Disclaimer: Fairy Tail and its characters are not mine; they belong to Hiro Mashima!

AN: This chapter is short, but they get longer as the story goes on.

"Ehh, I still don't get it."

"GAJEEL!" Lucy slammed down onto the floor, basking in hopelessness. She'd explained it so many times already that her voice was hoarse and her vision was blurred in frustration. "It's really not that confusing..."

"It'll be a good learning experience for us," Ultear summarized, "But it's going to be very dangerous, and I don't know how well it will work. I don't think it's been done before."

"So we can only send a handful of people... preferably less," Erza closed her eyes, arms crossed firmly across her chest. "I should go."

"But we need you here, Erza!" Levy shook her head, placing small hands on the metal plates crossing the redhead's back. "What we really need to do is send a team that will work well together. The team should be balanced; someone intelligent who can solve problems on the spot, and someone with a lot of power who can take care of the physical danger!"

"So that's why we're goin'?" Gajeel asked, rubbing his head.

"Yes!" Levy smiled, "That's it!"

"I still don't get it."

"GAJEEL!"

"Hey, Lucy is plenty intelligent and you all know that I'VE GOT ALL THE POWER WE NEED!" Natsu punched his fist, glaring at Gajeel, "So Lucy, Happy and I should be the ones going!"

"DON'T GO VOLUNTEERING FOR DANGEROUS THINGS WITHOUT PEOPLES' PERMISSION!"

"Well, I don't mind you and Lucy going, but..." Levy rubbed at the back of her head, hesitating...

"But between you and Gajeel, I think you have less self control," Erza noted with a resolute nod.

"HEH! I've got control!" Gajeel beamed, pressing his forehead to Flame Brain's.

"Marginal."

"Eh?"

"I said 'less' self control. You still don't have a lot of it. So the difference is marginal."

"So what're you sayin'?"

"Oh, Gajeel," Levy shook her head and patted the Iron Dragon Slayer on his back, "Erza's just saying that you're the right one for the job."

"Oh! GIHI! I knew it!"

"Enough, brats!"

"Master!" several heads whirred around to peer at the little man balancing precariously on the second-floor railing.

"What's going on here? I left you alone for three hours, DON'T TELL ME..." the bill, where was the bill!? There had to be one, because every time he turned his back on these people they blew up ano-

"Ultear found something," Gray interrupted the man's terrifying conclusion and bunched his fists together, "We don't know if it's the best solution, or if it's the only solution, but she might be able to..."

"-send someone back in time."

Author's Note:

I wrote this based on an idea that I have had for the past few days (long before I read chapter 302, mind!) and decided to put it here.

I am leaving the timeline purposely ambiguous. I know that it is set in a post-games arc because I'd like to be able to include any new powers, etc., but I'm not being specific about it.