A/N: Well, I had the idea to give Mirajane a small backstory for what she did during the year between chapter 417 and chapter 418, and given my love of shipping, this was bound to happen... It'll probably be rendered non-canon compliant if and when Mirajane's activities over that year are revealed, and possibly even sooner once Erza shows up again...

Mirajane sighed as she picked up a large crate full of tankards behind the bar. "I guess all good things must come to an end..." She thought to herself, as she set the crate on a wagon with many others.

"'Sup? Can I help you with that?" Asked Cana, a little bit inebriated, but personable all the while, as usual.

"Sure, just pull the wagon out to the truck outside, and load it up. Then come back and help me with the barrels." Explained Mirajane.

"Sounds Great!"

"And don't drink anything in the barrels." Deadpanned Mirajane, as she noticed the huge grin spreading across Cana's face.

"Fine, fine..." Sighed Cana, as she pulled the crates out of the guild hall and into the waiting truck, as Mirajane began setting out the barrels.

"I was pretty sure these were guild property." Noted Cana, as she helped Mirajane load a collective of wine, beer, and liquor bottles into the truck.

"Well, Master Makarov was nice enough to give me the alcohol and just about everything else around there. Basically, the whole bar. I figure I've got a good grasp on running a bar, so..." Explained Mirajane.

"Why didn't he tell me!?" Demanded Cana, realizing just how much booze she'd lost.

"Well you'd sit around drinking it, while I'd open a business and maybe get a return on the investment." Countered Mirajane, not really mad, but a bit amused by Cana's comments.

"Well, he's got me there!" Laughed Cana. "So what do you plan to do with all this booze?"

"I'm thinking open a bar on some crossroads, maybe between Crocus and Magnolia. I figure guild mages'll stop by on their travels, and maybe I can reminisce on old times with them." Explained Mirajane, with a slight twinkle in her eye. "Kinanna and Laki are already on board, see. By the way, what are you doing now that we don't have a guild anymore?"

"Well, I'm going to Brightholt, there are three guilds there, and I hear they all pay top jewel for successful jobs." Explained Cana. "Here's hoping I can get a spot in one of them."

"Good luck, Cana." Said Mirajane. "And if you're ever around my bar, it'll be called "Crossroads" come in and say hi!"

"I will, you're a great friend." Promised Cana, as she gave Mirajane a huge bear hug, and left her there, with her two now business partners emerging with the last of the supplies.

"Alright Mira, we're ready to head out." Announced Kinanna, with Laki already looking over some blueprints.

"Good, time to start new lives." Mirajane sighed, as she climbed into the truck's driver's seat, and hooked the SE plug to her arm.

"Here's the place." Noted Mirajane, as she parked the truck on the roadside, which was overlooking what appeared to be a completely empty field. Just tall grass and a few trees as far as the eye could see, and a decent dropoff, maybe about 30 feet.

"Where's the place?" Asked Kinanna, confused. All she saw was an empty field.

"It doesn't exist yet, and that's where Laki comes in. Laki, do your thing."

"Right away, Mira." Agreed Laki, as she took out the blueprint, and began casting a spell. "Wood Make..."

"Holy shit!" Shouted Kinanna; what had been an empty field seconds ago now had a respectable wooden building on stilts, connected to the road by a bridge. It would have been a respectable guild hall, with its long and low construction, wide windows, and a prominent sign on the outside, declaring the name of the tavern: 'Crossroads.'

"Nice work, Laki." Complimented Mirajane.

"Alright, that's that." Declared Mirajane, as she and her compatriots finished stocking the bar. Laki had done most of the building's outer structure, but a contractor would take a few days before the rest was done. They still needed plumbing and a kitchen, neither of which Laki's wood could provide, so it would be about a week before Crossroads would open, but things were already going smoothly, and Laki had done an excellent job with the building. Tables placed just far enough to make moving throughout the restaurant easy for the staff and patrons, but also maximizing the space to seat as many patrons as possible. They'd already hired several kitchen and dining room staff, and had posted flyers all across the surrounding towns. It was only a matter of time now.

"One more thing." Announced Laki. "I built some rooms upstairs for us to stay in, I figured it was a good way to cut personal expenses when we start off, and if we want to move somewhere else, we'll be able to rent the space out."

"Excellent work Laki." Complimented Mirajane. "Now all that's left is to wait.

Three months later...

Mirajane pushed a drink over to a woman with a black tank top and a spiky red ponytail. She was named Zara, apparently. A regular customer, from Crocus, said she went there for the atmosphere, which in the bar, was fast becoming a code word for hookup. Since the bar had opened, the clientele had not been, as they'd expected, mages coming to and from jobs. Instead, it had become a popular hangout for lesbian couples and single lesbians looking for both love and one night stands. Why that was, Mirajane didn't know, but she was happy to serve anyone who came into the bar, provided, of course, they weren't dark mages or some other such criminals. Laki had become a freelance architect, doing jobs for a variety of people in the surrounding area. She still lived in one of the three apartments on the upper level. Kinanna stayed on as Mirajane's business partner, and was currently assistant manager, head of the waitresses, and occasionally the hostess, during hours with more customers. Life was getting better. Mirajane still missed her old days as a mage of Fairy Tail, but her current gig wasn't so bad, even if it didn't quite go as planned...

...And besides, a lot of the women that came into the bar were kind of cute...

A/N: Cana's mention of Brightholt is a reference to Origm2012's story on this site, The Brightholt Chronicles. It's a great story you should check out. Also, this'll be only five chapters, and I hope to have it done before chapter 419 comes out, so wish me luck! Until next time!