A/N:: Ha... so sorry for another late update:( I have a test next week so I felt I had to get this one out quick. Despite my hectic schedule, I managed to get this out... Phew!

Those who haven't caught the glimpse of this story's direction, you'll get another glimpse of it. This story was meant for fun, and still is. However, it isn't just simple comedy romance. It's actually a bit serious!

Also, this chapter goes back and forth quite a lot...so... keep that in mind:)

"Mirajane?"

How long it had been since I had spoken that name? And How long it had been since I saw her? In the midst of this whirlwind of overwhelming emotion, I couldn't even attempt to tell her how I felt. My back of my head, as white as paper, my lips quivering relentlessly with my eyes letting loose of my tear duck, I could only stare her back.

My eyes hurt, probably from tears that overflowed me and how I stared at her back without blinking. A hiccup escaped from my throat as I tried to draw in air to my lung. They sucked in sharply, and with it, I lost control of my knee.

The floor of the rooftop felt cold and harsh upon my bare knee, but I for a moment, I had forgotten how the pain felt.

I muttered her name again as I saw her expression started to shift. From baffled shock then slowly, turning into a soft, pleasant and calm smile. Her smile, her eyes held no pain or grievance as she returned her gaze.

"Oh… Erza…"

She approached me as she broke out of her shock and draped her arms around my back. She brought my head closer to her, and I accepted it. I dug my face into her shoulder as I bawled out a most painful cry. Not a physical pain, no. But rather, finally breaking apart by the suffering and the firm belief of her death.

It was like the world I believed crumbled away into dust by the presence of hers. From all these time, I thought I lost everything.

Yet, there she was, enveloping me tenderly like an angel descended from heaven to comfort me, letting me stain her cool alabaster dress with my hot tears. I felt her single hand stroking my hair, other patting my back, constantly whispering to me,

"It's okay… It's okay…"

But it was not. IT was far from being okay. Everything didn't make sense, none of it. When the sky fell on me like this, I had no idea what to believe or what to think.

So, I continued to cry, and I cared little of Mao thought of me now. With these tears, I knew I would go insane. I weaped and bawled, not knowing how many hours had passed.

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MR. DRAGNEEL AND HIS MAID!

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10 years ago

"Who the heck just ate my cake!" I screamed at the entire hall, pushing my tiny form up on a wooden guild table to announce myself clear.

The guild was a lively place, filled with many mages of various talents, showing off and helping those in needs. This was one of them and the oldest of them. Founded by Mavis Vermilion, it was currently lead by the guild master, Makarov Dreyar. In fact, aside it being the oldest, it was the biggest and most powerful magic guild of all Ishgar.

I was part of this guild, and I thought of myself proudly by that fact. I, Erza Scarlet, might not look much because of my appearance and age, but I was still a capable mage.

In fact, I was the youngest S-class mage in the guild. Youngest, except her. Though, the fact that I was the strongest never changed. I watched the entire guild lively atmosphere turning in to dreaded terror, and I smirked when they cowered at me, and it filled with joy. They all acknowledged my strength.

I bellowed again. "Hey! I said, who the heck ate my cake!"

No one replied, and the air felt cold by their vapor of fear. The alcohol that washed down their throat stopped and fell down to the floor with a loud echo. Their body froze, and their eyes widened even more than what people would consider as reasonable.

The silence was just plain out frustrating. I asked them a question, and I expected an answer, yet I received none. A rage erupted beneath me immediately the moment a second passed; it reached through every corner of the guild.

"If no one steps forward—I'll just have to strike all of you until I get the answer!"

I rushed out my sword with a mighty ear-shattering metallic swing, and everyone took a step away from me. All but a single boy with dark nay hair – it was Gray Fullbuster. He immediately caught my sight. I wavered none as I pointed the blade's edge at the said boy.

"Gray! Was it you who stole the cake!"

He had eyes of a deer caught in a searchlight, and his lips were pale. Like he had seen a ghost or experiencing a near-death situation.

"E..erza! I… wait… I…"

I cried in a fury, planting my knee to his stomach without mercy.

"I tolerate no delay!"

He responded with a pained growl, eventually throwing up all his contents. "Uuuuuuukkk!" He collapsed on the ground like a dying animal and crawled to escape my wrath, such was a pathetic attempt. I rushed up to his side and aggressively stomped on his frame with my foot.

"Where do you think you are going!" I shouted into his ear canal directly, and I watched his dark hair spiked up like a frightened cat. However, I was rudely disturbed when something struck my head behind.

A loud shatter noise rung loudly, followed by hundreds of glass fragments. I immediately knew it was a bottle of some kind. Fire instantly fumed from my nose, and I turned back to face the assailant. Girl, long white ponytail with skimpy gothic clothing. It was that slut Mirajane.

I barked loudly,

"You damn whore!"

The girl couched on a table behind me and jumped down from it as she bore a sinister smirk.

"Ha, says the bitch who drools over some weirdo in the bakery!"

A vessel throbbed on my temple, but she stopped me from talking. "Tell me, you are only gobbling strawberry cake because he made it, isn't it!"

I was taken back by her question. It was more of confirmation, but I knew what she was speaking was nothing more than gibberish.

"Non-sense! My love of strawberry cake has nothing to do with him!"

I exclaimed, and she responded mockingly,

"Then why are you only going to his place? There are zillions of the bakery around here, and you only go to his place. Care to explain!"

"Because his cake is just the best! That's all!" I answered, but my face started to heat up annoyingly. I never told my face to heat up, and I didn't want it at all! Soon, the heat spread all around my body, cooking me inside out from my armor like a microwave.

"Oh, I can see your face getting red~?" She spoke mockingly as her eyes dropped and her mouth lifting up to create her usual gloating expression.

"This isn't what it looks like, you whore!" I screamed as I hurled my way to the bitch, and I held her up by her collar. I growled my little dragon fangs directly at her face.

But as if the demon was scared of the dragon, she never lifted that smug expression off of her face. "Of course, it isn't. You don't even know what love is, you muscle head."

"Muscle…head…?"

Her words stabbed my mind and brain like a ballista, and a virtual lightning crackled behind me as space became dark. I shuttered not knowing how to respond, it was as if she turned my strength to my weakness. I, even though of my age, my strength was superior to every adult in my guild. Even Master Makarov struggled to fight me when I had my powers at max.

I rolled up my sleeve to reveal my skin, and met with firm, thin and sturdy muscle, and my eyes never lied. It just confirmed the fact, and even worse, it gave the opportunity to Mirajane to mock me even further.

She grabbed my arm as fast as mantis snatching its prey.

"Look at this arm. No one will want to marry you?"

I pulled my arm away from her. "If I have to carry my armor and swing my sword and to instantly change my gears… and to use my master's power, I must have equal strength to utilize them all and execute them perfectly!"

Mirajane batted her hand side to side. "Yeah yeah, you just keep on saying that." She added,

"Jeez, even your head is so full of nonsense!"

I jerked her collar towards me. "Why you-" But she latched my arm and pushed it away again, escaping from me like a feline.

Mirajane's power was similar to mine. Her stamina, her intelligence, and her powerful magic… what separated me from her was brute force. Where I was stronger, she was quicker. Faster, swift and agile like a leopard with claws of a demon.

I always tried to be the symbol of justice and might. Like my master, I respected so much, but Mirajane had always acted against it. She was a demon itself. She was my perfect nemesis.

"Non-sense?! It's you who are sputtering with non-sense!" I roared as I threw my punch at her. "I'll make sure to correct you properly with my fist!"

Yet, she dodged it again as a smile grew even further. "Hah, a girl of brute force with no brain!"

"Come back here!"

I rushed and swung my sword at her to gut her open, yet this time, she jumped expertly and flipped to her back acrobatically before landing on a wooden table.

"Murderous, too! By the way, Erza, it was I who ate the cake, not Gray?"

It was apparent that she was trying to infuriate me even further, and she got what she wanted. A vein popped around all over my body as my face steamed with heat.

"Y….you fucking bitch!" I bellowed with all the rage I've got, and continued to summon the next sword on my left hand and hurled my way in. And I slashed everything stood in between her and me. Wooden debris and shards of cobblestones exploded around me. But they were just a hindrance, an annoyance that's always in my way.

Though, Mirajane didn't seem fazed at all. "Hah! It's an angry gorilla!"

I threw my sword at her. It spun around in the air perfectly before sinking down to a wall behind her.

"Gorilla is throwing bananas at me! Help!"

And just like that, she ran away from the guild, and I followed. Followed behind her so blindly, aware of traps that she had placed. I sprinted outside with my full gear, yet I did not let my armor to set me back. "Come and face me, you bitch!"

I growled as I kicked the door open, breaking every hinge in the process. Flames started to glow around me even, and instead of steam, fire blazed out of my nostrils.

I hastily looked around for her presence, but I couldn't. Then something kicked me from behind, and I was pushed away forward, stumbling for a bit, and finally falling into the lake.

Mirajane revealed herself behind the crate and laughed wholeheartedly at my failure. "Hahaha! Look at you! You can't even swim! Lose some fat will you?!"

My eyes popped when I looked my surroundings. If there was one thing I hated the most, it was water. Water slowed me down and was the polar opposite of power that my master had given me. Yes, I did not know how to swim. In fact, I didn't even know what or how ocean looked like. I splashed my arm above, trying to pull myself up, but water escaped my grasp, and did nothing to help me to get above it, I kept sinking back down.

I tried to breathe, but water instead filled my mouth. I ended up drinking water instead of breathing air. I kicked my legs as hard as I could, but the weight of my armor pushed me down. I knew I had to lose armor, but my head was all too focused on keeping my head above the surface.

I didn't even realize what was going on above me, but I could not see where that demon prostitute was. I couldn't hear anything else than my own urgent huffing.

Then something snatched me by my waist and pushed me towards the land. I didn't even look at my rescuer and grabbed the stone ledge and pushed myself up, finally catching a proper air. Groaning by the water sapping away my stamina, I carried myself to the surface as I was made of rock.

The rescuer spoke.

"Erza, are you okay? Can you breathe?"

My eyes dropped a bit in fatigue as I looked at him. It was that man, from the bakery. That handsome and beautiful person with pink hair… the way he looked at me, how his usual wild hair laying flat with water, covering his left eye… he looked like a god.

A sexy god, prince, or something along those ideas, he gazed at me sincerely.

"Who did this to you?"

I looked away immediately as my face heated up again, this time differently. My head felt airy and light-headed, my stomach felt like they were filled with butterflies. I clenched my mouth shut.

I did not like to idea of being helped by someone. Me, a powerful mage, being helped by a commoner, even though he was older than me, the facts still stood. It was I who's supposed to help him, not the other way around. Then slowly, a mellowing feeling seeped into every corner of my soul when I realized that he was holding by back with his firm arm.

Water instantly evaporated around me. I didn't know what to do, and I felt the sudden urge to listen to what he said. So, I just pointed at Mirajane who was standing at the side the whole time.

As expected, the white-haired bitch tried to defend herself.

"Wh...what?! No, I didn't! I don't know what you are talking about...!"

I smirked when I heard her voice breaking starting tremble, breaking apart. My shining prince walked over to her and leaned forward, and even though he had his back facing me, I could imagine the face he held against her.

"What's your name?"

I was in ecstasy. Mirajane was trembling!

"I...my...I... why do you want to know my name!"

The demon whore shouted, stretching and tiptoeing herself to look taller as she tried to argue with him. But he continued to stare at her, his both eyes drilling down to her tiny frame. I could already see that slut's face heating up in red, and sweats forming on her temples.

And she eventually gave up.

"My... I'm Mirajane..."

"Mirajane what?" He asked assertively, and she lowered her head in defeat. "Mi...mirajane Strauss..."

Then my prince leaned back and folded his arms. "And what did you do wrong, Mirajane?"

"You...why you...! You can't tell me what to do!" Her crystal-like voice screeched, her still youthful age roaring as best she can. Yet, because of her age, it sounded like lion cub trying its best to roar, and it sounded like anything but terrifying. The man's stern look started to falter, the corner of his lips slowly turning down side up by the sudden adorableness she accidentally expressed.

That rendered the girl's scream to immediately die down to pathetic squirm and whimpering. At last, she replied quietly looking down at the floor.

"I.. I didn't do anything wrong…" She mumbled quietly as she fidgeted her fingers around behind her back. Her frail frame, however, could not escape the gaze of the pink haired man, no matter how strong she was or she tried. From where I was standing, I knew there was something behind that man's look, and that little demon bitch had no idea that what it was. But she seemed to realize it was something massive hiding beneath his dark eyes.

It was not something dangerous or detrimental, no. There wasn't any of that vibe from this man. Maybe it was because of his good looks?

She had to give up. No, she must have felt compelled to give up. And surrender she did.

"Fine… I pushed Erza into water…

His definitive pink brow raised at her.

"And Mirajane?"

My lips turned into a broad smirk when I saw the demon girl's face gazing directly down at the ground below. Her white hair covered the majority of her face with shadows, but I could see through them easily.

I literally saw her face turning white to the maddening color of bright-sun red in shame. She replied, her voice muffled and chocked.

"I…I'm sorry…"

"Hey, I'm not the one you should be apologizing to." He stated, and he startled me by suddenly pulling my both shoulders in front of him. He placed me like I was his little sister, and just like that, heat coursed its way through my vein again, and blood pumped all the way to end of my ears. Stream rushed out of my hair as I felt how close I was to him, and the way he treated me.

At this point, what Mirajane did affect very little of me. I heard her speak.

"E..Erza… I'm sorry…"

And at the last moment, she and I stood there dumbfounded, none of us daring to speak what happened. The words of my prince rung through my ear, yet I was too occupied figuring out what was happening at that time.

How many minutes had passed?

I remembered him waving off at us. Barely, I was able to recollect. Both of us were just recovering from the shock I mindlessly waved off in the direction that he went. I could have sworn something was dripping at the side of my mouth, but I cared a little.

My trance was broken by the sudden shriek of the demon bitch.

"W…what the heck was that?!"

"Huh?" I moaned, shifting my gaze back to her.

"I said, what the heck was that! He… He made me do things I didn't want to!" She shouted as she held me by my collar. Furrowing my brows as anger shot up through my system, I pushed her away harshly.

"Get off me, you harlot! So, what? What's so wrong about him?!"

She exclaimed back at me.

"He made me apologize to you by..by… by just looking at me!" She had spoken like it was the most impossible thing in the world. Her face became red again. How pink and rosy cheek was intense compared to the color of her hair. It seemingly exaggerated her flushed look.

"No one dares to tell me what to do! No one! You see, no one!" She thrashed at me like a wild beast. I watched her bite her lips hard and her head falling down to the floor. Yet, my ears picked up the whispers that she spoke under her breath.

"Embarrassing… how embarrassing…"
Her hands curled into itself tightly, and her pale skin turned yellow and red by the pressure she exerted.

She eventually shouted at my face. This was a rage, mixed with confusion. "IT'S EMBARRASSING!" Her fist flew at me, of which I dodged it to the side, yet she was incessant. I gritted my teeth and blocked her onslaught with my rock-hard hand, and quickly pushed her back to the stone wall.

I instantly drew my sword and pointed at her neck. The tip and her skin had no gap between them.

"Stop it!" I barked.

Mirajane's fist uncurled and grappled my blade. Blood drew from her pristine hand, and it trailed along the edge of my steel, eventually pooling inside my palm. She then pushed my sword away, with her hand bleeding.

I didn't react, but just watch her as she sidestepped out of my lock.

She mumbled again. "It's because I'm weak, isn't it?"

I questioned. "Weak? You are an S-class, like me! What are you talking about?!"

"Don't you fucking question me! You and I may be on the same class, but I'm better than you, Erza Scarlet!"

She looked down to her bleeding hand, and an ominous chuckle escaped from her mouth.

"L…look… I'm bleeding. I'm bleeding because of I was cut by a measly steel."

"It wouldn't have happened if you would just shut up!" I roared. Something clicked inside me, and that was because of her constant antic.

"No, you shut up! Stop telling me what to do! I…" She paused. "I don't need anyone! All my life… I've done nothing but to protect my family, and I didn't need anyone's help! I did that all of my own!"

She continued as her voice had gone hoarser. "When the demons attacked my village, who do you think who saved my family, IT WAS ME! When the people kicked us out, who do you think who fed my brother and sister, I DID!" The last bit was gritted out through her teeth.

"and I needed no one to tell me what to do. And that bastard just forced me to do things by just looking at me…"

She threw her index at me, her voice was broken already by shouting.

"You… you'll tell no one about what happened today."

I didn't reply to that, nor wanted to give her one. Mirajane walked pass me and whispered in my ear.

"Or I'll kill you."

I dismissed her threat and questioned. "What are you planning to do, Mirajane Strauss?"

She growled as she stepped inside the guild.

"Revenge."

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Convictions, and violent emotions. They were a kind of pair that should never be blend together. When they mix, they create a combination of something so vicious and dark with revolting odor; like tar. Because after that day, I never saw her again.

A week passed without me worrying about her. I had no reason to as my hatred towards Mirajane still stood. Yet I did get somewhat concerned of her siblings. People of the guild looked after then, yet they continued to search for her for a while.

Weeks passed, and months passed. There were no signs of Mirajane.

Later, the news spread about the missing S-class child mage, and some days then. The sightings and rumors started to spread. It was said that she was last seen on the outside of the borders... that she was killed.

The borders that separated Isghar and the regions that demons captured, and she foolishly ventured off to that land. But for what reason? What made her do such a stupid thing?

Did she do it because of the revenge? Had she really ventured outside to prove herself to that man? But to prove what? Her strength? Or was she plotting something for real revenge?

Whatever it was, in the end, she was dead.

Just like that, because of the stupid squabble that she and I had. A grave and a tombstone were placed near the guild cemetery. A funeral was held, with nobody left to bury, yet I never attended it. I wore a dark cloth, just like I should be, and I held a banquet of the flower to place it on top of her grave, but I couldn't step in there.

Something prevented me from getting my foot in there. I held the card for eulogy in my pocket. So much pressure, it eventually crumbled up into a piece of paper. Perhaps I just didn't dare to stand up there and pretend she and I were the best friends.

Mirajane wouldn't like that, and even though she was my nemesis, I respected her that much.

"Stupid bitch… getting killed for your stupid pride…"

I mumbled, but it no longer held the hatred that I used to. It came out empty and carried out to the atmosphere like it was a light breeze.

My turn of speech seems to come up. Everyone in the seat turned around and looked for me, yet I hid behind the gates. I sighed deeply and watched the rest of the funeral continue.

"And another died… and thus, another person died…"

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Present

"Mirajane…"

"It's okay. It's okay now, Erza. I'm here… you're here… We're both alive." I wept by her side as she silently muttered those words. I had forgotten where I was, the time, space, and all those things became irrelevant for now.

As I hugged her, and she hugged me back, I felt the warmth of another human being slowly smearing into my deprived body. I never knew I missed Mirajane this much. Her, once just mere collections of my memories, lingering inside my veins and deep down my consciousness, congregated, merged, then materialized to the bursting of thousand emotions.

Then those emotions reflected into my tears then them turning into a soft, inviting warmth that I yearned so long.

I pulled myself away from her as gentle as I could as I muttered continuously like my words had been automated.

"I hate you…. I hate you, Mirajane… I fucking hate you…" I sniffed my own fluid and wiped them away with my sleeve. My pinkish eye gazed back at her again, my hand raising up, both resting on her shoulder.

"You've changed. You've changed…Oh god, I almost didn't recognize you…"

Yet, Mirajane merely smiled at me back. There was no more of that gloating, haughty, and mocking expression on her face. In fact, there wasn't even a trace of it. Her face was clean of any sins like the demon had repented and became an angel.

Yes. This Mirajane held that radiance. One would mistake her being an archangel… maybe seraphim.

A single trace of tear rolled down from her eyes. She must have missed me as well, even though we were once arch-nemesis. Gently, she spoke.

"And you didn't change at all, Erza. You are just like the way you were."

Then, she gazed at my clothing, raising a curious brow. "Erza… what happened?"

I sniffled again, wiping another tear off. "A long story…"

Then a felt a strong hand resting upon my shoulder. Another was on Mirajane's. She and I both looked up at the sudden intrusion, but we both became relaxed when we saw his face.

"Come on." He whispered.

Mao didn't say anything further. I asked. "H…how long?"

"About an hour." And he both held our hands. I immediately turned my head away as my face heated up again. I glanced at Mirajane, who was blushing intensely just like I was. She looked down on the floor as her lips tried its best to force a poker face.

He carried us to our seats, and my attentions shifted to Priscilla. "Sorry to keep you waiting, Priscilla… It's just… She and I go way back."

The tiny raised her hand. "I'm okay, Miss Scalet!" "But is Miss Scarlet and Princess friends?" She asked, and Mirajane answered. She courteously collected her hands to her center, and for what she was in the past, I wasn't able to get over her new form.

"You could say that, Priscilla. She and I were… comrades."

Yet another innocent smile burst out of Priscilla's thin lips, as she exclaimed by throwing her hands up in the air.

"Comrades?! Princess! Miss Scarlet! That's amazing!"

Mirajane was to give her a gentle pat on her platinum hair, and I gazed at them with sudden interest.

Their hair was both white, yet, I decided not to dig too deep about it. For now, at least. My mission could wait a bit longer because I just had to know about her.

Even though she was my nemesis, not seeing her for too long naturally seemed to shift into longing of my enemy. Old enemies do seem to get some form of strange friendship, after all as I have observed.

Then the Mao spoke. "Then guys? Shall we eat? I'm sure our little nephew here is pained from starvation."

"I'm fine, uncle!" She announced, but the loud growling noise from her stomach had told her otherwise.

Sudden break of the mood, and from us all grown-ups, trio of a smile formed. I watched the tiny thing reddened by embarrassment. Mao raised his silverware first.

"Then shall we? Let's continue the talk as we eat."

Mirajane courtly bowed as she closed her eyes in respect. Due to her proximity to the food, she couldn't materialize a full bow, but a short and half one did the job.

"As you wish, Mao-sama."

Mao spoke again, a mischievous smile forming. "No honorifics, remember?"

My former nemesis groaned to herself in shame. "I…I understand Mao-sam-an…"

"Mao-sam-an?"

"I… I apologize…. That's not what I meant to say, Mao-san!" Mirajane squirmed as her pale skin turned into a deep shade of pink. I seemed that I wasn't the only one who was getting the constant tease. I found some comfort in that, but the way Mirajane squirmed, the one whom I least expected, was a sight I could not get over with.

"Mao-san will do for now," Mao spoke as he waved his fork casually.

I picked up my silverware and let my hand fly to the nearest dish. I automatically did that, without putting much thought behind it. However, as soon as I dipped my spoon into it, to place it in my dish, I was rudely interrupted by Priscilla.

"Miss Scarlet! You can't touch foods before uncle eats! He gets to eat first!"

I raised my brows. 'Wait… what are the rules for being a maid again?' Thankfully, Mao defended me…not that I was really thankful or anything. Just appreciate him for getting me out of this trouble.

"Priscilla, this isn't a formal meeting. I just wanted a friendly talk. But, all in honesty, I've prepared this time for you. And for you Mirajane as well."

Mirajane returned a curious gaze at him.

"I wanted you to be the first one to know her arrival."

She bowed truthfully. "I humbly thank you for your generosity Mao-sam-eeeek!"

She yelped in pain as Mao struck her head with the bladed side of his palm. He growled softly. "No formalities, got it?"

It seemed he didn't mean to intimidate, but the similar effect—with the little pinch of eroticism.

I watched in shock, my mouth agape as I saw Mirajane's blue eyes tearing up. Mao then raised his utensils and took some of the foods for himself. My eyes quickly scanned for the food I've made. It was now at the center of the table.

I nearly screamed to myself wondering how that got there, but at the end, I was disturbed by Mao's words.

"Fine, look. I've just raised my utensils now, are you happy now?" He declared somewhat annoyingly. Mirajane followed his action as she mumbled silently, her words breaking apart. She pulled her falling hair back as she reached out for the meal, and I saw her reddened ear, and her neck pain out open. Her skin glittered a bit. It looked like she was sweating.

"…E…excuse for my behavior, Mao-as-an…"

I quickly asked as I flailed out my arms, molding my both hand to a T "Wait a minute! Wait—a—minute! Wait! Wait—What?! Mirajane… you are actually submissive?!"

I did not realize I threw my utensils during the process. Its metallic clattering resonated briefly yet I was too busy to notice any of that. Then the woman in front of me frowned.

"I don't know what you are talking about, Erza. It's only natural to be submissive in front of such supreme being like the Mao-as-an."

"Wait a minute" I muttered quietly. "I know you've changed, but to this extent…something isn't right. Demons, Mao… they are all enemies!" I pointed my finger at him. "He is an enemy! Don't tell me you don't know that!"

I slammed my hand on the table, throwing the dishes to become airborne, before creating a large ruckus on it. Priscilla's eye teared up at my rude temper, but this was too important to give a second thought.

Mao's voice raised in annoyance. "Erza! This is a dining table, not a battlefield! Contain yourself!"

I growled at him, "Don't you tell me what to do, Mao, I know when to grow and when not to!"

"No, you don't! You are doing it in front of a child!" His voice raised even further. I glanced at the terrified girl and backed down silently, but I maintained the aggression vigilantly. I recited my words, each words carrying weight, as I stared at the platinum girl dead on.

"Mao is our enemy. Do you not know that? Even though there are humans among his ranks, but you! You were one of us! My guild, Nakama! Comrade!"

Mirajane's gentle yet bittersweet composure never died nor swayed by my words.

"Oh, I know where you are getting at, Erza. But, Erza. That guild that I was once a part of is no longer there, and you know that… besides, let's get things straight." She briefly paused.

"You and I were not exactly on the best terms when we last departed… you didn't even come to look for me." She ended that with a sourness in her eyes.

"I thought you were dead." I squeezed out, and she responded softly. "I can understand that. Walking into the enemy territory will likely to spread the news like that."

"So, you did walk into the hell…" Then I quickly added. "But you would know what Mao had done! Why did you join his rank?! Why did you betray the humanity?!"

"I did not betray humanity." There was a glint of anger behind her. "And people change, Erza. Is it really so hard to accept that it already been a whole ten years since our last departure? I stayed in Alveraz Empire for that long, and I've seen everything. The battle that we humans are waging, it's meaningless!"

"Then tell me! At least tell me what happened! Because I can't make sense out of you!"

Mirajane glanced at Mao for permission, and he gave the nod to grant it. She breathed in the air, before respiring it out heavily through her pink lips.

"Okay…"

And then, words flew out of her mouth, as she recollected her memories.

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10 years ago…

"Just who does he think he is! Making me do whatever he wants!" Mirajane growled as she smashed the wood next to her. Already entered her demon form, her strength was tenfold.

The wood she struck flew, crashing everything else behind and making one fine line of trench.

"Gahh!" Another kick came this time to the other side. She had done it so repetitively that she ended up making a circle, where no life stood before her another destruction.

But it did not fill her content. Venting out her ire to those could not respond only made her even more irritated. Heaving out of her hot breath, panting as she gulped down the bit of saliva that pooled in her mouth, she looked up.

Then she growled ever so vehemently, and both her clear blue iris were filled with venom, boiled, and distilled down to a poisonous drop of hatred.

As she stood in the forest near the border, the night had already come. She ought to return, but not with when she was brimming with intent to kill. She had to kill something.

Ah, yes. That was what Mirajane was. The poisonous child, hot-headed, who let none stand in her way, even the slightest. She was the best of all, and letting somebody think so easily of her, then subjugating her was all the reason for her pandemonium.

Then an idea formed inside her head. "Demons! I need to kill them!"

And like that, she soared to the sky, and let the explosion of air burst behind her with a rumbling of the earth.

The border has initially been an ocean, with no land or island for thousands of miles. She didn't ee it, so she had no way of knowing how the beach or ocean shaped like, but she had heard from her guild master that it was. Around the time around her demon magic was activated, the land was formed, bridging the way between the path between the earth and hell.

First, they came from the sky. Then foot soldiers through the land. They ravaged everything around it, killing and soaking everyone's body in their blood, bringing destructions to their fathers' temple, and ashes to his gods.

People were ignorant of sudden war, and until this day, no one knew why the demons suddenly started to attack. So, they blamed it on Mirajane, out of sheer fear, even though her parents were killed by them.

The source of Mirajane's problem was demons. They were the scourge of the earth, and they are her hatred. They must be destroyed, their world must be defiled, and incinerate their corpses to wipe them clean from this world.

Thus, they made a perfect target for her.

She just had to replace their faces with that pink haired werido.

The hell was now right below her, and she made her descent in the most disgraceful way possible. Plunging her hand to the ground with her knees bent, she let her magic gnaw through its earth.

She didn't see any demons nearby, but this must of power ought to bring them out.

Then she felt a presence behind her. Her mouth boasting a full psychopathic grin, she launched her leg to the enemy.

"What-!" She screamed as the figure held her feet effortlessly. Her smile instantly dissipated at the creature in front of her. It was a creature as pitch black as night, with white skull shining brightly under the moonlight. Its body was packed with brawn to kill just about anything.

Mirajane instantly retreated and threw it a salvo of her magic, but they had no effect on it. Confusion appeared on her face and forced herself some distance from the beast.

However, something ruthlessly struck her head behind. The little mage gasped in air as saliva and blood spewed out from her mouth. Blood trailed down from her lips as she fell forward.

Then another punch to her ribcage, instantly shattering it.

'These are not some regular demons…!' She thought out loudly.. perhaps not. She was too busy dealing with the deafening pain. The world spun around her eyes, and a constant high pitched noise rang inside her eardrum.

The demon that stood in front of her opened its jaw, and it fell to an impossible length, before charging up its magic. Without any thought to giving, she threw her spell at it, hoping that it will hinder its preparations and perhaps detonate it inside its mouth.

Thankfully, her visceral perceptions were not wrong: the demon's head exploded. "fuck—yes!" She growled, but her blood ran cold as it started to regenerate.

Barking every curse she knew, she opened her palm to kill it, but something held her leg and threw her to the ground. 'Shit! I missed the other one!'

To the ground as if she was a baseball bat, to an extreme speed. She was an S-class! Though maybe a child, but still a powerful mage! She managed to get through her most difficult hardship, she fed her own siblings, she killed her foes! There was no way she was going to let herself def—

Her teeth first met the earth inverting inside to her throat by the impact and pulverized instant. Then her nose came next, shattering asunder. At last, her forehead kissed the ground, and bone-chilling splatter echoed the world.

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*Gasp—!*

Mirajane inhaled the air as if had not breathed for years. The air was warm, and it rushed into her cold, rigid body. It brought life to her soul. Gasping, then fluttering her eyelids open, she let the information flood into her visual cortex.

A white light… then followed by orange, then lastly, luscious and extravagant white marble ceiling engraved with precious metals.

She groaned out loudly as she flexed her arm. "Ugh. where am I?" Her voice was hoarse, dry and arid like the desert itself. It felt like she had swallowed sand.

A familiar voice responded from her side.

"You up now?" she turned her head to face the speaker, and again, met with a familiar image. It was a man, with pink hair, who had a devilishly handsome look.

She immediately recognized him, but she had no power to summon her emotions. She felt sore, weak, and she didn't know why.

"Take it easy. You might feel disoriented from the wake-up, but it'll get better. Now, look at me." He tapped her cheek before bringing a flashlight to her eyes.

She jerked away from the sudden blindness, and he turned them back off.

"Thank goodness... the response is good."

Not understanding what was going on, she voiced out her question to him. "Wh…what happened to me?"

He turned away and grabbed a flask of expensive design, and poured some liquid into a cup, before handing it down to her.

"Drink this first. You'll feel better instantly." She didn't question him as she felt too weak to say no. Hoping this whatever the liquid work, she took it without hesitance.

And just like that, magic returned to her, and the coarseness in her throat was gone, and her lips felt well- hydrated, and her body was no longer cold. The rigidness of her limbs had grown soft, and at last, she felt alive again.

Mirajane recited her question, now filled with life. She was back to her usual self.

"What the heck happened to me! Tell me! I want to know!" She threw her index at the pink haired man.

"what's the last thing you remember?" He questioned back, and Mirajane had gotten instantly annoyed.

"Hey, I asked you a question, weirdo! What the heck happened to me! Where am I?!" Yet his demeanor was unchanged, and his dark onyx eyes glimmered in the candlelight as they gazed through her again.

It was like that incident all over again. Mirajane instantly looked away and growled to herself. She was about to confront him, but his soft voice hushed her.

"Just try to remember."

Perhaps, Mirajane thought he had a point there. Her head was still hazy, and trying to remember was one of the best alternatives she could do now. Her platinum eyebrows knitted to center as she closed her eyes to concentrate.

She remembered being enraged. Angry because of that man, and she destroyed the forest by her own temper tantrum. But that wasn't enough, so she sought after real demons to kill. She remembered the powerful jet black beasts attacking her. She fought them head-on, then she recognized one of them grabbing her leg, slamming her to the grou—

The coldness crept by her body again, and her fingers felt cold. She relived the burst of pain she felt that moment. That explosive pain that surged throughout her face. The pain was immeasurable, dissolving her brain into a mush before it diabolically annihilated all her nervous system as it set them on fire.

"what…" She quietly raised her own hands. They were trembling out of strange emotions that surged up through her stomach. It sunk her heart like an anchor to an abysmal ocean. Her small frame felt like it was weighted down by an entire planet, dragging her down to the darkness within.

Her eyes were dilated long before those senses returned to her in a tangible form. Mirajane shivered. She knew exactly why but didn't at the same time. She whispered out as her own voice suffocated her.

"I…I don't know… I lost…? I lost the fight? Didn't I? and…and I lose consciousness? No… that doesn't sound right…ah—! My head hurts…"

She looked up at him in search of answers. The gaze from his look gave her everything she needed.

At last, choking by own saliva, she squeezed out in an inaudible whisper.

"I died."

Her voice now trembled even and collapsed down to its core with her soul. "But how am I—?!"

He quickly interjected. "Alive?"

Mirajane stared at the enigmatic man. "I resurrected you."

She gasped through her weighted throat. "Resurrected me?!"

"How?! But I… I don't understand! Why? How?! How is it even possible!" She nearly bellowed. From the swirling storm of her emotions, she had no idea whether she should cry in joy or enraged by confusion.

"How I resurrected you or why does not matter for now. I'll explain that later." He paused, "The problem is, what will you do?"

"What are you talking about…? I need to go back to my siblings?!" She stammered out, not realizing tears are starting to form around her eyes.

"You can't. Because technically, you've been dead for the past month."

She screamed in terror and shock. "For month?!" Then the man handed her newspaper, and she took it eagerly and started to read it. The huge bold title was stamped on the top,

Child Prodigy Now Confirmed Dead.

No doubt, this was her. The funeral was already had taken place, and she knew exactly what that means. However—

"I don't care! I don't care! I need to go back! Elfman and Lisanna still need me! They need me!"

She thrashed, but he held her down with a simple gesture. Immense pressure dropped on her body, and her muscles paralyzed in an instant, without her consent.

"You can't. If you return now, then you are throwing the entire in chaos. No one has ever been fully resurrected, I hope you know that, kid."

She was defiant! "I'm not a kid! I raised my own siblings and had no problems with it! I am an S-class!"

"No, you are a kid. You are young, inexperienced, emotional. That's what you got yourself killed."

Mirajane could not reply anymore, and her head dropped down to the floor. Tear flooded out from her closed eyelids. She tried to shut them tight, force them to crawl back in, or something. She wanted to look strong, she wanted to be brave.

Yet at this moment, when everything about her crashed down like this, how could she?

Then from the muffled cry, she bawled. She had let loose all of her emotions and let them run wild.

He approached her and pulled her into his embrace. Mirajane held no more hatred towards this man.

She had nothing hold anyways now, as she realized she was nothing; nothing other than a foolish child, a dead girl walking.

Her fingers dug into his skin as she desperately tried to hold him close to her, and he gave her a comforting pat on her back. She forced her head into his chest, her tears wetted both of their clothing.

He whispered to her softly as he caressed her petite frame.

"It's okay. It's okay to cry. You may be a child, but I know that look in your eyes. You've been so strong for so long, carried a burden that you shouldn't have. You can let it out now." He paused.

"What matters is you live. As long as you do, you'll be able to see your siblings again, someday. Until that day comes, be strong again."

Her cries had gone louder and louder, her face had gotten red, and her beautiful face had crumbled up into folds of blushing skin. She started to hiccup, but at the end, she managed to whisper between her suffocating tears.

She whispered, "Thank you…" and it was weak, trembling, but most important of all, it was genuine and deep. It had the warmth that she didn't know it was there. Thus, like as if it was etched to her head, she repeated it. Over and over again,

"Thank you…. Thank you… Thank you…Thank you…"

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Character Stats

Mirajane _?

Alias: Demon Princess

Occupation: Fourth Spriggan of Alveraz Empire, fourth strongest/ influential figure of the Mao's elites

Magic: Take over Satan soul / ?

Curse:?

Intelligence: 9/10

Strength: 8/10

Agility: 10/10

Perception: 10/10

Endurance: 9/10

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Erza Scarlet

Alias: Yusa

Occupation: Hero. First God of Isghar, General of the Army(former)- Mao's Private Maid

Magic: Re-equip Knight/ Fire Dragon Slayer Magic / Fire Dragon King

Intelligence: 5/10

Strength: 6 +-1 /10

Agility: 5+-1 /10

Perception: 8/10

Endurance: 8/10

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Sayla

Alias: None

Occupation: Secretory of the Mao

Magic: None

Curse: Macro, Etherious Mode, Telekinesis

Intelligence: 9/10

Strength: 6/10

Agility: 7/10

Perception: 7/10

Endurance: 7/10