NOVEL NEXT Chapter 49: Journey through Fiore.
Fairy Tail World, The Forest near Rosemary Village.
Atop of the biggest three, a lone kid was sitting there, under the sun's shade, he had a lonely feeling to him.
His eyes were little dry, revealing that tears had passed over his eyes over and over again. He sighed, and tightened his grip:
"I am an Emperor! I don't need anyone anyway!!"
He screamed with a reluctant face.
His spiked hair caressed by the wind. He looked down on his tail, his long furry tail. He caressed her lightly:
"Is it because of you?"
He slowly touched his purple eyes:
"Is it because of those?"
He looked at his still bloodied hands, remembering the slaughter he just made:
"I only did…I only wanted...To stop their sadness! I didn't want them to live as slaves!"
He then looked at the blue screen in front of him:
Main Quest Completion: 30%
Next Mission: Please Follow the King Piece to the next Town.
His little hands punched through the screen in rage as he wailed:
"It doesn't matter! They all hate me, now!! Even…Erza…
Erza…"
He remembered the fear in the beautiful girl's face as she saw him massacre the black Mages.
He felt that his heart was about to burst from the pain. He was lost, frustrated and angry.
The boy again was all snot and tears:
"Is it me? Is there something wrong with me?"
Suddenly he heard the sound of a little struggling. He looked down and saw a little Scarlet Girl climbing on the trunk of the three and falling down miserably.
She had tears all over her determinate face, she kept wailing:
"Maa-niii! Maa-niii!!! Do you hear me?!! You are there! I know you didn't leave me alone!"
The boy looked over but still stayed silent.
'Wasn't she afraid of me?'
Yet the girl never stopped climbing and falling down…
She saw how hurt, her 'Ma-niii' was.
She saw how he looked at her, his kindness, even covered in blood was unmistakable for her.
'Stupid Erza! Ma-niii is Ma-nii after all!'
Again and Again and Again, she kept silent despite the bruises, despite the falls, she gritted her teeth and continued.
The boy who saw her finally pass out from exhaustion, immediately descended. Looking at her bruised body, he couldn't contain his joy and sadness:
"You stupid…! Idiot girl !"
He gently carried her to the top. And patiently waited for her to wake up. The Scarlet princess immediately hugged him from the back as she finally cried:
"Maa-niii!!!"
The boy chuckled as he touched her hands:
"Don't worry, you are way too clumsy to be left by yourself. I won't abandon you."
She rested her face on his back. The Boy sighed as he continued:
"Erza…Let's get out of here."
Behind him she nodded.
"Somewhere, I am sure there is somewhere we can call home. We will meet people. People who loves us for who we are."
Little Erza nodded again:
"I will always chase after you, Ma-nii"
The two little kids began roaming the Fiore Continent, following the mysterious blue chess Piece. They spent their days simply but happily, some time they would roam the road, seeking more and more adventures, sometime they would stay for months, building a little home of their own.
Sometimes she would fly in his arms, laughing and humming as they were piercing the night's sky.
Her beautiful scarlet hair dancing in the palm of the winds.
Other times they would march the beautiful lands of Fiore, they would bath in the beautiful lakes. The boy didn't find any meaning in accomplishing the mission early.
He, like the King Piece said, 'Enjoyed his life'.
The bond between the two, as they traveled through the lands, only grew thicker.
A year have gone past quickly as they explored city after city, village after village. Fiore was beautiful, and mysterious, exploring it was fun for the 'Emperor'.
Until, finally, the King Piece stopped advancing at a little village. The boy narrowed his eyes, feeling his heart beating with excitement.
What new adventure would he discover there?
He smiled to Erza and said:
"Let's stay here for a while, Erza."
Erza had half opened eyes: "Why this place exactly?"
He patted her head:
"Look at you, already starting to ask questions like a grown-up!"
She looked down blushing:
"You are only one year older than me, you know?"
He grinned:
"And don't you dare forget it!"
The two started building their little menage. Days passed by as the cute couple built their little house just outside off the village.
"Ma-nii! Teach me how to fight! I want to be strong like you!"
The boy looked at the unrelenting eyes of the Scarlet Girl and he just knew, there was no way of rebuttal.
She has been pestering him the whole journey but he said he would think about it when they arrive at the destination.
So the two started training off, the boy was impressed by Erza's talent.
Like him, she seemed to have a sense of combat ingrained in her genes. A little excited he continued to teach her as she absorbed his instruction like a sponge. Although she couldn't get the hang of Ki yet, she already understood the basis of combat.
Erza was also having the fun of her life, being with her 'Maa-niii' learning how to protect the people she loves, training with all her might.
This was all the things Erza liked the most.
And like that, day after day, they would hunt, eat, laugh, and train.
Although Erza wasn't a 'monster' like him, she had the spirit of a warrior. So she got accustomed to the training well.
But as they continued a little curiosity happened. Every once in a while, he would take notice of a little boy, staring at them enviously from afar.
At first, it was only once in a while,
Yet as the days has gone by, he would appear more and more often. Until it became practically every day. Finally, the boy couldn't take it anymore as he yelled:
"Hey! You! What are you doing looking at us like that?"
The boy hiding clumsily behind a tree started panicking. He stuttered looking at the judgmental gaze of the little Emperor:
"I…I…also want…to become strong…"
The little Emperor looked at the little kid who even though was timid, a great determination could be seen in his eyes. He got a little curious:
"And why?"
The boy looked away timidly but still managed to gather enough courage:
"To protect my sisters!"
The little Emperor looked over at Erza who also had an approving smile:
"You seem to be very determined."
The boy nodded:
"Of course, it is the duty of A MAN, after all!!"
The little emperor looked like he had an epiphany:
"The duty of a man, the duty of an emperor…Yes!! Yes!! Indeed! Those are some great words my friend!! What's your name?"
"ELFMAN, Elfman Strauss!"