Lucy closed her eyes as she held her face to the sun, soaking up everything she could. Her new bikini clung to her body as sweat combined with suntan lotion under the sweltering rays of the sun. Natsu and Gray aggressively splashed each other with water as Gajeel and Pantherlilly went off to train. A certain blunette was reading her new book under the rented beach umbrella with Carla looking over her shoulder. Wendy, Mira, Juvia, and Yukino were playing volleyball with an anxious blue exceed referee. Erza challenged herself to make it to the top of the mountain as a bit of training. Stinge and Rogue were off spending time at the resort's hot springs with their two exceeds. All in all, the group of friends were enjoying themselves, expecting nothing extraordinary to come like on missions.
"Stop! Gray I'm gonna kill you!" Natsu splashed an annoyed Gray in the face.
"Flamebrain! Get away from me!" Gray returned Natsu's splash with an even bigger one. As the battle went on, it eventually escalated into tidal waves with no Erza to interfere.
"Three to two with that one going to Yukino and Juvia!" Happy exclaimed as the ball hit out of bounds. Mira was becoming agitated as her competitive side started coming out, and Wendy became nervous.
"It's alright, Mira, we'll catch up. No worries." She said with a nervous laugh. She glanced at the intimidating mage who seemed to have an aura formulating around her.
"Eh, Juvia is sorry?" Juvia nervously apologized to the mage.
"I-is she ok?" Yukino looked at Juvia.
"Juvia thinks she is mad that we are winning." She explained.
"S-should we give them a point?" Yukino whispered to Juvia.
"No! Juvia will win this for Gray-sama!" Juvia exclaimed in a new, determined demeanor, and Yukino nervously gulped. The two mages dodged flaming volleyballs from the demon mage as she spiked them to the ground. The game eventually ended as sixty-eight to four, and we know who wins.
"I-i'm sorry Yukino, Juvia." Mira embarrassedly walked with the two exhausted mages to the sea-side bar for refreshments. "I-i just have a competitive side that I can't help." She explained.
"No worries. We understand." Yukino laughed. She nudged Juvia. "Right, Juvia?" She mumbled.
"Juvia doesn't accept. That was for Gray-sama." She mumbled to the side. Yukino glared at her. She huffed. "Juvia forgives Mira." She said dejectedly.
"Yay!" Mira clapped as she hugged them with a tight squeeze. The mages enjoyed calming refreshments as the sun began to set.
"Carla!" Wendy called her exceed. The white cat looked up from the thick book in a daze as she looked for her companion.
"What is it dear?" She called back. She had been enjoying the story of the blonde girl who was forever on the run from a possessive demon with pink hair, and they were just at the good part when she encountered the demon again.
"Can we head back to the condo? I'm completely pooped, and the sun is about to go down. I want to be ready when we go to eat tonight." She looked at her friend.
"Heavens child! Why are you covered in sand?" She looked at the child up and down. Levy never took her eyes of the book.
"Well, I was playing volleyball, and Mira's competitive side came out." She nervously rubbed the back of her head. Carla laughed.
"Enough said. Go to the outside shower by the pools and wash it all off, and then we'll head back to the condo." Carla flew off to the boardwalk, and Wendy followed as her blue pigtails swayed in the wind.
