Natsu sat on the bed inside the room he had purchased at the inn. He sat at the edge looking down at the ground as he replayed the scenario in his mind a thousand times over. Knightwalker…she…she killed that guy without a second thought. He remembered the look in her eyes, they were cold, uncaring. He had never seen such darkness before, and it didn't help that she shared the face of someone he admired.

As he kept trying to make sense of what he had just seen, Knightwalker emerged from the bathroom, a towel wrapped around her body as she used a smaller one to dry her red hair. She gave Natsu a quick glance and sat on the bed next to his.

"Something troubling you Dragneel?" Knightwalker asked facetiously knowing full well what was on Natsu's mind. "If you're troubled by the sight of blood you won't last long in this life, besides we have information on their boss so you should be praising me."

"I don't thank murderers." Natsu said coldly as he continued to look at the ground.

Knightwalker stopped drying her hair, "I told you before I'm not Scarlet nor am I your friend so don't expect me to justify my actions to you."

"You didn't have to kill him."

"He had no qualms with killing me, it was self-defense."

"You're lying."

"Am I?"

"You and I both know you could have beat that guy without killing him."

"Perhaps, but now that he's dead he will no longer be able to hurt anyone else. I thought such a noble man like you would appreciate at least that."

"THAT'S CRAP!" Natsu yelled standing up and looking at Knightwalker, his eyes as fierce as the dragon that raised him. "YOU KILLED HIM BECAUSE YOU WANTED TO, IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH HIM HURTING MORE PEOPLE!" Knightwalker looked in to the enraged wizard's eyes but her stance remained unchanged.

"You were the one that appointed yourself my escort Salamander, so anything I do under your watch is your responsibility. So if you want me to stop killing, I suggest you stop me on your own."

"You mean kill you?" Natsu asked his eyes hardening with intensity as he tried to understand the situation.

"If that's what you choose to do."

"That's not what we do in Fairy Tail." Natsu said still looking at Knightwalker.

Knightwalker lied down and rolled to her side facing the window as her back faced Natsu. "Well in case you have forgotten I'm not a member of Fairy Tail. Not in Edolas and certainly not in Earthland. Once I return home, you won't have to worry about me killing anyone here again." She then fell silent.

Natsu, believing she had fallen asleep, returned to his bed, once again sitting on the edge as he sighed and let his mind wander.

Knightwalker, her back still facing Natsu, glared out of the window in frustration as she looked the moon. She soon drifted off to sleep, her anger still painted on her face.

2 Hours Earlier

Knightwalker held her boisterous opponent in the air, choking the life out of him as she held her spear to her side. He gripped her writs trying to free himself but that only earned him more of the Fairy Hunter's ire. "Stop squirming, it's pathetic." She said in a cold tone. "What happened to that bravado from earlier? It must have leaked from your body along with that cold sweat."

"P…please!" he pleaded as he continued to run out of air. "Spare me & I'll tell you anything you want to know, please!" at this point tears were beginning to fall from his eyes, but this only irritated Knightwalker more.

"You shed tears? You're supposed to be a warrior, death stalks you each time you approach the battlefield but you whimper like a child. You're pathetic as a warrior and a man. Don't tell me all Earthland men are like this in the face of death." She gripped her spear tighter as lifted it into the air. "Talk, and I may spare you."

"Ok, ok!" the man continued to plead, "Our master, he said this was going to be an easy job. We would just steal the lacrima and return to the hideout."

"What is his end goal?"

"He was planning on gathering enough lacrima to attack the magic council."

Despite Knightwalker not knowing what this "magical council" was she continued to interrogate him. "Where is this hideout located?"

"It's about 3 miles south of Magnolia. Our guild is called Twilight Sparrow, now please I told you what you want now let me go."

Knightwalker smirked, "I never said I would let you go."

"But…but you're Erza Scarlet you're supposed to be noble you ca-gagghk!" He gasped as Knightwalker tightened her grip on his neck. She looked him in the eye, her eyes were soulless, merciless. The intent to kill was so strong that it even scared the nearby animals as they scurried away. Her tone was grim as the grave when she spoke.

"I am NOT Erza Scarlet. My name is Erza Knightwalker. I am the "Fairy Hunter" and the Royal Captain of the 2nd Magic War Division of the kingdom of Edolas."

SHUNK!

She drove her spear so far into his stomach that it came out of his back, the tip of her weapon dripping with blood. His body shook violently as Knightwalker held her grip on his neck, soon he stopped all of the life drained out of his body. As her weapon dripped with blood she dropped him and looked at his deceased form.

"Weakling."

"Knightwalker!"

Knightwalker didn't even turn to know that it was Natsu calling her name. She continued to look at her fallen enemy as Salamander approached her and grabbed her by the shoulder.

"What did you do?" he asked angrily.

"Exactly what it looks like." She said plainly, "I took the information I needed from him and I killed him."

"Why did you do that?"

"Why not?"

Natsu looked at her astonished as she removed his hand from her shoulder. "What?"

"He served his purpose. He was no longer of use to me."

"You didn't have to kill him."

"What should I have done Salamander? Show mercy? Let him go so he could cause more trouble? You have no idea how battle works."

"We don't kill in Fairy Tail."

"I'm not a member, so your rules don't apply to me Salamander." She turned around and looked him in the eye, her eyes were empty and cold. She felt nothing inside for what she had done, and it made Natsu even more uneasy than when she first showed up. She shared the face of one of his closest friends, but they couldn't be any more different.

"You can do what you wish. I'm returning to the inn to clean myself off." With that said she walked past Natsu and made her way back to town. Natsu buried the dead body and placed a stake there. While the man had been a criminal, he was still a person and Natsu didn't feel right about just leaving him in the middle of the woods.

He then dropped his friend off in the city jail and made his way back to the inn.

…

As the sun rose on a new day, things were more than a little tense in the room that Natsu Dragneel & Erza Knightwalker called their own for the night. Natsu was still sitting on the edge of his bed, sleeping in that awkward position. Knightwalker eyes opened to a dent in the wall in front of her, although she didn't think much of it since she surmised she had caused the dent in her sleep.

She stood up and stretched her arms above her head as she looked outside the window. She couldn't help but smirk as she looked at the horizon. The sun rise is certainly more beautiful here than in Edolas. She looked over to her reluctant companion as he slept. She scoffed and walked to the bathroom to get ready. She emerged an hour later dressed but Natsu was still out, somehow he had ended up on his back.

She placed her hands on his shoulders and began to shake him back and forth. "Salamander wake up." She shook him harder as he continued to snore. "I said awaken Salamander, don't make me slice your throat." After a few more shakes Natsu's eyes began to slowly open. In his blurred and dizzy state all he saw was red hair.

"Erza?" he said gravely as his eyes adjusted.

"Close." Knightwalker answered, "Now get up. We still have to complete this mission correct?"

Natsu stood up as Knightwalker backed away and scratched his head while he yawned. "Yeah, we do." He then looked at her as he membered what she did. The longer he looked the more frustrated the Fairy Hunter became.

"What? Is something on your mind?"

"No." he walked towards the bathroom, "I'll meet you downstairs."

"Fine. Hurry up."

Knightwalker exited the room, closing the door behind her as she headed for the stairs. A few minutes later Natsu emerged from the door of the inn, the two shot each other a quick but uncomfortable glance as Natsu led the way to their next destination with Knightwalker staying several paces behind him.

As expected the mood between the two was nowhere near friendly, in fact it was safe to say that they hated each other's guts. Natsu hated Knightwalker's willingness to kill with no remorse while Knightwalker hated Salamander's constant speechifying on the rules of his guild and the constant comparisons to Erza Scarlet.

Despite all this Natsu knew he would was going to need her help on this job, but Knightwalker couldn't for the life of her figure out why she didn't just abandon the Dragon Slayer and leave him to his own devices. She still had to figure out how she came to Earthland in the first place.

Silence continued to fall over the two as they reached Magnolia. As they walked through the crowded streets, Knightwalker couldn't help but notice that she had no idea where they were going.

"Salamander." She called his name but he gave no response. "Salamander!" she yelled again but once again he gave no response. She clenched her fist in anger. How dare he ignore me? She reached out her arm to him.

"Hey! I'm talking to-"Knightwalker's eyes widened as she felt a sharp pain in her head. "Agh!" she let out a shrill cry as she fell to the ground, her hands clutching her throbbing head. "Nnngh…"

Natsu turned around quickly after hearing her call out. When he saw her on the ground her ran to her, kneeling next to her and propping her up as she continued to wince I pain. "Hey Knightwalker what's wrong? You alright?"

He tried to get an answer out of her but to no avail, the pain was too much for her to bear. She clutched her head tighter as random images began to pop into her head. Images of her room in the Royal Palace, a cloaked figure holding their hand over her mouth as she laid in her bed. What is this? What am I seeing?

Natsu shook her lightly, "Knightwalker, talk to me. What's going on?"

She knew Natsu was talking to her but the pain began to block out his voice, soon enough it was too much to bear and she passed out.

…

Knightwalker awoke a few hours later, she was lying in a bed, but didn't know how she got there. She looked at the ceiling and tried to get a feel for her surroundings. Where am I? She moved her arm in front of her face as the light was too bright for her eyes, she then slowly looked to the left to see a black cat sitting on a countertop, and its eyes were closed as it sat with its head down and its arms crossed. It appeared to be sleeping.

Without thinking, Knightwalker opened her mouth to speak. "Panther…lily?" she spoke still weak.

The cat opened its eyes and hopped off of the counter after hearing its name. After jumping off of the counter it suddenly grew in size until he was about 6 or so feet tall, pulling up a chair next to the bed.

"Knightwalker?" He asked looking at her pale face. "You're awake." The behemoth man-cat said relieved.

"Where am I?"

"You're in the medical room of the Fairy Tail guild hall."

She tried to sit up but Pantherlily placed his hands on her shoulder's and slowly pushed her back down, discouraging her from getting up.

"Don't move, you still need to rest."

"Are we…are we back in Edolas?"

"Edolas?" the cat looked at her slightly confused, "No we're still in Earthland."

"I see." She said with a hint of disappointment in her voice, she was hoping her time in Earthland was just some strange dream. "How did I get here?"

"Natsu brought you in. You were in pretty bad shape, you were unconscious and your nose was bleeding. You look like you had been through quite the ordeal."

"Salamander brought me here?"

"Yes he did, he was kind of frantic as well. More so than usual. He demanded someone take a look at you."

Knightwalker's eyes widened a bit after hearing this. Why would he do that? I was sure he detested me. She smirked a bit. That man is a hard one to read.

"Where is he?"

"Right now I imagine he is still talking to the master about the mission you two returned from."

"Ok then." She sat up again, "I have to find him and thank him for seeking aid for me, I can't let him hang that over my head." She smirked and rose from the bed.

"Are you sure you are ok to walk around?" Pantherlily asked a bit worried.

Knightwalker reached the door and placed her hand on the knob to turn it as Pantherlily's question entered her mind. She smiled, a genuine smile, as she answered. "Yes I'm fine 1st Division Commander."

"I'm not your superior anymore Knightwalker. You don't have to call me that."

She chuckled a bit, "I know, I just wanted to for old times' sake." Her smile turned into a slight frown as she continued to stand in front of the door. "I…I apologize for what I did to you in Edolas." She looked at the ground sullenly.

Lily placed his hand on his stomach as he remembered when Knightwalker shot him during their battle with Fairy Tail. It still hurt a bit, but he smirked at the notion of Knightwalker actually apologizing for something. "Don't worry about that, I forgave you a long time ago."

"I see." She turned the knob and slowly began to open the door. "Pantherlily."

"Yes?"

"Do you like being around these people?"

Things fell silent for a moment as Pantherlily looked at Knightwalker's back. He was genuinely astonished that she had asked him a question like that. She never really showed an interest in other's before perhaps her small time with Natsu changed something in her, if only for a moment.

"They may be a bit overbearing and noisy at times." He closed his eyes as he thought Gajeel & Natsu, his prime examples, "But yes I do enjoy being a part of this guild. Why do you ask?"

"I-It's nothing." She smiled once again, "I'm…glad you were able to find a place for yourself." Speaking her piece she walked out of the door, closing it behind her.

Pantherlily sat alone in the room as he looked at the door, he smiled as he thought to himself. Erza, you've changed quite a bit. Perhaps Natsu is proving to be a good influence on you after all.

…

Knightwalker walked down the hallway until she reached the main area of the Guild Hall. When she emerged, everyone looked at her, some relieved, others still a bit scared of her. She scanned the open area and made her way to the bar.

"Oh Ms. Knightwalker, I'm glad you're finally awake." Mirajane said with a cheery smile, "How are you feeling?"

"Better, where is Scarlet?"

"She went on a mission with Lucy & Gray. They should be back tomorrow."

"Ah." She commented as Mirajane handed her a slice of Key lime cheesecake. Knightwalker looked at the dish, then at Mirajane confused. "I didn't ask for this."

"I know, but I thought that after being asleep for so long you would work up an appetite. So I made this and saved it for you." She smiled warmly at the Fairy Hunter.

Now that she thought about it, she was a bit famished. She hadn't eaten since she and Natsu left Biard. She dug into the cake, savoring each bite as if it were her last. After washing it down with some tea Mirajane gave to her. She looked around the guild hall at everyone still there, she rose from her stool and started to walk around the guild.

Everyone was pretty lively as various groups talked to one another about different topics ranging from jobs they had been on, to the state of the world, to which girls in the guild in the were the "hottest" (Knightwalker didn't really understand what the expression meant), she even heard something's about her. After being satisfied with her "reconnaissance" she returned to the bar.

"Where is Salamander?"

"After talking to Master, he went home. He wanted to wait until you were better, but Pantherlily volunteered to stay in his place."

"I see." Knightwalker thought a bit to herself before asking Mirajane her next question.

"Where does he live?"

...

Sorry this chapter took so long to roll out, between my other stories and college starting up again, this one kinda sat in the back for a bit. All that said I hope this chapter was worth the wait, I'll try and have the next one up sooner lol. Let me know what you guys think :)