Chapter 4: Next Stop, Fairy Tail!

POV: Taruko Hikari

Location: Outskirts of Oshibana

The ride to Oshibana wasn't eventful. After Davian was discharged from the hospital, he got himself a new carriage that also operated as a portable stall for his merchant wears. Then we grabbed something to eat and hit the road. We took an alternative route, going towards the base of Mt. Hokabe and going around the mountains. Far longer than going through it, but much safer. After the debacle in the mountains, it was no wonder that Davian wanted to steer away from there. I couldn't blame him, and I had no room to complain. After all, he was cutting our week-long trip down by a few days by giving us a ride.

In that timeframe, I quickly learned that Natalie was a complete and utter chatterbox. Lisa was the quieter of the two, but Natalie always had something to talk about. The life of a merchant had as much excitement as the life of a mage. They got chased off by a pack of dire wolves once, amid the chase, Davian got his underwear torn off by one of the wolves on the run. That earned a few laughs, much to the man's embarrassment.

I wasn't too surprised, though. As colorful and fantastical as Earthland is, it's equally as dangerous. Countless dark guilds, mages, mercenaries, monsters, Dragons, and even Gods roam the land in some shape or form. Although the Dragons are pretty much extinct from what I can remember. And the Gods? Probably in some other dimension or plane of existence, for all we know.

While Natalie rambled on, I was busying myself with reading a book. Erza was calmly eating strawberry cake, her face the perfect description of bliss. That addiction was coming on strong... maybe I made a mistake, introducing her to it?

... Nah. It was fucking adorable. I don't regret a thing.

"Look alive, boys and girls! Oshibana is up ahead!"

Davian's jovial voice rang through our ears, grinding Natalie's motormouth to a halt. I heard Lisa let out a quiet sigh of relief as I rose from my seat and peeked past the curtains. The sun's rays beamed down upon me and I blinked as my eyes adjusted to the light. Then Oshibana came into view, and my breath hitched. A short gasp next to me alerted me of Erza standing at my side, likely soaking in the sight as much as I was.

The anime and manga didn't do this place justice. It was far larger in person than seeing it on a screen or page. It looked far more lively and bustling with people from afar. Whereas Shirotsume had a quiet atmosphere, Oshibana was far more loud in that aspect. As we reached the borders, I could hear the faint sound of the roaring train. I grinned broadly, my eyes sparkling with awe.

"Amazing...!"

"Un...!" Erza nodded in agreement, her eye equally as wide.

Lisa smiled in amusement. "Impressed? Just wait until you guys make it to Magnolia."

Natalie giggled. "Adorable!"

I twitched, my face burning in embarrassment. Damn, this child's body! Making me look cute! I'M A MAN, DAMN IT! A MAYUN!

... I'm not actually a man, but it was still embarrassing. "Not adorable," I grumbled, shaking my head. "Just... it's amazing seeing all this in person. I guess you can consider me a country boy."

Erza hummed, glancing at me. "You never did tell me where you came from..."

"Ooh, backstory! Juicy~" Natalie grinned a dazzling smile, clapping her hands together. "Gimme all the details!"

Lisa pinched her brow. "I can't believe we're related."

I scratched the back of my head, combing through my set of memories. "There's not much to say... I came from a place called Ginger Village. Somewhere around the Calm Sea? I don't remember..." I frowned, slumping in my seat and crossing my arms. "My parents were mages. They were part of a guild but left once they got married and had me, and retreated to the countryside. But they still took jobs, as that was the quickest way to make cash."

I closed my eyes, delving deeper...

"... my mom was a skilled swordswoman and powerful mage. She told me she was one of the strongest in her guild. I think she used Sword Magic?" it would certainly explain my affinity for it, at the very least. "And Lightning Magic too! I distinctly remember her frying the lacrima in our house by complete accident. Dad got in a whole fit about that!"

We all shared a laugh, and I smiled warmly. It was a weird feeling, talking about a completely separate family. When I had another one back in my original. But I couldn't help but look back at Taruko's - no, my memories, fondly. I was as Taruko now. His parents were mine, even if I wasn't born here. We were the same. His memories were mine and mine his. It would take some getting used to... but that was the reality.

"What about your father?" Erza inquired curiously, leaning forward in her seat. She seemed rather invested.

I guess she was curious about the family life, seeing as how she never really had one. The closest she had to a parental figure was Rob, and he died protecting her. It wasn't until she joined Fairy Tail that she truly experienced what a family was. The thought made my heart clench, but I squashed the feeling down. This was no time for a pity party.

"My dad was Water Mage if I remember right." I hummed, thumbing my chin in thought. "But in contrast, he had a fiery temper. He and my mom would get into a lot of arguments because their personalities clashed so much... but they still loved each other."

"They sound wonderful, Taruko." Lisa smiled warmly.

I nodded. "Yeah... they were great."

"Where are they now?" Natalie inquired, curious.

"Dead," I said bluntly, much to their shock. "Went on a quest together to scrape up some money. I think it was an S-rank quest. Never came back... so I could only assume they died."

Natalie's eyes widened in horror, and she wilted. "I-I'm so sorry, I didn't mean..."

"It's fine," I waved off her concerns nonchalantly. "I grew to accept that they're gone. People die. It's a part of life. We grow old and we die. We fight and we die. What matters is that we live it out and enjoy it."

I grinned slightly, thumbing my chest. "And I'm gonna live mine by surpassing both of them; becoming the strongest swordsman Earthland's ever seen!"

That seemed to uplift their spirits. Which was good. I didn't want them to be upset because of me. That would friggin' suck.

On the plus, I did a cool speech! Naruto would be proud. God, I feel so badass.

I felt Erza shuffle next to me, and blinked. I glanced at her to see her looking up at me with a questioning stare.

"Do you remember what guild they used to belong to?"

I blinked again, pausing and shifting through my memories a bit. Most puzzling, was that the memory regarding the stories of the guild were muddled. Blurry. I... "... don't remember the name."

Erza blinked in shock. "Eh?!"

I laughed.

X-X-X-X-X-X

POV: Erza Scarlet

Location: Oshibana

Erza was conflicted.

She'd gained a new insight into her... friend. On Taruko and his life before meeting her. She had to admit, she was enthralled by the brief description of his parents and their character. Having no parents herself, interested her greatly. She idly found herself wishing she could have met them in person, but that desire was extinguished when she learned of their fate. She felt sad for her friend, but his next words shook her to her very core.

"I grew to accept that they're gone. People die. It's a part of life. We grow old and we die. We fight and we die. What matters is that we live it out and enjoy it."

How could he say such things with so much conviction? Reassurance?

She knew firsthand that people died and didn't come back. Rob had died, sacrificing his life for her in the revolt in the Tower of Heaven. She was still shaken by it. She had nightmares about it. On the what-ifs. If she didn't rebel, would he still be alive? If she were stronger, would he still be alive? So many what-ifs... and she had an answer to none of them.

Yet she learned of Taruko. He had his pain, but he learned to grow past it...

Taruko was strong. Stronger than her. If she held half the conviction he had, half the strength... maybe she wouldn't have been such a coward. Maybe she would have been able to reach out to Him. Maybe He wouldn't have walked down that dark path...

She felt both admiration and jealousy for Taruko. That was why she was so conflicted. She admired his strength, but she was also jealous of it.

"You kids be safe now, alright?"

She was snapped out of her reverie by Davian, who looked at her and Taruko with a smile that could only be described as 'fatherly'. Taruko smiled and bowed his head. Erza clumsily followed his answer.

"We will. Thank you for taking us here, Davian."

"Yes. Thank you."

"I told you, think nothing of it. I'm simply repaying a debt!" Davian laughed, ruffling their hair.

Erza liked it.

Taruko... didn't like it as much.

"Oi!"

"Remember to eat healthy, and get your proper rest." Lisa reminded, placing her hands on her hips. "If you're gonna join Fairy Tail, you need to be at the top of your game!"

Taruko and Erza nodded. "Right!"

"Kick butt out there!" Natalie pumped her fists excitedly and locked eyes with Erza. "Oh. And Erza?"

Erza blinked. "Hm?"

The blonde crouched down before the redhead, shooting Taruko a subtle glance. When noticing the boy was conversing with Lisa and Davian, she looked back at Erza with a coy smile. "Make sure you keep an eye on him. Boys like him are a dime a dozen... and I have a feeling that he'll be getting into lots of trouble in the future."

Erza looked confused at Natalie's words but nodded nonetheless. She didn't understand fully, but she understood enough. And that was all that was needed, a look of determination settling on her face. "Yes!"

Natalie giggled and nodded, standing up to her feet. "Great!"

"What are you two whispering about over there?" both jolted in slight surprise, turning to Taruko who wore an incredulous expression.

"Girl stuff, don't worry about it!" Natalie shot back swiftly, smirking and shooting Erza a wink.

She blinked.

Taruko sweat-dropped and rolled his eyes. "... eh, I don't want to know."

Adjusting his bag over his shoulder, the two-toned-haired boy spun on his heel and began walking away. "C'mon, Erza."

"R-Right!" Erza jolted, bowing towards Davian, Lisa, and Natalie before rushing after her companion. "Thank you again!"

Lisa waves goodbye, smiling. "Good luck!"

Natalie was far more cheerful, beaming brightly. "We better see you on the front pages of Sorcerer Weekly! Knock 'em dead!"

Taruko raised his fist towards the air, smiling. "Count on it!"

As the merchant family slowly blended in with the crowd, the duo walked through Oshibana in silence. Soaking in the sights of the city. Erza almost felt overwhelmed by the amount of people walking through the city. Civilians and mages alike. Far more than Shirotsume. The smell of smoke and diesel was equally off-putting. But not in a bad way. But certainly not... good, either. It was hard for her to put into words.

"How will we be getting to Magnolia?" Erza inquired, turning towards Taruko.

The boy had his arms folded behind his head, walking at a leisurely pace. In response, he smiled at her. "Train, remember?"

"... Train." She muttered, blinking. "Ah. That metal contraption that moves on rails?"

"Got it in one!" Taruko snapped his fingers, grinning. "We'll have to pay for some tickets, but luckily we still have money left over. So it won't be an issue."

He pointed up ahead. "And it looks like we made it just in time, too!"

Erza craned her head in the direction of his finger and her eye widened. They stood before the station, large and expansive. Citizens of all walks of life talked amongst themselves, exiting and entering. From the corner of her eye she saw Taruko step inside. She numbly followed after him, looking around in awe.

"Eek!" Erza yelped, raising her hands to her ears at the sound of a loud honking sound. She looked towards the source and openly gawked at what she could only assume was a train, from what Taruko had told her about it. The boy in question smiled coyly.

"Whatcha think?"

"Big..."

"That's what she said."

"...what?"

Taruko sighed and shook his head. "N-Nevermind. C'mon, let's go."

X-X-X-X-X-X

POV: Taruko Hikari

Location: Magnolia Town

The train ride to Magnolia was quiet and peaceful. Most of it was spent with Erza peering out the window, practically trying to merge her face with the window as she watched the word fly by. Eventually she fell asleep, and was resting against my shoulder. All the excitement from the past couple of days seemed to have tuckered her out. I smiled gently and made no effort to move. Instead turning my attention to the book in my hands. The fundamentals on Wind Magic.

It involved manipulating the Ethernano in the air and shaping it to form magically-charged wind spells. Simple in theory, harder in practice. It required precise control and focus to bend the air around you, especially using your own energy. Having a weapon with a wind lacrima to use as a conduit would make it far simpler. But I wasn't one to take the easy way out. I'd get this down if it was the last thing I do!

NOTHING was gonna stop me from pulling out a goddamn Rasenshuriken and chucking it someone.

Preferably Jellal. ESPECIALLY Jellal. Fuck Jellal.

I may be a swordsman, but that didn't mean I had to limit myself! I planned on investing in hand-to-hand combat as well. Working on my physicality. The grind isn't gonna stop. I'll train my ass so hard, Saitama, Asta, and Goku HIMSELF will tremble in terror.

I perked up at the sound of the train's horn roaring. A quick glance towards the window showed Magnolia Station up ahead. I clasped my book shut and dismissed it into my Requip space. Goddamn, that magic was so convenient... "Erza, time to wake up."

"Mn..." Erza whined under her breath, her brows clenching tight. I nudged her some more. "Noo..."

"Rise and shine, Erzy Werzy." I drawled, snapping my fingers near her ear.

"BAH!" she jolted awake instantly, eye wide in alarm. She calmed down swiftly and shot me a sharp look. "You..."

"Welcome back to the world of the living, Sleep Beauty." I smirked, undeterred. I nudged my head towards the window. "We're here."

Erza blinked incredulously and peered out the window before gasping in shock. From body language, I could even see a hint of excitement.

As the train docked, we exited amongst the bustling crowds. My hand clasped around Erza's wrist so we didn't up getting separated along the way. The town came into view as we continued our walk. Like Oshibana, the anime and manga didn't hold a candle to how it looked in person. Large and expansive and parked near the ocean, Magnolia was a large town with population of 60,000. Western in style with countless medieval-esque houses. Lush green forests and broad mountainscapes surrounded the city, further adding to the appeal. Hell, I could see the Kardia Cathedral from here!

I'd never seen Erza's face light up like this before. It was bright and downright adorable. I wanted to pinch her cheeks, but we were in public... I'll save her the embarrassment for another time. Instead, I took the time to take in the sights. Being here in person instead of seeing it on a page or screen...

It really was a daunting moment. Pure realization and enlightenment. I was in Fairy Tail. This was really it.

Asking around, we managed to make our way to the guild. It looked exactly like it did in the source material... and gave off a warm feeling. A welcoming aura radiated off the walls and nearly took my breath away. Erza in equal amounts of awe and reverie. I didn't expect us to make it here... but here we were. Standing before a place of wonder, adventure, and family. My heart pounded in my chest.

"Do fairies even have tails? Do they even exist? Like them, this guild is an eternal mystery. An eternal adventure!"

Makarov's words rang through my skull loudly, and I felt a wide smile break out across my face. I turned to Erza. "Ready?"

She paused, turning to me. She looked into my eyes and I looked back. Erza eventually responded with a nod and inhaled sharply, settling for a mask of cool indifference.

... I blanched. Shit--

She stormed up towards the door and shoved them open. Hard. I sighed in exasperation as she waltzed in as though this were some kind of James Bond movie. Instantly, she grabbed the attention of everybody in the guild. I stuffed my hands into my pockets and lazily followed behind her, resisting the urge to cringe at the blank stares all around. The silence was deafening.

I could make out a few familiar faces. Macao and Wakabe for one. I think I saw Laxus too, but he seemed to be ignoring us...

"Where is the Guild Master?" Erza said bluntly, cutting through the silence with the tact of a nuclear warhead.

"What do you want with Gramps?"

We turned to see a boy around our age with spiky black hair and charcoal grey eyes, dressed in a white jacket with fur collar, burgundy T-shirt, black pants, and brown shoes. He was staring at us with a sharp squint. Moreso at Erza than me. There was a young girl next to him with tan skin, chocolate brown eyes and dark brown wavy hair done up in a ponytail, dressed in an orange sundress.

I knew who they were instantly. Gray Fullbuster and Cana Alberonna.

Damn. Cana was more adorable in person. Gray too. I wouldn't say that to his face, though. That's fucking weird. Also I don't swing that way.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

I'm also not into handing little boys cupcakes...

I decided to intervene before Erza could run her mouth and start some shit. I distinctly remember her and Gray starting off rough when she joined the guild. Best cut that crap down swiftly. I smiled in a lax manner, shrugging my shoulders. "We're looking to join the guild."

"Oh? Are you now...?"

We craned our heads towards a short elderly man with greying hair and bushy mustache. His posture hunched and his hands folded behind his back. I recognized him instantly. I mean, who wouldn't? Makarov Dreyar, the Master of Fairy Tail, one of the most badass old men in anime, probably one of the best parental figure ever.

Even from here, I could tell... he was strong. Ridiculous strong. It was the way he carried himself. Laidback, but still held a strong guard and defensive posture, I'd reckon from instinct. Me and Erza were hardly a threat to him. He gave us a fatherly smile and raised his hand in greeting.

"Yo!" he greeted jovially, and I couldn't help but grin. "Makarov Dreyar. Nice to meetcha! So you're interested in joining this guild, eh?" he rubbed his chin, glancing between the two of us with a calculative stare before smiling again. "Well, tell me your names."

"My name is Erza Scarlet." Erza spoke up, bowing her head. She paused for a second, before quickly reaffirming her position and inhaling. "... Rob sent me here."

Makarov paused, his eyes going wide with surprise from a fraction of a second. He nodded his head, frowning. "I see..." he looked at me. "And you, my boy?"

I smiled easily. "Taruko Hikari,"

My smile faltered when I saw Makarov's eyes widen again. Hushed whispers echoed through the guild and I looked around with a frown.

Uh? What?

Makarov coughed into his fist, drawing my attention away from everyone else. "I... I see." his composure was regained swiftly. The man grinned, folding his arms behind his back and spinning on his heel and making his way towards the second floor. "I left my stamp in my office. If you'd both come with me, then we can discuss more there."

Erza and I shared a glance, and nodded. Following after Makarov, I could feel the stares of the entire guild boring down upon us like some sort of oppressive force that nearly made me sweat. They were still whispering. From the corner of my eye, I could see Gray staring at us intensely. He must have caught my looking his way, because he quickly averted his gaze. I blinked and sighed, scratching his head.

Really, what the hell was going on?