyone quieted down, Trex was finally able to introduce Zelia. "Zelia, this is my mother Kyla and my brother Sander. Mother, Sander, this is Zelia. She works with me."

Sanders raised a brow and shot Trex a grin before greeting Zelia. However, he was polite and did not say anything except for a warm welcome. Like his father, he was a short and stocky but there was still a lot of resemblance between the two brothers.

[tsubasa]

Zelia let out a small sigh of relief when he released the dog and it seemed far happier. He ran over to him and Trex knelt down and greeted the dog. She took Marcus's hand and shook it with a smile, "Zelia."

When his father brought up them running the horses to the ground, her eyes widened. Trex had, for as long as she knew him, had a soft spot for animals, why did his father think it would treat the horses like that? However, Trex explain what had really happened and Bodo walked over to them, coming out from hiding behind the horses. Zelia picked up the tiring cat and carried him to the house as his father shooed them out of the barn to go inside and see his family. She smiled at the man, "Thank you..."

She followed Trex into the house and hung back as he was greeted by his mother and brother. She laughed a little as the family was rather loud in their greeting. It took them awhile to settle down before Trex managed into introduce them. Zelia smiled and gave them a small wave, "Pleasure to meet you..."

Trex's mother practically jumped on her, walking over and pulling her into a hug, "The pleasure is all ours. Trex rarely comes home and never brings girls with him. Now, tell me," She said as she began to guide Zelia to the couch, "How was it the two of you met?"

Zelia took a seat, slightly happy to get off her feet for the first time after their break they took along the way, "I joined Fairy Tail and little after Trex and we kind of got pushed together into a team... We've been working together since."

Kyla grinned, "You must have some wonderful stories about my son."

Zelia nodded and placed Bodo on her lap, "I do... I'm sure you have your share as well."

Kyla laughed, "We'll have to exchange stories over dinner it seems... And who is this?" She asked pointing at the near sleeping Exceed.

"Oh," Zelia said, realizing he hadn't been introduced, "This is Bodo... He's an Exceed that Trex saved from a couple of kids when we were at the capital. He's lost his rightful owner, Gyatsu. So, Trex and I are trying to help him find them."

"Well, isn't that nice of you too... Oh, you two must be tired and starving... I'll go start dinner," Kyla said hopping to her feet. Zelia put Bodo on the couch and got up as well, "Here, let me help."

Kyla smiled, "Why, of course," She walked with Zelia to the kitchen and the two of them started on dinner.

[Black Ninja]

He should have known that bringing Zelia home with him would cause a commotion. But oh well. He really did not mind. Though from the look in his brother’s eye and the way his mother started into Zelia, Trex had a feeling he was going to hear a lot about it. He half listened to Zelia and his mother as Sanders came over. The two listened politely before Zelia and his mother rose. “Did you need any help?” Trex inquired knowing she was going to start dinner.

Getting waved away he had a sinking feeling in his stomach that they were going to talk about him. Undoubtedly his mother would give some embarrassing stories and then try to convince Zelia he was the guy for her.

As soon as they were out of sight, Sanders lightly punched Trex in the shoulder. “Work together huh?” He inquired a grin on his face.

Trex shot him a look. “Yes. It’s all professional.”

Sanders nodded. “Sure it is.” He smirked. “I bet you haven’t even once thought of her as anyone other than a fellow ‘guy’.” Trex frowned at him. That was a bit of a trick question. Thankfully, his father came in saving him from answering. “Did you see Trex brought home a girl?” Sanders inquired looking over at their dad.

Trex sighed. “She’s a collogue.” He informed them. “She came along as they are her horses.”

Marcus raised an eyebrow. “So they’re her horses?” He asked.

“Yes and no. We both were going to buy them off the previous owner and I was going to bring them here. She acquired them and decided to bring them here.”

“You made her pay?” Sanders inquired shaking his head. “That’s harsh.” He stated.

“No. We both were going to pay. She just did it secretly to,” He stopped as he realized that anything he said would be taken wrongly. Choosing his words carefully, he spoke. “She knew I wanted to get the horses off the man’s hands and here where they can be taken care of.” He shrugged not wanting to keep explaining it.

Sanders shook his head, his eyes twinkling. “Sounds like someone likes you.” He stated.

“It’s not like that.” Trex shot back. He glanced toward the kitchen and lowered his voice. “We are just good friends.”

“Well, either way she seems like a good person.” Marcus stated firmly. “I’m going to go wash up and see what she has planned.” He stated heading toward the kitchen.
“Good friends?” Sanders whispered. “I thought you were collogues.” He ducked back and chuckled as Trex glared at him.

[tsubasa]

Zelia stood in the kitchen with Kyla and smiled as the older woman started to pull food out of the fridge. She took some of the vegetables from her and started to cut them up. Kyla started the oven as she prepared the meat, "You know, Trex has never shown any kind of interest in a girl. Two girls live just up the way from us and he would hardly give them the time of day if they asked."

Zelia blushed slightly as she quickly cut up a few carrots, "Well, we're just friends... So he isn't out of that phase yet..."

Kyla laughed, "Of course, of course. Although, you are the first girl he brought home and the first one I know that he's actually made friends with," She looked over her shoulder at the younger girl, "It is nice to see."

"There's another," Zelia said, trying to make it sound less like Zelia was his only female friend, "Skye... She's a couple years younger than us and she just joined the team but we've all been getting along well."

Kyla nodded, "Ah, so there are more of you? Why only the two of you?"

Zelia bit her lip a little, "Ya, Skye and Flynn. Flynn is a celestial wizard. We've been looking for some rare keys for him. He and Skye stayed in the capital to follow some leads on another key," Zelia couldn't get over the tight feeling in her chest. She wanted so badly for Trex's family to like her and she already was off on a bad foot with his father and here she was getting practically grilled by his mother. She finished cutting up the vegetables and pushed them to the centre of the chopping board, "Of course, we're just his team. He does have other friends."

Kyla looked at her, "Does he have a girlfriend?"

Without even thinking about it, Zelia shook her head, "No... he thinks having an intimate relationship will... distract him, I suppose, from becoming an S class wizard...."

"Do you have a boyfriend?"

That Zelia was most definitely taken off guard by. She slowly started to shake her head again, "No... I-I don't," She closed her eyes for a moment to think, "No one has really caught my eye. I thought... but that kind of back fired... with the guy just trying to get in my head... both figuratively and literally..." She looked at Kyla, who looked confused and laughed a little, "Sorry... No."

[Black Ninja]

Entering the kitchen, Marcus stopped and looked from Kyla to Zelia and back again. "I hope I'm not interrupting." He stated ready to leave if necessary. However, when Kyla waved away his concern he moved forward and proceeded to wash his hands. "Trex tells me the horses are actually yours." He stated, turning to face her as he dried his hands. "He stated that you both were going to purchase them to get them out of the hands of that man and that you beat him to the punch." He raised an eyebrow almost as a question. "You guys must be close." He observed. His eyes twinkled as Zelia turned a bit red at the insinuation. It was a bit amusing watching the younger folk nowadays. It kind of reminded him when he was young and chasing Kyle.

The fact that like Trex she couldn't come out with a clear answer almost made it difficult to keep the grin off his face. But he did. He nodded understanding even though her response really did not make a lot of sense. Well, not in the way she was trying. It was better than Trex's though and she did manage to perform well. She would do well for Trex, assuming he got it into his thick skull that he shouldn't be alone. Training was good but finding someone to love and share your life with did not hinder you. In fact, from his personal experience it enhanced it. You could go a lot farther with someone at your side than you could on your own. To bad Trex did not see that yet. Knowing that Kyla would probably work on Zelia, Marcus smiled and excused himself. But not before going over and whispering some romantic words in her ear and kissing her on the cheek.

~~~~
Trex gave his older brother a glare. "You know I am a lot stronger now. I can probably take you on." He declared.

Sanders chuckled. "Yeah right, little brother. You might have a fancy smancy gift and you look like you've been training a bit but you got to remember, farm work keeps one strong. A whole lot stronger than hitting a little cowpost." He declared. He smiled. "Though if you want to have a go at it..." He rolled up his sleeves. "Just don't yell at me when I make you look bad in front of your girlfriend."

"She's not my girlfriend." Trex replied. However, he did not engage his brother. He was tired and it would only encourage him more. Going over he sat on the couch. It was strange being home again. Glancing over at the sleeping exceed he shook his head. The poor guy was tuckered out. How he managed to sleep with all the commotion was amazing.

Coming over, Sanders pulled up a chair and sat down across from Trex. His face turning a bit serious, he nodded toward Bodo. "What's with the exceed?" He inquired. Even though they lived in the country, they were still fairly close to Magnolia. The fact that the largest colony was located nearby as well had everyone in this area knowing who they were. Even here on the farm, they traded with the exceed for various things. "Is he yours?" He asked.

Trex shook his head. "You can't own an exceed." He declared.

"You know what I mean." Sanders stated.

Trex looked at Bodo. "No. He lost his dragon slayer and we're helping him to find the guy."

Sanders nodded. "Cool. Did you check the exceed community? They might know."

Trex frowned. "No. Hadn't thought of that."

Sanders chuckled, the twinkle coming back in his eye. "And you are such a great warrior too." He declared. "Must be some pretty girl is sidetracking you."

Trex growled at him but stopped as his father came back out. "Wash up boys. Supper is about ready." He declared.

[tsubasa]

Zelia looked at Marcus when he entered the kitchen and gave him a soft smile. When he explained what Trex had told him and made his own assumption, she blushed slightly. She nodded, "Hard not to be... When you are always on the road together. The old man... he didn't like Trex... He wouldn't have sold them to him... I had to... um... be rather presistant to get them... But I didn't have anywhere to put them... And I knew that... You guys had this farm... I didn't know if you would take care of them if they were mine... So I gave them to Trex so that they could be treated properly... and... stuff..."

She let out a small sigh when Marcus turned to his wife and kissed her. They were sweet together, truly in love. She hadn't gotten the chance to see much of that when she was younger... With her dad leaving and all. It was nice to know that people could still love each other. She turned back to the food to give them as much privacy as she could while still being in the room.
When he left, Kyla walked over to her and helped with the vegetables while they waited for the meat. It wasn't long until the two of them were placing the food on serving plates. Kyla patted Zelia's shoulder, "Go grab the men and sit down. You must be tired."
She nodded, she was, she wasn't going to say anything but she couldn't wait to sit down again. She walked into the living room, "Dinner's ready," She said softly. It was strange, how quickly Trex's family accepted her presence in their house. She had barely even spoken to Sanders. She made a mental note to do so during dinner.

Kyla walked passed her placed the food on the table and pulled a seat back for Zelia, "Come on, child. Sit down."

She laughed a little and nodded before she took a seat the table. Kyla took a seat across from her, leaving her husband to sit by herself and her sons to sit on either side of Zelia... That would hopefully stop any bickering between the two of them.

[Black Ninja]

After everyone had been seated and the blessing said, as was the custom, the guests plates were filled first. After everyone had their food, they began eating. Trex had been tempted of waking Bodo and getting him some food but decided to let him rest. They can always get him something to eat when he woke up later. Taking a bite, he smiled. "Ah. Delicious as always, Ma." He declared savoring the food. Though he could cook, it was nothing compared to a good home cooked meal at him home.

Finishing a bite, Marcus looked over at the two. "Long trip from the city?" He inquired before taking another bite.

Trex shrugged. "It wasn't that bad." He replied. He glanced at Zelia before looking back at his father. "We do a lot of traveling so we are used to it."

Sanders tilted his chair back and sent his brother a look, a slight twinkle in his eye. However, Trex just ignored it. “So you two travel a lot?” Marcus inquired casually looking from Zelia to Trex.

“There are four of us.” Trex replied not wanting to give his father the wrong idea. He knew his father trusted him but doubts might arise and being forthright about something like this would keep them at bay.

The older man smiled. He knew Trex would behave as he was raised, but still. The appearance of something could hurt reputations. Though many young people did not mind the innuendos or insinuations of something improper. Either way, he was glad everything was good. Trex sometimes missed little details like that and Marcus did not want this girl's reputation to be ruined.

Taking advantage of the slight pause, Sanders looked over at Zelia. "So how did a nice girl like you end up with a beatup like him?" He inquired pleasantly.

Trex ignored the jab. Growing up with two older brothers, you quickly learned to adapt and give back just as hard as you received. But, right now was not the time. He doubted his mother would appreciate them getting at it in front of company. As it was, they usually kept most of their jibes when she wasn't around. Not that they meant anything mean by them. It was just a way of showing their appreciation for each other. He listened as Zelia briefly mentioned how they first met. From there a few more questions from his parents kept the conversation going for a while. His family might be poor farmers but they knew how to be hospitable. Some people might think they were over polite, but Trex knew his parents. It wasn't just being polite. They cared. You could be a complete stranger and they would still show interest in you. Even Sanders, despite his mischievousness, was courteous and polite. Any jabs thrown out were only directed at Trex and never at Zelia, and when he did them in talking with Zelia, you could tell he was only joking.

[tsubasa]

Kyla smiled at her son, "Thank you, Trex. Zelia was a great help in there. I don't think I could have done it that fast alond," She looked at the blonde and smiled at her, happily. Zelia smiled back, "It was the least I could do."

She looked to Marcus when he asked about the trip. When he said that they were used to it, she nodded. Sure, her body was tried but anyone's would be after that trip. She smiled, "Although, this one seemed extra long. Since we came from Capital before we headed here."

She stayed quiet after that while Trex and his father spoke a little. She only spoke again when Sanders addressed her. She smiled and looked at Trex, "Because Trex is stubborn."

Kyla laughed a little, she hadn't expected that answer. Zelia grinned and began to explain, "He joined the guild a little before me. Done a few easy jobs, but the low tier jobs get boring fast. When I got there, he had been spending time trying to convince Master to let him go despite being alone and a low class. He was shut down everytime and told to get a team together. I didn't want to do any of the low tier jobs since they were, like I said, boring and didn't pay enough for me. Master took the chance and forced us together. We both went along with it since we didn't have much choice... The first couple jobs... it was hard working together because we were used to fending for ourselves. But after that, we started to work really well together and decided to stick together. A few years later, Flynn joined us and recently, Skye."

Kyla nodded along with the story when the girl finished she asked, "And what is your magic? If you don't mind me asking."

Zelia smiled and shook her head, "Not at all, I'm telekinetic," She said as the pepper floated into the air and sprinkled some one her meat. She looked at Trex, "Flynn is a celestial wizard and Skye is an illusionist," she didn't know why she directed that to Trex, he knew after all. She laughed a little, "We don't really sound like we compliment each other but we make it work quite well."

The conversation continued on from there. Questions from the parents, quips from the brother. She was slightly curious as to where Trex's other brother was.

When she finished, she excused herself from the table and walked into the living room to check on the sleeping Exceed.

[Black Ninja]

It was nice how Zelia seemed to fit in with his family. Everyone seemed to like her and she did not seem to out of place around them. Trex listened as she handled herself well. He shouldn't have been so worried. Of course his family and her would get along. He did. After they finished, Trex rose and started to collect the dishes.

"No." Marcus declared. "Your mother and I got it. You had a long trip. How about you and Sanders join Zelia in the living room. We'll wrap up here and get the rooms ready."

"I have no problems sleeping in the barn." Trex replied knowing how limited space was. "Zelia can sleep in our room and Sanders and I can sleep in the barn." He stated quietly glancing toward the living room. Undoubtedly, Zelia would quickly protest if she knew what they were saying.

Sanders nodded. "Works with me." He declared.

Marcus frowned but Trex continued. "I don't want you two to have to sleep elsewhere." He told them. "I'm used to it. Besides, with the hay, a couple blankets... It will be like old times." He stated smiling.

Giving in Marcus nodded. "Alright." He conceded. "Now out of our way." He told them, shooing the boys out. "In fact Kyla, if you want, you can join them. I can clean up here." He stated as Trex and Sanders headed out of the room.

"Did he wake up yet?" Trex asked Zelia as they entered the living room. He glanced down at the sleeping exceed. "I guess not." He placed his hands in his pockets and stood there a bit unsure what to do.

Thankfully, Sanders stepped in. "Do you have a boyfriend?" He inquired bluntly. Trex refrained from rolling his eyes. His brother was a bit predictable. However, if he said anything then his brother would jump on that as indication that Trex was interested in Zelia. "Because, if this idiot isn't interested, I would like to cast my hat in the ring." Sanders said giving a slight bow. "I am the most responsible of the family and I have a great personality." He winked. "Not to mention, a solid homeyou can always come back to."

Trex just shook his head. "Don't let Peeter here you." He muttered refereeing to the oldest brother.

Sanders ignored him and smiled at Zelia.

[tsubasa]

Kyla looked at her two boys and smiled as they both seemed to decide to give up their room to Zelia and sleep in the barn. She was slightly amused, since they could have very easily put the two of them in the living room or even Zelia on the couch. However, Trex not to be thinking about that wanting the girl to have a good night sleep on a bed, his bed in fact. She noted his glance toward the living room and the slightly hushed voice, telling her Zelia, if told, would most likely not agree with the goings on. Smirked at her youngest, no matter how much he denied it from here on, she knew that he had a special little place in his heart for the girl, just as she did for him. The two walked out of the room and Marcus tried to shoo her along as well. She smiled at him and picked up a couple plates before kissing his cheek, "Let's leave the kids to their own devices for a bit. I'll help."

Zelia looked up from the sleeping Bodo when Trex and Sanders came in. She shook her head when Trex asked then answered his own question. She laid Bodo down on his side with a pillow under his head and smiled at him. The little Exceed was sweet. She was happy that Trex wanted to help it. Even if he didn't, which would be very out of character for him, she would have made him. They couldn't leave this poor little guy alone after all.

She looked at Sanders when he asked quite confidently if she had a boyfriend. That seemed to be the hot topic of the house, whether or not she was dating Trex. She glanced at him before shaking her head, "No," she smiled softly as she answered the question yet again. However, she had not expected him to... well... offer to fill the position as her boyfriend. She eyes widened ever so slightly as she looked up at him in surprise. She didn't know what to say. Between what happened when she fell asleep on the train and what the spirit had asked her with Trex's mouth and what had happened with Ryzo, she wasn't sure what to say. She most definitely could not say yes. She had blindly fallen slightly for someone before and he stuck a spirit in her brain and kept her asleep for hours. Not to mention, he was Trex's brother. That could ruin their friendship. Of course, Trex hardly reacted which meant, he probably didn't care. She did best to not let the disappointment show on her face. Instead, she smirked at Sanders, "A solid home? You mean your parents home," she teased. She held her hands on her lap, "I'll keep that in mind."

She dropped the conversation then and looked at Trex, "Peeter, that's your other brother?" She glanced back at Sanders, "Which of you was it that told him about the monsters under his bed?"

[Black Ninja]

Trex raised his eyebrows and quickly put up a hand to block the grin at Zelia's quick reply. BURN. His eyes twinkled as he glanced at his older brother. He was glad Zelia replied that way. She had been able to dodge the question without having to look bad. It was good because with Sanders, it was sometimes difficult to tell if he was serious or just joking.

Sanders winced. "You wound me, miss." He said clutching his hand over his heart. However, before he could come up with a great reply, Zelia had already turned her attention to Trex. Drat. He'll have to come back at her later. This one had some wit about her. She would be good for Trex. Not that Sanders would ever admit it. But it did give him some ammunition for future conversations. He smiled as Zelia inquired about the monsters. He looked over at Trex. "Told her all about that huh?" He inquired eyes lighting up.

Trex sighed. "Here we go." He stated turning slightly away. However, he did not leave showing that he did have some interest in the conversation.

Going over to Zelia, Sanders sat down next to her. "I'm surprised you didn't tell her the full story, Trex." He said in mock pain. He looked over at Zelia. "It was my genius idea." He declared proudly with no inclination of regret. "But you got to understand, Trex was such a baby." He told her. "Scared of everything."

"I was not." Trex shot back. He crossed his arms uncomfortably and leaned against the wall watching them. "I was under the impression that family members did not lie to one another." He stated teeth clenched.

Sanders waved him off. "We broke you off that naivety fairly quickly. Actually," He frowned. "you still fall for a lot of things." He declared. He smiled at Zelia. "Such a gullible fellow, Trex. Did he tell you about the time he thought he was married to Anice down the street?"

Trex shot upright. "I was eight." He declared in his defense.

"Nine actually." Sanders whispered to Zelia. "Poor kid thought that if you touched hands with a girl for more than a few seconds you were married." He chuckled gleefully. "You should have seen how dutiful of a husband he was." He chuckled at Trex's glare. "Though Peeter had to ruin it." He declared with a sigh.

Deciding to use that as an excuse to answer Zelia's earlier question and change the subject, Trex spoke. "He's the oldest of us." He informed her. "Responsible." He shot Sanders a glare. "He joined the army on his eighteenth birthday."

"I wonder why..." Sanders stated with a grin. He turned and looked at Zelia. "So what about you? Any siblings? Sisters and brothers that gave you trouble growing up?" He smiled. "Let me bet, you were probably the one giving them the trouble, am I right?"

[tsubasa]

Zelia smirked at Sanders as he clutched his hand to his chest. She felt like this was probably the best plan of action with him. She was slightly confused when he looked at Trex, surprised he told her about it. Then again, it wasn't until she was too scared to sleep, with good reason, that he came about and told her. She guessed that surprise made some sense. She laughed a little at Trex when he seemed exasperated, "Oh don't be like that."

She looked at Sanders when he took a seat next to her and went onto explain the story. She shook her head a little when he said that it was his plan. When he explained that Trex was afraid of everything, she was a little taken back. That wasn't the Trex she knew. Half the time it seemed like he wasn't scared of anything. When Trex crossed his arms and insisted that he wasn't, she smiled, "It's okay to be scared, Trex."

Sanders kept on, clearly wishing to embarrass his brother further. Zelia was okay with that, she wanted to know more about Trex, she only knew what his life like once he came to Fairy Tail. She was curious about the life before. She grinned and shook her head when he asked if Trex had ever told him about his marriage. She giggled a little and looked at Trex, "How sweet. Maybe you should go visit your wife while we're here."

Trex hopped into the conversation then, in a way that wasn't just denying the things his brother said and told her about Peeter. She nodded her head, "Too bad... It would have been nice to meet him."

Suddenly the conversation was tossed toward her own past. She shook her head, "No... Just me."

She really didn't want to get into her family. It was hard enough that her dad left them but add the fact that her mother died... Her own family was always a bit over a tender subject. It was a breath of fresh air here. So different from the atmosphere that she knew. She would have done anything for siblings, the bullying and love. She didn't get the chance to get that though. But she was okay. She smiled at Sanders, "But I have the team. Trex and Flynn are like brothers and... well... Skye... is new. But she'll be part of the family soon enough."

[Black Ninja]

Knowing Zelia's was not keen on going into her past, Trex kept an eye on her ready to cut in if Sanders kept pressing. Thankfully, his older brother either picked up the subtle change or got sidetracked - something that happened fairly frequently.

Raising an eyebrow at the "brothers" statement, Sanders did not comment. The look quickly changed and his eyes twinkled. "Another girl huh? Wow." He looked at Trex. "I'm amazed little brother. You are on a team with two females. How are you able to survive?"

"I manage." Trex replied dryly.

Sanders grinned and looked at Zelia. "He's always been a bit of a shy guy. Not seeming to show interest in girls. In fact, he usually avoided them if he could. Tongue tied and shy." He stated. The smile faded and his expression changed to one that showed that he was a little impressed. "You must have been pretty persistent to get him to work with you."

Trex cleared his throat and glanced slightly away. Yeah. Though he would probably use a different word. She was more tenacious, determined, relentless than just plain persistent. Besides, originally it was more the Master's order than hers.

"Enough about us." Trex declared. "How's life around here?" He inquired. They wouldn't have a lot of time before having to head back. Bodo's dragon slayer needed to be found and Flynn and Skye could be heading back any day."

Sanders shrugged. "Not much, really." He began to fill them in in the happenings. Farm life was not really the most exciting for some people so he only touched on the positive, more fun things. The new colt, the litter of kittens. He refrained from talking about the crops and the potential drought. Not only would it strain the mood but it was not something that was discussed with guests around. Trex was family but Zelia, despite being such a nice, caring person and all, was not. And it did not matter what person the guest was, you never burdened others with family matters.

Knowing there was more to it than what Sanders was letting on, Trex just nodded and smiled. He knew that last year had been a bad one and that this year was looking to be just as bad. That meant things would be getting rough here. Trex had heard some things in the market. However, most of it had been snatches here and there. He would have to check with Sanders after Zelia went to bed. Get the full story. Despite the fact he was not going to be a farmer, what happened on this farm meant a lot to him. And if there was a way he could help, he would. This was home and no matter where he was or what he was doing he will always look back at this place.