The golden hues of late afternoon melted into the deep violet of approaching night, painting the skies above Magnolia in strokes of fading fire. Lanterns flickered to life along the streets, and a soft murmur of evening life stirred the town to a gentler rhythm.
Inside the courtyard of Fairy Tail, the day's excitement had begun to wane. Tables were being righted, fires doused, bruises nursed with laughter and ale. Makarov had retreated to his quarters with the resigned sigh of a man who knew tomorrow would bring just as much chaos. Slowly, the guild scattered into smaller groups, some heading home, others lingering over late meals or nursing drinks by the fire.
Kaia remained near the entrance, perched awkwardly on a bench with her coat draped over her shoulders, feeling the first tendrils of cool night air creeping in. She watched as her new comrades laughed, argued, and plotted their next grand disasters, feeling a warm, unfamiliar weight settle in her chest. This was no ordinary guild it was a storm, a wildfire, a living thing. And somehow, she had been swept into its heart.
There was just one small, crucial problem.
She had absolutely nowhere to sleep tonight.
Her initial excitement, fueled by adrenaline and the chaos of her welcome, now gave way to a practical and increasingly uncomfortable realization: she was broke, covered in soot, and homeless in one of the busiest towns in Fiore.
Kaia pulled her knees to her chest, sighing heavily.
"Smooth, Kaia. Real smooth," she muttered. "Join the world's craziest guild without thinking about where you're gonna crash afterward."
[Highly relatable. You're the human equivalent of a wandering chicken.]
"Not helping, Styme."
She tried to formulate a plan, but her options were limited. Sleeping outside wasn't appealing not with the way Magnolia's nights tended to attract both drunken mages and the occasional overzealous stray monster. Renting a room at an inn would drain the few Jewels she had left, and she needed those for essentials like clothes, food, and emergency fireproofing charms.
As she pondered her pitiful fate, a shadow fell across her.
She looked up and met the sharp, discerning gaze of Erza Scarlet.
The redhead stood with her arms folded across her armored chest, her presence as commanding in stillness as it was in motion. The lamplight caught her crimson hair, giving it the appearance of a burning banner against the twilight.
"You look troubled," Erza said, her voice calm but edged with curiosity.
Kaia tried to summon a convincing lie, failed, and shrugged instead. "Just...figuring out where I'm sleeping tonight."
Erza's brows knit together ever so slightly, a small crease forming between them. She studied Kaia for a moment longer, as if weighing unseen variables, before giving a sharp nod of decision.
"You will stay at Fairy Hills," she announced with the solemnity of a general delivering a battle command.
Kaia blinked. "I—I will?"
"You are a member of Fairy Tail now," Erza said firmly, as if this alone explained everything. "Fairy Hills is our dormitory for female members. There are spare rooms. You will take one."
Kaia opened her mouth to protest, to point out that surely someone else more important needed that space, but Erza had already turned briskly on her heel.
"Come," she ordered without looking back. "Before the night grows colder."
Caught between bewilderment and a genuine fear of saying no to Erza Scarlet, Kaia scrambled off the bench and hurried after her.
As they walked through the quiet streets of Magnolia, Kaia stole occasional glances at her escort. There was something about Erza that defied simple explanation—an aura of strength so absolute that even the lamplight seemed to shy respectfully away from her path. Yet beneath the ironclad discipline, Kaia thought she caught glimpses of something softer: a certain loneliness around the edges, a weight to her silence that spoke of battles far deeper than any fought with swords.
She wondered briefly what it must be like to carry that much alone.
[Warning: introspection detected. You are dangerously close to catching feelings.]
"I literally just met her," Kaia hissed under her breath.
[That's how it always starts.]
Kaia rolled her eyes skyward, vowing to ignore her traitorous system.
Their journey ended at a grand wrought-iron gate, beyond which stood a beautiful, old-fashioned building with elegant arched windows and a garden that looked like it had been plucked from a fairy tale. Fairy Hills. The dormitory glowed softly in the dusk, a beacon of welcome.
Erza produced a key from seemingly nowhere and led Kaia inside. The foyer was warm and homey, decorated with rich rugs, comfortable armchairs, and the faint scent of fresh-baked bread lingering in the air.
Kaia let out a soft sigh of relief. She hadn't realized how much she missed the feeling of a home until she stood in one again.
Erza gestured down a corridor. "Your room is the third door on the right. Linens and toiletries are provided. If you require anything else, ask the matron."
Kaia hesitated at the threshold. "Thank you. Really. You didn't have to—"
Erza turned back, her expression unreadable. "We take care of our own," she said simply.
For a moment, their eyes met. Kaia felt something unspoken pass between them an understanding, tentative and fragile, but real.
Then Erza straightened her posture, her usual sternness reasserting itself. "Rest well. Tomorrow, your training begins."
Kaia saluted half-seriously. "Yes, ma'am."
A faint, almost imperceptible twitch of Erza's lips hinted at amusement before she strode away, her footsteps soft on the wooden floor.
Kaia entered the room and closed the door behind her, letting out a long, shuddering breath.
The room was small but cozy: a single bed piled with fluffy blankets, a desk under the window, a wardrobe carved with tiny stars along the edges. A little basket sat on the desk, filled with soaps and other comforts, labeled "Welcome, New Fairy!" in cheerful handwriting.
She collapsed onto the bed, burying her face in the soft pillow.
"I survived my first day," she mumbled into the fabric. "I survived Natsu, Gray's strip habits, fireworks, a duel, and Erza Scarlet herself."
[Achievement unlocked: Chaotic Day 1 Survivor.]