Chapter Text
Sunlight seeped through the curtains, casting a soft glow across the room. Ben stirred, his eyes blinking open as he stretched in his simple grey t-shirt and black pajama pants. A yawn escaped him—only to pause when he felt a small weight pressed against his side.
Glancing down, he smiled at the sight of Wendy curled up beside him, her soft breathing still even in sleep. For a moment, he simply watched her, a faint warmth in his chest at how peaceful she looked.
Carefully, he tried to slip away without waking her, but her eyes fluttered open. "Wait… don't go…" she mumbled, voice still heavy with sleep as she clung to him tighter.
Ben hesitated, then gave a small, reassuring smile. "…I won't," he said softly.
They stayed like that for a few quiet seconds, the morning stillness wrapping around them.
A little later, Wendy stretched with a tiny yawn, the sleeves of her baby-blue pajamas sliding down her arms.
"Another nightmare?" Ben asked gently, now sitting at the edge of the bed.
She lowered her gaze, shoulders slumping. "Y-yeah… I-I'm sorry. I just… I was scared and—"
"Hey." Ben's voice cut in, calm but firm. "You don't need to apologize for that." He stood, brushing a hand through his messy hair. "How about I make us some pancakes?"
Her head lifted at that. "Really? Is… is that okay? I don't wanna be a bur—"
"Don't finish that sentence, Wendy," Ben said, his tone leaving no room for argument.
After a pause, she gave a small smile. "…Okay."
"Good. Now go get cleaned up. Breakfast'll be ready soon."
Wendy's smile grew brighter, and for the first time that morning, Ben felt the heaviness in her eyes begin to lift.
The scene shifted to the kitchen, where morning light spilled through a wide window overlooking Lake Sciliora. The sun's first rays shimmered on the water, casting the room in a warm, golden glow.
A sudden whoosh broke the stillness. In a streak of blue, Fasttrack zipped from counter to stove, whisking pancake batter, flipping strips of bacon, and pan-frying tuna in rapid succession. The air filled with the mingled scents of blueberries, sizzling meat, various fruits blending in a custom-made mixer—plus the metallic tang of iron as a skillet full of scrap shavings heated on the side.
At the small breakfast table, Carla sat primly atop a stack of books to match the chair's height. Her paws rested neatly on the edge as she read from a thick volume. Glancing up, she watched the blue blur dart from one task to another.
"…Do you really need to transform just to make breakfast?" she asked dryly.
Fasttrack grinned over his shoulder without missing a beat on the pancakes. "Need to? No. But why wouldn't I take the most efficient route?" In another blur, he was at the table, placing a plate of tuna in front of her alongside a glass of orange juice. "Besides, you get your food faster this way."
Carla's ears twitched as she closed her book. "Thank you." She paused, her expression softening into quiet concern. "…So. Wendy snuck into your room again?" she asked, voice lowered.
Fasttrack nodded, flipping the pancakes in a blur so quick the spatula was just a streak. "Yeah. Another nightmare. Same as before."
Carla's tail flicked thoughtfully. "I'm still not sure how to help her move past them."
"It's not something that happens overnight," Fasttrack replied, his tone calm but firm. "She's been through a lot. You both have. We just… take it one day at a time."
The last pancake landed on a plate, and he turned back toward them. "Wendy! Breakfast is ready!"
Her voice floated in from the hallway. "Coming!"
A door creaked open at the far end of the room—the one leading to the basement. Gajeel emerged, stretching with a loud yawn, his hair as wild as ever. "I smell bacon… and iron."
Fasttrack zipped over and set a plate down in front of him—a mountain of bacon alongside a generous helping of heated iron shavings. "Bon appétit, dude."
"Don't mind if I do," Gajeel said, dropping into a chair and immediately digging in with loud crunches and satisfied grunts.
Carla wrinkled her nose. "Do you have to eat like a complete savage?"
"Mmh—yep," Gajeel replied around a mouthful, unbothered.
Carla's eyes twitched. Why must the men in this guild be so brutish?
A moment later, Wendy padded into the kitchen, wearing an orange knee-length dress with a white horizontal stripe at the hem. Her blue hair was tied neatly into twin pigtails, the style giving her a brighter, more energetic look despite the faint tiredness still lingering in her eyes.
She slid into the seat across from Carla, smiling when Fasttrack zipped over to set a plate of fluffy blueberry pancakes in front of her, along with syrup and a glass of milk.
"Hope you enjoy."
"Thanks, Ben!" Wendy said brightly, already reaching for her fork.
Carla offered a polite nod. "Thank you."
Wendy took her first bite, eyes widening at the burst of blueberry sweetness. "Mmm! These are amazing!" she said after swallowing.
Carla's gaze shifted toward the other end of the table. "You should at least thank him for taking the time to cook," she said pointedly to Gajeel.
"Hmm?" Gajeel paused mid-chew, a mouthful of iron still clinking between his teeth. Swallowing with a metallic crunch, he glanced at Fasttrack. "Right… uh, thanks. So… what do you even call this guy?"
"Fasttrack," the alien replied, striking a mock-heroic pose. "One of my speedy forms."
Gajeel raised a brow. "And what makes him any different from XLR8?"
With a mental command, Ben transformed back to human form in a flash of green light, dressed in black shoes, blue pants, and form-fitting black shirt that showed off his developing, muscular figure.
"Not as fast as XLR8, but perfect for jobs where I don't need to break the sound barrier." He turned toward the counter, pouring himself a smoothie into a tall glass.
"Eh," Gajeel shrugged, "just seems like a lazy copy to me."
"Since you mentioned jobs…" Carla said, her tone shifting as she looked at Wendy. "When we get to the guild, you really should consider taking another request today."
Wendy nodded. "Yeah, I was planning to."
Setting his glass down, Ben leaned against the counter, arms folded. "Her last one was just a small gig collecting litter around Magnolia."
Carla's tone sharpened slightly. "With your abilities as a Sky Dragon Slayer, you could be more ambitious."
"I'm trying, okay?" Wendy huffed, puffing out her cheeks.
Gajeel paused mid-bite, glancing at her. "You wanna be useful, kid? Pick a job that makes you sweat, not one that feels like running errands for your neighbor."
"He's not wrong," Ben added with a smile. "Tell you what—when we get to the guild, let's see if we can find you something a little more challenging. Something that'll push you without throwing you into the deep end."
Wendy's fork paused halfway to her mouth. "Really?"
"Really." His grin widened. "I can even tag along too. I'll only help if you absolutely need it. It'll be your mission."
Wendy's eyes lit up at the suggestion. "That does sound great. I mean…if you're sure I can handle it."
"I'm sure," Ben said with an easy shrug. "You've got the skills. Now you just need the field time."
Carla dabbed her mouth with a napkin before speaking. "As long as the mission pays reasonably well and actually develops her abilities, I have no objection." She leveled a look at Wendy. "That means no wasting time on errands that anyone in Magnolia could manage."
"I know, I know," Wendy said with a sheepish smile. "I'll pick something that really counts."
Ben chuckled. "Sounds like we're all on the same page then. Finish up your breakfast—we've got a guild board to raid."
Wendy nodded enthusiastically and returned to her pancakes, eating a little faster now that the day's plan had taken shape.
The morning air was cool and crisp as Ben, Wendy, and Gajeel made their way from the house. Carla floated alongside them, her angelic-like wings carrying her in an easy glide.
Behind them, Ben's white and green-roofed, single-story brick ranch sat perched on the cliff edge, overlooking the shimmering expanse of the lake. The early light turned the water gold, and the faint call of birds echoed across the clearing.
Ben led the way down the dirt path that cut through the short grass in front of the house, his black shoes kicking up the occasional puff of dust. He wore his usual blue pants and form-fitting black shirt beneath a light-green loose jacket trimmed in white—its back emblazoned with a bold white circle outlined in black, the number 10 stamped squarely in the center.
The path narrowed as they reached the tree line, the canopy overhead filtering the light into dappled patterns across the ground.
"I still can't get over the fact that you're a Dragon Slayer too, Mister Gajeel," Wendy said to Gajeel, her tone full of wonder. "And that you eat iron. Fairy Tail really is amazing… having two Dragon Slayers in the same guild."
"Three now," Ben corrected with a smirk, glancing over his shoulder at her.
Gajeel snorted. "Still can't believe you eat air of all things, kid. You got no excuse to ever run low on magic."
Ben opened his mouth to reply, but Gajeel's expression shifted. His nostrils flared slightly as he caught a scent on the breeze—one that made his brow furrow in mild recognition.
"Something wrong?" Ben asked.
"Nah. It's nothing." Gajeel played off.
Wendy's nose twitched too. She tilted her head toward a stand of trees just off the path. "Miss Juvia? Is that you?"
"Eep!" came the squeak from behind the trunks.
Gajeel sighed. Right. Forgot the kid could smell her too.
A moment later, Juvia stepped out, looking thoroughly flustered. Her short, stylish bob of blue hair framed her face, with side-swept bangs drawing attention to the faint pink dusting her cheeks.
She wore a sleeveless, form-fitting navy-blue bodice with white trim, the deep neckline narrowing into a small keyhole cutout. A knee-length skirt of blue and white flared gently with her movements, paired with matching knee-high boots. At her collar, a white ribbon tie was fastened with a round, green brooch—one that, on closer inspection, bore a striking resemblance to Ben's Omnitrix symbol.
Juvia smoothed the front of her dress, as if the gesture could hide her nervousness, and clutched a small green tin box in both hands. "Um… g-good morning, everyone."
Gajeel rolled his eyes at how awkward and obvious Juvia was being. She was not as sneaky as she thought she was.
"Morning, Juvia," Ben greeted easily. "What brings you out here?"
"Yeah, why were you hiding behind those trees, Miss Juvia?" Wendy asked with a curious tilt of her head.
"Oh… um, no reason," Juvia said quickly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. Her eyes flicked to Ben, the blush deepening just a fraction. "Juvia was simply… enjoying the morning air."
Ben shrugged. "Fair enough, I guess. Nice morning for it." He suspected that wasn't the real reason, but decided not to push it.
Gajeel, standing just behind them, caught the look in Juvia's eyes—the way she seemed to linger on Ben's face a little too long, the way her fingers fidgeted against the tin box. He narrowed his own eyes slightly.
There was no way he was about to get dragged into that mess.
Instead, the Iron Dragon Slayer crossed his arms and stayed silent, letting the moment pass without comment.
Carla, ever observant, arched a brow but said nothing, curious where this was going.
"Were you heading into Magnolia?" Ben asked.
Juvia blinked, then nodded quickly. "Ah—yes! Juvia… was." Her grip on the tin box tightened slightly.
"Well, you're welcome to walk with us," Ben offered with an easy smile, already turning toward the path again.
Juvia's expression brightened almost imperceptibly. "Juvia… would like that."
Gajeel sighed inwardly, falling into step behind them.
Not wanting any to witness any more awkwardness, he turned to the Omnitrix wielder with a sideways smirk. "Forgot to ask earlier but when's rent due again?"
Ben shrugged casually. "Just whenever you can pay."
The Dragon Slayer's smirk grew into a roguish grin. "You're a much better landlord than my last one. Real stick in the mud, that one was."
Juvia's gaze sharpened. "You had better not be taking advantage of Ben's kindness, Gajeel. If it weren't for him, you'd still be without a place to live."
Wendy tilted her head. "Why? What happened?"
"He was evicted," Juvia answered plainly. "For disorderly conduct."
Gajeel scoffed, making a vague strumming motion in the air. "Eh, those squares just couldn't appreciate real musical talent if their lives depended on it."
Ben pinched the bridge of his nose, muttering, "I'm just glad Grey Matter was able to build those noise-canceling devices in the basement…"
Wendy blinked. "Noise-canceling?"
"Trust me," Ben said with a wry half-smile, "it's better for everyone."
Gajeel just grinned, clearly unbothered. "Hey, real art's never appreciated in its own time."
Ben rolled his eyes at that, and then glanced at the green tin Juvia was carrying. "So, what's in the box, Juvia?"
"Oh, um…" Juvia's eyes dropped to the container before flicking back up to him. "Juvia… made an extra batch of cookies last night," she said, her voice soft but edged with nervous energy. "She thought… perhaps you might like to try some?"
Ben's expression warmed. "Sure, I'd love some."
Her blush deepened as she stepped closer, opening the lid to reveal rows of perfectly round chocolate chip cookies, their centers still soft as if they'd just come from the oven.
Behind them, Gajeel's brow twitched. Ain't no way she made those last night. Those are fresh.
Ben took one without hesitation, biting in. His green eyes lit up. "Wow… these are really good, Juvia."
"Truly?" she asked, almost holding her breath.
"Definitely," Ben confirmed, turning to Wendy. "Here, try one."
Wendy eagerly accepted, taking a bite before smiling brightly. "They're amazing, Miss Juvia! You want one, Carla?"
"I'll pass," Carla said, shaking her head.
Juvia's lips curved into a rare, unabashed smile. "Juvia is… very glad you think so." All those weeks of perfecting the recipe had paid off—the praise warmed her straight through.
Gajeel reached in, snagging a cookie for himself. He took a slow bite, then smirked. "Hmm… not bad. You might make someone a good wife one day, Juvia."
"I second that," Ben said with an easy grin. "Whoever that guy is, he'll be lucky."
Juvia's face flared crimson, steam practically rising from her head.
"Miss Juvia, are you okay?" Wendy asked, blinking in concern. "Your temperature's spiking."
"I… Juvia is… f-fine…" she stammered, clutching the tin to her chest as if it were a lifeline, her blush refusing to fade.
Later, the group continued along the path until the trees began to thin. Sunlight spilled freely now, and in the distance, the familiar rooftops and bustling outskirts of Magnolia came into view.
"Juvia is curious… what were your plans for today?" she asked, glancing from Ben to Wendy.
"Can't speak for Gajeel," Ben replied with an easy shrug, "but we were planning to find a job for Wendy—something that can really challenge her."
Juvia tapped a finger against the green tin box she still carried. "Perhaps… we could take on a big job together. As a group."
Wendy tilted her head. "Together?"
"Mm." Juvia nodded, her tone confident but warm. "Working in a group can be valuable experience, especially for someone still learning. Wendy could benefit greatly from having a team at her side."
Ben slowed his pace for a moment, considering her words. "You know… you might be onto something. We're all still pretty new to Fairy Tail—me, Gajeel, you, Wendy, and Carla. Might not be a bad idea to get a mission where we can learn each other's styles and how we work as a team."
He turned to the iron mage. "What about it, Gajeel? Interested?"
Gajeel cocked a brow. "Yah seriously want me to go on a job with all of you?"
"Why not? I mean, you know me. I'm sure we'll run into something you can hit. Sound exciting?"
Gajeel considered it briefly before grinning sharply. "Eh, why not? Just know if we don't find anything I can smash, I'll be sparing you instead."
"Deal."
Carla folded her paws. "Hmph. As long as the mission isn't too reckless."
Gajeel shoved his hands in his pockets, smirking. "Reckless? That's the fun part."
Carla shot him a sharp look. "Fun for you, maybe."
Wendy, however, was already smiling at the thought. "That actually sounds great! I'd love to go on a job with all of you."
Ben gave a small grin. "Alright then. Once we get to the guild, we'll see if there's something big enough for all of us." He then turned to Wendy. "Next time will be your big mission." Wendy smiled and nodded.
"Juvia would be pleased to work with everyone," she said, a faint glimmer in her eyes that lingered just a second longer on Ben before she looked ahead again.
Gajeel glanced between them but kept his thoughts to himself. This should be interesting.
The Fairy Tail guild hall buzzed with its usual blend of chatter, laughter, and the occasional crash of a table being shoved aside for an impromptu arm-wrestling match. The scent of Mirajane's cooking drifted from behind the bar, mixing with the tang of ink and parchment from the nearby request board.
As per usual, Nab stood planted in front of the board, arms crossed, eyes scanning the sheets with the same indecision he'd worn for years.
Beside him, Lucy sifted through the posted jobs with a sharp eye. Her rent deadline was looming, and she needed something that would actually cover it and leave her with a little breathing room.
Her concentration broke when a loud, familiar voice came from behind. "Hey, Lucy! Looking for a job?"
She turned just as Natsu and Happy bounded over, both grinning like they'd already found trouble.
"Yeah, I've got my rent coming up soon." Lucy replied.
"Well, see any thing we can all do together?"
"That depends," she said, arching an eyebrow. "Why would I want to go on a job with you when I know exactly how much destruction you cause?"
"Because we're a team!" Natsu shot back without hesitation. "We stick together, and besides—we work great together."
Lucy crossed her arms, lips twitching despite herself. "We do work well together… but only because Ben has Clockwork and can fix whatever mess you guys make. Honestly, I'm still amazed he was able to undo all the damage to the guild hall after Gajeel trashed it before the Phantom Lord attack."
Happy puffed up proudly. "Aye! Ben's the best at cleaning up Natsu's messes!"
"Hey—my messes are fun," Natsu protested. "Anyway, I'll find us a job that pays well so you can make rent and has problems we can hit. That's a win-win."
From his perch at the bar, Makarov chuckled into his mug. "Not every problem can be solved by just hitting it, Natsu."
Gray, lounging a few stools away, smirked. "Master, you do know who you're talking to, right?"
"Like you're one to talk, Gray," Cana called down from the other end of the bar, not even looking up from her drink. "Also, your clothes."
Gray blinked, then glanced down to find his shirt, pants, and jacket lying on the floor. "Gah—! Not again!" He scrambled to pull them back on.
From a nearby bench, Erza scanned the hall. "Has anyone seen Ben yet?"
Lucy looked up from the board. "Now that you mention it, Wendy and Carla aren't here either."
"Maybe they're out training," Happy suggested.
"Or doing a job without us," Natsu said, narrowing his eyes at the board as if it had personally challenged him.
Mirajane hummed thoughtfully. "No, I don't recall them picking any jobs. Perhaps they're just running behind today?"
Erza nodded, though a flicker of concern crossed her face. Wendy had been adapting well to life in Fairy Tail—especially with Ben offering her and Carla a place to stay—but Erza could still see the quiet ache behind the girl's eyes. It was a look she knew all too well, born of loss and the effort to carry on.
Meanwhile, Lucy's gaze drifted back to the request board. Her eyes traced the rows of fliers until they caught on a single, faded sheet tucked in the far top corner, half-hidden behind other postings.
"Hey… what's this one?" she asked, pointing.
Natsu, curious, stretched on tiptoe and tugged it free, handing it over to her.
The parchment was covered in an unfamiliar script—curved lines and sharp angles woven together in patterns that looked almost decorative, yet carried no meaning Lucy could grasp. One thing, however, was perfectly clear:
Reward: 500,000 Jewels.
Lucy's eyes widened. "Five hundred thousand Jewels?!"
Natsu's grin spread wide. "Now that's a payday!"
"For real?" Gray strolled over, peering at the paper. "That's almost S-Class quest money." He frowned. "But what the heck does it even say?"
"Beats me," Natsu said with a shrug. "You know, Lucy?"
Lucy shook her head. "No. I've never seen this language before. It's… strange."
"Maybe it has something to do with fish?" Happy suggested, his tail swishing hopefully.
"Somehow… I doubt that," Lucy sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.
The sound of armored footsteps approached, and Erza came over, curious about the gathering. "What's going on?"
Natsu handed her the paper. "Check this out—biggest reward I've seen in a while."
Erza's eyes narrowed as she examined the flier, scanning every symbol. After a moment, she shook her head. "I'm afraid I've never encountered this language before."
Lucy's frown deepened. "So it's not just us…"
Determined to get answers, she crossed the hall toward Levy and Freed, who were seated at a nearby table. "Hey, you two—you're both good with languages. Ever seen this before?"
Levy glanced at the paper, her brow furrowing. "Oh, this one… yeah, I noticed it posted this morning. Couldn't make any sense of it, so I left it."
Freed took the sheet from her, his eyes narrowing as he studied the markings. "Nor I. The structure doesn't match any known dialect I've read in the archives, nor any runic system I've encountered."
"Great…" Lucy muttered, the mystery only growing.
She turned toward the bar, where Makarov sat nursing a mug. "Master, what about you?"
Makarov accepted the flier and looked it over, his expression briefly unreadable before he handed it back. "Sorry, Lucy. Whatever this is, it's beyond even my knowledge."
The small group exchanged puzzled glances.
"Not even our guild's smartest members can read this?" Lucy whispered, still stunned.
"Who sends a request in a language no one can understand?" Gray muttered, arms folding.
Peeking over Lucy's shoulder, Erza studied the flier again, crossing her arms. "Whatever it is, it must be important for the issuer to encrypt it… and to offer such a substantial reward."
Happy hovered in place on his wings, tail curling lazily. "What a shame. With that much money split between us, we'd each get, like… 125,000 Jewels, and whatever's left for Lucy."
Lucy spun on him, outraged. "That leaves me with nothing!"
The guild's front doors creaked open, letting in a wash of morning light.
Ben stepped inside, Gajeel at his side, with Juvia, Wendy, and Carla just behind. The usual hum of voices and clinking mugs filled the hall, but several guild members glanced up as the group entered.
Natsu's head snapped toward him, a grin spreading instantly across his face. "Perfect timing, Ben!" Without waiting for an answer, he strode over, waving him in. "You've got to see this!"
Before Ben could even ask what was going on, Natsu thrust a weathered flier into his hands. "Check it out—500,000 Jewels!"
Ben blinked, glancing down at the parchment. Wendy leaned in curiously, Carla hovering closer. Gajeel shoved his hands into his pockets, peering over Ben's shoulder. Juvia, still clutching her green tin box, stepped a little nearer to see for herself.
"The hell is all that scribble?"
"Juvia has never seen a language like that."
Ben opened his mouth. "Natsu, I was actually going to take a different job with—" He stopped mid-sentence, his eyes narrowing on the text.
The paper was covered in sharp, flowing characters:
このメッセージを無事に翻訳すると、あなたが友人と呼ぶ人々は、あなたの人生の重要な瞬間を数多く振り返ることになります。
Reward: 500,000 Jewels.
"…Japanese?" Ben murmured.
"Jap-what now?" Natsu tilted his head.
"It's a language from my world," Ben said slowly, still staring at the text. "Which… doesn't make sense. This is Earthland. How would Japanese even be here?"
Lucy stepped closer. "Wait—you can read this?"
Ben nodded slightly. "I don't know it personally, but the Omnitrix has a universal translator. So, yeah… I should be able to."
Everyone leaned in as he shifted the flier in his hands, eyes scanning the words. As the strange characters shifted seamlessly in his vision, Ben began to read aloud, his voice even:
"Upon successfully translating this message, those you call friends will review many important moments from your life."
A ripple of confusion went through the gathered mages.
"Your life?" Wendy repeated softly.
"The hell kind of request is this?" Gajeel muttered, narrowing his eyes.
Before Ben could respond, the flier suddenly tore itself from his grasp, floating upward. Confusion spread through the hall as it hung suspended in midair, glowing with a brilliant, shifting rainbow of colors. The light intensified, forcing many to shield their eyes.
A surge of raw magical power exploded from the parchment, the shockwave rattling mugs and knocking over chairs. Outside, an enormous magical circle formed in the sky directly above the guild, its intricate patterns pulsing with energy.
"What the hell is going on?!" Gray shouted over the rising hum of magic.
Then, with a sound like grinding stone, walls of solid rune text erupted around the guild hall—towering, glowing letters forming a seamless barrier that enclosed the building and it's courtyard completely. The magic circle above flared brighter, sealing into place.
"We're trapped!" Elfman yelled, slamming a hand against the wall of runes.
Carla's eyes narrowed. "And cut off from the outside world entirely."
"Everyone, remain calm!" Erza's voice cut through the noise like steel. She stepped forward, her gaze sweeping the barrier. "Levy, Freed—analyze these runes. Tell me anything you can."
"On it," Levy said quickly, running her fingers along the glowing text. Moments passed as Levy's expressions shifted to surprise. "These runes… I've never seen anything like them. Freed?"
Freed adjusted his glasses, eyes narrowing as he studied the glowing script. "These aren't like any barrier runes I've seen before. The patterns… they're irregular, almost alive."
"Whatever—" Natsu cracked his knuckles and strode into the courtyard, fire already building in his fists. "I'll just smash those stupid runes apart!"
He bolted outside and reeled back a flaming fist. "Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!"
The impact exploded against the barrier in a blazing conflagration, the force shaking the ground beneath their feet. For a moment, smoke and heat rolled across the area.
When the haze cleared, the sight waiting for them was less than impressive—Natsu's fist pressed stubbornly against an unscathed wall of runes, the barrier glowing faintly where he'd struck.
Without warning, the runes around his hand pulsed and unleashed a bolt of crackling purple lightning. The strike nailed Natsu square in the chest, launching him backwards through the guild hall doors in a shower of sparks.
"Natsu!" Lucy rushed to his side, kneeling next to him.
He groaned, pushing himself up with a wince and rubbing the scorched spot on his vest. "That… hurt…"
"Idiot," Gray muttered, crossing his arms. "Don't you remember how Freed's runes work? You can't just bust your way out of them."
From behind the bar, Mirajane glanced toward the master. "What do you think, Master?"
Makarov hadn't moved from his seat, but his sharp eyes were locked on the barrier. "It's… peculiar. This isn't an ordinary rune spell. The magic feels layered, self-sustaining… and there's something about it that doesn't belong to this world. Almost… alien."
"Speaking of alien," Ben said, already activating the Omnitrix. In a flash of green light, Feedback stood in his place, antennae twitching as arcs of electricity danced across his fingers. "Perhaps this one can get us out of this mess."
He stepped up to the barrier, placing both hands against the glowing surface. Energy surged from the runes into his body, traveling down his conduits.
The guild watched as Feedback absorbed the magic—only for the barrier to shimmer and replenish itself faster than he could drain it.
"What the—?" Feedback's voice was edged with surprise. "It's recharging faster than I can pull from it."
"What does that mean?" Juvia asked, concerned.
"That means whatever's powering this thing… it's connected to an infinite source of magic."
This shocked many in the guild.
Freed's gaze darted from the barrier to Feedback. "Then perhaps another approach—Clockwork. If you reverse time around the guild to before the spell activated, we could undo this entirely."
"Oh yeah," Gray caught on. "Just like when you restored the guild hall after Gajeel wrecked it."
Gajeel shifted uncomfortably, looking away. "… Can we not bring that up?"
Feedback nodded. "Worth a shot." In another flash, the tall and bulky, mechanical frame of Clockwork took Feedback's place.
He stepped forward, raising his mechanical arms toward the barrier. With a deep whir, a beam of green chronal energy fired from his hands, washing over the runes. The glowing text began to flicker, the magic circle overhead dimming slightly as time itself started to rewind.
Then the runes suddenly flared red.
A deafening, resonant horn blasted through the hall, making those with sensitive hearing—Natsu, Gajeel, Wendy—flinch and clutch their ears.
"V'hat is this?" Clockwork questioned in a Germanic accent.
Another block of glowing text appeared above the barrier. Freed's eyes widened as he read it aloud: "Chronosapiens are forbidden from reversing time to prevent this spell from activating."
Clockwork let the beam fade and stepped back. In a green flash, Ben stood there again. "We can't break it, drain it, or reverse time on it? Whoever set this up… did their homework on us."
Across the hall, Gajeel rounded on Natsu, jabbing a finger into his chest. "This is your fault, Salamander!"
"My fault?!" Natsu barked, shoving him back. "You were standing right there when Ben read it! How's that on me?!"
"You were the one who gave him the flier. Besides, trouble always follows you!" Gajeel snarled, forehead pressing against Natsu's.
"You wanna go right now?!"
"I always wanna go!"
Before the first punch could be thrown, Erza's glare descended on them like a guillotine. "Enough." Her tone brooked no argument. "If you have energy to fight, use it to find a solution." Both men stiffened instantly, muttering under their breath but stepping apart.
Wendy approached Ben and stood at his side. Her voice quiet but tinged with worry. "What do we do now?"
Before he could answer, the glowing runes along the barrier shifted and began to rearrange themselves. A new line of text appeared in the center of the guild hall for all to see.
Freed read aloud, his voice carrying over the silence:
"This spell has locked your guild hall and everyone in it inside a pocket dimension where time outside is paused. For the spell to be broken, all present must witness memories and events centered around the one who deciphered the spell: Ben Tennyson."
"Me?" Ben blinked, startled.
"A spell to view memories?" Lucy frowned, scanning the text. "I've never heard of anything like this before…"
The words shifted again, continuing:
"These events will be portrayed in a third-person, episodic format with music to make the experience entertaining for the audience. Breaks will be included, as well as access to food, beverages, and the use of your guild hall's facilities. Upon successfully watching all episodes, the spell will be broken. No time will have passed since the moment the spell activated. 500,000 Jewels will be rewarded to the guild."
"Wait… Is that 500,000 Jewels for just the guild singular …or for everyone here?" Wakaba wondered. "Cause that's a big difference."
"No kidding! We wouldn't have to work for weeks!" Macao shouted.
"Actually, you both have overdue tabs." Mirajane politely reminded. "So no, you wouldn't."
Groaning, both hung their heads in disappointment.
"With that much money, I could pay rent for seven months." Lucy quietly commented.
The glowing letters pulsed, then reformed into one final question:
"Do you accept these terms?"
"Suppose we don't wanna accept these terms… whoever you are!" Natsu shouted toward the ceiling, fists clenched.
"I don't think that's a good idea, Natsu," Happy warned, ears flattening.
Sure enough, the runes shimmered again, a sharper, bolder script forming in response:
"Failure to agree to the terms will result in Fairy Tail being trapped in deadlock forever. Only one being would be able to free you then."
"Only one, huh?" Makarov muttered, stroking his beard. "And who could that be referring to?"
Ben's jaw tightened. He could think of only one transformation in the Omnitrix capable of bypassing something like this… and it was one he avoided using unless absolutely necessary. The thought alone made him grimace. Doubt I could even get him to cooperate…
Ben let out a long sigh. "Guess we have no choice then…"
The runes pulsed in acknowledgment, their glow brightening as if sealing the agreement.
The runes along the walls pulsed again, then shifted into new words that hovered in the air for all to see:
"Visual projectors will now be deployed."
A deep hum reverberated through the guild hall as shimmering magic radiated from the barrier. In an instant, a dozen translucent screens materialized around the building—some hanging in the air like floating windows, others appearing against walls and between pillars—each positioned so no matter where someone stood, they'd have a clear view.
The text changed again:
"You have ten minutes to prepare before the first episode begins."
The tension eased slightly as guild members started to scatter, conversations picking up again in a mixture of curiosity and anticipation. Some made a beeline for the bar to grab drinks, others raided the kitchen for snacks.
Cana, naturally, took full advantage—gathering a couple kegs in both arms with barely any effort. "If we're gonna be stuck here, I'm doing it right," she announced, plopping herself at comfortable spot by the bar.
Others claimed the comfiest spots they could find: couches near the fire, window seats, or just sprawling across the floor with pillows pulled from the upstairs rooms.
Ben found a spot at one of the long benches near the center, sitting with Wendy to his right, Carla perched primly beside her, Juvia seated to his left, and Gajeel on the far end. At the table adjacent, Natsu, Gray, Happy, Lucy, and Erza settled in, leaning toward each other in easy conversation.
"So, Ben," Happy called across the space, his tail flicking, "what memory do you think this freaky spell is gonna show first?"
Ben shrugged, leaning back slightly. "No clue. Not to brag, but there's honestly a lot it could choose from."
"This'll be fun!" Wendy said brightly, resting her elbows on the table. "You've told me some of your stories before—now we actually get to see them play out!"
Carla sighed heavily. "Hopefully there's something to gain from all of this outside of the reward money."
Erza crossed her arms, but her lips curled slightly. "It's like attending a live theatre performance. It reminds me of that theatre job in Onibus."
Lucy groaned. "Ugh… don't remind me of that job."
From Ben’s left, Juvia spoke softly, almost to herself. "Juvia… is happy she'll get to see Ben's life play out in front of her eyes."
Ben glanced at her briefly, missing the faint blush she tried to hide.
As the ten-minute countdown ended, every screen in the guild shimmered before a block of runes appeared across them all:
"The first episode will cover the start of Ben Tennyson's journey."
Ben's eyes widened slightly. "Wait… Could it mean—"
"Don't tell me we're about to see Ben as a baby," Gajeel groaned.
"I, for one, think that would be absolutely adorable," Erza said matter-of-factly.
Ben groaned and lowered his head to the table. "Please don't let it be that."
Juvia's gaze hardened ever so slightly as she shot a glare in Erza's direction—one the scarlet-haired knight didn't even notice.
The runes shifted once more, the words forming crisp and clear on every screen:
"Episode 1: And Then There Were 10"
A faint hum built in the air, the screens beginning to glow brighter.