Chapter One of 'right beside you, dear'.
Inspired by 'Run' by Snow Patrol.
Light Up, Light Up
...
The light that enveloped her was nearly as disorientating as the darkness she had just been submerged in. There was no color in her surroundings, beside the pigment of her skin and the shock of scarlet spilled like blood over the blinding whiteness. Her eyes flickered up to the blank horizon. Nothing.
Her hands moved to graze her cheeks. Her searching fingers found no trace of the fresh blood that had been smeared over her face seconds before. Her fingers move to tangle into her hair, and they found no grime and blood caked into the strands of scarlet. She was whole, pristine and perfectly nude. Before she could move to shield he body, a white gown materialized over her skin. Erza's fingers pinched the soft material between her finger tips. She remembered this dress.
This was her death gown.
A dry, ragged gasp escaped her parted lips. This death had been too simple, too clean for it to be realistic. She had been awake, sweat had beaded on her forehead- hadn't she just felt his hands on her cheek? She had just felt wind caressing her body, felt the heat of flames that flared around the crumpled arena. Her fingers tangled in her hair, and a scream tore through her throat. Her throat burned, her hands moved to clutch at the smooth porcelain flesh, her fingernails clawed at it. Her hands showed red before her eyes. Her forehead throbbed as her vision distorted between shattered memories and her now permanent reality. Her eyes flickered around madly, before the crimson liquid faded from her palms, soaking into her skin and disappearing into the flawless skin. Her chest heaved from the exhilaration of the emotions.
This had been her death. Her throat had been slashed, and she had bled out. Her death had not been clean or peaceful. It had been messy, painful and real. Erza had a sick sort of satisfaction from the idea of her pain. She had not deserved an easy exit. Her eyes were stuck on her palms. The blood had been her own, not his.
"Jellal!" she rasped out.
Her world tilted at the utterance of his name, the emptiness splitting and melding into the blood stained arena she had just been in. Her feet sunk to the ground. She was here, but not here. It was eerie, watching the life she could never return to. Her chin tilted up to the sky. The blue sky was gone, replaced with a dark, menacing red. It was the color of your hair. His words echoed, teasingly, in her mind. She spun quickly on her heel, her eyes widening at the sight of the disaster before her.
Natsu was screaming, his eyes dark with a hatred she had not recognized in the boy. Fire ripped from his open mouth, streaming out in blood red ribbons. His fists were full of the flames, growing larger and larger with his screams. Her eyes moved down to the crumpled figures he was so devoutly guarding. Lucy. She recognized the blonde immediately. The stellar mage was hovering beside a figure, her hands cupping her face. Erza moved closer, her brows pinched together in confusion. The breath in her throat hitched, and her hands moved to cover her mouth. Jellal was crouched low, his empty arms crooked as if he had been cradling something, or someone. His chin was tipped down to his chest, his eyes squeezed shut. Tears fell steadily down his cheeks, mingling in with the blood that was caked to his cheeks and throat. Erza crumbled beside him, her arms reaching for him. Her fingers slipped through him.
"I-I'm so sorry." Erza managed to choke out, lifting her chin to regard him. He was unresponsive. He could not hear her. "Please, Jellal, don't give up," she insisted, "live. Live and fight." Her fingers hesitated for a moment, before cupping his chin. She was solid just for a moment, and his chin lifted at the fleeting touch of her fingertips brushing away his tears. For just a moment, his eyes bore into hers, as if he truly saw her.
It was all gone suddenly, their world faded and she was once more returned to the endless nothingness.
"Please, fight." she repeated, for herself this time.
...
Her bare feet padded along the nothingness, and it felt cool beneath her, as if she were walking on water. At the thought, water materialized beneath her toes, and she stood above the cool liquid. It lapped at her toes, and she stared down at it for a moment.
"I want to see Rosemary." she breathed suddenly, her eyes lifting to the blankness above her, as if she were speaking to an invisible being above her. The scene around her shifted, dissolving until she was standing in the center of a small, rural town. Her lips curled up at the sights. Small little cottages sat in neat rows, each one differing from the one before. The cobblestone path was cool beneath her feet. This was once her home, she remembered. Her eyes lifted to a small, pale yellow cottage that sat just before her. She chewed her bottom lip, before her feet moved to approach it.
Her fingers brushed over the brass doorknob, and she pushed it open. The breathe in her throat hitched slightly, and her eyes moved to the intricate wooden structures supporting the ceilings. The walls were pale blue, and rough to the touch. Her hand slid over the walls, and she felt her way down the hallways. It was small inside, cozy. A fire burned in the front room. Small pieces of furniture were meticulously placed, made of white and blue checkered material. Her lips curled up as she knelt before a little chair. Her hand smoothed a rumple in the fabric. This had been her chair, placed beside two larger ones. She stood, and walked down the hallway. There were two rooms at the end, the larger one having a large bed in the center, with a small cherry wood desk in the corner, with burning candles placed on it. She moved to the smaller room.
She froze in the doorway, her eyes widening. A little girl was seated on the small, wooden framed bed. Her feet hung off the edge, and they swung freely. The little girl was humming under breathe, her chin tipped down as her eyes scrutinized a little picture book on her lap. Scarlet hair framed her round cheeks. Erza stepped closer, cocking her head to the side. Was this a memory?
"Erza, sweetheart, are you in there?" Erza stiffened at the sound of the soft voice. Erza turned, and a woman walked directly through her. "Here, Mommy." the little girl answered. The woman took a seat beside the little girl, pressed her lips to the smaller Erza's temple, and smoothed out the scarlet locks. Erza simply stared, her brown eyes stuck on the unfamiliar woman. She was beautiful. Her heart shaped face was framed by pale blonde hair that was curled neatly beneath her chin, a bit pinned back with a black barrette. Her warm brown eyes mirrored the little girl at her side.
"She's in here." the woman called out. A large man entered the room, a large smile on his lips. He bent low, and pressed his lips to his wife's. He scooped up the little girl. "How is my little knight?" he questioned. The little girl giggled, tugging on her Father's scarlet colored' beard. "Mommy's going to start teaching me her magic!"
The man grinned. "Is that so-" the man's comment was cut short at the sound of a dozen screams breaking the comfortable silence of the little town. Erza's Mother stood immediately, her eyes wide. "They're here." she hissed.
The man planted his hands on Erza's shoulders. "Erza, baby girl, I need you to hide, alright? Go hide with the other children, stay brave. Protect them, alright? Always protect your nakama." he told her firmly. Her eyes widened, and her Mother took her hand, taking her quickly through their home. "Sweetie, be brave for us, alright. Everything is going to be fine, we promise. Hide like you did the last couple of times, alright? Be brave. Be brave for us, and Erza darling, live."
The scene shifted before Erza once more. She remembered that. It had been the last time she had ever seen her Parents. She could not remember their names, and their faces were a bit blurry as well. Her eyes lowered. They had told her to protect the others, and she had. She had protected Kagura, and she had always strived to protect her nakama.
"Please, let me see my nakama." she breathed.
Her surroundings moved once more. She was surrounded by the light once more, her eyes followed the never ending brightness. An orb of darkness lifted out of nothing before her, levitating before her. Her hand pressed to it, and her brows pulled together. "Show me my friends...please." she asked. The orb's color lightened, and it came to life. A shrunken view of the arena appeared in the orb, and it seemed like a map of sorts. It was an aerial view of the broken arena. Names popped up across the map, signifying the locations of everyone Erza knew. Her eyes flickered across the map, and she said clearly, "Gray Fullbuster."
The scene zoomed in suddenly, and she found herself watching Gray. Her friend weaved through the wreckage, slashing through his attackers. The ice make mage was bandaged across the chest, and she winced at the sight of blood seeping through the once pristine white padding. Juvia burst forward suddenly, blocking an attack on Gray. Juvia's presence reassured Erza just slightly. Her friends were not alone, even in her absence. She wondered if Gray knew of her demise just yet.
"Natsu." she stated.
The view drifted to Natsu. He was still raging, his fire larger and stronger than Erza had seen in some time. He destroyed his enemies with malice and without mercy. The anger in his eyes was disconcerting. It was so unlike Natsu to be utterly blinded by anger. Her eyes fell on the stellar mage not far behind him. Lucy's hair was wet with blood, and she cradled her broken arm in the palm of her hand. "Open Gate of Virgo!" Lucy barked weakly, wincing as she jostled her arm. Then there was blinding light that cut before Lucy, shooting a dragon directly in the chest. It collapsed, its flesh steaming as it crashed to the ground. Lucy rasped a thank you Jellal's way, and he nodded curtly.
Erza exhaled slightly. They were safe, for now. She supposed that was all she could hope for.
...
When she was not watching her friends, she visited her memories. She was lost now, stuck in a limbo between nothing and different worlds. She visited Rosemary often, replaying the sparse memories she had of her childhood before Fairy Tail. She did not cry, she just stared at the worlds she had left behind.
None of her friends had joined her, and she was grateful for that. Though she hated being alone. Erza did not know how dependent she was on her friends until she was gone.
Her hand pressed to the orb, her fingers tracing over the features of her friends. There were hiatuses in the battles, short breaks where they could collect themselves and count the survivors. She had cried when her friends had learned of her death. It had been Jellal who told them all.
\Mirajane had clutched Lisanna to her chest, and the two sisters had cried with one another. It was Gray who stood. Her eyes were dark as she gently lifted the sword Erza had left when she died. "We'll make her a grave." he said firmly. Gray trudged to the center of the arena, the mob following him. He struck the sword's blade into the earth. He closed his fist, and rested a delicate ever lasting ice flower on the earth before it. Levy stepped forward, and carefully carved Erza Scarlet's name into the blade.
Tears streamed down Erza's face as she watched her nakama contribute to her make shift grave.
"We'll never forget you, Erza." Natsu rasped, his fists clenched.
Erza smiled through her tears. "I'm here with you." she whispered. She only hoped her words reached them.
She turned away from the orb, unable to watch them. "I just want to go home." she whispered softly.
Only silence answered her for a moment. Her environment twisted then, fading into bright, familiar colors. Her eyes flickered up to the sky, and they found the beautiful blue sky, dotted with pillowly white clouds. They lowered, and settled on a wooden structure before her. Her guild was settled before her, familiar and utterly home. She stepped forward, a smile on her lips. Her fingers settled on the splintered wood of the door, and she shoved it open.
She was home.
...
So, this was the first chapter. I'll try and update once or twice a week, but I have no specific days just yet.
So each chapter will be a new character's p.o.v, and in random order. You'll never know who's next.
There will be quite a lot of Jerza, Gajevy, Baccana, Strauss Siblings, Elfever, Gruvia and NaLu in the upcoming chapters.
Expect lots of feelings, guys, I have no intentions of sparing anyone.