Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or any of its characters; they belong to the one and only Hiro Mashima.
I do own the idea for the fic though.
Anymore
(A I.-.-.I Kuroyagi I.-.-.I original fan-fiction story.)
I stared vacantly at you…
I watched your closed eyelids from my position…
I glared at the person next to you…
As if that could help.
I crawled close to you from my position…
My strength coming back and allowing me to do it on all fours…
I crawled until my face could look at yours from above…
You looked so peaceful, so calm and wise…
Years have been kind to you it seems…
You looked like a totally different person…
The small trail of red liquid coming from your mouth didn't change my opinion…
Though, it did make me frown…
I grabbed your face with both my hands, my body shifting to sit next to yours…
I brought your forehead to mine and closed my eyes…
My lips repeating the stupid promise you made to me a year ago…
You lied to me…
You said you weren't going to do it anymore…
But you did, and you told me you weren't going to die too and you did…
You stupidly did!
And to save ME out of everyone!
You; that told me I have to live for my friends!
You; that saved my life before saying that!
You risked yourself and came here fully knowing that, didn't you?
You knew that if we didn't both die, one of us would…
Leaving the other alone without the other…
Leaving me without you…
Idiot…
What would I do now?
XOXOXOXOXOX
"Erza!"
I heard a voice calling out to me behind us…
I didn't care anymore; I continued to hold your face close to mine…
Not wanting to let go of you…
"Erza, watch out!"
The voice warned me this time; probably thinking that I didn't knew who was next to us…
I fully knew, but I didn't care…
He wasn't disturbing us, so it was okay…
I just wanted to be here; to remember…
I knew that I didn't stand a chance against the one responsible of your death.
So, why bother?
XOXOXOXOXOX
Memories started flashing on my mind…
Your happy smile appearing several times…
Your confident words echoing here and there on my mind…
Your determined eyes making me smile at visualizing them…
Your strong posture showing me it's back before turning around with open arms…
To hold me close to you, as your mouth whispered how much you missed me…
Memories flowed through me at the thought of not having you here to make new ones, reminding me of all of the moments we have together since the day you arrived at the guild. My lips twitching upwards when I remembered your fights with Gray, your constants tries to challenge those you considered stronger, your recklessness when the guild was in danger, the innocence you displayed even in life and death situations.
The words that you always said that leave a mark on those that heard you, including me.
Memories, good memories…
XOXOXOXOXOX
But they were all gone.
Like the years we passed together, laughing, crying, fighting…
All gone in an instant.
'Erza…'
Your voice echoed in my head at the time my eyes opened after hearing an explosion close to us…
I gently laid your head on my lap as I searched for the source of it.
Jellal.
He was fighting the one that took your life.
The one that pierced your chest with a sole hand and took your life in an instant.
Even if I knew I should help him, my body wouldn't move.
My hands only brushed your hair back as I watched the fight between my old friend and your killer.
My mind told me to move and help before I lost someone else to his hands.
But my heart stopped me with an even louder voice that I felt the need to listen to.
How could I fight when I lost my reason for it?
I bet you wouldn't do the same.
Unlike me, you would have been convinced to keep on with the fight with even more vigor than before.
To avenge me and to avenge all of those that died so far in these meaningless battles.
But I just…
XOXOXOXOXOX
But I just couldn't bring myself to do it.
I just wanted to die and be with you!
My heart couldn't take it anymore, my mind finally connecting the dots.
Everyone I love is bound to die eventually.
Or break my heart and leave me stranded.
Happiness isn't meant for me.
Loneliness neither.
Destiny wants me to suffer so,
Jellal came, give me everything and betrayed me…
And then you came…
You stood with me for years.
You melted the armor around my heart with your flame until you left us to find your father.
Returning completely changed and with a plan to save the world.
We decided to help you and this is the outcome of it.
You freed Jellal but you died in the process.
And he was going to die too now if I didn't help him.
But, what difference would it made my interference on this fight?
XOXOXOXOXOX
"Erza!"
Another voice called to me from behind along a pair of hurried footsteps, my eyes looking how Jellal tried to get out from the rubble before his enemy got near him.
It was Lucy calling to me, her voice sounding after fighting her way to us in the midst of the battle.
"Natsu!"
Another voice, this one masculine, and another set of footsteps running in our direction.
She was with Gray.
They stopped in front of me, both wizards frizzing and staring in shock disbelief at our state, but mostly at yours.
"E-erza… what happened?"
His voice sounded desperate to know the answer, his legs surrendering at the view and his eyes looking intently at the fatal wound in your chest. I continued to gaze at the fighting Jellal, watching him hold his own without troubles for the moment as the man in my lap did before him.
"He saved me."
My mouth answered with hollow words, making our friends' eyes shift to look at me.
I wasn't going to hide it.
You were my life…
Without you here…
What else could I do?
XOXOXOXOXOX
"Natsu…"
Lucy's voice sounded broken, tears fell from her eyes before the feeling crushed her and she dropped to her knees; sobbing on Gray's shoulder, the man hiding his eyes from view as a few tears escaped his eyes as well.
I turned to look at you once more.
Your mouth slightly opened as the trail of red liquid came out from the side.
It looked like you tried to tell me something before losing you spark.
But I heard what I wanted to hear.
"L-love you…"
And that was all I needed.
XOXOXOXOXOX
Minutes passed and Jellal continued to fight the enemy on his own until Gray stood up with determination, his eyes showing me that he had his goal set.
He had to avenge his fallen comrade, even if it cost him his own life.
Lucy followed suit, her hands wiped away the remains of her tears before moving to her waist. She now held four of her golden keys, two in each clenched hand; she was serious as the ice mage next to her.
I just stared at them for a moment, my eyes falling to the ground when the sight of them was not enough to give me the strength to avenge you. My mind scolded me for being weaker when they needed my help.
"Erza…"
Gray whispered with his back facing me.
"We have to fight…"
He said in an attempt to convince me.
"Erza, let's do it for him."
Lucy followed, I shook my head.
"Let's do it for her…"
Her?
I stared at them, confusion in my eyes.
Who was her?
"Let's do it for Nova…"
My eyes widened in sudden realization.
How could I forget her!
My eyes shifted to look at you once more…
Your mouth was slightly open…
As if you tried to tell me something before losing your life…
Was that what you tried to tell me?
I gritted my teeth as tears escaped my eyes.
'Always thinking about others, you idiot…'
"Let's do it for everyone!"
Gray bellowed lastly before making his ice blades and heading to help the fighting Jellal, his unexpected appearance behind the enemy letting his partner land a strong blow on the face of your killer.
Lucy looked over her shoulder to give me a sad smile.
"We'll wait for you…"
And she followed Gray's path, summoning her strongest spirits; Loke, Caprico, Gemini and Scorpio.
The lion looked possessed by rage with the shades-wearing goat following him with clenched teeth after both witnessed your state. The two small spirits took your form to battle against the enemy with one of the fierce looks you were so famous for, as the tailed spirit remained serious, though, his eyes told of his almost exploding anger.
They owned Natsu their lives; the boy was the one to bring them together to the best stellar mage they have ever known.
Their rage was understandable.
XOXOXOXOXOX
"Ice make! Ice cannon!"
His large ice-weapon shot several bullets to the enemy, trying to get him away from the panting Jellal.
The azure haired man gave a weak smile in appreciation before he stood up shakily and charged again with Meteor powering his strikes. The enemy was taken aback at the increased quantity of fighters, having a hard time to fend them off him and not noticing a silhouette standing behind him ready to strike him.
"Regulus impact!"
Loke yelled from behind the enemy when this one was distracted with a fist fight against Caprico, Jellal and the Gemini-Natsu.
The spell burned through his clothes to his back, lifting him from the ground to be struck by several bullets from Scorpio.
Lucy moved fast to use the whip Virgo gave her many years ago and trapped the enemy's arms as the others gave room for Jellal and the Gemini-Natsu to give one final strike, which turned out to be a unison raid.
"Fire Dragon's!"
"Star Dragon's!"
"Roar!"
The man moved his hands to make a counter that could save him from his imminent death, but I moved quickly, summoning a sword and launching it to clasp his arms together by piercing them through his wrists. He looked at me in shock surprised before screaming in pain at the contact of the combined assault; that hit the lone fighter fully on the chest, piercing it as his attack did with Natsu minutes ago.
Dropping to the ground motionless, his body turned to ashes and disappeared from sight.
But not before saying…
"You lost! I have what I wanted! And the son of Igneel is dead!"
He cackled as he spoke those words, gloating for what he accomplished.
"This is not the end! This is merely the beginning!"
And the voice faded.
Everyone felt relief at seeing the battle finally over, so many lives sacrificed to defeat the attack on Era; so many faces that we would not see anymore.
Our friends turned to us, their faces anything but happy…
They arrived too late.
But I couldn't blame them.
Enemies everywhere, people in need to be saved, the world pending on a thin line.
And you charged alone when you recognized the smell of the leader.
I followed you, the others unaware of your sudden disappearance.
And here's where we ended up.
We fought together against an enemy that sent his lackeys to defend himself before confronting us, our bodies battle-exhausted for the previous fight.
And because he wanted to see you consumed by hatred, he aimed to kill me.
His strikes overpowering my armors, his taunts making me less focus until I found myself against the sword and the wall… how ironic.
He moved faster that what I could see, one hand raised at the scream of taking the heart of the one that the Salamander loved the most.
I closed my eyes.
My life appeared before me while I waited for something that didn't come.
Instead of that…
"L-love you…"
"Erza…"
Jellal's voice broke my train of thought; he was kneeling at your side with his eyes looking sadly at the hole in your chest
"I'm… I'm sorry…"
He said, probably thinking that I blamed him for not helping us sooner.
I shook my head, my mouth remaining shut.
He arrived at the time to see you give your life in exchange for mine.
His enraged charge was the one preventing the enemy to take my life as well.
Thus preventing Nova…
"I'll do this myself; I want Nova to have her mother at her side…"
"Then I'll go with you; I want to make sure that our daughter has her father with her too…"
…to be alone.
"Erza… let's go…"
Gray said quietly, his hands going to support your weight from one side.
I nodded, brushing your hair one last time before moving to lay your head on the ground.
Jellal moved to my side to support your weight from the other side with his hands.
Both of them carrying you away from the battlefield, with Lucy and me following a few meters behind.
XOXOXOXOXOX
A month passed.
I now stood alone in front of grave.
Staring at the words written under the statue erected in your honor.
The seal of the Ten Wizard Saints displayed above your name, given to you as you showed all the traits for it.
The statue showed a knight with a dragon-scaled armor fighting a menacing looking dragon with just his fists.
Natsu Dragneel
X766 – X791
Beloved husband, father and friend.
Hero of the Dark Day.
It reminded me of my time in that vortex…
When I entered the lacrima to save you and the others…
Everyone standing under the rain, mourning my death as you denied it fervently with such emotion that even today brought some tears to my eyes.
"Don't you ever do a thing like that again... never!"
Idiot…
"Erza?"
A soft voice spoke close to me, its presence letting itself be known.
"Jellal."
I said looking over my shoulder; his face had a frown on it, his lips pursed downward as he found me for the twentieth time in this place in just a week.
"Let's go back, Erza, Nova is waiting at home."
"I know."
He sighed tiredly, walking a few steps at the time he withdrew something from his coat inside pocket.
"This… is something Natsu gave me… the day before… you know…"
"What is it?"
"I don't know, it looks like a letter; and it has your name."
"Let me see it!"
I demanded harshly, hurriedly taking the object from his hands to look at your handwriting on it.
Erza
Opening the letter I stared at its contents, my eyes widening in surprise at what I read.
A smile on my face as a lone tear fell from my right eye.
Idiot…
I'm sorry
"So? What did it say?"
Jellal asked after a minute or so, gazing worriedly at my smiling-crying face.
"Nothing, he just confessed that he's an idiot…"
I said before starting to walk back home, Jellal looking at me questioningly, not understanding what I said.
XOXOXOXOXOX
I stared at her clearly confused by her words.
Didn't Natsu leave that clear many times?
I sighed tiredly again.
Should I tell her that he left a letter for me too?
Perhaps not, perhaps it was better if she held one memento of him.
Besides, the sooner she moves on from him, the sooner I'll be with her.
'Oh! Right! I haven't read that letter yet!'
I searched into my coat inside pockets again, grabbing the letter that my old friend left for me.
Jellal
Well, he knew how to write my name, that's a good start.
Opening the letter, I read its contents and…
I clutched the letter with both my hands.
'I would kill you if you weren't dead!'
Good luck with Erza, you'll need it.
I turned to look at the grave with that annoying brat under it.
My rage tempting me to go and destroy it until nothing more than dust was left.
But Erza wouldn't like that… or your daughter… or the guild… or the council…
Sigh.
Good luck for you; you saved your sorry ass from my wrath by being death!
But then again…
A small smile formed on my face.
'I should take his last words for me as an encouragement and not a mocking statement.'
Nodding his way and taking a look at the blue sky, I closed my eyes and whispered to the wind.
"Thanks… Natsu…"
Before moving to follow Erza to make sure she got home safe.
The End
And the sad stories come back again!
No comments this time around, I'll just wait to read your opinions about it.
Saludos.