Chapter Seventy - Tuning Timelines
So, apparently, most of the male adults were confused on why the kids freaked out to Enno's snacks. Even Ur was a bit confused, so I explained to them that I had asked Enno to pick up some condoms for me so I could have the kids try to put them on cucumbers.
To be fair, the Talk probably wouldn't have been as bad if they weren't in a room with some other kids their age (especially considering that some of them have crushes).
But that's what happened to me at the Orphanage, so they can get over it.
A few days after I gave the Talk, Makarov led everyone over to the timeline chart. And by everyone, I mean everyone except for Enno, Maggie, Rex, and Max.
Maggie and Rex were napping on the beds in the infirmary, and Enno was carrying around their baby - a pretty little girl with a shock full of Rex's indigo hair that was named Maxine - because Maggie and Rex wanted to combine their names (I mean they haven't admitted it, but they totally wanted to). We've taken to calling the baby Maxie, rather than Max...which was good, because Max Alors (you know, the sand mage I visit every once in a while who is training with Laki) will eventually come join Fairy Tail.
I sighed as I looked up at the timeline.
It was starting to get pretty big.
"What's that?" Millianna asked, coming up beside me and looking up.
I pet her. "This is a chart that measures how powerful we were in the last timeline, and how powerful we are this time around."
"Elle, if you would do the honors?" Makarov asked.
I nodded, and walked over to the timeline chart on the left.
I pulled out six pins. "The Wizard Saint column," I said, gesturing to the top. "Last time around, at the end of the timeline, more than a few of our members were that powerful. This includes our Master," I gave him a slight bow, "Laxus," and continued around the circle, "Brandish, Ur, and Gildarts. Silver as well. Now, we can add another."
I stuck Jellal's pin in the top row. "Congrats, Jellal. You've got quite a lot of work ahead of you."
He nodded determinedly. "I'll do it!"
God, he's so adorable!
Honestly, I'm surprised I've managed to keep all of my squealing to a minimum.
"Moving down," I continued. "In our SS Column, we had Cana on the higher part, and Gray on the lower part. Erza, you will be joining Cana in these ranks, a bit above her, but still in the SS Category."
I put Erza's pin down next to Cana.
"Are we that high?" Sho asked.
"I'm not entirely sure," I said. "I didn't see you guys fight entirely, so I can't be positive, which means I'll be ranking you on a lower level. Simon, Millianna, you're in B Class." I put Millianna on the middle row, and Simon underneath her.
"Sho, Wally, you guys are mid C Class." I turned to look at them, who both seemed a bit downtrodden. "Hey, cheer up. It should be easy to surpass your other selves, right?"
They both smiled at that.
"Now, it's time to move up this years' results!" I said cheerfully.
First, I put the newbies on the board, followed by Jet and Droy (Kagura and Yukino would not be joining the board until they start learning magic).
By the time it was finished, everyone had moved up a bit.
The first two columns remained the same – in the Wizards Saints column, Makarov, and lower in that category, Ur and Gildarts. The SS category was still empty.
In the S Class column, Lucy had moved up to the center, and Laxus and I were both placed on the lower part of the S Class spectrum.
That couldn't be right. Could it? I mean, after all, I've got Magical Overload. I don't exactly have perfect control over my powers.
In the high A column, was Cana and Brandish. Macao, Wakaba and Erigor were right on their tail, and lower A Class had Ultear, Silver and Juvia.
In high B, we had Gray, Levy, Freed, Jellal and Enno. Lyon, Evergreen and Bickslow were in middle B, and low B held Erza and Nab.
High C held Reedus, and low C had Jet and Droy.
In high D, there was Simon, and Sho was mid D. Wally and Millianna were low D.
Nab, Reedus, Levy and Lucy all had their pins exchanged for silver, which means that they met their power level in the previous timeline. Macao and Wakaba got theirs turned gold for rising above their powers on the previous timeline.
Lucy was a bit difficult, but since she still hasn't had a lot of experience, it wasn't gold yet.
But the thought that Levy (little tiny, eight year old Levy) was on the same level as she had been nine years later, really threw me off. However, thinking back, I have to agree. While she probably isn't as strong power-wise, her new types of attacks make her a more adept wizard.
Because of the amount that Nab struggled with his power, I think it's surprising he's gotten this far, but I think that was just because I was comparing most of his power development with everyone else's.
"What?" Lyon cried. "How is Gray more powerful than me?"
It was true. Gray, Cana, Levy, Juvia…more than a few people were excelling at a better rate than others, and I couldn't figure out why.
And then it hit me.
"Of course," I muttered. Laxus gave me a look, but I ignored it.
They had all visited the Celestial World. Even if it was only for a little bit, they had still gone there…some even twice.
Does that mean that some of their magic from the previous timeline was left over as well, even though they weren't Stellar wizards?
The next day was time for an announcement…one I probably should have seen coming.
"It's time to announce this year's candidates for the S Class trials!" Makarov announced.
"Laxus!"
I smiled at him.
"Elle!"
What? But I wasn't ready.
But before I could protest, Makarov kept going. "Macao! Wakaba! Erigor! And Silver! Choose another candidate for a partner, and you have a week to prepare, with one day off for Erigor's birthday."
More cheers.
"Ready for this?" Laxus asked, coming up behind me.
"Hell no," I muttered.
"Might as well try, right?" he smiled at me.
I smiled back. "Alright. Ready to become S Class early this time around?"
He smirked. "How about you? Ready to become S Class at the youngest possible age?"
That's right, you had to be twelve.
I smirked back at him. "Why the hell not?"