1 | Ascent [DISCONTINUED]

12 | OFF TO BATTLE

ERZA JUST DIDN'T UNDERSTAND, she couldn't understand how this could all happen, how her master could be taken down so quickly. She blamed herself, she blamed herself for allowing her master to get hurt. Not only was her master down, but so was most of her guildmates, plus some of Fairy Tail's strongest mages were nowhere to be found. They couldn't afford another battle so soon, but she knew it was coming, Phantom Lord was coming. As she thought about Phantom Lord, she couldn't help but think about that one member, the one member that did her best to protect Master Makarov.

Erza could remember the look on her eyes, it was different than the look she noticed in the other Phantom Lord members. When she looked in the eyes of the members she struck down, they had looks of anger, looks of hatred. The look in their eyes told her they wanted to fight, they wanted to lend a hand in the takedown of Fairy Tail. However, one member didn't share that look, she shared a look of sadness, regret, doubt, she shared the look of a girl that didn't want to fight.

          Erza could tell that she wasn't fighting for Jose, but for her guildmates, a fact that was proven by actions to defend them. Erza could respect the girl, but still, despite her kindness, she was an enemy, an enemy that Erza had to be taken down. And that girl, Elvira, she knew that her kindness wouldn't grant her protection against the wrath of Fairy Tail. She didn't do it because she wanted Fairy Tail to go easy on her, nor did she do it to earn brownie points with the opposing guild.

          Helping Master Makarov was about human decency, something she didn't want to lose during this war. She didn't want, nor did she want any of her fellow guildmates, especially Gajeel, to turn into monsters who kept on punching even when what they were punching couldn't punch back. It was because of this that she helped Makarov, to remind herself, and hopefully everyone around her, that human decency was still a thing, and that it was important not to forget it.

"Yo!" a voice exclaimed, snapping Elvira back into reality to find Totomaru standing there with a smirk on her face. "You're daydreaming about Gajeel, aren't you? You know, I think-OW! What was that for?"

"Gajeel and I are just friends," Elvira reminded him. "I practically grew up with him, if anything, he's like a brother to me. I don't see him that way, nor will I ever."

"I see," Totomaru replied, putting a hand on his chin. "So, what about me and-OW! Come on! It was just a question."

"We're in the middle of a war," she tells him. "Should you really be asking me on a date?"

"So, if we weren't in the middle of a war, you would consider it?" he suggests causing her to slightly blush. "In that case, how about after this war we-OW! Come on! Gajeel!"

"Aren't you two supposed to be guarding the Jupiter canon?" Gajeel asks, turning his hand back to normal. "Not flirting."

During the short battle between Phantom Lord and Fairy Tail, Lucy Heartfilia, the target was captured, however, she soon escaped. Due to this, Master Jose decided to go after Fairy Tail with full force. Not long after deciding to go after Fairy Tail with full force, Jose gave all Phantom Lord members their task, with S-Class having the most important. While Sol, Aria, Juvia of the Element Four were to remain on standby, Totomaru was tasked with guarding the Jupiter canon, one of Phantom Lord's weapons. With Gajeel also on standby, Jose decided to partner Elvira up with Totomaru, something that while she didn't mind at first, she was beginning to regret.