Akane Resort shimmered under the late morning sun, the waves lapping gently at the shore while vacationers basked in the warmth of peace and pleasure. Fairy Tail's presence had stirred the resort into an uproarious burst of life, as usual.
Lucy stretched with a content sigh beneath her beach umbrella. Her pink-and-white two-piece swimsuit fit snugly, and her blonde hair was tied back in a playful ponytail. "I could really get used to this," she murmured as she watched Happy and Natsu chase crabs near the water.
Natsu, who was currently covered in seaweed, yelled, "This crab's a FIRE BREATHER! I swear it bit me and it burns!"
"That's because you were eating its family for lunch," Gray muttered from a reclined chair nearby, sunglasses on and arms behind his head.
Erza stood like a vigilant lifeguard nearby, a book in her hands that she'd barely read because she kept sneaking glances toward Shinra. He was in the shade, meditating quietly in a white tank top and loose beach trousers. His expression was relaxed, but his magic aura pulsed in calm vigilance.
Mira, not officially part of the trip but present under the guise of a 'coincidental' vacation, leaned beside Erza with a teasing smile. "You sure you're not checking him out again?"
"I'm simply watching over our team," Erza replied stiffly, cheeks faintly red.
"Of course you are," Mira cooed.
Nearby, Lucy sat up and squinted toward them. "Hey, what are you two whispering about?"
"Just admiring the view," Mira called out sweetly. Then she added, "You should be careful, Lucy. With how much you're blushing around Loke *and* Natsu, people might get ideas."
Lucy immediately choked on her drink. "W-WHAT?! I do NOT have feelings for either of them!"
"You sure about that?" Mira said, stretching her arms. "I mean, you did pack matching swimsuits with hearts on them."
"THOSE WERE ON SALE!"
Erza, now wearing a calm mask, glanced at Lucy and said, "I do believe you spent quite some time with Loke in the water yesterday."
"It was swimming practice! He's just really flirty! I was defending myself!"
Happy flew past them, clutching a bucket. "Lucy and Loke, sitting under a tree\~!"
Lucy screamed, launching a sandal at him. "I will END you!"
---
As the chaos mellowed into late afternoon, Shinra quietly excused himself from the group and walked along the quieter edge of the beach. His footsteps were nearly silent, eyes half-lidded but calculating.
He paused beside a smooth black rock, letting his fingers brush its surface.
"They'll come tonight," he murmured.
The air shimmered slightly around him as he summoned a soft barrier sigil around the area.
He knew the Tower of Heaven arc. He knew what lay ahead. And while he intended to let the events flow as close to canon as possible for Lucy and Erza's growth, he would not let anyone be blindsided.
Behind him, Erza approached, watching his quiet ritual.
"Shinra," she said softly. "You're being unusually cautious."
He glanced back at her with a small smile. "Just a habit. You can sense it too, can't you? The strange undercurrent of magic near the horizon. Something's coming."
Erza's expression tightened. "...Yes. I thought it was just leftover nerves. But it feels... familiar."
Mira watched from afar, her own instincts tingling. She wasn't the same battle-hardened demon as she once was, but her magic senses were still sharp.
---
That night, the group gathered at a beachside grill where a small bonfire blazed and food was served in abundance.
Natsu challenged Gray to a watermelon-eating contest.
Lucy showed off her tan lines and complained about how uneven they were.
Happy dropped hints about staying at the resort forever and opening a fish taco stand.
Loke flirted shamelessly until Erza drew her sword and asked if he wanted to be buried beneath the sand permanently.
Amid all of this, Shinra quietly reinforced the resort's magic perimeter. He added sigils on their rooms, the window ledges, even the fire pit logs.
Erza eventually noticed again. She pulled him aside, into the quiet dunes.
"Shinra," she said, her tone sharp. "What exactly do you know?"
He looked at her, eyes glowing faintly.
"You're about to meet ghosts from your past, Erza. But you're strong enough to face them."
She stiffened. "...You mean... Tower of Heaven."
Shinra nodded. "I'm not here to rewrite your path. I'm just here to make sure you survive it. All of you."
She looked away, fists clenched. The name alone brought a tremor to her spine.
Shinra stepped forward, resting a hand on her shoulder. "You won't face it alone. Not this time."
For a long moment, Erza said nothing. Then she nodded once, a single tear escaping down her cheek.
---
Later that night, as the guildmates slept peacefully under the stars or curled in their cozy resort beds, a quiet presence slipped through the magical wards. But as it neared the rooms, a sharp jolt of resistance pushed it back.
A rune circle shimmered briefly in the sand.
From his balcony, Shinra opened one eye.
"Right on time."
---