Chapter 21: Titania ascends for a new Tomorrow 1/2

Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo and, Fairy tail is owned by Hiro Mashima I own nothing. Thanks again to Greatkingrat88.

Ok, so...chapter is a little late...Sorry. Life got...Hard. Like, VERY hard. I failed my recent college class, and Ive been BUSY at my work. Greatkingrat88 has been busy himself. Still, you'll be happy to know that the next chapter has a lot of it already written down.

Better late than never after all. Besides...I think you'll all enjoy what happens in this chapter.

Please enjoy, and leave a review if you can, I greatly appreciate it.

They dashed across the city through the night, Erza and the quincy- Masaki- and after a few miles, they slowed down, landing on a simple street by an apartment complex. Masaki opened a door, and Erza followed her up a staircase, into a small, but neat apartment- a couple of rooms, a kitchen, all the necessities she supposed a body would need. It looked different, as the fashions did for humans, but at the end of the day shinigami and human were not so different.

"Isshin!" Masaki shouted, as she hung up her coat, and took off her shoes. "Isshin, we got a visitor."

"What now?" Isshin said, his voice coming from another room.

"It's your angry redheaded friend." Masaki said.

"It's me!" Erza shouted, and immediately she could hear Isshin get up, and in a moment he had walked into the hall, a broad smile in his face.

"Erza!" He exclaimed, looking glad. "What- what brings you here? You didn't tell anybody, did you?" He said the last part, sounding a bit anxious.

"…no, nothing of the sort." Erza said, shaking her head. "Wait- you two are living together?" She gave Isshin a suspicious look, and he raised his hands defensively, and said,

"I'm a perfect gentleman, I assure you!" Erza could see the look on Masaki's face; eyes were definitely being rolled, but that didn't deter Isshin. "I swear to you, on my word as a man of honour-" this time, Erza was the one to roll her eyes, "-that there is nothing untoward going on. I just… didn't want to stay cooped up with that bucket hat creeper, and Masaki-chan just so happened to offer. I pay rent!" He said insistently.

"By 'offer' he means 'begged me on his bare knees'." Masaki said, scoffing. "He does pay rent, though." She admitted.

"I'm going to study to be a doctor!" Isshin said cheerily. "I'm indebted to the bucket hat for the time being, but I'll pay him back- set up, get my own place perhaps… well, that's all in the future. But… what brings you here? Got a mission done, decided to check in on ol' Isshin?" He grinned. "You're a good kid, Erza. You'll go far, mark my words."

Erza couldn't help herself. Isshin, he didn't know, didn't know she had lost everything- every friend, everyone she had gained that mattered…

Without even realizing it happened, tears streamed down her cheeks. She didn't sob, but her shoulders shook and trembled, as she stood there in the hallway, her fists balled.

"E-Erza?" Isshin said, sounding shocked, unsure what to do. Masaki quickly put her arm around Erza, and said,

"Come along here, all right?"

She led Erza into what probably was the living room, and sat her down on the couch, sitting next to her, gently rubbing Erza's shoulder. Isshin had followed, looking stupefied.

"Um," he murmured, "um, did somebody die, or-"

"Isshin, go make tea." Masaki said. Her tone was not sharp, but it was clear that she was not to be disobeyed in this moment.

"R-right," he said, and hastily made his exit.

For a while, Erza simply sat there, her face buried in her hands, her skin wet with tears. Again! She had lost all her friends once, and then she had gained new friends again then watched them die, and now… she had lost them all. Again. It was like having had an arm ripped off, like trying to see without eyes, like trying to run a mile without feet…

Isane had once told her, when they first met in person on her sickbed after the massacre, that she was the kind of person who needed others. That some people did well on their own, and she wasn't one of them. Never before had she seen how right she had been. All her friends, gone- not even dead, but away from her, with a great big wall erected between them- it wasn't as bad as them being dead, but right now, in her misery, it was no comfort at all. Now Masaki, a stranger, was the only one she could lean on- a mortal enemy of the shinigami, rubbing her shoulder, saying comforting little things into her ear, holding her close…

Without regard for petty things like history, grudges, racial divides or different ideologies, Erza leaned into her, taking comfort in being close, just being close to another person who cared- why she did it, or who she was, it didn't matter.

After some time- which could have been hours, as far as she knew, but probably wasn't- she became aware of Isshin sitting across them in a chair, a tray with three steaming mugs of tea standing on a rickety coffee table. He looked uncomfortable, powerless, and it struck Erza that he had probably never had much practice with emotional situations.

Finally, Erza raised her head, and looked him in the eye. She had to look a mess, and she felt terrible, but it was… slightly better now. Just slightly.

"Try a mug," Masaki said softly, giving her a nod, "he makes a good cup. There's honey in it."

Erza nodded slowly, and took a mug, taking a small sip from it. The hot liquid went down her throat, and it felt soothing- nothing like tea to calm you down. After a few more sips, she cautiously spoke, not quite trusting her voice not to crack,

"It's… I've been… I was…" She took a few long, heavy breaths, fighting the urge to break down again.

"That's fine, take your time." Masaki said sweetly.

"Uh, yeah," Isshin murmured.

"…I was kicked out." Erza mumbled at last. "They, they caught me, and I was gonna go on trial for treason…"

"Well, weren't you technically a traitor- OW!" Isshin cried, rubbing the shin of his left leg, and Erza noticed that Masaki's foot had jabbed out, fast and hard under the table.

"Go on when you feel like it," Masaki said calmly. "If he says something stupid again, I'll kick his other leg."

"…geez." Isshin murmured.

Erza let out a small giggle, despite herself, and sniffed. "They found me out. It was… Aizen." She said.

Then she finally told the tale, about how she had been recruited, about how she had had her doubts about the Gotei, how Aizen had promised a better world if she joined him, how she had believed his every word, become his subordinate, intent on destroying the Gotei and rebuilding it, how it had all been for the greater good… how, slowly, she had come to see his ruthless side, how he had no scruples, how he had manipulated her and everyone else, how she had rejected him and been thrown in jail the very next day… how Ichimaru Gin and Kaname Tousen was in league with him, how one was a monster and the other a fanatic, how Aizen was responsible for hollow experiments…

Emotion washed over her as she spoke. So much came off her chest; so many fears and doubts she had held for so long. Masaki didn't seem to understand all of it, but her hand stayed around Erza's shoulder. She kept expecting Isshin's face to twist into disgust at her betrayal, that he would interrupt her and tell her off for her treason, call her out, shout at her… but all she saw in his face was surprise, surprised and concern.

"…and that's how I was escaped." Erza mumbled, feeling emotionally exhausted.

"Well, shit," Isshin murmured, looking more than a little shocked. "Aizen? Urahara told me he was a traitor back then, but I didn't know what to believe. He's straight as an arrow. Damn boy scout, that one. That… now that I think about it, always nice and responsible, good at everything he does… he does sound too good to be true, don't he?"

"You believe me?" Erza said weakly.

"You're not a liar." Isshin said simply. "No matter what you are in life, you're not a liar, and what you just told me is the truth as you see it. So… how long has he planned this?"

"…I don't know," Erza mumbled, making a helpless gesture with her hands, "if he wasn't lying, then he's been planning this for centuries."

Isshin nodded. "Damn. And I don't think you could warn the others, huh?"

Erza shook her head, bitterly. "The word of an escaped traitor next to captain perfect? Nobody's going to believe that for a second. Even if they did, he's got… illusions. That's what his zanpakutou does, perfect illusions."

Isshin nodded, and murmured, "Well… damn. We're up shit creek now, aren't we? Or they are, at least."

"I don't know what to do." Erza said, slumping back into the couch. "I just… everything I ever worked for, it's… gone. All my… all my friends…" She choked up again.

"Listen," Masaki said gently, "I don't understand a whole lot of this, and I'm not sure I want to, but your life isn't over. You're strong, I can tell- you can keep going."

"It's not as easy as that." Erza said gloomily. "I can keep going, sure, but I don't know where."

"This town gets lots of hollows." Masaki suggested. "And personally, I am tired of having to drop whatever I'm doing to hunt one down. An extra pair of hands wouldn't hurt."

"Yeah!" Isshin said spiritedly. "You can be like, a protector of the town! Watching over it stoically, defending it against incursions from the wicked. You could be the night! Be justice! Be b- OW!" He cried, rubbing his other shin. Masaki had feet that moved at superhuman speed, it seemed.

"But don't rush it." Masaki said. "You take the time you need. It's not easy moving past something like this. Until then…" She sighed. "Until then, stay here."

"…really?" Erza said, blinking. "You'd let me stay here, just like that?"

"I let this big idiot stay already." Masaki said. "My aunt would kill me if she knew- but then again, that's why I moved out."

"What's the rent?" Erza asked.

"Don't worry about that," Masaki said. "Just stick around, keep your head down and lend a hand when you can, all right?"

"Thanks" Erza said, smiling weakly.

"No problem." Masaki said, standing up and giving Erza a friendly pat on the shoulder. "I'll put out my spare bed. Isshin can sleep on the couch."

"But-" Isshin said, but Masaki gave him a look, and he immediately fell silent. Said and done, Masaki walked out.

"…she's really nice," Erza murmured, sipping at her tea, which was now lukewarm, almost cold.

"I know." Isshin said happily. "It's… life's not so bad with her around."

Erza nodded. "I guess it could be worse."

"Plus," Isshin said with a grin, "I think she likes me."

"I could tell by the way she kicks you." Erza said, her voice perfectly even.

"I know, right?" Isshin said. "Back when I first got here, she kicked much harder. I'm growing on her!"

Despite herself, Erza smiled. She had lost them all, she had been betrayed, but… it could really be worse. She didn't want to imagine the misery of having to do this alone.

That night she barely slept at all, tossing and turning in the bed Masaki had put out. For hours, she lay like that, sweating, her mind racing, her psyche stirred about and shook in a way it never had been before. Finally, toward the wee hours, she had enough. Grabbing Tetsu no Tama, she sat herself up against the wall cross-legged, closed her eyes, and forced herself calm enough to meditate.

It took some time, but soon, she stood in the marble palace, looking up at the golden throne. It was oddly reassuring- for the first time, she did not feel irked at the excessive pomp and glamour of this place, but relief at its familiarity- her world had been torn from her, but here inside her soul, some things remained constant.

"My master." Tetsu no Tama said, standing up, and walking down to greet her. He had taken to doing so recently, rather than look down on her.

"My master, I feel your loss as if it were my own." He said solemnly.

Erza nodded. "Thank you."

"I feel it," he said, "yet I am not as shaken with it. Suffering is an inevitable consequence of being alive. That is why I ask you, now that all you held dear was wrenched from you: what will you do next? Choose your words carefully, my master."

"…I do not know." Erza said simply. She was at peace here, no tears threatening to swell up, no anger overwhelming her, only a cool and quiet sadness.

"Nonsense!" Tetsu no Tama barked. "You do know what you must do next, master. You have options, several paths you could take, and deep down you know which one to take."

"Do I?" Erza said defiantly.

"You do!" The spirit insisted haughtily. "There are so many things you could do. You could leave this life behind, and become this city's protector. You could forget the life you used to lead, and run- you could see the world, explore it, find a new life wherever it suited you. You could forsake all things spiritual. You could rise up against this and resolve that one day, Aizen Sousuke shall feel the taste of my edge. These are all things you can do, my master- but in your heart, you know which one it must be. You know which one your virtue demands- so do not mewl like a meek and powerless coward!"

"…I will not take revenge on Aizen Sousuke." Erza said slowly.

"Will you not?" Tetsu no Tama snarled. "The man is a monster, who took all from you, all you held dear. You would let that stand?"

"I will not take revenge," Erza said carefully. "Vengeance is nothing more than a grudge made into violence. There is no purpose to that. I will not take revenge, Tetsu no Tama- but I will do what is right."

"And what is 'right', Erza?" The spirit boomed. "To stay down, cowardly bow to scum like Aizen, let him become overlord of all creation?"

"To protect the weak!" Erza snapped. "To protect your friends when they cannot protect themselves, to stand up against bullies and tyrants, to use my strength for something more than just gaining power!"

Tetsu no Tama's haughty expression softened, and he smiled contentedly, but Erza was not done.

"I am not done with the Gotei Thirteen," she continued, feeling like a fire was rising in her chest, "nor am I done with Aizen. He told me that they were corrupt- and he is right! So I will do as he said, and believe the impossible to change the world- not for him or his cruel and callous vision, but for them! For Momo, and for Renji, and for Isane and Nozomi and everyone else who is still left there! Because they are still my friends! Even if every last one of them thinks of me as a traitor, even if I lost them all, I will still move forward. One day I will change the entirety of the Gotei thirteen, and I will not let Aizen stand in my way!"

Tetsu no Tama nodded, and said,

"You already did know, my master."

Erza took a few deep breaths. "…I suppose I did." She mumbled. "Yes. I'm not done with Aizen, not by a long shot. But I can't exactly go charging in back, can I? It will take time- many years, probably- but I'm going to get stronger, and find the right opportunity."

"And if your friends come at you as if you were enemy scum to die by your blade? If you find that you must slay Aizen Sousuke?" The spirit said.

"…I won't kill anybody unless there is no other choice left. But… I'll do what I have to. I cannot know how it will go until I am there, and I won't speculate on it and drive myself crazy." Erza said, shaking her head. "No, for now… I'll be staying with the quincy. And even though he's shady, I'll have to make some sort of deal with Urahara eventually. Whatever it takes, Aizen will go down- not because I want to get back at him, but because of what will happen if he isn't dealt with."

"Acceptable." Tetsu no Tama said. "You have a long road ahead, Erza. Yet, you have taken a step forward. Nurse and cultivate the pain you feel, my master- let it serve as a reminder of why you fight."

Erza was no stranger to being awkward. She had always been a savant of violence, yet always challenged by human interaction- but the first few weeks were awkward to an extreme, even without people around her. She was around a hundred years old now, and the better part of that life had been spent as an officer and a fighter- no matter what there had always been things to do, patrols to walk, reports to fill, hollows to hunt, friends to talk to… she had been in charge, a leader among her kind. She had issued orders, she had led people into battle, she had been at the very top of shinigami organization. Her days had been full, so filled to the brim with work that she sometimes wondered how it all had been possible. Being a shinigami, she realized now, was not just a job- it was a lifestyle, a philosophy, an occupation to fill your entire sense of self up.

It was shocking, almost painful, to wake up one day after another with absolutely nothing to do. Aside from the always present pain of having lost her friends, she felt hollow inside- not for having been betrayed or hurt, but for having lost all the practical things that had given her a sense of self-worth. She was not a workaholic, she hadn't lived for her job- but she was practical, and lazing about did not suit her in the slightest.

Though Masaki was a gracious host, supportive of her despite barely knowing her, Erza found herself feeling like a parasite, living in her apartment and eating her food, contributing nothing of value. Sure, there was the odd hollow hunt- but they were few in between compared to the missions she would take in the Gotei Thirteen, and none of them were so challenging Masaki could not have handled them herself. To wake up each day, eat breakfast, and then face a day of nothing at all was crushing. She had not lost the determination she had demonstrated to Tetsu no Tama, but she scarcely knew what to do with herself- she would patrol the town, although to not much avail, and she had to do it while always keeping an eye out for other shinigami. She would not want herself spotted; the things she would have to do if they sent a hunting squad for her…

It was the strangest thing, being among humans again. Once a top ranking officer, now she was just a face in the crowd- a crowd that, almost all of them, could not even see her. She had come from a world of humans, like all shinigami- but this was one different from the one she left, alien and cold, filled to the brim with people but with precious little of the humanity she had felt in Fairy Tail.

Things were silent. Normally, it'd be an awkward silence, but to call it that, here and now, would be the understatement of the century. It was an oppressive, heavy silence, hanging over them like a dark storm cloud about to burst.

Momo had called the meeting, and Renji, Kira and Hisagi had come. But now, here in the back yard of the ninth division, it seemed nobody knew what to say, where to start. The issue was so obvious- Erza was gone, declared a traitor. They were all under investigation for having been her associates. Their careers could be in jeopardy, but that was the least of their concerns.

Erza had been their teacher. Both Renji and Momo thought of her as an older sister, somebody they could trust, rely on no matter what- a role model. She was the shinigami Renji wanted to be. She was the sister Momo always wanted. Now… she was gone. What's worse, all the official sources said there was evidence that, all along, she had sought to betray the Gotei. That Erza, strong, beloved, dependable Erza, was a two-faced lying traitor.

It was all too much to handle.

"…she's innocent, you know." It was Momo who broke the silence at last, her voice quiet, barely more than a whisper.

"Of-fucking-course she is." Renji growled. "Way to state the obvious, huh?"

He was angry, very angry, ready to lash out at anything that made a wrong move.

"Listen," Kira said, his voice subdued, defeated, "nobody is going to say she wasn't good to us. That she wasn't a good person. That she wouldn't do something like that without a good reason-"

"Something like what?!" Momo said, raising her voice a little. "She didn't do it, Kira!"

"Hinamori, I saw the evidence." Kira said quietly. "Stolen blueprints from a rogue scientist she killed. Evidence that she set up the bombs that destroyed the science division. It… it's right there, plain to see-" He looked despairing, his voice strained. He was interrupted, though, by Renji, whose voice was little more than a growl.

"Hey, Kira," he said darkly, "you better shut your fucking mouth. Right now, or I'll break your jaw in so many fucking places, you'll eat from a straw for the rest of your life."

"You can't ignore it, Abarai!" Kira shot back defiantly. "You can turn a blind eye, you and Hinamori, but that won't make it less true!"

"Do you think I was fucking kidding?!" Renji snarled, balling his fists and walking toward Kira. "That's Erza you're talking about, fucking Erza, and if you don't shut the fuck up I'll-"

"Enough!" Hisagi shouted, stepping in between the two. "It doesn't matter what happened-"

"It does!" Momo insisted. "She's innocent, I know she is, and we have to prove it!"

"It doesn't matter!" Hisagi insisted. "It doesn't matter. Right now, what matters is that she's gone. She ran away, and that's the cold hard truth. Whether the evidence is real or not, running away doesn't look good! Now, I don't know- I don't want to think of her as a traitor, but I've no way of knowing- she could be anywhere right now, and we can't ask her. Right now, we have to focus. She's gone, and that's the truth. Nothing we can do about it. Right now, we keep our heads down and do our jobs. And for fuck's sake, we lean on each other instead of fighting, you dullards! That means you, Renji! And you, Kira, show some goddamn sensitivity!"

Renji and Kira both glared at him, but stayed quiet.

"I still believe in her." Momo said quietly.

"That's all right." Hisagi said. "Me, I don't know what to believe. We need to look to the future, not dwell on the past."

"I'm not forgetting!" Renji snapped.