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Chapter 2- The Scarlet Child

X776- Off the coast of Akane Resort Beach

'Did I do it? Did I escape that horrible place?'

Slowly but surely, Erza Scarlet who laid in the sand opened her only eye to see the night sky with a full moon and thousands of stars to illuminate everything on the Earth below. The chill of the wind sweeper through, making her shiver slightly with her rags of clothing not doing much to protect her. Even with the chill, it could not compare to the coldness she felt when she was in the Tower of Heaven alone in a cell or to the shackles that always bound her hands and feet. Nothing could compare to the coldness and madness when her closest friend Jellal betrayed her in his insane decision to resurrect Zeref.

'The stars they look so pretty.' It was then that Erza could only cry because she finally was free. She started to close her eye again only to hear voices to the right of her before she fell deep in unconsciousness.

Earlier in the day

The sounds of grunting and clashing metal could be heard in the empty area of the beach. Blurring colors of black and blue could only be seen with sparks and dust flying with each collision. One more clash and they separated leaving a huffing and puffing Esdeath on one knee leaning on her sword for support and Naruto standing seemingly calm and collected as he hadn't just been in a fight. Esdeath now 13 years-old had aged from the young orphaned girl to a developing young woman. Naruto on the other hand hadn't changed much. He wasn't wearing his usual crimson armor but wore a black turtle neck and pants of the same color with a white obi acting as a belt. White bandages were also wrapped around his shins and black open toe sandals on his feet.

'She has certainly grown up.' Naruto thought to himself looking at Esdeath tired form. 'But I can still sense darkness lingering within her heart. That need to kill and torture any living thing. It hasn't certainly helped that we had come across the bandits that slaughtered her village.' Naruto looked up at the darkening sky remembering the events of that day.

Flashback Start

The forest outside of Tanzaku Town

It had been four months since Esdeath started traveling and training under Naruto. She had learned that she had a strong affinity to learn ice magic and with Naruto's versatility in multiple arts of magic he was able to train her fully. While Naruto had been nothing but kind to her unless he pulled one of his occasional pranks. She had often questioned about the origin of his eye, but he always said that it was some form of mutation that allowed him to learn magic easily, but he always had a solemn look when he mentioned it. Whatever it was it seemed that it was a painful memory for him and wasn't her business.

"If we keep this up we'll make it to tanzaku town by tomorrow afternoon." Naruto said with Esdeath nodding as her response.

'Even after all this time she still hasn't really opened up to me' Naruto thought to himself.

While Naruto allowed Esdeath to grieve she insisted that they start training as soon as possible, though Naruto believed it was unwise but, he just went with what she wanted. Naruto's training methods ranged to physical training to studying different books on different types of magics to something as simple as meditating. Esdeath would start off with a warm up run for an hour then Naruto would have her meditate for another hour. He would continue her physical training with 100 Push-ups, squats, and sit-ups. Then a spar in hand to hand combat or a spar with swords depending on what he felt that day. They would rest for lunch and then travel until sun-set. She would then study and read her books for a couple of hours then it would be time for bed and repeat the process all over again the next day.

Naruto looked back at her and he could tell she was exhausted if the bags under her eyes were anything to gauge from. "Okay!" Naruto said while clapping his hands together. "I think it's time to setup camp don't ya think! Plus, you look tired you need to rest." He continued looking back at her.

Esdeath responded angrily "I can keep going I'm not we- "

"Shut up!" Naruto interrupted her. "I thought I told you to let go of that ridiculous philosophy your Father instilled in you".

Esdeath looked down in shame as Naruto continued on "Look I get it, you lost a lot and I'm sure you feel guilty for not being there with your people, but it wouldn't have made a difference. They still would be dead and you along with them".

Still looking down, Naruto could tell she was listening to his words and continued.

"You had told me your purpose and will to get stronger, but you aren't going to get stronger if you keep this up. You can't any stronger if you work your body so hard with no rest."

Esdeath continued to stay silent and with a sigh Naruto began to walk away and looked back saying "I'm going to look for something to eat tonight why don't you set up camp and start a fire". After that Naruto disappeared among the shadows of the forest leaving Esdeath alone to her tasks and thoughts.

An Hour Later

'He's still not here. I know he'll have his moments of being picky with he wants for dinner if it isn't his oh so precious bowl of noodles.' Esdeath thought to herself.

While on her travels with her master Esdeath realized many things about him. While he was both powerful and wise, but he was an idiot sometimes and cared and loved one thing the most besides herself as his student which was Ramen. He once told her that if he was a king or some sort of noble he most likely spend a majority of his money on his ramen praising it as the Food of the Gods whatever that meant. With a sigh she continues to think about what Naruto told her today unknown to her that a group of bandits had discovered the camp and were watching her in the tree line.

The snap of a twig broke Esdeath out of her thoughts "Finally Naruto-sensei it took you much longer than usual to catch something." She spoke up without looking.

"Sorry girly but your master isn't here." A rough voice responded.

She looked up where the voice came from and saw a tall, tan. and shirtless man with many scars littering his chest. He had spiky brown hair with shoulder length bangs framing his face. He an eye patch over his left eye and a scar running down his cheek. He wore dark green camouflage pants and black boots and he carried a giant broad sword on his back with a blade that looked like it was stained red from the many lives he took. He had the most wicked grin on his face that was reflected with the other ten bandits that were there behind him.

Esdeath could only prepare herself for the worst and grabbed the sword that her master gifted her while putting on a blank face while the man spoke to her

"I'm shocked that your master left you here for so long. After all we've been tailing you two for a good four or five days and he seemed he didn't like leaving you alone for too long. Until, today of course" he had chuckled out.

Esdeath gripped onto her sword more tightly. He eyed her sword and chuckled again saying to her

"You know that girls like you shouldn't carry a sword like that. You could really hurt yourself. How about you give that to me." as he walked to her while holding out his hand. Esdeath took a few steps back and drew her sword, pointing it at him saying

"Unlike most girls I can use this just fine. Now leave before I kill you and the rest of your goons."

The bandits laughed out and the leader responded "Well, I gotta say, that's mighty brave of you. Instead of killing you I think we might have to take you as a slave after all you seem to be reaching that age where you can start having fun then we could sell you off for a nice profit."

The twisted feeling of lust didn't help the already dark aura that he and his minions produced for once in her young life Esdeath felt true fear. Immediately Esdeath swung her sword at him with an upward slash and he brought down his sword to meet her strike. Sparks flew as Esdeath felt how outclassed she was as the bandit leader started to overpower her and broke her guard forcing her dodge to her left to avoid getting killed. However, she wasn't quick enough, and he was able to strike her shoulder. Esdeath wailed ,falling to the ground while gripped her shoulder to reduce the bleeding. The bandit leader started walking up to her downed form

"Come on girl is that all you got. I guess I shouldn't expect so much from- "He stopped as he got a good look at the black cross emblem on her back and he began to laugh loudly.

"I can't believe that you're from that stupid village" He then stomped on her back causing her to scream out again.

"Can you believe it boys the last of the so great Partas clan. I thought that hair looked familiar you remind me of the chief. I must say the screams of your people was like a pleasant song to my ears especially when we were able to take pleasure in the women."

Esdeath suddenly felt numb to the pain in her shoulder. All she could feel was pain, and sorrow but the feeling she felt the most was anger. She was angry that she wasn't there with her people in their final hour, angry that she was still so weak then she could feel it. An evil, dark, cold but powerful feeling flowing in her veins. A black aura surrounded her freighting the group of bandits and with a yell she summoned an ice spear and sent it flying through the bandit's leader's stomach leaving a massive, bleeding hole. She became a blur to the other bandits and with a single slash of her sword killed her first target spraying blood everywhere and quickly moved to the others killing all of them with a slice to the neck, dismembering their heads or cutting their bodies in halves making the camp site nothing more than a mess of blood and gore. Once she was finished she could still her the crying of the bandit leader and she looked at him with cold eyes.

"Please wait! I beg you! I'll do anything just don't kill me" The bandit leader begged while on the ground, clutching his bleeding stomach.

"Did you stop when they asked. Did you stop while you raped the women, when you killed children before the eyes of their parents? No so I will make you suffer the way they had suffered" Esdeath had said to him coldly.

Her cold and blank face soon turned insane as she smiled at him like a child who received a present. She got down on her knees and taking her sword, she started flaying the leader's skin very slowly. While he continued to beg for her to end his life she continued her handy work with a smile on her face until his screams became silent.

When his screams died down Esdeath's joy soon turned to anger as she stood up and started kicked the dead body repeatedly.

"You worthless piece of trash, why are you dead I still have much more fun to get out of you!"

The she stopped from kicking his body to stomping his head until it was completely unrecognizable.

"Esdeath that's enough!" Naruto said as he came back into camp with the rabbits he hunted dropped by his feet. When he arrived, Naruto did not expect to see the amount of blood, gore, and violence that had taken place. He looked at Esdeath all he could see was insane look on her face and he could feel the cold and evil aura that radiated from her body.

The evil presence soon had vanished and Esdeath fainted with Naruto catching her before she hit the ground.

'She used a lot of her magic to kill all the bandits but that look. I've seen that look before' Naruto thought to himself as he looked at her unconscious form.

She had eyes of a person who had truly lost themselves. He had seen it once before in another close student so long ago and wished he would never see it again.

Flashback End

"Naruto-sensei!" Naruto's thoughts being broken by her call.

"What's next for today? Another spar or do you want me to practice more ice spells?" Esdeath questioned him.

"Actually, I was thinking we should head to the hotel and rest. It is dark out now." Esdeath nodded her head at his answer until something caught her eyes on the shoreline.

"Naruto-sensei look over there!" Esdeath yelled and pointed behind her sensei. He looked in that direction and noticed a young girl a few years younger than Esdeath with red hair laying face up on the shoreline and without a second thought both rushed to help the girl. When they arrived at her location they saw she was unconscious. Without hesitating Naruto gentle picked her up and both went to the hotel to give her a more comfortable place to rest and heal.

The Next Morning

'It feels so warm and comfy' Erza opened her eye slowly to see a fan spinning slowly. Erza sat up I the bed when turned her head to the right where she could see a clock saying it was '7:04 A.M' and a window where the sunlight was peeking through lighting the room. Then she turned her head to the left where she could see another bed with a girl on it who looked a few years older than her with pale blue hair sleeping soundly. Then the sound of a door opening and closing caught her attention where she saw a man with messy white hair covering a majority of his right eye while wearing a white t-shirt and orange pajama pants. He walked in while stretching and yawning with his eyes closed. After he finished he opened his eyes which revealed purple eyes with a ripple like pattern covering all of it this in turn mesmerized her the most. He gave a gentle smile and simply waved at her

"Good morning" he had said to her. She could only look dumbfounded as she waved back at him while still looking at his strange eyes.

He sat down at the edge of the bed still smiling and asked, "What's your name?"

"Erza, Erza Scarlet." She responded

"I see, that quite a unique name. I have never heard anyone with the name Scarlet, but I guess it makes sense. It goes well with your hair." She blushed as his comment

"W-what's your name?" She stuttered out

He gave her another gentle smile and responded "My name is Naruto Uzumaki. Sorry but I must ask why were you on the shoreline like that?"

Erza looked down in silence not wanting to speak of her time in the Tower of Heaven

'I've seen many things but to see a child with that look should never happen.'

Naruto thought and sighed but continued with a smile

"If you don't want to talk about it that's okay but you look like you haven't had a good meal in a while. Want something to eat?"

Before she could respond her stomach did it for her which caused her to blush redder than the hair on top of her head.

Naruto gave a boisterous laugh and said to her "That sounds like a yes. Well before we eat let me just wake up my student" as he stood up and walked to the next bed over to Esdeath's sleeping form. He smiled took a deep breath and yelled

"Esdeath-chan time to wake up!"

This caused Esdeath to jump out of her bed and onto her feet in an attack stance ready to strike at any moment. She gave him a deadpanned look and he looked back with a happy-go-lucky grin.

"Why?"

"Cause you looked so peaceful and I really couldn't resist." He said to her happily.

We a sigh she looked over to the other occupant in the room and went up to her with warmest smile she could muster up which wasn't much and greeted her a good morning, introduced herself and asked for her name. Erza in turn gave her name.

"Okay! Now that we all know each other why don't we get some breakfast and then we could go shopping to get some better clothing for you and I can even maybe get your eye fixed, Erza-chan." Naruto said while Erza looked down at the rags she wore as clothing feeling embarrassed but excited that this strange man and his student would be willing to do so much for her.

An hour later

Erza rubbed her stomach and smiled in content from the meal she had just eaten with her new companions. She had eaten plates of food items like eggs to bacon, pancakes to other sorts of meats and breads, but her favorite thing was the little slice of strawberry cake that was eaten last and was savored, burning the sweet and delicate dessert into her taste buds. Naruto who sat to the right of Erza, also smiled of content as twelve empty ramen bowls were stacked in beside him.

Esdeath who sat across from them could only look at the two gluttons with a sweat-drop look.

'Erza I could understand as she looks malnourished but why did Naruto-sensei have to go all out too. At least this place is all you can eat.' Esdeath thought to herself and sighed as she took a lick of her own dessert of vanilla ice cream on a cone. Then another thought crossed her mind.

"Naruto-sensei, you said you would help Erza fix her eye but how will you do that? I haven't read any magic that could replace any lost limbs unless it was lost magic but even then, not to that extent. You've also never displayed that you know of any healing spells either, so how would you do it?" Esdeath asked him.

"While that's not necessarily true there are forms of healing spells that can replace things like a person's eye, but it wouldn't be the same as what I'm about to do to help heal her." Naruto explained as he stood up.

"But I think we should get Erza here some new clothes first before I heal her" Naruto said smiling down at her

Soon they left the hotel and started going towards the town's center where many vendors for food, clothes and jewelry could be seen advertising their own products. Erza was amazed at the different sights, smells and colors that this place held. Naruto had bought her an outfit which she currently wore. It was a white dress that cover up to her knees and she wore a red ribbon like bowtie around her collar. Underneath she wore dark blue leggings and she wore brown boots for shoes. Strapped to her side she had a small sword that Esdeath had purchased for her commenting 'That she looked like she would be good with weapons'.

As they continued shopping, something shiny to the left caught her eye. She looked at the item displayed, and it was a breastplate that was her size. She was amazed by blacksmith's work as the breastplate had no blemishes as she could she her own reflection and there were no dents as it was extremely smooth when she ran her hand down the piece of armor.

"Is that what you want?" Naruto asked from behind, startling out of her thoughts

"Yes, but you've already done so much for me and I don't want to impose" She said looking back at him

"It's no issue. If you want it, I'll buy it for you."

"But- "

"You know, just take the offer. Naruto-sensei will just buy it anyways even if you don't want him too." Esdeath said interrupting Erza.

"Thank you so much Naruto-san!" Erza said with a smile as she bowed in front of him

"Hey now, no need for the bowing. I just don't mind getting it for you" He said while waving his hands. "Anyways I think it's time to patch up that eye of yours but first let's go back to the hotel, so I can do this in private."

Hotel Room

Naruto was standing in front of Era while she sat on the edge of the bed. Esdeath was against the wall with her arms crossed watching her master intently as he started speaking to Erza.

"Now I want you to relax, I'm going to place my hand over your eye. You going to feel a slight tingly sensation and then you'll be good as new."

Erza nodded her head and tried to calm herself by taking deep breaths.

"Okay let's do this." He said as he places his hand over her eye patch. Esdeath could only watch in amazement as his eyes and hand glowed while he did his task of mending Erza's eye. Erza for her part felt a warm sensation where her former eye was and then it was suddenly gone. He then lifted his hand revealing a perfect replica of her previous eye.

"Okay all done. Can you see out of it?"

She nodded yes to his question as tears started to come out of both her eyes and continued to run down her cheeks. She jumped to her feet and wrapped her arms around his waist in a hug as she could only cry while repeatedly saying thank you. He placed his hand on top of her head gently rubbing it. He looked at Esdeath and almost laughed at the shocked expression she had.

"What's with the face?"

"Y-you actually did it! How did you do it?!" She said as she barraged him with many questions.

He raised his hand to stop her questions and said, "That's only a secret for me and me alone"

"WHAT! That's not fair!"

"Ahh but life isn't fair Esdeath."

She just gave him a stern glare. 'It has to be something with his eyes after all he never talks about how he got them' she thought as she continued to stare at his strange purple eyes.

Once Erza released Naruto from her hug he looked down at her

"Now Erza-chan what do you plan to do since now you've been feed, clothed, and your eye is completely healed?"

Erza became silent at this question but she knew she could trust these two and recounted her life in rosemary village and her life in the Tower of Heaven. She told him about her cell mates and Grandpa Rob, and getting tortured and her eye ripped out only to later lose a grandfather figure and betrayed by her best friend.

"I see, I'm sorry that happened to you. To not only be an orphan but to be imprisoned as a slave to build this Tower of Heaven. You are a very strong girl young Erza" He said while placing his hand on her shoulder. Meanwhile, even if she didn't show it, Esdeath was irritated by what he said to Erza

'To think that the R-system is still around even after the magic council claimed to have destroyed them all. I must look in to this.'

"I want to go to Fairy Tail." Erza said breaking Naruto out of his thoughts

"Do you know where it is? If so, could you please take me there. I can pay you as soon as I can start making money!"

"Calm down Erza there's no need to pay me for taking you there but yes, I know exactly where that guild is. It's in the town of Magnolia haven't been there in quite some time though." Naruto said as he placed his hand under his chin in thought remembering quite clearly where that guild resided.

"Could you please take me there?" Erza asked again looking up at him with pleading eyes

"Hmm, I guess I could take you there after all, I did say I haven't been to Magnolia in a long time and I'm sure it'll be a good experience for you Esdeath." He said while looking at said girl.

"Alright, it's decided let's pack our bags then. we'll be heading to magnolia."

Esdeath nodded and walked to go back her things while Erza jumped happily excited for the coming adventures.

This would be the first step towards the journey that'll forever change the three of them.

Chapter End