The others were also stunned: "Isn't Natsu only able to eat fire?"
"Did that guy eat Laxus's lightning?"
Hapi was delighted: "Natsu!"
"Ahahaha! I'm not afraid of your lightning anymore, Laxus!"
In an instant, a startling surge of magic power erupted from Natsu, but he stumbled after taking just two steps.
"Take this! Huh? La~xu~s..." Natsu wobbled and fell to the ground with a thud,
"Natsu!" Everyone rushed over.
Mira crouched down to check Natsu's condition: "He doesn't seem injured, maybe he just couldn't digest Laxus's lightning."
Erza held her forehead, thinking he really mastered the magic of devouring lightning.
Gray, who had been worried a moment ago, scoffed: "That idiot!"
"Natsu..." Hapi said worriedly, "Is he really okay?"
Mira patted Hapi's head: "He should be fine, but it's best to have Granny Porlyusica check him out."
"..." Laxus's emerging battle intent was interrupted, and the lightning around him vanished as he turned away coldly, "Boring."
Fried draped a coat over Laxus as they left together.
Rhode frowned, wondering what they even came for. They came just to leave, just to check in at the guild?
"I'll take Natsu to Granny Porlyusica." Rhode, who had been calling her 'lady', now naturally changed to Mira's way of addressing her.
It's nice, calling her 'granny' feels a bit more endearing.
Rhode summoned a River Crab, and with Gray's help, they laid Natsu flat on its back.
He was worried about accidentally hurting Natsu in the process.
But seeing Gray being even more rough-handed, almost kicking Natsu up there, Rhode felt reassured.
No big deal, this kid Natsu is tough.
Rhode climbed aboard the Swift Crab and departed the guild with Natsu and Hapi in tow.
A bit of scraping on the door frame from the River Crab's shell was no problem compared to the destruction caused by Natsu's breath attack just now.
Everyone else relaxed, going back to settling bets or repairing the guild.
"Emergency patient! Make way, make way!"
Rhode briefly experienced what it's like to 'dominate the streets like a crab', though Swift Crab didn't walk sideways.
There were many pedestrians on the street, with many locals who recognized Rhode's crab. Visitors seeing how calmly locals made way weren't afraid either.
As expected from a city where magic is rife, magical beasts roam freely!
Once outside the city, they no longer had to shout to clear a path.
Rhode poked Natsu's face, noting his symptoms were much worse than motion sickness; could this be food poisoning?
"Hapi, is Natsu able to eat any magic besides flames?"
"I don't know, I've never seen him eat anything else, but he does eat our fish."
"Fish isn't magic... So he got hot-headed and just wanted to try eating it?"
"Aye."
So unreliable.
Rhode signaled the River Crab to speed up, soon arriving at Porlyusica's treehouse.
"Hapi, go knock on the door."
"Aye!" Hapi flew over and quickly returned, "Rhode, I'm too scared to go."
"She hates people, not cats."
"We're not ordinary cats."
"Heh." Rhode had seen through Hapi.
Hapi's flexibility regarding whether or not he's a cat depends entirely on the situation.
No choice, Rhode knocked on the door himself.
Porlyusica, opening the door, wasn't pleased: "What are you doing here? Did you run out of antidote already?"
"No, it's that Natsu's condition is off, so I wanted to ask for your help." Rhode pointed to Natsu on the River Crab's back, "He ate lightning during a duel with Laxus."
"Another reckless brat! Can't Makarov discipline them properly?"
Grumbling, Porlyusica began examining Natsu.
"Wait here." She returned inside, seemingly not intending to let them in.
"Rhode, will Natsu be okay?"
"From Granny Porlyusica's attitude, he should be fine," Rhode guessed, based on his understanding of her, "Otherwise she'd have us carry Natsu inside or dig a pit right here."
"Aye."
A few minutes later, Porlyusica came out holding a test tube, administering the potion inside to Natsu.
"That's it?"
"It's not that simple!" Porlyusica snapped,
"He'll be weak for a while. Go back and tell him to get good rest and not to eat random things anymore!"
"Natsu, Natsu~" Hapi pat-patted Natsu's cheeks, "But why isn't he waking up yet?"
Porlyusica waved them aside: "Move."
Hapi dutifully stepped back, just in time to see Porlyusica punch Natsu in the gut.
"Whoa!" Natsu folded in half like a stapler and then naturally unfolded, sprawling out.
"That hurts!" Natsu woke up, holding his stomach in pain.
Hapi fumed: "What are you doing!"
Rhode also said: "Granny, isn't hitting a patient too much?"
"You wanted me to wake him up," Porlyusica, irritated by people who fight without any care, said.
"If you're okay, leave quickly. Hurry back!"
"We'll go, sorry to disturb." Rhode said, "Let's go, Hapi."
Though Natsu took another punch, he at least got treated. Doctors know their limits when hitting people.
Just consider it a medical fee, Rhode forgave her for Natsu.
Porlyusica suddenly called out to Rhode: "Wait a moment!"
"Hmm? Oh, is there something you need help with?"
Glaring at him, Porlyusica asked, "Have you been through a lot of battles recently?"
"No, just occasional sparring with companions, mostly regular training."
Porlyusica seemed upset, pointing at him wordlessly.
Rhode was confused by her mood: "Uhm, you..."
"Stay right here and wait!"
That tone made Rhode want to run now.
A moment later, Porlyusica returned with a cloth bag, handing it to him:
"Dissolve this medicine in warm water and massage it on sore muscles after exercise. Don't use random ointments for minor injuries!"
"How did you know I..."
"Alright, scram!"
"Oh... thank you." Rhode took Natsu and Hapi, departing on the River Crab.
Once they were gone, Porlyusica stomped and fumed like an angry young girl:
"Idiots, idiots! All the Fairies are idiots! Neither the old nor the young can be trusted, the little ones even more reckless than the last! Do you think your bodies belong to someone else? Idiots, idiots!"
Still not satisfied after a bit of scolding, she grabbed a broom and started whacking a large tree:
"Makarov, that idiot, what kind of upbringing is he giving these kids, one after another..."