The guild watched as the runaway, now revealed to be a member from a distant future, ranted and scolded the trio kneeling before him. "...I told you to run and you just come back and shout for Natsu to stop, what the heck am I going to do with you, Igneel!?" The Natsu kid cringed as Alex tampered off before he reached over and rubbed his head. "Still, you did good, I am proud to see that you have been putting in the extra hours with getting better, if only Silver didn't need to take on things on his own..." The Gray leapt to his feet as he shouted.
"That's not true, I train all by myself to beat this flamer lizard!"
"Silver, put your clothes back on." He yelped 'crap' as he went about collecting his clothes as Alex shouted after him. "Don't make me get the soap!" The guild hummed as that was one thing that they knew Gray did, just randomly strip down to his underwear as part of his own training, as the Natsu laughed at the Gray's misfortune as the girl rested her face in her hands.
"Why does that always happen with him..."
"Take it easy, Layla, it's just Silver..." Alex voiced as Gray finally had the clarity of mind to speak.
"Okay, I am really confused, what's going on and why did that kid strip out of his clothes?"
"Gray, your clothes." He yelped as well as Alex reacted as well.
"I will use it on you too, Fullbuster!" The guild blinked to the statement like he had practice with it as Natsu was laughing just the same before all gasped as a bar of soap lodged itself into Natsu's mouth as Happy exclaimed.
"So soapy!" Alex groaned as he faceplanted into the wooden floor as he whined.
"Five minutes, I ask for five minutes of peace and I get into the mess of it..." Natsu spat out the soap with gagging sounds before he recovered and spoke.
"So, who are you and who are the kids?"
"Since you are here and I don't see someone else involved, I will explain it and do the same when others arrive, that is..." Alex turned to Makarov as he spoke. "Your permission, Third Guild Master?"
"You don't need my permission to say it."
"Just being polite..." He turned back as he spoke. "I am Alex Shacklemenn and I am from the future, twenty years to be exact." He sat up and spoke. "My magic is a mix of Lightning, Wind, and Water Magic, Storm Magic to be fair. I know a few decent more, but that is beside the point here." First, he introduced the Gray copy. "This is Silver Fullbuster, his magic is Water-Make Magic, just turn ice into water, that is more tricky than it needs to be explained."
"That's fair..." Gray spoke with getting his clothes back on with the kid. "So... I have a... kid?"
"Two, actually, his siblings have not appeared yet, but yeah, in spite of messing things up and causing who knows what, he is your son..." Gray hummed before glancing at Silver and the kid replied in surprise.
"Wh-What do you want...!?" Gray spoke with a question, one that asked if he was not as able to guide as well as this wizard.
"...Was I... a bad teacher to you..." Silver leapt at Gray in a tackle as he bawled, diswaying the notion he was terrible.
"Pa, you were the best!" He wailed as all looked to Alex as he explained.
"He often had nightmares of things... killing his family, so he always slept with one of his biological family or one of the guild members who could spare him a moment, he likes to be acknowledged as being from a strong and brave family, ever admitting that sometimes, it's okay to be scared." They all nodded as Gray hugged the little guy as he spoke.
"Man, talk about a spitting image of me, I think I will like being your 'pa' for a bit, that cool?"
"Cool as ice..."
"Not to intrude." Eyes landed on Lucy as she spoke with a hand on the hip. "But you still have two more to introduce." Alex nodded as Layla curtsied to Lucy as Alex spoke.
"This is Layla Dragneel, and her family tree is REALLY out-there and for good reason." Alex spoke as he explained. "Her magic is unique in that, she can summon any Celestial Spirit if she remembers what the sign is called and taps into the connection."
"No keys?"
"She near-summoned the King with a Silver key, we were unwilling to do anything with a Golden Zodiac." Alex deadpanned, and they all nodded as Loke looked off-kilter as Alex glanced to him. "And should we try that again or do we...?"
"NO!" Loke shouted and the Guild froze to his voice as he spoke. "No... I'll talk..." He breathed with running a hand through his hair. "I am not Loke, I am actually Leo and I have been punishing myself for the death of a Wizard that I had a contract with, just... trying to dying in atoning."
"I... see..." Lucy voiced as she hummed before she spoke. "We'll get through this, I promise." Loke looked unsure before looking at Alex, giving him the same deadpan.
"She backtalked the King for you, all of her Keys appearing with her, she is not one to give in that lightly." He nodded as Layla reached into her dress and rushed over to Lucy as she spoke.
"Mommy..." Hearts were gripped at the innocent voice before she extended a key to Lucy. "I got Maid from bad man!" Lucy lightly took the key and turned it about before she voiced.
"Virgo... The Maiden..." She added Virgo to the belt before kneeling down and taking Layla into her arms. "Come here..." Layla accepted with eager desire as she sobbed happily into Lucy's arms...
"Thank you... thank you..." It was a moving moment before Alex turned to Igneel as he spoke.
"Are you sure you want me to tell, Igneel?"
"Please... they need to know..." Alex nodded as he turned back to the guild with a clear of the throat.
"And last, this is Igneel Strauss, 'older' brother to Layla, and son of Natsu Dragneel." Silence filled the guild hall and for good reason as the Strauss siblings looked ready for a fight and Natsu looked eager to rip and tear as Alex spoke. "If you're going to kill me, do it..." Before Natsu could, Laxus cut in as he pinned Natsu to the ground and spoke.
"Get it together, Salamander, we need to hear this..." Natsu growled, but calmed as Elfman eased up and Mirajane breathed, still carrying an aura to her.
"Thank you..." Alex breathed as he spoke. "Magic is a fickle thing, it can be a great deal of things; spells, enchantments, even the world around us depends on magic in one way or another." He opened his eye to the next part. "Even a portal to a world where Magic can be scarce, but where the creatures known as Exceeds reside in, if you want an Exceed to be your example." Alex then pointed at the flying blue cat before silence filled before Happy yelped with everyone else.
"No way!?"
"Happy is from another world!?"
"Only smokes, that is huge."
"Talk about the crazy roll of the dice!" Igneel hummed sadly as Alex nodded.
"The reason for that is that, during the last 'official' mission of the siblings, Lisanna was believed dead, but how can one say she is dead when she had disbursed into particles, disappearing into light." It was true as Mirajane thought that her sister had been killed, but she didn't die like that, her mark may have been erased, but she didn't die like a normal body, she disappeared. "Around that time, a portal connecting the two worlds opened and pulled her in, but..." He beamed a cheeky grin as he spoke. "That would be foreshadowing to tell more!" The guild flopped to the ground in disbelief as Alex laughed as he spoke to Natsu raising his head. "So yeah... she is still alive..." He frowned as he continued. "But there is only one left, the other had perished and yours replaced her in that world, so when you see her, don't just leap on in..."
"O-Okay..." He got up and spoke. "And... Igneel's magic."
"Take-Over, but my magic is... a bit more special, Dad." Igneel breathed as he shouted. "Take-Over: Dragon Soul." He shifted to their surprise as he turned into a red dragon. "Igneel!" He soared around the guild hall as Gray spoke.
"Natsu..."
"I... I knew that he must have been gone..." Natsu beamed with a smile as he spoke. "But... to see my kid using a little form of him... that makes my day..." Gray hummed with a nod as he spoke.
"That's what keeps you to being you, flame brain." Natsu laughed as the guild readied for a fight.
"I may have two cool kids, but I don't think you can say otherwise, icy boxers." Gray snorted as he spoke.
"Please, this isn't a contest..." Both turned to Alex as they sweated.
"Right...?"
"Foreshadowing, you two, but you are better here than there." Alex sweated deeply as he spoke. "Titania couldn't stop you when you two took your argument to an island and laid it to ruin for three days straight, so I don't doubt it, I know it." Both sweated as the guild laughed as Igneel transformed back and Natsu caught him as it was just one joyful moment as Alex took his leave and stood outside the guild hall as he huffed, lucky to have gotten his cloak back as he ran through the problems now.
'That's three and they accepted quickly, but that still leaves a few more...' He hummed as he counted. 'That still leaves the Strauss son, the twins of Fullbuster, Redfox's son, the daughter and son of Belserion, and the Marvell son to find, but I am guessing that we wouldn't find them before the members come into play, so have to purge Jellal's head of that corruption Ultear dropped, get Gajeel to JUST maul Shadowgear, and get Juvia to love Gray, not to mention talking about the birds and the birds to Wendy...' He hummed with a shake of the head as he looked up to the sunny sky. "That still works against us in the fact that seven years will pass with Tenrou Island and Hades there, so that is a pain to deal with...'
"Hey..." Alex paused to the form of Laxus looming over him as he spoke. "Your opinion about this guild...?"
"..." Alex sighed as he spoke. "It views itself as family, every member does, and there will always be doubts of strength when it comes down to it, but that's the thing... it is only weak when you solely think you deserve to be at the top of the world, Phantom Lord dies from that, the dark guilds perish to that fact, and despite everything... they are the family that pulls together." Laxus hummed before he asked.
"How many are Dreyar kids..." Alex deadpanned as he spoke.
"You freaking playboy..."
"That's not..."
"Two were surprisingly confirmed, and a third in that crazy mix, Dreyar, you managed to hit up Cana and Mirajane before Mira finally settled on Runes, and Cana focused on her kid because Gildarts was roasting you on the daily..." Laxus blinked before he spoke.
"And..."
"None of them are coming here..." Alex looked up again as he spoke. "Due to an accidental Magical Release, me and ten others, thus far, have been thrown into the past, three have already been revealed, seven left." Laxus hummed before he spoke.
"You know about us through our future selves, so what did my future self have to say for himself...?" Alex frowned as he spoke.
"Regret for tossing Makarov off like a burden, redemption in making it up with the guild and laying your old man low in his cheating, and burdened when he lost all functions in his legs, confining him to a wheel chair as it was not a guild that laid him low, oh no... it was a war to take from Fairy Tail a source of limitless power, the beating heart that even know sleeps on Tenrou Island, all for the sake of killing the Dragon of the End, a creature known as Acnologia." The name sent a tumor up Laxus' spine as Alex continued. "He rages and fought, murdered and killed hundreds upon hundreds to be the only dragon alive and the king of it all, his power to absorb magical power itself." A hand gripped tight as Alex continued. "THAT is what Gildarts will face and lose an arm and an leg to with many more wounds on his body, a creature that only knows victory as the last one standing and will make it a mission to take all of the Dragon Slayers and lock them away to prove his power. End of story..." They stood there in silence, the guild fading out as Laxus hummed before he spoke.
"So... the way I was going was wrong, I wasn't going to make the Guild stronger, I was going to weaken it through infighting, all because I wanted to be next in line of leading the Guild." His grip was strong, but it loosened as Alex spoke.
"Yes, but did you want to listen to those blowhards of a Council that can't seem to make up its mind and was really, REALLY stupid to think it could actually control anyone?" Both were quiet as Alex spoke. "Being a Guildmaster can mean a great deal of things; you want the most powerful in your roster, you want to give shelter to those who are without a home, you want to redeem yourself for the sins you committed in both mind and body and sometimes..." He looked at his hand as he spoke. "You want to get a second chance, to make right the things that could happen to others that had happened to you..."
"...That has some backstory behind it, but I won't pry..." Laxus hummed before he chuckled and asked. "Since you know the roster, what have you got...?"
"What do you want to know?"
"A bit selfish, but what were my kids like." Alex snorted as Laxus raised a brow before the Mancer spoke.
"Ragin Dreyar doesn't possess any usual magic, his power is Take-Over Magic, but it holds a connection to the land itself, Take-Over: Nature Soul, which is curious as I have checked them up, made sure everything was in order and proper in their bodies, but his has always been a bit unique in that regard." Alex glanced to Laxus as he continued. "Now, Yuri primarily has his Lightning Magic, but he succeeded at age seven to do what your great-grandfather and you were able to do, use the power of Red Lightning."
"Yuri...?" Laxus blinked at hearing that name, why would that be important?"
"Named after your great-grandfather, Yuri Dreyar, one of the founders of the Fairy Tail Guild, Cana wanted to name him that way to say 'it takes a great man to give life to a great man'." Laxus blinked in surprise as Alex continued. "Any more would be telling, so that's what you get."
"Huh..." Laxus looked forward with some acknowledge that... he was a great man, after everything must have happened later on, the most likely spot being the time when Fairy Tail celebrates, he would be turning it into a mad house, if he didn't hear this and didn't care any better, but getting a pair of boots to the face can do a number on a guy as he spoke. "So who are the other seven, any traits we should be looking for?" Laxus turned, just as Alex flopped onto the ground as he yelped. "Hey!?"
"Traits... TRAITS...!" Alex moaned in total defeat in the ground as Laxus watched as his body actually shifted into a cloud form to even electricity itself before he went bouncing, likely flying all over the place faster than Laxus was able to keep up before a thundering form loomed before him as it wailed with shaking him by the shoulders. "You don't ask about traits when we are looking for a Dragon Slayer with a soft side, a trio of momma girls and boy, an eager-to-prove boy, a hyper son, and a kid who is VERY liable to be plucked off the streets because his whole body and appearance is too much for mere girls to handle before fainting!" Laxus watched it happen before Alex flopped on the ground again as he spoke. "Do not... ask that..."
He breathed before getting up as he spoke. "Besides, I have locked on to their signatures, so when they do come, I will be able to home in on them and, with hope, bring them here to rest and recover and, with a MONSTER ton of luck, return to the future before we make a mess of the whole world in the process, that's... able how bad it could be with altering time..."
"...Oooookay..." Laxus uttered to the defeated mage before him, that was both bombastic as heck and scary to see before he asked a question that hounded him for a time. "What is power...?" Alex breathed as he resumed his place and spoke.
"Power is what you want it to be, Laxus, it can be the will to destroy that which stands in your path, it can be the force that protects others when they most need it, it can also be the heart that controls the elements and world around you." Alex extended out a fist and tapped Laxus as he spoke. "Power is what YOU make of it, what you think is the best use of it, others will tell you that power should be one thing or another, but truth be told... it can be anything in the world, and only you can decide that..." Before Laxus could open his mouth in asking, Alex spoke again with walking back in. "That's what the tenth Guildmaster of the Fairy Tail Guild said and held after years of regret and acknowledge..."
"That's what you picked up when you nearly lost the Thunder Legion to a mission of cold isolation..."