Hey guys, a new chapter here.
There's not much I could think of to do here, so have some fluff, jokes and interactions, just messing around. Added a sweet scene involving Sento and Romeo, so enjoy.
Also, I added a new idea, didn't come until the end and would be perfect to slowly add up to the arc.
Oh yeah! Isekai drip, give me your thoughts.
"Thank you so much for buying us all these new clothes, Ms. Scarlet!" Kunou chirped, her tails swishing so fast they nearly smacked the shopping bags out of Aston's hands. She hugged her own bag close like it was treasure, her golden eyes practically glowing.
The group walked back through Magnolia's streets, the late afternoon sun washing the cobblestones in warm light. Almost every one of them carried bags stuffed with clothes, scarves, boots, or whatever Erza had insisted on paying for.
"Don't mind it," Erza said, smiling warmly, though she cast a playful glance toward Vali. "It's the least I can do after beating your friend."
Vali, walking with his arms crossed and expression sour, only grumbled at that.
Rossweisse adjusted the strap of her bag and sighed. "Still, you really didn't need to go this far. Buying out half the market is… well, excessive."
"Nonsense," Erza said firmly, her tone as steady as a knight swearing an oath. "You are all members of Fairy Tail now. That makes you family. And family takes care of each other."
Kunou's tails wagged even faster, almost knocking over Xenovia, who steadied herself. "See? I told you she was nice!" the fox girl said proudly.
"God thanks you for your kindness," Xenovia added with a small bow of her head, her voice reverent.
The word hit like a ripple through the group. Vali visibly stiffened, his jaw clenching almost imperceptibly, as though the name itself was a thorn in his ear. Lucy noticed immediately, her brows furrowing.
"That's… the same tick Rias had when she heard the word 'God,'" Lucy thought. She slowed her steps, her bag swinging at her side. "What's going on with you two?"
She remembered little flashes now from one time ago—Rias flinching at the cathedral in town, deliberately veering them away with a brittle smile, her laughter too forced when Xenovia suggested going inside for prayer. Lucy had brushed it off before, but now…
"…it's consistent," Lucy whispered to herself.
"Is there some kind of… 'holy fatigue' going on?" she asked, more seriously this time, looking between Vali, Rossweisse, and Xenovia. "Should I get tested? Sento said there was a doctor in the woods nearby."
The group fell silent at her words. Even Kunou, usually quick to fill silences, slowed her tail's wagging.
"Holy fatigue," Rossweisse muttered under her breath, eyes darkening. "…that's one way of putting it."
Vali gave her a sidelong glance, his mouth curling into something between a smirk and a grimace. "Tested, huh? I doubt your doctor could diagnose this."
Rossweisse quickly cut in, voice firm but clipped. "It's nothing you need to worry about, Lucy. Let's just say… certain people don't mix well with holy things."
"That's an understatement," Vali muttered, brushing past them.
Xenovia clasped her hands in front of her chest, her tone light but layered with meaning Lucy couldn't quite grasp. "God tests all in different ways."
Lucy frowned, still chewing over her earlier suspicions, but her thoughts broke off as they reached the house.
When they stepped inside, silence greeted them. Empty.
"Where are they?" Rossweisse asked, setting her bags down as she glanced around.
A sound answered her. A faint thump. Then again, louder.
Everyone froze.
"What was that?" Lucy whispered.
Then came a muffled, frustrated voice. "Damn it! More!"
The group stiffened. It was unmistakable this time.
"Rias?" Lucy called cautiously.
"Yes!" came the reply, followed by a triumphant cheer. "Yes! Yes! Yes!" Each word punctuated with a resounding thump against the walls.
Rossweisse's face flushed crimson instantly. She covered her mouth with one hand. "Oh no…"
The color spread like wildfire—Lucy's stammering, cheeks burning, while even Erza's face matched her scarlet hair.
"W-wait! Are they—?" Lucy squeaked.
Xenovia, the only one still holding composure (barely), crossed her arms and shook her head with righteous disappointment. "As expected. I knew that devil had her temptations, but to mislead Sento like this… the poor soul, guided astray by lust."
"Wait, I'm confused, what are they—?" Kunou piped up innocently before Erza practically dove to cover her ears.
"Nothing you should hear!" Erza snapped, her voice an octave higher than usual.
Vali rolled his eyes and started walking away, muttering, "You people are hopeless."
"This is scandalous!" Erza declared, finally regaining her sense of duty. "I must correct this behavior!" She strode toward the door—only to freeze mid-step, her entire body locked as though she'd hit an invisible wall.
"What the—!?" Erza strained, every muscle flexing against an unseen force. It pushed her back, firm and unyielding.
Then, as the others stared wide-eyed, the front door creaked open.
And standing there, calm as ever, was…
Sento.
Of course, the girls were left blinking in confusion as the boy casually stepped inside.
"Hey, guys." Sento greeted.
"…Wait—what?" Lucy stammered.
"Hold on a moment," Sento said calmly as he suddenly pulled a gun from his coat and aimed it squarely at Erza's head. "Who's this?"
The entire group shouted in panic.
"Wait! Sento, that's Erza!" Kunou flailed, tails puffing in alarm. "She's a knight from the guild—super strong! She even beat Vali!"
"Oh?" Sento blinked, lowering the gun just as casually as he had drawn it. "So she's Fairy Tail then. Never mind."
Erza's jaw tightened, fists trembling. "Never mind!? You aimed a weapon at me!"
Rossweisse's eye twitched. "Sento, what in the world is going on with Erza—and who's in there with Rias?!"
"Rias?" Sento tilted his head. "She's alone. I just went to take the trash out. It was down the block—you must've come in while I was gone."
He brushed past the stunned group, stepping up to the cupboard door. With a knuckle, he knocked. "Rias,Lucy brought your clothes here."
The heavy thumping stopped instantly. Then Rias's voice rang out, flushed with excitement. "Sweet! I got that idea down just like you asked!"
The door swung open—and there she was, wrapped up in a blanket like a cocoon, a wide grin on her face.
Most importantly, in Rias's hand glowed a red sphere streaked with dark purple, pulsing ominously. She bounced it against the floor—thud… thud… thud—each impact rattling the wood.
"Thanks for the clothes, Lucy!" she chirped, grabbing a bag off the floor before shutting the door again, like nothing was strange at all.
"Wha—?" Lucy gaped, jaw dropping.
Sento sighed. "Rias was upset about what happened on your girls' trip yesterday. She wanted to get stronger, so she's practicing her Destruction magic. She got the idea from the Maker Magic system."
"In the house!?" Lucy exploded, arms flailing.
"It's fine." Sento waved her off. "I already set up bounded fields to contain anything major. Speaking of which—" his eyes slid toward Erza, who was still locked stiff in invisible force. "Stop thinking about attacking the house and you'll be fine."
A moment later, Erza felt the restriction vanish, staggering free with a bewildered scowl.
Rossweisse, however, froze in place, realization dawning. "…Bounded fields?"
"When I first entered the house," Sento answered plainly, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
Rossweisse's face paled. She darted to the door and looked outside, scanning the property. Her hand tightened on her staff. "…How did no one else notice this? This should have affected any of us?"
"You live here." Sento replied.
Xenovia cleared her throat into her hand, the tips of her ears glowing pink. "It appears… I owe you an apology."
Her tone was stiff, but the faint red dusting her cheeks betrayed her embarrassment.
Sento tilted his head. "…You thought we were having sex, didn't you?"
The words dropped like a bomb. His guess right on the dot.
Xenovia stiffened, face heating up. "I-! Y-yes, I simply considered the possibility-"
"For a nun, you're sure to be quick to assume." Sento smirked.
Kunou tilted her head in genuine confusion. "What's sex?"
"NOTHING!" Lucy yelped, immediately covering the little fox's ears, her own face going bright scarlet.
Rossweisse groaned, massaging her temples. "This household is going to be the death of me…"
Erza, still trying to compose herself after being restrained by the barrier, crossed her arms. Her voice was firm, but her ears were red. "You shouldn't speak of such things so bluntly!"
"I can say what I want." Sento adjusted his coat, his tone flat and sharp. "What are you even doing here?"
He walked forward without hesitation, each step deliberate, until he stood right in front of her—the Titania of Fairy Tail. The Queen of the Fairies herself.
Erza straightened, the air around her almost crackling as her presence filled the room. Most would have faltered under that weight, yet Sento met her gaze with ease, not a flicker of intimidation in his expression.
It was a rare sight—someone standing so casually in the shadow of Erza Scarlet, as if her reputation, her aura, her power… meant nothing.
Good, everyone else at the guild was so overly formal when dealing with her, it wasn't like she was difficult to deal with.
The others held their breath, caught between awe and anxiety.
"Sento, correct?" Erza's tone shifted, her posture loosening as the sharpness in her aura faded.
"Yeah."
"Macao told me about you—from the Mt. Hakobe job." Her eyes softened, a rare flicker of warmth behind the steel. "Thank you for that. It would have been difficult for little Romeo and the others if he had died."
Sento nodded once, not looking for praise. "You're welcome. I… didn't want Romeo to keep worrying about where his father was."
A small chuckle escaped Erza, brief but genuine. "Well then, thank you once again." She gave a respectful nod before turning toward the door. "I suppose I should take my leave."
With that, she stepped out of the house, her armored boots clicking lightly against the floor until the sound faded.
"What a nice woman," Sento muttered as he turned back to the others, brushing the moment off as if nothing unusual had happened. "So… you all went shopping?"
"Yeah!" Kunou piped up proudly, tail wagging behind her. "Can't just keep wearing the same old clothes every day. My miko outfit was getting a bit smelly."
That earned a few chuckles, but she was already padding over to Sento, eyes shining. "So you and Rias were practicing some magic?"
Sento crouched down so they were eye to eye. "Yep, we sure were. Want to practice with us? I'm really interested in your Fox Fire—and that other power you've been using ."
Kunou's grin widened, ears twitching as she nodded eagerly. "Yes!"
Rossweisse folded her arms, ever the voice of reason. "Wouldn't it be better to wait until tomorrow for that? It's pretty late."
"So tomorrow we're training then?" Xenovia asked, her tone more like a soldier confirming orders.
Sento straightened and shrugged. "Wouldn't hurt. There's plenty of forest around, maybe even phant-" He caught himself mid-word, quickly correcting, "-a magic beast to beat."
"That's perfect, Sento," came Rias's voice muffled through the cupboard door.
Sento sighed, running a hand down his face. "Thanks. But get out of there, will you? I sleep there, remember?"
"Well…" Rias dragged out the word, her voice carrying a smug lilt. "There are a lot of notes here. It'll take forever to clean up. Might have to bunk in with you tonight."
Lucy's face went scarlet, remembering all too clearly Rias's… unique sleeping habits. She clutched the bags tighter, muttering, "Oh no, not again…"
Rossweisse's face joined hers in a shade of pink, though she masked it with a cough into her fist. Xenovia crossed herself as if bracing for another sin, while Kunou just tilted her head innocently, confused about what everyone was getting so flustered over. Vali rolled his eyes.
Sento? He just didn't care. With a tired sigh, he turned on his heel and walked straight inside. "Good night, everyone."
The others blinked after him. The door clicked shut.
…
…
…
Inside, a muffled voice rang out.
"H-Hey! You can't just walk past me like that. I was— I mean, I might bunk with you, you know…"
A pause. Then louder, a little desperate, "Don't you think that's exciting? Sharing a room with me?"
Silence. Only the sound of sheets shifting.
"…You can't just ignore me!" Rias exclaimed, voice tinged with both frustration and a flirty lilt.
From outside, the group exchanged looks.
Rossweisse rubbed her temples. "I don't even want to imagine what's going on there…"
Xenovia shook her head solemnly. "Temptation in its most blatant form."
Kunou tilted her head, utterly lost. "I don't get it. Isn't it normal to share a bed with your family?" She yawned, tail flicking lazily. "Anyway, good night everyone."
Her innocent comment left Lucy's face aflame, Rossweisse stiff, and Xenovia muttering a prayer under her breath. But one by one, they began to disperse, each left with their own thoughts about the chaotic household they had walked into.
Steps crunched softly on bark as Kunou carefully balanced her way across a fallen log. Her little hands were outstretched for balance, her tails flicking nervously behind her. She bit her lip, concentrating hard.
But then her body leaned back too far.
"Oh no!" she squeaked, arms flailing as she toppled backward. "Ahhh—!"
"Got you!" Lucy's voice rang out. She caught Kunou just in time, pulling the fox girl close before she hit the ground.
Kunou blinked up at her savior, cheeks puffed in embarrassment. "I-I had it…"
Lucy looked up at the tree the log had fallen from, sighing. "You did something alright."
Kunou was wearing a huge yellow hooded cloak with two leather patches going across her chest. Small leather boots that match her perfectly with white highlights.
Lucy on the other hand, had her hair still tied with a blue flower. A blue and white dress is what she wore now. It was a corset style in white with detached sleeves that open to trimmed frills. A short layered skirt with gold trims tied with a golden belt.
The rest of the group wasn't far off, each focused on their own training. Rias was practicing with her crimson orbs of Destruction, the air around her warping as they pulsed making shapes and sizes. She tried various shapes of various things.
Her new clothes are a white blouse with puffy sleeves fastened to a gold clasp. Covered by a brown leather corset that goes to her waist, tied with laces. A short brown skirt with a utility pouch attached to it. Black thigh-high stockings that are paired with dark brown boots.
Safe to say, she was a very happy girl.
Rossweisse had carefully drawn runic circles in the air, all of different elements layered to make different effects. Sento sat on a tree stump with his notebook open, scribbling strange thaumaturgical equations in the margins like he was half-scientist, half-mage. Veering over Rossweisse every now and then.
She wore a modified version of her armor, having a more sleek appeal now silver colored. A little blue fur coat attached with trim drapes behind her, silver stockings down from her thighs.
Xenovia slashed through branches with calm precision, sword strokes sharp and efficient. Her upper body is protected by a silver armored chestplate, balanced with a high-collared undergarment. She wears a blue skirt that is tied to a belt along with gloves on her hands.
Even Vali was off to one side, testing his control. His only changed uniform is a leather jacket. Been spending time trying to commute with Albion with no avail, since there's no beast surprisingly.
It was… oddly peaceful.
Until a voice interrupted.
"So you guys really are here."
The group turned at once. A man sauntered forward through the trees, cigarette dangling from his lips. His casual tone would've been unremarkable—if not for the fact he was nearly naked, wearing only a pair of boxers.
Lucy yelped and immediately clamped her hands over Kunou's eyes. "Stop doing that Lucy!" She squirmed and whined.
"Gray Fullbuster, correct?" Sento asked without even glancing up, still jotting in his notes. "Would you care to explain why you appear before us with only your undergarments?"
Gray blinked, then looked down at himself. A beat of silence passed.
"…Ah. Crap." He scratched his head, cigarette bobbing. "Honestly, you're all gonna see this more often than not. Don't worry about it."
Lucy groaned. "That's not an excuse!"
"Seeing that guy's-" Gray jabbed his thumb toward Vali, his expression sharp despite his lack of clothes, "-fight with Erza got me curious. Can't just let the new guy show me up."
Vali's lips curled into a grin, silver-blue aura flickering faintly across his shoulders. "Well, say less." He stood and started walking forward, his boots crunching across the forest floor.
The air shifted instantly, pressure building between the two.
"Whoawhoawhoawhoa!" Levy suddenly popped into view, hurrying between them with her hands up. "Gray! That's not nice-he just went through Erza!" Her eyes darted between the two like she was watching a bomb about to go off.
Gray exhaled a puff of smoke from his cigarette, shrugging lazily. "And? That's exactly why I wanna fight him. If he can keep up with Titania, then I wanna see what he's made of."
Vali tilted his head, eyes gleaming with that battle-hungry light. "Relax, bookworm. I'll go easy on him."
"Easy!?" Levy squeaked, throwing her arms out to block them both. "You don't do easy! And Gray, you always start fights half-dressed, do you even realize how ridiculous this looks!?"
"What are you all doing here?" Rias asked, her arms crossed, clearly baffled by the sudden influx of people.
"Gray wanted to fight Vali," Levy explained quickly, jabbing a thumb between the two hotheads. "I came here to stop him, but also I was asked to brin—"
"Mr. Sento! Hello!"
A young, excited voice cut her off. Everyone turned just as a small figure burst out of the bushes, twigs stuck in his hair and dirt on his cheeks. Romeo's bright eyes locked onto Sento as he ran full-speed toward him.
"Romeo?!" Lucy blinked, startled.
"Slow down, boy! You're not racing a train!" Another voice wheezed from the brush. Seconds later, Macao stumbled into view, bent over and panting heavily, hands on his knees as though the sprint had drained the last bit of energy from him. "Why… are you… so fast…" he huffed, sweat dripping down his forehead.
Romeo, on the other hand, looked completely unbothered, as though the run through the forest had been child's play. He grinned ear to ear, waving both hands. "I knew I'd find you here! I wanted to show you something, Mr. Sento!"
Macao groaned, straightening with effort. "I told him not to rush ahead, but would he listen? Nooo…" His eyes trailed to Gray, who was still shirtless, cigarette hanging from his mouth, squaring up against Vali. "And why am I not surprised to find this going on?"
Gray shrugged. "What? Don't give me that look."
"Don't 'what' me, boy," Macao muttered, clearly already regretting letting Romeo drag him along.
"Hello, Romeo," Sento greeted warmly, stepping closer to the boy. "What brings you all the way out here?"
Romeo's grin widened. "Well, there's something really cool happening in town, and I wanted you to see it!"
Sento raised a brow, humoring him. "Really now? Are you sure it's amazing?"
"Yeah! It's super amazing!" Romeo's voice bubbled with excitement, practically bouncing on his heels.
Behind him, Macao groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "Romeo, can't you see he's busy? He doesn't have time to chase after every little thing you think is 'cool.'"
Sento tilted his head, glancing between father and son. Then he gave a small shrug, closing his notebook with a soft snap. "I suppose I could go. You all don't mind if I step away for a bit, do you?" His eyes flicked toward the others, tone casual as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
Romeo's face lit up, stars in his eyes. "Really?! You'll come?!" He nearly leapt forward, grabbing Sento's hand with both of his small ones.
"Of course," Sento replied with a faint smile. "Lead the way, Romeo. Let's see this amazing thing of yours."
Romeo's shout rang through the trees. "Yes! There's a performer in town and he has these—!" His voice faded as he dashed ahead, Sento and Macao following after him until the sound of their steps disappeared into the woods.
"That's sweet," Rossweisse said softly, watching their retreating figures. "He has a fan."
Xenovia folded her arms, her expression thoughtful. "He brought his father back, remember? Romeo probably looks up to him now. Oh, how different things might have been if we hadn't gotten here when we did." She glanced down for a moment, recalling that night Sento vanished without notice-slipping away into danger alone, only to return with Macao at his side.
Gray let out a low breath, a strange mix of relief and frustration in his voice. "Damn. I probably should've started fighting with him too… seeing what he's really got."
"Stop trying to fight everyone and everything, Gray," Levy muttered, smacking his arm lightly. Her tone was both scolding and weary, though her voice dipped into something quieter-something only he, standing closest, would catch. "Just show up. Be glad Romeo's acting like this."
Gray blinked at her, momentarily caught off guard by the weight in her words. He looked away, scratching the back of his neck, choosing not to argue this time.
The forest was calm again, the air carrying only the rustle of leaves as the group absorbed the moment in silence.
"Anyways, what are you all doing?" Levy asked, glancing over at the faint scorch marks on the ground.
"Oh, we're practicing a bit-learning some magic here and there. Look." Rias stepped forward, her palm glowing as a crimson sphere formed, dark purple energy coiling around it. She tossed it down like a ball, where it landed with a heavy thud before dissipating harmlessly.
"I used my 'magic' power to wrap around my destruction magic," she explained, proud, "making it into a bomb I can detonate at will. I plan to use maker magic to help with other stuff."
Levy blinked. "That… could actually cut down on the damage bills we get."
"Yeah," Rias said with a faint grimace. "I kind of broke a house down on the girls' trip."
"I remember. Congrats, by the way." Levy patted her shoulder with a grin.
Rossweisse's eyes widened. "That's not something you should be congratulating! That could bring a bad reputation to the guild."
Levy and Gray both turned slowly-very slowly-to stare at her. Their faces were blank, soulless, eagle-focused stares that bored into her with an intensity only Fairy Tail veterans could manage.
Rossweisse stiffened under the weight of their looks. "W-what?"
"Rossweisse," Levy said flatly, "you do realize the Magic Council already hates us because we're known for destruction, right?"
"…The government hates us?" Xenovia blurted, caught off guard.
Lucy hesitated, looking between them all with a troubled frown. "Are we… really that bad?"
The silence that followed was almost comical, as if the forest itself had paused to let that question hang in the air.
"It can't be for everyone, can it?" Rossweisse said, frowning. "I can see this guy here being a problem-" she pointed directly at Gray.
"Hey!" Gray barked, cigarette nearly falling out of his mouth.
"But Levy, I'm sure you wouldn't-"
Lucy suddenly froze, a memory smacking her like a freight train. The first day they'd arrived in Fairy Tail, Master Makarov had been chewing out several members. Levy had been one of them.
"You… burned down a library when we came."
The rest of the girls blinked, remembering the same moment. Rias even gasped softly in surprise.
Levy's face turned bright red. "IT WAS AN ACCIDENT!" she screamed, throwing her arms in the air.
Gray burst out laughing. "You-hah! You destroyed the one thing you actually love!"
Levy whipped around, pointing furiously. "Gray, you have over six hundred tickets for indecent exposure in school areas! You do NOT get the high ground against me!"
Gray threw his arms up. "I can't do anything about this, alright!? We tried everything!"
"Wait," Rias tilted her head curiously. " There's an actual reason you're nearly naked all the time?"
Lucy deadpanned, staring at her with no sympathy whatsoever. "Rias. You have zero room to talk about indecency." She thought to herself.
Xenovia, desperate to break the awkward tension, raised her hand stiffly. "So… um… how exactly do you burn down a library by accident?"
Levy's blush deepened, her eyes darting away. "…I don't want to talk about it."
"Oh, no no," Gray grinned wickedly. "We're definitely talking about it."
Rias leaned forward, intrigued. "Yes, please. How do you manage that?"
Levy stomped her foot, cheeks flaming. "I was trying to sneak into the restricted section, okay!? They've got rare grimoires in there-things that could help with script magic research!"
Rossweisse blinked. "That doesn't explain the fire."
Levy's voice cracked. "I… may have used a detection spell to bypass the barrier. And the barrier may have been… flammable?"
"Who makes a flammable barrier!?" Lucy blurted out.
"It wasn't supposed to explode!" Levy snapped back, throwing her arms up. "The guards panicked, water magic went everywhere, hit the lightning wards, and-boom! Half the building was on fire!"
There was a long pause.
Gray broke first, clutching his stomach as he howled with laughter. "You didn't even burn the books-you burned down the walls! You're the worst library lover in history!"
Levy shrieked, grabbing him by the collar. "Shut up before I tattoo a gag over your mouth with Solid Script!"
Levy finally let go of Gray's collar with a huff and spun back to the others, eager to change the subject. Vali rose to his feet, the faint glow of his Sacred Gear pulsing along his arm as his smirk widened. "So… you still wanna go?" His tone carried that hungry edge, like a predator daring prey to step closer.
Gray cracked his knuckles, then pressed his palms together. A sudden chill swept through the clearing, frost curling along the grass at his feet. "Bring it on, pal!"
Lucy groaned, throwing her hands up. "Oh, great. He's getting into another fight."
Kunou's tails fluffed out with excitement. "Fight! Fight!" she cheered, bouncing on her toes.
Rossweisse pressed her fingers to her temples, muttering something in Norse under her breath. "Why is it always fists first with this guild…"
Levy looked torn between stepping in and letting it happen. "Maybe… it'll tire them both out before they break something important?"
"Or break everything," Lucy shot back.
The temperature in the air kept dipping as Gray's ice spread wider, while Vali's wings twitched restlessly, silver-blue light sparking at their tips. The standoff stretched thin, like a bowstring pulled to its limit.
"Anyway! What else have you guys been working on?" Levy said, ignoring the two.
Rossweisse perked up, adjusting the bag at her hip. "Me and Sento have been looking into layered magic circle formations. Putting several spells together like a stack of cards—it's fascinating. It allows for combinations you'd never think possible."
"That's… actually really impressive," Levy admitted, her interest piqued despite herself.
"I've only been honing my sword skills," Xenovia added, almost dismissively.
"You should really look into using magic Xenovia," Rossweisse suggested.
Xenovia gave a slight shrug. "I don't know. Back at the Church, I never really looked into magic much."
Levy tilted her head, her voice smooth and knowing. "I'm sure there's something for you. You could even ask Erza. She knows sword-based magic that would mesh with your style."
For once, Xenovia hesitated. "…I'll think about it."
She glanced toward Lucy, changing the subject. "Hey, Lucy. Any news on Durandal?"
Lucy sighed, brushing her hair back. "No. I've had Cancer keeping an eye out, but so far, he hasn't found anything. Not a single trace."
Xenovia lowered her head with a quiet sigh, clear disappointment in her posture at the news about Durandal.
But Kunou quickly lifted the mood, her tails swishing as she threw her hand into the air. "I'm learning to tree walk! Rias gave me the idea."
"Oh?" Levy tilted her head, intrigued.
Rias straightened her back proudly, brushing a stray strand of crimson hair behind her ear. "Mm. Inspiration from my reading habits. Sometimes literature sparks… unorthodox training methods."
Kunou beamed, bouncing on her toes. "It's fun! Like being a ninja!"
Lucy chuckled, though she gave Rias a side glance. "That's… definitely not what I thought you'd take from your books, but okay."
"Hey," Rias countered smoothly, her pride still showing, "genius comes in many forms."
Lucy muttered from the side, flexing her arm. "Or in this case, climbing trees like a squirrel."
"Better a squirrel than someone who keeps getting knocked into the dirt," Rias shot back without missing a beat. Looking at Vali getting knocked back by an ice hammer.
"Do you guys want to go on a mission together again?" Levy asked, her hands behind her back as she rocked on her heels.
"We would love to, Levy," Lucy answered with a smile.
"Yeah, working with you was wonderful," Xenovia added earnestly.
"I want to join this time!" Kunou piped up, raising both hands high like she was making a pledge.
The girls chuckled at her enthusiasm, Rias ruffling the fox girl's hair.
"Well then," Levy grinned, wagging a finger playfully, "you bring your boys, and I'll bring mine."
Rossweisse arched a brow at that. "Your boys?"
"You met them yesterday, albeit shortly, Jet and Droy, the three of us make team Shadowgear."
"You have a team name?!" Rias gasped, her eyes practically sparkling with excitement. She was already forming ideas in her head, pestering the other girls with suggestions while they tried (and failed) to calm her down.
[Sento Tengumaru POV]
"Thanks for helping, Romeo, kid."
"No problem, Macao." I replied as I handed him one of the little chocolate sticks we'd picked up from the performer's caravan. He took it with a grateful nod.
And man, this stuff really hit the spot. Sweet, smooth, with just the right snap when you bit into it. For a moment, it almost made me forget about the mess waiting back home.
The caravan itself was lively, banners fluttering, music and laughter spilling out into the streets. The performers had gathered quite the crowd, their little tricks and dances bringing smiles all around. A good distraction for the townsfolk.
But beside me, Macao didn't seem to be smiling.
"No, I'm serious," he muttered after a moment, voice heavy. "My boy hasn't been doing well for a while."
I glanced at him. "Things not going so well back home?"
His gaze dropped to the ground, the faint glow of the lanterns painting shadows across his worn face. Then he looked back up at me, tired but firm.
"Romeo… wants to be a wizard. Like any other kid his age. But he's not part of that ten percent born for magic. Unlike his sisters."
That caught my attention. "Sisters? I've never seen them before."
Macao gave a small, almost bitter chuckle. "Juliet and Rosalina. They… prefer to stay with their mother than their old man."
He tried to make it sound casual, but the weight in his voice said otherwise.
"Though they still love me the same," Macao admitted, his shoulders sagging a little. "They just didn't want to smell my drunk ass all the time."
This time, his laugh was lighter, more self-deprecating than bitter.
"Romeo… he got a bit bummed out after that. But the kid still tried to work it out. Most of the guild's been encouraging him. One more than the others."
I raised a brow. "Gonna go out on a limb here and say… Natsu Dragneel?"
Macao's lips twitched into the faintest smile. "I guess you'd know about that."
"I didn't until a few days ago," I said, scratching the back of my head. "Levy filled me in. Sorry for your loss-though I guess that's not something you wanna keep hearing."
"Yeah." His answer was soft, but final. A truth he'd already lived with for too long.
Still, there was no mistaking the warmth in his eyes when he added quietly, "Romeo really looked up to him."
I looked around and spotted a small stall set up near the caravan. It wasn't anything flashy-just buckets of dull, gray clay stacked on a rickety table. But the sign hanging above caught my eye:
"Magic Clay – Shape it, Will it, Make it Yours!"
Kids were running past with their messy creations-lopsided animals, crooked stars, even little clay figures of their parents. They weren't perfect, but they were alive in the way kids made things alive. That was enough to spark an idea.
"Where are you going?" Macao asked as he watched me peel away from the crowd.
"Just a second," I said over my shoulder.
I dropped a few coins on the stall and bought a couple of batches. The clay was warm to the touch, already humming faintly with the magic inside. Sitting myself down at a nearby bench, and got to work.
The clay began to shift under my fingers, smoother than ordinary mud, eager to be molded. My hands moved with purpose, guided by the half-formed picture in my head.
Romeo came running back, face bright from the show, but slowed when he saw me hunched over, hands carefully moving with an almost surgical precision. The boy opened his mouth to ask what he was doing.
" ? What are you doing?"
but then I turned, holding out seven finished figurines. "Hey Romeo, your back, I wanted to thank you for bringing me here. Just something to remind you of today."
Romeo's breath caught.
They weren't crude toys or simple blobs of clay. Each one was alive with detail, practically humming with presence.
"Who are these people?"
"These are famous people back where I'm from."
"The first," Sento said, placing it in Romeo's small hands, "is a woman who saved countless lives with her will alone. Florence Nightingale. She fought not with weapons, but with care. She was actually one of the first people to use medical care."
"Like that old lady in the woods that scares dad?"
"Yep"
The second was a man in green, cloak swaying as though wind pressed against it. "Here's Robin Hood. A thief who stole not for himself, but for the poor. Not a single sent for his personal use, all with a simple bow and arrow."
He set down a spear-wielding warrior, Only a gold helmet and a red cape. "Leonidas I. A fighter who never backed down, no matter the odds, he faced an army of 1000000 men with only 300 of his."
The next figurine made Romeo blink-it smiled at him, a captain with sharp eyes and a terrible grin. "Christopher Columbus. Not all legends are clean, but even the flawed ones change history. He traveled the world, being the first one to discover a new country, and paved a path to build up one of the strongest countries in the world."
The fifth was a man cloaked in science and mystery, beauty and intellect mixing in strange harmony. "Paracelsus von Hohenheim. He believed in chasing knowledge, no matter how strange the path."
The sixth figurine was a woman with sun-kissed skin, hair adorned with flowers, her posture half a dance. "Mata Hari. Not a warrior in the usual sense-but power comes in many forms. She alone made countries go into turmoil when she sneaks information. "
I lean into Romeo's ears and whisper. "And she was one of the prettiest girls around."
"Gross."
And finally, I held the seventh one just a little longer. I run my finger against her face. Memories coming from long ago.
"I miss you."
It was a short thought, but one quickly put away. It's time for my story to start. And I'll make it to the end.
A look at the final figure was a woman with bright blue eyes, pink hair flowing as though alive, twin blades in her hands. "Miyamoto Musashi. A swordswoman who forged her own path, always seeking strength beyond strength. She traveled around the world(s)"
Romeo stared at the seven figures, unable to find words.
"You showed me something amazing, so it's only natural I show you something amazing too, right?" Sento said, leaning back against the bench. "Well, there you go. Heroes. Some noble, some flawed. All people who mattered."
"…They're beautiful." Romeo's voice cracked, his fingers trembling as he held them. "You… you made these for me?"
"Yeah." Sento smirked faintly, eyes drifting off toward the crowd. "I figured you should have… stories you can hold onto. Reminders that you can be anything you want to be."
Romeo was still staring at the figurines, eyes wide, his lips moving like he was whispering each name to himself.
Behind him, Macao rubbed the back of his neck. "…You really didn't have to do all that."
Sento immediately looked up to Macao. "Didn't I? Can't leave him without something to stand on."
Macao glanced at his son again. Romeo was clutching the figures close, smiling wider than he had in months. His little shoulders didn't look so heavy anymore.
The older man exhaled, a little shaky, and muttered under his breath-
"…Damn it, kid. You're making me believe again."
[Earthland POV]
It was nearing midnight when the train rattled along the tracks, carrying Sento, his group, and Team Shadow Gear toward their next job.
"How far is this one again?" Lucy asked with a yawn, rubbing her eyes.
"Border of Ishgar, Seven, and Bosco," Droy replied.
Rossweisse raised a brow. "That close to three nations? Doesn't that risk… complications?"
"None that I know of," Levy said confidently, though her own voice carried a tired edge. She stretched her arms before leaning back against the seat. "Still, it'll take us until morning. So buckle up, everyone-best to get some rest."
"You can lay on my lap, Levy," Jet offered with a hopeful smile.
"No, you can-" Droy started, but the words died on his lips the moment Levy turned and gave both him and Jet a look sharp enough to cut steel.
With exaggerated defiance, Levy chose the hardest option of all-curling up stiffly on the wooden seat, clearly more comfortable with the discomfort than with their antics.
Rias chuckled at the sight. "You two are really supportive of Levy. You know I can hel-"
"Don't be tempted by this devil!" Xenovia said on the other side.
Rias smirked, raising her hands in mock surrender. "Calm down, I'm only playing." Her eyes flicked toward the opposite table, where the other half of their group had settled in.
Sento sat there with his notebook half-open, Kunou curled up fast asleep on his lap, her fox ears twitching now and then with her dreams. Rossweisse dozed lightly beside him, her head tilted against the window, while Vali sat opposite, expression unreadable.
It was Vali who finally broke the silence, holding up a folded flyer he'd been reading. "Looks like our job's simple enough. Protection detail for an archaeological expedition. Any and all guilds welcome." His silver eyes narrowed faintly. "And the reward… 'satisfactorily handled.'"
"'Satisfactorily,' huh?" Sento muttered, barely glancing up from his notes. "That usually doesn't mean anything, but we'll have to stay sharp."
"I'm sure we'll be fine," Xenovia said, her tone almost smug. "You haven't been led astray yesterday."
Sento sighed, pen scratching across the page. "Still on about that?"
Beside him, Kunou stirred, her tails flicking lazily as she rubbed at her eyes. "Bathroom?" she mumbled, voice heavy with sleep.
"Should be at the end," Sento said, already rising. "Come on, I'll help." He guided her down the narrow aisle toward the back of the train car, steady and patient.
Rias watched him go, her smirk curling. "You know, for someone so detached, you do act like a gentleman, I heard what happened with little Romeo."
Without looking back, Sento's voice cut flat and dry. "Listen Rias, you are an average beautiful girl, but you're not my type yet."
"Average?!" Rias shot up in her seat, face turning red.
Rossweisse stifled a laugh behind her hand. "Wow, I don't think I've ever heard anyone call Rias Gremory average before."
Vali smirked over the edge of the flyer. "Guess even queens get knocked off their pedestal sometimes."
Rias folded her arms, cheeks puffed, trying to salvage her composure. "Hmph! He's just blind, that's all."
"Well no matter, it's time for me to nap," Rias muttered, stretching her arms above her head before curling onto her seat. "We've got a big day tomorrow."
"You're right," Lucy agreed softly. Instead of lying down, though, she turned toward the window, letting her gaze drift past the glass. The train had crossed onto a high bridge, the kind that seemed suspended between earth and sky. Beyond, the night stretched out endlessly, the stars burning bright against the velvet black.
She smiled faintly. It was peaceful. Almost perfect.
Then movement caught her eye. Dark shapes, circling high above. At first she thought they were birds, their wings gliding in steady arcs. But something about them-something about the way they moved-felt wrong.
Her brow furrowed. She leaned closer, pressing her temple against the cold glass.
Wings? No. Not wings. Arms.
Lucy's breath hitched in her throat. The shadows were humanoid, their limbs outstretched like grotesque mockeries of flight.
And then-she saw it. The stars themselves began to brighten around their arms. Small glimmers swelling, swelling, until they were no longer stars at all. They were lights. Weapons.
Her eyes widened in horror as the glowing orbs surged to life.
"They're-coming straight for us!" Lucy shouted, jerking back from the window just as the first brilliant streak of light descended toward the train.
The others had only just begun to drift toward sleep when Lucy's shout snapped them awake. In the next instant, glowing spears of light tore through the train's walls, crackling as they pinned themselves into the metal.
"What the-?!" Jet stumbled upright.
"Someone's attacking the train!" Levy cried, fumbling over Jet's knees in her rush to stand.
The spears pulsed faintly, humming with dangerous energy. Rossweisse and Vali exchanged sharp glances, both recognizing the aura instantly. Another spear drove straight into the seat beside Vali-close enough to graze his shoulder. He raised a hand, letting his aura brush over it.
His eyes narrowed. "…Holy energy. These are holy spears."
The words landed like thunder. The DxD girls' expressions shifted, fear and recognition flashing across their faces.
"Holy spears?!" Rias blurted, eyes wide. "But how could they be-?"
Her question was drowned out by heavy thuds on the roof. A glance at the windows confirmed it-dark-winged figures, their black feathers scattering against the wind, swooping alongside the train.
"Fallen Angels!" Xenovia snarled, her sword already in her grip. "They're in this world too!"
Lucy paled. "Wait-you know these people?!"
Rossweisse's eyes darted to the back of the car. "Someone get Sento and Kunou, before-"
Her words cut short as an ear-splitting blast ripped through the rear of the train. The entire car shook, the explosion tearing through the bridge supports behind them. The floor buckled as smoke and shrapnel filled the air.
When the haze cleared, the group saw the back half of their train-gone. The track behind them had collapsed into the canyon below.
And at the edge, where the metal had split, stood Sento. He clutched Kunou tightly to his chest with one arm, the other already bloody from the fight. Around him lay two men in purple robes, crumpled and motionless, their blood smeared across the floor.
More robed figures swarmed him, stepping through the smoke, weapons raised.
Then, without resistance, the last coupling snapped-
and the rear cars of the train plummeted into the abyss.
Sento locked his grip around Kunou's small frame, tucking her tight against his chest as the train car lurched violently beneath them. The coupling screamed, metal tearing apart as gravity pulled the rear cars down into the abyss. He didn't think, just moved. With Kunou in one arm, he scrambled upward, boot finding purchase against twisted iron, until he burst out onto the roof.
The night wind hit him hard, but he kept running, the broken chain of cars beneath him falling one by one into the canyon below. His only chance was the bridge ahead, but only if he could make it across before the last car dropped.
Laughter cut through the chaos. Dark wings swooped. A Fallen Angel dove at him, spear of light gleaming, only to meet Sento's boot square in the chest. The blow staggered the man, sending him spinning off-course with a curse.
But another was already there. With a cruel grin, the Fallen slammed into Sento, knocking him off balance. His boots skidded against the roof. For one heart-stopping instant, he was weightless-then he went over the edge.
Kunou screamed.
Sento's hand lashed out, knife flashing. The blade buried itself into the iron siding with a teeth-rattling clang. His arm strained, Kunou clinging desperately to him as the train roared past above, his body dangling in the open air.
He looked up. The lip of the car was too far-he wouldn't be climbing back any time soon. More wings were circling.
His eyes narrowed. No choice.
He kicked off the side of the train with all his strength, launching himself straight at one of the swooping Fallen. The man barely had time to sneer before Sento slammed into him, knocking the breath out of his lungs. One hand twisted into the feathers of the creature's wing, the other pressing cold steel against the man's throat.
"Keep flying," Sento growled between clenched teeth as they plummeted toward the ground.
The Fallen's laughter faltered into a strangled choke as the knife bit against skin.
Kunou buried her face in Sento's chest, trembling, as the world rushed up to meet them.
The Fallen thrashed as they hurtled downward, but Sento's grip was iron. The knife dug deeper against the man's throat, every jerk of resistance only slicing in further. Kunou whimpered into his coat, clutching tight, and Sento tilted his body just enough to shield her from the rush of air.
The canyon floor rushed up to meet them.
At the last second, Sento shifted, twisting their descent so the Fallen was beneath them. The impact cracked like thunder. Bone splintered. Wings bent at grotesque angles, absorbing the brunt of the fall. The man coughed blood once, then went limp.
Sento rose slowly from the corpse, Kunou still held safe in his arms. His coat was spattered red, but his breathing was steady, eyes already scanning for the next threat. Without hesitation, he wrenched the knife free from the Fallen's ruined throat, wiping the blade against the tattered feathers.
He glanced at the mangled wings beneath him.
"…Not bad," he muttered, voice low and detached. "Shame you won't be needing them anymore."
Kunou peeked up at him, wide-eyed, still trembling, but she was unhurt. Sento shifted her in his arms and gave a small, reassuring squeeze. His tone softened, just slightly, when he addressed her.
"You're alright. I've got you."
Then, with one last look at the broken body beneath his boots, his expression hardened again. "Now… let's find the others before more of these bastards show up."
Sento's eyes flicked upward. More Fallen Angels broke through the clouds, dark wings silhouetted by the stars, their spears of light forming as they dove toward the train still clinging to the tracks. The shrieks of steel and wood groaning against its own weight carried down the canyon. It wouldn't hold much longer.
"Well I'll be," someone muttered, shifting Kunou in his arms as he adjusted his grip on the blood-slick knife. "We got some stragglers."
Kunou followed his gaze, trembling but forcing herself to stay composed. "Sento… the train-"
"I see it." His voice was steady. Almost calm.
Not far ahead, movement drew his eye. One of the cloaked attackers had survived the fall. The man tore off his hood and robe, revealing a hulking figure- muscles bulging, scars cut deep into tanned skin. His black hair spiked upward like jagged blades, his cargo pants stained from the crash.
He cracked his neck, looking skyward at the incoming Fallen with a scowl. "The hell are all of these people? They really screwed with the plan."
Sento narrowed his eyes, assessing. The man's stance, his focus. This guy didn't seem to be aligned with the winged ones.
"…Interesting," Sento murmured. "He doesn't seem to know them."
The brute's head snapped toward Sento, lips curling into a grin far too eager for blood. "No matter. Doesn't change a damn thing. You'll all be sacrificed for Lord Zeref."
Kunou stiffened.
Sento let out a quiet, humorless chuckle, brushing a smear of crimson from his cheek with the back of his hand. "So the train was double-booked on attacks today." His eyes sharpened, meeting the man's wild gaze without flinching. "How unfortunate for you."
The ground shook as another section of train tore free from the bridge, screams and clattering metal echoing down the gorge. Above, the Fallen circled like vultures.
Kunou whispered, clutching tighter to his coat:
"…What do we do?"
Sento's smile was thin. Cold.
"We fight."
His eyes dropped to the shattered ground, catching the glint of a discarded cultist's staff. With a sharp kick, the weapon flipped into his hand, the weight familiar enough for his mage's mind to already calculate the runes carved into its shaft.
"Been meaning to put some of the formulas I drafted to use." He leveled the staff at the hulking newcomer. "Hop on."
Kunou didn't hesitate. She wrapped her arms around his neck, tails curling instinctively for balance. Her body glowed faintly as Touki channeled through her, lending him an extra layer of protection, her small frame trembling but resolute.
The circuits inside him flared to life- jagged lines of blue tracing his arms, searing against his skin like living brands. The staff hummed with resonance, arcs of raw magical energy skittering across its carved runes.
The cultist grinned, slamming his fists together. "You're rushing to your own death!" His muscles bulged as black runes seared across his chest, Zeref's twisted script pulsing with corrupted life.
Sento didn't bother answering. He bent his knees and launched forward. The ground cracked beneath his boots, shards of stone scattering from the sheer force of his movement.
The brute roared, surging to meet him, each step leaving craters in the dirt.
And from above-
The Fallen Angels dove. Spears of light screamed through the night air, their wings casting monstrous shadows over the gorge. They were converging on both men indiscriminately.
Kunou's eyes widened. "They're… they're after all of us!"
"Good." Sento's grip on the staff tightened, his circuits flaring brighter as he spun it into position. "Saves me the trouble of choosing targets."
The three forces collided at once- cultist fists like sledgehammers, Fallen spears raining from the heavens, and Sento's staff blazing with the improvised formulas of a magus ready to turn theory into devastation.
That's the end of the chapter!
Soooooooo…. Yeah, fallen angels are here, I'm thinking of expanding on this a bit, or at least more involved, bringing the dead back here.
The bit with Romeo…
…
…
I… I went a little crazy and evolved into something else entirely. The servants picked for the clay figures. Well, they represented people who were mostly normal people, since Romeo is a normal person.
There was so much potential for Natsu and Romeo in general, but I'll do my best to make good use of it.
So I watched the premiere of Kamen Rider Zeztz and let's just say I am amazed by it. Poor Baku really had been going through it.
Anyways, bye!