Nighttime, Rune Knights quarters of the city of Yxyy...

October had brought with it the autumn monsoons on the valley of Yxy, and the soil was dump and humid, and the air was heavy with humidity. The marshes around the city had turned into small lakes, where insects were feasting day and night.

The soft murmur of the wind was accompanied by the croaking of frogs, and the buzz of mosquitos.

If only they limited themselves to buzz! thought annoyed Jellal, scratching a new spot on his leg were they had bitten him. The shackles on his wrists and ankles tingled, and for a second the hum of the insects was covered.

"Would you stop moving already?" hissed a voice from outside, and a thud resonated on the wall of the wagon were he had been imprisoned.

Jellal didn't bother to answer. It was pointless. What was going to say anyway? That mosquitos were biting him? When a death sentence is awaiting for you, mosquitos should be your last worry... But here I am. Desiring nothing more than a little sleep, before being tossed and shaken in that same wagon for the -fourth? third? - day in a row.

On the other hand, to the hanging man should not be denied a few comforts... He is not going to be a bother for much longer.

A whimper, coming from the outside, distracted him from those thoughts. And laughs and insults followed. "So pretty..." "Do you want company, beautiful?"

"Let her alone!" roared Jellal, kicking the wall of the wagon.

The men outside silenced at once. Only the whimper could be heard another couple of times, then also that sound subsided, and the buzz of the insects became again the only thing he could hear.

I hope that Meredy can have a couple of hours of sleep... But it was a stupid, lost hope. How could she been sleeping, with shackles that were so tight they hurt, and runes on the walls around them that were blocking their magic, making the air inside suffocating?

Yes, that was another thing. He was going to be sentenced to death, that was for sure, but Meredy?

Despite everything, Jellal forced himself to be optimistic - She was only a child when Hades took her in Grimoire Heart... And she just disappeared after Grimoire Heart was destroyed... After all, she could have lived a perfect normal life, after that... She... She-

He had to stop thinking. Don't think about the defeat of Grimoire Heart Jellal! Don't!

He tried to tear away his mind, think about something else, but to no avail. Before he could stop himself, he heard himself hiccuping.

Jellal tried to bit that back, but thinking about the defeat of Grimoire Herat meant thinking about Fairy Tail. And thinking about Fairy Tail meant thinking about Erza. And he could not think about Erza right now.

Damn...

Jellal tried to focus onto the small triangle of night sky he could see from the small window, but tears were making his vision blurred, and the starts that were the origin of his magic were shaded and indistinct.

Another hiccup escaped him.

Erza... Erza...

Only her name was enough to break his heart. Erza, so beautiful and victorious, defeating Minerva in the Grand Magic Games, or young and scared, back in the Tower of Heaven, or almost defeated, with bleeding legs, during the battle against the dragons and the Future Rogue...

Every time he had met her, he had felt his heart racing, his limbs getting numb, and had desired nothing else than to erase his past.

She is following the path of light. He told himself, biting back tears. I am not worth her. Someone else will love her, someone she will be proud of.

But his heart was not letting her go.

How many times had they met int he past months? Five? Six? Too few, for someone who desired nothing else than having her at his side every single day.

Form the outside, someone was hitting the wall again, shouting at him, but Jellal didn't care.

He let his tears fall, biting his cloak to muffle the sobs, until he finally fell asleep.


At the very same moment, in an hotel room in the nearby village of Xyxx...

Natsu had his fists on fire. "What do you mean by 'no'?" He shouted. "You can't say just 'no'!"

"I said no." Erza features were as hard as stone, and her voice sharp like Dalila had never heard.

The wind slayer shivered, hugging herself, looking at the fight that was going on in front of her eyes.

"Nonsense!" Cried Natsu from the top of his lungs. He planted himself in front of Erza, poking her armour with a burning finger. "Repeat it if you dare!"

But the Requip mage in front of him didn't flinch nor bulge. "I said no. And no is no."

After what Cobra had told them, Natsu had set himself on fire. Literally. It was only with an ice giace from Erza that he had calmed down enough to be back at the hotel without burning anything.

As soon as they were all finally reunited in Lucy's room, the dragon slayer had exploded, pretending to elaborate a plan there and then, to free Jellal an Meredy, with the support of Happy and of the rest of the team.

Except one.

Under the stupefied eyes of her team mates, Erza had refused to elaborate any plan. And had prohibited them to take any kind of initiative, threatening to alert the Rune Knights if they were decided to do so anyway.

And that had really sent the fire slayer over the edge.

"You are not meaning it." Natsu growled, fire dancing on his arms and chest. He was so angry that he didn't bothered that he was burning his own vest.

"I will repeat it for you then." Erza hissed, in a stern voice that wasn't belonging to her, thought Dalila. "We are not going to free Jellal and Meredy."

"You can't be serious!"

Natsu was out of himself. He wasn't believing Erza.

While he looked at her like he wanted to burn her, his mind was conceiving all kind of potions. Maybe Erza was playing dumb, and had planned to sneak out to Yxyy and free the two mages herself, to protect the rest of the team in case they would be discovered... that was the only explanation he was going to accept.

But as he looked into the eyes of the Requip mage, he didn't saw a hidden plan, but a plain, void determination of doing what she said.

Lucy cleared her throat. "I understand you don't want to interfere with justice, Erza." He started. "But Jellal had already been to prison for a long time, and he has done only good since he got out!"

"True!" Wendy trembling voice sounded pained. The little girl was confused. Why didn't want Erza to help Jellal and Meredy. "Without them we would have been in great trouble at the Magic Games!"

Erza looked at them with hard eyes. "We will not." She said simply. "They have been in dark guilds. We can't-"

"Go back to yourself, Erza!" Natsu couldn't stand it any longer. He lifted a clenched fists, covered in flames. "Or get one of your armours, because I will bring you back to your senses!"

"I am fully myself, and don't you dear to tell myself that I am not." Erza's voice was a raged whisper that made everyone's skin crawl in fear. "It is you who are behaving in an irresponsible way!"

Happy, careful not to get burnt, touched Natsu shoulder. "Natsu, wait!" Pleaded the small cat. Happy knew for a fact that being called irresponsible just because he wanted break free the two mages of Crime Sorciere was beyond Natsu's understanding.

But it was like Happy wasn't even there.

Dalila felt the temperature of the room rise a couple fo degree, and started to fear for the worst.

"Say that again, Erza!" Roared the fire dragon slayer. "Say that again!" The flames danced around him, and his hands moved, ready to strike, but before he could formulate any enchantment, someone stepped in between him and Erza.

"Natsu! Wait!" It was Lucy.

Natsu flames disappeared, but the air around him was still hot and burning. "Lucy..." he was looking at the Celestial mage in disbelief. "Have you heard what Erza had said? Have you heard it or not?"

Lucy swallowed, but stood her ground. "Natsu, please... Just wait..." "I will not wait!"

Lucy was close to tears. She could see Natsu anger burning in his eyes, and it was plain to her that the fire dragon slayer was blinded by his own grief to see the devastation plainly written on Erza's face.

I have never seen Erza like this... Thought the Celestial mage, putting a hand on Natsu's shoulder. "Wait Natsu. We will free Jellal and Meredy, but just-"

"We will not."

Erza voice slashed her like a sword, and when Lucy looked at her, her heart ached in her chest. "Erza..."

The Requip mage eyes were watery, and her whole body was suddenly trembling. Her eyes were dead and empty.

Just like when Jellal was captured, when we defeated the Oracion Seis... In a corner of the room, Wendy had retreated until her back had hit the wall. The scene was too much for her, and she didn't want to cry.

Charle was trying to console her - there was little else the cat could think of doing. Even Happy for once was speechless in front of Erza's reaction, and even if at the beginning he had sided Natsu, after Natsu had ignored her, the blue cat had sat on the floor, staring at the Requip mage with huge eyes filled with tears. Why didn't Erza want to help Jellal?

Of course she wants to help him... Gray was feeling an unusual cold within his chest.

The ice mage bit his tongue not to say he completely agree with Natsu. If that idiot sneaks out to go to Yxyy, I am going with him!

Gray remembered when he and Lyon had defeated Racer, when finally the Rune Knights had come after they had destroyed Nirvana... and I remember I have heard Erza cry. That memory had carved itself inside him so deeply, that he had sworn to himself that he was going to do all in his power to make his friend never cry again.

But how could they do if she refused to free Jellal?

Erza knows perfectly what it means... The Council had had the chance of capturing one of the most wanted criminal in all Fiore, after years he had escaped... And Meredy with him... They were going to sentence him to death, that was for sure.

And just as Natsu, Gray couldn't accept it. "Erza..." he started.

"No, Gray." Erza didn't look at him. She had lowered her gaze and was staring at the floor. Her hair were falling over her face, hiding it from her team mates.

Gray took a deep breath. "You know what is going to happen."

Wendy sobbed. "Gray-san?" She hoped that Gray wasn't mean what she knew he was. Charle hugged her tightly, chocking a sob.

Gray just nodded. He too dropped his eyes on the floor. "If we let them there... He and Meredy..." he said in a whisper. "They are going to kill them."

Dalila flinched. She had been silent until now, but at the mention of that unspeakable truth, she gasped. She knew Gray was right.

There were many emotions she could smell in the room. Anger, loyaly, love, friendship, regret, hope... I smell them all. The relations between their team and Jellal and Meredy were complex, and even if she wanted to free him just as much as the others, she wasn't sure on what to say to convince the Requip mage.

Of course the wind slayer had never met Jellal and Meredy in person, but Lucy had talked her about Crime Sorciere, and about the role the members of the guild had played int he life of the Fairy Tail members.

I remember everything Lucy told me... There had been so much... Jellal being possessed by Zeref while he was a Council man, and the fact that he had kept building in secret the Tower of Heaven. And then of Grimoire Heart, the guild of Meredy and Ultear. And what Lucy knew of Ur, the first master of Gray and Lyon, that was also Ultear mother.

Just because Zeref is implied in Jellal's life, the Council should grant him forgiveness... If not complete forgiveness, at least parole... Allowing him to live a normal life, after so man years have been stolen form him... Thought Dalila. And to Meredy as well... She had grown up in a dark guild! What was she supposed to do?

Dalila knew first hand how much a child was vulnerable in his early years. It was not their fault... We must do something!

And she really felt they must act, and quickly. Once in Era, it was going to be much more difficult to get to him and Meredy. Especially because what Gray has said it's true. She looked at the horrified faces of her team mates. Even Cobra, in the corner of the room he was witnessing the scene from, had flinched at the mention of that very word.

"Gray!" Lucy covered her mouth with both her hands, picking up Happy from the floor. The cat was sobbing silently. "What was wrong with go to Yxyy and free them, Lucy?" He asked among tears. "What is wrong? I don't understand..."

So many links... Dalila shut her eyes and breathed slowly. Jellal and Erza... Ultear, Ur and Gray... Meredy... And yet, it was difficult to her to understand why Erza didn't want to interfere with the sort of Jellal and Meredy.

That's because Titania has a fucking twisted sense of justice, if you ask me, Tinuviel.

Here it was, the other member of the team left somehow out of that quarrel. Cobra had purposefully sat on the furthest away chair, and was surveying the others with a blank face. Shitty fairies.

Many things were being whispered by those souls, and it was difficult for him to grasp them all.

If Erza wanted more than anything else to free Jellal and Meredy, her own censure was blocking her from doing so. And the fear she might fail, instead of spurring her like usual, was making her retreat in her anguish. And that's a measure of how much she is fucking scared...

Natsu was easy to interprete, even too much. Cobra could hear his soul roaring like a real dragon, in unison with the one of Lucy. Damn, even Gray, usually pretty smooth, though just as chaotic as the fire slayer, was louder than usual.

Wendy, Charle and Happy were weeping and whining, their should doing just as much.

All together, it was a cacophony of sounds that was going to deafen him in a few minutes, if something didn't happen.

So many links...The sound of Dalila's soul reached his ears, like a soft melody in a world of caos. The wind slayer had retreated in a corner of the room, like him, and was silently watching the others, checking their reactions, trying to guess the best way to act.

At least Tinuviel is quieter...

Well, it wasn't exact. Dalila wasn't just quieter. She was ordered, conscious that they needed to free Jellal and Meredy - she had no doubts on that - and was simply finding the best way to do so. The best way to convince Erza, to be more precise.

Maybe she doesn't want to step in because of the Tower of Heaven... The thought hit Dalila all of a sudden.

Cobra tilted his head, listening.

Maybe Erza is thinking about all those who suffered because of Jellal... And thinks that freeing him she would seize from them their chance to get justice done...

The poison slayer growled.

Maybe, was thinking Dalila, her mind drifting as she saw the argument between Natsu, Erza, Lucy and Gray getting more heated every second, Maybe it's because Cobra is here, and Erza knows how much he has suffered because of Jellal?

Lucy, Natsu and Gray were speaking all together to Erza, who was standing on her feet in the middle of the room, looking at them with a blank face, like she wasn't seeing them.

"Erza, please..." "I am all fired up!" "Calm down, flame brain, Erza, listen here..."

Dalila was sure it wasn't because of Cobra that she wasn't intervening - more complex reasons were wrapped around the Requip mage mind - but she couldn't help glancing in the poison slayer direction.

Maybe, seeing Cobra here... Maybe it's like a constant reminder of what Jellal had done? Maybe he doesn't want to free Jellal because she thinks Cobra wouldn't agree?

Lucy was right about to plead once more the Requip mage, while Gray was doing his best restraining Natsu form attacking her, when they all froze.

A loud, bass growl had sounded in the room, silencing each one of them.

Wendy, who had been weeping form the past five minutes, started trembling like a leaf. "Cobra-san?" She whispered, but the poison slayer ignored her.

His attention was solely focused on the fair dragon slayer, that was staring at him with eyes wide open, guilt and fear plain written in her face.

"Don't you fucking dare..."

Lucy had to swallow hard a couple of times, breath stalling in her lungs. Cobra's hands were being covered in blood-red scales at dangerous speed. His nails had already turned in black claws, that were tearing open the armrests of the chair her was sitting in.

Natsu raised an eyebrow, eye darting from one dragon slayer to another. "What's going on?" He could smell poison in the air. What has Dalila thought that has Cobra so mad?

Mad was an understatement.

The features of the poison slayer turned so dark, that Natsu believed he had saw him when they first fought, in the sky above Nirvana. His only eye was sending glowers like he could dissolve the wind slayer here and then.

She must have thought something that really had him mad! Natsu thought again. But what could it be?

If Snow White thinks again, even slightly, to the Tower of Heaven...

The poison slayer was enraged. How could that little nothing, that woman who had had parents and friend who had loved and cheered her since the day of her birth, dare to think to the Tower?

She had no idea of the hell he had to pass. She had no idea waking up in the morning after a night interrupted by guards passing by, yelling, or by waking up because of cold and hunger. She had no idea what meant to be slaves.

That Dalila tried to picture it, that she connected him to the thought of the Tower, was awakening a rage in him that, for a moment, blinded him. Only when he realised the room was deadly silent, only when he heard all those souls that were screaming before, now whispering in fear, he realised he had covered himself in scales.

Fuck you, Snow White. He hissed in his head. Shit, that excuse for a dragon slayer made me broke the chair...

He suppressed his rage, satisfied with the terror he could see in the girl diamond eyes. Don't you fucking dare to step into that topic, Snow White. He thought, looking directly at her, and somehow she nodded imperceptibly, like she had understood.

Cobra wanted to leave now. He was tired. I let Titania to her own shit. I don't care. He stood up from the chair. "I am not fucking going to risk my parole for that slave trader."

Everyone gasped.

Erza lowered her gaze. It's alright. I should have expected it. Part of her guessed that already, but part of her had hoped, somehow, to see Cobra among Lucy and Natsu and Gray, trying to convince her. But I can't do it. I... I can't.

Natsu was ready to vomit a torrent of insults and fire, but before he could even form a thought - which was difficult, considering how angry he was, at the poison slayer and at Erza - Erza's voice cut the think air of the room.

"You don't need to worry, Cobra." She said, voice slightly trembling. "No one is going to step int he course of justice."

The poison slayer sneered. "Tks! Don't talk to me about justice, Titania." Cobra... Lucy thought came to him like a whisper, but he ignored her. Cobra, please...

"Whatever." Erza shrugged. "Now, you all will excuse me..." she said then. "We can meet tomorrow morning in the hotel lobby. The train to Magnolia leaves at eight."

And by saying so, she walked out of the room, without looking to anyone, leaving the door open behind her.

For a moment, there was silence in the room. The air was thick with tension, and none of the mages dared to breath.

Then one of them couldn't take it no more.

"What the hell, Cobra!" The temperature of the air rose another degree, but the poison slayer stood unabashed. "What do you mean by-"

"Go fuck yourself, shit head." Cobra hissed back, narrowing his eye. "I have already been to prison enough. In the Tower of Heaven, and in Era. And you know which one was my faviorite?" Cobra narrowed his eye even more, and his voice became a whisper. "Era is a five star accommodation compared to what the Tower of Heaven was. No, I am not going to free that slave trader. Not for anything in this fucking world."

Gray cleared his thorat. "He was possessed by Zeref while doing so..."

"You think this makes a difference to me?" Cobra sneered. "Or to the ones that died because they were beaten to death, because were to tired, old, or starving and couldn't go to work?"

Lucy felt her eyes prickling with tears. Gray is right... But also is Cobra...

"Fucking right, Tinkerbell!" Cobra's expression was twisted in hatred. "How many I have seen dying... Many because dying was often a better option... You, all of you, fairies..."

"But he helped us at the Magic Games!" Happy shouted among tears. "He was there, too! He saved Erza! You were there as well!"

Cobra shrugged. "This doesn't change anything, cat." For once, his voice was almost kind, comprehensive. But then it turned hard again. "I am never going to forgive... Never!"

"If you don't forgive, then you are not worth of Fairy Tail!" "Natsu!" Lucy gasped! "don't ever say again such a thing!"

In her corner, Wendy was sobbing. Her guild mates were fighting one against the other, saying horrible things.

"How is it possible, Charle?"

"Ssh, Wendy... Don't you cry..." whispered the white cat, not he verge of tears herself. "He doesn't really mean it..."

But by the look in Natsu's eyes, he totally meant it.

Blinded by anger, Cobra was about to answer that he couldn't care less about Fairy Tail and the fairies, and was much happy to see Jellal hanging, maybe next to the Grimoire heart kid, but then his eyes fell on the corner where Dalila was.

The corner was empty.

The head of the poison slayer snapped to the door. It stood open.

Cobra growled, and before anyone in the room made a sound, the poison slayer was marching towards the door, an homicidal look plastered on his face.

"Coward!" Cried Natsu, but Cobra had already slammed the door behind him.

Again the room was silent.

Gray sighed. "I can't believe he said what he said."

Wendy sniffed. "Why did he left?"

"I don't know..." Lucy shook her head, then frowned. "Wait... Where is Dalila-san?"


In the moment Natsu had exploded, Dalila had decided she was going to act. She had slipped out of the room, determine to have a talk with Erza and, if possible, knock some sense into that red head.

She wants to free them, right? Yes, of course she wants that! Dalila was thinking, as she walked down the corridor to Erza's room. The only thing is, to find the right words to convince her to...

"Snow White."

Dalila huffed, but didn't turn. She was half expecting him to be there. She accelerated a little her steps, although she knew it was useless.

"Snow White. Stop."

Like hell! She had the guts to think, knowing she was playing a dangerous - possibly deadly - game.

And she was perfectly right.

She had heard his footsteps behind her. She could smell his magic, Soul Hearing and poison, all around him, rushing towards her like a blanket, warning her.

And yet she didn't stop.

"Snow White." Growled Corba from behind her. "Don't challenge me."

She didn't need to formulate an answer, not even a thought. Her intentions, she knew, were clear to him, and she did nothing to hide them.

The poison slayer appeared in front of her, as though he had materialised out of thin air. Dalila must be too much taken into keeping her own bravery and defiance intact to keep attention on the poison slayer. You can do what you want, I am not stopping. Was the only thing pending in her head. Not for you, or anyone alse in the world.

Cobra growled soundly. If other tenants of the hotel did hear him, he didn't care. He cared only about the little thing in front of him, and her stubbornness and stupidity. Her whole soul was playing a furious and pouting music. Half deafened, the poison slayer spoke. "Don't you dare move another step."

But it was like speaking to the wall. Not nearly enough to move the wind slayer from her intent. "I am going." Grunted Dalila, bypassing him with a defiance that would have left him impressed, if he wasn't too angry to feel something else than his own rage.

"You are staying the fuck where you are!" Roared Cobra

"Ha!" Already a few steps ahead, Dalila stared at him from behind her shoulder. "Good luck telling me what to do, poison dragon."

She didn't even see him reaching her. He grabbed her hard by the collar and shook her hard. "I fucking said you to stay were you are." His voice was so low that, normally, she would have shivered. But she was too fixed with her purpose to allow herself any fear or distraction.

"Leave me." She hissed, eyebrows almost touching.

Cobra, I think you should go and talk to her.

The thought was so sudden and ignominious at the same time, that Cobra wasn't sure he had heard well.

Go and talk to Erza.

Wrong. Cobra was always hearing right. He titled his head. His eye flashed with a sudden anger. "What did you just said?"

It took Dalila a second to realise that even if she hadn't actually said nothing, for Cobra is was all the same. And it took to her another second, to realise what had caused the poison slayer to look from enraged to murderous in the split of a second.

"I don't want to tell you what you should be doing. I don't know how... things stand in between you and Jellal. And I do not mean to make any assumption on such a matter." She started. "But..."

You must go. Erza thinks Jellal deserves this, that it is just. It is killing her, and she would give her life to save him... Dalila closed her eyes, trying to focus, to convey the message with the right words. Her own sense of duty and justice makes her think he has to pay as well, for all that he has done, Zeref or not. She had forgiven him, but doesn't think she has the right to put herself in between him, and the justice that many others demand.

Cobra was about to stand up and leave, when another thought slipped from Dalila's mind, catching all his attention.

And for the Tower of Heaven as well.

Cobra growled. "What do you know of the Tower of Heaven?"

Dalila took a step back. The tone of the poison slayer was threatening, and the fact that he was not swearing just meant had just entered a dangerous territory. Totally another level from the usual 'I-will-fuck-you-in-the-ass' level of Cobra. In that territory, Cobra could easily kill her, consequences be damned.

But she was determined to carry on her purpose. Too much is at stake here. I must try. And Cobra was not going to let her just walk away. Dalila took a deep breath, choosing carefully her words.

"I think that Erza doesn't feel Jellal might ever be... forgiven. She had forgive him, for sure, but..."

"Snow White, you have three seconds to explain yourself." Cobra voice was calm, but Dalila knew she had just crossed a red line. After mentioning the Tower of Heaven there was no turning back.

"I mean... It would be of great help if you told her that you have forgiven Jellal, and that you think he is worth saving." She said in one breath. "It would be enough for her. Enough that one of those who have the right to see Jellal hanging, would say that he is forgiven."

Erza was not sacrificing Jellal for a sick sense of justice... She is sacrificing he because she thinks it's the only way the people who have suffered because of him can be paid... The only way he can atone to all the one who have lost something because of him...

Dalila looked at Cobra straight in the eye. "And you are one of these people." She said. She saw the poison slayer froze, sucking in his breath. She mentally prepared for the blow to arrive.

"You were in the Tower of Heaven." She continued. "You have all the reason to want Jellal dead. But if you tell Erza you forgive him..."

The blow arrived, and Dalila had no time to defend herself. However, even if she could have, she wouldn't have lifted a finger when the poison dragon slayer sent her slamming onto the nearby wall with a kick on her stomach.

Dalila hit the wall hard with her back. The breath was knocked out of her, and she gasped for air. She let herself fall on the floor, but before she could touch it, two hands roughly pulled her up.

"Tell me," Cobra growled a few inches from her nose. "Tell me how you dare..."

He hand't even words to threaten her. What she had voiced was beyond any dreadful menace or any insult he could think of.

The heavy smell of chains and of dirt assaulted Dalila's nose, and once again, she felt that horrid, peculiar smell, that was the Tower of Heaven.

... memories of a time that has long be forgotten... hours and hours of labour... and hunger, and cold... and guards, who came in the night... and...

Dalila didn't want to smell anything else. It is too much... It was too horrible. She didn't even dare to think the life the slaves had lived in the Tower, or how many had lost them. And Jellal was the main cause of all of this...

Had Erik be able to escape the Tower, he would have probably never met Brain. He could have gone with Macbeth, Sorano, Richard and Sawyer searching for Sorano's sister, and Richard's brother. They could have had a normal life. Maybe joining a legal guild. Maybe be happy. Maybe.

But all of this had been made impossible by one single kid - for Jellal was all but a kid that time, but did it matter?

No, for Cobra it didn't. He wanted revenge. Revenge over Brain, revenge over Fairy Tail, revenge over the Council in Era and every single guard he had mistreated him - and there were many - and of course, he wanted revenge for the infancy stolen in the cold shadow of the Tower.

And now that he could have it, Snow White wanted him to had it away! No. He was going to let Jellal and whoever the fuck was Meredy in the Council hand, he was going to follow every single moment of the trial - because there was going to be a trial of sure, as the Council never lost and occasion to fake justice - and then he was going to savour every moment of the verdict: guilty.

Death was going to await that bastard and his sidekick. Nothing was going to save them. Not even Fairy Tail.

"How you dare... You fucking, little shitty..."

He was trembling so much Dalila felt his grip on her almost faltering. But she didn't move, letting herself at the mercy of the poison slayer.

She could easily guess what he was thinking. His smell was scaring, screaming of agony and desire of revenge, as anything as Dalila could possibly think.

... Days and days of labour, to no end... sleepless nights, and being whipped or hit for no reason... a childhood lost, completely lost...

"Cobra..." she coughed. "I don't know what it was to be in the Tower of Heaven..."

... the thirst for blood... yes, revenge was needed... the only thing who could sate that thirst...

"But I know that, if we let Erza... If we don't convince her to save Jellal... She will never forgive herself."

"Silence!"

Cobra had screamed, but Dalila almost didn't hear him. His smell was suffocating her, so foreign were for her his suffering and his desire of revenge. She had never felt such emotions, and she prayed she never would. How could a person hold in his heart such terrible feelings.

Cobra sneered. "It happens, Snow White. I could..."

Dalila heard her own voice cracking as she interrupted him. "Please Cobra... You must believe me." She dropped her head down, tears streaming down her eyes. When have I started crying?

"Erza won't be the same anymore... Please don't let her do this!" She almost cried. "Her stupid sense of justice and... And she knows what you think, and would never dare to... But she want to, oh so hard! You can't let her do this!"

Cobra clenched his teeth so hard they almost broke. He didn't believe he had any power over Erza's decision. And even if he did, he didn't know if he had the will and the strength to exert it.

"Only you can make her change her mind!" Please, Cobra believe me.

"I don't fucking have any power on her." He hissed. And even if he had the will and the strength, he wasn't sure he wanted Jellal to live.

Please Cobra... Have mercy of Jellal.

He would't allowed Jellal to live. He would't forgive him. Damn, he couldn't.

What is for your revenge? Has ever done to you any good? Dalila grasped for air, but even if her voice had left her, her mind was shards as one of Erza's blades.

Let go of Jellal. Forgive him. Free yourself from a desire of revenge that will bring only hurt and destruction.

Cobra went very nearly to forget were he was, and scream.

If not for Jellal, do it for Erza.

The fact that he didn't want Erza to be hurt - damn, he wasn't so stupid not to realise that the Requip mage would have been just destroyed if Jellal and Meredy were going to be executed! - he could barely accepted... Fucking Tinuviel, making me feel like... Like I am about to forgive that slave trader...

That it would be better for him. That it would make him happy, nonetheless, relived! Free!

Please.

Cobra felt his strength leave him.

I know you can.

Dalila felt the hands sustaining her leaving her. Unable for a moment to stay on her own legs, she fell on the ground with a loud thud. She blinked, blinded by a sharp pain on her back.

When she managed to focus on her surrounding, she realised she was alone in the corridor.

But a few seconds later, she heard a someone knocking at a door, and the annoyed voice of the poison slayer resonating in the corridor.

"Open the fucking door, Titania."


The bed pillow was muffling her sobs, but she would have much preferred to not cry at all. Or to cry, and scream in the open air, without caring if the whole world would hear her. Or, even better, march against the Rune Knights and free Jellal, and Meredy, at once, and letting them run away. Even better, if anything of this would have happened...

Was it to ask much, the Tower of Heaven never existed and Jellal never been possessed, and done what he did?

I am so pathetic... So stupid... Mostly, she was confused. Part of her was not going to fight justice, embodied by the Rune Knights and by the Council that was going to judge him for his crimes. And justice will be the death sentence that... she could not finish her thought, for a new wave of desperate sobs gushed from her throat, suffocating her thoughts. Of course, the rest of her was ready to throw herself into battle and rescue her. She could have defeated a whole army, she knew she could!

Erza was not a fool. The Council was not going to redo the same error as before, and that Jellal and Meredy were going to be processed as soon an they set foot in Era. Processed, and hanged, before they cold have time to say 'Crime Sorciere'.

Despite it was the normal course of Justice, it seemed so unjust and unfair to her. Horrible, to say the least. Why... When Meredy and Ultear set him free, they all had done nothing but good... Helping the ones that could not afford to hire mages... Working days and nights, moving in secrecy, fighting Zeref and his accolites...

But it was never going to be enough. Jellal had done terrible things in the past, and the fact that he was kid, possessed by the most powerful dark mage that ever walked on Earthland, didn't seem to interest the Council. Then, what to do? What was right, or wrong? What could be forgiven, and what did 'justice' mean then?

Her head was so busy making up questions, answers, and discarding them both afterwards, that Erza almost missed the knock at the door.

"Go away, Natsu." she muttered, pressing her head in the pillow. It had been a feat to not burst into tears in front of her team, couldn't they leave her alone for a few hours?

"Open the fucking door, Titania. I am not that idiot dragon slayer."

"How are you?" That's not Natsu's voice...

"The smart dragon slayer."

Erza lifted her head, put let it fall one second afterwards. "I don't want to talk to you either, Cobra."

"I don't want you to talk to me. Open this door before I blow it up."

Not wanting to have to pay for the door - it had already been a shitty day, there was no need to add things up - but not want to talk to the slayer, Erza stood up and went open to the door.

"Once again, who the fuck said I wanted you to talk to me."

Erza sighed. "What do you want, then? I am not in the best mood for-" "Listen. I want you to listen to me, and then I will leave you with all that shit that is running in your small monster head for as much as you please."

Erza was beyond bothering the the slayer manners - or lack of - or his language. She only stepped aside, letting him enter. Please, be quick.

Cobra entered the room and closed the door behind him. Erza went sitting on the bed, gesturing towards a chair, but the poison salire decided lean against the wall.

She looked at Erza from head to toe. "You look terrible". Half dressed half with her armour and half in her pijamas, hair messy, and eyes puffed, a mix dry and fresh tears splashed all over her face.

Had her soul be just a little less desperate and not on the verge of a depression attack, he would have ordered her to go and wash her face. But Cobra supposed Erza couldn't give a shit about how did she looked at that very moment, so he let that ides drop.

"Listen here," he started, "I know everything about this, even the things you are not admitting yourself. So there is no need for you to contradict me - don't even try to argue, or I will fucking leave..."

Don't you dare! thought Dalila from the outside, but Cobra ignored her.

"Let me tell you how things will go from now on. Blueberry and that other Grimoire Heart kid will go to Era." He started. "They will spend a couple of weeks in the dungeons, then there will be a process, that might last a week at last, because nobody would want to give them the chance to escape again, then there will be a death sentence read in a nice hall filled with people that just want them dead. I bet the execution will be right the fuck next day. Easy peasy."

Cobra snapped his fingers. "Earthland will get ridden of two dangerous criminals." Erza gritted her teeth to hold back a strangled cry. "If you are here to-to..."
"But, you know better of it. Don't you?"
Erza stood silent.

"Your lover has been under a controlling spell that not even the most powerful Wizard Saint could have defeated." Under her heavy stare, Cobra continued to speak, looking at her straight in the puffy, red eyes. "Zeref is a darkness that no human can behold. The other one, was a child looking for revenge, grown up in a dark guild. Is there anything else I have to say?"

"The-"

"The Council is not going to take these circumstances into account, and you know that." Cobra wasn't going to allow Erza to utter a word before he had finished. "It is utterly stupid, but it is as it is. It's not like they have considered what me and other have been had to endure with Brain, so that we could be shaped into what... Well, what I am now."

Cobra did never, ever, spoke about his time with the Oraciòn Seis. He didn't like it, and it was pointless. He didn't like to brag, or to complain, or to use it as an excuse. But this matter was involving Erza to such a lever of profoundness in her soul, that he could hear, layer by layer, how much deep the cut was.

If Jellal was going to be hanged of real, he din't believe Erza could be brought back together. Tinuviel has got this shit right... This is breaking her, and if we let those fucking wagons pass without lift a finger, Erza will never heal.

There was one thing Cobra could do, and was exactly what Dalila had told him. Ok Cobra, now go to the point! Was thinking the wind slayer behind the door. Or I will step into that room and I will not respond of myself! Dalila heard the poison slayer sighed, and could practically see him rolling his eye at her.

"However, if you free them, and you will have two more mages - and powerful ones - against Zeref." Cobra concluded. "Which is not that bad, giving that the two of them have accomplished more in a span of a year than many in the span of decades."

Erza sniffed and crossed her arms. "That is not a good reason." What she meant, was that is was not enough. Even if she wanted it with all her heart, she was not going to pass over so many rules only for that reason. "That would be illegal."

"Illegal..." Cobra shrugged. "If you ask me, not keeping Salamander sedated 24- hours a day is illegal, but he keeps burning things. I can tell you a few times when he little tricks had costed us our entire reward, but I don't think I need to recall such pleasant moments."

The Requip mage sighed. "It is not the point. If they decide that Jellal is guilty, he is. I will not fight the Rune Knights."

"Who is 'they', Erza?" Cobra chuckled, even if there was very little to laugh at, and he knew it. "Who are these people you trust? The same ones that do not

investigated when it was time, and then maybe the Tower of Heaven would have never be built?"

Erza's mouth opened, but no sound came out of it. If it was for the fact that he had used her name for the first time, or because he was recalling that awful experience they had in common, she didn't know and didn't wander at that moment. Cobra's word were giving shape to that sense of wrongness that had been building up in her chest since that afternoon.

"Or the one unable to locate Brain for more than ten fucking years?" the slayer went on, "For fuck's sake, if only they had kept an eye onto the dragon lacrymas, I would not be here. The modesty champion back at the guild would not had his father almost killing him, and Snow White would have died several decades ago, after having lived a merry-go-round life."

Dalila felt a sting in her chest, knew that that one was for her, and stood quiet.

"And I am talking about the people you know personally." Continued the poison slayer. "I know many other stories... From when I was the one the Council was supposed to stop from murdering, maiming, torturing..."

Seeing Erza's grimacing, Cobra smirked. "Just to give you a few ideas."

Erza swallowed, "What does it mean? What do you me to do?" What is it the right thing to do?

"I mean what I mean. These are facts, and have no meaning in themselves." Cobra stated. "And for what I want you to do, or what is right to do... I don't want you to do anything, not even the right thing. The correct question is, what you want to do, and what do you think is right."

Seeing Erza's brown eyes lighting up with a remote, deep spark of life, and her soul finally going back to murmur with its usual rhythm, the poison slayer chuckled.
"The Council might have done many beautiful things - I can't think about one, but let's assume they had - but I know for sure they have done many shitty things. And, apparently you lover and his pal had very good reasons to do bad in the past, and are now on the run, doing all they can to make good, and if the Council is not giving them a chance, well, maybe we could."

Erza stood stupefied. Yeah, that would have been...

"Illegal', yes." Cobra nodded. "However, 'doing good' and 'following the law' are not necessarily synonyms."

Thoughts were quickly clearing in Erza's mind. "Then.." She started, but then halted.

"Then Titania, there is technically nothing wrong in going in rescue of your sweetheart." Cobra laughed. "Justice is a nice ideal, but unfortunately it is all dependent on the people who exert it."

Erza stood up. "You mean that... You think..."

"I don't think anything in particular." Cobra stared hard at her. "But if you ask my aid to give Lahar a nerve-breaking... I am all for it."

The heart of the Requip mage was beating fast. She felt like it had stopped for an hour or so. "You would come to rescue Jellal and Meredy?" Was all that was able to ask.

"Yes. Why not?" Cobra shrugged. "I know I said I wouldn't, but..." his teeth flashed. "On second thought, freeing your sweetheart - don't blush, Titania, not with me! - might be a way as another of tearing that dick-head nerves."

Stop embarrassing Erza, Cobra! Grunted loudly Dalila in her mind. Stop calling it her 'sweetheart'!

Erza, that was indeed blushing and trying so hard not to, raised an eyebrow. "Lahar?"

"Exactly." Cobra yawned. "I just came to tell you, you know... I wouldn't want to miss the fun of seeing Jellal escaping form him a second time."

You didn't came to all me just that, did you. Erza soul was chanting. She knew it. She knew why Cobra had come. You are giving him a second chance... after the Tower of Heaven, after Nirvana...

"Stop speculating." Cobra raised a hand. "I want to kick Knights asses. That's it."

Erza's eyes were still red, but dry. She couldn't believe to her ears, but Cobra was Cobra. He didn't need to be questioned.

"Thank you." She only said, pouring in that two words everything that the poison slayer, she knew, wouldn't have bared to hear. But he heard her anyway, her should chanting, flashing happiness, determination, bright with the purpose that was making her happy. In a moment, she was dressed with her armour.

"Tomorrow, kick asses, Rune Knight." She grinned. "You won't be disappointed." Cobra smiled. A real smile.

Erza was ready to smile back, to appreciate something so rare for the poison slayer, when several things happened in the same time.

First, her bedroom door slammed open, and a rush of wind run inside, together with a glowing wind slayer.

"Yes!" Cried Dalila, rushing over the Requie mage and hugging her tightly. "We are going Erza! It is the right decision, trust me!"

The next second, Dalila was crushed by the strong arm of a very relived Requip mage. "Thank you, for your support, Dalila!" Erza tightened her grip, and Dalila regretted her being so expansive. She heard Cobra snickering in the background.

"There are you behind all this?" Asked Erza.

"Secret!" Rasped Dalila. "Erza, now, you have the armour..."

The second thing that happened in the next second was that the window burst oped, letting in another dragon slayer - and a flying cat. That would have been nothing exceptional, except for the fact that, as wind had accompanied Dalila, Natsu was accompanied by fire.

Burning flames invaded the room, and everyone screamed - Cobra cursed so badly Erza shouted a 'Language!' Above the roar of the fire.

But as soon as the fire disappear, its origin was jumping in the room, a smile on his face brighter even more than his own magic.

"We are going! We are going!" Cried Natsu. He was happy, immensely happy. And relieved, that Erza had changed her mind, showing her true emotions.

"I knew you wanted to go!" The fire slayer seized Erza by her shoulders. "Cobra is right!"

"I am always right." Grunted the poison slayer.

"We are goooing!" Echoed Happy, plying around Erza and hugging her. "It's so good to see your smiling again Erza!"

Erza was smiling for real. "Natsu... Happy..." She hugged them both - Dalila had been able to break free form that hug, and was now regarding the scene with giggles of joy.

"I am sorry for what I said before." Muttered Erza. "I am sorry, really..."

"Don't you worry!" "Right Erza!" Natsu looked serious. "We were going to go anyway, but it wasn't going to be the same without you!"

"Ah, you were going to go..."

"But we were sure you were going to come!" Laughed Natsu, clearly not seeing Erza starting fuming.

Happy saved the fire slayer from a sonorous slap. "Let's go and talk to the others!" Cried the cat. "They are waiting for us!"

"Yes!" Natsu jumped. "We are going to free Jellal and Meredy!"

"I could ask Lucy for a fish to celebrate!"

"Yes, Happy!" Erza chuckle. "I think Lucy will allow you."

"Le't go, I am all fired up!" But the Natsu stopped dead on his tracks. He had seen the poison slayer in a corner of the room, looking annoyed as usual - a facade Natsu had learnt to recognised.

The poison slayer raised an eyebrow. "What?"

Natsu scratched the back of his head. "Sorry for what I have said before. That you are not worth to stay in Fairy Tail."

Cobra rolled his eye. That shit was not going to work on him. "Never mind." He grunted.

"No, wait." Natsu jumped in front of him. "I mean it."

"Ash-brain, you-"

"I said something I regret. And I am sorry."

Natsu was so serious Cobra had to bite back a sneer. But he felt something inside him, warming like a burning fire. I know why you came here. Natsu thought. I hear you and Dalila-san talking in the corridor...

Cobra cliched his teeth. But under the crazy noises that was the fire slayer soul there was the unmovable, adamant bond that was linking all the Fairy Tail mages. There was the essence of being nakama.

And Cobra, willing or not, was nakama, and had behaved like one, and he knew it. He had entered that circle, and now he was linked to the others, and the others were linked to him. He was nakama. He was part of Fair Tail.

The memories of the Tower of Heaven that had invaded his mind for the last hour, melted away.

Natsu saw it. He saw the purple pupil shining, the imperceptible relaxation, and stupor, and finally something similar to acknowledgement in Cobra's feature.

Not even the poison slayer could hide forever his good nature, he thought.

Before Cobra could spat that his good nature he was going to shove it up the fire slayer ass, Natsu winked."I am still for a fight. One to one!" The fire flayer grinned. "Sounds good?"

Cobra clicked his tongue. "If you are so eager to have your ass kicked..." But he was smiling.

Natsu grin turned mischievous, and he raised a flaming fist. "We can do it now, if you wish..."

Cobra's teeth flashed when he smirked. "I am always ready."

Dalila was quick stepping in between. "Not now!" She cried.

"You can do it after we have freed Jellal and Meredy!" The poison slayer tilted his head. "Sounds good to me."

"Yeah." Natsu nodded to the poison slayer. Thank you, Cobra. You did the right thing. You are truly a Fairy Tail mage.

Natsu and Happy rushed out of the room, Erza quickly following behind. Dalila glanced at Cobra with a half smile. "That was not exactly what I told you..." chuckled. "I was speaking about forgiveness, not incitement to commit a crime against the Council..."

"Forgiving a piece of shit was your argument to convince me to move my ass." Cobra looked down at her, and smirked. "I have spoken my mind with Titania. If that has been enough to convince her, well, congratulation Scarlett!"

Dalila shook her head. You really don't want to be thanked?

"I haven't said what I knew Titania wanted to hear to make her move her ass."

Cobra shrugged. "I do it often... But not this time."

Dalila laughed. "You are impossible!"

And you are a good friend, Cobra. And you also are able to forgive.


A while go...

After Cobra had exited the room, slamming the door behind him, Natsu had stormed out of the window, and Happy had followed him. "I will try to... talk to him." Had mumbled the Exceed, flying after the fire slayer. Dalila was nowhere to be seen - where was she?

But the dragon slayers were not in Lucy's main thoughts on that moment anyway.

The Celestial mage was pacing her room up and down, thinking, pondering, elaborating a strategy that might help Erza see the inconsistency of her opposition, and at the same time trying to elaborate a plan to free Jellal.

I do remember the last trip for Yxyy from Xyxx is in one hour or so... She was thinking. If we managed to convince Erza to come - if! - then we might reach it... Then we will have a whole night to elaborate a plan... We will need to free Jellal and Meredy right next morning, before Lahar arrives in Yxyy... Otherwise there might be too many Rune Knights for us to fight!

To fight or to trick. It doesn't make much difference... The Celestial mage stopped for a moment, shook her head, and went back measuring the room with large strides. The more Rune Knights are around, the more hard will it be to get Jellal and Meredy out of there... It is as simple as that...

She looked at the floor, thoughtfully. I wonder how those two had been captured... They are usually so careful...

Gray was lying on her bed, staring at the ceiling. He too was thinking on a way to make Erza go back to her senses - that wasn't punch her as hard as he could, method that in any case might given some results.

On the other side of the room, Wendy and Charle were sitting in a chair, looking gloomy and discomforted. The young dragon slayer was swinging her legs back and forth, and was sometimes tilting her head not he side, like she was listening to something.

But Lucy wasn't noticing this small detail. Her mind was too preoccupied with Erza and the amount of Rune Knights patrolling Yxyy. How many of them there might be? She considered. Considering Jellal is a wanted criminal, but they have managed to capture him only a few days ago...

Minutes ticketed by, and Lucy had yet to find a solution to both her problems: Erza and a good plan to defy the Knights. And she knew they were running short of time. True that we might travel by night... Dalila can fly, and we have Charle and Happy that can transport us...

But it was a foolish idea. The only sensible thing was to take the train. And the last train was leaving in less than twenty minutes now.

At a certain point. Lucy stopped in the middle of the room.
She was breathing heavily, and frowning deeply.
Gray propped on an elbow. "Lucy?" He asked. "Is everything alright?"

"No, it's not." The Celestial mage gritted her teeth. "The only way to reach Yxyy before tomorrow morning is by train. We can't ask Happy, Charla and Dalila to fly us there."

Gray lifted an eyebrow. "But what-"

"We must be in town with the last train." Continued Lucy. "It will be less suspicious... Yxyy has no particular attractions, but we can always say we wanted a day off, like we said to the Knights today... Or that we had taken the wrong train, and wanted to go to the other direction instead... Yes, that might be better, so we will attract less suspicions on why we were in Yxyy, the town where Jellal and Meredy were kept..." Lucy glared at Gray. "Or course the Rune Knights will suspect of us! We must have a good backup plan!"

"When we will... Wait Lucy!" Gray sat on the bed. "We first have to convince Erza to come... We can't leave her behind."

"Convince!" The Celestial mage folded her arms. "I will not lose any time to convince her! I will drag her on the train personally, wether she wants to come or not!"

"You... what?"

"You heard me, Gray!" Lucy had the most fierce light glinting in her eyes. "If Erza doesn't want to come with us, we will drag her along! We will not allow her to make such a mistake!"

She had raised her voice, and stopped taking a deep breath. She looked alternatively to Gray, Wendy and Charle, that from their corner had raised their heads and were looking at her in wonder.

"We will not allow her to make such a mistake!" Repeated the Celestial mage. "Are we her friends or not? Are we Fairy Tail mages, or do we just allow our friends to hurt themselves? If she can't see it by herself, it is up to us to make her see it!"

And by saying so, she stated marching towards the door. "Lucy-san!" Called Wendy. "Where are you going?"

"To Erza, of course!" Lucy exclaimed. "To tell her that our train leaves in less than twenty minutes, and to pack her things fast! We can't miss that train!"

She had her hand on the handle of the door, ready to open it. Wendy suddenly gasped. "Wait, Lucy!"

"No Wendy, I can't wait." Lucy voice went soft all of a sudden. "I won't allow one of my dearest friend to do one of the greatest mistake of her lives. Not when I can prevent it. Besides-"

"Lucy-san!"

Wendy jumped on her feet, but it was too late. The door in front of which Lucy was standing suddenly bursted open, and a wave of burning air invaded the room.

"We are going to Yxyy!" Boomed a voice among the fire. "Wendy, Gray, Lucy! Have you heard! We are going!" "Charleeee, we are going!"

"What the hell!" Gray cried, eyes wide open. But he had no time to speak, because from behind Natsu, a woman with flaming red hair was advancing.

The Erza entering the room was hardly the same thatched exited her an hour ago. She walked proud, with her head tall and her back straight, her eye determined and warm, and a victorious smirk on her face.

A smirk so powerful and contagious, that Gray didn't need the Requip mage to explain anything.

He smiled back at her, and in a moment he was on his feet. "So..." he laughed. "We are going?"

"We are going!" Charle jumped and run to hug Happy, who blushed hard and giggled like an idiot.

Wendy rushed and hugged Erza tightly. "I am so happy you are back, Erza-san!" She beamed. "So, so happy!"

"Yes, we are going!" "Aye sir!" Natsu's fire was coating the room, and it was only because a tanned fist sent him on the floor that he didn't set anything truly on fire.

"Keep those flames for the Knights tomorrow." Grunted Cobra, but even he was smiling.

From behind the door came a cracking voice. "We are... going?"

Dalila peeked in the room, and cautiously looked behind the door. "Oh... Lucy? Ah yes, we are going in the end." She chuckled nervously. "What... Why are you splattered behind the door?"

"I... I..." the Celestial mage had not time to regain her composure that she was enveloped in one of the tighest, most fierce hugs she had ever experience.

"Lucy!" "Erza! You are suffocating me!"

"It's not important now!" Murmured the Requip mage, clearly not conscious she was truly strangling the poor girl. "Thank you for having been next to me... Thank you!"

It took them less than five minutes to pack their things, rush to the train station, and jump on the last train to the nearby town of Yxyy.

"What make you change your mind?" Asked Lucy once the team had taken place on the carriage. "I mean... You seemed so adamant, I half expected we had to carry you to Yxyy by force..."

Erza only smiled. "Cobra and I had a little talk." She glanced to the poison slayer, who was sat a little distant from them, his eye closed and his arms wrapped tightly over his stomach.

"Oh." Really? Lucy studied Cobra. Her gaze softened, and a smile pulled to her lips. You did this? For Erza?

The poison slayer made no sign he had heard her, but Lucy didn't need it.

And then, the Celestial mage eyes were captured by another dragon slayer.

Standing on the doorframe, Dalila was smiling broadly at Cobra, with a look so proud and satisfied that Lucy had felt a bright smile pulling to her lips. Apparently Cobra is not the only one we should thank...