And How She's Changed

"So- do you like the dress?" Levy pulled away from the hug.

The question hung there for a few moments. Levy looked back at herself in the mirror. She looked herself up and down. She ran her hands along her body, all sewn up in the corseted top. She turned to the side and saw how skinny she was, she saw the slight curves in her delicate body pronounced in the intricate dress.

"No," Levy replied, "Actually, I hate it. The dress itself is beautiful, it just isn't on the correct body."

"Levy! You look gorgeous! How could you say something like that?"

"I may look good, but look at the rest of me. I'm not saying I'm undeserving of the dress or that the dress is meant to be on a prettier woman, I'm just saying it preserves and accentuates all the things I don't have. Yes, I have curves and breasts and a flat stomach, but it makes my butt look too big. I already had a good body. I don't need another fake one. Look at my hair, my nails, my skin or my thighs. They reflect the hell I've been through in the past few months. The rest of the dress covers it all up. Soon, I'll have polish to cover the ragged nails, extensions to make my hair look fuller and longer, the dress will cover my thighs and a lot of my skin. What the dress does not cover, makeup will cover it and a pair of long white gloves. I don't like this. I never liked this. I'm on board for this plan, not to leave this place- I'm afraid of that part- but to stick it to the government in any way possible. I want to get out of here to make my life meaningful to take that Queen and all her ludicrous laws."

"You seem a lot better after Gajeel came to get you," Juvia said with a smile.

Levy smiled back, "I realized my mistake when the two of you came to get me. I didn't need to run. There was no shame to even be concerned about. There were other problems, but I'm on a high right now. And with the rest of you around me, I know I'll be able to get over those problems and fix my thinking for the future."

"Juvia is happy for you," she replied, "Now Juvia has one more question: brass knuckles or knives?"

"Max or Gajeel?"

"Gajeel," Juvia said, "So-"

"Brass knuckles," they said at the same time.

"I guess a knife wouldn't hurt for me," Levy added.

"Juvia guesses not," she replied, then disappeared as Bisca came up behind her with a tray of beauty products.

"Ready for a makeover?" she asked. Levy just turned around with a sigh, waiting for Bisca do make her "pretty".

"Yeah, me neither," Bisca answered her own question and Levy smiled a bit.

~(^.^)~

It was almost time for the workers to leave for the ball. Levy still hadn't heard if Gajeel had gotten back or not. She hoped he would, but every time she looked at Juvia, she remembered her words.

He'll have to if he wants to see you again. And Juvia knows he will.

Juvia knew him better than Levy did. They were guards together, they worked together, then they were friends in the Workshop. She knew his feelings towards Levy before anyone else. She knew he would make it back more than anyone else. So, Levy had faith in her and Gajeel.

"We need some makeup," a deep voice said from the door. Levy looked up and saw Gray standing at the door, talking to Lucy. Juvia glared at them, but walked over. Levy did, too.

"Why do you need-" Lucy began, but Levy jogged her way over.

"Is Gajeel back?" she cut in. Levy blushed at her suddenness, but couldn't hold it in once she found someone who might know.

"Actually, he's the one we need the makeup for," Gray looked nervous in his waitstaff uniform. He was half inside the door, and half ready to bolt if, say, a girl threw a shoe at the door behind him. Which is exactly what happened.

"Gray! If you step one foot out of your clothes I swear my foot will go so far up your ass Gildarts won't he able to get it out!" Cana yelled from across the room. Lucy took this as an opportunity to collect some makeup for Gajeel. She put it in Wendy's medical bag, not caring what was in there or what got mixed. They'd never be back for it.

"You shitfaced already, Alberona?"

"So what if I am? Get out of the girl's room!"

"I'm trying!" Gray yelled. His eyes fell on Levy.

"Come with me," he grabbed her by a gloved wrist and she took the bag from Lucy with an apologetic smile."

"We've got some catching up to do anyway," Gray said as the door slammed shut.

"I think I know some of what you want to say."

"Oh yeah?"

"You think this is somehow your fault."

"Not somehow. It is. I didn't like Gajeel. You… did. And I especially didn't like that. We never got over that. I pushed you away too hard and-"

"Don't be so vain," Levy said. Gray was about to protest when he saw the smile on Levy's face.

"Some of it may have been your fault, but not all. I don't really know what it was for sure. I have an idea, but I can't believe it was all that set me off. I had some deep seeded problems before that."

"Don't we all?" Gray asked. Levy laughed.

"So why are you back to us now?"

"I had a brutal awakening. Ask Juvia, I'm sure she'd tell her Darling Gray."

His face got red, "Shut up."

Levy's eyes widened, "Nuh-uh! I missed that?"

"Missed what? You didn't miss anything!"

"You and Juvia are a thing, aren't you?"

"Maybe. Okay, yeah. She's clingy but cute. It's hard to keep saying no to her face and I swear to everything you know and love I will kill you if you tell anyone."

"Secret is safe with me, bro," Levy said with a wink. Gray's blush was subsiding and just in time. They made it to the cafeteria. Gray pushed the door open for her, and Levy stepped through. She looked back and forth for Gajeel and found him sitting with his back to a table, half dressed.

As she neared him, she felt butterflies in her stomach. Not for being about to talk to him, but for his well being. He didn't look too good from far away.

But, he smiled as she walked up to him, "Hiya, Shrimp." Levy dropped the bag and held his head in her palms. For once she was taller than him, even if he was sitting. She looked sadly at his black eye, bleeding mouth, and ripped piercing.

"Not as bad as it looks, Shorty. I promise," he whispered to only her. Levy turned around to Gray.

"Do you mind getting me a cup of salt water and some tap water?"

"Sure. I'll bring you a chicken on a stick, as well," Gray grumbled as he walked away, "Not even a server yet and I'm already being treated like one."

Levy dug into the bag. She found some lotion and a cloth. Some alcohol as well and some stitching things. She also found some pink powder. Levy didn't say anything as she came closer to him. She took out the stick labeled Concealer. She tried it out on her hand to see what it would look like. It was the same colour as her dress on the makeup stick and on her hand. She looked around, but of course, no other girls were there to help her. She didn't know why she accepted this when she didn't know what she was doing.

"I think you're supposed to put that on me, not your hand," Gajeel said with a grin.

"I have no idea what I'm doing," Levy said with a sigh, "I… I don't just mean the make up." She looked up and made eye contact with him, hoping he would get what she meant. He took her arm and Levy's eyes got wide as he dragged her over to him. She was glad she wasn't wearing the heels, just yet. She would've broken her ankle for sure.

"How about we start over, like this whole break didn't happen?" he asked when she was close enough. Levy looked at the floor again.

"No, I can't do that. I hurt you. I hurt my friends. I-" she looked at him, "What? Why the face?"

"Do you remember who you're talking to?"

Levy didn't say anything for a few moments. She was too surprised. She hadn't remembered. Because her pain was different than his. But to each other, it was the same. She had lived with emotional hurt before, she could take it, but she was so small the physical pain was what did her in. He had always been in fights and knew what broken bones felt like, but barely batted an eye. The emotional pain is what kills him. And she had forgiven him. He could forgive her. They had come back to one another. They cared for each other, and nothing could change that now. Now they both felt physical and emotional pain and got through it. They could get through anything, especially together. Levy remembered the night they had ahead of them, let alone the days following, and was suddenly overcome with a calming feeling. She knew they'd make it out, whether it would be easy or not, they would be okay.

"Shrimp? You're not saying anything? Did I break you?" Gajeel asked. He comically looked into her eyes as if to see if they still worked or if she was in there.

"You never broke me to begin with," Levy said, "I've always had the upper hand, you just didn't know it." She said with a wink. Gajeel laughed roaringly. People from all sides looked around, but Levy was trapped in her own world. She giggled with him right until the second his lips touched her's. The kiss was sweet this time, not like the last, but it was rudely interrupted.

"Eh-hem. I don't need to splash this water on you two do I?" Gray asked with a smile. Levy turned to face him, then looked back at Gajeel. She expected to see some sign that he was ready to fight. Instead she saw a smile and heard a faint chuckle.

"Keep it up, Ice Breath and the makeup goes on you."

"With that face? I think you need it more than I do."

"Yeah, you're right. You already look like a clown. I need some to blend in." They smiled at each quip.

Levy had to sit down for a moment. She looked between the two of them, utterly confused.

"You okay, Levy?" Gray's smile faltered.

"Yeah, I just… Since when were you two friends?"

They looked at each other, "Right now, I guess," Gajeel answered.

"It's not really friendship," Gray said, "He's one of Juvia's best friends."

"And he's one of your's," Gajeel answered.

"Figured we gotta make this work."

"If only for our girls."

Levy knew they were lying, and smiled. They kept up with the comebacks, even while she was doing Gajeel's makeup. He wore the same outfit as Gray. Soon, she was finished. She couldn't do much with the piercing, but she did stitch around it, trying to keep the pierced part intact. Levy also had him gargle salt water to wash out the possible bleeding from his mouth. She fixed up his lip and tried to get the bleeding to stop wherever she found it. She bandaged some parts of his body, which he grumbled about having to get changed again. Then, she was finished after cleaning off his dried blood.

"Good as new. Now, let's hope this holds," Levy said.

"So I guess you gotta go back to the girl's room?" Gajeel asked. It was just the two of them. Gray had eventually left them alone and he and Natsu were almost at brawl state.

"Yeah, I need shoes and some… extra eveningwear. And to return the supplies. I'll see you there, though, right?"

"Yeah. I just can't believe…" he trailed off.

"What?"

"That I'm leaving this place after being tethered to it for so long. And I get to take you with me," he leaned down and kissed her quickly. When they pulled away, Levy moved in a blur.

"Hey! The hell was that for?" he asked, rubbing his cheek. When he put his hand down, there was a red mark that looked suspiciously like a hand.

"Making Juvia and I go without you and also not coming to tell me you had feelings for me earlier. Okay, now we're even." He laughed and Levy smiled. They kissed goodbye before she walked back to the laundry room.

When she got there, she expected chaos, but it was rather calm. Cana was drinking the last of the moonshine with the girls seated around her. Lucy took a swig, then fanned her face. Juvia sat nearby, but passed on the moonshine. Erza stood in the corner talking to Wendy. Wendy quickly rushed forward to hug her, and Erza didn't know what to do for a second. Then, she hugged the much younger girl back. Levy saw Mira and Lisanna sitting next to each other. They were holding hands, but stopped talking as Evergreen walked up to them. It was the first time Evergreen ever looked shy, to Levy's recollection. She said something and Mira stood up and hugged her. Evergreen hugged back and Lisanna hugged her right after. They sat together after that. Levy saw a little girl- her name was Polluxia, if she remembered correctly, and she was crying. Her twin's name was Castor and she looked lost without him, but a woman came up to her and sat down in the corner as close as she could. Polluxia leaned her head on the woman. Aquarius was her name, and she stroked Polluxia's light blue hair. They could have been sisters. Virgo, Lyra and Aries came up to them next and Lyra softly sings to her. Her music can be heard through the room, and it gets a little quieter, with people silent or only whispering. Levy continues forward and Juvia gives her the brass knuckles and knife. Levy suits them up and Lucy hands her the shoes. She stands and helps Levy in them, then she hesitated, but hugs Levy. There was nothing else needed to be said.

As Lyra's song played, girls all around the room huddled together. Some, no doubt, wondered what the men were doing, and some just hugged one another. Some held hands, and all recognized a few of them might not make it out. No one wanted to venture a guess at who would make it and who would not. There was never a time for that, there was only time to get ready. This wasn't the norm for Fairy Tail, but in a few hours, they wouldn't be Fairy Tail anymore. That was the difference. Before, they could make it through everything together. But what if there was no more "together"?

There was no more time to think. The door opened and Levy's head snapped up to look as Lyra's song ended. A guard stepped in the door frame and nodded.

"It's time to go ladies," he said, firmly. Time to go indeed.

Sorry for such a short chapter, but the rest aren't the longest from here on out. Sorry! Hope those who celebrated Halloween had a good one! Like usual, tell me if anything is wrong or needs to be fixed.