5:00 AM, Magnolia - Shun's Apartment
Shun stirred awake, his eyes opening to the dim pre-dawn light. He checked the clock on his bedside table.
"Exactly 5:00 AM. No matter how many years pass, some habits really do die hard," he murmured with a sigh, swinging his legs out of bed.
He padded quietly into the living room. Ultear and Sorano were still asleep on the sofa, tangled together in a way that defied their earlier rivalry. Sorano had her arms wrapped around Ultear, whose head was nestled comfortably on Sorano's chest.
'Wasn't Ultear the older one?' Shun mused, a faint smile touching his lips. 'I feel like if I don't find Yukino soon, Sorano is just going to adopt everyone she meets as a little sibling.'
Shaking his head, he focused on his new magic. 'Time to test the results of my training.'
"A camera that can instantly print the picture in my right hand," he chanted softly, the words helping to solidify the image in his mind. A small flash of light manifested in his palm, resolving into the form of an old-fashioned instant camera.
'Hmm, so it runs on magic power instead of batteries.'
He aimed the camera at the sleeping pair and pressed the shutter. Zzz-zt! A soft, mechanical whirring came from within the device before it spat out a developing photograph.
"Not bad," Shun commented, examining the clear image.
The noise, however, had roused the two girls.
"Ugh, what is it?" Ultear mumbled, blinking sleepily.
"Where am I?! Let me go!" Sorano's awakening was far more dramatic. She flailed, pulling her arms back and pushing Ultear away in a panic.
"…"
"Good morning," Shun said, his voice cutting through the confusion. He handed them the photograph. "I'll cook breakfast. Go wash up and get refreshed." With that, he turned and headed for the kitchen.
The two girls stared at the picture. "What is this? A photo? The quality is… incredible," Ultear noted, her sleepiness forgotten.
---
After the chaotic start, the two girls took turns freshening up before sitting down to a simple breakfast of perfectly cooked bacon, eggs, and toast. Even a mundane meal was elevated to a gourmet experience by Shun's SSS+-tier skill.
When Sorano learned that Shun and Ultear were departing immediately for her hometown, she immediately insisted on coming along.
Her stated reason was, "I want to try riding in the paw-bubble!"
It was only half-true, of course. She wasn't about to let the two of them travel alone.
"Alright, you can come too," Shun agreed before she could work herself into a proper state. It was a level of familiarity that would have been unthinkable just a few weeks prior.
He didn't mind. It wasn't a dangerous mission, and she was one of his closest friends in the guild.
---
The journey was estimated to take about a week. While he doubted they'd need it, Shun prepared a stock of emergency food and water. Sorano dashed off to the guild dorm to pack her things and say a quick goodbye to the others. Shun and Ultear agreed to wait for her at the port, as Shun had already said his farewells the day before, and Ultear wasn't a Fairy Tail member.
They decided to kill time at the same café where the previous day's drama had unfolded.
"I thought you were going to ditch her when you told her we'd wait at the port," Ultear remarked with a sly smile, perhaps hoping her guess was right.
"Well, I'm a man of my word. At least to the people around me, I won't lie," Shun stated.
'Except about my past, the origin of my magic, and my ambition to become Guild Master… Am I actually a huge liar? Well, no taking it back now. I'll just be truthful from here on out!' he mentally justified himself.
"Is that so?" Ultear replied casually, not entirely convinced. The mystery of how an eleven-year-old boy knew so much about her and her mother still lingered.
Their light chatter was interrupted by Sorano's arrival.
"You two, doing it again behind my back?" she asked, but unlike yesterday, a genuine smile was on her face. She took the seat beside Shun. "I'll have a shortcake."
"Which type?" Shun asked, as if this were a regular occurrence.
"Strawberry!"
"Sure." To Ultear's astonishment, Shun reached into his storage ring and produced a perfect strawberry shortcake, placing it before Sorano.
"Here you go, miss."
"Thanks!" Sorano accepted it with a sweet, triumphant smile.
---
Once they had finished, they made their way to the port.
"Did you two use the bathroom?" Shun asked with pragmatic concern. "Once we take off, we won't be landing for about ten hours."
"Yes, we did…" they replied in unison, their faces flushing slightly.
'Huh? What's with that reaction? Well, whatever.' Shun shrugged it off.
Then, under the watchful eyes of the people at the port, he raised his right hand, palm up. A small, translucent, paw-shaped bubble materialized above it. As they watched, it began to grow, expanding at a visible rate until, a minute later, it was large enough to comfortably accommodate three people.
It was the pinnacle of magical transportation—the Paw-Bubble, perfect for long-distance travel.
"Alright, let's go." Shun stepped into the bubble first to demonstrate. It offered no resistance, his body passing through the shimmering surface as if it weren't there.
"I thought there would be some kind of pushback, like trying to step into water," Ultear commented, following him in. "But it's no different from standing on solid ground."
"That's because I made it that way," Shun explained, already pulling out the Arc of Embodiment book to read. "It's impossible to enter without my permission. Anyone trying to force their way in would just be repelled."
He was close to fully comprehending the Lost Magic. Once he reached 100%, the items he created would become permanent. The camera from this morning had vanished shortly after use, but the photograph remained—a sign he was getting closer to mastery.
As Shun lost himself in his book, Sorano and Ultear settled in beside him.
"Alright, sit tight. We're taking off," Shun said, a playful note in his voice. There was no lurch, no roar of engines, no buffeting wind. The bubble simply lifted into the air, and the world below began to slide away with impossible smoothness. It was less like flying and more like the planet itself was gently rearranging itself beneath them.
"Woah! It's amazing! What a beautiful view!" Sorano exclaimed, her eyes wide. Even Ultear, who usually maintained a cool demeanor, couldn't hide her excitement.
"That's true…" Shun admitted, looking up from his book and finally taking in the panoramic vista. "I never really noticed the scenery before. I was always focused on maximum speed."
His thoughts then turned to their destination. 'Finally, a real challenge. If I remember correctly, the Iced Shell slowly erodes its target over time. It's still seven years before the original story, so Deliora should be mostly intact. In the canon, it was still able to move a bit after being released, even after rotting for years.' A spark of anticipation ignited within him. He was hoping for a proper fight.
Beside him, Ultear watched the landscape unfold, her heart swelling with a conviction she hadn't felt in years. 'Mother… this time, we can finally be together.' She held back tears, focusing instead on navigating, as Shun's sense of direction was notoriously unreliable.
Sorano, too, was lost in her own thoughts, her gaze distant. 'Yukino… just wait a little longer. Once your big sister gets a bit stronger, I'll find you. I'll search the entire continent if I have to.'
And so, the trio soared through the sky, a silent bubble carrying three souls, each bound for the same destination yet journeying with their own beliefs, hopes, and quiet resolutions.