"What happened?"
Raizel looked helplessly at the small blue cat clinging to his leg.
Happy was clutching Raizel's pants with tearful eyes, rubbing his face against the fabric until snot and tears were smeared all over Raizel's trousers.
Fortunately, Raizel wasn't particularly obsessive about cleanliness.
Clothes could always be washed, and seeing the usually cheerful Exceed this devastated was rare.
"Earlier..." Happy sniffled loudly. "I went with Natsu to train by the waterfall. After training, we went fishing together. Natsu caught a big, juicy fish! But... but..."
Happy wailed louder.
"He didn't share it with me! He ate it all by himself! Right in front of me! He's so mean!"
Natsu stood a few feet away, kicking the snow.
"Alright, alright, stop crying," Natsu muttered sheepishly, turning his head away with his arms crossed.
"I'll catch one for you this afternoon. I was just hungry after training, okay?"
Raizel sighed and crouched down, peeling the cat off his leg.
"How about this? Come fishing with me this afternoon," Raizel offered, patting Happy's head. "I'll give you all the fish we catch. Every single one."
"Really?" Happy's eyes sparkled instantly. "Raizel is the best!!!"
He hugged Raizel's calf even tighter, purring like a motorboat.
"Hey! I offered too, Happy!" Natsu complained, waving his arms. "Why don't you thank me?"
Raizel shot Natsu a look. "If you had shared with him earlier, this wouldn't have happened. You reap what you sow."
"...." Natsu had nothing to say.
He knew he was guilty.
...
True to his word, after lunch, Raizel took Natsu and Happy to the frozen lake near his house.
They cut holes in the ice and set up their stools.
Happy had already eaten a massive lunch Raizel had cooked for them, but the blue cat had an infinite stomach when it came to fish.
He declared he wanted more for afternoon tea!
Ten minutes passed.
"Haven't caught anything yet?" Happy asked, leaning over the hole.
"Be quiet, Happy," Raizel murmured.
Two minutes later.
"When will we catch something, Raizel?"
"Soon."
One minute later.
"When can I eat fish? Is the fish sleeping? Maybe we should wake it up?"
Raizel twitched.
He finally understood why Happy could never catch fish on his own. He loved eating but had zero patience.
He was completely unable to stay calm.
'With all this chattering, you're scaring all the fish in the lake to the next continent.'
"We'll catch something soon, just wait a bit," Raizel said through gritted teeth.
He wished he had a magical sticker to seal this cat's mouth. "Fishing requires peace and tranquility. Only with a calm mind can you catch fish."
"Raizel, you always say that," Happy teased him, flying around Raizel's head. "But Ultear and the others say you often can't catch anything either! Maybe your mind isn't calm?"
Just as Happy was poking fun at Raizel's skills, the red float on Raizel's fishing line bobbed.
Dip.
"Shh." Raizel placed his left index finger to his lips, signaling Happy to shut up.
Happy saw it too.
His ears twitched, and drool immediately started flowing from his mouth. He obediently clamped his paws over his lips.
"It's biting!"
Raizel felt the fishing rod tug downward. He waited for the second pull... then yanked.
"GO! RAIZEL!" Happy suddenly pulled out a small flag from his backpack and started cheering.
A fish flew out of the water.
"So small..." Happy deflated like a punctured balloon.
The little flag drooped from his paw.
It was indeed tiny—only a few centimeters long. This fish probably hadn't been born for more than a week.
Raizel sighed. He gently removed the hook and tossed the baby fish back into the water.
"Grow bigger," Raizel whispered.
Happy watched silently.
He knew the fish was too small to be worth eating, so he didn't complain. But his stomach growled loudly in protest.
However, their patience paid off.
After fishing all afternoon, Raizel and Natsu found a school of trout. By sunset, they had a bucket full of decent-sized catches.
Later that evening, by the fire, Happy stared unblinkingly at the fish being grilled on skewers.
"Here," Natsu handed him the biggest one, perfectly roasted.
"Aye!" Happy took it, tears of joy in his eyes.
Since Natsu had helped with the fishing in the afternoon, Happy decided to forgive him.
They were best friends again.
...
Raizel's Courtyard
Raizel's backyard had undergone significant renovations. Next to the main house stood a brand new, glass-paneled structure.
The Greenhouse.
After the "Limited Edition Cake Crisis" a few months ago, Raizel and Erza had reflected deeply.
They realized relying on lotteries was foolish. If they wanted the Golden Strawberries, they had to control the supply.
They began delving into advanced agriculture.
Their research revealed that Golden Strawberries were incredibly finicky. They required specific soil, precise temperatures, and magical light cycles.
They constructed the dedicated greenhouse and even hired Freed Justine to inscribe a Jutsu Shiki on the door:
[Entry Prohibited to Non-Fairy Tail Members and Unauthorized Eaters]
The only one likely to sneak in for snacks would be Natsu, but since Natsu was more interested in meat and flames, he usually ignored the berries.
The real threat was the local wildlife, which the barrier kept out effectively.
The trouble with greenhouse cultivation was the need for manual pollination.
There were no bees in winter.
Fortunately, they weren't growing too many plants, so Erza treated it like sword maintenance—meticulous and disciplined.
Now, the books Erza read most frequently were not The Art of War, but The Strawberry High-Efficiency Cultivation Technical Manual and Strawberry Fundamentals: From Seed to Sweetness.
She had never been this diligent even when studying magic theory.
'Don't ask about her obsession,' Raizel thought. 'When it comes to sweets, she is a professional.'
Raizel checked the plants daily.
As he emerged from the warm, humid greenhouse into the cold winter air, he saw three figures approaching him.
Ultear, Erza, and Kagura.
Erza nodded at Raizel, her face serious, and walked straight past him into the greenhouse to inspect her "children."
Raizel looked at the other two.
"It seems you've finished shopping with Ur?" Raizel smiled. "The belt looks nice Ultear. And Kagura, that hair ribbon is lovely."
He noticed the details immediately.
Ultear was wearing a new belt with a sleek, modern buckle—a style he hadn't seen in Magnolia shops before.
Kagura had swapped her usual white ribbon for a deep crimson one.
It was beautiful, though Raizel privately thought white suited her stoic purity better.
"Yes, we've already put everything back in the girls' dorm," Ultear said.
She was holding a small, elegantly wrapped gift box.
"This is for you," she said, her voice casual but her cheeks slightly pink. "Consider it a Christmas gift. It seemed suitable when I saw it."
She handed the box to him.
Raizel blinked.
He hadn't prepared any Christmas gifts yet. He never expected Ultear to buy him something.
"Thank you," Raizel said, surprised.
He opened it carefully.
The box was unique; it opened by pulling both sides apart like double doors. Inside, resting on velvet, was a brooch.
"A Black Rose brooch," Ultear explained as he examined it. "I thought it would suit you. But don't wear it with a black suit—it will disappear. And it's fragile, so don't wear it during fights."
It was exquisite.
The stem was made of rose gold, and the petals were crafted from black enamel that caught the light, giving it depth and texture.
It was understated yet classy.
"I really like it," Raizel said sincerely. It matched his aesthetic perfectly.
He wasn't wearing a suit right now—just winter casuals with a button-up inner layer.
He unpinned the clasp and attached the brooch to his collar.
"How does it look?"
"It suits you," Kagura nodded approvingly.
"By the way," Ultear added quickly, crossing her arms. "No need to return the gesture. I just bought it on a whim while we were browsing. I hadn't originally planned to prepare anything."
"Alright," Raizel chuckled.
It had to be said that Ultear understood him well; his mind had already started calculating what he could buy for her in return.
"Erza!" Ultear called out toward the greenhouse. "Time to come out. We're going to eat."
"Coming, coming!" Erza's voice echoed. She reluctantly emerged, closing the door carefully behind her.
"The berries are ripening nicely. Another week and we can harvest."
...
Fairy Tail Guild
The Guild Hall was decorated with lights, wreaths, and a massive tree.
Christmas X778 saw more participants than ever before and the hall was packed.
New faces like Levy, Laki, and Freed mingled with the veterans.
Natsu was running around with a Santa hat on Happy. Gray had stripped down to his boxers, which were festively red. Ur was drinking eggnog with Makarov.
Raizel stood with Ultear, Erza, Kagura, and Wendy.
"Merry Christmas!" everyone shouted, raising their glasses.
Another year ended in laughter.