Ex-V: I hope you like it!
It was suspicious, to say the least…
Erza drummed her fingers on the table before her, ignoring an untouched plate of strawberry cake.
The whole summer long, all summer, Jellal had visited her at least once a week.
She frowned, heatedly, pursing her lips, thoughts racing.
Sometimes twice a week! And…
He seemed happy, he seemed really happy, genuinely content, at ease, comfortable…Then, they almost kissed, they almost kissed again, her heart soared, delighted, fluttering in her chest, thinking of it.
But For the past two months, nothing.
Nothing!
She leaned her head back, groaning. Crime Sorciere was nowhere to be found, and Meredy had been suspiciously dodgy the one time she'd managed to corner her, a month ago…
"I'm sure it's fine, Erza-" Mirajane began, entirely unconvinced, sitting across from her, nervously. "You're…You're definitely overthinking this…"
"I'm not worried!" Erza hissed back, defensively, flushed, brow furrowing, turning slightly away. "Why would I be worried?! Nobody…Nobody could hurt him-"
She trailed off, huffing.
A brief moment of silence, as she glared, sourly, poignantly, into the far corner of the guild hall, faintly red.
Erza and Mirajane sat together, quietly, contemplative.
Right..? Nobody can Hurt Jellal…She trembled, just a little, pensively. Who could kill Jellal?
Erza, despite all her bravado, and all her confidence in the Ultramarine Guildleader, really had started to feel slightly anxious...
But…But who could beat him? That guy… Erza stood, abruptly, restless, and made to cross Fairy Tail, pacing incesstantly. Who could kill Jellal?
Mira watched, helpless, as her friend stepped back and forth, in and out of obvious panic.
Erza, desperate, made her way upstairs, at last, a moment later, finding the control lacrima, hoping to raise Meredy, but…
Radio silence. She shrieked, just a little, anxious, in the silence, when the crystal buzzed uselessly.
Erza took a seat, in the corner of the room, beginning to feel sick.
All this time, she'd been sure it was just a job or something. Of course, that was the obvious thing, it was a secret, undercover job.
"It…it could still be a job…" She heard herself, whispering, anxiously, under her breath, in a tiny voice.
He brought his whole guild along, and insisted they avoid radio contact...
Erza trembled, and wandered outside, in something of a daze. I haven't worried this much since the Tower-
Her blood ran cold.
The Tower.
The Tower of Heaven.
She felt a bursting surge of overwhelming need. Who can kill Jellal?
Jellal can.
(Forty five minutes later)
"Enough, I can't take this anymore-" Erza stood up in the boat, a nervous wreck, trembling, eyes wide, plagued by nightmarish thoughts. Jellal must have felt he was becoming too happy, he must have felt that he didn't deserve it, didn't deserve happiness… "I'm going on ahead-"
Natsu protested, vehemently, and Juvia opened her mouth, but the Requip mage was gone as fast as she stood, vanishing out over the horizon, in flight armor, spending valuable magic energy on reckless speed.
The wind whipped past, blowing her scarlet hair across her face; tiny droplets of rain streaked her cheeks, as the waves roiled below.
There. She could see the spire rise over the ocean in the distance…There…
The lacrima tower where everything started…
The shore was populated, she noted, a moment later, and, to her intense dismay, it was populated by Crime Sorciere, and not by Jellal. Erza landed, heavily, on two feet, tottering a bit, meeting Meredy's eyes, instantly, staring deep into the younger girl's wet, watery orbs, searching.
The rain poured down around her.
"He told us to expect you." It was Midnight who spoke at last, smiling grimly.
"Is he alive-?" She felt her heartbeat thudding violently against her temples, breathless. Her thoughts swirled.
"I don't know." Meredy cut into the conversation, looking positively tormented, positively tortured, face bright red. Tears leaked from her defiant, wide eyes.
Erza's heart threatened to stop, but she forced herself onwards, to move past them, through them. Cobra stepped in front of her, to stand in her way, grimacing.
"Move." She said, numbly.
"We can't do that, Erza-" Midnight looked like he was about to burst into tears as well; Angel was already struggling to keep from crying. "We have our Orders."
"Move." She said again, quietly, as the rain fell around her, aware that tears were crossing her own cheeks. Natsu's boat was approaching behind them, and she could tell he was shouting something.
She could not tell what. She didn't care.
"Our obedience to him is absolute." Angel stammered, erecting a wall of summon spirits, half-heartedly, looking, terrified, back and forth. "We have our orders-"
"We won't disobey-" Cobra, frowning severely, managed to say, desperately straining, visibly, madly, to keep a straight, menacing face. "You can't pass."
Erza made eye contact with Meredy, who was mouthing something to her, heartbroken.
Please get through us. Erza read her trembling lips with some difficulty, as Midnight folded his hands, to weave a powerful illusion…
Erza shut her left eye, while Natsu, without waiting for a word of confirmation, launched himself immediately into fierce combat, lighting up, a pillar of flame, under a clap of thunder, casting shade and fire across the beach, Gray beside him, screaming.
Cobra made a huge show of stepping away to deal with Natsu, and Midnight turned to Gray, casting Erza a knowing look, briefly, thankful.
She dashed through, like lightning, breathlessly, through the rain, heart hammering, moving up the tower at a speed she could only barely register as being not nearly fast enough.
There was nothing in her head but hope.
He's alive. She told herself, chanting, in her mind, terrified. Of course He's alive. She told herself, coming to rest in front of the massive double doors.
His throne room.
There was nothing but silence on the other side.
She pressed the doors in, slowly, barely able to believe what she was seeing, what she was doing.
Where she was.
A massive, spiraling gold magic circle confronted her, as she turned slightly, in place. Inside that, another, a rapidly turning purple seal; Inside that, concentric magic runes of Green, Orange and Black. At the middle, seated, chained, to his Throne, was Jellal.
His chess game stood, finished, at his right, the White King tipped over in submission.
Erza crossed the room, as if in a dream, as if floating, winded, eyes locked on him, stepping over the magic circles, over the runes, to his body, where, breathlessly, she set her fingers to his neck, to measure his pulse.
For a terrifying moment, there was nothing.
Then, a moment later, the thin beat of his heart pressed back against her fingertips, and Erza burst into tears.
"Of course…" She dropped into his lap, sobbing, trembling, crying out, pressing her face to him, nuzzling her face on him, tears pouring, unbridled, down her cheeks, onto him. "Of course, you're alive…"
Oh...Erza wept, shaking, knees weak, wrapping her arms around him, in his lap, choking, strangled, mewling faintly, bright red. I thought I lost you, again, Why do you do this to me, I thought…
In the empty, massive throne room, her labored breathing and gentle crying echoed, as she wriggled in his lap, squirming against him, winded, weakly.
"It's okay, now…" She ripped the chains from his body, growling, closing her eyes, shaking her head, sniffling, and made to drag him from the throne. "I'm here…I'll never let you go-"
"Erza."
She froze, trembling, at the sound of his voice, from Behind her.
"Erza…" He repeated, dryly, and she turned slowly, eyes wide.
Behind her, just inside the bounds of the magic circle, stood Siegrain, Jellal's though projection. "You shouldn't be here."
"You shouldn't be here-!" Erza hissed, fuming, furious, flushed. "What the hell are you doing, Jellal-?!"
Siegrain circled her, snickering sadly. "I deserve this, Erza. You know that-"
The requip mage felt hot rage fill her, swimming up behind her eyes, as she wiped her tears with balled, trembling fists.
She saw red. "I fucking hate that you do this to yourself, I can't fucking stand it-"
Siegrain grinned, grimly, eyes flashing. "Good. Hate me, Erza-"
"I won't." Erza stood, slowly, defiant, a moment later, shaking her head, meeting his gaze, glaring at him. "I'm taking you with me-"
"What purpose will that serve?" He replied, icily, eyes narrowing, voice cutting through her, sharp.
"I'm done losing you-" She answered, trembling faintly, blushing, looking away, tugging her hair, nervously, and stammered. "I-I'm going to love you-"
He twitched, eyes locked on hers, as she flushed, glowing red, proudly, standing across from him.
"You can't forgive me, Erza." His eyes widened, and radiant, glorious magic power surged up around him. "I won't let you-"
"You'll have to kill me-"
Siegrain looked tortured for a moment, unable to look away from her. She didn't drop her gaze to her toes, despite her every inclination to do so, breathing shallowly. "You know what I did to you…How can you forget, standing in the very same room-"
Flashes of magic danced between them, and Siegrain forced images of Jellal, years ago, attacking her in the tower, into her. Memories of Deceiving her, striking her, wounding her, binding her, defeating her, telling her of his love…
Erza watched, grim, unimpressed, controlling her breathing, ignoring him summarily.
"What are you doing to yourself?" Erza gestured towards the limp form of Jellal, in the throne behind her, after a moment.
Siegrain was briefly silent. "This is place is a hell of penance now, Erza-"
"What are you subjecting yourself to-?" She went on, unabated, furiously, glaring at him.
"It's not so bad."
Erza almost laughed, if not for the dull horror she felt creeping up inside. "Really? It says a 'Hell of Endless Pain' on these runes".
Jellal did laugh. "I bet you never thought we would fight again."
Erza drew her sword, intentionally slowly. "We never will fight again…"
"Are you saying you won't resist me?"
"I'm saying you're only half of Jellal. You don't count-"
Ex-V: Did you have fun? Did you like it? I hope so!
Let me know what you think in the reviews, and if you're into it, I'll post the next chapter tomorrow! Pretty graphic lemon coming up, I've had a ton of fun writing it :D Rated T until I post the Lemon~
I'll see you in the next chapter!