Katsuki Bakugo, blissfully unaware that his childhood rival and lifelong benchmark, Izuku Midoriya, was currently undergoing his own traumatic, dimension-spanning displacement on a distant, hostile continent, found himself in a rare state of… relative calm. The rescue mission to Ignis, and the subsequent, unexpectedly tender (if still mortifyingly awkward) interactions with Mirajane, had left him in a strange, contemplative mood. The usual restless, explosive energy that thrummed beneath his skin was still there, but it was… quieter. Subdued.
He had returned to the Fairy Tail guild hall after the Ignis mission and the wildflower incident, his mind still trying to process the whirlwind of emotions. He'd eaten another substantial meal (Mirajane had insisted, her smile knowing and just a little too sweet), and then, instead of immediately seeking out another job or retreating to his apartment, he had found himself… lingering.
He was lounging at the bar – or rather, leaning against it with his usual attempt at aggressive nonchalance, though his posture was more relaxed than usual. He nursed a mug of water (he still refused to touch the ale most of the guild seemed to subsist on), and for once, he was actually listening to the stories and conversations swirling around him, rather than just tuning them out as background noise.
His super-armor from Heart Kreuz was fully paid for, the commission underway. The head tailor had promised it in a week. One week. It felt like an eternity, but also, now that the relentless financial pressure was off, like a strangely liberating expanse of time. He had Jewel to spare, a roof over his head (that he could actually get into now, thanks to Mirajane eventually, teasingly, returning his key after the breakfast incident), and no immediate, life-or-death crises demanding his explosive intervention. It was… an unfamiliar sensation. Downtime.
And as luck, or perhaps the chaotic narrative currents of Fairy Tail, would have it, his downtime coincided with the return of a legend.
The guild hall doors had burst open earlier that day, not with a crash, but with a strange, almost comical series of structural readjustments. Walls seemed to shift, doorways widened, furniture rearranged itself with a series of groans and creaks. Then, through the newly reconfigured entrance, a towering, immensely powerful, and surprisingly cheerful man with a rugged beard, a prosthetic arm and leg, and an aura of almost unimaginable magical power had strode in: Gildarts Clive, Fairy Tail's Ace, back from one of his notoriously long and incredibly dangerous S-Class (or rather, SS-Class, or even higher) solo missions.
The guild had erupted in a frenzy of welcoming cheers, Natsu immediately trying (and failing spectacularly) to challenge him to a fight. Gildarts, with his easygoing charm and his unfortunate habit of accidentally destroying everything around him (hence the "Gildarts Shift," the magical phenomenon where the town and guild literally reconfigured themselves to accommodate his passage), had just laughed, ruffled Natsu's hair, and settled in for a massive meal and a long session of storytelling.
Katsuki found himself, much to his own surprise, actually listening with a degree of grudging interest as Gildarts recounted tales of his latest adventure – a preliminary foray into the legendary, unconquered '100-Year Quest.' He spoke of continents no one had ever mapped, of ancient, god-like dragons whose power dwarfed even Acnologia, of magics so potent and primordial they defied comprehension. He spoke of impossible challenges, of near-certain death, of the sheer, exhilarating thrill of pushing beyond all known limits.
It was… impressive. Even Katsuki, with his monumental ego, had to admit that this Gildarts guy was on a whole other level. His power was palpable, a crushing, almost suffocating presence even when he was just sitting and eating. And his stories, though delivered with a casual, almost self-deprecating humor, hinted at a world of threats and wonders far beyond anything Katsuki had yet encountered in Fiore.
The 100-Year Quest… The name itself resonated with Katsuki's own relentless drive. A challenge so great, so impossible, that no one had conquered it in a century. It sounded… like something worth aiming for. Eventually. After he got his damn armor.
So, Katsuki lounged, listened, and bided his time. He observed the chaotic, familial interactions of the guild with a new, slightly less jaundiced eye. He felt Mirajane's gaze on him sometimes, warm and knowing, and it still made his ears burn, but it wasn't entirely unpleasant anymore. He even, on one occasion, found himself almost – almost – engaging in a non-hostile conversation with Erza about different types of explosive enchantments (though it had quickly devolved into him insisting his Quirk was superior to any magic, and her calmly disagreeing with a logic that was infuriatingly sound).
He was in a strange sort of limbo. The explosive drive was still there, but it was… simmering, rather than boiling over. He was waiting. Waiting for his armor. Waiting for the next big challenge. And perhaps, just perhaps, waiting to see what this strange, new, Fairy Tail chapter of his life, with its unexpected bonds and even more unexpected romantic entanglements, would bring.
He was still the Great Explosion Murder God Dynamight. He still believed in Plus Ultra. But for now, in the warm, noisy, and undeniably welcoming chaos of the Fairy Tail guild hall, he was content to just… be. A temporary truce with the universe, before the next inevitable, glorious explosion. And he remained completely, blissfully, unaware that the first of his old-world ghosts, the one he defined himself against more than any other, was already treading the soil of this new world, beginning his own desperate, heroic journey. The threads of their destinies, though stretched across dimensions, were still, somehow, intertwined.
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The atmosphere in the Fairy Tail guild hall, still buzzing from Gildarts' return and his tales of the 100-Year Quest, shifted again with a new wave of excitement and a touch of melancholy. Team Natsu – Natsu himself, Happy, Lucy, Gray, Erza, and yes, Katsuki now registered with a flicker of detached observation, Wendy Marvell and her Exceed companion Carla, who were indeed integral parts of their chaotic but effective unit – were preparing to depart. They were taking on the 100-Year Quest. Or at least, they were going to try.
Katsuki watched them from his usual perch at the bar, a mug of water untouched in his hand. He saw the excitement in Natsu's eyes, the determination in Erza's, the nervous anticipation in Lucy's. He saw the quiet resolve in Wendy and the stoic professionalism of Gray (who was, for once, fully clothed for the occasion, a testament to the seriousness of the undertaking). They were heading to Guiltina, that distant, dangerous continent Gildarts had spoken of, to face challenges that had broken countless mages before them.
Part of him, the part that craved battle and a true test of his power, felt a pang of… something. Not jealousy, exactly. More like… impatient anticipation. He wasn't ready for something like that yet, not without his proper armor, not without a better understanding of this world and its true threats. But someday… someday he would face challenges like that. He would prove he was Number One, even on a 100-Year Quest.
He watched as they said their goodbyes, the guild hall filled with a mixture of cheers, well-wishes, and a few tearful farewells. He saw Natsu try to give Gildarts one last, ill-advised challenge (and get effortlessly flicked across the room for his troubles). He saw Lucy hug Levy tightly. He saw Erza share a quiet, serious word with Makarov.
And he saw Mirajane, her smile warm and encouraging, wish them all a safe journey, though her eyes lingered on Natsu with a particular, almost sisterly fondness that Katsuki found… strangely un-annoying.
Then, they were gone, the guild hall doors closing behind them, leaving a noticeable void in the usual level of chaos. The energy in the room seemed to dip, a collective sigh passing through the remaining members.
Katsuki just turned back to the bar, his gaze settling on Mirajane as she resumed her work, her movements efficient and graceful as she tidied up, served the remaining patrons, and generally kept the guild running. He found himself just… watching her. The way the light caught her white hair, the gentle curve of her smile when she spoke to someone, the surprising strength in her hands as she wiped down the counter. It was… distracting. In a way that wasn't entirely unpleasant.
Hours passed. The initial excitement of Team Natsu's departure faded, replaced by the usual rhythm of guild life. Katsuki remained at the bar, nursing his water, occasionally exchanging a gruff word or two with Mirajane when she wasn't busy. He was biding his time, waiting for his armor, observing, processing.
Later in the afternoon, Max Alors, one of the guild's sand mages and a generally cheerful, if somewhat overenthusiastic, presence, approached the center of the hall, a trio of nervous-looking individuals trailing behind him.
"Alright everyone, listen up!" Max called out, a wide grin on his face. "Got some fresh faces looking to join our happy Fairy Tail family! Let's give 'em a warm welcome!"
The guild members, always eager for new blood (and potential new sparring partners, or drinking buddies), offered a ragged chorus of cheers and welcoming gestures. Katsuki just grunted, barely glancing up from his contemplation of a particularly interesting knot in the bar's wood grain. More damn extras.
Two of the newcomers were unremarkable-looking young men, their expressions a mixture of awe and trepidation as they took in the chaotic energy of the guild hall. The third was a young woman with wide, almost unnervingly bright eyes and an air of intense, focused energy.
One of the young men, puffed up with a misplaced sense of importance, began to speak, his voice loud and grating. "Yeah, we're here to join the famous Fairy Tail! Heard you guys were the strongest, though, frankly, some of these other guilds around Fiore, like… Lamia Scale? Blue Pegasus? Bunch of posers, if you ask me. Hardly even worth calling themselves mages compared to what we're gonna bring to the table…"
His arrogant, dismissive words about other guilds, guilds that Fairy Tail, for all their rivalries, generally respected, immediately cast a chill over the room. Several members frowned. Makarov, who had been enjoying a quiet cup of tea, looked up, his expression darkening.
Before anyone else could react, a flash of yellow lightning, so fast it was almost a blur, arced through the air from the second-floor balcony. It didn't strike the degrading newcomer directly, but it impacted the floor right in front of his feet with a deafening CRACK, sending splinters of wood flying and leaving a smoking, ozone-scented scorch mark.
The arrogant young man yelped, stumbling backwards, his face paling in terror. His equally loudmouthed companion looked like he was about to faint.
Laxus Dreyar, Makarov's grandson and one of Fairy Tail's S-Class mages, stood on the balcony, his arms crossed, his expression one of cold, disdainful fury, a single, golden eye glaring down at the terrified recruits. "You got something to say about other guilds, pipsqueak?" Laxus's voice was a low, dangerous rumble, like distant thunder. "Maybe you should learn some damn respect before you open your mouth in my guild hall. Or I'll shut it for you. Permanently."
The two arrogant young men, thoroughly cowed and clearly regretting their life choices, didn't need a second invitation. They yelped again, turned tail, and practically tripped over each other in their haste to flee the guild hall, their dreams of Fairy Tail glory evaporating in a cloud of fear and ozone.
Max sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Well… so much for those two."
The last recruit, however, the young woman with the intense eyes, hadn't flinched. She simply stared up at Laxus with an unreadable expression, then, as he turned away with a dismissive snort, she stepped forward, her gaze sweeping across the remaining guild members.
"My apologies for their… lack of decorum," she said, her voice surprisingly clear and steady. "They do not speak for me." She then bowed deeply. "My name is Touka. And I have come to join Fairy Tail… because of Natsu Dragneel!"
Her eyes suddenly lit up with an almost fanatical, unnervingly bright gleam. "Natsu-sama! He is the most wonderful, most powerful, most magnificent mage in all of Fiore! He saved me, you see! A year ago, before Fairy Tail was reformed, I was attacked by bandits, vile creatures who sought to… to defile me! And then, like a blazing comet of hope, Natsu-sama appeared! He defeated them all with his glorious fire, his incredible strength! He saved my life, my honor! I have dedicated myself to him ever since! I must be by his side! I must join his guild!"
She looked around wildly, her gaze almost manic. "Where is he?! Where is Natsu-sama?! I must see him! I must declare my undying devotion!"
A rather awkward silence fell over the guild hall. Katsuki, who had been observing this new drama with a mixture of disgust (at the first two recruits) and bewildered contempt (at Touka's Natsu-obsession), just rolled his eyes. Another damn weirdo. This guild was a magnet for them.
It was Makarov who finally spoke, his voice gentle but firm. He hopped down to stand before Touka. "Welcome to Fairy Tail, young lady. Your… enthusiasm… is noted." He paused, then his expression grew slightly regretful. "However, I am afraid you have… just missed Natsu. He and his team departed earlier today. For a rather… extended mission."
Touka's face fell, her earlier manic energy deflating like a punctured balloon. "Departed? For… for how long? Where did Natsu-sama go?" Her voice was filled with a desperate, almost tragic disappointment.
Makarov looked at her with a sympathetic sigh. "They have undertaken the 100-Year Quest, my child. In Guiltina. It is… a journey from which many do not return, and those who do are often gone for a very, very long time."
Touka stared at him, her wide, bright eyes filling with tears. Natsu-sama… gone? On a quest that could take years, or even… forever? The romantic obsession that had driven her to Fairy Tail had just collided with a harsh, unyielding reality. And Katsuki Bakugo, watching from the bar, just shook his head. This damn guild and its never-ending soap operas. He really needed that armor. And maybe a very, very long nap. In a soundproof room. On another planet.
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Katsuki had been trying his best to ignore the unfolding drama of the Natsu-obsessed newcomer, Touka. It was just another layer of irritating, emotional bullshit that seemed to permeate the very air of Fairy Tail. He was nursing his water, mentally calculating how many more 'controlled demolition' or 'discreet pest control' jobs he'd have to endure before his super-armor was ready, when Touka's tearful, almost worshipful descriptions of "Natsu-sama" finally grated on his last nerve.
He'd seen Natsu up close. He'd fought Natsu. He'd smelled Natsu (a not-altogether-pleasant combination of fire, sweat, and singed fish). And this girl's fanatical, almost deifying portrayal of the idiotic Fire Dragon Slayer was… nauseating.
He pushed himself off the barstool, his patience finally snapping. He strode over to the still-distraught Touka, who was being awkwardly consoled by a sympathetic (but clearly bewildered) Lisanna. Katsuki ignored Lisanna, his crimson eyes, narrowed and skeptical, fixing directly on Touka.
"Oi, you," he barked, his voice cutting through her sniffles. "You're obsessed with Natsu, huh? Say he saved you, that he's so damn 'magnificent'?" He crossed his arms, his expression one of utter disdain. "Alright then, prove it. If you're so damn devoted, if you were really that close to him… tell me what he smells like!"
It was a classic Bakugo challenge – blunt, unexpected, and designed to expose perceived weakness or falsehood. He expected her to stammer, to guess, to perhaps describe the generic scent of fire or smoke.
Touka looked up at him, her tear-filled eyes wide with surprise at his sudden, aggressive interrogation. But then, a dreamy, almost ecstatic expression spread across her face, her earlier distress momentarily forgotten as she launched into a surprisingly detailed, if somewhat… peculiar, olfactory description.
"Oh, Natsu-sama!" she sighed, clasping her hands together as if in prayer. "His scent! It's… it's divine! It's like warm, freshly caught river fish, with just a hint of… of sweet, blue catnip! And sometimes, when he's been flying, there's a faint, exhilarating aroma of… of wind and freedom, and maybe a tiny bit of… of the fur of a very loyal, very brave, sky-blue companion!" She closed her eyes, inhaling deeply as if savoring a phantom aroma. "It's the most comforting, most heroic scent in all of Fiore!"
Katsuki stared at her, his initial aggressive skepticism slowly morphing into a look of profound, almost horrified, disbelief. Fish? Catnip? Blue fur? That wasn't Natsu. That was…
"Huh!?" he finally managed, his voice a mixture of incredulity and dawning, terrible realization. He pointed a shaking finger at Touka, his eyes wide. "Warm fish? Blue catnip? Sky-blue companion? You're… you're talking about HAPPY, you damn idiot!"
The name, Happy, Natsu's ever-present, talking, flying blue Exceed companion, hung in the air.
Touka blinked, her dreamy expression faltering into one of confusion. "Happy…? Who… who is Happy, Bakugo-sama?" (She'd clearly picked up on his name and apparent authority from the surrounding whispers). "Natsu-sama was the one who saved me! He was brave, and fiery, and he had these wonderful… wings! And he offered me a fish! A truly delicious fish!"
Katsuki's jaw dropped. He looked from Touka's earnest, confused face to the equally bewildered expressions of the surrounding Fairy Tail members, who were now struggling to suppress a fresh wave of disbelieving laughter. Mirajane, behind the bar, had her hand clasped over her mouth, her shoulders shaking, though whether from mirth or horror, it was hard to tell.
"Wings?!" Katsuki sputtered, his mind reeling from the sheer, mind-boggling stupidity of it all. "He offered you a fish?! You… you mean to tell me… Don't tell me you don't even know HAPPY'S NAME?! The damn talking cat who carries Natsu everywhere?! The one who probably did most of the 'saving' by, oh I don't know, flying your pathetic ass out of danger while Natsu was busy setting fire to the bandits AND the surrounding forest?!"
He ran a hand through his hair, a sound that was dangerously close to a hysterical laugh escaping him. This was beyond parody. This girl hadn't fallen in love with Natsu Dragneel, the powerful, idiotic Fire Dragon Slayer. She'd fallen in love with his cat. Or rather, she'd mistaken the cat, Happy, for Natsu himself, attributing all of Natsu's (and Happy's combined) heroic deeds to a single, fish-scented, catnip-loving entity with wings.
The implications were so staggeringly, beautifully idiotic that Katsuki almost couldn't process them. All that fanatical devotion, all that talk of "Natsu-sama's glorious fire," all directed at a small, blue, talking feline who was currently hundreds, if not thousands, of miles away, probably trying to steal fish from Lucy on the 100-Year Quest.
"You…" Katsuki finally managed, pointing at Touka again, his voice a mixture of utter disbelief, dawning horror, and a strange, almost manic amusement. "…are a special kind of stupid, aren't you?"
Touka just looked at him, her lower lip beginning to tremble again, fresh tears welling in her wide, confused eyes. "B-but… Natsu-sama… he was so brave… and he flew… and the fish…"
The Fairy Tail guild, no longer able to contain itself, erupted. Not in cheers this time, but in peals of helpless, incredulous, and utterly unrestrained laughter. Even Makarov was chuckling into his teacup, shaking his head at the sheer, wonderful absurdity of it all.
Katsuki Bakugo just stared at the crying, Natsu-cat-obsessed girl, then around at the laughing, weeping, utterly chaotic guild hall. He'd thought he'd seen it all in Fairy Tail. He had been wrong. So, so wrong. This place… this place was a goddamn goldmine of comedic, tragic, and utterly unbelievable human (and Exceed) stupidity. And he was, for better or worse, stuck right in the middle of it. He really, really needed that armor. And maybe a very strong drink. Or possibly just a direct, explosive flight into the sun.
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Katsuki's blunt, if accurate, assessment – "You are a special kind of stupid, aren't you?" – delivered with his usual lack of finesse but fueled by sheer, incredulous disbelief, seemed to strike Touka with the force of a physical blow. Her tear-filled eyes, which had been wide with confused distress, suddenly took on a different light. It wasn't anger, not exactly. It was something more akin to… a critical system failure. The carefully constructed fantasy, the entire foundation of her Natsu-sama obsession, had just been brutally, publicly, and irrefutably debunked by this terrifying, explosive blond.
Her lower lip trembled violently. A strange, shimmering aura, faint at first, then rapidly intensifying, began to envelop her. The air around her crackled with an unfamiliar energy.
"N-no…" she stammered, her voice cracking. "Natsu-sama… he… he was brave… he did fly… the fish… it was… it was…"
Her form began to waver, to shrink. Her features softened, her limbs shortened. The intense, almost manic light in her human eyes faded, replaced by something smaller, furrier, and distinctly… feline.
And then, with a soft, almost pathetic poof and a final, tearful whimper of "Natsu-samaaa…", Touka, the Natsu-obsessed human girl, de-transformed.
Standing in her place, looking small, bewildered, and utterly miserable, was a white Exceed. A fluffy, white cat with large, tear-filled blue eyes and a pair of small, trembling wings, currently clutching a tiny, invisible fish to her chest in a gesture of profound, heartbroken despair.
The raucous laughter that had been echoing through the Fairy Tail guild hall died an instant, brutal death, replaced by a silence so profound it was almost deafening. Every jaw, which had been aching from mirth, now hung agape in stunned, absolute disbelief.
Katsuki Bakugo himself just stared, his own earlier incredulity now dwarfed by a new, even more monumental level of "what-the-actual-FUCK-is-happening-now." He'd called her stupid for mistaking Happy for Natsu. He hadn't expected her to… to turn into a goddamn cat herself! Another one! This world was lousy with talking, flying, and apparently, shapeshifting felines!
The pieces clicked into place with a horrifying, almost comical clarity for everyone present.
Touka wasn't just obsessed with Natsu because she'd mistaken Happy for him. Touka was an Exceed, just like Happy and Carla. And she had, in her own star-struck, hero-worshipping, and perhaps slightly unhinged Exceed way, developed a massive, interspecies crush on Natsu, likely imprinting on him (or rather, on Happy, who she thought was Natsu) during that fateful rescue. Her human form was just that – a transformation, a disguise.
The earlier description of Natsu's scent – fish, catnip, the fur of a loyal companion – now made perfect, if deeply bizarre, sense. She hadn't been describing Natsu at all. She had been describing, with poignant accuracy, the scent of another Exceed – Happy. And her insistence on Natsu's "wings" was now glaringly obvious.
Mirajane, who had been trying to stifle her giggles behind her hand, now looked utterly aghast, her expression a mixture of dawning horror and profound, almost maternal pity for the small, heartbroken white cat currently sniffling at her feet.
"Oh, you poor dear," Mira whispered, kneeling down, her earlier amusement completely gone, replaced by genuine compassion.
The other guild members were equally stunned into silence. Levy just shook her head slowly, a look of profound understanding dawning on her face. Even Makarov looked momentarily speechless, stroking his mustache with a bewildered expression.
Katsuki just stood there, his brain feeling like it had been put through a cement mixer. He had, through a combination of bluntness and accidental insight, just triggered an interspecies identity crisis and a heartbreaking romantic revelation. He had set out to expose what he thought was simple stupidity, and had instead uncovered a level of tragic, adorable, and deeply weird Exceed-related drama that he was utterly unprepared to deal with.
The small, white Exceed – Touka – looked up at him, her large blue eyes swimming with fresh tears, a tiny, heartbroken hiccup escaping her. "B-but… Natsu-sama… he… he really did give Juvia a fish…" she sniffled, confusing her assumed human name with Juvia Lockser's in her distress. No, that wasn't right. She was Touka, and he'd given her a fish. It was all so confusing now.
Katsuki Bakugo, the Great Explosion Murder God Dynamight, just stared down at the crying, heartbroken, shapeshifting cat-girl who had a massive crush on Natsu (or possibly Natsu's cat) and had just had her entire worldview shattered by his accidental verbal assault.
He had absolutely no idea what to do. None. For possibly the first time in his entire explosive, chaotic life, he was rendered utterly, completely, and terrifyingly speechless by the sheer, unadulterated weirdness of Fairy Tail.
He really, really needed that armor. And maybe a one-way ticket to a dimension that didn't involve talking cats, shapeshifters, or confusing romantic subplots. This was getting way too complicated.
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Katsuki stared at the small, sniffling white Exceed that was Touka, his mind still struggling to process the sheer, mind-bending absurdity of the situation. A human girl obsessed with Natsu, who turned out to be an Exceed obsessed with Happy (whom she thought was Natsu)… it was a level of romantic and interspecies confusion that made his own recent entanglements with Mirajane seem almost straightforward by comparison. Almost.
The rest of the guild was still in a state of stunned, sympathetic silence, watching the heartbroken little Exceed with a mixture of pity and dawning understanding. But Katsuki, while momentarily poleaxed by the weirdness, wasn't one for prolonged bouts of sentimental paralysis. He had questions. And he usually got answers, one way or another.
He crouched down, his crimson eyes, though still holding a hint of bewildered disbelief, now also held a flicker of his usual blunt, analytical curiosity. He looked at the small, white Exceed, who was currently trying to wipe her tear-filled blue eyes with a tiny, fluffy paw.
"So?" Katsuki began, his voice still gruff, but lacking its usual aggressive bite. He was talking to a crying cat-person, after all. There was a limit to how much explosive intimidation was appropriate, even for him. "You're here because of… Happy, then. Not Natsu. Fine. Whatever. But why the whole damn human disguise? And why join Fairy Tail now? Aside from stalking Natsu's cat, what's your deal?"
Before Touka could even manage a coherent, tearful reply, Katsuki, with a surprising, almost unthinking gentleness that belied his usual rough demeanor, reached out. He didn't pat her head or offer a comforting word. Instead, he very carefully, almost delicately, cupped her small, fluffy Exceed head in his large, calloused hand – the same hand that could unleash devastating explosions – and lifted her.
Touka let out a tiny, surprised squeak, her wings fluttering in momentary panic, but Katsuki's grip, though firm, was surprisingly gentle. He carried her, much like one might carry a particularly precious, if somewhat emotionally unstable, kitten, over to the bar. He then carefully placed her on the polished wood of the countertop, right in front of a still-slightly-stunned Mirajane.
"Oi, Mira," he barked, his attention shifting to the barmaid, his usual demanding tone returning, though it was now tinged with a strange, almost paternal (or perhaps, 'exasperated older brother') protectiveness towards the sniffling Exceed. "Get her some food. Something warm. Milk, maybe? Or fish? Whatever these damn flying cats eat. On me." He jerked a thumb at Touka. "She looks like she's about to dehydrate from all the goddamn crying."
Mirajane, recovering quickly from her own surprise at Katsuki's unexpectedly tender (if still characteristically blunt) handling of the situation, nodded, her expression softening with genuine compassion for the heartbroken little Exceed. "Of course, Katsuki. Right away." She began to prepare a small saucer of warm milk and a few slivers of cooked fish.
Katsuki then turned his attention back to Touka, who was now looking up at him with wide, tear-filled, and utterly bewildered blue eyes, clutching the imaginary fish to her chest. He crossed his arms, his expression a mixture of impatience, reluctant sympathy, and a deep-seated suspicion that there was still more to this bizarre story.
"Alright, cat-girl," he said, his voice a low grumble. "Spill it. What's the real reason you're here, aside from your misguided Natsu-Happy-whatever-the-hell-it-is obsession? And what's with the human form?" He tapped his chin thoughtfully, his mind, always quick to jump to dramatic, often violent, conclusions, latching onto a trope he'd probably absorbed from some of Deku's weirder hero comics.
"Don't tell me," he said, his crimson eyes narrowing, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial, almost serious tone. "Your human form… it's not really you, is it? It's some kind of… ghost? A spirit? Trying to possess you every time you transform? And you came to Fairy Tail because you heard we have mages, maybe an enchantress or something, capable of releasing her, of exorcising the damn thing from your furry little body? Is that it? Is that why you were so desperate to find Natsu? Maybe you thought his 'glorious fire' could burn out the evil spirit?"
He delivered this elaborate, entirely fabricated theory with a conviction that was almost impressive in its sheer, out-of-left-field creativity. He looked at Touka expectantly, as if he'd just cracked a complex, supernatural case.
Touka just stared at him, her sniffling momentarily forgotten, her small, whiskered face a mask of utter, uncomprehending confusion. She blinked her large blue eyes slowly. Then, she tilted her head, a tiny, perplexed "Mew?" escaping her.
The surrounding Fairy Tail members, who had been listening with a mixture of sympathy and dawning amusement, now collectively lost it. Cana choked on her drink, sputtering with laughter. Lucy buried her face in her hands again, her shoulders shaking. Even Gajeel, who had been trying to look intimidatingly stoic, let out a snort that sounded suspiciously like a suppressed guffaw.
Mirajane, who had just placed the saucer of warm milk and fish in front of Touka, managed to maintain her composure, but her eyes were dancing with an almost unbearable amount of mirth. "Katsuki-kun," she said, her voice trembling slightly, "while your… creative theorizing… is certainly… vivid… I believe the truth about Exceed transformations might be a little less… spectral possession, and a little more… inherent magical ability."
Katsuki just scowled, his cheeks flushing slightly as he realized his elaborate ghost-possession theory might have been a bit… off-base. "Well, how the hell was I supposed to know?!" he grumbled. "This world is full of weirder shit than that! Talking cats that can fly and apparently fall in love with other talking cats they think are fire-breathing humans! Why not ghost possessions too?!"
He glared at the still-confused Touka, who was now tentatively sniffing at the saucer of milk. "Fine! Whatever! Just… eat your damn fish, cat-girl. And then tell me why you're really here. Before I lose what's left of my goddamn sanity dealing with all you Fairy Tail freaks and your never-ending supply of bizarre emotional baggage!"
The saga of Touka, the Exceed with a case of mistaken identity and a broken heart, was far from over. And Katsuki Bakugo, much to his chagrin, found himself once again at the epicenter of Fairy Tail's unique brand of heartwarming, heartbreaking, and utterly, wonderfully, insane chaos.
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The guild hall, which had been echoing with suppressed (and not-so-suppressed) laughter at Katsuki's outlandish ghost-possession theory, fell into a sudden, sharp, and utterly disbelieving silence. Touka, the small white Exceed, who had been tentatively sipping her milk, froze. Her large blue eyes, still shimmering with unshed tears, slowly lifted to meet Katsuki's impatient, scowling gaze.
A tiny, almost imperceptible shiver ran through her fluffy white fur. She looked around the suddenly quiet guild hall, at the faces of the Fairy Tail mages now fixed on her with a new, intense curiosity, their earlier amusement evaporating like mist in the sun.
Then, she looked back at Katsuki, and a single, crystalline tear rolled down her cheek and splashed into the saucer of milk.
Her voice, when she finally spoke, was no longer the confused whimper of a heartbroken fangirl. It was small, yes, but it was filled with a chilling, desperate gravity that made the hairs on the back of everyone's neck stand up.
"How…" she whispered, her gaze locked on Katsuki, a flicker of something – fear? awe? horrified recognition? – in her tear-filled eyes. "…How did you know?"
Katsuki blinked. His scowl faltered. He had… he had actually gotten it right? His completely off-the-wall, pulled-from-the-depths-of-his-ass theory about a possessing spirit… was true? He had just been spitballing, throwing out the most ridiculous, over-the-top explanation he could think of, mostly out of sheer frustration and a desire to move the conversation past the Natsu-Happy love triangle. He hadn't, for a single, solitary second, actually believed it himself.
"Wait… what?" he stammered, his own carefully constructed aggressive composure momentarily deserting him. "You're… you're kidding me, right, cat-girl? That was just… bullshit I made up! There's no actual… ghost trying to wear your fur-suit, is there?"
Touka shook her head, another tear tracing a path through her white fur. "Not… not a ghost," she whispered, her voice trembling. "But… yes. The human form… it is… her. Faris."
The name, Faris, hung in the air, heavy and ominous.
"She… she isn't me," Touka continued, her voice barely audible now, filled with a profound, weary sadness. "She… she wants to control me. She uses my magic, my ability to transform, for… for her own purposes." Touka's small body trembled. "She… she is the one who brought me here. To Fairy Tail."
A collective gasp went through the guild hall. Mirajane, her earlier amusement completely gone, her expression now one of sharp, protective concern, leaned closer. "Touka-chan," she said gently, "what purposes? Why did Faris bring you here?"
Touka looked up at Mirajane, then around at the concerned faces of the Fairy Tail mages, her eyes filled with a desperate, almost unbearable guilt. "She… she came to Fairy Tail… to… to annihilate you," she choked out, the words tumbling out in a rush of fear and confession. "All of you. She believes Fairy Tail mages are… a threat. A blight. She wants to… to 'purify' the world of your magic."
A wave of shock and anger rippled through the guild. Annihilate them? Purify the world of their magic? This Faris sounded like a fanatic, a dangerous one.
"But that's not all," Touka whispered, her gaze dropping to her tiny paws. "There's… there's someone else she's after. Someone specific." She took a shaky breath. "She wants to steal the magic of… of the disgrace… Jellal Fernandes."
The name Jellal sent another, colder shockwave through the room. Jellal Fernandes. The former Wizard Saint, the former member of the Magic Council, the one who had been manipulated by Ultear, who had tried to resurrect Zeref, who had caused so much pain, yet who had also, in recent times, been seeking redemption, working from the shadows to atone for his past sins. He was a controversial figure, a powerful one, and one whose path had crossed with Fairy Tail's on numerous, often painful, occasions.
Laxus, who had been observing the entire exchange from the balcony with a thunderous scowl, suddenly straightened, his golden eye blazing. "Jellal? What the hell does this 'Faris' want with him? And how does a spirit possessing a damn cat plan to take on someone like Jellal, let alone an entire guild?"
Touka flinched at Laxus's harsh tone, but she continued, her voice filled with a desperate urgency. "Faris… she is not just a spirit. She is… powerful. She can… she can absorb magic. She believes Jellal's magic, his Heavenly Body Magic, is the key to her ultimate plan. To… to remake the world." She looked up at Katsuki, her eyes pleading. "The Natsu-sama obsession… that was Faris too. She thought… she thought if she could get close to him, she could use him, control him, turn his power against Fairy Tail. She… she manipulates me, controls my transformations, my words, my actions when she is… dominant."
Katsuki stared at her, his mind reeling. Ghost possession, world purification, magic-stealing, Jellal, Natsu as a pawn… This had escalated from a case of mistaken romantic identity to a full-blown, potentially world-ending supernatural conspiracy in the span of about five minutes. His earlier frustration, his romantic bewilderment, his desire for his super-armor – it all seemed trivial now. This was… this was serious. This was a real threat.
He had, with one sarcastic, off-the-cuff, completely ridiculous guess, stumbled upon the truth. A truth that was far more dangerous, far more insane, than even he could have imagined.
The Fairy Tail guild hall, which had been filled with laughter and romantic speculation just moments before, was now deadly silent, the weight of Touka's revelation pressing down on them all. A new, far more sinister, kind of storm was brewing. And Katsuki Bakugo, the accidental detective, the unwilling confessor, and the Great Explosion Murder God Dynamight, found himself, once again, right in the goddamn eye of it. This was so much worse than just annoying extras. This was a real, honest-to-goodness villain plot. And it had just landed, crying and fluffy, right on their bar.
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Katsuki processed Touka's bombshell revelation, his mind, honed by countless battles and a lifetime of dealing with villains with grandiose, world-altering plans, rapidly shifting from bewildered disbelief to a grim, analytical focus. Annihilation of Fairy Tail. Stealing Jellal's magic. A possessing entity named Faris with the power to absorb magic and a twisted desire to 'purify' the world. This wasn't some petty dark guild causing trouble; this was S-Class, potentially world-ending, threat level.
He looked down at the small, trembling white Exceed on the bar, then around at the stunned, serious faces of the Fairy Tail mages. The earlier levity was gone, replaced by a grim, almost palpable tension.
"So," Katsuki began, his voice a low, dangerous rumble, his earlier teasing completely gone, replaced by the focused intensity of a warrior facing a genuine enemy. He crossed his arms, his crimson eyes narrowed in thought. "A mage – or whatever the hell this 'Faris' thing is – that wants to annihilate. Sounds… familiar." He glanced towards Makarov, then Mirajane. "Sounds a bit like that 'Zeref' asshole some of y'all kept telling me horror stories about. The boogeyman with the instant-death curse and the army of demons."
He tapped a finger against his chin, his mind racing, drawing parallels, trying to categorize this new threat based on the limited information he had about this world's major villains. "If Zeref's whole damn schtick was 'Dark Magic' and creating those 'Etherious' demon things… then this Faris, with her talk of 'purifying' the world, of absorbing magic, of targeting specific powerful mages… it's like the opposite side of the same crazy coin."
He paced a short, aggressive step away from the bar, then back, his energy coiling, his mind working. "She wants to 'white out' magic she doesn't like, huh? Steal power, remake the world in her own twisted image." He snorted, a sound of contempt. "Sounds like a rebellious teenager with too much power and a god complex. But if she can actually absorb magic, if she can control this cat-girl and puppet her around… that makes her dangerous. Very damn dangerous."
He stopped, his gaze sweeping over the assembled Fairy Tail members, a grim understanding dawning in his eyes. He didn't know the full history of this world, didn't understand all its intricate magical lore. He didn't know the true extent of Zeref's evil, or the full power of someone like Jellal. But he understood villains. He understood fanatics. And he understood threats.
"I don't know all the ins and outs of your fancy magic bullshit," he admitted, his voice blunt, addressing the room at large. "I don't know the difference between an Etherious and a damn garden gnome. But I know a psycho bitch with a god complex and a plan to wreck shit when I see one. And this 'Faris'… she sounds like she fits the bill."
He looked back at Touka, who was watching him with wide, fearful eyes. "So, this Faris… she's in you now? Laying low? Waiting for her chance to strike, using your Natsu-obsession as a cover?"
Touka nodded miserably, fresh tears welling. "S-sometimes… I can feel her… watching, listening… through my eyes. She… she gets stronger when I'm emotional, when I'm… when I'm thinking about Natsu-sama… It's how she… tricked me into coming here, into wanting to be close to him. She… she fed my delusion."
Katsuki's jaw tightened. Manipulation. Exploitation of an innocent's emotions. That was a classic villain move. It pissed him off. Royally.
"Right," he said, his voice hard. "So, we've got a magical parasite with a world domination fetish hiding inside a lovesick flying cat, planning to use one of our own idiots as a weapon to destroy us, and then go after some other super-powered pretty boy to steal his mojo." He summed it up with brutal, concise accuracy. "Just another Tuesday in Fairy Tail, huh?"
He then looked at Makarov, at Mirajane, at Laxus who was still observing from the balcony with a thunderous expression. "So? What's the damn plan? We gonna wait for this Faris to make her move? Or are we gonna drag this possessor bitch out of the cat and send her packing back to whatever hellhole she crawled out of?"
His earlier desire for his super-armor, for rest, for a simple life (or as simple as his life could ever be) was momentarily forgotten. A real threat had emerged. A villain with a plan. And Katsuki Bakugo, the Great Explosion Murder God Dynamight, hero from another world, newly minted (and still slightly bewildered) member of Fairy Tail, felt a familiar, almost comforting surge of battle readiness.
This 'Faris' wanted to annihilate? She wanted to steal power? She wanted to purify the world?
"Heh," Katsuki let out a low, dangerous chuckle. "Sounds like she's picked a fight with the wrong goddamn guild. And the wrong goddamn explosive hedgehog."
The game had changed again. And this time, it wasn't just about spars or personal vendettas. This was about protecting his new, infuriating, and unexpectedly important… family. And Katsuki was ready to bring the full, unadulterated, Plus Ultra fury of Dynamight to the party. This Faris had no idea what she'd just walked into.
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Katsuki's blunt, aggressive assessment of the Faris-Touka situation, and his immediate, almost eager, readiness to confront the threat, seemed to galvanize the Fairy Tail guild. The initial shock and confusion gave way to a rising tide of anger, determination, and the familiar, almost comforting, buzz of impending battle.
"She wants to annihilate US?!"
"And go after Jellal? That's… bold. And stupid."
"A spirit possessing an Exceed? How does that even work?"
"We can't let her get away with this! We gotta protect Touka-chan!"
"And kick this Faris's ass back to whatever dark dimension she crawled from!"
The guild members clamored, their voices a mixture of outrage and a fierce, protective loyalty. This wasn't just some abstract threat; this was personal. Faris had infiltrated their home, manipulated an innocent, and threatened their very existence. That, in Fairy Tail, was an unforgivable offense.
Makarov raised a hand, his expression grave, and a semblance of order slowly returned. "Easy, my children! Panic and reckless action will not serve us here. We have a delicate situation, and a dangerous, unknown enemy."
Laxus finally descended from the balcony, his golden eye blazing with a cold fury. "So, what's the plan, Gramps? This 'Faris' is using the little cat as a Trojan horse. We can't just blast her without hurting the kid."
"Indeed," Makarov agreed, his gaze troubled as he looked at the sniffling Touka, who was now being gently comforted by Lisanna and a surprisingly solicitous Cana. "Our first priority must be Touka's safety, and finding a way to separate her from this malevolent entity, Faris."
It was Levy McGarden, her brow furrowed in thought, her hand already reaching for a satchel filled with ancient texts, who voiced the immediate, critical problem. "Master… to separate a possessing spirit, especially one that seems to be so deeply entwined with its host and capable of absorbing magic… we would need a powerful enchantress. Someone skilled in spiritual cleansing, in severance enchantments…"
Her voice trailed off, and a wave of dawning, dismayed realization swept through the guild.
"Wendy…" Levy whispered, her face paling. "Wendy's our most skilled enchantress when it comes to that kind of delicate, spiritual magic… but she's…"
"…on her way to Guiltina," Erza Scarlet's voice finished, though she wasn't physically present. The implication hung heavy in the air. Team Natsu – Natsu, Happy, Erza herself, Lucy, Gray, Wendy, and Carla – their strongest, most versatile team, the one best equipped to handle both powerful combat and delicate magical interventions, was gone. They were days, perhaps weeks, away, undertaking the perilous 100-Year Quest. And Wendy, the Sky Dragon Slayer, the Mistress of Enchantments, the one person who might have possessed the precise skills needed to safely separate Faris from Touka without harming the innocent Exceed, was with them.
The atmosphere in the guild hall, which had been buzzing with righteous anger and a desire for action, suddenly deflated, replaced by a grim, frustrating sense of helplessness. They had a ticking time bomb in their midst, a dangerous entity with a plan to annihilate them and steal powerful magic, and their primary expert in defusing such spiritual threats was on another continent, engaged in a quest that made their current predicament look like a minor inconvenience.
"So, what you're saying is…" Katsuki began, his voice dangerously low, his earlier battle eagerness now curdling into a familiar, impatient frustration, "…is that we're stuck? We've got a psycho spirit riding shotgun in a cat-girl, plotting world domination, and our one damn specialist who can actually do something about it is off chasing dragons on the other side of the goddamn planet?!"
He slammed a fist onto the bar, making the wood groan. "That's just GREAT! Perfect! What kind of half-assed planning is that?! Don't you people have contingency plans for this kind of bullshit?!"
Makarov sighed, the weight of his responsibility clear on his aged face. "Wendy's skills are indeed unique, Katsuki. And the 100-Year Quest… it is a calling that few can ignore, and one that requires our strongest. We had no way of anticipating… this." He gestured towards the trembling Touka.
Mirajane, her expression grim but resolute, stepped forward. "While Wendy's specific enchantments would be ideal, Master, we are not without other options. Fairy Tail has a vast library of magical knowledge. Levy-chan is an exceptional researcher. And there are other mages in Fiore, perhaps even former members or allies, who might possess forgotten skills in spiritual severance or containment." Her gaze was firm. "We will find a way. We always do."
"But in the meantime?" Laxus interjected, his arms crossed, his expression thunderous. "What do we do with… them?" He nodded towards Touka. "We can't just let Faris run amok. And we can't risk hurting the kid if we try to fight her directly while she's still inside."
It was a stalemate. A dangerous, volatile stalemate. They had a powerful enemy in their midst, an enemy whose full capabilities were still unknown, and their most direct means of neutralizing her primary advantage – her possession of Touka – was currently unavailable.
Katsuki listened to their debate, his frustration mounting. He hated this. He hated waiting. He hated being reliant on others, on some obscure magical solution. He was a man of action, of direct confrontation. But even he could see the problem. If Faris could absorb magic, then a direct magical assault might just make her stronger. And if Touka was an innocent host, then any attack on Faris risked harming her.
"So, we watch her," Katsuki finally said, his voice a low growl. "We keep an eye on the cat-girl. We figure out what triggers this 'Faris' bitch to take control. And we find a way to piss her off enough to show her face, but without letting her suck up all our damn magic like a vacuum cleaner." He paused, a predatory glint in his crimson eyes. "And while you nerds are hitting the books, looking for some fancy enchantment, I'll be figuring out how to blast the living shit out of a magic-absorbing spirit without actually using any goddamn magic she can eat."
It was a Bakugo-esque plan – aggressive, confrontational, and focused on finding a way to apply overwhelming force even in the face of seemingly insurmountable limitations. He didn't know how yet. But he would. Because letting some psycho spirit with a god complex win, just because their best enchantress was on vacation? That wasn't Plus Ultra. That wasn't Dynamight. And that sure as hell wasn't Fairy Tail, as he was slowly, grudgingly, beginning to understand it.
The challenge was set. The enemy was clear. The solution, however, was anything but. And the clock was ticking.