So me (Mewsugarpudd) and Kisshufan4ever are finally back in business and hopefully we have matured in our writing. And yes, this story will be yaoi and also slightly AU. everything up to the Daphne arc is pretty much canon, but Gray and Midnight's pasts will be altered slightly.

"The city without sound." Gray's words had echoed around the halls, confusing Natsu. Even now, the guild hadn't truly discerned the true reason for Gray's "betrayal". Sure, he had spouted a load of crap about Ul, but anyone who knew anything about Gray Fullbuster understood that he would never say that Natsu could surpass him.

Said ice mage was currently sitting in an unused storage room that was currently serving as his jail cell.

"The city without sound." He muttered under his breath, as he rose slowly, mist rising around his legs as his magic activated subconsciously. He created no noise that would alert Alzack (his guard) to his movements.

The magic circle that accompanied his ice magic appeared, and a thin layer of frost crept over the wall. It shattered into a million tiny shards of ice, and Gray stepped through the crystal shower, his eyes a pale grey.

"I must retrieve the other." His voice was low, and he strode away from his guild, pace increasing as some unseen signal was broadcast into his head.

Usually, one of the guild's three resident dragon slayers would have picked up on Gray's escape, but Gajeel was out looking for a cat (an obsession that honestly terrified everyone), and Wendy was at home resting from healing everyone. Natsu had been forced into Lucy's apartment after threatening to beat the truth from Gray one too many times. Sure, Gray was a possible traitor, but no one in the guild was cruel enough to sic Natsu onto him. Juvia had been dragged away by Gajeel to help in his quest for a kitty after she had flooded the building due to her Gray sama's "wrongful imprisonment".

In fact, Gray's absence wasn't noticed until he was well out of the city's limits. The howl of an enraged, pink haired dragon slayer was audible even on the train. The dark haired ice mage smirked darkly.

"It's too late to stop us."

Another dark haired mage was also exhibiting some strange behaviour patterns. His guild mate watched with a hint of worry in his purple eyes.

"Midnight, what the hell are you droning on about?" The irritable poison dragon slayer barked, the undercurrent of concern going unnoticed.

"The city without sound." Midnight mumbled, in a way that was eerily reminiscent to Gray. Of course, Cobra didn't know this. He observed his friend and tried to focus on his thoughts. He wasn't able to fully able to access his combat capability, but as this part of his magic was vaguely passive, the walls didn't block it as well. Especially as the origin of Cobra's magic was from a lacrima.

He flinched in horror as he realised that all he could hear was static. It wasn't that Midnight wasn't thinking, Cobra just couldn't tap into the thoughts with his usual ease. The only thing that he could make out was the repeated phrase "The city without sound".

Cobra didn't know what this city was, but a place without sound was a pretty terrifying thought for someone who was used to hearing everything.

Team Natsu had boarded the next train that was heading in the direction that Natsu's nose had pointed to. At this point of the journey, Natsu should have been slumped over pathetically, but as retrieving Gray was of utmost importance, Wendy had used Troia to relieve him of his travel sickness symptoms. The serious look on his face was actually quite intimidating as he focused on the familiar scent of his friend.

He didn't know why Gray had pretended to betray the guild, and where the hell he was going, but Natsu was not returning to Magnolia without him. Whether he had to carry him back, bloody and beaten, Gray was coming home. The resolve in his eyes was mirrored in the faces of his team mates. Even Happy's fists were clenched with determination. Natsu would never let one of his nakama leave like this. Especially not his droopy eyed, ice block, pervert rival. Especially not his closest friend.

Unaware of his friend's silent promise, Gray was still sitting in his train carriage, alone. It seemed that his sub-zero aura had frightened off any other commuter.

His thoughts were pretty much centred around finding this "other", though even he didn't know who exactly this was. Memories of his destroyed village swirled around his mind, and as this mixed with the strange signal, he was developing a migraine. He was aware of everything that was happening, and even as one side of him screamed that this was wrong and that he should go take his punishment like a man (why did he team up with Daphne again?), while the other half yelled that there was something more important going on than his petty squabble with the guild. After all, they had accepted actual enemies into their midst with open arms, surely they would forgive him. And his work with Daphne had been important, hadn't it?

A frown graced his handsome features as he tried to recall why he had been helping the crazy dragon lady. But the magic call in his head was stronger than his doubts, and he once again focussed on the task at hand.

Likewise, Midnight was concentrating on the tug in his head that was telling him quite insistently that the other was coming to break him out. To be honest, Midnight would rather sleep, but there was something... compelling about this magic that he couldn't resist. It spoke of ancient times, of a magic beyond any other.

He could faintly hear Cobra inquiring about what he was saying, but the message in his head was too important to ignore. He and the other had a purpose, a duty to people long gone that held more sway over the helpless mage that was stronger than any earthly bond. He wanted to reassure his friend, or at the very least tell him to quieten down so that Midnight could concentrate on what him and the other needed to do, but he restrained himself. He needed to stop acting suspicious or a guard would take action against him. If that happened, then the other might not be able to break him out. That would be catastrophic.

Though he was unaware of this, his crimson eyes had dulled to a faint reddish colour as the magic set in. Cobra, the only other Oracion Seis member close enough to see him, had recognised the colour shift and he felt a tendril of unease moving through his system. Midnight's eyes had always been either a startling shade of red or closed completely, never this pale, pathetic shade. He was almost worried enough to call out to the guard, but he didn't think Midnight would appreciate it and the guard definitely wouldn't appreciate the communication with a "lowly criminal".

The eye thing was seriously creeping him out when compounded with the freaky static in the reflector mage's head. Cobra didn't understand exactly what was going on, but he got the sense that this unusual event was part of a larger story, one piece in a gigantic puzzle. Cobra frowned as he suddenly heard one thought loud and clear, without any interference. The frown deepened as he realised that the thought was not coming from his friend who he had been trying to listen to, but from an outside source. A familiar mental voice came from outside the prison.

"The city without sound will rise when the other comes with me." The reply came from Midnight, spoken out loud this time.

"Together we will forge a bond to fulfil our destiny."

So here it is, our latest story. We hope that you enjoyed it and we'll see you next time :)