Hearing that, Ultear shot him an unimpressed look.
"Fine, then when you die, I'll be sure to burn our photos for you too. Make sure you're there to receive them."
"Hehe, why would I die though. Even if I do, it'll be after growing old happily with all of you, and we'll all meet again in the next world anyway, so I won't even need the photos."
"Keep dreaming. Wanting to cling to us even after death, you really are exhausting."
Though the two of them were bickering, it sounded far more like a couple flirting than an actual argument.
Under normal circumstances, watching a couple this affectionate from the guild, Mavis wouldn't have minded settling in for a bit of harmless gossip watching from the sidelines. But right now, watching the two of them chat and laugh while carelessly tossing one delicious dessert after another into the fire, wasting it all like that, her heart was practically bleeding.
'Stop, please stop! Not the pudding, I want that one so badly!!!'
Watching Ultear raise a plump, jiggly, absolutely mouthwatering pudding cup, about to toss it into the fire, Mavis finally couldn't take it anymore. Her figure dropped straight down from above as she shouted.
"No! That one's mine!!"
On an island with supposedly just the two of them, hearing a third voice ring out startled even someone as seasoned as Ultear badly enough that she reflexively dropped the pudding and threw herself into Kabe's arms.
"Aaah!!"
"The pudding!!!"
Two cries rang out at once, one pure terror, the other pure heartbreak.
In the end, Mavis couldn't save the pudding in time, and could only watch helplessly as it hit the ground and got thoroughly ruined by dirt and grime.
Staring at the small blonde girl in white, hand still outstretched, frozen completely in place, Kabe compared her against his memory of Mavis and confirmed at once that this really was Fairy Tail's First Master herself, standing right in front of him.
He immediately wrapped one arm around Ultear while pointing the other, finger trembling, straight at Mavis, putting on a show of shock.
"F, First Master! You're Master Mavis, the First Master?! First Master, aren't, aren't you already..."
Before she could even mourn the loss of her pudding, hearing the young man call out her identity so easily left Mavis frozen stiff on the spot.
'What do I do?! Not only did I fail to save the pudding, but now they know I'm a peeping Tom too. What am I supposed to do in this situation? Yuri, Precht, Warrod, somebody, anybody, help me out here!'
After a whole inner monologue's worth of silent panic, Mavis finally managed to respond. She stiffly raised a hand and gave a small wave at Kabe, her voice forcibly bright as she offered a strained greeting.
"H, hello there."
...
Silence.
"Ahem, young man of Fairy Tail, have you come to pay your respects to me? Thank you for not forgetting me all these years. Please, come closer. As First Master, it's only proper I offer a new face a proper welcoming gift."
...
More silence.
"What's wrong? Come on, step forward and accept my gift."
Listening to Mavis's repeated urging, watching her small face flush red with embarrassment, Kabe didn't stay silent this time. He let go of Ultear and stepped forward.
"Wonderful. Please, hold out your hand and receive one of Fairy Tail's Three Great Fairy Magics, from me to you. Fairy Glitter, uh, huh?!"
Still keeping up the act, Mavis had already reached out to take his hand, ready to bestow the ultimate spell Fairy Glitter upon him, then immediately bolt and hide somewhere far away.