After a day and night of celebration, life began to return to normal. Early this morning, Lucy brought back a young girl and a chick she had picked up.
Acnologia was somewhat surprised. This girl, dressed in an exotic style, was none other than Eclair from the Priestess of the Phoenix arc.
Lucy had met her just as she did in the original story.
Although Eclair was very beautiful, her clothes were a bit rustic, giving off the feeling of a tribal girl from a secluded mountain village.
She didn't like to talk much and remained taciturn, as if she were hiding many worries.
"My name is Momon, and she is Eclair..."
The chick felt a bit helpless and stood on the table to introduce itself. It always felt that Eclair might have autism, as she basically wouldn't speak to outsiders.
"Hello, my name is Lucy. Nice to meet you!"
Lucy reached out with a smile, and Momon extended a wing to shake it. The human and the chick actually shook hands quite seriously.
She then reached out toward Eclair, but Eclair had no intention of shaking her hand, leading to a moment of awkward silence.
Natsu leaned over and gave a familiar, enthusiastic greeting: "I'm Natsu. Why aren't you talking? Do you not like to talk?"
"Do you want me to perform some fire-breathing for you?"
"No need..."
Eclair stood up silently, picked up her bag to leave, and looked back, saying, "Momon, let's go!"
It was the first time everyone had met someone so cold, and for a moment, they didn't know what to say.
Suddenly, Carla foresaw a vision of a giant beast rampaging and quickly spoke up: "Wait a minute. There are many giant beasts in the forest you are going to. Without a Mage's protection, it will be hard for you to pass through."
"Forest?"
Eclair was slightly startled. Recalling the words of the elders in her tribe, she murmured, "Boundary Forest..."
With that, she stepped out of the guild.
"I'll go check it out!"
Lucy was a bit worried and quickly ran out after her.
Natsu watched the two leave and scratched his head in confusion: "It feels like that girl has a lot on her mind?"
Irene said indifferently, "Lucy just loves to worry about others. Even if someone ignores her, she still insists on following them."
She wouldn't waste her kindness on someone so cold; it was simply asking for trouble.
Erza reached out and tapped her leg, huffing, "You're not allowed to say that about Lucy."
Mirajane smiled and said, "Being gentle and sensitive is also one of Lucy's strengths."
Irene looked at the thoughtful Acnologia and asked, "What do you think?"
She remembered Acnologia always saying he could see the future, so could he predict what would happen next?
Acnologia snapped out of it and said, "This matter is related to the Phoenix."
"The Phoenix?"
"Could that Eclair be the Phoenix?"
Everyone was shocked to hear this. Legend says the Phoenix reborn from the ashes can rival a dragon, but no one knew if it was true or false.
Acnologia explained, "She isn't the Phoenix, but she drank Phoenix Blood and has lived from the distant past until now. You will find out soon enough."
Irene smiled slightly, "Then I've gained a bit of interest."
Natsu's whole body erupted in flames, and he said excitedly, "A Phoenix? Then I have to go see. A fire-born Phoenix must have delicious flames!"
...On the other side, Lucy and Eclair were walking down the road. Facing the girl's coldness, Lucy still proposed the idea of protecting her.
Eclair said in a low voice, "I don't like magic. Magic sometimes brings misfortune to people."
Lucy was surprised: "Why is that?"
Seeing Eclair about to leave, she said firmly, "I'm coming with you!"
She simply couldn't feel at ease about this girl who occasionally showed such sadness.
Natsu rushed over and said enthusiastically, "Take me too, I'm going!"
Erza, Wendy, and Gray walked up from behind. Erza smiled and said, "We don't have any work anyway, so we'll accompany you on this trip!"
Since this matter involved an existence like the Phoenix, it was better for everyone to go together.
Lucy looked pleasantly surprised: "Everyone..."
Gray laughed and said, "There's also Irene and Acnologia. They said they'd head home for a bit and then follow after."
Eclair looked at their warm smiles, a complex look flashing through her eyes before she silently lowered her head.
A memory had just flashed by; it seemed that in the distant past, she also had many friends like this.
Momon said, "Just let them accompany us!"
Soon, the group boarded the train bound for Boundary Forest.
Natsu lay sprawled on the seat, dizzy: "Damn it... Irene... Irene, save me..."
"Irene is at home sleeping!"
Gray lifted his foot with a look of disgust, fearing that the Natsu across from him would vomit on his newly bought shoes.
Lucy asked curiously, "Eclair, where are you from?"
"I don't remember. I've lost part of my memory, and my mind is very messy right now."
"Then do you still remember your family?"
"I don't remember!"
"Then do you remember if you have any friends?"
"Only Momon!"
"Then do you remember where you came from?"
"I don't remember..."
"Then..."
Eclair looked at Lucy speechlessly, then turned to Erza and the others and asked, "Does she usually talk this much?"
Lucy: "..."
Her face turned red, she puffed out her cheeks, and turned her head away petulantly... After a day and night of long-distance travel, the three finally arrived at a magic town. Music was playing, and the air was filled with a cheerful atmosphere.
Gray looked at the rainbow lights in the sky and the people standing on flying carpets, saying in surprise, "Amazing, the entire town is filled with magic!"
Natsu said excitedly, "Happy, let's go eat!"
Happy jumped up: "Aye~!"
Watching the two disappear in a flash, Gray scratched his head helplessly: "That idiot!"
Erza looked at the bustling night market, Requipped into an elegant black dress, and smiled, "Let's look around first!"
"Okay!"
Soon, the others scattered excitedly, each looking for stalls that interested them. The dazzling array of goods was overwhelming to the eyes.
After a while, Acnologia and Irene finally found them and began strolling through the lively night market.
A little girl came over to sell: "Big brother, buy a bouquet of flowers. Big sister is so beautiful!"
Irene smiled and patted the little girl's head: "You certainly have a way with words!"
Seeing the little girl's pitiful look, Acnologia immediately pulled out some money: "Give me one."
"Thank you, big brother is so handsome!"
The little girl had a very sweet tongue and ran off skipping.
Acnologia was in a good mood. He handed the flower to Irene and smiled, "This is the first time I've given you flowers!"
Irene gave him a look: "Who told you to be such a guy who doesn't understand romance? You've never even given me a gift on holidays."
Although she said that, her voice held a bit more sweetness and tenderness.
Acnologia scratched his head; it seemed he really had never given a gift before.
It didn't matter. Neither of them was the type to care about such formalities, and keeping track of those holidays was quite a hassle anyway.
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