Under a sky as dark as ink, a stream babbled gently in the night.
A young female crouched on the bank, her lips pursed in a pout as she muttered angry curses under her breath. She was completely unaware of the dark figure slowly approaching her.
"Ali, don't move!"
Laxus's voice rang out suddenly, making Ali flinch in fright. She sprang to her feet, hands on her hips, and yelled, "Why should I listen to you just because you told me not to move?"
As soon as the words left her mouth, she saw Laxus's towering figure striding toward her, his pace quickening with every step. Panic set in, and her voice trembled. "D-don't come any closer."
Her words did nothing to stop him. Instead, he moved even faster, eventually breaking into a dead run. Terrified by his aggressive momentum, Ali immediately dropped into a crouch and cowered. "Don't hit me! I only said a couple of things to you, is this really necessary—"
