Bonus Chapters every 100 Power Stones
"Normal Dialogue"
'Inner thoughts'
[Year X789]
~ With Shisui ~
Unfortunately, Ultear had always been taller than him, and the way she positioned the hug meant that his face ended up pressed directly against her chest. Specifically, against the soft curve of her breasts, which were barely contained by the form-fitting top she wore. The fabric was thin enough that he could feel the warmth of her skin through it, and her subtle perfume filled his senses.
For a moment, Shisui's brain simply stopped processing information. This was definitely not something he'd been prepared for when he'd walked out to meet them. Ultear seemed completely unbothered by their positioning, her arms remaining steadily around his shoulders as if this was the most natural thing in the world.
His face began heating up immediately, warmth spreading across his cheeks and down his neck as he tried to figure out the appropriate response to this situation. Should he pull back? Should he say something? Should he pretend this wasn't happening and hope it resolved itself naturally?
The seconds stretched out, each one making him more acutely aware of exactly where his head was positioned.
When he couldn't take it anymore, Shisui scrambled backward out of her embrace with more speed than grace. His face was burning now, red enough that even the dim moonlight probably couldn't hide it. He managed to put several feet of distance between them before stopping, one hand raised defensively.
"Sorry, I just—" he started, then stopped, unsure how to finish that sentence without making things more awkward than they already were.
Ultear looked down at him with genuine confusion, as if she couldn't understand what had gotten into him.
"What's wrong?" she asked, tilting her head slightly. "You look like you're about to catch fire."
Behind her, Meredy was staring at both of them with wide eyes and barely contained glee. Her gaze kept shifting between Shisui's flustered expression and Ultear's apparent obliviousness to what had just happened. Something sparkled in her eyes, the kind of realization that usually preceded weeks of relentless teasing.
This was the first time Meredy had actually seen Ultear hug Shisui, she realized. In fact, it was the first time she'd ever seen Ultear hug any man at all. The older woman had always maintained careful physical boundaries with everyone, keeping her distance even from allies and partners. Yet here she was, completely comfortable with intimate contact, apparently unaware of the effect it had had on their friend.
A slow, mischievous smile spread across Meredy's face as she processed the implications. 'This is getting interesting. Very interesting indeed.'
"Nothing's wrong," Shisui said quickly, though his voice cracked slightly on the words. "Everything's fine. Completely normal."
Ultear's expression shifted to one of amused disbelief. "What's gotten into you? Acting all shy and bashful all of a sudden."
The fact that she seemed genuinely puzzled by his reaction only made it worse. Had she really not noticed their positioning during the hug? Or was she just that comfortable with physical contact that it hadn't registered as anything unusual?
"Nothing," he repeated, coughing to clear his throat. "Absolutely nothing unusual happening here."
He straightened his shoulders and adopted what he hoped was a more professional demeanour, though the lingering heat in his cheeks probably undermined the effect. Time to change the subject before Meredy's growing grin resulted in commentary he wasn't prepared to handle.
"So, what did you need help with?" He said, focusing on the reason they were here in the first place.
Meredy had opened her mouth to make what was undoubtedly going to be a comment about Shisui's earlier flustered reaction, but something in his posture made her pause. The playful atmosphere that had surrounded their reunion shifted almost instantly as he straightened his shoulders and focused his attention completely on them.
She recognized this change from their traveling days. When Shisui entered what she privately called his "serious mode," teasing became secondary to whatever business needed attention.
Ultear seemed to sense the same shift, her own expression becoming more focused as she prepared to explain why they'd sought him out. She crossed her arms, the gesture more thoughtful than defensive as she considered where to begin.
"Over the past two years, Meredy and I have been ruthlessly tracking down the remnants of Grimoire Heart's network," she started. "When the dark guild fell apart after Tenrou Island, most of the subsidiary organizations scattered. Some disbanded entirely, others tried to operate independently."
She paused, glancing toward Meredy before continuing. "We've been hunting them down, one by one. Shutting down their operations, confiscating dangerous artifacts, making sure the knowledge and resources they accumulated can't be used to harm anyone else."
Meredy nodded, adding, "It's been slow work, but we've made good progress. Most of the smaller groups weren't much of a threat once they lost Grimoire Heart's backing and leadership."
"However," Ultear continued, and something in her tone made Shisui pay closer attention, "during our most recent investigation, we discovered something troubling. Reports of increased activity among forces we thought had been dormant for years."
Her expression darkened as she spoke the next words. "The final dark guild of the Balam Alliance. Tartaros."
Shisui felt his muscles tense involuntarily at the name. He'd heard whispers about Tartaros during his travels that painted them as something far worse than typical dark guilds.
"At the moment, nothing huge has happened," Ultear admitted. "But the patterns we're seeing, the way their people have started moving, the resources being mobilized. It all points to preparation for something significant."
"Which is why," Ultear said, meeting Shisui's eyes directly, "we believe it's only a matter of time before Tartaros makes their move. Something large-scale and devastating. We've taken it upon ourselves to investigate them more thoroughly, to try to discover their plans before they can implement them."
Shisui listened intently. Thanks to his regular contact with Warrod, he'd been kept informed about major magical threats and political developments. The movement of Tartaros wasn't entirely news to him, though he hadn't given it much thought since it hadn't directly affected his current responsibilities.
But hearing Ultear and Meredy describe their investigation efforts made him realize how serious the situation had become. These weren't just random dark mages causing trouble in remote areas. If Tartaros was preparing for something major, it could threaten all of Fiore, including Fairy Tail and the life he'd built here.
An idea struck him, and he looked up at both women with growing understanding.
"You're asking for my assistance with the investigation," he said. It wasn't really a question. Of course they would want his help. His skills in stealth and information gathering would be invaluable for this kind of work.
But Ultear shook her head, surprising him.
"That was our initial thought," she admitted. "But seeing that you've built a real life for yourself with Fairy Tail, we wouldn't ask you to jeopardize it for our sake."
The rejection stung more than he'd expected. Here were two people he cared deeply about, facing a threat that could endanger countless innocent lives, and they wouldn't even let him help.
"Don't be ridiculous," he said, his voice carrying more heat than he'd intended. "You two would always be worth the risk. If Tartaros is planning something that could threaten people I care about, then of course I want to be involved in stopping them."
Meredy's expression softened at his words, a small smile returning to her face.
"See?" she said to Ultear. "I told you he'd say that."
~ End of Chapter 52 ~
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