While doubts drifted in Zack, the first one to break this silence, were Lisanna herself, who grabbed Zack's arm, causing Zack to snapped away from his doubtful thoughts, and looked at Lisanna as she pulled on his arm.
"How you been? It been a while, hasn't it?" Lisanna went with a gentle and warm smile.
These days, there has not been many chances for either Zack, Lisanna, or Elfman to spent time together, like they used to.
Ever since the moment when Mirajane became S-Class, both in title and ability, there never been many chances for the trio to hang around with each other.
Especially when Mirajane often taken on Jobs after Jobs, causing both Elfman and Lisanna, who are on the same team as Mirajane, to be often away from Magnolia almost all the time.
The last time Zack actually seen Lisanna or Elfman within either the Guild, or around the town was a month ago.
This caused Zack to recall the last time he met the duo, the two siblings, causing Zack to smile, a smile that seems different to his normal carefree child-like smile, that Lisanna and Elfman are often used to seeing.
A smile that seems more matured, even beyond Zack's own age, and yet this smile also carried a faint broken aura to it, along with a gentle grow as well.
"It has, hasn't it? Since the last time we had talked, how you two been? As for me… I am doing a little better these days." Zack went with a white lie.
While it felt uncomfortable to lie, as someone as honest as himself. However, Zack also someone who do not want others, especially someone who he sees as a little sister, to worry about him, that is why, Zack told that white lie.
However, it seems his lie was seen through, as a gentle and also a bitter and yet sad smile formed on Lisanna's lips, when she heard that.
"I see… I am glad you been doing well, Zack, it is a shame… we haven't gotten much chances to talk lately, even right now, we are on our way to the train station, heading to our newest Job, right brother?"
Lisanna went, and turned to Elfman, who seems a little startled, as he tighten his fists for some reason, while he shown a smile on his lips, a smile that seems too forced at that.
"Hahaha, yeah, that is right, sorry about that... Zack, we been too busy to caught up, always away on some Job, haven't we?" Elfman went, as his forced smile, seems to turned to a bitter one.
"That is not something you should apologize about, Elfman, isn't that the role of a Wizard, to do Jobs, to help those who are incapable of helping themselves, especially when it comes to either Magic or Monsters, so don't apologize… but I wouldn't lie, sometimes it is a little lonely without you guys." Zack honestly went, showing a soft, and a gentler smile.
After all, those words are Zack's honest view on the role of a Wizard, especially one that is part of a Guild.
While Jobs came in many different forms, it is true, among these Jobs, they are those that help people, people who are not Wizards like themselves, who had to face or deal with things they are incapable of handling.
Of course, among the commissions, they are Jobs that are just so selfish, or commissions that seemed pointless for a Wizard to do, like taking care of some pet, or even babysitting.
Even so, that is how Zack sees things, one should honour the fact, you are helping those that are incapable of helping themselves, that is the role of a Wizard that belongs to any Guild.
To honour their guild, to honour who you help, with the abilities that you have, that beyond human understanding.
However, even if Zack honestly told this, for some reason, Elfman only looked downwards, lowing his head, while Lisanna's smile formed to a bitter one, upon hearing Zack's words, causing Zack to become slightly confused at their reactions.
"Same here… I too miss handing around you, as well, Zack, I am right, brother? Even now, we only returned to Magnolia not long ago, and yet, we are on another mission, taking us away from the Guild, and this town, yet again." Lisanna went with a sight, and even hitting something among her words.
However, even if she hinted something, that only Gray got what Lisanna meant, and Elfman, who is not as sharp as Gray, but already knew what that is. Our clueless protagonist did not noticed this meaning, the meaning how oddly they been busy, and always away from either the Guild or the town, more often than most.
"Y-Yeah, Lisanna is right, the Job we just taken, is a S-Class one, a Monster Hunt Job, that requires us to hunt down some Monster called the 'Beast King', was it Lisanna?"
From the moment when Zack heard the word of Beast King, for some reason, he felt uncomfortable, unease, as he felt both confuse and unsettle at the same time.
After all, how can he not be confused, when he all of the sudden felt so at unease and uncomfortable from the mentions of a Monster.
And along with this unease, this unsettling feeling that became stronger within him. For some reason, Zack has a gut feeling, something he cannot explain why he felt like this, but this gut feeling is telling him he needed to either stop this Job of hunting down the Beast King.
Or least prevented Lisanna from attending this commission along with her siblings.
However, Zack soon shaken his head, while this action made the siblings and Gray slightly confuse, seeing Zack shaking his head.
But Zack did not pay any attention to them, instead, he put those unexplained feelings aside, telling himself, it is unnecessary worrying, nor he has any proof of this odd feeling is.
Not to mention, even if he were to told Lisanna to stay behind, all because of this strange feeling he cannot explain, Lisanna wouldn't listen, that lass is as stubborn as her kindness. She is not someone who will leave behind someone, especially when it is her own family behind.
No, even if he were to explain what this feeling is, knowing how stubborn Lisanna can be, she still wouldn't stay behind, no matter what, knowing she is needed by someone, especially if they were to be her family.
That is why Zack toss this uncomfortable feeling of unease that cannot be explained away, and forced a smile on his lips, as he turned his focus on listening the conversation between the siblings.
"Yeah, Beast King, for a Monster to be nicknamed as a king, I imagine it is a powerful Monster, well, it is nothing our sister can handle. Not to mention, it also a good chance for brother to take part of their Magic, right?" Lisanna went with a proud smile, taking about her older sister, and also hinting the second reason why they have taken on this S-Class Job.
Like it is said before, the true power behind the Magic that the Strauss siblings use, is Take Over Magic, a magic system that can uses the abilities and powers of something they had taken from.
And since Elfman uses his Take Over Magic with Monsters, unlike Mirajane with Demons, and Lisanna with animals. Maybe the true reason why the siblings took on this Monster Hunt Job, was solely because the Beast King is known as a S-Class level monster.
"I-Isn't too early… for me to use Monster Soul on a S-Class Monster?" Elfman nervously went.
"Don't worry about it, I am sure everything going to be okay, so stop whining about it, and stop making that silly expression of yours, brother." Lisanna went with a sigh, while Elfman only bitter laugh at his little sister's remark.
"Anyway, it been good seeing you again, Zack, and you too Gray. I wish we can spend more time like this, but we better go, say hi to Natsu for me, I was hoping I will see him before I go, but he wasn't at the guild, nor was Happy was." Lisanna went with a smile.
"I will do, I will tell him that, I will also miss you guys as well, maybe one day, we can be as close we used to be, but for now, stay safe out there, Lisanna, Elfman." Zack went with a smile, while he recalled the times the three of them used to have.
The time they spend together, the bound they created, it is still there, their bound is still there, it is just out of reach.
Maybe one day, whenever that is, the distance between their bound will be shorten, no longer out of reach, and when that time comes, maybe Zack, Lisanna, and Elfman will spend time they used to do.
As close friends they are.
That is the bound that Zack, as well Lisanna and Elfman wished to regain, especially when the time is right.
As Lisanna and Elfman say their farewells to both Zack, and Gray who only nodded at their farewells, Zack watches the backs of Lisanna and Elfman leaving, going towards where Mirajane has gone to.
When the siblings no longer in sight, Zack remain in front of the Fairy Building, that still has the door opened. That is right, both the silence dream between Mirajane and Zack, as well what Lisanna, Zack, and Elfman talk about, was seen by those on the first floor of the guild.
But Zack did not care, he simply did not care if his follow guildmates seen that silence dream, or overheard him talking to Lisanna and Elfman.
Zack just closed his eyes, before reopening them, and stared above him, at the blue sky.
"I must seem pitiful, right? That was a perfect chance to tell her, and yet… when Mirajane was before me, I cannot even opened my month, or move a muscle, pathetic, right? So pathetic, I talked big, for taking that first step, aren't I?" Zack went with a bitter and low tone, as he turned to Gray, who remain behind him.
"Maybe, maybe you are. But staying here, wouldn't change anything either, Zack. Not to say, it is just one step, a step you may fail today, but what about tomorrow? Or the day after that? Fail today, and succeed tomorrow, it is a saying to that means, do not be afraid of failing once, or twice, so don't beat yourself up."
Gray can only say, as he patted Zack's back, but soon he stopped patting Zack's back, and actually give a small push, a push that forced Zack to take a step forward.
"So, stop whining and moaning about it, and get going, move forward. I know I should tell you this some time ago, but knew this Zack, even if you fell, misstep, knew this, there always be others around you to pick you up. Be it myself, Cana, that idiot Natsu, and the others in the guild, we always be there for you."
Gray went with a carefree smile, causing Zack to stare blankly at him, but a sigh came to Zack, but that sigh soon became laughter, causing a similar carefree smile to formed on Zack's lips, a smile very similar to the one he used to wear a year ago.
However, as the two teenagers cheer the other one on, so they can move forward. None of them will knew, this Monster Hunt S-Class Job that the Strauss took on, will bring a storm to the guild
A strong so big, that barely anyone in the guild will be left unaffected by it, a storm that no one wanted, is a storm that is fated to come.
And the only thing this storms will be merciful to spare, is the regrets of a certain rebellious teenager, is bounded to hit Fairy Tail.