Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail.
A/N:Just a short little oneshot. I am currently struggling with some writer's block. Anyway, think of it as a potential AU for Tears of Illusion-Gray path-I'll probably be doing one for all the choices.
Enjoy!
Winter's Embrace
Winter had been her least favorite month. It never brought anything good.
When she was just a little girl, one who had a loving family and warm place to call home. The months of Spring, Summer and Fall all came and went, bringing happy and serene memories she could hold onto. They brought a newfound sense of love and hope in her young heart.
There were too many smiles to count.
Then Winter came and blew it all away with a cold wind; the great Dragons civil war, fought by humans and dragons tore the very land asunder and innocent lives were lost on a daily basis. Her own life was no different, nor were her parents.
Perhaps it was Winters way of mocking her, however, when a dragon of all things save her.
It's huge black wings blotted out the very sun and parted the cloud of falling ash around her creating a veil of solitude and silence, leaving her to stare at the two charred corpses that were once her parents with dead, unfeeling eyes. Her brother had somehow escaped, for which she was glad.
It may have been a dragons flame that ultimately killed her parents, but she still blamed winter for bringing them. The cold brush feel of her mom and dads once warm skin was no different than the cold, harsh winds that blew the falling snow across this war ravaged land.
Something bitter settled in her once pure heart.
"Do you want revenge?"
Yes.She thought, unsure of where such a dark thought even came from. At first she was shocked that a dragon could learn the language of humans, but overtime she would learn not to care.
If the coldness of winter was what stole away her previous warmth than so be it.
She would become the hellfire that would soon purge the world.
XXX
Winter came yet again, and this time it brought with it a crushing blow to the remnants of poor Natusmi's heart...
Her own brother; her only living family had not even recognized the girl she had turned into, instead too focused on the mourning of the dead girl instead-Mavis, or so she thought she heard the bearded man whisper- and as Zeref turned to leave he saw her standing there.
His words pierced her heart:
"I don't need love. I don't need anyone. I was better off just playing my game." His eyes which once held such overflowing kindness and a gentleness to them only she ever got to see, were now hollow and cold and oh so very red-like the blood they share.
"Move."He commanded.
She did so without a fuss. The small little pieces she had left of her heart slowly cracking apart when his shoulder brushed hers. He left without looking back that day, unaware of just what he had done.
By the time winter finally left Natsumi had managed to chip away at the frozen remnants of a heart she once had, turning it into something stronger and much more reliable.
The cold winds no longer phased her, but bent around her recoiling at the hellfire that had become her very soul. Her eyes shined with a cruelty fit for only a demon, and so a demon was what people called her. One whose very name meant the end of everything; she liked the sound of it really.
E.N.D.
XXX
For a long time she had forgotten the sting that was Winter's harsh embrace.
Her memories lay forgotten back in the time when they happened. She forged ahead with no real destination in mind, only ever stopping to savor the quietness. There were no more cries of war or signs of death all around her.
Daresay she was free from all of that, or so she thought. Alas, Winter returned as it always did...
XXX
"My name is Lucy Heartfillia."
'This girl.'Natsumi thought, her slitted pupils staring at the outstretched hand with nothing short of absolute loathing. This 'Lucy' was a bright girl, and Natsumi found herself hating every second of it.
From the blonde hair to the warm cinnamon brown eyes that she swore reminded her so much of her mother, she despised this girl. The incessant chatter the blonde gave out was deafening, and somehow Lucy always assumed she would be around to listen.
Lucy followed her around like a lost little maggot, and for the life of her she just didn't understand it.
Well, at least it's not snowing yet...
XXX
Every month she spent with that 'Lucy' girl was turning into a disaster. The blonde was a glutton for trouble, and with no skill to even get herself out of it!
The fools Erza and Gray were useless too-Why the bloody hell are you molesting the enemy, damn Ice bastard!?-It was no wonder Phantom found them all to be such nuisances. She herself wanted to decapitate the whole lot of them, perhaps starting with stupid erza...
XXX
I can't believe I'm doing this. That was her only thought trudging up what was once the so called Tower of Heaven-what a frickin stupid ass name!-seething, in a worse mood than ever, and all because some deranged ex of Erza's decided he wanted Erza as some kind of sacrifice for some guy named Zeref.
Truthfully the name rang some distant little bell, accompanied by the visage of blood red eyes and dark raven-black hair. Squashing the fleeting moment of sadness she felt starting to overcome her, she turned to the one accompanying her and snapped at him;
"I swear if she's dead after all this trouble of rescuing her, I'll use this damn thing to resurrect her and then kill her again myself!"
Simon could not help but flinch at the sheer loathing in her voice, wondering how in the world someone like Erza, who up until now he had thought nothing but the best-how could she possibly know, and even consider someone as violent and ill-tempered as Natsumi Dragneel a friend? The foul-mouthed pinkette had already made numerous death threats her three other guildmates, including some especially horrid choice of words towards a certain ice-make wizard they both knew.
She was like a ticking time bomb, already more than halfway to blowing up on everyone.
Still, deep down Simon knew she was the best bet for Erza making it out of this mess alive.
She's strong. She will do what must be done. Simon assured himself mentally.
Too bad for him...Natsumi was more unpredictable than he accounted for.
XXX
"I still can't believe you broke that whole damn tower, stupid amoeba."
A tick mark sprouted on the corner of her head, and next thing Lucy knew Natsumi had latched a claw-like hand onto Gray's shirt jerking him face-to-face with her. Her teeth bared like a demon, with fire in her eyes.
"Listen here you stupid little frozen princess-
"Cram it pinky!"
"Don't interrupt me, blueberry!"
"You're supposed to be resting!"
"Then get the hell out of my room and maybe I'll actually be able to, your face is revolting!"Natsu spat with such vehemence that if it was anyone beside Gray she was directing it, they probably would have run out crying by now. The ice wizard only scoffed, eyes narrowed as if to say 'challenge accepted'.
"Please, you're no prize either. God knows it was hard enough being the one who had to lug your fatass out of the water."
"Well then maybe next time I'll drown before you can save me!"Was her quick, enraged yell.
Lucy opened her mouth about to intervene and say they would never let that happen...but what Gray did next surprised even Natsumi.
Leaning forward so his head hit against hers lightly, he pressed his lips against her own, quieting her protests with a soft kiss just as the snow started to fall outside. "Idiot," He said pulling away for a quick breath. "As if I'd let you off so easily."
Something inside of Natsumi changed that day. Lucy saw it, so did Erza and her friends-even Simon, who said he now owed a life debt to Natsumi-glad to see the pinkette smiling more.
Unfortunately, the reprieve could only last so long...
XXX
Present time...
"Gray! Why aren't you moving!?"Natsumi screamed, the ropes Dimaria put on her burning away, as the frightened Spriggin cowered at the other girls frightening display of power.
None of that mattered though, not in the least. All Natsumi cared about was...
"Gray!Gray!ANSWER ME!"She pleaded, crying now, because the blood pouring from where his eyes were-hidden by the soft blue bangs she loved so much-it just wouldn't stop. She was starting to hyperventilate, all the pain from over the years bearing down on her, and that's when the tears started to fall.
Winter made a terrifying comeback in the worst way possible.
"GRAY!"
Hope you enjoyed! Review.
Lemme know whatcha think and if there's a specific choice you would like to see next?
P.S.-I'm doing one for all the choices in the poll for Tears of Illusion, so feel free to go check it out and cast your vote while you can!