Kabe fell silent for a moment.
Inside, he could not help sighing at how sharp Makarov's eyes really were.
In the future, the old man's casual worry would become reality. Because of her own carelessness on an S-class mission, Mira would end up "killing" Lisanna. Crushed by guilt and self-blame, even her personality would change completely, and she would never be as lively as she was now.
After a few heartbeats of silence, Kabe finally spoke, his calm voice carrying a faint note of emotion that reached Makarov's ears clearly.
"Isn't that exactly why a guild exists, old man?"
Makarov blinked, taken aback. He raised his head, looking in surprise at the boy's serious profile.
Kabe watched the laughing, arguing guildmates scattered around the hall, then the corners of his mouth lifted and he murmured:
"Everyone in the guild has their own flaws. We are reckless, we do not think things through, we love making trouble and dump a lot of headaches on you.
But we have one thing going for us: we understand what partners are, what family is.
Living in this group, we will naturally try to help the people next to us and cover for their weaknesses. At the same time, we need their strength to make up for what we lack.
We grow by leaning on each other, using the power of the whole to smooth out the cracks in ourselves.
That is what Fairy Tail is to me."
He finished, turned his head and flashed Makarov a grin, raising an "OK" sign.
"So you can relax and leave Mira to me. I am the most reliable guy in this guild."
"You little brat."
Makarov could not stop the warmth in his chest. This child had already grasped the real spirit of Fairy Tail.
Only...
"Before you start spouting all that pretty talk, fix yourself first! Among the kids your age, you are the one with the most flaws, you idiot!"
"What kind of nonsense is that, old man? Watch it or I will sue you for slander!"
...
By the time Mira happily finished telling her younger siblings about her very first job and collected their worries and blessings, the two of them were still bickering.
Unable to wait another second, Mira grabbed Kabe by the arm and dragged him toward the door.
"Enough, you two can keep chatting when we get back. For now hurry up and come do this job with me!"
As she hauled him away, Kabe still refused to lose the last word. He craned his neck and shouted back at Makarov:
"Baldy, we will stop here for today. Just you wait, when I come back I am plucking off the last few hairs on your head!"
"Go die outside and do not come back! I will just find another mascot to replace you!"
They each tossed one last threat over their shoulders, then snorted in unison and turned their heads away.
Only after Kabe's figure was pulled out of the guild and gradually disappeared from sight did Makarov stop sulking. He picked up a bottle, refilled his glass and drank with a faint smile.
...
Outside the guild, once Mira had dragged Kabe a fair distance, she finally released his arm.
When it came to jobs, she was still a total rookie. For once, she had to swallow her temper and ask the experienced one for guidance.
"What do we do next? You are the senior here, I will listen to your arrangements."
"Next, huh."
Kabe dug a finger in his ear, thought for a moment, then casually slung an arm around her shoulders and pointed in the direction of their home.
"Next, you go back to the house, pack two changes of clothes, and bring anything else you think you will need. Then go to my room and grab my bag as well."
He finished and turned her body the other way, pointing toward another street.
"Once you are done packing, head to the station and buy a ticket for the train to Hargeon Port. Remember, just buy one ticket. We will meet directly at Hargeon station."
"Got it... wait, you are not taking the train with me?"
Mira nodded automatically, then realized something was off and questioned him.
"That has nothing to do with you. Just move fast and do not make me wait too long in Hargeon."
Kabe patted her back, urging her on.
"What is that supposed to mean? You might be fast, but you can not be faster than a train."
She muttered under her breath, but then remembered all the crazy stories about Kabe that floated around the guild.
She knew he was planning to run to the job site again.
Not only did she not take his warning seriously, she even felt a little suspicious.
"This is a time-limited job. Are you sure we will make it if you do not take the train?"
"Stop yapping and go pack."
Kabe gave her a light shove, shooing her away.
Mira threw one last worried glance over her shoulder. Seeing he did not look like he was joking, she hurried off at a run.
"If we fail my very first job because of this, I swear I am ripping that tail right off you!"
As soon as Mira was out of sight, Kabe started warming up in place.
He stretched his legs, did a few quick limbers, then clasped his hands behind his back and crouched down.
"This time I will use frog jumps. Hargeon really is not that far anyway."
With that thought, he pushed off with both legs.
His small body shot forward and landed more than five meters away in a single bound.
He did not pause at all. The moment his feet touched down, he sprang again. After a string of jumps, he was already more than fifty meters from where he started.
Keeping that distance and rhythm, and with no backpack to weigh him down, Kabe hopped along lightly, expression relaxed. In the eyes of the passing townsfolk, who were long used to his nonsense, he quickly bounced his way out of Magnolia.
At that exact moment, Mira had only just rushed back home and started tearing apart her bedroom.
"Hmph, I have got to reach Hargeon before him. I want to see the look on his stupid face when he shows up."
Determined to watch him eat crow, she packed according to Kabe's instructions at top speed, grabbed both sets of luggage and ran for the station.
She bought her ticket, boarded the train and settled into her seat, enjoying a fast and comfortable trip toward Hargeon.
...
Hargeon was the largest trading port in southern Fiore.
Its prosperity was something landlocked Magnolia could not compare to.
Several major highways linked Hargeon to the rest of the kingdom, with countless side roads branching off like veins, forming an orderly web. This network ensured that goods arriving at Hargeon could be distributed to nearby towns and villages in the shortest time possible.
On one of those tidy roads, an eight-wagon caravan was lined up in a neat column, trundling steadily toward Hargeon.
Old Sandy was driving the last wagon in the line.
A full day of travel had taken its toll on his aging body. Fatigue dulled his senses, and his attention began to drift.
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