Fairy Tail not belongs to me is owned by Hiro Mashima

The cover belongs to omake of Hiro Mashima 'Fairy Tail of the dead'

—PRIDE + PREJUDICE + ICHIYAS—

A Fairy Tail fanfic 100% ~meeeeeeeeen, inspired by the omake of Hiro Mashima, Fairy Tail of the dead and the novel by Seth Grahame-Smith, Pride, prejudice and zombies (Austen, J. 1813, Pride and Prejudice)

WARNING: Gruesome scenes of ichiyas who terrorize and sniff humans

:-:-:-:

OPENING: Escape the Fate - You are so beautiful

—o12o—

—BROKENHEARTED—

:-:-:-:

DISTURBED, INHALED, INJURED and desolate, Jellal directed automated steps to the inn, locked himself in his room and spent the night awake recovering from the deep state of depression to which Erza had led him.

"Charle, if I had listened to you."

The blue-haired boy sighed and threw himself on his back on the bed, looking at the ceiling. He knew that he did not like Erza any sympathy, that he had never been to her liking, even suspected that she saw him as an enemy. But he could not believe that she had treated him so cruelly, throwing such detestable accusations. Wounded in his self-esteem, Jellal could not help but recognize that the power of those words and the energy with which they were thrown was more devastating than any Multidimensional Destruction Spell. She had been arrogant. But it did not compare to how arrogant he had been.

"She was crying. It was not the same as always," Jellal muttered, "Erza has always been strong and without fear. But, she was crying," he repeated remembering Erza's tears.

The blue-haired boy felt his heart break. He sat on the edge of the bed full of agony and frustration, his eyes lost on the floor.

"Erza's tears," he had been the only one responsible. "How could I have been able to do this to her? Is this my punishment for surrendering to my own weakness?" He reproached himself. "My heart was not able to contain and it made grow impossible hope."

As much as he wanted to, he could not repair things anymore. He had lost Erza forever and wanted with all his might to be angry with her, but he could not! because in spite of the insults and the fact of having lost his honor and dignity before her, he knew that he still loved her and he would never stop loving her.

Jellal could not stand this situation any longer. He took a sheet of paper and hurried to write on it. He did not pretend to justify himself in that way, but he realized that there was no way out and that Erza would understand the reasons that prompted him to do what he did. He related in the letter the feelings that governed him, what happened between Natsu and Miss Lucy, and what happened with Kagura and Simon. He felt a deep sorrow when he remembered the details. Thinking about Simon gave him a bad feeling, but he ignored it and kept writing. While he was doing it, he felt he was going back in time and lamented that things had not been otherwise.

Jellal decided to end the letter with hope. Hope was the only thing he had left. The hope that the day would come when Erza could see him differently, that he could clarify everything without her intending to stab him. What she will forgive him? He was sure that would never happen, He sensed it! but that should not worry him, because with him out of her life, she could be happy and because he had to leave, get away as much as he could, forget about her forever, but before…

"She must know the truth."

:-:-:-:

It was still dark, the beach was empty and the Satellite Square over Akane's sky, shining like a wandering star. When Jellal arrived at that bend where his heart had been shattered just a few hours ago, he found her, sitting on the sand, hugging her knees. The wizard saint did what he could to go towards Erza who, as soon as she noticed his presence, gave him a cold look, but said nothing. With the greatest of courtesies and unable to see his eyes, he said, "I was foolish enough to think that you could fall in love with me and accept my hand. Now, I know that will never happen. But," extending the letter he added, "will he grant me the honor of reading it?"

Erza, remaining silent, reached out instinctively and took it. Jellal sighed at that single gesture. He knew that she was willing to read the letter sooner or later, so he retired immediately and using meteor, forcing his body to the limit, returned to the inn. He was so exhausted and his head ached from thinking so much about the complicated issue he had caused. He went to his room and lay down on the bed to wish he had not dreamed with Erza, that he was not tormented by images of her. But he knew it would not be like that.

:-:-:-:

Without imagining the contents of the letter, stung by curiosity, Erza opened it and as she returned to the hotel she began to read the letter.

My dear Miss Erza

I am writing to you, not to renew the feelings that disgusted you so much, but to address the two offenses that you accused me

I did not hurt Miss Lucy intentionally, it was a very unfortunate consequence and although the reasons that governed me may seem insufficient to you, I did it to protect a dear friend. What Natsu feels for her overcomes everything that I have witnessed in him or in fact even what I thought him capable of. If I suggested that he leave Fairyshire, was driven by my desire to prevent my friend from ending up succumbing to the battlefield, due to his lack of concentration. Such behavior was to fear for his life. At that moment it was what I felt and I decided to do it for the good of my friend. I am sure that, if I had found you in my place, you would have done the same and if in the process I hurt the feelings of your beloved sister, believe me, I did not on purpose

As for your other accusation, that of the grievance to Miss Kagura, I will only tell you that it was a painful circumstance that led me to take a painful decision. To keep a brother's memory, it was my turn to give him a compassionate death. Consequently, every relationship between us vanished. It may seem like a despicable act, but if it is my family, I do everything in my power to protect what little I care about. What she saw that day, as it is natural to suppose, must had caused an unpleasant impression on Kagura, so the hatred that she profess me is justified and I cannot help supposing that revenge has become a powerful obsession of the that I am willing to release her. I wished fervently to believe in the possibility of a normal life, but in any case, whatever my feelings may be, this will not prevent me from fulfilling the just retribution for my actions, the honor demands it, so I arranged that as soon as my affairs are fixed, she take my life

Maybe you wondered why I did not tell you everything before. I did not own my destiny, so I did not know what I could reveal to you. I hope this letter helps explain and maybe mitigate your opinion of my behavior

Affectionately, Jellal Marvell

Erza could not believe what she had finished reading. She was very affected by this revelation, embarrassed! in view of these clarifications. She put the letter aside and entered the bathtub, analyzed all the circumstances with maximum impartiality, deliberating on the probability of each statement, but with little success.

"I'm confused," she whispered, hiding her face between her legs. "Maybe I was wrong about him, maybe I got carried away by my pride."

Jellal said he had suspected Lucy had no love for Natsu. Having observed to celestial spirits fairy, he confused her reserved nature with disinterest and believed that Natsu meant nothing to her. Had not Bisca warned of the danger in this type of behavior? Jellal had acted alone because he wanted to protect the Dragon Slayer, not from an unfortunate relationship, but from the serious consequences of the lack of concentration in the middle of a battle and Erza had to admit that the blue-haired boy was right in stating that, if been in place, she would have done the same. After having reflected for a long time on this point, she left the bathtub and resumed reading.

The revelation of story in relation to Kagura and the true nature of her hatred of the wizard saint, was no less disconcerting. Erza remembered perfectly the conversation she had had with her, how willing she was to stab her sword to Jellal at that precise moment and that days later, suspiciously, she had avoided attending the dance in Nappiefield. Could the promise of early satisfaction have influenced it? It was not until that moment that the redhead girl noticed that she had heard a story, or rather, a part of the story.

"I have behaved so despicably!" She exclaimed with much more shame than she already felt. "So many times I have boasted of my own discernment and then I discover this. To have attacked Jellal in that way with a fit of anger and to think now that she did not deserve it, is so humiliating!"

She was bitter, annoyed, sad and the worst of all was that she had no one to confide in her grief, no one to talk about what she felt. She had been so absorbed in feeding resentment at the way Jellal had behaved when they first met, that she had been unable to recognize her unsettling and growing feelings. She could not deny it, she had hurt him. Exhausted, she lay down, sinking her face into the moistened pillow, squeezing it tightly and closing her eyes.

—oOo—

Very early in the morning, Jellal and Richard left for Westernshire. The blue-haired boy was silent, looked at the landscape with sadness and although he tried to hide it, it was impossible. He thought about Erza and her words. Had he really provoked her sister so much anguish?

He also thought about Natsu. He had been watching him for some time and had no way of knowing if he had recovered from his depression. But now, he knew that Natsu still loved Miss Heartfilia and she loved him too. Jellal hated to have caused such pain to his friend by breaking all his hopes, just as Erza had done with his. But this was different, because Natsu, he had not done anything wrong.

Hoteye, seeing him so pensive, asked him, "Do you want to talk about what happened?"

"Nothing's wrong, Richard," Jellal sighed wistfully. "It was a misunderstanding with Miss Erza that made me a little depressed, just that. She thinks I'm the worst person ever to step on Earth Land," he did what he could to twist a smile and disguise the pain of remembering what Erza said, "it's nothing to worry about," he assured him.

"All right," Hoteye decided it was better not to dig deeper into an issue that was obvious, tormented the wizard saint. "I will not bother you anymore, but if there is something you want to say, you know you can do it whenever you want."

Jellal did not say anything else and Richard did not say anything either. The blue-haired boy left Akane with deep sorrow in his heart. The depressing memories of Erza's words trapped him, he could not stop thinking about what she had said about his arrogance, his vanity and his selfish disdain for other people's feelings. Jellal remembered those words very well and thinking about them made him realize that he had never really deserved to Erza. Eventually, she would forget him, but he would not forget her, never! not in spite of the days, weeks or months that remain of life. The memory of Erza Scarlet would live forever in his memory.

Arriving to Westernshire, Richard got off the carriage at a station to take the train to Lupinus and let Jellal continue on his way. When he reached Royal Heavenly, Jellal shuffled out of the carriage. He entered the house exhausted and sentimentally destroyed, but masked his mood when he found in the corridor a very enthusiastic Wendy who threw herself into his arms. He pretended to be very happy to return and he dedicated to sister his best smile.

"How was the trip, brother?" Wendy asked jumping around him, unable to contain her emotion.

"So good, considering that the Honorable Counselors are more irritating than ever," Jellal replied, but as soon as he realized the tone of sarcasm he had used, he cleared his throat. "Do you not tell Ultear that I said that."

"Do you not worry, she will not know it from my mouth." She smiled.

"And Natsu?" Jellal asked for his pink-haired friend.

"He was so depressed that he thought of nothing but his love, but I'm not surprised," Porlyusica said angrily. "That's how all the human fools are when they fall in love, they do not care about anyone else but that person. They even forget many things that were important before."

Jellal could not agree more with that statement, which he confirmed as soon as he met his friend at the door of the arms room and asked what he had done during his absence.

"Nothing," Natsu said, crossing his arms over his head. "I admit that I was bored these days, it feels strange to be doing nothing."

"I believe you," the blue-haired boy muttered. It was evident that in spite of his apparent improvement, Natsu was still in a dull state and Jellal had no doubt that at that moment he felt the same as Natsu, because their hearts were broken.

"Something wrong?" the Dragon Slayer asked to see him so thoughtful.

"I was thinking," Jellal shook his blue head, "invite Ultear and the others to spend a few days at home. What do you think?"

"I would like very much," Natsu exclaimed, "to have a good training session with Cobra!"

"That can be fixed," Jellal said with a smile.

"There goes a couple of suffering for love," thought the little clairvoyant of Heavenly in a loud voice, as she watched the young wizards disappear inside the room, but immediately regretted having done so, realizing that she had her side a pair of triangular blue ears with itching to listen to whatever.

"Aye sir!"

—P+P+I—

"I had never been to a luxury hotel," Kinana commented enthusiastically.

On the second day after the Etherion test, the three fairies left Akane Beach in the direction of Fairyshire, arriving at Magnolia, without suffering any incident that was worth telling and without wasting time, they met with their sisters in Fairy Tail Hall. The girls chatted happily at one of the tables, prepared with an abundant assortment of dishes.

"It would seem that only a couple of days have passed since they left," Cana said, setting aside her barrel.

"However, many things have happened," Laki said.

"Erza!" Lucy greeted surprising the redhead girl. She had arrived with Mr. Yajima, that same morning, recovered from her love failure. Sage looked good and on more than one occasion, she said, forcing a smile, "I'm glad came back."

"Do not tell me!" Laki had made that exclamation, at the hottest time of the gathering. "Is it true that the Magnolia garrison will be moved? It must be a great loss for Fairyshire."

"Juvia understands that they will leave in the coming days."

"They will camp near the Sacred Mountain," Levy said. "I tried to go with them, but they did not let me go," she protested.

"You wanted to go with them?" Lucy asked suspiciously. "Levy, do not tell me," the blonde fairy insinuated.

"It's not what you're thinking" Levy denied with her hands, "stop bothering me anymore."

Such were the expressions of joy that resonated in Fairy Tail Hall and although Erza tried to find the funny side, the distress suffocated any joy. That depressed state did not go unnoticed by Lucy, who when observing that Erza seemed a little down asked, "Is there news of Akane?"

"Nothing," the fairies leader said, waving her hand, dismissing the matter. Erza did not dare to tell to Lucy anything that happened in Akane, leaving evidence that it was women who prefer to suffer in silence, "at least… nothing interesting."

—oOo—

The first week of the fairy's return to Fairyshire, it passed as quickly as the second, which was the last of the regiment's stay at Magnolia Town. Everything looked better than ever and although the families who had passed the Daimato Enbu festivals in the capital and the Etherion test in Akane Beach returned, the master urged everyone not to let their guard down.

"Who have you chased away this time?" Makarov asked mockingly, seizing an opportunity in which he found Titania more distracted than usual. "Poor Erza! But do not be discouraged. Those faint-hearted boys who flee from any somewhat absurd situation, do not deserve to cry for them."

"I have not suffered any disappointment in love," protested the redhead girl. "What makes you believe that, master?"

Makarov laughed heartily and pointed to the table where the fairies were chatting, from where they could hear comments such as, "And she saw him often in Akane, almost since we arrived, practically every day."

"That does not mean anything," Erza said, trying to disguise indifference, but she could not help the embarrassment of this situation.

"As you say, but I sincerely hope that lovelessness does not become a fad," said the master with a smile. "Well, Erza," asked Makarov, changing the tone to a more paternal one, "what do you think about the painful matter of Lucy?"

Although this question did not surprise the redhead girl, she refrained from answering. It was more than evident that Lucy was not happy. She still had an intense feeling for Natsu and although she struggled to be animated, sometimes she sank into sadness. She treasured so much the memory of the Dragon Slayer, that she had to gather all her wisdom and take into account the feelings of her friends, not to sink into an anguish that could harm her health and peace of mind.

Due to the numerous missions that they had to attend, Erza had the opportunity to repair in this sorry state. It happened during a mission that the girls took at the 8island branch in Hargeon. Titania was so distant and thoughtful that she was startled when Mr. Yajima asked her how she had been in Akane. She, trying not to be disturbed, told him that she had seen Jellal. The old man seemed surprised and alarmed at the same time.

"You know I have great affection for that boy," Mr. Yajima said.

"And you also know my resentment towards him," Erza replied. "But, I think it improves when it is known," she confessed with an expression that did not go unnoticed by the balloon-headed old man.

"Really?" Mr. Yajima exclaimed, opening his tiny eyes. He did not know whether to rejoice at those words or to distrust their meaning. There was something in Titania's face that made he listen to her with an expression of anxiety and concern. "Can I ask, in his dealings or in the essentials?"

"No," Erza answered. "I think that in essence he remains as it was. When I said that knowing him improved, I did not refer to his character, but, knowing him better, it is easier to understand his way of being."

At the end of that conversation, Erza and Lucy retired to the inn, from where they were leaving early the next morning. When entering a dark alley the blonde fairy asked, "Are you okay?"

The redhead girl looked at her sister with a shadow of sadness and answered, "I do not know anymore."

"Erza, I'll respect your decision to keep quiet, but seriously, it hurts me that you lately hide everything," Lucy replied, "I'm the last to know what's wrong with you."

The girls continued on their way in silence. When they left the alley and they reached a street more busy and illuminated, full of shops, Lucy continued; "Really, I would like you to be sincere, to tell me what you feel. You are always on the edge, exhausted, your forces fail when you need them most and…"

Lucy stopped in the middle of the street as soon as she realized that Erza had been left behind. The fairy turned in search of her sister. She stood by a huge window, her nose almost glued to the glass. Lucy stepped back and walked to where Erza was. The redhead girl, of course, did not notice any of these movements.

Through the window of the well-lit dresser, Titania contemplated the dazzling dresses, with their precious stones and elaborate lace. When she noticed, with a knot in her throat, the woman in charge of the store, who was carefully placing the most fabulous wedding dress she had ever seen on the counter, Erza felt tears come to her eyes. By imagining herself in that dress, with the soft fabric brushing her skin, the wide flared skirt swirling around her ankles and that delicate veil caressing her face, a plaintive moan came from deep in her chest.

"I saw Jellal when I was in Akane." She sighed and the tumult in her mind subsided with this confession. Erza had unloaded a secret that for days had weighed on her soul and she knew that Lucy would listen when she wanted to talk about it. But…

"Why did you not tell me?" The blonde girl reproached with a choked voice. "Did he mention Natsu?"

Erza fell silent. She still had something that prudence prevented her from revealing. A secret that nobody could share.

"No, he did not do it."

:-:-:-:

That night, after indulging in all kinds of reflections, analyzing facts, determining possibilities and trying to reconcile with such a sudden and important change in her feelings, fatigue forced Titania to close her eyes, but Erza could only think of Jellal, in how unjustly she had condemned and censured him.

"I cannot stop thinking about how bad he will feel now! I'm really sorry for him, but his pride is so great that he will not take long to forget me." She used to console herself.

After a few hours of stirring in bed, she fell asleep and immediately had a dream. She dreamed of Jellal and the dance of Nappiefield, her dance with Jellal. She would never have danced like that with anyone else. That daring tango that she had liked so much. But her dream dance was interrupted by the presence of… Kagura? The mermaid maintained an intimidating fighting posture. Prepared to attack, with the sword in her hand, she said that the decisive moment had arrived.

"A dream?" Erza woke up in dismay, confused, disoriented. She could not believe that she had dreamed… "with him?"

—oOo—

Jellal spent that afternoon with Natsu and Happy fishing, by the river. The blue exceed was a true amateur of fishing. He was so engrossed in enumerating the basic principles of fishing, watching the appetizing fish in the water, fantasizing about a delicious smoked fish dinner, that he barely noticed the conversation that the wizards had at that moment.

"Have you ever felt that there is something missing in your life and that makes you unhappy?" Natsu asked, staring somewhere far away.

"I do not think so," Jellal said with a certain tone of frustration. Every time he saw that reflected in the Slayer's eyes, he knew that he had not forgotten Miss Lucy and that he suffered for it. "Once, I felt that there was nothing else for me, that I had nothing more to do than annihilate whatever abominable I had the misfortune to cross my path."

"That's how I feel," Natsu murmured.

Both boys kept depressing silence. Jellal devoted himself to observing the landscape around him. There was not much to look at, but doing so allowed him to forget for a moment of his own suffering.

"Perhaps," the blue-haired boy commented after a while, "the only thing that can be done is to overcome it. But I very much doubt that I can do this." He repeated himself as he took steps toward the house. Crossing the lobby, Jellal found Charle, waiting for him.

"Tell me everything," she ordered barely saw him.

"Everything?" Jellal asked, although he already suspected that she wanted to talk to him.

"You've been avoiding me since you came back from Akane, because you know I saw that we had this conversation," Charle replied offended. "You did exactly what I told you not to do, right?"

Jellal, who had been avoiding thinking about Erza all day, gave a sigh at the moment he remembered what had happened in Akane.

"If you already know, why do you insist on asking?"

"I know you're upset, but it does not have to be that way, you have to react!" said the angry exceed. "Well, how was the matter of the beach?"

"You said it depended on me…"

"Not that devastating." Charle put her hands on her waist. "I especially remember that night when you said how passably attractive she seemed you. From that moment your destiny was to face her."

"A scarlet knight will pierce your heart," Jellal murmured.

"However, I never imagined that he would become so literal," Charle said thoughtfully. "But then I thought you liked her and I think even that, you came to consider her pretty."

"Indeed," Jellal answered without being able to repress himself more, "but that was when I began to know her, because now I consider her (in Natsu's words) the most beautiful fairy I have ever seen in my life."

—oOo—

"I still cannot believe you have not seen Natsu in Crocus," protested an incredibly sober Cana.

"There's no talk of he going back to Nappiefield and I've asked everyone," said Bisca, putting her hand to her chin.

"Juvia does not think he'll come back to Nappiefield anymore."

"Better that way," said Cana. "You do not have to do it."

"My only consolation is that Lucy will die of broken heart," old Hilda said sternly, "and then that Dragneel boy will regret what he has done.

"Do you not say that, Grandma," Lucy protested. "Do you not think me so weak.

Erza, who could not console herself with those words, remained silent. She did not dare tell her sister how sincerely she had been loved by Natsu. She decided to start training, but could barely keep her concentration. Again and again, fragments of that dream of past nights assaulted her thoughts, tormented her incessantly. At the end of the day's training, the leader of the fairies received the unexpected and pleasant invitation to accompany Bisca and the fairies on a much-needed pleasure trip that they proposed to do shortly.

"Erza, would not you like to join us?" Bisca asked as she tried to control her restless cowgirl. "It is said that a considerable amount of abominable appeared very close to where we are going, so think you over.

"Come with us, Miss Erza," insisted Juvia.

"Glories of nature, what are men next to rocks and mountains?" Cana said.

"The men are consumed by arrogance or stupidity and if they are friendly, they are so easy to manipulate that they have no will of their own." Levy surprised all the fairies with that comment, which had been launched with the most fearsome of hatreds.

"Wary little girl, that sounds resentful to me," protested the old Hilda. Although the affectionate matron shared her sorrow and remembered what she herself had suffered on such an occasion, she could not hide the bitterness and despair she suffered from this epidemic of broken hearts. "Revolting fairies! What am I going to do with all of you?"

"We have not decided where we're going yet." Bisca continued chatting with Erza, while the old matron scolded the girls, "but maybe we'll visit Hosenka's spa."

No plan could attract Erza less. Now that the Magnolia camp had been erected, Titania believed that the next few weeks would be crucial to maintaining order in Fairyshire that (by some cruel design of the mashiverse) tended to be a region permanently threatened by ichiyas, but she accepted hopeful of taking away the bad taste in his mouth that left her visit to Akane.

"How we will have fun, we will get drunk and we will curse the stupid's men until dawn!" Cana proclaimed loudly.

One thing was guaranteed. The willingness of the traveling companions that included health and tolerance to withstand the setbacks, joviality to enjoy the pleasures, and affection and intelligence to compensate for the disappointments and violent attacks they might suffer during the trip. That timely thought prevented Erza from regretting her decision. From that moment, the trip to Hosenka's spas became the object of her happiest thoughts and if she could have included Lucy in the plan, everything would have been perfect.

:-:-:-:

ENDING: Paramore - I caught myself

:-:-:-:

***Romance is possible even in a world dominated by ichiyas***

To all for you who read, enjoy, follow and comment PPI, thank you very much!

We will read us soon...