006. Getting Away With Murder
Erza, Wendy – It happened in an instant. But in that instant, everyone knew it was all over.
The entire guild was shaking, both literally and metaphorically, scared beyond their wits. Even the ends of Makarov's mustache seemed to wilt at the oppressive atmosphere. Some of the members with less courage fainted away right then and there, piled up in an attempt to shield the rest of them from the menace.
Erza walked up and down silently along the length of the guild hall, boots clicking and armor clanking ominously like some sort of countdown to the end of the world. Her expression was the definition of calm to any outsider, but those who knew better prayed for mercy and conferred in hushed whispers to each other.
"Who could have possibly-"
"Probably the flame brain."
"Oi!"
"E-Even Natsu wouldn't be that stupid… Would he?"
"I can hear you, y'know!"
The cause of the guild's uncharacteristic terror in contrast to their usual jovial chaos?
Splattered on the ground were the gruesome remains of Erza's once beautifully baked strawberry cheesecake.
There were certain rules in the guild that went unspoken, as everyone knew. The one most commonly executed in example was to always value your fellow guild members and friends more highly than anything else. In this particular instance however, an unspoken footnote was also added to this rule.
It was every man or woman for themselves if even one grain of sugar was harmed on the strawberry cheesecake of Erza Scarlet.
At last, Erza spoke. Softly, evenly, her words fell like a death sentence upon everyone's heads.
"Who is responsible for this?"
Silence.
"I asked a question. Who is responsible for the murder of my strawberry cake?"
Unbelievably, one figure found the courage to step forward despite trembling knees and shivering shoulders. The rest of the guild promptly labeled the person as having a death wish.
It was Wendy.
There were gasps, murmurs, Carla loudly protesting her partner's involvement, Happy sobbing and bemoaning Wendy's much too short life – until Erza silenced them all with a single gesture.
"Wendy?"
Fairy Tail's youngest Dragon Slayer jumped at being addressed, and frantically nodded her head.
"It was you?"
"I-I-I'm so s-sorry, Erza-san!" Wendy burst out, her large brown eyes turning shiny with unshed tears. "I didn't mean to- I just- I-I wasn't watching where I was going a-and I tripped into the table and… and… And the plate fell!" Her last words came out in a whimper and she put her hands to her face, shaking violently and repeating her apologies. Anyone who looked at her and didn't think she was genuinely sorry had no heart. Or soul.
Erza narrowed her eyes, and the rest of the guild held their breaths in terrified anticipation. Surely even Titania would not stoop so low as to exact revenge on a child?
(Certain people, namely Natsu and Gray as they remembered the days of their childhood, testified to the fact that yes, she would.)
For a long, nerve-wracking moment, there was no movement from either party. Finally, Erza sighed, and turned her back on the girl.
"Wendy."
"Y-Yes?!"
"Today, I bought a strawberry cheesecake and left it on the table. Assuming that no one will dare touch it while I am here, I am looking at the request board for an adequate mission. Once I have found such a mission, I turn around and am ready to enjoy my cake in its entirety, where it is sitting exactly where I have left it, untouched and unsullied. Do you understand me?"
A confused expression spread over Wendy's face for a moment before her eyes widened in realization. "Yes!"
Wendy bolted.
And so, the murder of Erza's strawberry cheesecake was solved and everyone lived happily ever after for another day.