Hello, people! Nightlingbolt here! Welcome back for more "Meddling!"

So yeah, this update is just to reassure you all that I'm okay. I was practically on my feet again by late afternoon yesterday, and the worst of it is that I have to take a pill for the pain (having your gums sliced open will hurt one way or another), and I have to put ice on my cheeks every so often to reduce the swelling.

Now, about the chapter itself: this was all ready to go this morning, but then I read Chapter 268, and... Jellal's posing as Mystogan. I shit you not. After saying he couldn't even go near the site of the Games, he ends up pulling this loophole on us! I mean, next we're going to see that Ultear's the leader of the Mermaid Heel team (it does look like her)!

Still, I don't think Jellal will keep up the facade past the Grand Magic Games. After all... well, I had to incorporate this new information in the chapter somehow, so you'll see the logic I used soon enough.

I don't own Fairy Tail or its characters, Hiro Mashima does.

It was then that Mirajane decided to pull out the big guns. "Speaking of romance, how are things with you and Jellal?"

If Erza had had a drink. She would be choking on it right now. "Wha... what?" she stuttered.

"You heard me," said Mirajane. "You. Jellal. What's the situation?"

"There's no situation!" said Erza sternly. "Jellal and I have come to an understanding."

"An understanding?" repeated Mirajane. "Uh-oh, that doesn't sound good."

Erza sighed. "Well, it's the best thing for us," she said. "We got to talking, things got... heated..." But the scarlet-haired mage couldn't hide her blush.

"Did you kiss?" prompted Mirajane. Erza only nodded in reply.

"He told me he had a fiance," Erza recalled. "He was lying, of course."

Mirajane frowned. "Why would he do something like that?" she asked.

"Because if I were to be with him, I would be damning myself to the life of a fugitive, and Jellal doesn't want that for me," explained Erza. "He knows that eventually, I'd have to make an impossible choice: our love or Fairy Tail. I was forced to turn my back on everything I ever loved once upon a time. I won't do so again." A tear ran down her cheek. "All I want for Jellal is to find his happy ending."

Mirajane opened her mouth to ask something else, then let the matter drop. He couldn't pose as Mystogan like he did during the games. According to him, the consequences for Fairy Tail could be dire. Finally, Mirajane spoke again.. "So. Is there anyone you're thinking of now?"

Erza quirked a brow. "What do you mean by that?" she asked.

"You know!" said Mirajane brightly. "Someone who can give you what Jellal can't? Like Gray? Gajeel? Or maybe even... Natsu?"

The listed names had their desired effects. At Gray, Erza gave a noncommital shrug (though she did steal a nervous glance at Juvia). Gajeel's name caused her to cringe. But when Mirajane got to Natsu, that's when Erza got defensive.

"I hardly think that's any of your business, Mirajane!" the Titania said sharply. She got up from the bar and walked away in a huff.

Okay, so there were obviously some feelings for Natsu, so things were looking good for the Dragon Slayer. But still, his feelings were supposed to remain a secret, so he would have to be the one to initiate any sort of romantic contact. But again, the question was this: how do you get a secretive Dragon Slayer to open up to the object of his affection without telling him you knew the truth? The simple answer: you didn't.

Fortunately, the Demon of Fairy Tail had a hidden ace up her sleeve. Now was the time to play it.

To say that Erza was confused would be an understatement.

Damn that Mirajane for bringing up Jellal, forcing her to spill her guts concerning the ex-Wizard Saint, and of all things, implying that she had feelings for Natsu!

Well, in reality, she did, but that was besides the point! That woman has no business meddling in other people's love lives! She had nothing but harsh words for the poor soul who put that thought in her friend's head!

Oh, who was she kidding? Knowing Mira, she probably reached that conclusion on her own. That woman's mind was an enigma.

Still, there was no room for coincidence in Mira's words. She had said Gray's name to teast the waters, Gajeel's name to get a reaction out of her, and finally, Natsu's name in the hopes of confirming her feelings. A classic one-two-three setup.

Still, she thought, it wasn't Mira's fault that Natsu just happened to have all the qualities she sought in a man. He was strong, he was loyal, he had a bright personality, and it didn't hurt that he was handsome.

Wait... Weren't those the traits she admired in Jellal?

Still, she had to admit that Natsu had traits that made him charming in a way that made him altogether different from Jellal. He was quite boisterous, but in all honesty, her own personality would never land her a gentleman. He was a bit of an idiot, but he was smart when he needed to be, and he had a good sense of fun and when it was time to be serious.

But was romance even something he took seriously? Hardly. He seemed to be too afraid of Lisanna to pursue anything with her. Well, it wasn't Lisanna he feared so much as it seemed to be the intimacy a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship implied.

She knew the feeling well. Despite her feelings, she had barely ever opened her heart to anyone but Master Makarov until the incident at the Tower. No, she had been hellbent on remaining the stern knight with only one goal: to protect her guild from the evil only she knew about.

But then came Natsu, the Fire Dragon. Somehow, he had breathed a flame hot enough to melt the armored shell that surrounded her heart and expose the scared little girl that it had protected for eight years. And much to her surprise, the beast that had exposed her had shown nothing but patience, kindness, and understanding.

"Erza!" a voice called out to her, snapping her out of her thoughts. Erza looked up to see Bisca, who had taken on the role of Fairy Hills matron in her absence, and her daughter Asuka. The sharpshooter had gained the experience of motherhood in the seven years after Tenrou Island disappeared, so it only seemed natural that she take over the care of the other girls.

"Sorry, Bisca," said Erza. "I must have spaced out a bit."

"Really," said Bisca. "That's not like you, Erza."

"Well, Mira's gotten me thinking about some things," said Erza.

"Like what?" asked Bisca.

"Love, romance... just silly things, Bisca," Erza assured the green-haired mage.

"Is that right? I wonder..." Bisca said to herself. "Anyway, Lucy came by to drop this off for you." She pulled out a folded piece of paper and handed it to Erza. "She says it's from Natsu."

"From... Natsu?" repeated Erza. Ignoring the odd coincidence, she took the note and read it.

"Erza-

Meet me just outside the Eastern Forest at four o'clock.

-Natsu

"What's it say? What's it say?" asked an excited Asuka.

"Asuka, honey, that note has nothing to do with you," Bisca lightly scolded.

"No, it's fine, Bisca," said Erza with a smile. "It's just a note from Natsu asking me to meet him somewhere."

"Like a date?" asked Asuka innocently.

Erza glared at Bisca. "What have you been teaching her?" she asked indignantly. Bisca ignored her, picked up her daughter, and left in embarrassment.

Erza sighed. Every day, this guild made a little less sense. She looked at the time; 2:45. She supposed she should prepare to meet Natsu.

Okay, that's another chapter down!

And since you people seem to need every little thing explained to you, as evidenced by the reviews for Traveler in ABCs... you know what? No! I'll explain in the next chapter! If you think you get it, let me know in a PM.

I think I've got a good U word for ABCs, but I still need to see if I can stretch it out into 1,000 words. I'll work on that, and hopefully ABCs will be my next update. Until then, peace and love from Nightlingbolt.