" ": You talking

' ': You thinking

* *: Narrator/Voice-off

Your POV:

Natsu: SQUARE BASTARD !!! WHERE ARE YOU !!!

Lucy: Stop !! We're in the enemy's headquarters ! Don't yell !

Gray: We could only go crazy before because it was underground. Now we'll just have to sneak around.

Juvia: What's more, this door was not opened by someone on this side, it's being controlled by magic remotely.

"So they're well aware of our presence here. I guess Natsu can yell then."

Mew: If that's true, then what's the point in opening the door for us ?

"To challenge us..."

Guards: THERE THEY ARE !! IT'S THE INTRUDERS !!!

Natsu: These guys just don't know when to quit.

Guards: GUH !! GAH !! AHHH !!

"Erza !!"

Lucy: Thank goodness !! You were safe !

Juvia: She... She's so cool...

Erza: Wh... What are you guys doing here...

Natsu: What do you mean why ?!! We'd be disgracing Fairy Tail if we just backed off and let them walk all over us !!! AND THERE'S NO WAY I'M LETTING THAT SQUARE BASTARD OFF EASY !!!

"... Yeah, that's a pretty good summary. And they took Happy with them, so you should exit that son-to-be pile of rubble while you can, Erza."

Juvia: Um... Juvia is here because... Well...

Erza: Go back. You guys shouldn't be here.

Mew: Neither should you.

Natsu: THEY'VE GOT HAPPY SHUT UP HERE SOMEWHERE TOO !!! WE CAN'T JUST GO BACK !!

Erza: That must be Millianna...

Natsu: WHERE IS HE !!

Erza: I... have no idea.

Natsu: OK, GOT IT !!

Gray: What do you mean you got it ?!

Natsu: HAPPY'S WAITING FOR US !!! I'M COMING HAPPY !!!

Erza: Hey... Natsu...

Mew: Can this moron go somewhere without running off on his own...

"we should follow him before someone dies..."

Erza: You can't. Go back.

"Erza..."

Erza: Millianna is the biggest cat-lover around. I don't think she'd hurt Happy. I'll take care of them and bring them back. You guys, get away from here right now.

Lucy: We can't do that !! We're not leaving without you !!!

Erza: This is my problem. I don't want you guys getting involved.

Gray: We're already involved ! You saw how Natsu was !

Lucy: Erza... What is this tower ? Who's this Jellal guy ? ... Though it's fine if you don't want to tell us... I know you said those guys were your friends before, but we're your friends now. We'll always be here for you, Erza.

Erza: G... Go...

Gray: This isn't like you, Erza. Why can't you just stop saying all this useless stuff and tell us "Follow us" Like you always do ? We'll help you out. Even you're allowed to be scared sometimes, you know.

Erza: Sorry... In this fight, whether I win or lose, I'll disappear from this world no matter what...

Mew: W... What... ?

Erza: This is an unavoidable future, so... So while I'm still here, I'll tell you everything I know.

"... It's about 'that', isn't it ? That thing you told me about just before our trial ?"

Erza: Yes... The name of this tower is "The Tower of Paradise", otherwise known as "R System". More than a decade ago, a cult believing in dark magic tried to build a tower whose magic could "bring the dead back to life".

"Bring the dead back to life... ?"

Erza: this project was forbidden by the government and the magic council, so they rounded people up from all countries and forced them to work as slaves on the construction. When I was young, I was one of those forced to work here. That's when I first met Jellal... back then, he was the leader of our rebellion, he had a strong sense of justice... I looked up to him more than anyone else... However... After that time, Jellal became a completely different person... if you could ever call someone evil, that's probably what I'd call Jellal. I... I want to fight Jellal...

Era:

Siegrain: In order to wipe the Tower of Paradise from this world... To prevent Jellal from activating the R- System ! Right now, aside from using the square satellite and Etherion, we have no other options !!

Org: But...

Ultear: The R system has been forbidden since ancient times. I think everyone here understands the implications of this.

Org: using the Etherion would mean destroying absolutely everything. That includes innocent bystanders ! Everyone inside that tower will be killed.

Siegrain: To protect the order of the magic world, that's a price that must be paid.

Leiji: Just like Siegrain says, we've all gotten here on the sacrifices of many others. That's also evident in the history of this magic world that exists today.

Member: But Leiji !! if we unilaterally attack Kaelum's soil, it will leave a black mark throughout all of history !

Belno: Then that's part of the sacrifice we'll have to make.

Org: BELNO !!

Belno: One cannot return from the dead. These kids must understand the value of life. There's no getting out of it. I approve of the use of Etherion.

Org: WHAT !!

Siegrain: We just need one more !

Jellal: We just need one more... ?

Vidaldus: What ? Did you say something, master Jellal ?

Jellal: Nothing, just talking to myself. One more person, before "Game Over". Heh heh heh...

Your POV:

Gray: Hold on, Erza. That "Zeref" you just mentioned, is it...

Erza: Ah... he's called the most brutal and cruel dark mage in all history of the magic world.

"Wait a second... That monster that was sealed inside the lullaby... Wasn't it supposed to be Zeref's creation ?"

Erza: Not only that, I'm afraid Deliora could have been such part of Zeref's book. Zeref has the power to create these terrifying monsters with little effort.

Juvia: That's the Zeref Jellal plans to revive ?

Erza: I'm not sure what his motive is, but according to Shô, when Zeref is revived, they would become rulers of "Paradise".

Mew: When you put it that way, their actions makes even less sense... To them, you are a traitor, but the real traitor seems to be Jellal, right ?

Erza: I don't know what Jellal has been filling their heads with since I escaped the Tower of Paradise. But I did abandon them for 8 whole years. I guess that's a kind of betrayal.

Lucy: But, that was because Jellal threatened you with your friend's lives ! You couldn't get close ! How could those guys blame...

Erza: That's enough, Lucy. If I can just take care of Jellal, it'll all be over.

"... If you say so, Erza..."

Shô: Sister... Those words... What do you mean by them ?

Erza: Shô...

Shô: All that nonsense you just said, are you just trying to pry sympathy from your friends ?! Don't joke around ! The truth is nothing like that !! 8 YEARS AGO, WEREN'T YOU THE ONE WHO BOMBED THE SHIP EVERYONE WAS ON AND THEN RAN OFF BY YOURSELF ? IF JELLAL HADN'T DISCOVERED YOUR BETRAYAL WE WOULD HAVE ALL BEEN BLOWN TO BITS !! JELLAL TOLD EVERYONE ! THIS IS THE FATE OF THOSE WHO CANNOT HANDLE THE PROPER FORM OF OF "MAGIC" ! YOU WENT MAD WITH YOUR NEW POWER AND GAVE UP EVERYTHING TO DO WITH US !!

"Jellal told you that ?"

Lucy: Does that sound like something the Erza you knew would have done ?

Shô: You... YOU FOOLS DON4T UNDERSTAND ANYTHING !! YOU DON'T KNOW A THING ABOUT US !! I WAS SAVED THANKS TO JELLAL !! WE BUILT THIS TOWER FOR THE LAST 8 YEARS ! FOR JELLAL !! ... ... All of this... has been a lie... ? If Erza's right, then everything Jellal said, was a lie ?!!

???: That's right.

Erza: SIMON ?!

Gray: Bastard-

Juvia: Hold on, Mr.Gray !! That time before, he knew that was only an ice dummy of Mr.Gray, but he attacked it anyway.

Gray: What ?!

Juvia: There's no way a mage of darkness wouldn't have detected something like that. Confirming this is one of the reasons Juvia came along.

Simon: No wonder you're one of the famous Phantom Lord's element four. I didn't plan on killing you then. In order to fool Shô and the others, I was just going to knock you out. With the ice I was able to make your death seem a little more realistic.

Shô: You were just trying to trick us ?!

Simon: You, Wally and Millianna, everyone had been fooled by Jellal. I waited for the right time, and pretended to believe him also.

Erza: Simon, you...

Simon: I believed Erza from the beginning. It's been that way for 8 years...

Simon: I'm so glad I was finally able to see you again, Erza.

Erza: Simon...

Shô: How could... How could you trust her like that... How... ? Why can't I trust her, trust her like you do ? DAMN IT !!! WHO'S TELLING THE TRUTH ?!! WHO AM I SUPPOSED TO BELIEVE !!!

Erza: ... I know it's hard to accept everything right now... But let me just say a few words. In these 8 years I never forgot about you guys. I couldn't do anything... I was too weak. i'm sorry.

"But now, things are different, aren't they ?"

Simon: Indeed... I've been waiting for this moment. Now that all these powerful mages are gathered in one place.

Lucy: Powerful mages ? Does that include me ?

Simon: We'll fight Jellal, with our combined strength. But first, we need to stop Salamander and Wally's impending battle. If we are to take on Jellal, we'll need his power. Salamander Natsu.