Ember of the Starry Sky

The sun had barely risen,but the mood on the boat was anything but serene. Aboard the ship heading back to Magnolia, four terrified individuals sat huddled together, their eyes filled with dread.

Gray, Lucy, Natsu, and Happy all of whom had completely ignored orders and gone on a dangerous mission were now contemplating the inevitable punishment that awaited them back at the guild. Their expressions ranged from nervous fidgeting to full-on despair.

"Well," Yukari mused, standing near the ship's railing, arms crossed, a smirk tugging at her lips. "I hope you guys had fun, because I have a feeling this is going to hurt more than Deliora's punch."

Gray let out a groan, running a hand through his hair. "We're dead. We are so, so dead."

"You're especially dead," Erza added cheerfully, crossing her arms. "Honestly, what were you thinking?"

"I wasn't thinking," Gray muttered, slumping onto a crate.

"We know," Lucy shot back, hugging her knees to her chest.

The entire crew of the ship had gone silent, listening intently to Erza's every word as if she were the captain of their impending doom. Even the actual captain was keeping his distance, occasionally stealing glances at the group with something between pity and amusement.

Meanwhile, Natsu was in the corner, clinging to the floorboards as if his life depended on it. He had long since lost the ability to care about punishments—his body was already betraying him in the worst way possible.

"Ugh… kill me…" he groaned, face green.

"You'll have to wait in line," Happy muttered, his tiny blue paws covering his face. "Erza might actually do it first."

Erza let out a thoughtful hum. "You're not wrong."

Lucy let out a pitiful whimper. "There has to be a way out of this. Maybe we can bribe Master?"

"With what?" Yukari raised an eyebrow. "Your nonexistent paycheck?"

Lucy gasped as if she had been physically struck.

Erza let out a sigh that sent shivers down their spines. "There is no escape."

Yukari nodded solemnly. "None at all."

The four culprits whimpered.

The rest of the journey continued like this, with Erza and Yukari casually exchanging horror stories about the guild's worst punishments while their victims suffered in silence. By the time they finally arrived at the port, Lucy, Gray, and Happy were close to fainting from stress.

As they stepped off the boat, Natsu immediately collapsed onto the wooden dock.

"Freedom… solid ground… I'll never leave you again…"

Yukari watched as he dramatically pressed his cheek against the wood. "You say that every time."

Natsu groaned in response.

Before anyone could react, Happy suddenly bolted down the pier, wings sprouting from his back.

"I'M NOT GOING BACK—"

A flaming chain shot through the air and wrapped around Happy's tail, yanking him back mid-flight.

"You really thought that was going to work?" Yukari asked, amused, as she pulled him back with little effort.

Happy dangled upside down, defeated. "It was worth a try…"

The rest of the group continued their journey back to the guild, and after a few hours, the familiar sight of Fairy Tail's doors loomed ahead.

The moment they stood in front of the entrance, Lucy, Gray, Natsu, and Happy all went deathly pale.

Erza smiled. "Well? Go on."

No one moved.

Erza took a single step forward.

They all scrambled inside at once.

The guild was as rowdy as ever, with members laughing, drinking, and brawling in the background. The usual chaos surrounded them, but for the four troublemakers, all they could see was impending doom.

Yukari casually walked inside, stretching her arms behind her head. "Oi, anyone seen the old man?"

Mirajane, who was standing behind the bar, turned toward them with a bright smile. "Oh, Master Makarov is out for a meeting! He won't be back for a while."

A heavy silence followed.

Then—

"HAH?!"

Lucy, Gray, Natsu, and Happy collapsed onto the floor in pure relief, tears in their eyes.

"We're saved," Lucy sobbed dramatically.

"I thought I saw my life flash before my eyes," Gray muttered.

"We live another day," Happy cried.

Natsu just lay on the floor, laughing weakly. "I don't even care anymore…"

Yukari, however, had noticed something. A very specific something.

Happy was grinning.

Not in relief. Not in joy.

But in mischief.

Yukari immediately narrowed her eyes. That damn cat is up to something.

Before she could act, Happy suddenly flapped his little wings and took off, zipping through the air straight toward Mirajane.

"Hey, Miraaa!" he called sweetly, landing on her shoulder.

Mirajane smiled, tilting her head. "Hmm? What is it, Happy?"

The little blue feline cupped his tiny paws around his mouth and whispered something into her ear.

Yukari watched as Mirajane's expression froze.

Then, ever so slowly, her smile twitched.

Her eyes darkened.

Her fingers tightened slightly around the glass she was cleaning, and for a brief second, Yukari was pretty sure she saw a thin crack form on the surface.

Happy, his mission complete, flew away with the smuggest grin in existence. He landed beside Natsu, looking far too pleased with himself.

"Oh, this is gonna be good."

Yukari had about two seconds to brace herself before Mirajane turned, her sweet smile still in place but her aura noticeably different.

"Yukari~," she sang, walking toward her.

Yukari who had faced down monsters, cultists, and raging gods without flinching suddenly felt a distinct sense of danger.

Before she could react, Mirajane grabbed her hand and dragged her away from the guild hall.

The others watched in fascination.

"She's dead," Gray muttered.

"Ayep," Natsu agreed.

"Rest in peace, Yukari," Lucy whispered.

Happy just grinned. "Aye!"