Chapter 11: New goals and Teaching?

Written by Greatkingratt88. Once again, thank you.

Fairy Tail is owned by Hiro Mashima. BLEACH is owned by Tite Kubo. Me? I own JACK SQUAT.

Not a long chapter, but I figured a short one is better than nothing. Thank you for reading, and if possible, please leave a review, I would gratly appericate it, as they help motivate me and my writer more than anything else.

Life in the Gotei was serious, far moreso than the relaxed atmosphere of fairy tail. There were no brawls- well, at least not very many- people didn't drink recklessly, there was a strict schedule for on duty and off duty, and questioning authority was out of the question. It was a place of soldiers, not a large family, and Erza had had to change to adapt to it.

That was not to say, of course, that it was all work and no play. Today, she and Lisanna had no duty whatsoever, as any soldier was entitled to a day off every now and then. They would go walking the rukon, or have a drink or two with friends, or maybe she'd just read a good book- or train more, if she had nothing better to do. Today was special, though.

Today, Lisanna was taking her to the world of the living. Not to Fiore, but to the world of the living where she had come so many times- the world that was called "earth" by its inhabitants, or "tellus". They were going to a country called "Japan", in a town called Karakura, to do... well, not a whole lot, just relax, she supposed. It was interesting to her- she had gone to this world many times, but most- almost all- times it had been to more desolate, remote places, intercepting hollows before they closed on a human population. This would be her first look at civilization- or at least one of the many there were.

And so it was that Erza, after having exited a senkaimon with Lisanna and slowly descended through the air, found herself on the busy streets of Tokyo. The sun was shining brightly, the streets were filled with people, and the air was thick with fumes. All around them there were large, colourful signs flashing with different messages, surely powered by some sort of magic. The streets themselves were filled with an odd kind of steel carriages, seemingly powered by themselves, exuding smoke. It was a lot all at once, and it was... loud.

"Come on," Lisanna said, gesturing at her, "I'll show you someplace more peaceful."

After being led through the busy, bustling streets for twenty minutes or so, Lisanna finally found the place- a café of sorts, in a back street, with few people nearby. The two of them had a seat by a table, and Erza leaned back, relaxing.

"Won't people try and use this table?" She wondered out loud. "We are invisible to normal people, aren't we?"

Lisanna smiled. "We have an understanding with the owner. This city has a lot of spiritually rich people who can see us- including the owner. He knows he caters to "ghosts", and it doesn't matter so long as we have money." She giggled.

"Do we?" Erza said, sounding concerned. "Have money, I mean. I don't think I know what kind of money they use..."

"Don't worry, I thought about that." Lisanna said reassuringly. "It's not my first trip here. I'll worry about money. We'll make it my treat."

"All right- but I'll pay next time."

"Done!" Lisanna looked around, at the walls of the tall buildings. "So... what do you think about this place?"

Erza frowned, then smiled. "It's so... different. There are so many buildings, and... how did they make houses this tall? It's like every building I can see is taller than the tower of heaven. And these metal carts, these flashing lights... do they have magic too?"

Lisanna laughed. "No, barely anybody has in this world. People think of it as... a fantasy, I guess. Ghosts, magic, monsters, people don't really believe in it."

Erza looked surprised. "But how... how do they make all these things?"

Lisanna shrugged. "I don't really know. I heard they just use their understanding of the world- they have trains that move at hundreds of miles an hour, great big planes that fly at the speed of sound, devices that let them speak to people all over the world... they even have things out in space. And none of it is magic, as far as I know."

"And they don't believe we're real."

"Something like that." Lisanna mumbled, calling to a waiter. The two of them ordered, just simple tea and a few sweets, and Erza looked around her more, taking it all in. "And... they all live like this?"

"Some do, some don't. Some countries have very little, some have more than they need. Humanity came far in this world- everything is bigger here. They didn't have magic, so they took so 'science', and made it good enough, I guess."

"It is... amazing." Erza said. "And kind of weird."

"You'd be surprised how much like Fiore it all is. Some things change, but humans are all the same- people trying to get by, trying to find purpose, making families and friends together. Poor or rich, advanced or simple, some things stay the same."

"I hope so." Erza mumbled, digging into a small strawberry cake. "I see they make baking goods just as well."

"By the dozen," Lisanna laughed. "This country is full of things to see- I'll show you some of their shrines and temples later."

"And these people, with all these things... they all go to the soul society when they die." Erza mumbled thoughtfully.

"Unless they've been very bad, yes," Lisanna said dismissively, sipping her tea.

"Imagine living with all this plenty, all your life... and finding out that the afterlife is that much worse." Erza mumbled. "Doesn't seem right, does it?"

"I guess it doesn't. I didn't think about it much."

"Maybe you should." Erza said, and there was a slight sharpness in her tone. "You know what it is like, and I think most people wearing the shihakusho do. So... knowing all that, why don't people care more? Why do people ignore something like this?"

She didn't sound particularly aggressive, or agitated, but Erza knew that if she continued, she would be. The contrast was extreme- there was such wealth here, so much luxury that, seemingly, even the common man could afford- which only made it worse knowing what the Rukongai was like.

"You know what the chain of command is like." Lisanna said, almost indifferently. "We do as we're told- and the higher ups answer to higher higher-ups, who answer to even higher people, and those higher people are concerned with balance between the worlds."

"Couldn't we do so much more? The Gotei is strong- it is rich and powerful, and it could do so much with that."

"Tell that to the head captain, then," Lisanna shot back. "You know the idea behind we shinigami- 'we, of the Gotei Thirteen, exist to guide lost souls from one world to another, to protect them from those who would do them harm, to maintain balance and harmony, to serve with our lives the Gotei Thirteen in its glory'. Isn't that right?"

"I remember that quote. Every recruit learns that mission statement- why we train in the first place, and so on."

"So there's no reason to fuss. "We're here to protect and serve. There's nothing in there about having to make people's lives better- they can do that for themselves."

"Maybe there is a reason. Maybe that statement isn't enough."

"Not right now, Erza," Lisanna mumbled, "can't we just have fun on our day off? We bust our butts all day long to keep people safe- I think we earned that."

"...you're right." Erza said, nodding. "I just wish..."

"Yeah. I do too. But wishes don't really help much, and all this does is make you feel worse. So relax, why don't you?" She sighed. "I know you want to make it better, and that's one of the things that makes you, you. It's one of the things any Fairy Tail member would want. But you don't have that power, and neither do I. So... let it go, for now."

"Sure." Erza smiled. "Let's go see those shrines, why don't we? Show me the world!"

Lisanna smiled again, and arm in arm, the two of them marched away to go sight-seeing.

They spent most of the day there, and Lisanna showed her many new, wondrous things- technology beyond any of her imagining, old temples and museums filled with ancient images. She saw weapons old and new- swords not unlike the one she wore, and more modern kinds that looked oddly boxy; "guns", they were called.

But as it is with all things, it had to end eventually- and as they closed on evening, and Erza's head was full of things she had seen, felt, smelt, touched, eaten, the two of them headed back to the Soul Society. Let it not be said that she didn't know how to use a day off- even though this was Lisanna's doing...

-The next day, during her lunch break, she had her lunch with Isane. She was a nice person to know- meek, but reliable.

"How is the clinic? Not too much work, I hope," Erza said, digging into her simple bowl of noodles.

"Oh, it's fairly slow." Isane said, chewing down a dango ball. "Not too many operations out in dangerous areas at the moment, thank goodness, and that means fewer injuries. Fewer casualties."

"That's good." Erza said, nodding. She wasn't sure what to say next- she was good at violence, but small talk like this made her a little uncomfortable- how did people manage to drone on about trivial things so easily? Life was short- well, actually it wasn't, not here- but still... wasn't there better things to do with one's time? She liked Isane, she really did, and she didn't want to come across as... impolite, but she didn't quite know where to go next.

Luckily, rescue came to her before she had to settle for either an awkward silence of a forced, generic reply, in the forms of the busty, blond officer she knew as Matsumoto Rangiku.

"Oh, hello!" She said, and, quite at ease, took a seat at their table. Leaning back, she stretched her arms, and let out a relieved groan. "You wouldn't believe what a hassle it is, getting that lazy good-for-nothing-" Shiba-taichou, of course, "to do anything right. I'm starving!"

It was amazing, Erza thought, how some people took to this... game like a fish took to water. Just sitting down, and not even butting in on a conversation but naturally making yourself a part of it. She didn't for the life of her understand how people found that sort of casual smoothness, and she wasn't sure she wanted.

"So," Matsumoto said, as she dug in to her lunch- a regular sandwich- "how are things going with you, Isane? Are there any cute guys, coming into the hospitals all wounded but not too wounded, clamoring for the attention of a sexy, caring nurse?" She winked shamelessly.

Isane blushed very slightly. "We were just saying how there weren't many injured right now. Things are kind of quiet."

"Well, that's marvelous news!" Rangiku said cheerily. "That means you'd have to go man-hunting someplace more conventional, though."

"I'm uh, actually not that interested..." Isane mumbled.

Turning on a dime, Rangiku replied, "Well, who needs men anyway? Smelly, dirty, insensitive, and you have to kick their butts to get them to do anything right."

This woman just wasn't one for any kind of awkward, was she?

"I went to the world of the living yesterday," Erza said, deciding not to be talked over any further.

"Oh, were you? They have the cutest little handbags there- and soo many dresses. Thank goodness for humans- the Soul Society would be in a dreadful state without the fashion they have. These old things," she said, tugging at her own shihakusho, "they do all right and they can look spiffy if you keep them clean, but they're all so boring, don't you think?"

"I... never thought about it." Erza said honestly. "But now that you mention it, I suppose I wouldn't mind wearing something else if I had the choice."

"That's a good girl!" Rangiku said, nodding enthusiastically. "Say, why don't Lisanna and I take you shopping next time- we'll find you the best outfits. What do you like- dresses, blouses, skirts- or maybe you're more of a pants kind of person?"

"I was always more partial to steel chest plates," Erza said, and smirked as she saw a look of slight surprise in Rangiku's face.

"I can't say I heard about that before. Is it common, where you came from?"

"It's a personal preference." Erza said. "It's practical, it keeps you safe, and you can make it shine if you keep it clean."

Rangiku laughed. "She's something else, isn't she, Isane?"

"Yes." Isane concurred shyly. She was a bit less open, Erza noticed, when it wasn't just the two of them.

"I heard you're a go-getter," Rangiku said, taking a bite of her sandwich, "more hollow hunts than most in the entire division- and in a real short time, too. Are you looking to make a big career?"

Erza took a hesitant breath, and then said,

"Actually, yes."

"Well, good for you- you're strong, dedicated, and you're still growing- I'm sure you can make it up to the upper single digits in no time."

"Actually, I intend to gain bankai and become a captain." Erza said resolutely. She had kept these thoughts to herself for the most part; they were big goals and talking about them would make her seem a braggart, she was sure- but she was interested to see how Rangiku would react.

She was not disappointed. Rangiku choked on her food, and coughed, long and hard.

"Well!" She said, and cleared her throat again, "you dream big, don't you?"

"I can do it." Erza said simply. "I'm sure of it. I have to."

"Well, aim high, that's a good philosophy," Rangiku said, seeming a little taken aback. "You'd have to surpass both me and Isane on your way, you know that?"

"Yes." Erza said, in a simple enough tone that it didn't seem like empty boasting. "And once I'm there, I'll finally be able to really help people. That's the idea, at least."

"Oh, dear..." Rangiku said, and smiled. "You're a sweet person, Erza. I just hope you don't dream too much. Keep your feet on the ground at all times, that's my advice."

"I might fail. It's a big thing to try and do," Erza said, shrugging, "but I'll try. I remember the village I left behind in the rukongai- they were poor, weak and vulnerable, and god knows what might happen to them without me. How many more villages out there are there like them? People who will have to wait for two days if a hollow attacks, people with no protection from bandits, living at the mercy of thugs and the warlords who rule them?" She grabbed some noodles, and slurped down a mouthful. "I want to help them. I want to change this place for the better, because... well, somebody has to. And that means becoming powerful- strong of arm, and powerful in rank too."

"I know how the hierarchy works, sort of," Rangiku said, carefully taking another bite, "and I'm not so sure being a captain would really help you there. But by all means try- the worst you could do is fail, and they say it's better to have tried and failed than having done nothing at all."

"I like the sound of that." Erza said, smiling. She downed some more noodles, and paused for a while. "I might take you up on that shopping trip some time. Do they have any good armorer's down there?"

"Oh, dear..." Rangiku mumbled. Erza laughed.

"I'm joking- normal clothes will do."

Elsewhere, in his office overlooking the fifth division gardens, Aizen Sousuke felt the strands of Erza's reiatsu, sensing them like his hand might roam across a silk scarf, so raw and untempered- yet so much improved compared to when he first had seen it, a barely contained ball of energy, blazing away at its surroundings with neither restraint nor control. She was a curious case, he thought as he gazed out over the gardens- he had considered her as a possible pawn, but dismissed her- too chaotic to really be useful. Then he had expected her to amount to little more than raw data for one of his observations, where all her pitifully weak friends had died- but she had lived. She had shown... strength.

The Gotei, of course, was brimming with strong idiots. There was Zaraki Kenpachi, who was absurdly strong in a barbaric sort of way, and Aizen found him no more interesting than a bug or a molehill- he was part of the metaphorical scenery, not unlike a tree- a host of data to be found if you wanted it, but irrelevant compared to other pursuits more worthwhile. But Erza Scarlet was, just barely, not a tree- there was something to her beside just power, a sort of drive, an integrity of a kind that Aizen had found was generally very exploitable. Ideology was the single most useful tool a manipulator could ask for; using that, a virtuous man like Kaname Tosen had turned into his loyal servant, prepared to kill anyone and do anything in the name of his cause. But it was more than that.

Erza Scarlet, judging by his subtle observations, saw what he had once seen, what Kaname had been made to see: a corrupt society, ruling over the weak and poor with cruel indifference. She was far from enlightened, but she had seen past the veil. The "veil", as he liked to think of it- the structure of power, its implications plain to see for everyone, yet dismissed by almost all students once they graduated. The indoctrination process wasn't even that rigorous, but privilege and luxury too was a strong motivator. Many shinigami were from poor backgrounds, hundreds and hundreds of them, yet when they graduated... few seemed to care about others but themselves.

That was the veil. Knowing that who you served was a tyrant, that your masters cared neither about the people they ruled over, nor about your own life, and yet they could convince themselves this was not only acceptable, but the way life should look, that there was no other way, that it was just the way things were...

But Erza Scarlet, it seemed, saw through it. Of course, he had seen it before- the veil, even when pierced, had a way of wearing down a body, until objections finally stopped, until the status quo was all they needed to be satisfied. It was a fascinating kind of mind control, one that he would have liked to have studied- if only he had the time.

For now, Scarlet interested him in a small, bemused way, and he wondered if he could bring her to his side. She was strong, and he had seen weaker people grow into captain levels of strength before- if he could bring her to his side, make her see the light, his light, then she could be a valuable asset one day. She wanted another soul society, a better soul society, just like him- and how precious few were not people like that?

Maybe. Just maybe, she could make a useful addition. He would have to be cautious, of course- but when wasn't he? She trusted him already; he had a reasonable chance.

And that was how, the next day, Erza bumped into Aizen Sousuke in the street, seemingly- of course- by complete coincidence.

She had been out on a regular patrol on the streets, one of the more low-key duties, and one she was required to fill a quota of. In the words of her captain, you can't let some people hog all the action, or the rest would never get the experience they needed. And as she turned a corner, she bumped into a familiar figure, nearly knocking him over.

"Aizen-taichou!" She said agitatedly. "I'm terribly sorry- I should have watched where I was going."

"Please, there is no need to apologize." Aizen said, smiling gently. "To err is perfectly normal, is it not?"

Erza blinked. "Yeah... sure. Well, I'll not keep you any longer-"

"I'm in no particular hurry," Aizen said relaxedly, "and to tell you the truth, I am terribly bored with my office duties. Care to join me for a walk?"

"I have patrols." Erza mumbled.

"Excellent- I'm sure that together, we can fend off whatever fiendish plans these cobblestones can cook up." It was a joke, Erza realized, but delivered with a completely straight face, and those, she never quite was sure about.

"If you wish, sir."

"Sir", Erza? I think I know you well enough to be more familiar than that. Of course, I have been busy... I wish I had taken the time to at least visit you in the hospital."

"It's how you address a superior." Erza mumbled, as Aizen walked alongside her.

"You're not one for formalities, I think." Aizen said confidently. "And to tell you the truth, neither am I- but when you're in my position, you need to keep up appearances. Still, there's no need for "Sir"- you may call me "Aizen", or if you're capable of that kind of boldness, "Sosuke"."

"I see, si- Aizen." She said, frowning. "Is there a particular reason for this... walk?"

She was a little stiff, Aizen noticed, although she didn't seem averse to company.

"My office was killing me," Aizen lied casually, "people think we captains are some sort of... I don't know, sometimes it seems like people think we're some sort of legend, or gods, but really, we're just people like you- people who sometimes get really bored with paperwork. Mark my words, if you become captain one day, you'll find reason to regret it in places you never expected." He smiled.

Erza chuckled. "I don't expect that I will come so far, s- Aizen."

"False modesty doesn't become you, Erza Scarlet." Aizen said, looking at her studiously. She was lying- a simple, casual, socially acceptable lie, to make herself seem more humble. Typical. He seemed to have established trust, though. "I rarely see potential in up-and-coming shinigami like what I see in you. At a minimum, I expect you'll one day make a fine vice-captain."

"You believe that?"

"I believe you'll go further than that- much further. But I like to err on the side of caution. The question is, what will you do when you get there? There is a grand life to be had for the rich and powerful."

"I don't want a grand life," Erza said, shaking her head, "I never wanted that. All I need is a home, and friends and family to share it with. Maybe some people would think that's simple, or cheesy, but that's all I want for myself. Money helps, it makes things flow smoothly, but... it's less important."

"I don't think that's simple, or foolish." Aizen said reassuringly. "In all my time, I find that the best leaders are those who value home more than gold. There is a humility to it. Some aim for the top, willing to sacrifice anything to get there... but I like better those who realize the weight you must carry once you stand there."

"Captain?" Erza said quizzically.

Aizen chuckled in a friendly way. "My apologies- I drifted into poetic territory. What I meant to say is that simpler goals- goals like yours- are better equipped to realize what responsibility means. But," he said, allowing himself the smallest hint of passion in his voice, "if you want no money or luxury when you get there, if you have no ambition for political power, what would you use it for? A captain's seat is considerably powerful, whether you forsake the glamour it can bring or not."

"If," Erza said hesitantly, taking a quick breath, "if I got there, I'd try and make a difference. Not just slaying hollows, preserving the peace, but... I'd want to try and make the afterlife a better place. There is a village that I called home when I first got here, a good ways out in the rukongai, and it's a weak, pitiful place, at the mercy of warlords and bandits. It has good people, hardworking people who deserve better than that, and... I want to build strong walls around it. I want them to have soldiers of their own to protect them. I want them to have rich fields to plow, and all the water they'll ever need." She stopped walking, and looked him in the eye.

"But it's just the one village," Aizen said, "and there are tens and thousands- probably millions- like it in the soul society. I am not criticizing you, but some people would say it's selfish to help only the people who are close to you. They might say it is... inconsistent."

"If it stands between helping one village and helping no villages at all, the choice is obvious." There was steel in her voice, he noticed- she wasn't cold, or offended as far as he could tell, but she knew what her opinions were.

"A valid point," Aizen said calmly, "but would you stop there?"

"No." Erza shook her head slightly. "No, I wouldn't. I'd do the same for the next village, and the one after that, until I couldn't anymore."

"All in your spare time- of which we have little," Aizen interjected quietly, "and what happens when the ruler of the district decides they are too rich, or too powerful, and purges them and takes all their possessions?"

"If that happened, I'd take him down and bring him to justice. I'd bring him before the courts."

Aizen shook his head. "You are so fierce, and so strangely virtuous- but this world, I have seen, is not virtuous. Many a warlord has the official approval of the Gotei- few of them would be convicted. You, however, might be fined for your vigilantism."

"I'd find a way."

"And what if the only way was to cut off the weed at its root?"

"You mean kill him."

"We have done worse historically. Read some of it- it is an enlightening, if not very uplifting read."

"If I had to," Erza said hesitantly, "if it meant saving everyone else, I might. I don't know for sure, not until I was actually there in that moment- but that's what I think I'd do."

Bingo.

"And then what? A leader, however vile, usually keeps a structure in place. If he dies... chaos ensues. Killing a tyrant might lead to more suffering than before."

"I'd set somebody else up to rule in his stead. Somebody just. And I'd check in as often as I could, to make sure he wasn't corrupt."

Aizen nodded. "And now you little makeshift kingdom begins to make sense. But it's one little area of an afterlife- a supercontinent bigger than any world of the living."

"Well..." Erza looked thoughtful. "Is it even possible for one person to make that big a difference for such a big world? I mean, what are you trying to say- sir?" She frowned.

Aizen smiled. "Oh, just idle musings. You remind me of myself when I was younger- burning with a wish to do good, to help people."

"And what happened to that younger you?"

"He's still there, but he isn't burning anymore. One does one's best, but... well, you start to realize your limitations after a while." He shrugged, intentionally putting on an air of defeat. "Well, I shan't bother you any further- but I would ask one thing."

"Anything for my old teacher." Erza said, smiling back at him.

"If you could change the entire world, if you had a chance to make it better for everyone in it- would you take that chance?"

"I would." Erza said determinedly. "This... no disrespect to the Gotei itself, but we're not doing enough."

"I agree." Aizen said, nodding and smiling. "Well, have a good day- I have paperwork to take care of, a dreadful lot of it. When you make captain, I'm sure you'll learn to fear the dreaded mission report more than the mission itself."

"I'm sure I will!" Erza laughed, and mockingly snapped a salute, before moving on with her patrol.

Aizen watched her walk away. She was beautiful, in a way- not for her figure or her face, but for her fire- and her simplemindedness, which would make her either very useful, or very troublesome. Either way, she would be a little interesting to watch.

A few weeks passed as usual; patrols, hunts and soul burials, guard shifts, mission reports, the dull routine of duty interrupted only by week-ends, which Erza would usually spend with friends- or training. According to Rangiku, that made her a bore- but success didn't come to the lazy, or the mediocre; it wouldn't come at all unless you put the effort in. Her form improved, both through training with Ikkaku, and running simple excercises over and over, a thousand and one times. She would work herself sweaty, till her muscles burned and she'd drop into a deep sleep, barely having the energy to get up the next morning.

But even with her improvement, it was a surprise when one day, she was contacted by an academy tutor. It was a day as any other, a week day dedicated to regular training at the division grounds, and she was only just getting warmed up, having swung no more than a hundred swings, when she could feel a presence at the gateway of the training grounds. There was a polite cough, and she turned around to look, wiping some sweat from her brow.

"Yes?" She said brusquely; she wasn't too keen on being interrupted when she had only just gotten into her flow. The man in question was tall, thin bespectacled, and with a receding hairline.

"You are Erza Scarlet, seventh seat of tenth division?"

"That is I, yes," Erza said, putting her wooden training sword to the ground, "and who are you? I'm on duty."

"I represent the academy from which you once graduated, miss Scarlet," the man said, and she noticed a folder tucked in under one of his arms, "and I am told you are, for your level of strength, very fit with a blade."

"I'm sorry- I didn't catch your name."

"Sajima Akide." The man gave a slight bow. "I am a retainer at the academy. And on duty you may be, but so am I- I was sent to find somebody strong of arm and skilled with a blade, and your captain recommended, among five others, yourself. Having reviewed the candidates, I thought of you as the most suitable. I needed to meet you, of course.

Erza frowned. "Suitable? Candidates? What for?"

Akide sighed, and waved dismissively. "Ah, yes, I didn't mention- there was an accident with our kendo teacher, one Shimura Shinpachi. We need a replacement, and quickly."

"Accident? Is he all right?"

"Nothing too serious- both legs broken, and an infection on top of that. Nothing that fourth division cannot cure, but I am told his predicament will take time to heal. A few months, at the least." He looked at her studiously. "Strong of arm, yes- and in good shape, too. Female, but I suppose you can't have everything."

"I'm still here, you know," Erza growled, "and I didn't say I accepted, either."

"There would be an increase in pay," Akide said dismissively, "and I could always put in a request with your captain. We need a teacher- the students need somebody strong and experienced. Will you shirk away from such responsibility?"

"Can I... at least think about it?"

"You start next monday. That, I reckon, will give you plenty of time to think." Akide said, with that same annoying dismissiveness, and gave her a curt bow. "Take this," he said, handing her the folder, "it contains the whole of your employment contract."

"For how long?"

"Until Shimura recovers, I should think. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have several more errands to run..."

And with that, Akide simply walked out, leaving a confused, and apparently magisterial Erza.

Erza as a teacher? That's a scary thought. However, I found it completely necessary for where I wanted, no, NEEDED this story to go. Besides, she DID teach Natsu how to read and write...well, better than Igneel did anyways. But that was a whole different subject and scenario. How will she handle this?

Also, we decided to compare the world of the living to the soul society...Its fairly clear which one is better, and it ALWAYS bugged me that the cannon story line NEVER brought it up. I mean, the Rukon is at BEST, a 3rd world country.

I didn't think Erza would like that, especially after seeing how much BETTER the living world was. So, another goal has been established. Become captain and change the soul society for the better. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please, feel free to leave a review and ask any questions that you want to, Ill try to answer them as best as I can.