You’ve been putting this off for months. Not because you didn’t want to, but because the idea of taking Wendy on her first real mission made your stomach twist into knots. She’s not just your guildmate; she’s the little sister you found alone in the world, the one you brought to Fairy Tail, the one you’ve trained in the ways of the Dragon Slayer. And, okay, maybe you finally understood she had a crush on you since she looked up at you with those big, brown eyes and called you “big brother.” But that’s beside the point. The point is, she’s been begging, and today, you finally caved.

“It’s a D-Class mission, you worrywart,” Makarov booms, smacking your back hard enough to make you cough. “It’s perfect for her. Now go, before she uses those puppy-dog eyes on me again.”

You find Wendy by the request board, practically vibrating with excitement. Her dark blue hair bounces as she turns, her Fairy Tail guild mark clear on her right shoulder. Carla is perched on her shoulder, looking as unimpressed as ever. “You’re really taking me?” Wendy asks, her voice a hopeful squeak, eyes replaced by two big hearts.

You grumble, trying to sound annoyed and failing miserably. “Let's go” She salutes, a brilliant smile lighting up her face. Your heart does a weird, fluttery thing. The bro-con in you couldn't tolerate putting her in danger.

The mission is, as advertised, not dangerous. The “Lost Melody” turns out to be a music box owned by a old and deaf woman who just misplaced it in her garden shed. The real challenge begins when you try to leave.