Walking to the guild felt different after five years away. The cobblestones under my feet were familiar, but I'd changed during my time in the Pokémon world.
"You're smiling," a woman with lavender hair and piercing amethyst eyes said beside me.
It was Astra.
She'd asked me something to make her human a day ago. "I wish to understand humans better," she'd said. "To experience the world as you do." The Human-Human Fruit had granted her the ability to transform from a Mewtwo into a human. At the same time, her psychic power increased due to it.
"Just good to be back," I said, stretching my arms over my head. "Wonder how much they've missed me."
"You seem certain they have," she observed with a raised eyebrow.
I grinned. "It's Fairy Tail. Of course they have."
The guild hall stood ahead, bigger than I remembered.
The Fairy Tail flag still waved in the breeze.
"Ready to make your grand entrance?" Astra asked.
"Always," I replied, striding forward with purpose.
"Your confidence is almost annoying," she said with a slight smile.
I winked at her. "Part of my charm."
I pushed the doors open with both hands, stepping into the familiar chaos inside—laughter, shouting, the crash of furniture. Heads turned toward me, and the noise level dropped.
For a long moment, nobody moved. I counted silently in my head—one, two...
"AIDEN!" Two blurs shot toward me – one pink, one purple. Natsu slammed into me with all the subtlety of a freight train, while Kagura stopped just short, her composure cracking only slightly as she fought back a smile.
"You're back!" Natsu shouted, pumping his fists. "Fight me! Right now!"
"Still with the challenges, huh?" I laughed, ruffling his pink hair. "You've grown. Let's do it later"
He grinned.
"Master Aiden," Kagura said with a formal bow that couldn't quite hide her excitement.
"Aiden!" Erza's voice cut through as she approached, no longer the small, serious child I remembered but a young woman in armor, her face a mixture of shock and joy. "You're really back."
"Erza," I smiled. "Look at you. All grown up and—"
I saw her holding hands with Jellal.
I smirked. "Look at you, too love birds."
They both blush.
Before she could respond, a heavy hand clapped my shoulder.
"Aiden!" Gildarts' booming voice carried across the hall as he pushed through the crowd. "About damn time you showed your face again."
I turned to see Gildarts grinning at me, looking exactly the same as when I'd left.
"Gildarts," I clasped his offered hand. "Guild still standing despite your best efforts?"
He laughed, slapping my shoulder with enough force to stagger a normal mage. "Who's your friend?" he asked, eyeing Astra with obvious interest.
"This is Astra," I said, stepping aside slightly.
"I am pleased to meet Aiden's family," Astra's voice echoed in everyone's minds, not bothering with verbal speech despite her human form.
The guild collectively gasped.
"She's talking in our heads!" Natsu shouted, poking at his temples.
"Telepathy," I explained casually. "One of her many talents. Don't worry, she only reads your thoughts if I ask her to. Usually."
Astra shot me a look.
"Aiden." Master Makarov's voice cut through the commotion as he hopped onto the bar. He looked exactly the same – tiny, ancient, and radiating power. "Welcome home, my boy."
I nodded respectfully. "Master. The place looks good. You've been busy."
His gentle eyes examined me. "You've grown."
"That I did," I replied with a smile. No more words. We knew what we wanted to say.
From a corner table, Cana raised a barrel in my direction. "The prodigal jerk returns!" She was drinking even more impressively than before.
Jellal and Simon approached next, both taller and more confident than the scared kids I'd rescued years ago.
"Your guidance was invaluable in your absence," Jellal said formally.
Simon nodded in agreement. "We've continued the training regimen you established."
"Good to hear," I said, genuinely pleased. "You both look strong."
"Aiden!" Another voice called out, and I turned to see Ur approaching, a small bundle cradled in her arms. Behind her came Ultear, looking remarkably like her mother, and then Gray and Lyon trailing after them.
My eyes went wide at the sight of the baby, though I couldn't say I was completely surprised.
"So you two finally made it official," I said with a knowing grin. "About time."
Ur rolled her eyes but couldn't hide her smile. "And hello to you too, Aiden." She tilted the bundle slightly so I could see the sleeping infant with a shock of auburn hair. "Meet Cornelius."
"He's got Gildarts' hair," I noted, "but hopefully your common sense."
"Hey, I heard that!" Gildarts called, making his way over to us. He slipped an arm around Ur's waist with the ease of a long-established relationship. "And for the record, Cornelius is brilliant like his father."
"God help us all," Ur muttered, but the affection in her voice was unmistakable.
"Would you like to hold him?" she asked.
I nodded, carefully taking the little bundle. The baby stirred slightly but continued sleeping peacefully. "Strong magic signature already," I observed. "Going to be a powerhouse with you two as parents."
"Crushed one of Lyon's ice sculptures yesterday," Gildarts boasted. "Just grabbed it and—" he made a crumbling motion with his fist.
"You've been gone a while, but some things never change," Ur said as I passed Cornelius back to her. "Fairy Tail's still standing, somehow, despite Gildarts' best efforts."
"The guild hall's been rebuilt twice since you left," Ultear added, stepping forward. She'd grown into a striking young woman, resembling her mother but with a sharper edge to her features. "Once after father decided to 'demonstrate' his crash magic indoors."
"That was an accident," Gildarts protested. I sighed. he probably lost the ring again.
"The second time was actually Gray and Natsu's fault," Ultear continued, ignoring him. "Something about a contest to see who is stronger."
"It was Natsu's fault," Gray muttered.
Ultear gave him a glance freezing him up.
I couldn't help but laugh. "You've turned into quite the family unit, haven't you?"
"Don't let them fool you," Ur said. "They're all inseparable now, despite the bickering. One big, dysfunctional Fairy Tail family."
"Speaking of Fairy Tail family," Gildarts said, clapping a hand on my shoulder, "we need to catch up properly. A lot's happened while you were off travelling."
I nodded, then made my way to the bar, feeling the eyes of the entire guild on me. Astra followed silently, observing everything with those analytical eyes of hers.
"Is it always this intense?" she asked privately in my mind.
"This is actually calm by Fairy Tail standards," I replied silently. "Wait until the drinking really starts."
"I'm beginning to understand why you fit in here," she commented dryly.
"They're your family now, too," I told her. "Whether you like it or not."
"So," Makarov said, drawing my attention back. "Tell us where you've been all this time?"
I leaned against the bar, taking a moment to look at all the expectant faces around me. Even those pretending not to care—like Laxus in his corner—were clearly listening.
"Well," I began, choosing my words carefully, "during my travels, I discovered pathways to other worlds."
"Other worlds?" Jellal asked, his eyes wide. "Like Edolas?" Figures he knew about Edolas, he was always the smart one.
I nodded. "Exactly like Edolas. There are countless worlds out there, each with their own rules, magic, and inhabitants." I paused, letting that sink in. "The one I visited is called the Pokémon world."
"Pokémon?" Natsu repeated, testing the strange word. "What's that?"
"Creatures with incredible powers," I explained. "Some breathe fire like you, Natsu. Others control water, electricity, even time and space. They partner with humans who train them for battles and competitions."
"So they're like spirits?" Erza asked, leaning forward with interest.
I shook my head. "More like... magical creatures that choose to work with humans they respect. But not summoned or contracted like Celestial Spirits."
"And you became their champion?" Makarov inquired, his eyes gleaming with curiosity.
"I did," I said with a hint of pride. "World Champion, three times over. Defeated the strongest trainers across eight regions. I became the strongest trainer there."
"Show us!" Natsu demanded, practically bouncing with excitement. "I wanna see these Pokémon!"
I exchanged a glance with Astra, who nodded slightly.
"You've already met one," I said with a smile. "Astra isn't just any companion. She's a Pokémon called Mewtwo—one of the most powerful psychic types in existence."
All eyes turned to Astra, who closed her eyes in concentration. Her human form began to shimmer with a purple glow, and then, in a flash of light, she transformed. Where the tall woman had stood moments before now floated a bipedal feline creature with pale purple skin, a long tail, and glowing violet eyes.
"This is my true form," Astra's voice echoed in everyone's minds, stronger and more resonant than before. The air around her rippled with psychic energy.
The guild erupted in gasps and exclamations. Natsu's mouth hung open, while Erza's eyes narrowed in assessment. Even Laxus straightened up from his position against the wall.
"Amazing," Makarov breathed. "I can feel the power radiating from her."
"Astra is a legendary Pokémon," I explained. "She's one of the most powerful beings in her world."
With that, I reached into my coat pocket and pulled out five small spheres—red on top, white on bottom, with a button in the center. I enlarged them with a touch and tossed them into the air.
"Come on out, everyone! Meet Fairy Tail!"
In five flashes of light, my team materialized in the guild hall:
Zephyr, my Pidgeot, appeared with a mighty cry, spreading his magnificent wings that nearly spanned the width of the guild hall.
Sun, my Primeape, landed with a thud, immediately bouncing on his feet and throwing practice punches at the air.
Blaze, my Arcanine, shook out his majestic mane, earning appreciative gasps from several guild members.
Kaisel, my Scizor, clicked his metallic pincers together, his red exoskeleton gleaming in the guild lights.
And finally, Rayna, my Tyranitar, stomped one foot on the ground, causing a small tremor to run through the building.
The guild fell silent for a moment, then exploded with excitement.
"That bird is HUGE!" Happy exclaimed, flying circles around Zephyr, who watched the blue Exceed with curious eyes.
"The red one looks tough," Erza said, already eyeing Kaisel's blade-like pincers with professional interest.
Natsu had predictably made a beeline for Blaze, his eyes wide with wonder. "This one's smells delicious! Hey, can I eat it?"
"Absolutely not," I said firmly, placing a hand on Blaze's neck. The Arcanine growled softly at Natsu, but I could tell he was more curious than threatened.
"Each Pokémon has different types and abilities," I explained as guild members cautiously approached my team. "Zephyr is a Flying type, Master of the skies. Sun specializes in Fighting techniques. Blaze is a Fire-type, with flames that can melt boulders easily. Kaisel combines Bug and Steel qualities for incredible defense and precision. And Rayna is a Rock and Dark type powerhouse that can trigger sandstorms with a thought."
"And Astra?" Makarov asked, studying the floating Mewtwo with intensity.
"Psychic type," I replied. "Capable of telepathy, telekinesis, mind reading, and energy manipulation on a scale that defies logic."
"These Pokémon," Makarov said thoughtfully, "they seem to possess intelligence comparable to humans."
"Some even surpass humans," I confirmed. "Especially the legendaries like Astra. They chose to partner with me, to fight alongside me."
"And you were the strongest?" Laxus asked, finally joining the conversation as he approached, eyeing Rayna with grudging respect.
"Of course."
"Speaking of that," Gildarts said with a laugh, "I'd like to see what these creatures can really do. How about a demonstration outside?"
Natsu immediately perked up. "Yeah! Let's see them fight!"
I exchanged glances with my team, who all showed varying signs of eagerness—even the usually reserved Kaisel clicked his pincers with interest.
"What do you say, Master?" I asked, turning to Makarov. "A little exhibition match to show what Pokémon battles are all about?"
Makarov's eyes twinkled with curiosity. "I think that would be most educational."
"Just try not to destroy the town," Ur added dryly, adjusting Cornelius in her arms.
"No promises," I grinned, feeling the familiar excitement of an upcoming battle. "Fairy Tail hasn't seen anything like this before."
The guild erupted in cheers and excited chatter as everyone began filing outside to the training grounds behind the building.
I'm home.
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