191 My SI Stash #91 - Inter-Dimensional Wizard by Imbalance (Fairy Tail)

-Recently published SI Fairy Tail fic~ Reincarnation type beat with the SI using "String Theory" to split shit up to pieces lol. It's sort of like Doflamingo's Ito Ito no Mi!

Sypnosis: Alexander died. An indeterminable amount of time later, he finds himself waking in a land he thought fictional. He knows of this world's evil, and he'll do anything to protect what's his. Life isn't fair, but he's playing with a stacked deck. He didn't know the future of his last life, and canon timelines are for chumps anyway. -Trigger Warnings and other stuff end of prologue-

Rated: M

Words: 23K

Posted on: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13494079/9/Inter-Dimensional-Wizard (Imbalance)

PS: If you're not able to copy/paste the link, you have everything in here to find it, by simply searching the author and the story title. It sucks that you can't copy links on mobile (´ー｀)

-I'll be putting the chapter ones of all the fanfics mentioned, to give you guys a sample if you wan't more please do go to the website and support the author! (And maybe even convince them to start uploading chapters in here as well!)

Chapter 0-3 (exceptional)

He died. It's a quiet thing, to die while sleeping. No tragic accident, no murder, no stupid mistakes or suicide. He simply fell asleep, his body died, and his spirit left. Medically, it would be labeled as heart failure as a result of long term cardiac disease, after his family or coworkers noticed and reported he was missing.

Not to say he was in pain or suffered. It truly was a peaceful, quiet passing. His family and friends were aware of his situation. They would be sad and grieve, and he would miss them, but as he looked down on his peacefully resting corpse, he knew they would ultimately be fine, and therefore, so would he, though that didn't stop him from letting out a heavy sigh as he floated around his room.

Or at least a metaphysical sigh, seeing as he couldn't actually breathe or move air any longer.

With nothing left to do but calmly wait for whatever happens after death, which was already surprising enough as he thought about it; the fact that there was actually something after death, he decided to reflect on who he was as a person.

He grew up in a loving middle class home, never wanting for anything, though that's not to say he was spoiled. He was raised by a single mother, with one little sister, both of whom he loved dearly. He lived his life as he wanted, pursuing happiness and fulfillment over money and fame, and while he never felt that he had found his true calling, he lived well enough.

If he had to guess, he held a positive karmic balance, though he was definitely no Gandhi. He loved animals, animals loved him, he was a huge nerd, and he read voraciously. He treated everyone he met at least neutrally, and was always true to who he was as a person, never compromising his morals or ideals.

He graduated university with an engineering degree, made some decent money, left it all to his little sister, and died.

The summary of his obituary would read:

An incredibly smart asshole who lived, laughed, and loved. He will be missed dearly.

Next to which a picture of his mid-thirties scruffy grin would be printed in black and white. If it was color, you'd have seen his hazel eyes and neatly kept short brown hair.

And then he started crying, which was weird, since his metaphysical tears simply evaporated once they fell off his face, which again, was weird, since he appeared more as a floating white wisp and had no face, or even eyes to cry from. Mentally he chuckled dryly, even in death he deflected pain with humor.

Because ultimately, he didn't want to die. He never got married, he never fell in love, he never would get to see and do so very many different things, and that, no matter how much he thought he had prepared himself for the inevitable eventuality, hurt.

Which was precisely when the process for his afterlife began.

It appeared honestly accepting everything was the kickstarter to his next destination, as once he admitted how he truly felt he was jerked from his room, pulled up through his roof, above his city, through the clouds, all the way until he hung above the shining blue gem of his beautiful planet Earth where he briefly stopped for a moment and was allowed to appreciate the splendor of his world as it turned and spun through space.

Then the pull resumed, and he was tugged further.

He saw the Milky Way, and was allowed to watch it rotate as stars spun themselves into and out of existence. Then the pull began again and he witnessed clusters of galaxies zoom past until he hovered at what he believed was the edge of his universe, and watched the intricate web of infinity dance and pulse.

Time meant nothing to him during the entirety of this process, and he basked in the presence of the universe, of life and death, soaking up as much as he could, as much as he would be allowed. He never wanted it to end, but all things must eventually cease, and so too did this. He was momentarily depressed as the pull returned, though he could tell whoever was behind it understood his feelings, and was gracious enough to slowly pull him from the grasp of his universe.

It was only once he had fully left the grip of his old home, that his perspective once again shifted. He gazed down upon his universe as he knew it, and saw it in its entirety from beyond the wall. A glowing marble of incredible potential, separated from other, similar marbles by the barest of margins. They spread in every direction imaginable, and some unimaginable, beyond his comprehension as he witnessed an unknown number of marbles overlap, some occasionally bouncing out of their shivering, layered mass, while others bounced in.

It was at this point he had to shut out his consciousness, as whatever had been guiding him thus far could or would no longer extend its protection to his mind; and he felt the scale, the impossibility of the scope threaten to crush him. So he closed himself off from his surroundings, retreating into the depths of his soul to protect himself, and there he stayed. He clung to his internal ego; to his memories, and experiences, the foundation and structure of what made him who he was, where he floated, embraced in warmth, embraced in the darkness, for an unknown amount of time.

And then the darkness left.

He awoke to light. Searing, bright light, and cold air, and he despised it, crying out his displeasure and rejection before he felt himself being bundled once more in warmth, though the light refused to fade. Soothing tones were whispered gently to him in a foreign tongue as he was gently held and rocked.

He calmed, sniffling as he finally opened himself up to his new experiences. He was alive again, recently reborn if he understood his situation correctly. All he knew for an eternity had been the darkness, and suddenly he was being flooded with light, and sound, and sensation that could only be indicative of life.

His new mother continually whispered sweet tones to him, and despite his adult mentality felt himself relaxing. He could feel the love she held for him, cradling him in her arms, and that was a more than suitable replacement for the warmth of the darkness.

Finally calmed and relaxed, he took stock of him. His time during his universal-slash-dimensional travels, and subsequent timeless existence in the dark, had caused the structure of who he was to deteriorate. As an analogy, if his identity was represented by a building within his soul, then the materials of the structure had begun to rot, while Mother Nature had taken its toll and began to reclaim the abandoned structure.

In this instance, he had pictured the structure as a three story pagoda. To continue the analogy, the wood had decayed and the structure was rickety after so much time had passed, though the foundation of the building, the foundation of him was still sturdy and unblemished.

What this ultimately meant, was that he had lost, or had many of his memories fade. It was sad, to take stock and think back on some things, only to find faces and names missing, portions of his old life simply having disappeared into the ether.

He no longer remembered his own name, or any of his family or friends, though he could still recall the bulk of his experiences with and without them. As depressing as it was to lose the intimate identifying connections, he was unsurprised. He had always had a terrible time remembering names, and while many of the now faceless memories were important people in his life, it made a twisted kind of sense that those details would be the main things he would forget. The rest of the missing pieces were random chunks throughout his life, similar to how memories of childhood and youth faded over the years.

As he lay in his mother's arms, nursing on one of her nipples – a necessary evil, the memories of which he planned to immediately destroy once he graduated to soft foods – he contemplated on his situation. Reincarnation was a tricky subject, and no matter how much he thought or speculated, in the end he would have to wait, learn, and grow for a while before he could come up with any sort of concrete plan or goal for his new life.

It was with a full belly, wrapped in a warm blanket burrito, and cradled in loving arms, that he drifted into unconsciousness on his first day in his new life.

Chapter 1

Alexander Berli Crosius was born during the month of May, in the year X765 to Mariela and David Crosius, two civilians who owned a small magic shop in the town of Oshibana situated on the eastern side of the country of Fiore. Despite the memories of his previous life, Alex loved his parents deeply, and they loved him just as much.

He grew up surrounded by items his old world could never have dreamt of, constantly exploring the various new toys and inventions that their store would stock as hot new items were released by merchant-enchanters. They lived a fulfilling, happy life; one that was shattered shortly after it began.

At age five, Alexander Crosius manifested his magic for the first time. At age five, Alexander Crosius watched a dark mage kill his father over a magic trinket worth a couple thousand jewel. At age five, Alexander Crosius killed his first man as the fucker attempted to rape his mother. At age five, Alexander Crosius had every illusion of Fiore as place of happiness and wonder dispelled.

Four months later, Alex and his mother had finished selling his family's shop and moved to Magnolia where they opened a small café. Alex was promptly accepted into Fairy Tail's family. Rumors of a new young mage killing a dark mage in defense of his mother had long since made the rounds. The hardness of the boy's eyes as Master Makarov welcomed him to his new home was the first of many painful thorns to pierce his soft heart in the years to come.

"Mom!" Alex yelled from the stairs at the back of their cozy shop. "Mom! I'm leaving! I'll be back for dinner!" He continued as he finished pulling on his jacket. The temperature had recently dropped as Fiore moved solidly into the fall season. He saw his mother peek out from back kitchen and wave in acknowledgement.

"Don't get into any trouble! Master Makarov has already promised to tell me if you cause him any problems, so behave yourself!" Alex simply rolled his eyes but yelled back an affirmative before he slipped through the early morning coffee and breakfast crowd, waving to a few regulars and their two wait-staff as he passed by.

He was almost forty in combined years. Even if he acted his current body's age most of the time, he was never the type to make his mother's life more difficult. Especially after his father's so recent violent passing. His little fists clenched in repressed fury at the reminder, space shivering slightly in response to his magical and emotional state as he quickly made his way down Magnolia's main thoroughfare towards his guild hall.

When he had first come to this world and learned of his new situation, he had initially been ecstatic. He had been a big fan of the Fairy Tail universe, enjoying the general story, world details, and undertones hinted at through context. While the story itself was fairly childish, what with the power of love and friendship giving random power boosts, he was initially still thoroughly excited to have the opportunity to explore this new world and potentially meet a few of the characters from the story in the flesh.

It was a cruel irony that what should have been a celebratory moment when he awaked his magic, was turned into a traumatic, heartrending experience for the surviving members of his family. Returning his thoughts to his mother, he reigned his magic back in. Their new little café was doing wonders to keep her mind off the tragedy.

The café was an incredibly successful addition to the city of Magnolia. His mother's hand brewed coffee and homemade pastries were incredibly well received among the population, many initially showing up on opening day in support of the newly single mother. It was a surprise to everyone when her creations, inspired by a bit of Alex' old world knowledge, were such a huge hit, causing a surge of recurrent customers followed by a constant influx of new ones as word spread. It also helped that she was incredibly easy on the eyes as well, though no one had any improper thoughts, or if they did no one was brave enough to voice them. The one time someone did, Alex had sent the impertinent asshole to the hospital with several broken bones.

He was glad for the distraction. It had been a couple months since the grand opening, and the time consumption from running a business, the financials, supplies, baking, and customer service, had kept her on her toes, though he would still occasionally catch her during periods of down time with her head in her hands. Every time, he would simply crawl into her lap and they would sit in silence for a while.

While his mother ran her business, Alex had spent his days either training, or running as many D rank missions as he could around the city, which he considered additional training. His schedule typically consisted of waking up, eating a hearty breakfast while briefly helping his mother around the kitchen before he would make the mile and a half run through Magnolia to Fairy Tail's guild hall.

His mornings were filled with flexibility, stamina, cardio, and magic drills until lunch, which he would eat at the hall. Lunch was followed by D rank missions around the city, which he used in a similar manner to his morning exercises. He ran everywhere he went, used the client interactions to improve his social skills, and exercised his magic in as many varied ways as he could to solve each problem. Fine touch, minimal power, maximum power, brute force, he took jobs that allowed for every type of combination of magic application as he could.

In the process he saved up a nice nest egg for his age, which he would occasionally dip in to in order to buy his mother nice presents, or fund tools, gear, or additional study materials for his own improvement, be that magical or educational, though he could also often be found reading for entertainment as well during his own down time. At the beginning, his mother had request he attend school, and while he initially acquiesced, his boredom and what he viewed as an immense waste of time drove him to test out of the country mandated classes and graduate early.

An outsider perspective would have characterized him as a quiet, motivated child. He was very cute, with signs that he would grow up to be quite handsome. He kept his dark purple hair long, however it had yet to grow enough to be put into a ponytail. It framed his still chubby face, though over time the cardio would cut some of the baby fat from his cheeks even before he began to age. He had black, almond shaped eyes and the hints of a sharp jawline.

He hadn't always held this appearance. The manifestation of his magic came with some side effects, changing his hair and eye colors, both of which had initially been a dark brown. Alex had ended up uninspiringly naming his magic Space Magic. While he held control over the fabric of space, simply calling it Space Magic didn't seem to fully encompass the full extent of his magic's capabilities, but the name would serve as a red herring for enemies. There were many facets of his abilities he was discovering, almost daily, and he was sure he would continue to learn new things as both he and his power grew.

Upon reaching the guild hall, Alex began his morning routine, doing a brief active warmup for the remainder of his muscles as he contemplated his place in the timeline. He was the same age as Erza and Mirajane, though it would still be a few years before they would join the guild. Cana would join in a couple years, followed by Gray a couple years later, then Erza a couple years after that. Natsu and Mystogan would join the following year, while Lucy's mother would pass away a short time later. The Strauss siblings would join a year after that, and it would be another four years before Lisanna disappears and the start of standard canon story begins.

There's a lot of content there, and a lot of events that Alex felt he could, and perhaps should, alter. This was his world now as well after all, and no matter what he did, it would ultimately end up sending butterflies through the timeline, so he might as well take advantage of events of which he held a degree of foreknowledge before the future became too far outside of his expectations.

It was an easy decision to keep Cana away from alcohol, and help her settle her family problems with Gildarts. He regrettably didn't know enough about her past to attempt to save her mother. There was nothing he could do for Gray, Erza, Natsu, or Mystogan for similar reasons, but he could definitely save Lisanna from being sent to Edolas. That would have far reaching consequences, but saving the Strauss siblings from the heartache would be well worth it. If he could convince Porlyuisca to part with a magic recovery potion, he could save Layla as well, which would be another massive flap of the wings, though he'd have to convince both Layla and Lucy to leave that fucker Jude afterwards. He learned to treasure them later, but it was only after he lost everything that he realized their importance. They both deserved better, and Alex would ensure they received it.

Alex quietly sat down to lunch per his usual schedule before grabbing a construction contract off the board and heading back out. Construction gigs were great for flexing his ability. Manipulating as many different parts and pieces that were required for a construction project was an excellent exercise for control and mass fine manipulation for his spatial techniques, as well as endurance and stamina from the duration he was required to constantly maintain his power.

As he made to leave the hall, Master Makarov halted him, calling him over for a brief chat.

"Alex, m' boy, I realize you're still very young, but I also recognize talent when I see it. You've been blowing through contracts and steadily growing in power and ability since you've joined our family." Alex gave a small smile and nodded in thanks as the Master took a swig of his beer in preparation for his next sentence.

"It's for these reasons that, as long as your mother agrees, I will be personally taking you out on your first C rank mission later this week. I want you to understand the difference in difficulty between the ranks. While I won't be officially promoting you for a couple more years, as long as everything goes well, you'll have my blessing to find groups for C rank missions, pending your mother's approval of course."

Alex simply nodded in acceptance.

"Thank you, Gramps. It'll be an honor to have you personally escorting me. I'll discuss it with my mother tonight, and have her write a note with her answer for you."

Makarov nodded with a bright smile and watched as the boy went about his business, sighing as the child vanished through the doors of the hall.

"So much potential," he mused aloud. "So much potential, and so much constrained emotion. Hopefully time will temper the flames."

Alex stood in front of the guild hall for a moment in quiet contemplation. He hadn't expected to be allowed to progress to higher ranked quests for some time. Despite it technically not being an official promotion, beyond this point it was strictly a formality so the guild could say it isn't endangering children by keeping him officially as D rank.

As long as he demonstrated acceptable strength and judgement, he would progress rapidly from here. If Makarov's comment was anything to go by, he would be officially C rank around the time he turns seven, and could probably expect a similar pattern for B rank and A rank, meaning he would possibly be eligible for his S rank trial around age thirteen or fourteen.

Rank would come when it did. It ultimately meant nothing. He was still a child, and his mother was making more than enough to support them both with her business. Power was everything, and he could work towards achieving that immediately. Alex shook the thoughts from his head and took off towards the construction office, putting his thoughts into practice.

Chapter 2

Alex had just returned, kicking his shoes off at the bottom of the stairs to the upper level of their combination café apartment. The shop closed in the midafternoon, typically around four. From then on, the two wait-staff would wipe down the store and mop, then help with the dishes. Once finished, the staff would leave, generally around five thirty, and his mother would prep the ingredients for the next day and then begin dinner. Alex always tried to make it home before the staff left for the night, as it forced him to make sure he took enough time to stop and shop for groceries or ingredients his mother asked him to pick up that morning.

He dropped his normal purchases of eggs, flour, and sugar on the counter where he watched his mom sweep down and quickly store them in the appropriate locations in a brief interlude of stirring, pouring, sniffing, tasting, and baking, all of which somehow continued as she danced through the area. This was her domain, and he was a simple spectator as she worked her own style of magic.

Thirty minutes later, everything had been concocted to her specifications while Alex continued working through the mountainous pile of dishes she accrued during her process. It was their standard roles, and they fell into them as she picked the ingredients for tonight's meal along with the necessary tools among those he had cleaned.

"Mom," Alex addressed her from his stool in front of the sink, his arms elbow deep in suds as he scrubbed one of her massive mixing bowls. Mariela looked up from her work seasoning and tenderizing the meat for their meal, though her hands never stopped working.

"Yes, dear?" The oil from the pan sitting on the stove began sizzling as she finished, tossing in the slabs of beef to sear.

"Master Makarov offered to take me on a C rank mission later this week, is it alright if I go?" This was a fairly normal interaction for them. Alex would ask and respect his mother's decision regardless of the outcome. It was part of their dynamic. He understood she was nervous about the inherent danger involved with the adventurer lifestyle, and that he was still only a child, so he would understand if she requested he delay such an excursion for a few more years.

Her hands had stopped moving briefly as she processed his request.

"He will be taking you personally?"

"Yes ma'am."

Her hands resumed their work.

"As long as you tell me which job you'll be doing, and how long you'll be gone, I'm okay with it."

Alex dried his hands and turned around to give her a hug from behind, burying his face in her lower back as he gave her a light squeeze.

"Thanks Mom. I'll need you to write a note for it later."

She hummed in response.

The next morning Alex found himself with a note in hand, outstretched to Makarov.

"Mom says it's fine as long as I keep her informed."

The small grandfatherly man gave him a joyful smile.

"Excellent! I already have one picked out." He passed a flier from his lounging spot on the bar. "Take the day to pack and prepare. We'll head out tomorrow and should be back within three days." Alex inclined his head in acknowledgement.

"Thank you, I'm looking forward to it. See you tomorrow, Gramps."

Makarov waved it off.

"Too formal, you little brat. The respect is nice, but kids should leave the stuffy talking to the adults." Alex couldn't help but smirk in response.

"You say that now, Gramps, but give it a few years and you'll be treasuring every memory of our time together." Alex snickered maliciously as he turned and waved back as he left the hall, leaving Makarov with a cold shiver creeping down his spine. A premonition of a terrible future seemed just beyond his grasp.

A small smirk continued playing about Alex' features as he stepped into the cool fall afternoon. Stopping, he finally read over the contents of what would be his first C rank mission.

Mission: Farmers from Peace Village request aid in dispatching several carnivorous pests that have been preying on their livestock.

Reward: 40000 Jewel, 2 bottles Premium Peace Whiskey

Alex blinked once. Then twice.

That dirty old man just wanted an excuse to go get some expensive alcohol and used him as a convenient patsy. Not that he was at all upset. This was still an excellent opportunity for additional practical and combat experience. He just hung his head and sighed before moving off to fetch possible supplies for their excursion. He would need a full adventurer's kit, since he had yet to have a need to purchase most of the items required for adventurer forays.

A large weather proof tent, sleeping bag, extra blankets, portable stove set with one of those fancy lacrima fuel burners, food for a week, collapsible shovel, a multi-tool, lacrima flashlight, cordage, a first aid kit, one of those really nice bigger-on-the-inside rucks that he really needs to figure out how to make after he figures out how to weave together his own pocket dimension, a large knife or machete, one of those magic water cleaning bottles, a communication lacrima so he can keep in touch with his mom… or call for help, a compass, and several changes of clothes, including a heavy duty jacket. That should do for now, though he was surely forgetting something.

It would put a bit of a dent in his savings, but it was an investment that would be paying returns his entire adventuring career. The forty thousand jewel reward, roughly four hundred USD, would ease the immediate burden, not that it was much of one with how much he had managed to save.

His first stop was the bank, pulling out a decent portion of his savings. After that, he made his way towards and through the market, making his first stop at the magic shop in order to pick up a Bigger Bag™ in order to have something to carry all of his shopping list. It was the most expensive purchase he would make, but until he finished studying how requip magic worked and could apply it to his own, he would have to carry a pack.

After his first purchase of the bag, along with the other magic tools he needed, it was almost a game of ping pong as Alex bounced back and forth around the market to make his various purchases.

A few hours and a much lighter wallet later, Alex tramped through the front door of the café. Customarily waving, he passed through, stopping by the kitchen to let his mother know he was home before making his way upstairs to his room where he dropped the bulging bag at the foot of his bed. Flopping onto his mattress, Alex buried his head into his pillow, letting out a long sigh as his body relaxed.

He had barely stopped to rest over the past six months. After his father's funeral, Alex had thrown himself into his magic. He was constantly moving, flexing, stretching the limits of his ability, and the vast improvement in his familiarity and manipulation, alongside a massively expanded mana pool, showed the fruits of his labor. If his mana at the time of his awakening was comparable to a puddle, his current pool would be a small pond.

He still had roughly two years before Cana would make her Fairy Tail debut, though he wasn't sure on the exact date. The remaining few months of the current year, X770, the entirety of X771, and then however long until Cana makes her way to Magnolia in X772.

It was regrettable that he wouldn't be able to save Cornelia, but he was still too young. Without power and means, finding them and helping is beyond him. He could technically convince Gildarts to go do it, but it would be difficult without revealing he was more than an overly intelligent child. That was an option only if Gildarts ever came back to the guild. It had been six months and there had been no sign of the man. It was a likely possibility he might be out on a long journey and wouldn't be back until it's too late.

Alex sighed into his pillow. It was no use worrying about thing he couldn't control. He wouldn't be able to save Ur either, or at least save her from turning into ice, and Erza was already at the Tower of Heaven. He might be able to save the Strauss siblings' parents, but again, he had no information about where they lived. Finding a single family in the entirety of a country was bordering on impossible.

As far as things he could possibly influence, reconstituting Ur from the ice should theoretically be possible, as long as the majority of her essence is contained. He was still unsure how, but outlawed magic held possibilities. Soul Magic, Living Magic, or some other combination could be a potential solution.

He groaned into his pillow, pushing thoughts of the future from his mind as he made his way downstairs to help his mother for the day. She might put on a brave face, but he knew she was worried about the job. He would spend the remainder of the day with her as both help and distraction.

Alex rolled out of bed at his usual time of five thirty, took care of his morning ablutions, dressed, and grabbed his pack. He stopped by the kitchen on the way out, giving his mother a long, strong hug, then left quickly. He headed straight from the café to the guild hall, only stopping to grab a breakfast sandwich from one of the street vendors.

The master was waiting in his usual spot with his characteristic magazine, sipping a mug of coffee in place of his usual beer. The morning group was slowly trickling in when Alex plopped down on a stool next to Laxus and the rest of the future Thunder God Tribe. Master Makarov would have to handle a few guild matters and leave someone in charge for the next few days before they could leave.

Gildarts was still unavailable, which left Macao and Wakaba as the oldest notable members. Alex remembered Macao eventually became the fourth master through circumstance, though he was still a bit young, twenty-two compared to the thirty-six he would be when Tenrou Island occurs. His contemplation was interrupted and answered when Makarov appointed a woman named Janelle Williams as his liaison for the next few days.

She was remarkably unremarkable, which might be why she was never mentioned in canon. Brown hair, brown eyes adorned with a pair of prescription glasses. Still pretty as most wizards were, with a decent figure. She seemed more like the quiet library type, with a soft voice to match. She would have fallen right into Alex' strike zone in his old life, and if he was honest, he was still very much attracted to her despite the lack of hormonal drive.

The age gap of some twenty years tempered those fires however. He was five, and she was at least in her mid-twenties. As he silently followed the Master out of the hall, his thoughts continued. Maybe she would turn into a cougar? Or a milf? Ideas to explore once he was sixteen and considered an adult. He would inevitably be surrounded by beautiful women as part of the guild, and knew that the unnatural beauty, accompanied by hormones, would play havoc with his mind and body.

Chapter 3

The trip to Peace Village was immensely uneventful. The pair of wizards took a train bound for Era, though they never arrived. Peace Village was located on the far side of a river just south of the halfway point of this train line, with no designated stops. As such, they improvised.

A few hours into their trip, Alex found himself standing on the connecting coupling between two of the cars, where his master had left him with a single word.

"Jump!"

Alex sighed.

No wonder the younger generation ran so rampant, with a master as carefree as this. Flexing his magic, Alex followed suit, flinging himself off the side of the car where he free fell a scant few feet before managing to catch himself on a section of space.

Alex flung himself over to Makarov, dropping to the ground to his master's raised eyebrows. As the two turned to the South, Alex answered his unasked question.

He called the technique "Space Striding", and utilized it frequently to move about quickly both in combat and as a form of travel. It also functioned as an alternative for flight, as he could continually fling himself higher into the air as long as he had the mana resources to maintain a foothold.

The basis was formed from saturating a section of the fabric of space with his mana, allowing it to become tangible. He could also coat the bottom of his feet or shoes with a layer of his ethernano allowing him to step on what was once an incorporeal substance, though it required more precision and concentration to perform. He still lacked a true understanding of how his magic interfaced with spatial fabric, but his natural affinity allowed him the ability to fundamentally brute force the process for a minimal uptick in mana cost.

With the flexibility the technique imbued, Alex was able to essentially slingshot himself around as though he was bouncing off an impossibly elastic trampoline. A metaphor that was similar but not entirely accurate, as with a trampoline, there was a delay before the elasticity counteracted the prior force of the person jumping. That was not the case with Space, as the change in direction was instantaneous as soon as Alex provided the impetus for the movement, in essence the 'step' portion of the technique. How his body coped with the sudden changes in velocity and force, he ultimately chocked up to 'it's magic', and left it at that for the moment. Something about the ethernano flowing in his body kept it from destroying itself.

He hypothesized the reason wizard battles ultimately became massive, destructive brawls was due to this peculiarity. Some damage could seep through a body's natural ethernano defenses, but for the most part, a wizard could take a huge beating until their mana reserves were spent. It fit that those with larger mana pools were therefore considered more dangerous wizards.

The opportunity to discuss magic theory with one of the Wizard Saints during their travel was an enlightening experience that Alex took full advantage of. With the heavy emphasis of emotion on the function of spell intensity and strength, pieces of the puzzle that was Earth Land's magic system began to resolve themselves, though questions continued to arise despite some theories providing answers. Makarov, and Fairy Tail in general, put emphasis on Love and Bonds of Friendship, arguably the same idea, as passed down from Mavis Vermillion's prior teachings on the One Magic. Anger, hatred, greed, happiness, joy, depression; all emotions could provide additional power to spells, but the guild held that Love provided the greatest.

However, that was only a part of the algorithm. Almost all wizards developed or learned certain special techniques for their magic, giving the moves names, and shouting them out when used. While discussing it with Makarov, Alex came to the conclusion that it actually served a practical function.

It came down to linking image and emotion. All magic moves functioned with an image as the base of the technique. Imagination played a huge role in how a wizard utilized their mana, so having well defined images or patterns that could easily be recalled at a moment's notice was required for any competent wizard who wished to keep their life. The shouting portion linked directly back to the emotion is power ideology. A familiar image is reinforced by a strong emotion attached to it; therefore shouting helped by artificially manipulating the body to a state of increased excitement, which the wizard then channeled into the technique pattern.

Theoretically, anyway. It was entirely possible to perform magical wonders with zero articulation or motion, habits by which also helped reinforce image patterns, as long as the image and emotion attached to it were solid enough. Most of the theory was not discussed between the two, as Alex still felt the need to maintain his identity as a child, but a few seemingly childlike questions and answers paved the way for a large amount of definable ideas.

Alex planned to put both of his theorized concepts into practice. If he could develop a comparable system that allowed not giving his moves away in a fight, even if it was only his primary combat techniques, that edge would be devastating to his enemies later in life.

When future enemies were brought up, Makarov had tried to laugh the subject off, telling him he was still too young to be worrying about future threats, and to leave that to the adults.

"Master," Alex began. "I understand where you're coming from, but Fairy Tail has enemies, even today. Fairy Tail's enemies are my enemies, and Fiore has many dark sides to it. Earthland, has many dark sides to it." Makarov grimaced in acknowledgement. His ward would know, with his family's history. Alex took a moment, then continued.

"Bosco alone is a haven of darkness. Their slave trade sitting just across our border is a threat simply by existing so close to our home. I may still be a weak child, but I refuse to be a weak adult, unable to protect those I cherish. I've already lost one person I loved in this life, I refuse to lose another."

His impromptu impassioned speech left Makarov speechless for a time.

"M' boy, no child should be made to feel the weight you already bear on your shoulders. Those of us who hold responsibility for the future have failed you, and for that, I'm truly sorry."

Silence stretched between the two as Peace Village came into view.

"Master, it's not your fault. You do what you can with the hand you're dealt." Alex' words seemed to lift Makarov's spirits, if only slightly. "However, before we arrive, I have one last question pertaining to the darkness." He stopped walking, turning to address the master directly.

"Master, the guild has a policy against murder. My question: is that rule for the crime, or a sweeping rule for killing in general?" Once more Makarov was struck momentarily speechless.

"Son, I hate that you're even contemplating such a thing. I wish I could tell you that killing is entirely forbidden, but I am not so naïve as to believe the world we live in could be so simple. It's specifically for the crime of murder, which will instantly classify a wizard as a dark mage." Makarov's tone was severe, his face a hardened expression that spoke of many past trials.

"I'm glad, Master." Alex said with relief visibly painted on his face. "Sometimes, the choice between life and death is made for us. I'd have hated to have killed in defense of myself, my friends and family, or the guild, only to have been kicked out of the place I consider home." With one of his biggest concerns resolved, Alex continued towards their objective, a somewhat lighter step propelling him forward.

Makarov stared after one of his children, lost in sad contemplation that such a child was forced by circumstance to grow up far faster than he should.

Upon arrival, the countryside village greeted the two with hospitable warmth. Word had quickly spread, the pair quickly being seated before the chief and briefed on the situation.

"Good afternoon, sir, I'm Alex and this is Master Makarov of Fairy Tail. He's mostly here in a supervisory role, so please act as though I'm working alone for this request." Alex began with a slight bow.

"Of course, of course, child. I understand completely, nevertheless, allow me to extend a bit of hospitality regardless of the situation. Please, Alex, Master, take a seat and refreshments will arrive shortly."

The wizards did as instructed, enjoying a few moments of small talk about the village and its inhabitants. The chief was a middle aged man sporting a full, well-kept beard with an equally full head of hair. Years of honest work had gifted him with an impressive, tanned physique. Minutes later, a young teenage woman bearing a remarkable resemblance entered the room with a tray.

Alex reflexively snapped his magic out, months of practice allowing an instantaneous reaction when the girl, distracted with studying her visitors, stumbled on the raised edge of the rug. A block of space surrounding her solidified, catching her and the spilled contents of her tray midflight. It almost looked as though time reversed itself as liquids and finger foods floated back into their respective positions, the girl's position righting itself as she floated forward a few feet to the edge of the table, blushing immensely in embarrassment, though it was somewhat covered by her expression of wonderment.

Alex let out a shallow breath as he released his magic. Utilizing his Stasis technique still drained him fairly quickly. The mana requirements to influence such a large volume of Space were exponentially higher than single layers or strings that he typically manipulated. Casting the pair of civilians a small grin, Alex slumped slightly addressing Makarov.

"I'll have to spend some additional time expanding my mana pool when I return to the guild. I thought I had made decent progress but it appears I won't be able to progress much further without expanding my resources significantly first."

Makarov snorted.

"Boy, you just froze close to one hundred cubic feet of space, then manipulated the internal components while maintaining the spell. The amount of fine control you have over your magic is downright envious. Increasing your mana pool will just make you more of a little monster than you already are." Alex laughed in response.

"Still, Gramps, it appears that's my biggest current weakness. I'll spend some time shoring it up once we return." Makarov nodded in acknowledgement, the pair returning their attention to a star struck young woman and her amused father.

"This is my daughter, Camelia," Chief Ossef introduced. "She's fourteen, and holds a bit of an obsession for wizards and guilds." Camelia blushed slightly at her father's teasing, but silently inclined her head in greeting as she went about providing refreshments for her guests, seating herself on the side of the table closest to Alex once she was finished.

Alex gave her a smile and quiet thank you, popping one of the bite sized sandwiches into his mouth and taking a swig of some sort of fruit juice before the conversation picked back up. With widened eyes Alex looked down at the plate, then back at Camelia, then back at the plate once more before the conversation finally resumed.

"Now then, we can address the elephant in the room." Chief Ossef stated as he set his cup of tea down. Alex nodded and copied his action.

"The mission you posted simply stated carnivorous pests, do you have any additional information you can share on the targets? Species, a nesting location, and numbers would be ideal, though I can work with less, of course. The intel would simply make the job safer and faster." Alex went straight to business. Ossef chuckled at the strange dichotomy of the business like child.

"Straightforward and to the point, I can appreciate that, kid. We believe from the tracks discovered we're dealing with a den of Norgwecks that have over populated their environment." Alex nodded in understanding. Norgwecks were small dinosaur like reptiles that reminded him of the tiny velociraptor bird dinosaurs (Compsognathus) from his old world. "Some of our hunters managed to follow their trail a few miles southwest to a fairly large stretch of forest near the river before turning back. They estimated something like forty of the little bastards are terrorizing the area. We don't need them entirely purged, culling the majority would suffice." Alex nodded once more.

"I understand, thank you." Alex popped one of the small sandwiches in his mouth once more, chewing and swallowing quickly. "I have one more question, then we'll head out." Ossef looked at him askance as Alex turned to address Camelia.

"I noticed you have above average ethernano levels, and these snacks you prepared are amazing. Are you a hedge wizard by chance?" Camelia was startled at being addressed so suddenly, but pulled her composure together, flicking a glance at her father who nodded in encouragement. With a soft voice, Camelia responded.

"Yes, though my magic is rather silly. I'm a Cooking Mage." She gave a small embarrassed smile while Alex simply looked thoughtfully at her. Addressing her father once more.

"Chief, I'm sorry but I'm going to attempt to steal your daughter away." He pointed at the snacks present. "Those are amazing." Chief Ossef was stunned for a moment before breaking down into chuckles.

"Aren't you a little young to be thinking about women, kiddo?" Ossef asked, still giggling slightly. Alex snorted in response.

"Yes, I'm only five, however my mother runs one of the most well-known cafes in Magnolia. If I combine my mother's recipes with your daughter's magic, my family will be serving the entirety of Fiore by the end of next year." Alex turned back to Camelia. "No rush, it's a standing offer, so you can take your time deciding." Alex finally addressed Makarov after Camelia nodded in confirmation.

"Alright Gramps, I think I'm ready to head out." Alex drained the rest of his juice then stood. "My family runs Café de Patisserie, should you decide to accept. We'll return tomorrow after completing the request, but like I said before, it's a standing offer, so don't feel pressured to make an immediate decision." Alex gave the older girl a big smile and a small bow to the chief. "Thank you for the hospitality." After getting a similar response, the wizards left, heading in the direction of their quarry.