Hello again dear readers! Sorry for how long it took for this chapter to come out, but things were a little hectic with my job. Fortunately, however, we have returned with another chapter, and an emotional one to boot! It's been a long time coming, but now, at long last, Erza has a chance to reunite with her family.
Regardless, I'm really looking forward to hearing what you all thought of this chapter, so please leave us a review. It would mean a lot.
Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach of fairy tail. Those belong respectively to Tite Kubo and Shounen jump and Hiro Mashima and Weekly shounen magazine. This is just for fun!
Erza led Natsu toward the party. They had waited nearby, on her instructions.
"Now," she explained, "there are five others. I came as part of a team. We are not here just to visit, I'm afraid. There is a mission."
"A mission?" Natsu said, raising an eyebrow.
"Long story. I'll take the details later. Everyone, you can come out now."
From behind some nearby bushes, the motley crew stepped out: Urahara, Soifon, Momo, Grimmjow- and Lisanna.
Natsu gave them all a look, then his eyes froze on Lisanna. His jaw went slack.
"Lisanna!?" He said in disbelief. "But you- but you-"
"You're just the same, aren't you?" Lisanna said, smiling warmly. "It's good to see you again, Natsu."
Natsu felt tears begin to trickle around his eyes once more. How long had it been since he had last seen one of his closest of friends? For so long he had thought that he'd never see her again, but now…
Without another thought, he reached out and embraced her in a tight hug, taking the Captain of squad 8 entirely by surprise, her eyes wide. However, she quickly hugged him back and closed her eyes.
"I…I finally found you." Natsu muttered, referring to the promise the two had made as children all those many years ago. For Natsu Dragneel, it had been well over a decade, and for Lisanna, even more so.
Yet despite the passage of time, she smiled, recalling his promise almost instantly. "I know…It's good to see you too, Natsu."
Quickly regaining his composure, the two broke their embrace before Natsu shook his head. "I…Man, this is all so much to take in. How- how many of you are there? Did everyone make it to the other side, or something?"
"No," Erza shook her head, "we are the only ones we know of. Well, us and… two more, but one of them died fighting us and the other is far, far away. We seem to be an exception. We still don't know how."
"Well… okay then," Natsu said, blinking and looking at Lisanna again. "Uh. I guess I'll just… lead you back to the guild."
Erza marched next to him, and Natsu kept throwing glances over his shoulder, as if to check that Lisanna was still there.
"Hard to believe, eh?" she said with a smile.
"Erza, all of today is hard to believe, and I've seen some pretty insane stuff over the years," Natsu said, shaking his head. "Not one but two people I had dead and buried turn out alive, and… I mean, we actually have your bones. You were buried in our garden. And Lisanna…something's different about her."
He hadn't wanted to say something at the time, but the Lisanna he knew would have had a more emotional outburst than what he had experienced moments prior. Now, however, she seemed more composed than ever
"A hundred years of military service will do that to you," Erza said amusedly. "Even when you're semi-immortal."
"You have a lot of stories you need to share, I just know it," Natsu said firmly as he began leading them through Magnolia.
"They will be long and often sad," Erza warned. "The life you lead here… it's much better than the afterlife, let's say."
"Now that's a bummer," Natsu scoffed. "There's something wrong with that picture."
"You have no idea," Erza agreed. She shot a glance back at her companions. Soifon looked predictably professional, eyes forward with her eyes darting back and forward, keeping an eye out for threats. Grimmjow seemed to be looking back and forth interestedly, paying particular attention to the young women they came across in the street. Urahara looked back and forth, taking in the sights of the new world. And Momo… she was not sure what to make of her, except that she was worried.
"Look here," Natsu said excitably as they approached the city square, near the cathedral. Erza blinked.
There was a tall statue there. Although it did not perfectly capture her likeness, it was there- long, flowing hair, two longswords with one in each hand, elegant plate armor, and a heroic pose struck…
"That's me," Erza said. "I mean… why? I didn't save this town, or anything."
"You're wrong," Natsu insisted. "If you hadn't done what you did with the Tower of Heaven, at least half of Fiore would have been whipped off the map. We made sure you'd be remembered, no matter what. And don't think it's just us- the council elevated you to Wizard Saint posthumously. Which makes me wonder if you have it right now, because I'm not sure if you're still technically a mage. Are you? Erza-"
He stopped, seeing her expression. She had halted before the statue, tears in her eyes. Silently, they began dropping down her cheeks.
"Erza? Are- are you okay?" Momo said, hurrying to her side.
"I'm fine," Erza said, her voice trembling a little as she wiped her eyes, "I just- I had forgotten how much they loved me. How much they all loved each other. You… you really went the extra mile for me, huh?"
"You know it," Natsu said fiercely. "You're right- we loved you, and we still do. There won't be a soul there back at the guild who won't be happy to see you."
Erza nodded, taking a few deep breaths.
"Well," Natsu added, scratching his head, "it has been twelve years, and we've gained a lot of new members since then. But I'm sure they'll be glad to see you too!"
"I- I hope so," Erza said weakly. Seeing the statue had brought a shockwave to emotion back, a longing she hadn't felt before. Fairy Tail was home to her, her first home, the first place where she had been loved and appreciated, and to see actual proof of it… oh, what would seeing the actual place do to her?
Seeing the old guild was indescribable. The tiled roofs, the simple architecture, the wooden décor… this place had been home to her, once the only home she had ever known.
Or was it?
"It looks… different," Erza said. "Familiar, but… I mean, I guess it has been a hundred years…"
"No, you're not wrong," Natsu said as he led the troupe up toward the guild hall. "The old building got destroyed at some point, even worse than what Phantom Lord had, and we had to rebuild. Long story. But it's still the same old guild to me."
"I… see," Erza nodded. She looked around. As they walked in through the doors, it was like a deluge of old memories washing over her at once. There were people squabbling by the food tables, at least one actual fight; there were people by the mission assignment board, discussing. She saw familiar faces all around, and unfamiliar ones too.
"Wait here," said Natsu eagerly, "I'll go get everyone together."
He hurried off into the guild.
"This is where you came from?" said Soifon, unimpressed. "Calling this an organization would be too generous. Why does the leadership allow them to brawl openly? Do they have any discipline at all?"
"Not an ounce," said Erza tearfully, smiling wide.
"ALRIGHT, YOU BASTARDS!" Natsu bellowed, having climbed on top of a table, his palms to his mouth like a megaphone, "LISTEN UP! GATHER UP HERE, RIGHT NOW! BIG NEWS!"
He really hasn't changed one bit, Erza thought, shaking her head. They had not gone unnoticed; people were whispering and staring at the new arrivals, standing out in their foreign garb… and a few were pointing at her.
Eventually, Natsu's hollering paid off, and the rowdy main hall began to quiet down, each turning toward him.
"What?" demanded a lanky man with long, rough black hair and a mean look about him. "You better make this one worth it, you fire-eating moron."
"It will be," Natsu insisted, "as you all know, it's been twelve years since… ah, the hell with it, you can all see her standing right there- ERZA IS BACK, EVERYONE!" He shouted it loud, pointing right at her.
"She's apparently still dead, some kind of ghost I guess, but she's here and-"
His words were quickly drowned out as the entire guild flocked toward her where they stood. Like a school of fish trying to get first bite out of a feeding, they surrounded the group, staring in awe at Erza.
"Scarlet," Soifon muttered, looking a little twitchy.
"There's no danger," Erza reassured her, "just keep your calm."
"Holy crap, it's actually you," said Gray, at the head of the crowd. "Like- I mean you look different, but it's you. What the hell… I thought Natsu was drunk, or something."
He stared, wide-eyed, fighting disbelief. Like Natsu he had aged, filled out a little; muscular and strong, but not quite as lean as he had once been.
"Erza? Erza Scarlet?"
Mirajane Strauss looked as beautiful as ever, older but so very well kept, and she elbowed her way through the crowd with wild, sharp force.
"Erza, I can't believe it- Lisanna?!"
"Hi…" Lisanna said, awkwardly waving a hand. "Yes, I'm- I'm here too."
The crowd, seeming to realize that not one but two dead members had come back, went into another uproarious fit of murmurs, questions and speculations. Mirajane was in tears as she pushed her way up to the front, Erza and Lisanna awkwardly stumbling up to meet her. She took one of their hands each, staring up at them, shaking. She squeezed their hands, grabbed at the fabric of their clothes, put her hands on their cheeks, everything as if to reassure herself that she wasn't hallucinating.
"You're- you're real" she gasped, tears flowing from her face. "But- but how? And Lisanna, you- look at you, you're all grown up- but you died, Erza, you both died, what- how-"
Deciding to keep things simple, Erza pulled her into a three-way hug with Lisanna, holding the mage close.
"It's a long story," she murmured, "but the long and short of it is: we're still dead. We're ghosts, Mira, things made of soul energy, and we only just found our way back."
"But how-"
"LISANNA?!"
The towering figure of Elfman had just entered, shoving his way through the crowd like a bull in a china shop.
"Here we go again," Erza muttered awkwardly as the giant pushed his way through, a bumbling crying mess.
The next few minutes were a mess of tears, questions, emotions, and by the end of it Erza felt thoroughly uncomfortable. But she could not blame any of her guildmates for their reaction, and so kept quiet.
Eventually the tears gave way to questions- how was she alive? What happened? Where had she been all this time? Why was she wearing those strange clothes? Who were these people, were they some kind of guild? Everything Natsu had wondered, and more.
"Alright, alright," she said firmly, "everyone, take a step back and I'll tell you all about it. You can ask questions at the end."
And so she did. She told them in ten minutes or so what had happened over the course of over a hundred years: how she had come to the Rukon, how she had joined the shinigami, how she had climbed the ranks, how she had been recruited by Aizen, how she had seen through him and wound up exiled, how she eventually returned to set things right, how she had joined the Gotei once more, how she had fought a whole war and become a hero, how she slew Aizen, how she had found peace at last. She told them all of it, except why exactly she had come back.
There was an uproar of questions, of course, but eventually Natsu stepped up.
"Alright, alright, enough already," he said, "these folks have traveled here a long way, and we'll have time for more questions later. Right now, I want us to throw a big old bash for Erza's homecoming. If this doesn't call for a party, I don't know what does. I want us to get all the drink we have, empty the pantry, and cook the biggest feast we've had since- well, ever. Got that?"
The notion of a party fit the atmosphere quite well, and most of the guild members sauntered off to begin preparations. The core few remained, though; Lisanna, Elfman and Mirajane were locked deep in an emotional, tearful conversation, and Natsu stood by her side, giving her a supportive thumbs up.
"Figured you were feeling a bit overwhelmed," he explained.
"Thank you," Erza said, nodding. "It was- I mean, it's kind of overwhelming."
"No kidding. Like… you passing was the worst thing that ever happened to me," Natsu said earnestly. "I cried for years about that one. We all did. And now you're… back."
"Not… forever," Erza admitted hesitantly. "This will always be my home, but I built a whole new life on the other side. I'll have to go back there eventually. I won't be gone forever, but…"
Natsu looked down, a hard look on his face.
"I was afraid of that, yeah," he sighed. "A hundred years is a long time. I'm just glad you did not forget us."
"I could never," Erza said, her voice unsteady, thick with emotion.
"Excuse me?"
A tall woman who had been waiting in the back walked up. She had long, dark hair, and wore a white uniform-like outfit, a coat and skirt. She was curvy and had a muscular look about her, not unlike Erza, and she carried a very long, curved blade by her hip.
"Hm? I'm sorry, I don't remember you," said Erza apologetically. "Are you a newer member?"
"I am Mikazuchi Kagura," said the woman, giving a slight bow, "I am the one they call Titania, the strongest woman of the guild. I… always hoped to see you again."
"Again?" said Erza, blinking. "Titania?"
"Nobody ever forgot you. Your picture hangs on the wall still," Kagura said, gesturing upward. True enough, a large portrait hung there, a bust of Erza in her old armor. She hadn't noticed it in the hustle and bustle of coming inside, but seeing it tugged at Erza's heartstrings.
"Titania is what they began calling me after I joined and became the strongest. It has become like a… tradition. A title. I've never been more honored than when they gave me that cognomen. And… I will be happy to relinquish it."
"Uh- keep it," Erza said, a bit taken aback, "you earned it, I'm sure. I'm… I'm not going to stay here forever. Sort of uh, passing through. Nice- nice to make your acquaintance?"
Kagura gave a strange look. Natsu laughed.
"Don't worry, she was always like this," he explained, "that's our Erza, firm as steel but real awkward with people."
"That's… good to know," Kagura said cautiously. "The real thing and the legend would never be the same thing, I know that."
"…you said see me again?" said Erza, eager to change gears.
"Oh, oh yes," Kagura said. She was a strange figure; her stern and serious expression was softening, but slowly as if she had to fight to relax it. "You wouldn't remember if it's been this long, but… well, we were both children. That one night they came and took you for a slave, I… I was in the same village. Rosemary Village. I still remember it clearly. They came in the night, taking the children. But you… you pushed me in under the floorboards. There wasn't room enough for you, so you went somewhere else. They took you, but I was kept safe. I never forgot that. Even as a child, you didn't hesitate to help, to save others. So when I became a mage, and I heard you had… passed, I applied to join Fairy Tail. I wanted to… it sounds like I wanted to replace you, but I wanted to be like you."
She took a deep breath, composing herself.
"It's a lot to put on a stranger all at once, I know," she said at last, "but your sacrifice mattered. I've spent every waking moment since trying to live up to that."
"And she's done a damn fine job," Natsu said firmly.
"…wait a second," Erza said, eyebrows narrowing. A long buried memory, covered in the detritus of decade upon decade of life, was slowly beginning to take shape. Vague shapes and emotions, fear and darkness, men coming to take her away, a pain long past that she had stopped thinking about…
"That was you?" she blinked. "I'll be damned, I remember now. That rickety old house? Your Simon's little sister!"
"I was. Kagura confirmed. "I…was one of the few who managed to escape."
Erza glanced away, unable to look Kagura in the eye. "Simon…at the tower, he-"
Kagura simply raised up her hand, interrupting Erza. "Natsu told me about what happened. It's not your fault. My brother died protecting someone he cared very deeply about. There's no shame to be had. It was a noble death, albeit a tragic one none the less."
"Well, I… I'm glad you made it out," said Erza, trying to think of what to say.
"I hope I didn't bring out any bad old memories-"
"No no, it's fine- I mean you did, but that's fine, that's nothing-"
"I'm sorry-"
"Erza, stop," Momo said, rolling her eyes and speaking up at last. "She's very proud of you, and appreciates your dedication and your determination to honor her memory. It's very touching," she said, taking Erza by the hand. Erza, grateful and a little stunned, nodded.
"Uh, yeah. That. It's uh, it's… a lot."
"She practiced so hard," scoffed a white-haired young woman, wearing a blue dress of some kind. She walked up next to Kagura. "I told you, just try and relax a bit."
"Re-relax?" said Kagura incredulously. "Do you know how big of a deal this is? It's not you who's suddenly face to face with the one person you spent your whole life trying to live up to!"
"You did great," said the white-haired girl dismissively. "Sorry about her, she's a bit high strung."
"You're one to talk," Kagura scoffed.
"Yukino Agria," the white-haired girl said with a smile. "I'm her wife."
"You too, huh?" said Erza. "Go figure. I guess we're even more alike than I thought."
Momo waved and smiled, leaning into Erza.
"Oh, so you two- wait, you think we're alike?" Kagura said, blushing lightly. "I mean, um-"
"She means 'thank you, that means a lot to me'," Yukino smirked.
"Where would they be without us?" Momo snorted.
"Lost, entirely lost," Yukino agreed smugly.
"Ugh, women," Kagura said, rolling her eyes.
"Tell me about it," Erza laughed, and suddenly the tension was gone, the ice finally broken.
"Well, I'll be damned."
From above, at the head of the stairs, a figure emerged. He was tall and muscular, blond and with a lightning-shaped scar across his right eye. He wore a fur-lined coat across his shoulders, and he had the appearance and tone of a mature, authoritative man. Erza almost didn't recognize him at first.
"Laxus?" she said, blinking. "Laxus Dreyar? You look…"
"Different, yes. I imagine it would seem so," he said, beginning to descend the stairs. "And look at you. I could almost say the same for you. When they told me you were back, I thought they were drunk or mad. Or both. But here you are, in the flesh."
He sounded curious, appreciative, but he was the first to not have the same tearful, gushing response. It was refreshing in a way, but it reminded her of what had been- of an arrogant, hostile young man with a bad attitude, with ideas very much against what Fairy Tail stood for.
"You are, uh… older," she said lamely. "I mean, that's obvious, but…"
"Please, no need to tip toe," Laxus said with a dismissive wave of the hand. "The Laxus you remember was a little shit. Angry, stupid and blind. Things change, and thankfully, people can grow."
"That's- that's great, Laxus," Erza said, relieved.
"Master Laxus, technically," Laxus said with a smile. "I have served as such for seven years by now."
"Then…" Erza said, realizing Makarov was nowhere to be seen.
He nodded.
"The old man passed defending us against Acnologia, the great dragon during one of our S class Trials. He went out like a true guild member. I was chosen to replace him once Gildarts believed I was ready."
"Makarov," Erza muttered, a tear trailing down her cheek. "He was… he was always a good man."
Laxus nodded.
"He was. Your death… it changed a lot. Many of us realized the dangers of this life, and began to take it more seriously. We've gone through great deals of hardship since. We went to war with the guild of Tartaros, took part in a war with Alvarez, then that got interrupted by Acnologia itself, and that was a titanic struggle… we suffered alright, but we came out on top. We've all grown greatly in the time since you… died. Apparently you still are?"
"I am no longer flesh and blood as you'd think of it," Erza explained. "I am made of Soul Particles, reishi, the same stuff ghosts are made of. I returned here from the afterlife."
"Then you must have come back for a reason. You bring an odd troupe of people, all powerful, all wearing the same uniform. Something tells me this is not a pleasure visit. You have business here."
"…you are correct." He was the first to look past the emotions and state the obvious; perhaps he was a fit leader after all.
"Had I known how to come back, I would have done so much sooner. I thought it was impossible. We only made our way here out of necessity."
"What do you mean?" said Natsu, looking surprised.
"Can we… speak more privately?" said Erza. She was not ready to show her condition off to everyone, not yet. Laxus nodded.
"My office is just up here," he said, motioning upstairs.
"I will join you, and Urahara too," Soifon said. "The rest, stay put."
"Natsu, you come too," Erza added. "And… Momo."
"Of course," said her girlfriend.
The group made their way upstairs, into the Guild Master's office. Like the building itself, it was both familiar and strange. Laxus invited them to sit down, although only Erza did as much.
"There is something wrong with me," she said bluntly. "Quite possibly I am dying, or worse."
"But you're already-" Natsu began, stopping himself.
"The afterlife isn't all it's cut out to be, including the part where you can die all over again," Erza said dryly. "It's nonsense, but that's the way it is."
She slid her coat off, then undid her sash and peeled her coat off. Wearing only chest wrappings under, it exposed her left arm, and the spreading growth of scales. Laxus looked at it with intrigue, while Natsu leaned in close, staring at it intently.
"Can I?" he said, putting out a hand.
"Please," said Erza, and he lifted up her arm a bit, studying it, gently raking his fingertips over the scales.
"The doctors are clueless. The best one we have had no idea. Our main scientist over here," she gestured with a thumb at Urahara, "could only tell me that my particle structure is rewriting itself, turning itself from soul energy into something else, something alien, something from this world. I am becoming something else, and I don't know where it leads. I only know I do not have long."
Laxus stepped out from behind his desk, joining Natsu in his study.
"I'll be damned, this is…"
"Reptilian scales, yeah. I guess I'm turning into a lizard," Erza said glumly.
"No," Natsu said, shaking his head. "Dragon scales. Much smaller, of course, but there's no mistaking it."
"Dragons?" said Erza, blinking in surprise. "This is- I am becoming a dragon?"
"It's a bit like what can happen to a dragon slayer, yeah," Natsu nodded eagerly, "I've heard stories. But it usually only happens to somebody who is closely connected to the dragonkin. You were never a slayer of any kind, Erza. Were you?"
"No, never," Erza said firmly. "I only had my weapons and armor."
Laxus looked up.
"Actually, would you mind telling me who you people are? Beyond just names. You carry uniforms. You clearly are organized. You are all ghosts? In some kind of guild?"
Soifon stepped up.
"What I tell you stays confidential," she said firmly. "We represent the Gotei Thirteen, the thirteen divisions that regulate the flow of souls from the afterlife to the world of the living. Not this world, mind you; you are a whole other dimension than ours."
"Really. I don't know if I should be relieved or not," Laxus said dryly. "So you're what, afterlife police?"
"We hunt and slay the hollow, aggrieved souls whose regret turns them into monsters, and help lost souls pass on. We make sure the souls keep flowing. Erza is captain to Fifth division, head of hundreds of men, and I am Soifon, captain of Second. I am charged by the Captain-commander of First Division to find a cure for Erza, then bring her home."
"Sounds like she matters a lot to send so many powerful leaders, then," Laxus said, brows furrowed.
"More than you know. She made much the same impact there as she did here, by the looks of it."
Laxus nodded.
"Good enough. You are all obviously very powerful, and I need to know your intentions. Such as they are, I am willing to get behind you on this."
"Very good," Soifon said with a nod. There was some tension in the air, Erza sensed. The freeform culture of the guild was anathema to the strict discipline of the Gotei, and the Stealth Corps especially, and she doubted that the commander looked favorably on the idea of being challenged on anything by the leader of a ragtag band of humans. She would have to have a talk about that later, she decided.
"You said this reminded you of something about Dragon Slayers?" Erza said, to shift the conversation.
"Yeah, yeah," Natsu nodded, "Draconification, it's called. You keep at it long enough as a slayer, and you might lose control and start slowly morphing into a dragon yourself. The dragon who taught me sealed me inside his body at times, to create antibodies against the process."
Kisuke stepped out.
"That is valuable insight. I would like to take samples of your blood, if possible- and of any other dragon person you have around."
"You're the science guy, right?"
"Correct."
"Well, anything to help Erza," Natsu shrugged. "We have another girl here like me, Wendy. I can go find her and we'll take the samples today. Oh, Gajeel too."
"Excellent news," Urahara said, a broad grin on his face. "It's too soon to say for sure, but… if a dragon's genetic material can be used to create antibodies, then it should theoretically be possible to craft some kind of antidote or vaccine."
"Wait a moment, Gajeel? As in Gajeel Redfox?" Erza asked incredulously. "He joined Fairy Tail?" It was more than hard for Erza to believe. The man had severely damaged their guildhall and worse yet, beat all of Team Shadow Gear to a pulp. For him to have ended up here…
"It was Master Makarov's decision, Natsu told her. "None of us were too happy with it either, but he really came through when the going got rough. Like when Laxus tried to take over the guild!"
"What!?"
Laxus rolled his eyes. "It was a week after you died, I was being a complete moron. Long story short, Natsu, Gajeel and Kagura managed to kick my ass and I was expelled from the Guild until the day Master Makarov died. As for Gajeel, I know it's hard to believe, but he's a fairy tail mage, through and through."
"Yeah, he even married Levy!" Natsu added with a cheeky grin.
"He and Levy…what!?" Erza couldn't help but exclaim. "But…but he was the one who-"
Natsu placed a hand on Erza's shoulder. "Trust me when I say he's never stopped beating himself up over what happened. He's a good guy Erza. Heck, he and Levy had twins! I can introduce you to them sometime!"
"That's great, but I don't have too much time," said Erza.
"Then we best get to it," Natsu agreed. "There was… come to think of it, there's one more thing. Didn't think of it till now, but…"
"Yes?" said Erza.
"A few years back, when we fought Acnologia, right? Huge struggle, great story, but that'll have to wait. Thing is, we combined every dragon slayer we could get our hands on. There was me, Wendy, Sting, Rogue, Cobra and Laxus all at once, on top of all the others, and the Alvarezians too. Alvarez had this cabal of elites called the Spriggan Twelve, and the strongest of them… well, she was tall, beautiful, and had bright red hair like yours. Her name was Irene Belserion, and her abilities were… well, we couldn't have done it without her, at all. She really knew her stuff when it came to dragons. She… actually kinda smelled a bit like you."
"…do I have some kind of long lost sister out there, or something?" Erza said, taking in the news. The thought of a blood relative out there… this had been an intense day, and it didn't seem to be winding down.
"You should talk to Wendy and Kagura about that. They fought her one on one before we allied against Acnologia. They'd have the closest look at her."
"I'll go do that, then," Erza nodded.
"And we should go do some tests, Mr. Dragneel," Kisuke said, sounding intrigued. "No time to waste."
"Fair enough," Natsu nodded.
"I'll let you have free run of the guild," said Laxus. "Consider yourselves our guests. Just don't cause too much trouble."
"If this guild is anything like it was back when I was alive, there will be trouble eventually," Erza muttered.
"Not too much, as I said," Laxus smiled. "They're still a rowdy bunch. Don't take it personally if they get a bit… in your face."
"We'll keep to ourselves," Soifon said curtly. "We appreciate your cooperation, Guild Master."
"But of course," Laxus said. "Well, don't let me detain you. I'm sure you have lots to do."
With Kisuke gone to take Natsu for some testing, Erza headed downstairs with Momo in tow to go find Kagura and that Wendy girl. It did not take too long to find either of them; Kagura had not gone far and Wendy had, fortunately, just come back from a mission.
Wendy Marvell was a pretty young woman in her early twenties, a bit skinnier than Erza and with long blue hair and brown eyes. She was introduced as the Sky Dragon Slayer, and Erza could feel power radiate from her thin frame.
"…the red-haired woman from Alvarez?" She said, looking thoughtful. "You mean Irene Belserion?"
"Yes?" said Erza. "I think, I mean?"
"That's correct," Kagura confirmed, "unless there is another Alvarezian elite mage with unrivalled dragonslaying magic and red hair."
"Gotcha. Irene Belserion…" Erza muttered. "So who is she? What's she like?"
"We don't exactly know her on a personal level, but I think we got the measure of her," Kagura said. "Strong, decisive, pretty ruthless. Deep well of magic on her, too. Pretty easy on the eyes, too. Great figure."
Yukino gave her a look.
"What? Don't tell me I'm wrong," Kagura scoffed.
"No, I suppose not," Yukino sighed.
"We're getting off track," Erza said.
"Well, she's more than just a strong mage," Wendy said, appearing to think back. "She was the leader of the Spriggan Twelve, Alrvarez' best mages. Like the four gods of Isghar, but on a completely different scale. We just barely managed to survive against her until a truce was called. Not just that, but… she was the inventor of Dragon Slayer Magic."
"…inventor?" said Erza, blinking. "But that magic is-"
"Many centuries old, yes," Wendy nodded. "She's… immortal. Sort of. She's been around for a very long time."
"Immortal, 'sort of'?" Erza wondered.
Wendy grimaced.
"Her body went through draconification long ago. She's also an enchantress. If she can find a suitable host, somebody with the right traits- usually a Dragon Slayer- she can transfer her mind into their body. She tried that on me." Supposedly, I was the only one she found compatibility with.
"How'd you… not get overtaken?"
"I'm well versed in enchantments as well so I was able to resist the process until Kagura managed to interrupt the process. Then Acnologia attacked, and the point became moot. She's no joke, this woman. In Alvarez, they call her the Red Despair. She's currently their emperor's right hand, and their strongest fighter. She was once the queen of old Dragonof, where humans and dragons once lived in , she completely transformed into becoming a dragon herself,, until the Black Wizard, Zeref, gave her a human form, albeit… flawed. She cannot sleep, or taste, and she suffers from bouts of pain on a consistent basis."
"And she would know how to… reverse this process?"
"If anyone would, it's her," Kagura said. "I think it's safe to say nobody knows more about human-dragon relations than her. But if you are indeed related… well, she might just try and make a host of you."
"She could try," Erza said coldly. "She might bite off more than she could chew. Our mages are strong, but a captain shinigami is above and beyond almost anything in this world, and I've had a century to refine my skills. Only the Wizard Saints could compare."
"While I'm sure that's true, let's hope it doesn't come to that," Wendy said. " The Spriggan twelve already have obtained God Serena, the former strongest of the saints, among their members, and he's only considered the second most powerful among them now. Irene, I'm afraid, is on a completely different level. If you ask me, I believe that we should explore our options first. With your condition, you might not even be what she wants in a host."
"…where even is Alvarez?" Erza muttered. "It's been a while. Is it very, very far?"
"Well…" Wendy began. "Well…" Wendy began. "It's in Alakitasia, the western continent across the sea. If you get to a port, it's a ten day journey across the ocean."
"So it's not exactly an easy trip," Erza muttered, a bit crestfallen.
"We'll go with you, of course," said Kagura. "We'll go out and search, all together. I'm sure we can be of help."
"We are?" said Wendy, blinking. "I mean- I mean, of course we are. It's a bit… unexpected, but with you back, we couldn't say no."
"I'm not making any demands here," said Erza quickly. "You never even knew me, and you don't owe me anything. Nobody should hold it against you if you chose to stay. I'm not going to ask anyone to uproot their whole life for me."
"No, no," Wendy said firmly, "you are a member of Fairy Tail, ghost or not. That's enough for me to help, even if you weren't Erza Scarlet. You're in trouble, so of course I'll go."
"It's appreciated," Erza smiled.
"Through thick and thin, no matter how hard it gets, we stick together," Kagura said firmly. "That's the Fairy Tail way. And you're still one of us, aren't you?"
Erza sniffed, and a tear trailed down her cheek.
"Yes," she began, her voice breaking, "yes, yes I am. I- I always will be-"
Her voice broke, and she choked on her words. Momo, who had been waiting nearby, rushed to her side.
"I'm fine," Erza reassured them, taking a deep breath, "I'm just- I'm just so glad to be back. To see you're all… that the guild could keep going like this, be strong, be filled with good people…"
Overwhelmed she bent forward, wiping tears from her eyes. Momo took her hand, and she squeezed it. Kagura and Wendy looked a bit awkward, as if unsure whether to walk forward to comfort her or not. Erza took a long, deep breath and straightened herself up, wiping her eyes clear one final time.
"I'm good," she said shakily, smiling honestly. "It's just… oh, it's been over a hundred years since I saw you people, this guild, and…"
"It's… a lot," Kagura nodded.
"It's a lot," Erza confirmed.
A silence fell between them. Thankfully, before it got long enough to get awkward, Natsu sauntered up. There was a small patch on his arm, presumably where Kisuke had taken his tests.
"Am I- am I interrupting something?" he said.
"No no, we're fine," Erza said quickly. "Just a bit of emotion."
"Oh. Well, I wanted to ask a thing, but if it's a bad time…"
"Ask," Erza said firmly. She wasn't sure how to deal with this, and whatever the man had in mind would be better than dwelling on it.
"Well, I… remember how we used to fight? For training and such?"
"Sure," Erza nodded. "You never won, but you were always improving, always very strong."
Natsu nodded.
"Yeah, that. I figured… if you're not too tired or sick or whatever, I kinda wanna know where you're at now. With a hundred years, you're bound to have gotten good."
Erza blinked.
"A spar? Now?"
Natsu shrugged.
"If you don't want to…"
Erza thought about it for a second. Between the immense mental stress of her condition- turning into a dragon was hardly an exciting prospect- and the sheer emotion the day had brought with it, a bit of good old-fashioned violence actually sounded… appealing. There was a simplicity to it that didn't require you to stare your own mortality in the eye, or figure out how the hell you felt about a whole world of people that, for all intents and purposes, had been dead to her for a century.
"I'll do it," she said firmly. "Although I hope you've gotten a lot stronger, because I did not sit idle the last century."
Natsu flexed an arm, shooting her a confident grin.
"Oh, you better believe I have. I ain't a little kid no more, I've made S class a long time ago. In fact…you're looking at the newest and topped ranked member of the Four Gods of Ishgar."
"You're one of the Four Gods?!" Erza asked with disbelief. The Four Gods of Ishgar were considered the top four strongest wizards on the continent. Not even Master Makarov came close to comparing to their strength. If Natsu truly was among them now….
"Well then, I'll admit that I want to see how far you've come as well," Erza said with a smile. "But not here. We should go far away from any buildings, really. I wouldn't want to tear apart the guild hall after the trouble you went to rebuild it."
"Big talk," Natsu said, giving a whistle. "But hell, I'd say the same. Let's go!"
Word spread quickly as the two walked out, Kagura, Wendy, Momo and Grimmjow in tow, and soon everyone at the guild followed behind them, talking excitably. There was a train of people behind them, dozens of guild members following in their wake; the house had emptied completely. Even Laxus had left his office, following from the back with an interested look.
"Are you sure about this?" Soifon muttered, jogging up next to Erza. "You should not strain yourself, not in your condition."
"I am sure," said Erza. "Right now, I really want to punch something. Besides, I want to see how much he's grown. He was always like a little brother to me."
"And there's nothing to suggest exertion will accelerate the process," Kisuke added cheerily.
"You just want to see how wizards do battle, don't you?" Soifon asked condescendingly.
"Ehhhhhhhh, maybe a little." Kisuke couldn't help but admit with a small smile.
"I can't wait," Natsu said. He'd been grinning nonstop since they left, moving his arms back and forth. Erza sensed for his power, and although magic was different, it was not hard to tell that he sat on an enormous well of raw power. He'd always been strong; if he had learned to harness that power, he would be formidable. Perhaps even strong enough to beat her, although she was not sure about that.
"Know a good place?" she said.
"There's a clearing just past those trees," Natsu said, pointing eagerly to the treeline. "We go there to play ball sometimes, or for stuff like this."
"Then I'm afraid we're ruining your sports for a while," Erza chuckled.
They got to the clearing, and Erza walked up to the middle. It was a large wild meadow, the size of a football field, perfect for a fight.
"Alright, everyone, keep your distance," Erza said authoritatively. "We're about to let loose, and I don't want to have to worry about you people being in the way."
"Damn right," Natsu added. "Everyone back, back to the treelines or something."
Erza slid her coat off, handing it to Momo, before stretching herself.
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" her girlfriend said.
"No," Erza admitted, "but I kind of need to try it."
She stepped up toward the center of the clearing, hand on the hilt of her blade. Natsu, looking like a kid at christmas, sauntered up to match her.
"Ready to go?" He asked, punching into his palm, a small burst of fire coming out.
"Ready as I ever have been," Erza said, drawing her blade with a smile. It was time to find out just how much he'd grown.
"Alright." Natsu said before he slammed his fists together, fire surrounding his entire body as he grinned. "I'm all fired up!"
And so there we have it. After all of these years, Natsu and Erza will finally have a chance to properly show off what they've learned after all of these years. Natsu having finished the entirety of Fairy Tail's canon, and Erza with the arrancar arc having reached its conclusion some time ago as well.
Know that when it comes to balancing Power levels between the two verse that I try to make things as balanced as possible while having it also make sense. Though, it won't be a one to one as it is in my other story, A Quincy's Fairy Tail.
Speaking of which, many things have changed with Erza's absence, such as Kagura and Yukino having joined the guild this time around. Personally, it all just made sense, especially knowing Kaugra's backstory, and with Fairy Tail having not going through the seven years of disappearance, their reputation would have never faltered and Yukino would more than likely join them.
But who will win this upcoming battle? Natsu Dragneel, the newest member of the 4 Gods of Ishgar and strongest mage in Fairy Tail, or Erza Scarlet, the champion of the Gotie and captain of squad 5? Let me know in the reviews! Till next time!