As Gildarts and I strolled through the northern district of Magnolia, I gave a quick pat to the pouch at my side, reassuring myself that the scroll Alma had handed me earlier was still tucked securely inside. A merchant escort mission, a simple assignment for a new guild member to get their bearings. Straightforward, Alma had called it, though I was skeptical of just how "straightforward" it would remain with Gildarts tagging along.
The mention of bandits on the road didn't faze me. Bandits were predictable. Gildarts, on the other hand, was something else entirely. The man was a wild card with enough power to accidentally flatten an entire village if he wasn't paying attention. And knowing Gildarts, he wouldn't be paying attention. My mission wasn't just to protect a wagon from bandits, it was to protect the wagon from him.
He walked beside me with his hands behind his head, humming a light tune like he didn't have a care in the world. He carried himself with such ease, like someone utterly unaware, or maybe unconcerned, about the sheer destructive force he carried with him.
"You're awfully quiet, kid," he said suddenly, his grin broad as he glanced at me. "What's the matter? Getting cold feet already?"
"Not really," I replied, keeping my tone as even as possible. "Just trying to figure out how to stop you from accidentally flattening the merchant's wagon."
He let out a laugh, loud and unrestrained, causing a few townsfolk to glance our way with puzzled expressions. "Flattening the wagon? What kind of stories have they been telling you back at the guild?"
I raised an eyebrow, gesturing vaguely to the subtly altered layout of the district, the rerouted roads and the spaced-out buildings. "You mean stories like the ones that explain why Magnolia has to adjust itself every time you come back? The Gildarts Shift isn't exactly subtle, you know."
He laughed even harder, wiping a tear from his eye. "Ah, the Gildarts Shift. Yeah, they really outdid themselves with that one. Smart folks, these town planners. They get me."
I shot him a flat look. "I'm pretty sure they'd prefer you didn't accidentally level half the town to begin with."
"Come on," he said, holding up his hands in mock surrender. "I'm not that bad. Besides, I'll behave. You've got nothing to worry about."
The shop came into view, a modest storefront with neatly arranged crates stacked out front. A man, stout and wearing a well-worn apron, stepped out as we approached. His eyes swept over me first, lingering for a moment on the Fairy Tail mark on my shoulder, before shifting to Gildarts. His expression instantly froze somewhere between panic and disbelief.
"Wait, hold on," the man stammered, squinting as though he couldn't quite believe what he was seeing. "Is that... Gildarts?"
"Sup Tanner! In the flesh," Gildarts said cheerfully, throwing one arm into the air like he was introducing himself on stage. "Thought I'd tag along, keep the kid company, and maybe scare off a few bandits while we're at it. You're welcome, by the way."
Tanner, at least that's what his apron tag read, stared at Gildarts like he'd just seen a storm cloud roll in. "Right," he managed after a moment, his voice faltering. "You're not planning to..."
"Destroy anything?" Gildarts finished for him with a laugh, waving a dismissive hand. "No, no. I'm just here to make sure everything goes smoothly. No craters, no explosions, just a simple stroll to Glenhurst."
Tanner didn't look convinced. His wary gaze darted to his wagon, and then back to Gildarts. "You've got a reputation," he muttered. "I'd rather deal with the bandits than explain to my wife why the wagon exploded halfway down the road."
"Exploded?" Gildarts repeated, feigning mock offense. "That was one time. And, technically, the wagon got an upgrade afterward. Better wheels, sturdier frame, it was a win-win."
Watching their exchange, I realized this wasn't Tanner's first time commissioning Fairy Tail. Poor guy looked genuinely traumatized.
Tanner sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Just... please. Leave the wagon intact. And the road. And the trees. Actually, just leave everything intact."
"Noted," Gildarts said with a broad grin. He turned to me with a playful nudge. "You hear that, kid? No accidents this time. You're my witness."
"Great," I muttered, feeling the weight of Makarov's earlier instructions. "First mission, and I'm already in charge of disaster prevention."
Tanner turned to me next, his voice dropping to a low murmur. "Are you sure you can keep him in check?"
I met his gaze evenly, hoping I looked more confident than I felt. "I'll do my best."
With a resigned sigh, Tanner gestured to the wagon. "Alright. Here's the deal," he began, shifting into a more businesslike tone. "The wagon's loaded with tools, fabrics, and a few crates of spices, pretty valuable stuff. We're heading to Glenhurst, which should take about half a day if the road's clear. But there've been reports of bandits. Small groups, mostly, nothing too organized, but enough to make people nervous."
"Bandits, huh?" Gildarts said, rubbing his chin as though he were considering a fine wine. "Maybe this will be interesting after all."
"I'd prefer it if it weren't," Tanner said dryly. "Your job is to make sure we get there in one piece. Goods, wagon, and all."
"Don't worry, Tanner," Gildarts said with his trademark grin. "You've got Fairy Tail's finest on the job."
"And me," I added, earning a chuckle from Gildarts.
With everything loaded, Tanner climbed onto the wagon, shooting one last wary glance at Gildarts. I adjusted my bag and fell into step beside them as the wagon began to roll.
This was supposed to be a straightforward mission. But with Gildarts involved, I already knew "straightforward" was a word that wasn't going to apply. At least it wouldn't be boring. Probably.
As we left the bustling streets of Magnolia behind, the sound of the town's morning rhythm faded into a soft murmur. The countryside opened up ahead, the dirt road winding gently through fields dotted with wildflowers. Tanner's wagon creaked rhythmically, its wheels crunching against the gravel as he hummed quietly to himself, clearly trying to keep his nerves in check with Gildarts walking nearby.
"Ah, nothing like a good stroll through the countryside," Gildarts said, stretching his arms above his head. "Fresh air, open road, and the occasional bandit to liven things up. Don't you agree, kid?"
I glanced at him, unimpressed. "I'd agree more if I didn't have to keep an eye on you. You're worse than the bandits."
Tanner, from his perch on the wagon, snorted. "The kid's not wrong. I'm more worried about the trees surviving this trip than I am the bandits."
Gildarts placed a hand over his heart, feigning hurt. "What's this? No faith in me? You wound me, Tanner."
"It's not faith I'm lacking," Tanner muttered, rolling his eyes.
I shook my head, pulling a small ring from my pocket as we walked. The silver band caught the sunlight, its surface etched with faint runes. I turned it over in my fingers once before tossing it toward Gildarts. "Here. Put this on."
He caught it midair with a curious look. "What's this? A gift? I didn't know you cared, Aiden."
"Not quite," I replied. "It's enchanted. Suppresses excess magic flow. Thought it might... I don't know, help you avoid leveling the entire countryside by accident."
Gildarts examined the ring with a chuckle. "You think I need a magic suppressor? Kid, I've got my magic under perfect control."
I shot him a knowing look. "Right. That's why the town literally moves out of your way when you visit. Look, it has a toggle function," I added, gesturing toward the runes. "You just need to tap the ring's surface twice to deactivate the suppression in case of an emergency. It's not meant to limit you, just to prevent... collateral damage."
Gildarts turned the ring over in his fingers, studying it with genuine curiosity now. "A toggle function, huh? Handy little thing." He slipped it onto his finger, flexing his hand experimentally. "Alright, you win. I'll humor you. But if this thing makes me feel weaker, you're carrying the wagon the rest of the way."
"It won't," I said confidently. "It just ensures the magic output doesn't go wild on accident. You won't notice a difference unless you're actively trying to destroy something."
Tanner gave me an approving nod. "Thanks for that. Maybe my wagon actually has a chance now."
Gildarts grinned mischievously, clearly enjoying the banter. "You know, Tanner, for someone who claims to be worried about the wagon, you sure like to talk back. Aren't merchants supposed to be polite?"
Tanner rolled his eyes again but wisely chose to focus on guiding the wagon. Meanwhile, Gildarts held his hand up, examining the ring like it was some grand artifact. "I've gotta admit, kid, this thing feels pretty nice. Where'd you get it?"
I shrugged. "Picked it up a while ago. Figured it might come in handy one day, mostly for moments like this."
The journey continued with more small talk, most of which involved Gildarts recounting tales of his past "adventures," which all sounded suspiciously like disasters in disguise. Tanner alternated between laughing nervously and muttering prayers under his breath whenever Gildarts got too animated.
"And then there was the time I accidentally caused a rockslide," Gildarts said, gesturing wildly. "It wasn't my fault, really. The mountain was just too unstable to handle my magic."
"Uh-huh," I said, pretending to pay attention. "And how many people had to rebuild their homes after that?"
"Eh, a few. But I bought them new tools, so really, I was a hero," Gildarts replied, completely unbothered.
Tanner groaned, slapping a hand to his forehead. "This is going to be a long trip."