After finally explaining Lisa's origins to the stunned guild members, the day had slipped into evening.
Under the warm glow of the guild's lights, the atmosphere at a corner table felt a bit… delicate.
Lisanna stared at the two katsu sandwiches in front of her, swallowing hard before squeezing her eyes shut and pushing them toward Elfman with determination.
"Elf-nii, you worked hard taking on that Earth Dragon. Here, take my sandwiches too!"
"No! That's not happening!" Elfman flinched as if he'd been burned, his deep voice firm as he pushed both his sandwiches and Lisanna's back to her.
"I should be the one giving you something…" His fists clenched, knuckles whitening, his head hanging low. "I almost… got you killed."
"I'm supposed to be your big brother, but I couldn't protect my little sister."
"Oh, come on, it's fine!" Lisanna waved her hands frantically, forcing a bright smile. "Elf-nii, you were trying to protect us! If you hadn't taken on that Earth Dragon, we might not have lasted until Roger-nii showed up!"
"But…" Elfman's voice was heavy with guilt, practically overflowing with self-blame. "If I'd been stronger… I wouldn't have lost control."
"If we're talking about who messed up the most, that'd be me," Mirajane said, approaching with two freshly made sandwiches. She set them gently in front of Lisa, her tone carrying a hint of weight. "If I hadn't wasted all our potions fighting with Erza, three measly Earth Dragons would've never put us in danger."
"Stop, stop, stop!" Lisanna cut in, crossing her arms in an exaggerated 'X.' "Why's this turning into a blame-fest?! The katsu's gonna get cold! Cold katsu isn't crispy anymore!"
She grabbed a knife from the table and, with swift precision, sliced one of the sandwiches into four pieces, handing them out to Mirajane, Elfman, and Lisa.
"No more 'my fault, your fault' nonsense! Instead of dwelling on the past, let's train together and get stronger!"
She thrust out her right hand, palm down, her eyes shining as she looked at Mirajane and Elfman.
Mirajane and Elfman exchanged a glance, seeing both relief and determination in each other's eyes. They smiled, reaching out to stack their hands on top of Lisanna's.
Then, three pairs of eyes turned in unison to Lisa, who was sitting nearby.
"Huh?" Lisa pointed at herself, bewildered. "M-Me too?"
"But I don't know any magic…"
Lisanna waggled her free hand, shaking a finger playfully. "Who said training's just about magic? There's also hand-to-hand combat, physical strength, and mental toughness!"
"Otherwise, once your magic runs dry, you're just a sitting duck—y'know, easy pickings for the enemy."
"Plus, if you train with us, Lisa, it'll be easier to hold your own in a fight when you get back to your world!"
"=w= I don't usually get into fights, you know," Lisa mumbled, tilting her head in thought. Still, getting stronger couldn't hurt. It'd make doing jobs safer too. Taking a deep breath, she stood up, a mix of resolve and excitement in her eyes, and gently placed her hand on top of the others.
"Hehe!" Lisanna's grin was dazzling. Another person to share Mirajane's brutal training with! Score!!
"Let's all give it our all in training!" They laughed, raising their stacked hands high.
---
The next morning, Roger pushed open the guild's heavy doors, only to freeze at the sight before him.
Mirajane had her white hair neatly tied up, with just a small, playful tuft left in front, bound into a tiny ponytail. She wore a sweet smile, gracefully balancing a tray of beer mugs as she wove through the bustling guild like a delicate butterfly.
"Table three's beers~ Enjoy!" Her voice was so sweet it could drip honey.
The guild was practically frozen. Aside from Natsu and Gray brawling in the corner, everyone else seemed under a petrification spell, mugs in hand, mouths agape, staring at this bizarrely charming scene.
Roger blinked, wondering if he was seeing things. Lisanna wasn't dead, so why was Mirajane acting like this?
"Roger~" Mirajane spotted him, gliding over with her tray, her smile as radiant as ever.
Roger, rarely thrown off, showed a flicker of confusion. "Mirajane… what's going on?"
Her smile didn't waver, her voice soft and warm. "I realized I've been too hotheaded before. To work on my patience, I asked the Master if I could occasionally help out as a server."
She set the tray down and headed to the kitchen. Moments later, she emerged carrying a beautifully decorated cake. On her way, a stool—launched from some brawl—came hurtling toward her. With a slight tilt of her head, she dodged it effortlessly, the stool crashing into the wall behind her with a loud thud.
Without missing a step, Mirajane walked up to Roger, her sweet smile replaced by a solemn expression. "Roger," she said, holding out the cake, "thank you—for saving Lisanna. I know saying thanks might sound a bit formal, but I have to say it."
She took a deep breath. "I made this myself, based on what I learned from the bakery. It's a low-sugar version. I hope you like it."
Roger stared at the earnest girl before him and the carefully crafted cake. After a few seconds, a gentle smile curved his lips. "Alright, I'll take it."
Mirajane's face lit up with a brilliant, sun-through-the-clouds smile. She held out the cake, ready to hand it over—
Whoosh—SPLAT!
An empty beer mug, flung from who-knows-where, hit the cake dead center with pinpoint accuracy. The carefully piped fruit and cream exploded into a messy ruin!
The guild fell deathly silent. Fear flashed across every face as everyone sucked in a collective breath.
In the corner, Natsu and Gray's fists froze mid-swing, cold sweat soaking their backs. They locked eyes, both seeing the same two words in the other's gaze: We're done!
"Uh—h-hey—" Natsu forced a dry laugh, inching toward the door. "I just remembered—my soup's still simmering at home…"
Gray was quicker, already at the door. "Y-Yeah! I think I forgot to lock my house—"
Mirajane slowly lowered her head, staring at the wreckage of her painstakingly made cake. The sweet, gentle aura around her froze and shattered in an instant.
A visible storm of oppressive, black-purple magic erupted from her, radiating like a tempest!
Crack!
The floor beneath her buckled, splintering under the sheer pressure!
"My cake…" Her voice was low, a chilling growl straight from the depths of the underworld. She carefully set the ruined cake on the nearby bar counter. When she looked up, the sweet server persona was gone. The infamous "delinquent Mirajane" was back—eyes blazing with ferocity, a savage grin curling her lips.
"You two—DIE!!"
[Takeover: Satan Soul!]
Dark magic enveloped her entirely. In a flash, Mirajane appeared behind Natsu and Gray, who were halfway out the guild door.
Two clawed hands, covered in demonic scales, clamped down on their heads with bone-crushing force!
"ARGH!!"
"We're gonna die! For real!! Mirajane! I'm sorry! I swear I'm sorry! I'll never do it again!!" Gray wailed, his skull creaking under the pressure, terror gripping his throat.
"Mirajane! I'll pay you back! Ten cakes!! AHH—my head's gonna explode!!" Natsu thrashed, but the grip on his head was like steel, unyielding.
Mirajane's eyes blazed with crimson light. "Go to hell—and pay for my cake!!"
BOOM!!
A terrifying pillar of black magic shot skyward, drowning out Natsu and Gray's agonized screams, staining the sky above the guild an oppressive black-purple.
Everyone in the guild, including Makarov, who'd just walked in, shuddered. Their mugs shook like they were sifting grain.
One thought burned into every mind: Never, EVER mess with Mirajane!!
Watching the one-sided "massacre" outside, Roger gave a soft chuckle, muttering to himself, "This is totally different from the original story."
He picked up a clean fork, scooping a bite from an untouched corner of the cake and popping it into his mouth.
Hmm. Perfect sweetness, soft texture, rich cream—really well done. It's almost as good as the most popular bakery in town, but tailored to my taste. Not bad for Mirajane's first try.
Savoring the delicious cake, he leaned back, enjoying the lively chaos outside—classic Fairy Tail style.