The Lucy in front of him... wasn’t the Lucy he knew. And it was the sa with Jet and Droy.
But the biggest clue was Mira.
If that had truly been his Mira, she would’ve rushed out the second she saw him. Her reaction, or rather, her lack of one, said everything.
Of course, there was always a chance that the strange magic had altered mories or personalities... but Rhodes found another explanation far more likely.
After all, he had t Mystogan and Porlyusica before.
Wendy had once told him that Porlyusica’s voice, scent, and even presence were nearly identical to that of Grandeeney, her dragon foster mother. So it wasn’t impossible for a version of Mira with the sa scent to exist in another world.
The Murk Wolves must have picked up on that familiar scent, bringing him here.
This place...It could only be Edolas.
The Fairy Tail here wasn’t the one he belonged to. It was Edolas’s Fairy Tail.
He wasn’t sure why the guild emblem and na were identical, but given Mystogan and Porlyusica’s precedents, it wasn’t a stretch to believe.
These weren’t his companions, but seeing familiar faces in such a strange world still brought a strange comfort. In a place where everything else was foreign, their faces were sothing to hold onto.
Still, from the way they were reacting, sothing wasn’t right. The Fairy Tail of this world seed to be under pressure... maybe even hunted.
Rhode’s top priority now was clear: defuse the tension, avoid a fight, and try to gather information, about their situation, about Mira, and about how to return to Earth Land.
He raised both hands slowly in a non-threatening gesture and gave a short command. The wolves imdiately backed away, fanning out in a low-alert stance.
Rhodes then turned his body slightly, making sure the Fairy Tail emblem on his upper arm was clearly visible.
Even if they weren’t from the sa world, Fairy Tail was Fairy Tail. That ant there was still room to talk.
"You’re saying... you’re part of our Fairy Tail?" Jet asked suspiciously. "Then how co I’ve never seen your face before?"
"Could be another trick from the King’s Army," Droy muttered darkly. "Wouldn’t be the first ti."
Lucy kept her eyes locked on Rhodes, but he could tell she was uncertain too.
She suddenly turned her head and called back into the guild, "Hey! Anyone know this guy? He says he’s one of us!" She glanced back at Rhodes, frowning. "You got a na, stranger?"
"Rhodes."
"That’s his na, Rhodes. Has anyone in the guild ever heard of soone by that na?"
Rhodes looked around the unfamiliar guildhall, eyes scanning the crowd with curiosity. A part of him wondered, was there another version of him in this world? But after several long monts, no one stepped forward. No one recognized him.
It was becoming clear: either he didn’t exist in this world, or at the very least, he wasn’t part of this version of the guild.
Droy crossed his arms and gave a skeptical scoff. "Just as I thought. He’s a liar. Probably trying to sneak into our guild."
Jet frowned but didn’t look entirely convinced. "But... that emblem on his chest doesn’t look fake."
Rhodes sighed internally. This wasn’t going to be easy to explain. He tried a different approach. "Is this place called Edolas?" he asked. "I’m from Earth Land. Have any of you heard of it?"
At that, the three standing at the entrance exchanged uncertain glances. Clearly, the na ant nothing to them.
But soone inside the guild, a girl with short silver hair, eerily similar to Lisanna Strauss, narrowed her eyes in thought. After a mont’s hesitation, she stepped forward and spoke.
"Let’s put aside this ’Earth Land’ you ntioned for now," she said cautiously. "Those wolves and ghost-like things with you... they aren’t part of the royal army, are they?"
Rhodes glanced at her for a few seconds, noting the subtle shift in her expression. She looked nervous but strangely familiar. He answered plainly, "No. That’s my magic. I summoned them. You know how dangerous it is out there, those beasts are my protection."
The girl’s eyes widened slightly, and she suddenly looked away, her expression unreadable. The rest of the guild, however, erupted in shock.
"Magic?!"
"Did he really just say magic?!"
"Is this guy nuts?!"
Rhodes furrowed his brow. ’Was magic considered rare here? Or even forbidden? That didn’t make sense... Not with soone like Mystogan running around. He was strong and clearly a magic user too. Surely he hadn’t been banished just for that.’
But the reactions around him told a different story. The word magic had clearly stirred up tension. And it wasn’t the good kind.
Only the Lisanna-lookalike stayed relatively composed. She spoke again, her tone softer this ti. "If you an no harm... could you please dismiss your summons? They’re a bit too noticeable. We—we don’t want to draw attention right now."
Rhodes paused, watching her closely. This definitely wasn’t the Fairy Tail he knew. The Fairy Tail from Earth Land never shied away from the spotlight. If anything, they practically welcod chaos.
Still, she was trying to handle the situation calmly. And in any negotiation, it paid to show goodwill first.
He gave a small nod and waved his hand. Instantly, the six Murk Wolves and six Wraiths vanished, dissipating into the air like mist under sunlight.
For a brief mont, there was silence.
Then, the Lisanna lookalike raised a hand to her mouth, eyes darting away from Rhode’s. She seed almost afraid to et his gaze now.
The rest of the guild, however, beca even more animated.
"It really is magic!"
"What kind of magic lets you summon monsters like that on command?!"
"That was insane! Did you see those wolves?!"
Rhodes remained tense, subtly shifting into a defensive stance. He wasn’t going to be caught off guard if they decided he was a threat.
Rhodes tried asking gently, "Would you mind telling why everyone reacted so strongly to magic?"
Lucy crossed her arms, clearly unimpressed, her brows furrowing in a way that vaguely reminded him of Mira during her old rebellious days.
"Do I really need to explain that?" she said. "In this country, buying and selling magic is strictly forbidden. Even possessing magic privately is a cri."
She gave him a pointed look. "Honestly, I’m starting to believe you’re not from Edolas after all. Even if you’re not from Earth Land, you must’ve grown up in so backwoods mountain village."
Rhodes blinked, confused. "Wait, banning the trade and use of magic? Is that even possible? How do you ban sothing like that?" He paused for a beat. "Hang on... how exactly do you define magic here?"
Before Lucy could snap back, the Lisanna-lookalike stepped in with a calming suggestion. "Lucy, maybe we should continue this conversation inside? We’ve been standing out here too long already—"
So she was called Lucy after all. Just like Mystogan had been called Jellal back in Earth Land. And Porlyusica had changed her na too. Maybe it wasn’t so strange for their counterparts to keep similar nas.
Lucy tilted her head toward the guild doors. "Fine. Co on in. But don’t try anything funny."
’I should be the one saying that to you guys...’ Rhodes thought, sighing inwardly.
The current Rhodes wasn’t just confused, he was deeply unsettled, completely out of his elent. Still, if he wanted answers, he had no choice but to go along with them.
The interior of the treehouse guild was surprisingly spacious. It gave him nostalgic vibes, like the original Fairy Tail guild before it had been rebuilt. The layout was familiar: wooden tables, a long counter, request boards pinned with papers, and warm lighting that gave the space a holy atmosphere. Despite the differences, it still felt like a proper guild that took on jobs.
Faces both familiar and strange filled the room. They looked like the people he knew, but not quite.
His eyes landed on Gray first, but he was completely bundled up, wearing so many layers he looked like a padded ball. If it weren’t for his face, Rhodes might’ve mistaken him for Reedus.
Then there was CKana, sipping tea with a refined air, almost like a proper English lady. Macao, now wearing glasses and exuding a scholarly vibe. Alzack and Bisca were sitting way too close together, acting like newlyweds, shaless as ever.
Levy was tinkering away at so strange machine, holding a wrench and mumbling calculations under her breath.
Elfman had just been scolded by soone, probably Evergreen, and sat in the corner sulking, tear streaks still fresh on his cheeks.
And then Rhode’s eyes landed on a striking woman with flowing blue hair, she looked a lot like Wendy, but taller, more mature, and... curvier than even Mirajane. Was that really Wendy?
The only one who hadn’t changed much was Mira herself. She still had that sa gentle aura, the sa soft smile that cald everyone around her. After watching Rhodes for a mont and sensing no danger, she smiled at him kindly.
For a second, Rhodes was swept back to the day he’d first t her in Earth Land. She’d looked at him just like that then, too.
But that feeling, familiar and comforting, only highlighted just how different everything else had beco.
...
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