Chapter 696: Bouquet Battle
Normally, the bouquet toss should rely entirely on luck. Whoever caught it, it was theirs.
But the fierce young women of the guild thought differently. Happiness, the bouquet, was something to seize with your own hands!
They stood ready, eyes sharp, watching each other closely, each trying to cow her rivals into surrender through sheer presence or sharp words.
Juvia fixed her gaze on Lucy as if she were staring down an enemy: "Lucy! You still refuse to give up on Gray-sama!"
Lucy flailed her hands in protest: "That’s not it! I’m not trying to catch it for him."
"Then who is Lucy-chan trying to catch it for?" Levy suddenly stepped forward, setting aside their friendship for the moment. "Could it be... Natsu?"
"No...no! I’m not..." Lucy panicked, fumbling for an excuse. "The bouquet represents blessings, right? I just want a little bit of happiness!"
She managed to come up with something that sounded reasonable, but then realized something was off. Her eyes narrowed. "Wait a second, Levy! You’re standing dead-center already! Do you have someone you like?"
"Of course not," Levy blurted out, but her cheeks betrayed her, flushing bright pink as her eyes darted nervously away.
"Oh my~ what a naïve little girl." Evergreen suddenly produced her folding fan from who-knows-where and flicked it open with a snap. "The bouquet symbolizes love and happiness. It is far too soon for you. Without question, it belongs to a beautiful ’Fairy’ like me!"
Lucy shrank back a little, Evergreen could be intimidating, but she still mumbled under her breath, "If you’re a Fairy, you’ve already lost... because Erza is the Fairy Queen."
"Requip: Flight Armor!" Erza didn’t waste her breath. She simply equipped her armor and prepared herself in silence.
"Erza-chan is so serious..." Millianna had decided to join in as well, her tail flicking with excitement.
"Miss Erza’s expression is terrifying," Wendy said weakly.
Carla, having completed her duties for the day, perched in Wendy’s arms and asked calmly, "Are you really going to try for it too?"
"Because..." Wendy stammered, too embarrassed to admit that she hadn’t left the group partly because she wanted to take part, and partly because she simply hadn’t thought fast enough to escape.
That one moment of hesitation was enough. Surrounded by towering rivals, the petite Dragon Slayer suddenly felt like she couldn’t even lift her head.
"It’s alright, just relax." Lisanna reached over and patted Wendy’s head gently. "I want my sister’s blessing too."
"That’s right!" Mickey, suddenly clapped her hands, eyes sparkling. "This is Mira’s blessing! I absolutely have to catch it!"
She knew all too well what Mira used to be. If even that ’She-Devil’ could find such a wonderful man, then surely she could find love too!
Jenny tossed her long golden curls and laughed. "After all, Mira is my equal as a model. For a rival like her, I suppose I’ll play along as well."
Simon leaned down and patted his younger sister’s shoulder. "Kagura, you should go too."
"Brother?" Kagura’s voice was steady, but her eyes flickered with uncertainty. Her life had been consumed with vengeance for the one who destroyed her village and stole her brother from her. She had never cared for things like this.
Simon only smiled. "Go on. Keep Millianna company... or catch it and bring it back to me."
His heart ached. Perhaps Kagura had grown so cold because he had failed as her brother, failing to give her the warmth and care she needed. If she could laugh and play like a normal girl, even just a little, he would feel at ease. For now, letting her join in such a lively event was enough.
Kagura gave a small nod and stepped forward with the others.
And she was not alone. More and more girls gathered, each unique in her own way, forming a dazzling lineup. Like orchids in spring and chrysanthemums in autumn, they stood together, a breathtaking sight of beauty and resolve.
"Get ready~ One, two..." Mira stood with her back to the crowd, bouquet swaying lightly in her hand. With a graceful spin, she tossed it high into the air.
The bouquet arced beautifully, catching the light. Every pair of eyes in the hall followed it as if it were treasure falling from the heavens.
Dozens of hands shot up at once, desperate to claim it.
Juvia had secured a place in the very front row. When she saw the bouquet sailing overhead, she leapt up, eyes burning with determination. "For Gray-sama, Juvia must...!"
"Don’t even think about it!" Erza barked. Clad in her Flight Armor, her speed easily eclipsed Juvia’s as she launched herself upward.
Lucy, Levy, Millianna, and several others all stretched out their arms at the same time, hoping for a lucky catch.
Evergreen adjusted her glasses mid-jump, smirking slyly. "All of you, turn to stone!"
"Oh no!" Lucy, Levy, and the others panicked. They knew the danger of Evergreen’s Petrification Eye and immediately squeezed their eyes shut, collapsing into an ungraceful heap in the crowded space.
Lucy, naturally, was the most unfortunate, buried at the very bottom of the pile, her soul nearly fleeing her body.
"It was a feint!" Evergreen laughed, proud of herself. She hadn’t even lifted her glasses, but her little trick had worked. She turned, soared upward, and reached for the bouquet.
"Too cunning! Don’t think you’ll get away with it!" Laki pressed her palms to the floor. "Wood-Make: Brave Charge of Love!"
A decorated wooden pillar shot up from the ground, bumping the bouquet mid-flight and changing its trajectory.
"Wha—?!" Evergreen gasped, barely missing the bouquet and nearly smashing into the wooden column. She flapped her translucent fairy wings with a huff. "Fairy Wings!"
The magical wings carried her aloft once more.
"If it’s flying, I can do it too! Partial Take Over!" Lisanna cried, her arms transforming into feathered wings as she soared upward after the bouquet.
"So magic’s allowed, huh? Then it’s my turn, meow!" Millianna thrust out her palm. "Cat Bind!"
From her hand shot a rope-like whip in the shape of a cat’s tail. It snaked through the air, coiling around the bouquet and pulling it toward her.
"Gray-sama’s love, I absolutely won’t hand it over! Water Slicer!" Juvia shouted. A blade of water sliced cleanly through Millianna’s rope, sending the bouquet drifting free again.
But the attack didn’t stop there, it kept soaring upward, striking the ceiling with a resounding crash and leaving a crack across the roof beams.
Onstage, Rhode, still holding Mira, suddenly felt a chill of foreboding. "I have a bad feeling about this."
"Now’s my chance!" Mickey shouted. She seized the tiny bird perched on her shoulder and hurled it skyward. "Go, Little blue!"
The throw was so fierce it made a loud whoosh as the poor bird spun helplessly through the air.
"Chirp~~~!" Little blue’s eyes went wide with panic. Not only had its master thrown it backward, but she’d used way too much force! The terrified bird flailed to right itself mid-flight, only to slam headfirst into a pink furball. Its body instantly went limp.
Evergreen and Lisanna, who had both been climbing higher, were struck down in the exact same way, plummeting gracelessly to the ground.
On the floor, Lucy lifted a Celestial Spirit Key weakly from beneath the dogpile. "Good job, Aries..."
A shy pink-haired sheep girl appeared, nervously twisting her body. "I-I’m sorry~ Using magic for something like this, I’m sorry~ But... if it’s the bouquet, I... actually wanted to catch it too."
"Back you go!" Lucy’s forehead was lined with black veins of irritation. With a flick, she forced Aries back into her gate.
"Nice one, Lucy!" Erza shouted, leaping like a leopard, closing in fast on the falling bouquet!