Year X770 —
Location: Rosemary Village
Age: Ren (5) | Erza (5)
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The first thing Ren noticed that morning was that Erza was smiling.
Not a big smile.
Not a laugh.
Just… a small, quiet curve at the corner of her lips as she sharpened a wooden practice sword with a stone that didn't actually sharpen anything.
Ren froze mid-step.
> …Oh.
He slowly crouched behind a barrel, peeking out like a suspicious cat.
She was humming.
Very softly.
Ren's eyes widened to impossible proportions.
> THIS IS NOT A DRILL.
He popped up dramatically.
"GOOD MORNING, ERZA-SAN!"
She jumped, nearly dropping the sword.
"…WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!"
Ren pointed accusingly. "You smiled."
"I did not."
"You're smiling right now!"
She immediately scowled.
"…No I'm not."
Ren leaned in, squinting hard. "Hmmmmm… suspicious…"
She bonked him on the head with the wooden sword.
"Ow!"
"…Don't stare."
Ren rubbed his head, grinning like an idiot. "Hehehe… you look better when you smile."
She froze.
Her ears turned red.
"…Shut up."
But she didn't hit him again.
> [Great Sage: Emotional Observation — Subject Erza Scarlet displaying increased emotional openness. Positive reinforcement advised.]
Ren beamed internally.
> Mission successful.
Training that day felt different.
Lighter.
They moved faster through drills, but with laughter mixed in. Ren exaggerated his mistakes on purpose—tripping over his own feet, spinning too far, dramatically falling onto his back.
"I have been defeated!" he declared, hand over his chest.
Erza stared.
"…You didn't even swing."
"Exactly! It was a flawless loss!"
She tried to stay serious.
She failed.
A short laugh escaped her.
Ren gasped loudly, clutching his heart. "THERE IT IS AGAIN!"
"…Stop announcing it!"
"But it's rare!"
She chased him with the sword.
"GET BACK HERE!"
Ren bolted, laughing loudly, zigzagging through the clearing.
> [Great Sage: Note — Playful evasion improves reflexes and spatial awareness.]
Ren laughed harder.
> Even my silliness is training!
She caught him by the collar and yanked him back.
"…You're impossible."
Ren tilted his head, grinning inches from her face.
"But you didn't say you hate it."
She opened her mouth—
Closed it.
"…Idiot."
But she was smiling again.
Later, they worked in the village square.
Ren carried baskets for the baker, wobbling under the weight.
"I'm strong!" he declared.
The basket tipped.
Bread rolled everywhere.
"…Oops."
Erza sighed and helped gather them.
"…You try too hard."
Ren puffed his cheeks. "I want to look cool."
She glanced at him. "…You already don't."
Ren gasped. "That's so mean!"
She smirked.
Ren blinked.
"…Was that a smirk?"
"…No."
"That was totally a smirk!"
She walked away faster.
Ren followed, hands behind his head, grinning.
"You know," he said casually, "if you keep smiling like that, everyone's gonna think you're nice."
She scoffed. "…Let them."
Ren tilted his head. "You don't mind?"
She paused.
"…Not when it's you."
Ren froze.
> Critical hit.
> [Great Sage: Alert — Emotional spike detected. Maintain composure.]
Ren cleared his throat loudly.
"A-anyway!" he said quickly. "We earned money today! Look!"
He spilled coins into her hand proudly.
"…Why are you giving this to me?"
"Because you helped!"
"…You carried the baskets."
"But you fixed my mess!"
She stared at the coins.
Then slowly closed her fingers around them.
"…Thank you."
Ren smiled softly.
That afternoon, they trained swords again—but closer.
Ren corrected her stance gently, tapping her shoulder, adjusting her wrist.
"…Like this," he said.
She followed.
"…Better?"
He nodded. "Much."
She smiled again.
This time, she didn't hide it.
> [Great Sage: Long-term Emotional Projection — This bond is stabilizing core trauma vectors.]
Ren's chest felt warm.
> This… is working.
As the sun dipped lower, they sat by the river.
Ren skipped stones.
"Five!" he declared. "Beat that!"
Erza tossed one.
Seven skips.
She looked at him smugly.
"…I win."
Ren stared, then dramatically flopped onto the grass.
"I've been betrayed."
She laughed—openly this time.
The sound froze Ren in place.
> That laugh…
She didn't have that before.
He rolled onto his side, watching her.
"…You laugh more now," he said quietly.
She paused.
"…Do I?"
Ren nodded. "Yeah."
She looked at the water.
"…I like it."
Ren smiled—gentle, childish, warm.
"Me too."
Evening came with lantern light and shared food.
Ren sat beside her, swinging his legs.
"You know," he said thoughtfully, "when we grow up, you're gonna be super scary."
She raised an eyebrow. "…Scary?"
"Like—strong scary!" he clarified quickly. "Everyone will go 'WOAH!'"
"…And you?"
Ren grinned. "I'll be the cool one standing next to you."
She snorted. "…You're not cool."
"I will be!"
"…You're loud."
"…That's cool in its own way!"
She shook her head, smiling.
As night fell, they lay on the grass, watching stars.
Ren hummed quietly.
"…What's that?" she asked.
"A song," he said. "From my head."
She listened.
"…It's nice."
Ren smiled, eyes closed.
> [Great Sage: Conclusion — Emotional environment significantly healthier than baseline timeline.]
He breathed in slowly.
Sun warm.
Moon calm.
"…Erza?"
"…What?"
"Promise me something."
She turned her head.
"…What?"
"Even if things get scary… don't forget how to smile."
She was quiet for a long moment.
Then—
"…Only if you don't stop being annoying."
Ren grinned brightly. "Deal!"
Under the autumn sky of Rosemary Village—
Two children smiled more than fate ever intended.
And for the first time—
Tomorrow didn't feel so heavy.
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End of Chapter 8 🌙☀️