Natsu Finds a "Dragon" Egg, Happy Is Born (Part 1)

"Everyone, I'm back." Zorn pulled a cart piled two people high with gifts in one hand and pushed open the guild doors with the other.

"Hehe, I brought presents for all of you. Happy?" Zorn watched as the previously noisy guild suddenly fell silent, everyone turning to stare at him without a word.

"Hey, Zorn, did you really wipe out a dark guild all by yourself?"

One of the guild members suddenly asked, sounding a little uncertain and breaking the silence.

"Well, yes. I got a little fired up, haha." A little embarrassed, Zorn gave an awkward chuckle.

"Amazing, Zorn! You're that strong now?"

"Brother Zorn, you're the best!"

"Oh, yeah! All right!" Natsu's final cheer sent the guild back into a lively uproar.

Zorn handed out the gifts to everyone.

Laxus got a fluffy black coat, identical to the one Zorn had seen in the anime. Erza got a short sword, and Mira got a fashionable jacket. Zorn had initially considered a cherry-red dress for Mira, but remembering that she was still a hotheaded delinquent, he abandoned the idea and chose a jacket.

Reedus got a set of the latest magic painting tools. Natsu and Gray each received an article of clothing suited to their personalities, with a Gravity Magic effect that made it a fine substitute for weighted training gear. Zorn had chosen the most suitable gifts for everyone else as well, based on their individual personalities.

"Lisanna, Elfman, these are for you. One's a really cute dress, and the other's a very manly little suit. See if you like them." Zorn crouched down with a smile and handed the clothes to Lisanna and Elfman.

"Thank you, Brother Zorn! I love it, hehe!" Lisanna happily held the dress up against herself and spun around in front of Mirajane, her eyes narrowing to slits with delight.

"Thank you, Brother Zorn. I really like mine too." Elfman thanked him a little shyly and reservedly. He hugged his new clothes tightly, his eyes shining with happiness.

"Cana, this is for you. It's a magic card I found, and it holds my Holy Shield defensive magic. Keep it to protect yourself." Zorn took a platinum-colored card from inside his clothes. A golden shield emblem adorned the front, while the back was covered in intricate golden magic lines. It was clear that care had gone into it.

"Thank you, I love it." Cana took the card and looked down at the exquisite magic card in her hand. The feeling of being valued warmed her heart, and she became immersed in it.

"I'm glad you like it. I'm sorry you didn't get a chance to do anything on this mission. Let's team up again next time." Zorn scratched his head and spoke apologetically. He knew Cana's fighting strength was already far greater than in the original story, but he was still a little worried about her defenses, so he had gone out of his way to have someone make the card.

"Mm-hmm, okay." Cana nodded, feeling a little thrill of delight.

"Um..."

"Zorn, come here a moment," the master suddenly called.

"The master's calling me, so I'll go over there first. Sorry, Cana. We can talk later when we have time." Hearing the master call, Zorn gave Cana an apologetic smile, then turned and walked toward the counter.

"Cana..." A fair arm suddenly wrapped around Cana as she watched Zorn walk away. Cana immediately looked away from his retreating figure and turned toward the arm's owner.

"What's wrong? Don't look at me like a resentful wife. Do you like Zorn? Hmm~" Looking at Cana's resentful little stare, Mira gossiped with a mischievous grin.

"I-I..." At the word "like," Cana's cheeks instantly turned bright red, and she didn't know what to do.

"Oh, you like Zorn?" A more composed female voice suddenly came from behind the two of them.

"Huh? Eavesdropper."

"What did you call me, gossip?"

Cana let out a long breath as she watched the two start squabbling again. She placed a hand over her heart and turned to look at Zorn, who stood with his head lowered before the master. Uncertainly, she thought, Is this what it means to like someone...?

Zorn, meanwhile, was with the master...

"I'm sorry, Master. I was impulsive this time." Zorn lowered his head and sincerely admitted his mistake.

"Mm, it's good that you know you were impulsive. Though, given your personality, you certainly would have done that under those circumstances. Don't do it again. Always pay attention to your own safety. I don't want to lose a member of my family, understand, Zorn?" The master looked at the solemn Zorn and spoke with concern.

"But you really are strong, Zorn! Hahaha, good, very good!" The master abruptly changed his tone, praising and acknowledging Zorn's strength.

"Yes, Master. Sorry for making you worry." Zorn raised his head and wiped away the tears at the corners of his eyes, touched.

"Haha, you're my child, of course I worry. But the hat you gave me really does look good." Master Makarov touched the knitted wool hat on his head and laughed happily.

Zorn was very, very content. In this world, he had experienced friendship and family. As for love, there was no sign of it yet, but that didn't matter. Looking at the noisy, laughing guild before him, Zorn was satisfied and resolved to do everything he could to protect it.

The master looked at Zorn standing before him. He sensed Zorn's determination to cherish and care for his guild family, and thought to himself, Well, he really is a good child.

"Everyone, let's have a party to celebrate Zorn wiping out the dark guild!" Standing on the counter, the master raised his cane and shouted.

"Ohhh, all right!"

The guild erupted with excitement. Natsu breathed fire to liven things up again, only for Erza, the disciplinary committee member, to punch him into the floor.

"Idiot Natsu," Gray muttered haughtily from the side.

A few days later...

After sleeping in, Zorn was walking down the street when he rounded a corner and saw Natsu and Gray fighting. Every punch landed solidly as they fought from the ground to the sky, from the ground to the sky, without stopping for a moment. Zorn was used to it by now. That hand-in-hand moment back then hadn't done much good after all.

Yawning, he had just walked into the guild when he heard the master, sitting cross-legged on the counter, calmly ask where Natsu was. Zorn replied without thinking, "He's fighting outside. Ah, ah, I'm still a little sleepy."

"Honestly, fighting first thing in the morning." The master picked up his cup and took a drink as he spoke casually.

Zorn watched and thought to himself, Aren't you drinking first thing in the morning too? How can you lecture Natsu? Though that was what he thought, he said aloud, "Grandpa Master, drinking so early isn't good for your health. Stop drinking and give it to me." He took the master's cup away as he spoke, leaving Grandpa Master hopping mad beside him, unable to get it back.

That afternoon, Natsu and Gray were still bickering and fighting under a tree, while Zorn watched them from the side. Suddenly, a pair of hands pulled the two apart, and a voice said to Zorn, "Aren't you going to stop them? You're just going to watch?" After stopping the two, Erza turned to Zorn and complained.

"You're back. You're really strict, Erza. It's fine; they can treat this as training too." Zorn shrugged.

"Mind your own business, Erza! Why don't you fight me instead of him, huh?" Gray and Natsu said in unison, raising their fists and charging at Erza.

Bang, bang, bang!

"Don't get into pointless fights again. Go train properly. Zorn, keep a closer eye on them too." After beating them up, Erza put her hands on her hips and spoke discontentedly before walking away.

Zorn crouched down and poked the bumps on their heads. He could still hear Natsu saying over and over, "Damn it, Erza, I'll definitely win next time." Zorn scooped them both up and took them back to the guild, where the others teased Natsu and Gray again, making Natsu's anger burn even hotter.

A day later, in the Eastern Forest...

Bang, bang, bang!

"Ah, ah! One day I'll beat Erza and Gray, then challenge Zorn and the others. Just wait!" Natsu pounded the pictures tied to a tree, his face full of frustration.

Thud! An egg fell from the sky and struck Natsu, sending him staggering to the ground. Natsu looked up and saw an egg covered in patterns before him. Instantly delighted, he picked it up and ran toward the guild.