Ember of the Starry Sky

Yukari wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry, but as she followed Makarov toward the bar, she couldn't help but feel like she was stepping into something much bigger than she had anticipated. Fairy Tail was nothing like the quiet, reserved place she'd imagined a guild would be. No, this place was more like... a circus, or maybe a never-ending brawl with a side of drinks.

Hinote, on the other hand, seemed to be having the time of her life. She was chatting up everyone who would listen, grinning like she'd just found the best comedy show in Fiore.

"So," Makarov said, once they were seated at the bar, "what brings you two to Fairy Tail? You exploring guilds for a reason, or are you just hopping from one to the next for the fun of it?"

Hinote leaned back in her chair, casually swiping a mug of something from a passing mage. "A little of both, really. Yukari's looking for a place to belong, and I'm just along for the ride."

Makarov raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? You don't look like someone who just 'goes along' with things."

Hinote winked. "I'm full of surprises."

Yukari snorted. That's one way to put it, she thought, but kept her mouth shut. The last thing she needed was Hinote turning this conversation into another roast session.

They spent the next few hours lounging in the guild hall, watching as fights broke out, food was thrown, and drinks were spilled. Despite the chaos, there was an odd sense of camaraderie in the air. Everyone seemed to know each other's limits, and no one took anything too seriously. It was the complete opposite of Phantom Lord's creepy, calculated atmosphere.

Yukari was starting to feel more comfortable, even catching herself smiling at some of the ridiculousness. Like when the same shirtless kid, Gray, got into yet another argument with Cana, only for a third mage to jump into the mix and somehow set Gray's pants on fire. Yukari had never seen someone go from tough guy to frantic flame-dodger so fast.

Hinote, naturally, found the whole thing hilarious. "Remind me to never let that kid near anything flammable," she said, still chuckling.

As the sun began to dip toward the horizon, Makarov leaned back in his chair and took a long swig from his mug before turning his sharp gaze to the pair. "So, what's your magic?"

Yukari nearly choked on the water she'd been drinking. Right, the magic thing, she thought. I guess it was only a matter of time before that came up.

Hinote, however, didn't miss a beat. "Ah, yes, magic," she said casually, waving a hand as if it were the most boring topic in the world. "I'm a fire mage. Specialize in destructive flames, you know. Not much to it."

Makarov's eyes narrowed ever so slightly, but he didn't comment. He had felt something the moment Hinote walked in a dangerous, ancient aura that was carefully masked behind her casual demeanor. She wasn't just a normal fire mage, that much he knew, but he wasn't about to call her out on it. Not yet, anyway.

"And you?" Makarov asked, turning to Yukari. "What about you, kid?"

Yukari hesitated for a moment, glancing at Hinote, who gave her an encouraging nod. "I, uh... I control fire, too. I can't do anything super crazy yet, but I'm working on it."

Makarov studied her for a moment before nodding. "Fire magic, huh? Seems to run in the family."

At that, Hinote grinned, and Yukari braced herself. Whenever Hinote got that look, something ridiculous was about to come out of her mouth.

"That's right," Hinote said smoothly, draping an arm around Yukari's shoulders. "After all, she gets it from me. I'm her mother."

Yukari almost fell off her stool. "WHAT?!"

Makarov's eyes widened in surprise, and even some of the nearby guild members turned to look, clearly trying to figure out if they'd heard that right.

Yukari's brain short-circuited. She stared at Hinote, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. "You—what—how—MOTHER?!"

Hinote, completely unbothered, patted Yukari's head like she'd just said something completely normal. "Of course! I raised her, didn't I? Fed her, taught her, trained her. I think that qualifies as being a mother, don't you?"

Yukari sputtered, trying to regain her composure. "I'm—! You're—! You're not my mother!"

Hinote just smirked. "Oh, really? Then who's been taking care of you for the past few years? Hmm?"

Yukari's face turned red whether from embarrassment, anger, or just plain confusion, she wasn't sure. "That's not the same thing!"

Makarov, who had been watching this exchange with barely concealed amusement, finally spoke up. "So, you two aren't... related by blood, I take it?"

Hinote winked. "Nope! But that doesn't mean I'm not the best mother figure she's ever had."

Yukari groaned, burying her face in her hands. "This is not happening. Why is this happening?"

Makarov chuckled, shaking his head. "Well, I've seen stranger families in this guild. You'll fit right in."

Hinote grinned. "Told you."

Despite her initial protests, Yukari had to admit there was something... comforting about the way Fairy Tail operated. Sure, it was chaotic and full of oddballs, but there was a genuine sense of belonging here. Even if it meant dealing with the embarrassment of Hinote pretending to be her mother.

As the evening wore on, the atmosphere in the guild shifted from rowdy to relaxed. The brawls died down, and people started chatting more quietly, laughing over shared stories and drinks. Yukari found herself seated at a table with a few of the younger members, including Gray and Cana, who had somehow ended up sharing a drink despite having tried to kill each other earlier.

"So, you're new here, huh?" Gray asked, his shirt somehow back in place though Yukari wasn't sure how long that would last, given his tendency to lose it in about three seconds flat.

"Yeah," Yukari said, still feeling a bit out of place. "We're, uh, thinking about joining."

Cana, who was already on her second or was it third barrel of alcohol, raised an eyebrow. "Thinking? What's to think about? We're the best guild in Fiore!"

Gray snorted. "Don't listen to her. She's just drunk. We're not that great."

Cana glared at him, her cheeks flushed. "I'm not drunk! And we are that great!"

Gray rolled his eyes, clearly not in the mood for another argument. "Whatever."

Yukari, despite herself, smiled at their bickering. "This guild is... definitely different from what I expected."

Gray shrugged. "Yeah, it's crazy, but it's home."

As the night wore on, Makarov approached their table again, this time with a more serious expression. "So, you've spent a day here. What do you think? Ready to join, or are you still unsure?"

Yukari exchanged a glance with Hinote, who nodded encouragingly. "I think... yeah. I think we'd like to join."

Makarov grinned, his earlier seriousness disappearing in an instant. "Welcome to Fairy Tail, then!"

Yukari felt a strange sense of relief wash over her. It wasn't Phantom Lord. It wasn't anything like what she'd imagined. But somehow, this felt... right.

Hinote leaned back in her chair, her smile widening. "Well, looks like we've found our new home."

Makarov, however, gave Hinote one last look before turning away, his expression thoughtful. He still couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to this fiery woman than she was letting on. But for now, he'd keep his suspicions to himself.

After all, every guild had its secrets.