Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail, Hiro Mashima does. However, the fanfic idea is mine, so that's that. (WARNING: A Whole Bunch Of Jerza Moments)
"Okay, I gotta ask." Said Gray, "Where did Erza go?"
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That was a question on everyone's minds. After the rival of Fairy Tail left the third message on Reveal, and after Erza's response, the small party ended up staying the night at Sabertooth. The next morning, after a brief farewell to their hosts, Fairy Tail went back to their respective guild. Everyone except Erza talked on the way home, said mage just sat in silence in a corner seat. After arriving in Magnolia, Erza immediately marched up the stairs to the Master. Shortly after, she came back down and left, her only words, "I'll be back soon."
The response to that was a chorus of anger and curiosity. She slammed the door behind her, and that was it. Everyone had been sitting in silence since then, and one person had finally managed to say something.
"She has requested that you not know." Said Makarov, who had come downstairs and was now sitting on the bar next to Mira.
"Why?" Asked Lucy, "We're her closest friends, why wouldn't she tell-"
"Lucy-" Interrupted Natsu, seriously, "She doesn't want us to know. That's it."
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"Oh, but Ms. Scarlet, you're sure I can't take you any farther?" Said a man in a drivers seat in a wagon. He was talking to his passenger, a red headed mage, who for some reason was asking to be left in the middle of nowhere. In a forest, almost at night, of a places and times. He didn't agree with leaving a lady in these circumstances. But, she was very persuasive.
"I'm sure. Thank you very much, Jacques." Said the woman, climbing out of the carriage and giving him a very determined stare. She grabbed her bag, (only one, surprisingly,) and stood off to the side of the carriage looking off into the distance at the setting sun.
"Okay, if you insist. Have a wonderful evening, Miss."
"You too." The wagon drove away. After the sound of the wheels was barely comprehendible, and after checking her surroundings, Erza began on her journey. She slid down the hill on a shield, then walked through the trees. It felt nice to walk after a whole day of traveling.
"He's here, somewhere." She said to herself, almost smelling her target's scent.
"Jellal."
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"Careful Lucy, or you'll fall in!" Said a pervert in a boat as Lucy was heading home. Like usual, she was walking on the riverbank, watching the sun set on the water.
"I'll take it into consideration!" She said, arriving at her apartment. She pulled out her key and unlocked the door. However, the sound of the door creaking open wasn't the only sound she heard when she opened the door.
The room was eerily quiet and dark, despite the sun still halfway up. What little light flowed into the room cast shadows on everything. The curtain in the open window billowed and made little whipping noises over the silence. Lucy's knees shook for a minute.
"Why am I afraid to go into my on house?!" She said to herself, suddenly feeling stupid. She entered and shut the door behind her. It shut with a click, and she headed over to fix the window.
"Strange, I thought I shut this before I lef-" she didn't have time to even shut the window before a creak in the floor behind her cut her off. She stared at where it had come from.
"Natsu, is that you?" She said, moving closer to where the sound had come from. Two creaks sounded off simultaneously.
"Natsu, if you're trying to scare me, stop, it's not funny. Come out." She grabbed her keys and took a step closer. And another, until she looked through the darkness and saw no one.
"Huh, must have been my imaginati-"
Oh, how I wish I could tell you she was right.
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"God, where is he?" Said Erza, after about two hours of trekking through the woods. She hadn't seen anything man made for about two miles, and it had all been rubble reduced to ashes. Her logical brain was at war with itself, trying to figure out if she should just turn around or keep looking. It looked like the first option was going to win the battle. Just as she was about to turn around, something caught her eye. A magic smoke plume. Quick as she could, she requiped into her Flight Armor and, as the name suggests, flew towards the signal.
"He knows I'm coming." Said the mage, landing as softly as a cat. Soon, she arrived at the site where the embers were dying. An old barn was also in front of her, and after requiping into her normal armor and drawing a sword, Erza crept into the place. It smelled of must and dead rodents inside, and scattered straw was all over the floor. Many of the walls were corroded and falling apart. Overall, Erza hoped she wouldn't have to stay long. She sat on a considerably large pile of straw, and waited.
The sun set behind the tree line, and the darker it got, the more the weight of the world seemed to get lighter. Finally, sleep overtook her, and the mighty Titania entered the world of dreams. A few minutes later someone walked in the barn. The man had a red birthmark around his right eye, and blue hair that matched the sea. He looked around to make sure they were alone, then smiled as soon as he saw her namesake hair sprawled out on the floor of the abandoned shack. Her eyes fluttered a little in sleep, and as he picked her up, she leaned into his familiar scent and warmth. He was shocked for a minute, then said in a caring voice,
"You never change, do you?" And he walked out with her in his arms.
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"Boy, Lucy sure was in a hurry to get home!" Said Natsu, also on his way home with Happy. The moon glimmered in the water.
"Aye. You think she had a tummy issue or something?" Replied the little blue neko.
"I'm not sure. Maybe it's that time of the month-"
"What're you talking about Natsu-"
"Never mind, I'll tell you when you're older." The Dragon Slayer Said hurriedly. He laughed, while Happy was just confused. They kept walking, right up until they were in front of Lucy's apartment.
"It looks fine." Said Happy, "but maybe we should check up on her, just in case."
"I guess you're right." Said Natsu, grabbing onto Happy and flying up into the open window. The room was still dark. He reached the windowsill and prepared to land on her bed, like always.
"Hey, Luce, whatcha up to- Augh!" He fell through the window with a thud.
"Hey what's the big dea-" he stopped mid-sentence to look around.
"Natsu, what's going on-" Happy gasped as soon as he saw the room.
The curtains, wallpaper, and upholstery had been ripped to shreds, the furniture destroyed with holes, and the window shattered. The lock on the door had been broken, leaving the door ajar, glass littered the ground like a landfill. But, that wasn't the most unnerving thing in the room. Natsu's fist started shaking with fury.
On the wall, written in crimson, were these words:
"We've won this match, flies."
The writing was dripping down the wall, making small puddles on the floor beneath. Natsu's whole body was shaking now. A flame had started to appear around his body.
"Natsu..." Said man bolted upright, and flames shot out in every direction.
"Dammit! Lucy!"
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Erza stirred. She didn't know where she was, or how long she'd been there, but that was okay. She got the feeling it was safe. As her vision returned to her, a blueish ceiling came into view. It was blank, like a whiteboard. She rubbed her eyes, then sat up. The covers on the bed she was in fell off of her. It was a pretty nice bed, king size with a dark brown headboard that had Crime Sorcière's symbol engraved in the middle. The door to get out was on her left, next to a chest of drawers, and on the right was a mirror that stretched across the wall. On the far wall was a patio, with white curtains billowing to reveal the night sky. A man was leaning over the railing, a friend from a distant past. The woman stood up and began to move towards the veranda. She took a quick look in the mirror and almost shrieked. Someone had changed her into a short, blue, and low cut nightie. Not to say she didn't look beautiful in it. Her hair was down and well combed, her earring in place as always. After looking over her reflection for a moment, she shrugged and continued to walk out onto the deck. Her footsteps echoed as the man spoke:
"Well, look who just came back to the land of the living."
"It's nice to see you too, Jellal." She said taking a place next to him. They were silent for a moment. The tower they were in, presumably Crime Sorcière's base building, overlooked the forest, all the maples, pines and other assorted wonders of nature.
"You look nice." He Said, blushing a little.
"Were you the person that changed me into this ridiculous outfit?" Asked the girl.
"What kind of pervert do you take me for?" Asked the man, a little offended. "No, Meredy changed you into some of Ultear's old clothes, she said you looked uncomfortable."
"I see." She said back, "I'm glad you think I look nice." He blushed. Silence again, then she turned to him:
"I assume you know why I've come." She said.
"Yes, I know." He said, only looking straight, "You want to know about the recently surfaced guild." He sighed, "Actually, I don't know any more about it than you do. Since they are a legal guild, Crime Sorcière hasn't been involved in the matter."
"Ah, I see." Replied Erza. "They've just caused a lot of problems for us, and we want to know what they want and more importantly, why." He looked at her, then made a noise and smiled.
"You really, don't change, do you? Always so strong, but with good intentions at the core of all you do."
"You can read me like a book, though, I'm not surprised." Said Erza. She turned to look out again. A shooting star crept across the sky as Jellal breathed:
"Erza." He forced her face to face his. "Tell your Master that Crime Sorcière is always at his disposal, and that we would do any thing to assist you." He tilted her chin up:
"I'd do anything to protect you." Then he went in for a kiss, and Erza excepted it.
Love is a funny thing, you see, always doing things to us that we aren't prepared for. It may hit you by surprise, or not, it may leave a permanent mark on you, or not. You just have to be prepared for anything. Much like how the kiss felt on Erza's lips, leaving a forever permanent place on her heart.
As he pulled away, they looked deep into each other's eyes, and they embraced, sinking to the floor. Sharing body heat and breaths, Erza shut her eyes and gave in. As they sat there, in each other's arms, before the night sky and the forest, on the cool summer night, both felt as though they never wanted the night to end. Jellal rested his head on her head, and both were serene.
"Jellal?" Whispered Erza.
"Yes?" He whispered back. She dug her face into his cloak, his smell.
"Thank you."
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"Get back safely."
"I will."
It was the next morning, a morning with a deep orange sunset melding into the blue night. A carriage awaited in the nearby town of Silva in Southern Fiore. Not a lot of people were awake yet, but that made perfect cover in case Jellal should be discovered. Of course, he was disguised as Mystogan, for safety reasons.
"Are you sure you want to stay? Master would probably like to discuss matters in person with you-" Erza inquired.
"I can't, Erza. I have to run the guild, though I wish I could go." He pulled her into a hug. After a few minutes, the red-haired woman turned away, and with a heavy heart said:
"Goodbye." She climbed in and the coach whipped the horses.
And as the carriage drove away, the man said a few final words:
"Until we meet again, Erza Scarlet."
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"All'right'e Missy, we be arrivin' in Magnolia." Said the cab driver, stirring Erza. Indeed, the town was in sights, Cardia Cathedral and the shops of the town like usual.
"If you don't mind sir, would you please drop me off at the outskirts?"
"Eh? Oh, sure lass." He pulled the carriage to a stop, and Erza got out.
"Thank you."
"Don' mention it." He Said, taking his jewel and driving away. The dust from the wheels flew in every which direction as Erza began walking through her hometown. Merchants on the side of the road sold silk and linens to rich aristocrats, and children played hopscotch on the sidewalk. Women talked and hung up their laundry. Ah, the comforts of home. It wasn't until she passed the Cathedral when she heard people whispering.
"Did you hear..."
"...yeah, their big..."
"Scary..."
"...poor guild."
"Erza! There you are!" Came the voice of a familiar Ice-Devil Slayer, who was running toward her at full speed.
"Gray, what's going o-"
"Something's happened at the guild!" He pointed frantically. "C'mon!" Both made a bolt for the guild. And what they saw there was unforgetable.
The guild banner, once the pride and joy of the guild members, had been torn to shreds, little bandanas of red silk. All of them laid on top of a beaten, bruised and unconscious Lucy, almost burying her. Levy and Natsu were trying desperately to wake the blonde, but to no avail. Not even a whimper.
"Lu-Chan, wake up!" Begged Levy, bandaging up a gash on her right arm.
"Lucy! Don't you die on us!" Yelled Natsu. Everyone else looked concerned at the unmoving body. Makarov seemed the most unhappy, facing Lucy with his back to the guild hall.
"This has already happened to my children once-" he said, magic swelling around him, "I won't let them do it to me again!" The magic shot off him like lightning from a cloud. He yelled some sort of cry between anguish and hatred, one that all the Fairy Tail Members shared. A sound interrupted that cry. It was a laugh.
"My, my. A little angry are we, Fairy Tail?" Came the voice of a small woman with brown pigtails. She was standing even behind Makarov, in front of the guild doors.
"You..." He said in a gravelly tone.
"You jerks!" Came a fire Dragon Slayer from behind him, with a Fire Dragon's Iron Fist. The spell went right through the body.
"Silly man, I'm not really here. I'm a thought projection. Cool, huh?" No response except from the Master.
"Who in the hell are you?"
"Huh? Oh yeah, introductions, duh." She gave a little giggle and waved a peace sign in the air:
"I'm Erin Beatrice, Master of the Dragon Fang guild."
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From the bar at Fairy Tail:
Mira: Look Lucy, more questions from our readers!
Lucy: Like I Said last time, no one asks any-
Mira: Question One; For Beta-San; Do you base the characters from Beyond Ch. 545 off of other characters from Anime/Manga?
Lucy: Wha?
BetaTest401: I guess it depends. Sometimes, I like to blend characters to make things interesting. For Example, Master Erin is a blend of Zara from Fairy Tail Zero and Nui Harime from Kill la Kill. It doesn't matter really which two characters, just two that would make an interesting combination. Fuyu (the kid from Dragon Fang) is loosely based off of Meliodas from the Seven Deadly Sins, Miniami from Yuri! On Ice, and our very own Natsu! After I find the characters I want mine to be like, I fill in their personality gaps and make up backstories (it's pretty fun, actually. Some are completely made up, however, such as Hoodwink and several other unimportant characters. Story writing can be such a bother!
Mira: No offense, Beta-San, but that's a little weird.
Lucy: I think it's cool!
Mira: Are you feeling okay, Lucy?
Lucy: I'm fine!
Mira: Never mind, let's just move on.
Lucy: Question Two, for us at the guild; Do you ship anyone together?
Mira: Well, obviously Bisca and Alzack, Erza and Jellal, and you and Natsu, an-
Lucy: WHAT?!
Mira: Anything, Beta-San?
BetaTest401: *no comment, just sniggering*
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Holy Moly Guys. Ten Chapters. I know for some of you that's not a big deal, but for me, it's a huge accomplishment. I thought maybe five and then I'd give up, but now I've got ten and don't want to stop! Yay me!
What did you think of the Jerza Chapter? Personally, I liked it a lot, just because I ship it like FedEx. Just sayin'.
Beta's Translation Corner!
Silva- forest
Hope you all had a good time during Independence Day, shooting off fireworks and what not. (I know I did!)
My schedule is still pretty clear, so stay tuned for Ch. 556! Make sure to follow, favorite, or leave a review. You're all amazing!
-BetaTest401