Mavis and Zeref

A week later, the gourds on the Parasol Tree finally started to move again.

Riyao and his group arrived at the treetop, where Riyao had transformed into a platform the size of two basketball courts, with a treehouse next to it, making it a perfect spot to stargaze at night.

The entire canopy platform was meticulously polished by Riyao with the Life Magic. Underfoot was a solid wood floor with a fine texture and natural elasticity, and a half-person-high railing was woven from emerald green vines around it.

Several strings of glowing seashell wind chimes hang at the entrance of the treehouse, tinkling in the sea breeze. In the corner, there are even two large rocking chairs and a barbecue grill, making it a private rooftop garden for Riyao and Mirajane.

For the past week, the light golden gourd has been using the black gourd next to it as a punching bag, giving it a couple of poundings every morning and a couple more before bed, until the black gourd's outer shell is almost covered in a patina.

Early that morning, the vine on the black gourd seemed to finally succumb to the intense domestic violence and fell off the branch with a crisp crack.

The gourd's outer shell cracked along its grain, and after the green light dissipated, Zeref, with his short, black hair and shrunk to the size of a twelve-year-old boy, stood on the wooden floor.

"Phew, finally out."

Zeref let out a long sigh, raised his hand to rub his aching temples, and looked as if he had just been released from a life-sentence prison.

Before he could even catch his breath, the light golden gourd above his head shook violently, and a faint, questioning voice came from within.

"Is it too much of a hardship for you to stay with me?"

"No, no, it's just a bit stuffy inside."

Zeref quickly waved his hand at the golden gourd, an embarrassed smile on his face.

The once fearsome emperor of the Western Continent now shrank back like a startled quail, his short legs instinctively taking a half-step back, his survival instinct fully unleashed.

"I won't listen! Take this!"

The golden gourd shook rapidly, the vine snapped, and the gourd smashed straight into Zeref's face.

A muffled thud!

The golden gourd, shaped like a large winter melon, traced a precise parabola in mid-air and landed squarely on the center of Zeref's forehead, sending him sprawling to the ground on his backside.

A golden light accompanied the explosion of the shattered gourd shell. The first president, barefoot, landed and first looked down at his little hands that had regained warmth and a heartbeat. Then, his eyes widened and he raised his two little pink fists and pounded them on his chest like he was playing whack-a-mole.

"I've wanted to complain about this for a long time: why are they all covered in green light when they come out?"

Lucy, who was watching the commotion from the railing, tilted her head and looked at the emerald green light surrounding the two of them, and couldn't help but mutter something under her breath.

"This was given to you by Mira from the Parasol Tree. Otherwise, would you have seen it all? Lucy's a pervert."

Riyao crossed his arms and glanced at her sideways, his tone righteous and indignant, casually labeling Lucy a pervert.

Lucy felt uneasy under Riyao's gaze. She pursed her lips and turned away, not daring to face Riyao and the others. Looking back now, she realized that her question had been somewhat presumptuous.

We can't expect someone who just popped out of a gourd to run around naked in front of everyone!

Her ears were burning red, and she wished she could use the Celestial Spirit Key in her hand to carve a three-bedroom apartment out of the floor.

This time, Mirajane prepared an even cuter princess dress for Mavis —a blue and white dress that looked just like a delicious blueberry cake.

The fluffy lace skirt was layered and folded, and a pretty velvet bow was tied at the neckline, making Mavis, who was already as delicate as a porcelain doll, even more adorable.

Zeref had just gotten up from the ground, stared wide-eyed, his mouth slightly agape, frozen in place as if he had been petrified.

The Fairy Tail members, led by Riyao, all took a half step back, their eyes instantly filled with disdain and wariness, their hands even secretly reaching for the communication Magic Crystal used to call the police.

After realizing what had happened, he waved his hands frantically, unable to hide the guilt on his face.

"No, it's just... I haven't felt this emotional in a long time."

These words left everyone bewildered; they seemed incoherent and didn't immediately grasp what he was trying to say. However, that didn't stop them from continuing to despise Zeref.

"Hehe, you'll be sitting at the same table as Mest from now on."

Riyao sneered, resting his chin on his hand, and directly arranged a special seat for this legendary black mage at the guild gathering.

"Who is Mest?! That doesn't sound like a compliment."

Zeref covered his face; he was starting to miss the days when he was emotionally detached.

Back then, although I was so lonely I wanted to die, at least I didn't have to experience social death like I am now, less than five minutes after being reborn!

While Riyao was leading the bullying, Mavis was being surrounded and pampered by Mirajane and her men.

"So cute! The first generation is just too adorable. Let Mira give her a kiss!"

"Mira! Don't do this, Miss Irene! Why are you doing this too?!"

Mavis pressed her left hand against Mirajane's face and her right hand against Irene's face, with Erza watching them menacingly from behind.

Mirajane's eyes lit up as she pouted and leaned in to touch her left cheek, while Irene, now a twelve-year-old little girl, was even more eager to stir things up, smiling as she flanked Mirajane from the right and pinched her soft cheek.

As for Erza on the periphery, she had already quietly changed into a stack of ten dresses, ready to dress up the first president as Requip doll at any time.

Mavis puffed out her cheeks and tried her best to put on a serious face as the founding president, but when she glared at him with her big green eyes, she looked just like a cat with its fur standing on end, which made Mirajane and Irene laugh even harder.

The two boys, both with light blond hair, exchanged a glance, silently bypassed the saccharine, chaotic scene, and took small steps to stand in front of Zeref, who was covering his face and looking sullen.

"Father."

The two resounding calls of "Father!" startled Zeref; being called out like that to his face made him a little flustered.

While chatting through a gourd shell, one could still feign the air of a profound elder. But now, seeing two boys, about the same height as himself and bearing a resemblance in their features, bowing respectfully in greeting...

Zeref was at a loss for what to do with his hands and feet. His mouth twitched, and his eyes darted around. In just two seconds, seven or eight different expressions flashed across his face, including astonishment, confusion, and helplessness.

"Oh~ why are you calling me so respectfully? I'd think you were some kind of godfather."

Riyao leaned against the wooden railing, a blade of grass dangling from his mouth, slowly taking a bite.

It wasn't that Riyao was deliberately being sarcastic; he simply wanted to break the ice between the three of them.

Learn from Cana, she keeps calling him "bastard dad" and "stinky dad"... it sounds so pleasing to the ear.

Zeref scratched his head and began to recall how his family had lived together four hundred years ago. He had deliberately downplayed the memories, and now, when he thought about them again, they seemed like someone else's story, and he didn't feel any emotion in them.

It's been so long, so long that even the faces of my parents and the cries of my younger brother when he was little are covered with a thick layer of dust, like flipping through someone else's yellowed old book.

"Sigh, it seems I still have a lot to learn..."

Just as Zeref sighed deeply, preparing to express his melancholy over the past four hundred years of profound changes, he realized that the world had changed beyond recognition.

Snap!

A slap snapped him out of his reverie. Natsu, baring his teeth, crouched down and put his arm around his shoulder!

The force was so great that it almost shoved the small Zeref into the wooden floor. Natsu, with his striking short cherry-blossom hair, grinned from ear to ear, and casually draped his thick arm over Zeref's thin shoulder, holding him tightly.

"Hey, shouldn't it be my turn to be the older brother by now?! Call me 'older brother'!"