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Chapter 2. Mystogan's request and Erza's strange behaviour
"Am I still dreaming?" thought Erza. But no, it didn't look like a dream. She was quite awake. "How very strange… What is he doing here?"
She looked cautiously at the man standing in front of her. Her eyes didn't mislead her. Yes, it was no one but Mystogan – with his cloak, hat, mask and everything else. He looked even more mysterious (if it was possible at all) in the semi-darkness. She could see the shine in his eyes.
"Mystogan?" repeated the red-haired girl. She was still stunned.
"Yes, it is me," he answered. Nobody knows why, the sound of his voice made her flesh creep.
"What are you doing here? Would you be so kind to explain me?" asked Erza.
"Please calm down, Erza," said he. His voice was muted due to the mask. "I had no intention to frighten you. Your sword won't be necessary to you for this conversation. Please don't be afraid of me."
She smiled nervously in attempt to hide her confusion. "I'm not afraid at all. I just didn't expect guests at this time. So, what do you want? I suppose that it must be something of a great importance to bring you in my room in the middle of the night. Whatever it is, can't it wait to the morning? Or you are just unable to have a common talk?"
"I wanted to see you in private." His eyes were boring into her.
"What is his aim?" wondered Erza. She decided to take the offensive.
"Why do you wear this mask? You know that it is useless… I have already seen your face. You remember this, right? I know that you look exactly like Jellal," said she.
Mystogan remained silent for a minute.
"You know also that I'm not Jellal Fernandes." He hesitated for a second, and then continued: "Tell me, Erza… What is Jellal Fernandes for you?" (1)
She didn't expect that question. Indeed, what was Jellal for her? A friend from her childhood… An enemy who tried to kill her once… Yes, he was all this… and more importantly… "My love and my hate at the same time," she said to herself and that thought frightened her.
Erza didn't discuss it even with her closest friends like Lucy, Gray and Natsu. And to discuss it with Mystogan, the person who had the same face as Jellal Fernandes… That was far too much. She decided to slide over the delicate question.
"Is this why you are here in the middle of the night? Is this why I'm honoured with your visit?" she asked sarcastically. "You want to speak with me about my childhood friends? Did I understand right? If so, then I must ask you to leave. I'm tired and…"
"No. Let me get back to the point. I came to ask you for a favour," declared the masked man. "I want you to come on a mission with me."
That was beyond all her expectations. Her eyes widened in shock. Mystogan asked her to go on a mission with him? Did she hear right? That was impossible…That was absolutely unusual for him. He always did his work alone. As far as she knew, he had never gone on a mission with any of the guild members. What was that strange behaviour of his? And so suddenly…
"You want me to go on a mission with you?" asked Erza.
"That's right," confirmed he. His dark eyes sparkled. "Well, do you agree?"
The girl hesitated. She didn't know what his intentions were. Was it reasonably to take his offer? She was about to refuse but her curiosity got the upper hand over her hesitation.
"Very well, let it be as you want. I will come with you."
"Then I will be waiting for you outside the city tomorrow morning. Now I'm leaving you. And if you take my advice… try to get some more sleep," said the masked mage.
After his leaving she fell asleep again. And strange thing, this time no dreams tortured her… as if Mystogan's visit had soothed her grief for Jellal.
-ooo-
In the morning Erza woke up with a strange feeling of confusion. But what was the reason? Maybe it was some kind of a dream…
Then she remembered about the midnight visitor. No, it wasn't a dream. It was quite real. Mystogan had appeared in her room… She had promised to accompany him today…
"It will be a long day, I think…"
Erza got out of the bed. It was eight o'clock and she had to prepare herself.
"I need a cup of coffee…" murmured she and hurried up to dress herself. "I will ask Mirajane to prepare some coffee for me…"
-ooo-
"Shall we go on a mission today, Erza?" asked Natsu.
The red-haired girl didn't hear his question. She stared at the cup of coffee that she held in her hands. She was lost in her thoughts and didn't pay attention to anything around her.
Natsu, Gray, Lucy and Happy watched her anxiously.
"Boys, doesn't it seem to you that she is not well this morning?" whispered the blonde girl.
The flying cat nodded. "You are right, Lucy. But what can be the reason?"
"Erza? Did you hear me?" The Fire Dragon Slayer touched her hand.
Startled by his touch, she raised her head. "Yes? What is it, Natsu?"
"I'm afraid that you don't look quite well today, Erza," said Lucy.
"What is wrong with you? Whatever it is, you know that you can tell us! We are a team after all! And more importantly, we are friends!" added Natsu.
Erza sighed.
"I'm really lucky to have friends like them," thought she. "But what can I tell them? Mystogan appeared in my room during the night and asked me to go on a mission with him?" She smiled unconsciously. "Well, it sounds ridiculous… They will never believe me. I would have never believed it myself if it hadn't happened to me."
"There is nothing at all. Don't worry. I'm fine," she replied and made an effort to look in a good mood. "I just didn't sleep well last night…"
"Are you sure?" insisted Gray. He didn't look convinced.
"Of course I'm sure."
"Well then, shall we take a job today?" Natsu repeated his question.
"I'm afraid this time I can't go with you. But I'm sure that you will handle the job without me."
"You can't go with us? Why?" asked Gray and Lucy at the same time.
"I have an S-class mission to do," said Erza. "Please forgive me but I can't tell you anything more." At that moment it came to her mind that Mystogan hadn't explain what was the mission. "I should ask him… but I was so shocked by his appearance… I must ask him when we meet," she said to herself.
Natsu, Gray and Lucy looked at each other. Erza's behaviour was unusual. It wasn't typical for her to be mysterious. There was something here… but what was it?
Erza drank up her coffee. "I have to go now. See you tomorrow! Good luck with your job!" she said and left the guild hall.
The others followed her with their eyes.
"I tell you, Erza is hiding something from us. Remember my words, boys," said Lucy.
"You are probably right. And we will discover it at every cost. But now we have to go too. Our job is waiting for us," reminded Gray.
"Let's go!" said Natsu.
"Aye, sir!" exclaimed Happy.
-ooo-
It wasn't necessary for Erza to search a long time for Mystogan; when she departed from the city he appeared in front of her. He didn't look so supernatural in the daylight.
"Are you ready, Erza?" asked the masked man.
"Yes, I'm ready," the girl nodded. "But I still don't know what mission you were talking about."
"We are going to catch a monster that is hiding in the mountain south of Magnolia. It inhabits a cave system with two outlets. That's the reason I asked you to help me. You will enter the cave from the one side and me from the other, so the monster won't have a chance to get out."
"Let's go then," she said.
-ooo-
(1) It may seem strange that Mystogan asks Erza for Jellal Fernandes but he has a reason to do it… You will see…
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