Month: Late October
Year: X775
Location: Magnolia — Fairy Tail Guild & Town Square
POV: Juvia (primary) → Guildwide → Letter (Lucy)
Ages:
Kaito, Erza, Mirajane, Juvia — 10
Elfman — 9 | Lysanna — 8
---
Juvia POV — After the Date
Juvia did not sleep.
Not because of fear.
Because her heart would not be quiet.
She lay on her futon, staring at the ceiling of the female dorms, fingers curled around the hem of her blanket.
Kaito-sama walked with Juvia.
Kaito-sama listened.
Kaito-sama said Juvia belongs.
Her chest felt warm. Too warm. Like rain trapped under glass.
Juvia had always been rain. Loud. Obvious. Uncontrollable.
But tonight… the rain had waited.
"Stupid heart," Juvia whispered.
She pressed her palms together, water magic responding softly—not surging, not boiling. Calm.
That scared her more than storms ever had.
Because calm meant attachment.
And attachment meant something precious could be lost.
Juvia turned on her side.
Juvia will not burden him.
Juvia will become strong enough to stand beside him.
The rain outside never fell.
---
Morning — Fairy Tail Guild
If emotions could be smelled, the guild would have reeked of gunpowder.
Mirajane leaned against a table, demon wings partially manifested, grin sharp and unapologetic.
Erza stood across from her, arms crossed, armor humming faintly.
"Still standing?" Mirajane taunted. "Thought you'd need backup."
Erza's eye twitched. "Say that again."
Guild members immediately backed away.
Macao sighed. "It's happening again."
Cana climbed onto a barrel. "Five jewels on Erza. Ten on property damage."
"Take it outside," Makarov barked.
They were already moving.
---
Town Square — Public Rematch
Steel rang.
Demon claws answered.
This wasn't training.
This was reputation.
Erza's requip snapped mid-stride—sword appearing as she spun, blade grazing Mirajane's wing. Mirajane laughed and slammed a fist into the ground, shockwave throwing civilians back.
"HEY!" Wakaba shouted. "MY SHOP—"
Too late.
They were faster. Sharper. Louder.
Mirajane adapted mid-fight—muscle density shifting, magic reinforcing joints. Erza countered with precision, telekinetically redirecting loose weapons from her pocket dimension.
Equal.
Dead even.
Kaito stood at the edge, calm, Great Sage silently tracking stress thresholds.
Both stable. Neither yielding.
They clashed one final time—shockwave rattling windows—
—and stopped inches apart.
Breathing hard.
Grinning like lunatics.
"…Next time," Mirajane said.
Erza smirked. "Anytime."
The crowd erupted.
"ARE YOU KIDDING ME—"
"That was AWESOME!"
"THEY'RE TEN???"
Makarov pinched the bridge of his nose.
---
Evening — Quiet Corner of the Guild
Juvia watched from the balcony.
She felt small.
Not weak—just… aware.
Erza and Mirajane burned like suns. Kaito stood steady between them.
Juvia's rain felt… softer.
Then a letter arrived.
---
Later — Lucy's Letter
The paper was slightly smudged, handwriting uneven but determined.
> Dear Fairy Tail,
I started training today! It was hard. Really hard.
But I remembered what you said. About not rushing.
I'll become a mage. A real one.
So please don't forget me.
Next time, I won't say goodbye.
— Lucy
Juvia held the letter carefully.
"…You won't be forgotten," she whispered.
For the first time, the rain outside chose to fall.
Soft.
Gentle.
Hopeful.
---