Title: In With the New

Summary: Ever since Tenroujima, Mirajane always knew Laxus would make a good guild master. She should've made a bet with Cana over it, she could've used a bit of extra cash. Spoilers for chapter 416.

Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail.

AN: Another spur-of-the story from me over chapter 416. It's getting ridiculous.

Mirajane sighed as she overlooked the wreck that used to be the guild hall. Rubble was strewn everywhere, shattered glass twinkling on the once familiar landscape. Some of her guildmates were poking around the edges of the crater, half-heartedly pushing the mess into piles. They were all a bit lost at the moment, seeing how Makarov said not to bother rebuilding the guild. What did that even mean?

Mirajane pressed her lips together and turned back to her own pile of rubble. Tears pricked the back of her eyes and she willed them not to fall. It always hurt to see her home destroyed like this and her family and friends scattered. Fairy Tail was family; seeing frowns and silence where there should have been smiles and laughter was heartbreaking.

"Laxus! You need to be resting! Laxus-"

"Um, Laxus, the nurse put me in charge of your bed rest. I'm going to get in trouble, so-"

"Oi, Laxus. You forgot your meds!"

A bubble of laughter escaped her lips and Mirajane turned to see Laxus and his familiar entourage walking down the street towards her. Laxus ignored the Thunder God Tribe's rising voices, pursuing his lips as he looked around at the mess and downtrodden guildmates. He slowly approached her, eyeing the small pile of debris next to her with a slight crinkle on his brow. "Where is everyone?"

"I don't know." Mirajane followed Laxus's gaze as he made one more sweep. "More people should show up soon though. Master did tell everyone to meet him here in about fifteen minutes. Something about a big announcement."

Laxus nodded. "I thought so. Those three," he said, hooking his thumb at his entourage, "were talking about it outside my room but didn't tell me because they thought I was going to leave my hospital bed before the nurses released me."

The three mages started yelling, their voices mixing into a huge babble of noise and Mirajane giggled. "Well, they weren't wrong."

Laxus snorted and sat down on a flat-ish boulder. "I wasn't staying there anyways. Fussy nurses are the worst, especially when they start giggling and blushing for no reason."

Mirajane turned and raised an eyebrow at him. "Did that happen when they were changing the bandages on your chest or inspecting your breathing?"

Laxus blinked, startled (though there were few people other than Mirajane who would have noticed this). "How'd you know?"

Mirajane laughed. "Oh Laxus, you're such a boy."

"Why do I get the feeling I've just been insulted?"

Mirajane just smiled and turned away, her smile growing as the crowd around the crater grew. She waved to a couple of the new arrivals and started peeking around their knees, looking for Makarov. She ignored Laxus's grumbling and the Thunder God Tribe's increased yammering as the time ticked by, butterflies swirling in her stomach. What was Makarov gathering them all for if they weren't rebuilding the guild?

A deep cough sounded from her left and Mirajane turned to see Makarov walking up from the crater, Dranbolt trailing after him. Mirajane's smile slipped away at Makarov's solemn frown, butterflies swirling harder.

"So brats," Makarov said, his deep voice missing it's usual jovial tone. "An era has come to an end."

Mirajane stiffened and the atmosphere became tense, whispers erupting in the crowd, hushed voices buzzing. What was happening?

Makarov cleared his throat again, glaring at a couple of the louder mages before he continued. "It's time for you all to fly free. Fairy Tail's disbanding."

Mirajane gasped, hands flying to cover her mouth and her eyes watered. Makarov became blurry and her stomach twisted and churned. She choked on her next breath, a tear to escaping. Fairy Tail was disbanding?

What were she and her siblings going to do now? Fairy Tail was their only home, their only way of life. It couldn't just disband.

A snort from behind her jostled Mirajane out of hyperventilating. She whipped around to see Laxus bring his hands into a slow, mocking clap. He raised an eyebrow at his grandfather and smiled tightly. "Really Gramps? If you were trying for humor, it fell a bit short."

Mirajane whipped her head back around at Makarov's growl, his age even more pronounced by his scowl. "This isn't funny."

Mirajane whipped her head back towards Laxus. "I know," he said, crossing his arms over his chest. "Makes me wonder why you thought it'd make a good joke."

Makarov's face flushed red. "I'm not joking, brat!"

Laxus snorted again and stood up, walking towards Makarov. "Well, unless I'm hearing things, I just heard you say the guild was disbanding. Both are ridiculous, hence my assumption your humor's gone a bit strange in your old age."

Everyone in the crowd was dead silent, frozen in trepidation as the air between grandfather and grandson charge with electricity. Mirajane's breath caught in her throat as Makarov's scowl went impossibly deep, craggy frown lines marring his face. "Laxus," he growled, warning evident in his voice.

"What?" Laxus asked, exasperated. "You're the one who always natters on about how Fairy Tail is a family. You can't just disband family, Gramps. You of all people ought to know that." Laxus turned on his heel and faced Mirajane and her guildmates. "Okay guys, Gramps has gone a bit nuts for the moment. Don't mind the nonsense he's spouting," Laxus said cheerfully (well, as cheerfully as Laxus does anything). Laxus ignored Makarov's sputtering in the background and pointed at Wendy. "I'll take over for a bit, just until Gramps is feeling better. You think you can look after him until Porlyusica can check him and give him a clean bill of health?"

Mirajane could feel some weight slipping off her shoulders, her stomach uncoiling from the knots it had woven itself in. Wendy giggled and hugged Carla tighter, nodding happily.

Laxus gave the girl a small smile and turned to Cana, Wakaba, Macao, and Romeo. "We're going to be rebuilding the guildhall so we'll need food and drinks. Go get some. Romeo, you're in charge of making sure they get more than just alcohol."

Romeo puffed his chest out and grinned. "You got it, boss. I'll even keeping them from drinking too much."

Laxus nodded. "Good thinking. Elfman, Gajeel, Pantherlily, you're in charge of getting lumber." He eyed the crater, a wry smile pulling at his lips. "Make sure you get lots of it."

The two men and exceed saluted, smiles growing. Elfman drew himself up again and walked away with a slight spring in his step. Mirajane dashed away a few tears that had escaped, happy to see some of her brother's vigor restored.

"Wait, wait, wait," Makarov protested weakly. "You can't just appoint yourself as guildmaster!"

Laxus rolled his eyes. "I'm not. I'm just watching over the guild until you get your sanity back."

Makarov huffed indignantly and Mirajane had to put her hand over her mouth to cover her giggles. Laxus turned to her and Mirajane subconsciously straightened under his gaze. "You think you can organize them into cleaning up this mess?"

Mirajane smiled happily and nodded. "Not a problem."

Laxus grinned this time. "Good. Come on guys, we're rebuilding the guild!"

Mirajane hollered with the rest of her guildmates, the deafening cheer ringing through the air. She immediately grabbed some mages nearby her and started dishing out orders and shopping lists, mentally calculating everything they needed and where to get said items. New found energy raced through her veins and Mirajane easily fell into the role as taskmaster. Just as she finished handing out assignments, Laxus came to sit by her, nearly collapsing onto his boulder. He looked a bit ruffled and Mirajane recalled him being glomped and mobbed by various guildmates when he was heading back towards her.

Laxus sighed and Mirajane beamed at him. "Feeling a little overwhelmed, Master?"

Laxus scowled at her. "Don't call me that, I'm not Gramps. And jeez, when did I become huggable?"

Mirajane laughed airily, happiness bursting in her chest. "You are the new Master, stop selling yourself short. None of us wanted Fairy Tail to disband, it's home."

Laxus shot her a disbelieving look. "You lot didn't actually think it'd disband, did you?"

Mirajane's smile dimmed. "Why wouldn't we? Master told us not to bother rebuilding the guild and then told us we were disbanding. It's hard to stick together when the leader says to go away."

Laxus rolled his eyes. "Fairy Tail's too stubborn to ever go anywhere. It'd be reformed in under a month. Seeing how I want free booze and roof over my head when I drink, it was smarter to just rebuild the guild."

Typical Laxus, Mirajane thought, refusing to show he cares.

Laxus narrowed his eyes at her. "You're thinking something sweet and mushy about me, aren't you?"

Mirajane giggled and threw her arms around his shoulders, tightening her hold when he stiffened. "Oh, relax. It's all good stuff." She turned her head and kissed his cheek before he could shove her off. "Thank you."

Laxus's cheeks turned a delicate shade of fuschia and he hunched his shoulders. "I'm not doing anything! Now, what's the new guild going to look like?"

Mirajane's cheeks were beginning to hurt from all her beaming but, she just couldn't help herself. Fairy Tail was back in full swing and laughter filled the air once more.

Life was looking up.