Ember of the Starry Sky

Yukari stood in the center of the guild hall, feeling an odd mixture of excitement and anxiety. Today was the day she and Hinote would officially become members of Fairy Tail. Across from them, Makarov stood with a stamp in hand, ready to mark them with the guild's symbol.

"Alright, kid, where do you want your guild mark?" Makarov asked, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

Yukari thought for a moment. She had seen other members with the Fairy Tail logo in all sorts of places: arms, legs, shoulders, and even faces. She wanted hers to stand out, but... not too much.

"On my right forearm," she said, holding it out. "And make it purple."

"Purple, huh?" Makarov raised an eyebrow but shrugged. "Suit yourself."

The stamp pressed down on her skin, and when Makarov pulled it back, the purple mark of Fairy Tail gleamed on her forearm. Yukari stared at it, a strange warmth flooding her chest. She wasn't just Yukari Hoshizora anymore she was Yukari Hoshizora of Fairy Tail. It felt... good.

"Now, your turn," Makarov said, turning to Hinote. "Where do you want it?"

Hinote smirked. "On my back. Make it gold."

Makarov blinked. "Gold? A bit flashy, don't you think?"

"I like to shine," Hinote said with a grin.

Yukari rolled her eyes. Of course she does.

Makarov gave her an odd look but didn't argue. After all, if anyone in this guild was going to be dramatic about their guild mark, it would be Hinote. He stamped the golden logo on her back, and when she turned around, she looked way too pleased with herself.

"Look at that," Hinote said, glancing over her shoulder to admire her new guild mark. "Golden and fabulous. Just like me."

Yukari snorted. "More like gaudy and over-the-top."

Hinote gasped in mock offense. "Excuse you! I am a beacon of style."

"Yeah, a beacon that blinds people," Yukari shot back, crossing her arms. "Anyway, now that we've got our guild marks, what's next?"

Makarov smiled warmly. "Well, we've got dorms for new members. If you're looking for a place to stay, you could always live at Fairy Hills."

Yukari considered it for about half a second before shaking her head. "No thanks. I'm not really into dorm living."

"Plus," Hinote chimed in, "I like my privacy. Don't need anyone snooping around, asking questions about my beauty secrets."

Yukari rolled her eyes again. "Your 'beauty secrets' are probably just 'be born a magical bird that lives forever.'"

Makarov chuckled. "Fair enough. But if you're not staying in the dorms, where will you live?"

Hinote waved a hand dismissively. "Oh, we'll just find a house in Magnolia. I'm sure we'll find something suitable."

Yukari frowned. "Wait, we will find a house? You mean I'm stuck with you?"

Hinote gave her a look. "Obviously. What, you think I'm just going to let you live alone? You'd burn the place down in five minutes."

"Excuse me?! I'm perfectly capable of not burning things!"

Hinote raised an eyebrow. "Are you? Are you really?"

Yukari opened her mouth to argue but then closed it. Okay, fine. Maybe I have a little bit of a fire-control issue.

"Whatever," Yukari grumbled. "Let's just go find a place."

Magnolia was a bustling town with shops, markets, and houses lined up along the streets. The two of them wandered through the residential areas, Hinote scanning each house like she was shopping for the perfect diamond.

Yukari, meanwhile, was less picky. "Can't we just pick a normal house? We don't need anything fancy."

Hinote stopped in front of a large, two-story house with intricate carvings on the door. "This one looks promising."

Yukari stared at the house. It looked more like a mini-mansion than a house. "Hinote, we don't need a mansion."

Hinote scoffed. "It's not a mansion, it's a... large cottage."

"Large cottage?" Yukari repeated. "That thing has six windows on the front alone! And look at those doors! They're taller than I am!"

Hinote gave her a dismissive wave. "You'll appreciate the space once you're older. Plus, I'm paying, so I get to choose."

Yukari sighed. "How rich are you, exactly?"

Hinote grinned. "Let's just say I've accumulated a... substantial amount of wealth over the years."

Yukari crossed her arms. "You mean over the centuries?"

Hinote winked. "Perks of being a phoenix."

They continued their house hunt, and after rejecting several more mansions sorry, "large cottages" they finally found something that suited them both. It was a spacious, two-story house with a small garden and a wide yard. It wasn't overly fancy, but it wasn't a shack either.

"This," Yukari said, pointing at the house, "is perfect. Big enough to not feel cramped, but small enough to not feel like I'm living in a castle."

Hinote examined the house, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "I suppose this will do. It's quaint. Not bad for a mortal dwelling."

Yukari groaned. "Can you stop calling everything 'mortal'? You're starting to sound like some kind of ancient overlord."

"Maybe I am," Hinote said with a mischievous grin. "But fine, if it'll make you happy, I'll tone it down. Mortal."

Yukari threw her hands up in exasperation. "I give up."

They walked up to the house, and Hinote casually knocked on the door. When the current owner opened it, she didn't even bother negotiating. "We'll take it," she said, tossing a hefty bag of coins at the bewildered homeowner.

Yukari's jaw dropped. "What the—! You can't just throw money at people and expect them to sell their house!"

Hinote shrugged. "Worked, didn't it?"

The homeowner, who was now holding a bag of coins large enough to feed a family for several lifetimes, blinked at them before nodding rapidly. "It's... it's all yours!"

Yukari stared at Hinote. "You... you just bought a house. Like it was a loaf of bread."

Hinote smirked. "I told you I was rich."

After settling into their new home, Yukari found herself in a surprisingly good mood. The house was perfect not too big, not too small and it felt... homey. Even if Hinote had bought it in the most ridiculous way possible.

As they sat in their new living room, Hinote stretched out on a plush couch, looking entirely too pleased with herself. "See? I told you we'd find the perfect place."

Yukari flopped down in a chair, staring at the ceiling. "Yeah, yeah. I guess it worked out."

Hinote smirked. "Of course it did. I'm a phoenix. I have a talent for these things."

Yukari rolled her eyes. "You've got a talent for being insufferable, that's for sure."

Hinote chuckled. "And yet, you love me for it."

Yukari huffed but couldn't help the small smile tugging at her lips. "Yeah, yeah. Don't let it go to your head."

Hinote's grin widened. "Too late."

As the evening settled in, Yukari glanced down at the purple Fairy Tail mark on her arm and felt a warmth spread through her chest. She wasn't just some lost girl anymore she was part of something bigger. Part of a guild. Part of a family.

Even if that family included an overconfident, ancient bird lady.