Month: Late October
Year: X775
Location: Magnolia · Fairy Tail
Ages: Kaito, Erza, Mirajane, Juvia — 10 | Lucy — 8 | Elfman — 9 | Lysanna — 8
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Morning in Fairy Tail was a lie.
People claimed mornings were calm. Peaceful. Good for reflection.
That had never been true here.
The guild hall shook with noise before the sun fully climbed—chairs scraping, someone yelling about breakfast, Cana already arguing with Wakaba over cards. Macao was hungover. Wakaba pretended he wasn't.
Kaito sat at one of the long tables, calmly eating, as if the chaos were background music.
Across from him—
Erza ate with perfect posture, armor already half-equipped.
Mirajane lounged sideways in her chair, boots on the table, grinning like she owned the place.
Juvia sat neatly, hands folded, rain calm and contained.
Lucy hovered nearby, still new, still observing everything with wide-eyed wonder.
Lysanna and Elfman darted between tables, delivering plates and dodging elbows.
"You're staring again," Mirajane said lazily.
Lucy snapped her gaze away. "I'm not!"
Mirajane's grin widened. "You are."
Erza didn't look up from her food. "Mirajane, stop bullying her."
"I'm educating her."
Kaito sipped his drink. "On what? How to be obnoxious?"
Mirajane laughed. Loud. "Careful, pretty boy. That mouth gets you in trouble."
Erza's fork clinked just a little harder against her plate.
Juvia noticed.
She always noticed.
---
Training Grounds — Afternoon
The clearing outside Magnolia rang with steel and magic.
Erza and Mirajane faced each other, feet dug into the dirt.
"Rules?" Mirajane cracked her neck.
"No killing," Erza said flatly.
Mirajane smirked. "You're no fun."
They moved—
Steel flashed. Demon energy surged. The clash sent a shockwave through the clearing.
Lucy watched from the sidelines, heart racing. "They're… always like this?"
"Pretty much," Elfman said proudly. "It's manly."
Lysanna giggled. "They've already broken three trees."
Kaito stood with Juvia, eyes sharp, Great Sage running quietly as he tracked movements, posture, flow.
Erza was still stronger. Cleaner. Her Requip swaps were instant—blade to shield to spear in seamless motion.
But Mirajane—
She was faster than before.
Her partial Take Over no longer buckled under strain. Muscle and demon power aligned more smoothly, her strikes heavier, more controlled.
Adaptive growth is stabilizing, Great Sage confirmed.
Gap narrowing. Outcome unchanged.
Mirajane lunged—
Erza countered, blade at Mirajane's throat in a heartbeat.
Silence.
Then Mirajane laughed, breathless. "Damn it. Still ahead."
Erza lowered her sword. "…You're catching up."
That wasn't praise.
That was acknowledgment.
Mirajane's grin softened, just a little.
---
Evening — Guild Hall
Dinner was loud again.
Kaito cooked.
Which meant people lingered.
The food was absurdly good—balanced, rich, energizing. Even Makarov commented between bites.
"This is better than most mission rewards," the old man said cheerfully.
Juvia watched Kaito move between tables, serving plates, calm and warm.
He stopped beside her.
"More?"
"…Yes, please."
He smiled.
Mirajane noticed. "Oi. You flirting again?"
Kaito didn't deny it. "Always."
Erza crossed her arms. "You're shameless."
"You like that."
She flushed. Just a little.
Lucy watched the exchange, fascinated.
This guild… these people…
She clutched the pendant beneath her shirt.
I want to be strong too.
Across the table, Juvia met her eyes.
This time, Lucy smiled first.
Juvia smiled back.
Rain stayed away.
For now.
---