Team-Building

"I'm home! Big brother, are you back?" As soon as Wendy learned that Feng Lan and the others had returned, she hurried home.

"Welcome back. Come eat, there's braised pork—your favorite~"

"Big brother's the best!" Wendy ran up to Feng Lan, gave him a big hug, then sat down at the table.

"So? My cooking hasn't gotten rusty, has it?" Feng Lan sat across from Wendy, constantly placing meat onto her plate.

Wendy nodded her little head. "Mm, big brother's cooking is the best! Oh, Wendy went on missions these past couple of days too!"

Feng Lan took a bottle of soda from the refrigerator and handed it to Wendy. "Oh? What did you do?"

Wendy held out her fingers. "I helped the big sister at the pet store look after kittens, ran errands for the grandpa at the nursing home, and performed for the children at the orphanage... Wendy made lots of new friends too! But there's a big brother named Laxus who's kind of strange."

Tilting his head, Feng Lan asked curiously, "Laxus? What about him?"

Wendy continued stuffing meat into her mouth. "Last time I went to play at the pet store, I saw Big Brother Laxus playing with the kittens. But when he saw me, he put on his hat and left. He even told me not to tell anyone else."

"Pfft! That Laxus really is..." Feng Lan couldn't hold back his laughter. "Then why are you telling me, Wendy? Didn't Laxus tell you to keep it secret?"

Wendy's chopsticks, holding a piece of meat, froze in midair. "Ah! I forgot..."

Feng Lan patted Wendy on the head. "Hehe, it's fine this time, because I already knew about it. But Wendy, remember this in the future: if you learn someone else's secret, you have to keep it for them, okay~?"

Wendy nodded vigorously. "Mm! Wendy understands! I won't leak secrets anymore!"

Feng Lan nodded. "Once you're done eating, go wash up and get some sleep, Wendy~ I'm going out to meet someone."

Chewing on her meat, Wendy waved at Feng Lan. "Mm! Be careful on the road, big brother."

Feng Lan nodded happily and headed out.

"Honestly... inviting me out to eat this late. I'm practically starving to death," Feng Lan grumbled the whole way.

"Hey! Feng Lan, over here!" A blond-haired young man in white kept waving at Feng Lan.

Feng Lan hurried over when he saw him. "Yo! Long time no see, Raid!"

Raid led Feng Lan into a barbecue restaurant. "Boss! Twenty lamb skewers, ten chicken gizzard skewers! And a case of beer!"

Feng Lan stretched and teased, "You're treating today, right?"

Raid waved a hand. "Of course! Though, you're doing pretty well for yourself! 'Sea Ghost' Feng Lan."

Feng Lan took off his coat and hung it over the chair. "Not bad. What about you? You were dead set on joining the Magic Council back then—what position do you hold now?"

Raid shook his head. "Nothing special, nothing special... I'm the Captain of the Second Enforcement Supervision Unit now."

Feng Lan patted Raid on the back. "And that isn't good enough? You must be the youngest captain in history, right?"

Raid took the barbecue and beer the owner brought over, then chuckled. "Not enough. With the way you charge around like a bull, you'll get locked up sooner or later. Then I'll have to bail you out."

Hearing that, Feng Lan smacked Raid on the head. "Could you stop wishing bad luck on me?"

The two opened their beers and took a swig. Then Feng Lan's expression turned serious. "Hey, Raid, since we're having this meal, there's something I need to ask you to do."

Raid set down his beer and looked at Feng Lan. "What is it? Let's hear it."

Feng Lan laced his fingers beneath his chin and slowly said, "The Magic Council must have heard something too. For some reason, the Dragon race has started becoming active again recently."

Raid nodded. "That's true. The Magic Council has received reports of dragon sightings many times, but those old geezers treated them all as pranks. But if you're saying this... then it's real?"

"Of course it's real. I ran into one while on a mission a few days ago, and one appeared near Magnolia as well." Feng Lan continued, "So I need to ask you for two things. First, find out what caused the Dragon race to become restless. Second, information about Acnologia."

"Acnologia... I've heard of him." Raid tapped the table. "I'll help you with both, but not right now. My current position doesn't give me the authority to investigate records like that."

Feng Lan smiled. "I know... Just look into it once you become a Senior Council Member. It won't take more than a few years anyway."

Raid raised his glass and clinked it against Feng Lan's. "Definitely! Uh... we should eat quickly. I forgot I still have work tomorrow..."

"Haha! A true wage slave. Eat up!" Feng Lan laughed a few times and started drinking with Raid.

The next morning, on the way to the guild.

"Big brother, who did you go meet last night?" Wendy held Feng Lan's hand and skipped toward the guild.

Feng Lan looked at her and smiled. "A friend. He happened to be free yesterday, so we had a meal together."

Wendy nodded and pulled Feng Lan into a run. "We can see the guild now! Big brother, let's hurry... Ah!"

Feng Lan smiled, scooped Wendy up, and ran toward the guild. "How's that? Fast, right?"

A few seconds later, Feng Lan arrived at the guild entrance with Wendy.

Just as Feng Lan was about to open the door, he heard shouting from inside.

"Erza, accept my challenge! Roar of the Fire Dragon!"

"You're so annoying! Requip—Flame Emperor's Armor!"

"Hey! You filthy flame, you hit me!"

Feng Lan and Wendy opened the guild doors with bewildered expressions.

"Everyone... What the—" Feng Lan had just been about to greet them when an incoming fireball exploded against his face.

Natsu instantly sensed that something was wrong. "Bro... G-good morning."

After putting out the flames on his head, Feng Lan fixed Natsu with a benevolent stare. "Good morning. Very good... Water Dragon's Iron Fist! Hook Claw! Shattered Fang! Wing Strike!"

A few minutes later, Makarov arrived at the guild. "Yo, it's pretty quiet today!"

Everyone looked at Natsu, whose head was covered in lumps, and promptly shut their mouths.

Makarov leaped onto the second floor and stood by the railing.

"Everyone! I have something to tell you today!" Makarov announced loudly. "In light of all your hard work lately, I've decided... to take everyone on a team-building retreat! What do you think?"

Lisanna grabbed Mira's hand. "Big Sister Mira! Does team-building mean everyone goes out to have fun together?"

Mira nodded. "That's right. Come to think of it, this is the first time everyone in the guild has gone out together."

Gildarts scratched his head. "We organized it a few times before, but that was nearly ten years ago. You guys definitely wouldn't know about it..."

Erza checked the time and asked, "What time are we leaving? It's almost nine already."

Makarov waved a hand. "I chartered a cruise ship for three this afternoon. You'd better all get ready, since we'll be gone for several days."

Lisanna asked Mira for some money, then pulled Natsu, Cana, Gray, Levy, Wendy, and Elfman together into a seven-person shopping group and headed out. Of course, Feng Lan gave Wendy another 200,000 J.

The three future members of the Thunder God Tribe followed Laxus. Mira blushed and shyly said she didn't have anything to buy, so she went with Feng Lan. Most of the others went off alone to buy their own things.

Gildarts asked Makarov in surprise, "Guild Master, what's gotten into you? Since when did you suddenly become so rich?"

Makarov opened a bottle of beer. "Nothing much. If we don't have enough money, doesn't Feng Lan have some?"

Gildarts was speechless. "I knew it..."