Around few hours later, outside a modest looking house, lies Mirajane Strauss, who stood before her own home.
The Strauss household itself is just a simple looking house, that has two floors, a basement, and an attic.
The basement is the place where all of their important things for their Jobs and Magic Items, in other words, a storeroom.
The attic also the same as the basement, but unlike the basement, the items within the attic are not Wizard related, but personal items and memories for the Strauss siblings, items they had either took with them when they left that village. Or new memories that had gathered, when they came to Magnolia.
The second floor has three bedrooms, and a bathroom. And the first floor has the kitchen, living room, along with a dining room.
It is not the biggest house within Magnolia but compared to the old house they lived before their parent's death, it's still a lot bigger, not to mention, the rent of this house, is the same price for a single room in the Guild's only dormitory, Fairy Hills.
Fairy Hills, it is the only dormitory that the guild owns, and it also a female only dormitory as well.
Which is the reason why the Strauss siblings do not live within the Fairy Hills, unlike most female members of the guild do, due to no matter how Elfman blushes like a maiden, he still wouldn't be one, even if he wore a dress.
The price of a single room within Fairy Hills is 100,000 Jewels per month, a lot of money for a single room.
And yet, Fairy Hills also can be counted as one of the safest places in the whole of Magnolia, due to the many barriers placed in the dormitory, is one of the main reasons to live there.
But it's not just the barriers are the reason why the rent so high.
The food within the dorm is not only free, but personally handmade by the caretaker of the dorm, whose cooks on the level of master chef. And below the dormitory is also a hot spring that only members of the dormitory can use.
While the benefits of living in Fairy Hills are nice, it will be pointless, if not all three of them can live together.
Upon entering her house, Mirajane heard voices from the living room, causing the young rebel teenager to head over there.
(AN: You might be wondering why did Lisanna and Zack has to study in her room, but not the living room? …Simple, your author forgotten about such a thing, and just wanted to mess with Elfman a little bit.)
"Oh, are you back Mirajane?" As soon Mirajane entered the living room, a voice sounded besides her, causing Mirajane to turned her sea blue eyes to the source.
And the source… is no other than Zack Smasher himself.
From the moment Mirajane saw that smile on his face, and those grassy green eyes solely on her. It felt strange to her; this is not the first time Zack looked or smiled at her.
But each time he does… she feels strange, weird, and even funny at times. But for someone who excels at hiding her emotions or even her feelings, Mirajane simply put those strange emotions to the side and crossed her arms under her chest.
"Why are you here again? By this rate, others will think this is your house, not ours." Mirajane went complained, but unknown to herself, when she said this, a faint smile formed on her flawless lips.
Mirajane than turned her attention towards the few books, that are tied with a rope in Zack's arms. They are likely books that Zack got from the Guild Library, all so he can help Lisanna with her study, even if he also has to study as well.
For some reason, a warm feeling afloat within her, along with a memory of the past.
It was the memory of Zack when he firstly discovered the library, and he could take books out there… as one expected, the result was chaotic. The dumbass has no clue what a 'few' meant, and used a cart of all things, to bring out mountains of books from the library to read.
It was only until Makarov realised a third of the library books' were missing, along with Zack happily humming with the cart of books, until it was stopped.
This memory brought a gentle and yet amused smile on her lips, when she recalled the child-like bright smile, the same smile Zack often shows.
The very same smile, that always caused her to feel funny, and also warm for some reason, that Mirajane does not understand.
While Mirajane thinks of that, her focus returned back on Zack, who for some reason, not only his bright smile has fade, but a blank look appeared on his face while he looked at her?
"Something on my face?" Mirajane bluntly asked, not understanding why Zack looked at her with a blank look, as if he was enchanted by something.
"Sorry… When I saw you smiling like that, I was unable to move away from it, did something happened? You seem to be in a good mood, Mirajane." Zack asked with a curious, and yet gentle smile, while Mirajane herself simply blink her eyes several times, before her cheeks became flushed with redness.
Was she smiling?
Smiling at some memory of this dumbass?
Like it was a memory to be fond of?
Mirajane shakes her head, shaking away those thoughts, and yet, she has not realise, her blushing has not yet faded from her cheeks.
"Huh, did something happen?" Elfman who was not paying attention, turned around to look at the duo with some curiosity.
While on the other hand, Lisanna did not say a word, but a smirk appeared on her lips, that only Mirajane saw, causing Mirajane to flinched for some reason she did not understand.
Why did does it feels like she has been caught doing something wrong?
"A-About that… damned I am hungry, and why I can't be happy? You looking at the next S-Class Wizard, you know?"
Mirajane went, avoiding the topic at hand with another topic with a smug smile on her lips, before she walked over to the sofa that Lisanna is on, only to sit right next to her little sister.
When the two sisters sit next to each other, Mirajane stared at Lisanna with her sea blue eyes, this caused Lisanna to awkwardly look away when Mirajane kept looking at her, this caused a smirk on Mirajane's lips, amused at that, seeing her petty revenge of Lisanna's worked.
And what this revenge is?
Mirajane has no clue… or more like she does not want to admit what it truly is.
"New S-Class…? Wait, did the trails already finished?" Zack went, causing Mirajane to frowned hearing those words, causing her to snort, along with an arrogant smirk.
"What is this? You think I will fail the trails, Zack?" Mirajane went with a serious look.
"No, I never doubted you will lose, I just honestly thought I missed the trails, and failed to congratulate you." Zack went with a sleepy smile, while he snitches the back of his head.
Zack's words were no flattery when he said that it is the truth.
From the moment when it was told who will be attending the trails, no one's aura was better than Mirajane, she has the strongest aura among everyone in the upcoming trail, someone who already as strong as a S-Class Wizard but does not have the official title of one of them.
Because of that, Zack honestly believes Mirajane would be the next S-Class Wizard of Fairy Tail.
Not to mention, he also knew how much effort she has been putting into her training, and also the reason why Mirajane comes home late often these days.
Upon hearing this, Mirajane formed a small smile on her lips.
"No one here doubts you will not win, sister. But I do wonder, what will the trails be based on? Or where it will be based in." Lisanna went, with honest curiosity regarding this.
The S-Class Trails, or S Trails, are not always the same each year.
Be it the tests within the trails themselves, or even the location itself, are always different each year.
From what Zack remembers from the guild members talking among themselves.
Last year, the trails took placed at the borders of the Seven kingdom, in a forest at that.
The trails were a remarkable one, as many did not know who will become the next S-Class Wizard between Erza and Mirajane.
Even before Erza became S-Class, both she and Mirajane are very famous throughout Fiore, and even their names were known even beyond the borders of the Fiore Kingdom.
After all, they are young, female and beautiful, and yet powerful for their own age, it was no wonder why even beyond Fairy Tail, the two of them were known as raising stars in their current generation.
But in the end, the one who won last year trails, was Erza, even if the two were close in strength and ability. It was not Mirajane who had won, but Erza Scarlet, who overcame the trails, becoming the newest S-Class Wizard of their Guild.
This is why, any mentions of the last year trails have somewhat became a taboo within the Guild, especially when a certain Majin hasn't gotten over it.
"Whatever comes, comes, it does not matter, I will win. And it's not like the old man will spill the beans about what the trails will be on." Mirajane went with a sigh, while Elfman himself, who actually left at some point. And returned from the kitchen along with a plate of chicken pasta salad to his elder sister.
"Hmm, whatever they are, they all seems to be related to four elements." Zack suddenly went, causing everyone to look at him.
"What you mean by that?" Mirajane askes before she took a mouthful of her meal.
"What I heard about past trails, they are always four elements each trails are always tested on. One is strength of the Wizard, than the intelligence, as well both loyalty and morals. They carry those are four elements, no matter what kind of tests the upcoming trail will be based on, it will be related to those four elements." Zack went, recalling reading the history of other trails.
It is only something a handful of people will notice what the S-Class Trails are truly focused on. Which is why, Mirajane became a little taken back.
When she thinks back on the last year trails, Zack is right, each trail somehow involved those four elements. Some tests even involved all four of these things.
The first test was around how many Monsters you can capture alive. This did not just required Strength, but also Intelligence as well.
And there also that test with the illusions. Illusions that question both your loyalty and morals.
It made sense now when she recalled that damned test with illusions, testing her morals and her loyalty at the same time.
While Mirajane thinks of the last year trails, also ate her food while Zack, Lisanna, and Elfman chatted among themselves.
Mirajane wondered, when this came a normal thing for her? Having someone else besides her siblings in their home?
She stared at the chatting dumbass, but no matter how she thinks of it, she does not understand why it felt strange to her when Zack is not here, but when he is here, it felt completely normal.
None of this made sense to this rebellious teenager.
A part of her want to come closer to him, was it curiosity? Is that the reason why Mirajane wanted to comes closer to him?
And yet, there also a part of her, that wanted to stay away from Zack.
Because closer she got to him, more she remembers that day, as a reminder, what will happened to her, when she became too close to someone.
Just like that day, the very day that still haunts Mirajane, causing her to create that wall.
A wall known as Majin.