Some time later, Erza left the Guild Master's office, along with the reward money from the Job she just completed.
Due to mistaking that Zack will be completely leaving Fairy Tail, Erza honestly forgotten the true reason why she came to Makarov's office, not to get answers regarding what she overheard about Zack, but to report back on the commission she just completed.
Erza stared at the stack of banknotes of Jewels in her hand. And cannot helped to recalled the memories when she firstly came to Magnolia, joining Fairy Tail, the very Guild, where that person used to be part of them.
There is a reason why Erza cannot leave Zack alone, especially when he firstly joined the Guild. It was not because of her kind nature behind her seriousness. Nor it is because of the guilt she felt, what she has done to him and Mirajane.
No, the reason why Erza cannot leave Zack alone, is because they both similar in a way, they are both someone who knew very little about the world itself.
Like it might be said before.
Erza always been alone, abandoned in some remote village, most villagers will avoid her, and those that did not, treated Erza like a burden.
And before she could form true connections, or able to tell what is wrong and what is right, Erza was captured by that damned cult…
Among the memories of that place, there been many sadden moments, many hatred memories, but there also memories she will treasure, among them is about a person, a person who never treated Erza as a burden, if anything, he was the closest thing Erza ever had as a parental figure.
His name was Rob, and he also the reason why Erza came to Magnolia, to Fairy Tail, all because Rob was once a Fairy Tail Wizard himself.
Rob taught her everything, about the outside world, about his time as a Wizard, and even his knowledge as a Wizard.
That is why, when she was left alone after fleeing from that cursed tower, she came to the very Guild where Rob once a member of.
At first, it was hard, even if Rob told Erza a lot of things, her knowledge of the world was limited, and each thing even after joining Fairy Tail was a struggle to this young naïve Valkyrie.
How many times has she failed? And among her failures, was one she will not forget, a failure that made this young and clueless Valkyrie completely grateful to Makarov to the rest of her life.
And this failure? It was the time when Erza had fallen into a trap by lowlifes, who tricked her getting a loan from them.
For someone who never learnt how the world truly works, Erza was perfect prey for them, who knew no better, after all, no one never taught the naïve little girl, to not listen to them.
Not to mention, back then, Erza cannot afford to buy Magic Items such as Magic Swords, or Magical Armours, she had no choice but to stay with normal weapons and normal armour.
But that lies a problem, while normal swords and such are way cheaper compared to Magic Swords, normally they are incapable of harming Monsters besides D-Class and below, and rare non-defensive type Monsters of C-Class.
However, Erza has her monstrous strength, allowing even simple steel sword to slay even B-Class or above ranked Monsters, but even so, they often break either due to her own strength, or being overused, when facing such Monsters that normally cannot be slayed by normal swords.
They often had to be replaced or repaired if luckily enough. Which is why, when she was offered that shady loan, Erza did not think twice, all Erza saw was a shortcut, a shortcut to fix her weaponry problem.
While having no clue, what kind of hell would have awaited her, if it wasn't for Makarov, who gotten wind of her getting that loan.
'I don't know what I am more shamed of, for fools to do such a thing to others, or fools who dared to trick even children, children! In that damned ploy of yours! As adults! YOU SHOULD KNOW BETTER, YOU DAMNED FOOLS!!!'
Within her memories, Erza's heard Makarov's voice, as she recalled as the younger version of herself, she looked up at Makarov, who turned into a hulking giant, and stared down at the frighten thugs, who had tricked her.
Next thing Erza remembered, was Makarov throwing the money she owned at the loan sharks, only to than smashed them into the ground like nails. Of course, Makarov held back, otherwise he will not nail them into the ground, but spatted them into paste.
Nor Makarov was arrested, after all they were running their loan business illegally, so the ones who were arrested was them, not Makarov.
But even so, that day is something Erza never will forget.
'Don't look so sad, that money wasn't to repay your debts, but to pay the damages I cause!'
Makarov went with a laugh in her memories, as he turned back to the small old man, even shorter compared to the 11 year old self in her memories. That is why Makarov had to tiptoe when he patted Erza's scarlet long red hair.
'Next time you need something like money, advice, or someone to talk to, come and look for me, I might not look like it, but this little old man often gets lonely, so don't do everything by yourself, Erza.'
As Erza recalled those words, and that moment, a warm smile formed on her lips, as Erza made her way out of the guild. And when she left the guild, Erza went right away to the apartment complex where Zack lives.
Or that was her plan, when she spotted a certain tall teenager, along with two others, and a blue flying cat, as they talked among themselves, as they walked around Magnolia Marketplace.
(AN: Of course, this setting is AU, but I do see a 11 year old Erza making such a mistake.
That will be Erza's AU setting of her childhood. And before you say, yes, I know about Simon and Kagura also lived in the same village as Erza. But I don't know what kind of relationship the three had before the Child Hunts by that cult who brought them as slaves to their tower.
They could be friends, but that is highly unlikely, while they might be children from the same village, that does not mean Erza and those two will be close to each other, especially in cases of children who been abandoned by their parents, they often find it hard to remain around those who still has their parents.
Anyway, that is the setting, and why it is AU. Erza wouldn't be close with either Kagura or Simon until when they were captured and turned into slaves by the cult.)
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"Its tastes… salty… very salty…" Happy went with a cry, as he bitten into one of the dried fish that Zack just brought.
"What do you expect? It is rations, they are made to last, not to be a five course meal." Gray went with a sigh, while looking at the disappointed blue talking cat.
"It's not that bad, had better, but still not bad." Natsu went, biting into some dried meat in hand.
"Seriously… are you two here to help Zack, with his preparations, or to drained him out of his money?" Gray went, looking at the duo with a blank look.
"That is why you're no fun, Gray. And it's no problem, right, Zack?" Natsu went with a wide grin, looking at Zack who is between Natsu and Gray as they walked through the opened marketplace.
"It's only one portion, I don't mind, but even so, it was cheaper I expect it to be." Zack went holding a bag of dried meat and fish, alongside dried vegetables.
To be honest, Zack thought dried food will be more costly than the fresh version of them.
After all, as rations they are, they last a long time, the dried vegetables alone can least nearly a year, while the dried fish can last a year, while the meats themselves are 2 years, or so says the one who sold them to Zack.
Because they last so long, he honestly thought they should worth more, but they didn't. If anything, they were cheaper compared the fresh versions of them.
"It always been that way, fresher food costs more, while rations are cheaper, but they also taste kinda blend as well. That is why, most people around here, referred to use fresh food, over the dried or smoked food. However, there are times, when you have no choice but to buy them, especially when they both cheap and they also last a long time." Gray went, explaining as much as he can, with his limited knowledge of rations and such.
Luckily or maybe not so luckily, someone else among these four did have the knowledge behind Zack's question, spoken out, with a blank stare.
"Aye, where that is true, but that not the main reason, why rations are so cheap, or why they also so available most of the time. Is due to the system in place when it regards the rations in Fiore. About 80% of rations that are made each year, are stored in the kingdom's storehouses.
Which than the Wizards that are either part of the court, or hired by a Guild, will cast spells on the rations they had stored, so they can delay the spoiling time on them. While the remaining 20% of rations in Fiore, are often rations that made by remote villages, places who do not have much access to fresher food, and when they do.
They will either smoke or dried what they either harvested or hunted; the kingdom does not touch rations from such places. The rations you see on the street, they used to be part of the storehouses of the kingdom, or rations that cannot be stored in the storehouses.
Such rations that are leftovers, or rations that are replaced, the kingdom will often donate such rations to churches who accepts orphans, while the rest will be sold to merchants, who will resell them onto the marketplace.
Seeing the due dates on the rations you got from that merchant; those rations must be the leftovers the kingdom cannot store in their storehouses. Oh by the way, the rations that left the kingdom warehouses, are cheaper compared to the leftovers that cannot be replaced and stored."
As the trio stared blankly at the one who said that which mostly sounded like it came from book, was no other than Happy, who shown a rare moment of wisdom behind his dead fish eyes, however, that moment of wisdom soon became ruined, when the talking blue cat eaten the remaining salty fish he took from Zack, showing a bitter expression on their face.
"I didn't know there such depth behind this?" Zack went, lifting and looking at the bag of rations he is carrying.
"Yeah… how the heck you knew that?" Gray asked this; to be honest, Gray is not truly surprised by this. They had been many times when Happy will show such knowledgeable side of him, which one will often forget how knowledgeable Happy is, due being involve with the chaos that Natsu often causes.
"Hmm, I was bored." Happy simply went, looking at Gray who sighed at the honest reply from this flying blue talking cat.
"So, what's next?" Natsu, who seems both uninterested and unbothered by what Happy just mentioned, askes Zack of this, while putting his hands behind his head.
"That's the thing… I have no clue. I got rations down, same with seasonings, but water I haven't, that is why I needed flasks. And there are Magic Items… which I have no clue what to buy regarding what to get, besides maybe a Storage Bag, it's…. going to be hard carrying everything without one." Zack went with a sigh.
He simply has no clue what kind of Magic Items he needed. Maybe a Magic Stove, so he can cook with it? Or maybe a tent that can automatically setup itself up, as well undo itself?
Of course, the things he needed to buy, is not just limited to Magic Items, he also needs sleeping bags, spare clothing, and other such trivial everyday items.
While Zack wondered what should he do, or what to truly buy, a voice, a familiar voice sounded behind Zack and the trio, causing the four of them to look behind themselves.
"If you are in need of a Storage Bag, I have spares you can borrow."
When Zack and the other turned to this voice, their eyes widen either slightly or completely, at the owner of that familiar voice, was no other than a certain red haired Valkyrie.
"Erza…?" Happy went with a surprise look.
"Oh, you back Erza!" Natsu went with a grin, as he walked towards the red haired Valkyrie, who nodded her head. Before she turned her brown eyes towards Zack.
When Erza and Zack's eyes met, Zack gives a small smile, and nodded his head, a silent greeting, which caused Erza to nod her head as well.
"That's right, the old man did mention you supposed to be returning back today." Gray simply went, recalling about the events that happened yesterday.
"I see, it is true, it hasn't been long since I had return back from my mission. Anyway, I do not want to sound rude, but do you three mind, if I borrow Zack for a moment or two?" Erza asked, getting to the main reason why she came before the four of them, is no other than Zack himself.
Gray did not say anything for a few seconds, a deep understanding could be seen written on his face, before he opened his mouth.
"We don't, we don't mind at all, let go you two." Gray said this, as he looked at Erza, before turning towards Natsu and Happy, saying the last part of his words aimed at them, before walking away.
Natsu did not say a word at this, as he simply gives Zack and Erza a quick look each, before he turned around, and followed after Gray, who seems to be heading towards the guild, the place the trio originally was heading to, before they found Zack in the marketplace alone.
"Huh? Wait for me! See you later, Zack! Erza!" Happy went, flying after the young Dragon Slayer, and the ice stripper.
Watching Natsu and Gray leaving, with Happy finally catching up with them. Zack turned towards Erza, who also turned her brown eyes away from the leaving trio.
"Seeing you willing to lend me one of your spare Storage Bags, I gather you know, right? That I am… planning to leave the guild, of course, not forever, only until... you know." Zack went with a small smile, as he asked this.
"Yes… I overheard it, when I entered the Guild. I felt so ashamed of myself, because I truly thought you leaving the Guild altogether… never mind about that, how is your preparations going?" Erza askes, looking at the bag of rations Zack is holding in one hand.
"To be honest… I have no clue. You know, I know how to survive on my own, but using money to survive… is different. I have no clue what to buy besides the basics, like food, water, as well seasonings and such, things I can even do without the loan that Master has given me. Which is why, I was actually going to ask you of this, when you return back." Zack went.
Initially, Zack was going to wait until Erza returned before he begins buying the things he needed for his leave of the guild.
However, since Zack has no clue when Erza will return today, he decided to get the things he do knew he needed for his journey, and by chance, while checking out Magnolia Marketplace, he happened to run into Natsu and Happy who are on their way to the Guild, and later with Gray, who was eating some kind of ice cream when they found him.
"Then you are in luck, I happened to be experienced when it comes to long journeys… but let's not talk about it here." Erza went with a smile, hitting at the ends of her words, maybe the advice on long journeys wouldn't be the only thing the two of them will talk about.