Doragon.
A pink-haired boy dropped from the sky, smashed through the window, and landed perfectly on the floor. Unfortunately, no one was around to admire his grand entrance.
"I swear, Natsu, can't you just use the front door? Why do you always have to fall from the sky?"
Lisanna followed right after, flying through the same window before returning to her human form. She had no hesitation lecturing him, and didn't think there was anything strange about her method of entry.
"Dropping from the sky looks way cooler." Natsu rubbed his chin, suddenly turning into a chibi version of himself as he nodded vigorously.
In his imagination, he saw himself descend from the heavens, shocking everyone, the crowd cheering wildly. Then he compared it to just walking in through the guild's front door—people barely glancing at him before returning to their business.
He shook his head, banishing the thought, then looked at Lisanna seriously.
"Lisanna, that kind of feeling… girls like you wouldn't understand."
"Aye, sir!" Happy chimed in, backing him up without hesitation.
Man and cat formed a united front.
Lisanna twitched, veins popping on her forehead as she ground her teeth.
"Well, isn't that just too bad then!"
"…Wait, Natsu, since when did you get so close with Doragon?" Lisanna asked suspiciously. The two couldn't be more different in personality—how did they suddenly seem so friendly?
"That guy? He's a good person. A good person."
Natsu and Happy exchanged a glance, then spoke in perfect unison. They had been bribed.
"…And what exactly did he do for you two?"
"He treated us to food. Lots of food."
Lisanna: "…"
"I should've known better than to expect anything from you two. But… was it just food?"
"Not only that. He also asked about Natsu's magic and came up with several training plans for him. Said it would help Natsu get stronger," Happy explained after thinking it over.
"Yeah, yeah! That guy's amazing!" Natsu nodded vigorously, remembering Doragon talking about things like excited states of magical particles, fire, wind, air, and all sorts of other things.
He hadn't understood much, but when he followed the instructions, the results were undeniable. He did feel stronger than before.
"…Really? Doragon's that amazing?" Lisanna muttered.
But something felt off. The Dragon Natsu that was describing sounded like a completely different person. In her memory, Doragon was timid, cowardly, and constantly crying—unless he was stuck on some kind of vehicle. Since when had that guy become the wise, knowledgeable figure Natsu and Happy were describing? Where did all that knowledge even come from?
"Lisanna, take me to Edolas! I'm going to find him!"
After confirming Doragon wasn't here, Natsu immediately turned to her with determination.
"…Fine. I was planning to check on things there anyway." Lisanna sighed. She couldn't forget the way Mira had come back from Edolas recently, looking completely lost and broken. She had to find out what was going on with that new Lisanna.
"Let's go."
With a burst of sparks, a man-sized ring tore open in the air, showing a scene from another world.
The moment they stepped through—
A chorus of wailing cries pierced their ears. The noise rattled Natsu's skull, making it ring. Inside the Edolas Fairy Tail guild, chaos reigned: people rushing about with tea, cleaning diapers, singing songs, putting on shows…
It was less like a guild hall and more like a massive daycare center in full swing.
Though in truth, there was only one "baby."
"Oh, Lisanna! You're back! Quick, quick, come help us with Sara!"
The members spotted Lisanna as if they had just found salvation, waving her over desperately.
As for Natsu?
He was a rough brute—naturally ignored.
In just a few moments, Lisanna's arms were stacked with a storybook, two dolls, and a mountain of toys, almost covering her face completely. She struggled to peek over the pile.
"…Sara?"
"Oh, right. Your little sister. Remember when Mira and Erza from Aslant tried that resurrection ritual? In the end, this world's Lisanna wasn't revived. Instead, a girl identical to you appeared—but her mind is like that of a baby."
"Your sister named her Sara, and she's become part of the family."
"She eats, sleeps, cries, then repeats the cycle. Honestly, she's more troublesome than a real baby."
The girls of the guild explained one after another, their dark circles and bloodshot eyes betraying just how much Sara had worn them down.
Lisanna felt a pang of guilt. She respected this world's Mirajane deeply, and by extension, she couldn't help but feel affection for this "little sister" as well. Clutching the toys and book, she threw herself into the battlefield.
"Okay, okay—I'll help!"
Natsu stood dumbfounded as Lisanna was swept away, until a hand tapped him on the shoulder. He turned to see a bright, blonde girl smiling up at him sweetly, hands hidden behind her back in a charming pose.
"Natsu, what are you doing here?"
Natsu's face flushed red. "I—I came to see Doragon. Wait a second… you're Aslant's Lucy!"
Then his eyes flicked to the keys dangling at her waist. Realization struck.
"Hold on, why are you here?"
"I came to study!" Lucy said proudly, suddenly slipping on a pair of glasses and pulling out a book, transforming into a scholarly vision. "I found that Edolas's history overlaps with Aslant's in many ways. Around four hundred years ago, something huge must've happened to cause the divergence."
"These records are vital for understanding Aslant's past! If I can unravel them, do you know how many scholars would lose their minds with excitement?"
Natsu blinked at her. He seemed to understand… but also didn't.
"Forget it. You wouldn't get it even if I explained. So, why are you here?"
"Oh, oh, Lucy—have you seen Doragon? I'm here to train with him!" At the mention of training, Natsu's eyes lit up again.
"…You? Doragon? Training?" Black lines appeared on Lucy's forehead as she mentally compared their vastly different skill levels. "…Did he provoke you or something?"
"Of course not! Doragon's strong! He's teaching me new training methods. Right, Happy?" Natsu quickly dragged Happy in for backup.
(●—●) stare
"…Fine, I'll believe you for now. He's in the guild's basement garage, but he's probably busy right now. Go later, okay?" Lucy relented with a sigh.
"Got it!" Natsu nodded.
"Mira, do you think we should throw a 'birth celebration' for Sara?"
After finally coaxing the baby-minded Lisanna clone to sleep, Lisanna slumped over, exhausted. She had never imagined childcare could be this draining…
Though, of course, Sara wasn't exactly an ordinary baby.
Still, once she caught her breath, she started causing trouble again.
"A birth celebration?!" Both Miras' eyes lit up instantly. Of course! It would be the perfect excuse to hold a big party—and also strengthen ties between the two Fairy Tail guilds.
"Why not hold it in Aslant?" suggested Mirajane.
The Edolas Mira thought it over and agreed. Their guild was still considered a dark guild here, not exactly suited for public gatherings. Aslant was far more prosperous, with easier access to supplies, too.
"Alright, it's settled then. I'll tell the Master and everyone else, see what they think." Lisanna volunteered eagerly.
"No, no, let me do it!" Mira said with a forced smile, shaking her head.
"No, I'll go! It's a good chance to get closer to their guild," Edolas Mira shot back.
The words were spoken, the three locked eyes, sparks flying between them as imaginary flames erupted in the background. Not one of them wanted to give up the chance.
So much for sisterly affection—plastic bonds indeed.
"…Why don't you all just go together? Sara's still asleep, I can look after her alone," suggested Edolas Elfman in a small voice.
The three sisters immediately seized the opportunity, turning to him with dazzling smiles, speaking in perfect unison:
Elfman (Big Brother Elfman), we're counting on you!