Chapter 4: Finding a Kindred Soul

The entire guild was quiet when Erza said that she lost. They have forgotten the last time she failed a mission and some have joked that she never failed a mission before, but her voice sounded too sincere for her to be making a joke.

A pink haired member of the guild wearing a scarf was the first to speak up.

Natsu:" You must have gone easy on him then."

Erza turned her gaze to Natsu with an expression of dead seriousness on her face.

Erza:" No Natsu. I lost out right to him. I couldn't even land a single blow, and I tried almost everything against him, but he outmaneuvered me every time. I even tried using Purgatory against him, but he sent me flying backwards with a telekinetic blast that ripped my armor to shreds."

Natsu first went pale at the thought of someone beating Erza that badly, but his love of for fighting changed his expression into pure glee.

Natsu:" Someone living in the woods is stronger than Erza?! I want to find him and fight him myself!" he said with childish excitement.

Erza grabbed Natsu's scarf and pulled him back to her slowly.

Erza:" I'm in no condition to stop you right now, but hear my warning well. If you fight him, you will lose Natsu. I know how much you love to fight, but that could be dangerous for you if you fight him. I could have died Natsu! It was only thanks to the very man that defeated me that I'm standing here now. I don't think he knows just how powerful he really is or else I might have received less injuries." She whispered to Natsu in a concerned and serious tone of voice.

The way that Erza was talking to him just made him want to run out the door even faster, but it was her increasing tone of warning and concern that stopped him from simply breaking out of Erza's grip and running out the door.

Natsu:" Is he really that strong that you would warn me like this? And what do you mean by only thanks to him?"

Erza requiped out the top part of her casual armor and showed Natsu and indirectly the entire guild that was looking at her the bandages across her torso and chest.

Erza:" He bandaged my wounds using his own clothing and left food for me when I had regained consciousness. I did not expect this kindness from him when I was the one who attacked first. I don't think he is the kind of man who should have such a high bounty on him or someone who would commit such crimes."

Natsu:" I get it Erza. You don't want me to get hurt or for me to fight him because he was nice to you. Since you're my friend, a scary friend at that, I will heed your warning."

Erza smiled and let go of Natsu.

Erza:" Thank you Natsu."

Natsu walked back to a seat and motioned to Erza to take a seat next to him. He wanted to her how her fight went in detail.

Erza:" Maybe later Natsu, but I need to speak with master about this first."

She requiped her top armor back on and walked to the master's room. Members of the guild began chatting with one another when Erza shut the door behind her.

"How strong is this guy to take down Erza at her full strength?!" a member said with surprise and curiosity.

"It seems odd that he would treat the wounds of someone who attacked him. Maybe he is a nice guy." Another member commented and wondered.

In Makarov's office:

Makarov:" Howdy Erza! It took you a whole week to complete that mission?"

Erza:" No master… I lost."

Makarov:" Well…. That is most unexpected! Are you hurt by any chance?"

Erza:" I was when he defeated me. He got me really good actually. Still a little bit sore to be honest, but for the most part I'm fine master. I would be in much worse shape if he didn't treat my wounds."

Makarov:" He treated your wounds after he beat you?! I thought he lived in the woods, what did he use to bandage you up with?"

Erza removed the top part of her armor to show master what was used to bandage her.

Erza: " He used the top portion of the only clothing he has to bandage my wounds. He also left me food on a nightstand next to me when I woke up in a bed."

Makarov:" That seems very kind of him and not like the kind of person who would be charged with the crimes that he is charged with."

Erza:" I thought that as well master. I didn't tell anyone else this but I managed to see his face."

Makarov:" probably would have had to if those really are his cloths you have on you. Since he was never given a facial description in the flyer perhaps you could tell me what he looked like then.

Erza:" His skin was light in color, his eyes were light brown, there was a black beard on his face that was about a couple of inches long, and he had a rugged and un-kept appearance. I'm not sure master but it looked like he had been living in those woods for years."

Makarov:" Would make sense since the original flyer was distributed 4 years ago, but that is not all that you want to tell me is it?"

Erza:" No it's not Master. When I approached him to thank him for his hospitality I noticed that there were scars all over his body. Master I know these kinds of scars: they were not inflicted by battle. No, the kinds of scars I were from torture and other cruelties I do not wish to think about. He also has A red mark of skin on his stomach and back that has me to believe that he was impaled sometime during his life."

Makarov's face turned pale with an expression of disgust and concern.

Makarov:" how old do you think the scars are?"

Erza:" I don't know master, but they are certainly very old, and many were almost a foot long."

Makarov:" Poor kid. He must have had a hard life. It kind of reminds me of Erza's life a bit." He thought sadly and sympathetically to himself.

Erza:" Master: I would like to talk with him and repay his kindness by buying him some new robes."

Makarov:" You want to head back that way so soon? Are you sure that you are well enough for the travel?"

Erza:" I am fine enough to travel master. I will meet him on a friendlier basis. There are questions I would like to ask him."

Makarov:" Like how and when did he get the scars on his body I take it?"

Erza:" Yes."

Makarov knew there was no point in stopping Erza from pursuing something that reminded her of her own past.

Makarov:" You may go Erza, but do not take too long. I want you to rest as soon as you get back."

Erza:" I will master."

Erza got up from her seat in front of Makarov's desk and left the guild hall. She searched the town for a clothing store or tailoring shop that had robes for sale. Robes were not that common in terms of normal civilian use, but there are no bans against wearing them either.

It took Erza a couple of hours of searching to finally find a clothing store that sold robes. The store owner was a fair skinned woman in her mid to late forties and always had a smile on her face.

Store owner:" Hello there! What can I get for you my dear?" she asked kindly.

Erza:" What do you have in terms of male robes? A friend of mine got his robes torn beyond repair and I feel responsible for making that happen. Can you show me what you have?"

Store owner:" Sure I can! Just give me a few minutes to get them out to display."

Erza nodded her head and waited as the store owner searched through tall cabinets and display cases. She brought out the robes, one by one, and laid them on the counter. There were a total of 8 robes displayed on the long counter.

Store owner:" Take your time and tell me when you know which one you want."

Erza nodded her head and examined each of the robes. Most of them were extravagant in color and in design, but that didn't quite seem to fit the kind of person that she was buying the robes for. She handed the store owner back the robes she knew that she wouldn't buy. When she examined the robe on the far right of the counter, a sort of intuition told her that these were the robes to buy.

The robes were brown in color, it had a brown hood hanging on the back of the neck hole, and there were plates of some kind on the shoulders and chest. The robes also came with two forearm guards and a pair of long brown boots.

While this was not the most awe inspiring cloth she every purchased, it was the robes that she knew were the ones to buy.

Erza:" I want these robes." She said as she point to the brown robes, boots, and forearm guards on the counter.

Store owner:" Excellent choice mam! Let me just ring those up for you."

Erza:" I hope he likes them."

Store owner:" I'm certain he will. I know these kinds of things." She said as she finished ring up Erza's purchase.

Store owner:" That will be 3,000 jewels please."

Erza equips her purse to her left hand and pulls out enough money to pay for the outfit. She hands the owner the money with a small smile on her face.

Store owner:" thank you and come again anytime you want." She said as Erza walked towards the door.

Erza placed the outfit inside her dimensional equipment space as to prevent any damage to it while walking on the road and through the make shift path.

It took Erza a bit longer to get back to the remote house due to her sore body, but she got there none the less. She found Galen still sitting in the same spot that she last saw him in.

Erza:" He didn't move at all? How odd." She thought to herself

She approached Galen in a formal and friendly posture. Galen stood up and turned around to face someone he was surprised to see return so soon.

Galen:" I did not expect you to return so soon."

Erza couldn't help but look down for a brief moment. While he had scars all over his body, he was in extremely good shape and it made him appealing to her. Erza quickly regained control of herself and walked up to Galen.

Erza:" I wanted to formally apology to you for my behavior and repay the hospitality you showed me."

Galen could not sense any deception or hostility from her. She really meant what she is saying. This was comforting to him since he didn't have any pleasant company for 4 years now.

Galen:" What is it that you wish to give me in terms of repayment?"

Erza:" It is probably best if I showed you inside the house since I don't want to ruin what I bought you."

Galen's cheeks felt a little warm from this, but he was not blushing since he had no experience with such things. He led her into the house and motioned with his left hand for her to take a seat on the bed. Galen then grabbed a wooden chair and sat in front of her.

Erza equipped the brown robe outfit that she had bought for him into her hands and presented them to him. Galen gently took the robes and examined them while they were still folded. Erza noticed a look of extreme shock and surprise on his face. As he unfolded the robes while setting down the boots and forearm guards to his left side, his expression changed to that of sadness and remorse.

Galen:" These look exactly like my father's robes." He said solemnly as he stared into the robes.

It seems that the robes were bringing up painful memories for Galen. Erza looked at Galen with concerned and sympathetic eyes.

Erza:" Can you tell me about it? About your father?"

Galen did not answer her or react to her at all. Erza knew that look all too well as she wore it herself a long time ago and still remembers the pain of it. She understood if he didn't want to talk about it, but now she was going to stay with him until he could, or bring him to fairy tail with her.

Erza:" It's ok if you don't want to talk about it, I understand. I have something that I want to ask you and it's a little personal to me."

Galen noticed that her feelings were getting easier to read. Perhaps she was trying to open up to him a little. He felt the empathy and compassion radiating from her and was a little happy for it.

Galen:" What is it that you want to ask of me?"

Erza:" I can tell that you have been out here alone for years. I don't know what exactly happened that put a bounty on your head in the first place, but that doesn't really matter to me anymore since I don't believe you're the kind of man that would do things like that. I don't want you to live out here alone: that would tear into me if you did. Please come with me to my guild. We can provide you with a better place to live and people who you can call friends."

This was a very unexpected and unusual favor that he has been asked, but it was in no way unpleasant.

Galen:" There is just one thing I need to do before I go with you."

Erza:" and that is?" she asked with a little bit of excitement in her voice that he agreed to go so quickly.

Galen simply crawled under the bed and pulled out a satchel filled with crystals of unique color and shape. He reached underneath the bed again and pulled out what looked like the same kind of weapon he had used to fight Erza with. He crawled out from under the bed and stood back up.

Galen:" I should probably change into the robes you gave me. I'll meet you outside once I've changed."

Erza nodded her head and went out the door. She waited for Galen 10 feet from the door. After about 7 minutes, Galen opened the door and stepped outside wearing what looked like a perfect copy of his father's robes.

Galen:" I'm ready."

Erza:" Follow me then."

Galen followed beside Erza as they reentered the road and walked towards Magnolia.

Erza:" I don't suppose that we can introduce ourselves on the way there?"

Galen:" My name is Galen Marek."

Erza:" Sound like a strong name for a strong person. My name is Erza Scarlet and I'm from the guild Fairy Tail."

Galen:" I never really had much of a home at all for 15 years."

Erza:" I'm sorry to here that." She said as tears built up in her eyes.

They continued the walk in silence. After a few hours, they finally made it to Magnolia. The streets were made from carved rock and brick as well as the houses. Eventually they reached a giant wooden building with a banner hung above the door. The banner had a white symbol in the middle of it.

Erza pushed the large wooden doors open as she and Galen entered the guild hall. Everyone on the first floor looked towards Erza with expressions of confusion and curiosity. Beside Erza stood a young man with a thick beard wearing brown robes: They looked at Erza with curiosity about why did she bring someone else with her. Happy was the first one to voice the rest of the guilds' thoughts.

Happy:" Howdy Erza! Welcome back! Who is that guy wearing the brown robes with you."

Erza:" His name is Galen Marek. I would give a more descriptive introduction, but I would like for the master to meet him first."

Happy nodded his head and flew back where he was before she entered.

Makarov's office:

Makarov:" Welcome back Erz…." He was saying until he then noticed Galen flowing up Erza and closing the door behind him.

Makarov:" Who is this with you?"

Erza:" this is the one that defeated me and bandaged me master. His name is Galen Marek. I wanted to see if you could let him join Fairy Tail master: he has been living alone for too long."

Makarov:" On that we can agree. Thank you Galen for treating my child's wounds even though you didn't have to."

Erza:" Master. Could you give Galen the memory lacrima?"

Makarov:" Whatever for Erza?"

Erza stands next to Makarov's right side and whispers something in his ear. Makarov nods his head as Erza stands back to her previous spot. Makarov gestures to Galen to sit in the seat in front of in and then hands Galen a small crystal ball.

Makarov:" This is a memory lacrima Galen. I want you to put a little bit of your power into this orb and try to recall the events that have taken place in your life."

Galen took the ball without another word and began to pour a very small portion of his power into the orb. Galen then began to recall the events of his life that most impacted him.

Visions of memories past were projected from the orb into a visible screen just in front of Galen's face.

The first vision that Makarov and Erza saw was a wooden cabin that was circle shaped. They saw a dark figure standing on two legs that breathed a very ominous noise. His left hand was held up in a chocking posture. A old looking man wearing robes that were an exact copy of Galen's current robes was being held up in the air and chocked by an invisible force.

Vader:" I sense someone far more powerful nearby. Tell me: where is your master?

Kento:" The darkside has clouded your mind. You killed my master years ago."

Vader:" Then you will share his fate!" he says as he is about to throw his light saber.

Before Vader could throw the saber, which looked like the same kind of weapon that Galen has except that is red instead of blue, his saber was pulled out of his hands by an invisible force. Vader turns around to see that a boy, no old than 6, was holding his lightsaber.

Based on the look of the boy, both Erza and Makarov guessed that the boy was Galen when he was very young.

The boy looked scared and confused as he looked up at Vader.

Vader:" A son?"

Kento:" RUN!" He yelled out before Vader used the force to break his neck.

Both Erza and Makarov gasped in horror at the brutality of this dark armored man.

" He killed his father in front of him when he was just a child!? He's a heartless bastard!" they both thought at the same time.

Soldiers in white armor appeared in the room with what looked like guns pointed at the child. An unarmored officer steps into the room.

He notices the child holding Vader's saber and motions to his squad to arm their weapons and aim them at the child.

The scene was almost too cruel to watch, but Erza and Makarov looked on anyway.

Before the first shot was fired, Vader pulled the lightsaber back into his hands and killed the armor troops and the officer as well. He turns back to the child.

Vader:" Come with me. More will be here soon."

While the voice was indeed a male's voice, it sounded very mechanical to Erza and Makarov.

The visions then began showing different events of his early childhood. They saw him be beaten mercilessly whenever he failed to accomplish something, hung to a stone wall in chains and left there for days on end, left in a dark pit where nothing could be seen for weeks without food, and having to defend himself in torturous training exercises for days or even weeks at a time with no rest.

Vader told him to embrace the darkside, his hatred, and his anger. Galen called Vader master since this was drilled into him by the ceaseless training, torture, and suffering he endured.

Erza+Makarov:" How is it possible for someone to be this cruel!?" they both thought.

The vision shows Vader's knighting of Galen as his apprentice and assassin. The visions then skip to when Galen defeated Kazdan Paratus

Kazdan: " I'm sorry masters. I failed you again." He said weakly

A bright blue light then shot out of Kazdan's body before his body went completely limp. Galen felt a bit of pity and sadness for Kazdan, but it barely showed.

The vision skips to when Galen defeated Shaak Ti

Shaak Ti wabblies backwards from the wounds she received from Galen and stands in a crouched stance as she is dangerously close to the Sarlaac pit.

Shaak Ti:" You are Vader's slave, but your power is wasted with him. You could be so much more."

Galen:" You will never convince me to betray my master!"

The way that he said that made it sound like he was treating Vader as if he was his father. This hit the feels of both Erza and Makarov like a train. That someone that tortured him would be defended by him so zealously was beyond words of disgust and dismay.

Shaak Ti:" Poor boy. The Sith always betray one another, but I'm sure you will learn that soon enough." She said as she leaned backwards into the pit.

The same blue light that emitted from Kazdan also emitted from Shaak Ti.

The vision shows a time a little later when Galen enters Vader's flag ship. Vader suddenly thusts his lightsaber through his chest and is ordered by the emperor to kill Galen. Vader throws Galen around the room until he is flung into space.

The vision skips to when Galen is revived on a medical bed. Galen sees his "master" looking at him a foot away from the bottom of the medical bed.

Galen:" YOU! YOU KILLED ME!"

Vader:" No. The Emperor wanted you dead. I salvaged your body and brought you here… to be rebuilt."

Galen:"WHY!?"

Vader:" The Emperor needed to believe that you were dead. Now you can have your revenge and fulfill your destiny."

Galen:"…..What is thy biding my master."

Vader:" The Emperor's spies watch my every move. We must provide them with a distraction."

Galen:" What sort of distraction? An assassination?"

Vader:" No single act will gain the Emperor's notice. You must assemble an army to oppose him."

Galen:"An army!?"

Vader:" Yes. An alliance of rebels and dissidence. When these rebels have distracted the Emperor and his spies, We will strike."

Galen:" Where should I start?"

Vader:" Your destiny is now your own. Sever all ties to your past. No one must know that you still serve me. Now go and remember that the darkside is always with you."

The vision skips to the forest world Kashyyyk when Galen walks into the empty wooden house.

Kento Marek:" I never wanted this for you. I never wanted any of this for you. I'm sorry son."

The ghost like appearance of Kento then fades away.

Galen:"WAIT. Father NO!" he shouted desperately.

The vision skips to Galen pulling down a class 1 star destroyer into the Ion cannon.

Erza:" That's….. amazing, incredible. He pulled down that Massive thing with telekinesis?" she thought to herself.

Makarov:" The boy's a lot strong than I thought he would be. He might give the wizard saints a run for their money even." He thought to himself.

The vision shows how Galen takes his machine friend back with him even though it said that he should be just left there. It showed Erza and Makarov that this "proxy" must be a close friend to him.

The vision skips to a snow covered world. Vader had thrown Galen violently into out of the build he was in and near the edge of a cliff. Galen raised his head from the all fours position and screamed at his master.

Galen:" YOU AGREED TO STAY AWAY!"

Vader:" I lied. As I have from the very beginning."

He begins to choke Galen using the force.

Galen:" You never planned to destroy the emperor."

Vader:" Not with you, no."

Vader threw him to the edge of the cliff and Galen had to hold on to the side to prevent himself from falling.

Galen:" Without me… you will never be free."

Before Vader could land the final blow, his friend proxy gave his life to save him.

Both Erza and Makarov were shedding tears at proxy's death.

Erza+Makarov:" How tragically Ironic that the best friend he had that was made to kill him ended up saving his life instead." They both thought.

The vision skips to Galen holding the edge of a hydraulic pipe, ready to jump out of his ship.

Juno:" Am I ever going to see you again?"

Galen:" probably not, no."

Juno:" then I will never need to live this down."

She kisses Galen tenderly.

Galen:" Good bye Juno." He says as he falls backwards out of the ship.

The vision now skips to where Galen is attacking his "master" brutally and sends him crashing through a window, into the Emperors throne room on the death star. Vader looks pitifully weak now as he struggles to get up. The Emperor approaches Galen with a pleased tone of voice.

Emperor:" Yes kill him. He was weak, broken. Kill him and you can take your right full place at my side."

Kota:" NO!" he yells.

He pulls the emperors lightsaber off of him and attempts to strike him, but is quickly and violently thrown back by the emperor's lightning. Kota grumbles in screams as the lighting continued to cause him agony.

Organa:" Help Him!" he yells in a begging tone to Galen.

Galen was torn between his choices, but resolves to save Kota.

The vision shows Galen viscously attacking the emperor and blocking his lighting with his saber. Galen throws the emperor to the ground hard.

Emperor:" You were destined to destroy me. Do it! Give in to your hatred."

Galen held his ignited saber in front of him, ready to kill the emperor but was stopped by Kota.

Kota:" He is beaten. Let it go."

Galen:" It's a trick. He is stronger than you know and deserves to die for what he has done to me."

Erza and Makarov could see the emotional struggle Galen was being put through and wished that he was not in that situation to begin with.

Kota:" Maybe so, but if you strike him down in anger you will be right back where you began."

Galen:"….. get Bale and the others out of here. I'll be right behind you."

He said as he switched off his saber.

The emperor dropped his façade when Galen's ship came towards the nearest docking port and shot out his lightning at Kota when his back was turned. Galen intercepted the lightning with his bare hands.

Galen:" Go! Hurry!" he shouted to his friends.

Galen:" Protect the senators." He said to Kota.

Storm troopers had entered the room and started shooting at the fleeing rebels. Galen inched his way closer and closer to the emperor until he grabbed his arms and forced the emperor to feel the power of his own lightning.

Galen screamed as loudly as he could as the energy from the contact of his hands to the emperor's arms caused an explosion of light.

The vision fades and goes dark for a while. It then reappears in the image of a blue sky and Galen floating in a lake. The vision shows Galen killing a black scaled monster and taking a piece of it's hide. Galen walks down the forced path through the tree line where he encounters Bora and his plan to put a tracking device on the creature.

They saw his small struggle to kill this worm of a wizard but decides to spare his life. Unfortunate it seemed like a group of officer knights arrived at the most inopportune time and accused him of attempted murder. Galen uses telekinesis to push the guards into several trees and knocking them out. The vision fades as Galen walks down the opposite direction of where the guards came from.

Galen dissipates the energy he put into the orb and hands it back to Makarov.

The office was deathly silent for what seemed like hours. Both Erza and Makarov were still trying to process what was shown to them. Eventually Makarov finds his voice and is the first to speak.

Makarov:" You're not from Earthland at all are you?"

Galen nods his head in response.

Makarov:" Considering what me and Erza just saw, I think I'm right in saying that you could really use a true home again since the one you had was taken away from you. Galen… I would be honored if you joined Fairy Tail. We are more than just a guild Galen: we are a family here, a family that loves and protects one another. Brings joy to those who are crying and friendship to the lonely. Let us be like a family to Galen and maybe you will find the peace and joy that your heart has longed for your whole life." He says as he extends his right hand out to Galen.

Galen looked at Makarov's hand and could sense that he was being truthful and compassionate. Galen shakes Makarov's hand with his left.

Makarov:" Welcome to Fairy Tail Galen. You will be a great addition to our family."

Erza:" If you ever need someone to talk to Galen, I'm all ears. I know the kind of pain you've endured: Suffering, torture, betrayal, los, sadness, and sacrifice." She says as she gives Galen a strong hug and wipes some of her tears off on his left shoulder.

Galen could sense her sincerity and pain in her voice and mind. She let go of him and bowed respectively to him.

Makarov:" Go see Mira about getting your official guild stamp. She is the pretty lady in the red dress who runs the bar."

Galen bows respectively to Makarov and Erza and leaves the room. Galen sat down on the first available seat in front of the bar counter.

Galen:" Mira is it?" he asks as he looks at the woman in the red dress who had white hair.

Mira:" Yes that's me? Who are you? Are you looking to join Fairy Tail?"

Galen:" My name is Galen Marek. Master Makarov told me to ask you about a guild stamp."

Mira:" So you are here to join then. Great! It's been a while since we got a new member to the guild. Now what do you want the color of stamp to be?"

Galen:" Blue with white outlining."

Mira:" good choice! Now where do you want the stamp?" she asked as she held a stamper in her left hand.

Galen:" Back of my left hand will do."

Mire presses the stamp on the back of Galen's left hand and a blue fairy tail symbol with white outlining was marked onto his hand.

Mira:" Welcome to Fairy Tail Galen Marek!" she said happily and excitedly.

Author's notes: Hope you guys enjoy the chapter and if you have any ideas let me know.