(May 21, 2014) Here's a birthday present from me to all of my readers!

Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail.

Suji glanced from the wanted poster and back to Jellal's face. He let out an abject sigh and tucked the poster back into his apron with one hand, and running the other through his hair. To think that such a powerful.. previously powerful man could be standing.. no, sitting in front of me within my own tavern!

"The Mage Council would more than likely pay a hefty penny to learn of the whereabouts of an escaped convict.. especially one of the former Ten Wizard Saints and a Council member at that, too!" Suji mused to himself, envisioning the S-Class-esque jewel reward that had been printed on the wanted poster right beneath Jellal's portrait.

"Alas, even though he lied to me about being stuck in a dark guild's prison, I still can't bring myself to turn him in to the law," Suji continued musing to himself, eyes lost in thought, "I wouldn't want to lose the income or incur the wrath of any Fairy Tail members that happen to pass through here. Makarov spoke highly of one Jellal Fernandes the last time he was in here. Silly old fart."

Leaning over, Suji gathered Jellal into his arms and hung him over his shoulder. He made his way towards the stairs to the inn rooms and climbed up them, watching to make sure that he didn't accidentally smack Jellal's head into any of the walls. He walked up another flight of stairs and stopped in front of a wide set of doors that led to a suite on the top floor. Grabbing a key, he unlocked the door and stepped into the suite, Jellal's head lightly smacking against the door frame.

Suji mentally smacked himself as he muttered, "Oops!"

"Whaa.. Where am I?" Jellal asked blearily, his eyes fluttering.

Suji answered him by smacking Jellal's head into the doorframe a few times harder. Jellal's eyes rolled back as he passed out yet again. Suji sighed and hefted Jellal onto the bed, then walked over to the drapes covering the balcony and shut them, tying them off with the touch of a clasp lacrima. Walking over to the washroom, Suji grabbed a clean towel, an unused soap dish, and a rechargeable water lacrima from the cupboard next to the scallop shell sink. Exiting the washroom, he dragged a chair over to Jellal and began wiping the blood from his face.

After sluicing the last remnants of blood from Jellal's face, Suji stood up and dropped the now pink towel in the laundry basket next to the dresser. He watched as a blue magic circle absorbed the towel and teleported it to the top of the dresser with nary a spot upon it, then moved the chair back to its original location and slipped out of the room, closing the door with a soft thump. Pressing against the lock with his index finger, Suji slid the deadbolt back in place. A slight shimmer surrounded the door as a shield enveloped the room within and hid its inhabitant from any prying eyes.

Suji sighed and ran a hand through his hair as he thought to himself, Well, I'm glad that I paid for that addition after Makarov needed to hide when his guildlings blew up the old Master's Hall.

Dusting his hands, he made his way back down the stairs.

Jellal's heart pounded as he sensed the predator in the sky drawing closer to him. He dodged between a stand of trees as he hurriedly exclaimed, "Heavenly Body Magic: Meteor!" and took off in a trail of dust. He sensed that the mages were nearby, hurt, but still standing together as a group. As he crested a ridge, he saw the Tenrou team standing in a circle, hands linked with the person next to them. The dragon hovered several hundred feet above the island and began to breathe in, visible tendrils of air screaming as they were forced down the dragon's gullet. Jellal made to rush down and save Erza, but a presence appearing at his side caused him to instead step back from the precipice and look at the new intruder.

A slim blonde-haired waif of a girl hovered several inches in the air, smiling up at Jellal. He drew back in apprehension, but relaxed as he felt her aura of tranquility wash over him.

She whispered softly, "Hello, shade of Erza's heart. I drew you here from your dreams to witness what will happen shortly to those you cherish in this world. You must research this new foe!"

Jellal's eyes crinkled, tears glimmering within them. The girl patted his hand and then focused her attention on the Tenrou team below them. She clasped her hands together, ghostly Fairy Tail insignias rapidly flowing through the air around her. As the dragon unleashed its breath, the girl swung her arms out to her sides and sent each insignia out to the edges of the island. Jellal watched in horror as the pillar of air slammed down into Erza, and then all sight was lost to him of the team.

As his consciousness faded, the girl's voice slipped into his mind, "I, Mavis Vermillion, first master of Fairy Tail, promise you this; be of strong heart and know that you will one day see them again. Go now, back to your own time. I look forward to our future meeting under less dire circumstances."

Jellal sat up rapidly, his heart pounding within his chest. He wondered aloud to himself, "Was that a dream?" Glancing down at his shaking hands, his eyebrows drew up in surprise as he noticed Mavis's Fairy Tail insignia wavering over both palms. Closing his hands, he bowed his head, tears trickling onto his clenched fists.

I will avenge you, Erza.

A/N: Before anybody asks, I'm writing this so that Jellal took the wrong meaning from Mavis's words and believes Erza to be –gasp- dead! Why? Because I want to have fun with writing a semi-crazed Jellal for the next couple of chapters.

A/N: Whoo, it's been quite some time since I last wrote a chapter for this story! I apologize for the delay, all! I'm going to try and update the story at least more than once every six months. I'm done with college for a bit, so YAY!