"This… this money—" Makarov clutched the back of his head, still throbbing faintly, his mind a foggy mess, like it was stuffed with paste.
Normally, just repairing the guild's damaged sections was a hefty expense, not to mention compensating the town for collateral damage. Sure, they'd deduct it from the culprits' job rewards, but sometimes Makarov had to dip into his own savings to cover the shortfall. This left the guild's funds perpetually tight, making expansion a pipe dream.
But now, eight billion jewels for renovations? He'd never fought a battle this flush with cash! The sheer joy overwhelmed him, leaving him directionless.
"Uh… well…" he stammered, "Let's… let's gather everyone's opinions and decide later!"
Cana, catching the scent of opportunity like a cat sniffing wine, sidled up, slinging an arm around Makarov's shoulder with a "sincere" grin.
"Guild Master~ If we're being democratic, I've got a suggestion! The new guild needs a massive wine cellar!"
"And stock it with all kinds of exotic liquors from around the world! That way, we'll never run dry at victory parties!"
Makarov, still dazed by the windfall, waved a hand grandly without thinking. "Approved!"
"YES! Long live the Guild Master!" Cana cheered, flashing a smug "mission accomplished" look and sneaking a victory sign to Roger nearby.
Seeing Cana's success, the guild erupted into a chorus of suggestions:
"Guild Master! Double—no, triple the size of the backyard training area! That way, Erza and the others won't keep smashing through walls during sparring!"
"Yeah, and add a few layers of magical barriers!"
"And hire a top-notch chef! A really good one!"
"Alright, alright! Approved, all approved!" Makarov, swarmed by enthusiasm, grinned ear to ear, nodding to everything in his giddy haze.
Clearing his throat, he tried to muster some Guild Master gravitas, raising a hand to rally the crowd. "Now! To celebrate our—"
"Hold on!" Roger cut in, stopping Makarov's party proclamation mid-sentence.
"Guild Master, Mr. Yajima is still waiting at Porlyusica's for your 'treatment.'"
"Plus, you're technically a 'severely injured' patient with depleted magic power. A big celebration should wait until the new guild is finished."
Makarov's "let's party" died in his throat. He glanced at the eager guild members, then at his "ailing" persona, and slumped, his fingers fidgeting as he muttered sulkily, "Fine… okay…"
Taking the card Cana handed him to maintain his "grievous injury" illusion, he sighed dramatically, turning away. Like a kid scolded by a parent, he trudged out of the temporary warehouse, his figure vanishing into the forest path's twilight.
Though the Guild Master left, the excitement in the warehouse didn't fade. Everyone buzzed about the new guild's plans. Lucy, twisting her clothes nervously, approached Roger, Erza, and Mirajane, her head bowed.
"Um… I'm really sorry for not telling everyone my last name. It's caused you all trouble."
Erza smiled, patting her shoulder gently. "It's okay, Lucy. Everyone has their secrets. Even the closest partners can keep a little space for themselves."
"Fairy Tail would never hold that against a friend."
Mirajane joined in, draping an arm around Lucy's other shoulder with a warm smile. "Exactly! And we owe you thanks, Lucy!"
"Because of you, we got this huge sum to build an even better guild!"
Winking playfully, she teased, "If you weren't a Heartfilia, Phantom Lord might not have attacked, and we wouldn't have this chance~"
Lucy's mouth twitched. "-_= Is… is that a compliment?"
Despite her quip, the genuine smiles of the trio and the guild's warm, accepting vibe made her clench her fists with resolve.
If it's Father, he won't let this go. He'll find other ways to drag me back, maybe even target the guild.
I have to go back and settle this once and for all.
She looked at the vibrant Fairy Tail emblem on her hand, her eyes firm.
I'm a Fairy Tail mage now. I can't keep running away like before.
"Lu~cy!" A cheerful voice broke her thoughts as Lisanna hooked her arm, beaming. "Stop overthinking! It's a happy day! Come play a game!"
Dragging Lucy toward the lively crowd, Lisanna grinned. "We need one more for flying chess, and I thought of you first!"
Lucy blinked, warmed by Lisanna's bright smile and the guild's joyful chaos. Her gloom faded, and a smile crept onto her face. "Alright, I'm in!"
She let Lisanna pull her from the quiet corner into the heart of Fairy Tail's warm, laughter-filled world.
---
Days later, in the evening, Roger, Erza, and Mirajane stepped out of a cozy Magnolia restaurant when their communication cards buzzed urgently.
Roger pulled his out, seeing a chibi Gray hopping anxiously. Channeling magic, Gray's frantic voice burst through:
"Trouble, Roger! Loke just said he's quitting the guild!"
"We can't find him anywhere! We've checked all his usual spots!"
Erza's brows shot up. "Quitting the guild? Out of nowhere? What happened?"
Gray's voice dripped with frustration. "I don't know! I asked almost everyone, but no one knows what's up with Loke! No warning at all!"
Roger asked, "Gray, have you told Lucy?"
"Lucy?" Gray sounded surprised. "Not yet—she's the only one I haven't asked."
"I figured since she's new and not close with Loke, she wouldn't know anything, so I asked others first—"
"Go find Lucy," Roger said. "Loke's issue might only be something she can handle."
"Huh? Oh—okay, I'll go!" Though puzzled, Gray trusted Roger and cut the connection.
Mirajane leaned in, eyes sparkling with gossip. "Why Lucy specifically? Is this about to turn into a 'Celestial Mage saves the hero' drama?"
Roger rubbed his forehead. "Your imagination's running wild—"
Mirajane, convinced she was onto something, grinned. "It's not imagination! I've seen Lucy and Loke chatting a lot lately!"
"Loke's usually terrified of Celestial Mages, ready to bolt at the mention, but he's all buddy-buddy with Lucy!"
"Isn't that super weird?"
She formed an "L" with her fingers, striking a detective pose. "So, I've concluded: Did our cute Lucy break Loke's heart, leaving him so crushed he's quitting the guild to wander off?"
Roger and Erza sweatdropped in unison.
Roger chuckled, shaking his head. "It's not what you think. I promised Loke to keep the reason secret for now."
"But you'll probably know the truth tomorrow."
"Fine~" Mirajane sighed, still sparkling with curiosity. "Though I think my version's more exciting."
The next day, Roger and Erza arrived at the new guild's foundation site when Mirajane's voice, eight octaves higher, rang out nearby:
"No way! Wait! Loke's a Celestial Spirit?!"
"And Leo, the Lion, from the Zodiac?!"
"No wonder he always avoided Celestial Mages!"
Following the voice, they saw Natsu circling an embarrassed Loke like a curious dog, inspecting him.
"So ordinary! Too ordinary for a Zodiac Spirit, Loke!" Natsu gestured wildly at Lucy. "Nothing like the weird spirits Lucy summons!"
Loke, in his green vest and orange hair, adjusted his glasses with a sigh. "Really? Want me to turn into a lion, Natsu?"
"Can you?!" Lucy and Natsu's eyes widened, one shocked, the other starry-eyed with excitement.
Loke spread his hands, smirking slyly. "Sadly, no."
"…" Lucy's shoulders slumped, her mouth twitching. "Then why'd you even say that?!"
Suddenly, Loke whooshed beside Lucy, one hand on a nearby rack, the other brushing his hair, striking a "charming" pose with a "soulful" tone. "But~ if it's for you, Lucy, I'd train to make it happen~"
Leaning closer, he winked. "For you, becoming a lion isn't impossible~"
Lucy deadpanned, shoving his face away. "That's not something you can train for! And you're too close!"
Happy zipped between them, covering his mouth with a paw, grinning. "They've got a thing going~"
Loke gave Happy a thumbs-up, his expression "confident." "You could say that!"
"No way!" Lucy's face flushed, yelling at Happy. "And stop rolling your tongue like that!"
Taking a deep breath, she pulled out Leo's golden key, looking at Loke seriously. "Alright, now that everyone knows, it's time to rest in the Spirit World. Your injuries will heal faster there, right?"
"Wait! Don't close the gate yet!" Loke hurriedly pulled out four glossy tickets, handing them to her.
"These are for you."
"What are—?" Lucy took them, puzzled.
"Vouchers for a famous hot spring resort nearby," Loke said with a gentle smile. "Thanks for your help, and sorry for keeping my secret from everyone."
Scratching his cheek, he added sheepishly, "Go relax with the others."
Lucy glanced at the tickets, then gasped. "These… these are for that super fancy resort that costs 500,000 jewels a night?!"
"Why aren't you going?!"
She smacked her forehead. "Oh, right, you need to heal in the Spirit World—"
"Exactly," Loke winked playfully. "I'd love a honeymoon trip with you, Lucy, but alas~"
Lucy groaned. "That's not how 'honeymoon' works—"
Loke chuckled, turning to Roger and handing him three more tickets. "Thanks for keeping my secret."
"If you hadn't told Lucy in time, I might've vanished for good."
Leaning in, he nudged Roger's side with a knowing grin. "Got you a triple room—pretty generous, huh?"
Before Roger could respond, Loke dissolved into golden sparkles, his voice lingering with a laugh. "Lucy, call me anytime~"
Lucy looked at Leo's key, smiling softly. "Yeah."
"Ahh!" Happy's shout snapped everyone's attention. He held up a voucher, voice trembling. "These tickets have an expiration date!"
"They're only valid until tomorrow!"
"What?!" Lucy checked her ticket, spotting the deadline at the bottom. "It takes six hours to get to Akane Resort! We'd have to leave now to make it!"
"You guys better hurry, or we're leaving without you," Erza's voice called.
Lucy turned, jaw dropping. Erza was in a swimsuit, a float ring around her waist, a straw hat on her head, and a cart of massive luggage behind her.
Mirajane, in a breezy resort dress, smiled at her.
Roger, unchanged except for a travel bag, stood calmly.
"(°口°)? When did you pack?!" Lucy gaped.
Amid her shock, they boarded a train to Akane. The wheels clacked rhythmically, scenery flashing by. Soon, a blue coastline came into view.
Handing over the vouchers, they entered Fiore's famed resort. Endless azure seas stretched before them, golden sands teeming with laughing tourists, the air thick with salty breezes and sunlit warmth.
Lucy raced to the beach but froze, eyes wide—Erza was standing on the water.
Mirajane joined her, both grabbing surfboards and riding the waves.
"They're… standing on water?!" Lucy gasped.
Happy, building a sandcastle with Natsu, flicked his tail with a "you're so clueless" look. "It's called water-walking, Lucy. Basic magic control training~ You didn't know?"
"Water-walking?" Lucy stared at the rolling waves. "How's it work?"
Roger's voice came from behind. "Channel magic to your feet, spreading it evenly to form a thin film."
"It's like a layer of ice on the water, supporting your weight."
"Water-walking trains magic control and output stability. A spell that takes ten units of magic might only need five after practice."
"It also boosts your total magic capacity."
"Really?!" Lucy's eyes lit up, new to this training method. "Does everyone in the guild do this?"
"Pretty much," Roger nodded. "But you usually start with tree-climbing, then water-walking."
"Water-walking's tougher. Balancing on moving, unstable water requires constant, even magic output, adjusted instantly."
"Tree-climbing's simpler—just walk up without breaking the bark."
Lucy frowned, recalling something. "So Natsu can water-walk? But in his first fight, he didn't—he flew with wings. Doesn't that use more magic?"
"He's motion-sick," Roger said, shaking his head.
"Huh?" Lucy blinked. "What's that got to do with it?"
Roger pointed at the rippling waves. "Water-walking means dealing with a shifting surface. To Natsu, that's like being in a bumpy vehicle."
"The moment the water moves, his magic cuts out, and—" He mimed a falling motion. "Splash."
Lucy's mouth twitched. "That… counts as a vehicle?"