A/N: The rating has gone up to a T due to this chapter. I apologize for the inconvenience. If there are any problems with the content of this chapter, please let me know. Chapter title is credited to Quathis! As always, thanks for Beta-reading.

Titania's Tough Love

Bacon was squirming in his chair, trying in vain to get away from the cotton swab soaked in an alcoholic antiseptic, but the steel fingers encircling his wrist were as strong as a shackle, preventing him from any escape. He uttered sounds of distress when the swab was applied to another one of his many cuts on his left arm.

Wendy was seated in the chair right next to him, one hand gently stroking and picking out bits of grass that clung to his messy blond hair that was still damp with sweat while the other held the boy's hand, her fingers entwined around his to stop him from swatting away the swab. His grip was like iron, crushing her hand every time the antiseptic badly stung and brought tears to his eyes. The girl was cooing in his ear, assuring him that it will be alright and over soon. She desperately wanted to use her magic to heal his wounds quickly but Erza insisted – no, she forbade Wendy from treating the minor cuts, scrapes, and bruises he had received while 'sparring' with Titania.

"Allow him to endure the pain, Wendy," Erza had commanded shortly after the boy was sent sprawling to the ground by her blade, resulting in scraped elbows and knees and an angry frown. "He cannot rely on you all the time when he gets hurt. You were never there to heal him before you found him. How else will he remember his past if he does not remember pain? And there are many forms of it too." She had sneered wickedly, her demeanor almost matching that of a cruel, cruel demon. "Besides, if this experience doesn't bring back memories then at least this will quickly teach him the consequences of being too slow in battle."

"I don't think…" Gray had begun, but a disapproving glare from Erza had stilled his tongue.

Biting her lower lip, the Dragon Slayer had tentatively nodded and anxiously stood back to watch as Erza continued to pressure Bacon into lifting his short sword against her. She was harsh in both her tone and execution, riling Bacon to the point where he had wildly lashed out with his weapon in retaliation. Gradually, the young boy's skill with his blade improved with each swing of his sword, similar to when he practiced with his bow. His strikes grew faster, stronger and more precise, his movements well-balanced and lithe, and his expression bold and unwavering. In return, Erza had matched his speed and strength, pressing the boy with her own swordsmanship to test his limits and capabilities, her impressed smile never fading.

It was a first that Wendy had seen young Bacon's face distort with anger, frustration, and also determination as he was repeatedly beat down by Erza. It was also the first to hear his voice as he cried out with each attack and every jolt of pain. In less than an hour, the lost little boy had turned into a steadfast swordsman who was unwilling to give up in defeat.

Metal rang and shrieked when sword struck against shield and when blade grinded against blade. Their swords were flashes of silver and blue that exploded with orange and red sparks whenever they collided with steel. The air was filled with clangor and yells between the two fighters as well as cheers from the crowd closely watching the spectacle. Wendy was in awe along with everyone else. All fears and doubts for Bacon's safety had diminished after witnessing his vigour and resilience against the stronger Titania.

The pair fought until their swords shone red from the setting sun and when Bacon was too exhausted to get back up. Panting, sweating, bleeding, and covered in grass and dirt stains, the boy couldn't move a limb as he laid on his front on the flattened grass. He had to be carried back inside by Droy.

Now seated at the table closest to the bar, there was hardly a moment for Bacon to rest with Erza voluntarily cleaning and disinfecting his every wound. Around the same table were Carla, Gray, and Romeo, visibly pitying the boy in Erza's care.

"You just want to torture him some more," Gray murmured sullenly shortly after hearing Erza's offer to help.

Erza scoffed, her attention never straying from the task at hand. "I inflicted the pain therefore I will treat it. Do you not recall? I've tended to yours and Natsu's injuries many times when you both challenged me to a duel when we were younger and neither of you complained." She paused and raised an eyebrow in the half-naked ice mage's direction.

Gray's mouth twisted into a displeased snarl. "That's because we were knocked out cold by you every time!"

Titania pursed her lips to the side before smiling in amusement. "Ah, that's right. How could I forget? It was the only way to silence your pleas for mercy. Put your shirt back on."

Gray flinched and looked off to the side, irked by her comment. "I… I didn't beg. At least, not that I can remember… And I lost my shirt somewhere."

Much to Bacon's relief, it didn't take too long for Erza to finish. She worked diligently and quickly, dressing some of his larger wounds on his bare arms and legs with ointment and bandages. By the time she was done, the large doors of the guild creaked open to reveal the darkness of night and in stepped Master Makarov, Natsu, Happy, and Lucy.

Wendy beamed a welcoming smile when the group stopped by their table. The guild had gone quiet in anticipation for the returning group's news.

After the exchange of greetings, Natsu was first to notice Bacon's condition and immediately knew whom was responsible. "The hell, Erza?! Why'd you beat up the poor kid?" he suddenly demanded, horrified by the boy's dirty clothes, disheveled blond hair, and numerous injuries adorning his body.

As Erza stuffed away the first-aid supplies back into the kit on the table, she coolly replied, "Ridiculous. I did not beat him up. I was only showing him the way of the sword."

"More like you were showing him the pointy end of your sword," Natsu grumbled, cringing at the mere thought as well as his past experiences.

Erza snorted and crossed her arms as she leaned back in her chair to give the fire-user an even look. "The boy is very talented with the sword, shield, and bow," she praised, the corner of her lips curling into a smirk as her brown eyes flickered to the pouting little boy glowering at her. "His mind may not remember, but his body's superb instincts and reflexes are still intact. He held well against me."

"So he's a warrior type!" said Happy with an astonished smile from atop his perch over Natsu's pink head. "I wish I was here to see him fight!"

Natsu looked shocked at Erza. "You're actually complimenting him? Is he really that good?"

"He is stronger than he looks," Titania said truthfully, raising her brow. She then shot Natsu a disapproving scowl. "Though his name is very unfitting, Natsu."

He blinked. "What? Bacon's the awesomest name ever. What would you call him?"

It only took a few seconds before she came up with; "Rinku."

"Psshh. Bacon's still better. Right, Bacon?" Natsu grinned and nodded repeatedly at the boy who quickly smiled when he saw Natsu's face. "See? He still likes it."

Erza continued to scowl while Lucy slightly frowned when she asked, "Does he remember anything at all?"

Wendy sadly shook her head as she gave the boy who still held her hand a gentle squeeze. He glanced questionably at her when she started to speak. "No. Unfortunately, everything we tried so far resulted in nothing. Were you guys able to find the temple and any clues?"

The master, Lucy, Natsu, and Happy heavily sighed, their answer an obvious 'no'.

What they found in Verloren Woods were trees, trees and more trees. They had attempted various approaches in locating the ruins: Natsu and Happy did another thorough search in the sky high above the tall canopy, they tried entering the supposed area in the evening like the first time they had stumbled into the clearing, and they camped out overnight in the forest desperately hoping for the temple to suddenly show itself. In the morning, they had surmised that Mr. Snugglebottoms was probably the key to finding the place. However, the cat had yet to be found since its disappearance after Natsu had accidentally destroyed Mayor Burgandy's manor and Loke had confirmed that the feline was just an ordinary tabby with no magic powers, deeming their entire search hopeless.

Before they left the woods empty-handed and disgruntled, tired, and frustrated, the master wanted to do one last search around the area using markers in the trees to make sure they weren't walking in circles. To their dismay, they had been walking in countless circles due to some mysterious phenomenon. Despite walking in a straight line, a few minutes later they would always find themselves back at the same tree where Happy had scratched a heart with a 'C' in the middle into the smooth brown bark.

"There was some sort of powerful spell preventing us from finding the place," Master informed as he sat on the edge of Wendy's table, his short crossed legs dangling over the side and his back towards the plates of food that had been set during the returning group's long explanation. In his hand was a white mug of freshly brewed tea that he occasionally sipped. He furrowed his brow and rubbed the bottom of his chin with his thumb, his eyes lowering to his drink. "Whoever had cast such a barrier or illusion must have only intended for the boy to be found and saved."

Natsu, now seated at the next table, tried to say something with his mouth full of food but only ended up mumbling and spitting out chunks of his meal.

"Swallow before talking," Erza commanded, shooting the Fire Dragon Slayer a stern glare. Having not moved from Wendy's table, she was casually taking bites of her dinner as she listened to the group's story.

To her right, Bacon was scarfing down his meal consisting of creamy vegetable soup, a meat bun, a small bowl of fried rice, a bowl of fruit salad, and a glass of lemonade, making a mess of spills, crumbs, and dropped grains and fruit that Wendy was quick to clean up. His ravenous appetite was likely due to the amount of energy spent training with Erza.

Natsu noisily gulped and asked again, "Do you think it was intentional for us to find him?"

Makarov hummed in thought as he closed his eyes. "That… might be the case. Perhaps our guild was seen to have the power to protect and help him since the townsfolk of Saffarion are mainly non-mages." He raised his head, his gaze narrowing at something only he could see. "I am beginning to suspect that dark forces may have been responsible for his injuries that have led to his amnesia."

"Dark forces? As in the Dark Guilds or Zeref?" Gray asked, nearly snarling out the name of the evil mage. Still shirtless, he remained at Wendy's table, his plate of food half-eaten.

The master slowly shook his head before looking over his shoulder at Bacon who was now engaged in a little game of flicking a melting ice cube back and forth across the table with Romeo, oblivious to the attention. "I don't know for sure. I could be wrong. But if it is true, whoever or whatever it may be, we need to keep our guard up. I think it would be best that the Magic Council and the other guilds do not know of Bacon or of the temple. Fate has brought him to us, therefore it is our fate to watch him."

With a promise from everyone present, Fairy Tail vowed to follow their master's word. The crowd dispersed and the usual nightly festivities began to lighten the atmosphere as well as to celebrate the return of all the members who had arrived home that day. The guild turned rowdier as the hour turned late. The delicious aromas of food were soon replaced with the pungency of alcohol as liquor was heavily consumed and spilled. A fight had first broken out between Gray and Natsu, but soon Elfman and Cana and many others got dragged into it. It wasn't long until Erza, having drunk a little too much, joined the fray and things became even more chaotic with chairs and tables being smashed to pieces by flying bodies.

It was then that Romeo invited Wendy, Carla, and Bacon to stay at his home for the night again as they hid under their table to avoid being pelted by stray magic, glasses of beer, and bottles of wine being haphazardly tossed around. Wendy flinched every time she heard the shatter of glass above her while Bacon would jump and bang his head in alarm. The boy was peering out from under the table at the chaos, grimacing at every loud noise but otherwise seemingly enjoying the ongoing destruction of furniture and the tussling of members as different forms of magic were being conjured up and violently exchanged. Plumes of fire, lances of ice, bubbles of water, swirling sand, smoggy smoke, shining swords, gleaming claws, pointy horns, flying cards, fuzzy wool, fists of wood, whipping vines – it was a grand spectacle of colours, shapes, and sounds (that consisted mainly of vulgar curses, death threats, screams of anger and pain, and the occasional burst of song).

Despite it all, Bacon was noticeably tired so it was time to retire for the night. When Wendy apologized for the trouble, Macao, who was also cowering under the same table, replied with, "Don't apologize. You kids are welcomed to stay for as long as you want. I owe you a lot for cleaning up the mess!" He heartily laughed at that over the angry roars of a Fire Dragon Slayer lunging straight for Titania. A deafening crash sounded soon after when Natsu's body was sent flying through the shoddy patchwork in the corner, reopening the gaping hole. Macao gasped at the damage and murmured that it wasn't his job anymore to take care of it.

Too sore and overly exhausted, Bacon had to be carried out on the man's back as Macao dashed towards the exit. Romeo was running right beside them with Bacon's small sword slung over his shoulder. Before Erza had left their table, she advised for Bacon to keep his sword close so he would familiarize with it more and more. Wendy and Carla hastily followed behind Macao, Bacon, and Romeo. In Wendy's hand, she held an old paper gift bag that had Bacon's green clothes and boots Lucy had retrieved back at the inn in Saffarion.

The doors to Fairy Tail closed with a loud thump, muffling the thunderous laughter, taunting jeers, and screams of outrage coming from the boisterous crowd inside. Outside, the night was pleasantly warm and the wind was still. The air smelled of the nearby forest, fresh and piney. The night insects sang, their thrilling tunes seemingly echoing deep into the darkness. Above, the sky was a black blanket dotted with hundreds of sparkling stars of blue, white, and red. High at its peak was the bright moon that was beginning to wane, casting a silver glow over the land below and spreading shadows that stretched far across the ground.

Just as they started down the path that led straight to town, Bacon looked over his shoulder at the top of the windmill tower of Fairy Tail, his blue eyes shining silver from the moon. He pointed at something and Wendy craned her head to follow, seeing only the building bathed in the pale light of the celestial body in the sky. She smiled and said, "It's Fairy Tail, Bacon."

The boy only tilted his head, his attention never leaving the tower until it was out of sight.

He saw me, she quietly mused as she peeked over the windmill blade the moment the children, the Exceed, and the father disappeared behind the trees as the path curved around the hill. She was certain of it when his eyes met hers for one brief second. She had been quietly humming to herself throughout the evening. He must have heard or sensed her. But how can that be? He does not bear the mark of Fairy Tail.

Bewildered, she started to pace on the small wooden roof of the tower, kicking her bare feet high as she marched back and forth on her toes. The ends of her pink dress flared and swished around her whenever she sharply turned and her long, wavy blonde hair swayed with the same motion.

Having grown bored of Tenrou Island, she had just arrived at Fairy Tail, curious to see what the guild was up to. She had silently observed the events of the day; watching with great interest as the boy with blue eyes and blond hair played with a bow and arrows and fought with a sword and shield, impressing the members of the guild.

Who is he?

She twirled a strand of her hair around her finger as she pondered. She stopped her pacing to sit upon the wooden roof, her feet hanging over the edge. She could feel the building tremble beneath her as the chaos inside continued on. Peals of laughter and rowdy remarks flowing from an open window and large hole in the side of the guild made thinking a little difficult. She was fully aware of his situation when she overheard the conversations between the others out in the field and inside the guild.

Was it truly fate that had brought him here?

She gazed up at the moon, a small smile playing on her lips. She was intrigued by the child who should not be able to see her and decided to keep a closer eye on him.

During the next day, Erza had tried to 'help' Bacon remember his past by putting him through different life-threatening scenarios. This happened three times, resulting in Wendy nearly having three separate heart-attacks.

"Fear is a strong emotion that usually triggers strong memories. Like unwanted memories – ones that have been buried away and forgotten. There is no doubt that Bacon has experienced different levels of fear in his young life," Erza had said when she met up with Wendy, Carla, Bacon, and Romeo as they were heading to the guild that morning. Macao had stayed home to run a few errands and would join them later in the day.

"And how are you going to induce this fear?" Carla asked Erza hesitantly as they started to cross the stone, arched bridge that allowed passage over the canal within Magnolia Town.

Wendy glanced sideways at Titania warily, quietly praying Erza would not do anything extreme to endanger Bacon's life. Natsu had told her many terrifying stories about his childhood involving Erza and many of the details were horrific, although Wendy suspected he exaggerated on some parts.

Bacon was slowly walking beside her, his body still sore from yesterday's spar. He had trouble getting out of bed and needed a helping hand. Strapped to his back by a leather belted sash was his sword that he was pleased to have but was forbidden to draw when inside Macao's home. Being overly cautious, the man had placed a simple sealing spell on the sword, preventing the blade from ever leaving its scabbard in all the rooms of his house. Bacon was disappointed for the most part. He had tried to unsheathe the sword many times but found it stuck so he gave up before the group left the house after breakfast.

The boy was dressed in his green one-piece tunic since he had run out of clean clothes that would fit. His matching green hat was upon his head that he had previously fought against wearing until Romeo planted it on his noggin the tenth time and on his feet were his own pair of brown boots. Getting him accustomed to his own belongings might make him remember something one of these days. He looked more like an adventurer with his green garb and weapon upon his back. Perhaps that was what he once was aside from being a swordsman.

Bacon's face had morphed into a grumpy one the moment Erza had joined the younger group, clearly remembering the woman's harsh treatment the day before. He disliked her but he did not shy away from her as she strolled on the other side of him.

Titania smiled at Carla's question and it wasn't a friendly one either. "I wonder if he can swim?" she said out loud. Without waiting for an answer, she grabbed Bacon by the back of his tunic's collar and threw him over the stone rail of the bridge, much to everyone's horror.

The boy's startled scream was shortly cut off when he splashed into the deep water below.

Panicking, Wendy peered over the rail and frantically searched the rippling surface of the dark blue water for Bacon. She and Romeo called for his name several times. Relief washed over her for a second when she saw the boy's blond head break the surface to sputter and gasp for air only to sink back under, arms weakly flailing as he was carried by the current. Was he too exhausted to swim or did he truly not know how? Without hesitating, Wendy leapt over the stone rail and dove right after him, ignoring Erza's command to wait.

She held her breath and closed her eyes seconds before she landed in the water. Her muscles tensed from the cold surrounding her, feeling chills running up her spine and goosebumps upon her skin. She opened her eyes to the stinging water and saw dark strands of her long hair shrouding her vision. She swept it aside and saw Bacon a short distance from her, his arms and legs thrashing. Wendy kicked to the surface and immediately swam towards the boy only to have her worry dwindle the moment she got closer.

"Bacon! Are you okay?" she had to ask.

With his head above water, the boy turned his body around, perfectly treading water as if he had done it before hundreds of times and not drowning like he had appeared to be seconds ago. His face brightened when he saw her and Wendy could only sigh in relief. Before the current could carry the both of them far from the bridge, Erza, in her Black Wing Armour, plucked the both of them out of the canal like an osprey hunting fish.

"He enjoyed it more than he should have," noted Titania with an amused smirk when Wendy and Bacon were back on the bridge. People who were crossing the same bridge were gawking at the winged, armoured Titania and questionably staring at the dripping wet children as they passed them by.

Shivering, Wendy wrung water from her hair, thankful for the bright morning sun warming her back. She noticed Bacon standing by the rail eagerly looking down at the water as if wanting to jump back in. Romeo was holding him by the shoulder, thankfully keeping the boy in place.

Sighing, the Dragon Slayer dared to look crossly at the older woman. "Erza, please don't do anything like that again! What if Bacon couldn't really swim?!"

Erza, back in her usual suit of steel plated armour, tilted her head slightly and answered with an assuring smile, "You really did not need to panic, it turned out he could swim after all. Some instincts take time before they kick in, especially when situations grow dire. You just have to be patient."

As Wendy wiped the water trickling down her face, she quietly groaned at her superior's cruel way of thinking. Wendy was starting to believe that Natsu had not, in fact, exaggerated in his stories…

Later in the early afternoon, the weather had turned overcast and gloomy. The wind was a mere breeze that hardly moved the large blades of the windmill of the tower of Fairy Tail, which was fortunate for Erza because she had decided to dangle Bacon precariously over the edge of the tall roof. Held by the back of his belt, the boy was gazing around in awe at his new height while all the members present had scrambled out of the front doors of the guild and stood below, most of them panicking for the child's life.

"Oh my," Mirajane was first to say, her expression still as cheerful as ever despite the worrisome situation unfolding before her.

"Erza! Are you out of your mind?!" Macao demanded, pointing an accusing finger at the scarlet-haired woman.

"She's always out of her mind…" both Gray and Natsu quietly muttered under their breath as they stared with unease.

Titania's eyes widened as if she had just realized what she was doing. "You're right… This is wrong. What am I thinking?" she murmured, bowing her head in shame. Wendy's relief was short-lived however, because Erza then added, "He should be dropped at the height of a mountain." With that, she once again switched to her Black Wing Armour and took to the air, her dark, demonic wings flapping as she flew straight up at an incredible speed.

Everyone but Mirajane was aghast. Wendy shrieked in worry; "Carla! Hurry! Let's go after them!"

White, feathered wings magically sprouted from Carla's back and she wrapped her tail around the Dragon Slayer's waist. Together, they shot upwards, chasing after the black speck soaring towards the thick cover of pale gray clouds. Flying fast, the wind was rushing by; drying Wendy's eyes and whipping back her tied hair. The higher they flew, the thinner the air and colder the wind.

Exceeds were quicker in flight. Carla propelled them forward, her wings noisily beating. It took only seconds before the pair was behind Erza and Bacon. "Erza! Stop! Please!" Wendy shouted through cupped hands that were stiff and frozen from the icy wind.

Titania whirled around to face them and hovered in place. In her grip, Bacon was flailing his arms and legs more so in excitement than in fright. His eyes were wide and his mouth was agape as he stared at the distant land down below. All of Magnolia Town could be seen, hundreds of buildings of various sizes made of concrete, stone, brick, wood, and marble with plain or colourful roofs that were flat, sloped, or shingled. The canals were wide and shimmering throughout the town, turning into natural rivers once they reach the town's outskirts and every bridge could be counted. Farther down on the rocky coast at the town's edge was the guild's old two-storey building in disrepair and beyond that was the endless expanse of the blue ocean that reached far into the horizon. Surrounding the border of town were vast green forests and pale rocky mountains. In fact, they were higher than the mountains!

"Erza!" It was Natsu's voice. He and Happy had pursued after the warrioress as well. "Do you have some kind of grudge against the poor kid?!"

Displeased, Erza snorted and shook her head at the four of them. "What I'm doing is invoking fear into Bacon. I told you that." Moments before she ran off with the boy, she had claimed that falling from incredible heights often if not always brought fear in the bravest of people.

"He doesn't look scared. He seems to be having fun," said Happy, giggling.

Erza's brown eyes dangerously gleamed. "How about I change that?"

Before Wendy could say anything to argue against the woman's risky method, she released her hold on Bacon.

Wendy's heart skipped a beat. To her, it looked as if Erza's lips had twisted into a malignant smile as Bacon's screams started to fade with increasing distance.

Natsu outright swore and Carla muttered what sounded like a curse before she dove after the boy tumbling towards the ground. Right below was Fairy Tail, a tiny red-roofed square that was growing in size with each passing second. "You'll need to catch him, Wendy!" Carla exclaimed as they flew through the air like a speeding bullet. "Our landing might be rough! I'm not sure if I can carry you both!"

Wendy soundly nodded, keeping her eyes on Bacon. He was still screaming, his voice shrill and high in pitch. Was he truly afraid? Is this the fear Erza wanted him to experience and remember?

However, when she saw his face, it wasn't fear etched upon his young face. It was pure joy. He was enjoying the thrill of falling to his doom and squealing with happiness as his world spun around him.

From behind, Wendy wrapped her arms around his chest and held him tight as Carla tried to stabilize their flight. Feathered wings frantically beat the air. Their descent was gradually slowing, but not fast enough as gravity and momentum continued to pull them downward. But then a strong hand latched around the back of Wendy's dress that decreased the speed of their fall moments before they hit the grass.

"I gotcha," Natsu assured.

The Dragon Slayers and Bacon safely dropped to the ground at the back of Fairy Tail with the other guild members soon rushing to their side. Exhausted, Carla slumped over on the grass while Wendy fell to her knees, her nerves badly shaking. The girl breathed a very deep sigh to try to calm her wildly beating heart.

Wendy mustered the little courage she had to glower sullenly at Erza the moment the older mage touched the ground. The girl actually felt like crying because she was the one constantly filled with terror from Erza's relentless ideas, not Bacon.

It was the other way around for him. The fall didn't terrify him at all; instead, it made him joyously laugh. The new sound brought a small smile to twitch upon Wendy's lips. Still giggling, he tugged on Wendy's sleeve and pointed to the sky as if begging to fly again.

"Is there anything you're afraid of?" Erza asked the boy, but of course she received no answer. She narrowed her eyes and brought a hand to her chin in thought, probably scheming up more horrible, torturing ideas that would likely end with Wendy breaking out in another panic attack.

Wendy's gut twisted with dread while Natsu called the scarlet-haired woman crazy. "Erza! Please, no more!" Wendy pleaded, clasping her hands before her chest and looking up at the other, her lower lip quivering. "Please stop endangering him like this!"

Titania looked upon Wendy's sad, pleading face while Bacon gently patted the top of the girl's head, slightly tousling her navy-blue hair. He understood that she was upset. After a moment, Erza finally sighed. "I told you before that you can trust me. I wasn't planning to harm him in any way. Not too seriously, I mean to say," she grumbled, huffing to the side. "But very well, Wendy, I will no longer try to scare him."

"Do you promise me?"

"I promise you."

Erza didn't keep her promise.

When the afternoon was nearing its end, the woman had somehow hauled a giant, square, steel barred cage to the top of the hill with a live reptilian monster trapped inside.

Before Wendy could protect Bacon from the terror that was Erza, Titania had grabbed the boy and flung him into the cage and magically locked it shut.

"What are you doing?! You promised me!" Wendy cried in horror as she ran to the door of the cage and grabbed the thick bars. She uselessly shook it to get it open but only succeeded in making it rattle. Inside, Bacon was sitting up on the metal floor, rubbing his sore, bandaged knee as he looked around in confusion.

"I promised not to scare him," the older woman replied, her sneer looking rather wicked under the gloom of the darkening sky. "This is to test his fighting ability. And I suppose survivability as well against a real enemy."

"A r-raptordile?!" Romeo stuttered, recognizing the hulking beast lounging inside. "That thing is huge! It's going to eat him!"

Wendy had read about raptordiles in a book once but had never seen them. They were swamp-dwelling reptiles that lived in the marshlands south of East Forest and could grow as large as a house. The one in the cage nearly took up a quarter of the space and was over ten times the size of Bacon and three times as tall. Standing on a pair of stout legs, the top of the creature's head nearly scraped the ceiling. It had a head like a crocodile; a long flat snout with a wide mouth full of sharp, pointy teeth that could swallow the boy in one bite. Its maw wasn't the only intimidating feature; its webbed fingers and toes ended with hooked claws except for the larger, inner toes for they both bore massive, curved black talons that were meant for tearing deep into flesh.

The lizard's eyes were large, round and crimson, its pupils were black vertical slits. Its thick, leathery skin was the colour of murky brown water and lightly striped with a mossy green while its underbelly was a pale shade of pink. Its neck and arms were short and its tail was long and flat and designed for swimming in water and balance on land. Adorning the top of its head and arced back were rows of spiky, bony ridges that would shred open any hand that dared to touch the fearsome beast.

"Not just an ordinary raptordile," stated Erza. Her smile somehow looked more evil. "This one's been known to have eaten a few people over the past month. There's actually a bounty for it for seventy thousand Jewels, dead or alive."

"Wh-what?!" both Romeo and Wendy uttered in shock.

When the creature spotted Bacon with its hungry eyes, the raptordile fully turned and opened its mighty jaws to produce a long, deep, throaty growl that caught the boy's attention. The child stood frozen in awe as the predator started to lumber towards him. Its claws clicked loudly against the metal floor with each heavy step, the sound sending a twinge of fear within Wendy.

"Master! You should stop this!" the Sky Dragon Slayer exclaimed, feeling utterly helpless as the massive creature closed in on Bacon, its yellowish teeth glistening maliciously. She couldn't use her magic on the cage, there was a barrier that reflected outside spells as Natsu had demonstrated when he tried to melt the bars with his flames a short moment ago.

The old man glanced to the side to meet Titania's stern, disapproving look and turned back to the cage, his wrinkled face scrunching as he contemplated on a decision. "I think Erza knows what she's doing…" he quietly murmured with a short, meek laugh.

"You expect him to fight that thing with his little sword?" Gray demanded of Erza.

"Don't worry. He's got his shield, bow, and quiver in there too," Titania pointed out. The said objects were lying on the floor off to the side of the cage and it didn't seem like Bacon noticed them. "It's only the matter of how he uses them against the lizard. I believe he can defeat it."

"Believe?" Wendy stopped in her fruitless attempts to break down the gate and stared at Erza, feeling a small sense of hope rising. Erza usually had a keen insight on everything. She was one of the strongest and smartest mages that Wendy has ever known and rarely did the girl doubt her superior's judgment ever since joining Fairy Tail. "Do you really think he can?"

Erza crossed her arms and sagely nodded with confidence, her eyes never leaving the cage. "The boy is not a helpless child, Wendy. His memories will never awaken if you keep nurturing him like a baby. I believe he is capable of more than what we have seen. You have to put some trust into him."

It was difficult to overlook Bacon's helplessness, especially when he still stood gawking at the monster stomping his way. Some were yelling at him to move, others screamed for him to fight. But when those gaping jaws bearing rows of sharp teeth went straight for him, it was too late. Wendy gasped, and closed her eyes, fearing the worst when she heard the monster's teeth snap together.

However, the moment of silence was soon broken when the crowd erupted with relieved cries and cheers. "Whoa! That was close!" said Romeo, his voice trembling with astonishment.

Soon after Wendy opened her eyes, she couldn't pry them away because Bacon was still alive and standing behind the raptordile that was searching left and right for its small prey while smacking its hungry mouth. "How'd he get there?" she asked, bewildered.

"He dove and rolled under its legs!" answered Romeo, a wide grin on his face. He started to yell and wave to gain Bacon's attention. "Draw your sword! Like this!" Grasping nothing but air over his right shoulder, Romeo tried to get the other boy to follow the action.

It took a few blinking moments before Bacon reached over his shoulder and felt the hilt of his sword. His blue eyes widened when he realized the weapon was no longer stuck in its scabbard. There was a quiet ring as the sharp metal slid out of the sheath and by the time the silver-blue sword was completely free, the giant reptile had spotted him in the corner of its big, red eye.

It grunted and twisted around, surprisingly quick for a beast of its size. Bacon ducked under the swinging tail and leapt to the side to dodge the snapping teeth.

Wendy held her breath when she saw the boy's hardened expression. His eyes steeled against the monster wishing to devour him as he stood fearless and determined. It was the same face he wore when he fought against Erza; the face of a warrior ready for battle.

Romeo was yelling again. "Bacon! There! There!" He was pointing at the equipment lying on the floor.

The young swordsman quickly glanced in Romeo's pointed direction and grinned at what he saw. He eagerly ran for his weapons.

Although the raptordile was quick to turn, its gait was slow as it chased after the child in green. It was better suited to hunt in the water than on land. The beast flared its nostrils and snorted, obviously getting frustrated with its elusive meal.

Bacon carelessly dropped his sword as if it were a toy he was no longer interested in to pick up his bow and pull out an arrow from his quiver. He was happy with the bow in hand and he knew just what to do with it. With his arrow notched, he twirled around, drew a deep breath, and took aim at the oncoming monster. Moments before the beast was upon him, he loosed his arrow and the iron tip struck one of the lizard's large red eyes.

The raptordile roared as it reared back in pain, its cry deep and hoarse. It stumbled backwards and whipped its head side to side, its blinded eye weeping tears that were bright and red.

Seeing that he had hit his mark, Bacon celebrated by throwing his bow into the air where it bounced off the ceiling and soundly landed on the floor a short distance away.

"Why'd he do that?" Natsu questioned, raising a perplexed eyebrow.

Standing beside Natsu, Gray ran a hand down his face and groaned in disbelief. "Damn kid. He actually picked up on that?" he murmured.

Wendy was pointing and shouting along with Romeo to get Bacon to retrieve his forgotten sword when the giant lizard turned its good eye on the young boy, clearly angry. It breathed heavily through its nostrils as it pounded towards Bacon in a fury, leaving a small trail of blood in its wake.

The sword was back in Bacon's left hand and his shield in the other. The young warrior faced the giant beast, looking bolder than before. Sharp teeth missed him yet again when he back-flipped out of the way. The moment he landed, he immediately countered with a leaping downward slash. It was the same maneuver he had used once against Erza and it had caught the woman by surprise for only a split-second. His blade only grazed the side of the lizard's maw as it swerved its head away from the gleaming silver. The beast retaliated quickly by lowering its head and throwing its huge body forward for a powerful headbutt. The top of the lizard's skull collided with Bacon's shield with a loud clang and enough force to send the small boy flying far back.

With a yelp, Bacon roughly landed on his right shoulder and rolled to a stop. Wendy watched with great apprehension as the raptordile charged right after him. Quick and resilient, Bacon was back on his feet in a matter of seconds, standing low in a defensive posture. He waited for the great beast to draw nearer with his shield held protectively out front and his sword held back.

"Oh? This is new," Erza quietly mused at his stance.

Gasps and sounds of awe could be heard when everyone felt the surge of magical energy coming from Bacon. "He's using magic!" Romeo needlessly pointed out, looking just as excited as everyone else. Tingly was how Wendy could describe Bacon's magical essence when compared to the natural flow of her own and the others around her. It felt as if the air was charged with harmless electricity as his power steadily grew.

Bacon's sword started to shine a brilliant blue as his magic gathered around his blade. The energy swirled and shimmered and soon turned a fiery red. Silence fell over the crowd as all eyes were on the young swordsman.

The raptordile snarled as it lunged for a killing bite and at the same time, Bacon vigorously yelled out as he unleashed his attack. He spun in a rapid circle, his magic flaring out from his outstretched weapon like a ring of flames. It looked like fire but it cut like a blade, slashing open the giant lizard's throat and down to its pale belly. The impact surprisingly knocked it back where it landed with a heavy thud on its side. The monster's moan was gurgled as it feebly writhed with blood spilling from its fatal wound and pooling on the metal floor beneath it. It wasn't long until its pitiful cries faded and it became still.

The crowd exploded with claps, cheers, compliments, and yells of shock and disbelief. The celebration was short for Wendy because she heard Bacon whimper over the noise. His sword, no longer enveloped in magic, slipped from his grasp and noisily clattered to the floor. The boy fell to his knees and clutched the sides of his head, his eyes clenched shut and his face distorted with pain. Erza wasted no time in opening the door but Wendy was first to rush in, worry gripping her mind and heart. When the girl reached him, he was already down on his front, unmoving and unconscious.

A/N: Thank you all for reviewing and most of all, thanks for reading!