Chapter Fifty-Eight
"Why are we still here? We need to go back now!" Romeo screamed and lunged at Erza but Rouge caught him and held him back.
"You heard Lucy. We make sure the Giants survived and then we go back. Not before." Sting said and looked at the young boy who was biting his lip to keep from bawling.
"Why should we care? We've already done so much for them!" Romeo demanded to know and Erza nudged Sting out of the way and put her hands on Romeo's shoulders so Rouge released him. The youth glared up at her, his body shaking from unreleased sobs.
"We aren't done with the job we started. You know your father and the rest of Fairy Tail would never forgive us if we didn't finish the job we started." He started to cry and she pulled him close and held him as his body was wracked with the heartbreaking sobs of loss. He was still child, and he had seen the last of his family killed in cold blood and for what? A senseless war.
She turned and looked at Jellal who looked mutinous and when she looked over at Ultear and Meredy, they looked nearly as gloomy. Gray had been taken to the medical area for treatment to his fists after he'd punched the walls. And she understood each reaction. She also thought of Lucy. Poor Lucy.
"Enough tears!" Atlas announced and heat came off of the lantern. "Time for crying will come when we are alone; while we sleep. For now we must focus on ensuring the safety of the inhabitants of Solarium. Then you all will need to depart."
"You aren't joining us?" Sting asked and the Flame God snorted, a smoke ring circling around the top of the lantern.
"No. My powers are tied to Solarium at this point. If I were to leave, my tie to the magic I've sunk into this planet would snap and I would fade away." He said and they could see him swirl within the small confinement. "But I will be glad to wish you well on your journey."
"We appreciate that." Erza said after a moment and she sighed when Romeo released her. She hadn't wanted to be the first one to break contact as the boy needed reassuring as much as possible at the moment.
"I am so sorry." Flare whispered as Romeo walked numbly past her and to the room on the ship he'd been given. Erza watched him go, and she hated the pain she could feel all around, but especially from him. She turned back and gritted her teeth. She sighed and patted Flare's shoulder.
"We're all sorry." Erza said. "But we don't have time to wallow in our heartbreak. We have to finish this; ensure the Giants are safe. That this planet is safe. Then we have to get back to Earth. We have to help Lucy and the others. They're alone; they're outnumbered, and they're in the same pain as us. We can't get distracted or let anything here happen to us that would prevent us from getting back to them. Our friends need us, just as much as we need them. Once we defeat Mard Geer, then we can mourn everyone we've lost."
Flare stared, a sensation she couldn't name filling her as she heard the words. She could see the unshed tears in Erza's eyes, she could hear the slightly choked emotion, but at the same time; her body language spoke of resilience. She nodded and wiped at her tears; feeling a little foolish because she didn't even know the people who had been lost. All she could think of, was that if everyone in front of her could put their pain behind them, she had to as well.
"Let's go. The storm is over." Gray said, appearing from around the corner and grabbed the lantern, making Atlas shine brighter. They all marched for the door and as Alfie opened it to the outside world; their breaths were stolen.
"The damage from the battle is gone." Sting whispered looking where Erza had defeated the demon. Rouge looked around, and tensed. "What is it?"
"The axe is gone." He said and everyone looked over and sure enough the axe was gone. Flare pushed forward and started to run around the ship. Erza raced forward and grabbed her and pulled her back, right as the blade of the axe cut through the air. She summoned a shield and took the hit while pushing Flare behind her.
"Watch what you're doing! That was Flare!" A voice boomed and Erza spun to the side and a sword flared into her hand as she shifted the shield back a bit.
"That is Equip magic…ain't seen that in a few hundred cycles." Another voice murmured as she stared up at the tall giants. She was trying not to make any noise; but realizing they were wearing what looked like viking helmets and furs made her want to snort with laughter.
"Flare is back?" Another voice asked and a giant shoved the first two apart and appeared, then squatted down. Erza gritted her teeth as the quick movements causes air to rush past her. "Where is my little ember?"
"Hello Fulkar." Flare waved as she appeared beside Erza. She smiled up at the giant and Erza watched as a tear ran down the giant's face.
"It is our Flare! It is! She came home!" He called and held his hand out and she stepped into it. He lifted her to his face and she held her arms out and hugged his cheek. The other giants huddled closer together and passed the girl around until she had hugged each of them. They then set her down and looked to Erza and the others.
"And who are these people?" Fulkar asked and Flare turned and put her hand on Erza's arm that was holding the sword.
"These are new friends who freed the Flame God and all of you from the ice that trapped you all." She said. "This is Erza, the leader of the team from Fairy Tail Guild Station. And this male is the leader of a team from a different Guild Station."
Jellal stepped forward and bowed politely and the Giants stared at him briefly before turning back to Erza.
"Fairy Tail? Who is the leader now?"
"Now?" Erza asked and raised a brow in confusion.
"Last time Fairy Tail stopped by for a visit; the master of the guild was Precht Gaebolg."
"That was the general before Gramps." Gray said and the giants flicked their eyes over him.
"Who is the general now?" A different giant in the back asked.
"Makarov. Makarov Dryer." Gray answered and shifted his stance.
"The young hotheaded rascal? Desperate times I guess have hit the Guild." The giant in the back mused and Flare watched as Gray's jaw clenched and his free hand fisted against his hip.
"The Guild Station was just attacked; and everyone is gone. General Makarov included." Jellal stated and the color drained from all of the giant's faces. They carefully dropped to their knees and bowed their heads. Everyone tried to ignore the shaking of the ground.
"We apologize; and offer our sympathy for your loss." Gray's fist relaxed and Flare struggled not to cry. She walked to him and took the lantern and then walked back to Fulkar.
"Please, return the Flame God to his proper alter." She said and he held the small lantern in his palm and then looked from it to her. "The others need to leave Solarium and return to their friends who are alone on a different planet with Mard Geer and…"
"Mard Geer?" The closet giant snarled so loudly the ground trembled. "Any planet he is on is cursed."
"Then watch us exorcise it." Erza snarled back and he looked down at her surprised.
"You are willing to face him?"
"He stole my world; murdered my friends…my family." Erza's voice broke and she lifted the sword high. "I will not let him cause this pain to another world. It ends with our pain."
Everyone around her shifted and the giants nodded slowly. "Why did you come here? Just to help us?"
"It doesn't matter now." Erza shook her head. "As long as you can verify you and your planet are safe; then we will take our leave."
"And I'll be going with them." Flare said and everyone stopped and looked at her.
"You don't have to…"
"I know I don't." Flare said and looked at Erza with large wide eyes. "But you all risked your lives to protect my family and my home…and I want to fight for yours."
"Your heart is bright." Atlas said, and at his voice the giants looked around in confusion. Then the lantern shook as Atlas left the lantern and leapt into a tree nearby, feeding off fo the tree to grow in size. The giants jerked in surprise, then lowered their heads to the earth.
"Oh great Flame God!" They cried and Atlas flickered brightly.
"The littlest ember of our planet will go forth; and show the universes that Solarium has heart and does care for the rest of the free worlds. An ambassador of our world; if you will."
"Thank you for the vote of confidence." Flare said and nodded. Jellal looked at her expression and then the fearful ones of the giants. Meredy shifted to speak up when Gray's voice carried over them.
"We'll protect her like she's our own. She'll come home again."
"You believe that." Fulkar said as he stared at Gray who smirked and raised a brow while crossing his arms over his chest. "Heh…that's the Fairy Tail temperament I'm familiar with."
"Then this is good…" Erza started to turn her wrist to send the sword and shield away when she spun and threw the sword while lifting the shield. A large ball of spiraling sand hit her shield and she screamed as the sand tore through her exposed skin. She land on her feet, swaying side to side; blood dripping down. She lit up brightly as she inhaled and as she exhaled she straightened, wearing the Flame Empress armor. The giants shared looks and watched as she pointed across from her. "Whoever you are, come out and surrender peacefully or you are going to regret it."
"Hmmm…do you think so?" A soft masculine voice asked and they watched as a male with bright green hair wobbled out from behind the trees. He wore an orange-red suit-like outfit and held a monocle to his eye. "I'm not sure if you could cause me to regret much."
"She isn't weak Sol…don't underestimate her." A female said and followed him from out of the trees. She had dark blue hair that was curled and pinned to her hair. She wore a dark blue formfitting suit and carried a parasol-like item over one shoulder. Atlas shot out a spark of flame; but before it reached either she turned towards the flame. "Drip. Drip."
At her soft words, rain fell, solely over the flame and extinguished it. Atlas hissed and flared from the tree. "A water woman."
"Aquaterran." The female stated dryly and looked around. "Sol is a Teraterian. We are half of the bounty hunting guild Element Four. We are here to collect the Flame God and her."
The parasol was pointed at Erza and Jellal leapt forward, placing himself between the interlopers and Erza. He heard her snarl while Meredy giggled and he wanted to scold her but didn't want to take his eyes off of the enemies. "You aren't taking either, but you definitely aren't collecting Erza."
"Her bounty is high. So we're going to collect." Sol said and bent forward in a way that made several people gasp; his body twisting in an impossible way. "Although I don't remember the sheet on Irene Belserion's magic being Equip."
"Whose Irene Belserion?" Ultear asked and the Aquaterran tilted her head.
"Is this scarlet haired female not Irene?"
"No…Name is Erza. Erza Scarlet." Erza said and pushed Jellal away. "And it doesn't matter what name I go by. You aren't taking Atlas anywhere. Tell Mard Geer you failed and he can go to hell."
"Who is…Atlas?" Sol asked behind backwards and twisting to the right. Gray gagged and shook his head to try and collect himself. Everyone saw how the Aquaterran clocked his movements from the corner of her eye.
"I am Atlas!" Atlas roared, the flames rising higher. "And I will go no where. Especially not with you all."
"Please don't make this difficult. It's already been a long trip to get here." The female said and appeared uninterested.
"If you are going to try and steal our god, you could at least show some interest." Fulkar snarled but he was ignored. Sol suddenly moved quickly, pulling out a black box from somewhere on his body.
"That is a forgesnetch." Alfie warned. "It is a device that can keep fire alive for eight solar cycles without opening it for air or fuel."
Before anyone could move; red hair hit the forgesnetch and knocked it out of his hands. Sol stopped and stared at the hair that was weaving like a snake in the grass before him. He took a step forward, but before he could do anything, the hair leapt at him. It swirled around him and he was lifted into the air. He swore in his language and thrashed but couldn't get free. Flare stepped forward and jerked her head to the left and he rose higher. She threw her head to the right and he hurled toward the ground. The hair released him and he hit the ground, but instead of a hard bone crunching sound, the ground cradled him, falling into itself like waterbed. He got to his feet and turned to look at Flare.
"That was not nice. Non non non." He shook his head and pulled out his monocle. It was broken and his eyes narrowed on her. "This was my last one."
"If you try to take the Flame God; it won't be the only thing I break." She said and crossed her arms over her chest. Her hair flared up and started to weave between the two trees on either side of Atlas. She rose to the middle of the woven net and glared. "He has protected me and Solarium for cycles without rest; now it is my turn to return that dedication."
"Little ember…" Atlas snarled but she didn't move. Erza nodded and watched as the Aquaterran shifted slightly.
"Sentiment isn't helpful…is it my dear Juvia?"
"No…it is not." The Aquaterran gave the slightest shake of her head. "Water slicer!"
They watched as water flew from her hand towards Flare. They gasped as the water cut through strands of hair, and a few sliced through her arms and legs. However she didn't scream, biting down on her bottom lip. But even as her hair was sliced, it re-wove into the protective net.
"Flare…" Atlas grumbled but she didn't speak. She kept her eyes focused on Sol and Juvia. Fulknar growled and took a step forward but quickly stopped as the ground swallowed up his foot and leg to the knee. Sol spun to look at him, his hips still pointed toward Flare.
"Non non non my new friend. You all stay there. You managed to get out of the moondrip prison, but now we will have to use fatal means if you interfere."
"So you worked with Lyon to freeze this planet." Jellal said and Sol nodded and looked at him.
"Don't underestimate General Jellal." Juvia murmured as Sol started to lean forward. He immediately recoiled and pulled on his mustache.
"So you know who I am?"
"I do. Your bounty, while less than Irene's, is still sizable."
"I have a bounty? Who put it out? Mard Geer?"
"No…Spowrick, head of the Guild Station Extinguish."
"Didn't I kill him by jettisoning him out of an airlock?" Jellal asked and Juvia spun her parasol lightly on her shoulder.
"He pulled out an oxygen line and managed to stay alive until his crew dragged him back in. But he was horribly disfigured. He wants you alive." She said and he scoffed.
"He always held a grudge. But he shouldn't have taken part in the smuggling operation."
"Smugglers have mouths to feed too." Sol murmured and Meredy snarled, and spat at him.
"Smuggling hatchlings and other young beings to be pets to disgusting individuals givers smugglers bad names." They watched as Juvia's eyes slid to the side and Sol shrugged as he wobbled around.
"He placed a bounty, and we have no problems collecting." He said and Gray leapt up as the ground tried to swallow his legs. He moved his hands quickly, ice shooting out and Juvia flipped backwards but Sol took a shard of ice to his leg and he stopped moving. Green blood oozed around the ice. He glared at Gray as he landed next to Erza.
"You can't underestimate him…he's one of Fairy Tail's best." Juvia said softly and walked over and looked at the injury and then returned to her prior position. Sol stared over at her and sniffed in an offended tone.
"Won't even help heal me?" He demanded and she tilted her head.
"No."
"Spiteful woman." He turned back and looked over the others. His eyes shifted to the forgesnetch, then to Flare, and then the others."We don't have time for this trying mess. Stand aside and let us finish our mission and we'll leave without the extra bounties."
"Or you can leave empty handed." Erza said and cracked her neck as she shifted her weapons.
"She's still maintaining the Empress Armor. That's not an easy one to hold onto." Juvia said and her eyes went over Erza's form.
"Even if she isn't Irene…she might make the client happy."
"No free captures." Juvia reminded him and he sighed and shifted on his feet.
"You are such a downer, I should have requested Totomaru to accompany me and not you." He lamented and Juvia's lips turned down ever so slightly.
"Don't you even trust your partner?" Ultear asked and Sol snickered.
"No one trusts the depressing creator of endless tears." Sol said and Juvia's expression cracked for a split second and they saw the pain in her eyes.
"The lack of trust is a bad sign." Gray said and rolled his shoulders, his scales glinting from Atlas' flames. "If you can't trust the people you stand beside; you will surely fall with them. Or worse; fall with their blade in your back."
"That drivel is idiotic. We are a group because we are able to keep our emotions in check as well as do whatever it takes to get the bounty." Sol said and Gray shook his head.
"Trust is crucial. Without it you can't hope to win."
"Its time to learn that trust and camaraderie are foolish pursuits." Sol said and removed the ice from his leg. Erza and Gray sneered and shifted into defensive positions. Juvia's eyes widened ever so slightly and tilted her head to the side.
"Drip. Drip." She said and it started to rain around them, but before they could react, Sol snarled and turned on her.
"Your rain is ruining my sand magic. What are you doing?" She turned and looked at him. Her eyes flat and expression neutral.
"Trying to ensure capture of the bounty. What are you doing?"
"Honestly, you are getting to be very frustrating." He threw his hands up and turned around and they watched as her eyes narrowed. She fingered her parasol and lifted her chin. Sol lifted his hands and started to advance on the others. Gray leapt forward, but stopped a few steps in, the ground clumped around his lower legs and he snarled, his hands forming for magic. But before he could, the sand encircled his hands and spun, heating up as they moved until his hands were enclosed in glass.
"Gray!" Erza called out and moved, swinging her sword. But before she could strike the glass and break him out; Sol appeared and got between them. He and Erza started to battle and Jellal moved towards him. The mud swirled and he stared as large forms grew from the mud.
"Careful, he's able to form golems." Jellal warned as the muddy figures started to move forward. Meredy leapt around, spinning quickly; her ability to fight and move unhindered while Jellal's size made it harder for him to get around the oozing mud golems. Ultear was quick to get the rest of the crew back into the ship; glancing over her shoulder. She hated seeing them all fighting, but she also knew that the majority of the crew didn't have fight training. The giants were hesitant to move; in case they injured their allies. Flare stayed suspended in her hair net, watching and waiting. Atlas grew as his anger rose.
Erza grunted as Sol sent her flying backwards and she landed on her back. Sand and mud latched onto he armor and she struggled for a few moments before she lit up and jumped. As the light faded she was barefoot, but wearing a mid-thigh blue shirt and silver armored top with white cap sleeves. The armor looked to make a heart embossed with a cross. She pulled her hair back and ran through the mud. As she swung with her left fist, he dodged to the right and grunted as her right leg caught him in the side. She spun around him and quickly jabbed repeatedly, his grunts filling the air as she pummeled him. The giants started to cheer.
Sol pulled away and used the sand to encircle her and everyone gasped as they watched as the sand did the swirling and they knew what it meant. Gray was struggling, trying to pull free of the mud that had been creeping up his legs. Suddenly she was encased in a glass container and he sneered at her.
"I'd stop struggling, if I were you. You'll use what little air is left if you don't." Her eyes got wide as she looked around.
"Erza!" Gray and Jellal screamed as she leaned against the back wall of glass.
"Maybe we can hand her over as Irene and the customer won't realize that she isn't her?" He said and Juvia's eyes narrowed. "What? We have her captured."
"She isn't the bounty so there is no point in wasting time and resources on her." Juvia walked forward and headed for Flare. Flare trembled but kept her eyes on Erza who was grimacing while she watched the enemies move towards Flare and Atlas.
"You are such a buzzkill." Sol murmured and Juvia's side eye glance wasn't missed by anyone. She leapt backwards which surprised Sol and he turned to stare at her but then he was knocked off of his feet when he was grabbed by a snow ape made of ice.
"Juvia, stop the Ice Dragis from…"
"That isn't the Ice of the Dragis." Juvia said and tilted her head. "Lyon is in the trees."
"Lyon! Stop fooling around and call off your ice monster." Lyon limped out of the tree line glaring at everyone. Gray pulled harder as his legs with the lumps of glass on his hands.
"Hang on Erza…I'm coming." He called and Jellal looked over, horrified to see Erza sliding down the glass wall. Lyon limped closer and stared at Sol who was being shaken like a martini shaker.
"Lyon…call off…"
"Shut up!" He growled and looked at Juvia who was eyeing him blandly. "Do I have to catch you too?"
"No." She said and stepped aside and leaned against a tree. He walked past her and up to Gray. Gray snarled at him and Lyon rolled his eyes and set his closed fist on his open palm.
"Gray! I'm coming!" Meredy called out but two of the golems she was facing split in half and encircled her.
"Always a woman coming to save you huh?" Lyon asked and Gray growled low in the back of his throat but didn't speak.
"Ice make hammer!" He shouted and a small hammer appeared in his hand and he swung it. It hit the glass and Gray's eyebrows rose and he watched as his right hand was freed and then his left. Lyon grabbed his free hands and pulled and together they pulled him out the encroaching mud prison. Sol screamed in frustration as the ice ape continued to detain him.
"What are you doing freeing the enemy?" Sol demanded and Lyon ignored him as he and Gray raced to Erza's glass cage. Gray created an ice hammer, this one much larger and Lyon enhanced his and they stood on opposite sides.
"Erza, cover up." Gray shouted, hoping she could hear him. She looked at both of them and closed her eyes, light filling the enclosed area. When it gadded she was in black and gray armor that completely covered her. Without further hesitation they started to swing and the glass cracked. After three swings it crumbled and exploded into small pieces. Raining down on Erza's armored form. She slowly stood up and shook off the glass shards. Gray held out an arm and she grabbed it to step over the remaining pieces of the cage. Once she was led two steps away the armor disappeared and she fell to her knees, taking deep shuddering breaths.
"Are you okay?" She nodded as she continue to breath deeply.
"Juvia, take them out so we can grab the Flame God and finish this job." Sol shouted and they all looked over at Juvia.
"No." She said and walked towards them and stopped to look Gray in the eye before turning and walking the way that Lyon had come. Sol stopped struggling in confusion.
"No? What do you mean no?"
"Tell Aria and Totomaru that I am done. I will no longer be a part fo the Element Four."
"You can't just walk away from us." She stopped and turned to glare at him.
"Watch Juvia." She turned back and before anyone could realize what he was doing, Sol twisted and got one hand free. He threw a ball of sand and Gray moved. He sent ice flying and it hit the spinning sand and it exploded into a snow like texture falling everywhere. Juvia stopped, raising her hand up and catching some in her hand. She turned and nodded at him before continuing to walk away.
"If you walk away, we will hunt you until you are dead." Juvia froze and looked over her shoulder. Sol struggled a little more and then stopped as the ice ape started to melt. He looked up and watched as Juvia tossed her parasol on the ground and shifted her stance. His eyes widened. "It was a joke…what is a joke between friends?"
"We have never been friends Sol." Juvia said and flicked her arms and leapt, her lower body transformed into spinning water which made everyone jerk in surprise. She bounced around, and Sol tried to avoid her but she managed to land several attacks. He ended up on the ground, missing a few teeth and bleeding heavily. She crouched, her legs reforming and she stood up, breathing hard. She wiped a hand over her mouth, from where he had landed a lucky backhand; and turned around and started to walk back to parasol.
"Why are you walking away?" Gray asked and they watched as she stopped and looked over at him and then to Erza and then to Lyon.
"I watched how you both had mercy on your enemy. I also watched how much you value your friendships." She said, her voice soft. "Those are things Juvia never had or saw. But seeing them, made me want more than the life I've had. I've already uploaded a virus to the ship that Aria and Totomaru are on; which will prevent them from getting to Earthland soon…but it won't stop them from getting there forever. And if they get there; your other friends will be in more trouble. Mard Geer specifically recruited Element Four because of their races and powers."
"What are they?" Erza asked and Juvia bent over to pick up the parasol and straightened, turning with a wince.
"Aria is a Nullitarian; who has learned forbidden magics which allows him to suck the strength and magic from people. Totomaru is a Blazorek."
"Blazorek?" Atlas asked and his flames snapped. "That race should have died out during the last war of Dragonkind."
"He and several other children were kidnapped by collectors and raised as pets and toys." She said and Atlas snarled as Flare slowly unwove the hair fence and lowered herself to the ground.
"What's a Blazorek?" Erza asked.
"They're a race of fire magickers." Romeo's voice made her turn to look towards the ship. He was clinging to the side and he flipped over and raced forward. "They can control fire and the fire of others. If he and Natsu got into a fight, he could still every flicker of flame out of Natsu."
"It would be the death of a Fire Dragis." Atlas murmured and Flare gasped, and looked around.
"We must hurry. We cannot wait any longer." She said and Erza nodded and the giants got up and looked around and then at Juvia.
"As you chose to help them, you can stay here as long as you need to find a place to go."
"Juvia appreciates the offer, but I already have a small craft." She said softly and Gray looked at her and then to Romeo and bit his lip. He watched her take a few steps before he called out to her.
"Wait! Stop!" She froze and looked back at him. "We need you."
"You…need…Juvia?" She asked and pointed at herself and he gritted his teeth.
"Yes. You are not only an Aquaterran but you know this Totomaru. You can help us ensure that Natsu doesn't get extinguished."
"That is true. But why would you trust Juvia?"
"I don't trust you." He said and stalked up to her and got into her face. She blinked at him calmly. "But that doesn't mean you aren't needed. But I'll be watching you. And if you so much as drip out line, I'll freeze you and make you into a living sculpture."
"Understood." She said and he leaned back and turned around. Erza watched as a slight blush rose on Juvia's cheeks briefly before she composed herself and followed after him. Erza turned and head over to the giants. She looked up at them, as they stared down at her.
"I promise, we'll get Flare back to you. Make sure Solarium stays in good shape so she doesn't have to worry while she's away."
"Understood." Fulkar said and nodded at her. The giants all hugged Flare as Rouge and Sting hurried to get the ship ready to take off. Lyon walked over and he and Gray shared a long moment of silence before Gray tossed his head over his shoulder. Lyon climbed on board and Meredy stopped besides him.
"Do you like collecting strays?"
"It's a Fairy Tail thing." Gray sighed and headed back towards the ship then stopped. "What am I doing?"
"What do you mean?" Juvia asked as he clapped his hands.
"Hey Horologium!" He cupped his hands around his mouth. There was a pop and the Celestial Spirit appeared. Juvia's mouth fell open as did the Giant's. Atlas chuckled heavily in the tree as he watched.
"You survived this mission. That is good news." Horologium said and Gray nodded and crossed his arms over his chest.
"I'm ready to head back. Can you make sure to drop me off wherever Lucy and Natsu are?" He asked and the giant clockshaped being nodded.
"That I can do." He pulled open his glass door and Erza watched as Gray stepped in. Juvia hurried over and started to climb in and Gray started to freak out, asking her what she was doing.
"Juvia is coming along; otherwise how can you keep an eye on me?" He kept trying to push her out but Horologium just shut the door; forcing Juvia up against Gray who was now pressed up against the back of the empty area. Erza snickered as she walked around him, making eye contact as he shook his head.
"You did say you were gonna keep an eye on her." She said and his mouth moved as she walked towards the ship.
"This isn't what I meant." He says, Horologium said softly and Erza chuckled. She turned around and waved.
"Take care of them Horologium. And thank you."
"Of course. Anything for a friend of my Celestial Mage." He said with a bow and disappeared as he straightened.
"Ready to get going?" Jellal asked and Erza nodded as they closed the door, watching as the giants waved and Atlas flared in the wind.