第37章: Reminisce

Erza was just making ready to train Ichigo, having designated a spot for them to take things to the next level, when Orihime approached her. Erza had a creeping suspicious what the issue was- which would prove accurate soon enough, as it happened.

"Um, Erza?" She said.

She wanted to tell Orihime to stay back, to do her own training, that there was no time for this, but found she could say none of those things.

"Yes?" Erza said hesitantly. "What is it?"

"Can we... talk?" Erza felt that sinking feeling, and sighed. "Just for a few minutes, that's all." Orihime reassured her.

"Uh, sure," Erza mumbled. "Let's... let's talk, then."

"Well..." Orihime said, her voice trembling faintly. "Were you really going to leave me?"

"I..." Erza said, desperately trying to think of a good set of words to say. Orihime's innocent, slightly hurt tone of voice cut at her heart like a knife. "Uh, well, you see..."

"Were you going to leave? Answer, please." There was a hint of steel in her voice, and Erza almost regretted teaching her how to stand up for herself.

"I... yes." Erza said ruefully.

"Why?" Orihime said, hurt and confusion in her voice.

"It's... I'm not sure you'd understand."

"Try." Orihime said firmly. "I think I deserve to know. Since you were going to run off and basically without even saying goodbye, and all." It was atypically harsh of her, but Erza couldn't fault her.

Helplessly, she looked down at her. Finally, she took a deep breath, exhaled, and looked to the artificial sky.

"I... never told you where I came from, did I?" She all but mumbled the words.

"You're a shinigami." Orihime said.

There was nothing but utter faith in her words, faith that Erza would have done the right thing, which only made it all worse.

"Before that," Erza said quietly. "When I was alive."

"Oh. That. No, I don't think you did. What does that matter?" She added the last part hastily, with a bit of irritation, to make sure Erza was not going off track.

"It does," Erza reassured her. "It's what made me... me, I guess."

"So... where did you come from, then?"

"Another world." Erza said bluntly. "I was not born on this earth. Maybe it's another planet far away, or maybe it was another universe altogether, but I was not born here. I was born in Earthland, in the Kingdom of Fiore." Seeing Orihime's mouth turn into a round O, temporarily distracted by awe- this did run right up her alley, now that she thought about it- Erza continued. "It was a lot like our Earth, except... well, we had magic, and humans weren't the only sentient species. It wasn't nearly as technologically advanced, either- more like, say, eighteenth century Europe, perhaps.

"I was... I did not have a happy childhood. I don't even remember my parents."

Emotions stirred within Erza, wounds long thought forgotten making themselves reminded.

"At a very young age, I was taken from my home and made a child slave. I and so, so many other children..."

Briefly she stopped, memories practically flashing in front of her eyes.

"We were made to work for a twisted ritual by an evil warlock. A friend helped me escape, but... he died in the process."

"That's..." Orihime said, looking in between astonished and empathetic. "I had no idea..."

"I wandered away, with nothing but a dirty piece of cloth on my body. No shoes, no food... I was half dead when I finally found them."

"Who?" Orihime said, sounding enthralled.

"Fairy Tail." Erza said. "They took me in. They clothed and fed me. They gave me everything- a place to belong, work to do that meant something, a family... I was never a very rich person, not in terms of money, but I still had more than I had ever imagined in my wildest dreams. I went from being a poor child slave to being a powerful mage, strong enough to help and protect those weaker than me. When you go from having so little, to having so much... you learn how much it matters."

She looked Orihime in the eye.

"I'd die for you. I'd also die for Rukia. I'd die for anyone I consider a friend. I'd do anything to help, even if it seems impossible, or stupid, or downright foolish, because when you know what it means to have people to rely on, when you've never taken that for granted, when you've lost things, regained them and lost them again, you know why. I said you wouldn't understand- and I don't think you can. But that is it. That's why I'd charge right in even if it got me killed, because Rukia is my friend, and she does not deserve to die."

There was a strange look on Orihime's face.

"Look," Erza said, "I... I didn't want to have to do it that way, but I can't help it. I have to help. I just have to-"

Without another word, Orihime hugged her close, and after a somewhat awkward pause, Erza reciprocated.

"It's still not okay, you know that?" Orihime said quietly, still holding on. "It's still stupid and wrong of you to do that. But... I understand."

"Uh." Erza said, wishing she knew what to say next. "Um. Good?"

"Don't ever think of doing that again, okay?" Orihime said. It was odd, being scolded by her friend, but all things considered this development was not the worst.

"I... can't promise that." Erza said, and hated that she was, at heart, honest.

"Then I'll stop you next time." Orihime said, firmly and without the slightest concern for small details as to just how she would achieve that. Erza smiled, and felt oddly proud. She was strong. She was good.

"Sooo..." Came the voice of Ichigo, standing a ways off. "I know you're having a moment, or something... but didn't you say we have no time to lose?"

"Just a minute." Erza said. "Just a minute..."

"Well," said Urahara, "Any questions before we begin?"

Orihime had quite a few actually, more than she could articulate. Everyone except she and Chad had their own mentors, and she felt a little like she was the chaff of the group. Before she could voice any of her concerns, Chad had politely raised his hand.

"Yes, the huge gentleman in the back?" Urahara said, cheerily pointing his fan at the bulky teenager.

"I trained with Ichigo up till now. Furthermore, Inoue and I have radically different abilities and strengths. How will you be able to train us both?"

"Through the most excellent multitasking you ever saw," Urahara said, no doubt being intentionally evasive.

"Um..." Orihime said meekly, her own hand raised, "I... don't really know where to start, actually. My powers are... not really like shinigami or quincy stuff."

"That's where you're half wrong!" Urahara said affirmatively. "They are indeed unique, but in their nature, they are similar to kido. It just so happens that I am well versed in the subject- and even moreso my associate Tessai, who will be joining us momentarily.

"Are you strong?" Chad said bluntly.

"Now there's a direct question," Urahara said amusedly.

"Are you?" Chad insisted. "You speak with confidence, and order and manipulate people of considerable strength, experience and skill. Can you match theirs? Will you even be as strong as Ichigo?"

"An honest question, I assume." Urahara said, and nodded. "You are not the type to throw insults, I believe."

Chad simply nodded.

"Then let's just say that I'm... sufficiently powerful. For your level, at least. And I have more than a few theories on that arm of yours- and how to make it bloom."

Chad nodded again. "That is all I wanted to know."

"So... what are we going to learn?" Orihime said.

"I'll be honest for once," Urahara said. "You'd have to train a lifetime to be ready, properly ready, for what awaits you. We do not have that time. So we will try to capitalize on your strengths, expand and build on them, and worry about a broader, more complete skill set afterward."

If we survive, Orihime thought. Not that the prospect of death scared her- like many other things, Orihime's view on that subject was distorted, odd, and inappropriately cheerful.

"We'll do our best, then." Orihime said. "For Rukia."

"For Ichigo." Chad said affirmatively.

"Excellent," Urahara said. "Now... right this way."