Ding-!
[The title 'Predator' has been triggered. Ur's heart has been stolen.]
[The Predator: Health and Magic regeneration rate has been increased to 20%.]
'Huh? Ur?!'
The sudden, inexplicable message flashed in Shun's mind, leaving him utterly bewildered. His head instinctively snapped toward her, seeking an answer in her gaze. But the moment their eyes were about to meet, Ur quickly averted her own, turning her face away as if fascinated by a suddenly very interesting crack in the far wall.
—— Ur's POV
Witnessing the raw, emotional reunion between Gildarts and Cana had struck a deep chord within Ur. As a mother who had been separated from her own daughter for years, she understood the ache of that distance better than anyone. She felt a profound kinship with their situation.
And then there was Shun.
Watching him orchestrate this heartfelt moment with a mix of blunt audacity and genuine compassion, she felt an unexpected, fluttering warmth in her chest. It was embarrassing to admit, even to herself, but her heart had stirred.
Her gaze lingered on his profile as he stood his ground against Makarov's scolding. In that moment, he looked… different. Unusually handsome, his usual casual demeanor replaced by a determined resolve that made him seem like he was shining under the guild hall's lights.
When he suddenly turned, his eyes seeking hers, a jolt of panic shot through her. She spun her head away, her cheeks feeling warm.
'Damn it, what am I doing?! Am I some blushing teenage girl?!' she scolded herself, mentally shaking her head.
'Wake up, Ur! He's the boy your own daughter is interested in.' she repeated the mantra, a desperate attempt to anchor her suddenly tumultuous feelings.
But it wasn't that simple. Before this, her feelings for Shun were straightforward: immense gratitude. He had saved her and her daughter, giving them a new home and a future. She had genuinely hoped he and Ultear would grow close, happily imagining him as a future son-in-law.
Now, that clear picture was muddled, a confusing whirlwind of maternal pride and a distinctly un-maternal flutter.
'Ughh!!' Ur let out a silent groan, resting her forehead in her hand. She was a respected, powerful mage, a mother, and a mentor. She was not supposed to be this deeply troubled by a handsome young man doing a good deed. But her heart, it seemed, hadn't gotten the memo.
——
Seeing the stunned reactions of everyone around him, Shun could only inwardly sigh. Wasn't this a bit exaggerated? It had just been a flimsy excuse, concocted on the spot since he knew the truth about Cana and Gildarts. Besides, even if Gildarts had thrown that punch, it wouldn't have done much. A little healing magic, and he'd be right as rain.
Well, I won't complain about such misunderstandings, he concluded, filing the incident away.
His attention then shifted to Sorano. He approached the pouting girl and gently took her small hand in his. "Should we go find your real, blood-related little sister?" Given Sorano's habit of collecting "little sisters" and "little brothers," he found the thorough clarification necessary.
Seeing that Shun was finally focusing on her after spending so much time flirting with that… that old woman, a spark of irritation flared within her. "Hmph! You're finally done flirting, then?" she retorted, trying her hardest to maintain an angry facade. But the slight, traitorous upward curve at the corner of her lips completely gave her away.
Your expressions show up on your face a bit too much, Shun thought, highly amused.
"It shouldn't take long to reach the guild that's looking after a young silver-haired girl," he explained patiently. "Apparently, the guild takes that is taking care of your sister is a magic guild but works more like an orphanage."
The moment the words left his mouth, Sorano's impatience overrode her feigned annoyance. She immediately spun on her heel, her small hand slipping from his as she darted off to find Ultear. She'd learned not to trust Shun's casual assessments of distance. If it was a place he'd already been, his "short trip" was usually reliable. But for a destination he'd never visited? His idea of "not long" could easily mean a day's journey, and she wasn't about to waste a single second.
Shun observed the interaction between Ultear and Sorano from a distance. Sorano, with her typically dramatic flair, made a series of exaggerated expressions before finally bowing her head in a deep, earnest plea. A look of surprise flickered across Ultear's face, but it was quickly replaced by a soft warmth. She gently raised Sorano's head and, with a small nod, agreed to join them. Where Ultear went, Ur would obviously follow, leaving only the Strauss siblings from their original group to be settled.
Shun approached the table where Master Makarov was nursing his drink. "Master, could you help the Strauss siblings get to their dorm rooms? I'll be heading home early today."
"Mmm," Makarov grunted in affirmation, then turned to Erza, a girl who had grown more confident since joining but was still notably quiet and serious. "Erza, show them the way."
"Yes, Master!" Erza responded with a firm, almost soldier-like nod before leading the bewildered siblings away.
By now, the initial emotional storm between Gildarts and Cana had settled into a calm, if bittersweet, conversation about Cana's late mother and her life until now. Seeing Shun preparing to leave, Gildarts stood and approached him.
"Shun... I want to thank you," Gildarts said, and to the astonishment of the onlookers, the formidable wizard gave a respectful bow of his head.
Shun offered a casual smile. "You're welcome. To be honest, I just said some nonsense. It was pure luck that I happened to be right."
"Luck or not, you helped me and Cana," Gildarts stated, his voice firm with conviction. "If you ever need anything in the future, just ask." A favor from the strongest mage in Fairy Tail? Shun mused. That was a substantial offer.
"Alright then. When the time comes, I'll count on you," Shun accepted with a nod. After bidding farewell to the others, he left the guild, walking out into the evening with Sorano, Ur, and Ultear in tow.
As dusk began to settle, the four mages set off once more, skillfully riding the paw-bubble conjured by Shun's magic. Their destination was the Sabertooth guild.
It was important to remember that the Sabertooth of this era was not yet the powerhouse it would become. They were still a small, relatively weak guild, years away from the transformation that would occur in X784 when a ruthless new master—Minerva's father—would seize control. For now, the guild was led by a kind old man named Yajee, known for his compassion in taking in war orphans and victims of dark magic cults. It was a nurturing environment, and perhaps, this was where Yukino's deep-seated loyalty to Sabertooth first took root.
With their course set, the group boarded the floating paw-bubble again, its gentle glide carrying them smoothly towards the guild.
Big Timeskip soon.