Chapter Text
Fairy Tail’s strongest team screamed at Makarov, “What?!!?” They were currently in his office talking about the future of a little ex-dark guild member who was sitting primly in a chair next to them.
“What do you mean we now have to team up with him?! He tried to kill you!!” Natsu argued, pointing at the black-haired man, who just smiled back. The others also opposed this decision.
“Water under the bridge,” Markarov brushed off, “The Magic Council decided to send Kageyama here to do some community service work to shorten his jail sentence. You guys are already acquainted so what better people to help him than you all!”
“Master,” Erza spoke up, “Well, I am fine with keeping an eye on him during his community service. I am curious as to why only he was let out. After all, he was the one who unsealed Lullaby and brought it to all the guild masters.”
“Ah, that’s because you spoke highly of him.”
“...”
They waited for Makarov to continue, but he never did. “That’s it?!?”
“Yes, anyway, Kageyama will have to complete a certain number of quests each month as his community service. He is required to have at least one Fairy Tail wizard to watch over him while he completes them.”
“But!-”
Markarov interrupted, “It’s an order from the Council, it’s also not too difficult, you’re just having another person tag along to your quests.” He turned towards Kageyama. “You will get your guildmark downstairs with Mirajane. If you have any more questions, just ask her.”
“Yes, sir.” The shadow magic user spoke up for the first time.
“Call me master. No matter how short or forced of a time you have here, you will be a Fairy Tail wizard and with that title comes responsibility. I hope you understand that you are getting a second chance at being an official wizard. Don’t waste this chance.” Markarov stared into Kageyama’s eyes, traitorously exposing the depths of his soul to the guild master. It was like he was back in Clover town, where he couldn’t bring himself to play that damned flute (demon?).
He managed not to stutter, “Yes…master.”
With Markarov basically ending the conversation, everyone left his office and led Kageyama towards the bar.
Natsu whined, “Man, why did we have to be stuck with the babysitting job? This blows.”
“Master’s orders, nothing we can do about that. Sucks it had to be emo kid over there.” Gray pointed his thumb over his shoulder towards Kageyama, expecting to be insulted back. When Kageyama only hummed and smiled back, Gray frowned but said nothing.
Mirajane smiled and put down the mug she was washing, “Hello! Master told me you are here for your guild mark? Where would you like it to be?” She took out the stamp and stepped out from behind the bar.
Kageyama thought for a moment before pulling up his pant leg, “The inside of my ankle, please.”
“Of course!" Mirajane bent down and stamped Kageyama’s leg.
On the inside of his right ankle, the symbol of Fairy Tail appeared in black with a purple outline. Right in the same spot his old guild mark was. Kageyama’s smile became more strained when he saw it.
Mirajane got up and put the stamp back, “Welcome to Fairy Tail! Do you have any questions or has master told you everything?”
Kageyama stared at his new guild mark a little longer before dropping the pant leg and asking, “Yeah…where will I be living?”
“Ah, Fairy Tail has both women's and men’s dormitories in Fairy Hill and Fairy Valley, respectively, but if you want a place of your own, we have some houses you can rent or buy,” Mirejane explained. “For new members of the guild the first week of housing is free so individuals can settle in and take some jobs but after that, you will have to pay…”
It took a few hours but after some painful paperwork, Kageyama finally left with a room to sleep in and proceeded to beeline straight towards his room and collapse onto his bed. The room was quite nice but he was too tired to appreciate it.
Today has been a whirlwind for him: first he was suddenly told that he was being sent to Fairy Tail for rehabilitation(?), he was dumped at Fairy Tail and nearly had his head chopped off by that scary redhead, then he was harassed by those light guild wizards which apparently he is now a part of, before spending hours on that godawful paperwork just to get a place to sleep at night.
He didn’t even touch on the fact that he has a guild mark again! An actual, official mark again. He’d nearly cried when he got it. I mean, wasn’t this why he had attacked those old folks during their meeting? Hadn’t he given up on ever being an official guild wizard again?
A strangled laugh slipped out of his lips. To think his dream was achieved when he gave up. How ironic. He flipped onto his back and stared at the darkening ceiling. What about his friends in Eisenwald? Would they ever be able to become wizards again after being let out?
Probably not.
An unknown feeling rose in Kageyama and he covered his eyes with his hands. Slowly, he started shaking before it escalated into a chuckle and then a full belly laugh. Laughter filled the empty room and if tears fell from the lone inhabitant’s eyes? Well, no one was there to know.