Guild Hall, Morning
Sunlight poured through high windows, catching dust motes as voices and mug-clinks rolled across the room. Natsu slapped a job request onto the table with his usual fiery grin.
Natsu (grinning): "Bandits on the trade route near Clover Town! Sounds fun, right? Let's go bust 'em up!"
Lucy (groaning): "Bandits? Again? Don't you ever pick requests that don't involve fighting?"
Erza (serious, arms crossed): "They've hit merchant caravans at Milepost 12—two wagons overturned and supplies stolen. If this continues, Magnolia's market will suffer. We cannot ignore it."
At the edge of the table, Ryuji listened in silence, arms folded, expression unreadable. Wendy glanced up at him with a soft smile.
Wendy (encouraging): "It'll be okay, Ryuji. We'll all go together."
He gave the faintest nod—shoulders still tight.
The great doors swung open; morning air and street sounds spilled in. Floorboards thudded as the team headed out.
Leaving Magnolia
Mirajane pressed a small satchel into Wendy's hands and a canteen into Ryuji's. "Salves, buns, and a spare lacrima lamp," she said with a warm wave. "Come back safe, everyone."
Cheers and teasing rose from nearby tables—typical Fairy Tail. At the threshold, Ryuji hesitated and glanced back. The hall glowed in the sun; the noise felt larger than him—and somehow less threatening than before. Wendy brushed his hand with hers.
Wendy (softly): "You're not alone anymore."
He looked away quickly but didn't pull back. As he exhaled into the cool street, a faint curl of frost touched the air and vanished.
On the Train
The station clattered with ticket-stamps and whistles. Moments into the ride, Natsu slumped green against a window.
Lucy (sighing): "Here we go again..."
Across the aisle, Ryuji gripped the seat edge, paling by degrees.
Gray (eyes widening, smirking): "No way—him too?"
Erza (pinching the bridge of her nose): "Another Dragon Slayer weakness. Wonderful."
Happy (hovering, delighted): "Aye! Double motion sickness!"
Wendy leaned in, palms fanning a cool Sky Dragon breeze toward Ryuji's face. "Just breathe slow, okay?"
Carla (disapproving): "Hmph. Pathetic. Just like Natsu."
Lucy (teasing): "At least you won't be lonely in your misery, Ryuji."
Ryuji (weak groan, embarrassed): "...Tch."
The train screeched into the platform at last. Natsu and Ryuji staggered off like survivors, clutching their stomachs.
Gray (snickering): "You two look half-dead. Want us to finish the job?"
Natsu (groaning, fists weakly raised): "Shut up... I'll fight you later..."
Wendy steadied Ryuji, worry slipping into a smile. "Careful. You'll be okay."
Happy: "Aye! Wendy's the nurse and Ryuji's the patient! What a team!"
Ryuji's cheeks warmed; he turned away fast.
Clover Town Outskirts
The road dusted underfoot; cicadas murmured in the brush. Erza stepped forward, armor flashing in the sunlight.
Erza (commanding): "Formation. Natsu with me on point. Gray, take Ryuji left flank; Wendy, center. Lucy, rear guard with Carla support. Happy, eyes high."
The laughter faded to a professional hush as boots crunched the packed earth. The wind shifted, carrying the faint rattle of a cart somewhere ahead.
They rounded a bend—and stopped. A broken wagon listed into the ditch, wheel shattered, crates split open. A guild notice for merchants fluttered from a post, half torn. In the dust beside the road, boot prints veered off the main path and cut into the trees—deep, many, and recent.
Erza's gaze sharpened. "They're close."
Natsu (grinning, fire flicking at his knuckles): "Good."
Gray (dry): "Try not to run ahead alone this time."
Ryuji crouched, fingertips hovering over the prints. The air felt cooler here, the shade holding its breath.
Don't freeze. Just breathe.
Wendy's shoulder touched his for a heartbeat—quiet reassurance. He rose and nodded once.
They slipped into the treeline, sunlight breaking into spears through the leaves, the path narrowing to where shadows pooled thick and silent.
Fairy Tail belongs to Hiro Mashima/Kodansha. I only own Ryuji Kazuma and this fan story. Non-commercial fan work.