Amber found it odd not having Kia or Verani nearby, but that wasn't to say that she wasn't in good company. Wendy had been more than curious about Amber's blood magic since they got back from Tenrou Island and the young Dragon Slayer was still just as eager.
"Are all of your spells rune based?"
The black-haired girl nodded, "For the most part. If I have to, I can skip them to quicken my casting, but it lowers the integrity of my shields."
"What else can you do with your blood magic?"
"Stop crowding her, child." Carla stepped between the two, trying to get Wendy to sit back properly.
"I'm sorry," her shy side coming out, "I just got excited when I met someone else with support magic."
"It's fine," Amber smiled. "Besides, it's not just support magic."
Wendy waved her hands, "I'm sorry! I wasn't implying-"
She stopped mid-sentence when she felt a hand rest on the top of her head. Amber ruffled her hair ever so lightly before pulling her hand back.
"I can do more than just support magic, but so can you. Am I right?"
The blue-haired girl's eyes sparkled as she nodded, "Yeah."
"Someone's in a good mood."
The two smiled in return as Lucy slid into the seat next to Wendy. The young girl nodded, her smile not faltering. It felt so good for all of them to be home, even if they could still sense the tension and heartache that hung in the air of the guild hall. The others had been through so much while they were gone.
"Hey Amber!" Natsu called as he and Happy shot straight over from the door. "Have you seen Kia?"
"Yeah," Happy landed on the table in front of her, "We haven't seen her all morning."
"She went out to do some light training this morning," she explained, holding her hand up to show the rune she had written on the back in her blood. "She should be heading back just about now."
"Heading back?" Lucy asked. "Where did she go?"
Amber shrugged, "Her magic was starting to spark this morning so she decided to head out and find some Vulcans in the forest out back."
The next second was a blur as Natsu spun on his heels to get out the door. He knew his sister was strong enough to handle a few Vulcans on her own, but she wasn't fully recovered and her magic would be at a minimum. But he didn't make it two steps away from the table as Amber immediately grabbed a handful of his scarf, slightly choking him in the process.
"Down boy."
Landing on his back, Natsu took a second to take in a breath before leaping up to face the older girl, "What was that for?"
"Kia said no interfering." She pointed to the rune on her hand, "This is a signal rune. If she gets in trouble or anything, she will let me know and V will be at her side in three seconds."
On cue, the symbol flashed two times. Seeing this, Natsu turned on his heels again, only to get choked again.
"What the hell?! You just said that it would go off if she was in trouble!"
"Yes," Amber sighed, "It will continue flashing if she's in trouble. Two flashes is to let me know that she is done and on her way back."
"Oh."
Happy stared at the mark with wide eyes, "That's really handy!"
"Her magic is so cool, isn't it?" Wendy did a little hop in her seat for her excitement.
The others all agreed as Amber hoped one of the other two would finally make their way back inside; she hated being the center of attention.
||~x~||
"You could have told me where you were going." Natsu complained for what felt like the hundredth time that evening. Knowing him, that was also entirely possible.
The three residents of the Dragneel house were currently laying out in the grass behind their house. Natsu and Kia had finished a late night spar and were sprawled out in the grass, Happy between them.
Kia sighed, "You would've tried to go with me."
"So?"
"I couldn't have fought them with you trying to hog every Vulcan that showed its ugly face."
"She has a point." Happy chimed in.
"You know," Natsu turned to face the blue Exceed, "I don't think you've agreed with me on a single thing since Kia came home."
Happy slid over closer to the Phoenix Slayer, "Because she's been right."
"Aw! Come on, buddy!"
Kia couldn't help but laugh. Though she should be telling her brother to start acting his age, these little outbursts were so refreshing. They were what truly reminded her that she was home.
It wasn't long before the three fell into a rare silence. Fireflies floated around them as the crickets chirped off in the taller grass. A warm breeze caressed them, bringing the smell of rain. The spring showers would be starting soon.
"This reminds me of when we first started looking for Dad."
"It kind of does." Kia muttered back, "I never really get tired of sleeping under the stars."
Natsu grinned, "I bet you've had plenty of that traveling everywhere." He turned his head to see her response, but was met with a different expression. She was lost in thought. He reached over and poked her shoulder, "Sis, what's up?"
"Hey Natsu, Happy," her voice came out softly.
"Yeah?"
"I'm sorry."
He was sitting up now, "What are you sorry for?"
Kia couldn't bring herself to look over at him, even though she could see his movements out of the corner of her eye, "For not coming back two years before Tenrou."
Happy stared over at Kia sadly as Natsu tilted his head forward, his eyes hidden behind his hair. She hadn't wanted to ruin the mood, but it was something she needed to get off her chest. He and the others would be heading out for their training in preparation for the Grand Magic Games the next day.
"It's okay."
Kia turned, looking at her little brother in shock.
"None of that was your fault. You were off on an important job that was concerned with protecting everyone. I know you would have come back if you could have." He flashed her a wide grin, "And besides, she's back and everything's fine."
Tears welled up in the corners of her eyes as Kia nodded. Turning back to the stars as Natsu laid back down in the grass beside her, the faintest smile crept to her lips. Maybe he had grown up some after all.
||~x~||
Today was the day. Nearly every member of Fairy Tail had separated themselves into groups, set to go off on their three months of training. Many of them had seven years worth of experience to catch up on if they even hoped to be contenders in this year's Games.
One of Kia's oldest friends walked over to her, clanking as she went. "Are you sure you won't change your mind about joining us?"
The pink-haired girl shook her head, "I need to fully finish recovering before I think about any of that. And there are a few things we need to take care of first."
"I was afraid you were going to say that," Erza sighed. "You're just as antsy as Natsu."
"Yeah, but I can stomach a train."
The two immediately started laughing. The redhead managing a, "True."
They calmed themselves easily, continuing on as Kia spoke, "But Erza, I wanted to thank you."
"For what?"
"Taking care of him when I wasn't around. I know how much of a handful he can be."
Erza gave her a kind smile, "It was my pleasure."
The two turned to watch as the other teams were slowly beginning to file out under the archway down the path. Verani was getting some last minute jabs in at Laxus as Freed tried to defuse her, Bixlow and Evergreen trying to keep from chuckling, though Kia wasn't sure if they were finding the humor in Verani's words, Freed's antics, or Laxus' reactions. Continuing to scan, she found that Amber had moved over to mingle with Erza's group. She was currently having a conversation with Juvia that made the Phoenix Slayer raise a brow.
"Uh, Erza?" Kia lightly tapped the other girl with her elbow, "Are you seeing what I'm seeing?"
"I thought someone who used blood magic would be able to hide a blush better than that."
"I know right."
"But I don't think that's the most surprising part." Erza added. "I think Juvia is enjoying herself as well."
Kia tilted her head a little, "Why would that be surprising?"
Erza chuckled, "Juvia's been obsessed with Gray since the two fought back when she was with Phantom Lord."
"That would explain the death glares I was getting when I walked in with his coat that one day."
"Yes."
"Wait," Kia said, "You said she was obsessed with him, but how does Gray feel about that?"
Erza sighed, "You know how he is. Always cool and wanting to keep up an image"
Kia slumped a little in defeat, "Now I really am starting to think Natsu did the most growing up out of the two of them."
"Please don't let either one of them hear you say that."
||~x~||
The house was entirely too quiet for Kia's liking. Even though she could have gone back to the house that she shared with Verani and Amber, it just felt right to stay at Natsu's for the night.
She sighed, "I already miss the blockhead."
Soaking in the calm for a few more moments, she turned her gaze from the empty house to the journal that lay open in her lap. Her pen wiggled in her fingers as she tried to think of what to add next. There wasn't a whole lot more that she hadn't covered, but she had been working on writing out her story since she left with the girls two and a half years ago. As she lazily flipped through the pages, she realized that technically it had been nine and a half years since they had joined her in her searches.
Kia's eyes drifted up again, taking in the craziness that had erupted from Natsu's haphazard packing that morning. She could still see him and Happy darting back and forth, yelling the different things that they needed in an audible checklist. It was amusing to watch, but it also just cemented how much she missed being here. She didn't want them to go.
But she also knew that if they didn't, she would be the one to leave first instead.
"That's why I always just settled for watching from afar," she sighed as she set the journal and pen down beside her. "I've never been good at goodbyes."
A powerful and deep voice echoed in her memory, "Will you quit your bellyaching? It's not like I'm disappearing forever."
Kia closed her eyes, pushing that familiar ache in her chest further down. This wasn't the time to double check everything she had written, not if she was already imagining things. Thinking about everything that had happened was hard enough, but rereading it would only cut deeper. It would remind her of what had been lost and that wasn't what she needed to be focusing on.
"Speak of the future. That's where the power of life truly lies."
The Phoenix Slayer ran her fingers through her hair, pulling her hair tie free as she went. Inaudible words mixed into her grumbling as she moved for the tiny bathroom at the other end of the house. Making a checklist of her own, Kia thought through what she needed to have ready for the morning as she also debated whether she would take the journal with her or leave it in Amber's little library at the house. A sigh escaped her. She didn't have the brain power for any of this tonight, not when they would be breaking a certain old man's heart in the morning.
||~x~||
The Master sighed, "I had a bad feeling that you were going to go running off on us again."
It had only been two days since most of the guild had left to start their training. Though everyone was determined to bring Fairy Tail back to the top by winning the Grand Magic Games, the Mythics had a few other priorities that they wanted to see to first.
"Sorry Master," Kia gave him a soft smile. "We would love to compete, but you know why we're leaving."
"I know," he sighed again as he rested his arms behind his back. "How do you plan to send word once you find anything?"
"That will depend on what we find."
"Oh stop being such a downer, Kia." V said as she threw her arm around her best friend, "You don't have to sound all doom-and-gloom all the time."
Amber giggled, "Someone has to balance you out."
Kia and Makarov couldn't help but gently laugh as well; they knew that fact all too well.
The blonde huffed as she put her hands on her hips, "You could at least have my back, Grandpa!"
"Sorry Verani." He smiled up at her even though she crossed her arms with a pout. He could see the smile trying to tug at the corners of her mouth.
"But," Makarov cleared his throat a little as their laughter settled. "I think it goes without saying, be careful."
Kia gave him a mischievous grin that immediately reminded the old wizard a little too much of her younger brother, "Only if you guys come back with a victory."