Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze: The Afterlife

by Egyptian God Phoenix

Naruto is betrayed by the Hidden Leaf village after giving his life for the 4th Great Ninja War, but Kami has other things planned. Sending Naruto off to Earthland, how will our favourite blonde ninja face the challenges of a world full of mages? NarutoxHarem – Powerful!Naruto

37. Understanding

I'm proud to present you all with the 37th chapter of the story. Also, I'm so very thankful that you all liked the previous chapter. Along with that, the last chapter allowed my little bundle of joy to finally cross the 1,000 favorites mark. Thanks for the awesome reviews and I hope everyone continues with the same vigor. Now my favorite group of people, let's get on with the show!

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Groggily opening his eyes, Naruto blinked before slowly realizing that he was back in Earthland, or on the outskirts of Magnolia Town to be precise. Getting up from his position, he saw his ladies waking up as they were being pushed back into their hometown along with Ultear, who was currently rubbing her eyes. Smiling at his future wives, he chuckled as they quickly embraced him, with Wendy joining in soon after. Carla was also present among the group and simply sighed in relief since she was back where she belonged, in Earthland.

'What I wouldn't do to be in your strong and comforting arms again, Naruto-kun. However, I'm not going to risk having any of your wives get uncomfortable, knowing the kindness they've shown me so far. I feel so warm when I see you happy, which is why I'm going to remain in the lonely shadows.' Ultear thought to herself sadly while watching the display in front of her.

Following suit, the ladies of the Wizard Saint saw the blackette in deep thought and could only sigh, knowing how she would be feeling at this point.

"All right, everyone. Let's see where Leah-chan is." Naruto said gently as he looked around his surroundings, to which his family quickly nodded in agreement.

Upon looking ahead, Ultear's eyes widened. "LEAH-CHAN!" She yelled out in absolute relief before dashing away towards the child, who was currently chatting away with the blonde shinobi's clone.

Meanwhile, Naruto and his ladies smiled at the sight of their youngest daughter before rushing towards her as well. Though the ladies felt a little depressed they didn't notice the child when Ultear did, they wanted her to have this moment. After all, as fellow females, they somewhat understood what she was going through right now.

Turning around at the sound, Leah smiled brightly. "Ultear-nee!" She exclaimed happily and then giggled cutely as the woman squeezed her into her embrace.

"I was so worried about you, Leah-chan." Ultear voiced out gravely and tightened her embrace before continuing, "When you weren't getting sucked into that portal, I didn't know what to do. You were the only one that helped me through my tough time and I couldn't bear the thought of you in danger. I'm so relieved you're here right now. I promise I'll never let anyone hurt you."

Seeing what was going to happen, Naruto's shadow clone dispelled himself, which gave his creator everything he needed to know on what went down here. However, the blonde shinobi's ladies and eldest daughter didn't understand yet and simply approached the child with soft expressions.

Meanwhile, Leah felt so happy that Ultear felt so strongly towards her because she had grown attached to the woman in Edolas as well. Just when she was going to say something in return, her mothers and big sister began voicing out their concerns.

"Leah-chan! Thank goodness you're safe and sound. We were worried sick about you."

"Are you okay, Leah-chan? Do you feel a headache from that portal? I know you've gotten used to your father's technique, but that portal is something else. Please tell me you're okay."

"When'd you get here with your father's clone, Leah-chan? I arrived here with everyone a short time ago and we're hoping we didn't keep you waiting for too long."

"Do you need anything, Leah-chan? You should tell your kaa-chans everything, right? Please tell us if you are hungry or thirsty and we'll get it for you right away!"

"Thank Kami you're all right. You gave me a scare, dattebane!"

"Leah-chan! I was so worried about you! Never worry your big sister like that!"

Pouting adorably, Leah got barraged with the continuous questions, wondering who to answer first. Whining at the mere thought, she shook her head and squirmed in the embrace Ultear was currently giving her, while her embracer smiled lovingly at the action.

"Mou… I'm okay!" Leah whined once more as she looked at her family before explaining, "I came with tou-chan's clone and we had fun playing! Can we get some ice-cream now!?"

Giggling at their beautiful daughter's answer, the ladies nodded, knowing the little brunette loved ice-cream so much. The relief they got from seeing Leah safe and sound was more than enough at the moment. Wendy huffed cutely at her sister's antics, making the girl in question huff cutely in return, causing both of them to laugh to their heart's content. Seeing this display, Naruto and his soon-to-be wives smiled lovingly at the two kids.

Ultear simply smiled fondly at her small embracer, while giggling at the mention of ice-cream she was currently voicing out. The blackette noticed Naruto, who had a peaceful expression on his face, giving her immense warmth. Loosening the hold she had on Leah, Ultear's smile remained intact as she saw the child rush towards her father before jumping into his arms.

'She has changed so much that it's mindboggling. It's like she's a totally different person now. We no longer have any reason to blindly mistreat you because you've rightfully earned your forgiveness.' The ladies thought to themselves simultaneously while observing the former dark mage keenly.

Smiling, Naruto kissed the top of his youngest daughter's head. "I'm very glad you arrived here safely, Leah-chan. Once we get to Magnolia Town, we'll get you that ice-cream, okay?" He said warmly and kept his smile at the sight of two children in his arms nodding eagerly.

"We're back in Earthland, huh?" Gajeel asked curiously as he approached his fellow mages, with Natsu walking right beside him.

Nodding in return, Naruto smiled at his fellow Dragon Slayer. "That's right, Gajeel-san. I can sense everyone at the Guild as well. All of them have returned safe and sound." He replied kindly before narrowing his eyes upon feeling a gathering of magical signatures near him.

Kushina quickly realized the same thing and turned towards her soon-to-be husband, who still had his eyes narrowed, giving her the knowledge that he was in understanding of the situation. Rushing towards the sight, Naruto made his way towards the source of the auras, with his fellow mages following suit immediately.

Upon approaching the sight a moment later, Naruto saw a huge crowd of Exceed floating above and recalled them from the memories he received from his clone in Edolas. Narrowing his eyes, he watched each of the excited creatures with an analytical glance.

"Earthland is awesome! It's over flowing with magic!" An Exceed chirped happily, to which the others simply smiled brightly upon noticing their surroundings.

Glaring at her fellow creatures, Carla sighed deeply. "When we were getting pulled back into Earthland with the use of the Anima, I saw each of you getting pulled alongside us. However, I didn't speak then because I'm still enraged by your very presence. I don't trust any of you after all you've done." She said in a serious tone, not wanting to budge an inch from her declaration.

Frowning at the words being shared, the Exceed race held their heads down in shame, recalling everything that transpired on Extalia, their former home. Understanding Carla was still furious at them, made them very depressed, knowing the female cat had every right to act this way.

"Carla… I think you shouldn't deal with them. There's no point in getting angry over something that you've already given up. Like you walked away in Edolas, you should forget this now." Happy voiced out while floating midair with a frown etched to his features.

Nodding, Wendy looked at her partner. "I don't know what had happened Carla, but don't be like this." She added into the conversation before smiling as her little sister patted her shoulder.

Glancing at the female cat, Naruto sighed deeply. "We've already been over this, Carla. Don't stoop to their level. You now have the essential knowledge on why you got those memories, which should have been more than satisfactory. I've forgiven you already. Please let go of your hatred." He spoke out in a stern tone before intensifying his eye contact.

The ladies of the White Dragon Slayer nodded in approval at these turn of events, realizing the female cat was at a standstill. However, since Carla already went through this very conversation in Edolas, she should learn to let things go. She doesn't need to lash out at her fellow creatures because they simply aren't worth the effort and that's a fact.

Letting out a few tears, Carla nodded her head. "I… I see. Okay I'm not going to deal with them any longer because I have no reason to do such a thing. They've almost cost me my family already." She voiced out in the utmost sadness before wiping away her tears.

Meanwhile, the Exceeds felt intense pain in their hearts upon hearing those words. They knew Carla didn't care for them in the slightest, but it wasn't like that made anything easier. However, they deserved everything the female cat was saying and they were willing to accept it. Nodding shamefully, they lowered their heads, while hoping Carla would forgive them in the future.

'So that's your family? Well as a fellow Exceed, I'm happy you have people that care for you, since our kind has brought you nothing but pain in your life. As your mother, I'm devastated you feel that way towards us, especially me. I am so sorry for everything, my daughter.' Shagotte thought to herself in agony before taking a few deep breaths to calm herself down.

Nodding in agreement, Naruto and his fellow mages were happy at the words being shared. Sure they didn't like the harsh treatment aimed at the Exceeds, but it was understandable, considering all that they've done. Just then; Naruto's attention turned towards Pantherlily, who was still unconscious with multiple scars across his body. The Exceeds stiffened at the sight, knowing full well who this creature was and could only feel more pain in their hearts.

Following suit, Naruto turned towards his girls. "Hold Leah-chan and Wendy-chan for me. I'm going to perform my healing magic on this cat. I remember he was down for the count on the battlefield near where we took care of the King, which makes me feel Kurama was behind this." He explained in a serious tone before loosening the hold he had on his daughters.

Nodding, Mirajane quickly grabbed Wendy into her embrace, while Haku took Leah into her arms. Smiling at the cute children, the ladies began cheerfully conversing with them, which Ultear took part in, considering she had grown rather attached to them also.

Rushing towards the downed creature, the blonde shinobi placed his hands on the cat. "White Dragon Slayer Magic: Mystical Restoration." He whispered, to which his hands glowed blue and white, relieving the unconscious figure of his injuries.

Groaning, Pantherlily's eyes squinted as he regained consciousness, but his form quickly changed into that of a smaller one he was recognized in Edolas. Then, he remembered the battle he fought earlier and he tensed viciously at the recollection. In the momentum, Gajeel quickly approached the cat and pulled him into his embrace, causing the cat in question to gasp loudly in return.

"W-where am I?" Pantherlily asked shakily, still recollecting the beating he received from that beast of a fox he fought in Edolas.

Scratching the back of his head, Naruto sighed. "I guess Kurama sure did a number on you, huh?" He asked with his voice laced in amusement and nodded before proceeding, "You're in Earthland now. After my group and I took care of the King, Mystogan utilized the Reverse Anima to pull us back here. Considering you were unconscious during these events, it's not really a surprise to see you don't know what occurred after your beating. Oh and nothing personal, but Kurama, the fox you mentioned can get a little full of himself sometimes."

"A… a little?! A little full of himself!? HE NEARLY KILLED ME WITHOUT REMORSE!" Pantherlily shrieked agonizingly before gasping once more as his embrace got tighter.

Shaking his head, Naruto didn't really know what to say to the cat that could make things better. After all, anyone fighting Kurama would feel the same way and that's a fact.

Meanwhile, Natsu and Gajeel were silent throughout this episode, but narrowed their eyes as the Exceeds from Extalia were still watching the display. They didn't know what this was about; however, they didn't really need to ask questions right now. For now, they waited for Pantherlily to regain his composure as the battle with the bijuu was still mashing up his mindset.

It was then; Pantherlily's eyes widened. "M-Mystogan, do you mean the Prince?" He asked fearfully and tensed at the nods he received before continuing, "What happened to him? If you say he called upon the Reverse Anima, the people of Royal City would have executed him. None of them would take this matter lightly. Please tell me what happened to him."

Clearing his throat, Naruto looked on intently. "Sure, I'll tell you exactly what happened. After Mystogan's plans came to fruition, I took the blame for the devastation caused to Royal City. The city people weren't able to do anything to the Prince, since their mindsets were embedded with the fact that their Prince was the one to save them from calamity." He explained strongly and smiled before taking a deep breath, while his ladies nodded swiftly.

Going wide-eyed, Pantherlily had a small smile on his face. 'Well Prince, I'm sure you'll do perfectly in your new role as the leader of Edolas. I would have wanted nothing more than to see you for a final time, but that's something I'll have to live without. I'll live out your legacy here.' He thought to himself and took a deep breath of his own, since this was a lot to take in.

Seeing the reaction, the Earthland mages smiled, knowing the male Exceed understood everything completely. Judging by the smile the cat had on his face, showed the group that he was relieved upon hearing Mystogan wasn't harmed. Leah and Wendy though were still caught up in their joyous chatter, knew everything that was going on and had wide smiles on their faces.

Turning around, Pantherlily's eyes narrowed at the sight of his fellow Exceeds, all of whom tensed at the intense gaze. Sighing deeply, he scratched the side of his head because this entire scenario was pretty overwhelming. Since he wasn't in Edolas any longer, he had to adapt to this new land and there was only one thing he wished to do at this point.

"Lily… I'm so sorry for what happened to you in the past. Please forgive us." Shagotte voiced out sadly as she broke the silence that was felt in the vicinity.

Following suit, the remaining Extalia Exceeds were nodding shamefully, understanding what happened to their fellow creature a long time ago. The ones that were most shameful were the elders, knowing they were the ones who caused their ally to receive so much pain.

Smiling softly in return, Pantherlily shook his head. "Even though I should hate you for being the reason of my banishment all those years ago, I don't hold it against you. What I did may have come across as something out of the ordinary but I'd do it again if I had to." He explained with a few tears trickling down his features before proceeding, "Saving the Prince was and will always be a past I'm proud of. You banished me because I saved a human, but I didn't feel any hatred towards my fellow kind. Though I was considered a fallen Exceed, I still thought of you as family. After all, Extalia is the place of my birth and I'll never fully feel hatred towards my people."

Hearing the explanation, the Exceeds felt joy in their hearts, which went double for the Queen. Smiling tearfully, all of them bowed their heads at the kind creature, which didn't hold it against them for what they did in the past. Shagotte was the most pleased out of everyone because she felt the most pain from the banishment Pantherlily received from his actions to save Mystogan.

'He saved Mystogan in the past? I can see why he wanted to know what happened to him that badly. This is something I never suspected, but I'm thankful he did so. After all, Mystogan was and will always be considered a part of the Fairy Tail family.' Naruto thought to himself warmly as he looked fixedly at the cat with a proud expression.

These thoughts were shared with the ladies of the Wizard Saint and though they were very surprised by this knowledge, they were grateful that Pantherlily saved their comrade all that time ago. However, the kind nature of the cat was something they were intrigued in, knowing those Exceeds were the ones to have caused him so much pain.

On the sidelines, Carla gasped at what Pantherlily spoke of. Her fellow Exceed was actually forgiving her fellow creatures after all that he went through? Considering everything now, her expressions softened because she somewhat felt the same pain Pantherlily did. Shaking her head, she continued watching on the display, while Happy nodded with pride at the events being transpired.

"Thank you so much for forgiving us, though I don't really think we're worthy of it. Just know I've always considered you as family. At this moment, all of us have a new goal now, which is to get along with the humans this time around. We won't make the same mistakes. This is a new beginning." Shagotte said with determination, to which her fellow creatures rose determined in the momentum.

With that, Shagotte quickly approached Carla and hugged her tightly. "You can see us anytime, Carla." She whispered lovingly, while her embracer squirmed momentarily before giving in.

'Warm…' Carla thought to herself as she melted into the embrace, not knowing this female was actually her mother.

Pulling away, Shagotte flew in the air, which her fellow creatures followed suit immediately as they looked down at the mages with pride. Waving at them with bright smiles, they rushed off into the distance, knowing things were definitely going to be different now. They've made their decision.

Eyeing the retreating figures, Naruto sighed deeply. 'So you share more a familiarity to Carla than just being an Exceed, huh? I was sure when I sensed your magical signature that you were related to her and your actions just now, simply confirmed my assumptions. Hopefully in the future, you'll let her know and maybe express yourself towards her. For now, I wish you and the others the best.' He thought to himself and smiled before turning back towards his fellow mages.

At the moment, the ladies of the Wizard Saint felt the same way their husband did. Kushina though she felt the same signature her man caught onto, didn't utter a word out loud, knowing this wasn't something to voice out right now. Nodding, they smiled back at the blonde shinobi and sighed as the Exceeds were now finally out of clear sight.

Facing the male cat, Naruto raised an eyebrow. "You're still here, Pantherlily?" He asked and fixed eye contact, wondering what this new development was about.

"I wish to join the Guild my old friend was a part of." Pantherlily spoke calmly before gasping upon getting squeezed harder into his embrace.

Following suit, Gajeel grinned widely. "Damn straight, cat! Fairy Tail is the place you need to be and since I am in a need of a partner, you're with me now! Things are about to get real interesting!" He exclaimed in excitement, happy as he could ever be at this point.

Groaning, Pantherlily could only nod, knowing he was going to be induced into Fairy Tail. The part about becoming the man's partner ran through his mind, but he didn't say anything regarding it. For now, he only wanted to be in the place the Prince used to be, since that's all he cared for.

In return, the Fairy Tail mages could only smirk, knowing the male Exceed was going to join their Guild because it was a good feeling. Though Ultear wasn't a part of Fairy Tail, she was also happy with the decision. She felt very relieved she was out of Edolas, and was wondering what was to happen to her next.

"All right, we've wasted enough time here. Let's head towards the Guild now." Naruto commanded, to which his fellow mages nodded in agreement.

In the momentum, the blonde shinobi looked at Ultear with a knowing glance, mentally telling her to tag along, which she caught onto before nodding graciously as well. With that, the group took off towards the direction of Magnolia Town. Smiling at the restored town, the Earthland mages were happy things were returned to normal. Explaining everything about their latest adventure to the Guild members was going to be taxing and that was a fact.

Five minutes into their dash, Naruto made a sudden halt. "Natsu and Gajeel, I want you to go on without us. Of course Happy will be joining you, but take Pantherlily along too. I'm going to get my daughters some ice-cream, and we'll be at Fairy Tail once we're done. Got it?" He explained calmly and chuckled upon the sight of his two little angels smiling brightly in approval.

Nodding swiftly, Natsu dashed forward in the direction of the Guild, with Happy hovering above him in the same space. Following suit, Gajeel smirked as he held Pantherlily in his arms and quickly ran ahead to catch up to the pink haired mage. With that, the remaining group members smiled at their retreating figures and knew they were in for a long discussion soon.

"Your tou-chan is the best, isn't he?" Haku asked lovingly as she looked down at her youngest daughter before giggling cutely.

Grinning proudly, Leah wiggled around in her mother's arms. "Yep! Tou-chan's the best!" She exclaimed in determination and lit up like a stadium light at the mention of her wonderful father.

"You got that right, Leah-chan!" Wendy chirped cheerfully, knowing what she spoke of was the absolute truth. No questions asked.

Giggling at their happy daughters, the ladies joyously continued chatting away with them. Turning towards their soon-to-be husband, they smiled lovingly, knowing their man was the one that gave them such a great life. They loved him so much right now and the fact he gave them two little girls to be all motherly towards, made everything worthwhile. They had a perfect little family that they wouldn't trade in for anything in the world. That was a fact.

Chuckling warmly, Naruto nodded in approval. "You're my daughters after all, and your happiness is all I need. Now let's get that ice-cream and then head towards the Guild." He said with a serene smile on his face, causing his wives to radiate at his expression.

Nodding, the group continued walking towards the ice-cream stand, which was on the corner of the street. A moment later into their journey, the blonde shinobi quickly asked everyone what they wanted to get before nodding as he approached the stand itself. After paying for the treats, the group held onto their ice-cream cones and smiled before stepping away from the stand.

Taking her ice-cream from the vendor, Ultear smiled softly. 'They are so happy with him. I can see why all of these women wanted to be with Naruto-kun, but even after getting accepted by them at long last, why do I feel so empty? I should feel honored that he paid for my ice-cream and smiled at me while doing so, yet there's this hole in my heart. Am I… Jealous of them? Is that the reason for my pain?' She thought to herself and faced the blonde shinobi, while the void in her heart began dissipating instantly.

Not knowing what was going on with her, the former dark mage shook her head in confusion, but didn't say anything out loud because she was afraid the ladies would lash out. She only hoped that these emotions made sense to her soon, since it was making her feel beyond vulnerable. With that, she resumed eating her ice-cream and sighed inwardly.

Moments later, Leah saw her father and giggled. "Mou… tou-chan! Your face is funny!" She announced in a cute manner before giggling adorably upon seeing him fixedly.

Growing curious, the ladies looked at what their daughter was talking about before starting to laugh warmly at what she caught onto. The chocolate ice-cream Naruto was devouring, left a little residue which formulated on his face, making it seem like he had a chocolate mustache on his features.

"Aahahaha! N-Naru-kun! That's hilarious, dattebane! Aahahahaha!" Kushina exclaimed within giggles, while her sister-figures were laughing hysterically at the sight.

Laughing along with everyone, Ultear felt the sadness in her heart evaporate instantaneously. For some reason, this family she was with, made it seem like everything she was worried about seem meaningless. This was something she quickly held onto and she wasn't going to let go. Giggling at the blonde shinobi's predicament, the former dark mage watched on the scene in maximum amusement.

Realizing what happened, Naruto formed a devious smirk on his face. "Oh let me take care of that." He spoke huskily before licking the ice-cream formulated above his lips in a sensual manner.

Shuddering at the action, the ladies of the White Dragon Slayer felt heat engulfing their bodies, blushing beet red before looking away. Huffing loudly, they slowly regained their composures, but had their blushes intact upon the sight of the blonde still smirking widely. At this, Ultear was also blushing heavily and refused to look the man in the eyes after witnessing what he just did.

"N-NARU-KUN!" The ladies whined loudly in unison, to which Naruto chuckled in amusement with a proud look on his face.

During this time, Leah and Wendy had their faces scrunched up at the display because they didn't know what their mothers were so embarrassed about. Their tou-chan just licked his ice-cream off, which was a normal thing to do in their opinion. Shrugging their shoulders, they continued eating their ice-cream and looked on the confusing display. Their mothers were weird sometimes.

"It reminds me of the time when Naru-kun licked that whipped cream off my body." Mirajane mumbled out loud with a heated blush, unaware she wasn't thinking to herself at the moment.

Heat rising, the remaining ladies were simply steaming with their blushes, not knowing what to do right now. All of them recalled their man doing something similar to them during their respective moments with him and the mere thought caused them to look away from their future husband. Upon realizing that she actually spoke out loud, Mirajane squeaked in embarrassment before burying her face into the embrace she gave Wendy, not wanting to meet anyone's gaze at the moment.

'Oh Kami-sama…' Ultear thought to herself with a fuming heat etching her features before yelping as she met eye contact with an amused Wizard Saint.

Chuckling at the women around him, Naruto shook his head, but grinned at the confused state of his daughters. Mentally thanking himself that those two girls didn't understand a thing, he smiled at them, causing them to beam at him in return. On the sidelines, Carla was grumbling things no one could hear and hovered in the air.

Meanwhile, the ladies regained their composures and huffed cutely. "Ohhhh Naru-kun!" They chorused seductively with enticing smiles etched to their features as they looked at their man.

Smirking, Naruto unbuttoned his shirt completely. "Just give me a second, ladies." He spoke with amusement before rubbing his abs enticingly with his free hand.

Breathing heavily at the sight, the ladies were getting very turned on and subconsciously licked their lips as they openly ogled their lover's chest. Just the sight sent them in a daze, knowing what they would do to the man when they got their turns with him at night. Though their ice-cream dropped from their hands, they were much more interested in this new treat they were viewing.

"Not funny, Naru-kun!" The soon-to-be wives of the White Dragon Slayer whined harmonically upon snapping back to reality, realizing the game their man played.

During this time, Ultear squirmed uncomfortably and her eyes never left the sight of Naruto's body. Blushing wildly, she couldn't look away, but tried her level best to do so. A moment later, she quickly turned her attention towards a highly confused Leah, who was wondering what was going on, causing her to squirm a little more since she didn't know what to even say to the child.

"MOU… YOU'RE ALL ACTING WEIRD!" Wendy yelled out in frustration, to which her little sister nodded in agreement before the duo resumed eating their ice-cream.

Coughing loudly, Naruto buttoned up his shirt again, while chuckling at the events being transpired before walking back towards an amused ice-cream vendor, who saw the whole thing. Meanwhile, the ladies shook their heads as they were played by their man, but flushed in embarrassment upon seeing their confused daughters. Ultear regained her composure and simply kept her eyes away from the blonde shinobi, while wanting nothing more than to run her hands over his toned body.

Smirking at the Wizard Saint, the ice-cream vendor nodded before proudly whispering, "That was quite the show. Just for that, I'm going to give you free ice-cream for your women. Keep up the good work."

Chuckling lightly, Naruto held a smile on his face and nodded thankfully. With that, he gestured his ladies to get their compensative treats and chuckled to himself as they approached the stand in embarrassment. Wendy and Leah shrugged their shoulders once more, but happily continued eating their dessert and kept up their cheerful conversation. With that, the soon-to-be wives took their free ice-creams and shook their heads before enjoying the delicacy.

"Now let's head towards the Guild. I'm sure Natsu and Gajeel have informed everyone about what happened in Edolas. I don't think we really need to explain much to them now." Naruto voiced out calmly, while his group members quickly nodded in approval.

Following suit, the Earthland mages made their way towards Fairy Tail and began talking to each other as they travelled on foot. During this time, Naruto caught onto the occasional glance Ultear had aimed his way and mentally noted it down, but said nothing regarding this development. The glance wasn't missed by the ladies of the blonde shinobi; however, they also chose to remain silent.

Into the walk, Ultear seethed in rage at the sight of several females on the streets. 'It's like they have nothing better to do than shamelessly ogle Naruto-kun like a piece of meat. Damn them! I didn't know Naruto-kun had so many fangirls around here.' She thought to herself angrily before resuming with eating her treat.

Seething further, the blackette turned towards Naruto's future brides, all of whom were glaring blazingly at those women, mentally telling her that this wasn't an occasional thing. Snarling at the thought, she glared at the females as well, unwilling to let those skanks anywhere near the blonde shinobi. Blushing at her new developed possessiveness over the man, she continued making her way towards the designated location, while the ladies nodded their heads at what she did.

A moment later, Naruto smiled as he approached the gates of Fairy Tail and stepped inside, while his group members did the same. Shaking his head in amusement, he heard a loud ruckus within the confines and knew exactly what was going on in there, which his future brides caught onto instantly before shaking their heads upon hearing the noise.

"You are real men for going to Edolas!"

"How was the journey!?"

"Did you just get back!?"

"WELCOME BACK YOU GUYS!"

Came the roars from the Fairy Tail mages as they quickly approached Naruto and his family, but raised an eyebrow at the sight of Ultear, who they weren't familiar with at all. Smiling upon their fellow Guild mates smiling at them, they gestured for them to step further into the hall. At the corner, Makarov grinned at his surrogate grandson and chuckled warmly at the two children near him. With that, everyone stood firmly on the ground, awaiting the long due conversation.

"I see Natsu and Gajeel have filled you in on everything, huh?" Naruto asked knowingly and smiled at the nods he received before continuing, "Then there's nothing left to add further. You were all sucked into Edolas through the Anima along with the entire populace of Magnolia Town, and because of that, we stepped in to save everyone. Natsu and Gajeel weren't sucked into the portal since they're both Dragon Slayers and my clone protected my family at the compound from that very portal. After spending an eventful time dealing with the King of that world, we were able to come through. We're back where we rightfully belong."

Nodding swiftly, the Fairy Tail members looked on in pride, knowing their fellow mages saved them from that lacrima state Natsu and Gajeel spoke to them about earlier. With the thought process setting in, they gestured for the blonde to continue since he was waiting for their reactions.

With that, Naruto cleared his throat. "Mystogan performed admirably and because of his efforts, we are all safe and sound. He was the one to send you all back from your lacrima states and his utilization of the Reverse Anima sent us back to Earthland as well. I would like for all of us to have a moment of silence for our Guild mate, who will forever be remembered as a proud Fairy Tail member." He concluded sagely as he looked at his fellow mages, while his group smiled widely in agreement.

Following suit, the Fairy Tail mages had their moment of silence because like the Wizard Saint said, they will always remember Mystogan as their friend. They could only wish him the best with his journey within Edolas as it was the least they could do for them. His sacrifice will be remembered for all-time, which was a promise everyone made silently.

Glancing at the Master of the Guild, Naruto raised an eyebrow. "You didn't seem all that surprised about this development, ji-ji. Have you known all along about Mystogan's history in Edolas?" He asked curiously and looked at the old man intently.

In the momentum, everyone in the vicinity grew curious as well since they also caught onto this, but waited for their leader to speak up. Though Ultear wasn't a part of the Fairy Tail family, she also realized the old man having a knowing look on his face, which intrigued her greatly. Waiting for the Master to give out his reason, the entire Guild hall grew silent at the sight.

"You're right, Naruto-kun. I have known about Mystogan because he told me about his past history in Edolas. He told me this in confidence, which is why I never spoke about this to anyone." Makarov said with a small smile on his face and took a deep breath before proceeding, "The reason for me saying this now is because Mystogan is no longer with us. He'll always be a part of the family and that's something everyone can agree upon. I only wish him the best."

Smiling widely at the words being shared, everyone could only nod in agreement, knowing they felt the same way. With the exception of Ultear, the Guild knew of how their leader held talks with anyone from their family and would keep it a secret. That was something they were very proud of. Makarov though stern in some situations, was a very kind and loving old man that anyone would be happy to be around.

Chuckling to himself, Makarov nodded before voicing out, "Also there's something else I forgot to mention. Mystogan's father, the King you spoke of, is actually my Edolas counterpart."

At this, everyone at the Guild grew silent. Jaws dropping at the revelation, the mages that took part in the journey towards Edolas were looking on in disbelief, not knowing what to say in return. This was something they had never suspected and that was a fact.

Regaining his composure, Naruto smirked widely. "Ji-ji, I hate to be the one to tell you this, but your counterpart was dealt with pretty easily. Quite the weakling I must add. It's ironic." He replied slyly, to which his fellow mages began laughing hysterically.

Wendy giggled, knowing both her and her father took care of the King, but was shocked to hear that the one they took care of was actually her surrogate great-grandfather's counterpart. Seeing this, Leah giggled cutely as well because the sight of her big sister so cheery made her very happy.

"Ah rub it in, why don't you? That wasn't very nice, Naruto-kun." Makarov answered with a frown on his face, while an anime cloud hovered over his head.

At the sight, everyone joined in on the laughter, causing the old man to huff in annoyance. Things at the Guild were finally back to normal and the mages were all happy at the knowledge. Just then, Lucy raised an eyebrow because she finally realized something about the whole Edolas scenario.

Nodding to herself, Lucy turned towards Naruto and his ladies. "Ano… there was a mention of counterparts earlier as well. When Master just spoke about his counterpart, I remembered Natsu and Gajeel saying something similar about all of you encountering Fairy Tail having replicas too." She voiced out in interest, to which the others that didn't take part in Edolas nodded quickly.

With that, Naruto formed a devious smirk on his face as he turned towards his ladies, all of whom smirked in return. Ultear was also amused by this development because she had seen Fairy Tail's counterpart in Edolas and could only shake her head at the recollection.

Smirk intact, the blonde shinobi pulled out his Video Recording Lacrima. "Instead of just telling you about your counterparts, I would like for everyone to see them first hand. I took the liberty of recording our time at the Edolas version of our Guild and I'm sure what you'll see will surprise you." He explained with amusement and placed the device on the ground before turning it on.

Growing curious by the second, the Fairy Tail mages could only nod, but were very interested in what the blonde man was going to show them. Just as they saw a holographic screen hovering from above the device, they looked on intently, not knowing what was going to happen. At this; Naruto, Leah, Wendy, Mikoto, Kushina, Haku, Mirajane, Erza, and Ultear took a deep breath of satisfaction, fully aware of the humorous video recording that was about to play.

'I'm so glad I took this recording. That was just amazing.' Naruto thought to himself, as the device stopped playing before placing it back into his pocket.

Smirking, the Wizard Saint eyed his fellow mages, all of whom were shocked to the core at what they just saw. Giving them a moment to recompose themselves, he turned towards his group and had his smirk intact at the sight of them grinning mischievously. Wendy and Leah simply giggled adorably at this development because their Guild mates looked very funny right now.

Regaining his composure, Gray shuddered. "M-my counterpart wore that much clothing?" He muttered in disbelief before sighing as he wore no shirt at the moment. Just the thought of him wearing multiple layered clothing made him shiver in fear, unwilling to ever do such a thing.

"J-Juvia can't wear that…" Juvia mumbled with a blush on her face, while feeling a little happy inside at the way Gray's counterpart acted towards her replica in Edolas. This sparked a newly formulated determination in her mindset.

"Well I don't really seem that different in Edolas and neither does Mira-nee. However…" Lisanna trailed off as she narrowed her eyes at her brother, who was currently shaking uncontrollably.

Slamming his hands on the ground, Elfman's expressions hardened. "My counterpart is not a man! He's not a man!" He ranted loudly in the utmost anger and turned towards Jet and Droy before continuing, "You two were unmanly to my counterpart! Put your dukes up and fight like a man!"

Shivering in fear at the enraged Strauss male, Jet and Droy ran away from the sight, knowing they were nothing like their Edolas counterparts. With that, Elfman seethed in rage before charging at the retreating mages, causing them to shriek as they ran faster than they ever thought possible.

Placing a hand over her mouth, Mirajane laughed hysterically at the sight of her brother, which caused her little sister Lisanna to do the same. They somewhat expected their sibling to do this and just the sight made them laugh even harder. Laughing along, the remaining ladies shook their heads, simply amazed at Elfman's outburst, but somewhat predicted this also. Naruto chuckled as he saw his giggling daughters before looking at an amused Ultear, who was having a good time here in Fairy Tail.

Meanwhile, Cana gulped down a huge dose of alcohol. "I'm not drinking tea and I'm definitely not going to dress like my counterpart. That's something I'll never stoop down to. No way!" She exclaimed with determination before grabbing another jug of beer in her hands.

"I… I dressed like that? My personality is simply a polar opposite to my counterpart's." Lucy mumbled in shock before taking a deep sigh, not knowing what more to say.

Chuckling warmly, Makarov gulped down an alcoholic beverage. "Oh I can only pray Gildarts doesn't rage upon seeing the recording of his counterpart. That and the fact Laxus will simply grow furious at viewing his own replica. This has been a most amusing display. Thanks for recording it." He explained humorously before chuckling once more at the state of his subordinates.

On instant, everyone roared in laughter, totally forgetting everything they saw on the lacrima screen. Just the thought of Laxus' and Gildarts' reaction towards the sight of their counterparts, made them very amused and that was a fact. Calming themselves down a moment later, they chuckled lightly before smiling at one another, knowing everything at the Guild was back to normal.

Just then; Cana narrowed her eyes. "I don't think I've ever seen you before. Who are you?" She asked suspiciously as she stared at Ultear, while holding her beverage in her hand.

"That's Ultear Milkovich and s-" Makarov got cut off from what he wanted to say upon the sight of the White Dragon Slayer shaking his head.

Giving the old man the mental message of speaking about this later, Naruto smiled as his grandfather figure slowly nodded in agreement. Though Makarov should have felt angry at the sight of this woman, he couldn't say anything right now because he trusted in the blonde's judgment. For now, he let go of the matter and simply sighed deeply before gulping down his beverage.

Meanwhile, Ultear sighed in relief. 'I was sure Makarov-sama was going to speak about who I really was because he knew I was in the board of the magic council in the past before I defected. However, Naruto-kun stopped that knowledge from spreading entirely. Why are you protecting me, Naruto-kun?' She thought to herself and looked at the blonde shinobi with a longing glance.

Smiling at the action, the ladies of the Wizard Saint were happy that their lover halted the Master from speaking up about Ultear. Sure their fellow mages would find out sooner or later about who she really was, but for now, it was something that could wait to be explained.

'What are you planning, Naruto-kun? I know for a fact that Ultear-san betrayed the council and the video recording of the Grimoire Heart Dark Guild showed everything about her as a dark mage. Something's not adding up and I can see Ultear-san's not the same person she once was. Hopefully, you'll clear this situation up for me later.' Makarov thought to himself and sighed deeply as he glanced at his subordinate with calculation.

At the same time, Gray pondered upon the name his leader spoke of and went into utter shock. Looking fixedly at Ultear, he saw her fidgeting at his gaze, causing him to nod his head. There was something he needed to discuss with this woman and he wasn't one to take no for an answer. That was a fact.

"Did he… did he find out?" Ultear said to herself in fear and inched away from the scene before walking out of the Guild immediately.

Following suit, Naruto gave another mental message to his grandfather figure and rushed off after the blackette with confusion etched to his features. In the momentum, Haku and Mirajane tightened the holds they had on their daughters before heading out of the structure, causing their sister-figures to do the same immediately. None of them had any idea what was going on and they needed answers.

"Why'd they all go away?" Lucy asked in confusion, to which her fellow mages shrugged their shoulders as they didn't know the answer to that.

Sighing, everyone resumed their joyous chatters, while Makarov stood there with an impassive face. The old man had only one thing on his mind right now and that was to find out what was going on. Into their chatter, none of them noticed a specific member of their Guild slipping away from the building.

---

(Outside Fairy Tail)

---

Approaching the former dark mage, Naruto sighed before asking, "What's going on? Why'd you run off like that?"

Ultear's breath hitched at the questioning and panicked inwardly as the ladies approached the scenes with their eyes narrowed. She hadn't expected any of this to happen and she was cut off from forming the words she had as a counter upon the sound of another arriver outside the Guild.

"Ultear Milkovich, huh?"

Turning around with a fearful expression, Ultear saw the source of the sound. It was Gray, who had a glare set on the blackette, causing the blackette in question to shrink slightly. This was becoming too much of a hassle and she didn't know what to do now. Meanwhile, Naruto and his group saw this expression and were confused greatly, but hoped to find out what this was all about soon.

Stepping ahead, Gray breathed heavily. "You're Ur's daughter, aren't you?" He asked in a strong tone as his eye contact never moved a millimeter out of place.

Gasping at the accusation, Naruto and his group were simply wide-eyed at what they were hearing. Facing the former dark mage, they narrowed their eyes at the sight of her panicking outwardly and that gave them the answer they needed already. However, just the knowledge was mindboggling since none of them expected to hear this of all things.

In return, Ultear held her head down. "H-how'd you know?" She asked weakly, while feeling totally vulnerable for words at the moment.

"I figured you were her daughter because you look just like her. So I was correct all along." Gray stated seriously as he intensified his stare before explaining, "Just where were you for all this time? On numerous occasions, I heard about you from my late-sensei, and the pain she felt from your mention could be felt from her words. Ur told me you had massive magical power confided inside you, which caused you to undergo an intense fever during childhood. In return, she went to the Bureau of Magical Development, who agreed to take care of you. However, one day Ur was told you passed away, succumbing to your illness, but here you are, standing right in front of me. So where were you?"

Growing silent, Naruto and his family were at a loss for words. This explanation didn't even run through their mindsets at all. Looking down at Wendy and Leah, the ladies smiled softly at the sight of the small children frowning at this sudden conflict, which occurred out of nowhere. They didn't like it one bit!

Shedding tears, Ultear fell to her knees. "I… that's a lie. That's a lie, Gray-san." She said shakily and took a deep breath in order to recompose herself.

Seconds later, the former dark mage held her head down. "My mother abandoned me. I saw her taking you and Lyon as her apprentices and she left me alone. She left me alone without a care in the world so don't try and say she didn't know I was alive. She abandoned me, causing me to run away!" She reasoned in a broken tone before shedding more tears at this explanation.

Frowning deeply at the words being shared, Gray shook his head again. "You have it all wrong. Ur never abandoned you because she wasn't like that and deep down, you know that very well also. Like I said, the doctor told her that you succumbed to your illness and played her like a fool. She was betrayed by that fiend and I realize that now. I have something you need to see. Wait just a moment." He countered softly before rushing off into the distance with a sad look on his face.

"U-Ultear-nee?" Leah asked with fear etched to her features before hopping off her mother's arms, knowing what she needed to do now.

At the sound, Ultear turned around and tears simply rolled down her cheeks as Leah ran towards her. Quickly holding out her arms, she sighed with the utmost peace as the child began wiping away her tears in the momentum. Kissing the girl on the forehead, she held her close, not ever wanting to let her go. Leah had given her more than she could have ever imagined and she saved her not once, but twice already and that's something she'll never forget. Never.

"We're so proud of you, our darling little daughter." Mikoto said tenderly as she watched the display, while everyone around her nodded in absolute agreement.

A moment later, Gray ran back with an old paper in his hands. "H-here. I have something you need to see, Ultear-san. A long time ago, Ur once told me a story about you. She only ever told it once, but I remember it clearly, so much that I even noted it down word for word on a piece of paper, which I still have with me. Here's everything she said that day. This is from your mother. Take it." He explained within pants and crouched down to hand over the document to the blackette.

Breathing heavily, Ultear took the paper and held it in her hands, but hesitated to do anything about it right now. Looking weakly at the Wizard Saint and his ladies, she felt a little hope surfacing in her heart as they began gesturing for her to look at the document. Staring deep into the blonde shinobi's eyes, she felt her heart flutter upon the sight of him smiling at her. This gave her the motivation to proceed. Nodding weakly, she slowly began reading the paper to herself as tears began forming once more.

"When that girl was born, I felt light shining in my heart and I dreamed of a future full of hope for her. I was so happy then. From this tiny little body, the future holds infinite possibilities. The power of life; I couldn't stop the tears from overflowing. This child is proof of my life... My tear."

Breaking down completely, Ultear's tears flooded her face, while the flowing moisture trickled down on the paper she held securely in her hands. Feeling Leah embrace her tighter, she squeezed onto the child and mentally thanked her from the bottom of her heart for being so consoling towards her. With a small smile surfacing, she felt the little brunette wiping away her tears again, but then her heart ached upon seeing the child crying as well.

Gathering up the courage, Ultear wiped the girl's tears away. "I… I don't want to see you cry, Leah-chan." She whispered delicately as she faced the little brunette before kissing her forehead.

"Y-you too, Ultear-nee." Leah said softly before smiling gently as the blackette hugged her tightly into her arms.

In the momentum, the former dark mage felt her soul aching gravely. 'I don't blame you for my mother's death by the hands of Deliora, Gray-san. However, this is so much to take in. I've… I've done so much evil in an attempt to rewrite my past. I was also played like a fool. Kaa-san, I am so sorry. I shouldn't have wrapped my head around those horrid ideas that you abandoned me. But…' She thought to herself and gave into the felt intense warmth filling her heart that was provided by Leah's loving embrace.

Turning around, Ultear's faced Gray before asking, "How do I know you're not lying? You could have made this up to hide the fact my mother abandoned me. How do I know you're not lying?"

During this time, Naruto and his ladies frowned deeply at the interaction. They could only assume how difficult these turn of events must be for the blackette, but didn't know how to tackle this development. Looking down at Wendy, Mirajane sighed deeply and simply held the sobbing girl close, knowing this was definitely more grave than she ever thought possible.

Without Gray getting a word in, Naruto placed a hand on Ultear's shoulder. "I can tell if someone's lying and throughout his entire speech, Gray-san had not lied at any point." He spoke gently and nodded at the male ice user in front of him before continuing, "What you believe from this point on is something you'll have to decide on. I know this must be something you hadn't expected, but I can assure you that you've heard the absolute truth so far. You've been through a lot and I can understand that. However, it's what you do with this new knowledge that'll show who you've now really become. You have changed, Ultear Milkovich. It's time you believe in yourself."

"N-Naruto-kun…" Ultear whispered in utmost disbelief upon hearing the gentle and soothing words the man spoke to her with.

Slowly getting up, the former dark mage turned to face the Wizard Saint with tears leaking freely. Leah saw this and frowned, but gasped lightly as she was quickly pulled into Mikoto's arms and watched the display from her mother's embrace.

Meanwhile, Ultear continued looking at the blonde with a longing glance and upon his nod; she hastily crashed into his chest, while the tears continued trickling from her eyes. In the momentum, she wrapped her arms around his waist and pushed herself further into the embrace, not willing to let him go right now. She needed him. She needed his comfort, his warmth. She needed to hear his voice.

"Shh… it's all right. Let it all go. It'll be all right." Naruto said softly and felt the blackette cling onto him even tighter, causing him to rub her back in a soothing manner.

Watching on the scene, the ladies smiled softly, knowing Ultear was getting comfort from what she had to hear. Though they didn't like seeing the woman in their man's arms, they didn't have it in their hearts to say anything to her at the moment. Ultear needed this and they understood that.

Following suit, Erza waved her hands as a gesture for Gray to leave, causing the black haired mage to smile sadly before nodding in agreement. With that, the redhead smiled at the sight and continued watching the consoling of the former dark mage, who had now learned everything she knew was a lie.

In the momentum, Naruto gestured for his ladies to come close to him, which they did immediately. Holding each other's hands, Kushina and Haku placed their hands on their lover's shoulders, to which they all vanished in a flash of white. Appearing in the same flash, everyone arrived in the living room of the Uzumaki-Namikaze clan compound. Removing their hands, Kushina and Haku stepped away and faced the display of the former dark mage and their lover and could only look on intently.

Clinging onto the man, Ultear melted into his chest. "T-the doctor lied to my mother… she was betrayed. I was betrayed. Everything I thought once is totally wrong. I've done so many horrible things because of what I figured was the truth. I… I'm such a terrible person. I shouldn't deserve your kindness!" She explained in a broken tone, while her heart clenched in agony upon what she did in the past.

Smiling softly, Naruto rubbed the woman's back. "Yes you've done terrible things, but you've finally come clean and have been trying your level best to move on. Right now, you have all the knowledge which you need to take the next step. Now, the only question is… what is the next step?" He questioned as he kept in tune with his expression before sighing to himself.

Pushing every raging thought out her mind for her to remain in the man's arms, Ultear hesitantly separated from him with puffy cheeks. Just then; the blackette's heart pounded wildly into her chest as the blonde shinobi wiped the residual tears she had in her eyes. Holding the man's hand, she smiled with yearning in her eyes before completely separating.

Meanwhile, the ladies of the Wizard Saint said nothing about this intimate moment because they understood the woman's situation. They were going to accept it for now, but it wasn't something they'll allow to happen on a regular basis. Being familiar with the blackette was fine, however, seeing her being all close with their soon-to-be husband like that wasn't anything they were looking forward to.

Nodding gently, Ultear formed a small smile on her face. "I lost my way in the past and I've done absolutely horrid things to mask my pain. I've already told everyone that I'm going to change and I have been doing that in Edolas already. I'm not going to go back on my word after what just happened." She said with a serene expression and nodded once more before continuing, "I thought I did what was best and didn't look back. Now that I've finally seen the errors of my ways, I feel ashamed of myself. I'm not going to let my mother down and because she truly loved me and wanted for me to succeed in life, I'll show that I've changed. I am Ultear Milkovich, daughter of Ur. This is my new beginning."

As determination filled her eyes, Ultear felt as if she was reborn into the world. She had been changing ever since Naruto gave her a chance, but this moment, this very moment, she understood just how much she truly had changed. Right now, the blackette didn't care she was treated harshly by the White Dragon Slayer or his ladies for that matter. She realized they set her straight and their support meant more to her than anything. Those thoughts went double for Leah as Ultear had promised herself that no one would dare harm the child or Wendy for that matter. Those children were precious to her now.

At those words, Naruto's lips curled into a small smile. "You haven't lied and I don't need to use my senses to know that. You have changed Ultear and I'm happy for you. I believe you've already made your mother proud and the knowledge of what you're doing now should set her soul at peace." He explained gently and had his smile intact upon the woman looking at him with intense longing.

Upon seeing the nod aimed her way, Ultear slowly walked towards the blonde shinobi again, while she had an expression that held true peace. Quickly embracing the man, the blackette inhaled his scent before holding him close to her. This feeling she had for the Wizard Saint grew rapidly and though she knew what the ladies were going to think about this, she had to take the risk. She had to be in his arms.

On instant, the ladies of the White Dragon Slayer felt a little angry at the woman for clinging onto their future husband like a lifeline. However, upon further glancing at the display, they once again realized that she needed this comfort more than anything. Hesitantly giving, Naruto's future brides sighed deeply before smiling at their adorable little daughters, both of whom were happy for Ultear.

Meanwhile, Naruto looked at his girls from the corner of his eye. 'I see not one of you lashed out because of what Ultear-san's done here. Not that I wasn't expecting it, but it's truly wonderful you all understand her predicament. She does need this and I won't deny her either.' He thought to himself before smiling proudly at his family.

Breathing blissfully, Ultear subconsciously pecked Naruto's chest. 'You've given me more than I could have ever imagined, Naruto-kun. Your daughter is something very special to me and though her comfort is something I'll forever cherish, I can't help but want you too. Why my heart beats for you is something I don't understand right now, but what I do know is that you're all I need from this world, Naruto-kun.' She thought to herself with the utmost joy before melting into the warm embrace.

Moments later, the former dark mage closed her eyes as she drifted asleep since everything she had heard clearly was taxing on her mindset. Seeing the state of the woman in his arms, Naruto smiled and carried her bridal-style towards the sofa. Approaching the furniture, he laid the blackette on the comfortable leather before turning away to face his ladies.

"All right everyone, let's all go to the dining room area to talk." Naruto whispered, to which his family quickly nodded in agreement.

Entering the confines of the dining room, Naruto smiled. "Wendy-chan, Leah-chan. Why don't you two go upstairs and play for a bit while your mothers and I have a talk. We promise this won't take long so have fun playing. Take Carla with you because I know she'll enjoy your company." He explained kindly as he looked down at his two little daughters.

"Okay tou-chan!" Wendy chirped cheerfully as she dragged her little sister upstairs without hesitation, while Carla followed the duo instantly.

Smile intact, the blonde shinobi looked at the retreating figures before sitting down in one of the chairs, causing his future brides to do the same in their respective seats. Kushina at this time had placed silencing barriers around the dining room area, knowing they won't be overheard now. A moment in silence later, Naruto gestured for the women to begin the conversation, knowing they had something to say at the moment. With that, he crossed his arms before leaning back into his seat, awaiting the inevitable.

Nodding slowly, Kushina looked at her man. "Naru-kun, we know what happened to Ultear-chan isn't something you're happy with, but don't you think she's coming on a little too strongly? Don't get any of us wrong. We love how you've comforted her. It was definitely the right thing to do. However, I don't think she should get her hopes up for having a future with you. Don't you think so?" She expressed her concerns before leaning back into her seat.

Following suit, Haku cleared her throat before voicing out, "I'm not saying Kushina-chan is right or wrong on this matter. I believe Ultear-chan has proven herself quite nicely and we've all forgiven her for everything she's done in the past. Still, there's the fact that she's very fixated on you."

"This is something I've thought over and I have to agree with my sister-figures, Naru-kun. I don't hold it against Ultear-chan for her past actions. I'm fully aware of how she acts around you and though I've not given my concerns regarding this earlier, I think it's best if she knows about everything." Mirajane spoke wisely and ran a few fingers through her hair before smiling softly at her lover.

Nodding at the words being shared, Mikoto sighed deeply. "Naru-kun, none of us have a problem with Ultear-chan. It's not like we can't stand her presence, far from that. I know things have gotten a little hectic around here and due to the events that transpired in Edolas, this situation has gone this far." She reasoned in a polite manner and gestured for her redhead sister-figure to go next.

Looking intently at her future husband, Erza smiled gently. "You know how I felt about Ultear-san better than anyone, Naru-kun. My mindset still doesn't allow me to offer her with that honorific." She said lowly and took a deep breath before continuing, "I don't know. This is something I've never dealt with in the past and maybe we're all wrong in our assumptions. I see the way she looks at you when she's around you and that embrace is the reason for why we're even speaking about this in the first place. Even though everything has reached this point, I don't think Ultear-san should get her hopes up either."

With that, the ladies nodded to each other before turning towards their soon-to-be husband, who was currently taking everything into account. It was understandable, considering the fact this conversation is something very important and that's a fact. Giving him a moment to form a reply, they waited patiently and leaned into their seats, while wondering what he'll have to say in return.

"I know things have become strange ever since we stepped foot into Edolas." Naruto spoke gently as he broke the silence and scratched his chin before explaining, "Don't think I'm unaware of Ultear-san's advances. Trust me, I've known about it for far longer than anyone has. I didn't give her the comfort because it was a moment of sympathy or pity. I honestly believe she deserves a chance to at least be free to speak her mind or do what she wants. Erza-chan, even I'm not at the level of giving Ultear-san that honorific, but I'm done lashing out at her because she hasn't does anything to warrant such behavior. After everything she's gone through, she should at least be given a little respect."

Holding their heads lowly, the ladies nodded slowly, piecing the pieces of the information together. Of course they knew how gravely Ultear felt at the moment, which was why they didn't do anything about the embrace the woman gave their man, even though they wanted nothing more to break the action apart. Nodding their heads once more, they gestured for their lover to continue on with what he wanted to say, knowing he had something else to add to his speech.

Sighing deeply, Naruto nodded in return. "I'm sure you all know how greatly Leah-chan has grown attached to Ultear-san. Not only that, but Wendy-chan has also become close to her as well. You have to put everything into perspective, girls. In Ultear-san's current state of mind, how do you think she'll react after hearing what you all have to say? Now think what will Leah-chan do when she sees the person she so immensely comforted, broken down once more? Please reconsider your thoughts." He explained in a serious tone and closed his eyes with a small smile on his face.

Aching upon hearing those words, the ladies felt very bad about what they had said earlier. They hadn't even taken their daughters into account when they were speaking their mind. Knowing exactly how close their youngest daughter had become to Ultear, made them realize the full extent of their future husband's words. Nodding shamefully, they looked on sadly at their lover, while showing just how badly they felt for even saying such a thing about the woman.

"I gave Ultear-san a chance to redeem herself and she's done wonderfully so far. She has exceeded all of my expectations and your forgiveness towards her, gave her something she never had before. She really admires all of you and hearing this will totally shatter her spirits. When I heard everything that Gray had to say, part of me believed Ultear-san was going to turn back into her old self." Naruto explained seriously and looked intensely at his future brides before proceeding, "However, she did nothing of the sort. Instead of lashing out, she simply asked if what she heard was the truth because her past self has completely left her system. I've watched her closely and I know for a fact she's changed."

"Her previous Guild Master is devising a plan to eliminate her, she has people after her life, potentially a whole guild. Someone she considered a daughter played her like a fool. When Ultear-san came here, she had nothing but a single thought to change herself. She even told Erza-chan the truth about Jellal and the Tower of Heaven, something not even I expected. She has come a very long way and I'm not sure this course of action is right. At this very moment, our little family is all she has and if she hears anything about not getting her spirits up, she won't have anything left." Naruto concluded as he kept in tune with his serious expression before leaning back into his seat.

Shamefully looking down at the ground, the ladies of the White Dragon Slayer cursed themselves for even bringing up such a horrid topic in the first place. They had never thought this through and they realized that now. After running through everything once more, they felt pain in their heart, not knowing what else to do. They felt horrible right now, knowing Ultear was sleeping and was in such a vulnerable state. They couldn't do this to her. It wasn't in them to do such a thing.

Clenching her fists, Erza sighed gravely. "I'm sorry, Naru-kun. None of us should have said anything. Please forgive us for not taking all of these points into account. I hope you're not mad at us." She voiced out sadly, to which her sister-figures nodded lowly with the same sad expressions.

Chuckling lightly, Naruto shook his head. "I can never get mad at my beautiful soon-to-be wives. You all have the right to speak your mind, always remember that. As the mothers of my future children, I want each one of you to have a say in household matters, and it's my job to listen." He said warmly and his smile remained intact at the loving expressions on his ladies' faces upon hearing this.

Slowly getting up from their seats, the women quickly approached their future husband and took turns kissing him with the most passion they could offer him. It was unbelievable of how he made them feel, knowing they were so happy with him. He gave them everything they could ever hope for and more, all because he wanted them to be content with their lives.

"I love you Naru-kun. All of us do and we'll do our best to give Ultear-chan a chance. I'm not sure where this will lead in the future, but at the very least my sister-figures and I can allow her this opportunity. Knowing this will be hard understanding at first, we promise to be patient." Mikoto spoke out in the utmost determination laced in her voice, to which her sister-figures nodded firmly.

Smiling in return, Naruto nodded his head before saying, "That's all I ask for. Now my beautiful wives, let's check up on our daughters."

With that, the ladies smiled radiantly at their man and beamed at the mention of their daughters. With a nod to match his, they began walking towards the living room area and sighed at the sight of Ultear sleeping soundly on the sofa. Not saying another word, they headed towards the staircase, where their lover was patiently waiting for their arrival. Following suit, they began walking upstairs and chuckled to themselves upon hearing the joyous chatters of their children.

---

(With Jiraiya and Gildarts)

---

"We're here in Hotu Town, Jiraiya-san. What's the reason for us coming here, when we could have spent the night at the Delilah Town hotel we were residing in? I thought Katsya wanted to meet tomorrow evening and that could have worked out if we arrived here in the morning." Gildarts reasoned in a curious tone, wondering what was going on with his partner.

Nodding, Jiraiya formed a smile on his face. "I understand your concerns, Gildarts-san. However, meeting that woman isn't the only reason for why we're here." He spoke in a serious tone and eyed the man intently before explaining, "I wish to meet up with Tatsuma-san, knowing he'll want to know how Leah-chan is doing with her new family. I remember Naruto-kun telling me that he didn't have his details, so he asked if I could get it for him. I'm sure it won't take too long."

Smiling widely in return, Gildarts nodded in absolute approval. He recollected the time when Naruto explained how Tatsuma, the client of Hotu Town brought Leah over to the household a while back. Knowing the man did a lot, it made sense for the toad sage to want to get the details for the Communications Lacrima. After all, it would make Tatsuma very happy, knowing Leah was doing so well off in her new life with her loving and nurturing family.

With another nod, the duo dashed forward towards the client office, where Tatsuma would be currently present. A moment into their speedy take off, they smiled as they approached their designated location and quickly made their way inside the structure. Following suit, they turned towards the receptionist at the corner of the building and walked towards her with a smile on their face.

"Hello there. We wish to meet Tatsuma-san. It's a very important matter." Gildarts said seriously and looked intently at the female receptionist.

Going wide-eyed, the woman nodded and stepped out of her workstation. With that, she quickly gestured for the two men to follow her, which they did without hesitation. In the momentum, the woman led the duo towards an office at the corner of the main floor and smiled, showing this was the office of the client they were looking for.

"Tatsuma-san isn't busy at the moment so you'll have all the time you need to meet up with him. I'm going to be getting back to my work now. I hope the meeting goes well for you gentlemen." The woman voiced out warmly and waved at the two men before walking away from the sight.

Not wasting another second, the duo knocked on the door and stepped inside upon hearing the invitation to enter. In the confines of the office, Gildarts and Jiraiya looked intently as they saw the man they were hoping to meet. By the description given to him by Naruto, the toad sage immediately recognized the person and it was Tatsuma without a doubt.

Clearing his throat, Tatsuma eyed the duo. "So what can I do for you two this fine day? I've not sent any requests lately so I can only assume you're here for another purpose. Please take a seat." He said with a kind voice before sitting down in his office chair.

With that, Jiraiya sat down. "Tatsuma-san, we're here to inform you about Leah-chan." He replied calmly and noticed the man instantly getting serious in return.

"Tell me, is she all right? I didn't hear from her for a while and I was getting anxious." Tatsuma answered in a low tone with his expression still serious.

"Don't worry about a thing, Tatsuma-san." Gildarts voiced out with the utmost warmth in his voice and sat down before continuing, "Leah-chan has gotten very well accustomed to her new life in Magnolia Town. Naruto-kun rightfully took the role as her father and his women are his mothers. Not only that, but Leah-chan has a big sister as well now."

"Naruto-kun has given her everything she needs and he's sorry he couldn't get a hold of you earlier, but he didn't have details to contact you. We were hoping you could give it to us." Jiraiya finished on for his fellow teammate with a hopeful look on his face.

Growing silent, Tatsuma let out a few tears, understanding the situation completely. Leah was someone he considered precious, which his wife did as well, but after not hearing from the child for a long time, he didn't know what to do. Wiping away his tears, he quickly wrote down his details on a piece of paper before handing it over to Gildarts, who took it with a grateful smile.

Smiling softly, the townsperson leaned back into his seat. "At first, I wanted to go to Magnolia Town to check up on Leah-chan. It was because of my wife that I held back, but we still wanted to see how she was doing. I was also unaware Naruto-san didn't have my details." He said tenderly and had his smile intact before continuing, "I'm so thankful to Naruto-san for becoming Leah-chan's father. Not only that, but she also has mothers that care for her, along with an elder sibling. She finally has a loving family and that's exactly what she needs, after what she went through in the past. Thank you so much for coming here gentlemen, because this news is a heavy load off my back. You both have my sincerest gratitude."

Waving the man off, the Fairy Tail mages smiled brightly at the words being shared. To know Tatsuma cared so much about Leah made them happy indeed. With their smiles intact, they saw the client of Hotu Town breathe peacefully at what he had just head, knowing it was a lot to take in during such a short amount of time.

With that, the duo rose from their seats. "We'll be taking off now Tatsuma-san, since we still other matters to deal with. I'll hand over your details to Naruto-kun so he may contact you at his leisure. I'm sure he'll be pleased." Jiraiya explained with his voice laced in gentleness, while his partner nodded in agreement.

"I understand. Take care and once again, thank you for taking the time to meet with me." Tatsuma said warmly and got up from his seat before extending his right hand.

Smiling, the two mages took turns shaking the man's hand without a second thought. Following suit, they waved at the client before stepping away from the confines of the office, leaving behind a radiantly smiling townsperson in the background.

In the momentum, Jiraiya and Gildarts quickly made their way outside the building and smiled at the events transpired. The former Ace was glad his partner decided to get here early because he was proud of the decision indeed. With a nod, the duo continued their journey towards the town square before going wide-eyed at a certain person standing by the terminal area. It was Katsya.

"What's she doing here?" Gildarts asked in confusion and turned towards his teammate, who was currently shaking his head.

Not wasting a second longer, the duo quickly rushed towards the female, wanting to know more about this sudden development. The woman's appearance so soon didn't add up at all, recalling how she wanted to meet up with them two days from now. In return, Katsya saw the two men and sighed deeply before standing her ground, knowing this was going to be a very taxing conversation.

Sighing once more, Katsya nodded. "I can see you're wondering why I'm here, when I specifically told you two that I'll be present at this town in a couple more days. Follow me and I'll tell you." She stated seriously and dashed towards a residential area, with the two men right behind her.

In the momentum, the woman approached several houses in the vicinity before narrowing her eyes as she made an immediate halt. With that, she unlocked the main door and stepped inside, while gesturing for the duo to do the same, which they did instantly. Entering the living room area, Katsya sat down on one of the couches and waited for the two men to seat themselves.

Following suit, Katsya cleared her throat. "Now that we're away from prying eyes, I can tell you what you need to know. I just arrived in Hotu Town and it's a good thing you're here too." She spoke out in a serious tone and looked at the men intently before continuing, "What I'm going to say isn't a light matter so listen very carefully. The reason why I was so uptight about what happened the first time we met was for good reason. Those people following me were from my coven and they've been doing this because I've left that horrible place for good. They want to end my life now."

Growing interested, Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "Coven?" He asked in bewilderment, not knowing what more to say at this point.

"Yes, coven. What I am will definitely shock you, which is why I'll be blunt. I'm a vampire." Katsya answered matter-of-factly and quickly displayed her long fangs before waiting patiently for the reaction.

In return, the two mages went wide-eyed at the turn of events. Jiraiya searched through the woman's expressions and hummed to himself as the female wasn't telling any lies and that was a fact. Well the sight of the woman's fangs helped out too, but that was beside the point. Whispering this into his teammate's ear, he leaned back into his seat before sighing deeply, which was the same thing his fellow mage did. They certainly weren't expecting to hear this of all things.

With that, Gildarts nodded his head. "Okay, both of us know you're telling the truth about your identity and honestly we don't care if you're a vampire. What we need to know is why you betrayed your coven, if it's the place you were a member of? Why'd you become a part of that place anyway?" He asked suspiciously and narrowed his eyes at the female vampire.

Breathing in relief, Katsya bowed politely. "Thank you for not being judgmental about what I am because I'm sure it's something not a lot of people can accept. The reason for me betraying my coven is a very grave matter, but I promised to tell you everything, so I'll start from the beginning." She voiced out seriously and took a deep sigh before explaining, "My coven is run by Draco, who is the leader of my kind. He's a dangerous personality and I'll get to his details after I get through with everything else about the place. Within the confines of the coven, there are two captains, Dragomir and Jaroslav, who are the trusty subordinates of that tyrant. Below them are the remaining members, all of whom act as puppets that are made to serve Draco without hesitation. I was turned into a vampire around 25 years ago and was also considered as one of the puppets. Like many others of that horrendous group, my history isn't pretty."

"Draco was born with a defect around 100 years ago. His blood wasn't like that of the others of his family and was at birth, gravely ill. His family sought out a doctor, but it turned out that the doctor they hired worked for a Dark Guild. With that, he was experimented on ruthlessly. Whatever happened in those experiments caused that man to change completely because he was given another chance at a new life. But not as a human, but a vampire. What that Dark Guild wanted to do was to create a loyal soldier, but they hadn't taken into account of their specimen's interests. Breaking free, he ran out of the area with a new will of living and took a turn for the worst. With his newly formulated powers, he began turning people into vampires and started things off with his own family. This is everything I know about Draco, which I got from overhearing him speak to his trusted captains. I wasn't part of their trusted inner circle so I ran out when things went too far." Katsya continued on with her explanation before tears started rolling down her cheeks.

Letting everything sink in, the Fairy Tail duo were shocked with this knowledge. However, they understood things were far more complicated than it appeared to be. Seeing the tears on the woman's face showed this clearly and they waited patiently for her to proceed with her talk. They simply wondered what happened which caused this female to run out of her former group.

Taking a few deep breaths, Katsya nodded. "The captains are two people I'm unsure of at the moment. Other than the fact that those two are the leader's brothers, I don't have much on them. They weren't present for a majority of the time. That and those two didn't trust me with any personal matters. They simply considered me to be breeding stock material." She spoke shakily with more tears trickling down her cheeks before proceeding, "I was gifted with the power of Runes Magic, which allowed me to prevent those monsters from taking advantage of my body. After learning how they were working for a way to remove my seals, they approached me and told me that each male vampire of the coven will enjoy relieving themselves through me. The leader officially announced this as well, and I didn't know what else to do then."

Listening fixedly, the two mages gritted their teeth with expressions of anger and equal frustration etched to their features. Both of them despised rapists and those captains were trash and that was a fact. However, they sighed in relief learning how Katsya saved herself with her magical prowess. Now they understood why the woman was speaking in such a serious manner.

Seeing the reaction, Katsya smiled softly because she was happy these two men understood the situation. Though she didn't really trust men, due to what she knew from her former coven members, she felt nothing bad from these two. This was a strange development; however, she didn't want to question it. She was finally telling someone about her past.

Katsya then looked at the duo intently before concluding, "After that episode, I knew I couldn't stay there any longer. Since I knew they would be after me, I used my powers to eliminate every member of the coven, but I couldn't deal with the captains because they were too strong for me to handle. I've killed off 35 people from their and only 3 remain, the two captains and the leader himself. Now, they're furious and knew I was the one to kill off the coven members, which is why they're targeting me with such fervor. Along with that, they most likely fear that I'll give away their secrets to an outside source. I've done that and I don't care. I just want them out of my life for good and that's why I'm here present in front of you two."

Nodding slowly, the two Fairy Tail mages took everything into consideration. Playing the words in a loop, along with the previous dosage of conversation, they realized things seemed pretty bad for the woman. Pretty bad was putting things lightly, knowing exactly how the female was feeling, understanding she had to kill several members of her former coven.

"You've escaped from that place and that's good. I can't blame you for what you did because it was something you thought was right. Can you give us some other information regarding the whereabouts of this coven you've mentioned? Jiraiya-san and I would like to investigate and hopefully, we'll help take care of those three fools. If you're willing to accept help, that is." Gildarts explained in a sagely tone and nodded to himself at his encouraging words.

Going wide-eyed, Katsya gasped loudly. "B-but why would you want to help me!?" She asked in shock, wondering what the deal was with these men.

Gildarts simply smirked widely. "Well we're not going to let someone like your former leader kill others just to get to you. We'll take the fight to him." He replied matter-of-factly and had his smirk intact before continuing, "My partner and I will be more than enough to deal with those pests. Trust me; we're capable for this task. Just let us in on the details of where those people are and I give you my word that you'll never have to worry about them again."

Chuckling, Jiraiya nodded in approval because he felt the exact same way. Knowing how the spy network was going, a small break from the routine Dark Guild checkups sounded good. Since this was related to some disaster in the making, due to how the leader of the coven destroyed the town they saw earlier, it was pretty obvious the man had to be stopped.

"I… I see. For some reason, I feel as if I can trust you two. I'm very thankful for your cooperation. For the whereabouts of the coven, the leader usually changes locations every two weeks. It'll take me a while to find the location of the current hideout, but I'll have it tracked. Do you have a Communications Lacrima by any chance, so I can contact you upon finding out more?" Katsya voiced out with a small smile on her face as she eyed the duo intently before continuing, "I hope you can understand why I'm not too trusting because I've just given you this information. Trust is something I take very seriously and I know my previous situation made things difficult for my mindset. I'll be leaving this place and I only rented it out until the end of the week so I'm going to be traveling in search of the location. If you can provide me your details, I'll contact you just as soon as I'll find something. Is that all right?"

Turning towards each other, Gildarts and Jiraiya shared a knowing look, letting everything sink in once more. This entire conversation had indeed been taxing, but it was highly interesting to say the least. Nodding, Gildarts wrote his contact details on a sheet of paper and then handed it over to Katsya, who smiled as she graciously placed the paper into her pocket.

"Soooo…. you're a vampire, huh?" Jiraiya asked with a perverted giggle escaping his lips as he eyed the woman with calculation before proceeding, "You must be a good sucker."

Following suit, Gildarts smacked his forehead in frustration. 'Just when you were doing so well, Jiraiya-san. Where does that sudden charge of perverseness come from anyway?' He thought to himself, mentally knowing where this was leading.

Meanwhile, Katsya's hair shadowed her face, while her aura began darkening immediately, causing Jiraiya to tense while Gildarts remained unfazed. As those words played in a loop, she stepped forward while lacing her fist with Runes Magic before smashing the toad sage in the face, sending him crashing against the sofa, which broke upon contact.

Huffing angrily, Katsya lowered her fist and breathed heavily. "PERVERT!" She screamed in fury as she eyed the fallen figure of the toad sage, wondering why the man spoke to her like that.

In return, Gildarts grinned widely. 'That was a nice hit! Mmm, I think I'm taking a liking to this girl.' The Crash Magic user thought in amusement as he looked between said girl and his partner.

Groggily getting up, Jiraiya chuckled in amusement as there were no scars from the attack, making Katsya step back with a look of fear. The female vampire had never seen a person get up from her punch like that before and the sight was pretty much scaring her. What an insane healing factor!

"I was just trying to lighten up the mood, Katsya-san." Jiraiya said with a smirk on his face and chuckled at the look of disbelief on the female's face before explaining, "I know how serious this matter is and don't worry about your former coven members. After you find the location, we'll investigate and trust me when I say, we will kill them. They've already caused a lot of harm to so many people already and I for one am not going to take that lying down. Thanks for entrusting us with this information."

Still looking on in disbelief, Katsya could only nod dumbly, but mentally thanked the man for steering her mind away from her horrid thoughts. Though the route the toad sage took to do it was highly unethical in her opinion, she didn't really take it to heart like she should have. Now seeing the determined duo wanting to help her from those monsters, gave her something to look forward to.

'Maybe I won't have to continue running away from the coven. I might finally get a chance to settle down in a nice place and live a life of my own without the fear of running.' Katsya thought to herself gently and smiled tearfully at her thought process.

Brushing off those thoughts, the female vampire bowed her head. "Thank you so much for your support and though I know it'll be difficult for anyone to defeat the leader, I'm hoping you'll be the ones to do it. Once again, I'll inform you should I discover anything else. Thanks for helping me through this. I'm eternally grateful." She voiced out with the utmost kindness in her voice before bowing once more.

Waving the woman off in return, the duo smiled widely. "It's no problem Katsya-san, it's the least we can do. We'll be expecting your call and please take care of yourself." Gildarts said warmly, to which his friend nodded in maximum approval.

With that, the two mages headed towards the exit, while Katsya smiled at their retreating figures and felt very happy at the knowledge these men were going to help her. After what felt like ages, the female vampire knew she could finally get some peace and live a future without fearing the past. Breathing peacefully, she sat back on the sofa and hummed to herself, knowing things were finally looking up.

Outside, Jiraiya smiled at his surroundings. "Well it seems my intuition for coming here early turned out to be the best decision after all, huh?" He asked cheekily and smirked at his groaning teammate before proceeding, "I'm sure Katsya-san will be all right and though I would have offered for her to stay under our protection, it's common sense to realize she doesn't trust people so easily. For now, it's best if we give her some space to deal with everything so she learns to trust others again."

Sighing sadly, Gildarts nodded his head. "You're exactly right, Jiraiya-san. What she had to go through wasn't easy. In time, she'll outgrow this vulnerability and understand that there are good people out there that can treat her fairly. She needs this more than anything." He explained gently and shook his head at the recollection of the woman's past history.

Raising an eyebrow, Jiraiya giggled perversely before asking, "Someone has a crush hmmm?"

"B-baka, shut up!" Gildarts yelled in embarrassment, while mentally cussing himself, knowing what was to come next.

"Oh look at that! Is that a blush I see? How cute." Jiraiya said in high amusement, feeling proud of himself at these turn of events.

With that, Gildarts turned around. "Let's just leave, Jiraiya-san. We don't have time for this." He grumbled annoyingly before walking away from the sight.

---

(At the Uzumaki-Namikaze compound)

---

After playing with their daughters, Naruto and his ladies brought them back downstairs, where they were currently sitting in the dining room area, along with Carla, who had pretty much enjoyed spending her time with the cheerful children upstairs.

Completely famished from the eventful day, the Wizard Saint had his shadow clones working on dinner, which his family were very looking forward to. Chuckling as the two little girls pouted cutely in their waiting, their parents looked on in pride and warmth.

"Here you are everyone!" The two replicas of the White Dragon Slayer chorused loudly as they set down the plates of the breathtaking dinner.

With that, the clones quickly served the group with the warm meal, while the group in question grinned widely and looked eagerly in devouring the wonderful aroma emitting food. Seconds later, the replicas dispelling themselves upon the fulfillment of their task, causing everyone to dig in instantly without hesitation. Smiling at their two beautiful daughters and future husband, the ladies continued eating their dinner and were so glad they were given this wonderful family.

Even though Carla hadn't eaten much home-cooked meals during her time in Earthland, she was very awestruck at how great Naruto was at cooking. It wasn't because she was intrigued by his talent in the art of food, but rather, it was unnatural that a man indulged in cooking since most of them would simply dart away at the mere mention.

Sighing in content, Naruto leaned back into his seat. "Now that was a great meal." He said, to which his family could only nod swiftly in agreement.

Creating another shadow clone, the blonde shinobi gave him the orders of cleaning up the table and the replica did so without a second thought. Following suit, the Uzumaki-Namikaze family rose from their seats before walking towards the living room area, where Ultear was still sleeping soundly with a serene smile etched to her features. Smiling at the woman in return, Leah patted her shoulder gently, while her parents and big sister looked on warmly at the sight of the child's peaceful nature.

"Leah-chan, I think you should give Ultear-chan a little time to sleep, hmm?" Mirajane whispered with a soft expression before smiling as the little brunette nodded slowly.

Nodding to each other, Naruto and his family headed towards the training ground area and sighed blissfully at the gentle breeze that blew upon their arrival outside. Sitting down, they began chatting with one another instantly and knew things were going very smoothly to say the least. A moment later, everyone's eyes narrowed as they faced the blonde shinobi, who felt a pulse from one of his Hiraishin kunai. Gesturing for the man to tell them what happened, the ladies awaited the explanation, while their daughters were looking on in confusion.

Sighing deeply, Naruto nodded his head. "I just got a pulse reading from Jiraiya-sensei's kunai. This must be something important or he would have never called me in the first place." He spoke out sadly since he knew he wanted nothing more than to spend time with his family.

In return, the ladies sighed as well, knowing the toad sage wouldn't call their man so suddenly if it wasn't important, but they were just having a warm family conversation and didn't want it to end so abruptly. However, they did understand the seriousness of the situation and simply nodded, while their daughters frowned at the words being shared.

"I'll be back as soon as I get free from whatever's going on. In the meantime, I want you all to be present near Ultear-san in the case she gets up from her slumber. If she asks, I want you to tell her that I'm gone on a mission and will return later. Don't worry because I'll be back before you know it." Naruto explained in a sagely tone and smiled at his perfect little family.

Following suit, Wendy and Leah quickly clung onto their father and hugged him tightly before smiling as he kissed the top of their heads. With that, they were slowly lowered to the ground and watched their mothers taking turns kissing their father lovingly. Smiling at their wonderful parents, the little girls were happy at this moment, knowing these amazing people were so proud of them.

"See you later you guys!" Naruto called out before vanishing in a flash of white, while his family waved warmly at his retreating figure.

Turning around slowly, Erza smiled at her daughters. "Okay you two, what's on the schedule now?" She asked with a chuckle escaping her lips upon the sight of the duo beaming brightly.

Nodding, Leah jumped up and down in excitement. "Let's play!" She chirped and quickly steadied herself before yelling "Try and catch me!"

With that, the little brunette stuck out her tongue cutely and ran in blazing speeds into the distance, while her laughter was heard all across the training ground area. Giggling angelically at the highly energetic child, the ladies of the Wizard Saint smiled at their adorable little daughter. Wendy formed a smirk on her face and took off as well before approaching her little sister, who smiled widely.

Following suit, the two children grinned. "Catch us if you can, kaa-chans!" They shouted harmonically with their grins widening, while holding up their hands in a 'bring it' motion.

In return, the ladies steadied themselves. "Here we come you little munchkins!" They yelled out with the utmost love in their voice before darting towards the duo with motherly smiles on their faces.

At the sight, Leah and Wendy giggled cutely and began running away from their approaching mothers, while Carla smiled above them as she hovered in the air. Kushina and Mikoto smirked and arrived in front of the two children in a cloud of smoke, causing them to run in the other direction. Seeing their plans come to fruition, Erza, Mirajane, and Haku quickly ran towards the two girls and grabbed them in their arms. Following suit, the daughters of the White Dragon Slayer were hastily laid on the ground, where they immediately began rolling around on the soft grass.

"Kaa-chans, come on!" The duo spoke out within giggles as they continued rolling on the grass, causing their mothers to giggle along with them.

Nodding, the ladies quickly laid down and started rolling around on the grass as well, while their maternal instincts were satisfied completely at the action. Laughing warmly, the ladies were beyond happy at seeing their daughters enjoying themselves so much, while the daughters in question were simply having a great time playing with their mothers.

It was a fine afternoon at the compound indeed.

---

(With Naruto)

---

In a flash of white, the Wizard Saint arrived to the scene. "So what's this about, Jiraiya-sensei?" He asked out loud and smiled as he glanced at his surroundings before continuing, "I see you've summoned me within the confines of Hotu Town. From this I can only assume you've asked Tatsuma-san for his contact details for the Communications Lacrima, correct?"

Smiling in return, Gildarts and Jiraiya nodded their heads in the affirmative. "That's correct, Naruto-kun. We spoke to Tatsuma-san earlier and though I felt just calling you about it would have sufficed, I figured you would have wanted to meet him in person. He was very relieved upon hearing Leah-chan's new found life at the compound and I could tell he also wanted to meet you. Should we get going?" Jiraiya answered kindly as he looked at his former apprentice with a proud expression.

Naruto didn't even need to answer as he simply nodded, giving the duo the answer they needed. With that, the trio quickly took off in the direction of the town square office before entering the confines of the building. Waving at the receptionist, Naruto trailed towards Tatsuma's office, while the receptionist smiled at the trio before signaling them to go on ahead.

Following suit, the mages walked in the hallway and approached the office of the client, to which the blonde shinobi knocked on the door. Upon hearing the invitation from inside the structure, Naruto opened the door before stepping inside with a warm smile on his face. Getting up from his seat, Tatsuma looked at the newcomers and quickly rushed towards them instantly.

"Naruto-san! It's very good to see you again after such a long time." Tatsuma spoke gently and hugged the man before continuing, "I can't thank you enough for taking care of Leah-chan. She's such a peaceful child and knowing how well established she is in her new life, has given me an immense level of comfort. Your friends arrived here earlier for my details and I can only assume they told you about it since you're now here in Hotu Town. Thank you for meeting up with me. It means a lot."

Smiling as the townsperson separated, Naruto nodded his head. "There's no need for thanks, Tatsuma-san. You already know how greatly I felt for Leah-chan in the past and now, she has become my adorable little daughter. She has become the little pride and joy of my family, and I'll make sure she never has a moment of displeasure in her life ever again. I see you understood why I couldn't get a hold of you earlier. Things got busy around my household, which is the reason for me not arriving here sooner." He explained in a sagely tone and had his smile intact at the sight of the man.

Looking intently at the blonde shinobi, Tatsuma formed a serene expression before replying, "Becoming a parent has suited you well and that's putting things lightly, Naruto-san. Congratulations on taking on the role by the way. The fact Leah-chan now has a family that cares for her so much, makes everything easier. Though I'm a little saddened I couldn't be the one to offer her with that, I know she's very happy and that's all I needed to know. Thank you so much once again because you've set my mind at rest."

On the sidelines, Jiraiya and Gildarts were grinning at the words being shared. Both of them knew full well how well Leah adapted into her new life because she was a very gentle little girl, who was so beautiful and caring towards her family. It was a little saddening they couldn't spend more time with the child because they had been on the spy network missions for so long, but they looked forward to meeting her again when they finally got free from their work.

Meanwhile, Naruto smiled softly. "You're very welcome, Tatsuma-san. I'm pleased you think so highly of myself, it means a lot. I agree with what you said. At the end of the day, the only thing I look forward to is Leah-chan's happiness and it's satisfying knowing she's happy with my family." He said, to which the townsperson nodded in agreement.

Just then; Tatsuma's eyes widened. "Oh and isn't 2 days from now t-" He couldn't even finish his sentence as the White Dragon Slayer raised his hand up.

With that, Naruto leaned towards the townsperson before whispering something into his ear, while his fellow mages raised an eyebrow at the display. Upon separating, Tatsuma had a shark eating grin on his face because what he heard, knowing he appreciated those words highly. Nodding, the Hotu Town citizen gave the mental decision of the approval he wanted to give, causing the Wizard Saint to nod with a warm smile on his face.

"We'll be taking off now, Tatsuma-san. It was nice seeing you again. Take care." Naruto said kindly as he looked at the man intently before bowing his head slightly.

Smiling, Tatsuma took a deep breath before replying, "Likewise, Naruto-san. Have a safe journey."

Naruto waved at the man and turned towards the exit, where Gildarts and Jiraiya were currently standing. Following suit, he saw the two looking at him strangely, causing him to chuckle as he knew what this was about. Simply gesturing for the duo to follow his movement, he waved at Tatsuma a final time before quickly rushing out the door. A moment later, the blonde shinobi arrived outside the main building and nodded as his fellow mages made their way towards him.

"All right, there's something you need to know." Naruto spoke calmly and stepped close to the duo before whispering what he had to say regarding the matter.

Going wide-eyed, the two mages stepped back with a grin a moment later. "I totally forgot about that! Thanks for reminding the both of us otouto and yes, it'll be done. After contacting Laxus tonight, I'll also let him in on this knowledge because I'm sure he'll want to be informed as well." Gildarts said warmly and leaned back with crossed arms, while Jiraiya smirked in agreement.

'While I wanted to show Gildarts nii-san and Jiraiya-sensei the video recording I made in Edolas, it's best if Laxus is there as well because that'll make the whole scene more humorous.' Naruto thought to himself and shook his head before chuckling lightly to his plans.

With that, Naruto took a deep breath. "There's something else you need to know. Recently, Magnolia Town was sucked into a portal and we were all sent into our parallel world, Edolas." He stated plainly and looked at the gasping duo fixedly before giving the account of everything that went down.

Listening carefully, the two mages could only nod dumbly, knowing this was a lot to take in since the information of the Anima and its counter-measure, the Reverse Anima was very interesting to say the least. Mystogan, their fellow Fairy Tail member was actually the Prince of Edolas and that knowledge did throw them for a loop, but upon realizing the man's sacrifice to keep everyone of the Guild and the populace of Magnolia Town safe from harm, they smiled softly.

Taking everything into account once more, Jiraiya and Gildarts sighed deeply and mentally wished their fellow Fairy Tail member the best. Mystogan was like family and his sacrifice was something they'll always remember for all times and that's a fact.

"I'm glad everyone at the Guild is all right, Naruto-kun. Though we never expected this information, it's good to know Magnolia Town is back its original and lively state. Thanks for letting us know and both of us will contact Master and inform him that we're aware of what happened also." Jiraiya replied with a smile on his face as he eyed his former student intently before continuing, "We'll be heading out now because we have some routine patrolling to do. We'll contact you soon so we can deal with what we discussed earlier. Take care and hopefully, the both of us will see you before you know it."

With that, Naruto nodded with a smile of his own before meeting both the men in for a firm handshake to conclude the meeting. Soon after, he waved at them with his smile intact before vanishing in a flash of white, while the two males nodded to each other and took off into the distance.

---

(20 minutes earlier: At the clan compound)

---

"I wonder why Gildarts-san and Jiraiya-san called over Naru-kun so suddenly." Haku voiced out as she entered the main floor of the compound upon finishing up playing with her daughters.

Shaking their heads in return, the remaining ladies of the White Dragon Slayer didn't know what was going on, but knew they'll get some answers sooner or later. Stepping into the living room area, they saw the still sleeping Ultear and sighed sadly, knowing the woman had quite the confrontation earlier.

With that, they walked towards the dining room area and nodded to each other as they sat down in their individual chairs near the large table. Smiling into momentary silence, they sighed contently before tuning into the joyous chatters of their daughters outside in the training ground.

Smile intact Erza breathed in peacefully. "Playing outside with our little girls made me very happy and I'm relieved those two had so much fun. They need a good childhood and that's exactly what they'll receive from us because just like our loving husband, I want our daughters to be truly happy." She said with her smile intact and nodded to herself at her words.

"It does take me back when I was a little girl, but I'll make sure our daughters have the best time of their life in our little family. After all, our beautiful children need to enjoy themselves and I'm so pleased they care so much about each other." Mirajane added her input into the conversation with a motherly expression on her face.

Grinning widely, Mikoto nodded. "Well those two are our little balls of sunshine. They are just so adorable for words and they have given us such warmth. I'm proud to be their mother." She spoke out in a tone laced in nothing but adoration and truth.

Following suit, the ladies nodded to each other with a warm smile, knowing their lives were so perfect that it knew no limits. However, this new formulated perfect life of theirs was only because of one special person, who they loved so very much. Just the thought process made them smile, understanding how much the blonde shinobi loved them in return.

"I just can't wait for Naru-kun to marry me! It's going to be so wonderful. I just know it!" Haku squealed in glee, wondering when this magical time would arrive.

In the momentum, Kushina blushed heavily before saying, "I can't wait for that moment either Haku-chan, but I'm just thinking about the honeymoon Naru-kun will provide us with after the marriage."

Blushing beet red in return, the remaining ladies began daydreaming about the whole deal, while holding in the urge to call Naruto back right now so each of them could take their respective turns giving him a honeymoon of their own. Coughing loudly, the women looked away and shook their heads at the simultaneous thoughts they had in their heads of the blonde shinobi taking care of them.

Meanwhile inside the living room, Ultear rubbed her eyes. "N-Naruto-kun?" She whispered softly as she woke up from her sleep, while feeling warm at the mere thought of the man.

In return, the ladies heard the voice immediately and smacked their foreheads before chuckling sheepishly, realizing their coughing gave way for the former dark mage awaking from her sleep. Quickly stepping into the living room, they saw Ultear getting up from her comfortable position on the sofa and smiled at the sight, knowing the woman went through a lot in such a short amount of time.

"Are you feeling better now, Ultear-chan?" Haku asked as she looked at the blackette intently before handing her a glass of water that was on the table.

Smiling, Ultear nodded her head. "I'm feeling much better, Haku-chan. Thanks for your concern." She answered with sincerity and then gulped down the drink.

Upon hearing those words, the ladies of the Wizard Saint sighed in relief, but were more relieved, knowing the woman just woke up. That recent conversation of theirs wasn't something they wanted anyone to overhear so that was a good thing in their opinion.

"It's just I thought my mother abandoned me in the past, which caused me to become what I once was." Ultear spoke out in the silence with a grave tone and sighed painfully before continuing, "I never realized my own mother was lied to, by that monster of a doctor. Somewhere in my heart, I always knew my mother didn't abandon me, but I pushed those thoughts to the side and simply took the easy route out. I've done so much horrors in the past that may haunt me forever because this new information shook me to the core."

Sighing sadly, the ladies nodded slowly, understanding the blackette was feeling very vulnerable right now, but they didn't know how to help her through this. Just then, they looked on as the female formed a smile on her face, causing them to lose that feeling of uncertainty immediately.

"However, you've all given me a chance and I'll forever be grateful for that. I've never been treated so kindly before and this is all I have going for me at the moment. I'm not wasting my chance, knowing what I'm doing now, might actually make my kaa-san proud of me. I'm not going to let my past actions get the better of me any longer because I have so much to look forward to now." Ultear concluded with the utmost determination laced in her voice and smiled tearfully in the momentum.

Taking a glance outside, the former dark mage heard the joyous chatters of the two little girls, making her feel warm in return. Leah gave her something she never had in her life and that was a fact, which was the same case for Wendy, who was also very kind towards her. With that, she got up and smiled as she began walking towards the training ground area, knowing she definitely would good for her word.

Meanwhile, the ladies of the White Dragon Slayer said nothing, but looked on intently at the retreating blackette, while the words she spoke out just now started playing in a loop in their heads. It was exactly as their future husband told them. He was absolutely right as always. Nodding gently, they smiled as the woman waved at them before seeing her disappear into the training ground area.

Sighing, Erza turned towards her sister-figures. "When she heard everything about her mother and started hyperventilating, I was sure I would get some feeling of comfort out of it." She reasoned with a sad expression etched to her features before continuing, "However, I felt nothing except pain at the sight. I know it's a horrendous thing to say, but it's like I've forgotten all that she's done already. I'm not stupid. Everything Naru-kun told us was exactly as he thought and we've seen that clearly now from what Ultear-san just voiced out. After what happened in Edolas, I believe she deserves a chance. Still, I don't know why my mind negates all of her wrong doings. Why is that?"

At those words, the remaining ladies looked at each other with a knowing glance, understanding what their sister-figure was dealing with. It wasn't hard to figure everything out and the knowledge of this, caused them to smile widely, confusing the sister-figure in question greatly.

"Erza-chan, you may not realize it, but you've already forgiven Ultear-chan, dattebane." Kushina voiced out with a bright smile on her face, while her sisters nodded in agreement.

Eyes widening, Erza shook her head rapidly. "B-but how's that even possible!? After all that she di-" She couldn't even finish her sentence upon looking at her fellow females holding their hands up.

Running a few fingers through her hair, Mirajane smiled softly. "You and I have been best friends for a very long time, Erza-chan. I know exactly what you're feeling right now. You know that too." She said in a sagely tone and smiled at the fellow mage nodding before proceeding, "After having that talk with Naru-kun, I'm sure we've all learned a valuable lesson. At first, even I was feeling the same way as you were, but rest assured, it's not the same case any longer. I've realized it and everyone else has as well, even you, Erza-chan. No matter how hard you can try to think it's not true, you have undeniably forgiven her for everything she's done. This isn't the same woman you thought you knew. She's someone that wants nothing more than to show how much she has changed."

"There's nothing else that needs to be said, Erza-chan. What Mira-chan spoke of just now, simply sealed the deal on the matter. You just have to realize it as well. Please think about it." Mikoto concluded for the silverette and nodded before leaning back into her seat.

With that, the ladies smiled at each other, knowing this was becoming a rather fruitful conversation. Turning towards Erza, they saw the woman deep in thought and knew she'll understand what needs to be done here. Ultear is no longer that dark mage they formally knew and that's a fact.

'I have to take control of this situation this instant. Naru-kun told us to try and reconsider our thoughts about Ultear-san because it would shatter her spirits. I'm not going to let my foolishness cause any more pain to the woman. I'll have to take the high road and finally let this go. It's the least I can do.' Erza thought to herself seriously and closed her eyes before forming a small smile on her face.

Following suit, the ladies began chatting with each other for a while, but turned around towards the door, which separated the main floor of the compound from the training ground area. Smiling, they saw Ultear stepping into the living room with her clothes a little dirty.

Raising an eyebrow, Haku looked on closely before asking, "What happened to your clothes?"

Blinking in return, Ultear chuckled sheepishly. "Well I was playing with Wendy-chan and Leah-chan because they wanted for me to catch them. It was becoming fun so I kept it up." She spoke in amusement and scratched the back of her head before continuing, "I didn't realize Leah-chan was such a tricky little girl though. She reeled me into a trap and caused me to trip onto a dirt patch, which made my clothes like this. I told them that I'm heading back inside, but they chose to stay outside to play for a little while longer. All in all, I had an interesting and enjoyable time."

Giggling at the explanation, the ladies nodded in agreement, while pointing at the state of their own dresses, which were a bit dirty as well. However, they were the most happy for the former dark mage, knowing she had fun outside, and was doing so much better now. Their worries slowly diminished.

Chuckling at the sight, Ultear shook her head, realizing those two girls were very mischievous indeed, but she loved how much comfort the duo gave her because it was something she was in need of the most. Just then, she remembered what happened to cause her in the unconscious state and sighed painfully, recalling her past actions. However, upon recollecting how Naruto comforted her and embraced her earlier, it was like everything was meaningless. It was strange.

With that, Ultear faced the ladies with a small smile. "Where did Naruto-kun go?" She asked gently and walked over to a free seat before seating herself.

At this time, the ladies were already thinking about something regarding the blackette and the mention of their husband from her, gave them a little uneasiness. It was because they knew how Ultear was feeling towards him, but none of them wanted to say something they'd regret. They couldn't either because they knew how the woman was currently feeling. Sighing, each of them looked at the female before nodding in the affirmative.

"Naru-kun left quite some time ago because he had to take care of a mission, but told us to let you know that he'll be returning soon, Ultear-chan. He didn't want to leave you alone, knowing how gravely your situation was after the talk with Gray. However, he somewhat believed you'd be all right." Mirajane spoke out in the silence, while her sister-figures formulated a small smile before nodding.

On instinct, Ultear placed a hand over her chest. 'N-Naruto-kun told them that and also didn't want to leave me alone? He really cares for my well-being, while also trusting that I'll be all right. I… I still remember how warm it felt being in his strong arms and I want it again. I want it so much.' She thought to herself with a beautiful blush etching her features at the mere thought of it all.

Following suit, Ultear looked at the women fixedly before voicing out, "I… I know what I'm about to say may seem a little personal and you all have every right to hate me for it. However, I want to know and if it's in your rights to answer, please do."

In return, the ladies of the White Dragon Slayer narrowed their eyes at the words being shared, not knowing where this conversation was leading. Though somewhere in their hearts they understood what was going to happen just by the peaceful expression Ultear had on her face, their mindsets were working a little differently. Gesturing for the woman to continue, the ladies leaned back into their chairs with their eyes still narrowed, awaiting this new development to reveal itself.

Nodding thankfully, Ultear took a deep sigh. "H-how are you all okay with sharing Naruto-kun?" She asked lowly and shrank a little at the reaction she got from the women before explaining, "I know this is personal and none of you have to answer me. I would totally understand your point of view. If… if you feel it's all right and would give me the answer, I'll be grateful."

Looking on fixedly, the ladies were at a loss for a counter upon hearing those words. Ultear's vulnerability was at its very peak right now and they quickly realized that. Turning towards one another, they nodded, recalling what their future husband spoke to them about earlier. Ultear deserved to hear the truth and they were not going to lie to her. They will grant her this request.

Seeing the nods, Ultear braced herself for the information she was going to receive, while mentally thanking the women for not lashing out at her for bringing up such a topic. This was what her heart commanded her to hear and she wasn't going to deny the organ she shut down countless times in the past any longer. Naruto made her feel like she was someone special and being in his arms was somewhere she felt she belonged this whole time. She needed this conversation more than anything.

With that, Kushina cleared her throat. "It's all right, Ultear-chan. We'll tell you why we're okay with sharing Naru-kun, and I'd like to start things off by giving my reasoning. To put it bluntly, he's the love of our life. You have to understand none of us would have been fine with sharing and it's only understandable that my sister-figures and I had our moments of conflict regarding this matter. When I was feeling strongly towards Naru-kun, I was very hesitant and was fully aware of how the others felt about him as well. However, my feelings grew only stronger and I wasn't going to let what I wanted slip away from me. I didn't want to share Naru-kun at the start because I never wanted to be a second place for his love, but when I finally confessed my feelings, I lost all sense of doubt. I knew then that he would forever cherish me, along with the others." She explained in a gentle tone and smiled divinely at the recollection of her confession she made to the blonde man.

Kushina knew she could have said even more about her love for Naruto right now, but also felt what she spoke of, was more than satisfactory. She didn't want to get into the fact she wasn't even from this world, however, that wasn't something she could relay just yet. That and the fact that she's supposedly her lover's mother in actuality, but that didn't matter to her then, and it sure as hell didn't matter now. Nodding to herself, she smiled lovingly at the memories of her future husband and the love he so openly gave her each and every day. She loved him so much because he was her life now.

Following suit, Mikoto nodded her head before voicing out, "It's exactly what Kushina-chan said and yes, I had my conflict as well. I finally had someone I wanted to spend the rest of my life with, but I was also fully aware my sister-figures felt strongly towards Naru-kun also. This was something I didn't agree with in the start, but that thought process changed slowly and gradually. I don't know when I threw the notion of fear of abandonment out the window, though I never pondered. You have to realize my love for Naru-kun was all I needed and I understood my sister-figures needed to confess their feelings towards him also. He has never once treated me any differently than the others and his promise to love us equally has never wavered. I love him with all my heart and my decision to be with Naru-kun is the best one I've made in my life. That's my reason, Ultear-chan."

Leaning back into her seat, the female Uchiha smiled radiantly. She realized her best friend didn't say anything about her actually being from the Elemental Nations and felt that was the correct decision to make. Her past confession towards Naruto was something she recalled countless times, and always felt so happy upon remembering those loving moments. Naruto was her husband and he loved her so much that it simply knew no bounds, which was all she needed to be completely content with life.

"I've never been the one to share anything as important as Naru-kun. I know this is what others may perceive as something out of the ordinary, but I don't care for that in the slightest and I never will. My love for Naru-kun is what allowed me the chance to be with him and his love is all I need to render that thought of being in second place for his affection, utterly obsolete. I am now his soon-to-be-wife and the mother of his two children. I don't care for sharing because Naru-kun has never wavered in his love for me, and my sister-figures can attest to the fact they've received the same amount of love as well. This is my opinion on the matter, Ultear-chan. I hope this helps." Mirajane added into the conversation with a serene smile on her face upon recalling her past confession.

Mirajane felt confessing her feelings towards the man of her dreams was the best decision she ever made in her life. There were no words to describe him because even if there was one, she felt it would prove to be highly redundant. Naruto's smile always made her heart melt and his love for her was all she needed to not be affected by anything of this world. That was a fact.

Nodding at the words being shared, Haku formed a bright smile on her face. "There's not a lot I can add which hasn't been said, Ultear-chan. I felt so strongly towards Naru-kun in the past and I always knew what I wanted. However, I wasn't blind to see others feeling the same way and that made me uneasy at the start. Still, I somewhat knew deep in my heart that my husband would treat us equally. There is always some uneasiness, but that went away when I finally confessed my feelings towards Naru-kun. From that moment onward, my doubts shot down and I've become very happy. I love him so much." She spoke with the utmost kindness laced in her voice before leaning back into her seat.

Feeling light as a feather upon giving her explanation, Haku had a loving smile on her face, knowing full well how greatly she felt towards the love of her life. She was also in agreement of Kushina and Mikoto not telling where they're really from, which was why she didn't add that into her explanation. What Ultear needed to hear at the moment was why all of them were okay with sharing, not irrelevant details such as the place they belonged to in the past.

Sighing deeply, Erza looked at the former dark mage. "You know, I didn't really want to get into the details of why I love my husband so much, Ultear-san, but I'm not going to deny your request because you truly deserve to know. Honestly, I've been in the conflict as well because my thought process simply didn't accept the knowledge of polygamy one bit. However, my heart refused to let go of Naru-kun and that put me on edge for a long time. My love grew for him and it kept rising to uncharted territory because his love was all I wanted in life. I then started to see Naru-kun treating everyone equally and that put my mind at rest because I needed him more than anything. When I finally confessed my feelings, I was so undeniably happy, knowing I was definitely not getting treated any differently than the others were. My love for him has grown ever since and I'll always love him with all I have and that's a fact. He's my husband, the man of my dreams, the father of my children, and the one I'll cherish for all eternity." She explained strongly and breathed in peacefully upon finally having given her explanation to the blackette.

Remembering her past confession made Erza truly happy. Her moments with Naruto in the past were something unusual to her because she felt so strongly towards him back then. After being given the chance to be with him and learning about the clan status, she didn't deny herself the happiness she knew she would receive from being with him. This was the best decision she had ever made and just the smile he gave her each day, and the gentle yet immensely passionate moments she shared with him was enough for her.

"Those are our reasons, Ultear-chan. We hope you're content with this knowledge." The ladies spoke out in unison before looking at the woman with an analytical glance.

At this point, Ultear remained silent because she wanted to hear everyone's explanations, but felt her heart shattering from each speech the women gave her. Nodding slowly upon hearing the conclusion of the whole ordeal, she refused to cry in front of the ladies because she didn't want to seem so weak in front of them. Though this conversation gave her the knowledge, she couldn't help but feel extremely vulnerable, knowing how much those women loved Naruto and how much he loved them back.

Getting up from her seat, Ultear nodded gently. "I… I see. Thank you for expressing yourselves and for not lashing out at me when I asked for your explanations. I'm truly happy for all of you and I… I hope your love for him never wavers, knowing how h-his love for you won't waver either." She spoke in a broken tone and took a deep breath to compose herself before continuing, "I need some air. I'll be back soon so don't worry about my departure. Thank you all once again and if Leah-chan or Wendy-chan comes by and asks where I am, please tell them that I'll be back shortly. The same goes for Naruto-kun."

With that, the blackette waved at the ladies in a shaky manner before rushing out towards the exit and shutting the door behind her. Meanwhile, the ladies of the White Dragon Slayer frowned deeply and felt pained upon hearing the broken tone the woman spoke to them with, but didn't know what to say in order to stop her from leaving the compound.

"You do realize why she asked all of this in the first place, right?" Mikoto asked sadly with her frown deepening before turning towards her sister-figures.

Nodding gently, the remaining ladies looked on with their respective frowns. "I know Mikoto-chan and though it should hurt me for even thinking about it, I'm not mad at Ultear-chan for bringing up that conversation. She needed to hear the truth and right now, we have to give her some space. I don't like what happened either, but for now, all we can do is leave her be and if she doesn't return later on, we'll search for her." Kushina added into the conversation before taking a deep sigh.

With that, the ladies smiled softly upon hearing their daughters laughing outside in the training ground area, knowing how much those two girls felt towards Ultear also. Sighing once more, the ladies began talking to one another but still wished for the former dark mage to be all right.

---

(With Ultear)

---

Stepping away from the residence, Ultear let out tears as she began walking on the streets of Magnolia Town. In the momentum, several townspeople saw the woman and frowned, not knowing what was wrong with her. Seeing this, Ultear continued her walk and didn't even bother wiping away her tears since she had no intention doing so.

'All of them care for Naruto-kun so much, but where does that leave me? I understand they have opened up to me and have accepted me, even after everything I've done in the past. However, my heart gives me so much pain. How can I ever hope to be like them?' Ultear thought to herself in a grim tone before taking an excruciating sigh of depression.

Following suit, the blackette noticed a park bench nearby and sighed once more as she stepped towards the construction. A moment later, she sat down on the bench and let out more tears, wondering what she could do to gain Naruto's affection. Leah was someone that gave her immense warmth, but… the child considered her to be an older sister.

Looking down at the ground, Ultear took a deep breath. "I want you to be my daughter, Leah-chan and though it's been only such a short while that we've met, you've given me hope and comfort. I'm always going to protect you, but if you could consider me as a mother, you'll make me so happy." She said to herself while her heart pounded strongly at the mere thought of it all.

After the confrontation with Gray, the former dark mage felt even more strongly towards Naruto, who comforted her and allowed her to be in his warm embrace. These feelings have been rising substantially ever since the blonde shinobi met her near the Fiore's branch of the magic council a while back. With this in mind, she wanted nothing more than to be stand by Naruto, but after learning the man already had five women who he adored beyond belief, she has been at a loss for words.

"…can you help redirect me towards Magnolia Town Terminal?"

Quickly turning her head, Ultear saw a brown haired old woman, who was the source of the sound. The elderly female wore a white kimono that was elegantly designed and had on white sandals. Seeing the woman struggling with a few bags, the blackette hastily got up and placed the heavy bags on the ground below.

"Thank you, child. Those bags were too much of a burden for a lady like myself." The woman spoke out with a small smile and bowed her head lightly before continuing, "I'm Kiara, a resident from Mahagony Town. I've not been in this town much and was wondering where the terminal was. The load of these bags have been driving this old woman crazy."

Ultear smiled at the elderly woman, while feeling happy she approached her at a time like this. Her thought process was giving her grief, but she had no one to talk to about it, knowing she couldn't discuss this with the women at the clan compound. Before she could answer the woman, she saw her looking on with an analytical gaze, which making her rather nervous.

Narrowing her eyes, the female now known as Kiara looked on intently. "Child, you've been crying. I can ask about the terminal later. Tell me, what's wrong?" She questioned in a kind tone, wanting to know about this young woman's situation.

Ultear then formed a frown on her face upon hearing those words. "I-it's nothing, Kiara-san. I don't want to bother you with my problems. Now, the Magnolia Town Terminal is right arou-" She couldn't even finish what she wanted to say at the sight of the elderly woman glaring at her.

"Child, sit down and let's have ourselves a talk." Kiara spoke in a manner which left no room for absolutely no debates whatsoever.

Gulping at the sudden turn of events, Ultear could only nod dumbly, not wanting to anger the elderly woman. With that, she seated herself back on the bench where she was situated earlier, while Kiara smiled at the sight before doing the exact same.

Smile intact, Kiara nudged the young woman's shoulder. "I'm glad you agreed, child. Now tell me everything and don't leave out any details. Please open up to me. I can help you." She voiced out in a motherly tone and waited for the conversation to begin.

Looking at the elderly woman intently, Ultear felt very close to her already. The tone spoken by Kiara, gave the blackette all the more reasons to express her problems since she could tell the woman wanted nothing more than to help her out. A chance like this didn't come often and she knew that for a fact. Nodding her head, Ultear took a deep breath, knowing she needed this right now.

---

(Currently: At the clan compound)

---

"Mou… where did Ultear-nee go!?" Leah whined loudly as she saw the blackette nowhere to be seen, which was the same reaction of her big sister Wendy.

Smiling softly, Mikoto patted her youngest daughter's head. "Don't worry about her, Leah-chan. It's just that Ultear-chan has a lot to think about at the moment, but she'll return back very soon." She explained in a gentle tone before nodding to herself at her words.

Nodding hesitantly in return, Leah smiled, knowing Ultear would come back soon. With that, she turned towards her remaining mothers, all of whom smiled lovingly at her, causing her to lose all sense of sadness she felt earlier.

Just then; the little brunette saw a flash of white and lit up like a stadium light, knowing what was the cause of the illumination. Following suit, the ladies of the White Dragon Slayer had their loving smiles intact because they realized what happened also.

"Hey there you guys. I'm back." Naruto said warmly as he looked at his wonderful family before chuckling as his two daughters ran towards him.

Grabbing the duo in his arms, the blonde shinobi smiled upon them nuzzling their cheeks against his chest. In the momentum, he stepped towards his future brides before kissing each of them passionately, causing them to moan in absolute content. However, he felt someone missing from the area and glanced around the living room area.

With a confused look, Naruto turned back towards his ladies before asking, "Where did Ultear-san go?"

Growing silent at the question, the ladies of the Wizard Saint frowned. "Ultear-chan needed some time to herself. After spending some time at the compound, she walked outside and told us she'll be back soon enough. I think she took whatever happened a little harshly and we had a conversation as well, which is the primary reason for her leaving." Haku explained and her frown deepened at the sight of her man sighing sadly at the words being shared.

With that, Mirajane cleared her throat. "It's not what you're thinking, Naru-kun. I remember what you talked to us about earlier, which is the same case for my sister-figures, so you don't have anything to worry about. We didn't intentionally cause this predicament, but it was needed. Trust us on that." She added into the conversation with a small smile etched to her features.

Nodding, the remaining ladies were in agreement, knowing everything said was the absolute truth. None of them wanted to make Ultear feel bad because that was the last thing they wanted to happen. However, they couldn't lie to the woman, and understood they had to tell her the truth. If they were truly going to get along with each other, they had to be honest with each other and that's a fact.

Naruto took a deep sigh as he patted his daughters' heads. "I believe you, but Ultear-san shouldn't be alone right now. We don't need her past somehow coming back to haunt her. I'm leaving now to check up on her." He spoke seriously with a small frown. The blonde wasn't angry, he understood the situation clearly. Should Ultear's past catch up to her without him being there, things could go bad real fast. Especially in her vulnerable state.

Gasping loudly, the ladies realized the past their man spoke about. It was Grimoire Heart. Cursing themselves at totally forgetting such a thing, they sighed gravely, realizing they shouldn't have let the woman go all alone. With a soft nod, Mikoto and Kushina quickly grabbed their daughters from their lover's arms before looking at him with a loving glance.

Kissing each of the ladies passionately, Naruto stepped back with a smile. "I'll be back soon." He said and focused his sensory abilities before vanishing in a flash of white.

'I hope you're all right, Ultear-san. I promise I'll do my best to give you the chance you so rightfully deserve.' Erza thought to herself in determination, while the remaining ladies sighed at the situation.

---

(Back with Ultear)

---

Waiting patiently, Kiara saw her companion beginning to nod. "Child that look in your eyes is something I've experienced a very long time ago and this is why I want you to talk to me." She said with a warm smile before leaning back into her seat.

In return, Ultear looked the woman intently, understanding the situation clearly. It would reflect badly if she didn't give this conversation a chance because she needed this. Nodding once more, she cleared her throat before sighing deeply, knowing this talk might change her for the better or break her spirits entirely, which was why she hesitated to say anything earlier.

"Kiara-san, I've been at a loss for options. This problem of mine is driving me insane. I just had a conversation which has left me completely destroyed emotionally and I don't know what to do right now. For some reason, I trust you and want to relay my grieving moment. Please help me!" Ultear replied in a broken tone and fixed her eye contact at the woman before shaking lightly.

Following suit, Kiara quickly placed a hand on the young woman's shoulder. "Let it all out, child." She spoke out sadly and frowned as the blackette began crying uncontrollably.

Holding the elderly female tightly, Ultear continued weeping her eyes out on her shoulders, mentally thanking her from the bottom of her heart that she's here right now. Sniffling into the momentum, she breathed in heavily as she tried regaining her composure to the best of her ability, not wanting to appear so weak in front of the woman that was consoling her right now.

"T-thank you so much for that, Kiara-san." Ultear whispered as she separated from the embrace and smiled softly before continuing, "I'm feeling a little better now and can finally express what I wanted to say to you. What I'm so depressed about is because I've been having feelings for a certain person, and these feelings make no sense to me. Recently, I realized that he's in a relationship with several women as well, but for some reason, I don't think of it in a bad manner. Those women explained how much they loved him and how he treated them equally and though I would have never believed that, I cannot refuse their claims. They are absolutely right because not once have I noticed him treating them any differently. His two daughters have given me a level of comfort when no one else even bothered to do so, and they've made me so happy already. I care for them so much, and that once again leads me to thinking more about the one I'm now feeling so strongly towards, knowing I want his daughters to be mine as well. I don't know what's happening to me because I've never felt this way towards anyone before. My heart… my heart beats for him and after he embraced me today, the feeling I received was something I don't even know how to put into words because nothing can compare to it."

"I'm scared, Kiara-san. After the conversation I just had with the women he's with, I'm scared and it's not because of the women themselves, but rather based on the fact that he might push me away. I don't want to leave him because I… I don't know what I'll do if he's not around me. Am I being selfish in what I want? I don't want to lose him because he's the one I want to live for. Please… say something." Ultear concluded as she kept in tune with her soft expression before wiping away her tears.

At this point in time, Kiara was silent, but was taking everything into consideration. Normally, she would have lashed out upon the mere mention of polygamy, but understood this was something far more different than she had expected. Realizing it now, she recalled where she currently was and upon remembering something she heard in the past, she gasped loudly at the revelation.

"You're talking about Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze or The White Flash, aren't you?" Kiara spoke matter-of-factly as she looked at the woman, whose eyes immediately widened.

Gasping, Ultear shook her head lightly before asking, "H-how'd you know?"

With a gentle smile, Kiara breathed in peacefully. "I know because I remember Naruto-san saving a few citizens that were held captive in our town a long time ago. My visit here was to a clinic and I asked the nurse about the strange construction near the Fairy Tail Guild, which she replied that it was the clan compound of The White Flash. Child, when I heard you mentioning polygamy, I didn't take to it kindly and I'm sure you knew that already. I don't usually tolerate that sort of thing." She reasoned sagely and rubbed the woman's back gently before continuing, "However, I'm not going to get into anything at the moment regarding it. Upon hearing how Naruto-san treats his women equally and how much they cherish him as well, I'm not going to get into a debate on the matter, knowing it would prove pointless. Well this only reflects kindly towards what I already feel about Naruto-san because I do respect him for helping our town in the past."

Smiling softly at the explanation, Ultear nodded in agreement and was very proud of Naruto right now because she just heard about how the blonde shinobi saved this elderly woman's fellow townspeople from whoever held them captive. She was also happy, knowing Kiara didn't lash about the mention of polygamy, since she figured that sort of thing was going to happen. However, she was thankful for the older woman to overlook that mention and only take into account of what she felt at the moment.

Nodding, Kiara had her soft smile intact. "You're a gentle young woman and I felt very close to you because I've been in a slightly similar position a very long time ago. You know about how Naruto-san loves those women and treat them equally and how they loved them back without hesitation. From what you've said, I can only assume you don't care for the sharing either, correct?" She asked knowingly and smiled at the nod she received before proceeding, "Let me put this very clearly. You've fallen in love with him, child."

Gasping loudly, Ultear's eyes bulged to comical proportions. "H-how!? How is that eve-" She couldn't even get to finish what she wanted to say upon the feel of the elder's hand gripping her shoulder.

Taking a deep sigh, Kiara removed her hand. "Let me tell you a little story and please don't say anything until I finish. A long time ago, I knew a man who I loved with all my heart, but was foolish to not convey my feelings towards him. I distanced myself from him for years and when I finally returned back to see if I felt the same way as I did back then, my heart broke to pieces upon what I found. That man I harbored feelings for had moved on and got married to another woman when I chose to distance myself. I spent years trying to recompose myself and got married as well, but then I realized I didn't feel that same thing I felt towards the one I wedded off to. It was then I understood that I had indeed been in love but was foolish to have ran away from confessing my feelings. A long time has passed and I have moved on and gradually come to love my husband, but my first love will always be the one I let slip away." She explained in wise tone and looked intently as she turned the blackette's attention towards her.

Ultear was simply mind boggled at the words being shared and could only nod dumbly, not knowing what else to do at this point. Her heart ached upon hearing the pain Kiara felt in the past because it was something she didn't appreciate at all. Seeing the intense gaze aimed her way, she nodded once more, showing she was ready for what the elder was going to say next.

"I want you to listen to me very carefully because this is something that'll help you understand what I'm trying to say, child. If you don't confess your feelings towards him, can you accept seeing a random woman coming up to Naruto-san and becoming another one of his suitors? Would you be able to live with yourself upon the realization that you let him slip away like I've done in the past? Are you going to let your own fears get the better of you, knowing what you truly want?" Kiara questioned sadly and felt her heart reach out for the young woman upon seeing the reaction.

Tears leaking, Ultear had a look of horror etched to her features. Clenching her fists, she tried her level best to stop these emotional dams from being shattered, but it was proving to be utterly pointless. Those words rampaged in her mindset as they began playing in a loop, causing her heart to clench because she didn't know what to do right now.

"…no...no...no..." Ultear chanted shakily and slowly recomposed herself as her eyes lit up in unmarked rage before possessively shouting, "NO! I won't ever allow that to happen, Kiara-san! I want to be with him! I need him! I LOVE HIM!"

Eyes widening, Ultear had a completely shocked expression on her face upon realizing what she just said. Placing a hand over her chest, she breathed heavily, while her emotions were racing to levels unknown. Trying to deny this new development, she felt her mindset raging out at her, showing what she felt at the moment was the absolute truth. Running those words in her mind again, the end result was exactly as she had spoken out. This wasn't a dream. She had undeniably fallen in love with Naruto.

Smiling widely, Kiara kissed the top of the girl's head. "You see it clearly now child, and I'm so proud of you for finally figuring it out all by yourself. You don't just love him, you're helplessly in love with him, and you just needed the right push to realize it. I just hope you get the courage to tell him soon." She said softly before wiping away the tears that formulated in her eyes from the conversation.

In return, Ultear had a soft smile on her face and quickly hugged the elder. 'I love him… I love Naruto-kun and I didn't realize it until now. However, I-I can't tell his women because they might n-' She was cut off from her thought process upon hearing Kiara clearing her throat.

"I know what you're thinking about and it's regarding the women that are involved with Naruto-san. Let me just tell you if they're anything like what you've described earlier, they won't stop you from pursuing the man either. I know it may seem very hard to accept, but you've truly been given a wonderful chance here. Take time to consider on how you'll confess your feelings and I just know he'll accept you also. You're a good child and I see so much of myself in you that it's eerie. I want you to be undeniably happy. Please do think about this." Kiara finished with her voice laced in nothing but motherly love as she kissed the top of the girl's head again.

Nodding with the utmost joy filling her heart, Ultear embraced the elderly woman tightly, knowing this woman helped her so much in understanding what she was feeling. This was so sudden but she knew what she felt at the moment was pure. It was like the pain she felt when she left the compound had diminished and a newly formulated determined thought process filled her very mindset.

Loosening the hug slowly, Ultear nodded her head. "I will tell Naruto-kun about what I'm feeling, but only after I find a way to do so. I don't want to jump right into this and I think it's for the best if I waited for a while before I proceed with this task because I want to be absolutely sure of what I'm feeling." She said strongly and rubbed the elder's back before concluding, "Thank you so much for everything you've done for me, Kiara-san. If it wasn't for you wanting to talk to me about what I was feeling right now, I don't know what I would have done. Thank you so much. You're such a kind woman and I would like if you could give me your contact details because I wish to keep in touch with you."

Smiling lovingly at the words being shared, Kiara got up from her seat. "There's nothing to thank me for, child. I did what I thought was best and I'm truly pleased you're happy. I agree with you wanting to wait before confessing your feelings because it's never good to rush into things haphazardly. Of course I'll share my contact details. Let me just get it for you." She answered and patted the girl's shoulder before stepping towards her bag which was on the ground beside the bench.

Sitting on a tree branch above the bench area, Naruto sighed inwardly. 'Overhearing this conversation wasn't my original intention, Ultear-san. I was aware of your feelings, but not to such a degree. I just wanted to see if you were all right and I'm sorry for tuning into your conversation. You have people that may be after you and right now after hearing what you actually feel, there's no way I'll leave you alone either. Though I don't feel that way about you, I'm not sure what I should do. Leading you on is the last thing I'll ever do and therefore, I'll try my best to work out my own feelings towards you.' He thought to himself as he remained hidden with his usage of the Ninja Art: Transparency Jutsu.

Meanwhile, Kiara held a piece of paper in her hand before handing it over to Ultear with a smile on her face, while giggling lightly at the reaction she got. Happily enjoying the warm embrace she got in the momentum, she had her smile intact upon getting pulled away from the hug.

With that, Ultear grabbed the elder's bags. "Here Kiara-san, I'll walk you towards the terminal myself. Please don't argue with me because it's the very least I can do after all you've done for me. Now let's get on with our journey towards our destination." She voiced out with the utmost kindness in her voice before looking at the woman intently.

Giggling once more, Kiara nodded in gratitude before walking along with Ultear, who began chatting away with her. In the momentum, Naruto quickly jumped out from his position and began trailing the duo, while focusing his sensory abilities just in case anyone from Grimoire Heart decided it was a good idea to show up here. If those pathetic dark mages even dared stepping foot in this town, he'd snap their necks without hesitation.

Following suit, the White Dragon Slayer continued walking along towards the designated location and sighed to himself as the conversation the two women had, began playing in a loop once more. There was a lot to take in because he had not realized Ultear felt this strongly towards him, but was feeling a little closer to the woman at the knowledge of how much she cared for him.

"Here's the terminal, I'll place your bags in the train." Ultear said happily and glared at the protesting woman before walking towards the transport with a bright smile on her face.

Chuckling at the action, Kiara smiled lovingly at the retreating figure before entering the confines of the train as well. Upon seeing Ultear standing near a seat of her choice with the bags placed next to it, she had her smile intact and then quickly hugged the girl tightly.

"Thanks for buying me that train ticket, child. You are very kind. Thank you and I look forward to staying in contact with you with my Communication Lacrima. Go on now, I'll be fine from here." Kiara whispered as she separated from the hug before looking at the girl warmly.

Giving the woman room to sit down, Ultear stood firmly on the ground. "Don't mention it, Kiara-san. You're very welcome and I hope you take care of yourself. Yes, we will be in contact. I can see the train is going to depart very soon so I will head out now. Once again, thank you so much." She said tenderly and kissed the woman's hand before stepping away, while Kiara nodded softly.

With that, Ultear walked out of the train with a radiant smile on her face. "I'm not going to be speaking about my feelings soon, but when I do, I hope you can accept me. I want Leah-chan and Wendy-chan to be my daughters, with you as my husband, with us as a perfect family. I hope your wives can agree with me because I hope I can be worthy in their eyes for your affection. I love you, Naruto-kun." She said to herself with her smile widening by the second before running towards the direction of the compound.

'Your change has certainly come into light, Ultear-san. Trust me, I won't hinder into putting my level best in searching for what feelings I have for you now. I owe you that much.' Naruto thought to himself before vanishing in a flash of white.

---

(At the compound)

---

The ladies of the White Dragon Slayer were feeling uneasy right now. After much protest, they tucked both their daughters in their respective beds and watched them drift off to sleep. Currently, they were waiting in the living room area for their husband to return and only hoped Ultear was doing all right, knowing how badly they felt upon recalling her reaction into the conversation. Just then; they saw a flash of white appearing close to them and quickly got out of their chairs.

"Naru-kun, what happened?" Kushina asked as she saw her lover standing there with a mixed expression etched to his features.

Smiling softly, Naruto took a deep sigh. "Nothing you need to worry about, Kushi-chan. I just saw Ultear-san heading back towards the compound and she should be here any minute." He voiced out calmly before kissing the red haired kunoichi's forehead gently.

In return, the ladies knew something else was the matter, but didn't want to press further for details, knowing they'll hear it from their man later on. Nodding quickly, the future brides of the Wizard Saint smiled at him before turning around upon hearing a knock on the door. Following suit, Mikoto rushed towards the door and opened it before sighing in relief at the sight of Ultear, who was standing there with a smile on her face.

"I'm sorry I ran out like that and if I worried everyone with my sudden movement. I just needed some time to myself. Thankfully, I'm feeling much better now. I just wanted to let you all know that because it was on my mind while I was strolling around the streets. Speaking of which, I'm going to look for a hotel nearby so I won't have problems finding a place to stay." Ultear said with her smile intact as she looked at the people inside the compound.

Just as her eyes met the Wizard Saint's Ultear felt immense happiness soaring in her heart upon recalling her recent conversation with Kiara. Trying to conceal the blush she had rising to her cheeks at the thought, the female mage was very glad to see him safe and sound from returning from his mission.

Walking forward, Naruto placed a hand over Ultear's shoulder. "I'm glad you're feeling better because you made the others saddened from your departure. As far as you looking for a place of residence is concerned, I'm not going to allow you to go anywhere near a hotel in this town." He replied in a stern tone and smiled at the confused look he received from the blackette before continuing, "The reason is because you're going to stay here at the compound. I don't want to hear any arguments from you on this matter since my mind is made up. Now eat some dinner and I'll show you to a guest room, where you're going to reside in from now on."

Going wide-eyed, the ladies of the White Dragon Slayer were pretty confused as to why their lover offered Ultear with a place to stay here. Though they were very happy he was granting the woman with this option because quite frankly, they felt it was the least they could do for her. Narrowing their eyes, the ladies saw the dried tears on Ultear's face and cursed themselves once more for that conversation. This gave them all the more reason for the woman to stay here. It was decided.

Gasping at those kind words, Ultear looked on in disbelief. "A-are you sure, Naruto-kun?" She asked unsurely, while feeling unimaginable joy at what was being offered to her.

Smiling, Naruto poked the woman's forehead. "I'm sure." He said in amusement at the sight of her yelping cutely before concluding, "Let's eat some dinner now. Welcome to your new home, Ultear-san. I hope you enjoy living here from now on."

At this point, Ultear refused to cry again, knowing she wanted to stay strong in the presence of the blonde shinobi, who she had now fallen in love with. His words made her heart race to uncharted territories and could understand why the women in the compound didn't mind sharing him. He made her feel so special and his acceptance right now, was giving her something she always wanted in life.

"Naru-kun is right about that, Ultear-chan. Welcome home!" Mirajane chirped cheerfully and walked towards the female mage before hugging her tightly.

Breathing in peacefully, Ultear nodded gently. "Thank you all so much!" She exclaimed with the utmost joy, knowing she was a part of something she felt she now belonged to.

Nodding once more, Ultear separated from the embrace before holding a serene expression on her face at the sight of the happy people around her. Following suit, she glanced towards Erza, who was looking on with a radiant smile on her face. Slowly gathering up the courage, she walked towards the redhead and extended her right hand in an attempt to meet her fellow female for a handshake before gasping lightly upon getting pulled in for a hug.

"I'm sorry for being so late in accepting you like my sister-figures have already done, but it's about time I took the high road and followed through in their example. Welcome home, Ultear-chan." Erza said softly and her smile widened at what she just said, realizing her mindset no longer prohibited her from handing out that honorific.

Peacefully taking in the moment of euphoria, Ultear tightened the embrace. "You don't have to apologize because you did nothing wrong, Erza-chan. Thank you so much for accepting me." She whispered upon realizing what this moment truly meant for her.

'This is all because of you, Kiara-san. I will never forget the kindness you've shown me.' Ultear thought to herself and smiled lovingly at the remembrance of the wonderful elderly female.

On the sidelines, Naruto and his remaining ladies were looking on with a proud look on their face. Upon seeing the smiles his future brides had, the blonde shinobi was now running through Ultear's conversation with Kiara. This moment only gave him all the more reason to further evaluate his feelings towards the woman, who had now so suddenly become someone close to him. Why that was, didn't matter to him anymore and neither was he stopping it from persisting. He was now willing to accept it.

Meanwhile, Ultear smiled as she separated from her embrace before getting dragged along towards the dining room area of the compound by Haku, who was extraordinarily happy at these turn of events, while everyone else chuckled at what was happening around them. For Ultear, things were finally coming along nicely and this whole experience was something she would forever cherish. This family was where she felt she now belonged and this new life, she was simply relishing in it.

…and thus ends a moment of understanding.

---

Author's Notes:

So...yeah. This turned out to become a 30,000 word chapter. I know, I know! This was a very lengthy read and I agree completely. Honestly, I only estimated this chapter would reach a total of 20,000 words when I started writing it, but I got caught up in the moment and annihilated what I had for my expectations for the word length. Now that you all have this awesome gift, here's a small request. Review! Review! Review!

Understandably, Ultear has made a giant leap in her character development and it'll only grow stronger as the chapters continue. Like I said in the past, her development has to be at a certain level before she can get induced into the harem, and this progress has begun already. Now, she understands full well of what's going on with her and this only makes things easier for her in the long run. This is what I wanted to depict and I'm glad everything's going so smoothly in this department. I love gradual buildups and Ultear's character development has me proud indeed.

Comic relief moments were present, a little suspense was given, and of course there was the emotional carry you all saw within the chapter. Since I like to be descriptive in these moments, I'm pleased I was able to make such a well-formulated balance with those scenarios. I spent a lot of time thinking it through and since I knew there was going to be a lot of tender moments here, I had to put those comic reliefs too.

Following into the picture, we have now reached a new level of progression. The next Major Arc will be the S-Class Exams, but I need to show progression towards that arc first, just like I've done for all the other Major Arcs I've illustrated so far in my story.

I've replied to everyone's reviews, but I still have the Guest Reviewers to respond to now.

To Doug: Wow, thanks for the multiple reviews. Since this was made out to be something you've repeated thrice in your reviews (counting you've edited them and whatnot), I'm not sure about the lime scenes at the moment. Sure I made the lemon scenes because I wanted for that character development to be there, however, as for adding more scenes into the picture, I'm not sure. Honestly, this is something I'll need to think about and I might even ask about this later on, but for now, I'm not going to make any false promises. Thanks again.

To those that thought the past chapter was good, thanks a lot for your reviews. You all know this already and I want to express it again. Thank you all so much for the dedication and I hope you all continue reading with the same vigor!

You're all awesome and I'll see everyone in the next chapter. Later! :)

- Egyptian God Phoenix