"Whoa, how'd I end up here? And who are you?"
A few seconds later, Happy blinked his eyes open with a dazed look, tilting his head and speaking in a deliberately confused tone. "Ugh, my head's killing me. Why're you holding my tail?"
---
"Oh, amnesia this time, huh?" Erza's right hand flashed with white light, and a massive iron hammer gleaming with a metallic sheen appeared. She tapped it lightly against her left palm, the clash of her armor and the hammer letting out an unsettling thud-thud sound.
"Perfect chance to test my new toy—the Memory Hammer!"
She swung the hammer casually at a nearby rock, and with a crack, the half-person-sized boulder shattered into countless pieces.
"Just keep hitting, and it'll help you recover your memories. There's even a chance it could bring back memories from your past life!"
That's a death knell, not a memory aid! Happy screamed internally. He shook his head, pretending to snap out of it, and looked at the figure in front of him with a dazed expression.
"Ah! I remember now! I think my name's Happy. And you—you're Erza, right?"
He glanced around at the sandy beach. "Are we camping out here or something?"
Erza raised her hammer with a swift motion, the wind whistling as it came down. Happy instinctively squeezed his eyes shut, claws clenching, tail puffing up in panic.
"I'm sorry! I shouldn't have stolen that S-Class request!"
A gust of wind hit his face. Happy cautiously cracked one eye open, only to see the hammer stopped just a fingertip's distance from his head, the cold metal practically chilling his fur.
Erza, still gripping his tail, hoisted him up to eye level, narrowing her eyes. "So, all your memories are back?"
"Aye!" Happy shrank back, ears flattening against his head. "I-I remember everything!"
"Good," Erza said sternly. "You know the guild's rules about S-Class requests—"
Happy cut in, rattling off the words like he was reciting a textbook: "Only S-Class wizards who've passed the exam can take them. Anyone who breaks the rule faces Erza's punishment!"
Erza's expression darkened as she raised the hammer again. "Breaking the rules knowingly? That's an extra offense."
"Wait!" Happy flailed his paws, scrambling to explain. "It was Natsu! He forced me into it!"
Erza paused, hammer still raised. "Forced you how?"
"Well, he—" Happy clapped his paws over his mouth, eyes wide with sudden realization, his tail going stiff. If I spill the beans, all my efforts will be for nothing! I can't say anything! Darn it, was this Natsu's plan all along?
His ears drooped, and his tail sagged as he curled into a miserable ball. "Ugh, fine! There was no forcing. I did it on my own!"
"Oh, my~" A gentle, amused voice chimed in from the side. "So why would Happy steal an S-Class request, then?"
That familiar voice made Happy's fur stand on end. He turned his head like a rusty gear, eyes bulging, pupils shrinking in terror.
"Mirajane?! And Laxus?! How are you guys here too?!"
Seriously, all I did was steal one S-Class request! Why are all three of these big shots here? Am I some kind of Ten Wizard Saint-level criminal?!
Mirajane, hands clasped behind her back, strolled gracefully to Erza's side, her white hair swaying lightly with each step. She leaned in close to Happy, her face lit up with a sweet smile. "You didn't answer my question, Happy~ Why'd you suddenly decide to steal an S-Class request?"
"You don't need Celestial Spirit Keys, and you can't exactly gain magic power from a job, right~?"
Under her gaze, Happy felt like his every thought was laid bare. He quickly looked away, his mind racing for an excuse.
"Uh, I just wanted to see how tough an S-Class request really is!"
His ears twitched nervously, and he stammered, "A-and there's this super tasty fish I heard about! It's pricey, so I needed the reward money to buy it!"
"Oh, really?" Mirajane's smile widened, her eyes curving into charming crescents. She covered her mouth in mock surprise. "A fish that costs 7 million jewels? That must taste incredible!"
She leaned closer, her expression eager. "If you buy it, can you share some with me, Happy?"
Happy broke out in a cold sweat, his paws twisting together nervously. "Uh, if—if the shop still has some, I'll totally share!"
"Aw, thank you~" Mirajane clapped her hands, her smile radiant.
Then she leaned in close to his ear, whispering so only he could hear, "I thought maybe Natsu had some dirt on you~ After all, it's not every day you'd risk Erza beating you half to death for a job like this. Could it be… something even scarier than Erza herself?"
Happy froze, eyes going blank, his whole body trembling like he'd been struck by lightning. I'm done for! The words "I've been exposed" echoed in his mind, and he could already picture himself with broken paws.
When did she figure it out?! Did Mirajane know from the start?!
Erza glanced at the quivering Happy, her brows furrowing. "What did you say to him? Why's he so scared?"
Mirajane rested her cheek in her hand, flashing her usual sweet smile. "Oh, nothing much. Just talking about fish."
She winked, her tone light. "Happy's just so torn up about sharing that expensive fish with me, he's shaking! Right, Happy~?"
"Aye!" Happy blurted out, only to slap his paws over his mouth. He quickly threw an exaggerated salute, eyes blazing with determination. "No, no, no! It's an honor to let Lady Mirajane try my fish! I'd go through fire and water for it!"
Lucy, watching the chaos from the sidelines, couldn't help but twitch her lips, three black lines sliding down her forehead. This guy's so over-the-top. Calling her 'Lady Mirajane'? Really?
Just as she finished her mental jab, her eyes met Mirajane's.
Lucy's heart skipped a beat. She quickly looked away, suddenly fascinated by the ground, her numb knees shifting uncomfortably.
When she didn't hear any footsteps, she started to relax—only to feel a warm breath by her ear.
"Are you scared of me, Lucy?"