Hargeon Town, the nearest port to the Fairy Tail Guild, bustled with activity as usual. Su Yan, having traveled through here frequently over the years, knew it well. He made his way to a cozy restaurant he remembered fondly.
As he entered, a familiar sight caught his eye: a young man with spiky cherry-red hair and a blue cat sitting across from him. The two were hard to miss.
"Natsu! Happy!" Su Yan called out, grinning.
Natsu and Happy looked up, their eyes widening as they recognized him. In unison, they leapt to their feet.
"Su Yan!" Natsu shouted, and Happy flew over with a cheer, flapping his little wings as Su Yan caught him midair.
"Su Yan! I missed you so much!" Happy chirped, nuzzling into Su Yan's arm.
Su Yan laughed, giving Happy a gentle pat on the head. "I missed you too."
Natsu pumped his fists, immediately fired up. "Su Yan, let's have a showdown right here and now!"
"Hold up!" Su Yan chuckled, glancing around at the other customers. "This is a restaurant. We can settle things back at the guild."
Just then, Su Yan noticed a blonde girl sitting across from Natsu. She had a bright blue ribbon in her hair, a fitted white top with blue trim, and a leather whip coiled at her waist. With her radiant smile and lively energy, she seemed both familiar and striking.
After a moment, it clicked. This was Lucy, the other key member of Natsu's team from the Fairy Tail animation. So the plot had finally begun.
Lucy's eyes widened as she took in Su Yan's striking appearance. "Wow… he's handsome!" she murmured, though her gaze quickly shifted to the oversized black mace strapped to his back. Her expression shifted to one of bemusement. "A mace… really?"
Standing up, she gave Su Yan a friendly smile. "Well, it's been nice meeting you all. Since you're here with someone you know, I'll take my leave. I paid for the meal, so take your time!"
Natsu and Happy dropped to their knees, overcome with gratitude. "Thank you for treating us!" they shouted.
"Yeah! That was really nice of you!" Happy added, his voice echoing through the restaurant.
Lucy turned bright red, gesturing for them to get up. "Stop it! You're embarrassing me!"
"No, really," Natsu said, scratching his head. "We weren't planning to help you at first, it just kind of… happened…"
"Love… it's really embarrassing!" Happy added, blushing slightly.
"Fine, here." Natsu reached into his bag, pulling out a signed card. "As a thank-you, take my autograph!"
"I don't want it!" Lucy exclaimed, knocking the card from his hand and storming off in a huff.
Su Yan chuckled, watching Lucy leave. She hadn't joined Natsu's team yet, so he figured things must still be at the start of the story. He took a seat across from Natsu, who was still chuckling over Lucy's reaction.
"So, who was that girl? And what brings you here?" Su Yan asked, amused.
Natsu and Happy launched into their story. Apparently, they'd heard rumors that a dragon was spotted in Hargeon. Natsu, believing it might be his father, Igneel the Fire Dragon King, had rushed over with Happy, only to discover that the "dragon" was actually a fraud: a sleazy man using magic to lure girls to him. Lucy had nearly been tricked but was saved by Natsu's interference. Grateful, she'd invited them to dinner as thanks.
Su Yan nodded, amused and thoughtful. "So… the plot's only just beginning."
"Plot? What are you talking about?" Natsu tilted his head, confused.
"Nothing. Waiter! I'd like to order, please," Su Yan replied with a grin, waving to the waiter.
As they waited for their food, Su Yan's mind raced. He had almost forgotten how fast things moved in Fairy Tail's world. Seven years had passed since he first arrived, and though some memories of the anime were fuzzy, he remembered enough to know what lay ahead.