Hello, I am back, hopefully for good.

I've had probably the worst year of my life but here's to saying it's almost over?

Thank you all for being patient with me on all the stories I've written

xxx

Truce

He wakes up early today

Throws on a mask that will alter his face

Nobody knows his real name

When Lucy looked at the calendar in Ur's kitchen, her eyes opened wide in shock, her mouth gaping slightly. She pursed her lips in a childish pout. The attack on her village had happened shortly after the celebration of the New Year. It was now late June.

Lucy looked around the cabin, knowing she was familiar with it, but not realising that she had in fact been living with Ur, Gray, and Lyon for over half a year.

Lucy turned away from the calendar and made her way outside. Ur was teaching the boys, who, according to the woman, were progressing greatly. Lucy was accustomed to watching now. While the boys had expanded their attacks and defences, Lucy was still stuck on Ice-Shield. She knew she could do better, she knew how to perform other things, but couldn't.

All for the simple fact that her magic power wasn't strong enough.

She was still weak.

Lucy abandoned the toxic train of thought before it consumed her, instead, she walked over to her housemates and handed them each a sandwich, followed by a cup of water. They were chatting about their training, their progress, all the works, and Lucy allowed herself to drift away from the conversation – it's not like she could've been a part of it anyway.

Still, Lucy listened to all the words that left Ur when she spoke about magic, committing them to memory if the day ever arose that she needed her magic, or – better yet – could use it. When their conversation was reaching its end, Ur changed the topic, explaining that, because of small kids with big appetites, they would need to go into town to buy more food.

"You alright?" Gray asked her.

Lucy smiled and nodded.

He was still the glum kid he always was. They had all grown closer – it was hard not to when they all shared a room – unluckily for Gray and Lyon, that meant a bed too. Gray was almost as quiet as her, the only one that could really make him talk was Lyon, and only when it involved angering Gray. But Lucy was happy just watching their bickering, she never agreed or disagreed with what they were saying, and couldn't bring herself to throw insults back.

They were her friends, knew that they regarded her as their friend. Why would they insult each other if they were friends? Lucy didn't really understand the dynamics of their relationship, didn't know if she wanted to.

When they each were fed and dressed, they began the lengthy march down the mountain. It took them forty minutes and Ur breaking up six fights to get to the base. The walk to the town was an additional thirty minutes, and they arrived just after lunch time.

Ur split away from her three pupils, in search of food, while Lucy found herself sitting on a stone wall with Gray and Lyon. She listened with a small smile as he went on another power rant.

"One day I'm going to surpass Ur! That's my dream, to one day be stronger than she is! Say, how long do you think that will take?"

Gray rolled his eyes and Lucy fought not to giggle. "We know already, now shut up about it, you're getting annoying."

Lucy watched the smile drop from his face. She elbowed Gray's ribs and ignored the scowl he sent her way, quipping in, "I think it'll take a while, Ur's nothing to laugh at, she's very strong. But you'll get there one day."

Gray crossed his arms, "I don't care about surpassing Ur and all the other crap you say, all I care about is defeating Deliora. If I can get strong enough to do that then bye-bye Ice Witch."

Ur slapped his head, snarling, "Who are you calling a WITCH, you brat!"

Gray glared at her, "When are you going to start teaching us powerful magic?" he sneered.

Lucy watched Ur's face become tired. "I already am, Gray."

Gray rolled his eyes, "What's so powerful about Maker Magic, it won't do anyone any good."

Ur sighed, "How many times do I have to tell you, maker magic is about creative freedom, when you find your style, you can be as strong as you like." She picked up the grocery bags, and started walking. "You're all on the verge of doing that, if you keep practicing you'll come to understand what I mean."

Lucy watched Gray tsk, following after Ur. She saw his jacket fly off, then his shirt, and felt a blush creep up her neck, "Gray, what are you doing?" Lucy's voice had risen to the level it was when she threw tantrums, Gray turned and frowned at her, and Ur turned around, wide eyed and gaping.

"GRAY, we're in PUBLIC! Put your clothes back on!"

Gray looked down and gasped, cheeks reddening instantaneously. "NOW I HAVE THIS WEIRD HABIT COS OF YOU!"

Ur became offended, jaw dropping in shock, "DON'T TRY AND BLAME THIS ON ME!"

Lucy and Lyon began laughing when the two began bickering. Gray put his clothes on and began grumbling incoherently. It took them another half an hour before they were going up the mountain, and Lucy still couldn't keep her giggles in check.

"You're gonna have this for the rest of your life, I bet." She snickered. It was the first time she had teased him. She understood it, why it was fun.

"Shut up, I will not."

"What happens when you're getting married and you strip your tux in the middle of the ceremony?" Lucy had to cover her mouth.

Gray grumbled something under his breath, and then Lyon joined in. it was fun, Lucy was grinning. She hadn't felt this happy in a long time. By then they had gotten halfway up the mountain, they were all laughing at Gray – who was, of course, grumpy, but Lucy could tell he wasn't too annoyed by it. He lagged behind them a bit, probably so they'd forget he was there and stop talking about him, still, Lucy would turn around to make sure he was still following after them.

Ur waved at a carriage driver, Lucy smiled when she saw the horses pulling it along and wished she was tall enough to pat them. They kept walking up and up and up the mountain, they were three quarters of the way up and Lucy's legs were on fire.

She looked over her shoulder and found Gray paused, staring at the ground in front of him in confusion. "You coming, Gray?"

His head snapped up at her voice and she paused as he caught up to her, "You alright?"

Gray nodded. Lucy frowned. Strange she thought.

And he pretends he's okay, but you should see

Him in bed, late at night, he's petrified

Gary was acting strange for the rest of the day. He didn't respond to Lyon's taunts, took a longer time to respond to questions – if he realised he was being spoken to at all. Lyon and Ur put it off as the embarrassment of stripping in public, but Lucy knew something was wrong.

She didn't know if it was a gut feeling or if it was something in the way Gray's face seemed different. She had already pestered him a thousand times with 'Are you ok?' and didn't feel like she was getting anywhere with it. Despite what he said, Lucy could just tell he wasn't.

She stared at him shamelessly, ignoring the scowl on his face whenever he looked up at her. Lucy concluded that it was his eyebrows. His eyebrows were telling her something was wrong. It was the way they furrowed just slightly more than usual, how it made it look like there was something happening in his head. Something big.

"Stop staring at me, Lucy."

Lucy didn't stop. Sure, it seemed to anger him a little more, but that was beside the point. "I will when you tell me what's wrong."

Gray tsked and turned away from her, continuing to stare at his book even though they both knew there wasn't any reading happening. He hadn't turned a single page in the last hour.

He frowned and got off the bed, he looked at Lucy guiltily, "Sorry,"

Lucy frowned herself, and followed him when his face set with determination and he marched down the stairs. "Gray," she called, matching her pace, "Gray, what are you doing?"

She saw Ur stand from the corner of her eye, then Lyon.

Gray threw on his coat and ripped open the front door.

"Gray, where are you going?" Ur's voice was panicked, slightly louder than it usually was.

"Brago."

Ur looked as though she had eaten something bad. "What's in Brago, Gray?"

He began walking, his feet crunching on the snow. "I'm going to kill it."

Lucy felt something hit her stomach, watched Ur speed to the front door, "Deliora is too powerful, Gray, you won't stand a chance!"

Gray didn't look back, "If I die, it's on you, you should've taught me stronger magic."

"Gray, this is suicide, you need to come back inside, you're not strong enough yet!"

He turned around. It was the first time Lucy saw the anguish in his eyes. He had kept it hidden in the past, under the layers and layers of anger and pretentiousness, but now there was nothing there to hide it.

Hair flying in the snowy wind, Gray spoke once more. "That thing killed my family, if I don't stop it, who will?"

Ur was panicking, Lucy could see that, although the woman looked as level headed as she always did. Lyon looked indifferent, which didn't surprise Lucy, he always seemed like he could be more ruthless than everyone else. She caught the gleam of tears in Gray's eyes, opened her mouth to try and convince him to stay but found no words coming out.

"There are other ways to go about this. Come inside, we can make a plan, train some more and go after him when we're all ready." Ur perched herself on the door. "There's strength in numbers, Gray."

Gray turned around once more and continued walking. Lucy move to run after him but Ur grabbed her shoulder before she could make it past the door. Ur shook her head.

"If you leave you're no longer my student!"

"Fine by me!"

Watch this man as we know

Do me a favor and try to ignore

As you watch him fall through a blatant trapdoor

Lucy sat on the floor in the living area, her hands were shaking and she felt like crying but she held them back. She knew in her heart that she would never see Gray again; past the optimistic part of her and into the side that was to young to be a realist. Gray would die. He would be murdered at the hands of that monster and it would be the destruction of her village all over again.

Gray and Lucy were the only survivors, if he died that would make Lucy the only one. She did not want to be alone.

Lyon was in the upstairs room, probably sleeping, maybe feeling remorse, but maybe not. Lucy had no idea. She knew he and Gray didn't get along but she had expected more sympathy from the white-haired boy.

Ur was sitting at the dining table, tea in a mug that had long gone cold. She was thinking, brooding, hadn't spoken since they had lost sight of Gray and had ventured back inside. Ur looked troubled, it was the first time Lucy had seen the woman express something like that so openly. It suited her. The calculating look, not the sorrow.

She put the cup down. It tapped against the wooden table, but it was the only sound in the emptiness of the house. Sighing, Lucy watched her stand. Their eyes met and Lucy saw the resolve in them. "Grab your jacket, Lucy. And Lyon." She looked outside, where they had last seen Gray. "We need to go now."

Cause nobody knows he's alive

Let me know what you're thinking, how you liked it, it's shorter than I hoped for but it's here and I'm hoping that's enough?

Leave a comment, they do keep the fingies typing (even if it took a while for the fingies to type)

Hope you enjoyed :)

~MyFictionalFantasy