Phoenix

Departure

"Lady Emiko, look at this!"

Emi turned her attention to the maroon exceed and saw that he was holding a small pot. Once he walked closer she leaned down to look at the small flower that sat inside.

"That's really pretty, Lector."

"It's for you!"

"Me?" Emi mused, a big smile on her face.

"Sting and I went to get you a flower, yes."

"Well thank you."

"We got a baby flower so we could watch it grow," Lector excitedly explained.

She gave a genuine smile and took the plant from the exceed and placed it on the table where she was sitting. The three of them made casual conversation, Sting coming to sit across from her and Lector sitting on Sting's head.

"Yo Emi!" Natsu shouted. "Can you make something? It's been so long since I had your spicy cooking."

Sting looked at his idol annoyed, aggravated that he had (once again) interrupted his time with his mate. Emi giggled and stood up, nodding to Natsu and waving him on before leaving the inn.

"Master," Erza addressed as she stood beside Makarov, "when do you think we will be leaving to return to Magnolia?"

"Probably within the next couple days."

"Aw," Lucy whined, "I'm really gonna miss Emi. Does she have to go?"

"Well duh," Sting interjected. "She's my mate."

-------

After about two hours, Emi and Natsu returned with a plate of cookies.

"I don't even know why you bothered to bring them back here, brat. Nobody can eat them."

Emi rolled her eyes at Laxus and handed him a cookie.

"Just try it."

"No."

"Come on, try it."

"I said no."

"Please?"

"Not a chance."

"Try it!"

The lightning dragon slayer groaned, but he took the cookie. He sniffed it and raised his eyebrow before taking a bite.

"What did you do to it?" He asked, suspicious of her cooking.

"Nothing. I just didn't put hot sauce in it. See, isn't it good?"

Laxus gave her a side look before eating the rest of the cookie. Emi cheered when she saw him eat it and spun around to face everyone else, announcing that there were desserts. Makarov took a cookie and thanked her, eating it in one bite. He was coughing violently a second later. Everyone sweatdropped.

"Master Grampa, I'm so sorry. You must've gotten one of Natsu's cookies!"

"Way to go, brat. You could've told us that they were mixed."

Emi gave a sheepish smile before handing Makarov a plain cookie.

"Here, Master Grampa. This one is safe."

"I think I'm full, but thank you child."

-------

"Alright! Back to Magnolia we go!" Natsu shouted.

Fairy Tail had gathered all their stuff as they prepared to leave the city of Crocus. Sabertooth had also packed their bags and went over to the Fairy Tail inn to say their goodbyes. Laxus tapped Emi on the shoulder and playfully held out his arms, mirroring Emi's many times of coaxing a hug from the lightning wizard before his jobs. Emi giggled and hugged him tight. She then turned to Sting and held his hands.