"Sorry, I've got something urgent. We'll talk later."
Shane didn't slow down. Inwardly he muttered that if Gray only remembered to ask after a whole month, it couldn't be that important. Catching the train mattered more.
"Wait! Wait!" Gray yelled from behind.
His head had been full of how to beat Shane. But now that he'd cooled down and thought about it—someone Shane claimed was better than him at Ice-Make?
Impossible. Among their generation, not even Lyon could claim that.
And Lyon was a guy.
He hurried to catch up and grabbed Shane's arm. "Actually, my late master Ur—she had a daughter! I really care about this girl you mentioned. Please, tell me!"
Shane stopped, pulled back by the grip, and frowned. "Ur?"
He hesitated, then said, "Now that you mention it… that girl's name was Ultear. Any connection?"
"Ul…tear?!" Gray's voice jumped an octave. "Her name really is Ultear?"
"Magic and name both that similar? She might—she might actually be Ur's daughter!" Gray stared hard at him. "Where did you meet her? What kind of person is she?"
Shane thought back to his brief encounter with Ultear.
He'd felt she was always crushing something down inside, drifting toward some extreme. If he had to put it into words, it was like her soul was missing a piece—an incomplete girl.
Also, her magic was terrible.
Even now, he couldn't figure out where she got the confidence to face enemies with that ridiculous crystal-ball toss magic.
"She might be very different from what you're imagining," Shane said bluntly, trying to pry his arm free. "And she's tied up in a lot of trouble."
Gray bowed his head, gripping harder. "Master Ur was everything to me… This is her only daughter. I have to know what happened to her. Please, Shane!"
Shane fell silent for a few seconds, then sighed softly. "I don't want to hide this from you. I'm going out with Erza now for something related to Ultear. The reason I hesitated is because if I tell you, you'll definitely insist on coming."
"Of course I'm coming with you!" Gray shouted without a second's thought.
"That's exactly why I didn't want to say anything!" Shane rubbed his brow. "You're not strong enough yet. If something really happens, I might not have the room to watch your back.
At most, I'll promise to ask about your master's daughter. You stay in the guild and wait for news. Okay?"
"How am I supposed to stay put after hearing something like this?! I'm going!" Gray started clinging like a burr, sticking to Shane with an obvious "where you go, I go" posture.
Watching him, Shane was suddenly struck by déjà vu. He'd seen this brand of stubbornness somewhere recently…
"No. Means no." Shane refused flatly.
Logically, Gray tagging along might even be a "plus."
It could make drawing Ultear out easier. But using a guildmate as bait? That crossed a line for him.
Besides, if he said that out loud, Gray would take it as a righteous excuse and latch on even harder.
So there was no room to bend here.
Even taking Erza along had only happened after he'd tested her strength.
Gray, hearing another no, immediately doubled down, shadowing Shane like glue.
For the first time, Shane truly understood Makarov's pain dealing with the guild's problem children every day.
The master's job really isn't easy… I should bring him a souvenir when I get back, he thought wryly, just as he was about to physically peel Gray off him.
That was when Erza, who'd been quietly watching, spoke up.
"If the master agrees to let you go, we'll take you. If not, we're not going anywhere—and you won't get any more information."
Gray blinked, thought briefly, and actually admitted she had a point. This stalemate wasn't going anywhere. "Fine. Wait here!"
He spun around and bolted back toward the guild.
Shane stared at Erza, a little impressed. She seemed… sharper lately.
"Don't worry," she said calmly, voice full of confidence. "The master won't say yes."
Shane nodded and turned to leave—only to see that Erza hadn't moved. "Not coming?"
She looked puzzled. "Aren't we waiting for Gray? Once Master gives him a good scolding, he'll give up."
"…"
Shane could only stare at her for a moment, then quietly take back that "sharper" comment.
He grabbed her wrist and took off toward the station. "Idiot. Who lures someone away and then waits for them to come back?!"
"W-wait!" Erza stumbled after him. "I need to run home and pack! Not just clothes—things like a toothbrush, teacup, pillow, bath heater—maybe all of it will be useful. I should bring—"
Shane rolled his eyes and ran even faster. "Don't you have a whole wardrobe in your Requip? I'll just buy whatever I need over there! Move, before Gray catches up!"
After a bout of dragging and sprinting, they managed to hop onto the departing train just ahead of their pursuer.
They had barely found seats, lungs still burning, when a breathless, familiar voice rang from the car junction.
"F-finally made it!"
Gray stood hunched over, hands braced on his knees, panting hard, sweat pouring down his face.
Shane noticed his pant cuffs were soaked—he'd probably used magic too.
"I told you not to come!" Shane sucked in a deep breath; his temples throbbed.
He barely kept from physically chucking Gray back off the train.
"You—how did you—" Erza was stunned too. She hadn't expected him to actually catch up—this fast, no less.
"Haa… haa…" Gray finally got his breath back and straightened, looking very pleased with himself. "I knew you'd try to trick me. I pretended to agree and headed straight for the station to cut you off."
He arched a brow at Shane with a "I'm on board, what now?" expression.
Shane was just… speechless. Gray's brain had actually outplayed his and Erza's?
Erza was operating on level one, he was on level two… and Gray was on level three?
He didn't say a word. He simply stood and began walking toward Gray, step by step.
Gray immediately sensed danger and backed away. "W-what are you doing?"
If you ask whether someone already on the train can still be thrown off—
Shane's answer was: "Yes."
~~~
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