Ch4. The remaining wishes

Thomas was about to open his mouth when he realized there is nothing to say. He snapped it shut and furrowed his forehead as he leaned his head on the back of the chair.

The problem was simple.

He did not know what to pick.

He could not pick anything that increased his power.

He needed something that increased his potential for sure.

But...

But the way his first wish turned out, he was sure he could word his second in a way that can give him much, much more than just a potential increase.

He absentmindedly swung his arm back and forth, still holding Bella's as he thought about it, shooting blanks.

Oh, he had many ideas. Alas, he needed something broader than just a one-time thing.

The smile on The Reaper's smug mug was telling. He can and is totally allowed to do this but he will have to be careful about his wording lest the jerk put another trick on him.

Bellatrix was amused by her husband. Oh, how marvelous that sounded to her! A husband! She giggled. Deep down she knew her giddiness, happiness, soul-rendering cheerfulness, all come from some kind of mental interference due to their bonding but she did not care in the slightest. Not once in her life was she not under some kind of manipulation. Whether mental, physical, or just plain growing up in the Black family, hearing all about blood supremacy on a daily basis. Why should she start caring about her mind being messed with right now? More so when it brought her such mind-numbing euphoria to just be near him?

She licked her lips, deciding his pondering look is quite tasty but didn't like his concentrated frown. Leaning closer she started whispering to his ear.

"Why not ask for power?"

There was no desire for power in her voice and that, quite frankly, shocked Thomas to his core.

"I can't. It's not allowed." He whispered back with a heartwarming smile. "You know it is dumb to whisper like this in front of a man who can read minds?"

"I do not care." She cooed silently. "I like the sound of your whisper."

Thomas smiled but before he could give a teasing reply, she continued.

"Then ask for knowledge. That can swiftly turn into power."

Thomas was taken aback as he suddenly gained an idea. His lips curled into a wide grin when his eyes spotted the small knowing frown of The Reaper.

"I want knowledge." Thomas quickly continued before he could be interrupted. "Now. Before you botch it up for me. I want something akin to a mental library added to the bond. Every book of the world my bonded person is from will be there. The entire library will function on intent akin to Room of Requirements and will be upgraded every time a new person is bonded with the knowledge from their world. Meaning, I ask for the best books on, let's say, physics, it won't give me a hundred of thousands of books but only the really best I could get. Make it actually gather the knowledge and compile it into perfect books without any redundant, additional crap. Only the helpful bits. The library should also know what exactly the person needs. As I said, like the Room of Requirements."

The more Thomas talked, the more his smile turned wider and wider as he watched The Reaper's frown deepen and deepen.

"Oh, and of course, we will need to add into the bond that every time a girl is added, her type of internal energy is added to her bond-mates and me with ALMOST 'infinite potential, as you kindly put it at the start of our merry meeting. Can't have a multitude of books on magic without even being able to use it, now, can I?"

The Reaper groaned but had to fulfill the wish even though his expression made his unwillingness quite distinctive.

"Now... For the third wish... the third wish..."

An hour of going back and forth commenced.

Thomas added 'theoretically' or 'not a wish yet' before he stated his 'supposed' desire and the Reaper was forced to truthfully tell him if it was possible or not without 'accidentally' fulfilling it.

He asked for bio-enhancing which was promptly rejected on the ground of being a power-granting wish.

He asked for an enhanced physique which was rejected due to the same reason.

He asked for the betterment of his soul, mostly because of annoyance at having twenty, he counted, of his wishes rejected.

The bastard in the suit was clearly enjoying rejecting wish after wish while drumming his fingers on the table, being an annoying prat.

Bellatrix did her best to think about something useful too and gave her honest opinion about any 'idiotic' wish Thomas stated but they still could not find anything worthwhile.

No instant learning ability.

No better senses.

No higher magical power.

No bloodline.

Heck, Thomas was stumped.

It was then his gaze yet again lingered on Bellatrix, a realization hit him with the same force as the truck, and his face turned to a pondering one.

His mind was set.

"We both know what I wish for." He told the Reaper.

The guy pinched the bridge of his nose, irritated.

"Are you sure you want that?"

Thomas nodded in agreement.

"Are you a hundred percent certain you want that? My job is hard enough as it is, no need to give me additional paperwork for the next few months..."

"Yes." Thomas nodded, his lips curling up.

"Won't your girl pro-..." The Reaper weakly protested.

"Mate. I. Want. That." He slowly intoned each word with great amusement at the Reaper's sour expression.

Thomas did not know how much 'paperwork' wish fulfillment caused but he guessed a freaking lot! Especially since his wish was...

The Reaper groaned in displeasure.

"You are doing this because of my stunt with Bellatrix, aren't you? Fine!" He sighed.

"Let me get this straight though. You want me," He pointed at himself carefully. "and not in that way." Of course, a perverted joke had to follow! Thomas rolled his eyes. "To give you another companion."

"More importantly, you ask for Irene Belserion from an Alternate Universe where her daughter Erza died in childbirth due to excessive torture from her husband and a slight lapse in her magic. Where she did not grow attached to her squad and was cold due to the accident with her still-born daughter. Where she is thankful for Zeref but doesn't really care all that much about him. Where she is at least as powerful as in canon, preferably more since you want her to like researching magic. Where she still yearns to be a human. You also want me to give her a human form when she accepts and actually makes her able to use her full magical capabilities in it. The only difference in dragon form will be the size and physical power. Other than that she would be able to use the spells of her dragon form in her human one perfectly... My question is, are you insane?"

The Reaper slowly narrated with a 'huff'.

"And of course, bonding with her would give you books from the entirety of Fairy Tail world." He deadpanned.

"Yup, that about neatly sums it up." Thomas nodded and Bellatrix giggled.

"Okay, and you do not see a problem with that? At all?" The Reaper tried to persuade Thomas to change his wish. "There won't be any bullshit friendship 'powah' nor any long-lost daughter of hers to make her commit suicide in other worlds. She could go toe to toe with damn Acnologia!"

"Exactly!" Thomas exclaimed.

Seeing his attempts lead nowhere, the Reaper tried a different way and turned to Bellatrix.

"Nope, not gonna happen, you said it yourself. We will not have any petty jealousy between us so why bother?" She bluntly stated with self-assurance before he could even open his mouth.

"Tch. I liked you more when you were insane." The Reaper mumbled and clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Listen, Bellatrix. Irene is a dragon. She is also a magician specializing in enchanting that would make your fairy-blasted Merlin look like a child playing with sand if you compare their ability. She is totally ruthless. Her nickname is Scarlet Despair for a reason, dammit! With one spell, she is able to rearrange the entire landscape of a continent! And..."

The Reaper stopped short when he saw the sparkling gaze of Bellatrix and just sighed in defeat.

"Fine." He slowly drawled. "Fine. You win."