Chapter 242

A Crazy Request

Life in the guild continued as usual. The weather was warm, and everyone was busily at work, with job requests coming in like a flood—unless you accounted for Nab, who was as indecisive as ever.

I was just as busy handling one request after the other, mostly monster slaying and anything that was close by Hargeon. The reason was that whenever I finished a job there, I would always go out for a swim by the ocean to help relieve some stress. I would also spend my time admiring the creatures and collecting some colorful rocks and seashells on the floor. The salty sea air and the overwhelming amount of space in the water always soothed my soul. It was not only a good way to save me money, but to also travel costs since I couldn't ride on the train and I could just fly there.

I was deep underwater, a few miles out from the port, carefully looking around with a bag around my shoulder, trying to find some seashells or rocks to take home. I had just finished handling a request, and I was taking some time to myself.

Then, I saw a conch seashell half buried under the sand that seemed to glint under the sunlight from above. I swam down to it and attempted to reach for it, but just before I was about to touch it, the shell suddenly jumped up, and a very irate crab popped out of its opening. It snapped its pinchers at me, causing me to retract my hand.

"Whoops! Sorry about that!" I apologized to the crab. "Didn't mean to try and take your home!"

I swam on, continuing my exploration of the ocean floor. Lots of colorful fish and other creatures swam by me as I ventured forward until my eyes fell upon another conch shell lying just on top of a coral reef. It was a brilliant silver that glistened brightly and had tiny speckles of blue on it.

I took a good look before picking it up, making sure that no one was living in it.

"This one looks pretty good," I murmured to myself with a smile. "I think I'll keep it."

I then placed the shell inside of my bag. Just as I did, a shadow crossed over where I was, causing me to look up. A fishing boat was making its way just above the surface.

"Looks like it's time to head back," I murmured. "Guess that's another day, another jewel for me."

I launched myself out of the water using Aqua Jet and glided alongside the boat, where I was greeted by the crew. I answered back with a wave as I flew past them. I soon flew over the port and started off back towards Magnolia.

As I flew, I started recalling what everyone else was up to.

Erza and Wendy were busy with a job over at Onibus Town. Supposedly, the job request was sent by Rabian, who needed some help with another play, with the reward being some super rare sweet. Erza, being the sweets junkie she was, would probably be over the moon for such a reward and more than likely dragged Wendy along for the ride. However, I heard from other people that Erza isn't the best actor out there, so I couldn't help but worry about there being a potential disaster.

I haven't heard anything from Nastu and Gray yet. Last I heard, they've also been busy with handling bandit hunting and monster slaying quests. Hopefully, those two have been destroying the monsters rather than the towns that make the requests.

As for the Strauss siblings, Elfman's been hanging around Evergreen and the Thunder Legion quite a bit lately. Last I heard, Elfman has been working with them on jobs to, as he would put it, "upping his manliness." Lisanna has been helping Kinana around the bar sometimes while tagging along with some jobs with Juvia. Lastly, Mira had been busy at work at the bar while taking on a lot of modeling work from Sorceror Weekly and other magazines.

As I flew over the landscape, I couldn't help but admire the view. No matter how many times I did this, it was always incredible to behold. From where I was, the whole world below looked like a giant multi-colored blanket, and the people seemed so small, like bugs. It never ceased to amaze me how different the world looked whenever I was under the sea, walking on land, or flying in the air like this. It certainly made me feel lucky to be in this world of ours and grateful for how peaceful things have been with everything that happened with Crocus. It was rather soothing.

Before long, I could see the city in my sights and soon touched down on the concrete ground.

"Haaah. Home sweet home," I sighed to myself, smiling contentedly. "I think I'll stop by at home real quick before I head back to the guild hall."

After a few minutes of walking, I soon reached the apartments, went up the stairs, and was about to enter my room. But as I did, I briefly hesitated, remembering something that had happened before.

"Hold on. Now that I think about it, Lucy's told me stories about how the others break into her apartment all the time. And Tu-Chi and Finn have done so in the past. So what are the odds that someone's in my apartment already?"

After taking a minute to think, I decided to dismiss the idea.

"Nah. No way. It was just a one-time thing with Tu-Chi and Finn. Besides, that kind of thing only happens to Lucy. I doubt it's going to happen to me."

I then proceeded to open the door and enter, but as I did, my eyes widened in surprise. Mirajane, Erza, Lucy, Wendy, and Carla were sitting comfortably on the couch in the living room.

"Oh, welcome home, Willy," greeted Mirajane.

"Sorry to barge in, but we made ourselves at home," Erza chirped brightly.

"I must say, your apartment is as lovely as Lucy's despite being similar," Carla spoke snootily. "I was expecting it to be a bit messy."

"Why must I tempt fate with the shoe being on the other foot?!" I mentally screamed in my mind.

"And…why are you all in my apartment?" I asked. "If anything, shouldn't you all be in Lucy's?"

"Well, initially, we were, but then we remembered that you were right next door, but there was no one home," Wendy said politely. "Sorry for barging in like this."

"But, since everyone else is constantly breaking into my apartment, I figured I'd have a little bit of fun," winked Lucy. "Of course, I had to get Mira to come with me to keep the peace."

"Plus, we got paid in sweets as a reward for completing the job," said Erza. "So well, in fact, we felt obligated to share. Would you care to have some?"

"Well, sure. I don't mind having some," I said. "I appreciate it, but next time, try to give me a heads up if this is going to be a thing."

I then took my seat next to Mira and helped myself to some sweets. They were pretty delicious, and I couldn't help but hum in delight.

"Man, these are good!" I marveled. "I don't know where Rabian's had these, but he's got good taste!"

"I know, right?" agreed Mira. "I ought to look into buying some more myself." She then held up a small chocolate to me. "Here. Try this one."

Without thinking, I leaned forward and ate the chocolate out of her hand, savoring its sweet, milky taste on my tongue. But as I swallowed, I noticed the others were staring at us, mostly with surprised and blushing expressions.

"Hey, is there something wrong?" I asked.

"Hey, you two. If you're going to flirt, then you might want to save it for when you're alone," Carla quipped. "Unless you like everyone watching your little PDA."

I felt my cheeks grow warm as I looked at the floor. "S-Sorry. I didn't think about it," I apologized hastily.

Mira looked at Erza and Wendy, appearing to pay no mind. "So, I take it that your job was a success?" she asked the two.

"Well…" Wendy spoke with a wry smile. "It was…"

"A spectacle!" Erza cut in, her face sparkling and aglow with joy. "We gave a rousing performance, to say the least! We even received a standing ovation!"

"Oh, they stood all right," sighed Carla. "But they weren't exactly cheering."

I couldn't help but chuckle. "Sounds to me that it was a spectacle, but not in the way that was expected," I said. "By the way, I haven't seen Natsu, Gray, and Happy in a while. Does anyone know what happened to them?"

"Well, last I heard, the boys went out on a job right around when we did," replied Carla. "I'm assuming they haven't been back yet."

"Now that you mention it, I haven't seen them in the guild for a while," murmured Lucy.

"If memory serves, I gave them a monster-hunting request not too long ago," said Mira. "It should have been a simple one, so they should have been back by now."

I then gasped. "Hold on, those two went on a job together?!" I exclaimed.

The girls looked at me, puzzled.

"Why do you say it like that, Willy?" quizzed Lucy. "You worried about them or something?"

"Of course I am," I replied. "But not in the way you think, and you know exactly why. Natsu and Gray are each other's own worst enemies. You know how much those two like to fight each other, and putting them on a job together is like trying to make a great white get along with an orca, and those two are natural enemies in the animal kingdom."

"Oh, come on, Willy. You're overexaggerating," soothed Mira. "I'm sure that they're fine. After all, they're some of Fairy Tail's strongest and most skilled and have matured a bit since the games, and Happy's with them, too."

I gave Mira a flat look. "Somehow, that doesn't seem too reassuring," I said.

"They did say it was an easy job, and they should be done by now," Erza murmured thoughtfully. "It's been three days since they left, and I would hate for their sweets to go bad."

"They haven't gone far, so maybe we should check on them," suggested Wendy. "Just to make sure they're OK."

"Well, I'm not worried in the least, but I suppose there's no harm," frowned Carla. "Only because you say so."

"Good idea," Erza hummed in thought. "Considering those two, I am concerned that it's taken them this long to get back."

"Then let's go look for them," said Mira as she stood up. "They should be somewhere in the East Forest, according to the request."

I also felt a bit concerned about two, but I couldn't help but feel more concerned for Happy and get the nagging suspicion that this was going to be a big headache.

A few hours later, we arrived at the location where Natsu and Gray were assigned to go, which was in the middle of a dense forest. When we arrived, we immediately came across something that made my eyes go wide.

A large monster lay on its back on the ground. It appeared humanoid with a pig-like face, had tattoos all over its body, and reeked of something foul, showing that it had been there for quite a while.

"It's huge!" Lucy exclaimed.

"Pee-yew!" I complained while holding my nose. "And it totally stinks something awful!"

"What is this thing?" Erza asked as she stared at the caress in bafflement.

"It looks like the monster from the flyer," Wendy said as she also stared.

"Judging from its smell, I'd say it's been here for days," confirmed Carla.

"And from the looks of it, it's been completely desecrated," said Mira. "No doubt Natsu and Gray's handiwork."

"But if that's the case, where are they?" wondered Erza.

"I can't make out their scents in this forest," said Wendy as she sniffed around. "All I can smell is damp soil and this guy."

"I can use my Aqua Sense to find them," I offered. "Shouldn't take me too long if they hadn't gone far."

But as I was about to start using it, a rustling of bushes caught our attention. As we looked back, Happy staggered his way out, using a stick to hold himself up. His fur was matted with dirt, and his eyes were filled with bags.

"Happy!" gasped Carla.

"P-Please… Someone help me…" Happy called feebly. "I-I don't wanna die out here…"

Not long after his plea, Happy collapsed to the ground. We all then rushed over to him, and while Erza took him into her lap, Wendy and I started using our healing magic to help him recover. After a few minutes, Happy soon opened his eyes.

"Has he woken up?" asked Carla.

"Yes, but he's still a bit groggy," replied Erza.

"He's uninjured, but he was completely exhausted," added Wendy.

"What happened to you, Happy?" asked Mira. "How did you get like that?"

"And where are Natsu and Gray?" Lucy inquired urgently. "How did you guys get split up?"

"Easy, girls," I warned. "Try not to overwhelm the guy."

"I-It was awful!" Happy spoke weakly, his face filling with horror. "Natsu and Gray. They're…"

"What?!" Lucy pressured. "Talk to us, Happy! What happened?!"

The blue cat sat up after managing to regain some strength. "It's exactly what you think," Happy replied ominously.

I placed my hand on the ground and cast my Aqua Sense, and I felt two familiar magic powers coming in the direction from which Happy came.

"Over there!" I spoke out. "I sense them nearby!"

I then rushed through the bushes, leading the others through where I sensed them until I came to a clearing where a giant crater was. Inside the crater, I saw a sight that made every drop of tension and anxiety vanish in an instant.

Natsu and Gray stood right in the middle, covered with welts, bumps, and bruises throughout their bodies, glaring menacingly at each other.

"So you're finally giving up, huh?" Natsu huffed in a mocking tone. "I knew you wouldn't last! You melted like an ice cream cone!"

"Shut up, you lousy jackass!" Gray snarled with a wheeze. "I'm sick and tired of your crap, so get over here so I can kick your flaming butt!"

"That's my line!" Natsu shot back fiercely. "I'll make you put some clothes on, you voyeuristic degenerate!"

And while continuing to hurl insults at each other, the two started brawling some more, punching and kicking at each other wildly, while the rest of us watched them go at it. Happy also explained what had happened.

"You have got to be kidding me," I groaned while facepalming myself.

"Well… I guess it makes sense," sighed Erza.

"They had us worried, too," said Lucy.

"So, they've been going at it for three days straight?" Mira asked Happy. "Even I have to say, that's pretty impressive."

"Yeah, and they've been taking breaks to eat and sleep between rounds," Happy moaned miserably.

"Well, what do you know," chuckled Carla. "They have a system. How cute."

Erza then calmly walked toward the two, clapping her hands to get their attention. "All right, you two. That's enough. Let's call it draw," she spoke warmly. "How about you two come on home, and I'll give you some sweets-."

Then, Natsu and Gray rudely interrupted.

"SHUT UP! WE DON'T WANT ANY!" they both roared as they each punched Erza square in the face with a fist, causing the redhead to briefly fall back from the blow.

At that moment, everyone, myself included, let out a scream of shock and horror at what they just did. Natsu and Gray then snapped out of their rage, the two wondering what had happened, but it was already too late as Erza's warm, cheerful nature was replaced with pure and seething anger.

"E-Erza?! What are you doing here?!" Natsu and Gray both squawked.

But Erza stayed silent as she summoned a large spiked black mace that was twice her size.

It was then that I looked away while making a cross. "Fare thee well, Natsu and Gray. I hardly knew you both."

A few moments later, after Natsu and Gray received quite the beating from Erza, we returned to the guildhall. And when we told everyone what happened, they laughed loudly at their expense. I stood over by the table close to the bar, still frowning exasperated.

"Well, one thing's for sure," chuckled Elfman. "It looks like those two will never change, no matter how much time passes."

"I know, right?" laughed Lisanna.

"Those quarrelsome brats are going to be the death of me," Makarov sighed. "With all the talent those two have, you'd think even they could handle simple monster-slaying."

"Give 'em a break, Gramps," soothed Laxus. "They just got a lot of pent-up energy. I bet at your age, you were just like them."

"I wouldn't go as far as them having "pent-up energy,"" I huffed. "It's more like they hate each other." Then I smiled a little. "But then again, this reminds me of what Sieri once said to me. The more two people fight, the closer they are, and considering how much they fight on a daily basis, they must really be close. Enough to be best friends or something more."

Natsu and Gray both shot to their feet as they glared at me with flushed cheeks.

"Me?! Best friends with this jerk?!" the boys snapped indignantly in perfect sync. "No way!"

Everyone laughed, including me.

Then, Mirajane approached the bar, holding a bundle of papers. "Master, sorry to interrupt, but we just got an emergency job request," she said as she handed them to him.

"Another one?" Laxus frowned.

"Well, ever since the games and the tournament, we've been getting a lot of requests for specific wizards," explained Mira. "It's kind of like we're celebrities now."

"Now that you mention it, I've gotten some requests that were asking for me specifically a few times," I said. "But it was bound to happen, considering we kicked some tail at Crocus."

Makarov skimmed over the request before calling out. "Hey, Natsu! Gray! The two of you have been requested for a special job again!" He looked at me. "And it looks like you have as well, Willy."

"Wait, me, too?" I questioned while pointing at myself.

Natsu and Gray, while still indignant, were quick to refuse. "Not happening!" they both barked crossly.

"That's enough!" Erza spoke, sternly glaring. "Can't you both try to cooperate? If not for yourselves, then do it for the guild."

The two went silent while glaring sulkily at each other.

"Looks like you got your work cut out for you, Willy," said Mira.

"Yeah, no kidding," I grunted while shaking my head. "Anyway, who made the request, Master? Some mayor of a village or something?"

Makarov returned his eyes to the papers, and in the next split second, his eyes went wide in disbelief, his body went stiff as a statue, and his face turned serious. "My word!" he exclaimed in disbelief.

Everyone looked at him.

"Something wrong, Gramps?" Natsu asked.

"Yeah, you're looking a bit pale," I also observed.

"I ain't working with this chump, so tell them I said no," Gray said huffily.

"But tell them I said no first!" Natsu cut in.

"Copycat," Gray quipped.

"You will go whether you both like it or not!" ordered Makarov. "And while you're out there, I want you to behave the best your feeble minds are able! And that's final! And Willy, do whatever it takes to make sure that they do!"

This made me concerned, having never seen this reaction from Makarov before.

"What's up?" asked Laxus.

Makarov looked at me and then at Natsu and Gray before responding. "The client who requested you three is Warrod Sequen, the fourth highest rank of the Ten Wizard Saints."

Everyone around us gasped, myself included.

"Whoa! So it's someone who's like you, Jura, and Tu Chi?!" I exclaimed.

"It's a lot more than that, Willy," said Makarov. "While it's true he holds the same rank as we do, he's on a whole different level compared to us. He, along with three others, possesses incredible strength that dwarfs us in comparison, and he's only the fourth highest ranked of the Wizard Saints, making him one of the Four Emperors of Ishgar!"

My jaw dropped as I felt gobsmacked. "S-Seriously? And someone like that is requesting the three of us?!" I couldn't help but cry in dumbfoundment. "But why?!"

Everyone else was just as surprised and perplexed as they murmured amongst themselves, mainly speculation about how dangerous or challenging the job was going to be. Even Mira and Erza were utterly floored.

This much I knew. Whatever request this Warrod person had for us, I knew that I going to get sucked into another crazy adventure whether I wanted it or not.