The Cat Girl and Yuri

Not far from Fairy Tail, in a storage room made of white tents.

A girl dressed in a white cat costume, with her long crimson hair tied in pigtails, knelt on the ground, staring intently at the book in front of her.

Its tail swayed back and forth, occasionally contorting into various shapes, as if it were troubled by not understanding.

Because she was so focused, she failed to notice the figure approaching from behind.

"That catwoman over there."

A childish female voice sounded from behind, and the catwoman's swaying tail instantly straightened, its fur standing on end as if she had been frightened.

She turned around and recognized the voice.

Soon, a girl with long, crimson hair and wearing silver armor came into her view— Erza.

Upon seeing the newcomer, Catwoman's pupils constricted, her mouth gaped open, and she was filled with utter horror.

"You're dressed so strangely."

Erza didn't seem to notice anything unusual. After looking the catwoman up and down, she asked in confusion, "Is this popular lately?"

"I guess... I suppose so," the catwoman replied in a trembling voice.

"Never mind." Erza didn't dwell on the question, but instead asked, "Have you seen a pink-haired girl with a scarf and black hair who isn't wearing a shirt around here?"

"Is it Natsu and Gray?" the catwoman blurted out.

"???"

Erza looked at the catwoman in front of her with a puzzled expression. "How do you know their names?"

"Oh no!" Catwoman suddenly realized.

He scrambled out of the tent in a flurry, pointed randomly in a direction at the deserted street, and said, "It's nothing... they should be over there."

Then, she hurriedly explained, "Because they were calling each other by name, I remembered it."

"Really? I'm so sorry."

Erza didn't see anything wrong with what she said, nodded, and walked in the direction the catwoman was pointing.

"I actually got angry over ordering cake. How pathetic."

As Erza walked, she reflected on her actions and felt that she might have gone a bit too far.

The catwoman behind them suddenly stood up and looked at the girl walking in the sunset. "Go apologize."

Erza stopped abruptly upon hearing this, turning around to look at the smiling catwoman.

"What did you say?"

She pointed to herself, her tone defiant. "I would apologize?!"

A gentle breeze swept by, and their similar crimson hair suddenly began to dance simultaneously.

The two people faced each other in the setting sun, but their expressions were completely different.

One is laughing, the other is angry.

"I know, you'll apologize." The catwoman seemed to know Erza very well, or perhaps she was talking to herself at all.

Because she understands herself well enough now, she knows that the other party will definitely apologize.

The two of them just stared at each other in silence.

Not long after, Erza suddenly puffed out her cheeks, which flushed red in the sunset.

She stubbornly turned away, closed her eyes, and strode off, saying, "I won't apologize. Stealing the cake was their fault in the first place."

The street was quiet, quiet except for the two of them.

But her voice was very loud, as if she was afraid the other person wouldn't hear her.

Or perhaps it's simply a way of emphasizing to oneself, just to cover up the truth of a lack of confidence.

The catwoman said nothing more, silently watching Erza's departing figure until it completely disappeared from sight.

"How foolish... Don't you even have the courage to admit your own feelings?"

She chuckled self-deprecatingly, as if speaking to herself, "Looks like I really am a hopeless case..."

"It's not entirely hopeless, is it?"

Suddenly, another voice came from behind, and the catwoman still felt it was familiar.

"Oh no, we've been discovered again!" She was startled and her cat body jerked as she turned around.

A white-haired boy in a trench coat sat cross-legged on a pile of boxes, one hand supporting his cheek, watching her with a leisurely air.

"At least you look alright now."

Yuri smiled and said, "Long time no see, Erza."

Hearing Yuri call her name, the catgirl panicked and stammered, "Um... what are you talking about... I don't understand? If you're looking for Erza, she already walked away that way."

"Erza didn't mention her name just now," Yuri bluntly retorted.

"Huh?!" The catwoman was completely dumbfounded.

Yuri burst out laughing at his dazed expression, laughing loudly, "Haha, your acting is as bad as ever! Even that bunny girl acted better than you."

"Bunny girl, you mean Lucy?" Catwoman asked again, almost unconsciously.

"Her name really is Lucy," Yuri exclaimed in surprise.

"Oh no!" Catwoman quickly covered her mouth with her hand.

"It's too late to cover it up now. And those two idiots, Natsu and Gray, haven't improved at all in all these years." Yuri shook his head, rubbing his forehead.

Even Natsu and Gray...

Erza's eyes widened, realizing that they had been completely exposed, so she decided to stop pretending.

How did you find out?

"Did you even need to notice?" Yuri crossed his arms and scoffed, "At least cover up your emblems."

"Hmm..."

Erza looked at the crest on her left arm and suddenly felt an urge to bury her face in the ground.

"How will the future be?"

After a long while, a question came from inside.

Yuri smiled gently and said softly, "It seems you've already taken off your armor."

That unusual gentleness was like a breeze brushing across a lake of the heart, Erza felt her emotions gradually calm down.

Seeing the smile on the person's face, she smiled back and replied, "I'm living a very relaxed life now."

"Is that so?"

Yuri's smile widened further as he asked, "Still practicing your swordsmanship?"

Erza said, "I often spar with people."

"I see." Yuri nodded, jumping down from the box. "You're definitely suited for this now."

Having said that, he turned to leave.

That's enough knowing; there's no need to get any closer.

The setting sun cast a brilliant orange glow, but a shadow demarcated its boundary.

Erza stood in the afterglow of the setting sun, watching the boy gradually walk into the shadows.

"Yuri..."

She couldn't help but speak up, calling out to the boy just before he stepped into the shadows.

Yuri turned around and saw Erza standing in the sunlight, smiling at him.

It's pure and beautiful.

Thank you for taking away my nightmare.

The beautiful scenery before him made Yuri pause for a moment, then he smiled as he came to his senses.

"Nightmares can only be overcome by yourself, so you don't need to thank anyone."

Having said that, he stepped into the shadows and left without looking back.

The setting sun shifted again, illuminating the path as he walked.

Erza stood still, slightly raising her head to look at the sky. In the distance was a beautiful sunset and drifting clouds, while nearby was the receding figure of a young man.

She gave a wry smile, a hint of helplessness in her voice. "I've been rejected again... How long do you expect me to wait?"

Perhaps...

For most people, knowing their future is an extremely tempting prospect.

But Yuri remained uninterested in it.

Because I know myself so well, I'm not curious at all.

This is also why he never asked Erza about herself from beginning to end.

Even in the future, I'll probably still be a stubborn, timid, and cowardly guy.

"Yearning for light yet fearing its loss, falling into darkness yet fearing loneliness, one can only wander for a lifetime at the boundary between light and darkness, drifting alone."

No matter how many travelers are around, or how long they stay, I ultimately dare not touch them, because I am such an incurable person...

"Shut up, Griffon! If you dare say another word in my ear, I'll pluck all your feathers and turn you into a turkey!"

Yuri threatened Griffon was playing the voice in his mind.

The world returned to silence, without a single other sound...