Wendy Marvell

"Brother Feng Lan, what kind of job is it?" Lisanna walked beside Feng Lan.

Feng Lan took out the request form and handed it to Natsu and the others. "It says we're to investigate the cause of Mikare Peak's abnormal weather, and why it's been frozen year-round for the past five years."

Mira asked in confusion, "Mikare Peak? Isn't that place pretty far away? Without taking a train, it'll probably take a week to get there..."

Feng Lan lowered his head and said quietly, "Yeah, I'm doing this..."

Natsu sighed. "You're trying your luck, seeing whether you can run into a dragon again, right?"

Feng Lan smiled faintly. "Natsu's finally gotten a little more mature and clever. I really am going to look for dragons."

While studying the map, Elfman asked Feng Lan, "Brother Feng Lan, can't you still not tell whether that dragon is good or evil? Why are you in such a hurry to find it?"

Feng Lan shrugged. "That's why I'm going to confirm it. If it's a good dragon, we can ask it for the information we want. Dragons definitely know more than we do. If it's a bad dragon, we can get rid of it early and prevent future trouble."

Lisanna looked at Feng Lan's grave expression and asked, "Brother Feng Lan, you said before that at full strength, you could rival a Dragon King. So what kind of dragon can Natsu beat right now?"

Feng Lan rubbed Lisanna's head and explained, "First of all, the Dragon King I can rival would only be one at the weakest level. Compared to the Fire Dragon King Igneel and the Water Dragon King Slokard, I'm just a little brat. The only Dragon King I've truly fought was Blood Dragon King Discorchi, the source of my other form. He was called a Dragon King, but his strength was low. Even so, I still nearly died at his hands. As for Natsu right now... maybe he can beat a baby dragon? Or maybe not..."

Natsu smiled awkwardly at the side, and Feng Lan quickly added, "Don't laugh. Without Dragon Slayer Magic, you couldn't even break a dragon egg..."

Elfman scratched his head. "Lisanna told me all about it. Natsu's amazing! First, he tied with Sis, then he beat Freed. Unlike me... I don't even have the courage to step into the ring."

Feng Lan tapped Elfman on the head. "Then you need to become braver. You have to become a real man!"

"Wah... ah!" Lisanna had wanted to sneak up on Natsu from behind and scare him, but Natsu noticed her and turned the tables on her.

"Big Sis Mira, Brother Feng Lan, Natsu's bullying me~" Lisanna pouted as she went to complain to her two biggest backers.

"Pfft, hahaha!" Mira burst out laughing at Lisanna's aggrieved face and Natsu's wronged expression.

Suppressing his laughter, Feng Lan pinched Lisanna's little cheek. "Once we get to town, I'll buy you some snacks."

Lisanna grabbed Feng Lan's hand. "Hehe, Brother Feng Lan is the best!"

Feng Lan smiled. "How have you all been? Especially Wendy—has she been alright on her own?"

Mira turned her head away and said haughtily, "I'm going to buy clothes later. You pay, and I'll take Lisanna and Elfman with me. You can take Natsu and look for dragons by yourself."

Feng Lan was a little bewildered, but he still agreed. After all, he had to spoil his own rumored girlfriend. The drinking incident had already spread throughout Magnolia.

Natsu wore a mischievous grin. "Hmph, it must be because Brother changed his style. You're going to buy another matching couple's outfit, aren't you?" Feng Lan was currently wearing a dark blue trench coat paired with black trousers and a silver T-shirt, with a pair of teal earrings on his ears. Compared to the youthful look of his old uniform, Feng Lan now seemed colder and more alluring.

As if Natsu had hit the mark, Mira turned her blushing face away and muttered under her breath, "Hmph, just you wait, Natsu!"

Once they reached town, Feng Lan generously gave Mira and the others 100,000 J, while he dragged Natsu off to look for the latest release of the novel he had been following...

Walking beside Mira, Lisanna sensed the ill-intent in Mira's gaze. "Big Sis Mira, did I do something?"

Mira withdrew her gaze and said awkwardly, "It's nothing. Let me pick out an outfit for you later. You always wear the same style—I'm sick of looking at it."

Lisanna nodded happily. "Okay! Big Sis Mira, make sure you pick something nice for me!"

Bang! While Lisanna was turned around talking to Mira, she collided with a little girl at a street corner.

The girl had long dark blue hair and wore a blue-and-yellow dress. She looked one or two years younger than Lisanna.

Lisanna hurriedly helped the girl up. "I'm sorry, I didn't see you just now. Are you okay?"

The girl stammered, "I-I'm... fine," but tears had already begun falling from her eyes.

Lisanna asked helplessly, "Don't cry. Are you hurt?"

The girl shook her head. "N-no, it's just..."

Lisanna looked at Big Sis Mira and Elfman in confusion, but neither of them responded.

After thinking for a moment, Lisanna said, "Would you like to go shopping with us first? Consider it my apology for accidentally bumping into you."

The girl hesitated. "But... is that really okay?"

Lisanna patted her chest. "Don't worry! We're all very powerful wizards. We definitely won't let anything happen to you!"

Elfman showed the girl his guild emblem. "We're wizards from an official guild, not bad people."

Seeing Lisanna's confidence and Mira and Elfman nodding beside her, the girl agreed.

And so, Mira, Lisanna, Elfman, and the girl spent the entire afternoon visiting clothing shops and snack stalls.

The biggest changes were to Mira and Lisanna. Mira had draped a trench coat over herself in the same style as Feng Lan's, except hers was dark red. She also had a pair of earrings in the same style as Feng Lan's, though Mira's were purple.

Lisanna had changed into a light blue dress and a pair of off-white shorts, with a pink scarf around her neck that was similar in style to Natsu's.

If they stood together with Feng Lan and Natsu, even an idiot could tell they were wearing matching couple's outfits.

Lisanna held the girl's hand. "Oh, right, what's your name? I still don't know..."

The girl fidgeted for a while before saying, "I-I'm Wendy! Wendy Marvell!"

Mira, Lisanna, and Elfman froze for a moment, then cried out in unison, "Wendy!?"

That shout gave Wendy quite a fright. "Wah! Wh-what's wrong?"

Mira hurriedly asked, "Do you know Feng Lan?"

The moment Wendy heard Feng Lan's name, tears nearly fell from her eyes. "Y-you know my brother?"

Lisanna said in shock, "Could it really be this much of a coincidence?"

Elfman hurriedly explained to Wendy, "Brother Feng Lan is the strongest wizard in our guild! He came here with us!"

"W-Wendy!?" A voice full of delighted surprise came from the distance.

Everyone turned around. "Feng Lan! Brother!"

The moment Wendy saw Feng Lan in person, she burst into tears of excitement. "Brother!" Wendy leaped up and threw herself into Feng Lan's arms, crying.

Feng Lan held Wendy, staring at her in disbelief.

Natsu also stared at Wendy in disbelief. Feng Lan touched Wendy's cheek. "Are you really Wendy? I'm not dreaming, am I?"

Wendy refused to let go of Feng Lan. "Brother, it's me! It's Wendy!"

Feng Lan hugged Wendy tightly and said excitedly, "Wendy, it's wonderful that you're okay! I was so worried about you... Wendy."