Oh, the Fairy Tail guild hall. It never ceases to amaze me every time I see it. It's been through so much and it's still standing. By the look on Jellal's face, I'm not the only one in complete awe. I couldn't blame him. No matter how many times it's rebuilt. Either from an attack or the guild inside. Although, we had business at the Fairy Tail guild hall today. We could marvel at it later.
"Hi, Erza," Mira greeted us, a sweet smile on her face, "Hello, Jellal."
"Hello, Mirajane," Jellal turned into a puddle. He really was a fan, wasn't he?"
"Is Macau here, Mira?" I asked, keeping a close eye on the rest of the hall. Looks pretty calm around here, "I need to have a word with him about Romeo."
"I'll see if I can find him," Mira got up from her barstool, tapping on Cana's shoulder on her way through, "Wakey wakey, Cana! The sun's up."
"Why else would my head be down?" Cana groaned in her arm.
"Erza," Jellal worried, looking Cana over in her pitiful state, "Is she going to be ok?"
"Once she learns to quit drinking," I went around the bar and got Cana a cup of coffee, "Then, she'll be ok."
"My head is killing me," Cana whined, hardly moving an inch, "Can't you go easy on me?"
"If this were the first time this happened, I would," I put her coffee in front of her, "Here, Cana. Drink this. You'll feel better."
"Promise?"
"I promise."
She took a heavy drink of her scalding hot coffee, ignoring the burns to her throat entirely, "Thanks, Erza."
"You're welcome." This was Cana's vicious cycle, "Speaking of headaches, how are you feeling, Jellal?"
"I'm perfectly fine," Jellal reported, "In case I suddenly don't, though…"
The rattling in his cloak pocket put me at ease. It's unfortunate he needed them in the first place, but whatever could end his suffering in the quickest and most efficient manner, "That's good to hear."
"Granted, this is made for my migraines," Jellal took his pill bottle from his pocket and put a blue tablet next to Cana, "I'm sure this could help you more than me right now."
"Thank you," Cana threw it down her throat, "Really. You might be saving me here, man."
"You're welcome." When the king and queen step down from the throne, Jellal will make such a good king. To be so selfless like this while no one knows exactly who he is. It's admirable.
THUMP!
Uh-oh. That didn't sound good.
"YOU'VE BEEN NOTHING BUT A THORN IN MY SIDE SINCE THE DAY WE MET!"
"OH, YEAH? YOU'VE BEEN A THORN IN MY SIDE SINCE YOU WERE BORN!"
"Jellal, get down!" I ordered, preparing for the inevitable new hole in the roof.
"Is the guild under attack?" Jellal freaked, "Should I even be here?"
"It's worse," I explained, "It's much, much worse. If this were the guild being under attack, that would mean us having an enemy. This is worse. Do you remember me talking about a couple of wizards that I treated like my own younger brothers?"
"Yeah."
"They're home," I brought Jellal behind the bar and hid him under it, "Stay here. I can take care of things. Just give me a second."
"Ok," he wasn't going to fight me. He didn't dare at this point. If anyone could handle those two morons when they're in the middle of a fight, it'd be me. Because by the looks of it, Master Makarov isn't here.
"Erza!" Lucy squeaked, "I'm so glad you're here!"
"Nice try, Lucy!" Natsu growled, "We're not falling for that one again!"
"NATSU! GRAY! DOWN!" my voice thundered through the guild hall, striking fear into anyone in a five mile radius. And suddenly, the fighting stopped. I wonder why that might be…
"Hey…Hey…Erza…" Natsu came down, "When, when did…Did you get back…?"
"I had some business to take care of while I was out today," I glared a hole through them, "Once it's taken care of, I'll be going back to work. Now, what have I told you and Gray fighting in the guild hall?"
"But he had it coming!" Natsu defended.
"No, I didn't!" Gray jumped in, "Natsu's just an idiot and won't admit it."
"Says the guy that wanted to throw ice on a fire!" Natsu got closer, more in Gray's face, "Why would you want to waste a perfectly good meal like that?"
"Says the weirdo that wanted to eat the fire in the first place!" Gray wasn't backing down either.
"Lucy," I glanced over my shoulder, "How long has this been going on?"
"They've been at each other's throats all weekend," Lucy sighed out, "They're exhausting."
"I know what you mean," I empathized.
"HOT HEAD!"
"ICE FOR BRAINS!"
"YOU CAN'T EVEN COME UP WITH A BETTER INSULT?"
"SHUT UP!"
Before they could get into it again, Natsu and Gray were suddenly suspended in midair, a decent distance away from each other. That didn't stop their limbs from flailing all over the place, though. Last time I checked, the Fairy Tail guild doesn't have a telepath. Although, there just so happened to be one visiting the guild hall. And I could tear him a new one about it later. For now, I was just thankful I didn't have to get in the middle of those two. Again.
"Erza, what are you doing?!" Natsu freaked, his legs dangling in the wind.
"Put us down!" Gray begged, in the same sorry state.
"We won't fight anymore!" Natsu bargained.
"We promise!" Gray agreed.
"I'd love to, guys," I let it go, "But it's not me doing that. Jellal…Put them down. I think they've learned their lesson."
"Things looked like they were about to get bad again," Jellal popped up from behind the bar, his hood covering most of his face. As smart as that may be, I'm just hoping it's not because of a light sensitivity. He should know better than to overexert himself, especially when he's using his magic, "Forgive me. You shouldn't have to do all of the work. Not when I can help you."
"Thank you," I gave him a nod.
"Who's the guy in the hood?" Natsu wondered, both he and Gray gently floating back down to the floor.
"Since when do you know a telepath, Erza?" Gray asked, just as curious.
"He's a friend of mine," I smiled a little, "This is Jellal. Play nice, boys."
"May not have liked it in the moment," Natsu sat next to him at the bar, "But your magic's really cool! Is he joining the guild?"
"No," I put my foot down. There's no way the queen would allow it. There's no way I would allow it. As much as it'd be nice to have Jellal in the guild, I couldn't subject him to that. Not to mention, his magic takes too much out of him for him to be a wizard full time, "Jellal, this is Natsu and Gray. They mean well, but their execution isn't always the best."
"So, they're a hundred percent trouble?" Jellal assumed.
"Hey!" I think he may have hurt Natsu and Gray's feelings.
"He's not wrong," Lucy agreed, giving Jellal an innocent smile, "And I'm Lucy. I'm the one that keeps these two from killing each other when we're out on jobs."
"Erza could hardly do that," Jellal pointed out, wounding my pride a little, "And she's the strongest wizard I know. How do you do that?"
Ok, backhanded compliment forgiven. Lucy giggled a bit to herself, "It's easier for me to handle Natsu than anyone else in the guild. One look from me and he's butter."
"Are you two together?" he wondered.
"For a while now," Lucy draped her arms around Natsu, getting him to calm down even more.
"You carry yourself like royalty, Miss Lucy," Jellal noticed.
"Easy, new guy," Natsu got defensive, much like any other time someone gets a little too close to Lucy, "That's not happening."
"I understand," Jellal let it go, "That wasn't my intention. Merely making a point."
"I'm not royalty," Lucy started turning a bright shade of red, "I'm just a wizard."
"What kind of magic do you practice?" he asked.
"I'm a celestial wizard," she showed off her key ring, "And these are my spirits."
"It's been a pleasure to meet you," Jellal bowed to her, "And Natsu, Gray…"
"What is it, new guy?" Natsu pulled Lucy's arms a little tighter around him, holding her hands.
"No hard feelings about me holding you guys up like that?" he hoped.
"No," Gray brushed it off, "I'm over it."
"Me, too," Natsu admitted, laying his head on Lucy's hip, "It tired me out more than anything."
"Me, too," Gray nodded, "I'm going to bed."
"I'm going home," Lucy kissed Natsu's cheek, "I'll see you there?"
"Sure will," Natsu promised.
"It was nice meeting you, Jellal," Lucy gave him one last wave and Natsu watched her back, making sure no one caused her trouble on the way out.
"She really is a sweet girl," Jellal awed, "You're very lucky to have someone like her, Natsu."
"Thanks," Natsu melted, "She is pretty great. Annoying sometimes, but I wouldn't trade her for the world."
"NATSU DRAGNEEL, I HEARD THAT!"
"Uh-oh…" Natsu went completely pale, "I should be going."
"Good luck, Natsu," Happy laid behind us on the bar, about to take a nap, "I told you on day one she was nuts."
"You're coming with me, too," Natsu scooped Happy up and the two of them left the guild hall to deal with whatever punishment Lucy had in store for them, "If I have to suffer, so do you."
"I'm not the one dating Lucy!"
"You're still a part of this!"
"Erza…" Mira tapped on my shoulder, "I found Macau for you."
"Thank you, Mira," I smiled, sending her off.
"You needed to see me, Erza?" Macau took the barstool next to me, "Mira said there was something going on with Romeo."
"Yes," I nodded, "I caught him picking pockets the other day in the square and thought you should know. I've already talked to him about it and I think I put him on the straight and narrow."
"Thank you," Macau sighed out, "I know I've been working a lot, but…It's hard to make time for him, you know? Having to be a wizard and a parent."
"In its own way," I thought, "I know what you mean. It's like when I have to knock Natsu and Gray's heads together. But at the end of the day, you're still trying your best. It takes a village to raise a child. Fortunately, you have an entire guild on your side, Macau. Don't beat yourself up about it. Punish him however you see fit, but know he was doing it for noble reasons."
"Noble reasons?" he wondered.
"His friends were hungry," Jellal stepped in, "But they didn't have any money. They tried to steal my watch, but I let them have it. They needed it more than I did."
"How much was the watch worth?" Macau bit his lip.
"No less than eighty thousand jewel," Jellal figured, "Maybe a little more than that."
"I'm so sorry," Macau pulled a satchel out of his pocket, "Please. Let me compensate you for the watch."
"No, no, no," Jellal shot him down, "I can't accept your money. It truly was a gift to them. I have more than one. That didn't hold much sentimentality to me. His apology was more than enough."
"Good," Macau relaxed a little, "That'd be all the money from this week's job. I didn't have that kind of coin laying around."
"Erza…?" Master Makarov came out of his office, "What are you doing here?"
"Master," I felt a lightness in my chest, "I just thought I'd drop in and say hi. Check in on some things."
"With…" he caught a glimpse of Jellal's face…and I swear I saw his heart stop in his eyes, "Get him home. Get him home right now."
"Yes, Master," I nodded, "That was the plan. But hold on. If you were in your office, why wouldn't you come out to stop Natsu and Gray from potentially killing each other?"
"I could sense your presence here," Master told me, "And I knew you'd be able to handle it! It hadn't gotten big enough for me to step in."
"If you say so," I let it go. Master was more than capable of stopping their fight just like I was. But if Master would've stopped the fight, Jellal wouldn't have had to resort to his own magic. Nevertheless, the fighting was over, "Come on, Jellal. We really should be going. It's getting late."
"Yes," Jellal agreed, "It was nice seeing you, Makarov."
"You as well, Your Highness," Master bowed to him.
"If you could keep my title between us," Jellal requested, "I'd greatly appreciate it."
"My lips are sealed."
Jellal and I left the guild hall and started heading back to the palace. Although, I may just be the worried mother because of my need to clock my boys together, but he did resort to using his magic, "Jellal…Are you feeling ok?"
"I'm fine, Erza," Jellal promised, "Not even the slightest headache."
"Good."
I know I worry too much about him, but it is my job. Even if it wasn't my job, I'd still worry about Jellal. I know what it's like to be in his shoes. It's never pleasant when one hits. Maybe that's why I was chosen for the job in the first place. I knew what it was like to have a painfully tragic past that's difficult to remember. And how its effects are still alive and well today. Likely for much longer. Yet we still tried our best to move forward. It's not always easy, but it still has to be done.
When we got back to the palace, it looked like an entirely different place. Decorations covered every square inch of the entrance. If I didn't know any better, I'd think a coronation was about to take place. But the king and queen weren't nearly ready to step down from the throne. Were they? No. Jellal wasn't ready to assume the throne yet. I'm sure there was still so much more he needed to do before taking the throne.
"She always did love a good party," Jellal laughed to himself.
"A party?" I gave him a look.
"I've been meaning to tell you," he explained, "There's a ball coming up in a couple weeks. Hence all the decorations. And Mother is rather particular."
"In that case," I decided, "You should probably rest. Considering what happened at the guild hall today. We wouldn't want you suddenly feeling sick."
"You're right," Jellal agreed, "I'm going to lay down for a while."
"Rest well, Your Highness."
"Thank you, Ms. Scarlet." And with that said, Jellal went up to his bedroom. And I reassumed my position on my chair outside his door. Yes…Rest well, Jellal…