Chapter 17 - Erza Scarlet

Earthland, Fiore kingdom, Magnolia town, November 26th of the year X775

(Ding! System announcement! All participants have reached the required age of ten.

You shall all now be capable of differentiating between the normal people of Earthland and the other participants of the game of the Gods!

Whenever you see an enemy participant they will seem as if they're shrouded in a layer of black aura.

If said participant is the member of your team then they will be shrouded in a layer of white aura.

The aura layer is not big, it only covers the skin area.

End of System announcement!)

Sooooo, that happened!

Sweet!

Now at least I know how that works…

As for whether I can test it or not, that's a no no for now! Until I meet another participant I won't know if this works properly or not…

Oh well, guess I'll just wait for now…

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The trio of Ice wizards have been making a name for themselves at the guild by completing quite a bit of jobs around town and even some outside of it!

Ultear is having fun and Lyon seems to have gotten over his teacher not being the strongest mage out there.

Now he wants to reach that peak using her magic!

Such a sweet little lad ain't he?

We also had the occasional fights at the guild and there was the random challenges made towards me by Gray and Laxus.

Gray did improve quite a bit since the first fight we had together but I can still easily melt his Ice-Make spells.

In the end he gave up on having a magic duel with me and decided it was a better idea to fight me bȧrė handed.

'A guy that only fights with words can't possibly be a good fighter!' is probably what he thought.

Sadly the reality was that he jumped at me with a wide swing and I punched him in the gut effectively knocking him out on the ground…

Laxus on the other hand is quite a bit stronger than Gray! He is older after all but he's nowhere near my level as he is now in magic combat.

He actually also fought me bȧrėhanded without magic but in his case it was a closer fight.

Since he's older by four years he's slightly stronger physically.

Just slightly because I've been training since I was three years old every day but bridging the gap of four years between an eleven year old and a fifteen year old isn't that easy...

Unlike Gray he can actually take a punch too! So it's actually fun fighting him but I usually win… Well… Every time.

However this guy really wants to beat me and trains like crazy now… He's quite the competitive guy it seems.

I wonder what that will end up causing in the long run…

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We were all sitting at a table in the guildhall. 'We' being me and the other kids in my age group and were just talking about random stuff.

Then suddenly the doors of the guildhall opened and a girl in rags walked in.

This girl looked to be around my age with scarlet red hair and an eye patch on her right eye.

No doubt about it… This is Erza Scarlet!

Matthew and Lilith aren't with her though… Damn.

Guess that was pretty wishful thinking huh?

"So is this… Is this the place that Grandpa Rob talked about?" She asked herself quietly

People started talking about the weird girl that walked in.

Stuff like

"who's she?"

"who's the kid"

"what's with her?"

"Here comes another weirdo, sheesh"

Or even exclaiming "she's dressed in rags!"

Gramps then walked up to her and asked

"Is there something I can help you with?"

"This is the Fairy Tail mages' guild correct?" she asked

"That is indeed correct." he answered her

"Good. I would like to join." Erza said

"Really now? And why do you want to join Fairy Tail?" he asked her

"Grandpa Rob used to be a member of this guild right? I don't have anywhere else to go so I thought I'd come here…"

"Did you say Rob?! Where is he right now?!" Gramps exclaimed in surprise.

After all Rob was a close friend of his and even a member of his old team! Hearing his name from a random little girl in rags would definitely surprise him.

"… He died… He protected me…" Erza replied with bit of sadness in her voice.

"… I see… *sigh* Well then, you came to join the guild right? Any friend of Rob's is my friend too!" Gramps replied with a smile on his face

"Come on, I'll give you your official guild mark" He said

"Yes."

Afterwards Erza walked together with gramps to his office and came back with the Fairy Tail emblem on her arm.

Guess I'll go greet her?

I stood up and started walking towards her

"Yo! Welcome to Fairy Tail! My name is Arthur and you are?" I asked her after welcoming her and introducing myself

"Erza… Scarlet." She replied with a bit of uncertainty.

"Erza Scarlet huh? That's a great name! It's nice to meet you, Erza." I said with a smile

"*nods* likewise..." After saying that she left the guildhall and I walked back to the table where the others were.

"So, what's with the new girl?" Cana asked me

"Her name is apparently Erza Scarlet." I replied

"Heeehh? Is that all you got?" Ultear asked

"Pretty much, she seemed like she was in a hurry to leave.

I'd say she'll probably need some time to get used to the new environment."

"If you say so, but I wonder what's with the eye patch…?" Lyon asked

"Why don't you go ask her yourself?" Gray said

"Well… It seems like it would be improper to ask about that…"

"Why?"

"Cuz it might be a sėnsɨtɨvė topic Gray." I said cutting into their conversation.

"Yeah, basically." Lyon also agrees

"…Well I guess you're right." Gray seems to have agreed.

Well hopefully he doesn't ask her himself…

"Anyway, I say me and Ultear should try to talk to her first. She might open up to us girls rather than you boys." Cana said

"Go ahead, be my guest." Gray said

The next day when Erza walked in Cana and Ultear tried to talk to her.

"Hey there! You're Erza right? My name is Cana and this is Ultear! It's nice to meet you."

"Yes, likewise." Erza said brushing them off and going towards the job request board.

"I-if you want we could help you out on your first job!" Ultear said as they walked together with Erza to the board.

"No thank you. I'll be fine on my own." Erza replied.

She then took a job and left the guildhall.

"… What's with her?" Cana asked

"I guess Arthur was right that she'll need some time to get used to the guild huh?" Ultear replied

"Probably… If you want we can try talking to her again later though!" Cana said

"Yeah, let's do that! Perseverance will yield result! Hehehe!" Ultear said and the two girls laughed.

In the original story Erza wasn't really approachable in the beginning when she first entered the guild.

I guess that hasn't changed here either.

A few days later Erza had already bought herself some armor and was currently sitting on a table alone with a drink on the table and some food.

But she wasn't really touching it that much, just taking a bite or sip from time to time.

The rest of the guild was having a blast while partying though!

"That girl Erza is always alone…" Cana said

"If you're that worried about her why don't you go over there and talk to her?" Gray asked her.

"Me and Ultear did a few times. She either completely ignored us or gave us short replies." She replied

"Yeah… Well, she's still the new girl. She should have come over to pay her respects to me! I'll let her know that dissing the great Gray doesn't fly!"

"When did you get so high and mighty?" Ultear asked what everyone else was thinking.

Gray walked up to Erza's table.

"Hey, you!" He shouted at her but she didn't respond.

"Are you listening to me, Armor-Girl?!" He asked and kicked her chair knocking her on the ground in the process.

Her table and food also fell to the floor.

"What are you doing?!" Erza glared at him angrily.

"This is a wizard's guild! You don't wear armor here!" Gray said while trying to act tough.

"Maybe not. But you'd better put ON some clothes! Is this supposed to be a pervert's guild?" She replied while standing up and patting the dirt off her clothes.

"W-what?! When did…" Gray got a really stupid look on his face and looked himself over. He was only wearing boxers and didn't even realize it…

"PPFFFF! HAH AHAH AHAHHAHAAHAhahahaha" The whole guild started laughing

Myself included.

"You little…" Gray glared at her and looked like he was ready to fight her.

"Leave me alone." She said and started walking away.

"Get back here!" Gray jumped at her with a wide swing.

"Idiot…" We all said in unison while sitting at the table.

Erza grabbed his hand and threw him overhead slamming him in the ground.

The poor guy can't even stand up… Looks like she hit him pretty hard!

"I said… Leave me alone!" Erza glared at him and after she said that she walked out of the guildhall.

A few days and numerous challenges later, Gray was sitting alone at a table with a bloody nose and other bruises on his face.

"Damn, Gray did you get your ȧss handed to you by Erza again? Hahaha!" Macao said and laughed.

"You don't quit! Are you in love with her or something?" Wakaba asked

"Shut up!!" Gray yelled back at them

"But I never thought that Erza could work 'the great Gray' over like that! Quite Impressive!" Wakaba said to Macao who was still laughing

"More like 'the great Erza'! The one fated to carry Fairy Tail on her shoulders!" Macao said while still mocking Gray.

Gray slammed the table with his hand.

"I will never accept that grungy girl as a member of this guild!!" After yelling that he stood up and ran outside.

"Seriously though, he should learn his lesson already." Ultear said.

"That guy refuses to give up. He'll keep trying until he wins." Lyon added

"I doubt he will…" I said.

"You got that right." Cana agreed.

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The next morning around the time the sun rises I was walking along the river and I saw Erza sitting near the water.

I walked down towards her to try and talk with her.

"Yo! Erza, wassup?" I said while waving my hand.

She turned around and I saw tears running down her face…

"It's you… Arthur right? Is there something you need?" she stood up and wiped the tears off with her hand.

"Uh… Well I wanted to ask you, why do you always stay alone?"

She looked surprised at my question for a second and then averted her gaze from mine.

"I like… being alone. It's when I'm with other people that I start feeling uneasy." She said.

"That so? Well, you were alone just now… So why were you crying?" I asked her with a serious look.

"I…" She couldn't reply.

"Come on, sit down I'll keep you company." I said and sat down next to the river.

"You don't need to…"

"You shouldn't close yourself off from others." I said while looking at the sunrise.

"…" She didn't say anything and sat down.

"I know you've probably have had a rough life up until now. It's understandable that you'd want to be alone afterwards."

"…"

"I don't know how you must have felt during that time or right now.

But let me at least say that what you're doing now isn't what you should be doing, closing yourself off from people might make you feel a bit better now but it doesn't help you in the long run.

You'll just end up… Feeling lonely."

"… What would you know… What would any of you know…" She asked in a hushed voice while holding her legs and burying her face in her knees.

"Me? Well, about four and a half years ago my village was attacked by Zeref cultists and burned to the ground."

"!" She looked up and stared at me.

"I could use magic back then. Heck I could probably even mostly stop the cultists by myself but someone else appeared and fought me.

I protected my parents until someone far, far stronger appeared, it was then that…

I froze…

I froze in fear and just stood there as my parents were murdered.

To make matters worse I ran away by myself leaving my friends and their families to their fates…

Even though I could have definitely brought them with me…

To this day it is my greatest regret."

There was silence for a while.

"… Your friends… I could be wrong but… Are they called Matthew and Lilith?"

!!!

"Yes!! Do you know them? Are they still alive?!" I turned to her and said with a smile.

So they did survive! SWEET!!

"Yes… They're alive and well as far as I know." She replied a bit taken aback by my reaction.

"… Ah! Sorry I overreacted a bit… I haven't had a single clue as to their location at all in these years or even if they're alive…"

"That's fine. I wasn't sure it was you at first when we met but I guess you really are that Arthur.

The both of them used to talk about you allot! You taught them magic I hear?" Erza asked me.

"Yeah, I did teach them the basics but they mostly discovered their own styles afterwards."

"I see…" she had a faint smile on her face which surprised me a bit.

"… That's the first time I've seen you smile at all." I said

"Oh, well I haven't had a reason to smile in a while I guess…" Erza replied

"C-can you tell me… Where I can find them? Or any clue that could lead me to them?" I had to ask her.

"… Sorry. I can't say anything." She replied.

"Is there a problem?" I asked her even though I know Jellal threatened her to make sure she stays quiet.

"I just… Can't tell you. Sorry."

"*Sigh* Fine. If you ever feel like telling me, let me know. I won't force you to." I said and stood up

"Are you sure? Didn't you want to know where they were?" she looked up at me a bit confused at how fast I gave up on the question.

"You told me they were fine. I choose to trust you." I said as I started walking away

"Why would you trust me so easily?" She stood up and asked me

"Why you ask? Why wouldn't I trust family? Hehe!" I turned around and said with a slight laugh.

"Family…?" Erza got confused.

"Yeah! Don't you know? Everyone in Fairy Tail is like family!" I said with a wide smile on my face.

"Then does that mean…"

"Yup! That means you too Erza."

She was silent for a second.

"… Thank you." A tear fell down her eye as she thanked me.

"I'll see ya later at the guild okay?" I waved and started to turn around again.

"… Yeah. See you later…" She said with a smile.

Okay now that's a really sweet smile!

But I chose to keep that comment to myself…