Blanc stood there holding the voucher, and before he could decide what to do with it, a noisy commotion drew closer.
"Blanc!!"
Natsu charged over at the head of the group, holding an identical vacation voucher high in the air. Happy followed right behind him, with Gray and Lucy hurrying after them.
"Loke gave you a voucher too, right?" Natsu excitedly shoved his voucher in Blanc's face. "Come on, come on, pack your bags! We're leaving right now!"
"What are you waiting for?" Gray wore the grin of someone who had scored a bargain. "A free vacation doesn't come along every day. We'd be missing out if we didn't go."
"I can't wait for the fish at the beach!" Happy drooled, his eyes shining with anticipation.
Lucy clasped her hands in front of her chest, already picturing a vast blue sea:
"Blue seas, golden sand, coconut trees, open-air hot springs... Ah~ Just thinking about it makes half my aches and pains disappear~"
Blanc glanced at the voucher in his hand. His lips parted, but before he could speak-
Rumble, rumble...
The sound of extremely heavy wheels rolling across the ground drew closer, making the earth tremble slightly.
Drawn by the strange noise, everyone turned around at once. The instant they saw who was coming, their jaws all dropped.
Erza strode toward them, already dressed in a swimsuit, with a broad straw sunhat on her head and a swim ring around her waist.
Even more outrageous was the large handcart she dragged with one hand-the suitcases on it were piled into a small mountain, rising even higher than the scaffolding beside it, with a beach umbrella sticking out of the summit.
She stopped before them with an imposing air and gave them a solemn once-over:
"What are you all dawdling for?