Previously…

"Well, since you hated anime before, you still need to be punished."

At that, Michael's face paled and his eye twitched. "I think submerging his head in the lake for 20 minutes would be enough. What do you think, Pen-san?"

"Hmm..." I hummed. "I guess that would be enough." I chuckled.

"Come on! Really?" Michael asked us. Then, we started to laugh. He blushed for a moment, then started to laugh along with us. I don't know why, but at that day, the sunrise was so beautiful.


Chapter 9:

Gray's Little Wish

.~ … ~.

MY P.O.V.

After the reunion the Fairy Tail members had, the picnic had gone full blast! We all sat around; eating and laughing at the silly jokes and comments we were giving each other. A ruckus was an unavoidable event in any normal FT picnic. Just ask Erza about it. Natsu and Gray began to fight when there was only one turkey sandwich left. It infuriated the redhead celebrant, and within minutes, the two knuckle-heads were beaten to a pulp. She ended up eating the last piece, crushing the two guys' hopes in getting the last bite.

But luckily, Mirajane had made more sandwiches, although not turkey. Some were bacon and cheese, and the others were cheeseburgers. Elfman started to cook the rice with the help of Michael and Lisanna.

Lisanna was setting up the fire, while Michael taught Elfman how to measure the right amount of water proportionate to the rice. And considering that everyone was a heavy eater, they'd probably have to fill up the whole pot. And even I think that's not enough.

The rest of the day was fun and pleasurable as well. We all had different games, all fun and exciting. We got use of the Exceed Squad's flying abilities and played a game called 'Lost and Found'. The three took three valuable items, basically Gray's necklace, Natsu's scarf, and Lucy's ribbon, and hid them somewhere within the small forest. Whoever got to find it first would get a wonderful prize. It was a full sized-meal. Complete with appetizer, main course, dessert, and seconds. Of course, if food was involved, Natsu was in. Gray and Gajeel, too. Erza would never pass up this challenge.

"I'll only be taking the strawberry cheesecake as the prize." Was her one and only reason for entering the game. When they were given the signal, the four scoured the forest for their lost items. In the end, Natsu used his sense of smell to find both his scarf and Lucy's ribbon, to which Lucy was grateful.

Natsu was currently being lifted in the air by Erza, who was telling him to give her the dessert if he values his life. The dragon slayer was nodding his head vigorously; genuinely afraid of what the redhead would do if he didn't comply with her demands.

"All right," I said, rolling back my shoulders. "The winner is Natsu. And because the two probably got lost inside, we should send someone in to find them. Anyone care to volunteer?" I asked, looking at them all. They all backed away awkwardly, leaving only me as the volunteer.

Letting a roll of sweat down my chin, I dropped my head in defeat and trudged my way into the forest. I waved my hand at them and spoke in a low voice, almost a whisper.

"Fine…" I sighed quietly. "I'll go… find them myself. You guys just enjoy the rest of the picnic." I said the last part loud enough for them to hear, then the scenery quieted down when I reached a distance inside the forest.

In a circle of trees, I searched for paths and areas where I originally saw the three Exceeds headed to. Maybe Gajeel and Gray are in one those areas. And if I'm lucky, they'll be together. Hopefully, this is going to be easy.

I cut my way through the shadows of the trees and bushes, looking at my sides and from behind me every now and then to make sure that I looked everywhere. Then, as I was getting near one of the checkpoints, I heard a familiar grunting.

"Damn it, these things are itchy." He said, and I heard more struggling noises. Curious, I walked over to a bush where the noise was coming from, and called the Iron Dragon Slayer's name.

"Hey, Gajeel?" I asked from where I was standing. "What are you doing behind those bushes?" A little while later, I heard Gajeel growl in response, before the rustling of the bushes ceased.

"What do you think?" He asked me. "I found Gray's necklace, and it got stuck on one of these branches. But these leaves are getting my skin all itchy and rashy. Damn it, help me out." I raised a brow at the bush, observing it intentionally before finally rationalizing it in my brain.

I slowly backed away from the bush, my hands in front of me like some sort of protection. Then, I cleared my throat to catch the long-haired man's attention.

"I-I'm sorry, Gajeel." I said, chuckling between my sentences. "I can't help you with this one…"

"Huh?!" He groaned. "Well, why the hell not?" He asked in a rather angry and irritated tone now.

"Well, that's because the bush that you got trapped in is a poison ivy bush. When you touch the leaves, you'll get red and itchy all over. Sorry, but I can't risk that." I explained, taking a step backward every time I uttered two to three words.

"What?" Gajeel roared. "You- Get back here and help me, you giant elf! Get back here or I'll crush you!" I ignored the insults and ran in another direction. A few seconds later, when I was sure that I was far enough away from Gajeel, I doubled over, putting my hands on my knees as I panted.

"Man…" I said to myself. "Gajeel's scary when he's angry… I think I should do that more often." Afterwards, I dusted myself and started to walk again. This time, I heard harsh contact from something to something. I couldn't figure out what it is or who it was, so I walked closer to the source. Hiding behind one of the trees, I glanced upon a small clearing from the forest. There are a lot of clearings here. Maybe the forest is going bald or something. Well, anyway. I looked over there and saw Gray.

He was the one causing the ruckus in this quiet and tranquil place by punching a tree, rather forcefully. I wonder what's gotten him so mad? So slowly, I made my way over to him, making sure that he couldn't hear my footsteps.

As I neared him, I heard him muttering some things that I couldn't quite hear. I wish I had Natsu's enhanced hearing ability right now. It seemed really important and I think he needs help. Finally, after getting at least a few feet from him, I heard what he was saying.

"Damn it… Damn it… Damn it…" he kept muttering. He couldn't notice me because his head was hanging low and his whole body was facing the tree. I tried my best to conceal my presence from him and I tried to see through the situation. But sadly, all I knew that he was upset about something. I just don't know what it is.

"Damn it…" He muttered again. He punched the tree one more time, creating a hole right in the middle of it, before starting to breathe heavily. I took a step back, which was a mistake. There was a small branch behind my foot, and I stepped on it by accident, causing Gray to turn around and find me. His face right now is not the usual calm and collected face that we know. This one is more, sad. More, wanting. I didn't know what to say at that point, so I looked at him seriously, trying not to flinch when he took a step forward.

"Why are you here…?" He asked me. And just like that, realization dawned on him. "Oh right… You were searching for me. Has that much time passed already?" He asked me with a fake grin. I could see right through him. He must've forgotten that I can't be fooled that easily.

"Sorry about sneaking up on you." I said. He just waved his hand to try and forget about it, but then I spoke again. "Look, whatever's bothering you, you can tell me, okay? If it's something to do with your missing necklace, Gajeel already-"

"It's not about that." He answered simply, cutting me off. And to that, I was utterly confused. I thought that the necklace he had was important to him, so I thought he was upset because he couldn't find it.

"T-then…" I stated. "What's this about? Why are you so upset? Is it because of something Dani and I did? Was it because we kept teasing you before?" I asked, but none of them seem to catch his attention as he kept looking at the sky. The leaves were moving as the wind moves through them, shadowing the blue sky with darkness. I was going to ask something to him, but I think it'll be risky. Still, it's better than doing nothing.

"I-is it because you and Juvia haven't been cannoned yet?" I asked clearly, and it obviously worked seeing as his eyes went wide. Before I could ask again, though, he was already walking past me and back to the picnic grounds.

"Hey!" I said, walking to him. Outraged, I yelled at him. "Are you just gonna run away from your feelings forever? Won't you accept to yourself that you have actually fallen for someone? That someone had already melted that ice heart of yours?" I finished asking him, and he was completely stunned. He wasn't even looking at me. His back was facing me so I couldn't see the shocked, and plain obvious face he was making. All I know is that I hit the target, but that doesn't mean that the struggles end now.

So, I stood firmly in my place, crossed my arms together, and in a serious tone I said, "You can't keep running away from this, Gray. Don't make a mistake that you can't fix." With that, he looked at me, and his eyes were actually watery! Oh man, I was really good in these kinds of talks. I didn't let that look faze me and make me feel guilty. I continued on with what I was saying.

"If you need help about these kinds of things, you could always ask me, or Dani. We can get serious if we have to, you know?" I asked him jokingly. "I think I get it now. You saw how happy Erza and Jellal were when they became official, right? But you couldn't picture yourself and Juvia in that place, because it's too obvious and you don't want that. Or at least, that's what you think."

"What do you mean?" He finally asked. I sighed, then looked at him with a more gentle stare. I wasn't about to scare the hell out of him right when I was giving him advice.

"What I mean is," I said, extending my arm and pointing a finger at him. "You've been used to keep your relations with others platonic and normal. That's why you could never see yourself engaging in romance with a friend. Especially if it's a friend like Juvia."

"Juvia likes you, Gray. Scratch that, she loves you. She shows it to you every day, even dedicating the entirety of that day stalking you all around the guild. If you share the same feelings as her, you should show it, and not push her away. Because you know, even obsession has its limits."

Gray sighed inwardly, and placed a hand behind the back of his neck. He then looked back at the sky, as if wishing for something to happen to help him out in this situation. But when nothing happened, he gave up and looked at me again.

"I'm not going to ask for your help on this…" he said, shocking me a bit. "But… thanks for the advice." He gave me a smile, and that made me smile in return. "Well, there is something you could help me with, if you'd like?"

"Really?" I asked. "What is it? Tell me." I walked closer to him, a few feet away from him.

"I want you…" he started. "To make my wish come true…" At that, I tilted my head in confusion.

"Wish…?" I asked, obviously not following the idea that he was saying. He sighed again, but a faint blush had appeared on his cheeks. He gave me a big, warm smile, and then said what he was talking about.

"I wish…"

The wind had blown by loudly exactly at the time he said it, making the words flow into my ears. The leaves were falling on us like dry snow, and I stared at him, wide-eyed at what he was saying. And after he was finish saying it, he looked at me with that warm smile of his and held his hand out.

"So," he stated. "Do we have a deal?" I blinked a few times before looking at his hand. And then I looked back to him. Smiling, I took his hand and shook it happily.

"Wish granted." I said. He chuckled sheepishly and let go of my hand a few seconds later. "Well, we should get back to the picnic grounds. People might be looking for us." He nodded in agreement, and we walked back to the grounds.

.~ … ~.

DANI'S P.O.V.

I sipped my drink lightly, taking in the delicious Four-Seasoned flavor. I was currently sitting at the table, Levy sitting next to me on my right. To my left, Juvia was scrutinizing a small plate where her sandwich used to be. Her eyes signifying her boredom and her over-cleaning the plate was another sign that she was bored.

Natsu was eating the rice coated with condensed milk with Lucy right beside him. She was petting Happy as she watched her best friend eat like a pig. The Strauss siblings were laughing at the scene of Jellal and Erza arguing over how many children they were going to have.

"I'm thinking 30 or so would suffice." Was the plan that Jellal insisted. By then, Erza was uncontrollably shaking and trembling, a deep blush on her face as she thought of the many things that they would be doing in bed. Oh, Erza, if you only knew how many awkward positions the two of had been on in the fan fiction site.

My thoughts came back to the pot of rice on the table with a can of condensed milk next to it. I don't know who thought of that. But it was probably Pen-san. He always likes to eat weird things. Like doughnuts dipped in hot chocolate. He says he finds it delicious, but I didn't want to try it.

Speaking of him, I couldn't find him anywhere. He was supposed to get Gray and Gajeel from the forest. Had he gotten lost? That shouldn't happen. He knows this forest more than me and Michael. I'm sure he'll be fine on his own. I glanced to my side to find Ultear and Meredy sitting by the picnic blankets, enjoying a wonderful conversation as they sipped juice. I looked to my other side and saw Wendy picking flowers from the bushes a little ways from the picnic grounds. Since she was a Dragon Slayer, I didn't worry about her getting lost. And I'm sure Charles and Happy would find her anyway.

"Spacing out?" I heard someone said. I quickly blinked a few times before looking at the source of the voice. Beside Levy was Michael, his big, red Dr. Dre beats headphones hanging round his neck.

"I guess…" I muttered, slouching to the table. "I'm just worried about Gray and Gajeel. Oh, and Pen-san, too, of course." I chuckled sheepishly. "They'd been out there for 30 minutes now."

"I see." Michael nodded. "Well, if they're not back here in the next half hour, I'll go in and check, okay?" He asked. I couldn't help smiling at him and nodded sideways, since I was facing him sideways with my head on the table.

"Thanks." I said. He smiled at me and then scavenged the picnic basket for more sandwiches. He was nice, actually. If he hadn't hated anime before, we would have been great friends. Maybe Pen-san couldn't stand him because of his passionate hatred for anime. But when it comes down to it, Michael is a really nice guy. I shouldn't have misjudged him.

"Natsu, what's wrong?" I heard Lucy ask. Immediately, I shot up from my slouched position to look at the situation. Natsu was pounding his chest with his hand, and his cheeks were so puffed up, like it was filled with too much food for him to swallow quickly.

I stood up and ran to them with utmost haste. I looked to Lucy and the others, and they didn't seem to know what to do.

"Dani-san," Lucy called. "W-what's wrong with Natsu? Is he alright?" At the first word, I already noticed that her voice was cracking. I looked back to Natsu and found out why she was close to crying. Natsu was turning blue, and it's because of the lack of air flowing into his lungs. Wasting no time, I ran to his back and hugged him from behind.

"Natsu, I want you to hold still, okay?" I asked, and he nodded quickly. I used this chance to squeeze his chest a bunch of times, and within seconds, Natsu gagged up and out came a bone form what seems to be, from a chicken.

"A-a chicken bone..?" I asked in disbelief. At that same moment, Lucy came and knelt beside Natsu, who was still on the ground gasping for air.

"Natsu!" she exclaimed. "Are you okay? I was so-"

"Natsu~!" Lisanna's voice chimed. Without Lucy realizing, the white-haired Strauss was now hugging Natsu, making his face turn blue again.

"Oh Natsu!" she cried. "I was so worried about you, gosh, I can't believe that happened."

"Chill out, Lisanna." I said, trying hard not to sound cold and harsh. "He was just choking because of that chicken bone." I pointed toward the piece of white that was harder than a wooden bat. Then, realization dawned on me.

"How did a chicken bone get there anyway?" I asked Mira and Elfman. As if on cue, the two lowered their heads and began chuckling sheepishly.

"S-sorry about that…" Mira muttered. "It's just, Elfman thought it would be a good idea to mix the chicken with the rice."

"Because chicken is good for a man!" Elfman roared. I sweat dropped and mentally added, 'Chicken is good for girls, too.'

"Right." Mira continued. "But it seems that I didn't get all the bones out and this one got away." She walked towards the bone that was lodged in Natsu's throat a few seconds ago and picked it up. "Now all we need to do is dispose of it."

"That's right." I said, feeling relief wash over me when I saw that Natsu was okay again. "Well, Natsu, I think you should be more observant about the things that you eat, okay?" But my question fell on deaf ears, literally. Lisanna was screaming praises and songs of worry near Natsu's ear, since she hasn't let him go as of yet.

"You hear that, Natsu?" she asked. "You're gonna be okay! I'm so glad! You really had me worried there, you know?" she continued, and Natsu, the idiot, grinned like one.

"Yeah, sorry about that." He chuckled sheepishly. Lisanna just shook her head and smiled back at him. Little did they know, there were a pair of jealous eyes looking at them, and with a burning passion if I might add.

'Oh Lucy…' I thought to myself. I knew she was getting jealous. That's what Pen-san had hoped for. But I hope he's prepared for what he's doing. Making a girl jealous isn't some 'joyous' task, I'll tell you. It hurts the girl not only emotionally, but also physically, too. What if Lucy decides to injure herself if this little green monster inside her gets uncontrollable? I mean, I would probably pretend to try and kill myself if Gray and Juvia would be cannoned, just to make sure that Gray wouldn't abandon Juvia because he pities me. But I don't know about Lucy. She may be that bubbly, over-cheery person in the team, but like any other girl, she's just as vulnerable when it comes to emotion.

It seemed that I was thinking too long, because by the time I snapped out of my thoughts, Natsu was already sitting beside Lisanna, enjoying another new course of rice mixed with chicken, and Lucy was leaning against a tree a little farther from the group. I saw her giving Natsu a sad and almost needy look, before sighing and tucking a stray strand of her hair to her ear.

Sighing as well, I decided not to perform any action without consulting Pen-san first. He was the know-it-all in these kinds of situations. It's funny how his advices never work for him, though. I went back to my chair and took the basket Michael has a little while ago and grabbed a sandwich.

About a few minutes later, I saw shadows coming out from the spot where Pen-san had disappeared to a while ago. And as expected, out came Gray and Pen-san. Instantly, I ran to them followed by Levy.

"Hey!" I yelled. I ran to Pen-san full speed, my hand outstretched. He saw me and smiled, not knowing what I was going to do.

"Oh, hi Dani-." But before he could finish his sentence, I clocked him right in the jaw, effectively sending him flying back to a tree and knocking him out.

"How dare you keep Gray inside that forest?" I asked angrily. "I thought you knew the forest! Did you also get lost? Don't you dare use that as an excuse, or I swear I'm gonna rearrange your freakin' face!" I glared at him while growling, my fist in front of me ready to punch him again. I heard Levy laugh nervously at my ridiculous accusation. Gray, on the other hand, was utterly terrified of me. Especially when I turned my vicious glare at him. He backed away slowly from me, and I inched closer to him.

"What took you so long?" I asked him, and I don't know why I'm so angry. He was forcing a smile, since I saw his lips twitching, barely able to keep it up.

"I-I was wandering deeper into the woods…?" It sounded like a question, but I didn't care instantaneously! I threw my arms at him and hugged him tight.

"Aw~" I cooed. "Poor baby~… There, there, Dani-chan's gonna make you feel better." I let go of him and inwardly chuckled at his blue face. Then, I started to drag him back to the table and offer him food and water.

Levy was just standing there, near Pen-san, for a while, before snapping back into reality. She scanned her surroundings, as if looking for someone. Then, she put a finger on her forehead.

"Now who was I looking for again?" she asked herself. Then with a shrug, she forgot the thought and helped Pen-san up.

.~ … ~.

MY P.O.V.

After waking up from Dani's clock punch, the day went on normally. We continued eating, chatting every now and then about their current opinions in the modern world and how no magic can help us survive. Lots of opinions and questions were shared. Like, 'How do people in this time develop transportation?', or, 'Is it true that people here invented a way to fly without magic?' Yeah, that kind of stuff is typical for them to ask. I mean, if I was in their world, I would ask silly questions like, 'Is there magic here that could transform you into your favorite animal?' or, 'Are there any wizards here besides Natsu and Lucy who are totally dense when it comes to love?' Of course, I wouldn't ask that out loud. At least, not until they're cannoned.

After a while, everyone was having their own conversations. Mira, Elfman, Meredy and Ultear talked about how much the two girls act like sisters, which Elfman thought was manly for some odd reason. Juvia and Levy were having a swell time with Dani playing 'Truth or Dare'. They dared Dani to imitate a walking penguin, to which I laughed at. Wendy and the Exceeds were listening to sentimental music with Michael through his cell phone attached to a little speaker box. It was loud enough for only them to hear and not to disrupt the other people. Natsu and Lisanna were walking around the picnic grounds, talking about how much fun it would live here and the advantages and disadvantages it would lead to. And finally, there's Lucy. She was standing near a tree, her hands intertwined behind her as she looked at the slightly cloudy sky above us. She had a sad smile etched on her lips, and I couldn't help but come to her at these kinds of situations.

I strode closer to her, feeling the atmosphere getting more depressing as I get to her. I could have sworn that I saw some of the leaves around her were withering. Was she turning into a female version of Zeref? Oh, like hell I'm gonna let that happen! Once I was near hearing distance, I started to call her name.

"Lucy…" I said quiet enough for only us to hear. Luckily, the blonde heard me and she turned her head slightly, her hair being blown a bit by the wind that passed. She blinked a few times after the mini-gust subsided, and looked at me.

"W-what is it, Pen-san?" she asked, feeling a bit cold because of the wind. I took a step forward, and did nothing more so I can be sure whether or not she needs my help.

"Hey Lucy…" I stated, catching her attention. "Tell me, is there something troubling you?" In a brief moment, I thought I saw her eyes widen in shock, before returning to normal and smiling at me.

"Don't worry about it…" she muttered, then looked away. I guess she didn't want to talk about it if she was so conservative about it. But, if she wasn't ready to talk about it yet, then I guess I could just leave her alone for now. So, shrugging, I went and sat back down at the picnic blankets.

The skies were getting dark and gray. It looked like it was about to rain, and I needed to warn everybody about this. But they were having such a wonderful time, and I think some of them have noticed but decided not to say anything about it. I lied down on the blanket and watched the gray clouds go by.

As I lay there, I wondered what Lucy was thinking about. Was it something I knew? Or was it completely different. Either way, I think she should tell someone soon. I just hoped that that someone was me, or Dani-chan. Well what can I do? I can't rush these things. So, resting my thoughts, I closed my eyes and began to doze off.

But before the land of dreams could take me away though, something wet hit me on my cheek. Quickly, I opened my eyes and saw that the rain was starting. Good thing it was just a shower. By the time I stood up, everyone was already packing up and lifting the tables and chairs. Scratching the back of my neck, I bent down and folded the blanket neatly before it got too wet to carry. After confirming that everything was fine, we headed to a safe place to put them in.

.~ … ~.

Since Michael's house was pretty big, we put the table outside their covered yard. The grill was placed near the front door, and the chairs were stacked nicely at the edge, near a pile of used boxes. We all took refuge inside his home. Of course, he wouldn't have to tell Fairy Tail for them to feel at home. If a friend was at home, like Lucy for one, they wouldn't need any form of invitation. They would just barge in like it was their own property. But that's what I usually do as well.

"Thanks for letting us stay here, Michael-chi~!" Ultear chimed getting closer to Michael. Michael was facing his back to her and was about to face her when she hugged him from behind. In an instant, blood shot out his nose and made his head tilt backwards, before drooping almost lifelessly in Ultear's embrace.

"What a psycho pervert…" Levy deadpanned. At that, everyone was starting to laugh. Even the Strauss siblings heard this, even though they were in the kitchen fixing up some dinner for later.

"Yeah, but Ultear is a sadist, I tell you what!" Dani chuckled. Everyone began to laugh louder at this comment. I thought that Ultear would get embarrassed and hide away, but I thought wrong!

"Yep, yep! That I am!" she shouted, squeezing the fainted Michael in her arms, causing more blood to drip from his already bleeding nose. The room shook with the roar of laughter that followed. It was already getting warm despite the increasing rain from outside.

I looked around and saw all of their happy faces. Natsu, Lucy and Happy were sitting together on a sofa, and I was glad that Lucy was genuinely happy again. Juvia and Levy were sitting on the other sofa with Gray next to Levy. He looked at me for a moment, then I read in his eyes that I didn't need to see this yet, so I looked away and focused on the crying Meredy.

"Ul~!" she cried. "W-why are you… hugging that creep… i-instead of m-me!" she was going to pound on the table that was near her when she felt Ultear's arms move from Michael to her, causing the unconscious perv's body to collapse on the ground with a thud. Instantly, the girl became happy, then a bit irritated when she smelled something.

"Ul…" she muttered, catching Ultear's attention. She looked at her with the most caring eyes I saw in her, then tilts her head in confusion when she saw her calm yet annoyed face.

"Meredy," she started. "What's wrong?" Meredy suddenly pointed to her arms. And when she looked at them, she frowned instantly. There were traces of Michael's blood on her arms, possibly from the dripping that she caused, and when he collapsed some got to her.

I snickered at the scene, then looked at the last group. Erza and Jellal were being interviewed by Dani-chan about their future plans as a couple. She was acting like a reporter with a hair brush as a microphone and she put on glasses to put on a greater act. By the looks of things, she was asking what they're honeymoon would be like. Since Erza and Jellal were both blushing as hell!

It seemed like I'm the only one who doesn't have a conversation partner. I couldn't find Wendy and the other Exceeds in the living room, so I guessed they were helping around the kitchen. I was beginning to get bored, and my body slouched lethargically on the chair. My eyes scanned the room for anything that could entertain me. Then I saw it.

A computer! It's just what I need to get me out of my boredom. I was about to ask Michael if it was okay to use it, but I saw that he was still knocked out. I'm sure it was okay to use it, since he's my cousin and all. So I stood from my place and sat on the chair next to the computer. I started it up and waited for it to open.

"Are we reading fan fics again, Pen-san?" I heard Lucy ask from behind. I turned my head to her and nodded. She then signaled the others to come closer as the computer began its final process.

The moment the desktop appeared however, I quickly shut my eyes and I heard all the guys scream in agony. Maybe it was because their eyes got poked with the girls' razor-sharp nails? I couldn't tell. Michael is going to be so blackmailed. His desktop background was a bunch of topless chicks dancing. And if that wasn't enough, when I opened the browser, trying my best not to look at the background, the theme was ****. It was so disgusting, but luckily I knew how to change those kinds of things.

A few minutes of tweaking, I changed the background to a Fairy Tail picture and the theme a Fairy Tail themed one. No way in hell I'm gonna read fan fics with those kinds of things distracting me.

"So, what are we gonna read?" Dani asked me from behind. "Is it gonna be another Erza and Jellal~?" At that, I shook my head.

"We're going to read…" I opened the browser and typed in their names. "A Juvia and Gray fic!" Everyone began to cheer after I said that. I was so busy cheering with them that I didn't hear the door clicking open then closing as well. It's been so long since I last visited the site, and I also wanted to make Gray's wish come true, so I hope he's reading with us.

"I wish…"

I opened the browser for Fairy Tail stories and typed in the names…

"for Juvia to see me…"

Gray and Juvia.

"as the one and only person that would love her!"

…And clicked a fiction that hit just the spot. I think this is going to be easier than I thought. Just then, I felt a shiver down my spine. Humming inwardly, I tried to figure out what made that happen. But I eventually shrugged the thought and proceeded with the story, which was…

.~ … ~.

NORMAL P.O.V.

Somewhere back in the forest/clearing that Pen and the others used as a picnic ground, loud rustling of leaves could be heard. In a bush of Poison Ivy, a gruff man's voice could be heard mumbling incoherent words.

"D-d-damn…" he stuttered as the cold evening wind and the water of the rain getting to him. His long, black hair was soaking wet and was sticking to the branches. It was then he let out a feral growl.

"Damn you all!" he screamed. "How the hell could you forget about me?" He was still struggling to get himself untangled from the branches, but his body was achy and itchy all over so he couldn't do much moving.

After a while he gave up, not even thinking of any way to escape and just let someone remember that he was there. Just then, he heard the sound of little footsteps coming to him. Then, another set of footsteps, lighter than the other, were heard.

"Who's there?" Gajeel growled. It was obvious that he was irritated and angry about that people who forgot about him, especially her

Suddenly, he heard a familiar voice giggle and with that, he retracted the last thought in his mind.

"You are such a klutz, you know that, Gajeel?" Levy asked. "But don't worry, I'll get you out, and Wendy here could heal your wounds, if any." Gajeel was glad. At least there were two people that didn't forget about him. And he was glad that one of them was her.


A/N:

Ooh~! Gajeel liiikes someone~! XD Anyway, here is an update! Wow, is it me, or do I move faster than before? XD Well, here are the qualifiers for the next round. Just so we're clear, the guys who passed aren't ass kissers okay? It's a really hard decision! And for those who haven't passed, don't worry! I told you right? I'm gonna have more than one story that requires your help! Okay, the qualifiers are:

YellowFan98~

Erza Titania Scarlet~

JuneDelph~

Mio Heartfilia999~

AznMelody5678~

WinterValley~

"anabel the shark lady" and "fanficsinceforever" forgive me~! T^T Please don't kill me! But don't worry! As I've said, I plan on doing another contest on one of my stories, so please, please wait for it! I promise that it would be something to look forward to!

And the surprise is, it's a BLEACH fic! Yes, people! I'm trying my hand at a Bleach fan fiction! Although it's a "?xOC", I'm sure that you will all enjoy it! :D Read my profile and go to the "New!" segment of my page, and that's where you'll find it! Anyway, I'll be doing a contest in that as well as another new FT story! So keep on the support and I might just post it sooner! XD

Well, here's my next challenge for the remaining qualifiers! I want you to answer these HONESTLY! I need honesty from you guys, okay?! XD


All you have to do is to write how you'll react to each character in a specific situation. ( PS. I think since you're all girls, I'm just gonna put some guys, okay? :D )

1.) Natsu is eating at the guild bar when he notices you looking at him. You look away and get nervous when he starts walking to you. "What are you looking at me for?" he asks. You have no idea how to tell him that you find him attractive and plainly hot. What will you do?

2.) While returning from a mission, you spot an injured Jellal without Meredy or Ultear around. You decide to help him since he's a good friend of Erza. "Thanks for the help." He whispers. And before you can react, he kisses your cheek. When you look at him, he was smiling and blushing. What would you say to him when you know that Erza is the only woman for him?

3.) On another joint mission with Sabertooth, Natsu and Sting were arguing about splitting the reward money. He faces you in anger and you try to calm him down. He storms off somewhere and you follow him. When you found him, he was sitting alone at the edge of a rock. You feel pity for him and decide to cheer him up. What you didn't expect was the massive hug from him. "There's something that I always wanted to tell you…" he mutters. You obviously know that he was going to confess, and you know that you like him, too. So, how are you going to end the day once the both of you confess to each other?

4.) You see Gray sitting alone in the lone corner of the guild. You come to him and tell him to put some clothes on. He obeys and you sit next to him. "You know, I haven't got the chance to ask but… Are you free this Saturday?" he asks you. You, obviously happy and surprised by this, quickly answers:

5.) You see Gajeel walking around town and you decide to follow him. You find yourself in a small shelter home for orphans after a short while. There, Gajeel was helping take care of the little kids, and by the looks of it, it wasn't his first time. You step out of your hiding place to surprise him. He quickly went to you and grabbed you, almost closing the space between you. "D-don't tell anybody and I'll do anything you say!" he begs. Liking the idea a bit, you decide to answer. What will you make him do?

The qualifiers are to PM me their answers, because some of my readers answers the questions! But that's okay! I'm glad that they want to participate for fun! :D Well, that's all! The best answers will be rewarded with something special! Can you guess? Guess not! XD Anyway, thank you again for supporting this story! Qualifiers, hope you still review, okay?

Ja Ne~