Hey guys! Alice here. This is me, taking a break from Opposite Sides, Fear Rising, and Chosen, which you guys are welcome to check out, though if ya wanna read Fear Rising, please, please read Tempers Flare first. Pretty please!
Anyway, this is about Gray, (DUH) and the day that Deliora attacked, and all that. Maybe that's a little more than obvious? I dunno… Anyway, this was a plot bunny I couldn't get outta my head, so it killed it the only way I could: By writing it.
ANYWAY! I'm going to shut up and let you read! Please R&R and if you want me to do ones for some of the other characters in Fairy Tail PLEASE LET ME KNOW!
Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN FAIRY TAIL. IT IS PROPERTY OF HIRO MASHIMA. THANK YOU.
Almost as soon as the sun was up, he was out of bed and dressed, playing with his action figures quietly in his room, not wanting to wake his parents. His mother was scary when she was angry, and he was sure, from the many times he'd accidently woken her, waking her up was not what he wanted to do.
Normally though, his mother was the nicest woman you would ever meet, and his dad was just as kind, and strong. He dreamed of being just like his father when he grew up. Strong, kind, and respected.
Around eight he started to hear signs of life from outside his bedroom door, and he perked up. He stayed quiet, however, and waited, continuing to play with his figures, creating crazy scenarios in his mind.
About fifteen minutes later he smelled whatever his mother was making for breakfast and he grinned. It smelled like eggs, toast, and bacon. He stood and quickly put his the figures away, making his bed so he wouldn't have to do it after breakfast and then stepped back to admire his handiwork.
"Gray! Breakfast!" he grinned at the call, totally forgetting anything else he had been thinking of and ran out to the kitchen, scrambling into his chair. His father was reading the paper, still in his pajamas, and peaked over the top of the paper.
"Well, someone's hyper this morning," his father teased gently. His mother smiled softly at the stove, putting food onto plates, also still in her pajamas. His father folded the paper and set it on the table as his mother brought the food over. "Thanks honey. Smells great," he said kissing the woman's cheek.
"Yuck!" Gray cried in an embarrassed manor, covering his eyes. The two adults laughed as his mother brought his food over and set in front him. He grinned as she kissed the top of his head. "Thanks Mom!"
"No problem honey," she said, grabbing her own plate and sitting down with it.
"Oh, Gray, after you're done, would run to the market for me? I need you to pick up something from the shop," his father said. He was a former wizard, and now ran a repair shop. It didn't pay much, but it was enough. Gray nodded enthusiastically.
"Yeah! Sure! What do want me to get?" The boy asked as he gulped down his breakfast.
"Slow down honey, before you choke yourself," his mother said with a soft chuckle. His father chuckled as well.
"My work bag. I think left it on the table in the supply room," his father said. "Renaro should be in for a little while today, and he should be able to let you in. If he isn't there, you know where I hide my spare key." Gray nodded as he shoved more food into his mouth. His mother laughed and shook her head.
The boy finished his breakfast quickly and jumped up, taking his plate and washing it in the sink before putting it in the strainer. He ran to his bedroom and grabbed his shoes slipping them on and tying them, before going back out to the kitchen. His mother was washing the dishes and his father was reading the paper again.
"Alright, I'm going," He called as he pulled the back door open.
"Alright, don't be long, and be careful," his mother said giving him a soft smile. He grinned and ran out, pulling the door shut hard behind him. He ran down the street, toward the bright and busy market place. There were people everywhere, and he weaved in and out of the people, until he finally found his father's shop. He went around to the back door, and stretching up on his tip toes he peeked in the building and saw no lights on whatsoever. He then turned and crouched down, taking the trowel that sat next to the door in his hand. On the other side of the welcome mat he moved a rock and used the trowel to carefully move the dirt covering the spare key.
He rubbed the dirt off of it before inserting it in the lock and turning the door handle. He pushed hard on the door until it swung open and he entered, pushing it shut again. He slipped the key into his pocket, and walked through the dark shop. He knew this place like the back of his hand, knowing his way around this place just as well as at home.
He found the door to the supply room and frowned when the door wouldn't open.
"Crap," he muttered. He looked around and saw the supply room keys hanging on the key hook, and he groaned. He dragged a chair over and climbed onto it. It wobbled, its legs unbalanced and he pressed a hand against the wall to keep himself from falling. The hook was still too high for him, so he stretched on his toes again, reaching with his free hand.
He finally got ahold of the key as the chair started to wobble harder and tip.
"Ah!" he cried as he hit the floor hard. He sat up and rubbed his head. "Ow, crap." He sighed and stood, putting the chair back where it belonged, and then went back over to the supply room door and unlocked it, pushing it open easily. He flipped on the light, and looked around. His father's bag sat on the table just as he had been told. He pulled it off the table and pulled the strap over his head so it rested on his shoulder.
After that he turned the light off again and pulled the door shut, it locking on its own. He heard the back door opened, and he saw his father's apprentice enter.
"Hey Renaro!" He said as the elder man smiled at him and turned the main rooms light on.
"Hey Gray," he said. "Did your dad leave his bag here again?" he asked setting his stuff on an empty table. Gray nodded.
"Hey, could you uh, hang the key back up?" he asked sheepishly. "I fell when I got it down," he said scratching the back of his head.
"Yeah, no problem," Renaro said taking the key and hooking it back on the hook. Gray grinned.
"Thanks! Gotta go! Mom said not to take too long," he said running over to the back door and pulling it open.
"Alright, see ya later kid," Renaro smiled as the boy ran out.
As soon as Gray pulled the door closed he re-hid the key, and started to run home.
Again he weaved in and out of the crowds again, waving to people he knew and soon he was home. The house was suspiciously quiet and he frowned.
"Mom? Dad?" he called. He got no answer and started to get nervous.
"Mom! Dad!" he yelled, putting his dad's bag on the kitchen table. He moved slowly through the house, peering into his dad's office, and then going towards the living room.
"Mom? Dad?" he was starting to get scared as he still got no answer as he reached the living room door. 'Where'd they go?' he thought nervously.
As he slowly pushed the door open, he peeked in, seeing the living room was dark.
"Mom… Dad…" he said softly as he pushed the door open hesitantly.
Suddenly he was blinded as the lights flashed on and deafened as a room full of people jumped out of hiding and screamed, "Surprise!" He jumped, his heart nearly flying out of his chest, his eyes as wide as saucers. After a second he grinned, as his mother hugged him from the side, and a bunch of his friends surrounded him.
"Happy Birthday Gray!" His mom whispered in his ear. He'd totally forgotten that is was his own birthday, and he laughed at himself for that.
The afternoon passed quickly, and consisted of cake, games, presents, and all around fun. By eight that night everyone had gone home and Gray was passed out on the couch, his head on his mother's lap, a book on magic clutched in his arms, his dark raven hair splayed messily over his face.
"Well, I'd say that was a success," his father said sitting down next to wife, a soft smile directed at the sleeping boy in her lap.
"He loved it. I can't believe he forgot his own birthday though," his mother said with a laugh. Her husband smiled at her a second before they heard an explosion and screaming outside. His father went stiff at that.
"Stay here with Gray," he said standing and hurrying outside. Gray stirred, started to wake.
"Mom? What was that noise?" he asked sleepily, sitting up and rubbing his eyes.
"I don't know honey, your dad's going to see," she said putting her arm around her son. "I'm sure it was nothing," she said, though Gray didn't really believe it. He turned around and looked over the back of the couch as his father came racing back in.
"Get in the back! Now! The village is being attacked by a Deliora!" his father yelled. Before Gray's young mind could process his father's words his mother had already snatched his wrist and started to pull him towards the back of the house. "I'm going to go help fight!" His father yelled before starting to run out again.
"Dad!" Gray screamed. "No! Don't go!" he yelled, knowing that if his dad went out that door he would never see him again. "Dad!"
"Don't worry about him Gray! He can take care of himself, now, come on!" his mom cried as they ran. Gray tried to bite back his tears as he followed his mother. She pulled them into the room that was the farthest back in the house and slammed the door shut. She took Gray over to the corner and sat down, listening to the screams of terror and the destruction that ensued outside.
"M-Mama…" Gray whimpered. The fact that he had called her "Mama" caught her attention.
'He must be terrified,' she thought as she looked to her son. He was shaking, and crying, and he looked scared out of his mind. She gave him the best reassuring look she could and pulled him close. He whimpered and buried his face in her side, crying, and clinging to her.
"Don't worry Gray honey, we'll be alright I promise," she whispered. She knew in her heart she was lying, but hated to see her son scared like this.
"Mama, are we gonna die?" Gray asked, looking up at his mom, tears streaming down his face.
"I don't know," his mother said. "I hope not baby, I hope not," she said softly, pulling him closer and hugging him tightly as another explosion sounded outside. Gray whined, pressing his face into his mother's shoulder.
They sat there for a few minutes, saying nothing as the sounds of chaos filled their ears.
Suddenly the front of their house exploded, and his mother looked up. "No…" she breathed.
"Mama, what's going on?!" Gray whined in terror. His mother said nothing, which scared him more as another crash sounded from the front of the house. "Mama!"
She stood, letting go of Gray, as her resolve strengthened. 'I'll protect him, with my life if I have to. I'll do anything,' she thought fiercely, as she planted her feet and extended her arms, crossing her arms at the wrists and letting her eyes close.
Gray sat there, with his eyes wide. A sphere of blue light surrounded his mother, and it spread until it covered the whole room. It had a warm, relaxing feeling to it, but it wasn't enough to ease his fear, or the feeling that he was about to lose EVERYTHING. "Mama?"
"Gray honey, listen to me," his mother said, her words rushed. "I love you. I love you so much, and so does your father. And remember, we'll always be with you alright?" she said looking back at him. His eyes widened and he noticed the tears falling down his mother's face.
"NO! MAMA!" he screamed.
"I love you Gray."
And then everything went black.
All that registered when he woke was that he was stuck under something. Upon closer inspection his stomach flipped, and he wanted to throw up.
It was his mother, and her eyes were still open, dull and wide. He scrambled away with a scream, crying again, as he desperately crawled out of the wreckage.
As soon as he was out and could feel the sun on his face he started to vomit. It wasn't enough that he felt empty and lost, or even abandoned, or that he knew he had absolutely nothing now.
Why had he survived, when it was obvious no one else in the village had? And the sight of his mother… It killed him, made him want to die too.
But more than that, he wanted revenge on the monster that had done this.
"Damn Deliora!" he yelled, slamming his fist down as he sobbed. He collapsed, unable to stay up, and cried, cried until he passed out again.
The next thing he remembered was hearing voices. He wasn't even all that conscious at first.
"I've heard of Deliora's destructive power, but I never expected this…" It sounded like a woman's voice, but he wasn't quite sure. There was a pause before the voice spoke again. "Lyon! Get over here, we've got a survivor!"
Then he heard a second voice. Younger, and it sounded like a boy. "Hey! Are you alright?!"
His eyes slowly started to open, and everything was fuzzy at first. He realized that after he had passed out the second time the rubble had shifted and he was stuck under a slab of stone. He looked up slowly, into the worried faces of a boy about his age and a women that could have been his mother's age and struck a close resemblance to his mother.
The woman kneeled down and looked into his eyes.
"Are you alright son?" she asked worriedly. His voice was raw and he couldn't get any words out.
The boy looked up at the woman, as Gray looked at the ground.
"Help me move this," the woman said to the boy, standing and moving to the stone that had Gray trapped. Together they shifted it away and slowly he sat up, pain throbbing dully through his body.
"What's your name?" the boy asked. For a moment Gray stayed silent, and the boy looked up at the woman again, questioningly.
"G-Gray…" he rasped softly, pain shooting through his throat as he did.
"What?" the boy asked, his head whipping back to Gray.
"I… S-Said m-my n-name… I-Is Gr-Gray…" he rasped again, a little louder, flinching this time at the pain in his throat. The boy gave him a sympathetic look.
"My names Lyon," the boy said softly. "And uh, this is my Master… Ur…"
Gray didn't acknowledge him, and instead pulled his knees to his chest, tears falling again. "I want my mom…" he whimpered. Ur frowned.
'Just how old is this kid?' she thought to herself. She had had Lyon with her since he was young, and she doubted he even remembered his parents. He'd never really grieved for his parents, so she wasn't sure how to deal with Gray's grief. She looked around briefly and noticed a shattered picture frame that still held a picture that was mostly together. She picked it up and slipped the picture out of the frame and let her eyes scan it. 'This must be his family…' "Hey, kid, I mean, Gray… Is this you and your parents?" she asked gently, holding the picture out to him. He lifted his head and took the picture in both hands, his eyes widening as he looked at it.
"M-Mom… D-Dad…" he whimpered, starting to sob again. Ur wasn't really surprised, but Lyon jumped and looked at Gray worriedly.
However, the raven haired boy just clutched the picture to his chest as he cried, the tears stinging his already raw eyes, and the pain in his throat flaring to a new level.
He didn't care though. Losing them hurt too much for him to care about his own pain.
Ur frowned and reached out, and ruffling the boy's hair. "It'll be alright Gray… It'll be alright…
He sat straight with a gasp. Sweat glued his hair to his face and the blanket that laid on him seemed way too warm.
He caught his breath as his heart rate slowed to normal, and he sighed. It'd been a long time since he had had that dream.
A very, very long time.
He looked around the dark room, and noticed that Natsu and the others were still asleep. He shook his head at himself and reached over to his back, and pulled the folded picture out of his bag.
It was more tattered now than it had been ten years ago, and it seemed extremely fragile in his hands as he looked at it in the moonlight.
He felt the tears sting at the corner of his eyes, and he didn't even try to fight them.
'I miss you guys… so much,' he thought. He knew that what his mom had told him was true, that they were there with him. He knew they were watching over him, but it didn't take the loneliness away. 'It's weird… I see what everyone talked about back then… I really do look like dad… Except for his hair,' he thought wryly, biting his lip to stay quiet.
"Gray?" He looked over to where Lucy had sat up, rubbing her eyes. "Are you alright?" she asked.
He was silent for a moment. "Yeah, I'm fine Luce. Go back to sleep," he said turning back to his bag, refolded the picture and slipped it back in its pocket.
"Alright," she said with a huge yawn as she laid back down. Within seconds she was asleep again.
Gray sighed and laid down as well, staring at the ceiling.
'I guess there was a reason I'm still alive… I don't know what it is… but Mom? Dad? I promise… I'll make you proud.'
So what did you guys think? I know, I know, the ending was cheesy… Oh well… I HAD NO IDEA HOW TO END IT! I'M SORRY! WAHHH! DON'T HURT ME! D':
Hahahahahaha! Edo- Natsu moment…
ANYWAY! R&R Please… No nasty reviews or I will report you and remove it. Thanks!
3 Alice 3