Punishment, Heart-to-Heart, Dreams

Splash! After a series of splashes, everyone from the guild dove into the water.

Feng Lan, Laxus, and Gildarts, the three old schemers, successfully gathered in a hidden spot according to plan.

Gildarts poked Feng Lan. "Hey, Feng Lan, how are we doing this in a bit?"

Feng Lan thought for a moment. "How about this? I'll use Make Magic to create a few little fish with vacuum interiors. Then Laxus will put lightning inside them, and finally, Gildarts will isolate the target to prevent collateral damage."

Laxus looked excited. "But the strength of the lightning will be hard to control..."

Feng Lan scratched his head. "We'll test it on Natsu first. His resistance is high!"

Laxus and Gildarts nodded. "True enough. Let's get moving!"

"Water Make!" Feng Lan waved a hand. "Swimming Fish!"

Laxus placed his hand on the water fish. "Let's start big. Charge!" Golden lightning surged into the water fish's body.

Gildarts kept his eyes on Natsu, ready to isolate him at any moment.

Feng Lan controlled the swimming fish as it slowly swam toward Natsu.

"Feng Lan! What are you guys doing?" Mira's voice suddenly came from behind Feng Lan.

Feng Lan jolted in fright and turned around. "Mira? Lisanna? Wendy? Why are you three here?"

Mira put her hands on her hips and said to Feng Lan somewhat angrily, "We just got into the water a little late. But what are you doing? Don't tell me you're slacking off here and sneaking peeks at Erza's swimsuit!?"

Feng Lan hurriedly shook his head. "Don't wrong me! I'm not interested in Erza! She's not my type."

Mira turned her blushing face away. "Then... then what type do you like...?"

That question stumped Feng Lan. "Ah... huh? This..."

Laxus hurriedly slapped Feng Lan on the back. "Feng Lan, the fish! The fish! It's gone off course!"

Feng Lan abruptly turned his head. "Damn it! Gildarts! Hurry... isolate—"

As soon as Feng Lan turned around, he saw Gildarts drooling as he stared at the swimsuit-clad beauties in the distance.

Feng Lan reacted quickly, grabbing Mira and the other two and making a run for it. They reached land in three seconds.

While Mira and the others were still dumbfounded, screams rang out from the sea, which was crackling with lightning.

Of the victims in the sea, only Laxus, the Lightning Mage, was unharmed. The rest were in no good shape.

Laxus and Feng Lan exchanged a look, then turned and ran.

Makarov leaped out of the water. "Feng Lan! Laxus! You two little brats, get back here!"

"Laxus, wasn't that lightning of yours a little too strong...?" Feng Lan said as he looked at the sea, whose surface still flickered with electricity.

Laxus teased Feng Lan, "Speaking of which... Feng Lan, are you afraid of your wife?"

Feng Lan's old face reddened. "What kind of talk is that! I'm a model young man—where would I get a wife?"

Laxus was speechless. "A model young man... who smokes, drinks, and acts like a hooligan?"

Feng Lan rolled his eyes and shouted, "I don't smoke, okay!"

"Pfft!" Laxus burst out laughing. "So you admit you act like a hooligan?"

Feng Lan froze. "Laxus! You tricked me!"

Laxus looked innocent. "Not me. I didn't do anything. You admitted it yourself."

Feng Lan gave Laxus a chop to the head. "I admitted my ass!"

Laxus clutched his head. "Hey! That was way too hard!"

Makarov's voice came from behind them. "You two little bastards! Where do you think you're running?!"

Evening, dinnertime.

"Hey, old man, believe it or not, I'll report you for child abuse!" Laxus said as he looked at the few fish still flopping about in front of him. "These fish are still alive! How are we supposed to eat them!?"

Gildarts also looked aggrieved. "Yeah, Guild Master, you could at least have scaled them..."

Feng Lan looked at the fish in front of him, then rubbed his stomach. "Laxus, can't you cook these?"

Laxus looked on the verge of tears as he showed Feng Lan the Magic Sealing Stone on his hand. "That rotten old man played dirty."

Makarov knocked Laxus on the head. "If I didn't know a few dirty tricks, would I still be your grandfather? Listen up, you're camping out tonight!"

Lisanna and Wendy came over to Feng Lan with a grilled fish.

Lisanna handed the fish to Feng Lan. "Big Brother Feng Lan, you should eat it."

Wendy nodded as well. "Yeah, Sister Lisanna and I grilled it together."

Feng Lan looked at Lisanna and Wendy, his heart full of emotion. "Sure enough, I didn't dote on you two for nothing. You eat it! Big Brother Feng Lan is being punished, so I can't eat. I'm already very happy that you have such kind intentions."

After Lisanna and Wendy went back, Feng Lan looked at Laxus and Gildarts, who were staring blankly at their fish, then at his own fish.

Feng Lan grabbed the fish. "Laxus, Gildarts, I'll drink first as a show of respect!"

Feng Lan bit open the fish's belly, and blood continuously flowed into his mouth. "Ahh~ Not bad. It tastes pretty good."

Under everyone's astonished gazes, Feng Lan drank every drop of blood from several fish.

After seeing that, Laxus and Gildarts hesitated for a moment. "Let's do it, brothers!"

The moment Laxus and Gildarts swallowed a mouthful, they couldn't hold it in and spat it back out. "Blech~ What is this? It's fishy, disgusting, and all slimy!"

Feng Lan looked at them speechlessly. "Why are you copying me? You're not Water Dragon Slayer Mages... If you're not eating it, give it to me!"

"Snore—snore—" Gildarts was as steady as ever tonight, his snoring still like thunder.

Feng Lan and Laxus sat on either side of Gildarts.

"Sigh..." Feng Lan let out a breath. "Laxus, let's take a walk in the forest!"

Laxus nodded. "Sure. We can't sleep anyway..."

Driven restless by Gildarts' snoring, Feng Lan and Laxus could only head into the forest together to clear their minds.

Laxus looked at the moon and asked Feng Lan, "Feng Lan, tell me... You're already so strong. Do you still have any dreams?"

Feng Lan scratched his head. "Dreams... Of course I do. Nothing more than spending the life I love in a place I love with the girl I love... What about you?"

Laxus rubbed his head. "My dream is... I want to protect Fairy Tail. This is where I've lived since I was little. It's my home. I want to become strong enough to protect the guild!"

Feng Lan smiled. "That really does suit your style. Then... let's work hard together! Let's protect this beloved home together."

"Yeah!" Laxus nodded happily at Feng Lan. "That... what is it?"

Laxus pointed at the thick mist in the sky and the scales drifting down like snow.

Feng Lan shook his head. "I don't know... Huh... so sleepy... ah." With that, Feng Lan collapsed and fell asleep.

"Damn it... what... is going on..." Laxus could not withstand the sleepiness either and fell over.