It has been days since Natsu and Zack had challenged Gildarts, a duel that bounded to end in a lost no matter what.
And right now, within the Town of Magnolia, the home and heart of the Fairy Tail exists, lies a fairy old looking building.
The building itself is a cake store that is not very known or famous within Magnolia, however, while it is not famous, it also one of the many hidden gems within Magnolia, and the name of this store is called Fate Della Torta.
(AN: Google-Sensei translator from Italian for Cake Faries.)
And within the Fata Della Torta, lies two people, one is an old woman, whose height rivals that of Makarov's.
While the other is a young teenager, who stood before the old woman, who placed a white box that clearly has a cake within it before this teenager.
"Fufu, here is the usual." Went the old woman with a gentle smile as she pushes cake box towards the teenager on the other side of the counter.
The teenager in question, is a young beauty with long scarlet red hair, and brown eyes that looked around 16 years old.
Not to mention, very much like Mirajane, it not just her facial appearance that makes this teenager stands out, but even her developing body shows that within a year or two, it wouldn't be just her face, that will be her only charm, among many others.
And yet, while her body developing such a charm, it is a shame, the armour on her body hides this growing not fully matured charm yet.
After all, she appear more than a knight, which is strange if one were to think of it, why would anyone will wear armour even in such a place, like this cake store.
Almost as if, there is a story to tell why she wouldn't take off her armour, even in a place like this.
This person is no other than Erza Scarlet, the strongest female member of Fairy Tail, Titania the Queen of Faries.
"Thank you, owner, I been looking forward to this." Erza honestly went, showing a smile towards the store owner of Fata Della Torta.
"Fufufu, there's no need to give thanks, but to think the little girl who were drooling over the outside window a long time ago, will become such a fine young lady? I do hope I still be around when you become a beautiful woman, Erza." Went the old woman with a giggle, causing the very so serious Valkyrie before her to blush a little.
"T-That… I wish you forget my shameful part I did in the past… and I am sure you will live another 20 years, owner." Erza went with a faint smile.
"Fufufu, thanks for the compliment, dear." Went the old woman with a bright smile.
Erza also smiled in reply, and then glanced at the white box before her, the box that holds her favourite strawberry cake.
To Erza, strawberry cakes always had held a special meaning to her, a meaning known as freedom, and also as a reminder to not forget about her past.
That is why she always remembered about her past, especially her time in that hell of a tower.
Ever since she can remember, she was abandoned in some village, a village that did not accept outsiders.
Her birth mother abandoned Erza all alone in that place, that is why Erza never had any parents, nor did she even have her own name. The one who given the name of Erza was herself, who admired a certain story, a legend of someone called Elizabeth.
(AN: Not an AU thing, I looked into it, and seems something related to Fairy Tail and pilot, honestly made no sense to me. And by the way, you knew Erza actually name is Elsa? It just the way you say it in Japanese sounds like Erza, that is why she is called Erza, not Elsa. Or least that what Google-Sensei told me)
Erza always questioned why she was left alone, or why no one never cared about her, not even the village she was abandoned in, cared much about her, besides giving her scraps of food.
And then it happened, the village was attacked by Dark Wizards, many were either killed or captured alive, and Erza was among the ones who were captured alive, and brought to that tower.
A place where she experienced many things.
The bounds of friendship, a new family, only to have it ripped away from her.
Than the bounds of a teacher, who was very much the closest thing she ever had as a parent, only to watch him fade away from life.
And then… the one who give her last name, the one who reached out to her first among the many within that tower.
The one who given her, her first strawberry cake, as well the one who teach her about love.
But also the one who also taught her about hatred alongside betrayal.
Recalling of her past, caused Erza to touch her right eye, that is actually a fake eye, and also a reminder like this cake.
If the cake is the reminder of hope and freedom.
Than her right fake eye, is a reminder of her regrets.
The regret that she wasn't strong enough to prevent her family she had made in that tower, from sacrificing themselves, so she alone could escape from that hell…
It was something she never wanted, for others to throw their lives away for her own sake. And the reason why she became strong, and even stronger, all so she wouldn't experience that a second time, to let any friend or family to throw their lives away for her own sake yet again.
"Well… I better be going, owner, I am going to enjoy this when I returned to the guild. I bid you a farewell owner." Erza went, snapping away from the thoughts of the past.
"Fufu, yes, see you again, sweetie, it is always a pleasant thing to have you here, do take care of yourself, Erza." Went the owner of Fate Della Torta.
Erza nodded her head with a gentle smile, before she turned around and about to leave, or so she planned to.
Because from the moment when Erza were about to leave, someone she knew walked into the store when she about to leave, causing this young Valkyrie to remain in place by surprise.
"Erza…? What are you doing here??" Went a familiar voice, that also seems to be as shocked as Erza herself upon seeing her in the Fata Della Torta cake store.
Erza looked at the familiar person, who not wearing the same usual attire, but one of a builder instead, especially since there is a safety hat on his bluish dark hair.
This person, that appeared more like a builder, especially his muscles does not help either, is a follow Wizard like herself, this is no other than Zack Smasher himself.
A silence came between Erza and Zack, who just stared at each other in their stunned moment.
And yet, the one who causes the two of them to snapped out of their stunned state, were no other than the owner of Fata Della Torta herself, who shown an amused smile at these two youngsters, for very obvious reasons.
"Ooh, you two knew each other? Yet again, you both are Wizards from the same Guild, anyway, the usual, Zack?" Went the old woman causing both Erza and Zack to look at her.
"Oh yeah… the usual." Zack simply went, as he placed his hand at the back of his head, giving a sheepish smile.
"Fufufu, very well dearly, I will be back shortly." When old woman said this, she went at the back of the cake store, leaving Erza and Zack alone in the store front.
Several seconds passed, as the first one to opened their months, were Zack, who looked at the Valkyrie who only sighed, and gives a smile to him.
"I did not expect to see to found you here, Erza." Zack honestly went.
"Neither did I? What makes you come here… well looking like that?" Erza asked, curious why Zack is here, especially while looking like a builder.
"Oh this? I often take on Jobs from the guild, that required me to either demolish and rebuild houses or buildings around Magnolia, and sometimes even outside Magnolia as well. In fact, one of the co-workers at the site told me about this store, especially when we both share the same love for coffee."
It is not secret, especially when it comes to someone as opened and honest as Zack.
That Zack has a fondness for bitter food and coffee itself, unlike herself, who has more of a sweet tooth, then a bitter one that Zack has.
Erza nodded her head at this and took a good look at Zack in his builder attire, to be fair, the attire really suits this clueless teenager, especially how well trained his body and how tall he is, does really fits into role of a builder.
"Wait, is this the place you get your strawberry cakes from?" Zack went, noticing the familiar white cake box in Erza's hand.
"That is right, I been coming to Fata Della Torta since some time after I joined the guild. And let me guess, caffe latte lake, is why you here for?" Erza honestly went; as she sees no point in hiding that she goes to this place.
As it is true most of the Guild has no clue about Fate Della Torta, but that does not mean she hiding this place from others, only reason she never told anyone within the Guild, is simply because no one never asked her where she get her cakes from.
And seeing Zack gives a sheepish nod at her question, if the cake he ordering is a caffe latte, caused a smile on her lips.
Among the guild, the one who knew Zack the most, is no other than herself.
Since the first time they met, with her capturing the naked Zack who was zooming around the guild all excited in his birthday suit.
Who would have expected from that moment, she will spend a lot of time with this troublemaker, who makes Gray's stripping habits a joke.
In the first place, seeing someone like Zack running around naked, wouldn't startle Erza, like it would with the rest of the Guild.
Erza herself, never been shamed to be seen naked, especially if the one who saw her, were her guild mates. She knew the fact she does not mind being seen naked, had to do when she always often had to bath with other people from different genders and ages all the time within that tower, that made her immune to be seen naked.
Not to mention, to herself, freaking out while showing even the slightly amount of skin, is a weakness this young Valkyrie did not like, that is why she never bothered with being seen.
Not to say, she misses the days when she used to bath with either Natsu or Gray a long time ago, but these days they refuse to be bathed with her, which is a shame to this young Valkyrie, that has less modesty when it comes to such matters, that one would think given her serious personality.
(AN: This is not an AU thing. It is stated in the fairy tail fandom, that Erza has no shame being seen by others, especially by her guild mates. And this also the reason why Erza often wear armours that shows a lot of her figure in the canon.
And it also written in the fandom, that she often stated her desires to bath or shower with Natsu, which of course, the Dragon Slayer refuses her. Honestly, I don't remember it, but it is something I do see Erza doing, since she sees herself as an elder sister to most of the young generation of the guild.)
Anyway, due to Zack former self, being well… many things.
Erza is the one who mostly dealt with the old Zack.
How many times she has to play cat and mouse around Magnolia with him?
Or the times when she has to wrack Zack on the head, when he did something, he shouldn't do, which was quite often with how curious Zack is towards… basically anything.
But no matter how many times she told him off, and gives Zack a 'fist of love', Zack never shown a hint of fear towards her, unlike most of the guild (mostly just male members), which caused Erza to be close with this bold and brave Zack.
This is the reason, why Erza can read Zack very easily at times, even better than Mirajane, who also the cause why she no longer can bath with Zack…
As a shame that is, it does not change the fact, those moments made the two of then close together, creating such a close bound between them, not one out of love, nor out of desires, but a simple bound between brother and sister would have.
"I do miss those day, when we bath together, why not we do it again?" Erza simply asked, as she recalled the times when they did bathe together.
At first, it was somewhat troublesome, especially since the old Zack became interested in many things, from the hot water to her own body, that seems different from his own.
Of course, when Zack shown interested and intentions of being touchy with her body, Erza is no easy woman, especially to someone as clueless as Zack, and gives him a 'fist of love' every time Zack shown any intentions to explore her body besides his own eyes.
In the end, she missed washing Zack's back, as well teaching Zack how to clean properly, but that fun came to end, when Mirajane for some reason, did not like this.
Of course, this caused a huge fight between the Valkyrie and the rebellious teenagers, to the point Makarov had to get involve, and even banned Zack personally, from taking a bath with anyone who's a woman, unless he's in a special relationship with them, which only confused our clueless protagonist further.
"Didn't master forbid it? Not like I mind… but Mirajane… she also didn't like it for some reason." When Zack told this, from the moment he mentioned Mirajane, a downcast look formed on Zack's face, that did not go unnoticed by this Valkyrie.
"While I don't see the big deal of it, but I can guess why… Speaking which, did something happened between you two?" Erza bluntly went.
While Erza can understand why Mirajane were upset, as she did not like them bathing together, but Erza personally does not see a problem with it.
After all, what is wrong with taking a bath with someone she sees as family?
After all, to Erza, family is a bound, not just the ties of blood.
However, that is not the point, the point is the obvious look on Zack's face, that something must had happened between him and Mirajane, otherwise, Zack wouldn't look so unsettle and down like this.
But, before either of them could speak a word between them, the owner of Fate Della Torta who at some point had returned from behind the store, coughed to earned the attentions of the red haired Valkyrie, and our clueless protagonist.
"Well, may I come halfway, but there many things this little old me wanted to ask, but I am too old to interfere in the affairs between a man and a woman, no matter how young they are." Went the old cake store owner, who happened to hear about Erza wanting to bath with Zack, causing her to be amused by this.
"Just little advice from this little old me, use protection, you two are young after all, and here Zack, your caffe latte cake."
Went the old woman as she handed the cake that Zack already preordered before the beginning of his Job, which were to destroy a two story high building, and also to help with the clean up afterwards.
"Thank you??" Zack with a smile as well a confuse look, as he got no clue what this old lady meant by protection.
Zack is not the only one, Erza also looked confused and blink her brown eyes at the old owner.
Erza has no clue what the owner meant by protection, isn't she already wearing her armour? And if that wasn't enough, she even has a stronger armour besides the one she has.
Not to mention, Zack has Armament Haki, that acts like both as a weapon and as a suit of armour… so, is there really a need to use protection??
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In the fandom, it also stated, that Erza also has a fond of smut and erotic novels, but I don't think the 16 years old Erza will be interested in those things yet,
I guess she will be interested in them either a year before the canon, or maybe some time after the canon.
Knowing Erza, one day she happened to found a certain adult novel, and became curious due to the title, and that's how it all began.
Anyway, enough about this.
I am going to add Erza to the harem?
Is the question I imagine many will ask, I mean you guys from the original fanfic wanted it.
And I am?
Who knows, that is all I can say. I don't want to give spoilers, unless they are necessary.
Just know, Erza and Zack will always have a special bound, but it's not a romantic one, least not yet, who knows, it could happen.
However, for that to happened, Zack needed to learn how to love someone when he already in love with someone else.
And that is not Erza's role, nor it is Mirajane's role. If you read the original Fanfic, you will know who that role is.
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Anyway, thanks for reading this nonsense.
And you knew the usual, if you like this, add it to your library, if you loved it, why not throw a stone at my face… you knew the power stone, not a real stone… please don't make my face uglier it already is, please...