(Happy April Fools' Day, everyone!)
(Many thanks to 'Twilight Nine-Winged Angel' for the 10,000 reward! 'Liang Ye Miao' for 2,288! 'Breezeless Skyline' for 1,088! And also to 'Bing Yue Ying,' 'Blank's Soul,' 'Qi Guanxuanqi,' 'Qinxun Luopo,' 'Xiong Mao A!,' 'a619032966,' 'Troubled Life Musings,' 'Ling Chen,' 'Zhai Yifei 2012,' 'Yun Qi Qing Gu,' and 'Yi Lan Ting Xiao' for their rewards!)
(In this new month, please give me some support! Begging for favorites! Recommendations! Clicks! Rewards! Reviews!)
"Fight me----!"
What a familiar voice.
What familiar words.
What a familiar figure.
What a familiar scene.
This nostalgic sight completely swept away the faint discomfort Noah felt from returning after four years, and the corners of his lips slowly rose.
As though it had happened only yesterday, as though he had done it just yesterday, Noah extended his hand, clenched it into a fist, and moved at a speed countless times faster than the pink-haired boy charging at him. He drove a punch straight into his stomach.
"Bang----!"
"Urgh!" With a strange cry, the pink-haired boy's eyes bulged as Noah's blow struck his abdomen. His body stiffened, then he crumpled limply to the floor.
"I just got back and wanted to rest properly, so could we save it for next time?"
Noah slowly withdrew his fist. Amid the speechless expressions of the Fairy Tail guild members, he smiled and greeted the pink-haired boy sprawled on the ground.
"It's been a long time, Natsu!"
"Heh... hehehe..." Natsu, now much taller and noticeably more mature-faced, wore the same sunny grin as ever. Clutching his aching stomach, he cried out excitedly.
"Just like before, you're so strong it gets me fired up!"
Noah smiled faintly. Just as he was about to say something, a small black figure suddenly descended from the sky and landed beside Natsu.