"SHE'S BACK! ERZA'S BACK!"
There was a very pregnant pause in the guild hall after Loke's declaration. then just as fast the silence ended and the guild hall erupted into noise, though not in its usual friendly din. People were panicking, some were cleaning some quickly trying to grab jobs and run, others were seemingly frozen in either fear or indecision on which of the former two options they should take.
Ben and Lucy just watched as people scurried about to and fro completely at a loss for what was happening. Ben looked over to the job board where Natsu stood, so he could gauge his reaction to the chaos happening .
Ben was taken aback by what he saw. The dragon slayer stood frozen, his face drained of color and his eyes wide with fear – an expression Ben had never seen on the typically overconfident mage.
"Natsu?" Ben called out, but received no response. The pink-haired wizard remained rooted to the spot, a noticeable tremor starting in his legs.
This reaction only heightened Ben's growing anxiety. If whatever was coming could frighten someone as battle-hungry as Natsu, what kind of monster was this Erza person?
Before Ben could process this thought further, a rhythmic, heavy thudding sound cut through the chaos of the guild hall. THUMP. THUMP. THUMP. The sound grew louder with each passing second, like the approach of something massive.
Everyone in the guild seemed to freeze at once, their eyes locked on the open doorway where Loke had been standing just moments before. Without warning, the orange-haired wizard let out a strangled yelp and bolted from his post, practically diving across the guild hall to cower behind a far table. His glasses askew and his face pale, Loke curled up into a defensive ball, mumbling something that sounded suspiciously like a prayer.
Ben glanced over at Lucy, hoping she might have some insight into what was happening. Instead, he found her looking just as bewildered as he felt, her brown eyes wide as saucers, mouth slightly agape.
"Do you know who Erza is?" Ben whispered urgently.
Lucy shook her head slightly, not even turning to face him. "No clue but everyone's reaction is starting to freak me out."
"I know what you mean," Ben agreed, his voice barely audible over the commotion.
The thumping grew louder, drowning out the rest of his words. Then, suddenly, the rhythmic sound stopped. An eerie silence fell over the guild hall as all eyes turned toward the entrance.
Ben followed their gaze and felt his breath catch in his throat. There, silhouetted against the bright daylight outside, stood the outline of a person. What made the sight so striking wasn't the person's height, which seemed average, but the enormous object they carried. It appeared to be a massive horn, easily four times larger than the person holding it, yet they supported it on one shoulder as if it weighed nothing at all. The light streaming in from behind cast the figure in shadow, giving them an almost mythical appearance.
The shadow at the entrance took a step forward, and sunlight washed over a young woman with hair the color of sunset flames cascading down her back. She stood with perfect posture, despite the enormous decorative horn balanced on her right shoulder. Her armor caught the light - a gleaming silver breastplate with a golden cross design positioned over a crimson Fairy Tail emblem. Matching gauntlets protected her forearms, while a flowing blue skirt and knee-high black boots completed her warrior's appearance.
Ben couldn't tear his eyes away. There was something magnetic about her presence - not just beauty, though she possessed that in abundance - but the quiet authority in her eyes as they swept across the silent guild hall as she set the giant horn down with a resounding THUD.
A guild member Ben didn't recognize apparently felt a surge of bravery and broke the silence as he cleared his throat. "That's quite the souvenir you've brought back. What exactly is it?"
Erza placed a gauntleted hand on the ornate horn. Now that it stood in better light, Ben could see it was covered in elaborate carvings and studded with jewels that caught the sun streaming through the windows.
"This? It's the horn of the monster I defeated during my mission," she explained, her tone matter-of-fact, as if discussing the weather rather than slaying a creature large enough to grow such an enormous appendage. "The townspeople were so grateful they decorated it with their finest craftsmanship and presented it to me as a gift. I didn't want to refuse their generosity."
She tilted her head slightly, her eyes suddenly narrowing as she focused on the guild member who had asked about the horn. "Will this be a nuisance?" Her voice, though not raised, carried an unmistakable edge that cut through the silence of the hall.
The guild member's earlier bravery evaporated instantly. He took a half-step back, his face draining of color as he raised his hands in a placating gesture. "N-no! Not at all, Erza! It's a magnificent trophy! Really adds something to the guild hall, if you ask me!" His nervous laughter died in his throat as her gaze remained fixed on him.
"I'm glad to hear it," she replied, the matter apparently settled in her mind. "Now where is the Master? I need to talk to him, it's a matter of utmost importance."
Mirajane, who had been quietly bussing a few nearby tables during the commotion, stepped forward with a gentle smile that contrasted sharply with the tension filling the room. Her long white hair swayed slightly as she approached the armored woman.
"Welcome back, Erza. It's good to see you again," Mirajane said warmly, seemingly one of the few people in the guild not paralyzed by fear. "I'll go check if Master Makarov is in his office. He was reviewing some Council documents earlier."
Erza's stern expression softened momentarily, her shoulders relaxing just enough to be noticeable. "Thank you, Mira. It's good to see you as well."
The brief exchange revealed a glimpse of something Ben hadn't expected—a genuine camaraderie between the intimidating newcomer and the kind barmaid. But as Mirajane disappeared into the back rooms to search for the Master, Erza's face immediately hardened again, her posture becoming rigid as she surveyed the guild hall.
"As for the rest of you," she announced, her voice ringing with authority that made several members flinch, "I've heard quite a lot of complaints during my travels."
The tension in the room, which had momentarily eased during her exchange with Mirajane, instantly returned tenfold. Ben watched as guild members seemed to shrink into themselves, some even inching toward the nearest exit.
"Cana!" Erza's sharp voice cut through the tension, causing the brunette to freeze with a barrel of alcohol halfway to her lips.
The mage's eyes widened in alarm as Erza's stern gaze fixed on her. Several guild members nearby subtly edged away, not wanting to be caught in the crossfire.
"It's barely past noon," Erza continued, her tone leaving no room for argument. "Far too early for drinking, wouldn't you agree? And don't think I haven't heard about the dozen barrels of premium liquor you consumed last week and somehow managed to charge to the Magic Council's account."
Cana's face flushed with embarrassment as whispers and she slowly lowered the barrel, setting it down on the floor beside her with a defeated thud.
"It was only eleven barrels," Cana mumbled, like a kid trying to play off getting caught with their hand in the cookie jar. "I'll just... save this for later."
Erza nodded curtly, satisfied with this response, before her piercing gaze swept to another part of the room.
"Wakaba!" Her voice rang out again, causing the middle-aged man to nearly jump out of his skin. The cigarette that had been dangling from his lips fell to the floor, where he hastily stomped it out.
"Look at this mess!" Erza gestured around his usual spot at the guild, where a small carpet of cigarette butts and ash had accumulated. "This guild is not your personal ashtray. Clean it up immediately."
Wakaba glanced down at the floor around his chair, suddenly noticing the gray dusting of ash that had built up over days of careless smoking. He scratched the back of his head sheepishly.
"Sorry, Erza. I'll get right on it," he promised appeasingly. "Won't happen again."
Erza walked past Wakaba with a disapproving shake of her head. Her boots clicked against the wooden floor as she moved deeper into the guild hall, leaving behind a trembling Wakaba frantically searching for cleaning supplies.
She paused mid-stride and let out an exasperated sigh that seemed to come from the depths of her soul. Running an armored hand through her scarlet hair, she addressed the room.
"You all give me so much trouble," she said, her voice carrying a note of weariness. "But I won't say anything for today."
Ben couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at this statement, given that she'd been doing nothing but saying things since she arrived. The authoritative tone, the way everyone seemed to shrink under her gaze—it reminded him too much of Seven. People who expected instant obedience and used fear to maintain control.
He felt his shoulders tense instinctively, his body falling into the rigid posture that had been drilled into him. Old habits died hard, especially when faced with someone who carried herself with the same air of absolute supremacy.
"So this is her giving them slack?" he whispered to Lucy, trying and failing to keep the edge from his voice.
Lucy shrugged, clearly as bewildered as he was. "I guess for Erza, this counts as being lenient," she whispered back.
Erza's gaze swept the guild hall once more, her brown eyes sharp and assessing. Ben watched her carefully, noting how her mere presence seemed to command the room. It wasn't just authority—it was power, raw and barely contained.
As her eyes moved methodically across the guild hall, they briefly passed over the bar where Ben and Lucy sat. Ben felt her gaze like a physical weight, his muscles coiling with tension. For just a heartbeat, her eyes lingered on him—a stranger, an unknown element—and he felt himself being evaluated, measured, categorized.
That single moment of scrutiny sent a chill down his spine, like a commanding officer inspecting the troops. His fingers curled slightly against the wooden counter, the urge to summon defensive vines nearly automatic. With conscious effort, he kept his magic in check, even as memories of being back in Seven threatened to surface.
Just as quickly as it had settled on him, her attention moved on, but the brief interaction left Ben unsettled. He took a slow breath, trying to release the tension that had gathered in his shoulders.
"Where are Natsu and Gray?" Erza asked, her tone making it clear she expected an immediate answer. "I need to speak with them about something important."
A certain small blue cat suddenly perked up from his spot at the bar. With wings sprouting from his back, Happy floated up to eye level with Erza, his tail swishing behind him.
"They're right over there, Erza!" Happy chirped cheerfully, pointing a paw toward the far corner of the guild hall.
Ben's eyes followed Erza's stern gaze across the guild hall, and what he saw next made his blood run cold.
Natsu and Gray stood side by side, arms thrown over each other's shoulders like old war buddies. Gray's face was stretched into a smile so wide it looked painful, while Natsu—who moments ago had been ready to hide under a table—now beamed with a forced cheerfulness that didn't reach his eyes.
"Holy crap," Ben whispered, his mouth suddenly dry. He'd seen plenty of terrifying things, but nothing compared to the unnatural sight before him.
Gray was laughing—not light chuckle either, but a high-pitched, almost hysterical sound. "Hey Natsu, remember that hilarious thing that happened yesterday? When we were hanging out? As friends?"
"Aye sir!" Natsu chirped, his voice an octave higher than normal. A bead of sweat rolled down his temple as he maintained his rigid grin. "We're the best of pals! Always have been!"
Lucy tugged at Ben's sleeve. "Are they... okay?" she whispered.
"I don't think 'okay' is the word I'd use," Ben muttered back, unable to tear his eyes from the bizarre spectacle. "More like... possessed."
The dragon slayer and his rival stood frozen in their friendly pose, their bodies so tense Ben could practically hear their joints creaking. When Gray's hand slipped slightly from Natsu's shoulder, panic flashed across both their faces before they quickly readjusted, gripping each other even tighter.
They both burst into synchronized, hollow laughter that sent chills down Ben's spine.
Ben leaned closer to Lucy, keeping his voice low. "Forget the giant horn, forget the armor, forget the way everyone else is cowering. This right here—" he gestured subtly toward the bizarre 'friendship' display, "—this is the most terrifying thing I've seen so far."
As Erza approached the pair, their smiles somehow grew even wider, defying the laws of facial anatomy.
"It's good to see you two as close as ever." Erza said, crossing her arms with satisfaction.
"Yep! We never fight!" Gray insisted, his voice cracking slightly. "Right, buddy?"
"Aye sir!" Natsu squeaked, looking like he might pass out from the effort of maintaining his charade.
Ben watched, fascinated and horrified, as a single drop of sweat slid down Natsu's face, hung precariously from his chin for a moment, then plopped onto the floor.
"Nine hells," Ben murmured.
Before Erza could request whatever she needed from the unnaturally chummy duo, Mirajane returned with a gentle smile that somehow cut through the tension.
"Erza, Master Makarov is in his office. He says he can see you right away," she announced.
The armored woman nodded, her scarlet hair swaying slightly. "Thank you, Mira." She turned back to Natsu and Gray, who were still locked in their awkward embrace. "I'll speak with you two later. Don't go anywhere."
"Aye sir!" they chimed in unison, still wearing those painfully wide smiles.
As Erza's boots clicked across the wooden floor toward Makarov's office, neither Natsu nor Gray dared move a muscle. The heavy door closed behind her with a solid thud, and instantly, the entire guild seemed to deflate like a punctured balloon.
Several members collapsed onto their benches. Someone let out a shaky laugh that quickly spread through the hall..
Most notably, Natsu and Gray sprang apart as if they'd been burned, frantically wiping at their shoulders where they'd been touching.
"That was... something," Lucy said, eyes wide as she turned to Ben.
Ben nodded, still processing what he'd witnessed.
They made their way over to the bar where Mirajane was arranging glasses with her usual serene smile, as if the guild hadn't just experienced collective trauma.
"Mira," Lucy asked, leaning against the polished counter, "what was all that about? Who exactly is Erza?"
Mirajane paused, a glass halfway to the shelf. "Erza Scarlet is Fairy Tail's strongest female wizard," she explained with a touch of pride in her voice. "She's been with the guild since she was a child."
"Strongest female wizard?" Ben repeated, glancing toward Makarov's closed door. "That explains the reactions of some of the guild, I guess, but why were Natsu and Gray acting like that?"
As he spoke, a sudden commotion drew their attention. From a shadowy corner of the guild hall, Loke—who had been hiding since announcing Erza's arrival—suddenly bolted upright. His sunglasses were askew, and his face had gone pale as parchment. Without a word, he made a desperate dash for the door, moving with the frantic energy of someone fleeing a burning building.
"And what's his deal?" Ben added, pointing at Loke's retreating form as the door slammed shut behind him.
Mirajane placed the glass she'd been polishing on the counter and leaned forward slightly, her voice taking on the conspiratorial tone of someone sharing guild gossip.
"Well," she began, a small smile playing at her lips, "Natsu and Gray have good reason to be afraid of Erza. A few years ago, Natsu challenged her to a fight, convinced he could take her on." She shook her head, remembering. "It didn't end well for him. She beat him so handily that he couldn't move for almost a full day afterwards."
Lucy's eyes widened. "She beat him that badly?"
"Erza doesn't believe in holding back," Mirajane explained with a light shrug, as if this were perfectly reasonable. "As for Gray... he happened to walk past her while in one of his, ah, undressed states."
"Let me guess," Ben said, already wincing. "She didn't appreciate the view?"
Mirajane nodded. "She gave him quite the lecture about public decency—with her fists doing most of the talking. He still sometimes freezes up when she mentions proper attire."
"And Loke?" Lucy asked, glancing toward the door the orange-haired wizard had fled through. "Why did he run out of here like his life depended on it?"
A shadow crossed Mirajane's normally cheerful face. "That might be the worst story of all. Loke made the mistake of trying to flirt with Erza shortly after he joined. Nobody knows exactly what happened, but..." She lowered her voice to a whisper. "They say he was in the infirmary for a week, and he still turns pale whenever someone mentions roses or swords in the same sentence."
"Oh," Lucy said, looking slightly queasy. "I guess that explains it."
"Erza has her own way of handling things," Mirajane continued, her tone softening, "but she cares deeply about everyone in the guild. She just shows it... differently than most people."
Ben raised an eyebrow, glancing back at the still-closed door of Makarov's office. "So what, she's the guild disciplinarian or something?" He couldn't keep the edge from his voice, remembering the way her stern gaze had swept over him earlier, making his stomach tighten with an instinctive wariness. There was something about her presence that reminded him of the worst parts of his past—that aura of power that demanded compliance.
Mirajane paused for a moment, her blue eyes sparkling with amusement before she simply replied, "She's Erza."
The way Mirajane said it—as if those two words explained everything anyone could possibly need to know—left Ben with more questions than answers. He exchanged a puzzled look with Lucy, who seemed equally baffled by the cryptic response.
Ben wanted to trust Mirajane's assessment; after all, she clearly knew Erza better than he did. He'd noticed how Erza's expression had softened slightly during their brief exchange, the rigid line of her shoulders relaxing just a fraction when she spoke with the white-haired barmaid. That momentary glimpse of warmth suggested there might be more to the scarlet-haired wizard than her intimidating exterior.
Still, he couldn't shake the knot of anxiety that had formed in his chest when her calculating gaze had swept over him, assessing and cataloging his presence with military precision. Ben ran his thumb absently over the guild mark on his forearm, reminding himself that Fairy Tail wasn't Seven. Yet the similarity in tactics made him uneasy all the same.
"But what does she want with Natsu and Gray?" Lucy asked, glancing over at the two wizards who had retreated to opposite sides of the guild hall but were still shooting nervous glances toward Makarov's office. "It seems like more than usual... discipline."
It was Cana who answered this time. The card mage was slumped over the bar counter, her chin resting on her folded arms as she stared forlornly at the bottles of alcohol lined up behind the counter—so close yet forbidden to her until Erza left.
"Normally," Cana said with a sigh, not taking her eyes off a particularly enticing bottle of whiskey, "it would be to chew them out for blowing something up or streaking through town." She drummed her fingers on the wooden countertop. "But Natsu hasn't destroyed anything in weeks—some kind of record, actually—and Gray's managed to keep at least his boxers on for a while."
She finally tore her gaze from the alcohol to look at Lucy and Ben. "So whatever she wants, it's not the usual lecture. Which means..." Cana trailed off, her expression growing more serious.
"Which means?" Ben prompted.
Cana straightened slightly, lowering her voice. "Which means it's probably guild business. The serious kind."
Before Ben could ask for clarification, a sudden bang echoed through the guild hall as Master Makarov's office door flew open with enough force to rattle the nearby picture frames. The entire guild collectively jumped—several wizards nearly falling from their seats.
In the corner, Natsu and Gray performed what could only be described as a synchronized panic dance, scrambling toward each other with such desperate speed that they collided painfully in the middle. By the time the door had fully rebounded against the wall, they were back in their bizarre friendship pose, arms slung around each other's shoulders and plastered-on smiles stretched to breaking point.
Master Makarov emerged first, his diminutive frame somehow filling the space with authority despite his size. Ben immediately noted the grim set of the old man's face—his usual jovial demeanor replaced by something harder, more serious. The deep furrows in his brow told a story without words.
Erza followed closely behind, her scarlet hair swaying with each purposeful step. Her expression matched Makarov's in intensity, though where the Master's face showed concern, hers showed determination.
"You were right to bring this to my attention immediately, Erza," Makarov said, his voice carrying across the now-silent guild hall. "This is more serious than I initially thought."
"What shall we do, Master?" Erza asked, her armored hand resting on the hilt of her sword—a gesture that seemed more habitual than threatening, though it still made Ben tense slightly.
Makarov stroked his mustache thoughtfully. "I'll contact the Magic Council without delay. They need to be informed of these developments."
Erza nodded sharply, but there was an impatience to her movements, like a bowstring pulled taut. "We don't have the luxury of waiting for their response, Master. If what you've told me is true, then we must act now." Her armored fist clenched at her side. "I intend to head out immediately."
"I understand your urgency," Makarov conceded, "but proceed with caution, my child. This could be more dangerous than even you anticipate."
The guild hall had fallen into such complete silence that Ben could hear the soft clink of Erza's armor as she moved. Every guild member seemed frozen in place, watching the exchange with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension.
Erza's boots struck the wooden floor with purpose as she strode directly toward Natsu and Gray. The pair visibly tensed, their smiles faltering slightly before they redoubled their efforts to appear perfectly harmonious.
"You two," Erza said, stopping directly in front of them. "I need your help."
"Us?" Gray squeaked, his voice barely audible.
"Both of us?" Natsu added, looking as though he might faint.
A ripple of shocked murmurs instantly swept through the guild hall. Several wizards exchanged bewildered glances, while others leaned forward in their seats, straining to hear better.
"Did she just say she needs their help?" someone whispered.
"Not punishing them?" came another hushed voice.
Erza either didn't notice or chose to ignore the wave of disbelief spreading through the guild. Her expression remained deadly serious as she looked at the two wizards, who were now frozen in stunned silence, their previous act of friendship forgotten in their shock.
"Meet me at the train station in one hour," she commanded, her tone leaving no room for argument. "Pack light. I'll explain everything once we're on our way."
Without waiting for their response or offering any further explanation, Erza turned on her heel and strode toward the guild entrance. The crowd parted before her like water, wizards scrambling to clear her path. Her scarlet hair swung behind her as she pushed open the heavy wooden doors, stepped outside, and let them slam shut with a resounding thud that seemed to break the spell of silence.
The moment Erza disappeared, the guild exploded into frantic chatter.
"Did that just happen?"
"Erza asked for help?"
"Is the world ending?"
"Should we be evacuating?"
Wizards were practically climbing over each other to share theories, each more outlandish than the last. Someone mentioned demons, another suggested an invasion from another kingdom, and a third was convinced it had something to do with the alignment of celestial bodies.
Ben turned to Mirajane, eyebrows raised in confusion. "Why is everyone freaking out THIS time? I get that she's strong, and intimidating, but this seems excessive even by Fairy Tail standards." He couldn't keep the edge of frustration from his voice. After weeks at the guild, he'd grown accustomed to the daily brawls, the bizarre competitions, even the occasional furniture-destroying magic mishap. But this collective panic over a simple team request felt absurd.
Lucy nodded, leaning forward on the bar. "Yeah, I thought people teaming up for jobs was pretty normal around here. Isn't that what guilds are all about? Why are they acting like Erza just announced the apocalypse?"
Mira opened her mouth to answer, but Cana beat her to it. The card mage had seemingly given up on her dreams of alcohol for the moment and was watching the chaos with wry amusement.
"Yeah but... she's Erza," Cana said, as if this explained everything.
Ben's fingers drummed impatiently against the countertop. He'd been making real progress adjusting to Fairy Tail's unique brand of chaos—even finding himself smiling at their antics more often than not. But now this armored woman swept through like a hurricane, and suddenly everyone was acting like the world was ending. It set his teeth on edge.
"That still really isn't an answer," he said, unable to mask his irritation. "It just raises more questions!" His voice came out sharper than intended.
Mirajane's gentle laugh cut through his frustration. She placed a glass of water in front of each of them before leaning in, her blue eyes serious despite her smile. One hand reached out briefly to touch Ben's forearm—a small gesture of understanding that made him realize how tense he'd become.
"What Cana means," Mirajane explained, her voice quiet enough that only their small group could hear, "is that Erza has never teamed up with anyone. Not once, not in her entire career at Fairy Tail."
Ben's irritation faltered, replaced by genuine surprise. He uncrossed his arms, consciously trying to relax the rigid posture he'd fallen into without realizing. "Never?" he asked, turning slightly to watch the continuing chaos in the guild hall with new eyes.
Lucy's eyes widened. "But she's been here since she was a child, right? That's... years of solo missions."
Mirajane nodded solemnly. "Exactly. Erza takes jobs alone. Always has. Even missions that would be dangerous for whole teams of wizards—she tackles them single-handedly and returns without a scratch."
Lucy's brow furrowed as she leaned forward on the counter. "That sounds incredible but also... intense. Are there different levels of jobs or something?"
"There are," Cana replied, finally reaching behind the bar and pulling out a fresh bottle. She expertly uncorked it with a practiced twist of her wrist. "The most dangerous—and highest paying—are S-Class missions."
"S-Class?" Ben asked, watching as Cana took a long, satisfied swig directly from the bottle.
Cana wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "Only wizards who've proven themselves in power, judgment, and skill get promoted to S-Class status. The rest of us mere mortals can't even look at those job postings." She gestured toward the second floor with her bottle. "They're kept upstairs, away from temptation."
"Erza became S-Class when she was just fourteen," Mirajane added, her voice carrying a hint of something—perhaps respect, perhaps something more complicated. "Youngest in guild history to achieve it."
Lucy's eyes widened. "Fourteen? That's incredible!"
"And terrifying," Ben muttered under his breath.
Cana took another long pull from her bottle before setting it down with a thunk. "So for Erza to not only team up, but to specifically request Natsu AND Gray..." She trailed off, letting Ben and Lucy fill in the rest.
Mirajane's expression grew thoughtful as Cana trailed off, her gaze drifting toward Master Makarov.
Ben followed her line of sight and blinked in surprise. The guild master hadn't moved an inch since Erza's announcement, but what caught Ben's attention wasn't simply Makarov's stillness—it was his expression. The old man's face had drained of all color, his eyes wide and unfocused, as if staring into some personal nightmare. His mouth hung slightly open, and the usual vibrant energy that animated his features had vanished completely.
"Is he... okay?" Ben asked, genuinely concerned. The Master looked like a man who had just witnessed his own funeral.
Lucy leaned in, squinting at Makarov. "He looks like his soul just left his body."
Ben pushed away from the bar and approached the guild master. "Master Makarov?" he ventured cautiously. "Are you alright?"
For several seconds, Makarov didn't respond. Then, very slowly, his head turned toward Ben. His eyes finally focused, though they retained the hollow, haunted look of a man contemplating the end of days.
"Those three," Makarov whispered, his voice barely audible. "Why did it have to be those three?"
He wasn't asking Ben, not really. It was the lament of a man accepting some inevitable catastrophe. Makarov's shoulders slumped forward as he buried his face in his hands, muttering something that sounded suspiciously like calculations.
"The eastern district... completely gone... at least three buildings in the town square... the entire port... millions of jewel..."
Ben's eyebrows slowly rose as he caught fragments of the master's mumbling. The pieces suddenly clicked into place. He'd seen some of Natsu's destructive tendencies first hand —chairs smashed to splinters, tables covered in scorch marks , walls with Natsu-shaped holes punched through them. And that was just in the guild hall, under some semblance of restraint. And while his personal experiences with Natsu on missions hadn't been too catastrophic he had heard stories of what he did on solo missions.
Add Gray to the equation—the ice wizard who couldn't spend five minutes around Natsu without triggering a brawl—and then Erza, who apparently didn't hold back when it came to combat either...
Ben exchanged a look with Lucy, who had followed him over. Behind them, Mirajane covered her mouth with her hand, though whether to hide a smile or a grimace, he couldn't tell.
He turned toward Mirajane, genuinely concerned by the master's distress. "It can't be that bad, can it? I mean, they're just three wizards on a mission."
Mirajane lowered her hand slowly, her expression unreadable. Instead of answering his question directly, she tilted her head slightly, her blue eyes studying both Ben and Lucy with sudden thoughtfulness.
"You know," she said, her voice carrying that sweet tone that Ben was learning could be dangerously deceptive, "it might be helpful if you two went along with them."
Ben blinked in surprise. "Us? Why would we—"
"To help smooth things over between Gray and Natsu," Mirajane continued, clasping her hands together. "You've both already worked with Natsu before, and you seem to have a calming effect on him." She smiled brightly, as if she'd just suggested they join a picnic rather than a mission that had the guild master calculating property damage costs in advance.
Ben felt his shoulders tense. This was exactly the kind of high-profile situation he'd been carefully avoiding
"I don't think that's a good idea," Ben began carefully, his mind racing to construct a reasonable excuse. "Erza didn't exactly invite us, and she seems like someone who doesn't appreciate people interfering with her plans." He absently touched the small plant stem in his pocket, a nervous habit he'd developed when feeling cornered.
"Of course we'll go!" Lucy's enthusiastic voice cut through his reservations.
Ben turned to stare at her, unable to hide his dismay. Lucy's hazel eyes were practically sparkling with excitement, her hands clasped together beneath her chin.
He glanced back at Mirajane, who was watching them with that same unreadable expression, though he thought he caught a hint of calculation behind her gentle smile
"This is perfect!" Lucy continued, oblivious to Ben's growing panic. "I've been wanting to take on more serious missions! Plus, the three of us already make a great team." She turned to Ben, grabbing his arm with unexpected strength. "Come on, Ben! We were already planning on taking a job, why not this one?"
A small voice in the back of Ben's mind spoke up. " Because nothing good can come from getting involved in a group like this, because notoriety means recognition and that means trouble. Now just think of an excuse and get out of this situation." He recognized the voice, it was the sense of self preservation that kept him alive when he was by himself.
Ben opened his mouth to protest, but the words died in his throat as he caught sight of Lucy's expression. Behind the excitement, there was something else—a desperate eagerness that reminded him of their conversations back at the estate, when she'd talk about her dreams of adventure and freedom with such longing it had made his chest ache.
He could back out, come up with an excuse, fade into the background like he always had. It was undoubtedly the smarter thing to do.
"Fine," he conceded, his shoulders slumping slightly. "But if she starts treating us like subordinates instead of equals, I'm out."
Lucy's face lit up with such genuine joy that Ben couldn't help but smile back, despite the warning bells still clanging in his head.
"Oh, thank you both!" Mirajane clasped her hands together, her smile radiant as sunshine filtering through stained glass. "I knew I could count on you two. Having level-headed wizards like yourselves along will make all the difference."
Lucy practically bounced on her heels, her excitement palpable. "This is going to be amazing! "
"I'm glad you're excited," Mirajane said, her voice melodic and sweet. "The Master will be so relieved to know there will be someone responsible going along."
Ben watched as Lucy seemed to stand a little taller at the praise, her shoulders squaring with newfound purpose. But something about Mirajane's perfect smile made him pause. Behind those gentle blue eyes lurked something... calculating.
The barmaid's expression never wavered—all warmth and sunshine—but Ben couldn't shake the feeling that they'd just been expertly maneuvered into position like pieces on a chessboard.
He narrowed his eyes slightly, studying her. For all the guild's fearful reverence of Erza, he was beginning to suspect that the sweet-faced Mirajane might be equally dangerous.