A frail woman clutching a child whispered, "Do you… think what she said is true?"
A sharp-faced woman nearby scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Pfft, obviously fake! A plain-looking woman like her having some powerful husband? And what's this about a 'Meatball Dark Guild'? She can't even make up a decent story! There's no news from the station—how could she know something like that so fast?"
An old woman with a face full of wrinkles frowned. "I don't know… They brought food to eat, didn't they? Why would they make up something like this? What's in it for them?"
The sharp-faced woman snorted, unimpressed. "Hmph, probably some scam from a magic shop selling protective charms! Bet you tomorrow they'll be out here peddling low-grade magical trinkets for 'self-defense'!"
A calm young woman with long black hair spoke up after a moment of thought. "Didn't she say Kunugi Station's already been taken over? If that's true, we'll hear about it by this afternoon at the latest. We can decide whether to evacuate then."
The frail woman shrank back, her voice trembling with fear. "B-but… what if it's true? By the time we get the news, those bad guys… they might already be here! Are we… are we going to die?"
The more she thought about it, the more terrified she became. Without hesitation, she turned and bolted home to pack and hide. Her departure sparked panic in others, and soon half the people in the park were scrambling to leave.
A heavyset man, practically dripping with sweat, smacked his lips, his eyes fixed on the stone bench where the group had been. "That stuff they were eating… it sounded so crunchy and tasty. Where'd they get it?"
The people around him stared at his round figure, collectively speechless: No wonder you're that big!
Those who rushed home to pack were bombarded with questions from family and neighbors. While many dismissed the rumors, others took a "better safe than sorry" approach and started packing too.
And so, word spread like wildfire—rumors of a "Dark Guild," "Lala Bye," and "Kunugi Station being overrun" flew through the town of Oshibana faster than a dragon's wings.
By the agreed-upon time, Natsu and the others headed toward the central plaza of the station. Lucy gaped at the growing crowds of people—carrying bundles, dragging their families, and fleeing the town. She whispered in shock, "Wow… so many people are actually running!"
"Those two Phantom Lords… their power's insane!!" she added, awestruck.
Just then, a muffled thud rang out. A teenage boy, running while looking back at them, had crashed headfirst into a shop sign!
"Ouch!"
Lucy and the others turned toward the noise.
The boy clutched his forehead but, instead of complaining, rushed up to Mirajane with a flushed face, stammering excitedly, "E-excuse me! Are you… Miss Mirajane from Fairy Tail?!"
Mirajane smiled brightly and nodded. "That's me! Hi there~!"
"W-wow! It's really her! It's really her!!" The boy bounced in place, practically vibrating with excitement. "I'm not dreaming, right?! I'm actually meeting Miss Mirajane!!"
His shout cut through the chaos of the fleeing crowd, drawing curious glances from passersby who stopped to look at the oddly calm group amidst the panic.
A sharp-eyed man pointed at Lucy and gasped, "Hey! That's her! Fairy Tail's 'strongest rookie'! The 'Whip Queen'!!"
"(0_0;)" Lucy froze, her eyes wide as saucers, mouth gaping big enough to fit an egg. "Wha—?! Whip Queen?! What kind of ridiculous nickname is that?!"
Her horrified screech startled the man, who glanced at the whip hanging from her waist and took two terrified steps back. "S-sorry! I-I heard it from someone else! P-please don't whip me!" His voice shook.
Lucy: "…"
She took a deep breath, then another, trying to suppress the steam practically rising from her head. Forcing a strained, dazzling smile, she spoke in a syrupy-sweet tone. "Oh, don't worry~! I'm not that scary~! I'm a super gentle, super kind mage, you know~! My magic summons adorable Celestial Spirits. All that nonsense in the magazines is totally made up!"
"That duke was a total villain, so I had no choice but to act!" she added, batting her innocent eyes.
The man, seeing she didn't seem as terrifying as the rumors, relaxed a little.
Just then, Happy swooped in beside Lucy, striking a serious pose with a paw to his temple in a mock salute. "Lucy-sama, shall I tie up this rumor-spreading fool—mmph?!"
Lucy's forehead vein throbbed. In a flash, she yanked Happy into her arms, clamping his mouth shut with one hand. Still wearing her "radiant" smile, she hissed through gritted teeth in a sugary, furious tone, "Oh, this naughty little kitty must be starving! Big sis has some yummy candy for you~!"
"Come on~ Open wide~! Ah!!"
Grinning menacingly, she pulled out a super-sour candy from her pocket—one she'd bought while shopping, guaranteed to make your teeth scream—and tried to shove it into Happy's tightly shut mouth.
"Mmph! Mmph!!" Happy flailed wildly in her grip, his face turning red as he refused to open his mouth.
The "savage" struggle between the two sent the man into a full-blown panic. Pale as a sheet, he stammered, "I-I'm sorry, Lucy-sama! I was wrong! I'm leaving!!" And with that, he scrambled away into the crowd.
"Wait! Let me explain!" Lucy reached out desperately, tears welling up.
QAQ It's over… my reputation's sprinting down the path of no return!
As Lucy wailed internally, an old woman in faded clothes and gray hair suddenly pushed through the crowd and dropped to her knees in front of Lucy with a thud! Her frail hands clutched Lucy's pant leg, tears streaming from her cloudy eyes. "Please, great mage! Save my grandson!! He—he's trapped inside the station!!"
"Huh?!" The sudden plea caught Lucy off guard. She quickly bent down to help the woman up. "Ma'am, please stand! I think I saw the army sending rescue teams. There's black smoke over there—they're probably already helping. Don't worry too much!"
But the old woman refused to budge, sobbing so hard she could barely breathe. "They went in ages ago, and there's been no news! I'm so scared… Please, Lucy-sama, help us!"
Trembling, she pulled a small, worn cloth pouch from her coat, the faint clink of coins inside. "T-this is all the money I've saved… It's not much, but please—save my grandson…"
"(==) Lucy-sama!!" It was the first time she'd been called that (even if it was forced, and from a terrified man's mouth), but a surge of responsibility welled up in Lucy's chest. She puffed out her chest, slapping it confidently. "Don't worry, ma'am! Leave it to us! We'll bring your grandson back safe and sound!"