Found the other chapter. Not sure where I was heading writing this one as it's from so long ago, but as I was going through old documents I found this and wanted to share it.

"Happy!" she called spotting the blue cat flying in her direction. He was alone.

"Erza!" he shouted, swooping in to land at her feet.

"Where is Natsu?"

A bright smile peeled over Happy's face, "He's still at the park down there. He asked me to stay with Lucy for now so I'll be going! See ya!" Before she could say anything else, he was gone.

With one deep inhale, clenched fists, and a steady yet fierce look in her eyes, she made her way down the road. She hadn't thought of any words to share with him as her feelings still thrashed about inside her. Her agitation rose and her patience had long since run out. Though Makarov's explanation had brought a new perspective to Natsu's decisions, she could not resist the frustration that had built up inside her. The weight of her anticipation pressed against her chest.

The park had just come into her sight when her feet came to a halt. All of her energy seemed to have left her and focus scrambled as she imagined seeing that 'look' again. Her forearm tingled, if just for a moment, to remind her of her new responsibilities. She desperately wished she could recall that dark night. It might have brought some justification to her handicapping of Magnolia's dragon. If not so that she could explain to the others, then at least to sway the guilt that hung within her. Not even Loneila's words had not brought any real comfort to the scarlet knight as she was frozen in her tracks. She stood there, her hands draped at her sides, before turning away. A single glance over her shoulder, then returning the way she came.

The following morning she entered the guild, this time, with more observant eyes as they scanned the finer details and absorbed the atmosphere as if to build a mental replica. She may not return for some time and she wanted to remember it for what it was.

"Erza!" Mira called over, "Where has Natsu been? He hasn't come by even once…" There was a deep sadness in the young bartender's eyes. She must not have seen him the day before, or maybe he had dodged her like the rest of Fairy Tail's members.

"Natsu is-" Her voice was cut short as the Master had already joined the party from the stairs.
"Are you ready to depart?" Makarov boomed over the two.

"Aye."

He made towards the exit ushering her to follow, leaving the sad bartender bewildered. The Master gave a farewell with a nonchalant wave as if she was running a small errand but his stern eyes said otherwise.

A strain of sadness struck her as she made her way down the streets. How long would she be actually be gone? She would much rather prefer to bunker down with Fairy Tail. There weren't many out there that could withstand a guild's wrath… especially this guild. Could their pursuers possess this great a threat? What about protecting Natsu is so terrible that they must-

"Erza?" a voice interrupted. Breaking free from a small group of children as they ran, Lino smiled brightly, "Where you going?"

She managed a soft smile, "A nearby city… to see an old friend."

Large clouds gathered and dispersed overhead as if dancing in the current of growing winds. This breeze mixed with the sunlight that peered through the stirring masses brought thoughts of lounging under a nearby tree to Natsu's mind. A break, he thought, was a pleasure he unfortunately could not afford right now. He broke free from his daydream as a redhead passed through the green maze before him.

"Ready?" He asked lowly.

"Aye," Erza replied, breaking past the last of the forest and entered into the clearing.

The air felt heavy between the two as they traveled in silence. He would have much rather gone through with his plan alone, but… His hand grasped at his chest. Loneila had warned him of his new condition briefly before being whisked away from his room by soldiers. His gaze moved to the redhead now setting the pace ahead. She would now be his lifeline until he and Loneila met again.

"Master," she began, "suggested we find a friend of Loneila's at Province first." Erza drew a black cloth with a white symbol. He recognized it immediately, filling him with a strange form of comfort. Just its sight swayed his uneasy feelings and he almost had to refrain himself from hastening his steps.

A sharp exhale exited his mouth just before he noticed a short glance from Erza. It was the first time her eyes seemed to acknowledge his presence. But there was something there within those dark eyes that stung Natsu. This 'glance' had felt like a slap in the face as if he had done something terribly wrong. The pleasant feelings that had budded were now stomped out and replaced with shame. He noticed the knight's form had stiffened and stride widened. At the pace they were now moving, they would reach Province well before sundown, which they had.

A large number of people had pooled at the entrance as they were at work repairing the gates. The two managed to slip past effortlessly, aided by the commotion and bustling streets. Ambling down the roads, it occurred to Natsu that he wasn't sure who this friend they were to meet with actually was. No other details had been given to him prior to Loneila's departure.

Their eyes rose as they approached the great spire that pierced the sky… or that had once pierced the sky. The uppermost of this great tower was no longer present. Even the rubble that should have littered the streets from an incident this size were also absent.

"Ifrit!" a cheery voice spurred the two from their daze.

A woman, just shy of Natsu's height, appeared before them. Bright pieces of armor clung to her body, covering most of the long sleeve shirt beneath it that matched with her hair. Both were as blue as the deepest parts of the ocean. In one swift motion, she glided around the astonished Erza, tossed back his hood and enveloped Natsu into her arms.

Her tight embrace had surprised Natsu and stole the air from his lungs. Surprise rung through his cracked voice, "F-fate?!"

"I missed you, Ifrit," she muttered into him. Her breath brushed against his neck, chilling his spine before he pressed her to arms length. "Loneila asked me to take you to Gin as soon as you got here." She had a soft smile but it was her eyes that said the most, brimming with joy in the form of tears.

He glanced at Erza, who seemed to be watching with as much surprise as he had, maybe even less than he. How her name spilled from his lips was beyond his comprehension. To his recollection, this was the first time he had laid eyes on this woman yet he felt that same familiarity as before.

"Come," she invited, taking hold of his hand with a grip that would rival even Erza's, nearly crushing his fingers. She paid no attention to him wincing beneath when her eyes finally landed on the redhead, "You must be the bodyguard Loneila mentioned?"

"That would be correct," Erza scowled, "would you unhand-"

"Heart Kruz, eh?" Fate poked over her gear with a puzzled expression, "I'll need to start fresh…" She broke away from Erza with Natsu in tow. "Come!"

She was attempting to pull his arm off, he thought, as he was dragged along. She had paused here and there, flickering around the streets, and mumbling to herself along the way. At one point, he could have sworn she took them back to the beginning to try again. She must have been lost from the start, but there was that feeling again as he raised a hand, pointing down an alleyway.

"That way?" he offered.

"Oh! You're right!" An embarrassed smile peeled across her face with a blush, "I wonder if someone keeps moving it."

"Where are you taking us?" Erza growled.

At the end of the alley was a structure that looked like a warehouse on one end and a house's entrance on the other. It stood tall, not like the spire's aweing height, but rather distinguishing itself from the surrounded buildings that were mostly two stories high.

"The smith and armory," she grinned.

"Fate! Ifrit!" the head of a man poked through the door of the warehouse side. "Welcome back!"

"This is the blacksmith?" Erza asked, looking over the large man; large possibly being understatement for he most closely resembled a powerful bear on its rear legs with his rugged build, dark skin, and a beard that shrouded his neck. Everything about this man seemed to be made of bronze or iron. Even his hands crackled like hot metal as they closed in delight. The wrinkles around his bright eyes exposed a smile beneath his beard and his gaze lit afire as he overheard her.

"Me?" He roared with a great rumbling laughter, "These hands are not made out to create such pieces. It is the lady before you who forges the gear here."

"I assumed so," whispered Natsu to himself, holding his throbbing hand that had been released.

Fate was now donning the brightest of smiles towards Erza, "This is Gin."

"It's been some time, Ifrit," crashed Gin's voice. "Join me. There is much to do." He led Natsu through the door, still clutching his hand and leaving the two outside.

The warehouse felt much more inviting than he would have guessed from the meek appearance outside. As expected, there was a wall plastered with weapons of various sizes and shapes alongside a multitude of different sets of armor. Typically this display was a standard to armories but these glistened and shone, radiating like the sun that peered through the windows in the ceiling. A beautiful sight to more than just fighters, he was sure. But what caught his eye was the corner of the room that was stuffed with as many bookshelves as it could allow before it began to look closer to a library than anything else.

Gin watched Natsu, frozen below with glowing eyes. "You had not visited us in some time. Fate has spent the last two days waiting on you like a dog." He lowered his head to his. Being this close showed Natsu how large this man truly was. Great, was the only word appearing to Natsu. Tall in stature, maybe even doubling his own height, he could lean over and still stand clear over Natsu. Gin… Gin, the Great more like.

"I had heard," he began with his deep voice, "You are not quite the Ifrit we have come to know…" His hand toiled into his beard as he exhaled heavily.

"Yeah," Natsu replied callously, "It feels like expectations have been high lately."

That roaring laughter that might be mistaken as thunder erupted again, "I would just say you sound more sure of yourself than before!"

The earlier feeling of comfort began to resurface as Natsu watched the bear of a man rumble in his humor. There was no threat here, but rather, it felt quite the opposite. Gin may have been a man in which Ifrit invested some time in and developed a friendship. Somehow, he had already earned Natsu's trust… but maybe too soon.

"Now," Gin now loomed over the weapons rack to retrieve a staff that, in most hands, would be considered oversized but now dwindled in comparison to the man. "Lets get you back into fighting shape."

"I won't use magic," Natsu stated plainly.

"Magic?" Gin rumbled, tearing his clothes from his body and exposing the rippling composition of bulging muscles and veins. He took a wide stance with the tip of the weapon aimed at Natsu, "Magic is used as a supplement. Combat, in it's purest form… That is what we train."

Natsu set the pack he had been carrying to the side, a smirk edging its way onto his face.

"An honorable fighter," Gin commented as he racked his weapon, "quite different from our usual style."

Natsu, who had been panting on his hands and knees, scrambled to his feet. Sweat beaded from his face, and his knees were unstable. Moreover, it felt as if the largest boulder in history had crushed him or a current had stopped him from ever catching his breath. A single one of Gin's blows was capable of sending him twisting through the air behind him. How this man was so fast without magic defied physics! Natsu had never faced such a threat before and without magic he felt completely outclassed. Frustrated even further that he hadn't caught Gin a single time throughout the past several hours. They had trained well into the night but not once did the great Gin seem to slow and his patterns were too erratic to follow.

"How- how have I changed?" Natsu managed between gasps.

Gin ran a hand through his beard, "You are not a trickster now. There was always a trick or two up your sleeve before. Now, it feels as if I am dueling in a tournament… This will not do."

He regained his composure, clearing his vision of sweat. "So what are you saying?"

"Fight dirty, of course," Gin chuckled heartily, "when you fight, you must win! If you have lost the advantage, take it back! This should be obvious! A wise man will rarely fight on even footing."

Natsu was troubled as Gin guided him through maneuvers that, though it would seem otherwise distasteful, could turn the tides of a battle. They were awkward at first, but he soaked up the lessons eagerly, rapidly mastering, or rather remembering, the movements demonstrated to him. Each technique had an aim to disable an opponent's sense, limbs, or mobility. These movements may help close the gap on the lack of abilities, but range would be an important issue as well. Overcoming distance would be nearly impossible without magic, plan, or tool. He shoved that thought to the back of his mind for the time being.

"Quick as ever," Gin bellowed, his eyes watched as Natsu danced around, encircling his imaginary opponent. "You still have that learning pace of a prodigy. A year or two and you would be greater than any marshal I've ever trained."

"Anything else I've forgotten?" the had-been mage asked, now curious about the other skills he had gained.

"If this is all we can cover in a night of training," roared Gin with his smiling eyes, "imagine trying to relearn the months we had together! Nevertheless, we will continue tomorrow. For now…" A large growl erupted from the great man, "It is time to prepare supper."

A strange stew was prepared by the same man that had utterly defeated the former Dragon Slayer. It wasn't very appealing to Natsu's sensitive nose, but he forced down many helpings before sitting back, studying the shelves around him. He had many questions about the numerous books but he would restrain himself from pestering Gin until he finished his meal.

"This would be the first time I successfully cooked something you had accepted seconds of," Gin said with content, "it appears I have improved as well."

Natsu had a crooked smile, "I've missed a few meals lately."

"Evidently so," he thundered with a chuckle as he began rambling beneath the weapons rack. A short moment after, he presented a black case to Natsu. "Fate made many attempts to perfect this for you. For weeks, I would fall asleep to her hammer falls as she burned the night away beside the forge." With all the caution this giant could summon, he passed it over to Natsu.

He pried open the case, revealing a dark single-edged dagger within. It's metal was black as midnight but reflected light with a deep red gleam. He withdrew Fate's gift warily. Her effort revealed itself as each piece had been meticulously assembled. The edge was viciously sharp, and its face perfectly smooth. This was undeniably the result of the hands of a genuine master. The rear bolster even had the Province symbol engraved into it with absolute clarity.

A strange feeling emerged from him as the blade rested naturally within his grasp. He tilted the tip towards the light, allowing the crimson beam to reflect into his eyes.

"Much thought has been placed into its design. The techniques you had trained towards before will become seamlessly lethal with this," Gin grinned with crossed arms, "A dagger: fore they are as short and vicious as your temper, a blade as straightforward as your tongue, and a handle wrapped specially as to not lose grip when covered in blood. We will practice more in the morning."

Natsu turned to him with a lowered head, "This… thank you." He bowed low to the great man who had been a stranger to him before today, yet actually held a position in his heart he had been unaware of.

"Nonsense," Gin replied with alarm in his voice, "I have done nothing. Less than nothing, even! Many times I nearly poisoned us with my cooking! You can only expect these things of Fate!" He erupted into laughter awkwardly, "but think nothing of it, Ifrit."

Natsu gave pause that the uncomfortable Gin had not noticed.

Gin exited soon after, claiming that he would bring supper to the others next door, and left him to his thoughts.

He took a long look at the workmanship before resting the dazzling blade back into the black case, along with it's sheathe, and stashed it among the books. This amazing gift… was not his to accept.

The following day, he awoke amongst the books scattered around him. He had dedicated several hours the night before indulging himself in the contents of its pages before passing out. He had developed a strong interest in these books for some odd reason. They had been placed at random in the shelves; its topics had sprung around carelessly from war strategies, anatomy, biology, etc. Though he hadn't read any cover to cover, he did manage to scan through a great deal of them.

Natsu pushed away the blanket that he assumed was either Gin or Fate's doing and began to return the books to their rightful places as his mind wandered. The intensive training with Gin, thoughtfulness of Fate, and dedication of time from them both… these two must have really cared for Ifrit. He was a man that even Gin, the Great, had respected. Just what kind of man was he? Though they see him as Ifrit, he was not; he was gone now. It would be hard to explain it to them, but if there was a way to bring him back…

"You've got a great family here…" he muttered as if Ifrit was standing beside him. As he replaced the final book, he spotted another that captured his attention. Drawing it from the lineup, he found it had no title or any form of identification. Upon opening, he realized this was a notebook. Many sketches and notes littered its pages from cover to cover. He closed the leather booklet quickly and returned it as he heard the door open. He preferred not to be caught skimming through Gin's personal notebook.

"Morning," Fate greeted. Her hair was messier than he had last seen. Almost as if she had faced the heavy winds of a mountaintop, yet, she still had her most gentle smile across her delicate face. She pushed one hand into the pocket of her heavy apron, shifting her weight onto one leg, "When you're done cleaning up, I'd like to discuss the care and maintenance of your equipment."

There was much more to Fate than the eye could perceive. She was extremely knowledgeable of her craft as she explained the procedures of proper maintenance not only to his current gear but also to the variety of metals and weapons he may encounter in his travels.

"It's quite simple, really," she would repeat as she tried to explain the complicated patterns he would need to ensure the longevity and vitality of each. By the time she finished her tutorial, it was as if Natsu's brain had been set ablaze. All of it seemed far from simple actually…

She sighed deeply with a surrendering smile as she opened the door to leave, "If you are unsure, Erza will assist you. She has got the hang of it now. Her gear will be finished by tonight, so make sure you are prepared as well."

"Do I need gear too?"

"Oh? Did you not want to pick anything from here?"

"Well how do I know which of these I fit?"

She placed a hand on her hip and a hook in her brow, "None of this will fit anyone else quite as well…"

Natsu spun around, the realization setting in as he examined the lineup of armors down the line. "I thought this was the guild's armory," Natsu muffled, still eyeing the pieces.

"Mmm," she pressed a finger to her lip, "An armory, yes, but this is not open to the rest of the guild… You don't quite remember us, do you?"

The secret was definitely out now. Shame filled his gut like one of Gin's barreling punches. He had to look away as he darkly replied, "no."

Natsu felt it was insulting to look at her now, casting his head to the side and dropping his eyes to the floor. It was from her voice alone, he knew she was still smiling.

"Then I will recall that day for you," she replied softly as she closed the door behind her, "but first, lets find a suitable set up for you too."

He remained still as the young smith equipped, unequipped, strapped, and unstrapped multiple sets in an attempt to satisfy herself with a positive reaction from Natsu. A mirror had been positioned across from him, allowing him to get a full view of each combination. None of her choices were flashy, which he appreciated, but as each one settled he shifted and turned with discontent in his sighs.

"They are too heavy," she stated his unspoken objection aloud.

He agreed with a slight nod.

Her thin smile returned, "You always relish in your dexterity, but we will need to make some sacrifices in your current situation. You won't fare well without magic or protection."

He nodded once more. He was sure now; Loneila must have informed them of everything before they arrived. There wasn't a secret to begin with.

"Did he treat you well?"

A puzzled look sprawled across her face as she worked, "Who?"

"Ifrit," he replied calmly.

She remained quiet for a time as she fumbled around, stripping armor sets of different pieces and studying them with careful eyes. Her silence broke first with a sigh, "You always speak your mind. I've always been quite jealous of that." Her hands moved elegantly around each piece as she admired them and began to assemble another configuration. "We first met in a dark place. I spent many years captive to… a less than friendly company, you could say, forced to forge gear for those beasts… I hated it." Her hands tightened onto the spaulder as she rested it onto him, "My skill had brought me nothing but trouble in my town. The pieces I made could defend from the local weaponry with ease, and slide through others without heavy armor. These men terrorized my home, and I being responsible, continued arming them. In the end, I nearly took my own life," her voice lowered. Her eyes filled with worry as they met his, "You really are reckless."

A bit of relief swept over him as saw her lips curve once again.

Her tone brightened, "The hideout had been more than fortified, and yet here you came, crashing through those doors without a trace of uncertainty… or armor." She slugged him before continuing, "Eventually, I found myself on the edge of one of my own swords…" She stepped away from him, wiping her face with a blackened sleeve, "It was you who lifted me from that dark place, Ifrit."

"But Ifrit is gone," he said faintly.

She placed a hand to his chest, "I don't believe that." A tear escaped her as she removed herself from between the mirror and him.

Black was his outfit: the hardened leather, metal trims, the hooded capelet. He much resembled a well-geared assassin, he thought, turning to find he was hardly hindered in motion. This would be the best set up by far in his opinion. His left arm had a bit of weight, due to the heavier armored bracer and pauldron, but it was less of an issue compared to the last attempts.

" 'Put it down,' you told me," She growled in the deepest tone she could muster, playing the role of Ifrit, " 'No one will touch you, I promise.' You looked scarier than you sounded: covered in blood from head-to-toe." She giggled slightly, "I couldn't even hold onto the sword after seeing the 'intruder' bathed in red like that. I was sure your head was actually stained after that…" she ruffled his red tipped hair, "Good to see some of it washed out."

He shook his head free of her hand, still looking into the mirror, "Its pretty dark, isn't it?" Though it wasn't quite a problem for him. The lack of a color scheme actually attracted him.

She drew up the dark clothe around his neck, concealing his face, and donned the dark hood of the cloak. "It is; darker than charcoal. You should be able to slip through the night unnoticed if the moon allows. Probably better to avoid combat for now."

He modeled the different angles of his new outfit as she nodded in approval. After a bit of time in it he could hardly detect the heavier pieces on one side.

"The left is your lead," she commented, "It will be able to deflect attacks if you can time them well. Your blade is to be mounted along your lower back angling towards your right."

He remembered the black case stashed in the bookshelf. "It's a real piece of work," was all he could manage as she tightened a strap across him.

The largest grin spread across her face as she finished fastening it and stood upright, "Gin gave it to you?"

"Aye."

"Well where is it?"

A sharp exhale escaped as he pointed to the shelves. She had found it almost instantly, yanking it free, removing the blade with it's sheathe and letting the box clack to the ground.

She had a sour look on her face, the first to ruin her lighthearted image, "You better take this with you! Ooooh I swear, Ifrit! If you leave behind any of this…"

He couldn't argue now. She had already fastened the blade to him much tighter than necessary. Breathing was an issue for a moment as she fixed it properly. Her voice dropped to a growling whisper as her fingers adjusted the interworking of his gear, "You've protected me all this time, at least let me protect you now."

He rested a hand on her shoulder, the other became a thumb up, "Then I'm counting on you, Fate."

She exhaled sharply before her smile returned with that hook in her brow, "Geez. Way to pressure me."

With this his outfit was complete.