Shizu - Conqueror of Flames' Revival (W)

A/N: Hey guys, I think some misunderstood. This is me dumping my one-shots in Wattpad in chronological order of when I made them. I'm not taking requests here.

Do I even needs tags for wholesome one shots? Lol, I don't know what to tag here.

Tags:
Date, Fluff, Brewing Love, Handholding, Reunion.

Summary:
Rimuru decided to surprise Hinata, the children, Ellen's party and even Fuze as they went down to his Personal Lab at the deepest part of the labyrinth.

.....

[Master.] A familiar female voice rang through Rimuru Tempest, Ruler of Monsters, as he stretched in his personal office.

"Yes, Ciel?" He set his pen down, sorting the paperwork waiting for Shion to come in and take it away.

[I have detected residuals of the individual Shizue Izawa's soul in the subskill Imaginary Space, in addition to a complete recreation of her entire being from analysis of Chloe Aubert.]

"That's a bit random." Turning from his seat, he watched through the windows as the sun rose high in the sky. Tapping his finger on the armrest, he let the Manas' words sink in.

"Wait, her soul?" He suddenly stood up. "Wasn't it in a fractured state? Something beyond fixing and impossible to revive?"

[Yes. I have found a way to stabilize her fragmented soul and apply the imprints collected from Chloe Aubert and Hinata Sakaguchi during the analysis at the Holy Empire Lubelius.]

"Since back then?" He raised a brow, questioning how long his Manas had been keeping this from him.

[Yes.]

"You really have been keeping secrets from me." He sighed, sitting back down and turning his seat to look at the desk. "It's scary to think what other things you are plotting behind my back."

[...That is just your imagination, Master. Besides, all of them are for your benefit.]

With a firm declaration from the Manas, he could not help but let out a wry smile. He began to consider what to do with the information. Should he attempt to revive her? Should he attempt something that has a chance of instability?

Even with Ciel, it was still not guaranteed to work. For a perfectionist like the all-knowing Manas, it was unprecedented to even suggest it. Yet, she did tell him and had even prepared everything necessary.

"What about the body?" At his words, Ciel's tone sounded delighted from Rimuru's point of view, as if she had been expecting this question and his next thoughts.

[The body will be made using the remaining hihi'irokane (Crimson Steel) within Imaginary Space. Using a pseudo-soul as the vessel, the core of Charybdis will be used as a base. Lastly, this will all be done inside the Private Lab, as the capsules fit the criteria.]

Rimuru could not help but smile at his partner. She had already prepared everything, down to the smallest detail, anticipating his future actions. She had probably even manipulated his train of thought to lead to this conclusion, helping him sort his subconscious emotions and thoughts without him noticing.

"Thank you, Ciel."

[Of course, Master.]

...

"And why did you bring us all here again, Rimuru?" Placing a hand on her waist, Hinata asked casually, raising a brow as the children felt the same curiosity.

They had all been training in the labyrinth and were suddenly pulled into Rimuru's secret lab. The children were in awe at the futuristic machinery and the hundreds of empty capsules.

"I am curious about that as well, Rimuru-san," Ellen chimed in, with Cabal and Gido nodding behind her. They had been called by Gobta using shadow movement and guided to the lab, fearing they would be scolded for bribing Ramiris for information again.

The trio glanced aside, seeing their guild master with his arms crossed. He remained silent, as confused as any of them. Instead of questioning it, he chose to remain quiet and let Rimuru explain. Not that he had any power to go against the slime's wishes.

"That is a surprise, just wait." He teased, glancing at Luminous, who had joined behind. He did not mind her presence. If anyone was not allowed, it would be Leon and Yuuki. That was non-negotiable. For safety reasons, Charys was also asked not to come near the lab.

Turning around, he stared at one specific capsule that contained a metallic skeleton. The capsule was full of dense magicule water, and the skeleton floated upright, showing every bone in detail.

'Ciel.'

Calling to the Manas, Rimuru placed his hand on the glass capsule.

Hinata and the others watched in amazement as dark mist began filling the capsule. Everyone gasped in awe at the spectacle the Chaos Creator was presenting.

A bright sphere formed around the center of the skeleton's ribs, and muscle began to cover the hihi'irokane skeleton. Red muscles and flesh wrapped around it, forming a humanoid body. As the protrusions became more pronounced, the gender became clear.

Hinata was the first to react. She noticed a resemblance as small gaps appeared in the swirling dark mist, occasionally revealing glimpses of the forming body.

She quickly looked at the others. The girls understood and covered the eyes of the boys closest to them.

"What is this!" Kenya screamed as Alice covered his eyes from behind. "Hey!"

"Don't look!" She replied, starting to realize who was inside the capsule. She turned to the other two boys. "You two as well, cover your eyes!"

Gale and Ryota did not need to have their eyes covered by Chloe or Alice. As soon as they saw the feminine body, they had already turned away, faces red. Just in case, they also covered their eyes with their hands.

Ellen grabbed both Kabal and Gido's heads, slamming them to the ground as the adventurers protested. The elven princess did not care, tears filling her eyes as she saw the face inside.

Hinata did not need to glare at the guild master, who willingly kept his eyes closed, back turned like the two children. He wiped a thumb across his eye as he sniffled. Before turning, he caught a glimpse of the person inside. This was why he had turned in the first place, to show respect for her privacy.

Luminous remained passive. She did not react like the others, nor did she cover her eyes. She remained unbothered, enjoying the glimpse of the beauty forming inside the capsule.

As the process finished and the dark mist vanished, a full female body floated inside the capsule. She had black hair and Japanese features. She did not have the unforgettable burn scar under her eye, but she remained familiar to everyone in the lab.

Rimuru smiled, using magic to give her the clothes she had worn when they first met: black pants and a white shirt.

The glass capsule could not resist the dense magicule radiating from her body and shattered. The liquid flowed onto the floor, spreading throughout the lab.

Without the water keeping her body afloat, she began to fall forward. Rimuru caught her in an embrace.

As her head leaned on his chest, he felt the thumping of life within her. Her eyes squinted against the lights illuminating the lab, slowly opening to see the iconic silvery-blue hair.

She reached a hand to his face, her right hand touching his left cheek as she became accustomed to the lighting of the room.

Rimuru suddenly felt his head tilt to the left. Confused, he found Shizu pulling on his ear, unhurt but deeply bewildered.

"That was dangerous." Her beautiful face turned into a frown as she reprimanded the Demon Lord. She knew the state of her soul better than anyone and expected her life to end with no chance of revival or reincarnation.

However, her calculations could never begin to comprehend the anomalous existence of the Manas, Ciel.

"Hey, if it works, then no harm done." He joked, chuckling to himself as he loosened his embrace on her body. The silence from the onlookers was about to break as their thoughts began to process.

"Still." Giving a playful pout, the Conqueror of Flames rested her head on his chest and whispered softly. "Don't ever do something dangerous like that, okay, Slime-san?"

The pair laughed. Rimuru quickly sensed the stampede of young bodies approaching and let go of her. He turned her around, nudging her slightly.

Before the champion could speak, the children rushed forward, clinging to her as they sobbed, clutching her clothes and crying. They expressed how much they had missed her, how much it had hurt when she left to find a way to save them.

Tears barely restrained themselves at the edges of her eyes. She wiped them away and patted the heads of her sweet students.

She then turned to the others.

Ellen was crying while holding her staff, comforted by her companions, Gido and Cabal, who nodded to the former wielder of Ifrit. They were very happy for her return and revival.

Even Fuze, too stunned to speak, felt genuine joy seeing his friend, and his father's friend, alive and well once more.

Finally, her gaze landed on a certain Holy Knight Commander.

"Hinata..."

"Shizu-sensei..."

Tears fell freely from her cheeks as she observed her teacher standing there. A hand rested on her chest as she breathed heavily, her heart beating rapidly, and she remained immobile like a statue.

The children had never seen Hinata this emotional before. Sensing the swift change in atmosphere, they reluctantly let go of their teacher as Shizu began to walk toward Hinata.

Hinata felt hands wrap around her body. The dam finally broke as she deeply apologized, expressing how much she regretted parting ways, how haunted she had been that it was their final meeting, and how sorry she was for treating her as a temporary mentor.

Shizu remained silent, listening as she brushed the black hair of the Knight of Humanity. She would always support Hinata, showing her compassion and caring nature, almost like a mother.

Luminous watched from the side as the champion known as Shizu began conversing with the others. Ellen was the first to greet her once Hinata had calmed down, chatting with the adventurers as well as the guild master, who felt slightly embarrassed at being treated like a child in his old age.

Rimuru kept smiling the entire time, seeing how much everyone appreciated the surprise he had given them.

By the next day, at a certain clothing store.

"Uhm, Sli, er, I mean Rimuru-san," she said, opening the curtain of the fitting room. She felt slightly embarrassed as she showed her clothing. "Is this really fine? These clothes seem very expensive."

The Conqueror of Flames was no longer wearing her usual adventurer clothes. Having been invited by Rimuru for a tour of the capital, she had concerns about her lack of variety in clothing, unlike her clothes that were made by magic as well as the sleepwear prepared for her by the Oni Priestess.

She stood there wearing a beige loose sweater, a long, two-layered modest skirt that reached her ankles, and black boots that matched well with the clothes. A cute flame symbol hairpin latched onto her hair.

Rimuru had a faint smile, nostalgia hitting him as the Japanese woman before him wore the aesthetically pleasing styles of the women in Japan. "It suits you. This is what everyone back in Japan is wearing now."

Coming out of the store, he grabbed her hand as he guided her through the streets.

"It's time to finally show you how the little village from back then has turned into the capital of a globally recognized Monster Nation, Tempest."

Gesturing with his free hand, the bustling streets filled her sight. Various kinds of monsters, ranging from the timid rabbitfolk and halflings to the rougher and stronger ogres and orcs. She even rubbed her eyes as she caught a glimpse of Bovoid and Equinoid monsters walking side by side with each other.

She watched as human adventurers and merchants conversed easily with the vendors. The food stalls at the edges of the street called out with the wafting smell of their food.

Sounds of praises and cheers for Tempest products rang through her ears. She caught wind of a group of adventurers admiring the custom-made armor from the blacksmith in the industrial district, while merchants praised the inns and meals, stating that they rivaled the treatment of royalty in some nations.

Many agreed. It was common knowledge that if you wished to know what luxurious food tastes like, you came to Tempest.

Her eyes lingered on the street vendors. Seeing this, Rimuru guided her through the stalls filled with various delicious foods.

She stopped at one of them. Familiar, yet not at the same time, food was being cooked by a hobgoblin.

Rimuru walked from behind her, peeking to the side as the hobgoblin bowed in respect to their king. He gestured in acknowledgment to the green-skinned man and let her be.

"Here you go, miss." Seeing the woman together with Rimuru, the hobgoblin gave the best reception he could provide in the meager work he had. He would not charge her either, not that they needed money anyway. It was mostly for tourists and humans who used coins in their economy.

Tempest monsters lived via a point-based system. The money profited was given to the financial minister for the development of Tempest rather than actual salaries. Points were given instead.

She took the food using both hands. Heat rose from it as she took a bite. Her eyes brightened as she eagerly chomped through the entire thing in seconds. Seeing the empty container, she blushed as she noticed Rimuru's gaze.

"Seems like you liked the okonomiyaki." He chuckled, raising two fingers to the hobgoblin as he made two more.

"This is okonomiyaki?" She stared in disbelief. The okonomiyaki that she knew was less tasty than this. It was much simpler and lacked the flavor the one she just ate had.

"Of course. It's because this is from a modern Japanese recipe. Everything has been improved over the decades that passed." Puffing out his chest, he grabbed the two more orders as he passed the other to Shizu.

He chose to leave the discussion at that, not wanting to remind her of why it was even like that during her time in Japan.

As they walked, Rimuru caught sight of the large structure a good distance away. The loud, booming sound of crowds cheering and yelling put a smile on his face.

"Should we go to the coliseum?" he suggested to the Conqueror of Flames.

She swallowed the food in her mouth as she followed his line of sight. The towering stone structure, bigger than she had ever seen before.

"Ingrassia also had one. But it was expensive, and only nobles and rich merchants could really enjoy those." Saying this, she nodded as they entered the coliseum on a different path from common watchers.

Shizu found herself in a private box-like room. The door came from the back as the sides were blocked by thick walls of stone. The front was open, as it was the perfect distance and height from the battle going on below.

Rimuru patted the soft sofa in front, gesturing for her to sit down. She complied, seeing the battle going on below. Each blow that made contact caused a ripple of cheers from the audience.

She felt thrill watching the fight. Seeing this, Rimuru discussed with her who would win and how long it would take.

As both of them were beings who had fought monsters of various levels before, they could easily analyze the fighting style and chances of the fighters below.

They happily began giving their own takes, who would win, what they should have done, or how long the battle would last.

As their talk grew more intense, the concept of distance and personal space began to dissipate as their shoulders melded together.

As the battle ended and the audience stood up to praise the fighters, Shizu followed as well, clapping and happily praising the choreography both fighters displayed.

She turned to Rimuru, pulling him up as she excitedly pulled him into an embrace as she made little jumps.

As the moment ended, she realized what she had done and pushed away, startled by their close proximity as she touched her cheeks, feeling the heat of her skin. She glanced at the slime to find him looking to the side, in the same state as her.

She felt calmer seeing this, not as much to return to normal, but calmer.

Leaving the coliseum, there was an awkward tension going on between the two. They chose to ignore it, pretending that everything was normal as their next destination was the opera house.

As Takt the conductor raised his baton, the monsters began playing their respective instruments.

Shizu closed her eyes, swaying her head slightly from side to side as she basked in the melody. She felt calm, at peace as the music continued to bless her ears.

Rimuru's gaze locked onto her, hands on the armrest as she had a relaxed smile.

Recalling the moment in the coliseum, he took a deep breath before placing his hand atop hers.

The former vessel of Ifrit opened her eyes, looking at Rimuru then at their hands together. He waited for her reaction, for her to pull away. But she didn't. She remained still and returned to the performance.

She even turned her arm, their palms touching as their fingers interlocked.

Rimuru let out the breath he didn't know he was holding.

He stared forward, feeling the rapid beating of his heart as the play began to end.

As the day went by, the two found themselves in a high-end restaurant. It was built under the tutelage of Shuna and Gob'ichi as the chefs, their students working their best to recreate their mentors' dishes.

Rimuru gazed upward at the revived champion, her clothes no longer the fashionable yet casual wear from before. Now she wore a simple black dress that fitted well with her slender body. She wanted to protest at first seeing such a gorgeous apparel, but seeing the other, more daring options made her compromise.

Rimuru wasn't any different in terms of attire either. He wore a black suit, a formal outfit he only usually wore during formal events and political banquets.

"Thank you for today, Rimuru-san." Swirling her wine glass in hand, she looked forward to the slime. Her smile beamed as she turned to look outside the restaurant.

"This place has become really beautiful. I never expected you to make a simple goblin village into such a powerful and beautiful nation. If you didn't revive me, I would never have seen this. I would never have seen them..."

Her voice trailed off, a hint of forlorn emotion at the thought.

"It was a selfish act, no need for any words of thanks." Rimuru shrugged, turning to the side as he scratched his cheek. He peeked at her, seeing the woman sitting opposite him giggle at his reply.

"Selfish or not, thank you for bringing me back." Setting her glass down, she placed her hand atop his. Similar to before in the opera house, but this time, she was the one initiating.

"I thought I hated this world. Maybe, just maybe, it isn't so bad after all."

Rimuru held his breath. The blooming smile of the Conqueror of Flames stunned the Demon Lord as his cheeks flushed red. He took a deep breath before smiling back.

"There is still more to show you. We can even invite Hinata and the children if you want."

"I'd like that."

.....

[Extra Scene]

"Rimuru-san." Hearing her voice, the slime turned to the black-haired champion.

"When I was revived, why didn't I see Yuuki? I expected him to be there with the others, seeing as you even added Fuze-kun." Her genuine expression almost made him feel bad for doing it on purpose.

"They can see you in the future, just not right now." Looking to the side, Rimuru gave a quiet reply as his mind went to the sly otherworlder and the blonde fallen hero.

Shizu tilted her head, unsure what to say. In the end, she chose to let it be. She didn't mind spending more time alone with Rimuru. She could always just see Yuuki in the future.

......

Since this isn't a lemon, I'll post the next one as well.

Chloe - Hero's Matrimony (M)