Chapter 21: Ch18: The Melancholy of Dr Whistler

AN: Ok, first off, before we get started with Reviewer Replies, an update on the poll:

Yes Multi-pairing is currently in the lead with 11 (7 votes and 4 comments), as opposed to 'no I wanna know who the end pairing is' at 7 (3 votes and 4 comments). We also had one comment that basically said 'don't care, trust you to make it work either way', which certainly made me smile even if I can't really count it towards one side or the other.

Also, something I feel I should clarify: When I say 'multipairing' I'm talking about the end pairing. Regardless of which side wins, there WILL BE at least a handful of threesomes. The only thing up for debate here is whether more than one of them turns into something extremely serious, and whether or not I tackle absolutely horrific kick-in-the-feels tragedy before this story is over. Granted that's not a writing muscle of mine that gets much exercise, but there's also a reason for that...I don't like sad things.

Anyway! Now that that's out of the way, Reviewer Replies! :D

Raven Carver: You're quite right, I'm enjoying the hell out of this fic. Thank you so much for your kind words. I think I see what you're saying about how anyone who knows the series would be able to figure it out in an instant, but keep in mind Jerry knows NOTHING. He has absolutely ZERO knowledge of anyone/thing he hasn't personally met/seen happen. So anything that would be a huge heads up to us goes completely over his head. There's even something in this chapter that I'm sure every one of you will know exactly what's happening which completely throws Jerry for a loop because he has no idea about the reason for it. All your support? I appreciate it very much! :D

Blaze2121: Again, you ain't seen nothin' on the crack end of what I can do. When I go off into crack-fic territory, you'll know it. As for the 3 you mentioned, what makes you think they'd be all? Jerry's nice to everybody, the things he does which win them over he could and WOULD do for anybody. That's just who he is!

Raidentensho: Nah, Gajeel's fine. He didn't develop the motion sickness until the GMG remember? So he's still fine and dandy on vehicles and still thinks Natsu's being a wimp. Decomposition vs Acnologia? Nope. Dragons are immune to harm from any magic of their element, which in Acnologia's case is ALL OF IT, so even Decomposition at its strongest would bounce right off him. The only thing that can hurt Acnologia while he's in dragon form is dragon grade physical force. In a one-on-one with no chance of bystanders getting hurt, Makarov in good health could probably beat Acnologia in Giant form because at that size he's actually strong enough to fight Acnologia's dragon form. He'd at least put up one hell of a scrap. Given how little we get to see Erza's canon armors actually do their thing, we're much more likely to see something like Purgatory Armor get busted out and get a chance to see WHY she's always so confident in it even though the only time we've ever seen her bust it out and it not get shattered to bits in like a minute was when she, Mira and Makarov went to curbstomp Twilight Ogre.

AnimeMyWorld: Is Laxus stronger than him? Even I'm not sure on that one! Could Jerry win? Yes, if he was prepared, and possibly even easily depending on how far he was willing to go. For example it would be FRIGHTENINGLY easy to simply open a portal into Laxus's skull and crush his brain like a handful of Jello, but that would obviously be an instant kill technique and Jerry would have to be pretty unbelievably PISSED to use such directly lethal means, especially since it would almost certainly horrify everyone he cares about. Barring any instant-kill techniques would it otherwise be one unholy HELL of a scrap? Oh yeah. Laxus is a tough customer no matter who his opponent is.

RedBloond: Well that was a short comment, please see the above note about how the poll is standing. Thank you for voicing your opinion. :)

Prometo: As always, glad you're still enjoying. Yes I think Gajeel's going to have quite a number of interesting and epic moments before we get back to Fairy Tail. I certainly hope you will find the plot interesting! :D I'm glad you're enjoying Jerry's relationships, they're actually THE number one aspect of this fic I'm shakiest on since I have absolutely ZERO personal experience with romance. The harem route might be predictable, but rest assured that if it wins it won't affect the way I write this story in the slightest. The only difference is whether or not I have to tackle heart-wrenching tragedy before the end of this thing.

The watcher earth C-137: Thank you for your confidence in me, I shall strive not to disappoint! :D You know it's kind of funny that everyone's treating this as a romantic comedy. I had no intention of it being that, it just sort of turned out that way. I'm starting to wonder if I should change the story's category TO Romantic-Comedy instead of Adventure-Comedy since everyone seems to consider it as such.

DarkDrawerJ: As always, glad you're enjoying. :D

Guest: Well I'm certainly glad you're enjoying! Yes that fight would/will be freaking EPIC if it happens. I'd honestly call it one of the most hype fights in the whole story. Batman vs Superman? Mmm... More like Thor than Superman, and I'm honestly not sure who a good analogy for Jerry would be given his actually shockingly varied and formidable array of abilities.

Alright, and now that we're through the comments...

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Chapter 18 – The Melancholy of Dr. Whistler

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A little while later, Erza and I headed down to the dining car. It looked like we'd be running into a lot of rain soon, so we elected to go on down and get something to eat. We didn't make it in time, and by the time we got to the end of the car, the rain was coming down in sheets. We stepped on across, hoping to make it without getting too wet. With the roar of the wind and the rain hitting in waves, I almost couldn't hear the roar of the wheels on the tracks or the rattling of the chains acting as a failsafe for the event the coupling between the cars failed.

I was intent on getting across, which made bumping into Erza's back a surprise. I looked up from where I'd had my head ducked down to keep the rain out of my eyes and saw her shoot me a terrified glance over her shoulder. There was no mistaking it either, that was absolute terror.

I don't know what possessed me to throw the door back open to the car we'd just stepped out of and yank her inside, but in retrospect it was definitely the right move… even if I tripped and we wound up sprawled in the floor. I kicked the door shut to keep the rain out and turned my attention to Erza.

My eyes went wide as I registered the sound of her ragged, panicked breathing right in my ear. I couldn't feel her heart hammering as she clung to me like the only piece of driftwood keeping her afloat, but I knew it was. "Erza," I said quietly, then a little louder and more firmly when that didn't merit a response, "Erza."

Erza jerked and suddenly she sat up, completely heedless of the fact that she was straddling me. I could see her chest heave even beneath her breastplate and the look on her face was that of someone who'd just woken from a horrible nightmare. I sat up without a word and gently pulled her close, "Hey, hey, just calm down. It's alright. You're not there anymore, you're right here with me okay? We're safe. You're safe. Nobody's gonna hurt you."

Erza trembled as I heard a breath escape her, "How do you…"

"I don't," I told her quietly, "but I was trained well enough to recognize the signs of a PTSD induced panic attack."

"PTSD?" Erza asked, scrabbling for something to focus on other than whatever hellish memory had just reared its ugly head.

"Post Traumatic Stress Disorder," I explained gently, "It's what happens when people go through something so awful that they never fully get over it. A lot of people learn to function properly again, but if anything sets them off, then in their mind, they're right back in whatever hell hole they escaped. I won't ask, but if you ever need to talk to someone about it, I'm right here." I made sure I had eye contact with her, "I won't judge, no matter what it is, and if there's anything you need help with, I'm here for you. You're my guildmate, and that means I'll do everything I can for you okay?"

Erza contemplated that for a moment and then gathered her composure and nodded, "Yes. I'm alright now. Thank you. Let's, let's get something to eat."

I nodded, "Alright, let's get up and I'll use a portal to get us into the next car. It'll be drier that way." Erza nodded and then we just…sat there for a moment.

Then Erza looked at me irritably, "Aren't you going to offer to help me up?"

I blinked and then snorted with a little smile, "Erza, look down."

Erza looked down and realized she was perfectly straddling my lap. She immediately blushed as red as her hair. I could almost hear the gears in her head screech to a halt. It probably didn't help that my body had finally caught up to the situation and ah…reacted accordingly. I made no mention of it though as I chuckled and folded my legs to stand. I wrapped my arms around her and caught her cuirass and my cloak with my telekinesis, "Uuup we go."

Erza had her feet back under herself almost immediately and stepped back, still blushing utterly crimson and refusing to meet my gaze as she adjusted her skirt. I kept my smile small as I conjured a portal into the dining car and turned to offer her my hand, "Shall we m'lady?"

Erza somehow blushed redder and nodded, standing completely stock still. It was the most ridiculously adorable thing I had ever seen. My smile turned to a mischievous smirk, "Upsy-daisy!"

To say Erza was merely flustered when I picked her up in a bridal carry would be an understatement. Something in her brain had definitely short circuited from embarrassment. If I ever made a photo album of this quest, the most utterly priceless face she was making was beyond any shadow of a doubt going in it. Off hand, I'd say it was about as good as the one I'd made when she grabbed my ass earlier.

I didn't get immediately clocked, so I just strode through the portal, noting that despite the armor, Erza was actually remarkably light. She was as light as a pillow in my arms. Of course, that could've just been the fact that I was still at what I estimated to be ten percent of my magical reserves. According to Master Precht, that meant I was also about ten times stronger than I was used to being.

The dining car was pleasantly lit with soft yellow light, and half of it was taken up by a long bar with brass bar stools. The other side of the car was lined with small two person booths that provided a good view of the country side trundling by through the large windows. The roar of the storm outside was little more than a faint drumming on the roof that blended well with the noise the train made. Altogether it made for a very relaxing atmosphere.

I carried Erza over to a bar stool and gently set her down. The urge to steal a kiss as I took in her flushed face and vaguely star struck expression was almost too much. I actually caught myself leaning in before I forced my instincts back under control and sat down on the stool next to her. I grinned and brushed the urging of my instincts aside to cheerfully request a menu from the highly amused bartender. No alcohol. After that little almost a slip up, I knew that there would be absolutely no way I'd be able to restrain myself around Erza if I were intoxicated, and Mira's warning about what happened whenever Erza got drunk was still quite fresh in my mind.

The bartender handed across a pair of menus and propped her elbow on the bar with a cheeky grin, "So, what can I get fer the happy couple?"

I chuckled, "While I'm flattered that you think I could catch such a fine woman as Erza with anything short of a miracle, I've actually already spent my miracle to become attached to her equally amazing best friend."

The bartender's eyes went wide with excitement, "Whoa, yer Erza Scarlet? That's so cool! I totally see why they call you that too, yer hair's so pretty! I've never seen anyone with hair like that!"

Erza's blush deepened again and she smiled, "Oh, well thank you. Yours is quite lovely as well."

The bartender reached up to her wild black bush of hair that was only narrowly held in check by a bandanna and a modest laugh, "Oh what, this mess? Nah, horrible. I'd much rather have nice straight hair like yours, it must be so much less hassle. If I want mine to look even a little presentable, I have ta fight with it fer half an hour!" She chuckled, "But that's enough about me, tell me about you! I've never had a celebrity in mah car before!"

By the time we headed back to our car over an hour later, any trace of Erza's nightmarish flashback had completely vanished in wake of the cheery conversation and sunny smile from the bartender. As we got up to leave, she had one final question, "Hey, just one more thing before ya go. I've kinda been thinkin' I might like ta learn some magic. Mermaid Heel's actually only a few miles from my hometown and I've always thought about joinin'. Ya think I might could cut it as a wizard?"

Erza turned that heart stopping smile on her and was completely oblivious to the way it knocked me flat as she told Risley that she was certain she'd make a fine wizard. Risley on the other hand, "Hey is he alright?"

Erza looked down at me and my brain rebooted just in time for me to get knocked right back to Lala-land as she shot me a fond smile. She said something that made Risley laugh and say something, Erza said something back and then waved goodbye before catching me by the scruff of the neck and tossing me over her shoulder. The jolt knocked me back to my senses and I looked over my shoulder at her, "As much as I don't mind, I gotta know, is this going to be a thing with you?"

"Depends," Erza shot back cheekily, "Are you going to keep fainting every time I smile at you?"

"Mayb-EYAK!" I yelped in surprise as she copped another feel of my ass, prompting another teleport halfway down the car. I drew myself back up and whirled to look at Erza, "If you just really wanna feel me up that bad then just say so!"

Erza suddenly caught me by the front of my cape and dragged me along with a grin, "SO. Mira's talked up your performance quite a bit and she gave me permission to play with you before we left. So yes, in light of all your teasing, I think it's time for me to tease back. Thanks for the food Risley, best of luck if you decide to join a guild! Whether you join Mermaid Heel or come join us at Fairy Tail, I'm sure you'll do wonderfully. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go make good on some threats." Risley gleefully called for us to have fun.

Erza dragged me back across to the sleeper car and I breathed a quiet sigh of relief as her trauma made no sign of rearing its head. Then I remembered why she was dragging me and it was my turn to blush as red as her hair.

When we got back, Gajeel was the only one still awake and with Lucy stretched out using Natsu for a pillow and Levy doing the same with Gajeel, there were no seats left. Gajeel looked up at us and rumbled out quietly, "Second door from the end's mine. I got a private one since I normally don't like sharin'. I'll make sure ya don't miss our stop."

Erza nodded, "Thank you Gajeel." Then she closed the door and dragged me along. Well, led really, I wasn't resisting at all (who would?!). We made our way down to the compartment Gajeel had indicated and as Erza slid the door open I noticed that there was very little space in it as most of it was taken up by a small bed. It was barely big enough to sleep one comfortably, so I opened my mouth to tell Erza I'd sleep on the floor so she could have the bed…

Theeen she pushed me into the room, down onto the bed and straddled me after closing the door behind herself. She positioned herself perfectly, and gave me the most cat-caught-the-canary grin I have ever seen. "Now then…" she mused, "I wonder what I should wear for this…Hmmm…" Light flashed and suddenly she was wearing a cat ear headband, fluffy paw gloves, a skin tight blue and white tiger-striped one piece, and white stockings. She smiled at me as my eyes nearly popped out of my head, "Like what you see?" Then she downright purred as she ground herself against me and ensured she had my FULL attention.

She smirked down at me, "Or maybe…" another flash, "You prefer bunnies?" BUNNY GIRL?! MIRA JUST HOW MUCH DID YOU TELL HER?!

Erza leaned down to get right in my face, "Ohhh…you like that? Hmmm…" Hands that felt way too soft and delicate to be as strong as I knew they were slid under my shirt, "Let's get this off…"

She pushed my shirt up and only the fact that my arms were rigidly clenched in place kept her from shoving it right up over my head and on off. The mischievous light in Erza's eyes faltered for a moment before she gave me an alluring grin, "Bunny girl's not quite doing it for you? Don't worry, I've got one more that's even better…" She sat up a little, still keeping her hands on my chest as the light flashed around her again. Then she was wearing what I was fairly certain was nothing more than an apron, a maid hat, some lilac colored gauntlets and maybe something on her lower body but I was too busy getting swamped in the wave of what felt suspiciously like my own brand of Pleasure magic trying to override every shred of self-control I had.

To say I was at WAR with myself is an understatement. My heartbeat and blood roared in my ears and every fiber of my being screamed for me to bring her lips crashing to mine, to hold and caress and play with every inch of her, and most of all find out exactly what was beneath that apron in the most intimate and thorough manner I could. I twitched and shook as I tried to retain control. My eyes bulged to see her better until I crammed them shut. My fingers scrabbled at the sheets for anything to hold onto to keep me from grabbing her and ripping that outfit off her. My whole body shook violently as my hips tried to thrust of their own accord and I did everything I could to stop them. My front tried to curl me up to her while I fought to keep my back as straight as a board. My mouth opened to say something, and I slammed my teeth shut with such force that I'd have undoubtedly bitten my tongue off if I'd missed, not giving the faintest ghost of a damn what lust-addled words might've tumbled from it. Worst of all though was the way that my sense of touch seemed to have been hyper sensitized… Every brush of fabric from the sheets beneath me and the heat of Erza's body as she rode my fit like a rodeo bull was a fresh wave of flames trying to burn away my control. For what felt like an eternity, the animalistic urges I thought I had long since gotten the better of and suppressed raged against my will for control.

It wasn't until a nightmarish image of Mirajane in tears flashed through my head that I was able to muster the strength to stop shaking and force my magic to kick the influence of whatever it was that was coming off that outfit Erza was wearing. I took a deep breath and tried to forced my pulse to calm down. I opened my eyes and didn't quite snarl, "Erza. Enough."

Erza actually looked utterly stunned, and then a moment later, she flashed again and was suddenly wearing conservative lilac pajamas with little cross and heart logos all over them. She tilted her head to the side and smiled softly, "Congratulations. You passed."

Everything clicked as her actions all afternoon suddenly made sense. "You've been testing me since the train station haven't you?"

Erza nodded as she sat back and crossed her arms with a small grin, "I really thought I had you for a minute there. Nobody's ever been able to resist my Seduction Armor before. Hmph, most don't make it past my Kitten Outfit, let alone Bunny Girl. Lucky you, we would've had to carry you off the train in pieces if you'd failed at this critical stage."

I exhaled slowly, try as I might, my heart was still jackhammering from what I'm certain had almost been a heart attack, "You almost did. I'm curious, how much did Mira actually tell you about what we did?"

"Very little actually, why?"

"So Bunny Girl's just a standard phase of the test?"

"Yes, why?"

"Because Mira has a bunny girl outfit just like that one you were just wearing except black that I happen to really like seeing her in," I explained, "Honestly, no offense, but if it had been Mira instead of you, any self-restraint I have would've gone flying out the window instantly. You pull that look off every bit as well as she does. There's no way in hell I could've restrained myself if I didn't have her back home waiting for me."

Erza smiled at the compliment, "Well, now that I know I can trust you…" she laid down on top of me and wrapped her arms around my neck as she laid her head on my shoulder. "…take good care of me," she whispered in my ear before shifting around just enough to make absolutely sure there was no way I was going to sleep easily and then she got very still and I guess she was comfortable.

"Is this what you meant by teasing me?" I muttered as I gently raised my arms to wrap around her waist.

She reached down with one hand and moved my hands about six inches lower before grinning into my jaw, "Nope, this is. Since I grabbed your bottom, you can touch mine, just this once. Good luck going to sleep though!" she laughed quietly.

I took a moment to register that and then I vindictively charged magic power to my hands, "Well I'd hate to leave a lady unsatisfied." Erza felt the charge rush to my hands and I felt her tense in preparation. Then I unloaded straight into her with a blast of Pleasure that made her whole body shake every bit as hard as I had and earned me a very very arousing moan of surprised ecstasy.

A moment later, after she stopped instinctively grinding herself into me to drive herself higher and higher on those wild waves of pleasure I'd induced into her system, she went completely limp and groaned into my ear, "That's cheating…"

"You know what's really unfair though?"

"What?"

I snapped my fingers and she drifted off to sleep, with me right behind her as I forced the sleep magic to wash through my body as well and relieve me of the stress it had just been placed under. I fell asleep grinning from ear to ear, I love my life…

…

…

Erza and I woke up right before the train rumbled to a halt. Erza sat up on top of me, looking very surprised to find me there. Then she remembered the night before and blushed crimson again. She thought about slapping me, it was not a quiet thought, but she restrained herself and vented a frustrated breath instead. I quirked an eyebrow at her, "Agree to never speak of this again?"

Erza nodded with an odd look on her face, "Agreed."

Then Gajeel knocked on the door, "Hey, you two alright in there? We're pullin' into the station."

Erza requipped into her usual clothes and armor, "Yes we'll be right out."

…

…

It was still raining as we stepped out of the station. Even though it was mid-morning according to the big clock in the middle of the train station, it was still pitch black outside with only the lights in windows, street lights and occasional pops of lightning overhead to illuminate the gloom. I manifested a pair of large Archive screens to act as an umbrella and light source before we stepped out of the train station's awning. "So, which way?" I asked.

Erza had the flier in her hand and examined it in the light from my Archive, "It says that our client lives at Whistler Manor in Thistleton, but it doesn't say where that is."

"Should we split up and look for it?" Lucy asked, "If there are any restaurants open then we can probably ask for directions."

"Excuse me, are you wizards? Judging by the giant light shield I'm guessing you are," We turned and found a young blonde woman in a business suit looking at us from beneath an umbrella.

"We are," Erza replied as she turned the flier around, "We're here about a job. Could you point us to Whistler Manor?"

The woman's eyes lit up, "Yes! I'm Jean Dark, Dr. Whistler's assistant! I was sent to meet you! Come on, I've got a magic-mobile waiting!"

…

…

Half an hour and a drive up a winding road to a secluded ridge overlooking the valley, we found ourselves being escorted through the, I suppose entrance hall would be the term for it, of Whistler Manor to meet our client while the storm raged outside with seemingly renewed vigor. I was glad we hadn't walked, it was getting nasty out there.

Jean led us to a room littered with hunting trophies including a zebra skin rug, some horns from something that looked like it had been the size of an elephant, and a shining scaly skin that had to be thirty feet long wrapped into a large wreath. This was where we got our first glimpse of our client. He was, exceptionally old to put it lightly. At a glance, I'd put him in his seventies minimum. He had a short neatly trimmed beard that stuck straight out from his chin like a knife blade and his hair stuck out similarly around the large bald patch atop his head. He had a weathered, angular face, but most of his wrinkles seemed to indicate a frequent grin. His age didn't seem to impede him any given that he was currently tied in a knot like a pretzel cracking his neck with one foot while he perched the other on top of his head.

"Doctor Whistler, you have guests," Jean chirped.

"Oh? Who is it?" He asked without opening his eyes to look.

"A group of wizards from Fairy Tail sir," Jean replied excitedly, "They're here about the job!"

Dr. Whistler's eyes opened and his gaze immediately landed on us, quickly noting our guild marks before rolling to his feet with far more limberness than his apparent age would imply. His assistant held out his robe for him without even having to be asked and he effortlessly slid his arms into it, "Well well! You don't say! Fairy Tail finally sent me some wizards eh? I must confess, I've been hoping for a group from Fairy Tail for a while now! Sit down, sit down and I'll tell you about the job."

He gestured us to a table with chairs around it, calmly seating himself at the head of it. We sat around the table and he nodded, "First off, I want to thank you for coming. This is a matter very dear to my heart."

"It's our pleasure Dr. Whistler," Erza replied with a smile, "We're happy to help."

Dr. Whistler nodded, "Weeell you might not be so pleased when I tell you that over seventy expeditions throughout the years have tried this job and most have never been heard from again."

I'm not gonna lie, that was a little intimidating. "Of course," Dr. Whistler added, "There were only ten wizards among those groups, and none from an accredited guild like Fairy Tail." That eased my worry a little. "I'm particularly happy to have Fairy Tail wizards because three of your guild's four founders were the men who recovered the artifact that's made this quest possible."

His assistant handed him a picture from the mantle and he showed it to us. It had four men, including one who looked just like Dr. Whistler clutching a battered and ancient book with an utterly giddy grin on his face, two blonde men and a tall guy who aside from his dark hair looked like he might be related to Elfman.

Dr. Whistler pointed to the man holding the book, "This man here is my grandfather, the first Dr. Whistler. He was an archaeologist who sought the legendary lost city of gold Mattachu. He never found it, but ten years before I was born, he hired a trio of young men from the Treasure Hunting Guild Sylph Labyrinth to track down that book in his hands there. The book is a diary written by the Count de Mufintopin, an ancient explorer who brought back the story of Mattachu from his ventures into the jungles of the land of Minstrel, and it contains significant details on his journey there and back. The three men from Sylph Labyrinth later went on to found a wizard's guild called Fairy Tail not long after, but sadly they were never able to get around to helping my grandfather with the hunt for Mattachu itself." I swapped a small glance with Levy, if those numbers were right, then he had to be at least eighty-eight.

His old face twisted into a frown, "My grandfather believed in Mattachu with everything he had, and even though he had the Count's diary, nobody ever believed him. He was eventually cast out of the Royal Archaeological Society as a crack pot and a fool, chasing after pie in the sky day dreams. He died a laughingstock among those who should've been respecting him and hanging on his every word," He took a deep breath, "As you can imagine, that sticks in my craw a bit. My father was a business man, and I've managed to do very well for myself with the business he left me, as you see," he gestured to the manor around us, "and a fair deal of my excess wealth has gone towards encouraging, aiding and funding expeditions to find Mattachu."

He slumped back in his seat, "I really have nothing left to lose. All of this?" He gestured to the manor and everything in it, "I can't take it with me. My family are all gone, my only relative left was my grandson Miguel, and he disappeared on his own expedition to Mattachu three years ago. I can only assume he's dead at this point." He didn't stumble over it one bit, he had clearly accepted it as fact. That didn't make the obvious hurt in his voice and etched across his face any easier to bear witness to. The way Helga turned and looked away was telling too.

"My one last wish in this life, is proof. Proof that my grandfather was right so that his ghost can rest easy, and confirmation that my grandson didn't die for nothing. I'm…" he grimaced, "I'm ninety years old. I have no need of the gold, or any of this wealth I've amassed. I just…" he trembled a little, "I just want to be able to go to my grandfather's grave before I die and tell him he was right. When I see my parents and son and daughter-in-law and grandson again, I want to be able to tell them it was all real! I'll provide transportation, travel expenses, anything you feel you may need, I will happily provide it! Just please, help grant this old man his dying wish…" In that moment, Dr. Whistler looked every second of his ninety years and then some.

"Of course we will!" Erza exclaimed as she moved around to gently hug him (she didn't even bonk his head on her breastplate!), "You poor thing, of course we'll help you!"

"Right!" The rest of us chorused.

And that's how the second most life altering job of my wizarding career began.

...

...

NEXT TIME! on Mad Little Slice of Heaven...

"Then allow me to demonstrate how terrifying it can be!" I exclaimed delightedly. I snapped my fingers and a ten foot sphere of darkness erupted around us as I stepped closer to Erza, who had gone completely still in anticipation. I paused at what I thought was just outside of her arm's reach and flared light through the eye holes of my mask as I let a burst of light shine up from my hand like a flashlight to provide a scary under light to my face, "Boo."

POW!

Never let anyone tell you that Erza Scarlet does not have a killer right hook.