Faded Glory

Broken Blade
Erza jolted up, waking up from her sleep, sweating profousely, finding herself inside a small cabin, her entire body covered in bandages, with bandages on her cheeks and forehead for other injuries, covered in a blanket, which was the only other thing covering her body, with only a pillow for comfort. She looked around her, hearing the rain outside getting stronger and stronger. And also the Oracion Seis and Amon sitting around a fire built into the house, getting warm and cozy. "Oh, she's up." Amon noted, waving to her, but lowering his hand, when he noticed it was his demonified right arm. "Mornin'." "You...So it was all real..." Erza said, rubbing her head in pain "Urgh...I...had another hallucination...I was out for too long...".

"What'd you mean?" Kamma asked "Also, you might wanna stay under that blanket, ya kinda missing pants.".

"..." Erza stared at the Oracion Seis, very much recognizing all of them. She didn't forget them. She wasn't familiar with the two additions, and noticed the absence of two other members. "You patched me up?".

"Yep! We got this feller here who apparantly is married to a doctor!" Kamma said, slapping Amon on the back as a form of cheering "Was kinda shy though, since you were literally just wearing pants. Seriously, I've noticed you humans have some sort of goddamn phobia to shirts. Especially the women! Even this guy is lacking a shirt!".

"Please stop..." Amon said to Kamma, who realized she was digressing rather severely, playfully pulling out her tongue and shrugging "I stole some bandages before we left. Had enough space in my pockets.".

Erza held her head in her hands, appearing to be in pain "I...".

"We found this cabin too!" Cobra began speaking, noticing Erza was rather struggling "Figured it was your place since it didn't look abandoned.".

Erza simply glared at Cobra, saying nothing to him. Her gaze switched over to Midnight, looking down on his left hand, remembering very well she stabbed through it with her sword, all bandaged up now, with bloodstained on it. "It doesn't hurt quite as bad." Midnight said, snapping Erza out of her thoughts "I'm honestly more concerned about you, Erza Scarlet.".

"Concerned?" Erza flashed a smile, obviously a forced one, crossing her arms "That's funny, coming from someone who was very much willing to kill me several years ago.".

"Things have changed." Midnight replied, taking off his coat, revealing his severred arm and what's left "I will not lie. We are all have recently escaped from the Hell House, Fiore's most secured prison. If only by mere dumb luck. A rescuer came specifically to save us." He noticed Erza's expressions changed to disbelief, removing her smile, changing to a serious look "You're free to try and take us back, if you wish. But, we won't let you do so without a fight, even if you are injured.".

"...I don't care." Erza said coldly "I'm no longer a Mage as it is. I'm just here, alone.".

"...? Alone? Why would you...?" Midnight was confused, it was odd for Titania herself to speak so coldly in such a way.

"It doesn't matter." Erza lied down, covering the blanket over her "You can stay here until the weather gets clear again. But, you better be gone by the time I wake up.".

"Don't worry." Cobra said "We've got places to be anyway.".

Erza went to sleep, and everyone else allowed her to, not making a sound. The message was clear, she wasn't interested in conversing with escaped convicts and former enemies.

The rain stopped by the time the sun rose up, leaving a watered land, mud everywhere, basically. Erza woke up, hearing the chirping of birds, and growling of wild beasts. She could smell the fresh air left after the rain, and knew it was an indication it was time to go hunting for food again. Standing up, Erza grabbed a nearby, dingy old hakama, simply blank, wearing it on. She inspected the bandages around her body and on her wounds "Hm...A bit tight, but nothing I can't deal with." She said, commenting over Amon's handy work "Not too bad. My wounds should be good in a few days.".

Tying her hair in a ponytail using a spare ribbon lying around, Erza grabbed her sword, chipped and seemingly seconds away from breaking, and left the cabin, walking on the muddy ground with her bare feet. Not the worst for her, plus the bandages covered her nearly from head to toe. They could serve as clothes in themselves if they hadn't felt so bare to the point they almost didn't exist to her.

"Hm?" Turning her head to the direction of a strange sound, Erza followed the sound, walking through the woods, deeper and deeper. She only stopped once a tree began moving on its own, causing her to step back, holding out her sword, but stopped once she realized the tree was being pulled from the ground, to which she saw the cause was Amon.

"Oh." Amon simply said, tossing the tree aside "Hello." He said, waving his left hand this time.

"You're still here...?" Erza replied in disbelief.

"Well, you said leave, but not specifically what to leave. So we left the cabin. Atleast that's what Cobra says..." Amon answered Erza's question "We're just gathering some wood for a fire to cook...Wanna join?" He casually asked her.

"You're inviting me...?".

"Well, I mean, sure, you basically kicked us out, but you let us stay, so, why not? Besides, you seem like you need company, and they know you, so..." Amon replied.

"What's taking so damn long?!" Cobra shouted, angrily waiting for Amon.

"I'm coming, be patient! Invited a guest." Amon said, grabbing the tree, lifting it up "Alright, come on. We got some rabbits. You like rabbit soup?".

"You...are being too friendly for someone who was very much intending on killing someone infront of you just hours ago." Erza said to Amon.

"Well..." Amon seemed solemn as he spoke "I didn't know your motives, so...that could change everything.".

"You don't know who I am, do you?".

"I know your name is Erza Scarlet. That's about it. Sorry, not really...that...into the news." Amon replied to Erza.

"...Good." She said, following him.

"Oh, you brought a guest." Midnight said "Come on, we're going to start the fire.".

"Could use a knife to skin the food though..." Cobra said, carrying the dead rabbits they managed to hunt down.

"You could yes. But, do you know how to properly skin them?" Erza asked Cobra.

"Well, there's a first time for everything so...".

"Let me." Erza said, extending her arm to Cobra "I've done this a hundred times. I'll do it.".

"..." Cobra briefly glanced over to Midnight, who nodded to him, approving of letting her do as she said. Cobra handed over the rabbits to Erza.

"Start the fire, I'll get these done in no time." Erza said "You, what's your name?".

"Me?" Amon seemed surprised "I'm Amon.".

"...Come with me." Erza said, briefly sounding reluctant. She sat down on a nearby boulder, not too far away, they were still visible for the others.

"Do you...need hel-...?".

"Are you really that Amon?" Erza asked Amon, her voice low enough for the others to barely hear her, as she began carefully skinning the rabbits.

"..." Amon sighed, realizing what she meant by that question "Yes. Yes, I am that Amon. I am the man...monster who killed for money. Are you going to do something about it?" He asked, seemingly prepared for a fight.

"Like I said, I'm not a Mage anymore. I don't want anything to do with society." She said, reassuring him there will be no quarrel.

"What did you want then? Calling me?".

"I thought I could possibly trust you, but now that I know who you are, I'm not so confident.".

"Trust...me?" Amon seemed confused by Erza's choice of words.

"I thought you were just...a stray. But, I guess the markings and...build should have been a set off." Erza said, commenting on the demonifications on Amon's flesh and physique. "But regardless, describe them to me, the Oracion Seis.".

"Describe...? Well, I haven't known them for long, but...they're not bad people." Amon spoke, causing Erza to momentarily halt, listening to him "They helped me, without asking for anything infact. They seem close, like a family even.".

"Is that so...?" Erza said, giving a small chuckle "How ironic...".

"What?".

"If I told them, that everyone whom I loved, were...taken from me by a horrible event, a single event, what would they say about me?".

"Pity." Amon replied "I pity you. Not as a means of insult, or anything, but because I can relate." Amon coughed, clearing his throat, trying to break the atmosphere he created "But, I mean, whatever they say I don't know. They could pity your or not.".

"You're odd..." Erza said, glaring at Amon with simple shock and surprise "I've heard so much about you...a murderer, a monster, remorseless killer...and yet, you're more of a bumbling goof than an intimidating beast. And yet, I stare into that arm, and I also think...are you human?".

"Surprisingly not the first time I'm struck with that reaction..." Amon said.

"Fairy Tail." Erza said to Amon, shocking him "The people I lost were Fairy Tail, my one and only family. We've fought the Oracion Seis once. And yet, years later, they've grown closer as a family, and I'm a loner...Sounds like a sick joke, doesn't it?".

"Fairy Tail..." Amon repeated, shocked, much to Erza's confusion. Suddenly, Amon stood up, shouting "You're...!!!" Without a warning, Amon was interrupted by a bolt of lightning piercing him, causing him to fall on the ground face first, causing everyone to suddenly stand up in response.

Dreaming Apocalypse
"What a find!" A cheery, child-like voice called out, emerging from the woods, revealing it to be Lancelot, as an adult, holding his staff oh so merrily.

"Who would have thought the abnormal magical signature was of the infamous Oracion Seis...and the Son of Belial himself." Chiron said, appearing as well, next to Lancelot, followed by the blonde Liliana Barett.

"Don't kill him! If he's the son of the most wanted man in Fiore, he'd of course be worth just as much, or atleast half the amount!" Liliana scolded Lancelot for his careleness.

"Nah." Lancelot chimed "This one won't go down..." As he spoke, Amon got back up, seemingly shrugging off the lightning bolt "This one's an immortal after all, right?".

"I remember you...You're from the..." Before Amon could speak, he was struck in the stomach by a rising pillar of stone, sending him flying into the air, where Lancelot appearing in lightning speed, kicking him into the ground, creating a small crater with the force of his kick and landing.

"Not as tough as his old man though..." Lancelot said, sighing in disappointment.

"Hey! Don't bully our bud!" Cobra shouted at the bounty hunters.

"What should we do about...them?" Chiron asked Lancelot.

"Hmm...They're escaped convicts from the Hell House. We'll take them too." Lancelot replied.

"And...the Titania?".

"...Titania!" Lancelot said with open arms, cheerily speaking to her "What are you doing around such scoundrels? Aren't you supposed to be a good guy? Hahaha! Hell, aren't you supposed to be dead?" Lancelot casually said, with a hint of mockery in his tone.

"...Oh, bounty hunters?" Erza said, deducing from their manner of speech "I understand the situation..." She said, breathing calmly.

"Oh, you're gonna help us~?".

"...I...".

"No!" Amon stood up, seemingly unscathed by the assault he just recieved "You shut your goddamn trap, you...tiny kicking devil you!".

"You really are a pain..." Lancelot said, sighing, knowing full well about Amon's regenerative abilities. After all, he was at the center of that magical explosion, and yet his wounds began healing faster than any other human. "I'll have to do this quick then.".

"Oh no! You are not getting in our way! We are gonna kick your damn asses!" Amon continued shouted, turning his head to the others.

"Well, I mean, he's right." Cobra said "Not really gonna let them just take us so willy nilly...".

"We'll fight." Racer concurred.

"Oh, good." Amon said "In that ca-..." As Amon turned back to the bounty hunters, he was pushed slightly back, and upon looking down, saw Lancelot, surrounded by an aura of lightning, with his fist thrusted into his chest "O-...Oh...".

"Since you're gonna be a pain to take down, I'll get this over right away." Lancelot said, taking his arm out of Amon's chest.

"Wha-...What did you...do...?" Amon said, weakly, as he staggered back, while everyone simply looked in shock "What...?" He fell on his knees, beginning to stare into space.

"Consider this the best damn thing to ever happen in your sorry life." Lancelot viciously said, walking passed Amon, ignoring him "Sweet dreams, Demon Prince." He said, as Amon went limp, his movement completely stopping, only staring into space.

"Amon...?" Cobra called out "Hey! Amon, what gives? Get up! Did you really go down from one hit?!".

"Don't bother." Lancelot said, as the other bounty hunters became walking forth as well "Your friend won't wake up ever again. So, we'll give you two the same chances, give up and come with us, or we'll force you. And we can't promise you'll live." Lancelot presented his ultimatum to the Oracion Seis.

"...You must be joking." Midnight said "Did you honestly think that would work?".

"We're not going to listen to some shrimp!" Cobra concurred "You wanna fight? Then bring it! I haven't had a serious fight in years! You'll be a nice change of pace!".

"Let's not get arrogant." Racer said, turning to Kamma and Angel "You two stand by. We'll take care of this, okay?".

"Heh. Well alright. It's your potential funeral." Lancelot said, shrugging and sighing. He turned to face Erza, who simply stood without a word spoken "Feel free to help us, we'll even split the prize money if you want.".

"...I...".

"Or stand there, we won't judge." Lancelot said, grinning, his entire body releasing lightning as he blitzed towards the Oracion Seis, followed by Chiron and Liliana passing her as well, with her only reaction being sitting back down, looking away from the fight that was about to ensue, and trying to avoid eye contact with Amon.