In the northwestern forest.
Lucy looked up at the sky, her eyes wide with shock as she watched a massive wooden monster battling several "phantoms" in a fierce clash. "Tch—this is really Roger's illusion?! The presence feels way too real! It's like the real thing!"
Happy floated beside her, waving a paw dismissively. "You've never even seen the real Lullaby. How would you know it's the same?"
Three black lines slid down Lucy's forehead. "It's called exaggeration, okay? Exaggeration! Don't you get atmosphere?!"
She threw her hands out, striking a smug pose. "Guess you're just a little kitty who can't grasp the complexity of human rhetoric, huh?"
Natsu, meanwhile, stared enviously at the "phantom Natsu" in the sky, hurling flames in an epic battle against the monster, his eyes blazing with excitement. "Man, that looks so cool! I wanna jump up there and fight that big guy myself!"
Lucy sighed, "=_= Most people's first instinct when they see a monster like that is to run…"
Happy raised a paw. "Aye! But that's just Natsu."
"Oh! Look, Sweet-Sweet Fruits!" Erza's delighted voice called out nearby.
Everyone turned to see Erza crouching in front of a lush bush, laden with countless ping-pong-ball-sized, vibrant red fruits. She plucked a handful, popped one into her mouth, and as the fruit burst, her eyes squinted happily, a faint blush coloring her cheeks.
"So yummy!"
Eagerly, she stuffed a few more into her mouth, cheeks puffing as she chewed, then turned to the others, mumbling through her full mouth, "Want some? They're really good!"
Lucy eyed the suspiciously bright red fruits warily. "Aren't those a bit too red? Are you sure they're not poisonous?"
Erza gave a confident thumbs-up. "Relax! I've eaten these before with Roger on a mission. I had a ton, and I was totally fine!"
"Sweet-Sweet Fruits?" Mirajane stepped forward hesitantly. "I don't think that's what they're called… I've seen juice shop workers add these to drinks."
She carefully picked one up and popped it into her mouth. The moment her teeth broke the skin, her body gave a barely noticeable shudder.
Natsu leaned in curiously. "So? How is it?"
Mirajane quickly composed herself, resting her cheek in her hand and turning with a bright smile. "It's delicious~! Super sweet, with a rich, fruity aroma~!"
"Really?!" Natsu's eyes lit up. He grabbed one and tossed it into his mouth. Instantly, he froze! Cold sweat poured down his back! After standing stock-still for several seconds, he whipped around, forcing a slightly warped grin and giving a thumbs-up.
"S-Super tasty! Besides the intense fruitiness, there's just a tiny, unique hint of bitterness! Awesome!"
"Huh?" His vivid description piqued the curiosity of the others, including Happy.
Gray stepped forward, plucked a fruit, and popped it in. His eyes instantly widened! He barely managed to swallow, then turned with the same "radiant" grin as Natsu. "Y-Yeah, really good! And if you savor it, there's this subtle… sour note? Very unique flavor!"
Happy couldn't resist either. He flew over, grabbed a fruit with his tiny paws, and popped it into his mouth. The moment the juice burst, every hair on his tail shot up! The cat collapsed to his knees, tears streaming down as he wailed in a trembling voice, "S-So good!! Too good!! I've never tasted something so—so moving! It's so good I could cry!!!"
"=_= You're already crying…" Lucy muttered, watching their over-the-top performances. Her curiosity itched, but something felt off.
"Aren't you guys being a bit too dramatic?" She chuckled skeptically, crouching down to cautiously pick a bright red fruit and pop it into her mouth.
She chewed twice—and her smile froze! Her mouth started trembling uncontrollably! Forcing herself to swallow the terrifying stuff, her eyes bulged as she screamed, "S-So SWEET!!!!"
She'd blurted out the truth!
Hearing her finally say it, the others couldn't hold back anymore. They stuck out their tongues and shouted in unison, "IT'S TOO SWEET!!!"
Roger, watching their pitiful state, smirked and snapped his fingers. Five head-sized orbs of clear water appeared in front of them.
Like travelers lost in the desert for days, they dunked their faces into the water, gargling furiously to wash away the cloying sweetness.
Finally catching her breath, Lucy gasped, "W-What are these fruits?! It's like they condensed all the sugar and honey in the world into one bite! No wonder there's not a single animal bite mark around here!"
Gray grabbed Natsu's collar, veins popping on his forehead. "You idiot! Why didn't you warn us this stuff could rot our teeth?! 'A little bitterness'?! Get your tongue checked by Porlyusica before you lose your sense of taste!"
"Hah?" Natsu swatted his hand away. "You're one to talk! Didn't you say it had 'a subtle sour note'?! Your taste buds need an overhaul!"
"Oh, come on…" Lucy stepped back, watching the two bicker again with a helpless expression. "These two are at it again. Erza, aren't you gonna stop them?"
Before she could finish, she turned to see Mirajane pressing her forehead against Erza's, glaring like a delinquent picking a fight. "Couldn't you have warned us about this weird stuff, you food-obsessed weirdo?!"
Erza pushed back just as fiercely. "Hah?! I was being nice by sharing! It's delicious!! You're just an ungrateful, selfish brat!!"
Lucy: "…"
"=_= Now these two are fighting too."
She rubbed her forehead, letting out a long sigh. Ever since I joined the guild, everyone's image in my head has been completely flipped.
The smiling angel is a sly delinquent, the gentle dark prince is a scheming manipulator, and the Fairy Queen can kick down a mountain and interrogate like a terror.
Ever since joining the guild, everything and everyone has been racing toward the weirdest possible direction.
Even I'm starting to feel weirder… "Whip Queen"… Just thinking about that nickname made Lucy's scalp tingle as she sighed again.
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