Fairy Tail is abnormal.
No.
Fairy Tail's abnormality is beyond normal abnormality.
The first time he witnessed first hand the craziness of the guild that was hailed as the Strongest Guild in Fiore prior to the disappearance of some members while in the midst of the S-Class Mage Examination in Tenrou Island was during the Grand Magic Games. Excited will be an understatement, as he was really looking forward to it and had waited for that time to come when he will be reunited with the people he used to looked up to.
They won't last. We are the strongest. The Missus would always tell him, and at that time, he would always believe. After seven years of stagnantation, how could Fairy Tail possibly pull it off? Of course, they can't. Sabertooth is the strongest, and as their Master had put it, there is no room for weaklings in their guild. There is certainly no room for mistake.
They had two teams: Fairy Tail A and B. Like that would make a difference. It was a stupid idea, desperation at its finest, having two teams competing for a single goal, whereas everyone clearly knows that it wouldn't make a difference. So much for their craziness, he thought, until match after match, loss after loss and win after win, Fairy Tail proved not just to him, and everyone in the arena, but to the whole people of Fiore who the strongest guild was. In the end, it was them. It was Fairy Tail.
He never really thought that he will be given the opportunity to fight along side with them. But seriously, a war against dragon is not easy! And in those moment he came to realize that power is not just a kind of force acquire during strenious trainings and winning battles, but also comes in the form of support by the people around you, the family that believes in you. It made him realize that what made his guild lose was not because they were weak, but because they were not bonded. After the battle, as the temporary guild master, he vowed that his guild would be reborn as a guild worthy of everyone's respect and desire to protect. He would transform the guild into a family. His family.
Erza knocked some senses into the Missus, and Natsu kept his promise to the future Rouge in protecting Frosche. He would never really understand the lengths the mages of Fairy Tail are willing to take, even for the sake of those not even in their guild or family. It amazes him, at the same time confuses him. Protecting his family and protecting some random people are two different things, but for the Flame Dragon Slayer, as long as his fist could make a difference, then the game's on.
And at some point, he felt that his idolizing him and the way Natsu sees things have rubbed up on him. To a good point, as Rouge had flatly said. It could only be the reason why they were now seated inside Fairy Tail's guild master's office, having some serious talks with Erza and the current guild master, Laxus Dreyar, waiting for the arrival of one Natsu Dragneel and Gray Fullbuster.
"So," seated in front of him with his feet crossed on top of the table with his eyes closed, Laxus drawled. "You really are aware that we're threading through hot waters in here. Boiling water, kid"
Sting nodded. Hell, he was even sure that not just Magnolia, but everyone in Fiore was aware that after the death of Juvia Lockser, Gray Fullbuster became a walking ticking time bomb; push and explode. Unstable. He had no idea about the nature of the relationship the two had, just that the water mage was Gray's official stalker, and words also reached their place that at one point, they lived together for six months before Minerva was saved. He really have no idea on how this visit will affect the mage, but he knows that it is a matter worth telling Fairy Tail.
"I know," Sting answered gruffly.
""But I really don't know what to make up with this," seated beside Laxus, Erza testily said. "It really sounds...off."
Cracking one eye open, Laxus grunted, and Erza took it as a sign of his agreement. She had been assigned as the assistant guild master, something she was really thankful, not like Laxus who ended up taking his late grandfather's position.
"We know, that's why, we headed straight right here after our mission," Rouge abruptly said, sitting on the couch with the two Exceeds perched side by side, who was miraculously keeping silent. "This matter is a sensitive one, and carelessness is not welcome as it may make another scar."
"At first, I thought my nose was playing games on me, but after Rouge confirmed the smell as something related to Gray, we knew we needed to keep moving."
Laxus snorted. "Just how did you knew that that scent is related to that bastard, eh? Is there something..."
"I hate to burst your bubble, but I don't swing that way," Rouge snapped, glaring at the Lightning Dragon Slayer, who he swore, just threw him a nasty grin.
"Enough of that, Laxus," Erza coldly said. "What we have in here now is not something to be making fun off,"
"Tch. I'm the master and I still get reprimanded," Laxus grunted, lighting his cigar.
Taking that as a good sign, Rouge went on. "To answer that unasked question, Ms Erza, I really don't know how. Maybe it was all in my head,"
"Or maybe because your future self had come in contact with him," Sting cut in. "We know according to Natsu that in the other possible future, Gray, sorry buddy," he hastily added, and as though knowing what he was about to say, Rouge covered Frosche's ears, "Gray killed Frosche. So it is safe to assume that because of future Rouge's desire for revenge, he learned all there is to know about Gray, and that includes his liaisons,"
"And now, little by little, Rouge's being fed with information from the future. How handy," Laxus commented, blowing from his cigar. "You should get that damn hag check your head,"
"Laxus, this is no laughing matter," Erza spat.
"AND WHAT? YOU WILL GIVE GRAY WHAT? YOU WILL MAKE HIM SUFFER AGAIN? REMIND HIM, GIVE HIM FALSE HOPE? YOU SHOULD KNOW BETTER, DAMMIT ERZA! YOU ARE HIS SISTER!" Laxus roared as he towered over the redhead, eyes piercing, cigar thrown to god knows where, hands balled into fists, knuckles turning white. His chair was then pushed away in a rough manner, falling straight to the floor.
Seemingly unperturbed, Erza coldly replied. "Yes, I am his sister, and it is my duty to ease him of his pain. Listen Laxus. If this will give us even a slight glimmer of hope..."
"WE DON'T FUCKING NEED A GLIMMER OF HOPE, ERZA! JUVIA DIED WITHOUT HIM GIVING HER AN ANSWER, AND NOW YOU WANTED TO TELL HIM TO START LOOKING FOR THE DEAD JUST TO EASE SOME FUCKING PAIN? WHAT HAPPENED TO MOVING FORWARD, TITANIA?" The last sentence he said with mockery.
"Whoa, really, there's no need to blow off over..."
"Listen, half-half,"
"Half-half?"
"Dumb. You both are known as the Twin Dragon Slayer, so both makes one and one makes half, idiot,"
"He means you both, Sting, Rouge," Erza explained without any hint of animosity or taking offense.
"If this shit of yours bring forth nothing good to my guild, you will answer to me." And without waiting for their answer, he vanished in a flash of lightning.
"Whew, that was close," Sting grumbled, releasing a deep sigh and collapsing beside Rouge, who was then having the two frightened Exceeds protectively in his arms.
"He scared me, Sting," Lector whined.
"Fro, too,"
"I am sorry with that, but he just means well,"
"Are you serious, Ms Erza? He almost chew your head off, and that's normal?" Sting snorted, to which Erza just smiled. He really couldn't get the deal with these mages!
"Do not forget that when we lost our master, Laxus lost three: his master, his father, and his grandfather. Tough as he may seem, but the late master means everything to him. Master Makarov never lose faith in Laxus, even during his rebellious times, and even believed that one day, Laxus will make him and his parents proud. And if I need to admit it, it is not me nor Natsu who understand Gray better, It is Laxus. He's just often..."
A loud blast and the door flew opened, making the three mages jumped to their feet, the poor exceeds burying their heads in Rouge's arms.
"Gihihi, I wasn't informed that I would be hearing something sappy," Gajeel snickered as he emerged, followed by a bleeding Natsu and Gray with a deformed nose. "Brought 'em fuckers, Titania, but I think 'ye only need to inform stripper here, since we dragon slayers could hear every rubbish you 'sayin,"
"Natsu," Sting exclaimed, excited to see the mage he idolize. "Uh...you don't look good?"
Natsu grinned, slapping Gray in the back, making the mage grimaced in pain. "Just a friendly tune up," he cheekily said.
"Does look anything but friendly," Rouge deadpanned, nodding to Gray in acknowledgement.
"Gray," Frosche called, wriggling out of Rouge's arm and running to the ice mage.
As soon as the exceed started running for Gray, Rouge's blood ran cold as an unsettling feeling washed over him. He instinctively stretched a hand and tried to grab Frosche, but a bulky, stronger hand held his arm at bay. Looking up, he saw Gajeel looking pointedly at him.
"It's over,"
Realizing his mistake, he lowered his eyes in shame as he muttered a silent sorry.
"Ye just need to get over that thinking. Stripper's aint gonna kill him, look,"
Following Gajeel's trail of sight, he saw that Gray had a small smile as he patted the exceed softly in the head as Frosche talked animatedly to him. "I'm sorry,"
"Gihihihi, so much drama in a day, fucking can't stomach it,"
"Yeah, I'm kinda straving. Where's Mira?"
"Mira's waiting to kick 'yer ass, salamander. 'Ye made bunny girl cry,"
At the mention of Lucy's name, Natsu's cringed in horror.
"But before that, I think you have something to tell me," an icy voice caught their attention.
Gray had just finished talking to Frosche and was now looking at them with murderous eyes.
"Time bomb Gray," Sting whistled, to which he received a slight elbow in the gut from Erza.
"But Laxus said..."
"You really understand nothing, do you, Rouge," Erza abrupty cut, looking at him directly in the eye. "He said not to give false hope. He never said we cannot act on it. And it depends on us if we will hope."
"We will answer to him, he said," Sting shot, looking warily to Natsu, then Gray, then to Gajeel, and then to Erza. "So don't screw up,"
Natsu gave him the thumbs up sign. "Of course. We are Fairy Tail. We screw, but we don't lose,"
"If that's supposed to put us at ease, then you failed," Rouge flatly retorted as Sting snorted.
"Whatever," Natsu dismissed. Then turning to the mage beside him, he smirked. "Ready your heart, ice-prick?"
"Fire away, flame brain," Gray irritatedly said.
I
"Unearth Juvia?!"
"Yeah,"
"You can't just say 'yeah,"
"No matter how I look at things, that's not right," Sting seconded.
They have just spent half the day telling Gray of their discovery and so far, as they watched for his reactions, all they saw was the stiffening of his shoulders when Juvia's name was mentioned. If he was trying to keep his real feelings in check, then Sting's passing him with fying colors.
"Erza, what do you think?" As if wanting to hear someone say something reasonable, Sting turned to the Titania who had her eyes closed with her arms folded on her chest.
"I can agree,"
"What?"
"Shut it, half," Gajeel snapped, and Sting scowled at the name Gajeel just used to address him. Fuck the dragon slayers and their fucking hearing.
"Like Laxus said, we cannot bring forth false hope, so the only way to do this would be to start clearing out all our doubts." Erza said. "Gray, you really are ready for this? There is no turning back."
Really? Normality is not the norm, Sting thought. They just told them that the scent of their deceased friend is running in two different towns and now they are jumping to the conclusion that somewhere out there, their friend might be still alive and kicking. The hell! Is that even possible? Sting could clearly remember two years ago on how Fairy Tail almost crumbled with the death of their master and guildmate as they lowered their casket in their grave. He clearly saw how Lyon Vastia beat the living shit out of Gray during the funeral, blaming him for being weak in the face of the enemies, for letting Juvia die. At that time, even the strongest of the bond that Fairy Tail had seemed so fragile it wouldn't be a shock if they disband again, that time for good.
They were planning to unearth Juvia Lockser, their friend. Gray's special friend, to see if she was still there, rotting happily six feet under. And the thought make him want to vomit. It's been two year since they laid her to rest and to just dig her up, though he's not part of their guild, makes him want to revolt.
"I need time," was Gray's answer.