Screams, cheers, and noisy chatter filled the air inside the massive indoor amusement park.
"This amusement park is getting more and more outrageous. They even have roller coasters indoors now!" Raizel looked up, blinking as he stared at the tracks overhead and the roller coaster that had just sped past with a deafening roar.
Ultear, walking beside him in a casual summer dress, remained quite composed.
"It's been several years since we last came here. It's normal for things to change."
"Number 17! Number 17!"
Nearby, Natsu was shouting at a spinning roulette game.
Failing to get the number he wanted, Natsu angrily pounded on the machine.
Happy was also incessantly complaining beside him.
"Aye! It's rigged!"
"G-Guest... We're really troubled by your behavior..." The amusement park staff member was sweating bullets, looking terrified of the destructive mage.
"Because it clearly landed on 17 just now! How unfair!" Natsu looked as if he had suffered some great injustice as tears streaming down his face like a fountain.
"Even if... you cry, there's nothing I can do about it..."
Natsu's crying left the staff member at a loss!
"Sorry... Our fault."
BONK!
After knocking Natsu out with one punch to the head, Raizel dragged him away by the collar to save the poor staff member.
...
"Gray-sama... Juvia is here too."
Juvia, dressed in formal attire, kept rubbing her hands together nervously as she watched Gray playing cards at a table.
"You... You're from Phantom Lord."
Gray's jaw dropped, and the cards in his hand fell out of shock.
It wasn't because of the person herself, but because Juvia was wearing a massive Fairy Tail emblem necklace around her chest.
"Let's talk somewhere else," Gray said, standing up and pointing toward the quieter bar area inside the venue.
Once seated, Gray asked, "Phantom Lord has disbanded now, right?"
"Yes, so Juvia is a free Mage now."
"So, you want to join Fairy Tail?"
"Juvia wants to join!" Juvia exclaimed instantly.
Gray hummed thoughtfully before continuing, "But after everything that happened with Phantom Lord before... I don't mind, but I'm not sure how the Master and Raizel will feel about it."
"Juvia is willing to do anything!"
Receiving Gray's somewhat affirmative response, Juvia clasped her hands tightly, her face beaming with excitement.
"I agree, and I think Gramps will likely agree too."
Raizel and Ultear, who were strolling around after disposing of Natsu, happened to pass by and overheard their conversation.
Gray and Juvia were startled by the sudden voice and turned around.
Raizel tapped his ear. "Just to clarify, we weren't intentionally eavesdropping. We just happened to be passing by. Besides, your voices were quite loud, and my hearing is pretty good."
"As for Juvia joining, I agree. Not only did Juvia not cause any losses to Fairy Tail, but our grudge with Phantom Lord is in the past now, and Phantom Lord has disbanded," Raizel said, putting on a mysterious smile.
"Perhaps... you might even see a surprise when you return."
...
Flashback: Raizel's Home
After the war with Phantom Lord, Makarov had secretly visited Raizel at his home one evening.
"Raizel, there's something I'd like to ask for your opinion on," Makarov started, pretending to be deep in thought.
"It's that I want to..."
"Okay, I agree."
Makarov, whose "spellcasting" was interrupted by Raizel, was quite annoyed and clenched his fists tightly.
"What do you mean you agree? I haven't said anything yet!!!"
Raizel paid no mind to the master complain, lazily leaning back on the sofa as he casually remarked.
"Isn't it just about saving some misguided delinquent boy or some depressed girl wallowing in self-pity all day?"
"What?!?!" Makarov, having had his thoughts exposed, was utterly shocked and nodded frantically.
Clearing his throat twice, Makarov straightened up and said seriously, "Ahem, ahem, you know, saving misguided young boys and girls and guiding them back to the right path is a tremendous mission!"
Raizel shook his head and sighed helplessly. "Come on, you're the Guild Master. Do you really need my approval for this kind of thing???"
Only then did Makarov have a sudden realization, scratching his bald head.
He continued, "Everyone in the Guild has noticed Juvia showing up frequently. It's just that thick-headed Gray still hasn't realized it yet. No one seems to dislike Juvia, so I'm not worried about her joining the Guild."
Makarov rubbed his hands awkwardly. "My main concern is actually Gajeel. What I mean is, if he joins, Natsu might get angry. After all, he's the one who destroyed the Guild's tavern. Maybe you could help mediate?"
"So you're not afraid I might get angry?" Raizel asked with a raised eyebrow.
"You don't look angry at all!" Makarov pointed out.
...
Back to the Present
Gray asked with great interest, "What surprise???"
Raizel kept his mouth shut. "You'll know when we get back."
"What about Ultear's opinion?" Gray asked, seeking Ultear's input.
Gray's impression of this rather strange girl was quite complex—not exactly favorable due to her mysterious nature, but Gray could clearly sense a sorrow in her that resonated with him.
He actually hoped she would join the Guild, believing that Fairy Tail would have a miraculous effect on healing her sadness...
"I think... it's not a problem," Ultear said, deliberately drawing out her words slightly.
"Whew... That scared me to death," Juvia nearly had a heart attack from Ultear's drawn-out tone.
"I think we've met before, at the Guild construction site," Ultear raised an eyebrow at Juvia with a knowing smirk.
Juvia looked up thoughtfully.
"So you noticed...."
Ultear placed a finger to her lips in a shushing gesture. "Shh, no need to say it out loud. Knowing is enough."
It wasn't really anything major—just that Ultear and the others had long noticed Juvia secretly following Gray around the Guild ruins, hiding behind pillars and barrels.
They had even made eye contact once.
But since Juvia wasn't chased out or exposed, she had thought Ultear and the others hadn't actually noticed her, and that the eye contact was just her imagination.
Raizel knew what they were talking about, since all three being on the same wavelength.
"To be honest, it would be pretty hard not to notice."
However, someone here had no idea what was going on.
Gray looked back and forth between the three with a completely bewildered expression, as if they'd performed a show without letting him watch.
"What are you all talking about???"
Raizel patted Gray's shoulder sympathetically. "Don't worry about it. You'll find out eventually."
Gray wore an expression of utter frustration. "What do you mean 'don't worry about it'?! Now I'm even more curious, damn it!!!"
Gray suddenly realized something. "And why have you been speaking in half-sentences lately!!!"
Raizel snapped his fingers excitedly while looking at Gray.
"Bingo, lately I've been acting as..."
Raizel paused dramatically.
"Pfft pfft pfft————"
After waiting a long time without hearing Raizel continue, Gray coughed up imaginary blood and succumbed to his injuries from pure frustration.
"...The Riddler," Raizel finally finished, only speaking after glancing at the unconscious Gray.
"Gray-samaa, let me perform CPR!!!"
Juvia quickly seized the opportunity and leaned in to kiss him.
Just as Juvia was about to make contact, Gray suddenly woke up, sensing the danger.
Pressing his palm against the approaching lips, he pushed Juvia's head away.
Sitting on the ground, Gray kept ranting.
"I declare that the thing I hate most in this life is people who don't finish their—!!!"