Life After Near Death

Beach Fantasies

"... when pain is over, the remembrance of it often becomes a pleasure."

― Jane Austen

A week later, the group arrived at a beach resort in southern Fiore, where the sun was hot and the ocean was cool. Lucy stretched her arms above her head with satisfaction, and her bikini top looked ready to burst open as her chest popped out.

"Beaches are the best!" she exclaimed.

"We're here for a serious reason," Erza warned all of them, holding up a studious finger as she lectured them. "Gray is still in convalescence, and as his teammates, our duty is to bring him up to speed. Running on sand has been proven to be a good and rigorous exercise without much physical negativity, and swimming will help to strengthen his leg as well. Our focus must be on helping Gray during his recovery."

Natsu laughed at her. "Then why do you have a floaty tube around you?" He pointed at the blowup seahorse that wrapped around the Titania's shapely waist.

"I must take charge in coaching him. The coach cannot tire out before the pupil," she insisted stubbornly, but she added with blunt honesty, "Plus, it was cute and on sale."

Gray smacked his hand to his forehead. "She's my physical therapy coach?"

"Look!" Wendy pointed. Happy and Carla had drifted away from the group and discovered a cluster of rocks that made tide pools.

"There's a starfish," Carla pointed with her little white paw.

"Fiiiiiish," Happy drooled. "We could eat right here." He began to lean closer to the water, daydreaming of all the different types of fish they could taste.

Carla yanked him back. "Watch it, you dumb male cat! You'll fall into the rocks."

"There's a restaurant in our hotel that serves fresh sushi," Erza told them. "Happy, don't eat anything weird. Gray, prepare yourself. My training will not be easy, and I won't go light on you."

He groaned, already imagining how training under Erza would be like. "I thought you said the focus must be on me recovering, not half-killing me."

"I won't be that harsh today."

He rolled his eyes. "Only today?"

"I challenge you and Natsu to swim to that island." Erza pointed to a small island four hundred meters from the shore. "Natsu, you have to watch him."

"Why him?" Gray began to shout.

"I will," Natsu said seriously, his words covering over Gray's protest.

Gray turned sharply at the Dragon Slayer and gawked at him. Normally, Natsu would moan and whine, "Why should I have to watch out for this stripping pervert?" Instead, he looked determined to help. It really was not like Natsu at all.

"Very well," Erza nodded. "Go!"

Natsu smirked over to Gray. "Beat you there."

"Like hell!"

They dived into the ocean at the same time. Gray swam as hard as he could, but he could see for himself, Natsu was not competing at full strength. The Dragon Slayer kept glancing back, and more than once Gray saw his eyes drop sadly. Then Natsu's pace would slow down until Gray almost, but not quite, caught up. He was not at all going all out like he normally would in a competition. Instead, Natsu was just there to make sure Gray could make it the full distance.

'Screw that!' Gray stroked harder, straining his shoulder muscles.

"Not your arms, idiot." Natsu slowed down again until he swam right beside Gray. "You need to use your legs more."