Old Friends

Arcane Resort

"Splash!"

"Pfft!"

After spitting out the seawater in his mouth, the dog-paddling Fire Dragon invited Blue Meow Meow in the air.

"Happy, there are so many big fish in here. Aren't you coming down to have some fun?"

Hearing that, Blue Meow Meow was tempted at first, but just as he was about to move, an unpleasant memory suddenly surfaced in his mind.

"Hmph! This adorable Meow isn't an idiot. You want to make me drink seawater again? Keep dreaming!"

"Eh... since when did this foodie Meow get so smart? (Queen of Complaints, striking back with all her might)"

He had only been suspicious before, but now Happy was certain those two were up to no good. Three had gone in, yet only two had come back out.

"Tch! Provocation won't work on this adorable Meow!"

With that, Blue Meow Meow flapped his wings and shot toward the beach umbrellas.

"Come out! (Natsu)"

"Pfft!"

Staring at the empty sky, Ice underwear wiped the water from his face and asked dejectedly, "Did we miss?"

"Yeah! Happy's gotten smarter. No matter how we tried to fool him, he just wouldn't come down! (Speechless Lucy)"

"Forget it. If we can't fool him, we'll play by ourselves! (Fire Dragon, already puffing out his cheeks)"

"Hey, you scumbag, don't tell me you're planning to—"

"Boom!"

Before Golden Softie could finish her guess, a thick orange-yellow pillar of fire burst from Natsu's mouth and flew toward her and Gray behind her.

"Tch! I knew you had no Martial Ethics... Ice Wall!"

"Hey, you two idiots!!! (Lucy, her ponytail defying gravity and goosebumps rising all over her skin)"

"Boom!"

The forces of ice and fire collided without suspense, and the Queen of Complaints likewise turned into a Cross flash and vanished into the sky.

"Oh...