Author's Notes: Welcome to the last chapter before my hiatus! It's the dreaded romance stuff once more, and as easy as the words came for me compared to the last chapter, you guys will probably be up in arms saying 'gah, Jiraiya's Dream REALLY sucks at romance'. Probably criticise my poor sense of humour too. I had fun doing the scene with the guild masters though; it's part of the build up for Oración Seis, but really, I just wanted to feature Bob.
You might feel that the Naruto in this chapter is inconsistent with the Naruto in the last chapter. It's because I'm trying to integrate Ráfaga and Naruto. You may ask, how can a man with his psyche stripped bare, recover in just one night? Well, he poured his heart out to Mira, and there's plenty of love in the air to overcome the angst and heal his deep emotional wounds. Isn't it kind of shōnen anyway, to have someone undergo massive character changes almost instantly, via fighting? I mean, just look at canon Naruto's battles. I merely substituted 'fighting' with 'talking and weeping'. A review even pointed out that I should have gone the pure shōnen route and did a fight. With who, Makarov? Can't please everyone I suppose.
And thanks for the positive response for the previous chapter! It did divide opinion as expected, but some people seem to like it, and that's all I need. I thought it was lacking in intensity at the end, because I wasn't feeling really sad/demoralised by that Naruto/Mira scene like I do with emotional stories. But judging from the reviews, I'll chalk that up to me being a cold-hearted S.O.B. instead.
A guest reviewer proclaimed I should take down my story because it doesn't feature an Uber!Naruto. I get that many people like Uber!Naruto, and I liked it in the past. But don't the fights get boring? Naruto easily kicking everyone's ass makes it harder for me to develop him as a character too. Where are you guys at on this issue?
There are plenty of stories containing Uber!Naruto for the reviewer to read, so why hate on mine? I really don't get some people. Well, it's not like I'll see him again. He stopped at chapter 3, where Naruto beats up an entire dark guild...which implies a strong Naruto, right? Unless he wanted to see Naruto beat up Gildarts...I'm not sure whether to laugh or cry at this point.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Fairy Tail.
Chapter 15: Light (X784)
Sunlight poured forth through the windows, ensconcing two sleeping individuals with its warm embrace. Naruto slid his eyelids open, his body staying perfectly still as he registered the presence of another person with him. He had always been alone while asleep; never before had someone held him while in slumber. He only relaxed when the familiar tuft of white hair clued him in to the person's identity. Vaguely, he noticed that they were still on the couch; he was lying on his back, while Mirajane was sprawled over his chest, mumbling something in her sleep.
Memories of the night before gradually asserted themselves, as Naruto allowed a small but genuine smile to grace his features. They had talked through the night about his trials and tribulations, and more than once, Naruto found himself crying uncontrollably. He had vowed never to cry when he was a child of six, but there was only so much a man could take before his suppressed emotions caught up with him. Mirajane's soothing presence beside him was more than welcome. She didn't say much during his lengthy reminiscence, only offering a sympathetic ear and the comfort of affectionate physical contact. It reaffirmed what everyone seemed to know but Naruto could never grasp until then; that there were people there for him.
It was all still rather novel to Naruto. In the past, he had many people whom he considered family. He knew that his parents loved him unconditionally. He knew that both Hokages of his time, and all of his teachers cared for his well-being. He knew that his friends treasured him as an important part of their lives. He knew of, but never had the chance to experience Hinata's love for him. They all showed their love in different ways; some sacrificed themselves for him, others gave him the time of their day when no one else would. But never before had he found a confidant he could truly unload the weight in his chest to, a person whom he could place his unadulterated trust in.
From the moment Mirajane implied her forgiveness, keeping him from killing Freed in a fit of pique, Naruto knew he had found his solace. For her to accept him despite lying to her, hurting her, rejecting her…it told him that she was a one of a kind. To some, it would seem strange for Naruto to be attracted to Mirajane, given that he watched her grow up from her prepubescent years to the beautiful woman she was today. If he were not the one entangled in this particular circumstance, he would be similarly suspicious of his motives. Naruto felt almost thankful for Lisanna getting sucked into Edolas; the drastic, one-eighty change allowed Naruto to view the headstrong, some would say tsundere, Mirajane as the irritating niece; the lovely idol his love interest.
He doubted the guild would have objected if this happened a month ago. After all, everyone assumed he and Mirajane were an item, regardless of the age gap and the insistence from both parties that there was nothing between them (a futile task they gave up on upon the umpteenth teasing). But now, he was the betrayer, the liar, the man who allowed Phantom to run riot and hid Lisanna's fate from everyone. Fairy Tail may be one of the most forgiving of families, but even they couldn't just ignore his actions and inactions. Enemies can be accepted into the fold with only the slightest of resistance, like Juvia and Gajeel. You couldn't fault them for fighting for their own nakama too. But what about a friend who turned his back on his allies? Can everyone be as forgiving of him as Mirajane?
Naruto would bet all his jewels that Makarov would scold him for his pessimism if he could hear the blond man's thoughts then. But even so, it would be wise to keep his distance until things cooled down a little. Ever since the year started, it had been one disaster after another. Forcing them to welcome him once more seemed a tad too far. It would also strain Mirajane and possibly Makarov's relationship with the rest of the guild. Undoubtably, they would try and convince her that he was bad news, and she would channel that obstinacy from her youth to refute their claims. There was no need to introduce more problems when the guild was still in convalescence after the miniature civil war. And after all, Makarov just excommunicated Laxus for endangering the guild. It would be quite hypocritical to allow Naruto back, right after that decision.
He knew Mirajane would do her utmost to bring him back into Fairy Tail. He really didn't want to disappoint her again, but he hoped she would understand his concerns. As if on cue, Mirajane yawned cutely as she woke up, blearily noticing Naruto underneath her. She gave him a sleepy smile, and lay back down on his chest to sleep again. Then, as if struck by lightning, she squeaked in shame as she practically leapt off Naruto, shuffling to the other end of the couch. A crimson blush stained her cheeks as her aquamarine eyes flitted about the room, as if looking for an escape route. She let out another odd sound as Naruto sat up, finally freed from his rather soft entrapment.
"Relax, Mira. Nothing happened," Naruto tried to reassure her.
The girl relaxed slightly, but her ears were still burning red from the embarrassment of waking up on top of her love interest. She wasn't sure where their relationship stood at the moment, given last night was more of an emotional roller-coaster for one of them, than a romantic night together. What were the limits of their interactions, now that Naruto had implicitly accepted her love? How did they determine personal space? What sort of things did Naruto expect from her? While Naruto's voice seemed rather calm, Mirajane wondered if he was disappointed that cuddling was all they did. He was older; surely he had more experience than she did. He would know what to do, right?
Unfortunately, she wasn't exactly the most experienced girl at relationships, and there weren't any regular, stable couples back in Fairy Tail she could look to for help. Alzack and Bisca could scarcely look at each other without blushing. Then there was Jet and Droy, hankering after the oblivious Levy (who, now that Mirajane thought about it, seemed to be edging closer to Gajeel…). Lisanna and Natsu were another former 'couple' that made little sense. Was she supposed to act as forward as her sister did? And then there was Juvia and Gray…I need better references than our guild of weirdos! Mirajane mused anxiously. How was she supposed to know how to act around Naruto when she had no proper reference point?
"Are you alright, Mira? You seem rather panicked," Naruto enquired, slowly shifting back. "Am…am I too close?"
"Yes…uh, I mean, no!" the ivory-haired girl practically shouted, clearly overcome with anxiety.
Naruto scratched the back of his head in confusion. "Mira, maybe you might want to calm down, and talk me through whatever is going on in your head. I think I can be comfortable with us confiding in each other, now that I've basically recounted my entire life story to you."
"I…I don't know anything about being a girlfriend," Mirajane whispered, her face aflame. She stared at her lap in mortification, but when Naruto remained silent, she sneaked a peek at the blond.
He was in a state of catatonia, clearly blindsided by her words. "Wait…girlfriend?"
Mirajane had to admit, even for a man of twenty-six…no, twenty-seven now, he was still pretty cute to have these sort of reactions. Then, she realised that she was probably wrong to assume he was more experienced than her; didn't she just hear his whole life story? He had enjoyed barely enough happiness to last a child for a year, let along a man nearing his thirties. Maybe it was better for both of them that she took the reins of the relationship; his mindset was still awfully messed up, and Mirajane had no doubt he would be ultra cautious around her, so that he wouldn't hurt her again. Besides, guys had no relationship barriers when it came to girls, while girls had all sorts of boundaries they needed to decide whether to let the man pass or not.
It might be good for me to set the pace instead. Perhaps I can refer to how Lisanna dealt with Natsu after all… Taking a deep breath, Mirajane forced down her embarrassment to look Naruto in the eye. "Yes. Girlfriend. I love you, and I'd like to think that you reciprocate. That means we're a couple, right?"
"If you wish," Naruto nodded unsurely, testing the new word on his tongue.
He clearly wasn't used to the idea, donning a contemplative look on his face. Mirajane wanted to tear her hair out in frustration; when they weren't a couple, they were comfortable with hugs and even platonic kisses. Now, she couldn't even get within touching distance of him before her face burned as hot as the sun. But before she could muster up the courage to seal the deal in some way, Naruto placed a large hand atop of hers. She blushed prettily, but what came out of his mouth was not exactly what she was expecting.
"Mira, I know you'll probably want me to return to Fairy Tail at this time, but…I think it's best if I stay away for a while," Naruto said, holding his breath nervously.
Mirajane blinked owlishly. Didn't he just agree to us becoming a couple? "Would you mind explaining that decision?"
"Well, the guild has been through quite a lot of strife in recent months, and I think the wounds I inflicted during my departure haven't had time to heal," Naruto answered honestly. "Laxus was just excommunicated for bringing harm to Fairy Tail. I think trying to get me back in will be quite contrary to Makarov's decision."
She mulled over his words for a moment, taking care not to jump to conclusions. He sounded sincere, and his eyes conveyed an earnest desire for her to understand his point of view. He already showed that he didn't mind having a relationship with her, even if they were both unsure of how to go about establishing such a thing. So, acknowledging that he really just had the best interests of Fairy Tail and her at heart, she agreed with him. She took his hand into hers, squeezing it tightly. "But we're still going to be…together, right?"
"I'm not sure how to do this," Naruto admitted, scratching his neck as he tried to allay her distress. "My only experience with girls is constant rejection, a fake confession, then a real confession before she sacrificed herself to protect me. Then the war came and there was just no time for romance. Oh, and there's also a very…sexually open subordinate here. I guess we should also talk about what I've done since I've been in Earthland, huh?"
"S-S-Sexually open?" Mirajane mumbled, her purple magical aura spilling out as her eyes glowed demonically. Naruto's hand was slowly being crushed to pulp as she leaned closer, a menacingly saccharine smile perched on her lips. "Who is she, Naruto? Are you…cheating on me?"
"We haven't even been together for a day!" Naruto protested the illogical treatment on reflex. "How could I have cheated on you when we weren't a couple before?"
Then, his brain caught up to his mouth, and realised what he just spouted to a girl who was feared by men twice her age when she was just a teenager. The eyes of the infamous Demon narrowed to slits as Naruto felt his bones getting ground into dust, literally. He nearly let out a whimper of fear, before he tried to mitigate the potential crisis. "M-Mira…how about we sit down over breakfast and discuss this civilly?"
Her eyes narrowed further, but she relented, and allowed his hand to go free. "I will cook, and you will tell me everything."
I'm doomed.
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Erza knocked loudly on the door of Naruto's house. The night before, she was requested by Makarov not to look for Naruto for a day or so, which was fine with the swordswoman. She only wanted to satiate her curiosity with regards to Mystogan. It was not as if Mystogan was the Jellal she knew, so there was no immediate threat there. Even if he was, Jellal broke free of Zeref's control just before he died. So there was no rush for her to meet Naruto to find out more about the mysterious Jellal clone. The blond man probably needed a rest too, if he was really the one to take down Thunder Palace on his own.
The one who opened the door for her, however, was Mirajane. The white-haired girl smiled happily at the sight of her friend, before welcoming her into the home. Erza noticed that Mirajane was wearing the blue gem necklace that Naruto gifted her a few years ago. She never took it off from the time she got it until the fateful day when Naruto left the guild. But even then, Erza knew she kept it on her somewhere. If she is wearing the necklace again, and in Ráfaga's home no less… Blushing at the implications, Erza couldn't help but blurt out the first thing on her mind. "A-Are you and Ráfaga- I mean, Naruto-san in a relationship? I am less experienced than you are now, Mira, so please guide me well!"
Mirajane laughed uneasily at her friend's strange fixation on learning about love and relationships, though she wasn't really in any position to criticise. "We are, but please, don't tell anyone else. I don't think everyone will view this very favourably."
"Very well," Erza nodded solemnly.
She understood where they were coming from; Naruto was still a bit of a sore topic for some of the members in Fairy Tail, and it would do their budding relationship no good should the news of it leak out too early. Mirajane brought her to the dining table, where an unmasked Naruto was seated. Erza took a good look at the man's face, for she had never seen his features before. Erza was not much for romance, but even she could tell that he was a fairly attractive man. Curiously, there was a manila folder on the table, bulging from its contents. A kitchen knife was stabbed into the table, right beside the folder. The former Fairy Tail mage smiled weakly at Erza, his face pale and pasty. Erza attributed the tired look to his injuries from ending Thunder Palace.
"So, what brings you here, Erza?" Mirajane chirped, sitting down beside Naruto.
Erza took a seat across the couple, paying only minor attention to how close Mirajane was to Naruto, and how much sweat seemed to be pouring down the man's neck. "I was informed by Master that Mystogan is your apprentice, Naruto-san. I know of his remarkably similar looks to Jellal Fernandes, and I hope I can speak with him on the matter. Master told me you should have an idea of where he is right now. May I request for a meeting with him, if it is not too much trouble for you?"
"N-No, not at all," the blond man smiled. He held an intense look of concentration for a moment, before he replied. "He's not in town anymore, unfortunately, but I'm willing to answer some questions you may have."
"Who is he, really?" Erza asked bluntly.
"You know I mentioned that Lisanna is not dead, just not where we can reach her? Mystogan is from that place. It's a parallel dimension from the Earthland we live in," Naruto explained, to astonished looks from the two girls. "It's a bit hard to take in, and I don't have details, but it appears that everyone has their own counterpart there. Mystogan came to Earthland to fulfil a self-imposed mission. He's Jellal's counterpart from that world, hence their identical looks. There's no relation between them whatsoever."
"Is it possible for us to travel there?" Mirajane interjected, faint hope apparent in her eyes.
Naruto sighed forlornly. "I know how much you want to head there to find Lisanna, but like I said, they are a parallel to us. We don't know what it's like there. Furthermore, they have been exploiting us for years without our knowledge. Mystogan is on our side precisely to stop that from happening. Can you imagine if we head there, unprepared for the world? It could really cause a war we can't win, especially if they feel threatened that we entered their dimension."
"Oh," the white-haired girl bit her lip, the hope draining out of her. Naruto placed a comforting hand on her hunched shoulders. "Don't worry. One day, we'll go there and find Lisanna together. I promise."
The two shared wistful smiles, and Erza wondered when and where she could find herself someone like that. Unbidden thoughts of Jellal sprung up in her mind, before she ruthlessly crushed them. The man was dead; there was no point thinking about impossibilities. "Will you be able to contact him for me? I hope to clear the air with him. I know that he is not Jellal, and there is thus no reason for him to hide anymore."
"He's in Crocus right now, but I have no idea when he'll be back," Naruto answered slowly. "When he comes back, I'll direct him to you. Will that be satisfactory for you?"
"Thank you very much," Erza smiled, before a sudden thought struck her. "Naruto-san, I hope you don't mind me asking, but…what are your plans for the future?"
"I'm not too sure myself. I'll just take things as they come," Naruto replied, a soft smile curving his lips. "Thank you for the concern, Erza."
"Then, were you the one to end Thunder Palace?" Erza queried, before she added. "And put me to sleep before you did so."
"Yes. I thought it would be better if I took care of it for all of you. I wasn't too sure how you might take to my presence, and I thought it would be easier if you weren't awake to stop me for whatever reason you may get in your head," Naruto responded contritely. "I apologise if that action caused you any distress."
"Not at all. I was just surprised to wake up after everything ended," Erza said. "May I ask how you did it? And how did you return into Magnolia Town just in time to rescue Mira?"
"Mmm, I'm curious about that as well," Mirajane remarked, looking at Naruto intently.
"The necklace. I've incorporated a script that allows me to detect Mirajane's magic levels. If it rises above or drops below a certain point, I will be alerted," Naruto explained, pointing at the jewel resting on Mirajane's chest. "I've also included a script that allows me to teleport from wherever I am to the location of the script. As for Thunder Palace, I merely attacked all the lacrima with Wind Magic, and endured the pain."
Mirajane played with the blue gem of her necklace fondly, whispering a soft word of thanks to the blond man beside her. Erza once more found the situation rather awkward for her, and so rose to leave. Mirajane walked her to the door, telling her that she'll be back at the guild in a few more hours, and requested her to inform Master accordingly. Erza's face was flushed as she left Naruto's home, shaking her head slowly as she strolled back to the guild.
I must ask for tips later!
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Naruto heaved a deep sigh of relief as Mirajane finally left for Fairy Tail. She wasn't too amused with his working relationship with Ikaruga, and the man had been forced to spill all his secrets. The blond now knew why Wakaba was so afraid of his wife. There was just no keeping anything from women. However, Mirajane didn't seem too unhappy at seeing Naruto's collection of nude photos from the pink-haired swordswoman. She didn't even confiscate the pictures; the whole knife-in-the-table threat was to inform him that if he were to use any pictures for…personal pleasure, then he jolly well ought to use photos of her.
He still wasn't sure how he was supposed to react to that. Was it wrong that he was intimidated, turned on and freaked out all at the same time? He didn't remember the post-Demon Mirajane being so assertive, nor did he recall a time when she was so forward about things. Sure, there was a fiery blush on her face when she said those words, but otherwise, it seemed like a blast from the past. He couldn't say he disliked it though. He preferred the sweet idol that everyone adored, but a bit of fire now and then wasn't amiss.
But ruminating about his relationship would have to wait. His presence in Magnolia Town was still unknown to most, but sooner or later the word would spread. He had no intentions of sticking around for too long, only to find Natsu barging into his home and demanding information about Lisanna. It might disappoint, or even anger Mirajane to find him away from home, but there were more important things afoot outside of Magnolia Town anyway. He hoped Makarov had already sent out messages to the other guilds about the imminent threat that Oración Seis posed. The only thing left now was for all of them to come together and end the threat of Oración Seis, and destroy Nirvana once and for all.
In the meantime, he needed to talk to Roubaul. The man was the creator of Nirvana after all, and it would be good if Naruto could obtain as much information about it as possible. Given Roubaul was a spirit that couldn't exactly leave Cait Shelter, he was considering representing Cait Shelter in the man's place. He was essentially free to join any guild he wanted now, and no matter what the outcome of attacking Oración Seis was, Cait Shelter was doomed anyway. Either Nirvana was destroyed, freeing Roubaul to leave for the spiritual plane, or the world was destroyed. Neither option encouraged the survival of the guild. So even if he joined Cait Shelter, he wouldn't end up bringing any danger to the only living member of the guild, Wendy. It would be a very short marriage of convenience.
If there was going to be a formation of a team to fight Oración Seis, there was no way the guild masters wouldn't meet up and discuss a proper plan of action. That meant that if Naruto were present to take Roubaul's place, he would be privy to the guild masters' discussion, and be able to contribute as well. And should the masters not agree, he would be in a position to push for a resolution through other means. Naruto highly doubted that that would happen though; Makarov was old teammates with a few guild masters, and they trusted him explicitly. All he needed now was Roubaul's approval for his little scheme.
He was glad for his foresight, planting Hiraishin markers all over Fiore. He had one in Cait Shelter, to visit and check up on Wendy. Mystogan was quite attached to the girl, and had asked Naruto to watch out for the child. He had been tempted to reveal himself to Wendy before, but that could have led to some uncomfortable questions. The cat she had with her was far too perceptive for his liking. Happy was about as silly as one might imagine a talking, flying cat, but Carla was intelligent and overprotective to boot. Carla took good care of Wendy though, and Roubaul made sure she never went on missions too dangerous for a young teenage girl. Hence, he had never spoken to the Sky Dragon Slayer.
He was sure Wendy would volunteer her support skills the moment Cait Shelter was involved in this Oración Seis business. From what Naruto knew, she was quite the excellent support mage, and he would definitely appreciate her presence in any team. However, that meant that she would be in danger, and he would have to keep her safe. Mystogan would kill him if he didn't. A Hiraishin tag would do nicely, for he didn't intend on letting Wendy out of his sight if they went dark guild hunting. In any case, the best plan of action was to stick together; alone, each Oración Seis member was probably too much for any individual mage to handle. He could take them on himself, but he was the exception to the rule. So there shouldn't be an issue.
With his plan in mind, he wrote a short note to Mirajane, should she turn up at his doorstep later that night. Then, he disappeared without a trace, reappearing in Roubaul's quarters. It wasn't the most polite way to meet a man, materialising in his home so abruptly, but Roubaul didn't really mind Naruto's intrusive behaviour.
The man was not in his room. A quick check with Sennin Mōdo told him that Wendy was not around in the guild. He didn't really want to answer any questions about his presence if he got caught loitering inside of Cait Shelter without notice. Stepping out of Roubaul's hut drew several intrigued glances from the illusionary guild members. Naruto ignored their inquisitive stares, and headed straight for the main hall. As he suspected, Roubaul was busy regaling his people with some ancient stories. At the sight of Naruto though, the spirit closed his mouth and swallowed the alcohol that was spilling all over his front. His illusions streamed out of the hall, leaving the two alone.
Naruto pushed his marvel at Roubaul's immense power aside, and sat down across the Cait Shelter master. "I think Oración Seis is after Nirvana."
To his credit, Roubaul remained perfectly calm. "It was going to happen sooner or later. Those with ill intent will always covet such devastating power. Are you able to stop them?"
"Not alone, and not when I have little clue on how they intend on attaining Nirvana," Naruto replied seriously. "I asked Makarov to gather the guild masters for a meeting, and see if we can form a team to take down Oración Seis for good. I thought of asking you for information, and to join Cait Shelter until this impending disaster is averted."
"Join us? Are you not already in another guild?" Roubaul questioned.
"I left under...acrimonious circumstances," the blond man shook his head. "It doesn't matter. What matters now is that I'm free to represent and fight under the name of Cait Shelter. It's beneficial for both you and me. From now until the time when Cait Shelter is needed no more, you'll have a Wizard Saint as your Ace. As for me, I get to fight under your banner if we manage to form an alliance of legal guilds, which will keep me from getting attacked by the hotheads in Fairy Tail when I show my face to them."
"Will Wendy be joining you to battle Oración Seis?" Roubaul asked worriedly.
Naruto shrugged helplessly. "I think we could all use a support mage like her. I'm confident I can keep her safe, but I think we'll leave that decision up to her. She's quite mature now, and she can make her own choices."
"Very well, " Roubaul conceded.
"There's one more thing," Naruto said. "I'll like to be Cait Shelter's representative for the guild masters' meeting Makarov will most likely call for. Will that be okay?"
"I presume you have your reasons for wanting to do so. I can't leave the guild anyway, so do as you please," Roubaul remarked, drinking the alcohol in his hand with one massive gulp. "If you're joining the guild, I think it might be wise for you to stay until Wendy returns. A proper introduction will be good."
"Of course."
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Carla didn't know what to think of their new guild member. Wendy, the sweet girl that she was, made friends with the strange man almost immediately. Carla was far less trustworthy of men suddenly entering their guild, more so one as powerful as he claimed to be. He told an awed Wendy that he was recently handed the title of Wizard Saint, and showed them a medallion as proof. Carla was predisposed to believe he made a fake, but Roubaul seemed convinced. The guild master was a powerful mage as far as Carla could tell, and probably wouldn't be scammed by a fake Wizard Saint. So while she didn't have any personal confidence in the stranger, she grudgingly accepted his presence in their small guild.
That doubt was exacerbated when he informed Wendy that he knew of Jellal. Wendy had not seen her friend since he left her at Cait Shelter to chase something he called an Anima. Carla, of course, knew of Anima, but she didn't know that this Jellal character had left Wendy because of Anima. The blond man's knowledge, apparently gleaned from Jellal, was rather suspicious too, given that no one on Earthland should know of what Edolas was doing. The information served to cement Wendy's trust in the man named Naruto, but it made Carla all the more wary. The whole situation with Naruto and Jellal seemed awfully fishy to Carla.
So, that night, after Wendy had gone to bed, Carla sneaked out of their quarters to confront the guild's newest member. He was seated on the roof of his thatched hut, staring longingly into the dark night sky. He seemed pretty aware of Carla's presence too, greeting her without looking as she landed silently beside him, her tiny arms folded and her brow furrowed.
"Who are you really?" Carla demanded bluntly, uncaring of her brusque attitude.
The man was unruffled by her sharp tone, slowly leaning back to lie down on the roof, cradling his head with his hands. "As I told Wendy, I'm one of the Ten Wizard Saints, and a friend of Jellal's."
Carla hopped onto the man's chest, adjusting her weight so she wouldn't slide off his metal body armour. She glared at the man fiercely although as a tiny cat, she wasn't all that intimidating. "What are your intentions? Wendy and that friend of hers are the only ones to know of their relationship, so you might be speaking the truth. But that doesn't mean I trust your intentions. What are you trying to accomplish by winning Wendy's trust? Are you planning to use that trust against her?"
"Aren't you the overprotective Exceed," the blond man remarked casually.
Carla hissed at the nonchalant leak of information no one but Edolas citizens should know. "What do you know, human?! Are you from Edolas too?!"
"No, I'm not. What I do know I learnt from Jellal," Naruto answered coolly. "You can choose to distrust me because you think I mean harm to Wendy, or you can believe my words and trust in the master's judgement. Really, if I wanted to hurt Wendy, I could have done so a long time ago. I don't need to gain her trust for that."
"Who is Jellal, and why does he know so much? What is his plan?" Carla all but shouted.
"He cares nothing for his people's plots, and only wishes to see peace. He is fond of Wendy, and merely asked me to look after her now that I am free to join Cait Shelter," Naruto replied vaguely. "You've been taking good care of Wendy all this while. Keep it up, for there are difficult times ahead of us."
"And what do you mean by that?" Carla hissed, concerned for Wendy's safety. "Is Wendy in danger?"
"She could be, but that's why I'm here. To help protect Wendy since Jellal can't," Naruto remarked cryptically. "Don't stress yourself out so much, Carla. It'll do you no good to be distracted by my presence in the guild. Wendy needs you by her side, more than she needs anyone else."
"You might be one of the Wizard Saints, but that doesn't make you invincible. If you harm one hair on Wendy's head, I'll kill you," Carla threatened darkly.
To her shock, the man only patted her on the head gently, his eyes shut and curved into little inverted smiles. "That's a good attitude to possess, Carla."
"Tch. Whatever," Carla said dismissively, unnerved by the man's calm, almost cheery demeanour. "I'm going to bed."
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Makarov wasn't sure if he was pleased or frightened to see Naruto looking well rested and unperturbed by the night Makarov performed what some might deem crude psychoanalysis. On one hand, he might be well on his way to a healthier way of living, evidenced by Mirajane returning to the guild looking radiant and cheerful. On the other hand, he might be suppressing his guilt even more, which didn't bode well for anyone. He was then blindsided by the man's representation of Cait Shelter. If he didn't know Naruto better, he would have thought the blond was making the severance of ties even more concrete. Instead, he gathered the manipulative man was just trying to get into the meeting legally.
The flimsy excuse about Roubaul suddenly struck down by flu confirmed it. Makarov couldn't help but throw jibes at the ninja as the two of them sat on the train to Clover Town, where the usual guild masters' meeting took place. "You are slipping. What sort of excuse is the flu?"
"A simple lie is easier to mask than a complicated one," Naruto riposted, before he said quietly. "Thank you, old man. You've been a great help to me."
"Are you sure it wasn't Mira who…helped you that night?" Makarov waggled his eyebrows suggestively.
Normally, that would only lead to a mocking taunt from the blond, but Naruto coughed awkwardly instead. "We didn't do anything like that. And don't tell anyone. I don't need Mira constantly defending my honour. The guild has had enough strife as it is."
"So much for being the new Cait Shelter Ace, caring more about your old guild than your new," Makarov expressed mock disapproval, before smiling broadly. "It's good to see you doing better, kid. And Mira looks happier than she's ever been since Lisanna was still with us."
Naruto exhaled deeply. "Yea. Like you said, talking did help. I dimly remember having to confront my inner demons before. I hope that it's going to be the second and last time I ever have to do so."
"I think you ought to be more worried about what happens when everyone in the guild finally hears of you dating Mira," Makarov commented sagely. "Elfman is one thing, but I doubt anyone is going to give the boyfriend of Mira any rest for whisking her away. Wakaba will be especially jealous. And what about your Hato-chan?"
"I'll have to inform her that I'm attached. She'll just have to deal with it," Naruto shrugged, inwardly wincing at the thought of having to face Elfman. "As for Wakaba, that bugger's married. He's got no chance at Mira. Speaking of which, do you have any…advice? What I should do, what I should say, stuff like that."
"Well, you best be prepared for a life of servitude," Makarov sighed in melancholy, his own experiences coming to the fore. "Dating is like pulling off a successful heist. It's fun, it's thrilling, and you seem to have gained a lot from nothing. But marriage is like getting arrested after that crime. You lose your rights, your liberty, and when the adrenaline finally wears off, you realise how dreary your life has become, doing mundane chores and eating the same three square meals every day. It's a stable but banal existence that will suck the life out of you."
"That…doesn't sound very reassuring," Naruto choked out, resisting the urge to guffaw at Makarov's mournful look.
"Oh, it gets worse. Mira was talking to Juvia yesterday, after asking me if I knew where you were. She dismissed it as girl talk, claiming she wanted to help Juvia win Gray's heart, but I know better," Makarov shook his head slowly, reaching out to pat Naruto on the shoulder consolingly. "She's learning all of Juvia's mad fantasies to better chain you to her. You were doomed the moment you got attached."
"I think I can live with that," the blond man replied wistfully. "To be tied to a person who cares wholeheartedly for you is not such a bad thing. I've always yearned for family, seeing as I never had any. Mundane and boring doesn't sound too bad either. I think I've had enough excitement in my life."
"You say all that because Mira is a cover girl for Sorcerer Magazine," Makarov grinned perversely.
"You sure know how to ruin a great monologue, you pervert," Naruto chided.
The light banter continued until the train slowed to a halt at Clover Town. Disembarking, the duo headed for the meeting hall for guild master meetings. Before they reached the building, Naruto was quickly accosted by one of Makarov's former teammates. Naruto had seen a picture of Makarov's old team on the man's mantlepiece, and he had no earthly clue how Bob turned into what he was today. The cross-dressing, effeminate man was a far cry from the handsome, well-attired person in the photo. Naruto was a firm believer that love didn't have any boundaries, including gender, but he wasn't gay himself. Having an old, balding man try to chat him up was almost as disturbing as…well, Naruto had yet to see anything that disturbing.
"Ah~~ Ráfaga-kun~~" Bob tittered, his weird mannerisms belying his skill as he deftly snatched Naruto's arm into a vice grip. "How are you doing~~"
"Good. Please, Bob-sama, call me Naruto. Ráfaga was just my alias," Naruto shifted uncomfortably, shooting a dark glare at a sniggering Makarov. "I'm here to represent Roubaul-sama as part of Cait Shelter. I'm no longer in Fairy Tail."
"Oh, that's a pity~~" the man pouted. "Cait Shelter is very lucky to get such an interesting man like you~~ Oh, why did you not come to Blue Pegasus~~"
Makarov's snickers turned into a full-blown chortle. Bob seemed blissfully ignorant of his old friend's amusement. Naruto chuckled uneasily. "It came to my mind, but Makarov would be jealous that his old friend snagged me away from under his nose."
Bob giggled girlishly as Makarov coughed, choking on his own spittle from laughing too hard. "What a charmer you are, Naruto-kun~~ Oh, that name seems familiar, I wonder why~~"
"Because he's Uzumaki Naruto, the newest Wizard Saint on the block," Makarov declared proudly.
Bob gushed at the achievement, squeezing his chest against Naruto's arm even tighter. "Oh, what a wonderful accomplishment, Naruto-kun~~ And so brave too, to do all those things as Maelstrom~~ Oh, Cait Shelter is so lucky to have you~~"
Naruto was never gladder to see the rebuilt meeting hall come into sight. Bob disengaged himself to greet Goldmine, the Quatro Cerberus guild master, while Naruto quickly made his way past, headed straight for the meeting area. It seemed that even with Makarov's clout, few other guilds had turned up for the meeting. After all, not every guild has members strong enough to last even a second against the likes of Oración Seis, Naruto thought, as he settled down at the table in the middle of the large hall. An old lady was already seated, her stern features observing Naruto's entrance hawkishly.
"Hmm, you're a young one. I've never seen you before," Ōba Babasāma remarked, peering closely at the blond man.
Naruto removed his left glove, showing the Cait Shelter insignia printed on the back of the hand. "I'm representing my master, Roubaul-sama, given he's been struck by the flu."
"Oh, and what might your name be?" Ōba asked.
"Uzumaki Naruto, Ōba-sama," Naruto nodded politely. "Are we the only ones here?"
"Besides Makarov, Bob and Goldmine, yes," Ōba replied, snorting derisively. "I wonder what sort of genius plan Makarov has for us to fight Oración Seis. Ha! He thinks too highly of his own mages!"
"You have many outstanding mages in your guild too, Ōba-sama," Naruto remarked. "Jura Neekis is one of the Ten Wizard Saints, is he not?"
"Yes, he is the pride of our guild," Ōba smiled proudly, before her quick temper boiled over. "But I can't believe after Jose got his scrawny butt kicked by Makarov, he got replaced by some random independent mage! He might have done good things as Maelstrom, but…wait, did you just say your name is Uzumaki Naruto?"
"Y-Yea?" Naruto replied weakly.
"How come you have a higher rank as a Wizard Saint even though you received the title later, huh?!" the old woman screeched, getting into Naruto's face. "What's so special about you, huh?!"
"Because he took out plenty of dark guilds on his own, and is responsible for most of the intelligence the Magic Council got for the past decade," Goldmine answered dryly, coming to Naruto's rescue. "Welcome to this meeting, tiny as it is. Makarov told us it was something to do with Oración Seis, but even just the name scared off most other guilds."
"I wouldn't be surprised. They aren't the easiest opponents, that's for sure," Naruto grumbled, shaking Goldmine's hand. The Quatro Cerberus guild master froze. "You said…they weren't the easiest opponents. Does that mean you fought them?"
"It's why I pleaded for Makarov-sama to call this meeting," Naruto replied sheepishly, as Bob and Makarov arrived to get seated. "They were at the remnants of the Tower of Heaven, looking for Jellal Fernandes' body. They also mentioned Nirvana to me. I think they've become a threat none of us can ignore any longer."
"We have no information whatsoever about their movements, their abilities, or their plans!" Ōba shouted, pointing an accusing finger at Naruto. "I won't stand for a kid like you ordering us guild masters around! You're only representing Roubaul, that old fart!"
"And yet, he's the only person amongst us to have encountered Oración Seis, and uncovered their basic plan, which is to find Nirvana," Makarov interjected, earning a grateful nod from Naruto.
"If you wish to know, I fought Racer and Midnight. Racer uses Slowing Magic in conjunction with a knife, as well as SE motorcycles to attack his opponents. Midnight uses Reflector, a magic that can manipulate all non-living matter. It's not impossible to defeat either of them, and Midnight is their strongest member."
"How do we know you're not just embellishing your feats?" Ōba retorted snidely.
"We should have faith in Naruto-kun's information. After all, the Council has been contracting him for intelligence work for ten years~~" Bob added, winking lasciviously at Naruto.
The blond man resisted the urge to shudder. "I also have a general location, based on a temporary tracking tag I placed on Midnight about four days ago. They are searching for Nirvana in Worth Woodsea, near Cait Shelter in fact."
"I believe if we gather our guilds' strength, we can take down Oración Seis for good," Makarov declared. "So, which guild is willing to contribute their forces? I'm willing to volunteer Fairy Tail mages for the gargantuan task ahead of us."
"Cait Shelter does," Naruto spoke up.
"As does Blue Pegasus~~" Bob smiled.
"Tch. As if I'd lose to any of you. Lamia Scale will send her best!" Ōba exclaimed.
"I would, but Bacchus is gallivanting off somewhere, and we don't have any other mages capable of fighting members of Oración Seis," Goldmine shook his head at Naruto. "Sorry kid."
"It's alright," Naruto acknowledged the guild master's words. "So, how shall we do this?"
"I have a mansion near the woods we can use as a staging ground~~" Bob contributed, giggling inanely. "It's closer to the woods than Cait Shelter~~"
"I think a week should be enough for us to gather our selected mages, and send them on this dangerous mission," Makarov decided. "So, Naruto, what else can you share with us about Oración Seis?"
"Well…"