Chapter 4

Strife had been in the guild for about a week and a half now, and so far everything had been going good, Lucy, Happy and Natsu were now officially a team, their first job as a team was a success but both got conned, "god damn and he got away without a punch, if someone had conned me like they be lucky to have both their arms working" Strife said when he heard that the guy who sent the flyer didn't have the money.

"And over a goddamn book, who the hell would do that over a book?", "I would?" Levy had said, being the book worm she was and trying to stand up to her friends, "I like you Levy but shut up" Strife had snapped, Still Strife was even considering joining the team, the Watcher was still a mystery to them all.

Still strife needed to go out and do a job at some point, and that meant a real job not helping fix up the guild hall with Mirajane and talk to some members and break up fights, he allowed some to happen in the guild but if they got to rowdy he broke them up or told them to go outside. Presently Mirajane was busy cleaning beer glasses, while casting glances at Strife, his armor was certainly unusual.

From what the Master had told her Strife was from a faraway land so that could explain it though the Master had said it was probably a sore subject so she didn't ask him yet, but she was Happy that Strife was getting along well with everybody and while a fighter lover, knew boundaries, unlike most of the members here.

But Strife's eyes despite lack of pupils told of a great sorrow and that made her remember the death of her own sister Lisanna but for some reason Strife made that burden easier, maybe it was because he had a similar burden to her. Lucy meanwhile was looking over the request board and reading them out loud.

"Looking for a magic bracelet...dispel the magic on this cursed cane, fortune telling using astrology. A Monster Hunt in a volcano?!" Strife figured he dibs the last one, "there sure are alot of Wizard requests" Lucy said, "found any that suit you Lucy?" Mirajane asked, "just tell me when you find one the Masters at a regular meeting", "regular meeting?" Lucy asked, confused.

"Yes, you see all the guild masters in the area get together and give regular reports. It is different from a council meeting." She turned around to see a large circular man with light orange curly hair wearing white shirt with its sleeves rolled up to his elbows, dark pants, and sorcerers like shoes. "Reedus, can I borrow one of your light pens?"

"Sure."

Mirajane grabbed the pen and started to draw a graph while she was talking to Lucy, "The Magic Council has ten members that are connected to the government and those members are on the top of the magical world. Their job is to make sure there is peace and order to everything that goes on in Fiore. Like guilds and towns for example. They also are the one who judge a wizard that committed a crime. Beneath them are the organizations of guilds master, the Guild Master Leagues."

Strife walked over to the two because he was interested in how Fiore was governed. He faced Mirajane to ask, "What's the purpose of the Guild Master Leagues?"

Mira smiled at him with joy, "The Guild Master Leagues circulate the decrees of the council, smooth out communication between the guilds in the same area, and keep us unified. It's a pretty tough job."

Strife scoffed, "the council, I'm always saddled with one council or another" he muttered to himself as he took a seat, "you have something against Councils?" Cana asked.

"Yeah the last council I worked for put my brother in chains for something he did not commit" Strife said, "oh what did he do?" Gray asked them to realize what he said, "I mean what was he framed for?"

"Nothing that was good but at least the government here is fair just hope the council here isn't like the one I worked for" Strife replied trying to be light hearted.

"I had no idea the guilds were organised like that" Lucy said to Mira, Mirajane spoke again, "Keeping the alliances between the guilds is extremely important. If you are not careful…"

All of a sudden an ignited flame appeared behind them while a dark and scary voice asserted into the air, "Those dark guys are coming!"

Lucy jumped into the air and was soon caught by the scruff of her shirt collar by Strife, "you alright" Strife asked as he set her on her feet, "yes thanks" she said then turned on Natsu.

Natsu was laughing like crazy at his stunt, "gotcha" he laughed and got pummeled by Lucy for his trouble, "and she got you back" Strife chuckled.

"Don't scare me like that again" she snarled, arms crossed, Mira however got a grim expression on her face. "It is true enough. Those dark guys really exist." She then got back to cleaning beer glasses "They are called the Dark Guilds. Meaning that guilds that don't belong to the league. Those guys sometimes have their hands in illegal, villainous activities."

"Well then hell awaits them and I honestly feel sorry for them" Strife jokes, everyone gave him a odd look, "their still people you know" Gray said. "Oh come on, take a joke" Strife said non repently.

Natsu recovered then spoke to Lucy, "Anyway, hurry up and pick a job.", Lucy turned to him with a serious look, "And who are you to tell me that, anyway?"

"It is because we are a team, right?"

Then Happy flew near Natsu and replied, "We picked the last job ourselves, remember? This time it is your turn, Lucy."

Lucy crossed her arms and snarled, "You got to be kidding me. Our team is obviously history now. You did not care as long as it was some blonde, remember?", Natsu answered back to her, "That is not the only reason. I chose you Lucy because you are cool!" Lucy sighed quietly and blush a little from his sentence.

At a nearby table Gray heard Natsu's statement and laughed at it, "What? There is no need to lock it down now. You'll get more team requests than you can stomach soon!"

Cana finished her drink from a wooden beer mug and reminded Gray, "Gray, your clothes."

Gray freaked out while putting his hands into the air and having his legs up too when Cana told him about his clothes.

"Shut up." Natsu ordered

Gray narrowed his eyes at Natsu because of his order. He brought his forehead to Natsu's forehead and growled in anger, "Did you tell me to shut up, you flamer!"

"It is because your damn blabbing is pissing me off, porn star!" Natsu yelled back

Then the two teens made a flaming aura around them, but in different colors. Natsu had a red flaming aura while Gray had a blue flaming aura. The aura where their foreheads were close to each other caused the two colors aura to turn into purple. Everyone in the guild turned to see the bickering between them.

Gray started to insult Natsu some more, "Birdbrain!"

"Slippery bastard!" Natsu insulted back

"Get outta my face, you damn rose head!" Gray yelled

"You stinks gay lover!" Natsu shouted

Happy sighed a little while the two continued to insult each other, "Here they go again."

At the same time Loke wrapped an arm around Lucy while he flirted, "Lucy darling, how about the two of us form the team of love? Tonight. Just the two of us."

Lucy was a little creeped out and surprised by his actions, "Ah, why me of all people?"

Loke adjusted his glasses while he answered, "It is because you are really beautiful. I must gaze at you through sunglasses. If I took them off, I would go blind for sure."

"It sounds like a plan."

Loke noticed the seven keys on a ring that was near her belt and caused him to make a surprised pose while skipping back a bit, "W-Wait… You're a Celestial Wizard!?", "Uh, what?" Lucy asked confused.

"Fate," Loke slapped his hand on the top of his head while he wailed, "what cruel tricks you had played on me!" He then turned around and started to cry, "I am sorry! We are going to end it here for now!"

Lucy just stood there like an idiot with Mirajane and Strife, "Did we start something in the first place?", "well whatever he's talking about I can agree fate is a bitch" Strife told her.

Mirajane smiled and explained, "Loke has issues with Celestial Wizards. There is a rumor that he had some women trouble a while back." "Yep Fates a bitch alright ''Strife said then was hit by Natsu who had been thrown by someone god knew who.

Lucy got pissed, "Could you guys give it a rest!" Gray answered her, "He picked this fight! You think I'm not gonna pay him back?"

Cana finished her second mug of beer while resting her left hand on a keg next to her, "Then put on some clothes." That caused Gray to make a weird dance of freaking out.

Natsu got off from Lucy and yelled back at Gray with a familiar red aura around him, 'You're the one who provoked me, droopy eyes!'

"When exactly did I provoke you squinty eyes!" Gray yelled back with a familiar blue aura around him.

"Talking underpants!" Natsu snapped

"Dimwit!" Gray shot back

Cana then spoke while drinking a keg, "It is third grader time."

Soon Happy spoke out loud, "Same as always." Soon the entire guild started to laugh at the two boys bickering. Lucy also started to laugh a little at it too.

Strife noticed that the two were about to punch each other, but he quickly caught them. The two looked up and started to sweat like crazy while they looked up at Strife's serious stare. "If you two want to argue that is fine" he then drew redemption and cocked the weapon "but if you want to fight then do it outside. Is that understood?"

Both of the teens nodded cowardly while Strife reupholstered his weapon, "Yes Strife." The entire guild laughed even louder at Natsu and Gray because of how they became cowardly so easily when Strife got serious.

The laughter came to a halt when Loke came bursting from the door and yelling, "Everyone we got trouble!" Everyone turned to him with curiosity. He sweated a little while he explained, "Erza is back!" Soon the entire guild then gave a scared shock expression and started to worry. Even Natsu and Gray were feeling the same thing like them.

Lucy then spoke in a normal tone, "Erza-san… Natsu mentioned her before."

Mirajane smiled at her and stated, "I think it would be correct to call her the strongest female wizard in all of Fairy Tail right now."

Soon loud footsteps appeared into the air causing everyone to panic a little more before they could settle down. When the steps' noises were getting closer some guild members started to talk in a scared tone.

"It is Erza," a purple haired girl with glasses said. Then a man with light brown pompadour smoking a pipe said, "That is definitely Erza's footsteps." Macao whimpered cowardly, "Erza is coming back!"

In the back of the crowd Lucy and Strife heard every single remark about this Erza. Lucy then started questioning, "With this kind of reaction, Erza-san must really be an amazing wizard." Then she imagined a monster that was breathing fire and was destroying a town. She put her hands on her cheeks and whimpered, "Scary!"

Then a shadowy figure carrying a large horn with her entered the guild and placed the horn next to her on the ground. Strife and Lucy blinked a couple of times before they saw what the figure looked like. Strife was tempted to laugh but held it in for now. It was a long scarlet nineteen year old female who had brown eyes.

She was wearing black boots, a blue skirt, silver diamond shaped earrings, silver gauntlets, and silver chest armor that covered the top of her arms. On the chest armor was a golden cross that went horizontal where the two lines intersect and covered the dark red Fairy Tail emblem that was on the left side. Optimus noticed another Fairy Tail emblem which was blue on her left upper arm.

The mysterious scarlet head cleared her throat, "I have returned. Is the master here?" She bellowed "She is pretty!" Lucy commented on her look, "You're telling me" Strife said giggling and barely able to hold in.

Mirajane answered the scarlet head's question, "Welcome back Erza. The master is at a regular meeting." Erza nodded, "I see."Then a random member asked Erza a question, "Erza-san, what is that giant thing?"

Erza turned to him to answer, "It is the horn of the monster I defeated. The locals decorated it and gave it to me as a souvenir." Then her voice sounded a little more serious, "Do you guys have a problem with it?"

The random member cowardly answered while sweating, "No, not at all!" Cana was talking to Macoa at the same time, "Think she knows about the incident on Mt Hakobe?" "Crap, I'm dead meat," Macao answered.

Lucy was talking to Strife, "She is quite different from what I had imagined.", "I was honestly expecting worse. I mean what the hell was I even imagining" Strife said, barely able to hold in his laughter.

Then Erza turned to the entire guild and roared at them, "All of you!" Her tone caused the entire guild to gulp in panic. "I heard a bunch of rumors while I was gone. All about how Fairy keeps causing problems. The Master might forgive you, but I will not!" She turned to Cana who was still drinking from the keg, "Cana!" Cana gulped in despair when she heard her name from Erza.

"How dare you drink in such an undignified manner! Vijeeter." Then a man with long brown hair that was tied into a ponytail who was wearing a black fitting dancing suit that had a little bit of silver on it answered her, "Yes?"

"Take your dancing outside. Wakaba." The man that was smoking a pipe gulped hard somehow not choking. "You are dropping ash on the table. Nab!" The man who was standing in front of the request board made a weird pose. "Just hesitating in front of the request board like usual? Take a job already! Macao!"

Macao was startled a bit and was wondering what she was going to say. Instead of scolding she sighed which caused him to panic, "Damn it say something!

Erza put a hand on her forehead, "Man all of you give me such trouble. Usually I would let it slide, but the recent damage around Fiore is giving Fairy Tail a bad reputation. Unlike the Master I am going to teach each and every one of you a lesson."

It was at this point that everyone became aware of the sound of… hearty laughter?, what?, who would be insane enough to laugh in the face of Erza? They all turned to the source, Erza with a face that would make any laughter stop. Unless it was Strife apparently because he continued laughing, breathless with mirth so breathless that he had to lean on a table, they had all looked so comical.

"Oh god you guys should have all seen your faces" Strife laughed, having to lean on a bench until he calmed down. "Excuse me who do you think you are!" Erza demanded in a voice that made everyone cower, Strife was unperturbed, "okay I've had my laugh but really lighten up already Erza" he told her then straightened.

"No seriously stop being a downer, we don't need moral becoming low because of little things like ash on the table or struggling to pick a job, but I side with you on the drinking part sorry Cana" Strife then said to Cana who gave him a death glare then once again cowered at Erza next sentence.

"Are you saying that I don't accept them for who they really are" Erza demanded, "with the perfectionist act you gave and form their reaction I can say no you do not" Strife replied.

Erza, enraged, came straight at Strife, summoning a sword and swung at him. Strife noticed her move and summoned his own Sabers. He blocked the strike and pushed her back. He went straight at her while making a horizontal slashed, but Erza blocked it with her sword. She made a round kick at his face hoping to put him in his place.

However Strife blocked her kick with his forearm and pushed it aside to make a punch. Erza caught the punch and forced it aside in order to make a vertical slash at him. Strife blocked the strike and stood his ground with Erza. The two blades were against each other for a few seconds before the two swordsmen stepped back.

Everyone in the guild was surprised that Strife stood his ground against Erza so easily. Usually her opponents would be twitching at the ground right now, but he managed to stay standing. Lucy was amazed at the two swordsmen's skill, but then Memories of how Strife had torn through Boras' men crossed her mind and she shivered In fear.

She realized that Strife was holding back, if he really wanted to let loose Erza might not be conscious about now.

Mirajane was extremely impressed that Strife could stand his ground against Erza so easily. She then wonders, "How strong are you Strife and where did you learn to fight?".

"Well that was fun but how about we get serious outside, we need to set an example for the other" Strife said, "besides we don't want to damage the guild do we"

Erza smirked while she fought, "A skilled swordsman and an honorable warrior. I never would have imagined a man with those traits still existed in the world." She lowered her sword and nodded with a smirk, "Very well."

The entire guild was even more shocked that she accepted his request so easily. The members slowly followed the two outside. They watched them take their fighting positions and just stood there for a while. Soon a gentle wind blew which caused the two swordsmen to charge straight at each other.

The battle between the two started when the two swords collided. Strife gave a low kick then a high kick followed by a vertical slash. Erza jumped first then leaned back a little to dodge each kick. She blocked his strike and punched him in the face. Strife managed to catch it and turned around and threw her. Erza landed on her feet and charged at Optimus while holding her sword tightly and swung it.

Strife grasped his blade with both hands and blocked the strong swing. He moved his blade a little to the left while Erza moved her blade to the right. The two forced each other back and began to attack each other with powerful strikes. Each of their strikes collided making a loud echo sound. The two went at it for like five minutes straight without stopping.

When the two blades were pushing against each other, Erza smirked with joy, "I am impressed that you can stand your ground against me."

"I had a lot of experience, you would not believe how hard law keeping is back home" Strife replied.

"I see. Well I guess I should get a little more serious then." When the two were forced back, Erza summoned an exact same sword like her other one. She made a dual stance and charged at Strife.

Strife drew Redemption with speed and fired at Erza who dodged all of them and sent a slash, but Strife summoned his second sword in place of his pistol and blocked the attack. The two were not giving up and went at each other with full force. As soon Erza blocked his last strike, she brought her swords together to form an x cross to his neck.

A gust of wind blew when the two warriors just stopped there. Everyone in the guild witnessed the intense sword battle between them and was amazed that Strife survived it. Each of them believed that Strife was defeated, but Erza chuckled a bit wondering what was going on.

She smirked at Strife and replied, "Look like I am at your mercy too."

Click*

The guild blinked a couple of times before seeing one of his swords was behind her neck in a horizontal position while in his other hand underneath Erza's chin was Strife gun Mercy instead of his sword. Each of the members could not believe that Erza was in a deadlock. She was an S-class wizard who had never been forced to a deadlock so easily, but seeing it right in front of them it was hard to believe.

Mirajane was shocked at the scene. She was impressed that Strife was able to stand his ground against Erza so easily without breaking a sweat. However she was shocked that he forced her in a deadlock. Only she could force Erza into one. Seeing how Stife was able to do it, she couldn't find the words to describe. All that she could muster was this, "Oh my God…"

Gray was sweating at the scene like crazy. Ever since he was a kid, Erza has beaten him to a pulp without the use of her sword. Seeing that the newcomer was able to stand his ground against her, he couldn't believe it.

Natsu was sweating just as much as Gray. He fought Erza many times in the past and always ended up in defeat. Seeing Optimus' strength that was at an equal level as Erza, he had now a new person added to his list to defeat.

And it wasn't just his strength and power everyone was astonished by, they had seen re-equip magic before but when Strife summoned the sword it was immediate, no delay whatsoever. And the speed In which he drew and holstered his pistols made it look like the guns teleported to and from his hands and holsters

Strife stared into Erza's eyes and told her that she had a difficult life as a child and she lost a trustworthy companion too. He knew the feeling all too well and knew how hard it is to deal with it. Strife then spoke to her, "Shall we consider this a draw?"

Erza was finished staring into his piercing yellow eyes and replied, "Yes we should." Erza and Strife lowered their swords and unsummon them. Erza was impressed by what his eyes could tell. She could tell that he went to some trauma that was similar she went through and he lost a trustworthy comrade. She put out her hand and smiled at him, "Sorry about before. My name is Erza Scarlet. What is yours?"

Optimus accepted her hand and shook it, "Strife" Then she started to chuckle a little. "Am I missing a joke or something?"

"Is that just an unusual name?" Erza said "I get that a lot." Strife said "I see Strife you are not busy are you?" Erza asked, "Maybe, why?" Strife asked "I was wondering if you can help me get a job?" Erza asked

"Sure, no problem." Then the entire guild gave a shock expression which caused Strife to wonder, "Why are you giving me that look?", Mirajane then explained to him, "It's just that Erza barely asks for help because she is one of the strongest members we have. Seeing that she needs an assist is quite surprising."

Strife could tell that the entire guild was showing the same expression as Mirajane and knew that this job was not going to be easy. He turned to Erza, "Judging by the crowd reactions, my guess is that this job is quite serious?".

She nodded to him while crossing her arms, "Yes, require help to accomplish it." Erza replied briskly "Okay, but if this job is that serious I would suggest that we need a little more help." Strife suggested.

"Agree." She turned to Natsu and Gray, "Natsu, Gray!" The two stood nice and tall, "Aye." "You two will be assisting me and Strife. Is that okay?" Erza asked sternly.

The two nodded slowly while everybody else gave a surprising pose and expression. Mirajane then slowly spoke, "Natsu, Gray, Erza, and Strife working together. This might be the Fairy Tail ultimate team."

On the next day at Magnolia Station, Natsu and Gray were busy arguing with each other again, causing a crowd of people to stare at them. Natsu started to yell at Gray, "Why do I have to be stuck with you?"

"That is my line! If Erza wants help, I can handle that by myself!" Natsu yelled back "Then go by yourself! I don't even want to go!" Gray shot back, "Then stay home, and get beaten up by Erza afterwards!" Natsu yelled back

"Tough because you're both coming and so is Happy and Lucy" Strife said to them "and I so much as see a crack in a building because you two traded punches I'm gonna start taking pot shots got it?"

"Aye" the two answered."Sorry for the wait you guys." The group turned to see Erza with a cart load of luggage behind her. Lucy then stated, "That is a lot of luggage!"

Erza noticed the unknown blonde who had Happy on her shoulders and was holding a Celestial Spirit called Plue. She went over to her to talk, "Oh I noticed you yesterday. Are you a new member?"

Lucy smiled at her and nodded, "Yes the name is Lucy. Mirajane-san asked me to come along with you guys. Is that okay?", "There is no problem with that," Erza told her.

"Sorry to interrupt your conversation, but we better get aboard the train now before it departs." Strife interrupted, The two girls nodded yes to him. "Also Natsu, Gray stop your pointless bickering now."

The two boys sweated a bit wondering how he could have known that they were arguing behind his back. Strife turned to them with a serious look, "We need to work as a team not as rash individuals. So suck it up or you'll see how accurate I am when taking pot shot"

Erza then gave the two teens a serious glare, "Strife, are you telling me that these two were fighting behind my back?", "Yupperdoo." Strife replied casually "Natsu, Gray after we finish this job we are going to have a long chat. Is that understood?"

The two boys sweated even more and gave a cowardly answer, "Aye.", Strife heard the train whistle and told his friends, "We better hurry or we're going to miss out." The group of friends nodded and hurried onto the train.

When they were sitting in their seats, Strife was sitting next to Erza with one leg up on the seat while Natsu was lying down on Lucy laps because he got motion sick. While Gray was sitting next to them. Ever since they left the group were quiet until Lucy asked Strife a question, "Hey Strife where did you learn how to use your sword and guns and come to think of it what kind of magic do you use?"

Strife turned to her then to Gray and Erza who were wondering the same thing. "I was once a part of the law enforcement for a very strict council back home where there are three kingdoms, me and my three siblings kept the balance in those three kingdoms. Apart from being a natural Gunslinger I have Shadow magic, gun magic and requip magic"

Erza blinked a couple of times, "but there was no magic circle when you summoned your sabers" she pointed out being a requip magic herself she knew, "yeah and you didn't use any Shadow magic from what I could see" Gray added, "aye" Happy agreed

"Well I got teleported here by a certain wizard who locked my powers, I'm gaining them back and all my powers will be back in time but at the moment I'm stuck with just guns and swords" Strife said

The group was fascinated by this and wanted to ask more questions, but Gray then reminded them, "Sorry to interrupt, but Erza do you mind what this job is about?"

Erza coughed a little, "Sorry I forgot to tell you guys. We are facing a dark guild called Eisenwald who are intended to mischief a magic call Lullaby."

Then Gray and Happy both said, "Lullaby!"

Lucy spoke after, "Then those guys we ran into the other day were…" Strife then interrupted her, "You saw members of that guild?" The two of them and the cat nodded yes to him.

After that Erza explained to the group how stumble upon it and the man named Erigor was the person who was plotting this scheme before eating a cheese cake. Lucy then asked Erza a question, "Erza what kind of magic do you use?"

Happy answered her, "Her magic is so pretty that it causes her opponents' blood to spill everywhere." "Actually I believed Gray's magic is prettier than mine" she stated.

"You really think my Ice magic is prettier than yours." Gray made a blue magic circle and created an ice sculpture of the Fairy Tail symbol.

Lucy was amazed by it and realized something, "Ice and Fire… Now I understand why you and Natsu don't get along. The two of you use opposing magic." Strife then said to her, "uh I'm still siding with Loke, Fates a bitch"

Soon the train came to a complete stop and everyone was getting off the train. When the group were off Optimus noticed one of them was missing, "Where is Natsu?" The group looked around until Strife realized while staring at the moving train. "The bastard is still on the train."

Erza tightens a fist, "Damn it I forgot about him." Strife turned to her, "Relax we'll just go get him. Excuse me sir?" "Yes?" a man wearing a train conductor outfit asked. "Do you mind if you stop the train?Our friend is still on it." Strife told him

"Sorry sir but we cannot do that." Then he saw Erza pull the emergency brake switch which caused the man to run over to talk to her.

"God damn the polite way never works" Strife cursed, then he heard a caw above, it was the former eyes of Odin themselves, they were cawing non stop, and whatever they were trying to tell him, it wasn't good.

A gold and white mist flared from Strifes hand it was the Watcher contacting him telepathically, "what is it?" Strife whispered to the mist, "They are saying that the song shall be heard if you don't do something" the Watcher replied, "lullaby is on the train"