Ember of the Starry Sky

The sun had barely risen when Yukari dragged herself out of bed, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She stumbled out of her room and into the kitchen, where the unmistakable smell of breakfast greeted her.

Hinote was already up, standing at the stove, flipping pancakes like it was some sort of ancient phoenix tradition. There was an unnerving level of enthusiasm in her movements, and Yukari squinted suspiciously.

"Morning," Hinote said without looking up, her voice far too chipper for this early hour. "I made pancakes."

Yukari stared at the plate of food on the table, her stomach rumbling despite her skepticism. "Why are you acting so... motherly again? You don't have to cook for me, you know."

Hinote smirked, finally turning to face Yukari with a glint in her eyes. "I figured after our little heart-to-heart last night, I'd lean into the role. Might as well enjoy it while I can."

Yukari snorted, grabbing a pancake and biting into it. "If this is your idea of motherly, I'm concerned. What's next? You gonna pack me a lunch and tell me to make friends at the guild?"

"Don't tempt me," Hinote said with a grin, flipping another pancake onto the plate with a dramatic flourish. "But first things first, today we're going shopping."

Yukari nearly choked on her pancake. "Shopping? You dragged me out of bed for shopping?"

Hinote nodded, her expression unbothered. "Yes, shopping. You need new clothes, kid. Those shirts and pants you wear are practically falling apart. Plus, you need something that doesn't make you look like you just crawled out of a training camp."

Yukari groaned, slumping into her chair. "I like my clothes the way they are. Why would I need to go shopping for something fancy?"

"Because," Hinote said, pointing a spatula at her, "you need to look presentable. We're part of Fairy Tail now, remember? You can't just walk around looking like you've been living in the woods for five years."

Yukari grumbled, stuffing another pancake into her mouth. "I have been living in the woods for five years. Why would I change now?"

Hinote rolled her eyes. "Exactly my point. Now finish your breakfast. We've got a lot of shopping to do, and I don't want to hear any complaints."

Yukari opened her mouth to argue, but Hinote's fiery glare shut her up instantly. She sighed, knowing full well that there was no getting out of this. "Fine, but I'm not wearing anything ridiculous. No skirts, no dresses, and definitely nothing pink."

Hinote smirked. "Deal. As long as you promise not to look like a complete disaster, I'll consider it a victory."

An hour later, Yukari found herself walking through the bustling streets of Magnolia, scowling at the bright morning sun. The town was already alive with activity, vendors shouting from their stalls and children running around with oversized grins.

Hinote, on the other hand, seemed to be in her element. She moved through the crowd with ease, her head held high and a gleam of excitement in her eyes. Yukari trailed behind her, doing her best to blend into the background.

Their first stop was a shop specializing in casual clothing, the kind Yukari could actually tolerate. The moment they stepped inside, Hinote was already scanning the racks like a hawk. Yukari, however, was less enthusiastic.

"I hate this," Yukari muttered as she shuffled over to a rack of shirts. "I'd rather be training."

"You need a break from training," Hinote said, pulling a few shirts off the rack and holding them up for Yukari to see. "Besides, this isn't so bad. Look at this one dark blue, simple, and it won't fall apart after one fight."

Yukari made a face. "It's fine, I guess."

Hinote shoved the shirt into her hands. "You're getting it. And this one too." She grabbed another shirt, this one a deep violet. "You need options, not just your usual 'I don't care about fashion' look."

Yukari sighed, taking the shirts and wandering toward the pants section. "Why are you so invested in this, anyway? It's not like anyone cares what I wear."

Hinote raised an eyebrow. "Maybe they don't care, but I do. You're not a loner anymore, Yukari. You're part of a guild, and you represent Fairy Tail now. You've gotta look like you belong somewhere, not like a runaway orphan."

Yukari winced at the comment, feeling a familiar pang in her chest. She didn't respond, instead grabbing a pair of black pants and moving toward the fitting room.

"I'll wait here," Hinote called after her. "Try not to sulk while you change."

After what felt like an eternity of trying on shirts and pants, Yukari emerged from the fitting room looking surprisingly... normal. She wore the dark blue shirt Hinote had picked out, along with a pair of black pants that actually fit her properly. She glanced at herself in the mirror, feeling slightly less annoyed.

"Not bad," Hinote said, appraising her with a nod. "You almost look like a functioning member of society."

Yukari rolled her eyes. "Gee, thanks."

Hinote smirked. "Come on, we've still got more shops to hit."

The next couple of hours were a blur of different stores, with Hinote dragging Yukari from one to the next. They picked out more shirts, a couple of jackets, and even a new pair of boots. Each time Yukari tried to protest, Hinote shot her down with a sarcastic remark.

By the time they left the last shop, Yukari's arms were full of bags, and her patience was wearing thin.

"You've got everything you need now, right?" Yukari grumbled, shifting the bags to one arm. "Can we go home?"

Hinote chuckled. "Almost. There's just one more stop."

Yukari groaned. "Please tell me it's not another clothing store."

Hinote grinned mischievously. "Nope. You'll like this one."

They arrived at a small weapons shop tucked away in an alley, and Yukari's mood immediately improved. She dropped the bags by the door and rushed inside, her eyes lighting up at the sight of swords, daggers, and other weapons hanging on the walls.

"Finally, something I can actually enjoy," Yukari said, practically drooling over a pair of sleek, curved daggers.

Hinote leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed. "I thought you might like this place. Consider it a reward for surviving the morning."

Yukari ignored her, too focused on inspecting the weapons. She picked up a dagger, testing its weight in her hand. "This... this is nice."

"Go ahead and get it," Hinote said, her tone casual. "And maybe a couple of others, just in case."

Yukari blinked, glancing back at Hinote. "Wait, really?"

"Yeah, why not? You've got good taste, and I'm feeling generous today."

Yukari grinned, quickly grabbing a second dagger and a small throwing knife. "Thanks, Hinote. You're not so bad after all."

"Don't get too soft on me, kid," Hinote teased, walking over to the counter to pay. "I'm still gonna roast you the next time you mess up in training."

Yukari smirked, sliding the new daggers into her belt. "Looking forward to it."

By the time they left the shop, the sun was high in the sky, and Yukari was feeling surprisingly content. The bags didn't feel as heavy anymore, and the new weapons strapped to her waist gave her a sense of satisfaction she hadn't felt all morning.

"See? Shopping's not so bad," Hinote said as they made their way back home.

"I guess," Yukari admitted, though she still shot her mentor a playful glare. "But next time, can we skip the clothing stores? I'd rather go straight to the weapons."

Hinote laughed, her voice ringing out in the busy street. "Deal. But only if you promise not to wear the same outfit for a whole year again."

Yukari grumbled, but the hint of a smile tugged at her lips. "Fine, fine. You win this round."