Bonus Chapters every 100 Power Stones
"Normal Dialogue"
'Inner thoughts'
[Year X789]
~ With Shisui ~
Every available member of Fairy Tail had gathered in the main hall, forming a loose semicircle that left Shisui, Ultear, and Meredy standing apart like defendants before a jury. The usual warmth of the guild had been replaced by something colder, more uncertain.
Bisca had wasted no time. The moment they'd entered, she'd pulled Macao aside, her words coming in urgent whispers that everyone could partially hear.
"Tenrou Island," "they were there," and "they know something" drifted across the space, each phrase tightening the atmosphere further. When Macao's eyes widened and snapped toward the newcomers, the rest of the guild followed his gaze.
The silence that followed was absolute. No one reached for their drinks. No one shifted in their seats. They simply stared at the two women who might hold answers to five years of questions and grief.
Romeo sat at a table near the back, and his stillness was perhaps the most unnerving element in the room. While others showed their emotions openly, anger, suspicion, desperate hope, Romeo remained motionless. His hands rested flat on the table, his eyes fixed on some point beyond the wall.
This wasn't the animated boy who'd grown more confident over the past months. This was someone retreating inward, and Shisui recognized the danger in that kind of quiet.
In stark contrast to the guild's tension, Ultear and Meredy stood with relaxed postures behind Shisui. Ultear examined the guild hall with mild interest, as if she were a tourist taking in local architecture. Meredy had found a wooden beam to lean against, her arms crossed casually over her chest. Neither woman seemed bothered by the hostility directed their way. If anything, they appeared amused by the situation, which only served to irritate the guild members further.
"Enough," Macao finally said, his voice cutting through the silence. He stepped forward, moving past the invisible line that separated the guild from their guests. "Shisui, I need an explanation. Now."
The guild master's tone left no room for argument. This wasn't Macao the friend or Macao the jovial drinker. This was the man who'd held Fairy Tail together through its darkest period, and he was demanding answers.
Shisui sighed, a long exhale that seemed to carry the weight of decisions he'd hoped to postpone.
"Alright..." He paused, choosing his words carefully. "I met Ultear and Meredy over three years ago, long before I joined Fairy Tail."
He began to recount the story, keeping his voice steady and factual. He told them about his chance encounter with Ultear and Meredy, how their first interactions together were that of a fight between them. He described Meredy's initial wariness and eventual acceptance, how the three of them had travelled and trained together for nearly a year.
"We took the odd jobs, investigated magical phenomena, hunted dark guild remnants," Shisui continued. "During that time, we became... close."
He even touched on lighter moments. Meredy's inability to cook anything edible, Ultear's secret fondness for cheap romance novels, the way they'd argued over the most efficient travel routes.
"When our paths diverged, it wasn't because of any falling out," Shisui explained. "My goals had become too dangerous for them to follow. I couldn't risk their safety, so I left."
He glanced back at Meredy, who was glaring at him with renewed annoyance at the reminder. "Perhaps not in the most considerate way."
The guild absorbed this information with varying degrees of acceptance. Some faces softened slightly, understanding the bonds that could form between traveling companions. Others remained sceptical, unable to accept Shisui's story with the Council's warnings about these women.
"That's all very touching," Wakaba said, "but it doesn't change the fact that they're wanted criminals who apparently know what happened to our family."
Whispers of agreement rippled through the guild. The revelation of Shisui's past with them had answered some questions but raised others. If he was so close to them, why hadn't he asked about Tenrou Island before? Why bring them here now?
Shisui's next words came down like a hammer, his tone taking on a more authoritative one. "I understand your position. But although I'm now a Fairy Tail guild member, I will not force Ultear or Meredy to divulge information if they don't want to."
The reaction was immediate. Jet shot to his feet, his chair scraping against the floor. "What do you mean you won't force them? They have answers!"
"Answers we've been desperate for!" Droy added.
Max's fists clenched at his sides. "Shisui, we respect you, but this is about our family. You can't just—"
"I can and I will," Shisui interrupted, his voice firm. "They're here as my guests, not prisoners. I will not betray their trust, not even for this."
The guild erupted in protests, voices overlapping in their rejection of his stance. But Shisui noticed that one voice was missing from the chorus. Romeo hadn't moved, hadn't spoken. If anything, he'd retreated further into himself, his hair falling forward to shadow his eyes. His hands, still flat on the table, had curled into fists so tight his knuckles had gone white.
Behind Shisui, Ultear and Meredy exchanged glances. Where another might have seen two criminals enjoying the chaos they'd caused, reality was something else entirely. They were touched by his defence of them, by his willingness to stand against his own guild rather than compromise their relationship.
After two years apart, he still valued their bond enough to protect it.
A silent conversation passed between the two women, communicated through small gestures and expressions built over years of partnership.
Meredy raised an eyebrow. Ultear tilted her head slightly. A small nod from Meredy, a subtle smile from Ultear. Decision made.
They didn't want to be the reason Shisui's relationship with Fairy Tail soured. He'd found something here, something worth protecting, and they wouldn't let their presence destroy that.
Ultear stepped forward, her movement drawing every eye in the room. The simple action transformed the chaotic atmosphere into expectant silence once more.
Her hand settled on Shisui's shoulder. The gesture was gentle but grounding, the kind of touch that said more than words could convey. She leaned in slightly, her voice loud enough for the nearby guild members to hear.
"We can handle things by ourselves," she said, her tone softer than anyone had heard from her yet. "Though we do appreciate the gesture. It's good to know some things haven't changed."
Shisui stood still for a moment, processing her words and what they meant. He'd been prepared to defend his position indefinitely, to weather whatever anger the guild directed at him rather than compromise his friends' position. He nodded slowly, understanding passing between them.
But before he could step aside and let Ultear take the spotlight, a voice cut through the moment.
"Shisui-san, did you know?"
Romeo had finally spoken, and though his voice was quiet, it commanded the room's attention completely. He hadn't moved from his seat, hadn't even raised his head, but the weight of his words pulled everyone's focus to him.
The question hung in the air, its meaning crystal clear to everyone present. Romeo wasn't asking about Shisui's past with Ultear and Meredy. He was asking about Tenrou Island. Whether Shisui had known all along what had happened to their missing family and had kept it from them.
Shisui turned to face Romeo fully, recognizing this moment as a crucial one. The boy who'd challenged him months ago, who'd pushed himself to exhaustion in training, who'd slowly come to trust him. That boy was balanced on a knife's edge between faith and betrayal.
"I knew that Ultear and Meredy had been to Tenrou Island," Shisui said clearly. He maintained eye contact with Romeo, letting the younger mage see the truth in his expression. "I knew they had information about what happened there. But the specifics? The fate of your guildmates? I'm as much in the dark as you are."
~ End of Chapter 48 ~
You can read advanced chapter on p@treon.com/The_Editor982
Aaaaaaand Cliffhanger :D