𝙏𝙃𝙐𝙉𝘿𝙀𝙍 // 𝙧𝙤𝙜𝙪𝙚 𝙭 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧

𝙖𝙢𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙜𝙤𝙣𝙞𝙖𝙨

"Walking along these bridges makes me feel really queasy."

You might ask, hey, how did you get in this situation?

The job you had taken was simple - catch and slay a man-eating monster that had been terrorising a small town called Begonia Village for the reward of two-hundred-thousand jewel per person. You had immediately chosen it because that was easily fourteen-hundred-thousand, as seven of you were going - you, Sting, Rogue, Yukino, and the three youngsters, alongside your Exceeds.

Begonia Village, however, was a faraway village, deep within the mountains. The train journey there had been bad enough for all of you aside from the Exceeds and Yukino, but now the vehicles had taken you as far as they could and you had to make the rest of the way on foot.

Right now, you crossed one of many long, rickety wooden bridges across wide ravines and canyons. Sting led the way with his younger self not long after, then Yukino, then your younger self and Rogue's, you and then Rogue himself taking up the rear.

You weren't really fazed by the way the bridge wobbled and creaked every time someone took a step. Or, at least, that wasn't one of your biggest concerns, or you weren't really registering at, as your anxieties lied in the debate of how long the makeup covering the almost odious markings on your body.

"It's okay Yukino, it's not that much of a drop," Sting reassured, though his eyes were focused on a map he held out in front of him, "if you slip, someone'll catch you."
"I'm sure she's feeling so reassured, Sting!" you called.

"Shut up, you!" he ordered. You laughed loudly, making sure he heard you. One by one, you crossed off of the unsteady rope bridge onto a small piece of flat rock that led up to an even more unsteady-looking pathway up the mountains. You looked out across the snowcapped peaks in awe.

"Is everyone here?" Sting called, handing his map to his younger self to hold whilst he put on his winter mittens - you laughed quietly at the flame patterns decorating the rims of them, obviously signifying that they were Natsu-themed.

At the same time, Yukino was putting on a cute blue ushanka-hat with golden star-shaped pins in the centre. She buttoned up her woollen and then looked at you, smiling. You, yourself, had brought along a coffee-coloured insulated scarf and a dark fleecy cloak.

"Why didn't you tell us to bring winter clothes?" Past Sting complained.
"They did," Past Rogue said as he pulled on a red wooly hat, "multiple times. You just didn't listen because you were too busy gushing over who-knows-what."
"True," your past self agreed as she buttoned up a coat that she'd borrowed from you. It had been in your closet since you were twelve, initially having been from Mirajane. It was a warm, reddish-pink in colour, and was lined on the inside with a lighter floccose material.

"Oh, so I'm just gonna freeze to death," Past Sting scoffed.
"Basically, yeah," Past Rogue nodded, "do it a little quieter, alright?"
"I'm going to strangle you," the prior threatened, to which everyone else just laughed.

"It's alright, I brought some spare winter wear in my bag in case this happened," Yukino smiled sweetly, beginning to rifle through the aforementioned bag. She produced a white scarf and a light blue bobble hat, both of which Past Sting gladly took.

"You're an angel, Yukino," you grinned.
"You should be saying that to Sorano," she giggled, pressing a hand to her cheek.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you two were flirting," Rogue snorted.
"Aw, you know me. Can't resist giving a compliment or two," you shrugged.

"Well, quit the flirting or whatever, because we've got a long journey ahead!" Sting exclaimed, "well, not really, but definitely another hour or so of walking."
"Oh, great," Past Sting groaned.