Back into the Swing of Things

"Good morning," Mira said as she entered his room. Strider leaned against a window, watching the sunrise with misty eyes.

"Oh. Hey, Mira. Good morning," Strider said, embracing the white haired beauty. She rested her head on his chest, taking his hand in both of hers and examining it.

"I'm happy you're back," she said quietly.

"You have no idea. Good thing I went home with Cana that night," he said.

"Ugh, don't ruin the mood," she grumbled.

"Ha, sorry. But seriously. I missed you quite a bit," he said, caressing her cheek with a finger.

"I'm sorry. I know it must've been tough for you all those years. For me, it… feels like I just saw you a couple of nights ago. Like no time has passed," Mira said.

"You've nothing to be sorry about," Strider said.

"Do… do you feel like anythings changed? Between us?" she asked tentatively.

"I… don't know. I don't think so. At least, it doesn't feel like it. Maybe, if I stayed here, it would be different. But… after I lost you guys, I kept myself busy with restoration back home. It… I can't say it feels like it was just a few nights ago, but it doesn't feel all that long. For that, I'm grateful," Strider said.

"I'm surprised you came back here so quickly," she whispered.

"You mean a lot to me, Mira," Strider whispered. His answer made her smile brightly. She quickly wrapped her arms around his neck, taking in his heady scent. As she stroked his hair, another question came to mind. She resolved herself to ask him.

"Strider?" she whispered.

"Hmm?" he replied.

"In those seven years… did you meet anyone?" she asked. Strider was quiet as he let her go. Leaning back, she saw a blank expression in his eyes. "Sorry. I know it's a stupid question."

"No," was all he said. As he answered, she felt the tension in the room increase.

"I didn't mean to pry. I just…," Mira trailed off guiltily.

"It's not that. It's… mmm," Strider trailed off as he sat on the bed again. "There was someone. Once."

"Really?" Mira asked, her voice cracking.

"Before I ever came here - before I joined the war effort in full. She and I…," Strider hesitated. He felt his heart beat begin to increase as the memory came back to him. He rested his head in his hands, trying to get it under control. Sensing his unease, Mira quickly sat at his side and gently rubbed his back.

"You don't have to explain," she whispered.

"She died," Strider said. She put her arms around him, gently resting his head against her chest. As they sat, countless questions came to Mira's mind but she didn't ask any of them yet. She just kissed him atop his head, letting him know that everything was going to be alright. As he stopped, Strider sat up straight again and wiped his face, managing a smile but pained smile.

"Thanks," he whispered.

"Anytime," she replied.

"You remind me of her a bit," he suddenly said.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"She was kind and sweet; gentle and loving. She cared so much about people and tried to put them at ease. As a healer, it was her job. She went from town to town, helping people - saving them in some cases. She tended to me for a while, which is when I met her," Strider said, closing his eyes as he remembered her beautiful features.

"What was her name?" Mira asked quietly.

"Anairë," he said.

"Beautiful," Mira whispered.

"She was. Much like you," Strider said, eliciting a blush. After a long pause, Mira finally got up. As she did so, Strider held on to her hand. "Mira. Would you mind staying a while?"

"Happily," Mira said with a bright smile as she sat back down, resting her head on his shoulder.

-o-

"I can't believe he slew a dragon! That's so awesome!" Natsu exclaimed as everyone was gathered in the guild the next morning.

"Extremely impressive indeed," Carla nodded.

"He's super powerful. I wonder how much stronger he got over the seven years?" Wendy wondered.

"However strong he is, all I know is one thing," Gray said with an evil grin.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?" Natsu asked, grinning as well.

"For once, I think so," Gray said.

"What are you two planning?" Erza asked stridently.

"N-nothing!" they both squeaked.

"Those Magic Games shouldn't be too hard with Strider," Happy said.

"Hey, what are we, chopped liver?" Natsu asked haughtily.

"All I know is you're gonna have to train really hard!" Happy said.

"I agree with Happy. The games are in three months? You all have to begin training twice as hard to make up for lost time," Carla.

"Agreed. Take today for yourselves, everyone. The fun starts tomorrow," Erza said, leaving to get some strawberry cake.

"I don't think we share the same idea of fun," Lucy lamented before taking her leave as well.

-o-

"Hey, Wendy," Strider said as he came upon the young girl who was happily digging into some cake with Erza.

"Hey, Strider! What's up?" she asked brightly.

"Just wanted to give this to you," Strider said, leaving the folded hood and cloak on the bar for her.

"What's that?" Cana wondered.

"A gift for Wendy. She had my cloak when it all happened, so I got a new one made for myself. This one is hers now," Strider said, smiling as she quickly threw it on. Her expression told him everything he needed to know; she loved it.

"Thanks!" she exclaimed, hugging him tightly.

"Not a problem," Strider said as he leaned down to hug her back. Mira, Erza, and Cana exchanged a look and smile as they saw the two interact with each other. As Wendy went back to her cake, Strider left the guild with Cana.

-o-

"Good thing she has a respectable male influence now," Cana said.

"Natsu? Gray?" Strider asked.

"Really?" Cana deadpanned.

"Ha. Good point," Strider laughed.

"Wait - where are we going?" Cana asked, looking around.

"I was following you," Strider said sheepishly.

"Wow. It hasn't changed that much in seven years. I dunno if I should be grateful or sad about that," Cana sighed, looking around. "Hey, remember that place?"

"How could I forget? Our first date," Strider chuckled.

"It wasn't a date. You were complaining that Erza didn't let you eat anything but strawberry cake so you had me take you out," Cana laughed.

"Shall we?" Strider asked, holding an arm out.

"Definitely," Cana answered, leading him inside.

As they got seated and the waitress took their orders, Strider began to rove the light lacrima around in his hands - just like he did the first time.

"Still amazed?" Cana asked.

"Oh, you've no idea," Strider said.

"Hey…," she began.

"What's up?" he asked.

"It… you know, you were gone for seven years. Seven years. This doesn't… all feel off to you or something? Like… like somethings missing?" she asked hesitantly. Strider leaned back in his chair to reflect on her question, wondering how to answer.

"When I got your call," he said, pulling out the call card that he always kept close, twirling it in his hands, "I couldn't think of anything but getting here as soon as possible. I… I had to make sure, even if the odds seemed to be against that possibility. I'm happy I came back and now that I'm here… sorry, I'm rambling. I… don't know is probably the right answer," Strider said.

"I can get that," Cana said, feeling her heart fall slightly.

"I wouldn't say it feels off or anything, I just… don't know. I'm sorry, I can't really give a better answer than that. I think it'll take a few months before I can say for certain," Strider said.

"So that means you're staying, right? You don't have to go back soon?" Cana asked nervously.

"Ha. Yeah, I'm staying for now. I won't be going back for a few months at least. Even then, though, I promise I'll be back," Strider said, gently touching her hand.

"So what've you been up to the last seven years? Any girls back home, maybe?" Cana asked, listening tentatively.

"Nope. Just been getting drunk and conducting mass orgies. The usual," Strider chuckled. Cana coughed on her drink, going red as she look up at him. "Ha. No, just kidding. Maybe. Maybe not. Mostly, I've been helping with restoration. I took a while off to recover after which I joined the effort in force. It… partly was to help, but partly to… uhh… ah, well you know."

"I understand," she said softly.

"You guys are back, though. That's all that matters right now," Strider said.

"Good to be back," Cana smiled.

"So how're things with you and Gildarts now? Have a chance to talk yet?" he wondered.

"Nope. Jeez, I don't even know where he's off to now. Probably sleeping with someone," Cana sighed.

"Seems like a fun guy, then," Strider said.

"Of course you'd think that. Men," Cana scoffed.

"I resent that," Strider grumbled.

"Because I'm right?" she wondered.

"No one likes a know it all, Cana," Strider said.

"Especially when they're wrong," she said in a sing-song voice.

"Whatever," Strider whined as their food came out. As they dug in, Strider paused to enjoy the moment.

"So these Grand Magic Games - you gonna train soon?" Cana wondered.

"I've no idea. Probably, though. I'm sure we'll win them," Strider said.

"We have to," Cana said determinedly.

"We will," Strider affirmed.

-o-

As Cana headed to the guild, Strider began to walk along the river. As he went along, he saw another familiar face. Lucy was sitting on the edge, her feet dangling over. To his worry, however, he saw tears streaming down her face.

"Lucy?" he said softly, taking a seat next to her.

"Oh, Strider! H-hey! What's up?" she asked, wiping her tears and putting on a brave face.

"What's wrong?" Strider asked.

"Nothings wrong," she said quickly.

"Lucy," Strider said, his voice firmer. She stared at him with a blank expression before looking ahead.

"My dad," she began.

"What happened?" Strider asked.

"He… seven years…," she said, tears falling again. As she felt Stride put an arm around her, she leaned in, resting her head on his shoulder. She began to let the tears flow free, unable to hold them in much longer. "He died. Just a month ago."

"Lucy… I'm sorry," Strider said, gulping as he held her a bit tighter. She wrapped her arms around his neck as she began to sob wholeheartedly.

"Even after all that time, he kept sending me birthday presents every year. He kept writing to me. He… he…," Lucy continued, her voice shuddering violently. "He kept paying for my rent. Even when he didn't know that I'd come back, he kept doing it all! For me!"

"Let's go inside," she heard him say. Nodding, Strider escorted Lucy to her apartment, just a few meters away. He prepared something to drink for both of them while Lucy's lip quivered as she read her letter again.

"T-t-thanks," she said, taking the mug. Sitting at her side, he began to rub her back comfortingly.

"Your father loved you," he said in a gentle voice.

"I know," she whispered.

"I know it's hard," he said.

"My mom… and now my dad. I don't… I don't have anyone anymore," she cried.

"You have me. You have our Team. And you have Fairy Tail," Strider said. Lucy's voice shuddered again as she put her mug down, holding her face in her hands. Strider put his down as well, holding her again. Lucy soon laid him down, resting on top of him.

"It… it was bad enough to think you died. If I lost you and him…," she cried.

"I won't leave you like that," Strider whispered.

"Promise," she said.

"I promise," he replied. "Do… you want to visit his grave?"

"I… I don't know," she said, clenching his clothes a bit. "Yes."

"Where is it?" he asked.

"He's… buried on the Heartfilia Konzern. My home. It's where my mom is," Lucy said.

"Let's go. We can fly, if you want," Strider said. Lucy simply nodded. Holding her close, they soon exited out a window and towards her home.

-o-

"I'll wait here," Strider said, standing near the gate.

"No. Please, come with me," Lucy said, tugging on his arm. Strider hesitated a bit before nodding. As she led him to the grave, Strider saw how beautiful the home was. The grounds were massive with well tended gardens and a large home in the distance. Lucy, however, led him to a smaller garden plot - one with a variety of flowers blooming around two pillars. He saw the name 'Anna Heartfilia' and 'Jude Heartfilia' carved into them. As she approached, Lucy fell to her knees, her tears flowing again.

"H-hey mom, dad," she whispered. "It's… good to see you again. I know it's been a long time. I'm sorry, daddy. I'm sorry you had to wait so long. You were probably so worried about me. But… but don't worry, ok? I'm back. I got your presents and I got your letters. I'm… I'm…," she said, her voice breaking and shuddering constantly.

Strider watched as she talked to her parents graves, his mind traveling back as well. It was a while before he heard her speak to him again.

"Strider?" she said softly.

"Yeah, Lucy?" he wondered, kneeling down.

"Do you mind if I visit my house?" she asked.

"Whatever you need, alright? We're in no hurry," Strider said kindly.

"Thanks," Lucy said, sniffling. She walked ahead of him a bit, looking to either side and taking in her former home.

-o-

"I haven't been in my room in such a long time," Lucy sighed with a watery smile.

"It suits you," Strider said, looking around at the vivid, pink decorations. On one of the walls, multiple articles about the going ons at Fairy Tail were plastered. "Always been a fan of Fairy Tail, I see."

"Yup. It's the only guild I've ever wanted to join," Lucy said. "And then I finally did."

"Has it been everything you thought it'd be?" he asked.

"Way more exciting than I thought it'd be," Lucy sighed. As she turned to him, her smile fell slightly. "After what happened, did… you not want to come back?"

"Ah…," Strider said, avoiding her gaze. He walked over to a window and opened it, taking a deep breath as he began to tap on the sill.

"Sorry. You'll probably be getting it a lot," Lucy said.

"It isn't that I didn't want to come back… I… don't know. It didn't seem to be as simple as coming back. I… didn't think I'd be able to look anyone in the eye. I had let you all down. I had let the entire guild down," Strider said, turning his head down. As Lucy looked at his back, she saw his shoulders droop; surprising, considering the rigidity he always stood with. He looked older and tireder than she had ever recalled.

"Don't tell me you actually believe that!" she exclaimed. "We're the ones who ran away in the first place, remember?! If you weren't there, we might not have even made it!"

Strider didn't answer, still going out. He felt Lucy rest a hand gently on his shoulder. It took all the will he had not to break down again; her touch meant more to him right now than anything else.

"You're back. That's all that matters now," Strider said.

"Permanently, now," Lucy said, giving him a tight squeeze before she began to look around. Strider continued to observe with a smile, happy for her return; happy for their return.

-o-

"What's going on down there?" Lucy frowned as she and Strider flew through the sky, back towards the guild.

"I'm not sure. That's… a lot of people thought. Would you mind if we set down for a second?" he asked.

"Yeah. I want to see what's going on," she said.

As Strider landed, he and Lucy took a moment to look around. Thousands of people appeared to be standing in a line, waiting to get to the center of town.

"What's going on here?" Lucy asked.

"Wha - is that supposed to be a joke?" a disheveled man snarled at her.

"No! It's… I haven't been around for a while," Lucy said, surprised by the reaction.

"Don't mind him, dear. It's… just that peoples emotions are high right now," an elderly woman said.

"You ain't heard about the attack?" a man asked.

"The attack? What attack?" Strider frowned.

"Ah… they really don't know," the man said.

"We're from Alvarez, dear," the woman said with a sad smile.

"That's really far away, though!" Lucy said, shocked.

"It's not as though we're here by choice, blondie," the disheveled man said.

"Are you refugees?" Strider asked, his heart falling.

"We are. Oh, there's my number," the woman said, looking at a ticket. Lucy looked at Strider who shrugged. He quickly held her again before taking off, his mind wandering back to the line of people. As he looked back, he saw that it went on for miles ahead.

"My God," he whispered, stunned.

"So many people," Lucy said, shocked.

"What happened?" Strider asked.

"You not from around here or something?" a woman asked.

"I'm not, Miss," Strider said.

"We were driven from our homes," she said, holding her children close to her. Strider saw tears begin to well in her eyes, as well as in her children's.

"Alvarez was attacked," another man said.

"By Ishgar?" Strider asked, stunned.

"No. We don't know what happened. All we know is… is that…," he trailed off. With one more look at Strider, he refused to finish the sentence, opting to look ahead. Strider didn't press him; he simply looked around, taking in the people.

"Are you ok?" Lucy asked, gently tugging on his arm. Strider was silent.

-o-

"Hey. What do you need?" Bisca asked as Strider joined her at a table with a drink.

"Lucy and I came across a massive line of refugees from Alvarez," Strider said with a frown.

"Ah. Yeah, if you had been here you would've known what happened," Bisca grimaced. Strider sighed and nodded; she had every right to beat him down with that.

"I know," was all he said.

"There was an attack there a year ago. Massive in terms of death," Bisca said.

"What happened?" Strider asked.

"That's the thing - no one knows. Some people are claiming it was a natural disaster, others said it was a band of terrorist mages. Some said it was a dragon, others are saying a million other things. The total civilian death count is close to a hundred thousand and most of the army is dead as well. Their Emperor made contact with Ishgar, though, and they worked out a deal where we would begin taking refugees. Apparently, the attack left a lot of land uninhabitable. It… whatever it was, was really bad," Bisca said sadly.

"Wow…," Strider said, stunned.

'A hundred thousand dead?' he thought, shocked.

"Yeah. Because of our size, Fiore isn't going to be taking in as many as the others, but we're still going to have several thousand. What's really surprising is that the Emperor wasn't able to do anything. He's supposed to be a really powerful mage, but apparently he - and a bunch of other mages that tried to help - were powerless. Their entire army was devastated, so now they're in a pretty bad position. I overheard some people saying that the rest of Alakitasia might even try to attack," Bisca said.

"How long did it all take to happen?" Strider asked.

"From what I understand, it was over the course of several months. It… more dead just kept on turning up and turning up. Whatever it was didn't come here, though. It didn't even hit the rest of the Alkatasia. It was just Alvarez that was attacked and then… gone," Bisca said.

"That's insane," Strider said.

"You're telling me," Bisca sighed. "The agreement to take refugees was only just worked out recently, though. They'll be living all across Fiore. Alakitasia is taking most of them; we agreed for several as well," Bisca added.

"I recall Levy saying something about us not being on good terms with Alvarez," Strider said.

"Oh, we weren't. But after the attack, I guess some people softened up a bit. It helps that their Emperor apparently attended the negotiations himself. They worked out a deal that opened up trade with both continents. Because of Alvarez's position on the eastern seaboard of Alakitasia, it cut the rest of the continent off. So this is as much for economic reasons as humanitarian," Bisca sighed.

"You're from Alakitasia, are you not?" Strider asked.

"You remember," Bisca said, managing a small smile.

"I don't think I could forget. I remember the talk you and I had as well," Strider said.

"So do I," she sighed. "So… when are you going back?"

"Not for a while. I promise," Strider said.

"Alright," Bisca nodded, slight hesitation in her voice. "I've gotta go take care of Asuka."

"Asuka?" Strider wondered.

"My daughter," she said.

"Ah. Congratulations, Bisca," Strider said, smiling.

"Thanks. I'll bring her around later," Bisca said, giving him a short hug before leaving.

'A daughter, huh? I wonder what else has changed?' Strider thought as he looked around. He was happy to see that the others were so jovial still; the effects of the party were still raging on.

-o-

"So are you going to be training as well?" Strider asked Mira.

"Yup. I'm going to be going with Lis, Elf, Juvia, Cana, and Bisca. What about you? Team Natsu?" Mira wondered.

"Yup. I'm going to my fortress for a few of weeks and then I'll join the others. I believe Levy, Droy, and Jet will be joining us as well," Strider said.

"Your fortress?" Mira wondered.

"There are some changes I'd like to make to it. I haven't had time to work it for a long time," Strider sighed.

"What can you do in few weeks, though?" Mira wondered.

"You'd be surprised," Strider said with a surprisingly wide grin.

"Well, I'm sure you got stronger over the last seven years. Two weeks probably won't mean much," Mira smiled.

"I certainly hope so," Strider said.

"It's fine to be immodest here and there, you know," Mira giggled.

"Sorry. Its been so ingrained into me, that if I even try to act otherwise it makes me really uncomfortable. I can't think of many more awkward situations," Strider sighed.

"At least now I know your weakness," Mira said in a sing song voice. Looking through the stores, she sighed.

"What is it?" Strider frowned.

"We're running really low on jewel. It's been difficult for the others. With so few of us, a lot of them had to stay and help around the guild, keeping up repairs. They couldn't go out for jobs, so there wasn't much income, which led them to staying around more. Doesn't help that the guild they got a loan from - Twilight Ogre - were a real bunch of bullies," Mira said, anger seeping into her voice. Strider felt a sudden surge of guilt rise in stomach.

"I… believe my account at the bank is still open. I never did get a place to stay, so I'm sure the amount I have will be enough to see us through a few months," he offered.

"We can't ask you to do that!" Mira said in surprise.

"You didn't. I… I owe it to the guild, Mira," he said, taking his leave. As he left, Makarov and Erza joined Mira at the bar.

"He's feeling really guilty about not coming back here," Mira said sadly.

"He had his own responsibilities. It's not like he could've shirked them," Makarov sighed, Alvarez on his mind.

'What it must take to rebuild a country ravaged by war…,' he thought.

"Anyways, come with me you two. We have a stop to make," Makarov said. Erza, Mira, and the others felt the fury radiate off of him as they headed over to the guild headquarters of Twilight Ogre.

-o-

With the few but high paying jobs he had done, Strider had a decent amount of money in the bank. He deposited a hefty bag into a pocket dimension for Fairy Tail before he quickly took to the skies, heading to where the refugees were. As he looked down, he saw the same few that he had seen hours ago, still not having moved a spot.

"Why are you here?" the woman with the children asked, frowning.

"Forgive me. I… am not from around here. My homeland was torn apart by war. I know what you're going through," he said.

"You have no idea what we're going through!" a man snarled at him.

"I do. More than you might think," Strider said sadly.

"Are you-," he began before being cut off by another, older man.

"Enough! This isn't a pissing contest of whose had it worse!" he yelled. The other man seethed before turning away from Strider.

"Sor-sorry. He… it's hard right now. For us all," another woman said.

"I understand," Strider said, looking at a couple of kids that were looking up at him. Smiling warmly, he kneeled down. "Hello. My name is Strider."

"H-hi…," a young boy said, holding his mothers hand a bit more tightly.

"Are you in a gu-guild?" his sister asked.

"I am. Fairy Tail," Strider said.

"I've heard rumors of them," their mother said.

"Good ones, I hope," Strider joked, trying to lighten the mood. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to come here and take up your time."

"It's fine. Y…you say that you know what we're going through?" she asked.

"I do," Strider said.

"When does it get easier?" she asked in a whisper. Strider looked at her, trying to not let his smile fall.

"Eventually, it does," he said. The woman stared at him intensely before sighing and nodding.

"I… came here to give you all a little something. It's not much, and you'll have to share - but… anything is better than nothing," Strider said as he began to pull out jewel and hand it around. Many people looked on in surprise and shock, not believing what they were seeing. He gave several large handfuls, especially to the children, who looked on in wonder.

"W-why?" the elderly man asked, astonished.

"Anything I can do to help," Strider said, gulping.

'It never gets easier, after all,' he thought sadly.

"We can't accept this," the man said.

"Please. If not for yourself, for the kids, then," Strider pleaded. Suddenly, the man from earlier walked up to him, grabbing him by the collar.

"We don't need your pity! We don't need your charity!" he snarled, trying to push him away. Beset by malnourishment and already low on energy, however, he only stumbled as he fell to the ground. As Strider tried to help him up, he smacked his hand away before standing up by himself. He took his leave, muttering curses at the Mage.

"Don't mind him," one of the woman said sadly.

"I understand. Emotions are high. There's no need to apologize on his behalf. I… please, take some for him as well," Strider said.

"Strider?" came another voice. Strider looked and was surprised to see Jura along with another man of shorter stature. He had a dark green beard and wore glasses and an earring. His hat was as big as his head and his gaze was sharp as he looked Strider up and down.

"Jura. I was just helping out as I see fit," Strider said.

"I see," Jura nodded.

"Whose this?" the man asked.

"This is Strider, a Wizard in Fairy Tail. Strider, this is Wolfheim - part of the Magic Council and one of the Ten Wizard Saints," Jura said.

"A pleasure, sir," Strider said, bowing slightly.

"Hmph. What're you doing here, kid?" he asked.

"These people needed help so I thought I would offer what I could," Strider said.

"Are you giving them your own money?" Jura asked, surprised.

"As much as I can, yes," Strider said. "What are you doing here?"

"Wolfheim and I saw someone fly in - you, it appears. We wanted to see what was going on," Jura said.

"Ah, sorry. If I had known you were here, I would've gone to you first," Strider said.

"It's fine. Would you like us to take over? Wolfheim and I are in charge of this group," Jura said.

"I don't mind," Strider said.

"Better if we keep this official, kid," Wolfheim said. Strider opened his mouth to protest before stopping short. Handing out a few more jewel by himself, he passed the notably lighter bag to Wolfheim who nodded.

"That said, it's very much appreciated Strider. We'll ration them out to everyone here," Jura said.

"No problem, Jura," Strider. "Also, if there's anything - anything - I can do, just say the word," Strider said.

"We certainly will. Thank you," Jura said, heading towards the front of the line again. As Strider saw them go, he sighed before turning to the others.

"Jura is a good man. You can be sure that he'll keep his word," Strider said.

"If he doesn't?" a man asked nervously.

"I'm at Fairy Tail. All you have to do is let me know," Strider said, looking towards Jura again.

'I'm pretty sure I can trust him. Master Makarov seems to trust him quite a bit, and from what I can tell, Jura is a great guy. Doesn't mean everyone up there has these peoples best interests at heart,' Strider thought, trying not to grind his teeth.

"Mr. Strider?" the young boy asked.

"Yeah, kid?" Strider responded.

"Could you show us your magic?" he asked. Strider smiled as he saw the excitement behind the eyes. Taking a few steps back, he began to put on a show for the children and others, trying his damnedest to lighten the mood, even just a bit.

-o-

As he returned to Fairy Tail, Strider saw that the guild was already thinning out. Mira and Erza both had a satisfied expression as they welcomed him back.

"You two look happy," he commented, feeling drained. Despite not doing much physical work, the emotional mood took a toll.

"The meeting with Twilight Ogre went better than expected. We got great terms," Mira said cheerfully.

"I hope they're still alive," Strider sweatdropped.

"They're lucky to be so," Erza said haughtily.

"Oh, here's the money. It's not much, but it should help a bit," Strider said, passing the bag to Mira.

"We can'-," Mira began before Strider waved away her protest.

"You can and will," he said. "Right now, it's the very least I can do."

"I thought you would've had a bit more than this," Erza said.

"Ah. I got… sidetracked, I guess," he said.

"What does that mean?" Mira wondered. Strider looked at her, Erza, and Cana - who had just joined - and sighed. As he told them what transpired, their faces fell.

"That was really sweet of you," Erza said.

"It… thanks," Strider nodded.

"I hope they'll be ok," Mira said.

"It'll be a long road to recovery," Strider said distantly. "Anyways, I'm going to call it a night. I'll see you guys later," he said, heading to his room.

"This must be hard on him," Cana said.

"I believe it is. He left his home to get away from war. And now, just as he comes back, this happens," Erza said sadly. "Anyways, I will be leaving as well. Cana?"

"Yeah, coming," the brunette sighed, taking a bottle for the road. With a dejected sigh, Mira got back to work, her thoughts drifting considerably.

-o-

"Come in," Strider said as he heard the knock.

"Hey. I just wanted to check on you really quickly," Mira said, closing the door.

"You don't have to worry about me, Mira," Strider said, smiling.

"You're wrong about that. What you went through isn't as easy to deal with as you make it sound. I just want you to know that if you need to talk to someone, I'm here," she said.

"Thank you," Strider said, giving her a hug. As they sat on the edge of his bed, Mira tapped gently on his thigh, looking at his feet. She gently pulled part of the pant legs up, gulping as she saw the scarring.

"Not a pretty sight," he said softly.

"What you did was really brave," she said.

"I had to," he said.

"Does it hurt? Honestly," she said. Strider paused before nodding. "How badly?"

"It… I've had to rely on my telekinesis a bit more for some things. It's not as bad as it was the first year, but the pain does come back sometimes," he said.

"Isn't there a cure?" she asked.

"For injuries like these, we're lucky that there are treatments," Strider said. As Mira hugged him a bit tighter, she gently laid him on the bed. Yawning cutely, she snuggled a bit closer. "Want to stay the night?"

"W-what?" she asked, blushing.

"It is pretty late. It wouldn't be very gentlemanly of me to make you walk home, so you're welcome to stay the night. I promise not to try anything," Strider laughed.

"Ha-ha. I'm… not sure if that's such a good idea," she said.

"Oh? Why not?" Strider wondered. Mira just mumbled, eliciting a sigh from him.

"Shall I walk you back?" he asked.

"I don't want you to trouble yourself," she said softly.

"No trouble at all, really. Besides, like I've said, I enjoy spending time with you," Strider said, gently rubbing her back. Mira shivered pleasurably at the touch. Considering his offer for a second, she nodded.

-o-

"Do you remember when we first walked this way?" she asked with a giggle as her house came into view.

"I do. My second night in Magnolia," Strider said.

"Feels so recent, still," she said.

"Surprisingly, it does for me as well. It was raining pretty hard that night," he sighed, remembering what had happened weeks later on the island.

"Yeah. You cast that charm on me to keep it off. Sweet of you," Mira said.

"Do you remember what happened when we got here? As I recall, you were standing much like you are now," Strider said as she stood atop the doorstep.

"I… don't remember," Mira blushed, remembering.

"You told me you don't invite guys in on the first date. And then, as I recall, I got in close like so…," Strider said with a devious smile, leaning in close. Mira's head touched the door as she inhaled sharply, taking in her scent. As opposed to fumbling her words like the first time however, she gently leaned her head against his, biting her lip as she thought of all the different ways this could go. She was about to say something when the door suddenly opened.

"WHAT'RE YOU TWO DOING?!" Elfman asked, horrified.

"ELFMAN! LEAVE THEM ALONE!" Lisanna squealed to her brother, slapping him out of the way with considerable strength before giving an apologetic look to Mira and Strider.

"Ah. Well, there goes the moment," Strider sighed.

"I am so sorry about that," Mira said embarrassedly.

"Don't worry about it. I'll see you in the morning, Mira," Strider said, suddenly kissing her atop her head before taking his leave. With a wave at Lisanna, he took to the sky and headed towards the guild.

"That was so cute!" Lisanna squealed, taking Mira by the arm and escorting her inside. As they closed the door, Elfman squealed like a little girl as Mira glared at him.

-o-

"So you'll be joining us later?" Lucy asked.

"Yeah. I'm going to head to the coast to work my home a little bit. I'll whirlwind the repairs and upkeep before meeting you guys," Strider said.

"Are you sure? You can do that later as well," Erza said.

"I'm sure. Besides, it's something I've put off for far to long. I do it any longer, and I'm liable to forget," Strider said.

"If you say so. Alright, we'll be at Hargeon. Meet us there," she said, taking her leave with the others.

"We just got back and we're already separating," Cana said.

"I know. At least this time, we're sure of when we'll see each other again. And, of course, we can still talk," Strider said, twirling her call card in his hands.

"Take mine as well," Mira said, handing him one. Juvia did the same, presenting it with both hands and blush before running off to talk with Lisanna.

"With Gray, she was a lot more up front about it," Mira sighed.

"Probably because she knew Gray was so dense, she'd have to beat it into him. This guy, on the other hand, is probably a pervert in disguise. All gentlemen are," Cana laughed.

"I resent that," Strider grumbled.

"Hi there!" a tiny voice suddenly popped in. A young girl with dark hair and cowboy hat said.

"Hello," Strider said, smiling at her.

"I'm Asuka!" she said.

"Asuka? Bisca's daughter?" Strider asked.

"Yup, that's my momma! Momma! Come on!" Asuka cried out. Bisca soon came in through the door, panting a bit.

"Asuka, you know not to run off like that," Bisca said, scooping her up.

"But I wanted to meet everyone!" she said.

"She's so cute!" Mira cooed, pinching the girls cheeks. Asuka laughed, doing the same for Mira. Cana soon joined in; Strider simply observed the scene unfold with a smile.

"Your daughter is adorable," Cana said.

"Oh man, if Erza knew she'd have blown off training," Mira said.

"Who are these people, momma?" Asuka asked.

"This here is Mira, this is Cana, and this is Strider, sweetheart. They're all my friends," Bisca said.

"Mira, Cana, and Str.. Stri… Striga?" Asuka tried to pronounce adorably.

"Adorable," Cana giggled.

"Want to hold her?" Bisca asked Mira.

"Yes!" she replied excitedly, taking the little girl in her arms and cradling her. Asuka gave her a toothy grin that made Mira squeal in delight, much like the younger girl.

"How old is she again?" Strider asked.

"Two. Three after the Games finish," Bisca said.

"She seems wonderful. Congratulations," Strider said.

"Thanks," Bisca said, blushing a bit.

"I don't mean to pry, but what about the father?" Strider asked.

"He… left. In a hurry," Bisca said.

"His loss," Strider said. Bisca looked at him and smiled, gently touching his hand with hers. Mira soon passed Asuka to Cana. As she did, the young girl retched as she took a whiff of the alcohol.

"Guess she doesn't like the smell of alcohol," Mira giggled.

"Ugh, if I knew you were bringing her, I wouldn't have taken a sip," Cana grumbled, trying to pass Asuka to Strider.

"Oh. I… I'm not sure that's such a good idea," Strider said uncertainly.

"Come on, don't be a baby!" Cana said. Strider sighed and held Asuka gently. The little girl smiled up at him, gently pulling his hair and touching the black cloak.

"So soft!" she said, rubbing her cheek against it.

"So cute," the three women sighed in exaltation.

"Glad you think so," Strider said with a short laugh.

"I got it!" Asuka said.

"Got what, sweetheart?" Bisca asked, caressing her cheek.

"You can be my papa!" Asuka said. Mira, Cana, and Bisca all went deathly quiet as they began to turn varying shades of red. Strider couldn't help but laugh as Bisca quickly took Asuka in her arms again.

"Sweetheart, you can't just say things like that," she chided her daughter.

"Why not?" she asked innocently.

"I… don't know," Bisca blanched. "Looks like we have to go. I'll see you guys later," Bisca said, locking eyes with Strider for a long while before finally leaving.

"Kids say the damnedest things," Cana finally said.

"You two have something on your mind?" Strider asked with a smirk.

"Oh, we have to go as well, Cana! Later, Strider," Mira said, taking the brunettes arm and leading her away. Chuckling, Strider soon took his leave as well.

-o-

"I'm sorry about that," Bisca said. She, Mira, Cana, and Juvia were deep in conversation while Lisanna and Elfman led the way to a training spot.

"It's… fine," Mira said, smiling at the green haired gunslinger and her daughter.

"I'm curious now, though…," Cana said, slightly uncomfortable.

"Of what?" Mira asked.

"Does he… you know, have any?" Cana said.

"I don't think so," Mira said.

"What makes you so sure?" Cana asked.

"I asked him if he met someone during the seven years he was gone. He said he didn't," Mira said.

"Seriously?" Juvia asked, surprised but relieved.

"Yeah. It sounds like there was someone a while ago, but…," Mira trailed off uncomfortably, unsure as to how much she should share.

"What? What is it?" Cana urged.

"I'm not sure if I-," Mira began.

"Come on, I've told you what I know," Cana said shortly. With a sigh, Mira nodded.

-o-

"Welcome back!" Lucy cried out, hugging Strider as he landed on the hot, sandy beach.

"Talk about a warm welcome," Strider chuckled, returning the hug. "How're you guys doing with training?"

"Well, so far. Natsu and Gray are really focused," Lucy said, nodding her head at the two. Strider smiled as he saw them going at each other on the edge of the beach, looks of determination etched across their faces. "Which is surprising, considering how dense they are."

"Where's Erza?" he wondered.

"Ah. Well, surprisingly…," Lucy trailed off, hiking her thumb back. Strider laughed as he saw Erza lazing off in the water. Wendy was sitting against a jutting rock, her nose in a book.

"And what's Wendy doing?" Strider asked.

"She's reading a book that Ms. Porlyusica - she's the healer of our guild - gave her," Lucy said.

"And how are you?" Strider finally asked, smiling at her. Lucy returned it with a sad but content smile of her own.

"I'm feeling a bit better. Thanks for taking me back there," she said.

"Whatever you need, Lucy," Strider said kindly. "How're you holding up?"

"A bit better, I guess. I… just wish we had come back a little sooner. Just a little," Lucy said, sighing heavily. Strider nodded as he and Lucy began to walk along the beach, taking in the sights.

"Anyways, I'm going to get back to meditating. Capricorn said it'll help me summon more spirits at a time and keep them out longer. See ya," she said, scurrying off to some trees. Strider continued to walk under his feet were finally in the water. Looking out at the beach, he held his arms out, palms facing each other. Slowly, he moved his arms to his sides and began chanting as he concentrated. A large swath of water began to rise out of the water, leaving only algae. Fishing continued to swim around in the levitating water. Strider continued to elevate it before he gently brought it back down, allowing it to reconnect with the sand.

'What to do?' he wondered.

"Trying to figure out what to do?" Erza asked, coming up behind him.

"Yup. Seven years, and I trained heavily. I suppose you could say that I've hit a bit of a roadblock," he sighed, shifting uncomfortably.

"Never thought I'd hear you say that," she mused.

"Nor did I. There are some bits of telekinesis I still need to work on, but I can't do that here," he sighed.

"Why not?" she wondered.

"They're large scale. I need a place to train with nothing for miles. I suppose I can work on the basics, but-," Strider started to say when he was cut off by a surprise arrival.

"What's wrong, Virgo?" Lucy asked her beautiful, violet haired maid.

"Princess! The Celestial Spirit World is in grave danger! We require your help!" Virgo said, bowing to them all.

"What do you mean?!" Lucy asked, horrified.

"I've been asked to bring you to the Celestial Spirit World at once," Virgo replied.

No one needed another moments thought. As everyone nodded in agreement, they found themselves surrounded by a white light. Suddenly, everything around them had changed.

Strider looked on in awe. He'd seen a lot of things, but nothing quite like this before. He could see the planets, moons, and stars overhead. He saw a river of light cascading through a twinkling sky. He looked at himself and found his clothes changed. While he still wore the hood, cloak, and sword - his other vestments had been replaced. These new clothes were purple with yellow embroidering, regal as they could be. He looked around and saw his friends wearing the same designs, each just as stunned by the events that had transpired.

"Welcome back, old friend," said a booming voice.

As they turned to see where it came from, they were met by the watchful and kind gaze of the ruler of the sprit plane - the Celestial Spirit King. A large man with a mustache that jutted as far as his shoulders, his arms crossed in front of him as he greeted his new friends. They were surrounded by a variety of spirits, many that Strider had not seen before. He looked around as a child would in a toy store.

"Celestial Spirit King!" Lucy said, walking up to the floating man. "Virgo said you needed help! What's wrong?"

A long pause, as everyone looked up expectantly at the king.

"Smile," the king said, grinning wide.

Everyone sweatdropped.

"Today, we celebrate the return of our old friend and her comrades. I welcome you all to the Celestial Spirit World. Today is for you," the king boomed. Looking around, they saw all the spirits begin to party, smiling at the wizards.

"Virgo! I thought you said the world was in danger?" Lucy asked.

"I lied," Virgo said, smiling wide as well.

"WHAT?!" Lucy exclaimed.

"Come, let us sing, drink, and celebrate with abandon!" the king yelled. No one needed to think about it. Everyone easily got acclimated to the party atmosphere and started to celebrate. Gray was playing with the Nicolas while Aquarius observed.. Wendy was speaking with Horologium, while Natsu and Erza were eating with Gusto. Levy gawked at the massive bookshelf she came across and was reading to her hearts content - her very own idea of having fun at a party.

"It's good to see you again Aries," Strider said as came across the fluffy Spirit.

"Oh! H-h-hi!" she squealed timidly, eliciting a chuckle from him.

"I just wanted to thank you for your help on that job all those years ago. The bird one, if you remember," he said.

"I remember! It was no trouble at all, really!" she said.

"So, you're Strider. I've heard about you but I don't think we've talked much," Loke said, coming up behind him.

"A pleasure. Loke, no? You partnered with Gray during the S-Class Trial?" Strider asked.

"Yup, that's me. We would've won it to if those pricks hadn't interfered," Loke grumbled.

"Ha. Maybe next year, then," Strider said.

"Oh, definitely. Can't wait to go up against you," Loke said with a challenging grin.

"I look forward to it," Strider said, returning it.

"Ugh, please save the fighting for later," Lucy groaned.

"Oh, Lucy! We've missed you so much!" Loke said, looking for a hug. Lucy deftly dodged it, choosing to converse with the king instead.

"Would you like anything to eat, Master Strider?" Virgo asked.

"I'm good Virgo, thank you. How have you all been these last seven years?" he wondered.

"Time flows differently here, so it actually didn't feel that long. I'm happy that I can serve Princess Lucy again," Virgo said, before smiling. "I hope she punishes me soon."

"Ha. Ah, you might have to wait for that. Lucy's to kind to punish," Strider said.

"Perhaps you wouldn't mind, then? I've been a very naughty girl," Virgo said.

"I'd rather not get on Lucy's bad side," Strider laughed.

"I shall ask her permission on your behalf, then!" Virgo said, running off to join Lucy.

-o-

"Shouldn't you be celebrating with everyone as well?" Aquarius asked Strider.

"This is good enough for me. I'm just happy they're all having fun," Strider sighed.

"Hmph. No one likes a brooder," Aquarius scolded.

"Really? I've heard the opposite. Besides, if I was broody, this conversation would've ended before it began," Strider laughed.

"Whatever. At least have something to drink. You're bringing the mood down," Aquarius said hardly. Strider looked at her, holding her gaze for a long while before he finally acquiesced.

"You're right," he finally said, sighing heavily.

"Don't make it sound so painful," Aquarius groaned.

"Curious - how did you fare without Lucy?" Strider asked. Aquarius was silent as she looked at the blonde, who was trying to talk Virgo out of having Strider punish her. Strider saw her eyes go soft before hardening again.

"Back way to soon!" she said haughtily, eliciting a laugh from him.

"STRIDER! YOU GOTTA TRY THIS!" Gray shouted, throwing some meat at him. Strider raised a cup to him in thanks before digging in.

-o-

"Man, this was awesome. Great way to kick off these three months of training," Gray said.

"I should've probably mentioned that time flows differently here," Virgo said, preparing to take them back.

"What? So a day back home is like a year here? We should train here instead!" Natsu said excitedly.

"Actually… one day here is about three months back there," Virgo said smiling.

Suddenly, the team found themselves on the shore of the beach. Three months had passed. In a single day. The Grand Magic Games were just a hop, skip, and a jump away.

Natsu, Erza, and Gray fell forward onto their faces, not saying a word.

Wendy fell to her knees and began to cry comically.

Strider stood there, trying to keep his laughter in check.