The morning sun streamed through the stained-glass windows, casting colorful light and shadows on the floor of the Fairy Tail Guild.
When Yukino gently pushed open the main doors, she didn't expect to see anyone.
"Morning," Erza said, sitting by the window with a half-empty glass of milk and a half-eaten strawberry cake in front of her.
The female Knight, uncharacteristically, wasn't wearing armor, only a simple white shirt, and her red hair was casually tied back.
Yukino froze at the entrance, her fingers unconsciously clutching the hem of her clothes. "Sorry, I didn't expect anyone to be here so early…"
"Don't be nervous." Erza pointed her fork at the empty seat opposite her. "Want some cake? Mira usually leaves some pastries in the kitchen."
Yukino hesitated as she approached, noticing there were indeed two sets of cutlery on the table.
The sunlight fell on Erza's profile, giving her stern features a soft golden edge, making her seem much more approachable than usual.
"I… I'm not really used to sweets," Yukino said softly, but quickly added when she saw Erza's eyes momentarily dim, "but I can try a small piece."
Erza's eyes immediately lit up, and she pushed the entire cake plate over: "Try this! Macao brought it back yesterday as a specialty from Clover. It has specialty strawberry jam inside."
The moment the cream melted on her tongue, Yukino's eyes widened in surprise.
It was sweet but not cloying, with just the right amount of tartness, more delicious than any expensive pastry she could remember.
"Good, isn't it?" Erza smiled triumphantly, then suddenly lowered her voice. "Actually, when I first joined the Guild, I didn't dare to speak to anyone for a whole month."
Yukino's fork paused in mid-air.
"Back then, I always felt I wasn't worthy of the name 'Fairy Tail,'" Erza looked out at the morning sun, her fingers unconsciously tracing the Guild mark on her left shoulder. "Until one day, Natsu spilled the cafeteria soup on me, and I chased him for three blocks…"
Yukino let out a giggle, then quickly covered her mouth.
But Erza also started to laugh, the fine lines around her eyes looking especially warm in the morning light.
"Yukino?" Mira's voice came from the kitchen. "Can you help out? Breakfast needs an extra pair of hands."
Yukino hastily stood up, but Erza pressed a hand on her shoulder.
"Go on," the female Knight winked. "Just remember not to touch the Master's private cheese jar."
The aroma of sizzling bacon wafted from the kitchen.
Mirajane was busily flipping fried eggs in a pan, and a bubbling pot of oatmeal was simmering on the stove.
"Can you help me chop some tomatoes?" Mira called out without turning around, her white hair casually tied back with a chopstick, a few stray strands clinging to her sweaty neck.
Yukino silently picked up the cleaver.
The rhythm of the blade hitting the cutting board gradually synchronized with the song Mira was humming. Neither of them spoke, yet it felt strangely unawkward.
"Watch out!" Mira suddenly turned around, but it was already too late.
Yukino's hand trembled, and the entire bowl of beaten egg spilled onto the freshly toasted bread slices.
Time seemed to freeze.
Yukino stared at the slowly seeping yellow liquid, feeling a little flustered and awkward. She instinctively took a half-step back, her back pressing against the cold cabinet.
"Perfect!" Mira suddenly clapped her hands. "I was just wondering how to convince the Master to try a new dish!"
She deftly tossed the egg-soaked bread slices into the frying pan, sprinkling cheese on top. "Soon, I can introduce this to everyone as'Special Toast,' created by Miss Yukino Agria~"
Yukino was stunned. After a moment of hesitation, she bowed apologetically. "I'm sorry, I'm so clumsy…"
Mira smiled, her eyes narrowing into crescent moons, as gentle as the moon in the sky. She reached out and stopped Yukino from bowing. "It looks like you've had a hard life before."
She gently raised her hand and pinched Yukino's cheek, which the young girl shyly turned away from.
Mira looked at the girl's silver-white hair, similar to her own, and a flicker of memory passed through her eyes, a faint sadness like ebbing and flowing tides churning within them.
In a trance, Mira looked behind Yukino, seeing her slightly younger self holding her sister Lisanna's hand, both smiling, silent, and full of blessings.
Mira's smile froze, bloodshot veins appeared in the whites of her eyes, and her dark pupils suddenly deepened in color.
Fortunately, Yukino had just shyly turned her head away and didn't notice this.
Just as Yukino turned her head back, Mira had already taken a deep breath and turned to face the kitchen counter.
Mira hummed a song as she squeezed salad dressing into the pot.
Yukino first glanced at the surrounding kitchen utensils, then carefully approached, ready to help Mira.
"Here." Mira turned and handed her a freshly made sandwich. "Try your own masterpiece."
The crispy outer layer of bread encased a soft egg center, with long strands of melted cheese.
Yukino took a bite, and warm sauce trickled down the corner of her mouth. Mira smiled and wiped it away with a handkerchief.
"I remember everyone's tastes," Mira said, pointing to the spice jars lined up on the stove. "Natsu likes super spicy, Gray hates carrots but pretends to be mature and eats them all, Cana secretly pours beer into her juice cup…"
Yukino looked at Mira's sparkling eyes and was inexplicably reminded of her long-lost sister, feeling a warmth in her heart.
"Mira…" Yukino gathered her courage. "Can you teach me how to make the kind of sandwich Erza likes?"
Mira's smile was even brighter than the sunlight outside the window. "Of course."
At noon, Ezreal stopped Yukino at the quest board as she was about to leave.
As the one who invited Yukino to join the Guild, and just like last time when he brought Gajeel into the Guild, the task of guiding the newcomer once again fell to Ezreal.
"There's a simple escort mission for a merchant caravan," he rattled the request form. "Want to come along? Cana and Gray are both going."
Yukino opened her mouth, but before she could answer, Cana casually hooked an arm around her neck from behind: "Of course you do! It's the new member's first mission commemoration!"
Gray had already taken off his shirt and was leaning against the door: "I heard there's a super awesome ice cream shop at the destination."
"Put your clothes on!" Cana and Ezreal said in unison.
The old caravan leader was very satisfied with the escort team, especially after hearing there were two S-Class Mages, a relieved smile appearing on his wrinkled face.
"My granddaughter is about your age," the old man chattered on the way, pulling out a yellowed photograph from his in my arms. "She's a teacher in a town to the west…"
Yukino listened quietly, nodding occasionally.
As the caravan passed through a narrow mountain path, she summoned her Celestial Spirit, Libra, and used Gravity Magic to stabilize the swaying cargo boxes.
"Thank you so much!" The old man excitedly gripped her hand. "These are glass artworks to be exhibited in the Royal Capital!"
Yukino was unaccustomed to such warm contact, but the calluses on the old man's palm strangely reminded her of her long-deceased grandfather.
She awkwardly squeezed his hand back, finding it much warmer than she expected.
It was just a small escort mission, and with four people, it went unbelievably smoothly, almost like a picnic. If it weren't to accommodate the newly joined Yukino, this mission would usually be taken on by a single Guild member.
On the way back, Gray, as expected, dragged everyone to the legendary ice cream shop.
Cana snatched Yukino's wallet: "The new member's first paycheck must treat everyone! It's tradition!"
"It is not tradition!" Gray grumbled, but still ordered the most expensive triple chocolate extra-large cup for himself.
Ezreal silently handed a strawberry-flavored one to Yukino: "Erza recommended it."
As the sun set, the four walked noisily back to the Guild.
Yukino held her half-melted ice cream, suddenly realizing that her lips had been curved upwards the whole time… Dinner time was when the Guild was most crowded and most boisterous.
The noisy Guild was full of people doing all sorts of things. Yukino and Cana sat by the bar, using tarot cards and horoscopes to predict when their good luck would arrive.
Ezreal squeezed in beside her with a tray of food: "Getting used to it?"
Yukino looked at the smiling faces around her—Gray and Natsu fighting over food from the same plate, Erza smearing cream on Millianna's face, even the usually aloof Laxus leaning against the wall chatting with the Thunder God Tribe… "Yes," she answered softly, her fingertips unconsciously tracing the Guild mark on her collarbone, "It's like… coming home."
Cana smiled and pulled a card from the spread on the table. A small poem was written on the card.
"My luggage carries the moonlight of my hometown."
"But the foreign lights are in my pupils."
"Growing a second gentle soil."
The starlight outside the window gently enveloped Magnolia Town, the Fairy Tail Guild was brightly lit, and laughter drifted far, far away.
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