Of all the power he could harness, it was rage. A brutal color that filled his vision as he tread from day to day, burning holes through the small friendships he had somehow managed.
A thought arose whenever the word or name of the demon had been mentioned. The pain of endless hours at the creekbed going through the same motions of what he had been taught. Only a flimsy excuse to blow it all on a certain salmon-haired idiot.
But this was all unbeknownst to Gray, for he was only a child. One who naturally spent his days aloft in the frigid temperatures of his abode. The chill followed him as he ran amok through the aisles of splintered tables and when his feet clambered along the cobbled streets of Magnolia, his wide eyes trained on what laid outside of the strained borders. A sanctuary.
Just a ways east of the invisible line was a great forest. He guessed that the boles being larger than a Vulcan was impressive, but that was far from what Gray was interested in. No, it was much farther than the dense shrubbery and vibrant fungus that lay under his feet. Greater than the oblique vines that raced down from the tree tops; stained with the sunny bulbs, threatening to bloom on this autumn day.
He padded eagerly, grubby hands tearing past branches in search of the safe haven. Over the snapping of twigs and melodic chirping, the faintest trickling could be heard. His ears reached for the rush, greedy as he trampled over the forestry.
It was clear as he swathed past the last of the trees,the trickling evolving into the heavy flow of a stream, one that was attached to the smallest of waterfalls.
Gray leaped and bounded for joy, exclaiming aloud; just as any child would. The cloth that laid over his body, stripped seemingly all at once. The water called to him, singing its joy as he edged one toe into the water.
To anyone but him, it would have been cold. But to Gray, it was more than perfect. The best way to start off his summer.
Without wasting another moment he dived into the shallow pool. Beneath the water he was truly home, within this cooler atmosphere. A warmthless place but comforting all the same; tensions beginning to ease from the crystalline pool. Gray surged forward, propelling him lower into the pond, his hands opening wide for the slimy mud that lay on the bottom.
As he resurfaced, he belted out a cry of victory and threw the two muddy globs up into the air. But as he was too late to notice, this screech startled the one who sat perched upon the embankment. A single feeble eye, staring at him in disbelief.
Gray had never seen this girl before and he would certainly remember the voracious red locks of hair that crowned her head. And also the stark white eyepatch that covered her eye. She stood up straight, the lines in her skirt rumpled and tainted with the faintest green. The small dagger on her gleaming with portentous flair.
He opened his mouth to speak only to close it as he began to get pelted with rain -rain? Just as he looked up, the worst of it came down. Each plop of the dirty substance running over every part of his face. Gray groaned in regret, wiping away the muck from his face. Swiping every possible nook on his head to get rid of the gross and slimy texture.
Though it was far from amusing to him, the redhead stared with a smirk. Gray pouted, the mystery girl looking at him with pity.
She held one hand out to him but he declined as he waded out of the water. "You shoulda said something, ya know? What if you were a bandit?"
Her lips barely moved as she spoke. "But I'm not."
"But what if?" Gray retorted.
"I'm sure a mage can handle themself."
His face was buried deep into his t-shirt, just the slightest confused. "How'd you know that?" She merely pointed to the dark blue emblem that sat on his chest. He looked away sheepishly, using the shirt to dry his hair. "Right."
There was a pause, the stream softly humming along with the chanting of the forest. He stood up straight, guessing she wasn't much for words. "I can take you there-"
A sharp gaze shot across her features, as if she had been offended. Her shoulders drooping from their upset perch as she wrangled with the iron plate on her left arm. The leather strap snapping as she tore it off; revealing a tattoo that resembled his own.
Gray knew it was rude to stare but he was yet again set in a state of confusion. The mark of Fairy Tail presented proudly to him -unbelievable.
"No need," she curtly stated. The chipped strap buckled back in securely, hiding the little blue fairy. It was a shame as he tried his best to proudly wear the mark of his guild.
Gray scoffed as he pushed his own chest forward, presenting his own emblem. He took one step forward as she took one step back. He did it again, only for the same to happen once more. Internally he cringed as he realized that maybe Macao did know a thing or two about women: you could never intimidate them.
It was a challenge he obliged to step down from. He ignored the girl, in favor of retrieving his clothing. His stomach churned as the skin of his back tingled with the warmest sensation. Every direction he turned, a wary sight following him.
Gray ignored it to the best of his ability, hoping that the girl would leave him alone. Natsu and Elfman had already turned his day sour; no need to rot the good left.
But her presence was bothersome. "This is my spot."
The girl didn't respond as she plopped back down on the rock. Her hand held over the rusted handle of her dagger. The sadness that leached from her seeming to disappear. Gray ignored it, not one for sharing.
Still he tried to be polite, "Can you leave, please?"
Her chocolate stare proceeded on. What was she staring at? The rush of water cut into the tension Gray built. He grumbled and put his back to her, dipping his toes into the stream.
Pretending like she wasn't there, he began to splash around, making the biggest discrepancy possible. The redhead wouldn't want to be here if he was annoying, right? It's why he hated Natsu. And Elfman. Laxus, too.
By the time he slid back into the water, his clothes had disappeared. The water thrashed this way and that, droplets rising high into the sky. Falling as a storm around him, brewed only by himself. But as each fell, ideas flooded his mind; ones only induced by his magic. "Hey," he called. "Watch this!"
The hum he felt through his body presented itself within the palms of his hands. A low drop in temperature as the water around his abdomen began to form into a state of solidity. Ice beginning to form and crinkle around his body, wading toward the girl.
Her deterrent found as she rolled her eyes. Obviously not one for competition. "You think you can do better," Gray taunted. If he won, she would surely go.
The hand attached to the hilt whipped forward, her fingers beginning to dazzle and shine, flashing brightly. As the pazzazz faded, she held a scabbard. The blade was more lethal than the one strapped to her waist.
Gray's jaw dropped. Frustrated that he couldn't hide his amusement; he thought he could win. A frown settling as his mouth closed, pressing his palms together. He couldn't concentrate on the magic he wove around his fingers; a pressure building as he tried to sculpt the icy tendrils.
A frigid whoosh sent him back into the pool. Unable to control his ethernano, Gray watched it skyrocket into the sky as a pillar. Gray hollered in delight, gazing upon the opaqueness of its thin stature. It stood as tall as the trees around them. Lacking in the width of size but he felt accomplishment. A large bout of it welling in his chest.
She definitely couldn't one-up him again. He poked his head around the pillar, quirking a brow. But his amusement didn't pass on as she stood from her perch.
The scabbard disappeared and so did the rusted dagger. Her hair flew about as she called upon her own recesses of magic. Ur said it was different for everyone but he could see the reach she had with her hands. The armor that encased her figure disappeared, warming his cheeks.
Turning his head as his blush worsened. It seemed like everyone in Fairy Tail liked to run around naked. Maybe she was just a nudist? Gramps called him that before.
Another bright flash and she stood in modesty; casual clothing adorning her body. Her own cheeks red but not from embarrassment. She sat back down on the rock immediately. "I think I win."
Balling his fists, he crawled back out of the water. The girl squawked as he stood in all his unholy glory. Reacting with apologies and his own girlish squeak -clothes were a bigger annoyance than Gray's worst enemy, Natsu.
"Sorry…" Was she the winner anymore?
But introductions had to be done eventually. "I'm Gray. A ice mage and the best you'll ever meet!"
She was unimpressed as she muttered, "An, not a." Gray's own annoyance rose and she held her hand out, "Erza. Requip."
Requip magic; he sure wasn't fond of it, even the name. But Ur always told him to be open minded and to be nice to girls. Ur's husband an example of a man he shouldn't be, but this girl really was pushing his buttons.
Though the name had rung a bell. His true mother would read it to him but it was a man in the scriptures. Not a woman.
"Erza," he echoed -not Ezra.
A strange look proceeding he felt the sweat on his brow. Why couldn't she just leave? Gray wished to enjoy the creek without company.
Gritting his teeth he clasped the empty hand. Giving the firmest shake possible but Erza's hand was much more tight. Wailing aloud as she continued to shake, enjoying his pain. "Ow! Uncle!"
She pulled away immediately, meek as she stood. "Sorry."
Pain aside, he didn't want to deal with this girl anymore. An unbridled cry as he stormed after his clothes. Sick and tired of people ruining his mood, "I hate you!"
A single tear strained from her wavering eyes. Belting out her own comments of anger as she retreated into the forest. Guilt was already clouding his mind as he thought how disappointed Ur would be.
The red locks bobbed as she dashed through the brush. Uncaring as her clothes caught on the snagging branches, gone in grace.
Gray knew this wasn't the first time he would see her cry. And it wouldn't be the last he brought her to tears.
Oops, a new chapter story. Don't worry guys, a majority of the story is done but I will not have an updating schedule as I will be starting school soon. I just wanted to get this out as it is one of my very first Fairy Tail ships from when I was eight years old. This essentially has been brewing for about twelve years of my life LOL
Please be kind and enjoy! 3