Retribution

Chapter 10

"You think that we can go back to the guildhall, Ravan?" his younger brother asked as they walked down the road, headed to Erza's house. "Before Marin goes home?"

"I'm not concerned about that," he grumbled, keeping his head down and voice low. "I don't know if you've noticed, but there's some actual, serious stuff going on."

"I know," he mumbled. "But… I really like Marin. She's lots of fun."

"I didn't make you come with me, you know."

"I know." He glanced at his brother before saying, "But I had to come. Just in case…in case…"

"I'm going to be fine," Ravan said. "So stop worrying."

"I'm not worried," the boy said, shaking his head slightly. "I just… It's been real fun this past week and I… I'm gonna miss it here. If you make me go." When that didn't get an answer, the younger boy pled, "Please don't make me go."

"Go? There is nowhere to go. Don't you get it yet? We can't go home and we can't stay here. Not if I kill Erza."

"But…what if you don't?"

And that got him hit. Rather hard in the head, too. He just winced, but didn't run off. Ravan had stopped walking and was glaring down at him.

"If you're not going to stand behind me, then go," he said, shoving his younger brother. "I don't know why you even came."

"I'm not sayin' that I don't believe in you," the smaller one complained. "I followed you all the way here, Ravan. I left home too. I just wanna find a home again. That's all. Not fight with you. I love you."

Narrowing his eyes then, Ravan hit him again, though it wasn't as hard, before walking off.

"You're being weird."

The younger boy just rubbed at his head before chasing after his brother. "Don't you like Marin? And her mom? And the Master?"

"Marin's okay, I guess, yeah."

"Her mom's real nice."

"Whatever."

Falling silent then, his brother hung his head and trudged on. Clearly, he wasn't meant to talk. And he knew that really, it didn't matter what he said. They would do whatever Ravan wanted. They always did whatever Ravan wanted. It was just the way that things were.

When they arrived at Erza's, she was there, in the house, with Jellal. For once, Ravan just went to knock on the door. It would have made his younger brother giggle, had he not had such a grim, coiled feeling in his stomach.

Maybe he shouldn't have eaten so much that day.

It was Jellal that answered the door, just as somber as the two of them, it seemed.

"Ah," he greeted, bowing his head slightly. He had that cloth over his face that he wore sometimes, which the younger one thought was odd. He usually would pull it up when they left the house.

Then he remembered that after Ravan and Erza fought, she'd said that Jellal was leaving. He didn't like that much either. It was like there wasn't even a point to making friends with anyone other than Ravan. They all just left anyways.

"You two." He took a step back. "Erza is in the backyard. Come. Would you like a last meal? Or is that not customary where you come from?"

Ravan didn't even shove passed him to get into the house. That was too much work apparently as he turned on his heels and stomped right back down the porch steps, entering the backyard instead through the gate. His brother just stood there though, on the porch, staring up at the man he considered his friend.

"Are you gonna go watch?" he asked, tilting his head slightly. "Robbie?"

"Yes," the man said, fully stepping aside then, to let the little boy enter. "Come. I stopped by the bakery earlier and have purchased a few treats. You are welcome to- And you're just coming in anyways."

He was too, rushing into the house and straight to the kitchen. "What'd you buy treats for, Robbie?"

"For Erza, honestly," he said, closing the door behind the boy before following him. "She enjoys them quite a bit. So do not eat too many, yes?"

He came to a stop at the kitchen table, where he found a box with a cake inside of it as well as another filled with cookies. Instead of reaching to grab a few, he just glanced over at the man, who was in the doorway.

"Is it because you're leaving?"

Nodding slightly, Jellal came closer then, pulling the cloth over his face down.

"Yes," he told the child. "It is."

"And she'll miss you?"

"I'd like to think so, yes, but then again, I rarely am able to judge her emotions correctly."

The child didn't smile. Just turned to look at the treats once more before saying, "I don't think I'm hungry."

"What? You?"

Swallowing, he said, "If you like Erza so much and she likes you, how come you gotta make her sad? And leave her? Can't you just stay here?"

"No," the man answered simply. "I can't."

"Because you did something wrong," he finished.

"Right."

"I don't think that you're a bad person, Robbie," he told him then. "I like you a lot."

"Thank you."

"So it must have been something really bad then," the child went on, turning once more to face the man. "That even Fairy Tail can't save you."

"It was horrible."

Kicking at the ground then, the boy stared down at it before saying, "I don't want Ravan to die. Or Erza."

"Don't worry," the man said with a wink. "I have it on good authority that neither will be."

Still, he could tell that it was bothering the child as, for once, he had nothing to say. Just kept staring at the ground.

"Have you decided then?" Jellal asked him, trying to raise his spirits, if only one more time. He had a feeling that no matter the lives spared that day, the ending for either boy wasn't going to be a happy one. "On a name?"

"Huh?"

"A name," he insisted. "Have you decided on a name?"

When he only stared at him, Jellal went on.

"I have to have something to remember you by," he said. "And I do not want it to be as Ravan's brother or by that name that you dislike so much. So what is it then? Have you decided on a name? Tell it to me then."

Glancing up once more, the boy waited for a moment before motioning the man forwards. And Jellal went along with it, even bent down so that he could whisper it in his ear. When he heard it, he smiled before nodding at the child whose face slowly lit up to match his.

"That," the man began as he stood straight once more, "is a name that I'll remember all my life."

"Really?"

"Yes," he insisted. "Will you not remember mine then?"

Grinning, he nodded before saying, "Of course…Jellal."

With a shake of his own head, the man gestured to backyard. "Come then. You do not want to miss the whole reason we've all gathered here, do you?"

That made him swallow again, but, when he shook his head, Jellal patted him on the head and they both headed outside.

It was out there that Ravan had found Erza, sitting on the porch steps, apparently waiting on him. At the sight of the child though, she did not get to her feet. Only stared at him.

"Well?" he complained. To which she just stared.

"Well?" the woman repeated. Narrowing his eyes then, the boy approached.

"Get up," he growled. "Or are you too much of a coward?"

"Hardly," she sighed, getting to her feet. "I actually am a tad shocked that you were able to show up."

"What do you mean?"

"I figured that the Master's daughter would have taken care of you."

He snorted at that. "If that's the future off Fairy Tail, then you idiots are as good as dead."

"Well, lucky me, huh? I won't even be there to see it. Or can you finally admit your defeat?"

For a moment, he just glared at her. Then he summoned a weapon. One of the only large blade he had. It was a simple sword, but Erza figured it took more out of him to summon, considering he did so less often. He was planning to finish her off early. It was almost humorous.

Almost.

"Where's your weapon?" he grumbled when she didn't produce one. She hadn't even reequipped into anything interesting. Just her standard armor. Shaking her head slightly, she took to crossing her arms over her chest before staring him down.

"If I see myself as needing it," she told him simply, "I'll use it."

That angered him. And, when he charged at her, it was easy to sidestep him.

"You cannot attack out of anger," she sighed, already bored. "You must-"

"Shut up!"

"Again," she went on when he just turned and took a slash at her. "Wild. And easy to read. That might work on someone like the Master's daughter, who has not been in combat before, but any normal person would have been able to take you out by now."

"Then why," he growled as he tried once more to get her. Still, the only thing his blade met with was air. "Haven't you?"

"Because, Ravan," she said, almost sounding like she was chiding him. "I am not going to hurt you. You may tire yourself out if you like. I do not care. But I'm not going to…kill you."

"Come now, Erza."

The backdoor opened and Jellal came out, the younger boy following.

"You made a deal," the man went on. "A fight to the death. Or are you not a woman of your word?"

"You," she complained, sparing him a glare, "stay out of this."

He held up his hands as he went to sit down on the porch, where she had been before. "Me? I am just a casual observer. Of two great warriors, yes?"

Ravan wasn't attacking then, as he was a tad out of breath, but his eyes never left Erza. His brother, over at the porch, sat down next to Jellal, but for once, had nothing to say.

"I know." Jellal was having fun, apparently. "Tell you what, Ravan. To make things even more interesting, winner faces me. And as you lay bleeding on the ground after you lose, you can watch Erza kill me. Wouldn't that bring you some amount of pleasure?"

That time, the younger boy spoke. "I thought you said that you're actually stronger than Erza?"

She glared over there one last time as Jellal just grinned before looking back to Ravan.

"Tell me that we have not built this up," the woman said, standing straight while he still panted, "for that to be all the fight you have in you?"

Not a chance. And as he charged her again, she again just dodged.

"Where is it, Ravan? Your famous little trick, hmmm?" She couldn't help herself as she taunted him, if only slightly. "That you think you're such a master of?"

"Shut up!" And he did it then, summoned a second blade. She knew what she was doing, of course, as that only ate at more of his power. Given the night before and what had happened between him and Haven at the guildhall, she figured that it wouldn't be much longer before he was finished. Especially as, when he came to at her with the second blade, she hit his hand and knocked it away.

"If you can't wield it," she scolded, "don't use it. Now, if I was without a blade, I could just take yours. And kill you with it."

"A fitting in for such a misfit life," Jellal remarked. He was still jovial for some reason. Erza figured he was just happy to see the kid finally get his. "But then, if he followed that rule, I suppose he'd never have any weapon to fight with."

When Ravan turned to glare over at the man, Erza reached out and shoved him from behind.

"You cannot spare attention to anyone, but the person you are in combat with."

He shoved right back up then and tried to run over to where she'd tossed his second blade. Erza wasn't allowing that though and moved to grab him by the back of his hoodie before tossing him away.

"Don't turn your back on your opponent, Ravan."

"Stop bothering me!" He slashed at her arm, but she was already moving once more.

"Did no one ever teach you to fight? What? Did you only learn to summon weapons and thought that it would be all you ever needed?" She knocked his sword from his hand too when he got closer. "That is foolish and an easy way to get yourself killed."

She was only annoying him further though and, without any weapons then, he seemed to forget that he could summon more, taking to running at her instead.

"Why," he growled as he took to slamming his fists against her stomach, the cool metal of her armor as unrelenting as ever, "won't you just die?"

"Because, Ravan," she said, just standing there and allowing him to do as he wished. "I have done nothing to deserve it. And you are not strong enough to bring it upon me."

"You killed my parents!"

"I saved your life. Without even intending to do so."

He was doing his knuckles no favors as he continued to bang them against her armor, gritting his teeth through the pain.

"No," he growled through clinched teeth. "You didn't."

"I did," she said. "And I would do it again. Even if you do somehow manage to kill me someday, I would save you a thousand times over because, Ravan, I don't hate you. I don't hate your village. I don't even know your village. I was just sent there to do a job and I did it to the best of my abilities. And I'm sorry that I didn't get there fast enough. I'm sorry that the monster even came up to begin with. And I promise you that if there was some way that I could change all of this, I would. I would have saved your parents. But I can't. And you can't blame me for that."

"Yes," the boy growled, hitting her one last time and just leaving his fist there, panting heavily as he stared down at the ground, nearly given out to begin with, "I can. You said that you would help. You were supposed to save them. But you didn't save them! They're never coming back!"

"I know," she agreed. "And killing me won't make a difference, will it?"

"Yes," he whispered darkly. "It will."

And then, suddenly, she was taking a step back. And, after glancing over at Jellal, she said, "Fine."

"Fine?"

"Fine." She moved to get down on her knees, there in the grass. The sun had disappeared from the sky and the light would soon be diminished completely. She figured it was best to get the whole thing over with.

"Erza," her boyfriend called as he stood up. "What are you doing?"

Not answering him, she stared at Ravan. "Retrieve your blade."

He was just staring too, his dark eyes widening some. "Wh-"

"Kill me," she said. "If this is that important to you-"

"Erza!" Jellal was coming off the steps then. "What are you doing? You-"

"Stay out of this," she ordered, making him freeze, though it was clear that was the last thing he wanted to do. "I know what I m doing."

But did she?

Ravan was suspicious then and it was clear. Instead of walking over to retrieve any of his weapons, he summoned one, another short blade, which he then approached Erza with.

"You're not tricking me?" he asked as his brother got to his feet too and covered his eyes. Through his finger though, he stole a few peeks. "After all this you're just going to let me execute you?"

"If you can."

"Of course I can!" And now he was fired up again. "This is what I came to this stupid city for. This is all I've wanted since…since… And now I'm going to do it."

"Then get it over with," she said. "Slit my throat, Ravan. Unless, of course, you cannot take another human's life."

Oh, he was going to. Really. He was going to kill Erza Scarlet. Titania. The Queen of Fairies. The woman who he placed the sole blame on for his mother and father both being killed. He was going to do it. Accomplish his goal. He was…he…he had to…

The blade was dropped then, to the ground, as Ravan just stood in front of Erza. He was staring her in the eyes then, his gaze becoming dark and clouded over. His pants had turned more to ragged breaths as he seemingly was frozen in position.

"I hate you," he told her softly, sniffling some as he eyes welled with tears. "So much."

"I know."

"No," he went on. "You don't. You don't know. You can't know. You can't get how much I want you to die. How much I-"

"But," she sighed as she got to her feet. "You don't. And you know that you don't."

"Yes, I do!" His voice was breaking some then. "You don't know what I want. I-"

"Then why haven't you?"

He didn't know. He'd built the whole thing up in his mind for months. It was the one thing that kept him going. He was going to get revenge on Erza for killing his parents, for destroying his world, but now, there, with the chance, the clean shot, he couldn't take it. He wasn't able to do it. And it made no sense.

"Because you know," Jellal started up again, sounding much more solemn then as finally, he came over to them, "that Erza has done nothing. You wish that she had. You wish that you could lay all the blame on her. It would be nice, wouldn't it? But it is not the case. She killed the monster. She saved the town. Something you were unable to do. But it's much easier to blame someone else, isn't it, than yourself."

When Erza reached out to lay a hand on the boy's head, he tried to dodge her, but he was so given out that his foot slipped and he fell, down to his knees. Not getting up, he let his head fall as the tears started.

"I hate you, Erza," he whispered hotly. "I hate you, I hate you, I hate you."

"Ravan!" His brother came running over to, coming to stand next to him and tossing an arm over his shoulders. The older boy shoved him off though. "Wh-"

"I'm gonna get better," Ravan hissed then, glaring up at Erza. "A lot better."

"I want you to," she told him. "But you will not unless you learn to take instruction."

Snorting, he dropped his head again. "Like I'd ever learn from you."

"I don't remember offering."

"But if Erza's the best 'quipter," his brother said slowly, "why wouldn't you-"

"Do you ever shut up?" When he moved to literally shove the younger boy down that time, Erza finally reached out and struck him, rather hard in the head.

"Hey!"

"I warned you the first day," she told him, "that you cannot touch him."

"But you can attack me?"

Jellal shrugged. "I think it's better than the death bet that you were wishing upon yourself moments before."

The younger boy frowned, rushing over to stand behind Jellal, not wanting his brother to retaliate against him.

Still rubbing at his head, Ravan glared at all three of them then. "You're such a traitor."

"I'm not a traitor!" But his brother didn't come out from behind the two adults. "I just like Erza. And I followed you all this way, Ravan. But you didn't even kill her."

"You don't want me to!"

"I'm not complainin' that you didn't," he defended. "But now Leader's gonna be mad at us and I've made friends here that I have to leave and-"

"I never made you follow! I told you not to. You wanted to come with me. You-"

"You're my brother! And I love you."

"Stop being weird!"

"No! Because I do love you. And I like Erza. And Jellal. And Fairy Tail. And I just wanna be a fisherman. And not get lost so much. But you made things all complicated. You said that we had to kill Erza, that Fairy Tail was bad. But it's not. You're bad. You do bad. Fairy Tail's nice. And so is Erza. No one back home ever let us stay with them. We were gonna have to build our own stuff up again."

"That's because they didn't have time," his brother said, still glaring. "They were rebuilding their own homes and-"

"And none of 'em were gonna let us live with them," he went on. "But Erza let us live with her. And the Master's wife wants us too. So Fairy Tail's better than home. Right?"

"No! It's just… Everyone's dead there," he countered. "They don't have time for us. They-"

"But people here did," he pointed out. "And they're real busy. And you said that mages were bad, but they all seem pretty cool. And…and… I don't wanna go home. I don't wanna leave at all! I like it here."

"You've been here for a week."

"So? I know that I like it more than not havin' nowhere to stay," he told him. "Or always gettin' in trouble for stealin'. And…and…and… You've been real mean a lot! And that's not nice."

Jellal blinked. "You started off really strong there, but I think you missed the point."

"He is mean though," the boy insisted. Erza just reached down to pat him on the head before looking at Ravan.

"You made a deal," she said simply. "The week is over. You cannot kill me. You do not want to turn Jellal in. So now is the part where you go home. I will have Gray take you to the train station and then to your home in the morning."

Ravan just slowly got to his feet, gaze smoldering then.

"I don't need your help," he said simply before turning to walk off. "Have fun then, with these losers. You'll fit right in."

"Ravan!" His brother tried to rush after him, but Jellal put a hand on his head, stopping him. Looking up at the man, he said, "But he's gonna go."

"Then let him go," he said. "He'll be fine. But right now, you're not fine with him."

When he looked to Erza, she just nodded.

"He'll be back," she reasoned.

"But what if he's not?"

It took her a moment to answer as she just kept staring after the boy. Then, with a smile, she looked down at his brother and said, "Then you'll be fine here."

"As far as guilds go," Jellal told him. "I would put Fairy Tail in my top fifty."

"Jellal," Erza complained as he just patted the boy on the head once more.

"But I don't really got any magic," the boy told them.

"There's plenty of time to pick one," she assured him before turning to walk off back to the house. "Everyone has to start somewhere."

But he wanted to start with Ravan. He'd thought by saying all that, he would convince his brother to stay there with him, not make him run off. He'd never been without him for very long. He was getting antsy just from the thought.

When he headed after Erza though, he found that Jellal was going the other way, towards the gate. He was gonna follow him and even started off that way, but Erza came to grab his arm and take him into the house with her.

"Where's he going?" the little boy asked. "He's not leaving, is he?"

"Not yet, no."

"Then-"

"But," she said, a glint forming in one eye then as she looked around the kitchen. "He has left us all of these sweets. Tell me, do you not wish for any?"

"I'm not hungry." All he wanted was Ravan.

"Not even for one cookie? Or a piece of cake?"

"No."

"Well, that's a shame," she said, going over to the table for herself. "I mean-"

"Maybe one." His stomach was still all clinched up, but…well… How often do you get a chance at so many treats? "Or two."

As they were chowing down though, Jellal was walking around the city. It wasn't hard to find the boy. In fact, he tried to make it like he just stumbled upon him, not that he actually spent time seeking him out.

Ravan saw right through that though as he just sat on the curb of a street, in front of a rundown business, looking a tad worse for wear.

"Why can't you just leave me alone?" he grumbled as Jellal stopped on the sidewalk behind him. "You already took my brother from me. You ruined my chance at killing Erza. You win. I lose. Whatever."

Frowning down at the boy, Jellal said simply, "No one did either of those things, Ravan, other than you. You've driven a wedge between your brother. You become consumed with grief and hate. That's not my fault. And it was you that could not complete your task. I have made it hard on you, yes, but she offered her self to you today, for retribution. It was you that could not go through with it. You gave yourself an impossible task and that falls on your shoulders. Not mine."

"Fine! It's all my fault! Whatever. Just leave me alone!"

With a sigh, Jellal moved to step off the curb before taking a seat next to the boy. For a moment, they just sat there, neither speaking. Then, slowly, Jellal found the words.

"Erza didn't kill your parents, Ravan."

"I said I don't care. I-"

"And neither did you. You were just a little boy. No one expected you to be a hero. No one expects anything of you now. They don't want you to bring anyone to justice over the senselessness of their death. The only one that wants anything from you is your little brother. And he wants you to just be there for him. Not to be driven by hate or angry all the time. He wants stability. And it doesn't have to be here. And it doesn't have be back at your village. But you two won't survive on your own. Not with the way that you've been behaving. One day you're going to steal from the wrong person and something bad' is going to happen."

"You don't know anything. You-"

"I used to hurt people," he told him then. "A lot of people. I ruined a lot of lives. I ruined Erza's life. And this, what I do now? This is retribution. Because I deserve it. I go around, trying to destroy the darkness that ate me alive so that it doesn't do the same to someone else. I'm paying for my sins. And once, I offered my life to Erza. I told her to take it. I gave her the chance.

"But what good would it have done? That's what she thought. What's the point of taking a life for the wrongs they have committed? Is that truly paying the ultimate price? Or is that just he easy way out?"

Ravan narrowed his eyes, glancing over at him. "What are you talking about?"

"I don't know," Jellal sighed, hanging his own head then as he reached up to push the cap over his head off, if only for a second before slipping it back on. "I am only trying to make you see that what I've done? That's wrong. That's horrible. Erza didn't do anything. She… But I have a sinking feeling that you know that, don't you? You've always known. And are just unwilling to accept. Is that it?"

"They were dead," the boy whispered harshly then. "And no one told us. They said that they would be fine, but they weren't. And they were all so happy, so glad that we'd been spared, but-"

"If you wait around for people to care about you," Jellal said then, "then you will have a long wait. Especially if you are looking in the wrong place."

"What?"

"Here? In Fairy Tail? In most guilds? They all care about one another. One's struggle is all their struggle. It's just the way that it is. And you want to be better as a mage? Then you have to be around those that have that same desire. If you…if you change your mind, about guilds, I'm sure that Erza would help you find one that you like. She's well known by most."

"Why are you trying to-"

"I don't know." Jellal glanced at him then. "In the beginning, I just wanted you gone, away from Erza, but… It's deeper than that now. Your brother is very-"

"Then you don't even care about me? You just care about-"

"Do you want that then? For us to all care about you? As you're constantly speaking down about us and trying to harm us?" The man shook his head. "If this is your way of gaining attention, you've gotten it, but it is surely not the kind that you were hoping for."

He just glared at him. "I don't care about you guys. I don't even like any of you! I-'

"Your brother wishes to stay," Jellal said then, wanting the conversation done with. "And it will hurt him deeply if you do not stay with him."

Snort. "What do you know?"

"I know that you do care about him. It's just mixed down beneath all of this hatred you've built up. And that if you leave him behind, you'll never feel right about it."

"I don't want to be here. With…them."

"With who? Fairy Tail?"

He shrugged. "I don't like them."

"What have they done to you, but been nice to you? Or at least attempted to."

Again, he just got a shrug.

With a sigh, Jellal got to his feet again. "Fine. Do as you wish. It doesn't affect me much. I am leaving town soon enough anyhow. Tonight even. This is no longer my problem or concern."

"You're just going to leave then?" When he didn't even stop, Ravan growled before jumping to his feet. "What about Erza? I can still hurt her. I-"

"But you won't. You've proven that. And I have taken far too much time away from my work for this."

"To catch Zeref, right?" He followed hi then. "That's what you're doing, right?"

"What concern is it of yours?"

"I…I…"

He didn't know what to say. For some reason, the idea of that just being the end of all the arguments and hatred he had between him and the man bothered him. Which was odd. He didn't like Jellal. He couldn't stand him. But…

"You're part of a guild right? That's what that symbol is, huh? Then how come I can't…"

"My guild is not like Fairy Tail," Jellal told him simply. "You would not be allowed to-"

"I didn't ask to join! I hate you, did you forget?"

Sighing, Jellal stopped again, there on the empty street, before looking down at the ten year old.

"I will be back," he told him. "In a number of months. Perhaps a year. Should you still be around, I would like to see how you've grown with your magic."

"Like I care to show you anything anyhow."

Rolling his eyes, he started walking again. "You will learn eventually, Ravan, that if you show people resentment and anger, it's what you will get mirrored back to you. Even people who care about you will eventually stop. You've seen that in your own village, yes? And the way things are going, your brother will slowly begin to feel the same way about you. So stay here, don't stay here. I do not care. But I am going back to Erza's now to say goodbye. I hope to see you and your brother again some day. If not here, in Magnolia, then somewhere else, with your own guild. I want you to become as good a reequip mage as Erza."

He started to tell him that he didn't care what he wanted. Or to ever see him again. But instead, he just stopped following the man, staring after him as he walked along.

Maybe he would see Jellal again. Maybe he wouldn't. It didn't matter. Because he would become as good as Erza. He'd become better even. It was just a given.

"I do not understand how you both eat so much in such a small amount of time," Jellal remarked as he stood in Erza's kitchen, looking over what was left of the sweets he'd bought her. "Honestly, Erza."

"Thing occurred," she said slowly, standing in the center of the kitchen with her arms crossed over her chest, observing as well. "But I did not do it alone, remember."

"Where is he?" the man asked. "The little boy? Surely he did not go after his brother."

Shaking her head, she said, "I sent him off to bathe. He has gotten rather smelly again."

"Yes. I heard young boys get that way after awhile."

"So I am learning."

There was an awkward pause between them then as they both knew it was over. Their time was up. And even though she'd been pushing for just that moment since he first arrived, it was no less easy to accept.

Clearing his throat then, Jellal turned from the table to come over to her. "I found the boy, in case you were wondering."

"I was not," she said simply. "I told you that he will be back. I have no doubt of that. At all. Things in my life always seem to find themselves resolved eventually, but they take time. He is no different."

"Yes, well," he began as he reached out with one hand. "Would it shock you if right now that is not what concerns me?"

"It would not," she whispered as he rested the hand on her cheek, stroking it gently. Staring him in the eyes, she said, "You need to go."

"I know."

"You have wasted much time in an apparently worthless stay."

"I know."

"And-"

"Erza." He bowed his head then, resting his forehead against hers. "Talking more will not delay it any."

She just shut her eyes then as he moved to kiss her. It'd been more time than she could have asked for. She couldn't complain.

"Erza! I did something bad."

They both jumped apart rather quickly when they saw a half dressed little boy standing in the kitchen doorway, still dripping wet and only in his underwear.

"What?" She was still a little shocked by him and only frowned. "Bad? What did you-"

"Water got everywhere! I didn't mean to. I just-"

"What did you do?" And then she was rushing from the room and Jellal only sighed. The boy turned to follow her for a moment before he noticed Jellal and turned to look at him.

"Aren't you gonna come help?" he asked. "Jellal?"

"No," he said with a shake of his head, pulling his cloth up over his mouth once more. "It is time for me to go."

"But Erza's-"

"It's simpler this way." Going over to the boy, he pressed a hand against his head and said, "I will be back eventually. I hope to see you doing well here, if you choose to stay. Perhaps…we can go fishing, when I return."

"Really?"

"If you're here."

Grinning widely, he said, "Great! I-"

"What have you done?" they heard then from deeper in the house. "Come here! Now!"

The boy's grin fell some. "I gotta go too. I think I'm in trouble."

"Yes," Jellal agreed. "I believe you are."

"Bye, Robbie!" He waved then, smiling brightly. Then, giggling, he said, "I mean Jellal. Don't forget me."

Grinning though it was hidden, Jellal nodded. "Goodbye, Kai. I'll hold you to that fishing trip."

But then he could hear Erza complaining some more and, well, the little boy turned to go deal with her. You break one little thing in the bathroom and flood one house and suddenly you're a poor guest. But when Kai turned back, just to look one more time at Jellal, the man was gone.

Still, he just grinned. He'd be back, after all. He'd promised.

It took some time for him and Erza to get the whole bathroom thing all cleaned up. And she didn't even ask about Jellal. She seemed to know that he'd be gone. When that was finished, he didn't feel much up for dinner, given all the sweets he'd eat, but instead of asking to be walked over to Marin's to sleep, he just went right to Erza's guest bedroom like it was a given.

And she, tired from dealing with him, went to go sit on the couch and reflect. It had been a long past few days, but she had a feeling that the ones in the near future would be just as unrelenting. Maybe another job would take her mind off things.

She must have fallen asleep at some point, sitting out there, because when she came back to herself, the room was completely dark and she heard the sound of the backdoor closing. But she didn't get up. She knew it wasn't Jellal. He was long gone by that point.

When Ravan came into the living room, she didn't even lift her head from where it was resting in her hands. Didn't even speak to him. Slowly, he came to stand in front of her.

"Did he leave?"

"Yes," she whispered, glancing at him. "He did."

He swallowed then, visibly for a for a moment, said nothing. Then, softly, "I'm sorry."

"What do you want, Ravan?"

Instead of answering he just went to sit down on the couch with her. And, with a sigh, she decided not to prod at him much.

"Your brother destroyed my bathroom," was what she said instead.

"We didn't have stuff like your house," he said slowly. "Like your kitchen or bathroom or… He just gets excited."

"He loves you."

Again, he swallowed. "I know."

Giving it a minute or two, she thought about her next words carefully. "He cannot go stay with Mirajane and Laxus. That is not an option, no matter how much she thinks it is. And as it stands, the dorms are still filled. I… Other than what he did today, he is not much of a bother. And if he wishes to stay with me longer, I will allow it. Just until there is room at the dormitory. And then he can go stay there."

When he didn't say anything to that, she went on.

"You can stay here too. This should not be a division between the two of you. And you do not have to join Fairy Tail. Not if you do not want. But I cannot send you both back to your village if you are so miserable there. And clearly, you aren't fit to live on the streets."

"We don't want your stupid charity," he growled then, as he continued to stare down at the ground, grimacing even in the dark.

"Then do not take it that way," she said. "Pay me for the room. I honestly do not care. If it makes you feel better though, then do it."

Clinching his fists, he said, "We don't need you."

"I didn't say that you did. I don't want to be needed anyhow."

"Why," he mumbled as his fingernails dug into his skin, trying hard to keep from running off, "do you have to be so nice? Why can't you just be as bad as I wanted you to be? Why?"

With a sigh, she pushed up then. "It's over, Ravan. I'm not your enemy and I never was. And if you boys do stay here, you will be cleaning up after yourselves and taking care of yourselves. I am only offering up a room. That is all. No different than if you were in the dormitory. You'll pull your own weight. And if that is not through becoming a member, you will find another way. Now goodnight. I will see you in the morning."

But he didn't want it to be over. He didn't want it to end that way. He didn't want to have to admit that he was wrong, that he'd always been wrong. Or, worst of all, that he hadn't been wrong. That he had secretly known the truth all along and tried to cover it. Blanket it with hate and claims of vengeances. Because the truth was that there was no one to blame. Not his leader, not Erza, not his parents. Not even himself. They were just dead and there was no real reason why. It just happened.

And for some reason, that made it worse. Knowing that there had been nothing he could do, no one he could blame, meant that it was meant to be. That his parents were supposed to die. And there was no overcoming that.

He shifted then on the couch so that he could rub his palms into his eyes, rubbing at them as hard at he could. Pressing into them almost. It just hurt so much.

He didn't hate Erza. Not really. He didn't even hate himself. He just loved his parents. That was all. And it hadn't been enough. It just hadn't been enough.

"Ravan?" his brother whispered later when the boy came to crawl into the bed as well, having to shove the younger boy over some to do so. "What are you doing?"

He just pushed until he go the idea and gave him some room. When he was in bed with him, he merely said, "I don't hate you."

Snuggling up against the older boy, he yawned before shutting his eyes. "I know."

"You're my brother. And we have to stick together."

"I know."

And that was that.

"I don't like you. I hate you. I don't care what marking you have or where you have it! I don't even care that your stupid parents are dead or that you suck so much your village hates you. I get why they do. Because I hate you too."

Ravan just sat there though, at the table in the guildhall, staring blankly at the girl in front of him. It was Haven, of course, who couldn't help herself, but to yell at the other boy after her mother stamped his chest and her father spoke with him. It just made her so…mad.

"I know," he said, as if uninterested as she continued to glare at him. Locke though, who was with her, just snickered some.

"She doesn't like you," he agreed. "She loves you."

"Locke!" She hit him. Rather hard. "I do not!"

"That's what Master said."

"He's stupid."

"You're stupid."

He got another hit. Which made him frown and attack her back. First though, eh looked at Ravan and said, "I'm real glad you're here."

And he was. He was tired of being the only boy.

But Ravan looked just as void and displeased as he had since coming into the hall. A day or so had passed and, well, if they were staying with Erza, he wanted to keep it purely business. He needed money and all the others made jobs look so easy. He figured he'd rake in some jewels and eventually get his own place, away from her.

His brother though was much more thrilled over the whole thing.

"Wow," he said, keeping his sleeve rolled up so he could show off to Marin where the dark blue marking was for, oh, the thousandth time. "It's so cool."

She grinned and nodded along, remembering the day when she'd gotten her own. They were seated with Ravan and, after having seen the way that her sister had treated him, she told them both, "I'm glad that you're here."

Kai grinned, agreed whole heartedly while his brother took a moment out to stare across the table at her. Marin was scared of getting the same reaction he'd given everyone else, but instead, he just nodded his head, making her smile once more.

Across the guildhall, Mirajane was still pouting a little behind the bar as her husband sat in front of her.

"She did this on purpose, you know."

"Demon-"

"She did. She knew that I wanted them, even dangled them in my face-"

"Erza didn't drag two orphaned boys through this guildhall just to get under your skin. I mean, how crazy would that be?"

She just blinked, staring at him. "It sounds exactly like something she would do."

Sighing, Laxus glanced over his shoulder at where Haven and Locke were still wrestling and then to his youngest daughter who was happily showing the newest two members her own guild mark. With a frown, he grumbled, "I hate boys."

Mirajane just still narrowed her eyes at where Erza was sitting. "If she thinks that her boys will be better than my girls, she has another thing coming."

"You know when we first got together and I thought that the craziness was hot? Yeah, that's over."

With a shake of her head, Mirajane said, "This has to be the most underhanded trick she's pulled."

"Can't you just be happy that they have somewhere to stay?" Laxus asked. "I mean, I'm not thrilled that it's here, at this guild, but hey. That's two less homeless kids, right?"

"I am happy, dragon. For them. But if Erza wants a war-"

"You're psychotic. Why haven't I seen it before now? Oh, yeah, because I have."

"Are you trying to tell me, Lax, that you think that her taking in those boys has nothing to do with me?"

"Yes! Completely."

"Hmph." She crossed her arms. "If you say so."

"Oh, demon," he sighed as he moved to take a long sip from his beer. "You and the girls are killing me. Slowly. Lovingly. But definitely killing me."

It was about then that Natsu walked into the guild hall with Happy and Lucy. Navi was with them too and immediately made a break for her friends, shocked to see Ravan and his brother for a moment, but still quick to go over and find out what was going on. Natsu and Lucy though just went over to where Gray and Erza were, Happy resting on the woman's head.

"This is a surprise," Erza remarked as they sat down. "The two of you have made up already?"

"We had a heart to heart," Happy said.

"Really?" Gray asked, glancing at Lucy. She just shook her head.

"I got tired of hearing him complain about how unfair I was being. It's just easier to forgive him, I've found."

Natsu grinned. "That's her policy on me too."

"That's not shocking."

"What does that mean?" Apparently, he wasn't in the mood for Gray that day.

"What do you mean? You know what it means. It means that you're an annoying bastard, is what it means."

"Hey! I'll have you know that I have tons of people that think I'm way less annoying than you!"

"Like who? Happy?"

"Aye," the cat agreed as he moved from being on Lucy's head and down to sit in her lap. He was still rather tired. It was too early in his book to be up. Especially if they weren't going on a job.

"And Navi," Natsu went on. "And Luce."

"No," she said with a shake of her head. "I'm definitely with Gray on this one."

Erza though just shook her head. "You two are both annoying and quite honestly, I have had enough fighting for the day. Thank you."

"Fightin'? Who's been fighting?" Natsu asked, rubbing his hands together with a grin. He could really go for a fist fight about then. "Erza?"

"Ravan and Kai," she said with a shake of her head, nodding over at where the boys sat with the Master's youngest daughter and Navi. "They find the silliest of things to fight over. Like the two of you."

"You comparin' us to kids?" Natsu asked.

"There is no comparison. You two are children."

Lucy just glanced at the other woman. "They're staying with you then? From now on?"

"For now," she said slowly. "Until another option is found."

Gray snickered. "Look at the three of you. You guys are having another kid, Erza's taking others in. It's kind of nice, being the last one standing."

And they all paused then, no one speaking as they seemingly waited. Gray noticed this and shook his head.

"She's out on a job," he said.

"I'm sure somewhere though," Happy spoke up, "Juvia's love senses are tingling."

"Don't be gross," Lucy said, frowning at the thought.

"That's not gross! Not unless you make it gross."

"I am only letting the children stay with me," Erza interjected then. "They are not…mine. Not by any account."

Natsu grinned. "It'll give Navi a few more butts to kick, anyhow."

"Right. Because that's a reason to be glad about new members," Lucy said. "So that she has more people to fight."

"She's gonna fight her way straight to the top, Luce!"

Over with the others, she wasn't doing much of that. In fact, she was just listen as Haven, who had finished fighting with Locke for the time being, went back to raving about Ravan and Kai being there. She had to hand it to the other boy, he was much more docile about it than he seemed the last time she'd seen him.

"Haven," Locke whispered to her as Ravan just stared blankly back at them. "Just leave him alone."

"Yeah," Marin said, frowning over at her sister. When she glared at her, she went back to looking at Kai though. Then she whispered, "Please."

"Shut up, Marin. You-"

"Why don't you," Ravan grumbled then, finally looking Haven in the eyes, "leave her alone? Or leave me alone? Clearly no one, but your stupid boyfriend wants you around. So if you two would just leave us all the heck alone, we'd really like it."

"Don't tell me how to treat my sister."

"Then leave her alone."

They were having a pretty intense glaring match then. And, when Haven raised her hand to no doubt fire some lightning at him, Ravan got up, stepping away from the table before summoning a blade.

"I wonder how much your boyfriend'll like you all cut up," he remarked. Which wasn't the right thing to say to her if he had actually been on avoiding that fight. With a frown at them, Locke just took a seat at the table next to Navi.

"I feel bad for Ravan," she told him.

"I don't." He wasn't Haven's boyfriend. That was just stupid. "At all."

Giggling, Navi said, "If he beats her, does that make him our new leader?"

"Haven's not our leader. She just thinks she is. And we just let her. That's all."

"Leader?" Kai frowned, looking to Marin. "I thought your daddy was the leader?"

"He's the Master," she explained. "Of everyone. But you can make your own teams and have leaders and stuff. If you want. Or you can just go on jobs by yourself."

"Jobs. Leaders. Jewels. Pool tables. This place is great. And so big!" Then, still staring at the other child, he said, "I'mma learn magic real soon and then we can be a team, okay?"

"No," she giggled. "We can't. I told you that I don't wanna go on jobs."

"You will though," he assured her. "And we'll be a way better team than Ravan's."

"Ravan," Locke said, "is not on our team."

"Of course he is," his brother said. "And when he beats Marin's mean sister, he gets to be your leader. That's what you said, huh?"

"There are bits of words in that sentence that left our mouths, yes, but no, I didn't say that. Navi asked it, but-"

"I'm so happy to be here," Kai went on, ignoring them as he grinned at his guild mark once more. "If you guys want, when I get enough jewels, I'll go buy some nets and catch us all a bunch of fish. And then you fry them, Navi. And you can eat them, Locke."

"You're really optimistic," the older boy remarked. "Have you even been out on a job yet?"

Shaking his head, he said, "But I will. Soon. And I'll like it. I bet Erza will take me on one, if I ask. Or that nice Bickslow guy. I just gotta learn some magic first."

"Magic, huh?" they heard then as Elfman walked by. Flexing, he said, "You should learn from me. And be a man!"

"Leave them alone, Elfman," Ever called from a nearby table. The man just patted Marin on the head who giggled before heading over there.

"You should learn something that you like," Locke told him. "You're lucky. You don't have a dad to make you learn something you don't want."

Navi giggled. "I'm glad my dad taught me my magic."

Locke just laid his head down. "Mine's okay, but I still wanna learn more healing stuff. He's just so mean about it."

Kai had never thought he was lucky for not having a dad anymore. But poor Locke seemed pretty miserable about it.

"I like food," he said then. "Is there a magic for that?"

Smiling once more, Locke shook his head before saying, "You'll find something. And you will too, Marin, I bet. You'll make a good team. You already get along so well."

Navi glanced over at Haven then who wasn't looking like she was winning. Not at all.

"Uh, Locke-"

"I know," he groaned, shoving away from the table. "She's so needy."

As Navi went after him to watch too, Marin just smiled at Kai.

"I'm glad you stayed," she said.

"Me too," he said, moving to roll down his sleeve, finally done admiring his new marking. "And even if I don't live with you, me and Ravan'll always be your brothers. You don't gotta worry about Haven no more. Okay?"

"Okay."

And when Laxus got up to go break up the kids finally before Ravan hurt someone with his weapons, much to the annoyance of Natsu who was rooting for Navi (though she wasn't even fighting the other three), he happened to glance over there, at Marin, who just looked…happy.

Maybe the boys weren't so bad. Maybe.

I swear, every time I start on a final chapter for a story, I have it in my head that it's going to be the shortest out of all of them and just be a follow up. Then, every single time, it ends up being the longest. But what can you do?

Anyhow, that's it for this one. I do have a few follow up one-shots for this series, but I don't know when I'll get around to another story. This definitely isn't the end though. Just have to get a few things out of the way before we get to another ten chapter.