Being a Chang

Chapter Twenty-One

(Asmodeus Star Dress)

Makarov was quick to go after Twilight Orge with Erza, Mira, and Laxus making it so in any other case I'd feel sorry for the other guild. But considering this one had been degrading and bullying our guild, all I felt was that it was justified and even not enough.

Not when they'd spent seven years under Twilight Orge's thumb.

That wasn't even getting into the fact most of us had either lost our apartment leases, or had seven years worth of payments to make. Most of which was totaled out to a certain amount to pay instead if one lived in Fairy Hills since the owner was willing to work with us.

My own house, that I owned, was chock full of dust and just felt abandoned.

Meaning I had to spend the next week deep cleaning the place before feeling ready to start taking jobs again. Natsu and the rest of his team started taking jobs rather quickly.

Well, after Lucy had learned of her father's passing and that he had paid for the seven years of rent she owed to her landlady. She had needed a day to mourn and get through the presents he left her as well before heading out on any jobs with Natsu and the rest.

None of us could remain idle for long seeing as we had to earn money.

We owed that much to those who got left behind.

"So you're saying that there is a new top guild," I mused as Macao had asked if I would stop by the guild this morning to go over the system he had set up via the papers I left behind with him and Makarov. "One that isn't very friendly at that."

Learning of how he saw Sabertooth and it's members was interesting.

"It isn't surprising in truth," mused Makarov with a tired sigh as he finished looking over the new filing system. "I'm more proud of how much you've done as guild master. You were able to deal with all paperwork, current and backlogged, on top of keeping the moral high."

Something not easily done as the years went by that was for sure.

~ Three Weeks Later ~

A grunt left me as I swapped to Asmodeus star dress and surged forward to take out the thrashing wyvern. Laxus was nearby dealing with two more while Gajeel was handling the mage controlling them with Panther Lily as backup.

We had chosen this job as it was one of the few S-rank ones offered to Fairy Tail.

Mainly since it was closer to Magnolia than Crocus.

That didn't even go into the whole issue of the Clock Arc where Lucy almost got swallowed whole and becoming one with the clock. It reminded me of how I had nothing to do with things when they faced against Cobra and the others with Lamia Scale, Blue Pegasus, and Wendy.

I had only learned about things after the fact once Wendy had joined.

It reminded me of how many things still followed the story line even as I changed things.

Which sort of worried me for what was to come if I was honest.

"Absolute bullshit," snarled Laxus once we had retrieved our reward and handed over the mage along with the dead wyverns. "How could Fairy Tail be so easily forgotten in just seven years?!"

He wasn't wrong in being angered since even if we hit rock bottom, there was still magazines and articles from before out there. I knew for a fact that there should at least be whispers.

But no, most looked confused when we said we were from Fairy Tail.

Hitting rock bottom wasn't a great feeling and made me want to break something as I saw firsthand just what those left behind had to deal with. It was no wonder many left.

"Let's just get back to the guild," I stated with a shake of my head since Makarov had reached out to inform us that he wanted to discuss something with everyone. "At least be happy that we no longer owe any money to Twilight Orge. Nor the council for that matter."

A fact we worked hard to make reality after settling back in.

Not that it had been easy as many stores I had once stopped by, when not on jobs, had either closed permanently or became something else. Add onto that the fact Romeo was older and Bisca and Azlack now had Asuka, it all just became a bit too much sometimes.

Even being aware it was coming didn't help that odd out of sort feeling.

~ Fairy Tail ~

When we made it back to the guild, we arrived just as Natsu, Erza, Wendy, Lucy, Happy, Carla and Gray did making us take a moment to greet one another. Though I had to hold back a snort.

Mainly because Wendy and Lucy both looked done with the rest.

This didn't even cover the fact that Carla, the prissy cat, was covered in mud and glaring.

Seems their job had gone sideways as usual for them.

"It's time for the Grand Magic Games," cut in Makarov while gaining the whole guilds attention as we focused on where he stood on the stage. "It's something we will be joining, Erza, Natsu, Lucy, Gray, and Wendy will be the ones competing."

Many gave loud complaints, mostly that of Gajeel and Bickslow, about wanting to join.

"There is still two months before it starts in Crocus," continued Mira with a light giggle, "which means you'll have that long to train up some."

That would have been surprising to hear usually, but considering how much stronger everyone was compared to us. Mainly proven by how much even Max had improved in his fight against Natsu, even if had lost in the end.

None disagreed to the advice to train as Team Natsu headed out the door.

"Now then," called out Makarov once he was sure the other team had left and couldn't overhear as he sent us a sly grin, "we can also enter a second team as the rules previously had changed."

A fact he likely learned from Macao considering he kept aware of the games and its rules.

"Meaning, I'll be sending a Team B in the form of Laxus, Gajeel, Levy, Mira, and Jellal with Juvia being a backup member. Before you ask, Jellal will be undercover acting as Mystogan."

Which made me wonder when exactly the other had shown up to speak with Makarov.

For now, I chose to focus on the fact that I had basically taken Juvia's spot on Team B not that she seemed to mind as it meant she wouldn't have to go against her previous Gray-sama.

"Let's go," ordered Laxus with a nod sent towards Makarov as he headed for the door, "we can do some training on Akane Beach. It'll help if we were also aware of what each one of us can do."

It was going to be a long, though likely fun, two months.

Especially since I knew we'd run into Natsu and the others, end up going to the Celestial World, and losing those two extra months of training we could of had.