The future I've dreamed of.

Alberona's twisted intrigue.

"So…Any progress?" Gray almost choked on his caramade frank as suddenly, completely out of nowhere, none other than his scarlet-haired friend appeared beside him.

"Erza! Warn next time!" he yelled reproachfully, coughing.

Scarlett furrowed her eyebrows in displeasure, watching as the man went back to eating his meal as if nothing ever happened, completely ignoring her.
The woman's fist landed on the table with a loud thud sound, once again causing the ice mage to have a mini heart attack and successively bringing his attention to her.

"W-what have I done again?" he mumbled the question, shaking like a jelly under her threatening gaze.
Erza sighed deeply, trying with all her might to control the building up feelings of anger and frustration caused by his annoying ignorance.

"Why are you avoiding the subject?" she asked calmly after a while, but a hint of irritation could still be heard in her voice.

Gray raised his eyebrows, utterly confused.

"Could you clarify, please?" he asked
uncertainly.

"Your love confession," she cried out passionately, drawing the attention of a suddenly very curious Lucy, Natsu, Happi and Wendy.

Gray's face momentarily turned red, and his eyes began to nervously wander around his surroundings.
The man opened his mouth, but was unable to make any kind of sound, let alone an intelligible sentence. Fullbuster wished that he could turn himself into the puddle just like a certain someone when his ears picked up the sounds of annoying giggles.

"Awww~" left an amused Lucy's mouth, a silly grin quite visible on her face.
"Why am I always the last one to know?" she asked with feigned reproach.

"He's in love~" sang Happy, flying over Gray's head.

"Because it's none of your business." growled the mage, before hiding his red face in his arms, that rested against the wooden table.

"Oi, ice queen. You're awfully shy for someone loving to walk around town butt-naked." Natsu burst out laughing.

"You wanna go Flamebrain!?" growled Gray, already rushing from his seat, ready to throw his fists.
Natsu, sensing potential fight, also took a fighting stance.
Unfortunately, both young men were in an instant knocked to the ground by the scarlet-haired woman.

"Lucy!" Erza called out suddenly, scaring the blonde so much that she almost fell off her chair.

"Yes?" asked the celestial mage, anxiously.

"Get me Natsu out of here right now!" she commanded, receiving a sigh from the blonde and a few complaints from Natsu in response.

Nonetheless, together with Happy, who, horrified by Erza's attitude, went with them voluntarily, they headed outside, leaving only Erza, Gray and Wendy at the table already.

"Ymm...Should I go too?" asked Wendy with uncertainty, while sweat dropping. Requip mage shook her head.

"There's no need. You can stay," she replied, crossing her arms over her chest, she then turned to face Gray.

"Then can I go?" asked a bored Carla, who immediately tensed up in her chair after being strucked by Erza's threatening gaze.