While making his way towards the Guild, Zack thought of ways to earn money without relying on the Guild.
However, no matter how one will look of it, it is pointless, after all, Zack's knowledge on how to make money is very limited, just like his views on the world, that also limited.
Only other way Zack could think of earning money without relying on Jobs via the guild, will be doing odd jobs around the town, but that wouldn't do, even if it is possible, that still requires Zack to remain in this town, in Magnolia the very place he needed to get away from.
He could always take on Jobs that makes Zack to stay away from Magnolia, but that wouldn't change a thing, if anything, it will only delay the outcome he wanted to avoid, because no matter the Job is, it still a requirement for the Wizard to returned to their Guild each time the Job is completed.
Of course, the last option Zack can do, was to joined another Guild.
But that also out of question, just the thought of joining another Guild, feels no different to betraying Fairy Tail, looking down on what both Fairy Tail and their members did for him.
Not to mention, even if Zack was selfish enough to join another Guild, it wouldn't be easy either. Not every Guild is like Fairy Tail, that accepts about just anyone that wants a place to belong to.
After all, these days, almost all Guilds only want those who are either famous, or a Wizard that came from some Magic School.
Not to mention, there also Guilds like Blue Pegasus, Guilds that required specific requirements, if you wished to joined them.
Another sigh left Zack, while his head only felt heavier more he thought about it. He is truly unsure how can he earned the money for his journey to try to mend himself away from this town and the guild.
Maybe it is just better to just go as it is, like it is said before, money or not, he still has the knowledge from God, that will ensure his survival in any kind of wilderness, even if he has nothing in his hands.
While still lost in thought in the middle of the street, Zack failed to noticed two people that he is familiar with, who had spotted Zack and made their way towards our clueless protagonist.
It was until a familiar voice sounded in his ears, that caused Zack to bothy, snapped out of his lost thoughts, and turned towards the owner of that voice.
"Is that you, Zack?" The familiar voice was no other than Gray Fullbuster himself.
Being no longer 15 years old, but now 16 years old, Gray has become taller, as well his muscles also thicken a little over the year.
But besides those changes, nothing else truly stood out about this laidback and yet sharp teenager.
As for the second person that came along with Gray, is someone that both Gray and Zack himself have become somewhat close with since he has joined the Guild over half a year ago.
His name is Loke.
Loke is a young man with orangish brown spiky hair, with average height, however, while his height may be average, he is older than Zack, not to mention, while the young man may wear glasses on his face, that still cannot hide his quite handsome face.
When it comes to looks in general, to be fair, neither Zack nor Gray are bad looking, in fact, in their own ways, they too have their own charms that makes them stand out.
While either the two teenagers do not have Loke's charm, that more towards a princely charm. Gray's charms lie in the keen and sharpness he carries behind his calm and laidback nature.
And Zack's charm in his looks, is more a wild kind of handsomeness nature, especially the way his muscles has formed between lean and thick, a perfect ratio, it is the kind of charm that brings out more mature tastes, then ideal tastes like Loke carries in his looks.
Putting aside about charms and looks, there is one thing that does make Loke special. It is something that only Zack may or may not knew in the whole of the Guild, thanks to his Haki.
And what is that special something about Loke?
He is not human.
Even if his Haki has weakened, he can still sense the auras of others, Zack can tell apart others with their auras, who they truly are, if they are a human, an animal, or maybe even a Monster.
While Loke is neither Monster nor a wild animal, he also not human, even if he may appear as one, Loke's aura is simply something else, something that Zack never experienced until he met Loke, so he cannot pinpoint what Loke is.
Of course, Loke could truly human himself, but among humans, he is a special case, or maybe it is a bloodline thing.
However, whatever Loke is a special case among humans, or simply not human himself, did not matter to our clueless protagonist.
It is not what lies on the outside that truly matters, but what lies inside that does.
That is why, it did not matter what Loke is, what truly matters is who Loke is, and to Zack he is a friend, a follow guild mate, and someone who in his own weird way, always willing to lend a helping hand.
"Oh, Zack my man, you here as well?" Loke went in a cheerful voice, causing this young clueless broken man to smile at the cheerful nature of Loke, while both Loke and Gray came before Zack.
"I am, I was on my way to the guild, what about you guys?" Zack went, turning towards the two that came before him.
"Same here." Gray simply told.
"Fufu, while on my end, I am not actually going to the guild, but to a mixer, I been trying to bring our icy friend here along with me. But since you here, my broken hearted friend, want to come along? Who knows, maybe you can find someone who can help you move on." Loke went with a sly smile at first, but soon a gentle one replaced it.
"Did you forget the last time, when you tried to bring him to one of your mixers? Go ahead, you the one earning Erza's wrath." Gray went, referring to the time, when Loke tried to play matchmaker with our broken clueless protagonist.
Of course, the mixer did not end well, especially when Erza just happened to be nearby, and saw Zack being pushed inside the place where the mixer was located.
"Hahaha, I still remember… I still remember that stare…. It was simply lovely." Loke went with a pale face, and yet a faint redness dyed his cheeks, this earned a deadpan look from a certain ice guy, as well a wry smile from a certain clueless teenager.
"You… never mind, I am not going to step on that landmine." Gray went, not wanting anything to do with this freak. However, Loke as the ever ladies' man, hook his arm around Gray, before he could flee from his side.
"I was only joking, well, a little, a little spice never bores things. But seriously, Zack, is something going on between you two? I mean, she either an overprotective sister, or maybe something more." Loke went with a grin, hitting something deeper than any sibling or friendship kind of bond between Zack and Erza.
However, our protagonist wouldn't be called clueless for nothing, as question marks appeared above Zack, who did not get Loke's meaning.
"What you mean by that??" Zack honestly went, causing the playboy to sigh, seeing this broken puppy did not get it.
"What I expect? Well, least Gray gets it, right?" Loke went with a playful tone, while poking the annoyed looking Gray's cheeks.
Upon hearing Loke, a long sigh came from Gray, who pushes away the hand poking him.
"Erza always been like that… well, maybe more with Zack, especially what had happened." Gray simply went, as he recalled the days when Natsu, himself, and Erza used to be kids, not teenagers they are now.
Erza Scarlet, if Gray has to pick to words to describe her, those two words will be hard and yet soft.
She always been the serious type when it comes to most matters, and yet, her intentions are often soft and even at times silly.
At one hand, she will lecture you on your wrongdoings. And the other hand, she will lend you her shoulder or hand if you are having a hard time.
Another thing to note about Erza, besides her softness and her hardness nature, that she also modest, a little too modest, when they used to be kids, Erza will often drag either Natsu or himself to bath with her.
Of course, this is not just limited to the two of them. Even today, Erza sometimes baths with either Lisanna or Cana, and Gray knew, if Mirajane were to put side her pride and differences, without a doubt, Erza will be dragging that rebellious teenager to bath with her, like she used to do with himself and Natsu.
No, Gray knew, if given the chance, even today, Erza wouldn't blink an eye if he were to offer to bath with her, with no ill intentions involve, just a simple bathing between two guild mates.
Because of this, Gray believes bathing, especially with others, has a special meaning to Erza.
And yet, for someone who barely reacts being seen naked by others while bathing, as long they either from the Guild, or someone she is close with. Erza is always wearing armour.
Besides her bedroom, or the bathroom, Erza is always wearing some kind of armour.
No matter how others see this, it is strange, it is strange that someone like Erza who modest with her body being seen, always has armour on almost all the time.
This made Gray believes, the reason why Erza likes bathing with others, and why she always has her armour on her body, even outside of combat, are related to each other.
Putting aside the matter regarding whatever the history or meaning behind the armour and bathing.
Erza always been fond with roles to take care of others, so when Zack joined the Guild two years ago, Zack was the kind of person that needed guiding the most.
So, being who she is, Erza took on that role. A role that became the reason why the bond between Erza and Zack is a deep one, a bond that is no different to a little brother, and a big sister kind of bond they have between them.
However, while that how things are, but something did changed between the two of them a year ago, causing Erza to become more overprotective when it comes to Zack, when she normally is.
With keen and sharp senses like himself, Gray can tell from the sidelines of watching, that Erza often looked guilty of something.
And it has to be related to the changes in Mirajane, who basically thrown Zack out of her life, in the truest of sense.
After all, how can Gray not notice the guilt that Erza felt, came at the same time, when Mirajane returned back from the trails, making her do that to Zack.
Mirajane's coldness and Erza's guilt are either related to each other, or it was by chance, they become became like that, around the same time.
Zack on the other hand, understood what Gray meant, and a bitter smile formed on his lips, when he recalled about Erza.
'I am sorry… because of me…. This happened… if only I did not push Mirajane, none of this will happened to you...'
Erza's voice sounded in his mind, causing Zack to recall what properly the hardest moment of his new life.
Lost in the middle of that street, Erza spoken those words, before she hugged the broken him, whose mind was lost to the chaos and confusion what just happened.
When Erza hugged him, it was strange, at the moment of the hug, that should feel hard and cold since Erza pressed him against her armour.
And yet, it felt warm for some reason, and this warmth caused Zack's eyes to water, which only increased the confusion Zack felt, since that was the first time in this new life, that he ever cried, while still being held by Erza.
Since that day, the relationship between him and Erza has become different.
Different to the cold and distance relationship he has now with Mirajane.
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Author Notice
I just finished off volume 2, least it is readable, you know me, I am not good at grammar, and sometimes I simply do not see it.
Anyway, it is complete, so I will upload a chapter everyday until the end of this month, or least there is no more chapters to upload.
That is all, thanks for reading my nonsense, and I hope to see you all soon.