Erza could be violent. Really violent when pushed into righteous anger or overwhelmed, but even she had a point when relief surpasses anger and turns into muted silence. She was walking stiffly, her joints refusing to bend as she insisted Shirou stay in front of her. Any form of protest was met with a glare that didn't quite look like a glare. Instead, it was closer to half crying and half indignant. From any perspective, it was clear that the girl was weary that if she took her eyes off of Shirou, he'd somehow disappear again.
Granted, Archer who was walking well away from Shirou and Erza could picture something like that happening. It didn't take much for Shirou to get involved in any random encounter. He was a magnet for trouble, and Archer knew this first hand as he was basically an older version of Shirou. Should a random magic circle appear and whisk Shirou away, Archer wouldn't even bat an eye.
A part of Archer felt that Erza was overreacting, but on second thought, he changed his mind when a large predatory bird swooped in and tried to attack Shirou. The attack was so abrupt and unexpected that even Gildarts and Makarov could only stare blankly as Shirou was grabbed by the bird's talons and hoisted up into the air.
"Nooooo!"
Erza looked frustrated if anything else. Her hand was outstretched and she immediately took chase while Gildarts and Makarov blinked before grinning in amusement. It was just a bird and with Gildarts and Makarov around, there wasn't really any danger; however, Erza was not happy, and glared at them for not doing anything.
Archer had to admit that he and Shirou's ability to attract trouble was second to none. When Erza remembered that there was no way she'd be able to fly and catch up to Shirou, she looked towards Archer who she knew had ranged capabilities.
"Please?" Erza seemed to be saying with her eyes.
"No," Archer felt no need to act. "The fool can get himself out of his own problems."
Before Erza could argue, Archer pointed to the sky and redirected her attention. "Look for yourself."
The bird holding Shirou in its claws abruptly squawked before dropping Shirou straight towards the ground. The bird's talons fell along with Shirou who Erza caught in her hands as she'd been sprinting after Shirou from the beginning.
And suddenly Archer was grinning from ear to ear, as he, Makarov, and Gildarts approached the two.
"Can you put me down?"
"No."
"Why?"
"No."
"You know that was an accident, right?"
"If you think I'm going to let you go, then you're dreaming." Erza's expression was steely. She was princess carrying Shirou and her arms were like vices. Ever since escaping the Tower of Heaven, she, Jellal, and the others had been relentlessly training to grow stronger. Of course, Shirou could force his way out of Erza's grip, but knowing Shirou, he wouldn't want to take the risk of hurting her.
By the time Archer approached with Makarov and Gildarts, Shirou was visibly annoyed.
"Shut up." Shirou glared as Archer opened his mouth. "Just don't even say anything."
"Saber would be proud," Archer didn't care about Shirou's dignity and spoke anyway. "You got yourself another headstrong woman."
Erza grunted, but didn't see anything wrong with Archer's statement. In fact, she held tighter onto Shirou and puffed up her chest. Was she proud at the statement? Yes. Yes, she was. "See Shirou, I'm strong. There's no need to handle everything by yourself anymore and leave everyone else behind."
Shirou remained frowning. He wouldn't have minded the situation all too much if it wasn't for the fact that Archer wouldn't stop grinning at him. "Erza-"
Erza's eyes narrowed sharply. "No. Don't even bother asking anymore."
Shirou was mercilessly shot down, and thus, the journey back to Fairy Tail ended in simple silence, each possessing their own motivations. Erza's pace had quickened in direct correlation to her excitement and desire to tell Jellal and the others the good news, while Archer progressed in a more languid pace. He was considering what he'd be doing from now on, but came up blank. Meanwhile, Gildarts and Makarov glanced at each other before Makarov sighed.
To each their own.
Magnolia Town could be seen from beyond the thick foliage of the trees that surrounded the harbour city. Fairy Tail's guild buildings which was built facing the open sea was an iconic attraction of the town as the guild was known as one of the strongest Wizard Guild's in Fiore.
Do fairies have tails? Do they even exist? Like them, this place is a mystery; a never-ending adventure.
This was Fairy Tail.
Shirou could still remember the way Rob had told him, Erza, and the others so enthusiastically about the guild he belonged to in the Tower of Heaven. It was loud, accepting, and warm, a far cry from the tragedies of the Tower and the constant screaming.
For the sake a of a promise he'd made, he, Erza, Jellal, and all their other friends would join Fairy Tail if they ever escaped the tower. Now here he was to make good on that promise. Based on how animatedly Erza had described the place, it seemed to be just as great as Rob had described it.
There was a vigour in Erza's features that was different from how gloomy she and everyone else had used to appear. There was life in her actions. A blossoming vitality that was infectious enough to effect even him. Slowly, gradually, a small smile graced his features as he tussled Erza's hair with his right hand.
"H-Hey, stop that!" There wasn't really any bite to her words, but rather, a wistful sentiment. Back in the Tower of Heaven, all he, Erza, Jellal, and the others had to depend on was each other.
"You've worked hard," Shirou said, causing Erza's lips to quiver before her breath hitched. She fell silent and shifted her gaze away from him.
"…We thought you died," Erza's voice was hardly above a whisper. "Then we found your look-alike at Fairy Tail. Jellal and I thought he was you. He may act off-putting, but his actions and manners resembled you too much to be a coincidence. T-Then he said he didn't know us, and I was of the opinion that the white-haired bitch had brainwashed him. Jellal suspected that you may actually be different people, but for some reason my gut says you were both the same person."
That's because they were.
Here Shirou maintained a silent stance, not exactly knowing what to say. Then again, neither did Erza as the conversation droned to a halt.
From what Rob said, Fairy Tail was a place of new beginnings where the troubles of the past didn't change the way others thought of you. The guild was family, and family cared for each other. Mess with the younger brother or sister, but be prepared to mess with the older brother and sister, or barring that, the Master. People in a guild cared for each other, and upheld certain rules and values that aligned perfectly with Shirou's ideals. Fairy Tail even more so, as Rob often lamented that if Makarov or any member of Fairy Tail had gotten wind of his predicament, then the entire guild would mobilize. For such a rowdy and boisterous place, it honestly surprised Shirou that Archer was a part of it considering his jaded views on life.
Speaking of Archer, he, Makarov, and Gildarts had made a beeline for the guild building while Erza dragged him off towards the building that she was renting with everyone else.
"Jellal and the others, will be excited to see you!" Erza didn't even seem to notice that Archer, Makarov, and Gildarts had left. She'd always been like this. Once something caught her attention, she'd single-mindedly focus everything on that single endeavor. She was fiercely loyal and cherished her friends, meaning that she was too invested in reuniting him with them to care about anything else.
"Simon went travelling though. He said he had to find his sister, but he promised he'd be back before the end of two seasons." Erza was babbling, trying to inform him of everything he'd missed as if he wouldn't be around to hear her out slowly. He couldn't blame her though since they didn't exactly have the best of partings. "Millianna was going around looking for something to help motivate Macbeth into actually training. There were a lot of people you helped save at the Tower of Heaven that came with us to Fairy Tail. Wally and Richard have been looking out for a lot of us, but everyone will be happy to see you."
Erza wasn't saying it, but even though everyone had suffered in the Tower of Heaven, all of them had pleasant memories of the time they'd gather together in one of Shirou's banquets. If the guards and wardens were the demons that patrolled the hell that the was Tower, then Shirou was the light and support keeping everyone's sanity together. Millianna had told Erza that Sorano, a prisoner from a different block in the tower, was still infatuated with Shirou.
At the reminder, a part of Erza's determination unexpectedly began to wane. Maybe she shouldn't be in too much of a rush? When she imagined Sorano sidling up to Shirou, she felt the inexplicable need to punch something. The same was true when other girls approached Jellal, but she herself didn't know how to sort her feelings out…screw it. All that mattered was that she didn't like it. It made her feel like they were trying to steal her friends away from her.
"Something on your mind?" As Erza was still carrying Shirou, he had a direct view of the flickering emotions crossing Erza's face.
"I want to punch something," she said bluntly.
Shirou didn't reply, and allowed Erza to sort her mind out. Her features shifted from stony, to indignant, then to neutral.
It was only after looking at Erza for a moment longer that Shirou was beginning to realize just how much he was affecting people around him. Erza, Jellal, and the others all treated him as a friend and were concerned for his well being. He knew he had this sort of effect on people from first-hand experience in his previous life, but this was his second life. It was a mistake to let others needlessly worry for him and cause grief to themselves. He had a whole new life to look forward to, but from here on out, perhaps he should listen to Rob's wisdom?
"You may think I don't see it, but you try to shoulder everything on your own young one…It's not healthy and soon enough you will break. Of course, you don't seem to mind breaking, but do take care to remember that your actions may cause distress to those around you. So why not try depending on others? Come to Fairy Tail and I promise you, whenever you feel like you're alone, you never are."
Rob had raised his right hand up into the air and weakly curled his fingers into a fist while extending his index finger and thumb perpendicular to each other.
"No matter how far away you may be, the guild will watch over you, and you them. That is what it means to be a member of Fairy Tail. You wish to be a hero? There are a lot of people in the world, but at the very least, you can be a hero to those you hold dear. Isn't that enough?"
Shirou had made a promise, and he was going to live up to it.
Erza was making good progress to reaching Magnolia Town. They could already see the bustling streets from a clearing in the surrounding woods. Any moment and they would arrive which made Shirou once again return to the topic of his present predicament.
"Can you let go of me now?" He asked.
It was one thing to be carried in the woods with only Makarov, Gildarts, and Archer as an audience, but it was another thing entirely to be princess carried into Magnolia's streets in full view. Shirou didn't really care much for his reputation, but he knew that Archer would never allow him to play the experience down.
"Can I refuse?"
"Do you really think I'm incapable of staying out of trouble?"
Erza gave Shirou a flat look that caused him to doubt himself. Then again, he wasn't setting the best record in regards to mishaps that had occurred to him.
"They don't happen all the time," he argued. "That bird was just lucky that it didn't seem to have any ill intent or I would have sensed it."
"Trying to eat you isn't an ill action?" Erza's brow twitched.
"Hunger and murder have different feelings."
"I thought hunger was the enemy?"
"It is."
"Then why didn't you sense it?"
Okay, Shirou didn't have a legitimate answer for that. He'd just been too careless after the revelation that Archer was also around. Still, this and that were two different things. "Will you let me down now, or what?" If she declined, it shouldn't be too hard to free himself considering Erza's guard was dropping.
Erza seemed to be struggling with herself, but the fact that Magnolia Town was right in front of her caused her to concede. "Fine."
A cool breeze began to blow as Erza reposition herself to let Shirou down. The sun was directly overhead with no clouds in sight which had made the day both hot and humid. The cool breeze felt refreshing in the underbrush, but why was it suddenly feeling so cold?
The leaves rustled in a nearby bush, but neither of the two paid it any attention.
Instead, as Shirou got onto his feet and Erza stepped back to give him a bit of room, the only warning that Erza got that something was wrong was when Shirou abruptly pushed her aside.
A ball of snow suddenly wrapped around Shirou and propelled him directly into a part of Magnolia Town where Erza spotted an oversized catcher's mitt made out of ice; the suspicious cry of "I got him!" echoing through the air clued her into exactly what had happened.
Erza blinked, turned around, and saw a wild Gray Fullbuster, half naked and grinning in triumph.
An ominous feeling befell Gray as he took notice of the growing magical energy surrounding Erza. "Huh? Who are you?"
A pair of swords appeared in Erza's hands, prompting Gray to back up step by step.
…This really wasn't going to be his day.
By the time Archer entered one of Fairy Tail's private rooms, Gildarts and Makarov were already preparing to have a talk with him inside. There was a small bar at the adjacent wall, and a few circle-shaped tables spread across the small room. Makarov and Gildarts were by the bar stand. Gildarts had a small smile on his face as he crossed his arms and leaned his back against a wall. Meanwhile, Makarov was seated on the edge of the bar table.
"Come sit," Makarov called out welcomingly while gesturing towards a chair by the table. He was wearing a goofy orange-and-blue striped jester's hat that made him look like he'd fit perfectly in a kid's party.
Archer complied and Makarov began pouring him a glass of orange juice. The guild master probably thought him a child with childish taste.
Archer stared at the orange juice, but glancing at Makarov's beaming smile, he chose not to decline and took the cup into his hands while Gildarts moved and began filling a few mugs of ale for him and Makarov.
"So," Makarov began slowly. "I take it you've realized that the mission you took wasn't quite as it seemed?"
Archer perked up a brow, but Gildarts was already smirking, mirth twisting his lips upward at Archer's attitude. Rebellious, he could respect that.
"You can say that," Archer grunted disinterestedly. "Stumbling into a confrontation between two Dark Guilds in the middle of the woods seems like too much of a coincidence."
"Kid's got spunk. I told you he'd notice," Gildarts downed his mug of beer and wiped his lips with the back of his left hand. "His little siblings Lisanna and Elfman couldn't stop gushing in the guild hall about how smart and strong their elder brother was. Oddly enough, Mirajane, the most reserved of your siblings, was the most vocal."
Archer slapped a hand over his face. It wasn't exactly because of what Gildart's had just said, but because of the implications. His little siblings, minors, were hanging out in the guildhall were drunkards wasted themselves into mumbling idiots. They weren't exactly the best role models for someone of Lisanna's impressionable age.
"Remind me to have a talk with my siblings later," Archer sounded done with everything right then and there.
"Will do," Gildarts leaned his back into the chair he'd pulled out to sit near Archer and Makarov.
Arche watched as Makarov cleared his throat and the atmosphere shifted into something more serious. As he recalled, the mission he'd undertaken was in direct correlation to his S-Rank Assessment. Should he pass, he was planning on quickly earning money to save up for his siblings before then deciding on what to do with his new life.
"Just tell it to me how it is," Archer cut straight to the point as the silence stretched. He could see that Makarov was making an effort not to disappoint him, but he wasn't so mentally fragile that he couldn't accept failure. "Did I pass or not?"
Makarov deflated before he took a long breath. "You failed," he said tiredly.
Archer raised a brow.
"Your strength and capabilities aren't the issue," Gildarts elaborated, a frown marring his face as he scratched the back of his head. "It's how you handled the test itself."
Considering that the test wasn't actually what was written on the mission paper, there could only be one part of the mission Gildarts was referring to. The situation with the Dark Guilds then, Archer surmised.
"I chose a secluded spot several kilometers away atop a tall tree to prevent any Mages from tracking my location," Archer said methodically. Gildarts and Makarov stiffened from how detached Archer's voice sounded, but Archer didn't notice the jarring difference between how he spoke and how a child his age spoke. "From a vantage point, I surveyed all hostiles and prevented any of them from harming my bull-headed guildmate before retreating when I assessed that the two of you had the Dark Guilds handled. Was I wrong?"
Archer wasn't wrong in his assessment, as it spoke a great deal about his tactical insights and situational awareness, but as he waited for Makarov's response, he grew taken aback. Why were Makarov and Gildarts making such somber faces? Gildarts was no longer grinning, but frowning while Makarov's eyes glinted with unshed tears as snot exaggeratedly dripped from his nose.
"You aren't wrong," Makarov clarified while cleaning up his face with a tissue. He arms crossed his arms and angled his body to sit on the edge of the bar table. He didn't look angry, upset, or sad, but disheartened like a grandfather scolding their grandkids. "Tell me, what is the difference between a legal guild and a dark guild?"
Based on Makarov's expression, this wasn't the real question Makarov really wanted to ask, but he was asking anyway for the sake of pointing out something Archer wasn't seeing. Makarov assumed a lecturing pose, giving nothing away.
Archer hummed to himself in confusion, but still gave his answer.
"Outside of other miscellaneous differences, it's their methods and ideologies-" Archer paused abruptly. He suddenly had an idea of just why he'd failed forming in his mind. He was anything if slow minded, but the forming answer caused no small amount of irritation within him, but he didn't show it. He was better than that. "Aside from avoiding legal regulations, dark guilds are known to be ruthless and lack regard for the damage their magic can do. They are reckless and often kill others through misuse use of their own magic or do so purposely."
Archer gave a pointed stare at Gildarts and Makarov. "…You failed me because I killed a man who would seek to murder a child my sister's age?"
"Putting it bluntly, yes, but not for the reason you may think," Makarov hopped off his seat and walked right up to Archer. Being as Archer was still a kid and the eldest of the Strauss siblings, Makarov was near equal in height to Archer. "An S-Class Wizard is the face of their guild, and each S-Class Wizard must carry this responsibility on their shoulders. You have strength and ability, but you lack control."
This was where Archer would beg to differ, but Makarov wasn't quite done speaking yet, and he asked a question than soon rendered Archer silent.
"Could you have ended that situation without killing that man?"
It was a simple question, one that was easily answered by a yes or a no, but there was a certain implication attached that Archer understood implicitly. He did have the ability to not kill the man, but the fact that he didn't was opposed to his silent claims of self control.
Archer's silence was the same as admission.
Makarov patted Archer on the shoulder before returning to his seat, and assuming his duties as the guild master. "Shirou Strauss, as the Master of Fairy Tail, you have failed your S-Class Assessment. You will be given the rank of an A-Class Wizard until the next S-Class promotion test."
Archer sighed. The reasoning Makarov gave was sound, but it didn't mean he'd have to be happy about it.
"I understand Master," Archer inclined his head. "May I be excused?"
Makarov nodded, and watched as Archer left the room, leaving only Gildarts behind.
Neither of the two spoke for a good minute as they drank their ale in peaceful quiet. It was as Gildarts moved to refill his mug that conversation began again.
"It's quite remarkable isn't it?" Gildarts remarked. "For such a young child, he's managed to collect quite an impressive magical weapon for his Requip magic."
Makarov shook his head. "Did you retrieve the sword?"
"No. It just vanished," Gildarts admitted. "Though, I have a half-a-mind to believe it moved too fast and ended up on the other side of the continent, so I can't be sure. But that isn't what you really want to talk about is it?"
"No," Makarov seemed to age another five years. "You must have realized it too, but that child, like many children who've ended up at our guild hasn't lived an easy life."
Gildarts took another chug from his mug before wiping the foam bubbles over his lips. "The kid sounded like a child solider if I was being honest. From how his siblings described him to be, he's always been the one to bare the most hardship for them. When I told them that I was overseeing parts of his S-Rank Assessment, the brat Mirajane even went as far as to swallow her pride and promise a favour to me in order to look out for her elder brother. What favour though? We're a guild. We're family. Of course, I'd look out for my guildmates. I told them that, and guess what? The face she made was priceless before I patted her on the head and she squawked in indignation. Lisanna and Elfman were smiling though. Good family there. Those siblings have a strong bond, and Archer has credit for looking after them so well."
"Which is why we must look after him as a guild, and guide him to a bright future." Makarov poured himself another drink but didn't swallow it right away. Instead, he swirled the ale in his cup while staring at the rippling alcohol. "He may just need more support than Laxus. The two are quite similar actually."
Laxus and Archer were similar in that they would both need to understand that being part of the guild isn't just a matter of pride or prestige. The guild was there for guildmates to be relied on. A family even if not by blood. There was no need to care about who was the strongest or not.
Word would spread in Fairy Tail about a child being promoted into an A-Class Wizard, and knowing Laxus, he'd seek Archer out as the only other A-Class Wizard his age in the guild.
"Things are going to get hectic again," Gildarts drawled.
"Since when is it ever not hectic in the guild?" Makarov let out a laugh. "Laxus can use the competition anyway, and if he loses, it should be a humbling experience. For the both of them if things go well."
"You never give up on anyone do you?" Gildarts put aside his mug of ale, crossed his arms, and leaned back into his chair.
"You know me too well Gidarts," Makarov nodded in earnest. "In any case, Archer may not show it, but he's the one in need of the most saving. A child shouldn't have to look at the world as if there's nothing to enjoy."
"You may just be right, but if he's anything like Laxus, it will be a lot of trouble to get him to turn his act around."
"Then even more reason to make sure his future remains bright." Makarov grinned broadly, eyes squinting as he sat himself in a cross-legged position. "What parent doesn't care for their family? I trust in Shirou Straus. He'll come around."
Archer, he who's smile always drops when away from his siblings.
You may try to hide it behind callous indifference, but how much suffering have you already endured to mature so early?
Makarov poured himself another mug of beer.
Even if you give up on yourself. The guild will never turn its back on your suffering.
A son's pain, was a father's pain.
There was no father in the world who wouldn't act.
Shirou only had a single thought going through his head as he sailed through Magnolia's sky while wrapped in the middle of a ball of snow: nope. Nope.
He'd had enough with being pushed around for no reason, and ending up in weird situations. He could see the catcher's mitt made of ice fast approaching, but rather than allow himself to be caught up in another random situation, he reinforced his limbs and broke out of the snow. This altered his trajectory which carried him past the catcher's mitt and towards Fairy Tail's guild building where he crashed through a window.
He groaned as his back slammed over a table, then blinked when he saw Archer staring right at him with a brief expression of sympathy. It was always them who got into the most ridiculous of situations. As it was, Archer was making his way home from his talk with Makarov and Gildarts only for Shirou to crash into a room Archer had just entered. The door was still half-open and Archer was contemplating if he should just close the door and pretend as if he didn't see anything.
Still, he couldn't resist the urge to get a word in.
"You know, I won't even ask. I feel like I'd just get an aneurism." Archer said snidely before instantly moving to leave.
Regaining his bearings, Shirou pushed off the table and called out to Archer. "Hey, wait a sec. I need to talk to you about something, so get inside and close that door. Neither of us could bring it up before since the others were around."
"And why should I confide with you?" Archer wasn't impressed. Far from it, he still hadn't moved from the door yet.
"We may not like each other, but each of us have our own lives now. A new start you know." Shirou dusted off his clothes and cleaned off the pieces of wood splinters over him. He wasn't too injured as he'd reinforced his body, but the tiny splinters on his skin were going to be a pain to remove. "Truth be told, there's no reason for either of us not to cooperate since only the two of us know the danger Shadow Servants pose."
Difficult as it was to swallow, the only ones who knew the real gravity of the situation were themselves.
Archer grudgingly entered the room and closed the door behind him. His crossed his arms and leaned by a wall, refusing to get any closer to Shirou then he had to. "What do you propose?"
"A pact of cooperation. We can investigate better with the both of us should more Shadow Servants appear. In the meantime, we agree to stay out of each other's way."
Archer perked up. "I can agree with that. Your face irritates me."
"Go look at a mirror," Shirou glowered.
The two would live on with their lives while trying to unravel the mystery of their rebirth, and for both Shirou and Archer, this meant owing up to the changes their presence made. Well, Shirou mostly as Archer hadn't taken to saving every random person he saw or met.
Heavy knocking echoed from the door of the room, causing Shirou to tense.
"Y-You locked that, right?"
The two looked at each other, and for once, there was a sense of mutual understanding.
Luck eludes them still. "This is your fault."
A moment of silence passed before the door was blown off its hinges and a cloud of dust filled the room.
This was their life now.
Shirou was abruptly dogpiled while Archer tried to leave the room but failed.
For better or for worse.
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Fiction Press: Survivor's Log: Reflections
Next update: Fate In Time
P a treon. com (slash) Parcasious
Book link: Fatedlegacydark. ca
Summary of book:
Death. Grief. Ruin. Nothing was left unchanged after an unexplained tragedy led to the loss of millions across the world in key locations. Cities were reduced to wastelands of steel and concrete, and many were forced into migration. When events leading to the prior tragedy occur once more, Kevin Black was going to have to learn that sometimes mysteries were better left unsolved. Trapped with his friends in the world of a ruined city filled with monsters, the journey out would be far more perilous than the journey in.