Erza's POV

" The next one? " Charle asked.

" I guess I have to be the next one to tell about Annie and now is known as Athena. " I began.

" Erza-san? " Wendy questioned.

" Years ago... "

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Story Begins

>> Nine months, 3 weeks and 11 days has passed after the death of Mary...

We easily get over the death of Mary. I guess we got used to it. I can't even sleep well. Thanks to my strawberry cake I can still think straight.

I'm in solo S-Class mission right now. I am fighting more than thousands of demons in a forest. I killed almost all of them but there is still one left. And then a demon tried to attack me behind. I know it was too late to dodge.

So, I waited for the pain but instead I saw the demon being sliced in half and burned to ash. And then I saw a girl with red hair and brown eyes.

" It's really fun, right? Erza Scarlet-san. " she said while holding her flaming blades.

" Who are you? Are you a mage? " I asked. This girl doesn't seems to be dangerous. So I put my guard down.

" I am one of the guardians in this town. I'm Annie Frest. And yes. I am a mage. " she said. " It's nice to meet you Scarlet-san. "

" How did you know my name? " I asked.

" I am one of the guardians. As a guardian, I should know all people who came here in our town. " she replied. " Uhm... Scarlet-san can I ask a favor? "

" Let's keep talking while we are walking back to the town. " I requested.

" Of course. " she replied and we started walking.

" So what do you need? "

" Well as you know, I am a guardian and I am planning to quit soon. " she looked down.

" Why? "

Then she stopped walking, " I am going to look for my three best friends. "

" Why are you going to quit? Can't you look for them while your still a guardian? " I also stopped walking

" No. If you're a guardian of this town, you can't leave this town. "

" Huh? "

" For some reason, this is part of our policy. In order to find them, I will retire from my position. So if I am planning to look for my best friends, I need money to live. So, Scarlet-san please help me join Fairy Tail. " she begged.

" Sure and maybe I can help in looking for you friends. "

" Best friends. And thank you! I knew you're the right person to talk to. " she happily said.

I just smiled, " So, what are their names? "

" I don't think they'll be using their real names. "

" Why? "

" For some reason, me and my friends are kind of hiding from someone. "

" Why are you hiding? Are you girls criminals? "

" Of course no. Well since you'll be helping me meet them, I think I can tell you our biggest secret. "

I just keep quiet and listen attentively.

" Well, all of us are... let's say... we have some connections with the royal family. They are actually planning something that me and my friends disagreed. And etc. Long story and we escaped without one of my best friends but got separated.

Until one day I received a letter from one of my friends and it said that the best friend of ours who was left in the castle was able to escape. So I was so happy. Until years after another letter from the same friend of mine who gave the last letter.

It says that the friend that was the last one to escape from the castle has dissappeared. She also said to look for the others and also said to never look for her because she is going somewhere far far away. So, I still won't give up looking for them. Actually, I have found one. "

" Who? "

" There are five of us. One, the girl who escaped last in the castle. Second, the girl who sent the letters. Third, is my cousin. Fourth, is me. And the fifth, the sister of the first girl.

I found the fifth. Right now she's training to be able to find her onee-san. She don't believe that her onee-san dissappeared. She's hoping for her onee-san to get her. Till then, she's training. "

" Anything else? "

" Oh yeah. Correction, we would only look for two of my friends. "

" Why? I thought it was three. "

" I forgot to tell you that the third girl's family sent a letter to me. Saying that... my cousin... is no longer here. "

" You don't mean... " I said shocked.

" Yes. They said that she is... dead. I can't help but doubt their words but also the fifth girl received the letter. So there are only two of my best friends we're looking for. The first and second girl. "

" Let's get going. "

Me and Annie finished our business in her town and went to Magnolia directly. She joined the guild for 8 months. During those months we have been going to different missions to look for her friends.

Then she was getting stronger day by day. Until one day, they declared her as the strongest female mage in the guild and was called Fairy Queen. This made me mad. I want the title as well. I asked her if has a moment to talk privately with me and she said 'yes'. So we went outside the guild.

" What's up, Erza-san? " she asked.

" You don't deserve to be the Fairy Queen. "

" Huh? I thought you'll always support me. "

" Didn't I help you only to find your friends and that does not include you being the Fairy Queen. "

" What do you mean? "

" Give the title to me. I order you. "

" Why would I follow you? "

" You owe me. "

She looked down, " You're so... " and then she grinned, " Foolish, do you think I care about this title. "

" Then call our guildmates so, they can witness you transferring the title to me. "

" You're the one who wants it. So, you call them. "

I called everyone and they were shocked by it.

" Everyone calm down. The truth, I am here right now looking for my friends. I don't want to reject your offer to me as the Fairy Queen but the naive Erza wants it in return because she helped me keep on looking for them. " Annie said.

You got the nerve to embarass me! You b***h!

And then she unexpectedly smirked.

Huh? Did she just smirked?

" Let me tell you about my story. " She said then told the whole guild about it. " Don't feel pity for me. But let me tell you the real names of my four friends. The first girl who was last to escape from the castle and now has magicaly dissappeared, Eliza Nova. " she looked at us.

We were all shocked. Eli...za?

Then a memory of Eliza came to me...

(Her memory with Eliza.)

" I love you, Sky-nee! "  " You're so nice Sky-nee! " " Ohayo Sky-nee! " " See you soon Sky-nee! " Eliza smiled.

(End of memory)

" The second girl is the one who sent me the messages and also dissappeared without any clue, Jean Barilles. " I saw her smirked a bit.

Did she just smirked? No, maybe it's just my imagination. And Jean? She...

Then memories of Jean when she's still alive came.

(Her memory with Jean.)

" Hello Erza-san. " " How nice of you, Erza-san. " " Don't worry Erza-san, I'll help you in punishing them for what they did to your strawberry cake. I understand how important to you is your strawberry cake. " " Erza-san! I have something for you. And it's a strawberry cake. " she cheered.

(End of memory)

" And the third girl the girl who went to find the other two and my cousin but her family messaged to me that she died, Mary Toran. " she sadly smiled.

Mary... she...

(Her memory with Mary.)

" Hi Erza-sama. " " Don't worry Erza-sama the wounds in your heart will slowly and surely be healed through time so be patient. " " Don't catch all the problems all by yourself. Remember we are a family. " she comforted.

(End of memory)

" The fourth girl is the younger sister of Eliza. "

Eliza has a younger sister?!

" Is there something wrong minna? " Annie asked us.

I looked at my guildmates who were already crying.

" Do you guys somehow know them? " she asked.

" No, we just... uhm... feel sad for what happened to your friends. " I answered fastly knowing that the others can't answer her question.

" Thank you but I don't need you to pity on me." she smirked. " You liers. "

" What do you mean? " Levy asked.

" I know that you guys met them. " she replied.

" What?! I thought... " I stopped.

" You thought I was still looking for them. But correction, I know most of it. My cousin, Mary, has been investigating about it even she's still a kid. Jean told Mary that she'll help in investigating the guild where Eliza was in and she said she want to look for Eliza to apologize to her. "

" So that means... "

" Yes. Jean went here to investigate the disappearance of Eliza. Both Jean and Mary is now gone. But before Mary died she sent me letters about all the information in her investigation. When I found out Erza is going to do the mission I requested. I made out all the plans. "

" You mean you are the real one who sent that mission? "

" Yes. The one you met is one of my servants. So from the start this is all a set-up. "

" How merciless are you?! " Natsu shouted.

" Well at least not as worse as the guy who broke the dream of Eliza, who broke her heart and killed her! Her dream of living a happy life. You broke all of it! You don't even know what she has gone through! When she was still there in the castle it was more worse than hell! " she yelled at him.

Natsu fell on his knees and kept on saying, " It's not my fault. It's somebody else. "

" Oi it's not only his fault. " strangely Gray defended Natsu.

" Says the guy who broke Jean's heart. Even if she was here to investigate only. She ignored all of our warnings and fell in love with you. But yet you, you! You broke her heart like a tsunami not even caring what happens to the things or creatures it hit. If Jean just listened to us she would be still here. If she didn't fall in love with you she shouldn't be dead now. " she said as Gray fell on his knees.

" You're so mean Annie-chan. " Levy spoke up.

" Do you think I can already be equalized to the girl who betrayed her best friend? " she smirked.

Levy started to cry.

" Stop it already, Annie. " I said.

" No! I can't believe three of my friends trusted you and told you their real names! " Annie replied.

And then we saw our guild burn with fire which magicaly appeared. Me and the guild members are on our knees watching our guild burn to ash.

" You lier! You're so mean, cruel, and merciless! You're mean! Get out of here! Now! " I shouted.

" No need. "

" Huh? "

" I made a promise to myself that if I told you my real name I'll burn myself after I'm done seeing you suffer. But it seems my time is out. " she smiled and went inside the burning guild as the guild collapse.

We were all shocked but still hoping that we could have not done that. We are once again part of another crime.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Story Ends

" That's what happened... " I said looking down on the floor.

" So Annie was the first and supposedly Fairy Queen? " Charle asked.

" No. It was supposed to be Eliza but since she was still very young we were planning to wait when she's in the right age. " Levy answered.

" You could ask your questions later. I'll begin the story of... " Mira began.

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Dedicated to nee-sama143.

And the one above is Annie. Hehe.

Till then.. thank you for reading.

•Edith Iris