Fairy Tail: Threads of Infinity

The Day After Erza's Test...

The sunlight poured into the Fairy Tail guild hall like someone had turned on a spotlight from heaven itself. It lit up the old wooden floors, made the walls glow faintly, and hit Makarov right on the bald head as he stood— on top of a barrel, like always, arms crossed like some kind of pint-sized boss king.

He watched the guild in absolute silence. No crashing tables. No random fights. Just a low buzz. Like something... something was different.

It was him.That new kid. The dangerous one with the white hair and that weird smirk that made people nervous.

Shinra.

He hadn't thrown tables. He hadn't blasted magic into the ceiling. He hadn't even arm-wrestled Elfman yet.

But his *vibe*? It was doing something.

Makarov squinted. "Yep. Time to make things official."

*CLAP!!!* He slammed his hands together, startling half the guild out of their breakfast.

"TEAM NATSU—FRONT AND CENTER!"

Natsu *leapt* across two benches like a hyperactive frog, Happy whooshed past like a missile, Gray was still putting on a shirt with a yawn, and Lucy just kind of crashed into place with her keys making that cling-clang noise like a walking keychain.

Erza walked in like a queen. Already in armor. Face neutral. Dead calm. As always.

"…You too, Shinra," Makarov said, trying not to laugh at the spoon. "You're joining them."

Shinra blinked once, slowly. "As in... officially?"

Makarov nodded, crossing his arms even tighter like that made his words stronger. "Formally. You've proven yourself. Time to see if you can survive with these lunatics."

Shinra raised a brow like he was questioning the meaning of life. "Charming."

Gray snorted, his mouth twisting into a smirk. "You sure *he* can keep up?"

Lucy immediately whispered, "I'm more worried if we can keep up with him..."

Natsu punched his own palm. "I'm fighting him after this."

Shinra just sighed, "Of course you are."

---

**Makarov's Office...**

The room had this old-paper smell, like ink and fire and stale wisdom. A giant map was spread out, covered in coffee stains and a corner that was totally chewed off by something (maybe Happy?). Makarov hovered over it like a general at war.

"Village called *Cloverfall*," he said, tapping a tiny valley between two cliffs. "Nice folks. Famous for silk. Problem is, their Butterfly Grove has gone haywire. Cursed magic. Creepy stuff. Wildlife's turning nasty. People can't even reach their healing spring."

Erza leaned in, arms folded like a military commander. "Any sightings of dark guilds?"

"Nope," Makarov said, shrugging. "But don't get too comfy."

Shinra bent low over the map, his gaze sharp. "Butterfly-based cursed magic... That sounds like a parasitic magical bloom. Probably chaotic. Fast-spreading. Instability high. Hostile terrain."

Lucy blinked, confused and slightly impressed. "You got all that from... a name?"

"I like extracting info from patterns," he said casually.

Erza's eyes narrowed just slightly. Like she was watching a puzzle she didn't quite know how to solve.

"We leave at first light," she said like it was already decided.

---

Later That Evening...

Lucy groaned loudly as she shoved a book into her bag. It didn't fit. Of course it didn't. Nothing ever fit when she packed. Was there a packing curse on her? Honestly, probably.

"Ughhhh," she hissed. "Why do I even carry five books...?"

Shinra crouched beside her, silently.

"Need a hand?" he asked.

Lucy didn't even hesitate. "YES. Yes. I totally do."

He tapped the side of the bag and suddenly the fabric... shifted? Stretched? It was like magic butter for bags. The book just slid in.

Lucy stared at it. Then at him. "Okay, that was kind of amazing."

"I specialize in low-key miracles," Shinra said with a totally straight face.

Lucy grinned without thinking. "You're so weird."

Shinra smiled just a little. "I get that a lot."

Across the room, Mirajane was watching. Her hands moved as she polished a glass—but her eyes never left Shinra and Lucy. A little smile played at her lips. Nearby, Erza watched too, her armored fingers tapping her elbow, her face unreadable.

---

Cloverfall Bound...

The road was peaceful. Trees swayed. Birds chirped like they were getting paid to be cheerful.

Then Natsu opened his mouth.

"Gray, you smell like dead socks."

Gray *exploded*. "WHY DO YOU—ALRIGHT THAT'S IT—!"

Shirt already half off, he lunged.

"Don't make me bury you both under a tree," Erza muttered, already irritated.

Lucy sighed. "Day one. Already chaos."

Shinra walked beside Erza, his expression thoughtful. Then, quietly, he said, "You run this team."

Erza turned toward him, caught off guard. "It don't control them. It's trust."

Shinra nodded slowly. "Exactly. That's why they follow you. And that's why I'll follow you too."

She didn't answer.

But her silence didn't feel cold. It felt... acceptance.

---

That Night –

The fire crackled. Stars twinkled like the sky was trying to show off. Natsu was snoring with a leaf in his mouth. Happy was nibbling fish with Gray. Lucy was scribbling something in her journal, her nose wrinkled in thought.

Shinra sat near the fire, beside an old harp that Lucy had randomly pulled from the guild's storage (why? no one knew). He strummed it once, then stopped. Just listened.

Erza sat close, polishing her sword like it was a ritual. "You're always quiet."

"So are you. Maybe we're syncing," Shinra said without looking up.

Erza glanced at him, firelight flickering in her eyes. "You're weird... hard to predict."

"I try."

"It's not a compliment."

"I'll take it anyway."

Another pause. Then Erza set the sword down.

"You're different. Not just strong. But... unfamiliar. You don't fit. But somehow, you do. That bothers me."

Shinra tilted his head. "Because I remind you of someone?"

"No," Erza said, voice calm but firm. "Because I've never met anyone like you before."

They stared at each other.

No smiles.

Just quiet tension. Curiosity. Connection.

Something unspoken.

And it didn't need to be said—not yet.

---