Under much anticipation, the Harvest Festival finally began.
Cheerful music echoed throughout Magnolia Town, and beautiful fireworks bloomed in the sky, illuminating the night.
All guild members changed into magnificent clothes and attended in full dress.
Cheers and music intertwined as the cheerleading squad composed of Lucy, Levy, and Bisca performed a graceful dance on stage.
Dreamlike magic circles unfolded one by one in the sky; Cana's magic cards flew and transformed in the air, Erza donned her Heavens Wheel Armor to present a beautiful sword dance to the audience, and Natsu looked up to let out a Roar, spewing flames that formed cool characters in the sky.
The duo of Juvia and Gray controlled water and ice to create an exquisite ice castle, drawing cheers from the entire crowd.
Many guilds were present in the crowd, including Lyon and Sherry Blendy from Lamia Scale, as well as Madara and Vidaldus Taka from Skull Academy.
They had already reformed and submitted evidence of their crimes to the Magic Council, giving them a chance to atone.
Irene Belserion and Acnologia were sitting on an outdoor bench, leisurely eating sweets while watching everyone's wonderful performances.
Makarov, wearing a plush mascot suit, walked over and smiled, "Aren't you two going to perform a program?"
Irene waved her hand in refusal, "Forget about performing; we as a couple are better suited for the cheering section to set the mood."
Acnologia said with a smile, "Our magic isn't that flashy; at most, we could set off some fireworks."
"More importantly..."
He looked toward Laxus, who was about to leave in the distant crowd. "Are you really going to let him leave? The guild members don't actually blame him."
Makarov fell silent for a moment, then gently shook his head and sighed, "Rules are rules. There are certain lines that absolutely cannot be crossed, not even by my own grandson!"
"Master, it's your turn to go on!"
Amidst the calls from his comrades in the back, Makarov bid farewell to the two and stepped onto the float, jumping and waving his hands, which made the crowd cheer with joy.
"That's the Master! Everyone, come look, this is so funny!"
"Hahaha, we have to record this and show it to the Master later."
"I snatched Jason's camera, let me take the picture!"
Listening to the cheers in the crowd, Laxus watched this scene in silence as his memories were pulled back to the past.
It was a blonde child and a little old man... "Grandpa, will you participate in the Harvest Festival performance?"
"This stage belongs to you young people; I'll be in the audience cheering for you."
"Then I'll make this gesture during the performance."
He extended his left hand, clenched it into a fist, and pointed his thumb and index finger toward the sky.
The little old man asked with some confusion, "What is this for?"
"It means that even if I can't find you, Grandpa, I'll still be looking at you."
...Laxus looked at the Happy figure on the float, smiled knowingly, and turned to walk toward an alley.
Suddenly he noticed something and looked back; the old man on the float had a firm gaze and pointed his finger toward the sky.
Everyone in Fairy Tail showed Happy smiles and, as if by prior agreement, raised their hands and pointed toward the bright night sky.
Laxus's eyes turned red, and hazy tears flickered... Family members about to travel far, even if separated by great distances, under the starry sky, we can still see each other and protect each other... We will eventually reunite in the future... A week passed after the Harvest Festival, and the city returned to its usual tranquility, but the fact that Laxus had been expelled from the guild still left everyone in shock.
Natsu, in particular, argued from morning till night.
"Why drive Laxus away? It was just a fight, that guy is still a comrade!"
Erza pulled his wrist and said, "Natsu, say less. The Master doesn't feel any better than you do."
Makarov sighed in silence, "Laxus committed such an error; I no longer have the face to continue serving as Master."
Everyone was pale with fright, "Don't scare us, Master!"
The three members of Fried's Thunder God Tribe bowed and apologized sincerely, "Please do not do this. If Laxus found out, he would surely suffer even more."
After a day and night of persuasion, and after everyone had talked until their lips were dry, Makarov finally dropped the idea.
The Thunder God Tribe had reintegrated into the Fairy Tail family, and everyone showed their smiles again.
Lucy suddenly thought of something and hid in a corner alone, crying loudly, "The five hundred thousand prize money is gone!"
"God damn it, my rent!"
Natsu leaned in and said, "Want to go on a mission?"
"I know that without you telling me!"
...The next day, Natsu and Happy called Irene and Acnologia to prepare for a mission together, but Lucy was nowhere to be found.
They asked many people, and it wasn't until they asked Cana that they learned Lucy had gone on a date with her 'man of destiny'.
Natsu and Happy were dejected for a while; without Lucy there, no one was around to provide the straight-man commentary, it was so boring.
"Man of destiny?"
Acnologia was somewhat surprised, but after thinking carefully, he had some recollection of this.
It seemed Cana had done a reading for Lucy, saying she would meet her man of destiny today. As a result, she met a black-haired kid with glasses and went on a date for dinner or something.
In fact, Lucy didn't know that her man of destiny was actually with her every day.
Happy's eyes suddenly lit up and he said, "I remember now, Lucy mentioned last night that someone was going to treat her to dinner."
Irene sat on the sofa with her legs crossed, her long, straight legs wrapped in exquisite black stockings. She curled her lip and said, "That idiot Lucy, she believes whatever anyone says. They say they're treating her to dinner, but once she gets there, it's not certain what they'll 'eat'."
Acnologia patted Natsu on the shoulder and suggested, "Let's go find Lucy together. We can't let the beauty representative of our Fire Dragon Squad be snatched away."
Irene narrowed her eyes, "Then what about me?"
"Who says there can only be one beauty representative!"
"That's right!"
Natsu suddenly snapped out of it, then hesitated again, "Will Lucy be unhappy if we disturb her?"
Acnologia was somewhat speechless, "You sneak into Lucy's house every day, how do you have the nerve to say that?"
"Let's go!"
Irene said with a smile. Actually, she quite liked the pair of Lucy and Natsu; she wasn't Happy about someone trying to cut in.
Natsu and Happy shouted happily, "Let's go! Let's get Lucy back!"
Acnologia felt he had to think of a way; just running over there foolishly might really make Lucy upset.
Right!
Isn't the best way to build a relationship the 'hero saving the beauty' trope?
The heroine encounters danger, the hero makes a grand entrance, defeats the villain, and then they live a life of bliss.
Acnologia called the two people and the cat over, then explained the plan. Everyone's eyes grew brighter and brighter as they listened.
Great idea!
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