Earth Land, Ishgar, Kingdom of Fiore, Mermaid Heel Headquarters.
May, x785.
"Damn, I'm tired." Alfonzo said as soon as he stepped into the house that served as his, Marin's, Wendy's, and Carla's lodgings for the duration of their stay with Mermaid Heel.
"I don't even know why you started cooking while we were still in their guild hall." Marin said with a chuckle. "You should have known this would happen."
"Yeah, I know." Alfonzo replied while smiling wryly. "But after Wendy and Carla mentioned that I could cook, there was no way I was going to get out of it."
Though Wendy had fallen asleep part way through the welcome party and was currently being carried in Marin's arms, Carla glared at Alfonzo for his statement.
"Are you trying to say we are responsible for what happened?" Carla asked with her eyes narrowed.
"Well, Wendy did ask if I was going to cook something in front of Anko." Alfonzo replied, completely unbothered by Carla's glare. "And you did say that you'd prefer it if I was the one who cooked. Or did I imagine that?"
"Immediately, Carla looked away in slight embarrassment. Instead, she focused her glare on Marin.
"That may be true." Carla said. "But I'm sure Marin's comment about you being the best cook in Fiore did not help, either."
"Yeah, you're right about that." Alfonzo replied with a nod. "And I plan to punish her for that. But for now, I'll bring in everyone's luggage. It's been a long day, and I'm sure you want to get some sleep, too."
Instead of replying verbally, Carla nodded her head, yawned, and rubbed her eyes. Then, she and Marin took Wendy to one of the bedrooms and put her to bed.
Also, though it was not previously mentioned, the house Ritsu provided for the Fairy Tail wizards was a simple two story house with three bedrooms, two and a half baths, a kitchen, living room, dining room, and a backyard large enough to do some light training.
And right now, the Escalade and the trailer carrying the necessary materials for Mermaid Heel's upgrades were parked in front of this house. In fact, riding back with Alfonzo and the others is the only reason why Tsunade and Ritsu were able to return so quickly after leaving the guild hall earlier in the day.
Not long later, Alfonzo re-entered the house with everyone's luggage. First, he took Wendy and Carla's luggage to the room where he could feel everyone's presence. However, he only left their things outside of the door.
"Hey, Wendy and Carla's bags are out here." Alfonzo called through the half-open door without looking inside.
"You better not come inside." Carla hissed.
"Yeah, Yeah, I'm not gonna fall into such a cliché development." Alfonzo replied nonchalantly. "Besides, Wendy's a bit too young for me to be interested, anyway."
Though Carla wanted to be upset at Alfonzo for some reason, she did not know what to say. So, she chose to remain silent while continuing to help Marin change Wendy out of her clothes.
"Anyway, I'm gonna go put my own stuff away." Alfonzo said as he started walking away. "Oh, and I'm gonna put your stuff in the other empty bedroom, Marin."
"Huh?" Marin exclaimed in confusion. "But I'm sleeping with you, aren't I?"
"Sure, if you want." Alfonzo replied without stopping. "But won't it be easier to pack up your stuff if you don't' have to worry about it being mixed up with mine?"
"I guess." Marin replied as she stepped out of Wendy's bedroom to pick up the luggage. "As long as that doesn't' mean that I have to sleep in that room, I don't really care where my stuff is. I mean, I have my own room back in the mansion, too."
With that, Alfonzo put Marin's luggage down before making his way to the house's master bedroom. Then, after taking some time to inspect the room, he started putting his belongings away.
"*Sigh* This is gonna be a really tiring month." Alfonzo muttered to himself while hanging his clothing in the closet.
["You're the one who set the timeframe for a month."] Bedlam replied from Alfonzo's inner world. ["It's not like you couldn't have stretched it further than that."]
"Yeah, I know." Alfonzo replied. "But I really don't wanna make Lici wait any longer. Two years in our past life and another twenty in this one. I'm surprised she hasn't already given me some kind of ultimatum for our marriage."
["It's because our Lici is understanding and caring."] Riot said, cutting into the conversation. ["Because the circumstances were what they were, she knew that she had to wait. *Sigh* She's so wonderful."]
["Super-simp."] Bedlam said with a bit of derision in his tone.
["The fuck did you just say?"] Riot asked angrily.
["If you're not super-simping, I don't' know what else to call it."] Bedlam replied, seemingly unbothered by Riot's angry outburst. ["Or did you forget, she helped another girl take advantage of Alfonzo while he was drunk?"]
In response, Riot could only grit his teeth. Though he was created from the feelings of love Alfonzo held for Elicia, he was also created from Alfonzo's anger. So, even with his feelings for Elicia, every time that incident is brought up, he almost completely loses it and wants to tell Alfonzo to cancel the engagement. However, that feeling only really lasts for about a second. Then, he would start trying to convince Alfonzo to forgive her.
"Okay, kids, that's enough." Alfonzo said in an exasperated tone. "Riot, chill out. We've already gotten past that. And Bedlam, even if what you're saying isn't wrong, stop egging him on with it all the damn time."
["Tch!"] Riot only clicked his tongue before falling silent.
["Fine… I'll stop."] Bedlam said with a cocky smile on his face. ["but like what Alfonzo said, I wasn't wrong."]
[I'll fucking kill you!"] Riot exploded.
Instead of trying to stop the bickering, Alfonzo simply cut off the connection with his [Armament Spirits] for a while.
"Were you talking to your [Armament Spirits] just now?" Marin asked as she entered the bedroom.
"Yeah." Alfonzo replied while continuing to hang his clothing.
"*Sigh* I wonder when I'll be able to hear my [Armament Spirit's] voice." Marin said wistfully as she clung onto Alfonzo's back.
"Soon." Alfonzo replied with a smile as he reached up and patted Marin on the head. "You only transformed your [Soul Armament] from its embryo state earlier in the month. I'd bet that you'll be able to talk to it by the end of summer at the latest."
"I hope so." Marin replied before pecking Alfonzo on the cheek. "Still, I have no idea how long it will take until I can release its first seal. I'm not nearly as talented as you, Lici, and Erza, after all."
"Don't sell yourself short." Alfonzo replied as he returned to putting his clothing in the closet. "I mean, you made A-Class in less than four years when you hadn't been training at all before that. So, you're pretty talented."
"Yeah, but in the same amount of time, both Erza and Mira made S-Class." Marin said, sounding a bit downcast.
Hearing Marin's tone, Alfonzo decided that he could finish putting away his clothes later. Then, he pulled her around to his front.
"You know there's no point in comparing yourself to everyone else, right?" Alfonzo asked as he placed his forehead against Marin's. Then, while looking into her eyes, he continued. "Otherwise, you'll start having really stupid thoughts like Cana did. And you know how that ended."
Hearing that, Marin couldn't help but start to giggle at the thought of Cana laying over Alfonzo's lap while being spanked like a naughty child.
"Or… Maybe you want to be punished." Alfonzo said in a lecherous tone.
"Kya!" Marin yelped as Alfonzo tossed her onto the king sized bed in the room.
"Speaking of punishment." Alfonzo said as he started walking towards the bed. "You need to be punished for adding to the chaos earlier.
At the same time, the entire room was covered in a thin sheet of metal. Though, there were a few openings to let air circulate. A moment later, runes were carved into the metal, creating a silencing barrier around the room.
"Oh, no!" Marin said dramatically with a smile on her face. "Please, I'm sorry. I don't wanna be punished."
Hearing Marin's words and tone, Alfonzo only rolled his eyes while starting to take off his clothes.
"Sure, you don't." Alfonzo said before pouncing on Marin, who accepted her punishment with grace and poise.
Around three and a half hours later, the metal surrounding the room was dispelled. Meanwhile, Alfonzo was standing next to the side of the bed, fully dressed. At the same time, Marin, with a satisfied smile on her face, was fast asleep while hugging a pillow.
"Alright, it's time to get to work." Alfonzo said while adjusting his collar. "I only have about five hours until sunrise. So, I'd better get going."
["Did you ever figure out where you'd start the work?"] Bedlam asked curiously.
"Yeah." Alfonzo replied as he opened a window. "There's a small uninhabited island with a lake that's almost as large and just as deep as Lake Sciliora a few miles off the coast. And I bought that island just before going on the quest with Erza. It'll be a good place to test the airship's weapons when I finish building it, too."
["But will you have enough to buy Lake Sciliora?"] Bedlam asked.
"Don't worry." Alfonzo replied. "After introducing the line of muscle cars, magic vehicle sales have gone through the roof. So, money isn't an issue."
["That's good."] Bedlam replied.
["Get going already."] Riot ordered. ["It's not like you have all the time in the world."]
"*Sigh* Even though I know you're right, it wouldn't kill you to shut the hell up, would it?" Alfonzo asked as he jumped out of the window.
["Eat a dick."] Riot replied angrily.
At the same time, Alfonzo's body was covered in arcs of blue electricity. Then, in a flash, he vanished from outside the house.
Meanwhile, Tsunade, who was still in her office, put down her sake cup. And when she noticed the blue flash in the night, she looked towards the house where Alfonzo, Wendy, and Carla would be staying for the next month.
"I wonder where he's going?" Tsunade muttered. Then, she shook her head and returned to looking over the blueprint of the guild hall, making sure that everything would be perfect when Alfonzo started installing the training rooms. "Well, as long as he's back in time to start his work, I don't' care what he does."
A few moments later, Alfonzo appeared over an uninhabited island off the coast of Fiore. And just like he told Riot and Bedlam, it had a large lake near its center.
["Yeah, that looks about the same size as the one back home."] Bedlam said. ["I'm actually surprised you were able to find it."]
"Actually, I wasn't the one who found it." Alfonzo replied as he pulled Riot and Bedlam from the strap on his lower back. "Gramps found it for me after becoming a member of the Council. He scolded me for making him work so hard after retirement the whole time, though."
["Ah… The benefit of having friends in high places, huh?"] Bedlam asked in an enlightened tone. ["But seriously, how do I not know about this? I mean, I should know everything you do."]
["Yeah, how are you shielding your thoughts from us like that?"] riot asked.
"This time it's on the two of you." Alfonzo replied with a chuckle. "You two were having one of your fights. And it lasted for almost four full days. And during that time, I talked with Gramps about it. Anyway, we don't have time for idle chatter. Let's get to work. [Run Wild with Destruction on your Fingertips. Usher in Pandemonium with Creation in Your Hands. Riot, Bedlam]."
With that, the first seal on Alfonzo's [Soul Armament] was released. Then, he got to work creating materials for his new residence/the venue for his and Elicia's wedding. All the while, he checked off the materials from a list he was holding in his hands.
A few hours later, exhausted of his magic power, Alfonzo returned to the house where he would be living for the next month and slipped in through the same window he used to leave. Then, he took off his clothes and crawled into bed next to Marin, where he slept for the next two hours.
Two hours later, Alfonzo was gently awakened by attender kiss on the lips.
"Ugh… I'm so tired." Alfonzo groaned as he opened his eyes.
Upon opening his eyes, he saw Marin smiling at him gently.
"I know you're tired, Fonzie." Marin said. "But you've got work to do. Besides, Wendy will be up soon, too."
"*Sigh* I know." Alfonzo said as he pushed himself into a sitting position. "Let's go take a shower and get ready for the day. Oh, and I'll write you a shopping list. Can you go to Cedar and get some groceries? You can take the Escalade."
"Sure." Marin replied. "that's why I'm here, after all. To make sure you don't have to worry about the little things."
"Thanks, Marin." Alfonzo said before leaning in for a quick kiss. "By the way, do you know who will be coming next?"
"It's supposed to be Lucy." Marin replied with a smile while waggling her eyebrows. "You make sure to take care of her, alright?"
"Of course." Alfonzo replied. "Though, I thought it was supposed to be the other way around."
Marin could not help but giggle in response. A moment later, however, she slumped her shoulders.
"*Sigh* I wish I had decided to follow you out here instead of ride with you." Marin said dejectedly. "Now, I'm gonna have to take the train back."
As Marin alluded to, Alfonzo and Elicia had taught all the girls to drive. Or tried to, anyway. Erza, after several accidents, had been forbidden from driving. So, for their most recent birthdays, Alfonzo gave each of them a magic vehicle of their own. In fact, that was the whole reason most of them agreed to visit Alfonzo in shifts while he was at Mermaid Heel. Otherwise, they would have chosen someone to stay with him for the entire month and ride back when the job was done.
"Come on, it's not so bad, right?" Alfonzo replied. "I mean, you booked a few modeling jobs with Sorcerer Weekly. So, you won't have to spend all that time on the train all in one go."
"I know." Marin replied. "Still, I'd rather drive than take the train."
"Hey! Alfonzo, Marin, it's almost time to go." Wendy said from outside the master bedroom's door. "Are you two up yet?"
Hearing that, Alfonzo and Marin exchanged glances. Then, they got out of bed.
"Yeah, we'll be ready soon." Marin replied as she and Alfonzo made their way to the bathroom to get cleaned up for the day.
Bonus Chapter
This one's for reaching 700 Power Stones last week. So, now I"m all caught up with the pace I set for myself.
If you wanna read 5 chapters ahead or just give me a little support, join my patr3on at:
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Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoy the story.
Comments, Reviews, and Power Stones are always appreciated.
Earth Land, Ishgar, Kingdom of Fiore, Magnolia.
May, x785.
"Wendy's training with Tsunade should start today." Ur said while seated at the bar in the Fairy Tail guild hall with a glass of wine in her hand. "I hope she'll be okay."
"You've really taken a liking to that girl, haven't you?" Ren asked with a smile. "But still, she's been training with you for more than half a year, now. I'm sure she'll be fine."
"I'm not worry about her safety." Ur said after taking a sip from her wine glass. "But I'm afraid of her picking up Tsunade's bad habits."
Hearing that, Ren could only look at Ur skeptically. Then, her gaze shifted to the glass of wine in Ur's hand.
"I really don't' think you have to worry about that." Ren said while shaking her head. "If she hasn't started drinking by now, I doubt a month with Master Tsunade will make a difference."
"What do you mean?" Ur asked with a hint of annoyance in her tone.
"Ur, Sweetie, you do realize it's only 7 a.m., right?" Ren asked exasperatedly.
Hearing that, Ur froze momentarily. Then, she looked down at the glass of wine she was holding.
"*Sigh* Maybe I really am a bad influence." Ur muttered.
A moment later, Ur raised her glass, chugged down its contents, and placed the glass on the bar.
"*Sigh* I guess I'll try not to drink so much." Ur said, sounding disappointed in herself. "I wouldn't want little Elicia to pick up my bad habits, eihter."
As she spoke, Ur turned on her bar stool with the intention of standing up. However, as she turned around, her elbow grazed the wine glass.
*Shatter!*
As a result, the wine glass was knocked off the bar, shattering after falling to the floor.
"Damn it, I'm gonna have to pay for that." Ur muttered while staring at the shattered pieces of glass on the floor.
Before she could call for a waitress to clean up the mess, however, Ur widened her eyes when she saw the pieces of shattered glass start moving on their own. Then, both she and Ren watched as the glass pieced itself back together. And at the end, the glass lay on the floor, completely whole, as if someone had placed it there.
"You really should be more careful, Mom." Ultear said as she and the residents from Alfonzo's mansion approached from the guild hall's entrance.
"Ultear, you just…?" Ur asked in atone filled with disbelief.
"Yup." Ultear replied proudly. "I've made some real strides towards mastering this [Arc of Time Magic], haven't I?"
"You really are talented." Ren praised genuinely. "It's only been what? Six months since you started learning it?"
"Yeah." Ultear replied. "But other than rewinding time on an object for a few seconds, I can't really do anything else with it."
"Oh, come on, Tear." Elicia said with a smile. "It's only been six months. Do you remember how long it took me and Fonzie to learn a second magic to a point we could use it in combat? It was almost a year."
"Lici's right." Cana chimed in. "Besides, you're learning an ancient magic, which is a lot more difficult to learn in the first place."
With that as the starting point, all those near the bar began discussing the difference between learning normal magic and ancient magic. After a few minutes, however, the conversation was brought to an end when the voice of a young girl echoed through the guild hall.
"Master Ur, I'm here!" Elicia Hughes shouted as she entered the guild hall with her parents. "I'm ready to start training."
Hearing that, Ur, Ren, and the residents of Alfonzo and Elicia's mansion turned their heads towards the guild hall's entrance. And when they did, they could not help but smile.
"Alright everyone, let's break it up." Ur said as she walked away from the bar. "Get to training. Fairy Tail wizards don't slack off."
As Ur said those words, she turned her head towards the quest board.
"And Nab, if you don't take a job today, I'll take charge of your training after I'm finished with little Elicia." Ur said in a menacing tone.
Immediately, Nab chose the quest he was currently looking at, ran over to Vijeeter, who was dancing around the guild hall, and dragged him out of the guild hall to complete the quest.
Then, after Nab and Vijeeter were gone, everyone looked at Ur in disbelief while thinking the same thing.
"Mom, what did you do to Nab?" Ultear asked, putting the other's thoughts into words.
"Nothing." Ur replied. "I've only helped him train a few times, that's all."
Deciding it would be better for their mental health that they did not know more, everyone moved towards the elevator to start their own training.
Earth Land, Ishgar, Kingdom of Fiore, Mermaid Heel Headquarters.
Around the same time Nab dragged Vijeeter out of the guild hall, Alfonzo, Wendy, and Carla entered the Mermaid Heel guild hall. Meanwhile, Marin, driving the Escalade, had gone to Cedar to stock up on groceries.
"You all get started pretty early." Anko said after noticing the trio enter the guild hall. Then, she looked around. And after not finding what she was looking for, she asked about it. "Hey, where's Marin?"
"She took a trip to Cedar to buy a few things for us." Alfonzo replied.
"Damn, I wish I had known she was going." Anko said with a pout. "I've never ridden in one of those new Magic Vehicles. And I've heard they're pretty comfy."
"Yeah, they are." Wendy replied with a nod.
"They're passable." Carla added with her arms crossed.
"Carla…" Wendy muttered.
"Anyway, we're here to have some breakfast before we get started for the day." Alfonzo replied while smiling wryly at Carla, who turned her head away.
"Oh, are you going to cook?" Anko asked with her eyes lighting up.
"Nope." Alfonzo replied quickly. "I don't wanna be stuck in the kitchen for hours… again."
"Tch!" Anko clicked her tongue in response.
With that, Alfonzo, Wendy, and Carla ordered breakfast. Then, after eating, they asked Anko to lead them to Tsunade's office.
*Knock!* *Knock!* *Knock!*
"Lady Tsunade, Alfonzo, Wendy, and Carla are here to see you." Anko said after knocking on the door to Tsunade's office.
"Come in." Tsunade replied from the other side of the door.
"Alright, I'll go start my training." Anko said as she turned around. "Why don't you come have a drink with me after you're done working, Alfonzo. I have a few questions for you. Especially after seeing how infatuated Yoruichi is with you."
"Sure, why not." Alfonzo replied with a casual shrug of his shouldres.
With that, Anko nodded at Alfonzo and the others. Then, she made her way back to the guild hall's first floor. Meanwhile, Alfonzo turned the doorknob and pushed the door open.
Upon entering Tsunade's office, Alfonzo, Wendy, and Carla saw Tsunade sitting behind her desk while Ritsu sat in front of it and sipped from a cup of tea.
"Good, you're here." Tsunade said with a serious expression on her face. "Please, have a seat."
Following Tsunade's instructions, Alfonzo and Wendy took a seat in the two unoccupied chairs in front of Tsunade's desk. Meanwhile, Carla flew up and landed on top of the desk, just to the side of Wendy.
"Wendy, I'll be with you in a moment." Tsunade said as he glanced at Wendy. Then, after receiving a nod in response, she turned her attention to Alfonzo. "These are the blueprints to our guild hall. Naturally, I've marked out anything you're not supposed to know about. I've also marked where I want the four training rooms to be installed."
As she spoke, Tsunade pushed a few sheets of paper with building designs towards Alfonzo. Then she waited for him to look over them.
"This shouldn't be a problem." Alfonzo replied after examining the blueprints. "but, do you have the extra marble?"
"don't worry about that." Tsunade said, waving off Alfonzo's question. "We only expect you to take care of creating the training rooms. Making them match the rest of the building from the outside is for the contractors to take care of later."
"If you say so." Alfonzo replied with a shrug. "Well then, the only thing I ask is that you keep people away from the work sites."
"I don't know how possible that will be." Ritsu said, inserting herself in the conversation. Then, she pointed at the blueprint. "The places where we want you to build the training rooms are right next to the showers and changing rooms. And our wizards will need to get cleaned up after training."
"*Sigh* That's why I wanted you to keep the sites clear." Alfonzo replied. "For as long as I'm working at each site, at least. If one of them thinks I'm trying to peep and attacks me, I won't hold back in defending myself."
"What's the matter, Alfonzo?" Tsunade asked with a teasing smile on her face. "I thought you were supposed to be good at handling women."
Rolling his eyes, Alfonzo decided he would not dignify that joke with a response.
"You don't need to worry about that.' Ritsu said, also ignoring Tsunade's little joke. "I'll be nearby while you work. That way, if there are any questions about the building's structure, I'll be there to answer them. I'll also be able to keep the ladies from having any wrong ideas."
"Okay, I guess that works." Alfonzo replied with a shrug. "Just show me where you want the first one to go."
"Very well." Ritsu replied with a gentle smile after finishing the contents in her teacup. "Follow me."
As soon as Alfonzo and Ritsu left the office, Tsunade stood from her desk. Then, she stepped towards a bookshelf. After reading the titles on the spines of the books, she pulled a few from the shelf and returned to her desk.
"Okay, before we begin your training as a healer, we need to make sure you have enough knowledge about the human body." Tsunade said. Then, she dropped the six books she was carrying on the desktop. "So, I want you to read these. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. Meanwhile, I'll be working on this damn paperwork."
Hearing Tsunade's instructions and seeing the stack of books that was taller than Carla, Wendy looked on in shock.
"You didn't think this would be easy, did you?" Carla asked, snapping Wendy out of her daze. "You only have a month to learn as much as you can, Wendy. You don't have the time to be surprised."
*Smack!*
"Right." Wendy replied as she slapped her cheeks. "I don't have time to waste. I need to learn this so I can help my friends."
Hearing that, Carla nodded while Tsunade smiled at Wendy as she opened the book on the top of the stack.
'Good. At least she's determined.' Tsunade thought to herself as she picked up a cup of tea.
Taking a sip from her teacup, Tsunade turned her head to look out the window at the morning sky.
*Spurt!*
However, instead of a blue sky, what Tsunade saw was a large amount of metal material floating past her window.
At the same time, Wendy and Carla's attention was drawn to Tsunade when they heard her spit out her tea. A moment later, they noticed all the building materials floating past the window, as well.
"I guess Alfonzo is getting to work." Wendy muttered as she turned her attention back to the open book in front of her. "I better work hard, too. I don't wanna waste the opportunity he got for me."
"That's right." Carla said with a nod. "The best way to repay him for giving you this opportunity is to do all you can to learn the art of healing while we're here."
"Yeah." Wendy muttered as she continued to read.
Meanwhile, Tsunade could only look at the girl and her cat with disbelief swirling in her eyes.
'Am I the weird one for reacting like that?' Tsunade wondered. 'When they saw tons of metal just floating through the air, they didn't even twitch. Then, again, I guess you get used to it after being around someone with [Metal Magic] for long enough, huh?'
With that thought, Tsunade shrugged her shoulders, took another sip of her tea, and finally got back to her paperwork.
About two hours later, while Alfonzo was working on the first training room and Wendy was reading medical books in Tsunade's office, Marin returned to the house she was staying in with Alfonzo, Wendy, and Carla. And when she did, she found Yoruichi waiting outside the front door.
'Well, I knew it would happen eventually.' Marin thought to herself with a shrug as she parked the Escalade in front of the house. 'I guess it's better to just rip the band-aid off.'
"Hey, Yoruichi." Marin said with a slightly stiff smile as she stepped out of the driver's seat. "Since you're here, mind helping me bring in the groceries. After that, we can talk."
Taking a deep breath, Yoruichi nodded in response. Then, she followed Marin to the back of the Escalade to help with the groceries.
"Yeah, we can talk after we're done." Yoruichi said as she started helping transport the groceries.
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Comments, Reviews, and Power Stones are always appreciated.
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