The Ouroboros Potioneer - Book 2: Chapter 17 (Patreon)

AN: 1st chapter for October for Tier 1!

Book 2: My Life With An S&M Maid Teacher

Chapter 17: When A Serpent Calls

"THOSE USELESS BASTARDS!" Vance Holleran swept everything that wasn't nailed down off his desk for the umpteenth time. "I GAVE THEM ONE JOB! ONE!"

There wasn't much left to sweep. The office had four fewer art pieces than it did a month ago. Three had been thrown. One had been sold.

“You’re overreacting.” A knife twirled through the air as a woman with purple hair, dressed in military fatigues with her stomach exposed, leaned back on a chair. "It was just a bunch of Malts and Grains."

“Just?” Vance glowered at the woman. “That was the main force I used to get things done in Fiore!”

“So hire more.” The woman rolled her eyes, her tone dismissive.

“It takes time to find useful subordinates, Ghost.” A bulky man in full plate armor leaned against a wall. “We are a brewing company first and foremost.”

“Yeah, ok.” Ghost spun her knife and made air quotes. “Whatever floats your boat, Shell.”

Vance almost blew up on the two before another voice spoke up from the corner, where shadows masked a short man’s presence. “The loss of #14 is more concerning.”

"Why the fuck should we care about that crazy bitch, Yomi?" Ghost flipped her head upside down to stare at the masked man. "If she's gone, then good riddance."

"We should care because she was the strongest of the double-digit agents." Shell answered in the shadow's place. "Don't let your prejudice cloud your judgment."

“Oh, fuck off, I know you hated her too.” Ghost flipped the armored man off. “She probably offed herself trying to get off on lightning.”

"Would you all shut up?" Vance sat at his desk and ran trembling fingers through his disheveled hair. "I don't care how the sadistic woman fell; I care that she failed."

The communication lacrima wouldn’t connect.

#14 he could understand ignoring him, but Hound wasn't answering either, and Vance was confident in Hound's professionalism.

The manager of the Fiore branch gritted his teeth. “We’ve burned all our bridges just staying clear of the damage, and headquarters is breathing down my neck.” A fist smashed on the desk. “And we still don’t have that fucking brewer!”

The three Cask agents in the room looked at each other and ultimately shrugged, none of them feeling the same pressure the manager was.

“That’s what you get for sending shit to catch our prize.” Ghost cut in mercilessly.

"It was foolish to rush into action." Shell admonished. "If given more time for us to arrive and mount an offense, we could have planned more efficiently.”

“I was on my way to the Minstrel branch.” Yomi’s muffled voice complained. “Ordered here.”

“I didn’t have a choice!” Vance defended angrily. “That fucking bastard disappeared for almost a full year last time.”

Vance had been ordered to find Dante for too long, and the longer it went on, the more incompetent he looked to HQ.

They wanted a brewer, yet they weren’t willing to risk vital resources without fundamental proof.

Vance hadn't done anything wrong; he was just trying to follow orders and get the damn job off his desk, but he was blamed for it all the same.

And now he was on the verge of being terminated, or worse.

He still felt cold sweat run down his back from his last call to HQ, Mr. Evans reminding him that Olsen was enjoying his stay in The Pit.

"Yeah, well, we're here now." Ghost shrugged, still twirling her knife, the serrated edge gleaming in the light. "Find the target, and we'll go grab him."

“No one moves.” Vance ordered with bloodshot eyes. “I’ve got the Fiore Military breathing down my neck, and the fucking King’s Agents are hunting down our informants. DAMN IT #14!”

He just had to unleash the one Cask agent stupid enough to kick that hornet’s nest in broad daylight.

Now he was forced to pull out his insurance to pressure a few corrupt nobles into getting the heat off him. Insurance they now knew he had on them.

"I've increased the bounty on the brewer to the highest I'm capable of going to." Vance was bleeding inside as he sold off his luxuries and personal accounts. Still, anything was better than his company deciding to replace him. "It's been sent to every underworld broker in Fiore, even into Bosco and Minstrel. We'll get reports as soon as he's spotted."

“Then it’s best if we stay holed up for a few days." Shell agreed, eyes glancing up at the ceiling. “15 and 16 are keeping watch on the roof. 13 and 17 will arrive in three and six days, respectively. When we are gathered, and the heat cools, we shall move out."

“Just cuz you’re higher ranked doesn’t mean you get to order me around, Shell.” Ghost’s gaze rolled to the armored man before appearing above him, her chair hitting the ground as she glared.

“That is exactly what it means.” Shell ignored the blade pressed against his throat as he stared down the woman. “Or would you like to attempt to climb the ranks again, #11?”

Ghost clicked her tongue, not bothering to damage her knife as she vanished back into her chair. “Oi, #12, you give a fuck about this?”

Yomi still hadn’t moved from the corner, yet instead of answering Ghost, his dark eyes turned toward the door, a whisper leaving his lips that reached the room’s occupants. “Strong.”

It took a moment for Ghost and Shell to catch on to his meaning before they too felt it, mana bubbling up as the two swiveled to the office door.

“Did we get a single-digit agent?” Ghost asked carefully.

“No, this could match the top five.” Shell stood in the door’s path, his armor rattling as his magic readied. “All of which are busy at the moment.”

Vance, the only civilian in the room, didn’t know what was going on and quickly shot up. “No one fights in my office!” He still had a few bottles of his precious TreantVine Wine, straight from Bellum.

“Manager?” Vance’s secretary called from the other side. “Someone interested in the bounty has arrived.”

“And?” Vance’s expression shifted in confusion; his secretary knew better than to bother him with rabble mercenaries.

“Well, it’s…” The secretary trailed off, seemingly finding it difficult to say before a second voice spoke over her.

“Oh, move over, useless girl." The expensive wooden door smashed open, a high heel nearly sending it off its hinges as two well-dressed individuals entered, a high-brow gaze glancing down at Vance like an insect. "Are you the client?"

An unofficial flier with Dante’s face was held up, the updated bounty number in large writing beneath it.

The three Casks, all foreign to Fiore, prepared for battle, yet it was Vance who gaped at the visitor with their bodyguard, his gaze quickly focusing on the well-known face he had seen countless times. “W-Why would you take it?”

A cruel grin was his answer, manicured nails tearing the flier apart. “Unfinished business.”

0000

‘Find The Hunter, they said.’ Jamie grumbled as he stomped down the street in civilian clothes. ‘Do they have any idea how big Twilight City is?!’

The King's Agent informant was entirely fed up, with dark bags under his eyes after spending the last two days scouring the city for a single individual alongside his entire department.

'Join the government, the benefits will be unbeatable!' Jamie imitated the thrice-cursed recruiter in his mind. 'Fuck you, Kyle, you bastard. I just want to sleep!'

Thankfully, someone higher up in the chain had common sense, because rest cycles were put in place, giving Jamie and his squad six hours off.

Six hours.

‘Benefits my ass.’ An exhausted Jamie turned the corner, having slept for exactly four hours and forty-four minutes before his roommate kicked him awake. ‘I still can’t even afford my own damn place.’

The overworked mage finally saw the sign he was looking for in the distance, a smile crossing his lips as his tired mind saw its oasis.

A coffee shop, the best in all of Twilight City, if Jamie was ever asked.

It sat on one of the upper layers of the city, far enough from the main traffic for customers to enjoy the quiet rays of sunshine that kissed the upper city, with a wonderful panoramic view.

‘I hope Janine is working today.’ Jamie felt a twinge of butterflies in his stomach as he got closer. ‘You need to man up and ask her out already. Just do it. I can do it.’ His brain grumbled its discomfort. ‘After coffee. Coffee first.’

He saw her, brunette hair swaying in the breeze with her favorite bandana on, laughing with a smile that sent tingles through him every time he saw it while taking an order.

“Jani-!” Jamie’s voice caught in his throat as he saw who Janine was talking to, a wheeze leaving his lungs at how hard his emotions recoiled.

000

“Jamie?” Janine turned around at the familiar voice, only to see her secret crush running off into the distance. “Oh, I thought he would stop by today.”

The brunette pouted.

"Does he interest you?" A pink-haired maid leaned in, a bright glow to her skin that any woman would understand.

“Just a silly crush.” Janine giggled, waving her notepad casually. “I’m giving him a chance to say something, but he’s taking so long.”

“Then you must take action.” Virgo stated firmly, looking into Janine’s eyes. “Next time he appears, pin him down and punish him.”

“Oh my.” Janine blushed, her gaze shifting to the table’s other occupant.

An occupant currently wearing a neck cast.

Dante noticed the look and winked the waitress's way. “It works.”

Janine only blushed harder. “Maybe I should give it a shot.”

“You won’t regret it.” Virgo nodded, leaning in to whisper something else that made the waitress’s blush turn nuclear.

“I’ll go get your check!” Janine rushed off into the café, leaving a chuckling couple behind.

“You have too much fun with that.” Dante stirred his coffee, enjoying the scent of the fresh brew.

“I’m in a good mood.” Virgo hummed happily, her fork poking at a slice of cheesecake. “Would you like some more, Master?”

"I'm good." Dante poured Heartknit brew into his coffee and gave the woman a look. "I've satisfied my sweets craving for now."

It was Virgo’s turn to flush, covering her lips as she looked away. “Bad master.”

“You weren’t saying that last night.” Dante chuckled at the adorable woman, finding this side of her just as alluring as her sensual side.

“You shouldn’t have got me so excited.” Virgo tried to chide him, but she couldn’t keep her lips from twitching upward. “It wasn’t my intent to hurt you.”

“Worth it.” Dante downed the healing coffee with a sigh of relief, reaching up to remove the earthen cast. “I’m more annoyed you gave away my healing brew.”

A healing brew he had to remake while injured, because his was missing from his belt.

“It was for a good cause.” Virgo pouted, having already apologized.

Quite thoroughly at that, as far as Dante was concerned.

“That was my favorite flask.” Dante chuckled, not really that annoyed about it.

He took a deep breath and rolled his neck, the deep bruising fading as the brew did its work.

“We’ll just have to make a new one.” He sent Virgo a smoldering gaze, one that had her fluttering like a maiden at the emotions rolling over their bond. “So that I don’t run out next time.”

“Your physique could use some work as well.” Virgo’s self-control wavered under his desire for her. “We should work on making you more durable.”

“Not a bad goal.” Dante sat back with a smirk, pulling back before he fully triggered his woman. “I haven’t made much progress on my physique since Lucifer’s Wail stopped benefiting me.”

It wasn’t that Dante couldn’t find a replacement for the mushrooms involved in the Digestion brew, but that the grade of brew was too low to be of use to him further.

“It took you far, early on your journey.” Virgo nodded as her teacher mentality took over, giving Dante an evaluating look that only slightly flushed from the memories she was using to grade him. “When we met, despite being a D-Class mage, I would have put your physique solidly in high C-Class. A great benefit for your early training, but you are beginning to outgrow it.”

“To be fair, I didn’t imagine I would reach B-Class fundamentals this quickly.” Dante smiled wryly. If it weren’t for Virgo’s insane teaching methods, he would very likely be a year or two away from B-Class at the moment, with his brewing capability stalled to C-Grade at max until he figured out how to increase his elemental conversion. “As soon as we get back and I begin experimenting for real, well, I’m sure I can manage something.”

Manage something was an understatement, and Virgo was well aware of just how excited he really was.

Despite the man she knew him to be, a hyperactive child still lived inside him, eager to experiment with everything and see how it would turn out.

As a brewer, and now as a potioneer, he was a mage with his wings clipped off until he built his arsenal.

"So, you don't wish to punish that organization?" Virgo stirred her coffee, her tone questioning. "They had the nerve to come after you; I doubt they would stop."

“That sounds like too much effort.” Dante waved a hand lazily. “I doubt they could follow us home.”

Home.

The earth in half the city momentarily vibrated as Virgo felt her heart beat at that word; her expression unchanged, but the pure flood leaking through their bond took Dante's breath away as he openly laughed without a word.

“While I am all in favor, My Love.” It took Virgo a moment to control herself, the mug in her hand twisting back into proper shape. “It is also not wise to leave a threat unattended.”

"Are they really a threat, though?" Dante raised a brow. "That woman caught us off guard at a bad time. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been an issue."

With Virgo properly fueled, and with Dante being a trapper rather than a magical striker, #14 was effectively neutered in front of them.

The young couple twitched almost at the same time, their gazes matching, yet they continued sipping their coffee even as the air changed. 

“Getting lazy is a bad habit, Student.” Virgo lectured, the expressive emotion in her voice more restrained. “Were you not taught to remove a threat toward you when it appeared?”

"That's different." Dante weakly defended, only to face Virgo's amused look and sigh. "Look, I don't even know these people beyond a name. To even begin all this, it could take weeks or months of research and time that I don't have to-."

A breeze blew past, leaving a thick folder in the middle of the table.

Dante narrowed his eyes while Virgo hummed. “You were saying?”

“That could be anything.” Dante pointed at it.

Another breeze blew by, and this time the folder was stamped with {Blackvein Brewery} across the top.

Virgo only dropped her chin on her palm, her smirk saying it all.

“Goddamn it.” Dante glared at a street corner and slid the folder closer.

Inside, he found names, pictures, addresses, timestamps, and everything there was to know about Blackvein Brewery's Fiore Branch.

There were even notes about its HQ in the neighboring nation of Caelum, and its second branch in Minstrel.

“Do you have enough information now?” Virgo sipped her drink, eyes never leaving Dante, studying whether the predator within would be roused to take on the challenge.

She didn’t train him for a year in a Danger Zone to see him slack off.

“This is… impressive.” Another glare was sent to a different street corner. “But I fail to see how this is my problem.”

A third time the breeze blew by, leaving Virgo humming an odd tune as she critiqued a bounty poster. “Not your best image. Whoever took this was sloppy.”

Dante grunted and snapped up the offered flier.

[WANTED — ALIVE]

[Picture]

[Male. Approx - 17. Dark green hair.]

[Last confirmed: Fiore - Thunder Village region. Believed to be traveling by train.]

[Hands MUST remain intact. Sedation acceptable.]

[WARNING: Frequently accompanied by a pink-haired woman in maid attire. DO NOT ENGAGE THE MAID. Withdraw and report.]

[Reward: 10,000,000 jewels. 10,000 jewels for reported sightings.]

Dante grimaced, face pinched in denial. “That could be anyone.”

A fourth breeze, and a note.

[It’s you.]

“YOU WANNA GO, YOU BASTARD!” Dante slammed the flier on the table, nearly spilling the coffee as he flipped off a third street corner.

Dante grabbed his keys, and in a flash of light, Monty appeared on the table, looking around curiously. "Master need Monty?"

“Urgent mission.” Dante leaned in, keeping his eyes on where he felt the gazes. “If anything besides the waitress approaches this table, stab them.”

His voice wasn’t quiet, daring the bastards to try again.

“Stab?” Monty’s eyes lit up excitedly, her tail curling up with a sharp tip that gleamed in the sunlight. “Monty ready. Always.”

“Good.” Dante scratched her chin, hunched over while they planned their counteroffensive with drops of coffee drawing battle lines.

Virgo openly giggled at the sight, unable to keep her amusement hidden as she could feel every step the surrounding agents made. “Student, focus.”

“Alright, fine, they’re a problem.” Dante frowned at the bounty poster. “But we could still retreat. No one would find us.”

It wasn’t fear that stopped him, but his desire to return to Aurora’s Throat and begin experimenting with potions, to get back to his life with Virgo away from civilization.

Virgo was well aware of his thoughts, her own not too far off, but she would make a poor teacher if she put desire before proper growth.

“And that would satisfy you?” Virgo asked, leaning in with an idle finger petting Monty’s head. Her eyes locked onto his own as she got his attention. “You would be unbothered leaving a threat behind?” She tapped the bounty poster. “One that clearly won’t stop until they catch you?”

Dante held her stare for a long moment, unspoken thoughts flowing between the two, making the surrounding watchers shift nervously before he sighed and closed his eyes.

“No, I wouldn’t be unbothered.” Dante finally admitted, leaning back in his chair with a serious expression. “Running away from a predator is acceptable, but not preferable.” His gaze landed on the folder. “Especially not from a scavenger.”

Dante wasn't a fool chasing every threat; nature was full of threats, a battle for survival of the fittest.

He was a hunter, a trapper, a brewer. His job was to evaluate a threat's worth before giving it his full attention.

Blackvein Brewery was a scavenger, plain and simple, but they had the resources to be a nuisance.

Virgo smiled at his change, mentally nodding in approval, yet decided to add a little motivation to the thought process. “I recall someone mentioning an interest in a modern distillery as well.”

Dante’s eyes flashed as he sat up. “Moonshine?”

“Moonshine.” Virgo laughed.

One of the surrounding agents wrote down ‘Moonshine’ with a question mark.

Even if Dante could use the Ashen Maw, it was still a demonic artifact, and it felt like overkill to use it whenever he wanted to make simple booze.

A distillery would clearly fix that issue, yet they were not commercially available, and Dante even read that the ones in use were some Lacrima-enchanted setup instead of the ones he was familiar with.

“You should have mentioned that sooner.” Dante’s lip twitched up sharply, pulling the folder back to flip through it. “It says here that the distribution of ale throughout Fiore goes through their Branch HQ in Crocus.”

“Which means if they had a distillery, it would be in such a location." Virgo added.

"Which also happens to be where the client who issued the bounty is residing." Dante saw the man's label.

[Vance Holleran]

-          Fiore Branch Manager for Blackvein Brewery.

-          Thirty-seven years old.

-          Balding in progress, forestalled by hair implants that continue to fall out.

-          Extensive art collector – currently selling collection.

-          Known connection to…

The list went on, with known mercenaries seen entering the building over the past week.

Dante narrowed his eyes as he read over what they had of the mercenaries’ magic styles. “Hm, they’re assembling a hunting party.”

It was clear they were gathering their forces to act, and given the circumstances, he was the likely target.

"Even more of a reason to strike first." Virgo didn't doubt his judgment, not that she didn't consider it when she was guiding him to deal with the problem.

“You’re not wrong.” Dante rubbed his chin, tapping the table as he went over what was provided. “It’s estimated they need a week to gather their remaining forces.”

“Hm, are we not less than a week away from the capital of Fiore?” Virgo questioned.

“We are, but even still, I’m not confident in a direct conflict with just the two of us.” Dante preferred leading prey to his chosen home ground. Yet awaiting him in Crocus would be at least half a dozen of these Casks, all Caster mages.

“We could issue another quest.” Virgo considered.

“Not for this.” Dante denied with a shake of his head, reading along the page where it mentioned deep political connections. “The fact that I’m reading this folder likely means official channels are not usable.”

He turned his gaze to the side as he finished speaking, and he was rewarded with another breeze dropping a note while Monty blinked in shock, her tail having hit empty air.

[Correct]

Dante hummed, tapping the table.

So, they wanted him to deal with it because they couldn’t.

The benefit for him being removing a threat to himself, and the benefit to them being the removal of Blackvein.

It was clearly a force of Fiore, if not a rival brewery, but Dante put his money on it being that royal agency that tried to recruit him in the past.

Dante looked up at the sky as he asked. “Do I have carte blanche to act?”

Monty dove at the next moving shadow, a war cry on her lips as she plopped on the ground, once more with her tail spotless.

[Sector will be clear for 60 mins from launch. Begin at midnight. Leave main office documents intact. Avoid damage to surrounding buildings.]

'And that confirms who I'm speaking to.' Dante calmly ripped up the note, ignoring his gecko appearing back on the table with a thoroughly pissed-off expression.

“Then I can’t just blow up the building." Dante felt the tension rise at his comment, but he chuckled, knowing he couldn't risk it if they had a distillery. “Sixty minutes isn’t much time. Can’t lure them away from their base.”

The direct approach it would have to be then. Still, Dante was troubled by how to pull that off. Charging into their base alone was possible, but naïve and risky.

Just because he ranked up as a mage didn’t make him arrogant. If anything, it made him more focused on wanting to brew potions to enhance himself, as that’s where his true strength lay.

“What of an unofficial quest?” Virgo’s question brought Dante back to her.

“Unofficial?” Dante leaned forward on his elbows. “Isn’t that illegal?”

Underworld quests were a thing, such as his current bounty offer. Still, they were literally being stared at by secret agents of the kingdom right now. 

“Is it illegal to request help from allies?” Virgo’s eyes twinkled as she stared back at Dante. “I recall you mentioning a few friends on your journey.”

Dante’s eyes widened, realizing that at least one of them would trip over himself for a shot at a job like this.

"They're spread around Fiore." Dante flicked the folder. "We have less than a week until they take action, which will make the hunt more time-consuming."

No matter the threat, Dante didn’t want to lock himself into a committed hunt that could take months. He had things to do.

“I’m sure we could get some help with that.” Virgo said with a smirk, her toes pressing into the ground and making every single agent jump as a pressure pushed on their feet. “Don’t you think?”

Monty fixed her hood, reptilian eyes unblinking as she honed herself.

The breeze that blew past dropped a flier on the table, only this time it was accompanied by a shout of surprise.

“MONTY ALWAYS STAB!” Monty held up her tail victoriously, painted crimson from a glancing blow she scored.

“Good girl.” Dante complimented the proud reptile as he slid over the remains of his alcoholic coffee for her to drop her head in while he read the flier.

It was a requisition form to utilize the nation's express railway, with lines to write in names.

“See?” Virgo finished her drink and proceeded to make sure Monty didn’t try to use Dante’s coffee cup as a hiding place. “I would advise a small group.”

"I don't have that many friends." Dante scratched his cheek, realizing that these people had been watching him long enough to know who he was connected to anyway. "I’m not sure if they would accept, but I might as well see if they’d be interested.”

He wrote out three names, and beneath each, he wrote out a personal invite to let them know it was him.

Dante stood, set the pen down, and took the folder with him. "I don't want anyone being forced into this."

His voice wasn’t loud, but he knew he was heard.

A breeze flew by, but this time the masked leather-armored figure was frozen as Dante’s hand rested on his shoulder, the note not having hit the table yet.

Eyes widened beneath the mask as the agent met Dante's green-eyed gaze, staring coldly a foot away.

“Right?” Dante asked calmly, Monty appearing on his shoulder and waving her tail threateningly.

Mana pulsed, and the phantom of a hissing serpent overlaid Dante’s form.

“Right.” The masked figure nodded slowly, his voice deep and firm to mask the drop of cold sweat running down his spine.

“Alright then.” Dante released the man, watching him vanish in the blink of an eye. “Shall we move on, Virgo? I believe we have a train to catch.”

“Of course, Master.” Virgo stood up, brushing out her apron and stepping up to his side, taking the offered elbow. “Shall we look for a private cabin once more?”

“Might as well get some work done on the way.” Dante nodded, leading her away from the café, not a single agent following.

“A good use of the time.” Virgo agreed, her lips curving up as she tugged on his arm lightly. “Among other uses.”

Dante turned and met her gaze with that knowing spark. “You know just how to motivate me, Love.”

“As a teacher should, My Love.” She leaned her head on his shoulder, content in their privacy as the two walked off.

000

“I can see why you all make such a big deal of this one.” Rose idly commented from the edge of a rooftop, watching Wolfsbane’s medic wrap Wolf’s bleeding arm.

"He is skilled." Wolf agreed, respect in his voice. "And a valuable asset."

“As long as he cooperates.” Rose kicked her feet. “Was it smart to give him access to our railway?”

“I was given permission to negotiate.” Wolf waved off Lily with a nod of thanks. “We never expected The Hunter to deal with them himself.”

“You were hoping to drag out his hidden teacher.” Rose chuckled as she went over the conversation they listened to. “They seem to hold that Ouroboros person in a spotlight.”

The name wasn’t said, but they were ordered to pick up any clues they could find between the lines.

“Regardless, as long as the raid commences, the mission is a success.” Wolf stood up and looked down at the flier. “We have work to do.”

"I didn't sign up to be a fucking errand girl." Rose complained. "It's faster to send it up anyway; just use the guild network."

Wolf almost berated her, but he paused to re-read the names on the list and saw the logic in her words. “Very well, we will have to do it one at a time to keep the signal encrypted.”

“Still better than hauling our asses around the nation.” Rose flipped to her feet, walking over to lean an elbow on Wolf’s shoulder and look at the flier. “Who’s first?”

“This one.” Wolf pointed.

“Ah.” Rose chuckled. “How wild.”

0000

“Master!”

A stream of smoke left Goldmine’s lips as he lowered the morning paper from his lawn chair. “Hm?”

Jager, Rocker, and Warcry slid to a stop beside him, nearly tripping over each other as they wrestled to get ahead.

A swung fist took Rocker in the jaw, and an errant elbow smashed Warcry in the nose, making him fall back with a whine.

“Bastards.” The buff form of Jager managed to get ahead, holding up a folded paper. “Master, we got one of those red-colored letters in the quest machine.”

“Oh?” Goldmine raised a brow behind his sunglasses, ignoring his stumbling kids as he took it. “Good job, Jager.”

He wouldn’t say how happy he was that he convinced the Guild Master community at one of their meetings to color code the damn things so he could teach his thick-headed kids to know when to get his attention.

It seemed he wasn’t the only guild master to face that problem.

Not that he needed three messengers.

Jager nodded, unable to keep avoiding the view of the Kennel training ground. “Is Bacchus alright?”

The martial arts-focused young man was currently spinning between a dozen self-standing posts, each enchanted to strike back with double the speed and force they were struck with.

Some posts occasionally sprouted elemental attacks at random, forcing him to choose between countering, dodging, or tanking it.

Blood dripped from a dozen cuts, adding to the canvas of a hundred bruises.

His body was fluid, flowing between martial forms as palm strikes slapped out like raindrops.

"That's insane." Rocker picked himself up, rolling his jaw as he spoke in a muffled voice. "I lasted like thirty seconds in there."

“He’s fine.” Goldmine waved away the concern, raising his voice a bit. “He knows if he’s not done by sunset, he doesn’t get ale with his dinner!”

“Screw you, old-, OW!” Bacchus paid for the raised middle finger with a strike to his shin, no longer able to speak as he heightened his concentration.

The three Quatro Cerberus mages gulped, completely lost to the storm of movement that would tear through them with how much speed Bacchus was pushing them to.

“Heh, sass has a price.” Goldmine chuckled, his sunglasses hiding the approval within as he watched his exhausted nephew dig his feet in and commit. ‘To think the boy was a fresh B-Class a year ago.’

No matter how strict he was, Bacchus never backed down, absorbing his lessons like a sponge as he grew like bamboo.

‘Wild.’ Goldmine grinned, sharp teeth on display as he watched the future of his guild rise.

Turning to the red letter, his expression firmed up.

Red meant it was from the nation, rather than the Magic Council.

‘I hope it’s not another city revolting.’ Goldmine recalled the last time he got a red letter, when all S-Class mages were called to deal with a corrupt noble uprising. ‘That was when Makky’s monstrous ace rose to fame.’ He scratched his chin in thought. ‘Has it really been five years since then?’

The aged guild master’s gaze fell back to his nephew, almost seeing the injured child he found among the remains of the village his sister had once lived in overlap with the current twirling young man, having seen that spark of defiance even back then.

‘Time flies.’ Goldmine chuckled and flicked open the letter, finally looking it over before his lips twitched. ‘At least it’s not a revolt this time.’

“What is it, Master?” Jager was trying to restrain the other two, all three heads stretching forward like curious dogs.

"A summons for a commissioned quest." Goldmine's grin widened as he read the attached message before passing it to Jager. "Read that paragraph in the middle out loud, would you?"

Jager kept Warcry away with a foot and tried to read it, his face twitching as he burst out laughing.

“What is it?!” Rocker snagged the letter, reading the same part as his lips curved up and he laughed.

Warcry growled and tackled them both, snapping up the letter so he could read it before he rolled on the ground in humor.

Jager and Rocker nodded to each other, quickly lining up and reading off as one.

[“Yo, lightweight ale thief. Still drinking hooch, or did the old man cut you off? Got a fun party brewing; rich faces to punch, drinks all around, and legal looting. Don't bitch out."]

The raindrop-like strikes were silenced, and the two mages had a bare moment to blink at the wind pressure before twin blows sent them flying into the still-spinning enchanted posts.

The falling red letter was snatched by a rough, bandaged hand as a grinning Bacchus cackled. "Ohoho, little shit wants to play it that way, huh?"

“I doubt he would risk saying more.” Goldmine sipped his drink, making no effort to save his pups trying to survive the mess Bacchus left behind. “There’s a national express railway ticket in there.”

“Jackass vanished for a year.” Bacchus grabbed the ticket, noting the time set for an hour from now. “I need my fix, ya know.”

"Completing a nation quest will do good for the guild too." Goldmine mused, unconcerned, as there was no note of needing S-Class strength. "Do make a good impression in the capital."

“Do ya actually give a shit about that, Old Man?” Bacchus raised a brow, bending down to pick up his armor, slotting one piece to each arm with a resounding click.

"Reputation makes an impact." Goldmine chuckled and shook his head. "Just don't cause collateral damage; I don't need Makky’s level of stress.”

A gourd was tossed over, quickly caught and uncorked.

“I’m not that bad.” Bacchus took a gulp, steam beginning to rise from his skin. “I’ll send that ass your regards.”

“Good.” Goldmine tilted his head back and showed a smile full of sharp teeth. “Our wandering pup wants to throw a party.” He held out a fist. “Go wild, kid.”

“Ya know it.” Bacchus pounded it and lifted a foot, the limb shattering the earth through half the Kennel as he vanished in a burst of steam.

‘Show them Quatro Cerberus’s bite.’ Goldmine laughed, his chair on the only untouched piece of earth.

0000

“Oh my, oh my.” Bob held a hand to his round cheek, his blush prominent as he read over the red letter on his desk. “That boy’s so bad~.”

Bob giggled in a high-pitched tone. "I knew I liked him for a reason."

He took the letter before the barest hint of mana pulsed from the man as he phased through the floor of his office, shifting to fall into the main hall of his guild.

The large, plush, marble, richly designed hall was much the same as a year earlier, yet as Bob looked around, he couldn't help but smile from the heart at his little birds and bees mingling.

The social walls between the classes that had been built as his guild's fame grew finally cracked and fell apart over the last year, and he couldn't be happier.

"Master Bob!" A confident voice called from behind the bar, a head of styled blond hair framing the bright face of the well-dressed bartender.

“Oh, Clarence, you’re looking dashing today.” Bob fluttered his eyelashes teasingly, yet his smile was genuine. “Are you doing well?”

“Better than ever, Master.” Clarence’s voice had lost all trace of its old nasal tone, his chest pressing against the uniform he wore as he expertly mixed a cocktail. “We have a new creation of the day. Can I interest you in the Moonshine Serpent?”

"Mn, that does sound yummy." Bob's gaze shifted to the suspender-wrapped wall of muscle standing behind Clarence as Anna wiped a proud tear from his eye. "I might come back for one in a bit, Anna dear. Would you happen to know where Jenny is?"

“Our rising jewel, hm?” Anna’s deep voice had a titter to it as he ruffled Clarence’s hair, much to the young man’s annoyance. “I believe she was being fawned over by those swimsuit photographers in side hall B.”

“Jenny in a swimsuit…” Clarence looked up with a dopey smile, only for a tap on his cheek to bring him face to cheek with a smug Bob.

His face screwed up like he ate a lemon.

Bob roared with laughter, blew the cute boy a kiss, and waved. "I'll be back for that drink."

Little wings flapped on his back as the guild master flashed through his guild, waving to a few of his birds before phasing through the walls to another hall.

The camera flashes were immediately apparent, and Bob stopped to watch his shining gem glow in front of the cameras.

Beach-blond hair twirled through the air, half covering the face of one Jenny Realight, her confident smile drawing in the photographers like moths to her flame.

Sinful curves were on display as a well-fitting swimsuit covered her body.

Jenny flipped through half a dozen poses, working what she had until she noticed Bob and spun into a quick blown kiss to the cameras. “Take a break, boys.”

A collective groan went through the staff, making Bob giggle as he watched his bird’s heels shift into a mecha form, the movement so very elegant and subtle as she launched herself over half the hall to land before him. “Hey, Master, need me?”

“Oh, Jenny~.” A twinkle shone in his eyes as he flew around her like a disturbing fairy. “You make me so proud.”

From appeal to appearance, to confidence, to magic usage, and even to the reservoir of mana that showed her dedication to her growth.

She was everything he hoped for in a rising ace.

"I aim to please~." Jenny purred back with a laugh. "But really, I gotta finish up this shoot if I'm going to make it to my quest later. Is this a casual visit?"

"I'm afraid not." Bob recalled why he'd come, stopping in front of her and holding out the red letter. "Or perhaps I should say I bring good news?"

Jenny raised a sharp brow as she took the letter, flipping it open before her eyes widened.

Bob grinned at the rising curve of Jenny’s lips. “It would seem that scrumptious boy-toy of yours wants a date.”

“Dante doesn’t do dates.” Jenny laughed, her smile damn near glued to her face as she read the message.

[Hey, Nosy Cat, you a half-decent mechanic yet? If you got time between flaunting what you got, I could use a hand dealing with an annoying group. Monty says hi, and now she’s on my face.]

“I’m sure you’ll manage.” Bob hid his giggle behind a hand before his face grew serious. “Nation quests are not taken lightly, dear.”

“Good, that makes it interesting.” Jenny smirked as her arm shifted into a cannon that blasted a mild sound wave behind her. “Shoot's canceled, boys! We'll meet up again next month."

Complaints sounded out, but Jenny didn’t care as she turned off, heading for the doors.

“Are you sure that was wise?” Bob fluttered at her side. “It could hurt your public image.”

"As if. Those were shots for the spring edition next year." Jenny scoffed, knowing exactly where she could push. "Besides, I'm a mage first. Modeling is just fun."

“Oh my, that boy got you excited, didn’t he~?” Bob teased.

“Of course.” Jenny picked the ticket out of the letter, glancing at the time slot. Between one step and the next, her fair skin cracked and shifted as long legs hardened into machine. “When a friend calls, why wouldn’t I answer?”

The teasing smile on Bob’s face melted back into his genuine one, momentarily seeing the spirit of his old guild flowing through his brightest bird.

“Send that boy my love.” Bob pulled a fur coat out of his pocket and tossed it over. “Show them Blue Pegasus is more than a pretty face.”

“You know it.” Jenny wrapped it around herself and winked before her torso shifted fully.

The roar of an engine, pistons firing and gears turning, rang out as a streamlined motorbike sped out of the hall, sending up a flurry of activity as Jenny shot out of the main hall and took off into the distance.

Two dozen voices roared out in warm curses from experienced mages, none being taken off guard by the surprise passing.

Bob only watched the chaos with a bright grin, his laugh honest as he flew over to the bar for that drink.

A Moonshine Serpent sounded lovely.

0000

“YOU WANNA GO, POPSICLE?!”

“I WAS DRINKING THAT, FLAMEBRAIN!”

Makarov Dreyar rubbed his brow, the pain of a hangover only exacerbated by his shouting brats.

Eleven-year-old Natsu and Gray smashed heads together, wrestling over a spilled drink.

“I was talking to you, Tin Can!”

“No, you were shouting, Stupid Witch!”

The old man’s headache only intensified.

Thirteen-year-old Mirajane and Erza were much the same as the young boys, smashing heads and wrestling over reasons Makarov couldn’t understand.

And worse, those two had the power to break the furniture.

‘Maybe Laxus has a point about the guild becoming a daycare.’ The Wizard Saint, one of the most renowned and powerful mages in all of Ishgar, felt helpless in front of his brats’ endless energy.

Thoughts of his grandson sent a twinge of mixed emotions through the older man.

His eyes slid to a corner table, where the irate blond was drinking an ale with a green-haired teen who was going off like a machine gun about a book about wooing women, authored by someone named Danny.

Laxus, his grandson, who could barely control the overflowing output of mana within him and had been constantly angry ever since his stupid son fused that dragon lacrima into Laxus’s mana core, came back from a quest and actually smiled.

Not only did he bring back a highly capable young mage, but the first thing he did was come and demand the name of the barmaid who had quit recently, Sarah.

‘Did that boy hit his head while he was gone?’ Makarov had followed in secret, seeing Laxus find the woman and honestly apologize. The act nearly gave the old man a heart attack.

The fact that the ex-bar waitress was blushing by the time he was done made an odd feeling of pride skip through his heart. ‘The Dreyar line still has it.’

“Master!”

The diminutive guild master was broken from his thoughts as he turned his head from where he sat on the guild bar top, a smile crossing his face as he saw a head of messy blue hair come his way. “Levy, how are you, child?”

The small blue-haired girl was Makarov’s favorite. Quiet, studious, hardworking, and didn’t give him a headache five times a day.

He even let her study in his office for the peace, trusting the young eleven-year-old to be more responsible than his adult mages.

“Something weird came out of the quest machine.” The young girl pulled a red letter from her pocket, only to trip over herself and faceplant, the letter slipping out of her hand.

Makarov winced at the girl’s whine, stretching out a growing arm to pick her up. “I told you to focus on where you walk, Levy.”

“Sowwy.” Levy rubbed her forehead with a sheepish expression. “I was thinking over the runic scheme I was reading.”

Makarov could only chuckle before he was interrupted by a curious hum.

Cana Alberona sat near him at the bar, the seventeen-year-old brunette downing a barrel of ale while squinting at the words on the red letter before she did a spit take that nearly splashed on the guild master. “Ahahaha! Who’s got the balls to send this?”

Makarov’s arm snapped out, swiping the red letter he was only just beginning to process.

“Forget whatever you read.” Makarov warned the brunette before his own eyes fell on the letter and widened. “T-This.”

Cana shot him a shit-eating grin. “Come on, Master. Say it.”

“A nation quest…” Makarov whispered with a pale face, making Cana’s smile fall in confusion. “LAXUS!”

The booming voice spread through the guild, silencing a dozen conversations and sending the two pairs of squabbling brats flying.

A spark of lightning was the only warning before Laxus appeared in a flash, having teleported over from his table, cleaning his ear with a finger. “What the hell, old man? Is it time for the S-Class exam?”

“Forget the S-Class exam!” Makarov shoved the red letter in his grandson’s face. “What did you do?!”

A nation quest was issued to the blond, and Makarov remembered the last nation quest where Gildarts was summoned.

Not only was the noble uprising ended quickly, but the city where Gildarts was sent still refuses to put up new walls after what he did.

Makarov lost half the hair on his head before the king stepped in to stop the Magic Council from billing Fairy Tail for it.

Laxus frowned as he took the letter, reading it quickly before his right eye twitched fiercely. “That son of a bitch.”

[“Yo, Sparky, you an S-Class yet? Got something I could use help with; I’ll double up that unique reward so you can stop having performance issues.”]

“I literally just got back yesterday.” Laxus gritted his teeth as a train ticket fell out the bottom of the letter into his waiting hand, telling him to leave in an hour. “I’m going to punch that bastard.”

"Something you want to share with the class?" Cana leaned in, eager for juicy details. “Sparky?”

Laxus’s glare locked onto the woman as the red letter was set on fire and tossed over his shoulder, where a watching Natsu dove in and snapped it up to munch on.

“Natsu! Release that right now!” Erza stomped over, attempting to restrain the young dragonslayer.

She also wanted to read it.

“You got a big mouth for someone not resistant to lightning.” Laxus idly commented, yet it left Cana blinking at the lack of the usual bite she was used to from him. A sigh left the young man’s lips. “Old man, I might not be back in time for the S-Class this year.”

The words shocked the listeners even more, especially the older crowd.

Laxus, calmly accepting that he might miss the S-Class exam for the year? There wasn't even a hint of hesitation in his voice, as if he took the quest more seriously than the very goal he had been shouting for through the last few years.

The guild master wasn’t the only one looking at the blond in confusion.

Makarov's near hysteria cooled at the sight, as he took in his grandson properly.

The slouch of his shoulders was gone, that arrogant snarl on his lips unseen, and the old man thought he looked more thoughtful than angry.

Makarov couldn’t help it.

A massive fist flashed out, stopping an inch from Laxus's face, yet Makarov watched not a single spark fly off his body.

“You drunk?” Laxus met Makarov’s stare, the fist lowering as a scoff left the older man.

The blond’s eyes were still cocky. That was his grandson, alright.

The fist shrank as Makarov stood tall on the bar top. "As Guild Master, it is up to me to decide what form and place the S-Class exams take place each year."

His fist once more shot out, yet this time it softly touched Laxus’s chest, right over his heart.

“Seeing as you are the only participant this year.” The Wizard Saint smiled with a sense of pride filling his spine. “I hereby declare that if you complete your commissioned quest, you’ll be an S-Class.”

This time it was Laxus’s turn to look shocked, his eyes widening in surprise.

The blond didn’t get a chance to comment before a shout was heard from behind.

“WOOHOO! WAY TO GO SIR LAXUS!” Freed cheered atop a table with arms in the air.

The teen’s shout shook the rest of the guild, and Wakaba and Macao looked at each other before grinning and raising their mugs in a salute.

“Way to go, kid!”

“Get out there and kick some ass!”

More of the older crowd spoke up, words of support coming from all corners.

Not a single noise of complaint.

“That’s not fair!”

All except one.

“I wanna be an S-Class too!” Natsu raised a flaming fist and charged at Laxus’s back. “Fight me, Laxus!”

A single low-powered bolt sparked off Laxus's shoulder, paralyzing the charging kid and causing him to slide forward into the bar headfirst.

“At least one of you has guts.” Laxus’s lips curved up, sending Natsu a nod before he met his grandfather’s eyes once more. “I’ll be back… gramps.”

Makarov’s eyes watered, feeling the hidden affection. “Go.”

Laxus nodded and turned, walking through the guild, the mages making a path for him.

Oddly enough, the cheers died out as he walked, but Laxus didn’t look back.

He knew what was behind him.

A chuckle left his lips at the feeling of every Fairy Tail mage raising their arm, finger pointed to the sky and thumb extended.

For the first time in years, Laxus felt like he was leaving his home.

0000

“You ran off earlier.” Janine had her hands on her hips, standing outside the coffee shop in Twilight City as she glared at the sweating form of Jamie. “You came all the way out here, and then ran away. I thought you would visit.”

Her shift had just ended, turtleneck sweater on to protect from the cold, when she bumped into Jamie on her way out.

"I wanted to!" Jamie held a bundle of flowers, having spent over an hour switching options at the flower store down the block. "I'm sorry, work came up. It was really urgent.”

Urgent as in Janine was talking to his work!

Jamie was freaking out inside, unsure of how to make his crush not be mad at him while not mentioning how much danger she was in earlier.

Jamie had seen the reports of what that terrifying Maid was capable of.

 "If it was work, I can't really blame you." Janine huffed, taking the flowers with a small, growing smile.

“It was, and I’m really sorry.” Jamie scratched the back of his head. “I will definitely visit tomorrow. I’ll come by every day.”

"You can't come every day. That would be too much of a commute." Janine chided, but her eyes flickered with hidden thoughts. “Although, if you want to make it up to me, there is something you could do.”

The way she pulled on the collar of her sweater with that adorably shy expression made Jamie’s heart pound.

“Anything.” Jamie puffed up his chest.

“Anything?” Janine looked over the flowers with rosy cheeks.

“Anything!” Jamie shouted.

Janine’s arm shot out faster than Jamie could blink, grabbing his shirt and pulling him forward into a rough kiss.

Jamie's eyes widened at the force before he gave in, wrapping his arms around her while his thoughts fled.

A light snow began to fall from above, the crystal flakes dancing around the young couple as if to embrace the union.

When they pulled back, hot air leaving their lips, Jamie was wondering if he was dreaming.

And then Janine soulfully looked up at him, her honey-brown eyes full of mischievousness as she whispered. "Will you punish me?" 

Jamie's mind went blank.

000

Virgo’s head snapped up, looking at the roof of the train car thoughtfully.

“What is it?” Dante asked curiously from her lap, his head resting on his favorite cushion.

“I felt a disturbance.” Virgo mused, raising a finger to her cheek. “I feel proud?”

“Is that a question or a statement?”

“Yes.”

Chapter End.

AN: I'm quite proud with how this chapter came out. Let me know what you think!