The Paradox of Time - A Fairy Tail Fanfic

Chapter 3

Gray cursed under his breath and kicked a disfigured piece of metal on the floor. "We lost them! What do we do?!"

Erza looks outside, a massive hole burnt through the walls that gave a refreshing evening blow into the bedroom. "We search. Until wherever these thieves have gone have been found." Gray softened at seeing Erza's relaxed, yet determined, expression, with the calming breeze passing by him. Until he realized something about that scene seemed wrong. We're inside. Why did he feel a breeze?

"NATSU! YOU'RE SUCH AN IDIOT! WHY DID YOU DESTROY THE MANSION THAT WE FOUGHT TO KEEP INTACT?!"

"WELL IT'S NOT MY FAULT THAT WE FOUGHT INDOORS! YOU SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THIS WOULD HAPPEN!"

"DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH OF OUR REWARD COULD BE TAKEN OUT OF THIS?!"

Lucy looked around, realizing how right Gray was. It wasn't only the whole back wall that was smothered from Natsu's attacks, but the whole floor was ripped up from Diesel's metal attacks. Well, at least it was just this room... She thought, trying to make the situation seem better. She couldn't help but think that she was forgetting something, or someone...

"Mrs. Blackwood!" Lucy shouted, grabbing everyone's attention. She raced towards the closet (That was thankfully still intact) and opened it, finding Ida in tears, hiding behind a fortress of clothes she made. "Mrs. Blackwood! The thieves are gone now! There is no need to cry now..." The older lady wrapped her arms around Lucy, thanking her and the team over and over again. Lucy can imagine how scared she felt, especially not knowing that they were coming to save them.

Ezra stepped forward, bowing her head. "My apologies, Mrs. Blackwood. We were not able to catch the thieves who robbed your house, and we left your bedroom in shambles. You can hit us, if you must."

The lady stopped sobbing, her dreary face turning into a soft smile. "In shambles? My whole mansion would have been blown to pieces if it wasn't for you all. I-I can't thank you all enough! You saved my family! And please, do not worry, the thieves did not steal everything from me, because I didn't tell them where our real treasure is..." Ida said, walking over to under the bed and pulling out a chest. She opened it, revealing a key resting on a soft cushion. "We have a vault in the basement. "That's where we keep all of our money." Ida turned back to the mages. "Please, the least we can do is give you all a reward. You came here, risking your life to save ours!"

Lucy was surprised by this. She didn't expect to get an award in the past as well. Does that mean double the money?! She leapt forward, excitedly reaching for the key, when Erza held out a hand as a kind declination. "Thank you, but we'll have to decline. We are simply doing our job; we did not expect to be paid by your family." Lucy froze in midair, her heartbeat stopping too. Did Erza seriously reject our paycheck? She was baffled, but she straightened up with a smirk. Who am I kidding? She's right, we shouldn't be taking money from them if we are going to get it from them in the future. But the women persisted. "Please! We are in your debt!"

The door burst open, with frantic people rushing in. A younger version of Louis was on his knees panting. He had less gray hair on his head and seemed a bit taller in height. Next to him, a young woman and a man ran in, looking like the children of Louis. A butler and two maids rushed in as well. They all froze, looking at the scene in front of them. The jutted-out floorboards, the burnt walls, the Fairy Tail mages, and Ida Blackwood holding the key to their basement vault. But Louis could care less. He ran up to Ida, grasping her into his arms. She dropped the chest, dramatically enclosing her own arms around him in joviality. They wept, sinking to the ground as their children ran to them to join the cherished reunion. "Ida! You don't understand how afraid I was when the first window broke! Sandra and Preston were with me in the library, but we were fearful as to where you were! We searched everywhere, but then we ran into one of the thieves! I am so glad you are okay!" He cried, squeezing her closer into his embrace, as if he was afraid that she would disappear.