As an investor in the movie theater, getting a film screening and two tickets was a piece of cake for Kira.
Normally, when a couple goes on a movie date, it's either a sappy romance or a spooky horror flick. But this movie? It was Kira' special brand of revenge, so it was neither.
Playing on the big screen was a mind-numbingly dull documentary about the origins, development, and modern applications of magical technology. Sure, movies were a big deal these days, but a film like this? Nobody in their right mind would enjoy it—especially not the rowdy, fist-and-magic-loving folks of Fairy Tail! Only someone like Kira, who was constantly tinkering with weapons, might glance at it now and then. Even a studious bookworm like Levy would steer clear of this snooze-fest. Forcing two young lovebirds on a date to sit through it was pure torture!
But the real kicker? To spice things up, Kira had gifted them a bucket of popcorn rigged with a "prank box" under the guise of a "lucky guest" prize. The prank box looked like an ordinary silver tin, but touch it, and it triggered a fear spell, transforming into something guaranteed to startle. The fear magic was adaptive, so it hit everyone differently and changed each time, but one thing was certain: it always caught you off guard.
That's why mischievous kids obsessed with pranks loved these things.
To Kira' utter dismay, though, Bisca and Alzack sat in the theater's prime seats, stiff as boards, heads down. They weren't watching the movie, weren't stealing glances at each other, and—worst of all—weren't even touching the free snacks!
Their behavior had Kira fuming from his spot in the back. "Come on! What's wrong with these two? Watch the movie, eat the popcorn, and let this boring film and a good scare give you a date you'll never want to relive!"
Meanwhile, Loke was sprawled comfortably in his seat, munching on snacks and casually watching the screen. He was even chatting up a cute girl next to him, tossing out lines like, "Can you believe people actually watch this garbage?" or "That street performer's magic outside was way better than this!" and "You're way prettier than that actress who just walked by." His carefree flirting was like salt in Kira' wound, making him even more annoyed.
"You're sure living it up, huh!" Kira snapped.
After enduring two excruciating hours, Kira felt like he was at his breaking point as they left the theater.
Loke waved goodbye to his new friend and turned to Kira. "I told you, a date's about who you're with, not what you're doing."
Kira took a deep breath, his eyes glinting with determination. "I don't buy it! This round was a bust, but I've got more tricks up my sleeve!"
The second stop on their date was Magnolia's water park, ranked third on the "Magnolia's Most Romantic Date Spots" list. The place was bursting with quirky water attractions, food stalls, performers, souvenir shops, and even fortune-tellers—a lively hotspot loved by locals.
Loke couldn't stop gawking, earning a sharp rebuke from Kira. "What the hell are you staring at, you jerk?!"
"Says the guy whose eyes are practically popping out!" Loke shot back.
"N-No way! That's my angry glare, totally different from you!"
As they bickered, they spotted Bisca and Alzack, now in swimsuits, heading for the water slide. The two were practically glued together at the top of the slide, but both were too shy to even glance at each other.
Kira scoffed. "A water slide? Are these two kids or what?"
"You don't get it," Loke said with a smug grin, playing the seasoned veteran. "The water slide's the ultimate bonding spot here. In a place like that…"
"Stop! Enough! That's plenty!" Kira cut him off, turning away. "I can't find fault with your logic, but that explanation is just too much!"
"Is it, though?" Loke's smirk dripped with condescension, as if saying, "What does a level-1 newbie like you know compared to a level-100 pro like me?" Kira was tempted to throw a punch, but he held back, remembering the mission.
"So, what's your plan this time?" Loke asked.
Kira grinned wickedly. "Heh, I rigged the slide with a Loop Band!"
The Loop Band was a one-use magical tool infused with spatial magic, inspired by the "Loop Card" from Cardcaptor Sakura. Draw a closed circle with each end of the pen, and the two circles create a spatial loop. For thirty minutes, anything—or anyone—that enters one circle comes out the other. The kicker? For ten seconds after passing through, no magic can be used. The closer the circles, the harder it is to break the loop, since there's no time to cast a spell. You're stuck until the thirty minutes are up!
"And since the loop's set up vertically in the slide, gravity makes them fall faster and faster, amplifying the weightless sensation!" Kira explained smugly. "The slide's completely dark inside, so they'll be tumbling in a half-weightless state for thirty minutes. They'll be so nauseous they'll puke!"
Magnolia's water park was a famous attraction, so its facilities were top-notch. The circular water slide had seven or eight loops, stood twenty meters tall, and spanned nearly ten meters wide. Even without the trap, it took dozens of seconds to get through.
Not far off, the young couple started their ride, clinging to each other as they whooshed out of sight from the entrance.
Loke, ever cautious, asked, "Hey, what if you mess with someone else by accident?"
"Relax, I booked the place for an hour. No one's interrupting them!" Kira assured.
Loke muttered, "…Money sure is nice."
Sure enough, it wasn't long before screams echoed from the unseen slide tunnel.
"What's happening?!"
"I'm so dizzy!"
"When will this end?!"
"Ugh—!"
The screams went on for nearly three minutes, followed by the sound of dry heaving. Luckily, they hadn't eaten anything earlier!
"Bwahahaha!" Kira cackled, hands on his hips. By every measure, his prank was a smashing success. "That's what you get for crossing Kira!"
Loke could only shake his head with a wry smile.
But Kira' victory lap was cut short when he heard something… off… from the slide. It was brief but unmistakable, growing louder by the second.
A nearby guy gasped in awe, like he'd never seen anything like it. "Magic's amazing!"
Even Kira blushed a little. "This… feels kinda embarrassing…"
"Isn't it obvious?" Loke said, rubbing his hands together, eyes gleaming with excitement. "Doing that in a place like this? It's gotta be their first time!"
Thirty minutes later, with a loud splash, Alzack and Bisca tumbled out of the slide's exit. The final, gentler stretch did little to cushion their fall, and they hit the water with a massive splash.
Dazed and breathless, they floated in the water for nearly two minutes before regaining their senses, helping each other up unsteadily.
Click, click!
Nearby, Kira was recording the moment with an imaging lacrima.
"What are you doing?" Loke asked.
Kira grinned slyly. "It backfired, I'll admit. But if I capture this moment, I can sell it to them later for a high price! After all, this is a memory of youth and love!"
"Wow… that's so you," Loke said, half-impressed, half-exasperated.
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