Finding Forgiveness {Jerza}

The Queen and the Time Teller

Erza's P.O.V

I heard the town clock chime, signaling it was now eleven.

"Punishment?" He scoffed, "You could barely hold your own against the puppet, love. You 'ought to be straight mad to think you'll defeat the puppet master." He stood at the end of the street, his eyes gleaming red.

He pulled a pocket watch out of his coat, "You're just a scared little girl," He sighed eyeing the time, and placed the watch back in his pocket, "However, I'm not one to decline a lovely lady such as yourself what she wishes."

A disrespectful laugh threw itself from my half-smiling lips.

"What's the joke, my dear?" He asked, raising an eyebrow curiously.

"You've already made your first mistake," I spoke grimly.

"Oh, I have then?" He replied with an arrogant, unbelieving smile, "And what would that be?"

"If you care to survive," I began, speaking slowly, "If you care to see tomorrow," I paced unhurriedly forward towards him, my eyes watching the ground, hidden by my scarlet hair, "There's one thing; one thing you never, ever, do."

"I haven't got all night, dear. Just spit it out, will ya?" He asked impatiently.

"You never," My eyes shot up to meet his, "UNDERESTIMATE A FAIRY TAIL WIZARD!"

I sprinted towards him, my bisentō's blade protecting me. Purple streaks of cloth followed me as my feet launched me towards my opponent. His devious smirk now dropped in slight concern.

I'll make him regret ever knowing Simon.

"Requipt!" He yelled, a blade now forming in his own hand. It was a traditional European sword with a shining silver blade and golden hilt. I swung furiously at him, the edge of my weapon nearly cutting him. He used a last-second block with his own, which caused him to loose some footing, but was quickly restored.

"You're a fierce little kitten, aren't you?" He laughed as we locked blades, "Why are you so mad, anyways? You know you won't win!"

I unhitched my sword from his, drawing back on him again, "Simon was my friend, I could never intentionally hurt him. You, on the other hand," I picked up my pace of attacks, violently swinging my blade as if it weightless, "I can afford to injure."

"He was your friend? So what!" He growled as he blocked my barrage of attacks, "Not striking down whoever attacks you is a sign of weakness!"

We battled fiercely, using the same magic. "You're wrong!" I shouted, swiping my sword in a false attack, only to land a punch on his jawline. He lost his footing and stumbled to the ground, but took no time in getting back up once again,

"I'm not wrong! Have you seen humanity? There are no friends, there are only enemies. The same man who confesses his love to you will be the very same man to slit your throat while you sleep! There is no good in humanity, they're all a plague! A plague that'll be wiped out in the blink of an eye!" He screamed back, his eyes filling with a look of insanity.

He dashed at me, his free hand glowing as he requipted another sword into the field. Double-wielding, he threw himself at me, slashing whatever he could. His arms moved at remarkable speed, barely giving me time to dodge his attacks.

"There is good," I yelled back, quickening my pace, "I'm uncertain of what experiences you've encountered," He put more force behind his hits, trying to back me into the wall. Before he could, I pivoted and jumped to my left. This move put me back into the open, "I don't know who hurt you to the point of breaking,"

He let a scream of frustration escape him as he fought harder to keep up with me, "I don't know what made you stray so far from the path of righteousness, but I assure you," his cutlass shot forward towards my head, but I quickly ducked and slammed the stick-end of my weapon into his abdomen, "There will always be good in the world around you,"

I sent a high kick his way, pummeling him on the left side of his face. I held my blade overhead as I pounced high into the air, bringing my attack down on him with incredulous power, "You just need to open your eyes to the possibility of it existing!"

The sword made contact with him finally, as he fell ruggedly to the ground. I held myself over him, my  bisentō now firmly held at his exposed neck. "No matter who did this to you, only you, yourself, can be the one to make you whole again. You are not broken. You are bent. And you have the ability to make things right again," I pronounced, panting slightly from our fight, "You get to choose who you are. But tell me this, are you proud of him?"

His red eyes grew bigger at this question, his mouth slightly parted. He was taken back by my question, and shocked at the blade held at his throat.

He resembled a child, even though it was obvious he was in his late teens. He seemed to be thinking over the question in his head, as a tear formed in his eye.

He seemed harmless.

Abruptly, the sound of a dozen clocks erupted from within his coat, taking me off guard.

With this sound, he blinked and narrowed his eyes once again. The devious smirk returned to his visage, "My, my," He said just barely over the sound of his alarms, "It seems we're out of time, Erza Scarlet,"

I felt his arm move slightly as a green crystal slid from his coat sleeve into his hand. It was a teleportation crystal, rare and illegal.

"WAIT!" I shouted as he closed his hand around it, activating it with his magic.

"We'll meet again, my dear." He said devilishly, "Name's Tick, by the way," He smiled, his body shining blindingly-bright before it vanished beneath me.

"NO!" I shrieked, but it was too late. He was far away, most likely. I'd only ever seen a teleportation crystal once before, and I didn't know how far away one could get you.

I let him get away.

I fell forward, bowing on the ground, exhausted from today. My arms were the only thing that separated my forehead from the cold ground below. I sat there for a bit, taking in everything that happened. Then I remembered: The night was far from over.

I sat up immediately, "Meldy!" I called, running over to her. When I got to her, I dragged her away from the brick wall and laid her out on the ground.  She was still unconscious, and thankfully breathing. A small amount of blood leaked from where her head made contact with the wall, but overall I think she'll be okay.

Jellal.

I thought rapidly, remembering he never came back for us. If we were attacked, odds are: he was too.

I picked up her unmoving body and carried her on my back like a sleeping child. I trotted along the street, looking up and down alleyways where he could be. At the end of the path, it turned and led into another road. I paused before continuing, looking back at Simon's body.

"I'll be back, old friend," I whispered into the cold air, knowing he was finally at peace.

With saying goodbye, I know continued my search for Jellal. This new road was far darker, something was off in the air surrounding it. I ignored this fact and jogged onward, scanning the area for Jellal.

Where is he?

Why can't  sense him?

'Jellal! Where are you?" I sent out telepathically.

For the first time in a long time, no one was on the other end of the line.