"The white zone is for immediate loading and unloading. Parking within the vicinity is not allowed," announced a female voice through the PTA system as a caution to the passengers boarding for their respective flights. The Zodiac Planet delivery truck pulled near a section of Japan's Tri-County International Airport, where people driving all the way from the nearest city took planes to travel overseas. Upon reaching the white zone, Lucy, Gray, Happy, Wendy, Erza, Gajeel, Levy, Sherry, Sherria, Lyon, Yuka, and Toby peered through the window.

Wendy reminded, "Guys, we can't park here. It's a white zone."

Sherria explained, "This isn't our ride, Wendy. We borrowed it."

Happy joked, "Plus, toys don't get tickets."

Sherry sighed, "I doubt we'd get booked for illegally parking a delivery truck."

Toby asked, "But aren't toys part of the law?"

Yuka stated, "Toys have nothing to do with the law. We're above it. We're just objects to humans."

Levy assumed, "They'll probably blame it on the guys who own this truck. It's like somebody left the keys, and teenagers took for it a joyride."

Gajeel snickered, "I bet the owner's gonna wind up in big trouble when they find it parked in the white zone. That's a good excuse."

"Final boarding for American Airlines flight 451 to New York," the PTA announced. "All confirmed passengers with boarding passes must board at this time."

"There he is!" Gray pointed through the glass. He saw Konishi with the green briefcase talking with a flight attendant.

Erza narrowed her eyes, "How are going to get inside?"

Lucy's eyes fell on some pet carriers scrambled next to the entrance, and an idea crossed her mind. "We could use these."

That was how, a few minutes later, a lone pet carrier scurried its way through the airport, supported by a collective of twenty-four feet. No one could suspect that the rescue party barged its way in. From inside the cage, Erza whispered to her friends, "Careful, careful…"

Lucy said, "Keep a steady pace while reaching the case, and we're doing fine. Good thing it rhymes."

Levy turned to Gajeel with a smile, "So, Gajeel, when this is all over, how about we do that thing Natsu and Lucy always mentioned about?" Her cheeks brightened, "You know… that thing that rhymes with late, but without the 'L' and replacing it with what comes after 'C?'"

Gajeel's eyes widened, "What? Really?"

Levy nodded, "Of course. I think it's time."

Gajeel blushed, "Well, I…"

"Someone's coming!" Wendy alerted, and the gang all dropped to the ground just as a little girl came by.

"Oooh, a puppy!" the girl said excitedly. Before she could lean down, Toby made some fierce barking sounds, and the little girl ran off screaming.

Gray grinned, giving Toby a thumbs up, "Nice one, Toby."

Toby smiled back, "Thanks."

Happy remarked, "No wonder he looks like a dog."

Levy spotted Konishi and the case, "There!"

"Please be careful with that case, alright?" Konishi bargained with the flight attendant. "The contents are worth more than you make in a year."

The flight attendant replied, "I understand, sir."

Konishi asked, "Do you have a 'fragile' sticker or something you can put on that? I had a box of cookies once that came back as crumbs!"

The flight attendant placed the case on the conveyor belt, and Gray, Lucy, and the others climbed on, still on the pet carrier.

Lucy shook with anticipation, "This is it… The conveyor belt's leading us into the abyss. Once we go through, there's no turning back. Celestial Treasure Hunter Lesson #19: In every battle, it's victory or defeat. It's all or nothing. Lesson #33: No retreat, no surrender."

Sherria said eagerly, "We're in for the greatest ride of our lives."

Wendy said adamantly, "We'll make it through. Nothing bad will happen to us as long as we have each other."

Gray issued, "Okay, guys. As soon as we go in, we just need to find that case."

Lyon shrugged, "How hard can it be?"

No sooner had he been proved wrong than they went through the flaps, a labyrinth fraught with endless conveyor belts dragging luggage up, down, left, and right as far as the eye could see awaited them. Everyone's mouths fell open in shock for such a sight to behold, that Happy's back hatch collapsed and spilled some of his extra parts.

Lucy exclaimed, "Sweet Mother of Aries! That's a lotta luggage!"

Gajeel questioned, "How many are there? It's like we're on the citywide freeway!"

Levy calculated, "From the Internet files I've accessed in my brain through a Wi-Fi connection I just made, it's approximately one million luggage transported simultaneously from in or out of state."

Toby groaned, holding his head, "Dang, I think my mind just exploded! Ugh!"

Yuka muttered, "Small-minded mutt."

Sherry shrieked in alarm, "INCOMING RAMP!"

The toys screamed and braced for impact as they went rolling down the ramp towards another conveyor belt below, until they tumbled out of the pet carrier. Slightly recovering from the ordeal, they hoped saving Natsu was worth the mess. Lucy pulled a sticker off herself, and her eyes fell on a green case similar to Konishi's rolling down a separate conveyor belt. Pointing a finger, she cried, "There's the case!"

"No, there's the case!" Gajeel raced over the edge and pointed at another similar green case rolling down another conveyor belt.

"You take that one, we'll take this one!" Gray started running after the first case with Lucy alongside him. The rest all jumped down to go after the case Gajeel had spotted.

Gray and Lucy raced through the different suitcases on their chase for their selected green briefcase. But when the Space Hero action figure leaped over one case, the Celestial Treasure Hunter doll got her right foot stuck on the handle, and found herself being pulled along as the suitcase changed direction in a different conveyor belt. She swished her Fleuve d'étoiles toy whip, and the rope wrapped around Gray's arm, hoping that he could pull her out of the case, but the conveyor belt's strong dexterity weakened the strain. The case pulled farther away, and the Fleuve d'étoiles was almost reaching the limits of its extendable rope.

"Gray! I can't hold on much longer!" Lucy yelled. "My Fleuve d'étoiles is losing rope! And I'm going to Baton Rouge!" She held on as best as she could, but soon the Fleuve d'étoiles snapped back to the hilt, and she was sent flying back.

"Lucy!" Gray held out a hand to reach for the disappearing blonde-haired toy.

Meanwhile, Gajeel, Levy, Wendy, Happy, Erza, and the Lamia Scale toys reached the other case. They chattered out, "Here we come, Natsu! We're here, Natsu! Here we come, Natsu! Natsu! Natsu! Natsu!" Hoping that the pull-string Dragon Slayer and his new friends were inside, Gajeel and Happy unsealed the locks and popped it open to reveal… camera equipment. The gang groaned in disappointment.

Gajeel shrugged, "Nice flash, though."

Without warning, five figures emerged from the open compartment, brandishing five pieces of flash photography.

"SURPRISE!"

The group realized they had fallen into a trap, courtesy of the five Oración Seis toys, who drew the cameras with a click. WHOOSH!

As this was going on, Gray kept following the other case, which was above him on another track. He ran up a guitar case and leaped off, landing on the track and continuing his sprinting. Finally, he reached the case and popped the locks open.

"Okay, Natsu! Let's go!"

But Natsu wasn't the one who greeted him. Brain emerged instead, punching the Space Hero in the face and sending him falling off the track. The sorcerer doll smirked, "Take that, space toy!"

"HEY!" Natsu's voice yelled. And true enough, the pull-string Dragon Slayer doll came up behind her, having somehow freed himself from the duct tape that stuck his arms and legs. "NO ONE does that to my friend!" He tackled Brain, and the two toys fell out of the case, grappling each other on the track. The sorcerer doll kicked Natsu off him, and when he was disoriented, he casually walked over with his Klodoa staff in hand.

"I don't know how you're able to get out of your box, but I have to admit, I'm impressed," Brain smiled, edging Klodoa on his shoulder. Natsu just gritted his teeth at him, and the sorcerer doll responded with a chuckle, "Don't be so surprised, Natsu. I only tied up you, Juvia, Romeo, and Kemo-Kemo to make sure no one gets out or gets hurt. My method was far more efficient."

Natsu growled, "Darn you, Brain! I should've gotten home with Juvia, Romeo, and Kemo-Kemo when I had the chance!"

Brain sneered, "Yet you didn't. You underestimated me, and now you're paying the price. You're the only one standing between me and recognition for years to come." He pointed Klodoa toward the case, "Now get in the case with me. Otherwise, I'll have to make you."

Natsu snapped, "You want me to be a prop in that museum? Be an idol and end up greedy like Konishi?! Like YOU?!" His voice rose to a roar, "OVER MY DEAD BODY!"

Brain paused, as he began to consider, "That can be arranged…" His fingers reached the middle part of the staff, and instantly, a sharp, pointy object clad in iron popped out of the skull's forehead, transforming the weapon into a toy spear. Natsu's face was twisted with fear, horrified of Klodoa's ability to transform from a simple prop into something entirely different.

"Did I forget to mention?" the sorcerer doll pointed out. "Klodoa has a Spear Mode, with a sharp end capable of ripping off fabric. It's dangerous but effective. I heard it can also be used as a toothpick!" He pointed the spear at Natsu, "And I'm going to use it to rearrange your face! Was that so hard to say that I could've done that less days ago when you tried to turn against me?!"

"You're pure evil…" Natsu glared. "Like the TV show… No, even move so than the TV show! That's who you are!"

"I'm necessary evil!" Brain proclaimed. "You come to me, declaring yourself the possession of a child who doesn't even care about you. Well, I think it's time you know the error of your ways! The real truth about toys! I'll do whatever it takes to make sure toys are not to be messed with. I do whatever it takes to gain power, to gain respect, even if it means I have to hurt my so-called friends! And I can't think of a morning… I haven't woken up with the thought of strangling anyone foolish enough to stand in my way!" He raised Klodoa and stabbed it to the ground, but Natsu rolled himself and dodged multiple strikes, before he stood up. "That sanctimonious image of yours fooled everyone, except me…" He swung again, only for the salmon-haired toy to dodge again, until he backed against the edge. Brain's voice rose to a triumphant bellow, "…BECAUSE I KNOW EVIL!"

Nonetheless, Natsu stood his ground, and confronted the evil toy with a determined look. He countered, "Yeah, we all fell for it like a ton of bricks, alright. I thought you were an amazing guy. Everyone in the Roundup Gang believed in you and put their trust in you; a trust you betrayed! That's why I won't follow in your so-called path to 'recognition!' I will help my friends, and I WILL stop you! BET ON THAT!"

The pull-string Dragon Slayer doll charged at top speed, and the sorcerer doll took a stance. The two clashed in an intense brawl, with Natsu punching and kicking while dodging Klodoa's sharp end, and Brain counterattacking with strikes of his own. It's on!

"Too bad! Looks like you've picked the wrong case!" Midnight laughed, and he and his fellow Oración Seis toys kept flashing their camera equipment weapons to blind Gajeel, Levy, Erza, Wendy, Happy, Sherry, Sherria, Lyon, Yuka, and Toby.

With the ten toys severely impacted by the eruption of light, Erza raised her voice to speak to them, "You knew we were after you?!"

Angel explained, "Brain anticipated that Natsu's friends would come, so he instructed us to store ourselves in a different case colored just like this one." She gestured to the green case she and her cohorts stood on.

Gajeel snarled, "So you used us as a lousy decoy?!"

Hoteye remarked, "Brain is a brilliant strategist! He comes up with the brightest plans! Oh, yeah!"

Racer stated, "We still have time before our case reaches the plane for New York. So we'll take all the time we need to finish you off. Ten seconds is all we need!"

Cobra smirked, "They say every toy has his day, but this one ain't gonna be yours, ya pieces of plastic!"

Laughing evilly, the Oración Seis toys reached the buttons of their camera equipment. A few more flashes, and the rescue party would throw themselves off the track…

Suddenly, the crack of a whip was heard, and Cobra, Angel, Hoteye, Racer, and Midnight jerked their heads around to see the rope of Lucy's Fleuve d'étoiles wrapping around their bodies and trapping them altogether. The unexpected assault prompted a quick recovery for Gajeel and the others, their sight restored.

The Celestial Treasure Hunter made her return to the scene, having flipped over and landed on the track with a confident smile. She turned to the captured Oración Seis toys, "Hey, El Diablos! Care for a little spin?!" She twisted the hilt of her toy whip, causing the extendable rope to spin Cobra, Angel, Hoteye, Racer, and Midnight around like tops. They whirled and whirled, until they bumped on the edge of the track, and they screamed as they fell into the labyrinth of luggage. Satisfied with her work, Lucy dusted off herself and breathed a relieved sigh, "I had to remove my leg from a suitcase, and the next minute, I saw Brain's goons taking pictures of my friends..."

The group cried happily, "LUCY!"

Lucy greeted, "Hey, guys! Sorry I couldn't get there in time."

Happy smiled, "It's alright. You showed 'em who's boss."

Lucy smirked, "A Celestial Treasure Hunter knows no fear."

Happy worried, "But the bad news is, we picked the wrong case!"

Erza informed, "The villains responsible have set us up!"

Lucy exclaimed, "They WHAT?! C'mon, we gotta hurry to the other case! Follow me!" She took the lead, and the others followed.

"Hey! Wait for me!" Gray, who had also survived Brain's surprise attack and landed into the same track, chased after his friends.

In the darkness, Cobra, Angel, Hoteye, Racer, and Midnight heard a faint noise nearby. It wasn't long before they slowly took in their new surroundings; they fell and collapsed inside a pet carrier set for a plane to Hong Kong, housing five snakes! The creatures stared at the trapped toys, hissing their tongues eagerly. It looks like they had found a new playmate. The five Oración Seis toys trembled with fear and nervousness.

Racer laughed weakly, "Hey, Snake Eyes? You like snakes, right?"

Cobra whimpered, "Yeah, but I've never seen a real snake in person."

Angel shivered, "This is not a good sign."

Midnight grumbled, "Please tell me this is a dream…"

Hoteye cried hopelessly, "Oh, no… This isn't fair! Oh, the slithering irony of Snakes on a Plane!"

At that moment, the pet carrier shook wildly, the minions of Brain screaming in horror as they were forced to tango with their new friends. One thing's for sure, they won't be making a cut in the museum anytime soon.

As the battle between Natsu and Brain came to a close, the two were exhausted and on the verge of collapse, yet their spirits urged them not to stop.

"This could've been our day!" Brain said furiously. "Can't you see that?!"

"I never wanted this!" Natsu gritted his teeth. "All I want is to be loved! To have a family! I wanted peace!"

"What you want is impossible!" Brain kicked Natsu in the chest, sending him slamming onto the edge of the conveyor belt, knocking him down. He then relaxed, "But I understand. Because all I want is you, Natsu." He brandished Klodoa against the downed pull-string Dragon Slayer, "And as I set out upon this world and deliver the message mankind so greatly deserves, I will make it my objective to make sure you won't get away. I'll deal even the most deadly of injuries to get what I deserve…" He stared at Natsu's right arm, "…starting with this one!"

With that said, the sorcerer doll used the sharp end of Klodoa's Spear Mode to make a fresh new tear in the salmon-haired toy's arm, like his old one, the same injury when Ken ripped it by accident before going to Dragon Camp. With a terrified yelp, Natsu gripped his arm, having understood the meaning of the game they were playing.

"Have a good choice, Salamander," Brain's dark expression festered. "You can go to New York together, or in pieces. Konishi fixed you once; he can fix you again!" He pointed to the green case with a demanding glare, "Now get in the box!"

"Never!" Natsu snapped back. "You're nothing but a coward, hiding behind a toothpick and five dirty goons!"

With a sudden rage, the deranged sorcerer doll grabbed the pull-string Dragon Slayer doll by the throat, lifting him above his level. Natsu wheezed at the sheer pressure hanging around his neck. The transformation was staggering; the kind fatherly persona who had greeted him only days ago was gone, and replaced by a figure whose eyes burned murderous intent.

"I obviously didn't tear you up quite enough," Brain snarled. "Your mouth is simply much too big! But that is about to change." He fashioned Klodoa against his former friend's forehead, "I'll put you out of your misery here and now!"

With a gulp, Natsu squeezed his eyes shut, preparing to take the final blow. One strike would be enough to kill him…

But the blow never landed.

Instead, a stream of flashes showered Brain's face with blinding light. Lucy, Gray, and the others used the camera equipment they stole from the defeated Oración Seis to disorient the sorcerer doll, forcing him to release Natsu from his grip. As soon as the salmon-haired toy gathered his breath and pulled himself up, he looked up with a joyful expression. "Lucy! Gray! Guys! You're all here!"

They hopped onto the track and charged towards the distracted Brain, with Gray catching him by the back of his coat with a triumphant smirk on his face. "Gotcha!"

"Good timing, guys!" Natsu cheered.

"Looks like your luck just ran out, Brain," Lucy giggled. "Your minions are defeated, and there's no one to help you."

"IDIOTS!" Brain roared at the surrounding band of toys. "CHILDREN DESTROY TOYS! YOU'LL ALL BE RUINED, FORGOTTEN, SPENDING ETERNTIY ROTTING IN SOME LANDFILL!"

Natsu walked over to the defeated sorcerer doll with a sly smirk. "Well, Dirty Brain, if you're so sure of yourself since you've been cooped up in your box all day, why don't we put that little theory of yours to the test? I think it's about time you know the true meaning of playtime." He playfully pinched Brain's cheek for emphasis, before he pointed to another direction, "Right over there, guys!"

"Let's do it!" Lucy smiled coyly. "Time for a little lesson in what being a toy is all about!"

Brain's eyes widened in horror as he saw where Natsu was pointing.

"NO! NO, NO, NO! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO…!"

A few minutes later, a pink backpack came sliding out of the conveyor belt and into the luggage retrieving area… with a surprise in the front pocket.

"Look, Bobbi! A big ugly man doll!" a girl said to her doll as she slid it in next to Brain, who was about to receive his just punishment for his betrayal and lies. "Eww, he needs a makeover!"

As the girl slid her backpack on, Brain came to life, breathing heavily in panic.

"Well, hi there, handsome. I'm Bobbi. But you can call me Bob," the mysterious doll greeted in a rather low voice. "You'll definitely like Christina." The doll revealed its true appearance as… A FAT CROSS-DRESSING MAN WITH GIRL'S MAKEUP! Brain had to stifle a scream upon seeing Bob's rather horrific image. "She's a real woman taking care of a man like me!"

Brain was unable to stop himself from whimpering. This was the first time he had ever gotten to be a toy, and he was stuck with a little girl who would turn him into a fashion model and invite him to a tea party with an effeminate man. He wasn't going to like this at all…