Quick AN: I remember criticism about Gray's strength in the earlier chapters of this story and I wanted to (not)address that quickly.
All I can say is keep watching and you'll be pleasantly surprised…. When we get there.
Ages:
Gray – 10
Vali – 12
Cana – 10
:::-((x))-:::
(Time skip: 1 year)
Noon had come and gone, replacing the sky with a smooth dark blue blanket that travelled from one side of the horizon line to the other, showing the town of Magnolia in calming and mysterious glory. A representation of everything that was the night time. The energetic hustle and bustle of the day had given way to the peaceful solitude that was everything Gray enjoyed about this time of day…. Night…
He looked around, eyeing up his surroundings suspiciously – as he usually did. – He was still perched on the balcony of the Fairy Tail guild hall, covered in the soft yellow glow of the lamps that lit his face up as if he were an angel of some form. He almost snickered at that, him – an angel? – There was a reason he was a wielder of Devil Slayer magic, the term 'angel' wasn't exactly accurate.
His eye looked down to his tattoo that was embedded in his arm with a sigh. This was all he had left of his father, and he was honoured to have his magic, a magic passed down among family. Hell, his kid would likely have the natural talent of Devil Slayer magic. Not that he wanted kids, he had his fill just being around Vali and Cana. Those two were enough to negate anything regarding children for the rest of his life.
Turning his attention to the town-scape, he could see the numerous lights and street lamps that were in the process of turning on. He noted that a few groups of people were still out, likely stupid drunk.
The white and red buildings set a firm contrast the night sky, that started to finally allow the light of millions of stars to shine through its atmosphere, as if the world was feeling just that more generous this time of the day… Night…
Everything was the picture of beauty, according to everyone.
But he couldn't see it, he couldn't see the colour of it all, he didn't feel the appreciation of having the privilege to see such an enrapturing view of the town. To him, everything blended in with one another, leaving nothing to be felt. Even the lights fell into greyscale for him, nothing was left untouched by the foul blanket on numbness.
Gray realised his precarious positioning, leaning against the wooden railing that kept him from falling to his demise. At any moment, something could happen to it, to him. Something could cause the numbness to stop… anything… But he didn't care one bit.
A smile made its way onto his face, full of nothing. Alive with an empty vacuum that seemed to keep the smile from reaching his eyes.
"A year on… a whole year… and I still don't belong here." He didn't know who he was talking to, maybe himself, but he couldn't be sure anymore. Everything he did felt like a subtle hint at something. His conversational replies, his motions, his vocal inflections. It all felt anticipated, but he didn't know why.
'Maybe i'm thinking about things too much? But why is 'this' worth it? Nothing has changed at all… Was Ur wrong?… Was I wrong?' He had to have been. He thought that fairy tail would bring him something worth while, and sure he was much strong than he had been a year ago, in fact, he had fought everyone in the guild short from Vali, Cana, Makarov and Gildarts and found victory in every fight. The only for Vali and Cana was that Cana didn't bother taking part in the fighting like he did and Vali just found himself busy with job after job, sometimes he found the Earth Mage training, but that wasn't common enough to be reliable. Not that he cared, if Vali wanted to be away from the apartment and from him then he was okay with that.
"Gray? What are you doing up here?"
'Speak of the devil...' He sighed to himself, his body falling into its natural slumped state. He really didn't feel like talking to Vali, or anyone to that extent. They all just touched a nerve within him that never failed to anger him.
"Nothing, i'm going inside."
He pushed past the Earth Mage and heard the indignant "Hey!" before turning to step down the stairs and tried to ignore the constant chatter and energy coming from the guild. Most had learned to keep their distance from him except Cana and Vali and he was glad, it meant less people to pester him about pointless subjects and no useless conversations.
Turning his head to the far end of the guild, Gray noticed a lone figure sitting at his table with Cana. It seemed she was in deep concentration as she read from what looked to be a ridiculously huge book that almost covered her face from view. Cana didn't seem to mind however, in fact she seemed to be smiling just a little bit.
'The hell?' Gray frowned, trying to get a clearer idea of who this person was. 'This some new guy?'
"Why can't you ever let me fucking speak before stropping off?" Vali complained from behind, almost making him jump out of his skin. He turned around to see the disgruntled expression that was marring the idiots face and pretended to feel satisfaction at the annoyance on his 'friends' face.
"Upset? Well, now you know how your constant shit makes me feel." He retorted, watching as Vali stared at him, his eyes barely showing through the thick brown mane he called hair. He wasn't happy with him.
"I'm not dealing with this right now." The Earth shook his head, as if doing so would remove the problem. "Go and say hello to the new girl, i'm going to take a job and bugger off home for the night."
"Wait-" Gray shot him a look. "New girl?"
Vali nodded, his trademark grin appearing back on his face. "You heard me, try not to be a cunt. Seeya."
And before he could get another word in, Vali swivelled around and stalked off to the jobs board, but not before stealing Wakaba's pipe and running away with it. Gray could only stare at the resulting chaos near the entrance as Vali ducked, dived, rolled and flipped away from the Smoke Mage's rushed swipes.
"Ey! Give me that pipe back! Ya' little bastard!" Wakaba swung his hand at the precious pipe, red in the face.
"You'll have to pry it from my cold dead hands, old man!" Vali cackled, ducking underneath the offending limb and propelling himself away from him and towards the entrance.
'Fucking idiot...'
Gray finally turned around, deciding it was better for his head if he ignored the shit-show going on. Looking back at the table, he noticed Cana and the new girl looking over at the commotion with two different expressions that told him everything he needed to know.
Cana: her usual sneer coupled with the general bored demeanour.
The new girl: Eyes wide in what seemed to be shock, maybe excitement?
Eitherway, he didn't really feel inclined to care…
"Screw it."
He wanted this over with, the sooner he said hello and 'welcomed' her to the guild, the sooner he could go home and forget that everything existed for a few hours. With his mind made up and his rational up in arms, he plodded over, noting the title of the book in the new girls hands.
'Solid Script: Turning words into power.' He held back a scoff at that, seeing Cana's eyes drift over to him as he got closer. 'What is she, a poet? I thought the best of the best were attracted, not idiots.'
The book she was holding was brought down when Cana tapped her on the shoulder, making her jump a tiny bit, not enough to be obvious but enough for him to take note of. He dug his hands into his coat pockets, feeling the energy leave him. The last thing he wanted to deal with was someone as jumpy as Vali was pale, but it seemed that was the type of person he'd be talking to in a second.
He felt his brow crease naturally. Looking the girl over now that he had a clear view of her. Her hair was definitely bluer than anything he had seen. He briefly remembered the icy lake near Brago that his father would take him to, but even then the girls hair was just comically blue. It was kept away from her face via a headband, the same colour as her outfit, orange. Though he inwardly cringed at the clash, he didn't want to risk upsetting the newcomer. That wouldn't be very welcoming.
She looked at him with slight trepidation which made him sigh. He was not that scary, thought when he looked down at himself, seeing the dark green cargo pants with his dark grey padded jacket covering a black shirt, he could definitely see how that would set something akin to wariness in someone. Even in his arrogance and apathy, he knew that he wasn't the nicest guy.
But like Ignorance and apathy: He didn't fully know nor did he fully care…
"H-Hello?" She stammered a little, her nose going a little red from what he could only guess was embarrassment. It was a little cute, he couldn't deny that.
"So your the new girl Vali was talking about." He stated, it wasn't a question, he already knew. "He failed to tell me your name, like the idiot he is."
"Oh! I'm Levy. L-Levy Mcgarden..." 'Levy' looked down, unable to keep looking at the penetrating gaze of this boy. He was much scarier than the other kids she had met. Vali was nice and a little weird, but that seemed to make him even nicer to some extent. Cana was nice enough and humoured her when she asked her questions about Fairy Tail…
But this boy…
"Gray, be nice. I bet Vali told you that too." Cana grouched, glaring at him with a stern gaze. Levy watched as Gray turned to look at her with a raised eyebrow, questioning her sudden grilling. But that was when Levy blush and squeaked.
"W-Where's your shirt gone!?" She pointed at him. Gray looked over to her with confusion before looking down and swearing loudly. Luckily, no one was listening since the fight started due to Vali's meddling earlier.
"Shit!" He looked around, he swore that he had just seen it on him! "How did this happen!?" He growled, looking around and behind himself, trying to find the stupid shirt.
How did he manage this? He was wearing a coat over it for god's sake!
"You really are hopeless." Cana droned, looking at him as he searched the immediate area. How he managed to not keep himself in check was amazing. Especially his clothing.
"Shut. Up." Gray checked under the table, hoping it would be under there. His angry eye darting from one side to the other.
"Get out from under there!" Suddenly Gray felt a pounding pain on his cheek and his surroundings changing from the dark recesses of the table to the light brown roofing of the guild. "Pervert!"
"How am I a pervert, you dumb girl!" He shouted, bringing his hands behind him to push himself back up. "I'm looking for my fucking shirt!"
"Don't go under a table when girls are sitting around it, dumbass!"
"G-Guys?" Levy tried to speak, hoping to stop any argument brewing, only to realise her voice had been drowned out by the two raging kids.
She watched at Cana suddenly got up and gripped Gray's face with both hands, stretching his cheeks wide as he yelled back, pushing at her face with his own hands. It seemed painful, but she noticed that neither was actually in pain, it was more discomfort.
And it did look funny.
She giggled slightly, watching as Gray managed to dislodge the girls intrusive hands and pick her up by her feet, grinning smugly as Cana now was the one yelling and cussing like there was no tomorrow.
They may be odd, but she didn't mind all that much. To her own surprise. When she saw Gray a minute ago, he seemed so imposing, slightly taller than most kids and practically radiating power to a point that scared her, she remembered the clammy feeling that seized her body when that one dull onyx orb drilled a hole into her skull.
But now that same boy had his hand placed on Cana's head, smirking as the girl flailed her arms at his face in what must have been an attempt to attack him. That same eye now glowing the same power it had before, but was no longer overbearingly terrifying.
Nd soon enough, Levy Mcgarden felt enough confidence to speak freely...
"You two are being dumb, the shirts over there!" She giggled, pointing near the bar. Off to the left.
"Huh?" Gray snapped his head to the bar, surprised and unaware of the fact his arms had gone down along with an unsuspecting and still outraged Cana. His brows creased in anger. "Oh come on!"
:::-((x))-:::
Away from all the commotion of Fairy Tail's common nightly parties/brawls. To the far South-East side of Fiore, a huge, sky piercing tower stood, it's huge shaft stabbing the clouds above as a gruesome and deadly battle waged down at its very foundation. Started by the death of a young girls beloved friend, a friend who's tales and stories of the famous guild itself had inspired and kept hope alive for not only her, but her friends too…
In his death, gave life to something the young girl had never felt before. Before all this, she only knew fear, pain and want. However, with the pain of losing the only person she could ever truly be vulnerable around came the birth of something within her, strong enough to harm, maim and even kill.
But now, that same girl found herself out of the tower that pierced the heavens above. A dream she had always wanted to come true, but marred by the horrible realisation that was now alone. Her friends left behind, her best friend a betrayer and her life now hanging in the balance of the unknown.
Tears streaked down the girls face, the cover of night hiding them from the world as she let all of her sorrow burst out at once. Her red, greasy hair falling in front of her face as she wept, purpose filling her with each sob.
"I promise, Grandpa Rob..." She whispered, words only heard by herself and no one else.
She brought her head up after what felt like years, her one un-patched eye finally sealing her precious tears and filling with a determination she had never felt before.
"I promise you, I will find Fairy Tail. They will know of you and I will become the strongest I can be."
With that, she turned around to the look at the now different tower, a few trails of smoke had begun rising and the once sturdy walls of the bottom floor now held cracks and a number of holes blown in it. All were being sealed up and shut off from the world.
And as much as she wanted to, she knew that if she tried to help her friends, she'd be captured. And then Rob's sacrifice would mean nothing.
Steeling herself, she looked away and marched on. Choosing a random direction and walking off.
Fairy Tail better be ready, for Erza Scarlet was finally free. And they would know of the fate of Grandpa Rob…
:::-((x))-:::
Another chapter for you.
Not my best by far, but still not my worst, just check 'he won't harm you' for my worst.
Thanks for reading and i'll see you again at some point,
-Viperhat
