Ember of the Starry Sky

Yukari sighed, but she couldn't help the small smile tugging at her lips. For all the chaos, this first mission wasn't half bad. That was, of course, until she glanced at the scorched cart, the grumbling bandits tied to it, and the distinct smell of burnt wood in the air.

"This is a disaster," she muttered, rubbing her temples. "How did a simple vegetable delivery turn into... this?"

Hinote, walking beside her with her usual infuriating calmness, gave a lazy shrug. "It's called being thorough. Besides, it builds character. You can't call yourself a mage until you've left some destruction in your wake."

"That sounds like something only you would say," Yukari shot back.

The bandits groaned from the cart, one of them shifting uncomfortably. "Hey! Can't you at least tie us up with something less… fiery? This rope's hot!"

Hinote, unfazed, glanced over her shoulder at them. The golden fire ropes glowed faintly, emitting a comfortable warmth not that Yukari's victims would agree.

"Be thankful it's just warm," Hinote said dryly. "If it were up to her, she'd have set you on fire already."

"Shut it," Yukari growled, glaring at the bandits. "You're lucky I didn't roast you after all the whining."

One of the bandits piped up, a sarcastic tone in his voice. "Oh, sure. Big, bad fire mage. What's next? You're gonna burn the entire cart?"

Yukari twitched. Hinote, sensing the incoming explosion, stepped aside with a smirk.

"Fine," Yukari snapped. She raised her hand, flames sparking in her palm. "You want a demonstration? Here's your damn demonstration. Fire Burst!"

A small but intense burst of fire erupted at the bandits' feet, singing the edges of their already tattered clothes. Their shrieks echoed through the woods.

"Okay, okay! We'll shut up!" one of them yelled, frantically trying to shuffle away despite being tied up.

"Finally," Yukari muttered, dusting off her hands.

Hinote gave a low whistle. "You've got a real knack for diplomacy, kid. I'm so proud."

Yukari rolled her eyes but kept walking. They had a mission to finish, and after everything, she wasn't about to let a bunch of annoying bandits ruin it.

By the time they arrived at the gates of a nearby town, the sun was setting. The bandits, still bound in their fiery ropes, groaned pitifully as the guards approached.

"Caught these guys trying to stir up trouble," Hinote explained casually, as if she were handing over groceries instead of criminals. "We figured you'd know what to do with them."

The guards exchanged confused glances before shrugging and taking the bandits off their hands. Yukari almost felt bad for the poor saps they looked utterly broken after hours of fiery "discipline."

"Don't come back," she muttered as the guards dragged them away.

With the bandits gone, Yukari and Hinote continued their journey, finally arriving at the home of the mission's client. The farmhouse stood at the edge of a large field, its weathered wooden walls glowing warmly in the fading light. An elderly man with a straw hat and sun-weathered skin stood at the door, squinting at them as they approached.

"You're the mages from Fairy Tail?" he asked, his voice gruff but kind.

Hinote nodded. "That's us. We've got your vegetables… mostly intact."

The man's brow furrowed. "Mostly?"

Yukari winced as he walked over to the cart. The moment he opened it, a waft of smoke and charred produce hit him square in the face. Half the vegetables were blackened, their once-fresh colors replaced by an unfortunate shade of ash.

"What the hell happened?" the farmer demanded, his earlier warmth replaced by a simmering frustration.

Yukari and Hinote exchanged guilty looks. For once, even Hinote didn't have a snarky comeback ready.

"Well, you see…" Yukari started, scratching the back of her head. "There were bandits. And mages. And… some fire."

"Some fire?" the farmer repeated, his voice rising.

Hinote stepped in, holding up her hands in a placating gesture. "We're really sorry about the damage. It was a… heated situation."

Yukari groaned. "Seriously? You're making puns now?"

The farmer grumbled under his breath, inspecting the cart one more time before shaking his head. "You're only getting half the reward. Ten thousand jewels drops to five thousand. Take it or leave it."

Yukari nodded quickly, not wanting to argue. "Deal."

As they collected the reward, the farmer narrowed his eyes at them. "By the way, do you two know anything about the forest fire a few hours from here?"

Both Hinote and Yukari froze.

"Nope," Hinote said immediately, her expression unreadable.

"Never heard of it," Yukari added, trying not to look suspicious.

The farmer stared at them for a long moment before sighing. "Fine. Just… try not to burn anything else, alright?"

With forced smiles and hurried goodbyes, the duo left the farmhouse as quickly as possible.

Night had fallen by the time they reached the outskirts of the village. Exhausted from the day's events, they decided to find a place to stay for the night.

"There's got to be an inn around here," Yukari muttered, scanning the dimly lit streets.

"Found one," Hinote said, pointing to a modest-looking building with a glowing sign that read The Cozy Flame Inn.

Yukari raised an eyebrow. "Really? That's not on the nose at all."

Inside, the inn was warm and welcoming, with a crackling fire in the hearth and the smell of roasted meat wafting through the air. They quickly booked a room, eager to finally rest.

After settling in, they headed to the dining area for a late dinner. Hinote ordered enough food to feed a small army, while Yukari stuck to something simple.

"So," Hinote said between bites of roasted chicken, "how'd you feel about your first mission?"

Yukari leaned back in her chair, thinking. "It was… a mess. But it was kind of fun."

"Kind of?" Hinote smirked. "Kid, you took down three mages, a pack of bandits, and only burned half the cargo. That's a win in my book."

Yukari chuckled, shaking her head. "If you say so. But next time, you can handle the cart."

"Oh, no," Hinote said, grinning wickedly. "You're the apprentice. Cart duty is all yours."

Yukari groaned, but she couldn't help the small smile tugging at her lips.