Grimm Fairy Tail


Chapter Two: Tom Thumb

Gray released Lucy from his grip when it became clear that she had regained her senses. He looked around their new environment. They were near the edge of a forest in the middle of the night. If Levy's book was enchanted then his guess would be that they'd somehow been transported into the fantasy world of the book.

Their clothing had been transformed. Lucy no longer wore a white halter top, half vest, and mini-skirt with high-heeled boots. She now wore an ankle-length dark blue skirt, a long-sleeved white blouse with an embroidered vest decorated in gold thread, and a pair of sensible black boots that laced up to her knees. Gray's black combat boots had changed just a bit into something a little more dated. He now had a button-up long-sleeved white shirt instead of the half-sleeve length he normally wore, but the plain white buttons were now a bronzed metal, and his pants were now made of some sort of wool material.

Gajeel still wore all black, but he now wore black wool pants, dark boots with a lot of metal straps, and over a black button-up shirt with bronze buttons he had a black trench coat. Levy still wore orange and blue, but the orange thigh-length dress was now a more modest long sleeved blouse. Her dark blue leggings had been transformed into an ankle-length skirt like Lucy's, and she wore a pair of black colonial Pilgrim shoes that had a golden buckle over the front.

Where ever they were, it was a more modest era and the enchanted book was no where to be seen. Was it back at the Guild Hall? How long would they be trapped within the pages of the thick tome? How did they break the spell?

"Are the stories in this book based off fact or pure fantasy?" Gray asked, addressing both Lucy and Levy. Since they were the only ones out of the four that had read any of the stories that made them his best source for information.

"All stories have some grain of truth," Levy said, tugging nervously on the long sleeves of her newly transformed blouse. "Gajeel, what are you doing?"

The Iron Dragon Slayer had been running his hands over the various tree trunks as he made his way towards the edge of the forest. He peered into the distance outside of the forest's borders. "We're on the outskirts of some farmland," he observed.

"Mind where you're stepping!"

"Mind where I'm…," Gajeel trailed off looking to either side of him. He turned towards Gray. "Did you say that?"

"Say what?" Gray asked.

"Oh great. Pretend that I don't exist. Everyone else does," the voice spoke again.

"Okay, I heard that too," Lucy said. "At least these clothes are better for trampling along through the woods, even if they are a bit itchy," she said, scratching at her thigh absently. She scanned the forest floor and then crouched about a meter from where Gajeel was standing. She brushed aside a small pile of straw to reveal a little mouse hole in the earth. "Hello?"

A small man, about the size of a thumb, pulled himself outside the hole and rubbed his ears. He was dressed in fine clothing — an elegant brown suit, suspenders, a green button up undershirt , and a pair of fine brown leather boots. Strapped to his right hip was a miniature sword. "Mind keeping it down? First, the big lug tries to step on me. Then, you tear the roof off my shelter and start screaming at me!"

Lucy stared down at the little man, her chocolate colored eyes wide in the disbelief. "Pardon me, but would you happen to be Tom Thumb?"

The small man pulled his sword from his sheath and stabbed Lucy in the hand, drawing blood from a shallow cut across her flesh. She drew her hand back with a hiss of pain. "How do you know my name? Did the king send you?"

Lucy shook out her hand, and Levy crouched beside her. "The king you robbed?" Lucy clarified.

Gray and Gajeel drew closer and peered down at the little man. He started to run away, but Gray froze the ground under his feet and the little man began to slip and slide. Unable to regain his balance, he sat on his rump with his legs spread out in front of him and stared up at them with a disgruntled expression.

"Ice devil," Tom Thumb scowled at Gray. "You have no proof that I was involved in that robbery," Tom Thumb said with a huff glaring at Lucy. "Besides, I've suffered enough. I've been abused by others. I've been eaten by a cow, a wolf, and a fox."

"And your father bought your freedom from the fox by trading all his fowl for your safety," Lucy said. She glanced up at Gray. "Tom Thumb is one of the first stories in the book. I remember it because I wasn't sure if Tom was a good guy or a bad guy. Mother had explained to me that the moral of the story was that a person is neither good nor bad, but makes good or bad decisions."

"If you're so clever, I guess you have the antidote to the poison of my blade," Tom Thumb said with a wicked smile.

"Poison?" Lucy said frowning. She looked down at her hand. It was starting to turn red around the edges of the shallow cut.

Gajeel reached out and grabbed the little man in a fist made of pure iron, leaving no flesh for Tom Thumb to stab. "If you tell us how to cure the poison, I might not crush you," he offered.

"Gajeel," Levy said, with a worried expression, touching his arm gently. "Violence isn't the answer." She looked down at Tom Thumb. "Mr. Thumb, is there something we can give you in exchange for saving our friend? She is very precious to us."

"I suppose if you can return me to my parents' cottage my mother might be willing to share her healing salve," Tom Thumb said.

"Where is that?" Gray asked.

"On the other side of the forest. There is a farming village. My father is the tailor," Tom Thumb explained. "It should only take a day with people your size."

"Fine," Gray agreed. He reached for Lucy's hand and examined it. The area around the laceration was growing warm and the redness was starting to spread. "Are you okay?"

Lucy nodded. "It just stings."

"Sure, it just stings at first," Tom Thumb agreed. "Though in about five hours when the poison starts to spread through your bloodstream you'll be begging one of your friends to cut off your arm."

"What?" Gajeel said, his metallic hand started to squeeze the little man.

"It will take the better part of a day, but your friend will surely die before we reach my family and my mother's medicine," Tom Thumb said with a careless shrug.

"Lucy, I have an idea," Gray said. He took Lucy by the arm and led her out of earshot of the others, particularly Tom Thumb. "Do you think any of your spirits could heal you?"

She shook her head negative, biting her lower lip in worry. "Tom Thumb was always a gray character. He cared about his parents deeply, but he wasn't above hurting others. I think this poison is legitimate. Maybe I can try to see if Loke can bring me into the spirit world, but I'm not sure how my keys will work here."

"My magic seems to function normal here," Gray said. He knew that Lucy's powers were unique and considering that they were trapped within a different world, her ability to open gates into another realm was risky. Besides, if Loke sensed that Lucy was in trouble he'd have been able to join them without her using a key. Gray reasoned that since Loke wasn't there, that he couldn't be there, ergo he needed a different solution. "Do you trust me?"

"Of course, Gray. I trust you with my life," Lucy said.

"I'm going to encase you in ice," Gray said. "I'll thaw you out when we reach the tailor, but I'll have to carry you. You'll be too cold for anyone else to touch."

Lucy's face paled at the suggestion. "If you think that's the only way," she said in a determined voice that almost hid the slight tremor of fear.

"Not right away, but when things start to get worse," Gray assured her. He'd have preferred keeping her on ice immediately, but he didn't want to scare her unnecessary. Once the poison reached her blood stream, every pump of her heart would spread it further. He'd seen a version of Lucy die once before. During the Grand Wizard tournament a Lucy from a possible future had ventured back in time to warn them of an impending disaster. He'd seen the life fade out of that Lucy and it had been devastating and it wasn't even his Lucy.

"Gray," Lucy said with a calm smile. "If it's an aggressive poison, then we need to be smart. I want you to freeze me as soon as possible. I know you'll protect me." She held up her uninjured right hand, the one with her guild tattoo and Gray gave her a high five.

"So, piggyback ride or toss you over the shoulder?" Gray asked with a playful smile, in reference to how Lucy wanted to be carried.

"Whatever is least likely to get me dropped," Lucy said with an attempt at a rejoining smile.

"I'll figure it out," Gray promised. "Let's meet back up with the others."

They made their way back to the other mages and Tom Thumb. "Let's get started," Gray said. Gajeel nodded and he and Levy began to lead the way. "You ready?" Gray asked, turning to teammate.

Lucy nodded, her dark eyes worried.

"Close your eyes," Gray advised. He waited until his friend shut her eyes and then he touched his fingers gently against the bare skin of her face and neck and watched as her temperature began to drop drastically. Then he picked her up, curving her body so that she could fit in his arms comfortably bridal style. He held her close to his chest as she finished freezing completely. He couldn't feel her heartbeat anymore and he knew that he held Lucy's life in his hands. It was a responsibility he wouldn't shirk away from. No matter what happened in their little adventure into the realm of fairy tales he wasn't about to let anything happen to Lucy.


OoO

"No funny business, little man," Gajeel warned. "I have no patience for it."

"I promise you, my parents will be so pleased to have me returned to them that they'll be willing to help your blonde friend," Tom Thumb promised.

"I don't understand why you hurt her to begin with," Levy said.

"She knew my name. Knowing a person's name is a power no stranger should have," Tom Thumb explained. "Why, she could have cursed me!"

"And what? Made you smaller?" Gajeel asked.

Levy cleared her throat. She leaned towards Gajeel's ear and whispered, "Careful. He's sensitive about his size."

"And I'm sensitive about people hurting my friends," Gajeel growled.

Gray shifted Lucy's weight as he kept up with the others. He wondered what was happening back at the guild. Was the book sitting innocently in the middle of the Guild Hall? Would other mages find themselves sucked into this fantasy world? The last time an enchanted text had affected the guild it had involved the body swap of several mages. He found himself inside of Lucy's body and vice versa. Levy had been the one to solve the riddle of the document.

He liked Levy and Gajeel well enough, but he really wished he could talk to Lucy. He wasn't willing to risk the spread of the poison, so he'd just deal with the situation. However, since the two years that Lucy had joined Fairy Tail he hadn't participated on a mission without her presence on his team. They were half of Team Natsu — the rational half that tended to inadvertently lose their clothes.

The woods have a very faint trail that they followed without having to worry about rocks and holes to trip over. The forest teemed with life. Snakes slithered through the underbrush, owls who-ed from the upper boughs of the trees, mice scurried about, and not too far away a pack of wolves howled. A large brown speckled owl swooped down to the group's right and snatched a mouse. The rodent screeched and cried as it was taken.

"That's why I didn't want to travel back on my own," Tom Thumb admitted, his voice trembled in fear. "The owls are the scariest."

"I think owls are adorable," Levy said. "But then, they've never tried to eat me before," she admitted. "I'm more concerned about those wolves. If we're truly stuck within a fairy tale, it's usually the wolf that threatens the main character. Particularly in Little Red Riding Hood."

"None of us are wearing a red hood. Besides, you're safe with me," Gajeel said glancing over in Levy's direction. He looked over his should towards Gray and Lucy. "You doing alright man? She's not too heavy for you?"

"Not at all," Gray answered. "I'm just a little worried about warming her up later." Gray had heard Happy several times complain about Lucy's weight. The Exceed's complaint was unfounded. The cat carried Natsu without a voice of complaint and the Salamander was much heavier than Lucy. The blonde mage had huge breasts, but that was something Gray wasn't about to be dissatisfied about! He and Loke both thought she was fairly light, but they were also pretty strong. Whenever she was being kidnapped the would-be kidnappers never complained about her weight either. Unfortunately, Happy's vocal complaints made many guild members assume she was heavy and gave the sensitive blonde a complex about it.

"I'm sure you'll find a way to warm her up," Gajeel snickered.

Gray scowled at him, but Levy giggled. His attention immediately swiveled toward Lucy's best girl friend. "Why are you giggling?"

Levy cleared her throat. "I think that might be it," Levy said. There was a thinning out of a section of the forest. A cottage with a large sign that read 'Tailor' stood sentinel. The front window blazed by the light of a lantern and smoke rose from the chimney.

"Are you sure?" Gray asked. "It's been a lot shorter than most of a day."

"Most of a day for me," Tom Thumb admitted. "You giants all have longer legs than little ole me." He cupped his little hands around his mouth. "Father! Mother! It is I, Tom! I've returned home!"

"We did start off near the farm fields," Gajeel said.

An older couple raced out of the front door of the cabin. The dark haired woman held a deadly scythe, like the kind used in harvesting tall grains, in her hand and the silver haired man held an axe across his shoulder. "Who dares trespass?"

"It's okay," Tom Thumb shouted. "I attacked these gypsies unprovoked."

"Tom," his mother chided him shaking her head. "What did we tell you about getting yourself into trouble needlessly with strangers?"

"Were they trying to rob anyone?" his father asked.

Tom shook his head. "No, but they knew who I was! The blonde one knew my name!"

"What blonde one?" the mother asked, searching the mages and her dark eyes landed upon the frozen body in Gray's arms. "Goodness me! What became of that one?"

"Poisoned, by your son," Gray said glancing in Tom Thumb's direction. "He promised you had a salve that could save her."

"Poison?" his father exclaimed. "Are you telling stories again, Tom Thumb?"

"You mean he was lying?" Gajeel asked in a quiet, threatening rumble of a voice.

"I would have never made it here without you," Tom Thumb admitted sheepishly. "I was afraid I might have been eaten by an owl or something." He shuddered. "I've been eaten too many times!"

"Come inside, and bring your friend. We have a fire," Tom's mother said slowly. She shoved her scythe at her husband and he took the blade from her. "I'm not sure if that will help. Why is she frozen? Did she fall into a cursed lake?"

Gray concentrated his power on Lucy and began to thaw her out. He could sense the restart of her heart and the most beautiful sound of all — she took a breath. "How do you feel?" he asked her quietly.

"Chilly," Lucy said shivering in Gray's arms.

He set her on her feet, but kept his arm wrapped around her waist, not trusting her to stand on her own just yet.

"Come inside and warm yourself by the fire. I'll doctor your injury," Tom's mother offered.

"You'll use your healing salve?" Lucy asked through chattering teeth.

"Maybe I should help Lucy inside," Levy said, moving to Lucy's other side. "You might be making it harder for her to warm up, Gray."

Reluctantly, Gray allowed Levy to lead Lucy inside the cottage. He and Gajeel followed after them. The cottage was simple and there were drying herbs hanging from the ceiling. Above the back window was the mounted head of a snarling wolf. There was a small bed sitting on top of an end table near the leather covered settee in the middle of the main room with a blanket made from the pelt of an animal — possibly the wolf's hide? There was a ladder that led to a loft bedroom on the half floor above them.

Lucy sat on the Settee, Levy sat on the arm of the furniture piece beside her. Tom's mother inspected Lucy's hand and clucked her tongue thoughtfully. "A little infected, but hardly poisoned. Though enough grime from a dirty wound can poison the blood with foul humors." She moved towards the shelves lining the far wall. The shelves were full of many jars and bottles. She selected an amber jar and brought it back to the settee. "It's funny how the mind works. When someone tells you you've been poisoned your imagination starts to feel the poison spreading in your blood. I assure you, Tom was fibbing you."

Gray stood behind the settee, suspicious of the woman. Gajeel remained near the doorway, holding Tom Thumb in his hand, still not trusting the tiny sword fighter. Tom's parents didn't argue with Gajeel. Perhaps they recognized that their scythe and axe would be a poor match against the Iron Mage.

"I'm sorry Tom caused you all so much distress," Tom's father apologized, standing near Gajeel at the door. "We do appreciate you returning him home to us. He'd been missing for a month! We feared the worse."

"Here you go, dear," Tom's mother said applying the salve to Lucy's hand. The wound vanished almost entirely. She closed the lid to the small jar and handed it to Lucy. "Take this. It will heal most wounds — except those of the heart. Even if you were truly poisoned this would heal you."

Lucy wriggled her fingers and sighed in relief. She accepted the jar and placed it in the leather pouch on her belt alongside her Celestial Keys. While the appearance of her clothing had changed, her brown leather belt and pouch had remained intact.

Gajeel walked near the end table and released Tom Thumb to his miniature bedroom. The little man stretched his arms high above his head and yawned. He then hopped onto his little bed and immediately went to sleep.

"We don't have much room, but we insist that you stay the night," Tom's father said. "We'll feed you a hardy breakfast in the morning and then see you on the way to your travels."

Gray didn't trust these people, but if he and his friends took turns standing guard he was pretty sure it would be okay. "All right," he agreed. It was too dark for them to continue walking through the woods with no direction in mind. The wolves might not have bothered them earlier, but there was no need to tempt the creatures especially if they were frequent villains in the fairy tales according to Levy. "Thank you for your hospitality."

Tom Thumb and his family retired to sleep. Levy and Lucy settled onto the settee, able to share it comfortably with their smaller bodies than if Gajeel or Gray had tried to sleep on it. The girls lay huddled under the thick blanket of fur. Gray volunteered for first shift of watch duty and braced his back on the wall next to the door where he could watch the window behind them and sneak looks from the front window without being seen. He turned off the lantern and waited for his eyes to adjust to the dark. Gajeel laid flat on his back on the floor in front of the settee and fell asleep almost immediately. It must have been a dragon slayer talent to be able to fall asleep with such ease no matter the conditions.

Though, in spite of his efforts to remain vigilant, Gray's eyes became heavy and he too succumbed to sleep.


Next Chapter: Cinderella

A/N: I'm so excited about this story and am happy for the enthusiastic response on the previous chapter! Thank you: iamkeikai, frozen-in-wonderland, Stardust413, renoa-hime, bf142128, blog-heart-slover03, nora57, and XxMomoMunchyxX. I'm intending for each chapter to be focused on a different fairy tale, so this will seem like a series of one-shots, but not really as each chapter will lead to the next.