Marvelous Fairies

by RXWriter

Fairy Tail has narrowly escaped death from the guesome Acnologia. However Tenrou Island has mysteriously been transported to a place called New York? They meet superheroes like the Avengers, Masters of the Mystic Arts and so much more. Stuck in this new land, they must fight alongside their allies if they want to return and discover why they were sent here in the first place?

6. Fairies Day Out I

Lucy finishes tying her hair in pigtails and looks herself over in the mirror. The clothes she wore were gifted to her by the Avengers like the rest of her guild. Specifically, she was wearing layered clothing designed to keep her warm and protect her from the cold, and she also had her blue winter coat in her arms.

Satisfied with her appearance, the Celestial Wizard steps out her hut and starts to walk to the main camp until she passes Natsu and Happy's hut. She peeks her head in and sees them hard asleep, snoring without a care in the world.

The Celestial Wizard wonders what they did in the city to have made them so exhausted? However, the soot and tears on Natsu's clothing makes her wonder if it involved the Dragon Slayer punching someone?

She shakes her head. There was no wondering; it definitely involved the Dragon Slayer punching someone.

"Good Morning, Lucy."

The blonde swiftly turns around to face Erza, also dressed in winter clothes and wearing a curious expression on her face.

"Morning Erza," Lucy greets back.

"Will Natsu and Happy be joining us?"

Lucy's eyes drift to the duo's hut and knew it was best to let them have their rest, "No. They had a long night but they'll join us next time."

The scarlet haired wizard lets out a sigh, a little disappointed.

"It's a shame, I was hoping this trip to the city would improve Natsu's mood."

Lucy can't help but realise that her friend was right; a trip to New York did cheer him up. It just happened the night before.

"Trust me, I have a feeling Natsu's not going to be moody anymore."

"... If you say so," Erza relents, "Let's get a move on."

The two ladies made their way to the main camp while chatting. The blonde wizard asks, "So how excited are you to go into the city?"

"Very . I've prepared myself for this trip by studying the shows that Wong has shown me," Erza summons a notebook and goes to a page of NY landmarks. "So many to choose from. I want to begin at Central Park from Friends. Then to Rockefeller Center from 30 Rock. Visiting the Plaza Hotel from that movie, Home Alone 2. Oh, I don't know where to begin !"

Lucy sweatdrops at her friend's enthusiasm. Television had become her new best friend and completely monopolised her free time. She heard Tony muse about how quickly Erza was getting into the groove of pop culture much more than some Avengers he knows. Much to Steve's chagrin.

It's not like Lucy could complain, Earth has a treasure trove of entertainment which she discovered in literature. Tony was kind enough to loan her his share of novels from his personal collection which she and Levy immersed themselves in.

From 'Little Women ' to 'The Scarlet Letter' , the aspiring novelist within her couldn't help but geek out like Erza but at America's greatest novels instead of television shows.

Earth, so far, has so much to offer and Lucy can't help but be excited to finally see it firsthand.

Both girls make it to the main campsite and wait for the others to show up. Within moments, all of Fairy Tail had assembled, fervently chatting about the day they will have. Makarov places himself in the centre and gets everyone's attention.

"Alright you brats, today is going to be a big day for us. We're about to venture out into a new world under the supervision of our new friends. So don't cause any problems for them or you'll have me to deal with, ya hear me!"

Every Fairy Tail wizard responds with varying degrees of responses and the Guild Master notices the absence in their numbers.

"Where are Natsu and Happy at?" Makarov questions.

Lucy, hearing this, is ready to answer but Gildarts beats her to it. The mechanically armed wizard whispers into Makarov's ear and whatever he says seems to have been satisfactory. Although, it doesn't stop a flash of irritation from forming on the Master's face.

"Should've known they would do something like this. Ah well, I'll punish them later, I assume you'll keep an eye on them while I'm gone then?"

Gildarts chuckles, "Yeah don't worry. I'm kind of glad. It's not like I'll have anything better to do."

"Well if you mastered how to open a door instead of making a hole in the wall, you would have been invited to come along," Makarov teases much to Gildarts' ire.

The rest of Fairy Tail may have been invited to New York but until the strongest among them knows how to manage, by Jan's words; his ' quirks' , he is to remain grounded on Tenrou Island for the sake of public safety.

A golden portal appears before them right into the heart of the Sanctum Sanctorum and they all line up to go through.

"Have fun guys! And Cana, stay safe for daddy!"

Gildarts wishes his guildmates well and the portal closes on his wide grin. Leaving a grumbling Cana and her guildmates alone with Wong and their designated tour guides.

Consisting of Carol Danvers, Steve Rogers, Sam Wilson, Natasha Romanoff and Clint Barton. All dressed in civilian attire consisting of varying winter clothes, except for Steve who wore his standard uniform over which he wore a brown leather jacket.

Wong greets the guild, "Good Morning Fairy Tail, are you ready for today?"

"Ready as we'll ever be," Makarov answers as he walks up to the Sorcerer and the Avengers.

Clint narrows his eyes and notices two wizards missing, "Where's Happy and his fire breathing buddy?"

Makarov chuckles nervously, "Oh. They're both… keeping Gildarts company. They'll visit New York soon enough."

The Sorcerer and Avengers took it at face value and didn't press the issue. Though no one notices Natasha hiding a knowing smirk.

The Guild Master also took notice of an absent Sorcerer, "So where is Strange? I thought he was going to come here to greet us?"

"He planned too but matters concerning the Sorcerer Supreme were unavoidable," Wong explains. "I am expected to assist so we should move this along."

"If that's the case, then we should get a move on. You all remember the assigned groups, correct?" Steve questions.

"Of course!" Levy exuberantly answers, "Gajeel, Lily, Juvia and myself are assigned to go with you and Lt. Wilson to a museum."

"Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum," Sam clarifies. "Also you don't have to say rank with me young lady. Just call me Sam."

Levy blushes in embarrassment while Gajeel snickers.

"Carol is taking me, Mira, Elfman and Cana to go see animals," Lisanna states with a smile. Excited to see what creatures this world had to offer.

"The Bronx Zoo," said Carol and she then mutters "I hope it's not too crowded."

"The Thunder Legion and myself are going with Clint and the wonderful Natasha," Makarov can't help but show his favour to the alluring Black Widow, much to her amusement. "They are both taking us to a place that they think we belong , which I am most curious about."

Clint and Nat glance at each other with a cheeky grin, both speaking in unison, "You'll find out."

Freed and Evergreen glance at each other in confusion, Bickslow chuckles, Laxus' face is passive and Makarov huffs.

"And finally me and my team are going with Jan to Coney Island," Erza said with barely concealed excitement.

It wasn't just her but Wendy is also ecstatic to try out all the rides on Coney Island that Jan had told her about. Carla is ambivalent but is interested to see a new world along with Gray. The Ice Make Wizard thankful that he wouldn't have to hear Natsu complain about the rides making him sick.

Lucy also couldn't contain her excitement. She's so happy to spend the day with the size changing Avenger that she neglected to notice one fact.

"Sorry to say this, but Jan couldn't make it," Carol states.

Team Natsu didn't notice Jan was nowhere to be found.

Wendy concerningly asks, "Why? Where is she?"

"Yeah sorry kid but she had… business to take care of," Clint slowly reveals without going in depth.

Jan had every intention of fulfilling her promise to Team Natsu but a certain other size changing insect themed hero, required her full attention. Teaming up with him on an impulsive mission infiltrating A.I.M, having to make sure he doesn't go too far.

Who would've thought Jan had to stop someone else from fighting?

"So what happens now?" Gray questions.

Steve immediately assuages them, "Don't worry, you may not be going to Coney Island but I called in a favour to a friend. He's on his way right now and I'll wait with you guys until he arrives."

That got Team Natsu and the rest of their guild intrigued. Wondering who this mystery man was and if he was an Avenger they haven't met yet.

They all spoke at once, "Who is it?"

---

A little girl and her younger brother are playing in the snow on the busy streets of New York. The children playing on the snow covered sidewalk while cars drive past them.

A snowball fight initiates, the siblings giggling with each throw and miss. When the sister begins to gain the advantage, the boy leaps away unaware that he's now on the road due to the snow.

Right in front of a moving car, the panicking driver unable to effectively brake on the slippery road.

The girl screams for her brother who just became aware of the vehicle and froze in fear.

THWIP!

The little boy felt himself being lifted off his feet and out of the way of collision, landing right next to his astonished sister. The car may have not crashed into the boy but it was swerving out of control on the road until it suddenly stopped.

Shutting off the engine, the driver shakily opens his door and almost falls out of his car but luckily for him, someone catches him just in timer. He looks up and his eyes widen in shock.

"Hey alright? 'Tis the season for snow tires, y'know?"

Spider-Man had just saved him.

The driver can barely get words out as the masked vigilante leads him to sit on the snow covered pavement. After getting over their shock, the two children run up to the web-slinger with glee.

Spider-Man turns to face them, "Now kids, no playing in the streets."

The siblings both respond right away, "Yes, Mr. Spider-Man!"

Nodding, Spidey aims his hand at a tall building and a silver string of web shoots out his wrist.

"Have a winter -ful day!"

The children snicker at the hero's pun as he takes off and swings away through the streets. He spins a new webline and rockets himself upwards, allowing himself to freefall while he checks his phone.

His eyes widened in panic, "Shoot! 09:07, I'm late!"

Putting his phone away, the masked vigilante shoots a new webline and hurries to his destination.

"I did not expect my morning to start by getting a voicemail from Captain America . I'm surprised he even knew how to leave one. Or that my Avengers I.D card can even receive voicemails? "

Spidey lands on a roof and lunges across the street to crawl up a tall building.

"Well whatever. Cap says he's got a mission for me! I wonder what it could be that he needs good 'ol Spidey for? Another supervillain outbreak? Possible alien invasion? Need me and my webs for an old fashioned game of double dutch? Well whatever it is, this is my chance to show them once again why I'm called the Spectacular Spider-Man !"

The web-slinger reaches the top and scouts around, diving off the building and swings through the streets. Eventually, he has his destination in sight and swings over, heroically landing in front of the Sanctum Sanctorum, on Bleecker Street.

"You're late."

Spider-Man straightens up when he hears the stern voice of Captain America. He turns around and sees the Star Spangled Man in what he can only assume is his casual clothes.

Behind him on the Sanctum's steps are Team Natsu, all of whom were waiting for their tour guide to show up. While the rest of their guild took off to engage in their respective activities.

Needless to say, they were very annoyed.

"This is the guy ?"

"Who is he?"

"How dare he make us wait!"

Spider-Man raises his hands in surrender as Captain America makes his way to him.

"Want to explain who the peanut gallery over there is Cap?"

"They're your mission."

The masked vigilante can't help but throw a confused stare at the super-soldier, dumbfounded.

"I'm confused. You said it was a special assignment."

"It is special. These people are guests of the Avengers and I need you to accompany them into the city. Show them the sights, answer any questions they may have."

The web-slinger continues to be dumbfounded, not believing what he's hearing.

"You want me…to babysit ?"

"We like to think of it as playing tour guides."

"Let's back up," Spider-Man suggests. "Why do I have to play tour guide for these guys? Why do the Avengers?"

Steve adopts a serious look and explains about how Fairy Tail crossed over into their world on an island. All of them wizards wielding the power of Magic and who allied themselves with Sorcerers of Earth who wield the Mystic Arts and how the Avengers took it upon themselves to help them however they can, including taking them out into the world they find themselves trapped in.

"And that's the story," Steve wraps up.

Spider-Man takes a moment before answering, "Magic is real?"

Steve smiles, "Believe me, it's still news to me."

The masked vigilante focuses his attention on Team Natsu who are still very annoyed. Although in Wendy's case, it was more of an adorable pout.

"They don't look like wizards? Where are their pointy hats and beards that go on for miles ?" Spidey rhetorically asks.

The super-soldier chuckles, "Anyway, that's why I called you. They're around your age and I think you can help them in ways me and the Avengers can't. I'm sure a day with the Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man can make them feel welcome in a new world."

Spider-Man sheepishly scratches his arm, flustered at being considered by the leader of the Avengers. However, this is not what the vigilante had in mind for the day.

"Oh man! I was not expecting to babysit a bunch of interdimensional LARPers. But what else can I do? I cleared my day for an Avengers mission and I can't say no to Captain America. "

After a moment of mulling it over in his head, which to others would be considered complaining , Spider-Man makes his decision.

"OK Cap, I'll be their tour guide for the day. But I do expect a fee for my troubles," Spider-Man acquiesces and performs a ' pay me ' gesture.

Steven makes another offer instead, "How about I owe you one?"

Spider-Man contemplates this and grumbles, " Fine ."

"Good man. Alright Fairies listen up," Steve speaks up to get Team Natsu's attention. "I'll be leaving to catch up with Sam so I'm going to leave you in the safe hands of my friend Spider-Man . Before I go off, can we all recite the rules once again?"

Team Natsu looks at each other and one by one they repeat the rules.

Lucy began, "Rule One: Don't break anything ."

Erza continues, "Rule Two: Don't fight each other."

Wendy speaks next, "Rule Three: Listen to our tour guides."

Carla lists off, "Rule Four: Don't cause problems for law enforcement."

Silence is next heard and everyone, except Spider-Man, stares at a reluctant Gray.

The Ice Make Wizard sighs in defeat and states the last rule.

"Rule Five: Keep our clothes on."

Spidey adopts another dumbfounded expression at what he just heard and Steve nods his head.

"Have fun you guys," wishes Steve to Team Natsu before he faces Spider-Man. "Remember to have them back later this afternoon. Also, have fun too , soldier."

The Star Spangled Man pats the masked vigilante on the shoulder before he runs off to catch up with Sam and his group.

Leaving the Spider alone with the Fairies.

They all had a staredown that lasted for what seemed like eternity. Team Natsu didn't have a good first impression of the masked vigilante. They didn't know him and he was late to the gathering.

However, they knew that they shouldn't judge too quickly. Their guild is infamous for bad first impressions so they should be able to look past their own biases. It didn't matter that the day didn't start the way Team Natsu wanted, if Captain America vouched for this hero then he must be worthy of their respect.

"Sooooooooooooo… you guys from Azeroth or Middle-Earth?"

Team Natsu comically sweatdrops. This is going to be a long day.

Unbeknownst to them all, they were all being watched by a recording device floating across the street from the Sanctum.

The recording device captures Team Natsu and Spider-Man leaving the Sanctum. This is being transmitted through a holographic screen being viewed by a mysterious armoured figure.

"I got him! What's this?! He's being followed by children and their cat !"

Another figure, bald and armed with a firearm of some sort, speaks up, "So what? The plan is still good to go right ? What does it matter if the bug caught a few flies in his web?"

A third figure, feminine but bigger than her compatriots, spoke in a hostile tone. "He's right, the plan is still on. We isolate the spider and crush him!"

"Yeah! It's going to be a wash ," another figure in a black shirt, states haughtily. "You guys get it?"

" Shut up !"

The other three shout in unison, upsetting the figure in the black shirt as he pouts.

The feminine figure turns to her armoured compatriot with a question, "Any word from our mysterious benefactor?"

"Yes, he gave word to me that we continue with the plan as practised. He has final 'preparations' to attend to," the armoured figure relays.

"Weeks of training with the guy and he still doesn't tell us everything!" The figure in the black shirt complains, "It's like being in the Marines again!"

"Patience. We stuck with the plan this long and in a few short hours, the bug who caused us much humiliation and strife will be defeated ! For all of New York to witness," the armoured figure announces gleefully. An evil smirk forming on his face.

His compatriots follow his lead with evil smirks of their own.

---

The Bronx Zoo

The minute Carol and her group entered the Bronx Zoo, Lisanna took off like a hummingbird to check out as many exhibits as possible and dragged her companions along with her.

Their first stop was at the Butterfly Garden, where Mira looked almost like a princess with the way the butterflies danced around her. This also grabbed the attention of all the younger girls nearby who were captivated by the gentle and elegant display.

Next was Jungleworld where Elfman got into what he called a 'competition of manliness', which basically was him squaring up against a gorilla who was gazing in his direction. Needless to say, the other visitors scooted away from the Take-Over Wizard.

Tiger Mountain quickly shaped up to be Lisanna's favourite attraction as she felt a sense of kinship with the tigers. Like them, she wasn't native to New York and had to adjust to the new surroundings. Likewise, the tigers in question also seemed to take an interest in the youngest Strauss, gathering around in her line of sight and chuffing at her, curiosity prominent in their eyes. Perhaps the striped creatures were drawn to her youthful intrigue or the many animal souls bound to her spirit. Needless to say, the assembled tigers made good photos for the rest of the tourists.

Cana slipped away from the group for a moment to go to her desired exhibit. Different from the others as it contained no animals but food and beverages . Specifically, alcohol .

She didn't get far before she was denied service and Carol found her. The Card Mage's forced sobriety continues to irk her another day.

After Cana's failed attempt at a beer run, the group settled down at the Children's Zoo. Lisanna joined the children and their parents in petting the small animals. While the rest of her cohorts sat back and struck up conversation. The topic naturally shifted to Carol sharing her life story with the inter-dimensional wizards. Exuberance etched on her face as she recounts her college days and service in the Air Force.

"So what was the Air Force like?" Mira inquires, curious about the US Branch of Military.

Carol happily answers, "Oh, it was a wild ride. Takes real discipline and moxie to brave the skies. I was the toughest pilot they ever had; that's why they called me Warbird . I loved flying jets!"

"Manly ," Elfman comments under his breath.

" Jets ?" Cana repeats in a perplexed tone, "Why did you need to fly those when you can already fly on your own?"

The former Airwoman chuckles, "Well that was before I got my powers."

"Oh, so did you learn how to use that power with the Air Force or did you just discover it?" Mira innocently questions.

Carol pauses for a moment, the elder Strauss' question momentarily throwing her off. She recollects herself when she considers who she was talking with and chuckles again.

"None of those things. I guess you guys don't think too much about stuff like this being wizards and all," Carol's words puzzles her cohorts. "To explain my powers, I have to start with the Sentient World Observation and Response Department."

Puzzlement further dawns on her group's faces much to Carol's amusement.

"Yeah, so many people had that look, we had to abbreviate it to S.W.O.R.D," she explains, making the others blush in embarrassment. Then Mira gains a look of recognition.

"S.W.O.R.D ? Is that related to the organisation Natasha told me about; S.H.I.E.L.D?"

Carol nods, "Yes. While S.H.I.E.L.D handles matters within the planet, S.W.O.R.D is equipped to handle threats outside the globe."

The wizards perform a double take.

"Outside ?" Cana relays in befuddlement, "You mean like-?"

"Yep. Extraterrestrial life; present company excluded."

Silence fills the air for a moment before Cana breaks it.

"...I think I've been sober too long."

" Aliens are real?" Elfman mumbles in astonishment before it breaks into bravado, "Manly!"

"Well it shouldn't be too surprising to you guys. Technically, you guys are aliens as you're not native to Earth. Not to mention that we fought those hellbeasts when you guys first showed up," Carol reasons. "Besides you've met Thor. Despite how human he looks, he's not of Earth origin."

"Sure but I thought he was a god? So does it count ?" Mira asks, unsure of the logistics of Asgardians mythic status.

"That's a question we spend all day talking about. No need to get into it right now," Carol quells the topic before getting on with her story. "Where was I? Right, I was Field Commander with SWORD for some time before I ever saw any action. Mostly just observation work alongside the facility's Lead Scientist, Philip Lawson."

The Avenger's mood dampens ever so slightly remembering her old colleague. Despite his recent actions aiding the survival of Earth; she still felt odd thinking about him. Even if he was instrumental in her career as an Avenger, her past with him is too complicated to explain.

She shakes herself out of her dour thoughts, hoping the others didn't notice.

"One day, I reached out to Jan and the original Ant-Man, Hank Pym, to consult on an interstellar anomaly. An unidentified object hurtling towards Earth at cosmic speeds and soon enough, it landed right outside the base."

The wizards lean in closer to Carol with awe and trepidation .

"Jan, Hank and I made our way to the point of impact and that's where we found the ugly thing ; a Kree Sentry."

The three Fairies cock an eyebrow at the unfamiliar name. Mira being the one to ask, "What's a Kree?"

Fiery frustration ignites within Carol, remembering all her horrendous encounters with the Kree Empire. A glint of light catches her attention, she looks down and notices the shimmer of photon energy radiating her fists. Her fury illuminated for the Fairies to see, concern and confusion plastered on their faces.

The Avenger powers down and swallows her anger, "The Kree Empire was a military superpower conquering their way through the universe. To do this they send spies to various planets to study them and defang their militaries and governments."

Cana's face pinches in detestation, "So these Kree guys destabilise a planet before they conquer it? Pretty scummy."

"How unmanly!" Elfman said with a frown.

"So I take it that they sent a spy to Earth?" Mira asks but has a feeling she knew what the answer would be.

Carol confirms it with a nod, "Yes, one spy was sent to study this planet's inhabitants. Earth was chosen because of its strategic outpost against the Kree's oldest enemy, the Skrulls. They're an especially difficult topic to discuss so I won't get into it. But take my word, they're just as bad as the Kree."

Photon energy threatens to shine from Carol's clenched fists as she remembers the alien shapeshifters that almost conquered Earth. The wizards sweat a little from hearing the vitriol of the other alien race that earned Ms. Marvel's contempt.

"The Kree Sentry made its way to the outpost and it raised hell. Even with two Avengers we couldn't even dent the thing. Last thing I remember was the Sentry firing an eye blast to the outpost's power core. Ant-Man got it to divert its blast, hitting a nearby fuse box and causing an explosion."

The Fairies are on the edge of their seats in suspense.

"Lawson shielded me from the explosion and saved my life but when he did that, something happened ," Carol recounts and takes a moment before continuing. "I'm still not sure how but the explosion caused Lawson's DNA to merge with mine; making me an alien hybrid."

That struck the Fairies with confusion and disbelief. How could Lawson's human DNA merge with Carol's from an explosion?

Mira is the first to understand who Lawson really was and has to restrain herself from shouting, "Lawson was the Kree spy!"

Carol adopts a wistful smile as she twiddles her thumbs. Though her memory was hazy that night, she will always remember Mar-Vell's bravery. Even if their friendship suffered a bit since he revealed himself a Kree.

"He was until he decided to fight his people. His real name's Mar-Vell . A science officer for the Kree but boy can he hold his own in a fight. If it wasn't for him, Earth would've been lost. But before all that, he saved my life. I'll always be thankful to him for it."

The Fairies notice the admiration Carol had for the Kree turncoat, a stark contrast to her distaste of the Kree Empire. Mira however thinks she can detect something else in the Avenger's voice. Something far different than admiration.

" Interesting ," Mira thinks to herself, curious about the relationship between Carol and Mar-Vell. She puts a pin in it for a later date, something else about Carol's origins confusing her.

"So Mar-Vell was a Kree and his DNA mixed with yours. Could he also control energy like you can?"

"Yes and no," Carol replies. "The Kree can harness cosmic energies for themselves by using weapons and technology. Mar-Vell projected an energy barrier to protect us both from the explosion. When he did that, the force caused his energy to infuse itself with my physiology. After a few days, I woke up with my face practically touching the ceiling, after I started to fly in my sleep . Since then, I could do what Mar-Vell could… but with my own flair of course."

The Kree/Human Hybrid cheekily winks as she finishes her origins. A glance at her audience reveals that they were still processing everything she told them. Specifically Cana who looks completely flabbergasted and Elfman who is in disbelief.

The male Strauss struggles to talk before speaking, "So you got your powers from an explosion that triggered a biological anomaly that gave you those shiny light powers?"

"That's the gist of it, yes."

"That's…that's-," Elfman stutters for a bit before throwing his arms up in approbation, "-SO MANLY!"

Visitors, staff and even the animals jump back a bit in shock from the boisterous cheer celebrating manliness. Much to the ladies embarrassment who offer sheepish smiles to the onlookers.

"This guy's really making me question my femininity with all this 'manly' talk," Carol mutters under her breath.

"So that's really how you got your powers? It was a freak accident?" Cana incredulously questions.

"It's kind of par for the course in this line of work," Carol shrugs.

"It's kind of like Take Over Magic."

The three turn to Mira who had a strange contemplative look on her face.

"Take Over Magic? Isn't that the magic you and your siblings use?" Carol asks, remembering the day Fairy Tail explained each of their magics.

Mira nods, "Yes, my siblings and I can 'take over' the power of an entity, transforming ourselves to match them. The way you got your powers reminds me of how I discovered my magic."

The origin of Mira's magic intrigued Carol, "Well I told you mine. The floor is yours."

The She-Demon takes a moment before speaking, glancing at Elfman who is worried and concerned for her. The elder Strauss decides it's only fair that she shares her past with her new friend after she did the same.

"When I was a child, I helped my town defeat a demon that took over the local church. I dealt the final blow and unaware of my potential for Take Over Magic, I took on some of the creature's appearance."

Mirajane smiles morosely, remembering how scary it was when her body began to change. How isolated she felt by the fearful townspeople she thought were her friends. It took a long time before she felt comfortable in her own skin again.

"It wasn't until I met Master Makarov that I learned about Take Over. So I guess we both accidentally gained powers by taking on the essence of another."

Carol snorts, unaware of the emotional turmoil that came with Mira's magical awakening, "I guess we do. Pretty impressive you slew a demon before you had magic."

Mira can't help but smile, "I find it impressive you survived an alien robot attack before you had your powers."

Elfman cheers, "Yeah that's pretty man -!"

Cana interrupts irritably, "She gets it, big guy!"

"Hey guys!"

The four turn to look at the excitable Lisanna who runs up to them.

"I'm ready to go to the next exhibit now. You guys coming?"

Carol and the other Fairies gaze at each other with humorous degrees of exhaustion. Slowly getting themselves up to follow the exuberant Lisanna, who is practically skipping to the next exhibit.

The youngest Strauss unaware of how similar her sister and their tour guide is in some aspects. How her siblings and guildmate grew to respect the High Flying Avenger more than they thought possible.

A truly marvellous woman.

---

"So you guys really are wizards?"

Spider-Man asks his charges for the umpteenth time while they walk through the snow ridden streets of New York.

Much to their annoyance.

" Yes . We are," answers Erza who gives a sharp look, "Is that a problem ?"

The vigilante doesn't need his Spidey-Sense to know that the scarlet haired wizard is someone not to annoy. He placates, " Oh no problem. It's just the last time I met someone who said they practised the arcane arts, it was all just smoke and mirrors ." Spidey reminisces about his illusionist adversary, 'Mysterio' and how much trouble his so-called 'Magic' gave him.

"Well I assure you, my comrades and I are the genuine article," Erza confidently states.

"If you say so," Spidey slyly said.

"So what exactly are you supposed to be?" Gray can't help but judge the spider themed hero, not really being impressed. He snarks, "Are you an Avenger or their errand boy ?"

Now it's Spider-Man's turn to grow annoyed, "I'm not their errand boy! I'm a ( part-time ) Avenger!" The vigilante pulls himself into a haughty pose with his arms crossed, I'm sure they told you all about me !"

"No," Gray answers with a short tone.

"Not really," Lucy reveals with a nice tone.

"We have not heard of you before today," Erza ponders with her hand on her chin.

The masked vigilante's haughtiness deflates into depression, but he shakes it off. Resuming his confident pose once more, "It must have been a busy time for you guys. Trying to get acclimated to this world and all. Not surprising you don't know all of the Avengers-"

"I think we do," Wendy cuts in, oblivious to the blow she struck to Spidey's confidence. "We know about The Hulk ."

Spider-Man falters slightly, "Well sure you have to know the Hulk-"

"Yellowjacket," Lucy interrupts with a name she learned from Jan.

"Of course he's a founding member, you would have to know-"

"I think there was royalty on the team. Black Panther or something," Gray remembers being told.

" That's -"

Erza speaks up, "Oh yes and that clawed hero Steve was talking about. Wolf. Wolf Claw . Wolverine !"

Spider-Man screeches in his mind, " HE'S NOT EVEN A REAL AVENGER!"

The vigilante awkwardly coughs into his fist and fumbles to find the words, "So I must have slipped their minds, no biggie ."

Lucy can see they struck a nerve and decides to steer the conversation, "So what kind of hero are you?"

Spider-Man chins up immediately, "You want to know?"

"Yes," Lucy answers.

Spider-Man teases, "You really want to know?"

"Yes," Lucy cocks an eyebrow.

"You really really want to know?"

" Yes ," Lucy grits her teeth.

"Really really rea-!"

"WILL YOU JUST TELL US ALREADY!"

Spider-Man learns not to push his luck with the scarlet haired wizard and now the blonde one.

"Well since you asked so nicely," the Wall Crawler sarcastically states as an irritated Lucy is being patted by a concerned Wendy. "There are not enough words in the English language to describe the kind of hero I am! But the one I'll choose is-!"

" -MENACE! "

Spider-Man' recoils in abrupt shock as he recognises that loud voice anywhere. Realising he led the group around the corner and just underneath the jumbotron that broadcasted a famous loud mouthed journalist.

Who held a special hatred for a crime fighting spider.

"SPIDER-MAN IS A MENACE! IT IS EVERY NEW YORKER'S DUTY TO REPORT THE ACTIONS OF THESE MASKED MISCREANTS SO LISTEN UP! AS LONG AS J. JONAH JAMESON IS CEO OF DAILY BUGLE COMMUNICATIONS. I WON'T REST UNTIL NEW YORK HAS SEEN THE LAST OF SPIDER-MAN!"

Spider-Man tunes out the rest of the broadcast and lets out a tired sigh.

"Good Morning to you too. J Jonah Loudmouth ."

Hearing a cough from behind him, the vigilante slowly turns to his cohorts who all have inquisitive stares.

"...what was that all about?" Gray asks impassively.

" What? Couldn't you tell that was my biggest fan? " Spider-Man rhetorically asks, his sarcasm palpable in his tone.

"He sounds really mean to be a fan of yours Mr. Spider-Man," Wendy ponders innocently.

The vigilante delivers a flat look to the young wizard, "...I know ."

"That man reminds me of the Magic Council…but louder ," Erza comments, recalling all the times the guild was berated for nearly every job they've completed.

She swears nothing Fairy Tail ever did was good enough for them.

"I don't know about your world's 'Ministry of Magic' but Triple J has been my biggest critic since I donned the red-blue tights," Spider-Man recounts. "He's convinced I'm a 'menace' to society! When all I've ever done is to help this city. Even saved his moustached butt a couple times."

Lucy questions, "If you've saved him then why does he hate you so much?"

"That is a question for the ages," Spidey pouts. "Do you have any idea what it's like to do the right thing but to always be made to look like a jerk?"

The Fairies glance at each other and immediately think of the windbags that were the Magic Council. Always yelling at them no matter how much good they accomplished.

"We…have a slight idea," Lucy sheepishly admits.

Wendy decides to shift the discussion and asks, "So where are we going Mr. Spider-Man?"

"Please. Don't be so formal," the masked vigilante flippantly expresses, "Call me Mr. Spectacular Spider-Man."

"OK Mr. Spectacular Spider-Man," Wendy concedes without missing a beat.

Spidey chuckles at the young Dragon Slayer's earnestness, "I was horsin' around kid, Spider-Man is fine."

Wendy blushes in embarrassment while the rest of her team lightly snickers. Except for Carla who admonishes her partner, "Honestly, Wendy you need to get better of not taking everything at face value."

Carla turns her attention to Spider-Man, who is staring at her with befuddled look that she and her Exceed comrades knew all too well.

Needless to say, it's becoming very annoying which is clearly expressed in the white Exceed's tone, "Yes! I can really talk and I have a 'British' accent. Can we move on please!"

The Exceed quickly joined Erza on Spider-Man's list of wizards not to annoy.

"Speaking of moving on, where are you taking us?" Gray asks.

Lucy follows up, "Are we still going to Coney Island?"

"That's a bit out of range for me, distance and cash wise. But we're not too far from Times Square, one of the best places for tourists," Spider-Man explains.

Erza's eyes lit up, "Oooh, I've heard of Times Square from the shows I watch! But I have not seen it with my own eyes. Spider-Man, you must take us to this magical place this instant , no more delays !"

Spider-Man takes a step back when Erza points her finger at him with gusto. The vigilante glances at her team who sweatdrop in embarrassment.

"... okay ?" Spider-Man awkwardly replies.

---

Little Odessa

When Natasha and Clint brought their group to Brighton Beach, the inter-dimensional tourists didn't quite see the appeal. They found it to be a lovely area, walking along the boardwalk and taking in the snow covered beach. However they could not understand why their tour guides decided to bring them to a seemingly mundane neighbourhood.

It wasn't until they were brought to the Uyghur cuisine restaurant, Kashkar Cafe, that Natasha explained her decision. Something about Makarov, Laxus and the Thunder Legion intrigued her when she laid eyes on them and it compelled her to bring them to Little Odessa.

As she told them, their reactions went as well as she expected.

" Wait ?! So you took us here because we remind you of your people?" Evergreen asks curiously.

"Yes," Nat nonchalant answers, "You guys can easily pass as people from Eastern Europe. Though to be specific I'm Russian."

"Russian? Is that the culture of this neighbourhood's denizens?" Freed muses.

Clint answers, "Well the official name is Brighton Beach but because of the Russian-speaking percentage, the locals call it Little Odessa."

"Remarkable," the green haired wizard commends, "So this place is supposed to emulate another land? I've never seen anything like it back in Fiore."

"That's cool and all but I'd like to go back to what the super spy said," Bickslow states.

"Well it's very simple. Starting off with the Dreyar boys," Nat catches the full attention of both Makarov and Laxus. "Their surname is popular in Ukraine, a country in Eastern Europe. Makarov is the name of a glock that was used as the standard firearm for the Soviet Union. Laxus is a dead ringer for the modern European male; tall, muscular with some very nice ink."

Makarov hums in thought, finding it odd his name is synonymous with a weapon. Laxus didn't know what to make of what he heard but did feel flattered to an extent.

Though the younger Dreyar had to wonder how the Black Widow saw his tattoo when he didn't show it to her?

"Freed, the coat you're wearing is similar to a Russian army coat. Evergreen you dress like a supermodel from Mother Russia herself and Bickslow…you seem to be more in line with Italy or France with that sallet you're wearing."

Freed looks down at his signature coat and hums in amusement. Evergreen grins at the mention of her beauty while Bickslow didn't know what to feel. Smug to be a standout or mope that he's an outlier.

"Well Natasha this is all very interesting. I'm guessing you thought a lot about where my children and I fit culturally in your world. To make it easier for us to blend in with the rest of the planet?" Makarov deduces earning a look of approval from his beautiful cohort.

"No wonder you're the master," Nat compliments, resulting in a stupid grin appearing on the short wizard's face. "If you guys are going to be staying here, it's best that you know more about foreign nations. One of the first things I learned as a spy."

Black Widow can still remember the first time she travelled to America. Living in a picture perfect suburban household she was stationed at was a hell of an improvement compared to the hollow rooms and blood stained walls of the Red Room.

Natasha pushes away old memories and focuses back on the group.

"There is another reason I brought you all here. Mind telling me what it is?"

The Dreyars and the Thunder Legion glance at each other in thought, unsure of what to say. Laxus reviews in his head their recent conversation for clues and pauses when he thinks of an answer. Not seeing any of his former guildmates speaking or his grandfather, he decides to bite the bullet.

"The people ?"

The Lightning Dragon Slayer sees the red haired Avenger smile at him while tapping her nose, indicating that he got it right.

"Little Odessa is only one of the many places in New York that's an ethnic enclave. People from a foreign land migrating to another so they can begin a new life. That's why some people call New York one of the greatest cultural hubs in the country."

"Yep. New York has been home to many people," Clint states. "Now it seems it can add inter-dimensional wizards to the list."

Makarov hums in understanding, "Oh. I guess in a way we are immigrants. Strangers to a land we don't know."

"Nothing wrong with that. The best part of living in the Big Apple, is that you can pretty much experience different cultures and not even need to cross the ocean," Clint leans back in his chair with a smile.

"Look no further than this establishment," Nat gestures at the restaurant they're in. "The Cafe Kashkar serves food found in Central Asia. Delivering Uyghur delicacies to Uzbeki's pallets within the home they crafted on American soil."

Freed hums curiously, "It appears we have landed in a country with a rich history. So accommodating to people of a foreign nation and learning from their culture- what's wrong with the two of you?"

The Jutsu-Shiki Wizard immediately notices the uncomfortable expressions on both Avenger's faces. Clint gritting his teeth while Natasha looks away in discomfort. The former, as the only American born resident, decides to field the question.

"America has an… unfortunate history and attitude to immigration and different cultures. Ironic considering its foundation as the forefathers of this country migrated to this land. That can of worms can be opened if you guys are stuck here until Thanksgiving."

The Fairies glance at each other with knowing looks. Despite what was unsaid, they all understood what was implied. Earthland wasn't the only world with a bad history, they presume.

"I admit, this country isn't always the best but it has plenty more to offer. Even to those looking for a new life or stay here until they get a chance to return home," Nat said as she gave a meaningful look to the wizards. "I know we ask a lot of you guys to conform to our society. But if you keep an open mind and stick with us; this experience won't be so bad."

Smiles form on the wizards' faces at the Widow's words. While not as vocal as other members of their guild, they were hesitant of approaching this new world. New rules to follow and in unfamiliar territory, with no way back home. The wizards, especially Makarov, are still concerned about how they fit in this new land.

If they can act in New York as they did in Earthland?

That question will have to be answered another day because they won't let worry spoil this day of exploration. They may be from another land, but according to the Avengers, that was the foundation of the soil they walk on. Soil they intend to traverse and learn about with the help of their new friends.

"Well I don't doubt that this experience will be as challenging without your guiding hand," Makarov commends with a good natured smile. That smile turns provocative and he grasps Natasha's hand, he speaks in a husky tone, "Speaking of trying new things, maybe you and I-?"

"I have four guns on my person."

Makarov immediately retracts his hand despite Natasha speaking in a sweet tone and not losing her relaxed exterior.

The Thunder Legion can only shake their heads at their master's disastrous attempt at flirtation. Laxus however is almost as embarrassed as his grandfather who is red with humiliation.

"Really Master?" Evergreen admonishes.

"That's gotta be the fastest putdown I've ever seen," Bickslow snickers.

"Ruthless and efficient, befitting of Ms. Romanoff," Freed states.

"I can't believe we're blood," Laxus mutters.

Clint's laughter fills the establishment, "Swing and a miss pal. Swing and a miss."

Makarov's face returns to its natural complexion and he coughs uncomfortably, "Maybe we should order now."

"I'm fine with that," Clint concedes as they all grab a menu, "Got any good stories about what you guys do on Earthland while we wait?"

The Master of Fairy Tail thinks for a moment and gives a quick glance at Laxus. He knew instantly what to talk about, nostalgia heavy in his tone.

"Well our guild is stationed in Magnolia Town and every Autumn we hold a celebration called the Harvest Festival…"

---

"Welcome to 'The Crossroads of the World'!"

They have all arrived in Times Square and Spider-Man's announcement falls on deaf ears. The Fairies tuned him out along with everything else, their attention on the sight in front of them.

The streets are bursting with life, what seems like a billion people moving in a chaotic sequence. Digital billboards illuminate the area with advertisements of movies, broadway plays and products unfamiliar to the Fairies. Buildings so tall that they seem to be touching the sky and eclipsing the neighbourhood.

So many attractions and people in one place. It's a truly marvellous experience.

" Wow . I've never seen a place this busy ," Wendy whispers in awe.

Erza agrees, "Television did not prepare me for this."

Gray glances at all the advertisements, "I've never seen a place so commercialised on Earthland. Ever ."

"What. Don't you have capitalism in Crazy Magic Land?" Spider-Man can't help but snark.

"We do but not this much in one place," Lucy answers, still observing her surroundings.

"Well there was plenty of that back in Edolas. This place reminds a lot of the Capital City," Carla states. When they visited Edolas, they've never seen Magic being treated so materialistically . So monopolised , the Capital resembled an amusement park rather than a kingdom of citizens.

Carla almost gets the same feeling when gazing at street vendors, selling shirts and jumpers stencilled New York iconography.

"What's Edolas?" Spider-Man can't help but ask.

"It's another world," Lucy nonchalantly answers.

The web-slinger recoils in astonishment, " An -another world? So you've been to more than one?"

Gray smirks in amusement, "Just the one before this place. But I guess that makes us double dimensional travellers."

"Hopefully, we don't run into much trouble here, then we did there," yearns Carla.

"Knowing our guild, I think trouble will come soon enough," Lucy complains.

"Okay we're getting sidetracked with talks of other dimensions, which by the way I would love to pick your brains about. But we're burning daylight so let's go !" Spider-Man yells with gusto.

Only to receive silence and blank stares from his cohorts.

"What's the problem ?"

Gray questions, "What are we supposed to do here?"

"I'm with Gray, we don't have any money. So it's not like we can buy knick knacks from the vendors," Carla explains.

" Curses !" Erza growls under her breath. Apparently not considering she would need American money to buy souvenirs.

"I'm fine with sight-seeing but it is a bit noisy for me," Wendy admits while rubbing her ears. The cacophony of the area challenges her developing draconic hearing.

"Maybe if you told us what we're doing here, we'll have something to look forward to," Lucy offers.

Spider-Man is silent for a few moments, taking in everything he's heard.

In response, he fires a webline and announces, "Why tell you, when I can show you. Follow me if you can !"

Just like that, he swings away leaving his stunned wards to play catch up.

"Wait!"

"Halt Spider-Man!"

"Please wait for us!"

"Wendy, be careful while running on the snow!"

"Did he just ditch us?!"

---

National Air & Space Museum

When they heard they were being taken to a museum, the Fairies had varying reactions.

Levy was excited. Gajeel was apathetic. Pantherlily was intrigued. Juvia was miserable…that she wasn't in a group with Gray.

Although they had to wait a bit for Steve to catch up from having to introduce Team Natsu's newest chaperone. Fortunately, the leader of the Avengers arrived in due time and after some good natured jabs at his tardiness from his fellow Avenger, the group took off.

Instead of driving a car or taking the train, the two Avengers decided to fly using a Quinjet. The aircraft's speed allowed them to reach their destination much faster than any other available transport. When they touched down, Steve and Sam gave a short description of Washington, DC. Explaining how it was the capital city of America and where all major politics in the country are held.

Levy was in awe of being in America's capital, likening it to her first trip to Fiore's capital; Crocus. Lily felt wistful as he inspected the architecture, remembering the Royal City back in Edolas. Juvia was too moody to appreciate her new surroundings while Gajeel was indifferent, not seeing the city as anything special.

They eventually reach the National Air and Space Museum and after Steve pried Gajeel away from trying to eat the 'Ad Astra', they made their way inside. The Fairies gazed upon the myriad of aircrafts on display, designed so differently than Magic Airships. Levy and Lily are entranced by the different kinds of planes. Juvia's mood improved by the sight, now only sad that Gray wasn't here to share it with her. Gajeel also admired the planes to the point he had to be stopped by Steve and Sam from eating them.

Eventually the group had arrived before their intended exhibit, waiting a few moments before going in.

"At long last; we're here," Sam announces.

"About time," Gajeel groans, "Though I wonder how good what you're showing us is? This place only seems to have rusted metal."

"Doesn't stop you from trying to eat that rusted metal," Sam shoots back but Gajeel just forms a smug smile.

Levy giggles but turns to Steve, "So what's this exhibit supposed to be about?"

The First Avenger gives an earnest smile and turns to face the wizards, "Before we enter. How well are you acquainted with our world's history?"

The wizards of Fairy Tail are thrown off a bit before Levy speaks up for them. "Not much except for a few basic details of the setting from books I've read."

Lily comments, "To be fair, all the information we got about Earth came from your team. The closest thing we've got to a history lesson was that song about the fire ?"

"Billy Joel's 'We Didn't Start The Fire '," Sam clarifies, "Hundred nineteen historical events packed into one little ditty."

Steve hums in amusement as he motions to finally enter the exhibit, "Well besides that, what we're about to show you is a part of this world's history nearly eight decades ago…and mine ."

Befuddled by the captain's last words, the Fairies follow him and his cohort straight into the exhibit. They're confused about how different it is compared to the exhibits of aviation and spaceflight that the museum is named after. Seeming more old-timey compared to the rest of the museum which is saying something. The room filled with memorabilia from a time unknown to the Fairies but obviously meant a great deal to this country.

It takes only a few moments before they register that everything in this room connects to someone they know. His face plastered so much around them that they almost lost sight of him in person.

"Steve ," Levy utters in awe, "What is this place?"

The Avenger smiles and gestures to the room, " This. Is the 'Captain America Exhibit '."

The Fairies view the room again from all angles and take in everything. From the motorbike parked in a glassbox, to the film strips displaying the good captain but in black and white, to the gigantic mural of the Star-Spangled Man painted behind them.

"Oh my," Juvia whispers to herself.

"Someone clearly loves himself too much," Gajeel lightly mocks but without his usual gruff. The Dragon Slayer is also in amazement of where he's standing and knows that this exhibit holds more weight than simple vanity.

"You guys look like I did when I first came here as a kid ," Sam reminisces with a fond smile. "Never in my life did I imagine that I would come here with the man of the hour. "

Lily immediately notices how odd Sam's words were and inspecting the exhibit some more. He notices how old the footage and photos must have been compared to today. Steve is only looking a little older in the present day. Something isn't adding up for the Exceed.

" Kid ? Steve looks to be the same age as you and these photos seem to have been taken some time ago. What's going on here? Unless the man we see in these displays isn't you captain?"

Steve and Sam respect the Exceed's intuitiveness, the former answering, "Nope. I am the man you see in this exhibit."

Lily's guild members soon catch up to his line of thinking and remember Steve's admission moments before that this exhibit covered history from several decades ago. If that was the case then why is he the main focus?

Gajeel can't help but snipe, "Don't tell me you're secretly immortal ?"

"Nothing like that," Steve lightly rebukes, "I'll give you the answer after we take the tour."

The Avenger motions for the group to follow him as he leads them to one part of the exhibit. Steve stops before a dual photographic display that shows himself only a few years younger but in a different uniform. Plain in appearance compared to his colourful persona as the Star-Spangled Man. Nevertheless the wizards saw that past Steve carried himself as he did in the present day; strong and heroic. Though the uniform did look tight on the soldier, igniting a small blush on Levy and even Juvia.

It's only when they turn their heads that the Fairies become astounded as they see the companion photo.

It was Steve but he seemed to be half the height he is now and lacked his muscular physique. His uniform barely fit him and it looked like he was using all his strength to stand up straight. The only physical feature Steve shared with his past self is facial features but not by much.

"Gi Hi Hi Hi . Well Levy, I guess we found someone shorter than you," Gajeel comically chortles, making Levy fume but inwardly, she couldn't help but agree.

"Don't tell me this is also you Steve?" Juvia asks in alarm. The Rain Woman not believing that the small man in the photo could be the tall muscular Avenger she's acquainted with.

"I would say it's like me and my battle mode but since you can't use Magic, it must be something else?" Lily ponders.

"You would be right but before we get into what caused my transformation, I have one question before we officially begin." Steve states, his tone indicating something serious which the rest group immediately notices. "This is going to be a heavy topic and might be a silly question but has Earthland experienced any wars ?"

That took the wizards off guard for a moment but they realised they should've expected it. What with them being in an exhibit commemorating a war hero. The very same war hero that brought them here.

"Sad to say it but yes ," Levy warily answers, "Earthland has been plagued by conflicts that sometimes escalated to war. Thankfully it has not happened in recent times."

Steve nods, his demeanour somehow becoming more serious, "If that's the case, then I'm not going to beat around the bush. We're going into a dark section of this world's history so be advised."

The wizards nod back in apprehension, even the uncouth Gajeel taking Steve's words seriously. His mind wanders to the supposed dragon war, Thor had informed his guild about. Curiosity still burned within him about it but without the Thunder God around, there was no way for him to satisfy that hunger for knowledge.

The leader of the Avengers turns to his comrade and they both jump right into it.

"Decades ago, from 1939 to 1945, there was a global conflict between the United Nations and the Axis powers. It was recorded as the deadliest conflict in history, the death toll eclipsing all wars before and since . This was the Second World War."

Steve's words sent chills down the Fairies' spine, their minds comprehending how terrible this war must have been.

"Second ?" Lily can't help but ask.

"Yep. The sequel nobody asked for," Sam jokes with a grim tone. "To make a long complex story short, the First World War left unresolved tensions that paved the way for the second one to begin. We can get into the intricacies another time but what I can tell you is that war officially began on September 1st, 1939. When Nazi Germany invaded Poland, on the orders of an evil S.O.B; Adolf Hitler ."

"The Nazi Party believed in the ' Aryan master race '; people who they thought were 'racially desirable'. People with white skin, blue eyes and who were physically fit," Steve informs with a grimace. The Avenger, noting that he fits the description of the Nazi ideal, which unsettles him. "Hitler regarded the Aryan race to be the true Germanic people. To protect what he considered racially pure, the Nazis sought to remove people they saw as inferior. The ones who they targeted above all else were the Jewish people."

Dread roots itself in the hearts of the Fairies who hang onto every word they hear.

"Jewish ?" Levy repeats, the word uncovering something in her mind. "Do you mean the religion; Judaism ?"

"That's right but it was more than just religion itself. To make another long story short, the Jewish people have been persecuted throughout history. Many empires in history were the proprietors of such antisemitism. All for reasons I won't get into today," Sam informs the tiny wizard. "However, it was the Nazis that took it to the extreme. Performing one of the most immoral and despicable acts in history."

"He called it the 'Final Solution' which culminated into… 'the Holocaust'," Steve pauses to take a deep breath. The super soldier remembering the day he helped liberate a camp, rescuing the imprisoned Jews and other prisoners of war. "They enacted a genocide of two-thirds of the Jewish population in Europe. The death toll was around six million ."

Dread shifts to outright horror in the hearts of the Fairies as they stood frozen with shock. They've heard of bloody conflicts before, but they don't believe anywhere on Earthland has suffered casualties that ranked that high.

" Damn ," Gajeel whispers under his breath.

"Six? Million ?" Juvia recites, her Gray-centred moodiness turning into a different level of gloom.

"That's awful ," Levy simply gasps.

Lily is silent, his pupils dilate in response to what he heard. Thoughts of his life in Edolas plague his mind, remembering how the Exceeds were once victimised by humans. How the former king of Edolas, Faust, ordered the extermination of the Exceed's home of Extalia. All for humans to gain the power to use Magic without external means. If that had happened, the Exceed race would've been wiped out and Lily shudders at the possibility.

His ears flop as he turns downcast as he reminisces that he helped Code: ETD at the beginning. Even if he had reservations, he'll always feel shame for his actions. The Exceed's heart goes out to the fallen victims of such an atrocity.

Gajeel looks down to his downtrodden partner in concern, guessing what the Exceed must be thinking.

"I …" Lily struggles to talk for a moment, " I have no words."

Steve and Sam sympathise with the wizards, the consequences of WWII are still uncomfortable to think of. Especially for the former, as Steve remembered researching everything on the war shortly after waking up in the modern era. He almost wept as he read all the things he didn't know, especially how the war ended .

"The Holocaust is just one of the many horrors of WWII and what the stakes were if the Allies didn't win. Now we're going into a group who allied themselves with the Nazis that unfortunately survived past the war," Sam bitterly remarks. The bird themed Avenger still felt anger of being a pawn for the Nazi affiliated group.

The Fairies lean in closer, Steve begins to explain, "Hitler desired a united world but with Germany above all others. They allied themselves with other world powers, key factions being the Kingdom of Italy and the Empire of Japan. However, one group crawled out from the mud with its own delusions of supremacy and wormed its way into the Nazi party. That group was called HYDRA."

Steve spat out the organisation's name in contempt, which the Fairies noticed. If the good natured hero could feel such derision, then the wizards knew HYDRA had to be bad news.

"Officially the Nazi's science division, HYDRA was responsible for engineering advanced weaponry that turned the tide of the war for a time. The Allies had to think fast to combat the rising threat and fortunately one scientist had a solution."

Fondness glints in Steve's eyes as he remembers the man who changed his life.

"That scientist's name was Abraham Erskine . Rescued from his captivity under HYDRA, he was inducted into the SSR . The Strategic Scientific Reserve, a top-secret intelligence agency created to combat HYDRA. To do this, they set out to complete Erskine's life's work and succeeded. The Super Soldier Serum ."

That raises a few eyebrows for the group. They were about to ask questions about what a super soldier is, but Steve continues to speak.

"The serum could enhance the human body and mind to peak condition. Allowing the average soldier to achieve near superhuman feats. The SSR planned to create an army of super soldiers to defeat HYDRA and win the war. But they had to test it out first to make sure it worked. They scoured potential test subjects but Erskine was selective of who would get the first dose. Until one day, he chose an unlikely candidate when he met him at the Stark Expo in 1943."

Seeing the nostalgic smile form on the Avenger's face, tells the Fairies who the 'unlikely candidate' was.

"It was you ," Juvia realises.

"Who else could it be?" Gajeel disingenuously asks, not expecting a different answer.

"Unlikely ? I may have known you for a short time but I can tell you have a warrior's spirit. Even with your previous short stature, why would they question you?" Lily inquires.

Sam snorts good-naturedly, "Well it wasn't just because our boy was short. He had a laundry list of diseases that made him ineligible even if he just had one of them. What were they; asthma, scarlet fever and rheumatic fever?"

Steve is silent for a few moments, "...I also had high blood pressure."

Levy is shocked by the amount of ailments Steve had, "If you had so many illnesses, why would you enlist ?"

The First Avenger looks at Levy, making her nervously shrink, but he offers a smile.

"When America officially entered the war, I saw many neighbours and men younger than me enlist to defend our country," Steve answers. The old soldier remembered how frustrated he felt that he kept getting denied to join his countrymen due to his physical shortcomings. "I had no right to do any less than those who were fighting for our freedom. So I kept trying to enlist rather than sit around until I met Dr Erskine."

The blonde haired Avenger remembers how nervous he was when Erskine interviewed him. Thinking how he would be imprisoned for forging his enlistment paperwork. Not knowing he was meeting a man who gave him a chance .

"He asked me if I kept trying to enlist to kill Nazis," Steve recounts, "But I didn't want to kill anyone. I don't like bullies , no matter where they're from."

In that moment, the uneasiness the Fairies felt from learning about the Nazis and the Holocaust slowly dissipates thanks to the growing reverence they felt when they heard of Steve's simple convictions. A once sickly man who wanted to fight for his country because he felt it was the right thing to do.

Levy thinks of the storybook heroes she read about as a child; paragons of virtue that taught children the values of goodness. Steve Rogers reminded her of those literary characters that had no complex reasons to help others. They just wanted to help no matter what anyone said.

Juvia remembers her lonely childhood caused by her improper control of her magic. It caused her to be shunned and she was depressed for a long time because of it. Steve also had been terribly afflicted but he seemingly didn't wallow in self pity like she had. It didn't stop him from trying to help others despite being rejected numerous times and she admired him for it.

Not as much as she admired Gray but pretty close.

Once upon a time, Gajeel would've laughed at such a 'sappy' declaration. However, the Iron Dragon Slayer was no longer the kind of man who fought for others to be beneath him. Respect glistens in his eyes, even if he found it a little funny how a disease ridden short guy could be a soldier.

Lily merely smiles and nods, his veneration for the Star-Spangled Man knowing no bounds. The Exceed desires to hear the rest of the Avenger's origins, "So what happened next? Did you get the serum after?"

"Not right away. A lot of the higher ups weren't too keen on me being the first to be injected with the serum. Erskine had to cash in a lot of favours just for me to be officially enlisted," Steve informs the wizards. "Time was of the essence and they had to start Project Rebirth to prove the serum worked. So, I was led to a secret bunker and put in a pod to begin the procedure. It was a painful process but the serum worked and I became the man you see before you."

The Fairies are astounded that a serum could cause such an extreme change without magic.

"If this serum could turn a runt like him into a muscle man. Just imagine what it could do for you; shrimp ?" Gajeel lightly mocks Levy who frowns at yet another short joke.

However, she could not help but imagine what she could do if she was injected with the Super Soldier Serum. Especially imagining teaching Gajeel a thing or two for all the remarks about her height.

"Afraid we can't test that, the serum was of limited supply and only Erskine knew how to properly create it. Shortly after my procedure, Dr Erskine was killed by a HYDRA spy, the secrets to the serum dying with him," Steve morosely explains. Erskine had died before he could see all the good Steve would do as Captain America.

The Fairies offer their condolences to the scientist but wonder what that meant for the SSR's main goal. Gajeel is the one to ask the question, "So without Erskine, how did they get their army?"

"They didn't ," Steve bluntly admits. "They took samples of my blood to recreate it but any attempt resulted in failure . I was all they got."

Steve looks once more to the photo of his pre-serum self. Whatever he was thinking was unknown to the group before the Avenger leads them away to the next display.

"After Erskine's death, they didn't want to risk their only super soldier so they kept me from battle. It was…frustrating that I was kept from the front lines again. It wasn't until a senator approached me that I could serve my country. I jumped at the chance…Even if it wasn't exactly what I imagined."

Stopping at the next display, the Fairies glance at a film strip playing and what they saw astounds them.

It looks to be a performance of some kind, with rows of provocatively dressed showgirls in synchronised dance. In the limelight, however, was someone dressed like Captain America. His uniform is made entirely of cloth and his shield is triangular rather than round. The Fairies glance harder and they realise that this isn't someone dressed like Captain America.

It was the real one. Singing and dancing to promote war bonds.

They all turn to the Avenger with scandalous expressions and amused smiles. Even Sam can't contain his snickers. Steve becomes irked by having to relive this… less than ideal time of his life. He expected some teasing but has prepared to end this as quickly as possible.

"To make this brief and to answer your questions. Yes , I was a mascot to encourage American participation in the war effort. Yes , this is when the Captain America persona started. No , I will not give a live performance. Moving on."

Sam protests, "But what about -?!"

"Moving on!"

Everyone snickers as they follow the flustered Steve to the next display.

"While it was for a good cause, it wasn't what I expected to do when I enlisted. I felt like a performing monkey instead of the soldier I was pretending to be. One day after a particularly bad performance, I witnessed wounded soldiers return to base. They were the remnants of the 107th, with the rest captured by HYDRA. Including my…" Steve stops abruptly and takes a deep breath. The next part of his tale stirring up feelings of forlorn but also nostalgia for the people he once knew.

People he misses everyday. Even if some of them aren't fully gone.

" …my best friend . With no confirmation if he was alive or dead and no planned rescue mission, I took matters into my own hands and snuck into the HYDRA base, freeing him and the rest of the 107th."

Steve softly smiles at the memory of returning to the base with the rescued 107th. That was the true day, The First Avenger: Captain America was born.

"Impressive. You liberated prisoners of war behind enemy lines by yourself? I'm beginning to wonder what you can't do?" Lily admires.

"I didn't exactly do it alone. I wouldn't have even gotten to the base without two others… Agent Peggy Carter and Howard… a scientist for the SSR."

The super soldier kept Howard's surname under wraps for the time being. Not wanting to talk about his old friendship with the father of Tony Stark . The same goes for Peggy, an important person in his life even today but he couldn't talk about her. Complex feelings weigh on him and Steve reaches into his pocket to fidget with his old compass , steadying his heart.

"Soon after, I was given the go-ahead to combat HYDRA's forces. To do this I had to recruit a team and I didn't have to look far."

Stopping before the next display, the Fairies are greeted with a row of mannequins dressed in distinct military uniforms. Different for each one with two exceptions; contrasting the drab uniforms with red, white and blue. One they recognised as a Captain America suit, with the same colours but baggier and grimier than Steve's present day costume. The triangular shield he used during his USO Tour placed neatly in front. The other one looks more in line with the rest of the uniforms but matches Captain America's colours.

Behind the mannequins is a mural with the likeness of the soldiers who wore the displayed uniforms in front of them. The plaques in front of the display also described who these men were and the Fairies catch several names.

'Dum Dum Dugan'

'Pinky Pinkerton'

'Jack Fury'

'James Howlett'

They glance at the plaque in front of the colourfully dressed mannequin next to Captain America and read the name;

'Bucky Barnes'

"These men I've served with were the ' Howling Commandos '. First team I've ever been in," Steve reveals with pride beaming in his voice.

"Huh. Good name," Gajeel can't help but compliment. The Dragon Slayer turns his head and notices Steve staring at the Bucky Barnes mannequin. Almost as if he was bewitched by it and didn't dare to look away. He notices that Sam must have caught on as well, the Avenger placing a hand on Steve's shoulder. A moment later, it seems to have broken the spell and both Avengers face them.

Steve speaks but in a solemn tone, "Now that we're near the end of the tour, only one thing left to answer. How I found myself here; not looking a day older than I was in 1945."

The wizards lean in closer, eager to find out the resolution of the Captain America tale. Steve matches their inquisitive gazes but when he opens his mouth to finish the story; no words come out. The Avenger struggles for a moment to get the story started and he feels the hand on his shoulder tighten.

He looks and sees Sam giving him a placating look and a subtle nod. Without words he tells him how he understands how harrowing it is to tell this story and he can take over. The super soldier accepts this unspoken offer and lets Sam finish the story of his life.

"The Howling Commandos were the bane of HYDRA, wiping their bases off the map and forcing them to retreat. When they got word that the second in command of HYDRA was doing freaky experiments, the Allies decided to investigate. Steve and the Commandos infiltrated the HYDRA base in Norway, a cold environment for context."

Sam glances at Steve who motions for him to continue but the veteran knows to not reveal too much.

"However, the HYDRA Commander of that base escaped. Steve chased in pursuit and found himself on a rocket plane over the icy ocean. The HYDRA Commander ejected himself from the plane just before he set it up to explode. Steve… jumped out as it detonated but landed in the ocean below. He was frozen by the cold temperatures where he remained for decades. Until the Avengers rescued him and here he stands no worse for wear ."

Sam concludes the riveting tale of Captain America in WWII but omits a few details. The Fairies did not need to know the identity of the HYDRA Commander who sent Steve into an ice nap for several decades. They also did not need to know who else was with Captain America on that rocket.

Unknown to the Avengers' thoughts and the omission of certain details; the wizards are silent as they processed what they heard.

Gajeel is the first to break the silence, "That's it ?"

Steve and Sam blanch at the Dragon Slayer's dubious response which breaks them out of their thoughts.

"Uhh… what ?" Sam utters.

"He just froze in some water? That's all it took ?" Gajeel questions in dissatisfaction.

" Gajeel has some tact !" Levy chastises but after mulling it over, she too concedes to her comrade's viewpoint. "Though I will admit that I was expecting something different."

"I too was expecting a different outcome. I would've thought for sure it was magic of some kind," Lily offers his interpretation.

"It is impressive how he managed to survive such cold temperatures though. However, it's nothing compared to my icy hunk," Juvia compliments Steve…and also Gray.

The two Avengers comically stare at the wizards incredulously. They can't believe that they're complaining about the tragic story of how Steve found himself in a different time. Something rises in their chests and before they can stop themselves, they let it out.

Laughter.

Both Avengers howl in amusement to their group's ridiculous statements. All serious and depressing thoughts they had since the beginning of the tour, washed away instantly. Even the wizards chuckle in solidarity, finding the humour in the situation as well. The laughter dies down and after apologising to the other visitors of the exhibit, the group collect themselves.

"Sorry Steve, that was rude of us to complain," Levy apologises and her eyes turn downcast. "I can only imagine how scared you must have been. Waking up in a different time and all."

Steve straightens himself up in response. Levy unknowingly hit the mark of why he decided to bring them to the NAS and tell his life story. The Avenger turns to face the wizards as he begins to explain the main objective of this trip.

"It was a…difficult time for me. One moment I was on that rocket and the next I was on the Quinjet with the Avengers. I woke up to a time where WWII was a distant memory and recorded in history books. My entire world was gone and replaced with a new one…just as what happened to your guild."

The Fairies flinch a little at the comparison as Steve appears lost in thought for a brief moment.

" Lost from when we wake ."

The First Avenger muses and he faces the wizards with a look of empathy.

"The reason I brought you all here was to show you that I can comprehend what you're going through. When I first woke up in this time I felt alone. Everyone I knew was older or gone and the world changed so much I didn't recognise it. That it had changed so much it didn't need… Captain America."

Steve shuts his eyes to ground himself from the rushing memories of his old friends and life. He opens his eyes to deliver his message.

"Fortunately, I wasn't as alone as I thought. The Avengers were there for me and because of them, I found a new place in the world. It wasn't easy for me, even today , but I have friends to help me through it. Just as your guild does."

Steve ends his sentence and the wizards of the Fairy Tail guild take time to digest it. When they first arrived in New York, it was unreal to them that they were actually in a new world. With no way to return to Earthland, they were lost in a world they didn't understand.

Just as they've learned Steve Rogers also had to go through.

While they were stuck in a land they did not recognise, Captain America is right. They can get through this trial with the new friends they've made along the way.

"Didn't take you for a sap old man," Gajeel mocks but without his usual bite. He turns away from everyone to hide the fact that the Avenger's words have moved him.

"That's Gajeel's way of saying; we appreciate your support," Lily explains. The Exceed was also touched by the captain's words.

Levy nods, "It's good to know someone else who also knows what we're going through. I hope to learn about this world along with you Steve."

"Juvia agrees," the Rain Woman concurs with a smile.

"Forget about learning about the worldwith Steve; you guys can teach him yourselves," Sam proclaims. "Guy still hasn't acclimated to the modern age. He makes you guys look like damn experts."

The group launches into another fit of laughter while Steve scratches his head in embarrassment. A soft smile graces his lips and he chuckles, also finding humour in his naivety about the modern world. He hopes to understand it more alongside the Fairies.

---

Hours passed and Spider-Man did not disappoint.

After catching up with him, Team Natsu were ready to berate their tour guide until they caught sight of where he led them.

It was Bryant Park. Filled with children having snowball fights and couples walking together hand in hand through the snow ridden grass.

However, what Spider-Man wanted to show them was the Winter Village. More specifically, the Holiday Shops which were right next to the ice rink where it was free to skate. Even if they didn't have money or skates, it filled the Fairies with whimsy and joy to be in such a place. Wendy however was disappointed, with no skates to rent she couldn't go into the ice rink.

Gray wouldn't have that, so with his Molding Magic he created literal ice skates for his team and Spider-Man. Much to the vigilante's surprise but he didn't complain, leading them all to the rink. They all had varying successes for first time skaters.

Lucy was cautious to not fall and kept close to Wendy who was in the same boat. Carla is not too far behind, balancing herself using her tail. Erza, however, was falling so much, onlookers tried to help her but she was determined to skate on her own. Gray was graceful, skating circles around his team including the limber Spider-Man.

People, mostly women who were smitten, granted him the title; 'The Prince of Winter Village '. Befitting of an Ice Make Wizard who was flustered to receive such a name.

Soon enough, Spider-Man had to move onto the next location he had planned much to their disappointment.

Lucy was the only one to brighten up when the next location turned out to be the Main Branch of the New York Public Library. The Celestial Wizard in her excitement, blew past her masked tour guide on her way to the entrance.

It was a relaxing hour for the Fairies as they became lost in the world of books. Wendy and Carla stayed on the Ground Floor with Spider-Man, exploring The Children's Center until they stumbled upon a strange exhibit. The walls were textured to look like a map of a place called the ' Hundred Acre Wood '. In the middle was a mailbox and a glass display containing stuffed dolls who had seen better days.

Spider-Man explains to the Dragon Slayer and Exceed that the raggedy dolls inspired a children's book called ' Winnie The Pooh '. A popular bedtime novel for children, which then inspired a series of cartoons that the vigilante grew up with. The name made Wendy giggle and Carla indignant, both finding the name silly.

They continued to listen and both found it sweet that these dolls helped launch a lasting literary legacy. Even when Spider-Man explained how the original 'Chistopher Robin' didn't like how the novels exploited his childhood, it still meant so much to so many people. In fact it inspired them to seek out the works of 'A.A Milne ' and judge for themselves.

Gray walked around until he found himself within The McGraw Rotunda. The architecture and murals made him think he got lost in an art museum. He gazed at the panels in the arches beside the east and west doorways and deduced it told a story. The narrative was lost on him until he asked Spider-Man who had just arrived, about the art. The Ice Make Wizard discovering the murals depicted a creation myth; ' The Story of the Recorded World' .

The beatific paintings combined with a brief explanation from Spidey, mystified Gray. Even more so when he looked up and saw the painting on the rotunda ceiling.

Edward Laning's painted depiction of the Greek figure, Prometheus , stealing fire from the Gods. In the present, his painted visage took Gray's breath away.

Erza and Lucy had seated themselves in The Rose Main Reading Room . The former struggled to read one book while the latter had so many piled up, it towered over her. Consisting of even more famous novels that she was already acquainted with. From ' Wuthering Heights ' to ' Jane Eyre ' to 'The Great Gatsby '. The genre didn't matter to the Celestial Wizard, she was just eager to read as much works of literature as she could.

The scarlet haired knight's face matched her namesake, blushing in arousal from the book she was reading. When Spider-Man arrived he took a quick peek and discovered that Erza was reading ' 50 Shades of Grey '. Blushing hard himself, he swiftly fired a webline and snatched the book out of her hands, citing it as being too 'adult' for the day they were having. Much to Erza's embarrassment but also frustration .

When the hour passed, Erza was forced to drag Lucy away from the assortment of novels she collected. The Celestial Wizard was in tears from being ripped away from what she already considered the best place in New York.

Rockefeller Center was next on the agenda, much to Erza's delight. After explaining her obsession with the show, ' 30 Rock ', Spider-Man understood her excitement. Even if he quit watching after the third season, he discussed the show with her and discovered her newfound love for sitcoms.

At some point, he had stopped talking and Erza was just praising all the shows she started without pause. One of those shows he actually saw in completion was the decade long series, 'Friends' .

Spider-Man had to bite his tongue when he discovered Erza had finished the ' Prom Video Episode ', where Ross and Rachel finally get together. The Armoured Wizard practically squealed when she recounted the big kiss scene, her heart pounding from the romance of it all. Relieved that after all the drama, the two can finally live happily ever after.

The Wall Crawler was thankful he had a mask on because he could not keep a straight face. Knowing that it was just the beginning for one of TV's most well known on/off couples.

Shaking his head to shake off a quip, he suggested heading to Central Park and visiting the Cherry Hill Fountain. Not the exact fountain used in the show but close enough. Erza didn't need convincing as she dragged Spider-Man to take her to the fountain. Leaving her guildmates behind astonished and gripping tight on a pleading Spider-Man.

Never stopping despite having no idea where to go.

After that mishap, a recovering Spider-Man took them back to Times Square. Erza walked past street performers and was handed flyers of Broadway plays. Ranging from 'Wicked' to ' The Book of Mormon'. Erza's eyes shined at the new source of entertainment she discovered.

Lucy, Wendy and Carla walked around, glancing at the street vendors selling New York inspired trinkets. They stumbled upon a store titled with a name they recognised, ' Disney' , and they went inside. When they came out, it just made them eager to watch more Disney animated films along with films made by 'Pixar' .

Gray struck up conversation with a street performer that caught his eye. That being the ' Naked Cowboy' , who was stark naked like his namesake. With only speedos, a cowboy hat and his guitar on his person.

Perhaps this was why Gray took to the Naked Cowboy, both men making polite conversation. Until Gray got poked on the shoulder and turned around to see stern Police Officers. A moment passed before Gray felt a breeze and to his shock, his clothes on the ground besides his underwear.

Everyone in the vicinity, mostly those with children, turned away from him in discomfort. While the rest gave lewd remarks and blew catcalls.

When Spider-Man caught up with Gray, it took a lot of begging and good will but the vigilante managed to talk down the cops. Much to Gray's embarrassment as he and Spider-Man left to join with the others.

By the time noon rolls around, the small group is now relaxing on top of a random building, laughing when Spider-Man recounts Gray's misfortune.

"I should've known you wouldn't have been able to follow the fifth rule, Gray," Lucy laughs.

Erza humorously agrees, "I suppose you need to have that training Natasha suggested."

The Ice Make Wizard ironically freezes, remembering how the Black Widow ominously offered to help him with his stripping habit.

A chill passes through him, knowing it would be a painful experience.

"Seriously though? You can't control it?" Spider-Man incredulously questions.

"Lay off me man! It's been a habit since I was a kid, I can't just stop on a whim," Gray defends himself.

Spider-Man turns to the others, "So no one in your guild bothered to do anything about it?"

Erza sighs, "The Master gave his best to no avail. Even I tried to stop his nasty habit but it's a task beyond even myself."

Another chill passes through Gray as he remembers the 'training' he received from Erza.

"Enough about me already!" Gray exclaims, "Let's change the subject, please ."

"Alright then we'll accede to your demands, ' Prince of the Winter Village '," Spider-Man bows jovially to the sheepish Gray, much to the other's amusement. "Changing the subject; why don't you guys tell me more about yourselves? We spent the morning together and I don't know much about you guys."

The Fairies pause for a few moments in thought, realising that they haven't conversed that heavily with Spider-Man like they did with the Avengers.

"I suppose that's fair," Erza states, "Where do we start?"

"Well I've been told you guys are wizards? I know that Blades of Glory over there can make ice but how about the rest of you?" Spider-Man inquires.

"I don't get the reference but I don't just make ice," Gray clarifies as he brings his hands. A moment later, he crafts a small ice sculpture of a spider and unveils it to the vigilante. "I'm an Ice Make Wizard, I give ice form using Moulding Magic."

Spider-Man nods in understanding, "Wow. I bet you'd make a killing selling ice sculptures."

Gray shrugs, the spider sculpture dissipating in his hand, "I tried it once, but it wasn't good money."

"How about you?" Spider-Man turns to Erza, "Is your Magic your growing encyclopaedic knowledge of situational comedies ?"

Erza doesn't bother to respond to the jest, deciding that showing is more effective than telling.

"Requip!"

A flash of light encompasses the Queen of the Fairies and fades to reveal her in her typical Heart Kreuz Armour.

"I specialise in Requip Magic which I named; The Knight. I can call upon my many armours and weapons to my side while in battle," Erza expounds.

"Oh. Um. That's great," Spider-Man stutters sheepishly as he keeps his real thoughts to himself.

"Pretty sure I almost saw her naked for a second. That's almost two of them I've seen indecently now. So glad Gwen's not here right now. "

"I'm a Celestial Spirit Wizard, I use Gate Keys to summon my Celestial Spirits," Lucy reveals enthusiastically.

"Oh. So like Final Fantasy," Spider-Man compares, much to the Celestial Wizard's vexation.

"You know the Avengers also said that but didn't really explain it. The most I got is that it's a video game," Lucy recounts.

"Well it's one of the biggest video game franchises in the world and ' the' fantasy game. It's pretty much because one of the game mechanics is that you can summon creatures, which is the same concept as your magic," Spider-Man explains using his video game knowledge.

"Does the game use keys ?"

"No. 'Summon Materia' ."

"What's Materia?"

"Well it's basically crystalized magic that can be used for a myriad of things. Summoning creatures for one, casting magic spells, you know magic - ky stuff like that."

"So it's like Lacrima?"

"What's Lacrima ?"

"What you just described, instead we use it for everyday use."

"How about that ? So going back to the summoning thing; what exactly can you summon? I don't need to worry about 'Bahamut' or 'Ifrit' stomping around, do I?"

Lucy doesn't know what those creatures are but she explains about her Celestial Spirits. How they invoke after astronomical constellations, that to her surprise are also well known on Earth. Spider-Man takes it all in and finds Lucy's summons odd but not for the reasons she thought.

"Let me get this straight . You can summon a moody mermaid, a bull who's a lech , a crab who's your hair stylist, a maid that's a masochist , an archer in a horse costume , twins , a scorpion that's dating the mermaid, a ram who makes the softest pillows and a goat in a suit . And to top it all off the leader of them all is a lion who's a shameless flirt...who's also in a suit?!"

Lucy wanted to refute his claims but found herself unable to, "That's brushing them all over in a broad stroke but I would be lying if it wasn't accurate ."

"Aw geez, your magic takes the cake for being the weirdest but also the most impressive," Spider-Man claims before he turns to the remaining two, "You're up next 'Smurfette' and 'Hello Kitty' ."

Wendy and Carla look confused and unimpressed by the references and choose to ignore them.

"I'm a Sky Dragon Slayer and Carla can tell the future ," Wendy explains.

Spider-Man digests what he's heard, "I'm gonna need you to elaborate?"

Carla rolls her eyes, "I'm assuming you're sceptical about my Precognition ? Well it's a basic ability that I was recently informed about. It's very real and I can predict many-."

"Oh I get that ."

The Exceed now had to digest what she heard, " Pardon ?"

"I know a little about precognition ," Spider-Man teases as he thinks of his ever useful Spidey-Sense. "I was actually asking about this little lady's magic?"

Carla huffs in annoyance while Wendy gives her partner an empathetic look. She divulges more on her magic, "Well I use Sky Dragon Slayer Magic. I can control the element of air and cast Enchantments to heal and support others."

"So you're an Airbender with a touch of Waterbending . Lucky duck," Spider-Man compliments but the magic's name intrigues him. "I'm assuming by the name that you've got some dragons in your world? Any interesting stories you can tell me?"

The instant the words left the Wall Crawler's mouth, he knew the cheery atmosphere changed into eerie silence.

Wendy looks like the wind got knocked out of her. The unfettered Carla is shaken. Gray gazes down at the floor bitterly. Shame covers Erza's face. Lucy hugs herself to steady her shivering.

" What's with the gloomy looks all of a sudden? Is it something I said? " Spider-Man questions in his head, stupefied by the sudden shift in mood. " I guess dragons are a hot topic issue for them. Could it have something to do with why they're stuck in New York? Whatever it is, I gotta get them back in high spirits. The Avengers will never trust me again if I send them back sad and moody."

Spider-Man gains their attention with a clap of his hands, "So from what I hear, you guys make an awesome D&D party!"

He points at Gray, "You've got the Elementalist."

Then at Erza, "The Knight."

Then too Lucy, "The Summoner."

Finally to Wendy and Carla, "The White Mage and the Psychic. A pretty badass crew if I do say so myself!"

The nerdy praise from the masked vigilante did as intended and made the Fairies chuckle. Allowing them to move on from the memory of a certain black dragon .

"Well we're not exactly a complete crew right now," Erza admits, remembering the two absent members.

"Yeah. You haven't met Natsu and Happy? Those guys kind of started our team," Lucy reveals.

"Natsu and Happy," Spidey repeats the names. "How come they're not here now?"

"They're back on the island. They had a… late night," Lucy slowly discloses.

Gray snorts, "Kind of a blessing those two stuck behind. I don't need to listen to Natsu complain throughout this trip."

Everyone except Lucy knew that Natsu was not adjusting well to the new world they were in and some wondered how he would act if he was here.

"I know he's been a pain these last few weeks but he's starting to come around," the Celestial Wizard states with a smile. Thinking of the Dragon Slayer's sincere apology.

"Sounds like this guy is a piece of work," Spider-Man deduces, not having a clear picture of the Salamander of Fairy Tail.

Gray snarks, "You have no idea."

Erza smacks the Ice Make Wizard upside the head for his cheeky remark , "Play nice ."

Even Spider-Man winced from the reprimand, "So uhh? What can you tell me about him and this Happy fellow?"

"Happy is an Exceed like myself. An incorrigible troublemaker with a penchant for fish," Carla describes.

"Natsu uses the same magic as I do but he's a Fire Dragon Slayer. He can't cast Enchantments like I can but he's really strong !" Wendy praises with reverence for her fellow guildmate.

"So one's another cat and the other is a Firebender . Seems on brand for you guys," Spidey summises and then it happens .

His Spidey-Sense begins to ring.

The vigilante gets ready for action much to the Fairies' alarm, confused by the sudden shift in attitude.

"Ugh! What now ? !"

His body moves instantly, back flipping to avoid a projectile aimed at him. Still in the air, his lenses widen as he finds a patch of glue where he once stood.

His Spidey-Sense rings again and he fires a webline to pull him away. Dodging the flying disks that almost latch themselves to his person.

The Web-Slinger lands on the roof and faster than his Spidey-Sense could tell him, the snow beneath him transforms into a watery fist. Punching him across the roof and into the toned arms of another.

"Hello again insect ."

Spider-Man turns his head and his lenses widen at whose arms he's currently being crushed by. A red haired woman in red garbs reminiscent of a wrestling costume and an ornate circlet atop her head.

" Thu -ndra! Go- od to s- ee you ag -ain!" The masked vigilante sputters in pain but he immediately forgets the physical anguish at what he hears next.

"What's happening ?!" Lucy screams.

"How are we floating ?" Gray incredulously asks.

"Spider-Man are you okay ?!" Erza shouts.

"Let him go you cur!" Carla demands.

"Who are these people ?" Wendy cries out.

Spider-Man focuses his attention and stares at his charges floating above the roof in distress. Underneath them is the rest of Thundra's pals .

The one with the advanced glue guns connected to a mechanised backpack; The Trapster.

The one in high-tech purple armour levitating off the ground; The Wizard.

Finally the last one rose from the snow and revealed the liquid form of a man. The watery form changes into a grinning young man in a black shirt; Hydro-Man.

" Greetings Spider-Man," Wizard mockingly greets.

" The Frightful Four !" Spider-Man exclaims, "Been a while since I saw you clowns ? Did the Carnival come to town?"

"In fact it has ," Hydro-Man retorts with a malicious grin, "We're operating the game called; ' Hit the Spider '."

"Sorry, but you don't have enough tokens!"

Using all his strength, Spider-Man slowly breaks the iron grip Thundra had on him and jumps away from her. However, he was now in the middle of the roof with four of his enemies surrounding him.

"What do you guys want? If you four don't remember , I can take you all on with my eyes closed," the Wall Crawler proudly announces. Reminiscing of all the times the Frightful Four tried to defeat him and failed.

"We're aware of how slippery you are, bug boy !" Trapster sneers, "That's why it isn't just the four of us."

Spidey-Sense tingles before the Trapster even finishes his sentence and Spider-Man scopes out the possible danger.

Only for the danger to come for him .

"What the hell are you?!" Lucy shouts in distress.

Spider-Man focuses his attention back on his hovering charges and fear grips his heart.

Each of them are still in the air but behind them is an enemy he does not recognise, holding them all hostage.

It looked to be a robotic beetle man ? Covered head to toe in metal without an ounce of humanity showing. Equipped with arm blasters, a wing pack and a myriad of weapons hidden from sight.

Using his arm blasters, he aims them behind the fearful Lucy and Wendy's heads, ready to fire at an instant. The Frightful Four take notice of Spider-Man's surprise and gleefully take pride in it. Thundra takes it upon herself to introduce the new arrival.

"Spider-Man, meet our new comrade; The Beetle."

---

I'M BACK FROM THE DEAD.

Sorry for the long wait but I can explain. First thing I've got a Beta Reader for the story; Crossovernaru. A big applause for him because he's been a great help. Not just for this chapter but the story as a whole. It's been nice to chat this story with someone so we've been discussing the first phase of this story. I didn't reveal everything but he has been a big help in where this story will go. So I have much gratitude for him.

The second reason for the wait is that this chapter was a slog to get through. It's full of exposition and those are always tricky to write. Especially since I had to brush up on the characters' histories and real life stuff for places I've never visited. In a country I've never been in. For this reason, the chapter had to be split in two. This chapter focuses on the characters in their downtime while the next one will be focused on action.

I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter regardless of the size. I hope I got the information I presented right especially since this takes place in 2014. I did the best I could with the information I can find but if I made a mistake, then I'm sorry and I'll fix it.

Third reason is IRL stuff. Many things happened during this time, especially in the UK. It was unfortunate that this chapter talks about immigration, multiculturalism and religious persecution. I did not plan for it but a bulk of the chapter was already written and I didn't want to push the chapter back yet again.

I also will be remiss to not give my condolences to Ben Potter, known to the internet as Comicstorian. I remember watching his videos back when I was getting into comics and his channel held a special place in my heart. I still watch his videos to understand comic storylines, some in service of this fic. He will be missed dearly. RIP.

On a positive note I'll give my thoughts on certain things in pop culture;

RWBY has found a new home in VizMedia. Great that it has a chance to continue and I wait for more news on its future.

DEATH BATTLE HAS OFFICIALLY COME BACK. I was a part of the KickStarter and my jaw dropped as it reached its goal and then some within under an hour.

Fairy Tail 100 Years Quest has dropped but I have not watched it yet. But from what I see it's a nice looking project. I hope it keeps momentum.

Edens Zero ended a short time ago and it's surreal to not be reading it every week. I loved the series, Mashima can write a great story when he can and I had fun along the way. Even if the final arc left a lot to be desired. Pretty much anything since Mashima decided to mulligan.

Deadpool & Wolverine released. First movie I've seen all year in cinemas and it did not disappoint. Pumped to introduce those characters soon.

Future MCU stuff looks good but I know better to judge from trailers.

RDJ is Dr Doom...unexpected but I would be lying to say I'm not a little intrigued. Though I would have preferred a new actor for Doom.

I'll try not to let too much time pass again but I will be taking a respite from writing to focus on other stuff I need to do. Like completing the previs for the animated pilot I'm working on. Though I will try to get it done in the half the time it took this chapter.

Thank you for reading and I'll see you next time.