A few hours earlier—
At dawn, beneath a faint veil of mist, the Fairy Tail airship sliced through the waves and wind.
Just before reaching the shores of Dressrosa, its bow shifted, changing course toward the smaller island connected by a great bridge.
That island was Green Bit—the land of the Little People.
"This should be the meeting point our client mentioned. Green Bit," Erza said, gazing at the lush island below. "Mira, switch to flight mode."
"Got it!" Mirajane replied, nodding firmly.
The airship's engines hummed as she manually changed the flight system. The Fairy Tail rose into the sky and glided smoothly toward the forested island.
"Wow… Is this what a real forest looks like on land? It's so beautiful!"
Shirahoshi's eyes sparkled with wonder—it was her first time seeing such a scene.
"The plants here are enormous! It's almost like Sky Island all over again," Wendy gasped.
"Strange," Carla muttered, tilting her head. "There's no direct sunlight here. How can the plants grow this large?"
"Maybe the island's climate was preserved since ancient times—like Little Garden," Nami suggested thoughtfully.
That name brought a faint smile to her face.
She still remembered catching that five-day illness there, which ended up giving her precious time alone with Sugisawa Yuuto. It had taken courage to confess her heart that day.
If not for that strange turn of fate… she might never have dared.
And she would never have experienced the warmth that followed.
"Probably not quite the same," Robin said, shaking her head gently. "According to the information Ms. Shakky gave us, Dressrosa was once home to a legendary race of fairies."
"Fairies?!"
Juvia, Erza, Mirajane, and Wendy all perked up immediately.
After all, their guild's name itself came from that mystery—Fairy Tail.
Do fairies truly have tails?
No one knew. No one had ever even confirmed whether fairies existed.
And that eternal unknown—that endless adventure—was why the first Guild Master, Mavis Vermillion, had chosen the name Fairy Tail.
Naturally, hearing of a fairy legend connected to this island stirred excitement among the guild's members.
"So there really are fairies here?" Erza asked, her tone hopeful.
"Well," Robin corrected gently, "'fairy' is more of a title. The beings that coexist with Dressrosa's people are actually a race of tiny humans."
"Humans the size of a palm?!" Vivi gasped. "That's incredible!"
"According to records, the Little Humans are geniuses when it comes to cultivating plants," Robin explained. "There isn't a single plant in the world they can't grow. This entire forest might be their masterpiece."
As she spoke—
Whoosh! Whoosh whoosh!
A flurry of movement rippled through the undergrowth. Something small darted rapidly among the grass.
Reacting instantly, Robin crossed her arms.
"Cien Fleur!"
Her Flower-Flower Fruit ability bloomed into action. Extra hands sprouted to gently catch the darting figures in the air.
"Wow, they're real! Little Humans!"
"So these are the fairies!"
"So cute~~~"
Shirahoshi, Perona, and several others squealed with delight.
"Let go of me, human!"
"Who are you people?!"
"We've been seen! We've been seen by grown-ups!"
The captured Little Human warriors wriggled and shouted in panic.
Hidden among the foliage, more tiny figures began preparing to attack—until a deep voice cut through the tension.
"Wait, Leo! They're the Fairy Tail mages we've been waiting for!"
The words came from deeper within the forest, full of excitement barely held in check.
"You're finally here—Fairy Tail!"
The whir of gears echoed, and from the shadows emerged a one-legged toy soldier, his wooden frame gleaming in the light.
"Captain!"
"They're really Fairy Tail?"
"Look at that emblem—it's them!"
"Heroes! The heroes of the sea have finally come!"
The Little Humans erupted into cheers, their tiny voices trembling with joy.
"One-legged toy soldier," Erza said seriously, "are you the client who sent us the commission?"
"Yes!" the toy soldier replied, stepping forward excitedly. "I am the one who sent for your help."
He straightened his back—one leg clicking firmly against the earth.
"My name is Cyrus."
About a year ago, after the Alabasta incident, Cyrus had seen news about Fairy Tail.
Moved by their actions, he'd sent a formal commission—entrusting them with the mission to save Dressrosa. He used every means available, even sending the request through the World News Agency's global channels.
And since then, he had waited—day after day, month after month—here on Green Bit.
But no response had ever come.
Of course, it was no surprise.
After all, who in this world would take the words of a toy seriously?
Most thought his message a joke or a malfunctioning mechanism. His hope had begun to fade… until now.
At last—
Fairy Tail had come.
Cyrus trembled as he looked upon them. Words couldn't describe the surge of emotion in his chest.
"So it's true…" Nami murmured. "A toy that talks—actually real!"
"If it's a transformed human, then it makes sense," Juvia said softly.
"Then tell us, one-legged soldier," Erza began firmly. "How did you become a toy?"
Cyrus's voice lowered.
"It was because of a Devil Fruit user from the Donquixote Family—her name is Sugar. She possesses the power to turn people into toys. The instant one is transformed, their very existence is erased from memory… even from the minds of their loved ones."
"Nani?!"
"That's terrifying!"
"If the President forgot me…"
The girls of Fairy Tail exchanged uneasy looks, imagining the horror.
Erza pressed on.
"I see. Then why, if toys retain consciousness, has this secret remained hidden for so many years?"
"Because every toy is forced to sign a magical contract with Sugar," Cyrus explained. "The contract forbids them from revealing the truth. Any toy that tries to resist is instantly disposed of as a 'broken toy.'"
"So you were able to contact us because… you broke free of the contract?" Wendy asked.
"Not quite. My case is special," Cyrus said. "I was the first toy Sugar ever created. Due to her carelessness, she forgot to bind me with a contract."
"I understand." Erza nodded, her expression firm. "Then one final question—before you were turned into a toy, who were you?"
The Little Humans puffed out their tiny chests with pride.
"The Captain was a hero before he became a toy!"
"Yes! He was a legendary gladiator!"
"A sword fighter undefeated in over three thousand matches at Dressrosa's bullfighting arena!"
"My name," Cyrus said proudly, saluting with his one leg, "is Cyrus—former Commander of the Royal Army of Dressrosa!"
The Fairy Tail members exchanged looks of awe.
"Oh? Mr. Soldier, so you're Cyrus!"
A gentle, youthful voice came from the trees.
A girl with long, pink braids stepped into view.
"Rebecca, why are you here?" Cyrus asked, startled.
"Because you and the Little Humans left together, and I didn't want to be alone…" she said softly, looking down like a scolded child.
"Who is she?" Erza asked, frowning slightly.
"Her name is Rebecca," Cyrus said. "She's the princess of the Dressrosa royal family."
"Eh?!" Nami and Vivi exclaimed at once, their eyes lighting up.
A bold idea began forming in their minds.