The Concert
"You told me we were going to a book fair!" I yelled from the backseat.
"Yeah, like I'm going to a book fair dressed like this," Cana said from the driver's seat.
"Where could we even find a book fair? The only ones I've ever heard of are those Scholastic Book Fairs in elementary school." Lucy said.
"Lucy told Juvia that she was going to the aquarium, if it makes Levy feel better," Juvia admitted.
"You should have told me we were going to a Silver Death concert! I almost didn't come because I thought we were going dress shopping!" Mira said from between Juvia and I.
"Mira, you like Silver Death?" Lucy asked.
"Oh yeah. Mira probably likes them more than us," Cana added
"I never quite got out of my goth phase."
"You can say that again," Cana muttered under her breath. Cana pulled into a spot about one hundred feet from the actual concert. It was about 7:30 and we had been driving for about half an hour.
"Okay, so. We brought extra clothes for all of you because you can't go in there dressed like that," Cana said, "I mean, 'I love the fishies.' Come on Juvia."
"Juvia does like the fish," she whined, trying to defend herself.
"And I like astrology, you don't see me with a T-Shirt devoted to Taurus," Lucy argued.
"Where are we going to change?" I asked.
"The windows are tinted," Cana replied, "Someone can go in the backseat." Cana's Toyota Sequoia had three rows and plenty of room to get changed in- I know because I've done it time and time again.
"Lu, please tell me you grabbed clothes from my own closet. You're about 3 sizes bigger than me," I groaned.
"If that were to come from anyone else, I would have kicked you," Lucy answered, "But, yes. I tried to find things you can work with."
"And Mira, I raided your closet and found your old clothes, so lets hope they still fit," Cana added. Lucy handed each of us a plastic bag and Mira climbed into the backseat. I opened my bag and found a tank top for another band called King&Queen that had an interesting marketing strategy: a "Queen" tank for the woman's shirts and a "King" for the men's.
Lucy was talking about it as Levy got changed, "That was from a breast cancer run they did, so both shirts were pink, instead of red."
"Lu, you didn't pack me a cami- the chestline comes way below my chest," I said.
"Yeah. I packed your black bandeau."
"Great," I rolled my eyes, "Oh, good. I love leather pants."
"They're not leather, just black skinny jeans. Get over it," Cana yelled. The two girls who were already "perfectly dressed" were sitting in the front rattling off information about the things they picked for us and about this band they were taking us to see.
As I wiggled on my skinny jeans, Cana was saying, "They're not too metal, but Silver Death is still pretty good. I think you guys will like it."
Twenty minutes my maroon velvet combat boots hit the ground and Cana's words were about to be put to the test. Juvia was wearing a baseball style navy blue shirt with the name of a band I didn't recognize scrawled across the white fabric on her chest. Mira wore a dark purplish cropped cami and a skirt over a pair of thick leggings and dark platform boots. She put her hair up in a ponytail as she got out of the Sequoia.
"The only thing that was a little small was my shirt. I don't know what that says about me, but nice pick girls," Mira said. I could tell she was a bit happier to be at her old stomping grounds by the way that she trudged in front of everyone else. She stuck out like a sore thumb, but by the way she strutted, no one made a single comment.
Except Lucy, "Cana, what were you thinking? Her skirt's gonna get destroyed."
"You haven't seen Mira in the mosh. She'll be fine," was Cana's only response. They walked until cement turned to grass and then Juvia fell back with me. They stayed in the background, while Cana and Lucy tried to squeeze into the front behind Mira.
Juvia said, "They told Levy a book fair?"
"Yeah. Told you aquarium?"
"Juvia is not pleased."
"Neither is Levy," I muttered, "At least I brought some money." I brought an over the shoulder purse, and thank goodness for that. I don't need some Metalhead snatching my stuff.
"Drinks?" Juvia asks.
"Oh yeah. We're gonna need it." We found our way over to the bar as the band began to set up.
"Hello, ladies, what can I get you?" Juvia and I order and wait at the bar for our drinks- either beer or lite beer. It only took a second, I paid, and we moved on. The music began and there was a few minutes where people were still getting there, then the mosh started. It was like nothing Levy had seen before, and nothing she wanted to get into now. She quickly lost her friends in the mess of people, even Mirajane's head of white hair- which was about five inches higher than it usually was. Juvia and I wandered forward a bit when we started walking around. We weaved between people on the outskirts and found a few guys to talk to, but left them behind soon after meeting them.
"You know, Juvia thinks Cana and Lucy were right," Juvia said.
"Yeah, they're not too bad," I agreed. We looked at each other and broke down.
"Okay, Silver Death is really good," Juvia admitted.
"I know right. God, I have to get the song names from Lucy as soon as possible," I agreed, "It's so hard when she's right all the time."
"Juvia thinks the same thing. Lucy has too good of taste. Just look at Juvia," she gestured to her pants and shoes.
"Why did they put us in boots anyway? I would have thought Lucy to be in a skirt, but she's in pants, too," I asked.
"Levy heard them earlier, didn't she? Juvia overheard Lucy say that skirts get torn up. The concerts must be intense. It makes sense to wear sturdy boots," Juvia told me.
"How do you think they're doing?"
"Lucy, Cana, and Mira? They are fine." Finally, we decided to try out the mosh pit. A word to others who would like to "try" the mosh pit. Don't go in with half a mind to do it. Jump in whole hog. Oh, and good luck.
Juvia and I got chewed up and spit out about ten minutes after we got in the mosh. Lucy's shirt was almost ripped and my bandeau was pulled down a little- not enough to show anything, but just enough to be worried. None of this was anyone's fault, it was just crazy in there. A new song started and it was like an unspoken rule: the crowd began to part. I didn't know what was happening and neither did Juvia, but we got swept in the wave of people and decided it was best to go with it. Then one of the bandmembers of Silver Death started counting down. For whatever reason, the people stopped. Juvia and I were about three rows from the separation and there were people on all sides of us. So, there was nowhere to go when the countdown got to zero and the song went crazy. People ran forward and slammed into each other. It was insane and me and Juvia were swept into it. Juvia went with the flow alright and didn't get hit too hard. But, I didn't move quick enough and someone slammed into me. I fell and tried to get up, but stumbled. I felt arms grab me and pull me out of the maniacal waves of bodies.
"You okay?" a deep voice asked.
"No, I hurt my ankle," I answered. The man picked me up and began bringing me out of the way.
"Please put me down. It's just a sprained ankle," I say, but just as the words come out of my mouth, the pain starts hitting me.
"Yeah," I look at the man who saved me.
"All the more reason to get you a chair." He has long black hair and multiple piercings. I didn't expect a Metalhead to be so nice. But based on the concerned looks and calls of "Hey, man, put her down here. What's wrong?" I was mistaken. I almost felt bad for thinking someone might steal from me. He ended up not being able to find a chair and so he sat me down on the ground.
"I'll get you some ice," a guy said and he went to get the bartender's attention.
"What now?" I asked with a wince as I moved my body. He had sat down in front of me.
"Lots a people here know how to treat pretty minor injuries," he lifted my left foot up and put it on his knee, "Sprained ankle? RICE. Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate."
"How do you know that?" I asked the guy.
"I helped out a nurse at a Chronic Nova concert," he explained. Levy took this time to look at the guy. He had his hair down, but a hairband on his wrist with a metal bracelet and some string ones. His eyes were an odd red colour. But I have blue hair, so who am I to judge? He wore steel toed boots, black pants, a navy blue tank and a flannel with the sleeves rolled up. His shirt was covered in black smudges. I couldn't tell if that trend continued to his tank and pants- they were too dark with the only lights coming from the stage and the bar.
The guy who went to get the ice was back, "So, I'm guessing you didn't like the wall of death?" He handed me the ice and walked away after I thanked him. The guy in the flannel took off my shoe and gestured for the ice. People started to disperse from around us. It was a kind gesture, like they were giving me space.
"So, King&Queen?" he asked as he put the ice on my ankle.
"Yeah, well. it's not mine. I was brought here against my will by my friend. SHe thought I'd like the music and she was right," I sounded angrier than I really was.
"Damn her. Or him. Whoever. But I figured that it wasn't your's."
"Yeah?"
"Its about three sizes too big."
"That's what I said! The friend I got it from- her name's Lucy. She let me borrow it for tonight after she tricked me into thinking that we were going to a book fair. Lucy had packed the shirt for me with this stupid undershirt and it almost fell down. God, I'm not cut out for this." The guy held his hand out.
"Gajeel," he said when we shook.
"Levy."
"I figured we should know each other's name if you're gonna tell me your problems."
"Sorry about that. Shouldn't you be going, though? I mean you're not here alone are you?"
"Neither are you. I can help you out. I'll just call those idiots later." We just sat and listened to the music for a while. Gajeel started to sing along to one of the songs, but I had to stop him.
"Oh, god," I said. In hindsight, I could have been nicer, but I'm blaming the ankle pain.
"What?"
"Stop singing. I'm sorry but… no."
"No?" he raised his eyebrows, almost like a dare, "Who do you think you are?"
"One person out of the jury of your peers," I answered,
"Fine." He kept quiet for a long while. For the next half hour we talked, I got colder and colder. It was fall and I was in a stupid tank top. I started shivering and Gajeel took note of it.
"Here," he sounded a bit exasperated, "Put this on." He threw me his flannel. I quickly wrapped it around myself to try and stop the shivering.
"Its a lot colder when you're not around everyone else. And it's night time," I noted. A few minutes later, we were talking about my musical choices compared to his and his phone rang. He brought it out of his pocket and answered it.
"Natsu, he-… Yeah, I'm helping someone that got hurt… Sting what?" there was a long pause, "Shit. Okay, I'll be there… Bye, dumbass." He said the last bit louder, as if talking over the person on the other end.
"Sorry, Shrimp. I gotta go," He put my shoe back on and tied it as tight as he could, making me wince, "Don't walk on this too much. I have to go. When you get home do something like getting a brace or whatever. The tight boot should be good for a little while. I'll take you to the bar and then call your friends to get you." He helped me up and acted as a crutch all the way to the bar. Then, he talked to the bartender and got me a stool to sit on.
"See ya," he said, waving as he walked away. I watched him until he was out of sight and shook my head. It wasn't like we even talked all that much, but I knew I wanted to see him again. I called my friends and only Juvia picked up.
"Where has Levy been?" she asked.
"I sprained my ankle in the wall of death, so some guy helped me and I'm at the bar," I explained, "Can you get the rest of the girls so we can go home?"
"Juvia will do her best!" and she hung up. Half an hour later, the girls showed up and Mira ran over as soon as she saw me.
"What happened?" she asked.
"I got trampled. But I'm okay. Just in some pain," I replied.
"Juvia told us you sprained your ankle? Ready to go home?" Cana asked.
"I think so," I replied. I thanked the bartender and we were on our way out. Lucy helped me to the car and apologized the whole way there.
"I didn't know this would happen. I'm sorry," she said.
"It's okay. I liked the music and, aside from this, I had a good time," I replied.
"Is nobody going to talk about that shirt you have?" Cana asked, "Yellow and navy blue flannel? You didn't come here in that." The giant shirt hung around my shoulders and the sleeves ended at my fingertips. It was bigger than the tanktop.
"It belongs to the guy that helped me," I said, "Shit we both forgot about it."
"He didn't forget," Mira said, "He did it on purpose."
"I don't think so," I disagreed. We got into the Sequoia and I realized Mira looked fine. Her shoes were scuffed and she had a few bruises, but her skirt was not torn in the least. She had to be half demon to get out of there virtually unscathed.
"Agree to disagree and let's go home," Can said and that was that. I got back to my apartment and didn't bother finding pajamas, I slept in my underwear and the flannel. Embarrassingly enough, all I found myself dreaming about, for multiple nights, was the man who saved me from the pit.