Erza and Allen...
Neither knew who the other was, but… they had met. Did that mean something?
Maybe not…
There was no destiny between them because Allen was never supposed to be there in the first place. There was no reason beyond meeting another person important to this world. An impossible encounter but the world had been altered by his existence. Otherwise, this wouldn't have happened.
There was a silent pause between them as if they had silently agreed to size each other up.
"..." Erza observed the man who didn't move from her path and didn't even flinch at her presence.
"..." Allen stared back at the strange woman carrying a giant monster horn like it was a souvenir from a field trip.
The redhead girl gave the young in front of her a slight smile. Erza was intrigued by him. Her own eyes told her Allen was just an ordinary guy who happened to be there by coincidence, and yet, in her mind and soul, he felt different. To her eyes, his gaze spoke of a story deeper than the sea and as vast as the universe.
When Allen saw the beautiful woman with scarlet hair covering one of her eyes smile at him, he smiled back slightly. There was a strange curiosity that pushed him to speak with her. He didn't know who she was or why she was so famous among the spectators, or why she was considered important in this world, or even why he was supposed to meet her—but there was definitely a charm about her that caught his interest.
The day these two met might be something very significant—or just a meaningless event in this world. Only time will tell...
...
Of course, the rest of the world didn't stop just because they were standing still.
The people watching from both sides of the street drew in a sharp breath. No one could understand why Allen wouldn't move out of the way. Did this random guy not know who she was? This woman was Titania, an S-Class mage—the strongest woman in the strongest official guild of the current era, Fairy Tail.
This woman crushed monsters and giant creatures like someone squashing a spider on a wall. She was Erza Scarlet!
How could some random guy get in her way?! Did he have a death wish?!
Lucy was panicking. "Allen, what are you doing?! We need to get out of the way!"
Lucy had spoken with Mirajane the day before about some random things, and the topic of S-Class mages came up. These kinds of mages are considered the elite of the elite. Each guild had its own standards for judging them, but in Fairy Tail, the number of people who held that title could be counted on one hand—and they were extremely powerful. Among them, the only woman was Erza Scarlet. Lucy found Mira's attitude at the mention of the latter strange, but she didn't think much about it.
Lucy remembered joking that no matter how strong she was, Erza had to be a nice person if she was part of the cheerful Fairy Tail. Mirajane didn't laugh. She just fell silent and gave Lucy a serious look, warning her not to make Erza angry—no matter what happened.
"Please, let's go!" Lucy had tears in her eyes. But Allen stood in the middle of the street, unmoving, even as Lucy tried pulling him by the arm. Lucy felt like it would be easier to move a mountain than to make Allen budge, so she gave up and sat on the ground, laughing and crying at the same time. "We're dead…"
"I'm sorry. May I pass through?" Erza said, finally breaking the silence. Despite being strong and intimidating, the redheaded girl spoke in a cordial, calm tone with a touch of discipline. Her gaze was calm and with a gleam of interest.
"Oh, that's unexpected. Sure, why not? But you shouldn't carry such large objects around the middle of the city."
Allen usually showed respect to those who treated him with respect—at least when he wasn't in troll mode. Besides, in his eyes, this girl who was trying hard to be formal reminded Allen of a younger Artoria, so he had no reason to be hostile.
"What are you doing?!" Lucy exclaimed in disbelief. Even though Allen agreed to move out of the way, he had subtly scolded Erza in the same sentence.
And it wasn't just Lucy—everyone watching couldn't believe Allen's audacity. He wasn't talking to a misbehaving little girl. He was speaking to a monster in the shape of a woman.
"You're right. I'm sorry," Erza replied with a slight smile as she apologized. Instead of feeling offended, she felt something strange as she saw the courage in Allen's eyes as he stood his ground, even though it was clear he knew exactly who she was.
Everyone's jaw dropped, including Lucy, who couldn't even process what was happening. Did Titania really just apologize to some random guy who showed up out of nowhere?!
'What are you doing, Allen?!' Lucy screamed internally but refused to move unless Allen did. 'It was a short life… no, Lucy, stay positive! It's fine! We're in the same guild! She won't kill us, right?!'
Allen smiled and patted Lucy's head for a moment before stepping aside. "Relax, Lucy. Let's go…"
Lucy let out a breath of relief as she saw Allen move out of the way, and Erza resumed walking. Every step she took was heavy and intimidating. If that horn weighed that much, what kind of monster had Erza defeated this time?
Allen remained silent as he watched Erza walk past him. In response, the girl glanced at him from the corner of her eye. This incident seemed to be over, and everyone exhaled.
Allen stopped watching her and began walking again to complete his mission. Lucy, still nervous, looked both ways before catching up to Allen.
Once they were both walking away, Erza paused and turned to look at Allen's back.
"..."
...
"I thought we were going to die…" Lucy collapsed and sat on the ground.
Allen raised an eyebrow. "Really? You have that little faith in me?"
"It's not that…" Lucy shook her head and hands, then gave Allen a strange look. "If you told me you were stronger than Erza, I'd believe you… but she's been famous for years. She's so strong she could scare some Guild Masters. Of course, not someone like Makarov Dreyar…"
Allen chuckled. "You're right, it's natural to be afraid…"
This time, Lucy stayed silent. Then she stood up and grabbed Allen's arm with a pout. "Now I feel kinda dumb for freaking out."
"..." Allen pinched her cheek, which only made her more annoyed. She hated when Allen did that—it made her feel like he was treating her like a little kid.
"Do I look like a kid?" Lucy grumbled, pressing her chest against Allen's arm while blushing in frustration.
Allen shrugged. "Just teasing. Of course, after what happened in the bathroom, I'm fully aware that you're a beautiful woman."
"Pervert…" Lucy looked away, but she couldn't help laughing a little.
...
They finally arrived at the magic shop. The place was what you'd expect—two shelves full of grimoires packed with spells, ready to become someone's first step into the world of magic.
There were also plenty of potions and medicinal brews. But what filled the store the most were magical items—rings with various enchantments, artifacts like pendants, bracelets, gloves, earrings, and all kinds of accessories. Many of these weren't exclusive to mages. Even people with only a little magic could activate them for daily use.
Allen didn't go straight to the counter, where a modest middle-aged man with some gray hairs stood wearing a classic wizard's robe and hat, smiling kindly.
Before heading to the mission, Allen browsed the shop with Lucy and walked over to the magical items section. There were some interesting things, like glasses for speed reading, The famous pen of light that lets you draw in the air, magical objects that allow for easy household cleaning, and simple enchanted items useful for everyone, like a ring that created a small flame or a vase that purified water.
"Uwaah, I've always wanted one of these~," Lucy said, picking up a magical comb.
"Oh? What are those supposed to do?" Allen asked, intrigued.
"It helps you brush your hair no matter how tangled it is…"
Allen looked disappointed. "So basically… it's a comb on steroids."
"I don't know what steroids are, but this is really valuable for a girl! Do you know how hard it is to do my hair every day? I spend an hour on it!"
MJ – I get her. Beauty isn't free. I have to take care of what kind of shampoo and conditioner you use, Allen I want one of those combs, please!
Felicia – I take good care of my skin with different essences~
Eve – A girl has to watch what she eats. One little slip and the scale lady gets revenge…
PercyJ – Wait, the comments are getting too girly! I can't keep up!
...
Allen decided not to comment any further. Lucy took the opportunity to buy a few items. Allen was interested in the grimoires and bought a couple as souvenirs. He also had to buy several things to send to the girls who had asked for them. Allen sighed. Magical items weren't cheap, and at the moment, he didn't have unlimited money. Still, it was his duty as the man of the family. So, with a heavy heart, he spent 850,000J on gifts.
Once the payment was made and their gifts stored away in his inventory, Allen approached the owner and introduced himself, "I'm Allen, and this is Lucy. We're from Fairy Tail, and we're here for the request..."
"Good day, I'm Ashen, the owner of this humble establishment," Ashen's face turned serious as he evaluated Allen. "You look a bit young... Are you sure you're up for the task?"
"If you doubt my abilities, I can leave and have someone else come instead," Allen replied with a playful smile.
"There's no need, my apologies..." The man quickly went to the back and returned with a box.
When he opened it, there was an old golden pocket watch inside.
"This was found in an abandoned house that once belonged to a fallen noble. The mage who brought it to me said it was an ancient magical object. It had traces of magic, but they were very faint. It could be a cursed item, or it might have some kind of hidden enchantment. So I decided to wait for an evaluation to determine its price."
"I see."
"Allen?" Lucy sounded nervous. She would've never taken a job like this herself—this was way beyond her skill set. In fact, in a guild like Fairy Tail, there were only a few who could complete a mission like this.
Allen took the pocket watch and opened it. It was worn in some areas and, of course, it wasn't ticking. His eyes became more serious and calm.
"Revelio..." said Allen. He first used the classic spell meant to expose hidden magic or detect active enchantments. But there was no reaction.
"So?" Ashen asked, still skeptical of Allen. "It's complicated with these kinds of antiques. Their magic is usually almost entirely lost."
"I see... then I'll have to do it the old-fashioned way."
Allen took a suitcase out of his inventory and placed it on the counter.
"Lucy, could you close the shop?"
Lucy and the owner both widened their eyes.
"Huh? But..." Lucy looked at the owner.
"Is that necessary?"
"It'll only take about ten minutes at most," Allen replied, not even glancing at the man since he was already focused. He pulled out a pair of black gloves and put them on, then started taking out several small jars one after another, setting them on the table.
Lucy looked at both the owner and Allen, then went to close the door, not noticing someone was watching from outside.
Allen pulled out a square black wooden base and placed the watch on it.
"When magic fades, it always leaves behind a trace. I call these magical remnants," Allen said as he opened a jar of sparkling powder that looked like ground emeralds. He took a brush, dipped it in the powder, and a magical lens appeared over one of his eyes. Then, with the touch of an artist and the precision of a surgeon, he began brushing the watch. Soon, cracks started to appear on its surface—cracks that weren't there before.
"These cracks are the remnants. Depending on the level of oxidation, we can tell how long it's been since it stopped functioning... Let's see. This watch is over two hundred years old. It once had a type of magic to conceal something important, but unfortunately, that part has been lost. It's not cursed, and as an antique, it's valuable."
Lucy stared at Allen in awe, while the owner was left speechless. When he requested an evaluation, all he expected was someone with magical perception to tell him whether the item was cursed, had hidden magic, or was just a regular old gold watch.
"Seeing this, I'm afraid it will only be a decorative object, but if you are interested, I could restore it."
Ashen snapped out of his daze, and looked at Allen quizzically, "You can do that?"
"I'm the best..." Allen said with absolute certainty. Restoring magical objects became a hobby in his Harry Potter years.
Allen took out a square container from his magic bag and placed it on the table. Then, he grabbed a vial filled with a clear, thick liquid—almost like gel—and poured it into the container. He took another vial, this one containing a golden liquid, and added it as well. Finally, he opened a third vial, from which a faint blue mist spread throughout the shop. Allen added only a single drop of that last one.
"What is all this?" Lucy asked, confused.
"The clear liquid is a magical suspension formula. It isolates the magic within objects and artifacts, freezing it to prevent activation during the process. The golden liquid is a magical stimulation formula. It acts as a magic enhancer—used to restore or revitalize weakened spells. And finally…" Allen smiled at Lucy, causing her to blush, "this is time essence. Don't ask what it is or how I got it…"
Lucy nodded silently...
Allen pulled a wand from his bag and used it to mix the formula. Once it was fully blended, he submerged the clock. For a moment, it looked like time itself had frozen around it until it slowly began to restore.
"Restoring inanimate objects is easy—you can just use Reparo. But when ancient, powerful, and hostile magic is involved… you need something more."
The clock gradually began to regain its shine until all of its parts and gears floated separately within the container, frozen in midair.
"But—" Ashen gasped, afraid something had gone wrong.
"Patience," Allen said calmly as he took a pair of tweezers from his bag. Then, he reached into the container with his hand and removed the clock's base. He carefully took one piece out to place it manually. This technique required memorizing the structure of every component so that the restoration could be completed properly.
Lucy felt it was like watching an artist at work, every movement was a visual treat.
Gear by gear, piece by piece—while everyone watched in a trance the definition of the word expert—Allen continued to restore the clock. No… at this point, it was more like he was recreating it from scratch.
After five long minutes, the last hand of the clock was placed, and Allen clicked the cover shut before pressing the button.
From the clock, glowing magical runes floated into the air, revealing a complex magic… a magic of—
Allen memorized the inscription and returned the clock to the stunned man, then began to pack up his tools.
"So, are you satisfied with my skills?"
"This is far more than I expected. Thank you, master," the man said, embarrassed for having doubted Allen. "And please, forgive me for—"
"No problem..."
"Then we're done?" Lucy asked, still a bit surprised. She hadn't been able to do anything in this mission, but that was inevitable.
"I will talk about you with my contacts, master!" Ashen bowed, ashamed for having doubted Allen.
"Don't worry about it... But speaking of my payment—this watch was hiding rare magic, so I expect decent compensation..."
The owner trembled but ended up paying half a million. He didn't complain because, as Allen said, the work was exceptional.
As they stepped out of the store, Lucy was in a good mood—until she froze at Allen's next words.
"Do you still need something, Miss Titania?"
Lucy turned to see Erza leaning against the wall next to the magic shop. Her expression was serious, but her eyes gleamed with interest.
"I'm sorry for following you, but I was curious about the new members of my guild..." Erza smiled, shifting her gaze from Allen to Lucy's hand. It was easy to identify Lucy as a Fairy Tail member.
"Well, that makes sense..." Allen shrugged and started walking away, leaving Erza behind.
"Allen, that's rude!" Lucy caught up to him and whispered loudly.
"Lucy, if you don't want to get caught up in something troublesome, it's better to walk away..."
"What do you mean?"
"Wait..." said Erza, stopping Allen from leaving.
Allen stopped and turned his head toward Erza. "Do you need something from two new rookie members?"
Erza looked down slightly as her smile widened. "Oh~ I didn't know a rookie could have the kind of abilities you do..."
"Even if I'm not a rookie mage, that doesn't change the fact that I just joined Fairy Tail..."
"Don't worry about that..." Erza answered sharply, stepping closer to Allen.
"I do worry," Allen replied bluntly. He only needed to exchange a couple of sentences to know that she was a woman who would hardly give up on anything. Allen had no intention of fighting her, but he also knew that if he didn't earn her respect now, she never would respect him.
But just as Erza's hand was about to reach him and Allen was preparing to act, Lucy stepped in between them with her arms outstretched like a shield.
"W-Wait!" Lucy was sweating and had a shadowed look in her eyes that clearly showed how scared she was. Still, she refused to move.
"Oh? Are you going to stand in my way?" Erza smiled, narrowing her eyes.
"Yes. You don't have the right to force us into anything..."
"You're brave..." Despite her smile, Erza started to release her magic, which manifested as an aura around her. "But courage without strength is just recklessness..."
Some people nearby began to slowly back away, afraid of being caught in a fight between mages.
"Even so, I won't move!"
This standoff was unexpected—both for Erza, who was secretly pleased to see Lucy standing up for her partner, and for Allen, who hadn't expected the seemingly cowardly girl to show such courage. He recalled a famous quote from a madman: "People show their true face when faced with death."
"Idiot..." Allen placed his hand on Lucy's head and smiled. "You make me really happy, but... it's not necessary."
Seeing Allen's expression, Lucy felt her fear melt away. The pressure coming from Erza disappeared as well. Allen gently moved Lucy behind him and faced Erza. Her eyes were now hidden by her hair, but her smile had grown.
"She's a very good girl..." Erza said.
"She is..." Allen replied.
Lucy blushed, but she was happy to be acknowledged by both Erza and Allen. However, a disturbing silence soon followed.
"Lucy, back up..."
Allen's words only confirmed the inevitable. Lucy looked at him worriedly but obeyed. Timcampy also flew out of Allen's hoodie so as not to get in the way, landing gently on Lucy's head.
Now that only the two of them remained, their eyes locked. It felt like déjà vu from the moment they first met—still staring, still filled with curiosity about each other.
This was an inevitable battle...
Erza needed to confirm something—this strange feeling she got from this mysterious young man who continued to surprise her. She was also curious about what he had that made a girl willing to risk her life to protect him.
As for Allen, he needed to prove his strength—not just to avoid being beneath Erza like most in the guild, but because he was genuinely curious about the power of an S-Class mage and the strongest woman in Fairy Tail.
A final exchange before Erza stomped the ground, cracking it beneath her as she launched herself at Allen, summoning a sword into her hand, still smiling. Allen, for his part, raised his guard and activated the One-Man Army, his own smile forming slightly.
Late July, X784. Onibas Town, Kingdom of Fiore.
This day would later be remembered as the first time Erza Scarlet and Allen Walker fought.