The world always looked different in the moments before a fight. The wind seemed to quiet. The birds paused in their songs, and the very trees took a step back, as if they too knew better than to get involved in the affairs of wizards and thieves.
Kaia flexed her fingers, feeling Chrono-Flux magic itch just beneath her skin. She tried to steady her breath remembering Erza's warnings, Mira's grin, the dozens of failed drills, and that one smoothie she still suspected had given her extra lives.
The bandits emerged in a ragged line. There were six of them, all lean and scruffy, eyes darting between Erza's sword and Kaia's… well, boots. She'd tried to look intimidating this morning, but after nearly falling into a bush, she suspected her reputation had not preceded her.
Erza stood back, arms folded, gaze stern. "You know what to do."
The merchant huddled behind a tree, eyes wide. "Are you sure ?"
Erza silenced him with a glance. "She needs practice."
Kaia swallowed. Practice. Right. With actual criminals. Nothing to worry about. Except everything.
The bandits who at least had the courtesy to look nervous advanced, weapons drawn. Their leader, a broad-shouldered man with a missing tooth and the air of someone who'd failed at other careers, called out:
"Hand over the cargo and no one gets hurt!"
Kaia squared her shoulders. "You'll have to get through me first."
He hesitated. "Is that supposed to be intimidating?"
She lifted her chin. "It's supposed to be true."
A murmur ran through the bandits.
One, a wiry woman with daggers strapped to every available surface, snorted. "She's just a kid."
Another a thin, jumpy youth with a staff added, "Didn't your boots just catch fire?"
Kaia flushed. "That was a tactical distraction. Now, who wants to go first?"
The answer, apparently, was everyone.
The first two bandits lunged, blades flashing. Kaia dodged to the side, her movements still awkward, but improved muscle memory forged by hours of being chased by imaginary wolves. She remembered Erza's first rule: Don't hesitate.
She swung her arm. Time rippled slower than she intended, but enough to blur her outline. The lead bandit's swing passed harmlessly through where her head had been, and Kaia flickered behind him, landing a very satisfying (if not entirely graceful) kick to his backside.
He yelped, turning, only to trip over his own feet.
"First rule of banditry," Kaia muttered, "never skip leg day."
The woman with the daggers hurled three at once. Kaia ducked, feeling the magic in her blood. With a breath, she let her Chrono-Flux seep out just a little. The world slowed for a heartbeat. She sidestepped the daggers, her own surprise nearly breaking her concentration, and swatted one out of the air.
"Hey!" she called. "These are really sharp! You could hurt someone."
The woman blinked, momentarily baffled. "That's the point?"
"Oh. Right. Carry on."
Kaia darted forward, channeling her magic. She tried to summon a shield a flickering wall of time-energy but it came out as a shimmering bubble that bounced the next dagger back at its owner.
"Ow!" The bandit scowled. "You're not playing fair!"
"Neither are you!"
From the sideline, Erza's eyes narrowed, but she said nothing.
Two more bandits circled, attempting a pincer attack. Kaia's mind raced. What would Erza do? The answer was probably "smash everything and win," but Kaia wasn't built for smashing. She was built for improvising.
She glanced at her boots sigils faintly glowing, still slightly crispy.
With a whispered focus, she tapped into her magic, blinking behind one bandit and grabbing the back of his shirt. Time warped awkwardly; instead of a clean teleport, she appeared half a second late, nearly falling over. The bandit tried to twist away, but Kaia more out of desperation than skill stomped on his foot and shoved.
He crashed into his partner, and they both went down in a tangle of limbs and curses.
Kaia looked at her hands, surprised. "Huh. That actually worked."
[Your Control stat has increased by 1! Remarkably, nothing exploded.]
The last two bandits glanced at each other, then at Erza, who was now tapping her sword against her armored shoulder with the gentle patience of a woman timing an egg.
"She's not going to help you," Kaia told them.
One tried to rush her. She flinched old instincts but forced herself to stand tall. She lifted her hand, summoned Chrono-Flux, and let it spiral out in a widening ripple.
Time stuttered.
The bandit's charge slowed, slowed, slowed and then, for a glorious instant, Kaia moved at normal speed while everything else crawled.
She sidestepped, stuck out her foot, and tripped him. As time snapped back, he tumbled to the ground, looking up with wide, confused eyes.
The last bandit a wiry girl with blue hair raised her hands. "I surrender. You're weird."
Kaia beamed. "Thank you."
Erza finally stepped forward, her expression somewhere between pride and exasperation.
"Not bad," she said. "You remembered to use your environment. You improvised. And you didn't break the merchant."
The merchant peeked out from behind the tree, still clutching his wares. "Is it over?"
Kaia dusted herself off, chest heaving. "For now."
One of the bandits still sprawled on the ground groaned. "Are all Fairy Tail mages this annoying?"
Erza arched an eyebrow. "Worse."
The defeated bandits gathered themselves, dragging their wounded egos into the forest after Kaia promised not to freeze them in time. The woman with the daggers even gave her a grudging nod. "You'll be scary someday."
"High praise," Kaia said. "I'll add it to my résumé."
They resumed their journey, the merchant now effusive in his gratitude. Kaia tuned him out, focusing on her own feelings: relief, surprise, and—somewhere in her chest—a flicker of real, stubborn pride.
Erza walked beside her, silent for a time. Eventually, she said, "Your control is improving."
Kaia grinned. "I only nearly erased myself from existence twice."
"Only twice. Impressive."
Kaia snorted. "That's sarcasm, right?"
"Maybe."
They shared a rare smile, the kind that meant more than words. The road stretched ahead, golden in the afternoon sun.
[LEVEL UP! Kaia is now Level 5! Magic Control increased. Chrono-Flux mastery: 23%. You have earned: 400 EXP, 700 Jewels, and a Time-Turnip (do not eat).]
Kaia's head pinged with the notification, and she grinned even wider.
"Hey, Erza?"
"Yes?"
"If you ever want to spar again, can you just remind me how good it feels to not lose a fight?"
Erza's eyes glittered. "Or I could remind you how it feels to win against me."
Kaia gulped. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves."