Hello, boys and girls. I'd like to tell a story.

Thank you for the kind reviews. I know I'm not the most consistent of writers, what with my busy schedule. But it's nice to feel appreciated when I post. So here's part four.

Photograph

"Wow!" Juvia gasped in amazement. "Look, Gray-sama. This town went all out for the festival."

Gray couldn't help but agree.

After Fairy Tail's disbandment, he and Juvia moved to the outskirts of a town named Aster. Most of their time was devoted to training, doing small requests from the townspeople, and keeping an ear to the ground on the whereabouts of Zeref. This is what they've been doing for the last five months. Today was different. The other day, while visiting the town for supplies, Juvia had heard of Aster's Harvest festival. The water mage was instantly enamored with the idea of seeing it with her own eyes.

"Look at all the colors." Juvia's surprise couldn't be contained looking at the gold and orange coloring of the decorated lampposts, the signs hanging from each portcullis announcing the festival. "Juvia hasn't seen anything like it. It's so pretty."

Gray had to agree. Although Magnolia's Fairy Festival was better in his opinion, Aster's Harvest Festival wasn't half bad. He was glad that Juvia dragged him here. However, unbeknownst to the water mage, he had an ulterior motive in bringing her here.

Gray was trying to master the power of the Devil Slayer his father had passed down to him in order to use that against Zeref. He learned that in order to get that form to work, he needed to drown himself in a place of hatred, rage, and revenge. It was a potent mixture of emotion and very addictive. The more he used it, the more he needed it, and the more he needed it, the more it threatened to overrun him. It came to a head last night when Juvia saw him half-drenched in the black power after complaining about him leaving his clothes on the floor. There was a look of fear that flashed before her eyes. It struck him clear to the core, dissipating the power. He could still see that look every time he closed his eyes. He hated that look. That was the first time she had ever looked at him like that and it made him feel sick. After a sickening amount of silence, Juvia told him that dinner will be ready in an hour, never once looking at him. He thanked her and told Juvia that he needed some time to cool off and that he would be back before dinner. Gray got dressed and walked towards the town in an effort to clear his head. That's when he ran into Erza.

To say that he was surprised would be putting it mildly. But it was a welcome surprise. The two went to town to talk and catch up. Apparently, she was running with Jellal's crew, hunting dark guilds. Of course, Erza wouldn't remain idle. In exchange, Gray told her about his living with Juvia (no, not in that way) and about his trying to master the Ice Devil Slayer magic. It was easier to open up to Erza about his fears of his magic than it would be to Juvia. Juvia would worry over him. Plus the look of fear in her eyes was too much to bear. Erza, however, would listen with her stone face without judgement.

After he had finished, Erza told him about a dark guild she was hunting. Their name was Avatar. The problem was that she couldn't find them and bring them to justice. They were very selective of their targets and recruits. The Knight then explained to Gray that she needed someone on the inside to tell her and Jellal what was going on. It could be a way to master the power without putting Juvia in harm's way. There was only one catch. He couldn't tell anyone about his infiltrating the guild. That included Juvia. The less people who knew, the better it would be. Gray wholeheartedly agreed.

"Gray-sama." Juvia called out to him, snapping him back to reality.

"Sorry. Lost in thought." He murmured.

Juvia gave him a megawatt smile that brightened her whole face. A pang of guilt shot through him. Gray knew that this was the last time he was going to see Juvia before he went undercover. He wanted to make this day special for her. There was a part of him that told yelled at the ice mage to tell her the truth. She deserved the truth, even if Erza told him not to say anything. She loved him. She spent the last six months with him helping him hone his powers.

"So where do you want to go first?" He asked. He wasn't going to tell her about his fears of the power boiling inside of him. She didn't deserve to be burdened with his problems. There was only one thing he could do for her: give her the best day of her life before he left. It was cruel, yes. But Gray knew that she was strong. She would be able to endure this.

"Juvia wants to take a picture so that she will remember this day." She smiled and the pang of guilt became a tidal wave.

"Sure."

That was the last day he saw her. Later that night, he snuck out of their shared house and left to meet up with Erza. Soon after, he joined the dark guild Avatar.

Avatar was decidedly different from Fairy Tail. Instead of the raucous and fun environment, everyone here was dark and broody. There were no get togethers that weren't meetings, no drinking, no games. Each of the members left each other to their own devices. This was perfect for Gray. He could develop his Devil Slayer power in peace. He could maintain it for longer now, keeping a black tinge about him at all times. Without worrying about hurting someone he cared about deeply, he could stay in that pit of hatred, rage, and revenge.

However, whenever the turbulent emotions threatened to overwhelm him, he would dig in his pocket and find the one thing that brought him back to normal. It was a photograph of his and Juvia's last day together at the Harvest Festival. Juvia had his arms around his waist and giving the camera a brilliant smile. Gray had his arm around her shoulder. His was a smaller smile but conveyed so much of what he felt about the girl in the photograph.

Someday, someday soon, he would return to Juvia. Then he could explain everything. Until then, he had to play his part. All for the sake of Zeref...

And that's the end of that chapter.

There's a part of me that wishes I could draw. To see the photo would make for a bigger impact. Oh well.

Loved it? Hated it? Have no opinion one way or the other? Leave me a review. I'd love to hear from you.

Until next time,

A. Angel