a.n. Thank you very much for everyone who reviewed, followed or favorited. You made my day guys! I hope you all have a Happy New Year with endless blessing throughout 2015! I hope next year Mashima makes more Jerza! And Nalu! And Gruvia! Because I ship them! :D
Anyway, this is the new chapter. Hope you enjoy!
Chapter 2: The Scary Brother
Erza runs through the halls, following her guts and eventually she sees an exit. Carefully, she steps out from the building to the castle yard. She hides when she sees a bunch of panic soldiers.
"Thanks to you Jellal, the soldiers are really distracted," Erza says to no one in particular. She takes another minute to study the layout of the castle yard in case she has to go back here. Suddenly she feels a presence to her side, and with her trained agility she rolls forward, just a millisecond before an axe pierces the air on her previous position.
"We found another escapee! Scarlet White has escaped!" the axe wielder screams. Erza gets up to her feet when many soldiers come into view. Just in a matter of minute, she is surrounded. Erza suddenly remembers that Snow White has to slide down inside the sewer in order to escape, but she doesn't see any escape from the barricade of men.
A man swings his sword to her. Erza's trained body quickly spin around and she punch the man on his gut skillfully. She grabs the man's sword and use it to block the attack of other men. A man tries to punch her but she quickly sweep the man's feet and kick him to his friends' direction, taking them down in once. Erza grabs another sword with her free hand, half-wondering whether Snow White had this kind of fight inside the story or not. She strikes forward and slash the remaining men in her usual incredible speed and in an instant, she wipes fifteen.
"Who's next?" she points her blades to her surrounding. The remaining men cowers in fear, unless one. Erza points her blade to the last standing man. Just like other soldier, this one also wears a black mask.
"So you're next, huh?" Erza strikes forward to the man. He quickly draws his blade and blocks her slash. Erza eyes turn wide at the sight of gleaming blue sword in front of her.
"Ice?" Erza gasps, "Gray?"
The man pushes his blade forward, "So you know my name, huh, Scarlet White,"
Erza knows the voice since childhood, "You're Gray, right?" she pushes her blade forward and the man stumbled backward.
"How do you know me?" the man open his mask and reveal the familiar face to Erza.
"Oh, I just happen to know," she smirks a bit, "So you're planning to defeat me, huh?" Erza steps forward. She will never ever let the ice mage defeat her.
The raven-haired man chuckles, "This woman is interesting. Actually, rather than throwing you back to the prison I prefer to take you to the King,"
Erza lowers her sword, "The King?"
"You can be a lot more useful than a prisoner. Look, you wiped a whole batalyon at once," Gray turns around. "Come with me, Scarlet White," he gestures at her to follow him.
After some seconds of hesitating, Erza takes one step forward without losing any grip to her swords. She cannot decide what she has to do. Erza remember that this is not the Gray she knew and somehow she feels like risking something a bit too much to follow him to the King, "Why on earth should I follow your order?"
Gray makes a gesture and his gleaming blue sword turns into ordinary-like sword, "Tell me what you have as another choice,"
The red head warrior contemplates, "I can take you down then go away from here,"
"I'll make you swallow a slice of apple before you do that," Gray takes something from his pocket.
Erza blinks as she takes a good look at the red rounded thing on Gray's palm, "Apple? Ha, you sure are thinking so low about me. You cannot defeat me using that!"
"How naive," the man with apple smirks, "Strain her down, I don't care whatever you do, soldiers! Make her open her mouth!" Gray motions toward the red head.
For a milisecond, Erza holds of both her blades a little more tightly. She is confident enough that a bunch of human will not suffice to take her down for the sake of an apple.
Wait. Her inner self commands. Her head trails back to the moment Jellal freed her from her cell. A realization comes to her mind. Apple. Jellal said he also used apple to escape. Half sweatdropping and half concentrating, she begins to understand that that little piece of harmless fruit can do something beyond her comprehension.
Calculating the unknown danger before her, she takes a deep breathe. I guess I have to follow him for now, Erza decides. She shots continuous murder glare to soldiers surrounding her before focusing on Gray. "Wait, I will come with you,"
I am not chickened out. I just have to find more understanding about this world before doing something. Her mind defends herself.
The man with apple grins, "What's with the change of mind?"
Erza keeps silent, her glare pierces through the orb of the raven haired man, sending unsaid words that she is not afraid at all.
Gray inspects the red head for some heavy seconds before he makes the decision, "Fine. Come with me,"
"But, General Gray, we have to chain her down! She is a monster!" a soldier runs to Gray's side, the fear plasters his face.
M-Monster? Erza feels a vein poppes up her head.
Gray stops his step and turn around to look at the soldier and the red head, "Nope, one look and I know it will be no use," Gray says coldly then resumes his pace.
"What if she escapes like Jellal?" the soldier asks again. Erza's ear perks up as she hears that.
Gray turns to look at the red head.
Erza shots him with the same look of determination. "Take me to the King," Erza states plainly. She needs all information about this world and the nearest source of it is this King. She will take that chance.
"Come," Gray commands nonchalantly.
The soldier is about to comment again but Gray waves his hand, signalling him to silence. More to a will to punch Gray right up on his nose for his high-and-mighty act than curiousity, Erza decides to move her feet and catches up with Gray.
Erza thinks in wonder, this story has turned very different from the way she remembers. First, it should be her step-mother, but now she's going to meet the king. Assuming the King is her father, then why were she thrown into the prison?
She follows Gray in silence and she realizes that nobody opens their black mask. Everyone is staring intently at her. Somehow she doesn't see any single female inside the castle.
Soon, they reach the main building. A barricade of men divides and reveal a hall to throne room as Gray walks forward. Erza watches her surrounding cautiously as Gray, the only one who has pulled off his mask, leads her inside. Aside from roaming soldiers, the hall has lots of chandeliers which gives off the fairy-tale-like vibe. Lights from the candles sparkle in gold as she walks between them. She catches no glimpse of woman whatsoever.
"I have to put away your swords, Scarlet," Gray turns to look at the red head.
Erza contemplates for a few seconds before giving both swords to Gray. He takes them and gives them to nearest guard.
"It's kind of surprising," Gray glances at Erza, "You used to be so brutal,"
Erza eyes are widened, "Brutal? How so?"
Gray twitches, "Uh, nevermind. Let's go," he resumes their journey to throne room.
Resuming her step, Erza stares at Gray's sword and wondering if it is really 'magic' because she cannot use hers. She walks up to the man, "Gray, about your sword…"
Gray turns to see the escapee, "What?"
"You used magic, didn't you? Can you use magic in this world?"
"Magic? This world?" Gray's eyebrow creases as he stops his feet, "What are you talking about?"
Erza blinks, "The ice sword you used earlier, is it not magic?"
He stares at the red head questioningly, "Of course not. Apple is all the reason. Don't play dumb with me,"
Apple again?! Erza resists the urge to slap herself. This is just a dream. This is just a dream. A ridiculous dream. I must have eaten too much strawberry. A dream. A dream. Wake up. Please just end this dream. Erza chants silently to keep her sanity. After another five seconds she looks at the man in front of her who is busy eyeing her as if she grows a pair of whiskers.
"What?" Erza snaps at him.
The man sneers, "It is impossible for someone like you to have no knowledge about apple. You were trying to throw me off guard or something. Sorry that won't work!"
Erza sighs and puts up her best poker face, "Tell me more about apple, Gray,"
Gray snorts and walks away, "As if you can fool me. Now come quick,"
Her eyes are glued to the man who has just left her several steps behind him. She tries her best to resist her anger because Gray, that Gray, refuses to grant her wish! Nonetheless, she finally resumes her step and follows the raven-haired general. At least finally she knows that in this world, 'Scarlet White' is not just an ordinary citizen.
After a minute down the hall, Gray leads her to a pair of big doors shining in gold. Two guards salute to Gray and open the room and Erza's eyes grow wider. The room is not just gaudy. Everything inside the throne room is practically sparkling. Erza cannot sweep her feeling of familiarity. Pillowy wall with deep purple color. Chalky white and soft maroon flooring. Pillars with golden outlining. Complex pattern in silver and gold on the roof. And finally, a weird perfume tickles her nose and it smells… creepy…
Something is familiar with this setting.
Something she cannot put her finger around.
Erza shelters her eyes when she walks past a torch because its light is reflected by the golden patters rather intensely. She forces herself to look forward and sees the person who is sitting on the throne.
The setting is not just familiar to her, it is disastrously familiar.
To define her face as surprised is understatement.
Titania has just dropped her jaw ungracefully.
There on the throne, sits the King. He is a small man, his face is square-framed with rather long unkempt hair which is surprisingly sparkling in candle's light. His eyes are small between his strong face line and he is wearing a long white and red robe outlined in gold. A classic crown of gold and red sits rather strangely on his big head. The King sits in a very stylish manner, he puts one leg on his other leg as he sits straight on the throne. There is a wine glass on his right hand and his left hand is waving slowly with vague meanings.
Erza shudders heavily at the thought of having Ichiya as the King, her father.
Soon he realizes her coming with Gray, "Oh, my brother Gray, you're back? MMeeenn!" the Ichiya, er… the King, speaks as he changes the position of his legs and waves his hand affectionately to Gray.
"B-B-B-BROTHER?" Erza rigidly turns to Gray. The thought of Ichiya and Gray become sibling is terrifying. Nonetheless, the raven haired man shrugs it off rather easily.
"Yes, my brother. I am back," Gray states with almost no emotion and Erza gapes at the sight. The Gray she knew was not very immune to things like this. Revise, to Ichiya-things like this.
"And I see you're not bringing 'the hunted-man' to me, my brother Gray," the King stands up and poses, er.. gracefully, with his hand waving on the air. Some sparkles fly up from his hair as he turns his head. Erza fights back the urge to slam something down due to the disgusting sight.
"Yes, my brother. 'The hunted-man' escaped from the castle to the direction of Dark Forest,"
The King's jaw drops to the ground, "D-D-D-Dark Forest?! Meeennnn!"
Gray sighs, "Yeah, yeah, you don't have the power inside that forest right?"
The King is down on his feet and raises his arms to the air dramatically, which Erza finds very scary. "We have to track him down and bring him back here, my brother! We have to!" the King sheds tears.
The 'brother' nods while Erza shudders, "And that is why I bring back our other prisoner," he steps aside and gives Erza the full view of the King. Erza slightly trembles as she remembers the way Ichiya she knew behaved around her. She exchanges glances with the 'sparkling' king and then she quickly averts her gaze to Gray, who is looking at the King.
The throne room is enveloped in silence as the King slowly walks toward Erza. Everyone is waiting in anticipation. The King walks behind Erza, sniffing, and Erza fights the urge to kick the man like she used to do. Finally the King walks back to his previous position in front of his throne and stares back at the red head. Erza tries her best not to shudder.
Minutes fall like forever.
A crow caws from somewhere.
"Who is she?" the King asks.
And the whole throne room falls to the ground.
Erza gulps, half-praising Mavis that Ichiya doesn't know about her. Gray stands up rather angrily, "This is Scarlet White! Princess of Magnus! How can you forget someone you threw into the jail?!"
Magnus? Erza ears perk up and she nearly cries happily. So I am not originally a princess in this castle. Oh thanks Mavis I am not Ichiya's daughter inside this story.
The King rolls his eyes, obviously trying to remember, "Men… Why did I throw her to the cell?"
Gray groans in annoyance, "She tried to deceive you by posing as Natsu!"
"What?!" Erza gapes at the words. Why on earth she would pose as Natsu?
After some blinks and sparkling poses, the King's eyes grow big, "Oooh, I remember! Thanks to her, we're deceived and I cannot use Natsu! MEENN!" the King shouts.
Why on earth Ichiya needs Natsu? Erza blinks in confusion. This is definitely not the story of Snow White whatsoever.
"Natsu is the youth you need, my brother, and posing as him is unforgivable!" Gray says in exasperation.
Erza tilts her head slightly, trying to process fragments of informations from her surrounding.
"Oh yes, I need the youngster to keep me young forever! Of course halting me in any way is unforgivable!" the King slams his throne and points at 'Scarlet White', "You are unforgivable! Let her rot in prison!"
Erza sweatdrops as her jaw drops to the ground (again). That's right, she finally understands the difference in this story: it's not the stepmother who wants the youth of young girl, but a crazy king who needs young men to keep his youth forever! No matter how Erza tries to look at it, she feels nauseus. She wants to wake up from this nightmare.
"Hold it, brother," Gray steps forward and takes Erza's arm rather forcefully, "We can use her help to find the hunted-man,"
The King spins once (and Erza shudders in disgust) and waves his hand at Gray, "What do you mean? Nobody may survive the Dark Forest, my brother Gray,"
Gray looks at Erza and grins, "Oh, I think she will survive, she wipes out a batalyon easily, you know? What's a Dark Forest for her then?"
The King blinks and poses in one leg, "I understand, but what if she escapes too?"
Gray holds Erza's shoulder nonchalantly, "I will go with her to make sure that she will be back,"
One second.
Two seconds.
A cow moos from somewhere.
"WHAAATT?! MEEENNN!" the King suddenly screams and jumps to to Gray, holding him tightly. Erza shrieks and jumps to the side as Gray spontaneously releases his grip on her. The King hugs the raven-haired man with teary eyes, "I cannot let you go, my brother! MMeeenn! I cannot let a handsome man like you go!"
Erza trembles at the sight of the King's teary eyes toward his 'brother' who doesn't even stir. Gray sighs and release himself from the King's grip, "Since you cannot have Natsu, we have to get Jellal the hunted-man back,"
"Buuuut~"
"No buts, brother, you need the youth and I will bring it to you," Gray spins around and walks away just a millisecond before the King jumps to his previous position to hold him. The result is the King now sprawls on the floor, teary eyed. Gray looks around to jaw-dropped Erza, "Oi, Scarlet White! What are you waiting for?"
Erza is instantly freed from the trance of watching the King. She quickly runs to Gray's side and let him lead her out of the throne room to the hall, leaving the King wails in even more dramatic objection to Gray's decision. The raven-haired man stops once they are out of the hall. Erza stops by his side, resisting the urge to bombard Gray with questions.
Gray turns to see three masked men is standing to his left. The three bow to him and Gray walks toward them, "Make sure you take care of the castle in my absence,"
"Yes, Prince Gray!"
"Yes, Senior Gray!"
"Yes, Master Gray!"
Erza blinks, the reactions seem familiar to her. She watches in anticipation as the three opens their mask and reveal their face. Three men, all smiling and proud, "We're Trimens, at your service!" they shout (and pose) together. Erza gapes (again) at the sight. Those three are unmistakably the Trimens. She opens her mouth to make a comment but the three salute to her.
"Please take care Miss Scarlet White!"
"Please take care Princess Scarlet White!"
"Please take care Mighty Scarlet White!"
Mighty? Erza sweatdrops at the last salute and is about to retort when Gray taps on her shoulder.
"Let's go to the weaponry," Gray then walks away. Erza nods and follows him quickly. As they walk away from the main building, Erza catches a glimpse of shuddering Gray.
In fact, this Gray is not immune to Ichiya-things too. Erza stifles a laugh.
to be continued in Chapter 3: The Deal
a.n. I had trouble with the fighting scene, honestly. I hope I captured it well. Yup, the difference between this story and real Snow White has been revealed, ohohoho :D
There is no Jellal inside this chap, but I promise you will meet him in the next chapter ;)
Actually this chapter is one of the best writing I've done for a while. I was contemplating about which character I should put as the King's brother and finally…. I chose Gray *LOL* because he has a tendency to be adored by male too. Writing about Erza's reaction near the King's presence was very veeery amusing for me (to the point when someone stared at me because I laughed by myself on the public bench) so basically I am so happy during this chap writing.
Please tell me what you think! See you soon next year!