Fairy Tail: Metal and Threads

Earth Land, Ishgar, Kingdom of Fiore, Magnolia.

December, x788.

Sitting in her office on the top floor of the Fairy Tail guild hall, Ur was reading through several documents. While she did so, she would sigh every so often while shaking her head.

"Those damn kids." Ur muttered while placing the document she was reading on the corner of her desk. "It's been so long, but they still can't keep their destructive tendencies in check. *Sigh* It's only been four years since the old man gave me the position of guild master, but I already wan to retire."

Reaching that point, Ur raised her arms over her head, interlocked her fingers, and stretched as deeply as she could, the sound of satisfying pops echoing around the room.

"Ah! That felt good." Ur said as she lowered her hands to her desk once again. She then looked over to the tablet-like device she used to control the functions of the guild hall and checked the date and time. "Oh, how time flies. It's already December. I'll have to announce this year's candidates for the S-Class Exam in less than a week."

Though she already had the list of candidates in mind, Ur would have to check over the data once more before she finalized it. Then, she would have to let the S-Class wizards know what she had planned for the test before everything got started.

While Ur was lost in thought about this year's S-Class Promotion Exam, the doors to the elevator slid open, drawing her attention. When she saw Alfonzo flanked by Marin and Shizuka stepping out of the elevator, she smiled.

Like Makarov, her two favorite members of the guild were Alfonzo and Elica. Although neither of them took on as many quests as they used to, either because of Alfonzo's work outside of Magnolia, or the birth of their son, they still caused almost no damage on quests. And although most of the guild had toned down the amount of collateral damage they caused, save a select few, Alfonzo and Elicia were still the best at keeping it to a minimum.

"Yo, Ur, what's up?" Alfonzo asked as he, Marin, and Shizuka stopped in front of Ur's desk. "You said you didn't call us here because of another quest, so what's going on?"

"I'll let you all know when Laxus gets here." Ur replied with a smile. "I really don't wanna have to repeat myself."

Hearing that, Marin and Shizuka started to giggle while Alfonzo frowned slightly with a hint of envy in his expression.

"Hmm? What's wrong?" Ur asked after noticing Alfonzo's expression. Though, she did not think it was too serious considering how two of his wives were giggling.

"Laxus, the son of a bitch, won't be coming." Alfonzo said in a grudge-filled tone. "He's in Balsam Village enjoying the hot springs with his two fiancées. God damn it, I should be somewhere enjoying myself with my wives, too. Instead, I keep getting interrupted while I'm trying to work on that mother fucking airship. I swear, the world just doesn't want me to finish the damn thing."

Knowing that she was at least partly responsible for Alfonzo's building resentment, Ur could not help but smile wryly while she felt cold sweat sliding down her back. And the fact that what she asked him and the others to come see her for was definitely going to bite into his time to work on his airship wouldn't help, either. Oh, and then there was the fact that the S-Class Promotion Exam was coming up, as well.

When Ur's thoughts reached that point, the cold sweat dripping down her back turned into a stream and she could feel the cloth of her shirt sticking to her back.

'Good thing I'm wearing my jacket over this little tank top.' Ur thought to herself. 'Otherwise, everyone I know would know that something made me nervous. And as the guild master of Fiore's strongest guild, that would make them nervous in return.'

"*Cough* *cough* Anyway, why don't we get down to business." Ur said, her words stopping Alfonzo's tirade. "Here, take a look at this."

As Ur spoke, she reached over to a document that was sitting alone on her desk before picking up and handing it across the desk to Alfonzo.

As Alfonzo accepted the document, he raised an annoyed eyebrow before looking down to read the document in his hand. Meanwhile, both Marin and Shizuka, still giggling to themselves, leaned over to read the document, as well.

"Ah!" Marin exclaimed happily after taking a few moments to read the document. "Mei is coming to magnolia to create an alliance. Then, it will only be a matter of time before she ends up alone with Fonzie and they start opening their hearts to each other. Then, before you know it, a marriage alliance will be on the table to keep the alliance strong for as long as she's the Mizukage."

"You already knew why I called you?" Ur asked with an eyebrow raised. "But what is this about the Mizukage falling in love with Alfonzo and us getting into a marriage alliance with the Village Hidden in the Mist? It doesn't say anything about that in the message."

"Ooh! Does that mean we're gonna have another sister wife?' Shizuka asked as she bounced on her feet while lightly clapping her hands.

On a side note, no one would mention that they noticed Ur's gaze rising and falling with Shizuka's breasts, as they bounced along with her movements, as if she had been hypnotized. In fact, they never even noticed. Nope, not at all. At least that's what Alfonzo and Marin would say if anyone asked them.

"*Sigh* No, it doesn't." Alfonzo said in a tired tone as he laid the message from the Village Hidden in the Mist back down on Ur's desk. "Don't pay attention to Marin, Shizuka. She's just been reading too many of her smutty books. And she's having trouble differentiating between fiction and reality."

"Hmph! I am not." Marin said with a snort while pouting and hammering her fists on Alfonzo's shoulder. "Stupid Fonzie!"

Seeing Marin's reaction, Alfonzo could not help smiling subconsciously. Her current actions making him remember how Elicia used to act whenever he said something to embarrass her right after their memories from their past lives were awakened.

So, with a warm feeling in his heart, Alfonzo raised the arm Marin was pounding on and started gently coming his fingers through her hair.

Almost immediately, Marin's actions made in protest came to a stop as her pout turned into an expression filled with bliss. Then, she leaned into the gentle caresses of Alfonz's fingers on her scalp as she all but melted away.

Meanwhile, Shizuka, who saw all this happen, started to pout instead. Then, in a manner that could be considered anything but subtle, she grabbed Alfonzo's other hand, raised, and placed it on her head. Then, she looked at him with puppy dog eyes, sending an unspoken message to let him know what she wanted.

And Alfonzo got her message loud and clear, as he started combing his fingers through Shizuka's hair, as well.

Meanwhile, Ur only looked on with a slight smile on her face.

'I wonder what Bianca would think if she saw him like this?' Ur asked herself.

'Ha! That's my god damn son, alright.' Bianca's smooth, deeper than average voice said in Ur's head. 'There's now way someone with my genes would have any problem getting more than a few wives. Hell, if he had less than three, I'd wonder if he was actually playing for the other team.'

Ur could not help but chuckle at the thought of how her old friend might have reacted to the fact that her son had a harem.

"Anyway, you showed us that the Mizukage would be coming here in the future." Alfonzo said, pulling Ur out of her thoughts. "So, what exactly do you want us to do?"

"Since you're already familiar with her, I want you three, four when Laxus comes back, to be her guides while she is in Fiore." Ur replied after shaking the thoughts of Bianca out of her head. "And if she's never tasted your cooking before, perhaps give her a taste. And if she has, then you definitely have to cook at least once while she's here. Otherwise, there may be no chance for this alliance."

"See, even Ur is trying to get Mei into your harem, Fonzie." Marin said with a smile. "Your cooking is unfair in that regard."

"Oh, please stop talking about that." Alfonzo said while shaking his head. "There are already twelve of you, nine of whom I've officially married. Isn't that enough?"

"To quote Cana… *Cough*" Marin replied. She then put on a serious expression as she used her [Transformation Magic] to alter her voice into an exact copy of Cana's and continued. "As the universe expands endlessly, so does the harem… Or something like that. *Giggle*"

Alfonzo could only shake his head once again.

"Anyway, that's all I wanted." Ur said. "So, you can go and make your preparations. Well, not that there's any rush. I'll respond to this message and let her know to come with her entourage after the new year. We've got an S-Class Promotion Exam to prepare for."

"You mean, 'we've' got an S-Class Promotion Exam to prepare for." Alfonzo said as he gestured to himself and Marin while rolling his eyes. "It's not like the guild master ever helps with the set-up, anyway. I mean, hell, does the guild master do anything but write reflection letters to the Council?"

"Shut up, Brat!" Ur said as she picked up and threw a stapler at Alfonzo's face. "Just go and get ready for the exam."

Smirking at Ur, Alfonzo used his [Metal Magic] to stop the stapler mid-flight. Then, he gently laid it back on the desk from where Ur picked it up.

"Fine." Alfonzo said. "We'll get going to make 'preparations.' See you later, Ur."

With that, Alfonzo stopped combing his fingers through Marin's and Shizuka's hair. Then, he took each of them by the hand, turned around, and led them back to the elevator.

"Oh, and Alfonzo." Ur said just before Shizuka pressed the elevator's call button.

"Yeah, what's up?" Alfonzo asked as he looked over his shoulder with a smile.

"*Sigh* I know I've been working you pretty hard for the last few years." Ur said in a sincere tone. "So, after the Mist's visit, I won't bother you for anything unless it's really important. But I really do appreciate everything you do for the guild."

His smile turning gentle, Alfonzo nodded his head without a word. Over the years, Alfonzo's and Ur's bond has become too deep for them to exchange words over something like that.

A moment later, the elevator doors opened. Then, Alfonzo, Marin, and Shizuka stepped inside.

"Oh, and don't forget to come downstairs in about an hour and a half." Alfonzo said with his back to the elevator doors. "I'll be cooking to celebrate Shizuka getting pregnant. And I know you don't wanna miss it."

Hearing that, Ur stood up, happiness written all over her face. However, her expression turned in to a scowl after hearing Alfonzo's next words.

"You're gonna have another two next year…" Alfonzo said while looking over his shoulder with a teasing smile on his face. "Great-Aunt Ur."

*Bang!*

*Crash!*

As Alfonzo's words ended, the elevator doors closed behind him. At the same time, with great speed, Ur picked up her stapler once again and threw it at him with all her might. Unfortunately, she was just a little too late, and the stapler crashed against the elevator door and broke into many pieces that scattered across the floor.

"Damned brat." Ur grumbled as she flopped back down into her chair. A moment later, however, a smile spread on her face. "Congratulations. Your house is gonna be very lively soon."

The party to celebrate Shizuka's pregnancy happened after that, lasting most of the rest of the day. And when Laxus, Chico, and Saya found out that they missed it, they were all a bit upset. Though, if Laxus had been there, the brawl that brought it to an end would have probably been even more intense than it already was.

As for the rest of the month, the S-Class Candidates were announced a little less than a week after the party. Then, a week after that, the S-Class Promotion Exam took place. And to know one's surprise, the one to be promoted in x788 was Masa, someone everyone thought would have bended up as the one to pass last year.

Then, once the Promotion Exam was complete, everything went back to normal and Alfonzo was able to work on his airship uninterrupted until Tsunade, Kakashi, and a few other shinobi from the Village Hidden in the Leaves arrived in Magnolia to take Obito back to the village to be imprisoned and interrogated just before the calendar closed on x788.