The afternoon sun warmed Magnolia as Fairy Tail buzzed with post-lunch energy. The guild hall was alive with chatter and laughter, anticipation hanging thick in the air for the much-anticipated "Miss Fairy Tail Contest."
"Sorry to keep everyone waiting!" Max announced from the makeshift stage at the front of the guild. His voice boomed over the crowd, silencing their conversations.
"The beauty competition that will decide who among us is the fairest of them all—the Miss Fairy Tail Contest—is about to begin!"
"I am your host—DUDUDUDU—Maxxxxxxx!"
He paused dramatically before continuing. "Our first contestant—possessing not only stunning looks but also an appetite rivaling any celestial being, our very own Fairy Tail goddess of booze—Cana Alberona!"
Amid cheers and applause, Cana strutted onto the stage, her usual confident smirk firmly in place. She struck a seductive pose before pulling out her signature Tarot cards. With a flourish, hundreds of glowing cards swirled around her like a mini tornado.
When the magical display faded, Cana stood there in a sleek swimsuit, winking at the audience.
"All right, boys," she said with a playful grin. "Who's ready to vote for me?"
Backstage, Lucy couldn't help but comment under her breath, "Swimsuits? That's so unfair!"
Down below, several members had gathered around a table near the front row. Among them were Jehfrit, Natsu, Gray, Gajeel, and Elfman.
"So," Jehfrit began casually, leaning back in his chair, "who are you guys planning to vote for?"
"What about you, Jehfrit?" Gray asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I'm voting for Lucy," Jehfrit replied without hesitation. "She seems really eager to win."
"Nah, I'm giving my vote to Lucy too," Natsu chimed in, crossing his arms confidently.
"You realize one vote won't make much difference, right?" Jehfrit pointed out dryly.
Gray shrugged. "Fine, count me in for Lucy too. She looks like she really wants this."
Gajeel smirked. "I'll give mine to Levy. She deserves it."
"And I'll obviously vote for my sister," Elfman declared proudly.
Meanwhile, back on stage, Max introduced the next contestant. "Next up—a newcomer whose strength rivals even S-Class mages, yet her heart is as delicate as raindrops—Juvia Lockser!"
Juvia stepped forward gracefully, dressed in an elegant outfit that accentuated her figure. Her eyes immediately sought out Gray in the crowd, her cheeks tinged pink.
'Gray-sama, look at me!' she thought fervently, hoping her feelings would reach him.
With a flick of her wrist, Juvia activated her Water Magic, transforming into a dazzling swimsuit version of herself. The cheers grew louder as her curves became impossible to ignore.
Jehfrit leaned across Natsu, smirking knowingly at Gray. "You still sticking with Lucy after that performance?"
Gray shifted uncomfortably, avoiding eye contact. "...Shut up."
As the contest continued, Mira took the stage next. Dressed elegantly, she exuded calm confidence as always. When it came time for her magical transformation, however, jaws dropped throughout the guild.
Instead of showcasing some glamorous alter ego, Mira transformed into an almost perfect replica of... Jehfrit.
The fake Jehfrit adjusted its glasses and spoke in a monotone voice. "Deception Magic—it's just weak magic."
Silence fell over the room. Everyone stared, unsure whether to laugh or cringe.
"HAHAHA! Jehfrit, that's exactly what you sound like!" Natsu burst out laughing, slapping Jehfrit on the back.
"It's terrifying how accurate that is," Gray added, nodding in agreement.
Jehfrit adjusted his hat, clearly unimpressed. "It doesn't look anything like me."
On stage, the imposter-Jehfrit mimicked his gesture by adjusting its hat as well. Then, in Mira's sweet voice, it said, "Please cast your votes for the beautiful and kind Miss Mirajane!"
There was a long pause as people processed the bizarre moment. Some chuckled nervously while others simply shook their heads in disbelief.
"Well," Lucy sighed backstage, feeling slightly relieved. "Looks like Mira-san might actually lose this round."
But then Max called out again, introducing the next contender. "No explanation needed—the queen of beauty herself—Erza Scarlet!"
The roar of excitement from the crowd nearly drowned out his words. Erza appeared in full regalia, commanding attention effortlessly. By the time she finished her performance—complete with maid outfits and dramatic flair—Lucy knew she didn't stand a chance anymore.
When it was finally Lucy's turn, the response was lukewarm compared to the other contestants. Still, she received enthusiastic encouragement from her friends.
"Go, Lucy! You can do it!" Jehfrit shouted loudly, standing up to cheer her on.
"We believe in you, Lucy!" Gray added.
"Kick butt, Lucy!" Natsu yelled, pumping his fist in the air.
"...Thank you," Lucy whispered softly, taking a deep breath. Despite the overwhelming odds, she couldn't let down her supporters now.
"For my act, I'll perform a dance with my Celestial Spirits!" she announced nervously.
However, before she could summon anyone, a new voice cut through the room.
"That's enough. Losers should step aside," the voice declared arrogantly.
Lucy turned to see a stranger standing behind her—a woman with sharp features, holding a fan partially covering her face. On her chest gleamed the emblem of Fairy Tail.
"The term 'fairy' refers to me. Beauty belongs solely to me. And naturally, victory does too—I am Evergreen!"
Before anyone could react, Evergreen locked eyes with Lucy—and in an instant, Lucy froze solid, transformed into a lifelike stone statue!
"EVERGREEN!" roared a furious voice from the sidelines.
The temperature inside the guild skyrocketed as Natsu prepared to charge forward—but another figure emerged from the shadows.
"Laxus," Makarov growled, glaring daggers at his grandson.
"Just a little game," Laxus sneered wickedly. "A test to determine who the strongest member of Fairy Tail truly is!"
"This has nothing to do with Lucy!" Natsu snarled, flames erupting violently around him as he advanced toward Laxus.
"Oh? But she is part of Fairy Tail," Laxus countered coolly, stepping behind Lucy's petrified form. "And so are these others." He gestured to the curtains behind him, which parted to reveal statues of Erza, Mira, Juvia, and the rest of the contestants.
Fury erupted within the guild. Natsu lunged toward Laxus, but the latter merely smirked.
"Careful, Natsu. If you break her..." Laxus taunted, motioning to Lucy's statue.
Natsu landed heavily on the stage, seething with rage. "What do you want?!"
"A simple game," Laxus explained calmly. "I've set up magical barriers around town. Each of these statues will be placed outside. Defeat the guards stationed there, and the enchantment will lift. Easy, right?"
"Easy?! Not quite," Evergreen interjected smugly. "If you don't free them within three hours, they'll crumble into dust."
Gray clenched his fists. "Are you insane? Do you honestly think three of you can take on all of us?!"
Laxus grinned wider. "Oh, it's not just the three of us. Have you ever seen Thunder God Tribe act alone?"
Suddenly, someone called out. "Jehfrit!"
Before Jehfrit could react, Fried—the leader of the Thunder God Tribe—appeared beside him, shoving a bottle of whiskey directly into his mouth.
"Damn it!"
Everyone tensed, expecting Jehfrit to collapse instantly. After all, everyone knew the rumors: alcohol made him unpredictable. Beer put him to sleep; whiskey unleashed his darker side.
But instead of collapsing, Jehfrit simply stood there, swaying slightly. Then, he lifted his head and smiled—a slow, unsettling smile.
"What did you just give him, Fried?!" Macao demanded anxiously.
"Just whiskey," Fried replied nonchalantly.
"Whiskey?!" The older guild members paled visibly, memories of past incidents flashing through their minds.
"Why are you looking so pale?" some newer members wondered aloud. "He hasn't passed out, so isn't everything fine?"
"No, it's worse!" Max exclaimed into the microphone. "When Jehfrit drinks whiskey, he becomes something else entirely! Like a monster driven purely by mischief and chaos!"
As murmurs spread throughout the guild, Jehfrit licked his lips thoughtfully. Sweetness lingered there—not from the drink itself, but from the absurd misconceptions swirling around him.
[*Misconception #1: Jehfrit always misses during target practice.*
*Correction: It happens occasionally! OCCASIONALLY!*
*Misconception #2: Alcohol affects him strangely (beer knocks him out cold, whiskey turns him evil).*
*Correction: Total nonsense! Thanks to pranks involving enchanted drinks concocted by Cana and others, these myths persist.*]
After all, this was a world of magic. Crafting potions with strange effects wasn't exactly difficult.
Still, despite the misunderstanding, Jehfrit wasn't interested in letting things go smoothly today. This event wasn't just Laxus's game—it was his own carefully orchestrated plan.
The spotlight may have been on Laxus, but Jehfrit knew better.
This wasn't just about Laxus proving himself.
No—this game belonged to everyone.
He grinned mischievously, already envisioning the chaos ahead.
'Cursed dolls selling like hotcakes, huh? Over five hundred pre-orders for the upgraded version? Perfect.'