*Ruined Magnolia Town, Fiore; October 24, 2019; 3:45 PM*

Several news trucks, contractors, and medical aid to all the wounded people who managed to escape the city had been littered across the recently ruined landscape.

Several news reporters spoke about the incident, and not in such a positive light.

"The Magnolia Massacre less than two days ago has raised numerous questions, not just for the local merchants of the once thriving city, but for the warriors and mages called to defend the city just after the outbreak." One reporter lectured.

"The Fairy Tail Guild, notorious for it's previous instances of property damage, are currently being held responsible for the battle that has killed 23,000 residents and decimated over 50 acres of residential and urban landscape." Another reporter stated.

"Fiorian reports suggest that Fairy Tail's Guild Master, Makarov Dreyar, is currently in Era, discussing the terms of Fairy Tail's punishment with the Magic Council. It is highly believed that Fairy Tail may be disbanded." A journalist stated.

"Our investigation has also discovered that Alex Walker, former Admiral of the E.R.C, had been employed by the guild, and was a somewhat prominent member along with his current wife, Yang Xiao Long, despite both of them not possessing Fiorian Magic."

Alex sat inside one of the remaining buildings, wearing a cloak so he wouldn't get recognized.

Letting out a sigh, Alex recalled the numerous times the Media brought him into a negative light. Not that it was surprising for him, given he was involved with the Kahn Militia, already a known Paramilitary antagonist of the Former United States, had killed C.I.A-employed mercenaries, and was involved with the incidents in Atlas, Los Santos, and Cairo already, all of which caused a myriad of negative press, and property damage bills.

No wonder Natsu said he'd fit in.

Not to mention that Fairy Tail was composed of roughly 70% orphans.

Yang sat down next to him, looking out the window at all the news trucks.

"Yikes, that'll leave a mark on our public record, am I right?" Yang asked.

"Welcome to the club, you want your complimentary bumper sticker?" Alex bleakly joked.

"Oh, come on, it can't be that bad!" Yang scoffed.

"You really have no idea how much media affects my world, do you? These parasites practically slither from one rock to another, causing trouble for anyone who politically doesn't see eye-to-eye with them. Heh, imagine how they reacted when America finally collapsed and it's replacement didn't take handouts from the press. I think it was the first time that NSMBC and DOX actually agreed on something." Alex smirked.

"You... really... Don't care about your old world, do you?" Yang asked.

"Getting me into Cairo is about all you'll ever get of me going back quote-unquote 'home'." Alex scoffed.

"Next hour, our dictator-in-chief, Chancellor Hunter Smith, gives his fascist thoughts on the recent incident at Magnolia, here on NCC." An anchor on one of the monitors grinned.

"Well, I'm gonna head back and pack. I really can't stand to see this kinda crap." Alex shook his head.

"Pack? What do you mean?" Yang asked.

"Permanent honeymoon." Alex simply replied.

Yang stood up, grabbing Alex by the arm.

"Look, if this is about what Evan said..-" Yang immediately started.

"A little column 'A', a little Column 'B'." Alex scoffed.

After everyone had woken up the day before, Vanoss walked up to Alex, and was obviously quite unhappy with him over what during the incident.

"Look, man! Like seven of my friends are f**king dead, alright?! Like hell I'm gonna keep this shit up!" Vanoss had yelled.

"Look, Evan. I can respect what happened. You didn't have to help." Alex had said.

"I thought we were all going to a f**king wedding when shit hit the fan! Ever since LS, we've all been f**king dying! That bitch Lilith almost killed us at least a dozen times!" Vanoss retorted.

"Look, man, I'm actually f**king sorry about what happened! I've lost people too, more than you could count!" Alex shouted.

"Maybe, but at least you killed the asshole that did it! This shit is, like, 110% on your ass! I'm done helping you do shit for nothing and dying for it! F**k you, I'm leaving!!" Vanoss yelled, having slammed the door behind him.

"Listen to me, for Dust sake! Nothing that happened in the past 2 years was your fault!" Yang pleaded.

"Tell that to Rainbow, Applejack, and Rarity." Alex scowled.

"Sure! While I'm at it, maybe I'll talk to Weiss and Blake for you, too!" Yang retorted.

"Yang. It's over. There's no evil Inquisitors destroying everything in sight, no demons, nothing! Everything that happened in the past 2... No, 3 years, it's all on me!" Alex pointed out.

"What are you saying?" Yang demanded.

Alex stopped, not saying a word.

"Alex... Turn around and look me in the eye... What are you trying to tell me..?" Yang pleaded.

Alex turned around, casting Yang a sorrowful gaze.

"I'm saying that I'm done hiding what I really am. I'm a f**king liability." Alex replied.

"That isn't true!" Yang shouted.

"Then what am I then? Someone competent? A hero? Because heroes don't go and get their friends and family almost f**king killed." Alex asked, not even waiting for an answer before walking away.

"A-Alex.." Yang stammered, completely lost for words.

Alex let out a long, quiet sigh.

"Ever since my parents were killed.. I swore to myself that I'd never let a single person I cared about die... And I failed. Then, after what happened to Equestria with the Rogue Guard, I swore to never let any more innocent people suffer because of me. And I failed at that, too."

Alex sighed, walking off towards their apartment outside of Magnolia, when he was suddenly swarmed by reporters.

"Captain Walker! What do you have to say about these recent attacks?!"

"Is it true that former Inquisitors were involved with this outbreak?!"

"Does Fairy Tail routinely destroy public property on purpose?!"

Alex cursed under his breath, turning to face the crowd of reporters.

"No comment, Yes. Not on purpose. F**k off." Alex deadpanned, quickly turned Enlightened and flew away.

*Ruined Fairy Tail Guild Hall; October 24, 2019; 5:45 PM*

Mirajane walked out, holding a letter from Makarov.

"I just read the message from Master Makarov, The Guild isn't going to be disbanded!" Mirajane announced.

The entire guild cheered loudly.

"But... They said we do have to help rebuild the town.." Mira added.

"Yeah... I think it'll be a while before anyone from this place does any fixin'." Dempsey scoffed.

"Da.. You are all very nice people, but..." Nikolai agreed.

"Your affinity for destruction seems to come... Naturally.." Takeo added.

"HEY! WE DID THE BEST WE COULD, BUT IF THEY WERE GOING ALL-OUT, SO WAS I!" Natsu yelled.

"Y'know, with a few of those mountains out of the way, Travel here might actually come easier." Gray pointed out.

"Yeah, but with most imports coming by flight, things already come here easier. Also, stuff comes easy anyway, since this is more of a coastal town." Cade added, walking in alongside Auburn and Yang.

"Oh! Hello, Cade!" Erza greeted.

"Erza." Cade smirked.

"So, where's Alex? I figured he would at least come with you guys." Wendy asked.

"Dad's a bit stressed out, so he went out to blow up some steam." Cade replied.

"Uh, isn't the phrase 'blow off some steam'?" Lucy asked.

"Well, I'm sure he's... Well..." Yang shrugged.

*Meanwhile, in the Mountains outside Magnolia Town*

Alex stood on top on one of the mountains, in his Enlightened Berserker state, as massive arcs of lightning swept across the landscape, making huge burn marks in the rock.

Eventually, Alex started screaming as more and more energy surrounded him.

"GOD DAMMIT!! AAAAAAAARGH!!!!" Alex roared at the top of his lungs as the surrounding mountains exploded around him in a literal thunderstorm of pent-up rage.

*Back in the Guild Hall*

"... Yeah, he's fine." Yang grinned.

"Father's probably made more space for potential residents to move in from." Auburn stated.

"Cool, cool." Sun shrugged.

"Meh. I'm sure you guys'll figure something out. In the meantime, I think we should head back to Equestria." Rainbow decided.

"Now, hold on, Rainbow! These people need a new town built up! As a good ol' workin' pony, I say we stay!" Applejack disagreed.

"I am with Rainbow Dash. I apologize, but I could never be able to stand all that... Mess." Rarity shuddered.

"I'm gonna go with AJ on this one! These people are probably really, really sad about what happened! If making a new home for them will make them smile, then so be it! Besides, I think someone needs a certain someone else to make cakes for everyone!" Pinkie cheered, grinning ear-to-ear at Erza.

"I like the way Pinkie thinks! It's official, Fairy Tail will do the best they can to rebuild Magnolia from the ground up!"

"A real man takes responsibility for his actions!" Elfman cheered.

"Well, glad that's settled! How's just the matter of finding things for you guys to do!" Yang grinned.

"Speaking of which, we really should be going.." Richtofen stated.

"You're already leaving?" Ruby asked.

"Yeah.. We really gotta get back to our families." Dempsey shrugged.

"Actually, before you left, Dr. Richtofen.. I was hoping that I could offer you a job.. Group 935 seems kinda like a bust, now." Kat figured.

"Ja... I suppose.." Richtofen decided.

"Oh, thank god.. The Foundation is a little under-staffed nowadays.." Kat sighed in relief.

"Und why is that?" Richtofen asked.

"Cinder's friend, the Chaos Insurgency, that's all you need to know." Kat shrugged.

"You know... Good luck, Doc. I'll go check on Little Auburn. Maybe Alex went home by now." Yang decided.

"Before we do, Mom... We've been thinking.." Cade quickly ran up to Yang, actually somewhat nervous.

"Cade, Oreo, and I have been thinking about staying with the Guild permanently." Auburn explained.

"Oh, ok!" Yang smiled.

"Wait, really?" Cade wondered.

"Yeah! You're all old enough to do what you want! Besides, the Guild's a perfect second family for you guys! Just call us once in a while, 'kay? Oreo, same with your mom.. But, y'know, I don't think she'd like us around you that much.." Yang sheepishly grinned.

"Yeah, I get ya." Oreonna smiled back.

"Alright! Bye, everyone!" Yang waved as she left the guild hall.

*Alex and Yang's Apartment, Magnolia, Fiore; October 24, 2019; 6:00 PM*

Yang stepped inside the small apartment, thanking whatever gods there were for leaving their apartment standing.

Yang stepped inside the main room, where Alex was holding the baby Auburn in a blanket, having rocked her to sleep.

"Hey.." Yang smiled weakly.

"Hi, Yang.." Alex sighed.

Yang sat next to him, resting her head on his shoulder.

"How's Aubby?" Yang asked.

"Same as usual. She's been in good hands, thank god.." Alex smirked, albeit slightly tired.

"That's good. Cade, Older Auburn, and Oreo decided to stay with the Guild." Yang told him.

"Good for them. They'll go far here." Alex figured.

The three sat in silence as Alex stared blankly out the window, watching the lights of the news helicopters and transport boats flicker outside.

"Fiore's good for the old ones. The little one, probably not.." Alex added.

"Yeah.. You really only agreed to come here to train.. And you took care of that.." Yang shrugged.

"Either way, we should probably help with some of the rebuilding, anyways. Don't want to just leave when they need us, right?" Alex decided.

"Yeah.." Yang nodded.

Alex blinked slowly, having sapped himself of energy between his 'tantrum', as Yang might've described it, and the walk back.

"You still okay? Cinder did shoot you.." Alex asked.

"I'm fine.. How about that hole in your chest?" Yang replied.

"It'll be fine.. Just have to let it sit, first." Alex said.

Alex moved Yang off of him and went to put Auburn in her crib, then went back and hugged his... Wife... Even Alex himself was in disbelief. Unfortunately, the once happy ceremony had been overshadowed by the sudden attack.

"So... What now?" Yang asked.

"I... I'm hoping that was the end of our problems.. But, just in case, I spoke to Dr. Monty yesterday about this.." Alex began.

"What'd he say?" Yang wondered.

"He told me to ask Kat if I ever really needed to train again, maybe even Supreme Leader Krete." Alex replied.

"Really? I get Kat, but why Krete?" Yang asked.

"Monty said he'd know all about our Enlightened forms. I remember Primis telling me that the Prometheus Charge was more of a crutch, I'll have to look into it." Alex explained.

"You have any ideas?" Alex asked.

"I remember Summer taking on Jobs across Remnant while Dad taught at Signal. Maybe we could try something similar?" Yang asked.

"'Teaching' really isn't my strong suit. Remember when I tried teaching Cade the Overcharge Technique?" Alex asked.

"He still pulled it off, though.." Yang corrected.

"Almost killed himself the first time, though." Alex remembered.

"Yeah, but still. You'll get better. You've always been able to." Yang smiled.

"Maybe... You think I should still take care of some training beforehand?" Alex asked.

"Like what?" Yang wondered.

"The training we've had so far was good, but there's harder training out there. You remember those SEALS we talked to on the Iliad?" Alex asked.

"Yeah, but they're more 'soldier' oriented, and you passed that mark as soon as you went Enlightened." Yang replied.

"Yeah, but if it can take inexperienced high school graduates and turn them into the best fighters in the NAF, imagine what that could do for me." Alex shrugged.

"Yeah..that's the one thing I never got about you. Back when you were flat-out 'on the run', you fought CIA Spec-Ops in Ponyville, right? They've had more training than you have right now, how the hell haven't you died?" Yang asked.

"..Y'know, back then, I put it all on luck, but now... I know I had a lot of help. Kat, Dash, Karis, Evan.." Alex recalled.

"That kinda explains things.. So... What're you actually thinking?" Yang asked.

Alex thought for a moment before making his reply.

"For now, we'll help Fairy Tail rebuild the Town. I'm thinking we could find a nice place, maybe on Adenien somewhere. We could be mercenaries, working for the Ryders and Kat's Foundation. We could take turns. One of us on mission, the other at home, taking care of the kid. If we have enough big-time jobs, maybe we could retire. But, y'know, You'd still be doing stuff." Alex decided.

"Y'know.. That doesn't sound terrible." Yang smiled.

Author's Notes:

Click the like button for more off-brand major news agencies!

Seriously, though. Did you think I'd let Alex and his friends get away with f**king up another place?

So yeah, Vanoss and co. kinda had it with Alex's shit, so they'll be on hiatus on the story, for a while, at least.

The Future Hunters are staying with Fairy Tail, but they'll still be actively involved in the story.

Despite all that, Alex finally feels at rest, and ready to move on..

... Or so he suspects.

Stay tuned next time on Blood Red Shadows II!

-The Destoyer