361 Catching up with Old Acquaintances

Earth Land, Ishgar, Era.

May, x785.

While Tsunade was introducing Alfonzo, Marin, Wendy, and Carla to the members of Mermaid Heel, Makarov, who had become a member of the new Magic Council, thanks to Alfonzo and Ur's plan, was sifting through paperwork with a disgruntled expression on his face.

"Damn those two." Makarov muttered while reading a document. "This is not how I expected to spend my retirement."

At that moment, the doors to the meeting room opened. And through them, Jura Neekis, an S-Class wizard of Lamia Scale as well as one of the Ten Wizard Saints, walked in.

"Good evening, Master Makarov." Jura said upon entering the Magic Council's meeting room.

"Ah... Jura." Makarov replied with a grandfatherly smile. "What can I do for you, my boy?"

"Actually, I have a request for your guild." Jura replied. "Actually, it's a request for Alfonzo Marcus."

"*Sigh* That boy sure is popular." Makarov replied with a smile. Though, to anyone who was looking closely, they would be able to tell that he was gritting his teeth. "Let me guess, you want him to install some training rooms at the Lamia Scale guild hall, too, right?"

"Indeed." Jura replied.

"And just out of curiosity, how did you find out about those?" Makarov asked.

"Ah… It was lady Ritsu who told me about them." Jura replied with a nod. "Also, Lyon had heard about them from Gray."

"*Sigh* I see." Makarov said while shaking his head. "Either way, you'll have to talk about that with Ur and Alfonzo. But I can pass the message along."

"Many Thanks, Master Makarov." Jur said with his palms together and bowing his head.

"Anyway, let's get back to---" Makarov said, turning his head back to the paperwork on his desk.

However, before he could finish his sentence, a messenger entered the meeting room with quick footsteps.

"Master Makarov, there's a letter for you." The messenger said after approaching Makarov's desk.

"Thank you, my boy." Makarov said as he accepted the letter.

Opening the letter, Makarov wasted no time starting to read it. Meanwhile, the messenger made his way out of the room.

"That Ritsu... Is there anyone she didn't tell about this?" Makarov asked in a tone of disbelief. "Bob and Goldmine said they heard about the training rooms from her, too. But wait, why is this the first request we're getting from Quatro Cerberus? Weren't there two members of that guild on the quest to bring in the mad scientists?"

Just at that moment, another messenger entered the room with a letter addressed to Makarov. And just like he did with the first, Makarov opened it and started reading immediately.

"Wow, even the Fabled Village Hidden in the Leaves is asking for training rooms, too?" Makarov said in a surprised tone. "And they were recommended by Tsunade, the master of Mermaid Heel, and a member of Quatro Cerberus, Might Guy. Damn, that boy is making a lot of connections for the guild with his inventions."

"Congratulations, Master Makarov." Jura said, having been listening to Makarov's monologues. "It seems Fairy Tail will grow in strength yet again."

"Yeah…" Makarov replied. "A lot of money will be coming in, too. *Sigh* And it all happened after I retired. Why couldn't the guild's coffers be this full when I was still the guild master? Instead, I had to spend a lot of my own money to clean up after those brats!"

*Bang!*

As Makarov shouted the last part, he simultaneously slammed his fists on his desk. Meanwhile, Jura could only watch Makarov with a wry smile.

"Either way, I guess I should send a message to Ur so she can make sure Alfonzo is prepared for the influx of orders." Makarov continued, letting his angry expression turn into a proud smile.

Earth Land, Ishgar, Kingdom of Fiore, Mermaid Heal Headquarters.

"So, Alfie, why didn't you bring Erzie-Werzie with you, meow?" Millianna asked while Marin and Anko were engaged in conversation.

"Because she was on a quest with her team." Alfonzo replied with a shrug. "But we didn't even know you were part of this guild, Millianna."

"Oh, yeah." Millianna said in a tone that suggested she just realized that. "I guess I forgot to let her know that I had settled down."

"So, how are the other two?" Alfonzo asked. "Shô and Wally?"

"Oh, they're fine." Millianna replied. "They're still traveling around, meow. And when they run out of money, they find a casino to work in for a while. Sho would take a job as a dealer while Wally becomes a bouncer, meow."

"Well, at least they're doing well." Alfonzo replied with a smile. "Oh, Erza and I ran into Simon about a month ago, too."

"Really?" Millianna asked excitedly. "So, how is he?"

"Well, he became a village chief." Alfonzo replied with a chuckle. "He reestablished his old village, Rosemary Village."

"OH, I remember him talking about that, meow." Millianna said excitedly. "He told us it was destroyed when he and Erzie-Werzie got abducted."

"Yeah, that's right." Alfonzo replied with a nod.

"But why did he tell you about it and not me, Shô, or Wally" Millianna asked while tilting her head in confusion.

"He didn't really tell us about it." Alfonzo replied while shaking his head. "We took a quest that led us there. It was under attack from a flock of Crow Tengu, and they were kidnapping villagers. So, Erza and I---"

"What was that?" a cold female voice asked from behind Alfonzo.

Looking in the voice's direction, Alfonzo and Millianna saw Kagura standing there with her arms crossed and a perturbed expression on her face.

'Oh, shit.' Alfonzo thought to himself. 'I forgot she was here, too. And Simon wanted to keep that whole mess a secret from her.'

A moment later, Alfonzo shrugged that thought away.

'Oh well, it's not my problem.' Alfonzo thought to himself. 'I'm sure she would have found out eventually, anyway.'

"Oh, hey, Kagura. How's it goin'? Yeah, Rosemary Village was under attack by a flock of Crow Tengu." Alfonzo repeated. "But there's nothing to worry about any more. Erza and I got rid of the whole flock."

"I'm glad to hear that." Kagura replied sternly. "Still, why didn't that stupid older brother of mine tell me about it?"

"Because he didn't want you to worry." Alfonzo replied with a shrug. "He probably didn't want to disappoint you, either. You know, making you think he couldn't handle the village on his own."

"It's even more disappointing that he didn't ask me for help when he needed it." Kagura replied.

"I guess." Alfonzo replied. "I mean, family should stick together, and all that shit."

"Exactly." Kagura replied. "Though the profanity was unnecessary."

"Can't help it." Alfonzo replied with another shrug.

"Wait, you know kagura, too?" Millianna asked with her eyes wide open in surprise. "But didn't Simon want to keep that from happening at all costs?"

"We met on the joint mission back in November." Alfonzo replied.

"Indeed." Kagura replied. "Besides, my brother has no right to decide who I associate with."

"Oh…" Millianna said while shrinking back from Kagura's intense gaze.

At that moment, Alfonzo turned his head away from the conversation with Millianna and Kagura when he felt the hem of his shirt was being pulled. And when he looked in the direction of the disturbance, he saw Wendy with a slight blush on her face.

"What's up, Wendy?" Alfonzo asked.

"I'm hungry." Wendy said in a small voice. "Should I go order something from the guild, or are you going to cook something tonight?"

"Personally, we would prefer your cooking." Carla said, having walked over with Wendy.

Before Alfonzo could answer, however, a shadow swept by. Then, Carla was no longer standing next to Wendy.

"Huh?" Wendy exclaimed in surprise. "Carla, where did you go?"

"Ooh~~~~~!" A feminine squeal could be heard from not too far away. "Such acute kitty!"

Hearing that squeal, all the conversation at the table stopped. On top of that, Millianna was no longer sitting in her seat. And when they looked in the direction of the squeal, all those who knew her, saw what they expected to see. Millianna hugging Carla with excitement shining in her eyes.

"How dare you!" Carla shouted while struggling to free herself. "Let go of me this instant!"

"But you're such a cutie!" Millianna said while rubbing her face on Carla's fur.

"Even if that's true, that doesn't give you the right to pick me up without my permission." Carla argued.

Meanwhile, Alfonzo, Kagura, and Anko could only sigh at the antics they've come to expect from Millianna. Meanwhile, Wendy was somewhat panicking. At the same time, Marin found it funny. Though, she tried to keep in her laughter. Otherwise, Carla would have been mad at her for a long time.

"Millianna, let her go." Kagura ordered. "Can't you tell she doesn't like it?"

"But Kagura… It's a kitty." Millianna said reluctantly.

"Yes, I'm aware." Kagura replied. "That doesn't change the fact that she doesn't like what you're doing."

In response, Millianna looked at Carla with tears in her eyes. Still, she put her down after seeing the irritation in the Exceed's eyes.

"Okay… Sorry, Kitty." Millianna said sadly.

Immediately upon release, Carla used her [Aera Magic] and spread her wings before flying over to Wendy and hiding behind her. Then, once she felt she was safe, she glared at Millianna from behind Wendy.

"The kitty can fly, too~~~~!" Millianna squealed again.

"My name isn't 'Kitty'." Carla said aggressively. "It's Carla."

A moment later, Carla's eyes narrowed in pleasure as Alfonzo started scratching behind her ears to calm her down.

"Don't be mad, Carla." Alfonzo said softly. "She just really likes cats. And you're quite the cute one. So, she couldn't help herself. Anyway, I'll cook us some dinner, okay?"

With that, Alfonzo removed his hand from Carla's head. Then, he stood up from his seat.

"Don't scratch my ears without my permission!" Carla shouted. Though, it was clear to see that she was just embarrassed. Then, she turned to Wendy and continued. "And Wendy, you shouldn't get too close to him, he's too good at making girls comfortable."

"Carla…" Wendy said with a blush.

"Oh ho… A man that can cook?" Anko asked with interest. "You don't see that too often outside of restaurants."

"Yeah, Alfonzo's got to be the best cook in Fiore." Marin said with her chest puffed out in pride.

"Really?" Anko asked with mischief swirling in the depths of her pupil-less eyes. "That's a pretty big title to live up to, isn't it? Why don't you let me test your cooking to find out if it's true."

"As long as you got the money." Alfonzo replied. "I don't work for free, after all."

"Fonzie, I don't think that will work here." Marin replied with a wry smile. "We'd be using their ingredients, after all."

"Hmm… Now that you mention it." Alfonzo said in a tone of realization. "Damn it… I should have stopped to get groceries along the way. Oh well, I can make a trip to Cedar some time tomorrow."

Hearing that, Millianna, Kagura, and Anko looked at Alfonzo skeptically. To them, it sounded like he was trying to make an excuse as to why he would not cook for them.

"Anyway, if I can use the kitchen and some ingredients, I'll cook something for you two, Wendy and Carla." Alfonzo continued after thinking about his plans for tomorrow.

"Just for them?" Marin asked in an aggrieved tone.

"Of course I'll cook for you, too, Marin." Alfonzo replied with a wry smile.

"I wanna try it, too." Millianna replied with her hand raised. "Erzie-Werzie said your cooking was really good when I last saw her."

"The She-Devil spoke of your skill in the kitchen, as well." Kagura added. "I'll admit, I'm quite curious."

"And I'm damn sure not gonna be the only one left out." Anko chimed in.

"Fine, fine." Alfonzo said while shaking his head. "But if you want my cooking after today, it won't be free. Anyway, I'll need to borrow the kitchen."

"You can follow me." Ritsu said from the next table over. "Though, I would like the chance to taste your cooking again, as well."

"Fuck…" Alfonzo gasped in surprise. "Where the hell did you come from? And how long have you been there?"

Not only Alfonzo was surprised by Ritsu sudden appearance. Instead, everyone at the table jumped from hearing Ritsu's voice so suddenly.

"If we were at home…" Marin said while patting her chest. "That would have been enough to start a brawl."

"Uh huh." Wendy agreed with a nod of her head.

"Our guild mates are so barbaric." Carla said exasperatedly, not disagreeing with Marin's assessment.

"I've been here ever since the introductions ended." Ritsu replied. "I had no reason to follow Tsunade upstairs, after all."

"*Sigh* We need to put a bell on you." Alfonzo said in an exasperated tone.

'Since I didn't think anyone would be attacking me while I was here, even if there are probably some girls here who hate men, I didn't have my [MPD] spread out.' Alfonzo said while shaking his head internally.

"Anyway, I guess I'll be borrowing your kitchen and some ingredients." Alfonzo said politely. "Any requests?"

That last question was directed at the members of Mermaid Heel. Alfonzo already knew what kind of food Marin, Wendy, and Carla liked. So, as long as he made one of those, they wouldn't complain.

"I like sweets." Anko was the first to reply. "And I don't like spicy food."

"I want fish." Millianna said with a hand raised.

"Anything is fine with me." Kagura said. "I'm not picky."

"I'd like the same dish you served me back in Magnolia." Ritsu replied with a smile as she started walking towards the kitchen. "I believe it was called Fettuccini Alfredo, if I remember correctly."

"Sure." Alfonzo said while mentally noting down the orders and following Ritsu.

Then, about half an hour later, Millianna, Kagura, and Anko were drawing large amounts of attention to themselves as they moaned sensually after their first bite of Alfonzo's cooking. Unfortunately, this also drew quite a bit of attention to Alfonzo, the one who cooked what caused the commotion. As a result, Alfonzo spent the rest of the night cooking, while listening to the food-gasms from the ladies of Mermaid Heel, until it was time for him, Marin, Wendy, and Carla to return to their accommodations for the night.