Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Fairy Tail.
0o0o0 This World So Cold 0o0o0
Chapter 1 - The Only Path
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"I see you're up and about finally, I'm glad." Sarutobi smiled at the young girl who'd managed to find the gardens built in the center of the hospital.
"I'd forgotten what they look like." Erza was crouched before a bed of flowers, staring intently at the various flora before her.
"I can only imagine," Sarutobi spoke softly.
It had been 3 weeks since Erza Scarlet had been found unconscious not far from the outer wall and 2 weeks since she'd awoken. A full medical scan had discovered severe malnourishment, a broken arm, several fractures that had never been set properly, and her right eye had been completely gouged out. That didn't even begin to describe the signs of years of abuse.
It wasn't until a few days ago that Sarutobi had managed to goad Erza into telling him what had happened to her. What he'd learned had disheartened him greatly, but child slavery was nothing new to him. He doubted very much Erza had come clean about all that went on in that… tower she'd been forced to build, but now was not the time to have her relive her nightmare. Now was a time for her to grieve those she'd lost and move on to a bright new future.
That wasn't to say Sarutobi hadn't already soiled such a future already. As much as he would love to blindly trust her tale he had to be sure. The past several nights he'd had Yamanaka Inoichi mind walk her memories as she slept.
Inoichi was a veteran of the Shinobi world, having survived the Third Great Shinobi War in his youth and damning his soul by joining the ranks of T&I. He knows his duty: to stifle his emotions, to work with brutal efficiency, to be a machine and not a man when on the job.
So when Inoichi had finished his last mind walk he'd punched a hole through the hospital room wall on his way out, breaking his fist in the process. It had been a scramble to make up an excuse as to why Erza was being moved to a new room later the next morning.
He'd yet to read Inoichi's report, but he knew there was no need. This young girl was no clever spy ploy. He could see it in her surviving eye. An immense fear that she was constantly fighting to keep stifled lest she burst into tears. Perhaps it was his age getting to him. Perhaps it was some sense of survivor's guilt that he'd lived when far better men should've. Perhaps he just wanted to be stubborn and spit upon age old laws that were quickly losing meaning but he couldn't help it. But for whatever reason he never truly doubted her. He just had to be sure.
Besides, there was a conviction, a fire that burned brightly. She had a goal that lied far from the sanctity of the hidden village she woken in. A goal that would carry her through the life she'd most likely have to lead to reach it.
A chuckle escaped Sarutobi for the briefest of moments causing Erza to stop her flower-gazing and look up at him questioningly.
Her goal sounded like nothing more than a child's fairy tale.
But that's what was so damn funny.
It was a Fairy Tail.
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"Are you sure?"
The redhead nodded her head once more in confirmation to the old man's question.
Sarutobi sighed as he mulled over Erza's latest attempt to join the Shinobi Academy. She had now been a guest in the village for 6 months, making a full recovery within 2 months of her appearance. He had placed her in the orphanage where she had been welcomed with open arms. There had been several families who had tried to adopt the girl, but every time she was picked up she would run back to the orphanage after a day.
When questioned, she claimed she didn't want a new family and joining one was spitting on those she had lost. That and she liked her last name. So far no one had been able to convince her otherwise. She had even gone so far as to punch a possible father who'd been trying to reason with her. Her temper reminded him of another redheaded woman who was prone to violent outbursts. After that incident less and less families showed interest in adopting her. Not that she minded of course.
"I'm positive."
Sighing once more Sarutobi gave in, but not before one last warning. "Fine, I give." Erza's face lit up as she finally got what she wanted. "However, before I give my consent I will remind you one final time what it means to be a Shinobi." Pausing for a moment Sarutobi continued. "It means "Heart under Blade." If you manage to graduate and join the ranks of those who came before you, you will forever live with the blood of the innocent on your hands. We are not soldiers. We are assassins of the dark. We do what no one else will, and we do so without question. I know, here in the village, that Shinobi life is glorified but the reality is that you will forever be feared. To forever look over your shoulder in paranoia. You will calculate how to kill every person in every situation wherever you go. I am not telling you this to dissuade you. I am telling you this so you understand what it it is you wish to become."
Erza stood still, letting what the old man had said sink in. For 5 years she had been powerless. Trapped with no hope for tomorrow. But she had smiled and persevered for her friends and old man Rob. She had no wish to become a mindless murderer. She had seen the worst of humanity in her first 9 years of life and survived. She had pushed forward and escaped a life no child should ever live. She wanted to live a carefree life.
She understood what the Hokage was telling her. She knew he was trying to protect her. To let her live a life of peace after living in a nightmare. But she couldn't do that. All sense and reason said to change her mind about the path she was about to embark upon but there was a voice that said to go forward.
To her, she was still a prisoner, trapped in a situation she couldn't control. She knew that the old man wouldn't just let her leave to find her goal. She was after all just a child. She had spent the last 6 months trying to understand how she had appeared here and just where in Earthland Konohagakure no Sato was. When the Hokage had told her he'd never heard of Earthland or Fairy Tail, a small part of her died. She wanted so desperately to go to Fairy Tail and be where Rob had lived. To be home. He didn't even know of any mages or witches. Just Shinobi.
Shinobi.
Heart under blade.
This is the only path open to her.
The only one to Fairy Tail.
It may not be the one she wants but so far nothing had been what she wanted. If achieving her dream of becoming a Fairy Tail mage meant carving a river of blood then so be it. Becoming a Shinobi was the only way to go out into the world and find a way back to Earthland and Fairy Tail.
So here she was, standing before the Hokage just a breaths hair away from becoming a monstrous shadow of fear.
"I understand… Hokage-sama."
"So you do. I shall have all the necessary forms ready tomorrow. As the Academy is halfway through its current semester you won't be starting for another 6 months. Until that time I shall assign you an instructor to catch you up to everyone else and have you build upon your chakra control as well as your own physical abilities."
"Yes sir." Understanding Sarutobi had dismissed her, she turned and left.
Once the door had shut Sarutobi took long drag from his pipe. Exhaling the smoke he spoke aloud to himself. "I hope you don't regret this."
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Can't wait to hear what all of you think thus far. I'm going to keep the chapters relatively short for now. I'm still working out the kinks and structure of the story and as I said this is a side project.
One of you asked if there will be a pairing and I can confirm there is but it will be slow going and not introduced for quite a while.
Until the next chapter!