Chapter 18: Path to power 1/2

Fairy tail is owned by Hiro Mashima, Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo. I own nothing.

A special thank you to Greatkingrat88 for writing this.

Another chapter for July. Don't expect this to be a common thing guys, sorry. We're just ahead of schedule.

That said, I do hope you all enjoy this. There are a few things I'm VERY positive you'll all enjoy!

Thanks again for reading. Please feel free to leave any reviews that you want, be it positive or negative.

The eternal moon of Hueco Mundo was bathing the room in its pale light, as Erza got to her feet again, wiping blood from her brow. It was strange how easily you got used to it- this realm was dead, cruel and the home of evil creatures, but it was as Aizen said- it had a strange, wild kind of beauty.

Not that this was on her mind right now. Here she was in a chamber of the palace in Las Noches, one sword in each hand, she took a stance, readying herself as Halibel came toward her again, her arm-sword raised and ready to strike. The great bone-blade came down, shattering the floor tiles as Erza rolled out of the way, and impossibly quickly it retracted to parry her counterattack. Erza pressed her advantage, hacking and slashing at the hollow, trying to keep her on the defensive- but her assault was broken with a single, hard wide swipe, which Erza only barely blocked. She could feel the muscles in her arms scream in protest, her bones almost but not quite cracking under the pressure, as she was sent flying a few yards. She landed on her feet, only barely keeping herself upright.

"If I had struck you seriously there, you would have died," Halibel said plainly. "Why do you insist on this? Neliel and I are both stronger than you are by a severe margin. You have no hope of defeating me."

"It's not about defeating you," Erza said, defiantly, letting her sword change shape into Breaker, the axe, "it's about learning!"

She lunged again, bringing her heavy weapon down, but Halibel had blocked it effortlessly. It had been this way for at least a week now, Erza challenging her or Neliel to a fight, losing miserably each time. She had started spending more time here, often after dark, and Aizen approved- although he had warned her not to stray into parts of the castle she did not know. Erza had found both Halibel and Neliel to be decent company- they were hollows, but in their own way, they were good people too. They had their own friends, lower ranked hollows under their protection, and they seemed to treat them well. So Erza had tried to befriend them the best way she knew- they didn't exactly have a lot in common, but violence was a universal thing to all sentient beings.

She hacked and cut, not really making much headway- but she had managed to make Halibel take a step back, which was a victory in and of itself. Then, Halibel let her bone-blade drop, and caught the blade of Erza's axe in her palm, not even taking a scratch.

"That is enough." She said simply. "You are tired and worn. Stop."

"I can still keep going," Erza mumbled. "I just need to…"

"Stop, or I will break this weapon." Halibel said coolly.

Erza grumbled, but let her sword return to its sealed form. Huffing, she wiped her brow again, and slowly sheathed her sword.

"You're so cold, Halibel," Neliel said chipperly, having watched from the side-lines. "She's just a shinigami. There's no need to be so hard on her." She was a sweet person, Erza had noted, something that went in stark contrast to her ghastly mask, looking like some grim, mystical totem.

"I was hard on her?" Halibel said dismissively. "If I were, she would be dead. I still don't understand- you are inferior. I mean it not as an insult, but you are. Your strength may not yet be fully grown, but you could never hope to match me. Why keep trying?"

"Well," Erza said, stretching her back and feeling the ache- she'd feel that in the morning, oh yes- "I'm running out of good practice partners back at home. I am going to be a captain one day, Halibel, just like Aizen… and if I want to reach there, I need to challenge myself. I need to get stronger. You don't get stronger by fighting people who are on the same level as you are. All that accomplishes is you staying in shape, at best."

"…perhaps." Halibel said, looking as inscrutable as ever under her mask. It was a strange thing- a mask she had, but not over all of her face. Under it was… skin, just like on any person she'd find in the world of the living or in the soul society.

"I figure, why not give myself as big a challenge as possible?" Erza said, giving her a smile. "Throw reason to the curb, try to move a mountain- and maybe if I try hard enough, I'll move it."

"Or you will break your back trying to." Halibel said dryly. She was critical, dismissive, but, Erza had noticed- she had never once said no to a spar with her, despite the gap in power. It was fascinating- she knew how to slay a hollow, big or small, and she knew how to fight against a sword, but Halibel was simply different- experienced, powerful, a true Vasto Lorde.

"That's a risk I am prepared to take." Erza said resolutely. "I did not join this… whole revolution to play it safe."

"You want a better tomorrow." Halibel said flatly, with a hint of skepticism.

"It won't come if I don't work for it," Erza shot back, "and one day, I'll be much stronger, and that day I will thank you for your help."

Halibel gave her a long, scrutinizing look, and walked over to a bench, sitting herself down.

"You shinigami are strange." She said, after a while. "You are soft, almost all of you are weak, and almost all of you hate and fear us. You work hard, Erza Scarlet, and your wish to become stronger is sincere. But do you realize what a luxury that is?"

"Luxury?" Erza said, following Halibel a few steps, until she was face to face with her again.

"Yes." Halibel said flatly. "To train safely, to have some… controlled environment where you can cultivate your potential. This is a great luxury. I am sure you must have had your struggles and pains getting here, but none of it compares to being a hollow. Out there," she said, gesturing at the endless, white desert of Hueco Mundo, "you would have been killed and eaten just now, not been given leave to rest. Had you been a hollow, dreadful things might have been done to you, and the only way to survive is to be even more dreadful yourself. I am strong, so I have earned the luxury of companionship, but I was a monster before then. I still am."

"You are not a monster-" Erza said, but Halibel cut her off.

"I am." She said sharply. "It is not something I am ashamed of. We all do as we must to survive. But through Aizen-sama's vision, I have found purpose. I do not regret or enjoy what I am, and I do not reject it either."

"Um…" Erza said, unsure of what to say. She was probably right- hollows were terrible, but she hadn't considered before how terrible a thing it was to be a hollow.

"You will never understand." Halibel said matter-of-factly, "Because you have not killed and killed and killed out of hunger, fear and ambition. You have never felt true madness, true ruthlessness. You have not felt the pain of ten thousand wounds, of almost dying all the time, of always being afraid and hiding it behind strength and viciousness."

"You're right." Erza said. "I can't understand. I can't help that. But…"

"I do not judge you for it. You did not choose to be a shinigami. I did not choose to be a hollow. We are what we are. Only purpose matters."

"Do you really think you are a monster?" Erza said, furrowing her brows.

"Would your kind not call me that?" Halibel said, giving her a look. "Would you not call me that, had you seen me in the darkest parts of Hueco Mundo?"

"You are a person, Tier," Erza said resolutely.

"Would your shinigami friends acknowledge that?" Halibel asked. "Would they even listen to you if you dared suggest differently?"

"Well…" Erza mumbled. "It would be difficult."

"Until recently, you thought just like they do. So why now insist on spending time with us?"

"I thought hollows were all monsters, it's true," Erza said, sighing and nodding, "but I was wrong. I know better now. If I can learn that, so can everyone else."

"You truly believe that?" Halibel said, giving her a quizzical look.

"I have to." Erza said firmly. "If I don't, then I'm just acting like I'm better than everyone else. I'm not a hypocrite, Tier- the better tomorrow isn't just for the soul society, it's for you too."

Halibel remained silent for a while, leaning herself against the wall.

"…you are a very, very strange shinigami, Erza Scarlet," she said at last, sounding puzzled. "Aizen-sama is strong. He gave us purpose, a reason for being beyond mere existence. Gin is a monster, a hollow wearing the skin of a shinigami. Tosen lies to himself about right and wrong. But you… you seem different from all of them."

"It's nothing special." Erza said, and smiled. "I'm just doing my best. Come on- let's spar some more. I pushed you back one step this time- doesn't it look like I'm learning?"

"Do not get so full of yourself," Halibel said, standing up, "you have a long way to go yet."

There was something about her voice, her eyes, the way she stood. If she hadn't had a mask, then she might have smiled, Erza thought.

It was after nightfall when she made it back to her room. Officially she had been out on patrol; the records would verify it, as would several witnesses who had seen her leave and return- that illusion power was quite handy. She felt a good bit more tired than a simple patrol would have left her, though- Halibel, even when she restrained herself, was awesomely powerful.

Which was why, when the light suddenly turned on, she immediately reached for her sword, and had managed to draw it out by the time a crowd of people chanted out, as one, "SURPRISE!"

"Well, look at you, keepin' alert," said Ikkaku, standing next to Lisanna. "Good to see you didn't get soft just for getting a cushy promotion."

Erza looked around, and lowered her sword. There was Ikkaku, there was Isane, Rangiku, Momo, Lisanna, Momo, Renji, Kira, Hisagi… even Rukia, it seemed. Her new room was quite spacious, but it was absurd how all of them had been able to hide in it. Just how tired was she? She managed a smile, though she didn't feel quite so chipper- she hadn't had a party in ages, and she was a little bit on edge.

"You guys…" She said, embarrassedly sheathing her sword, "um, what is this?"

"You made vice-captain, Erza!" Momo said cheerily.

"We just couldn't leave it without proper celebration!" Rangiku exclaimed, procuring a multitude of sake bottles seemingly out of nowhere. "We all got together-"

"She means Momo, Kira and I," Renji cut in,

"We all got together," Rangiku said insistently, "and agreed we should plan a proper celebration. You earned this, and you deserve at least a party."

"She means 'an excuse to get drunk'," Ikkaku said, "which I am all for, by the way."

"You didn't have to do this. I mean… do you usually?"

"We do if I have a say in it!" Rangiku said cheerily. She continued, her voice a bit light-hearted, "Young lady, you are now a vice-captain, and it is our responsibility as your seniors to celebrate and advise you."

"And drink lots of sake." Ikkaku said.

"And drink lots of sake!" Rangiku concurred. "There's no use trying to fight it- you are destined to party all night with your friends!"

"Well…" Erza said, looking at all their faces, all so happy for her, "when you put it like that… it doesn't sound like I have much choice, does it?"

"I'm so proud of you, Erza," Momo said, giving her a hug. Erza ruffled her hair, and looked down on her affectionately, not really sure what to say.

"You've done all right for yourself, Erza," Lisanna said, shooting her a content smile. "I always figured you'd outrun me eventually."

"It's not a contest," Erza said. "Everyone just does their best." She felt a little guilty- she was plotting treason behind their backs, and each one of them could become an enemy with time… this party was not unwelcome, and she felt glad they all cared- but at the same time, it only reminded her of what her better tomorrow would cost.

"Erza? Erza? Hello, Erza?!" Erza realized she had drifted off in thought, Lisanna raising her voice at her to catch her attention.

"Oh- sorry." Erza said awkwardly, giving her a smile. "Let's um, go sit down and have a drink, and such."

She joined the others at the couch- a simple one, as she'd never figured she would really need one to begin with- where the rest of them were already sat, pulling up stools for the ones who didn't fit. It hadn't been five minutes, and they were already talking, drinking… they were so lively, so happy, so spirited. For a second, she thought she saw the friends of old- Natsu and Gray at each other's throats as usual, Lucy trying to placate them, Elfman boisterously declaring his manliness, Mirajane sitting in the background with a smile…

Then she was back in the present again. She had lost a whole family once, and now she had found new friends, new family… and the path she was on might turn them all against her? What was she doing with her life?

"Erza?" It was Isane's voice, sounding concerned. "You look- um, you look a bit weird. We shouldn't have imposed… I'm sorry."

"No, no, it's nothing," Erza said, keeping her voice stable. "You're all- you're all um, you're great."

"I know what it is." Lisanna said. "It's the guild, isn't it? It's a lot like it."

"The guild?" Renji said. "What guild? What's she on about, sis?"

"She and I knew each other back when we were alive." Erza said, struggling to get the words out.

"Fairy Tail." Lisanna said. "That was the guild of mages we lived in. We were all of us like one big family… almost like this. That's what got you looking so glum, wasn't it?"

Erza nodded. It was only half the truth, but it would do.

"I told you we shouldn't have," Isane mumbled to Rangiku.

"No, no, I'm glad," Erza said, keeping her voice stable, taking a few deep breaths. "I'm glad you're all here. Everything- everything is okay. Please, um, tell me about being a vice-captain instead."

"Huh." Renji said. "You two used to know each other in life? I never knew."

"Vice-captain advice time!" Rangiku said, cheerily cutting him off. Rangiku might sometimes seem it, but she wasn't actually dim- and unlike Erza, she was an expert at salvaging an awkward situation. "Erza, now that you are a vice-captain, there are certain perks. Like how you can book a spa all to yourself at a moment's notice, or get discounts at all the best stores! Trust me, people love a vice-captain almost as much as they love a captain. We're famous and powerful, so use it!" She smiled broadly, and Erza suspected she was already half drunk.

"Oh. Um…" she said, not really sure what to say, but grateful for the distraction.

"It's a lot of hard work," Isane said, smiling with a hint of nervousness, "I was terrified when Unohana-taicho named me her second. But I knew she believed in me, and she was never wrong… so I worked hard, and I actually did all right. I don't, um, have much advice… other than you shouldn't doubt yourself. But I don't think you would anyway. Er."

Isane was probably about as awkward as Erza herself, which was a rare thing.

"Thank you, Isane," she said, smiling warmly.

"Well, I ain't a vice-captain," Ikkaku said, downing what was probably his seventh drink already, "but I know you well enough you earned it. Lotsa shitty bureaucratic bullshit to go with the job, but you got the strength. I don't do speeches, so I'll shut up and refill this cup inna second- but here's to you, Erza. You'll make captain one day, and when you do, we'll have a proper fight, you and I."

That last part would have sounded hostile, but to Ikkaku, violence was just part of friendship, and people who couldn't handle that weren't his friends. Erza just smiled at him, and poured her own drink, raising it in a toast. Ikkaku followed suit, and the two of them downed one drink each. As Erza felt the burn of alcohol down her throat, she let herself relax a little.

"Congratulations, Erza," Momo said, smiling the brightest of them all, "I knew you'd move up."

"When I make captain, you'll be my second," Erza said, half joking.

"Oh- oh no, I could never…" Momo murmured. "I mean… I'm not…"

"You're good enough. You're already an officer- and you're more talented than most. I will move up, and so will you, mark my words."

"Th-thank you," Momo said, blushing at the praise.

Erza just nodded, and let herself be swallowed by the party, by the buzz and chatter, the conversation and general state of being with other people. She hadn't realized how much she had missed this- it truly did remind her of times past.

Three hours or so later, most of them had left. They all had work in the morning, after all, and you could only stay up so late drinking without your superiors noticing. Ikkaku had left, so had Lisanna, Kira and Rangiku. Renji and Hisagi were passed out on her couch- where they could stay for the night, for all she cared. She was much too tired to wake them and run them out. The only one still present and awake was Momo, who was dutifully picking up mugs, putting stools back in places, and making the place a little less messy.

"You should go home," Erza said. "I'll take care of this in the morning."

"It's no trouble." Momo said.

Erza sat down on her bed. "So… this was fun." She mumbled.

"Rangiku-san insisted on it being a surprise," Momo said, sounding a little guilty, "she said it was the only proper way to celebrate."

"It was good. I was just, well… surprised." Erza said, her eyelids feeling heavy.

"I didn't know you were such good friends with Ikkaku-san, though," Momo said. "His division seems so… scary."

"They're a rough bunch, all right," Erza mumbled, "but I used to be there myself."

"Really? I never knew." Momo said. Finally finished with the cleanup- or at least the worst of it- she sat down next to Erza.

"I was, yes," Erza said, nodding, "but… I left."

"How come?"

Erza turned her head to look Momo in the eye. "Ikkaku, you know… he looks real mean, and he's rough around the edges. Kind of a real man's man, you know? Fight, fight, fight, get stronger, train all day and drink a lot of beer once the day is done… but he's a good person."

Momo nodded. "If you say he is, then I'm sure he is,"

"But his captain…" Erza said darkly, "his captain is a bad man."

"He's very frightening. They say he's insane…"

"He is." Erza said, making a fist. "Back when I was there, I served under Kiganjo Kenpachi. He wasn't the greatest leader there ever was, or the most hardworking, and he didn't treat me with any special favour. But he was a good man, Momo, a good man." She grit her teeth at the memory. "He led us, and he was the kind of man who'd never ask any of his soldiers to do something he wouldn't. When it came to fighting hollows, he was right there with us. I wasn't… that close with him, but he was a good leader."

"Then what happened?" Momo asked quizzically.

"Zaraki Kenpachi." Erza said brusquely. "He came in one day, claiming the name of Kenpachi, and because of some… damn outdated law, he could take it just by killing Kiganjo. He struck him down in one hit, he died, and everyone just… accepted it."

"So that's why you left," Momo said, sounding concerned. "That sounds terrible."

"Zaraki Kenpachi is a madman who lives to fight, without any concern for anyone or anything else." Erza said. "I don't think about it too often, but it shames us that a butcher like him is allowed to be a leader. He's a murderer."

"But Ikkaku serves under him."

"Ikkaku likes him." Erza said. "That is something I never understood- and I probably never will. I don't think I even want to. Suffice to say, eleven's not a place I'd recommend for any of my friends."

"But… you're still friends with him? Even though he 'likes' a murderer?" Momo said.

Erza sighed. "Being friends isn't just about liking each other, it's also about accepting the ways you are different. I have ideas he doesn't agree with, and he doesn't hold it against me. But still… it's something we don't talk about. It's best that way."

"…I see." Momo said.

"Anyway, I need to sleep," Erza said, closing her eyes, "so… please finish up whatever you need to do."

"S-Sure," Momo said. In just a minute, she had gotten what she needed, left and Erza let herself fall deep into sleep.

The next day, after hours, she had sought out Ikkaku, and challenged him for another spar, far out in the training grounds, at the very edge of the walls, a place often completely deserted at this time of day. He was good practice; strong, intense, challenging, spirited. They had sparred for nearly an hour, and neither of them were yielding- this was, technically, still the first round. Both of them had nearly won, and nearly lost, several times already- it was an even match, as even as it could only get between two fighters who had had years to explore each other's fighting styles. Sweat tricked down both their bodies, muscles ached and blades clashed. At long last, though, Erza mis-stepped, and Ikkaku quickly tripped her. Before she could recover, she was lying on her back, the point of his spear in her face.

"Give?" He said, his breath a little ragged.

"Give," Erza grunted. Ikkaku stepped back, resting the spear over his shoulder, and Erza flipped onto her feet, huffing irritably.

"You remember back when we started?" Ikkaku said, huffing, grinning a little. "I'd knock you over nine times outta ten. Now look where we are."

"More than that," Erza grumbled, holding her sword firmly, "and I really thought I had this one."

"Could have been you, could have been. To be honest, I don't think I'll be able to take you for much longer."

"What do you mean?" Erza said, still breathing heavily. "You- you nearly had me, like… so many times."

"You've been growing a whole lot since I first met ya," Ikkaku said, and there was something solemn in his voice. "There's a great, bright light shining about ya, an' the only one that burns brighter is my captain. I felt it then, an' I feel it now. You've been takin' control of it, little by little… an' yer so much stronger."

"You mean I've gotten better control over my reiatsu?"

"Well, sod me for bein' poetic," Ikkaku grumbled. "Yes, that's what I mean. Yer mad powerful, and when you got full control over that power, you'll be a damn sight stronger than me. That don't bug me none, don't worry about that- but question is, what will you do with it?"

"Make captain if I can, I guess," she said, shrugging. "You're one to talk, though… you're not even going all out."

"Then what the hell was the last hour?" Ikkaku sneered. "I'm getting bruises what will last a month here, and you're saying that wasn't all I got?"

"It's hard to tell, sure, but… in the way you move, the way you hit, the strength of your blows… there is something else there. Like there's something you could do, but won't. It's like a conversation with somebody who has something he wants to say, but won't. It's the feeling I get, at least."

There was a strange look on his face, and he went quiet for a while, just staring at her.

"…all right," he said at last, "there is something."

"What?"

"I got a question first, alright?" He said, pointing at her. "When you say you wanna be captain, you really mean it, right? You wanna go the full mile, reach the highest spot and be in charge?"

"It's not for being in charge," said Erza, "but yes. I am serious. I'm going to be a captain."

"You sound damn sure of yourself," Ikkaku said, nodding at her, "good, I guess. If you want a crazy hard dream like that, you gotta believe it." He gave her a hard, tough glare, and there was something different about him, the way his reiatsu swirled…

"Ready yourself, Erza. Get out your best damn sword, right now."

"What?"

"No 'what', Erza!" He snapped. "I'm going to show you something fucking extraordinary, got that? I don't want no 'what' or 'oooh' or 'aaah' or any fuckin' general gawking, just the best you got. You're a game, Erza."

In her hand, Tetsu no Tama took the shape of Render, the black greatsword.

"All right," she said, "now show it to me. Your secret special technique, or whatever it is."

"Good," he said, nodding. "Just one thing. Swear to me, right here and fucking now, that this shit stays between the two of us. Not a word of this leaves your lips, got that?"

"…all right," Erza said, unsure of what to make of this.

"Not 'all right'," he said sharply, "Erza, if you say a peep to anyone, we're not friends anymore. You got that? That's how important it is."

She took a deep breath. He was really serious.

"Okay. I swear," she said, giving him a nod.

"Attagirl," he said, nodding back. There was a gust of wind around him, as his reiatsu began to climb, his spirit energy swirling and growing in power. She was no expert at reiatsu reading, but it was easy to tell- this was something extraordinary. He grinned widely, looking almost demonic, and leaned forward with his spear in both hands, taking a stance.

"BAN KA-AAAI!" He roared, and there was an enormous surge of reiatsu, dust whipping from the ground from the winds as it released. Erza gasped- ban kai? The rarest and truest of skills for all shinigami? The dust was slowly clearing, but even through it, there was no mistaking the raw power. Even the structure of his reiatsu was different- this was… incredible. The dust began to settle, and she saw it. In each hand, an enormous axe blade, each one as big as her Render, connected with an enormous chain to an even bigger axe blade, floating over his shoulders, decorated with the engraved image of a dragon. It was… magnificent to look at. Awe-inspiring, strong, lethal- just like what she would expect from Ikkaku.

Ryumon Hozukimaru," Ikkaku said.

"You have-" Erza began, but Ikkaku gave her no time. Immediately rushing forward, swinging one of his axe-blades with surprising speed. Quickly, Erza blocked it, the strike feeling like it would rip her main arm right off. It was followed by another, and another, and another, each strike vicious and absurdly powerful. She struggled to stay on her feet, being driven back several yards with each swing, somehow just barely managing to block his strikes, her body reacting automatically. She tried to push back, tried to hit again- but even with two enormous weapons, he was faster than her, hitting much harder. Finally, her arms burning with pain, she was knocked off her feet, tumbling well over ten feet, losing hold of her sword. Stubbornly, refusing to give up so quickly, she struggled to get to her feet, making a grab for her sword. Ikkaku just stood there, watching her with a serious expression.

Her arms screaming in protest, she forced herself to take hold of Render with both hands, struggling to lift it.

"Good fighting spirit," Ikkaku said, grinning. "This here bankai is pure, raw destruction. It's just like me."

"Don't I know it," Erza said, forcing herself to ignore the pain. The dragon emblem on the giant axe blade was glowing red now, and he held up his blades high, easily and readily. Erza, for her part, trembled as she held her blade up.

"Come on, then," She said, knowing she would regret it. But to her relief- and disappointment- his bankai dissolved in a bright flash of light, leaving only its sealed form.

"What? That's it?" She said, disappointedly.

"See that red, glowing dragon?" Ikkaku said, calmly sheathing his sword. "That's my bankai charging up. My sword's mostly like me, except he's kinda lazy in a fight. That red thing is me waking him up. When he's fully charged… I can't guarantee you wouldn'ta died, and this ain't so important a point I wanted to go there. Plus, I don't want nobody seeing I got one."

"I… I've never seen one before," Erza mumbled, letting her own sword seal itself. "How…. When…?

"That was the awesome power of a bankai, Erza," Ikkaku mumbled, "and you ain't telling nobody I got one, remember?"

"Why?"

"I got my reasons," Ikkaku said, "but point being, this is the power you need. Every captain, except mine, has to have one. Believe you me, you're strong, but you ain't even close to how good he is. You'll need one. Don't matter how good you control your reiatsu, how great battle planning you got, if your kido is top notch- this is the mark of a truly great shinigami. Don't even think about wanting to be a captain before you get this done."

"But… how?" Erza asked. "How do I… I mean, how did you?"

Ikkaku scratched his head. "It's uh, complicated. It's all that deep crap I'm not really good at- ya gotta be really one with yerself, talk to your spirit and really know what it wants from you. Some people got a great connection, other people need to work on it… a lot. Me'n Hozukimaru, we're a lot alike, and I'm guessing that helped."

Erza gave a thought to the vain, arrogant personality of Tetsu no Tama, and made a face. "I don't think I am so lucky. But… you, a bankai… I never knew."

"You figured out something was off. Yumichika did, too. We're buds, so I reckoned you should know what it is you're aiming for. Sound right?"

"No, it does…" Erza mumbled. "It hurt like hell, too."

"No holding back with this thing," Ikkaku said. "It's not subtle."

"No kidding," Erza murmured. "But… thanks."

"Yeah, whatever. Let me know when you're recovered for another spar. Me, I'm goin' back home. See ya around."

With that, he plain and simply left, leaving Erza with aches only trumped by her confusion and awe.