It was a long day for Erza. After her unfortunate encounter with the matchmaker, she now had to see her grandfather fight once more in war. She knew how ravaging war is. She had seen it herself when she was but a child.

She was an orphan, a street rat who just happened to stay in the town where war waged on. It tore the place down into nothing but ashes. But then, the place left no endearing memory to her. It's just a place where she was forced to live in since no one would even care about a poor orphan. What made it worse was because she is a girl.

That was until she was found by her grandfather. He brought her in his home, and raised her as if she was actually a part of his family. He taught her a lot of things, such as battle tactics and the art of war. That is quite odd since she's a girl, she isn't supposed to know those kind things. She should know how to pour tea, how to act gracefully and other womanly things.

Erza sighed as she watched Makarov prepare his armor and sword in the cabinet. At dinner a while ago, she and the old man had a big argument, one of which, she lost to. She had been secretly watching the old man swing his sword, and knew that he won't last that long in battle given his current condition.

And she decided to do the impossible.

Night swept across their home, and Erza took this opportunity to do her work. She woke up in the middle of the night and crept towards Makarov's room. She spied the scroll of conscription notice on his nightstand. Silently, Erza took it in her hands and left, praying that she will not be spotted by the old man soon.

Soon after that, she darted towards the armory. She was arguing if she was to cut her hair, but then she noticed that some soldiers had their hair cut as long as hers and so she decided to just tie it a high ponytail. Once that was over, she took a roll of linen from her room. Erza wrapped it across her chest tightly, to hide the curve of her chest.

Erza opened the closet, her fingers raced the strong steel of the armor before her. Without hesitation, she decided to put it on. It was no doubt heavy, Erza even wondered how she can walk properly in this without falling on the ground. But she soon decided that she can work that out. She strapped the sword on her side, along with the scroll before heading out to the stables.

Erza had a bit of trouble with her horse since she looked quite different than before. When she managed to calmed her horse down, she got on and rode away from her home. Deep inside, she knew that she will definitely die upon the discovery that she's a woman but she knew as well that nothing will happen if she doesn't try.

xXxXxXxXx

Makarov was distressed. He woke up a bit earlier than usual, for he felt something clawing on his chest that he doesn't know why he felt that way. And just by looking at his nightstand, he already knew why.

"Damned brat" was all he could say. Polyrusica placed a tray containing the teapot and teacups on the table. It was silent all morning, only the sound of the rain falling can be heard. Both of them knew why.

Erza is gone. She went in the camp in Makarov's place, without even thinking that that would be her death sentence.

"You should've followed her earlier. She wouldn't have gone far yet" Polyrusica said as she poured tea on Makarov's teacup. The old man scowled in irritation.

"Even if I caught up with her, she wouldn't back down. She would probably still go there and leave me in the road."

"Still, I think you should go to her. She could get killed" Polyrusica insisted. Makarov detested the thought of Erza dying. He already lost a lot of people. His son left home, along with his grandson.

"If I reveal her. She will be" Makarov said quietly and Polyrusica said no more. The old man was right.

Makarov stared blankly at the window, he can feel his tea getting colder by the minute. His mind was drowning with worry for that woman.

"Forefathers, hear our prayers" Makarov thought

xXxXxXxXx

Meanwhile in the shrine, the texts on written on the polished stone shimmered and a soul drifted out from it.

A girl with long, curly blonde locks emerged from the stone. There, she sat happily on the stone where she went out. She was happily swinging her feet as she hummed softly.

She looked up at two stone figures of cats above her and smiled.

"Happy, Charle, it's time to wake up" she said. The two stone figures began to move. The cats' once stone flesh turned into soft fur.

The first cat fell from the ceiling along with the gong its holding and fell unceremoniously on the floor.

"Ow…" Happy murmured as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Can't you try to be more careful next time?" Happy looked up to see a white cat who was flying down towards him.

"I'm sorry, Charle." Happy pouted upon seeing the annoyed look the female Exceed was giving him.

"You should be ashamed of yourself, you are in front of Lady Mavis Vermillion" Charle scolded, much Happy's chagrin.

Mavis Vermillion laughed softly at the Exceeds in front of her. Exceeds are creatures that are tasked to become guardians of those within their family. Most often, they are creatures sent to help their family members when they are in need.

"It's alright. I think it's also time for you to wake the other forefathers as well" Mavis said and Charle sent a look to Happy.

Happy lazily stood up and rang the gong. More souls emerged from the stones and all of them were greeted by Mavis with a smile.

Soon enough, the souls began to discuss about the matter of Erza Scarlet. The girl who ran away from home to join a war in her grandfather's place. What used to be a formal discussion soon erupted into a heated argument, in which Charle and Happy didn't want to be involved with.

The forefathers were discussing about who will be the guardian that they will send to Erza. Soon enough Happy found himself being pulled around the room so that he can wake the stone statues of guardians.

Mavis found this amusing, but she decided to calm the souls down.

"I believe we must send the most powerful guardian of all" Mavis smiled and pointed at the stone statue outside the shrine.

"Wait, you want us to wake Pantherlily?!" Happy yelled and Mavis nodded.

"Yes, he is fitted for this job. He's a warrior Exceed, he's perfect since Erza needs help in combat"

"Well…" Happy looked down on his feet and Charle dragged the blue cat with her.

"Let's just go and do this. There's no harm in doing so" Charle said and Happy protested.

"But never tried waking Lily up!"

"Oh, and now you call the Great Pantherlily, 'Lily'? Just get it over it" Charle insisted and stopped when the both of them are now in front of the statue of Pantherlily.

Happy sighed as he picked himself up and stared at the towering stone statue in front of him. Happy saw the tall, fierce-looking cat that was holding a bastard sword.

Happy gulped upon seeing the statue.

"Charle, he doesn't look friendly" Happy whined and Charle sighed exasperatedly.

"Can't you just get it done?!" Charle snapped, making Happy jump on his place.

"Aye aye" Happy said unenthusiastically as he rang the gong.

Much to the surprise of Charle and Happy, the stone statue didn't even move. Happy tried again, but nothing happened.

This was getting in Charle's nerves.

"Something isn't right" Happy pouted and Charle snatched the gong from her fellow Exceed. Charle rang the gong, but got the same results with Happy.

Exasperated, Charle threw the gong straight at the stone statue's head and it somehow hit it a bit too hard, that it tore off the statue's ear.

Happy and Charle froze on their place as they watched the crack from the ear spread throughout the statue before it crumbled down on the ground.

"CHARLE! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!" Happy screamed and Charle had a horrified look on her face.

"I DIDN'T KNOW THAT IT'S GOING TO BE THAT FRAGILE!" Charle replied and both of them are panicking.

Soon enough they heard Mavis calling out to them, or rather calling out to the guardian they are supposed to awaken.

"Lily-san? Are you awake?" They heard the soft voice of the spirit and the two Exceeds felt like they are going to lose minds.

"We have to think of something before Lady Mavis finds out!" Happy whispered and Charle had an idea.

"Act like you are Lily. Make your voice deep and try to raise the remaining stone head of the statue as if that's you" Charle said and Happy stared incredulously at Charle.

"What?!"

"We have no choice, you must do it"

They heard Mavis call again,

"Lily-san?"

"Uhh… I am the Great Pantherlily! Goodmorning! Uhh… I'm here to destroy- I mean- follow and support Erza Scarlet! Did I mention that I am the Great Pantherlily?" Happy tried as he raised the heavy stone head.

Mavis smiled upon hearing this,

"Go! The fate of Erza Scarlet is in your hands" Mavis yelled and with this, Happy fell backwards and was almost crushed by the heavy piece of stone if he didn't roll on his side.

"So now what are we going to do?" Charle asked, and Happy rolled his eyes.

"You're asking me as if I was the one at fault here" Happy mumbled but he shrank when he saw the glare Charle sent him.

"We must go after Erza. She's our only hope now" Charle decided

"Aye!" Happy said as he jumped on his feet.

"So, are you ready for this?" Charle asked as she spread her wings, so did Happy.

"Ready than you are, Charle"