Work! Work!
Let's see...
Natsu! How about this one?
Whoever catches the fugitive, Velveno,
shall receive 4,000,000 jewel!
That's great! I'm broke right now, so that totally fits the bill!
It's settled!
It's not just up to you to decide!
Well, we need the dough, too, so why not?
This Velveno is an escaped convict
that Gray set out to catch a long time ago, isn't he?
Although if I recall right, the reward at the time was 400,000 jewel!
He must've gotten valuable these past seven years...
Who's the client?
Um... It says Count Balsamico...
That's a sour name!
Like balsamic vinegar!
Balsamico?
Hey, I heard that Velveno guy is gonna show up
at the Balsamico family's magical ball.
Magical ball?
It's a ball that's held once every seven years and only wizards can attend.
I believe it's next Saturday.
Then let's go to the ball and capture Velveno!
Yeah! I'm gettin' fired up!
Let's head out!
Yeah!
Wait a sec!
If you're gonna participate in a ball, you'll have to practice dancing!
Dance?!
Magical Ball!
We'll start with the basic steps.
Okay, hold my hands.
Jeez, this is a pain in the ass...
What are Natsu-nii and Lucy-nee trying to do?
Social dancing!
Social dancing? What's that?
Ow!
Sorry 'bout that!
So it's a game where you step on each other's feet...
I don't think that's the aim...
Social dancing is where a man and woman pair up and dance at a ball.
Huh...
That looks like a fun game!
It's not a game!
Let me do it, too!
You just disqualified yourself!
Gray-sama is going to dance flirtatiously behind Juvia's back...?
If it means being able to dance with Gray-sama, Juvia will strip, too!
I was once known as the "Dancing Demon",
so if you want to learn social dancing, leave it to me.
Erza!
Requip!
All right, Natsu! Let's go!
Nah, I'll pass.
No excuses! Dancing is all about...
...fighting spirit!
I'm gonna throw up!
Anybody who dances with Erza always gets sick to their stomach.
You can see why she was called the "Dancing Demon".
I guess I'll have to be the one who teaches Natsu how to dance.
No, I'm gonna take a little break...
That's it, Natsu! Let your shoulders relax!
I can't take any more!
How can an adult be that delicate?! And you call yourself a Man?!
Elfman, you're up next!
A Man... gets sick!
Is this social dancing? It's lovely!
Shall we dance?
I'd love to.
Huh! Wendy's great at dancing!
But why is she dancing with Warren?
Shall we dance?
If you insist...
Let's you and me try dancing, too!
Sure! It looks like fun!
Would you give me the honor of a dance, young lady?
Of course.
Yesss!
Bastard! Taking advantage of this chaos is playin' dirty!
Shut up and get outta the way!
Dad...
Hey!
W-What?!
Just so you know, I ain't gonna dance!
Well, nobody's asking you to!
Levy, dance with me!
What the hell?! I said it first!
I was first!
It was me!
No, me!
I guess I have no choice if you're gonna be like that about it...
But, I didn't say anything...
What the hell is that?!
When it comes to dance, I'm the master!
Visitar, your dances are something else entirely!
To be frank, you're just in the way here!
This has become a big fuss right under my nose...
But... somewhere along the line, I lost my partner!
You called?
No, I sure didn't!
Huh... You're really good at dancing.
As a member of the Heartfilia family,
you need to be raised as a proper lady, Lucy-sama. Thus...
Yeah, yeah. But I think this is a little overkill...
That matters not. Let's take it from the top once more.
And this is Balsamico Palace, home of the client.
We made it!
So the magical ball's gonna be held in this palace, huh?
It was farther away than I thought.
That can't be helped. We're doing it for the dance!
You shouldn't have tagged along if you're only doing it to dance!
May I ask who you people are?
She's a real dish!
There's no need to mentally shout that!
Who are you?
I'm Aceto, daughter of Balsamico, lord of this palace.
That's a name you'd probably bite your tongue saying!
Warren!
I'm Natsu of Fairy Tail!
We've accepted the request of your father, the Count.
In that case, I'll show you in.
This way, please.
I'm Count Balsamico, the client.
He's not only got a sour name...
His face is sour, too!
Clam it, you two!
Getting down to business, it's a little more complicated
than what I wrote in the request.
Let us hear the details.
It's about the apple of my eye, my beautiful daughter...
What was her name again? Tonguebite-san?
Aceto!
My apologies. Please continue.
Actually, my daughter's husband will be decided at this evening's magical ball.
What?! Her husband?!
For that purpose, I've got a ring that only comes out once every seven years.
It's a precious ring that the Balsamico family
has handed down from generation to generation.
Then Velveno has his eye on the ring?
Indeed. In truth, Velveno went after the ring seven years ago, but failed.
As a result, though, the husband selection process was ruined.
But with a face like this, even disguised,
wouldn't Velveno be easy to catch if he tried to sneak into the ball?
He uses Transformation Magic and Magical Drain.
Magical Drain? What's that?
It's a truly troublesome form of magic that lets him copy the magic powers
of whatever wizard he touches for a short period of time.
Huh! That ain't too shabby!
I want you to combine your powers and protect the ring from Velveno!
Then capture the scoundrel and send him back to prison!
We've got you covered!
We won't let you down, sir!
And just to make sure, if we catch Velveno,
you'll follow through with what was written on the request form...
Indeed. I'll pay 4,000,000 jewel in cash.
Yesss!
Cash! Right when I need it the most!
Perfect-ebi.
What if I'm so cute that somebody proposes to me?!
Lucy, are you ready?
Why are you in serious mode?!
Work or not, this is the minimum amount of decorum due
when participating in a ball.
Do I look okay?
Wendy, you look super cute!
But I'm a little embarrassed...
Come on! The ball's curtain is going up!
We're getting up on stage, too!
Erza is into this as much as she was acting that time!
Okay! I'll do my best, too!
But first I have to cast Troia on Natsu.
Warren, anyone here seem like they could be Velveno?
I used a surveillance lacrima to investigate the whole place,
but there's no sign of him at the moment.
We'll let you know the second we spot a suspicious character!
Until then, try to act naturally.
Where are Natsu and the rest?
There they are!
Lucy and the others are here, too.
Then why don't we blend in with the other guests and dance?
Th-That's... Man!
What are you nervous about?!
Still, is Velveno really going to show up at a glitzy place like this?
All we can do is look for a suspicious guy without ruffling any feathers...
Hey there, baby!
No frownin' now! C'mon, cut the rug with me!
Some suspicious guy just invited Erza to dance!
Check him out!
Gotcha.
Fine.
Poor guy...
I figured...
That the guy?!
The world is spinning! I mean, more than usual!
You don't have enough spirit!
About Erza, we, uh...
...don't have to worry about her.
Shall we dance?
Y-Yes!
Now someone asked Lucy to dance!
He's suspiciously good-looking!
You should check him out.
So Lucy's next...
Let's go!
Since you won't take "no" for an answer...
...we have no choice but to dance!
What the hell's your problem?!
We didn't ask you!
Alright! I'll handle this...
May I have this dance?
Man! This is what a Man is!
I'm so happy I was born a Man!
It's fishy for a beautiful woman like that to go up to Elfman!
If she's Velveno, she probably intends to drain Elfman's Beast Soul power!
The woman who asked Elfman to dance is suspect!
We're on our way!
How dreamy!
Elfman! Let Gray take over!
Forget it!
What?!
When you're in love, the bigger the obstacle, the more fired up you become!
And that is precisely...
...a Man! {"what a Man is" better grammar, but I don't think Elfman cares about syntax}
Time for a new partner.
You're a pretty nice-looking guy yourself.
Being a guest here at the magical ball must mean you're a wizard, too, right?
What kind of magic can you use?
Oh, my. Before asking a lady about magic,
it's proper for a gentleman to say what kind of magic he does first.
Unfortunately, I have no interest in being a gentleman.
Oh? In that case, I'll show you mine first.
Ice Make Swan!
She uses the same kind of Ice Make Magic that I use?
Alright, it's my turn!
Ice Make Kite!
Okay, how about this?
Ice Make Polar Bear!
Ice Make Prison!
I love when it gets intense like this!
Ice Bazooka!
Me too! Ice Cannon!
If you'll excuse me...
You two, that's enough!
It looks like things have gotten out of hand, as usual...
Aceto-san has come out!
Aceto, it seems that you're so beautiful, no one dares ask you for a dance.
Your dazzling beauty is too Manly!
Although I'm a woman...
Excuse me. May I have this dance?
Why not?
Ah! Why is Erza dancing?!
Don't ask me!
Um... Would you care to dance?
S-Sure...
Who the hell is that little kid?!
He's way too young for her!
Relax!
The ball's over at midnight and it's nearly that time.
W-What the...?!
It begins at last!
What begins?
The unveiling of the ring.
That giant grandfather's clock only opens once every seven years,
releasing a device that displays the ring.
And following Balsamico family tradition, whatever man
can obtain the ring from there has the right to propose to my daughter!
The man who gets the ring...?
What's going on?
I'll investigate!
I'll go with you!
Okay! Those of you men who would propose to my daughter, go for that ring!
If you're a Man, propose!
What would you even do if you proposed?!
The boy Wendy was dancing with!
Are you alright?!
A guy with an afro grabbed me right before I came in!
Velveno!
Then the person who's with Wendy is...
Wendy! That guy is Velveno!
Transformation Cancellation!
Roar of the Sky Dragon!
You've all witnessed me, Velveno, taking the Balsamico ring!
Velveno...
You! Return that ring!
This is finally getting interesting!
I'm your opponent!
Iron Fist of the Fire Dragon!
Say what?!
Roar of the Fire Dragon!
Fire Dragon's Roar!
While we were all dancing, I drained your power, too!
Then your opponent is me.
Gray! Elfman! Keep Aceto-dono safe!
Leave it to me!
Man!
Requip! Purgatory Armor!
It's no use!
I've already copied the magic of every member of Fairy Tail here!
Perfect! I've always wanted to throw down with a copycat,
just to see how far he can take it!
Hold it right there, boss. I didn't come here tonight to brawl with you guys.
Wha...?
I failed last time, but have waited patiently these seven years...
...to propose to you, Aceto.
Propose?!
We've been chums ever since we were kids,
but I've always been madly in love with you!
I allowed you, the son of a servant, to be my daughter's playmate!
Have you forgotten that debt?!
Ever since you drove me out of the mansion, I came back again and again
to visit Aceto, but every time, you used the difference in our social positions
as an excuse to turn me away at the gate!
Papa, I never heard about that!
Never mind! Hush your mouth, daughter!
For a while, I accepted your reasoning and gave up on Aceto.
But because of that, my heart grew wild, I got involved in crime,
and before I knew it, ended up in prison!
What's he goin' on about?!
Wait...
But every minute I was in jail, I regretted not letting you know how I felt!
That's why I broke out, so I could take this chance
that only comes around once every seven years!
And this is the second time for it!
Aceto, be my wife!
How romantic...
N-Nothing!
O-Of course she refuses!
Yes.
Yes?!
Aceto!
Velveno, I've been waiting all this time for you, too!
Really?!
You'll really become my wife?!
Except...
You'll have to turn yourself in and pay for your crimes first.
I'll do it.
Wonderful!
Hah?
It's like a fairy tale!
I'm moved!
There you have it.
Yeah! That's being a Man!
I don't know about this...
Let's wish these two luck with a round of applause!
Well, I have to go.
I swear that I'll wait for you...
Yeah. And I swear I'll come back for you.
Um... About the reward...
There's no way I'm gonna pay it!
All right! I say we dance the rest of the night away
to pray for Aceto-dono's happiness!
Yeah!
What a way for it to turn out...
I hope someone proposes to me like that someday!
Lucy...
I...
I ate so much I'm bloated, so I'm goin' home!
O-Oh, is that right?
Come on, don't be like that! Hang out a little longer with me!
C-Cut it out!
1-2-3! 1-2-3! Stop stepping on my feet!
The Troia ran out...
L-Let me off!
Jeez, when are you gonna get used to transportation, Natsu?
That's why I warned against this!
You knew this job would involve having to get on some transportation, right?
W-What's happening? It looks like the whole world is spinning!
It's not the world that's spinning, Natsu, it's your eyes!
Next time: The Truly Evil Jiggle Butt Gang!
Oh! B-Butt...
Huh? Your behind?
What are you talking about?
Butt... My butt is spinning, too!