"How are you Erza? I hope everything goes well for you. Not that I can say the same for Jellal and me though. Can you come to see Jellal as soon as possible? He's not in a life-or-death situation in case you get worried about his safety, but he does need you by his side in this moment. In fact, I need you too. Please. We are currently staying at…"

As she employed every means of transportation available to rush to the village where Crime Sorciere was staying at, Erza tried to figure out which could possibly explain why Meredy would so suddenly and urgently ask for her presence by Jellal's side.

Does he get seriously sick? Has he been heavily injured? Does he lost his memories again? Is his old suicidal tendency surfacing for some reasons?

But none of the guesses Erza came up with did any help to ease her worries for Jellal's uncertain circumstances. She couldn't help but question how Meredy could not tell her what exactly had happened to Jellal in her note. If Meredy had, she could have at least focused on thinking ways to help him instead of just being fear for something she didn't know.

But Erza didn't make any complaint to Meredy when she finally met her.

"How's Jellal?" She asked first thing after entering the abandoned farm house picked up by Crime Sorciere as their temporary base. "What happened to him?"

"Erza, listen to me." Meredy took Erza's hands in hers and looked at her gravely, knitting her brows. "Jellal…..he looks different now, and he's stressed out about the change. And it's my fault for what happened to him. But I've already contacted someone who may help him. I just need you to stay with him to make sure that he wouldn't go insane because of the change while I go to find him the solution."

"Meredy, you are scaring me." Did Jellal's face injured so badly while he protected Meredy that it disfigured? Did he try to save Meredy and lose a limb or two as a result? "Just tell me what happened to Jellal or let me see him!"

"Jellal's in that room." Meredy looked to her right. "He…..didn't agree with my suggestion to ask you to come. But I did anyway because I believe that he needs you by his side at this difficult time." She turned her gaze back to Erza, taking a deep breath. "Erza, Jellal…..Jellal…..he…..."

"He what?" Erza asked with a voice louder than she intended to, being on the brink of losing her not too much patience.

"He got turned into a woman." Shutting her eyes closed as if she was unable to tell the truth in Erza's face, Meredy finished the sentence with one breath.

Erza blinked and fell into silence.

"He got…...turned into a…...woman?" When she spoke again, she was too surprised by the reveal to say anything more meaningful other than repeating Meredy's words. "But…but...how?"

"I was experimenting with some magic syrus used for disguise. The mixing went wrong and I was going to dispose them but before I did it Jellal drank it by accident. Then he got turned into a woman and somehow we couldn't change him back with our magic or the syrus. I'm truly sorry."

Erza sighed and her tensed shoulders slumped. She couldn't really blame Meredy for what happened. And Jellal wasn't having any permanent damage on his body, so she felt that she should already be thankful.

"It wasn't entirely your fault. Jellal should have been paying attention to what he drank too. You said you know someone who can fix the problem right?"

"I've contacted the guy who sold me the syrus and explained Jellal's case to him. He said he might help me to produce an antidote if he knew what was in the mixing. Luckily Jellal didn't empty the cup and there's still some syrus left for me to bring it to the guy."

Erza nodded. Whether this guy Meredy mentioned could really produce an antidote to reverse Jellal's change was still unknown at this moment, but at least there was hope. She tried not to think about the possibility of the antidote failing, but she was already counting the names of those who might provide help to Jellal in her head just in case.

"I will stay here with Jellal. You should get going now to meet the guy so you can bring the antidote back as soon as possible."

"Thanks Erza. I will pack my things now and go. It should take 2 to 3 days."

"Be careful on your way. I will do my best to keep Jellal sane while you are gone."

Meredy smiled for the first time since Erza met her. "I trust you will." She then turned to face Jellal's room. "Jellal! Erza's here and I will be away for a few days to get you the antidote!"

There was a moment of silence before an unfamiliar and small voice replied "Okay" from inside the room.

Looking back at Erza, Meredy squeezed her hands once. "Go in to see him."

Erza nodded. Meredy then let go of her hands and left the redhead alone as she went to pick things for the trip.

Erza breathed deeply before walking to Jellal's room. Knowing that the physical change had stressed Jellal out, she couldn't help but feel a little bit anxious about going to discover his new female look with her own eyes. But it was not like she wasn't slightly curious to find out either. Would he look gorgeous as a woman, just like how he looked handsome as a man? She stopped in front of the door and knocked.

"Can I come in now, Jellal?"

From inside the room came some rustling noises. When those died down, quiet and slow footsteps followed.

Erza jumped a little when the door opened with a crack. She restrained herself from impatiently pushing the door to go inside to meet the man who was making her worried, but clasped her hands together tightly in front of her and stood still, waiting for him to feel ready to reveal himself to her.

A few seconds of silence passed, then came a deep sigh, before the door separating her from the man in trouble finally being pulled wide open.

Erza held her breath when her gaze crossed with Jellal's. His irises were still the brightest hazel she had ever seen in any person's eyes; and his long eyelashes which had made her feel jealous sometimes were as luscious as she always remembered. His hair was blue like the sapphire as usual, soft looking and didn't grow over his shoulders. Her gaze then traced the unique intricate dark tattoo began from his forehead, went down to his right eye and ended just above the corner of his lips; a presence which made her feel less nervous for it was a solid reminder that something essential about Jellal would just never change.

But his lips, which were now pursed in a straight line, looked fuller than they used to be. The prominent angles which once defined his jawline had turned smooth, which gave his jaw a much softer line. The front of his neck looked flat and smooth as his adam's apple was now almost invisible to her eyes.

"Sorry for troubling you to come." Jellal murmured.

His new high-pitched voice brought Erza's eyes back to his face.

He clearly looked tensed since he was clenching his jaw now. But he also looked…...pretty. Not in a cute but in an elegant way. He still looked like the Jellal she knew, just with the feminine facial features now. He kind of reminded her of those male characters in the few shoujo comics she had read.

"No, not trouble at all." Erza smiled softly at Jellal making sure that her response wouldn't make him feel ever more nervous. "Would you like me to come in, or would you like to come out? I don't think it's wise for us to stand here and talk."

"Come in. The bed is in a better conditions than the chairs in the living room to sit on. Even it's only a little."

As she followed Jellal to go inside the room, Erza glanced at his back. He was wearing the long black cloak he usually wore to hide his identity when he went outside, which shielded his transformed body from her eyes.

She sat down on the wooden bed which lined up against the wall opened with the only window in the room, as indicated by Jellal. Raising her head, she watched him taking a step back from her before sitting down too at her right side, keeping an arm's length from her.

He didn't turn to look at her properly but stared at his hands rested on his knees.

She didn't need to ask him to know that such radical change to his body, despite only temporary (hopefully), must have made him feel embarrassed and uncomfortable. Her hand reached out, holding one of his. His hand was still larger than hers and felt rough against hers.

He finally turned his head to search for her face.

"I know this must be hard on you. But it's only temporary. And you've been through circumstances much harder than this." Like when they were slaves in the tower; like when he was in the jail waiting to be executed. "This will soon over when Meredy come back with the antidote. And if needed, I also know a few people who may of help."

Jellal gave Erza a small thankful smile, one looked slightly bitter too.

"You're right. And it's good to know that there's a contingency plan in case the antidote disappoints us. Thanks, Erza. And sorry for making you worry."

"No more apologies, Jellal. I didn't come here to make you feel guilty. I'm only here to help. If you feel sick or anything, promise me that you will tell me so we can try to find ways to make you feel better."

Jellal twisted his hand in Erza's to allow its fingers to intertwine with hers, and Erza returned the gesture by tightening up her fingers to clasp their hands together firmly, giving him the comfort he was seeking from her.

"I feel…..not being myself, as if I'm being trapped in another person's body. Every movement of my body feels alien to me. Not to mention the discomfort of having an important body part missing from you." Jellal averted his gaze from Erza as his face turned red. "But all the while gaining some unwanted extra weight on your chest which is heavy enough to give you sore back." And gives you indecent thoughts too. He kept the last part unsaid feeling ashamed of his pervert mind.

Erza glanced at Jellal's chest with curiosity dancing in her eyes. His cloak did a perfect job in hiding the outline of his newly grown breasts.

"I know the kind of sore you feel." Erza couldn't stop her face from getting hot for asking her coming question. "Do you wear a bra?"

Jellal flinched and his face grew even redder.

"N-no." He admitted, turning his head away from Erza slightly.

"Take off your cloak, please, Jellal?" Erza asked flatly, almost as if she was giving out a demand, doing her best to not sound either embarrassed or excited about the suggestion she was going to make. "Let me have a look at your cup size and get you a fitting bra to wear. Something that can support the weight of your breasts to lessen the sore you feel at your back."

"That's not necessary." Jellal replied without a second's delay, facing Erza again. He didn't know which idea scared him more, the one of wearing a bra acting like a real woman, or the one of allowing Erza to examine his female body with eyes.

"Why? There's nothing wrong with doing something just to make yourself feel a bit more comfortable to live with the changes of your body. Let me help you, please, Jellal. And be assured that I'm very good at making guesses at cup size with my experience of living with girls."

"I don't have any doubt in your…...experience." Jellal forced himself to not try to imagine what Erza did in the female dormitory with other girls to become good at what she claimed she was. He didn't want to get excited with this body. Not at all. "I just…...I can't even look at my body without feeling awkward. I don't think it's a good idea to let you see this body, Erza. I'm sorry."

Erza placed a finger on Jellal's lips. "No apologies, remember?" She looked at him tenderly. "I will not judge you, I promise. Just close your eyes and take off your cloak, Jellal, and pretend that I'm not here."

Jellal stared at Erza, face expressionless.

"Okay." He finally agreed after a moment of hesitance. He couldn't bring himself to reject Erza again seeing her sincere face.

He retreated his hand from Erza's and stood up. With a breathy sigh, he closed his eyes. His hands came up to unbutton the cloak from the front, shaking ever so slightly when they pulled the cloak wide open until it fell back and dropped on the floor.

Underneath the cloak, he was wearing his usual black sleeveless t-shirt. Only that it now looked too tight on him as his new plump breasts stretching the materials to its limit, showing off their shape and tips. The pants he wore was secured around his waist with a leather belt. Thought it was evident that they were a little bit tight around his now wider hips while the trouser legs were a little bit loose around his now less muscular thighs.

Despite the unfitting dressing, there was no denial that Jellal's female body was curvaceous and would be desired by both men or women, Erza mused. She had planned to guess his cup size with her eyes, not having any measuring tape in hands. But now, she felt tempted to touch him, holding his breasts in her hands to measure their size. The thought made her feel hot inside. It was strange. She was never one to get aroused by women's body. No. She swallowed thickly. Using hands would be more accurate than merely using eyes to get the right size, that was the only reason why she wanted to touch him, she told herself.

But she would hate to make him feel more uneasy than he already was.

Pushing aside the unneeded want with will, Erza took small steps surrounding Jellal with one hand under her chin. She listened to him breathing deeply as she scrutinized his figure from front to back with only her eyes, before deciding that she should get him a bra of her cup size but with a bigger band size.

She picked up his cloak on the floor and grabbed his wrist to place the piece of clothing in his palm.

"I'm done."

Jellal wrapped the cloak around himself before opening his eyes.

"I will go shopping for some suitable clothes for you at the nearby town. And maybe get us some more food too. I'll be back before sundown."

"Thanks, Erza." Jellal didn't miss the concern in Erza's eyes as she looked at him. "I'll be fine by myself."

As long as there were no dark mages or rune knights coming out of nowhere to attack me, he thought, because he wasn't so sure about his ability to fight now. Since he had turned into a woman, he strangely felt that he was losing some of his control over his magic. This was truly something which made him felt insecure more than anything else. But not wanting to make Erza worry more, he decided not to mention the issue. I can always run and hide to avoid direct confrontation with enemies.

To Jellal's relief, two hours passed peacefully before Erza came back from her shopping trip. But when Erza handed him the bag of clothes she bought, he didn't take it and stiffened, looking remotely horrified. Did he really have to wear a bra?

None of his reactions got passed Erza's eyes.

"I thought it would be good to get you something less restrictive, comfortable to wear." Erza said as she picked clothes out from the bag. "I bought you a set of sweatshirt and sweatpants, and also two sport bra. All these are made of cotton, soft and flexible."

The sweatshirt and sweatpants were grey in color while the sport bra was black. Nothing looked too feminine. And the idea of putting a sport bra on his body was certainly less embarrassing than the one of wearing a bra made of lace and silk and ribbons. Feeling calmer now, Jellal gathered all the pieces of clothes from Erza.

"I'll get change now. Thanks a lot, Erza."

For being so caring and considerate.

"Wait Jellal." Jellal stopped and raised a curious brow at Erza. "Just in case, I brought you women's briefs too. See if you would like to change into them as well."

Silently, Jellal grabbed the black underwear from Erza and quickly entered his room. Since he had already accepted the bra, there seemed to be no reason for him to not accept the briefs too. His missing manliness between his legs wouldn't come back just because he insisted on wearing his own underwear anyway.

He prayed once again that Meredy could come back with a workable antidote as soon as possible.


A/N: Genderbend is not a theme I'm very interested in writing. But someone here at fanfiction was persistent in asking me to give it a try. I gave in and decided to challenge myself, and this is the outcome. I only wrote female!Jellal but not male!Erza because being a woman myself, I feel easier to imagine Jellal's feelings of living with a woman body.

Genderbend can be fun because being changed into the opposite sex is certainly awkward and embarrassing. But making fun of Jellal or ridicule him is never something I like to do, and I tried my best to avoid that in this fic. And in my opinion, Erza's a kind-heart person who will never make fun of other's misery. So she will not intentionally do something to embarrass Jellal just for fun, when he needs help. I hope you like how I handle the genderbend theme so far, and that I have written them in character enough.

I'm going to focus on writing something for the upcoming Jerza lovefest on tumblr, so the next update and the last chapter won't be up too soon.