Getting Erza to Talk

I walked to the Fairy Tail guild. I was now a common sight in the guild and when I entered I heard them cheer, "Marcus you're back!"

Natsu, Grey, and Lisanna gathered around me. I had helped train them for a year now to get better at using magic and it definitely showed.

Compared to their canon selves they were going to be a lot more dangerous as I taught them all the dirty tricks and secret moves that I knew.

They usually didn't use it but at least they knew those types of moves existed and could defend against them. They loved me for always paying attention and giving time to talk to them.

I still didn't teach them the Rokushiki or Renewal Taekwondo. I still hadn't decided if I should train them using this method. It would definitely increase their power but it would take a long time.

Plus It might derail canon if they became too strong so I decided for now that it was safer not to teach them. I may change my mind later.

So for around 3 hours, I played with them, training them on how to fight and regaling them on my lastest mission and escapades.

This was to keep up appearances as once they tired themselves out, I sought out Erza who was swinging her sword in drills to improve herself.

I asked, "Do you want to train with me? I've heard that the S-rank mage trials are coming up and I know you're aiming to become an S-rank mage this year."

She looked at me and said, "Are you sure? You've been sparring for 3 hours now."

I smiled, "I'm a Wind Dragon Slayer remember? It's going to take a lot more than just light sparring to tire me out."

Erza nodded then said, "Then I would be happy to take you up on that offer. Learning from what many say is the greatest martial genius of the century is an honor."

My backstory of making both the Rokushiki and Renewal Taekwondo did really make me seem like some type of martial genius.

It was good, it connected me to the common man, who couldn't use magic, where martial arts are their only way to defend themselves. I said, "You can start anytime."

She immediately rushed at me swinging her sword at me. I dodged and ducked beneath her blows, poking her whenever I saw a hole in her guard open up.

She kept switching between all types of armors and weapons, experimenting to try and land a hit on me but I was stubbornly refusing to get hit.

She finally moved to her Heaven's Wheel Armor and summoned dozens of swords to try and hit me. This time just due to the sheer number of blades I couldn't dodge them all.

I did however deflect any of them that had the possibility of even hitting me. So that even after her dogged attack I was left unscathed.

She had spent all her magic and lay on the ground after that attack, breathing heavily. She asked, "How did you get so good? I couldn't even touch you."

I smiled, "Did you just say that I was the greatest martial genius of this era. Well, I just proved it during this entire fight I didn't use magic a single time."

Her eyes widen in surprise, "How, I saw you block swords that you couldn't possibly have seen."

I smiled, "Well have you ever taken the time to sit down and feel the wind brushing against you?"

She shook her head, "No I can't really say I have. I don't really see the connection though."

I said, "Well the thing is, I can feel your swords coming at me by the disturbances they send through the airwaves. Even with my eyes closed, I could dodge all of your blades."

Her eyes widened, "How did you manage such a thing?"

I said, "I've told you that I wasn't very good at using my magic growing up right?"

I saw her nod her head. "Well I needed a way to attack from a range and I thought that the best way to do that was by blasting powerful gusts of air at my opponent."

"It didn't work though the blasts were too weak and didn't deal any damage. So I went back to the drawing board and started to try and understand how the wind and air around us flows."

"I stood in the middle of a tornado to feel it at its strongest and after years of training I can now feel the air around without magic like it was my own limb."

"Now I can walk on air, send out blades of air, and even entire dragons of air without needing my magic. So feeling the air is just a basic requirement to reach these heights."

I saw her eye shining in awe, "That is incredible Mr. Fulbright, I never would've guessed that such mastery of martial arts could even be achieved."

I smiled, "That's why I showed you it. You are focusing too much on your flashy magic. Focus on your fundamentals, how to strike, how to block, how to dodge, these are not fun lessons but vital ones if you expect to go far."

"Right now I could become an S-rank mage by my martial arts alone, so never forgot that magic while great is not the be-all and end-all of a great fighter."

"Many make that mistake and I hope to instill in you an understanding that even the simplest things once practiced enough can reach heights greater than you could ever imagine."

I felt her complete respect for me with those words. She thought of me as an inspiration and a role model and I would use that trust to get the information I needed out of her.

She asked, "After hearing our story and how you managed to become so powerful I am more determined than ever to train."

I smiled, "Before that, are you OK? I mean I saw some days when I have come here that you would stare off into the distance. Is there anything you want to tell me?"

She immediately stiffened up and said, "No, I'm fine."

I laid my hand against her shoulder and said, "You can trust me. I am a member of the Rune Knights so if you have any problems I am sure that I can deal with them."

Her lips trembled, "You wouldn't believe me and even if you did you could do nothing about it."

I soothingly said, "I promise you that I will believe whatever you say. As for not being able to do anything myself, didn't you just call me the greatest martial genius of this era, I'm sure I can manage."

She finally broke and told me her entire backstory, how she was taken as a slave to the Tower of Heaven to construct it.

How bad the living conditions there were and the friends she made while she was there. She told me of the death of Rob and Jellal's betrayal.

The entire rebellion and the awakening of her magic were rushed through. Her leaving the Tower without her friends and the deep guilt she felt for it however lingered on.

I was by her side the entire time as she cried her entire story out. I patted her on the back once the story was done, "Don't worry I'll get it all sorted out."

"This Tower of Heaven sounds like an old magic device that the magic council banned from being built. So it will be taken down and I will save all your friends in the process."

"As for Jellal, it sounds like he was possessed, such a massive change in personality within that type of tower makes it really suspicious to me."

She said, "Really you'll save all of my friends including Jellal?"

I nodded, "Don't worry but this time next week everything will all be taken care of."

She cried in my arms, thanking me profusely until she fell asleep. I brought her back into the Fairy Tail guild and lay her down on one of the beds in the infirmary.

When Makarov asked what happened I said that she had told me about her backstory and that I would take care of it. Makarov was surprised but wished me good luck.

I was out of the guild and walking my way to the Tower of Heaven as soon as possible. It was quite a distance away and in the middle of the ocean so even for me, it would take a day.