Early the next morning, Raizel and Wendy set off to continue their journey.
"We just finished crossing the mountain path, and now we have to cross the desert..." Wendy wiped a bead of sweat from her brow, looking out at the vast expanse of golden sand ahead.
It was already the height of summer, and if they didn't leave early, the intense heat later in the day would make the journey incredibly difficult.
"I can't take it anymore..." Happy panted, his tongue hanging out as he struggled to keep his wings flapping.
He simply couldn't endure the high temperature of the desert air.
"Hold on, Happy. I'll restore your energy right away." Wendy quickly cast a support spell, enveloping the blue cat in a refreshing, cool light that helped him recover his stamina.
"Happy, stop flying and sit on my shoulder," Raizel offered, patting his armored shoulder so the cat could rest properly.
Suddenly, the wind picked up, howling ominously.
"Huh? A storm is coming!" Wendy warned, sensing the drastic shift in the air currents.
"A storm? In the desert, that means a sandstorm, right?" Happy was startled, clinging tightly to Raizel's neck.
Raizel narrowed his eyes at the darkening horizon. "This is a cursed sandstorm unique to this area. The magical pressure inside it is highly unstable."
"Let's find a place to take cover!" Raizel made a quick decision, leading them toward a cluster of large rocks.
...
Meanwhile, on another side of the desert dunes...
"Are you sure we're heading in the right direction?" Lucy looked at the endless, scorching desert with deep concern, shielding her eyes from the glaring sun.
"In terms of direction, it's correct," Kagura nodded confidently after observing the position of the sun.
"Don't come closer!" Erza, who had been walking ahead of them, suddenly shouted as one of her feet sank deeply into the loose sand.
Kagura and Lucy watched in horror as Erza was rapidly half-buried in a pit of quicksand.
"It's no use, I can't free myself!" Erza gritted her teeth, struggling against the sinking pull.
"That's right! Leave it to me! Open, Gate of the Maiden! Virgo!" Lucy called out, swinging her golden key.
With a chime, the pink-haired maid spirit appeared. "Are you going to punish me, Princess?"
"No, I'm asking you to save Erza from the quicksand!" Lucy pointed frantically.
"I understand," Virgo bowed slightly, her expression stoic, and then dove smoothly into the sand like it was water.
A moment later, Virgo emerged behind Erza, pulling with all her might.
"It's impossible," Virgo said helplessly, letting go. "She's too heavy; I can't lift her at all."
"How rude!" Erza glared over her shoulder, making it clear she wouldn't tolerate such comments about her weight.
"How can that be? How could a Celestial Spirit's strength not be enough to lift Erza?" Lucy asked, utterly bewildered.
"Kagura, Lucy? What are you doing here?"
A voice called out from the rocky ridge above.
Raizel and Wendy, who had been searching for a hiding spot from the storm, had spotted Lucy and Kagura.
"We were worried about Wendy, so we followed you guys!" Lucy admitted sheepishly.
"But it seems you're the ones safe and sound, while we're the ones in trouble," Kagura sighed.
"Erza, how did you end up in quicksand?" Raizel asked, jumping down the dune and only then noticing Erza buried waist-deep below.
"We need to rescue Erza quickly. This area will soon be buried by the sandstorm." Raizel looked at the massive, swirling wall of sand approaching in the distance.
"It's truly unbelievable. Why is Miss Erza's weight like a massive iron plate?" Virgo, who was still trying to carry Erza from below the sand, sounded genuinely surprised.
"Could it be that Erza is carrying something very heavy?" Wendy asked curiously.
Erza lowered her head silently, a dark shadow casting over her eyes.
"I've been dragging various props for the performance..."
"Whaaat!!!" Happy was utterly shocked.
"Typical of you, Erza," Raizel muttered, his lips twitching in exasperation.
"No wonder you're so heavy!" Lucy finally understood. She had dragged a whole cart of theatrical equipment into the desert!
"But without these props, we can't perform on stage," Erza argued stubbornly.
"This job doesn't necessarily require performing on stage!" Lucy yelled back.
"Sorry, my memories..." Erza silently shed tears, remembering the glory of the theater.
"My beloved performance props."
As Virgo finally managed to lift Erza out of the sand—carrying her princess-style while leaving the heavy cart behind to sink—Erza was deeply saddened.
"Can't we just dig them out later?" she pleaded.
"Is this her punishment?" Virgo asked Lucy deadpan, while Erza silently grieved, hugging her knees with both hands in Virgo's arms.
"A sandstorm is coming!"
Raizel turned around to see the cursed sandstorm already beginning to bear down upon them, darkening the sky.
Raizel stepped forward, preparing to use his Take Over magic to shield the group.
"I'll stop the sandstorm!" Wendy volunteered bravely and rushed to the front of the group, taking a deep breath.
"Sky Dragon's Roar!"
A massive tornado of pure, swirling wind erupted from Wendy's mouth, clashing directly against the cursed sandstorm.
"The sandstorm... it actually disappeared?" Raizel watched in awe as the dark clouds of sand shattered and scattered into the clear blue sky.
The sandstorm wasn't just countered by brute force—it seemed to dissipate entirely on its own.
'Was it the healing and purifying effect of Wendy's magic?' Raizel pondered this possibility, realizing her Dragon Slayer magic was uniquely suited for this.
"Wendy, you're amazing!" Lucy exclaimed excitedly, rushing over to hug her.
"Hehe," Wendy rubbed her hands together, her cheeks flushed a happy pink at the praise.
...
The group eventually arrived safely in Onibus Town, though not without some scares.
However, the mission wasn't completed as they had hoped. When they reached the theater, the performance had already begun.
Audiences were happily taking their seats, and the troupe leader, Rabian, looked quite pleased.
"Thank you so much!" Rabian greeted them at the door.
"You seem to be in good spirits," Raizel noted.
"Because I've reconciled with the actors, the stage play can proceed smoothly! We have many audience members too—really, thank you all for coming," the leader beamed.
"How can this be! What did we travel through mountains and rivers for?!" Lucy yelled, expressing her sheer inability to accept this wasted effort.
"I went through so much trouble digging these out..." Erza muttered depressedly, touching the few surviving pieces of luggage she had salvaged from the desert.
"I can't go on..." Happy groaned, collapsing weakly to the wooden floorboards.
"Hey!" a ragged voice echoed from the street.
"Natsu???"
Natsu staggered to the front of the theater troupe, looking greener than a sick toad.
"The railway tracks were finally repaired, so I just arrived now," Natsu gasped, clutching his stomach.
"I've been traveling between Onibus Station and Magnolia Station this whole time... falling asleep and missing my stop..."
"I can't take it anymore..."
After barely making it to the theater, Natsu also collapsed weakly onto the ground next to Happy, thoroughly defeated by his motion sickness.
"Tch!" Rabian clicked his tongue in annoyance, looking at the exhausted Fairy Tail members blocking his entrance.
"Your attitude suddenly became so rude..." Lucy grumbled.
"Sleeping here will block the audience from entering. Take them all away—I'll still pay the reward just to clear the doorway," the troupe leader shooed them off.
After Kagura and Raizel dutifully carried away the collapsed members, Wendy wiped the sweat from her forehead.
Looking at those who had collapsed and those who were grieving over lost props, Wendy shook her head helplessly.
"I never imagined this would be my first long-distance job."
Carla didn't see it that way. "This is actually good. Although everyone was worried about you, it turns out you were the one who helped everyone out there in the desert. This is truly remarkable work. You can return to the Guild with your head held high—at least that's what I think."
"Well done, Wendy," Raizel said warmly, clapping his hands.
"You're right." Wendy smiled in relief, her spirits lifting.
"Alright, the train has been repaired too. Let's have a good dinner and then head back home," Raizel suggested.
"Food!" Natsu and Happy instantly revived on the spot, shooting up into the air.
"As for you, Erza, just have Mira keep an eye out for any theater troupe commissions on the board. There will be opportunities eventually," Raizel comforted the armored mage.
Hearing this, Erza also fully revived, her eyes sparkling with theatrical passion once more.
...
Back at the Fairy Tail Guild, Wendy received everyone's praise.
Mirajane had already received news of the completed commission and informed the Guild members before their arrival.
"Wendy, I heard you completed the commission very well!" Mirajane smiled warmly.
"You did wonderfully! Wendy!" Macao and Wakaba cheered, giving her enthusiastic thumbs-up from their tables.
"As expected of Wendy!" Cana also encouraged her, raising her barrel in a toast.
"Here, this is your reward." Mirajane handed Wendy a specially made, refreshing fruit juice.
"It was all accomplished by Wendy herself," Raizel nodded approvingly from the side, making sure everyone heard.
"She encountered many unexpected incidents—train delays, heavy rainstorms, and even a sandstorm—yet she remained calm and fearless."
"Well done," Ur smiled, gently patting Wendy's head after hearing Raizel's words.
Makarov, thoroughly drunk and wearing a party hat, stood on the bar counter.
He raised his giant glass high, shouting at the top of his lungs.
"Then! To celebrate Wendy's first long-distance mission! And its successful completion! Let's hold a banquet!"
"Woo!!! Banquet!!!" the entire guild roared in unison.
Wendy's eyes sparkled as she sipped her juice and watched the joyous, chaotic crowd celebrate her success.
'As expected, everyone in "Fairy Tail" is the best!'
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