Leon woke up to the sound of seagulls cawing outside his window. He sat up slowly, feeling the strange lack of pain in his body. His eyes immediately darted to his arms and ribs—the bruises and cuts from yesterday's battle with Laxus were completely gone. No scarring, no redness, no soreness at all.
He touched the spots where the wounds had been, pressing lightly to confirm it wasn't some cruel illusion. But no. He was fine. His body had healed overnight.
Huh. Leon stared at his reflection in the mirror. That's... new.
He flexed his arms and legs, surprised at how light he felt. It must be my powers, right? The Shadow Monarch stuff. I guess healing's part of the package deal.
Leon took a deep breath and stood up, taking in the fact that he felt perfectly fine. Guess I'm lucky I'm not constantly feeling like crap. He'd been so distracted by the fight yesterday and everything else going on that he hadn't even thought about how quickly his injuries might heal. But now that he knew what was happening, he didn't feel quite as surprised. More... impressed, if anything.
The power of the Shadow Monarch didn't just give him control over shadows, it practically remade him, too.
He pulled on his clothes and glanced in the mirror. Guess I'm back in action.
As he stepped downstairs and grabbed a quick bite to eat, there was something else gnawing at him—a small, but increasingly irritating problem that had become more and more impossible to ignore.
I need a bath.
It had been over two days since he'd arrived in this world, and despite the whole new world, new powers thing, there was one very basic inconvenience he couldn't shake: he felt disgusting.
He wasn't used to being in a situation where a shower or bath was out of reach. In his past life, he had taken it for granted—hot water, soap, clean towels. The simple luxury of feeling clean. And now, he was stuck in a world where such conveniences weren't just out of reach, they were... well, nonexistent as far as he could tell.
Sure, he'd been in tight spots before, but this felt different. The lack of a bath was somehow worse than the fight, worse than not having money, even worse than being stranded in a whole new world. It was that constant, nagging discomfort.
As he walked through the bustling streets of Hargeon, dodging people and market carts, he couldn't stop thinking about how badly he just wanted to wash off the grime and sweat from yesterday. It wasn't that he was some clean freak, but the itchiness was driving him insane. His clothes were starting to feel heavy from the residue of the fight, the dirt, and whatever else had stuck to him during his walk.
I need a solution for this. Like, yesterday.
Walking past a group of sailors, he overheard one of them talking about a "public bathhouse" near the docks. His ears perked up, and before he could even process the thought, he was making his way there. If there was any hope of washing away the past day's grime, it was there.
The bathhouse was nestled near the docks, a simple building with stone walls and steam rising from the roof. When he entered, the warmth of the steam hit him almost instantly, and he inhaled deeply, the scent of herbs and oils filling his nostrils.
The bathhouse was quieter than he expected, a handful of people lounging in the warm water, relaxing after their day's work. Leon glanced around, trying to figure out the best way to go about this. He didn't have money, but at least he could try to do something to earn the bath.
"Hey," he said to an older man at the counter, "I heard this place has a bath. How much for a wash?"
The man looked him over, his eyes narrowing slightly. "It's five coppers for a soak. You got the money?"
Leon scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. Well... this is embarrassing.
"I don't have money right now," he said. "But I can work for it. I've got skills. Anything you need doing around here?"
The man looked him up and down, his gaze assessing. After a long pause, he grunted. "You're lucky we're short-staffed today. If you clean up the changing rooms, I'll let you use the bath."
Leon's face lit up. "Deal."
He set to work, sweeping and mopping the floors of the changing rooms, grateful for the chance to finally feel somewhat human again. After what felt like an eternity, he was done. The man behind the counter tossed him a towel and nodded toward the bathing area.
"Go on. Just don't take too long. We've got others waiting."
Leon practically sprinted to the baths, eagerly undressing and stepping into the warm water. The moment he sank into the heat, a wave of relief washed over him. It was simple. It wasn't a luxurious spa or anything, but it was exactly what he needed. The warmth, the steam, the feeling of being clean again—it was bliss.
As he relaxed, letting the heat soothe his muscles, his mind began to wander about the future, about what was to come now that he was in this world. There were so many possibilities, so many directions he could take. His powers were vast, but they weren't limitless. He needed to train, to learn how to wield them properly. And beyond that, he needed allies.
A guild, maybe. It was the most logical step. But which one?
Blue Pegasus? Lamia Scale? Sabertooth?
He ran through the list of guilds he'd seen in the Fairy Tail universe, each with its own strengths, but none quite feeling like the right fit. He was looking for something more than just power, more than just a place to stay. He needed something that could give him a sense of purpose, a place where he could belong—where his abilities could grow, not just be used and discarded.
Then it hit him, like a sudden spark.
Fairy Tail.
The wild, unpredictable family of mages who weren't afraid to fight for each other, no matter what. The guild that took in misfits, outcasts, and people with nowhere else to go. The guild that was famous for its unwavering loyalty and strength, for standing up against any challenge that came its way.
It wasn't just a guild—it was a family. And if he was going to be part of something bigger in this world, then it seemed like the only choice.
He thought back to Laxus. The pride, the arrogance, the belief that he was superior to everyone around him. Laxus had a lot of growing up to do, Leon knew that much.
Despite Laxus's attitude and the challenges that might come with joining the guild, Leon felt a flicker of excitement stir inside him.
One thing was for sure: he was ready. Ready to face the future head-on. Ready to make his mark in a world he never thought he'd be part of.