Bonus Chapters every 100 Power Stones
"Normal Dialogue"
'Inner thoughts'
[Year X788]
~ With Shisui ~
The silence that had fallen over the guildhall gradually gave way to hushed conversations, then excited chatter as Macao's announcent sank in.
An S-class mage among them. After four long years without one.
"An S-class mage? For real?" Wakaba was the first to approach.
"That's what Warrod's letter confird," Macao said, clapping a hand on Shisui's shoulder. "Trust , I was just as surprised as you all are."
With the initial hesitation broken, the remaining guild mbers gathered around Shisui.
"How did you get the backing of a Wizard Saint?" asked a man with orange hair.
"Did you save his life or sothing?" another called out.
"Are you really S-class? You don't look that scary!"
"Why would soone like you join our guild?"
The questions ca rapid-fire, each guild mber eager to learn more about their unexpected new mber. Shisui answered them with careful consideration, choosing his words to be truthful without revealing too much.
"I t Warrod on a job," he explained. "I helped him with a situation, and he's sent work my way since then."
It was technically true, though it glossed over the details of their unusual partnership.
A slender man with glasses pushed them up his nose. "And you're really S-class? No offense, but you seem rather... young."
Shisui offered a small smile. "I'm older than I look."
"What kind of magic do you use?"
"Various types," Shisui replied vaguely. "I prefer not to discuss the specifics."
The man looked disappointed but nodded in acceptance.
"Why Fairy Tail?" The question ca from a heavyset man with green hair. "I an, no offense, but we're not exactly the powerhouse we used to be. Sabertooth or Lamia Scale would probably pay you more."
Macao tensed beside Shisui, but he needn't have worried.
"I'm not interested in fa or wealth," Shisui said simply. "And I've heard good things about Fairy Tail's values."
He glanced up at the guild banner hanging above them. "A guild that treats its mbers like family is rare."
His answer seed to satisfy many of them, their expressions warming noticeably. Conversations broke out among the guild mbers, voices overlapping as they discussed what having an S-class mage might an for their future.
"This could change everything..."
"Maybe more jobs will co our way now..."
"Twilight Ogre might finally back off..."
As Shisui continued fielding questions, mostly deflecting those that probed too deeply into his past, he noticed a movent near the back of the room. Roo, who had been standing silently throughout the exchange, turned and walked toward the door without a word. His shoulders were stiff, his hands clenched at his sides as he pushed through the exit.
Shisui's eyes tracked the boy's departure, noting the mixture of anger and hurt in his posture. Beside him, he heard Macao sigh heavily.
"Don't worry about him," Bisca said quietly, appearing at Shisui's other side.
Macao rubbed the back of his neck. "He wants so badly to be strong for the guild. Having you walk in as an S-class mage probably hit him where it hurts."
"I understand," Shisui said, his gaze still on the door. "I am a newcor, afterall."
"It's not just that," Bisca explained, adjusting her hat. "He was there when most of our mbers left. Each ti soone walked out that door, it was like losing family all over again."
"And then I arrive, already planning to leave in five years," Shisui concluded.
Macao nodded. "Like I said, don't worry too much. Roo's got a good heart. He'll co around once he sees you're genuinely here to help."
Shisui wasn't so sure. The pain and resentnt he'd glimpsed in the boy's eyes reminded him of others he'd known. Young ones forced to shoulder adult burdens too soon. Such wounds didn't heal easily.
"Hey, new guy!" Wakaba called out, breaking into Shisui's thoughts. "Got ti for a drink? It's tradition to welco new mbers properly!"
Macao laughed. "There hasn't been a 'new mber' in four years, Wakaba. Don't pretend we have traditions for this."
"Then we're starting one now," Wakaba insisted, waving them over to the bar.
As he moved to join them at the bar, Shisui made a ntal note to find a way to connect with Roo. The boy's approval wasn't sothing he needed, but sothing in those angry young eyes had struck a chord with him. For now, though, he would let the boy have his space.
The rest of the evening passed with introductions, stories, and laughter that grew louder as the drinks flowed. Through it all, Shisui observed and listened more than he spoke, filing away nas, relationships, and guild dynamics for future reference. This was his ho now.
At least for the next five years.
~ With Shisui, one week later ~
Shisui followed the cobblestone path toward the Fairy Tail guildhall. A week had passed since he'd joined the guild, enough ti to begin establishing a routine that balanced his private training with the obligations of guild mbership.
The familiar weight of his completed mission report sat in his pocket, another B-class job finished without difficulty. He'd deliberately avoided taking anything challenging, preferring to use these simpler missions to observe how Fairy Tail, and Guilds in general, operated.
The past week had been a welco change of pace. After a year of back-to-back S-class missions for Warrod, tackling straightforward tasks like escorting rchants or retrieving lost items felt almost like a vacation.
He still rose before dawn each day to maintain his training regin. Chakra control exercises, combat forms, and genjutsu practice in the secluded forest outside Magnolia. But the pressure of high-stakes missions had temporarily lifted, although the general S-class missions Warrod had sent him on were not that difficult in the first place.
During his ti at the guildhall, Shisui had kept largely to himself. He joined guild mbers for als, listened to their conversations, and answered questions when asked, but he hadn't actively sought deeper connections. His reluctance wasn't born of disinterest but of habit; years of operating alone had left him uncertain on how to integrate into such a close-knit group.
Was this what Warrod had intended? For him to learn not just about Fairy Tail's operational needs but also about belonging sowhere?
'Why was being with Ultear and redy much simpler than trying to fit into Fairy Tail…' Shisui lanted.
His thoughts then drifted to Roo. Despite the generally positive reception from most guild mbers, the boy's attitude toward him had only grown colder over the past week. Shisui had noticed Roo watching him with narrowed eyes whenever he returned from a mission or sat alone reviewing job postings.
The unspoken accusation was clear in the boy's gaze: *You say you want to be part of Fairy Tail, but you're not even trying.*
And perhaps Roo was right. Shisui had been observing more than participating, gathering information rather than forming bonds.
As the guildhall ca into view, the front doors swung open. Asuka burst out first, her face bright with excitent as she ran ahead of her parents. She spotted Shisui imdiately and waved with enthusiastic abandon.
"Shishi-nisan! Hi hi!" she called, racing toward him with the boundless energy only children possessed.
"Hello, Asuka-chan." Shisui smiled.
However much he or both Alzack and Bisca tried, Asuka's initial pronounciation of Shisui's na had beco sothing of a nickna for Shisui from Asuka. He had only allowed her to continue calling him by that na as no one had ever given him such a nickna in both his lives.
Alzack and Bisca followed at a more leisurely pace, a travel pack slung over Alzack's shoulder. Bisca carried a smaller bag, and both had their magical guns holstered at their sides.
"Taking a job?" Shisui asked as they approached.
Bisca nodded. "B-class escort mission. A rchant needs protection for his caravan on the road to Hargeon."
"We should be back by tomorrow evening," Alzack added, adjusting the pack strap across his chest.
Shisui glanced at Asuka, who was now spinning in happy circles nearby, singing a made-up song about going on an adventure. Concern flickered across his face before he could mask it.
"You're bringing Asuka with you?" he asked carefully, keeping his tone neutral.
Bisca smiled, a hint of defensiveness visible in her stance. "We've done this many tis before. The B-class rating is inflated. It's really more of a C-class job."
"The rchant just wanted experienced mages," Alzack explained. "He's paranoid about bandits, but this route hasn't seen trouble in years."
Shisui hesitated. He had no right to question their parenting decisions, especially as a newcor. Yet the ingrained caution from his previous life made him wary of bringing a child into any potentially dangerous situation.
Bisca seed to read his thoughts.
"We appreciate the concern," she said, her voice softening. "But Asuka's safer with us than anywhere else. And she needs to see what we do. It's part of her education."
"We never take her on truly dangerous missions," Alzack assured him. "If this were a real B-class or higher, we'd leave her with soone at the guild."
Asuka had stopped spinning and was now tugging at her father's pants leg. "Daddy, we need to go! You promised we'd see the big boats at Hargeon again!"
Alzack chuckled, ruffling her hair. "That's right, sweetie. We should get moving if we want to make it to the eting point by noon."
Shisui nodded, accepting their explanation. "Safe travels, then."
"Thanks!" Bisca replied. She glanced at the guildhall behind them, then back to Shisui. "By the way, Roo's inside. He's been training hard all morning."
The casual ntion carried the undertone of unspoken suggestion. Shisui understood what Bisca was hinting at, that perhaps it was ti he made an effort to bridge the gap with their youngest mber.
"I'll keep that in mind".
~ End of Chapter 36 ~
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