"Who knew Gajeel had friends before he came to Fairytail?" Gray said leaning back in his seat with his arms crossed
"Yeah…wasn't he like…an idiot?" Natsu asked
"No…I mean…it's been a while but when I knew him he was…nice, maybe a little rough around the edges, but he was always caring and looked out for me. I imagine he hasn't changed much since he's here with you guys." Phoenix said and Juvia looked at Gray before lowering her head for a moment.
"Um Gajeel-" lucy began
"-Is a good guy." Natsu continued before Lucy could finish her sentence "I mean sure him and I don't get along but he's a big help around here in Fairytail."
"I'm so glad to hear." Phoenix said standing up from the table after taking a sip from her drink "speaking of?...where did he go? We have a lot to talk about."
"How many other friends of his are running around I wonder." Juvia thought out loud
"None. Just me. It was always been just him and me…at least from what I know." Phoenix said looking at her with a friendly smile and then looking out the window seeing Gajeel sitting on a bench "Gajeel and I met when I was 11 and were together for about a year before we got separated."
"You spent an entire year with Gajeel…alone?!" natsu asked wide eyed slamming his hands down on the table as he stood
"Yeah." Phoenix said laughing at his reaction "Is it really so hard to believe? Gajeel and I are close. I couldn't have asked for a better companion in that one year after Atlas disappeared."
"Atlas?" Natsu asked
"Yeah…the dragon who raised me." She said looking at him over her shoulder.
A 13 year old boy walked with a small bag hanging across his chest which carried basic supplies and wore nothing more than the clothes on his back with short messy spiked black hair. He stopped in his tracks seeing a small fire in the distance and considering the sun was starting to set on this particular day he would need a place to stay for the night...and preferably by a fire. He walked to a clearing hidden behind a bolder and sure enough found a fire there but there was no one around. Being cautious with his approach he looked around himself before moving forward slowly.
'Someone made a fire...so where are they?' He thought to himself and then stopped in his tracks seeing someone laying on the ground, their back facing him. He stared at them for a moment seeing them in what looked like a tattered faded black short sleeved shirt and wore a simple pair of shorts that had holes here and there in them along with some tears and a pair of dirty converses. He just stared a little wide eyed wondering if the person was dead. The way the fire reflected on them and the condition they were in only made it seem like that was the case. He went to turn around and leave when he heard a voice.
"Are you going to kill me?" their voice cracked and he froze before turning around again, but didn't say anything "Cause I promise…I'll fight…I won't let you hurt me!"
'It's a girl.' He thought to himself and then glared at the back of her head when he realized the way she came out at him "Tsk…whatever…I'll just go somewhere else. I didn't see anyone here so calm down." He said and went to walk away again.
"Wait!" she said with urgency and quickly whisked around when he felt a hand on his arm ready to fight if needed and met face to face with the girl finally. She was relatively small and he could tell she was younger than him, and that's when he noticed it. Her hair looked like fire and deep within it seemed to move like flames and her eyes were a light orange.
"I thought you were an adult trying to hurt me…but you kinda sound like you're around my age." She said "I've just…been having a bad day is all. Atlas left me…and I've been on my own since then. What are you doing here on your own?"
He stood there staring at her for a moment and in silence before he spoke "I lost someone too…I'm just moving around."
"You lost someone too?!...wait was it?...um…a dragon?" she asked a little cautiously and even he looked surprised
"Atlas was a dragon too?!" he asked
"So the person you lost WAS a dragon!" she said with a slight smile and he just gave a quick nod
"I thought it was only me." He said
"No…it was mine too. Well it's good to know I'm not alone…not completely." She said and then gave him a warm smile making him blush lightly as he turned his head away a little.
"My name's Phoenix Alwar." She said holding her hand out to him, making him look at her.
"That's a weird name." he said and she pouted a little before crossing her arms
"Well what's your name then?" she retorted
"Gajeel…Gajeel Redfox." He said and then glared at her when she started giggling
"What's so funny?!" he snapped blushing lightly again
"and you told me my name was weird." She laughed "I haven't laughed like that since Atlas left."
"Tsk..whatever." he just said
"thank you, Gajeel" she said surprising him a bit while she smiled
'What a pain in the ass…haven't thought about that since we separated.' He thought to himself his eyes closed
"Gajeel." He heard and opened his eyes looking out into the water and then turned his head in the direction he heard her.
"Are you trying to avoid me?" Pheonix said standing next to the bench her hands on her hips and he looked her up and down a moment before turning away.
"Just trying to think is all." He said keeping his arms crossed and she frowned a little before sighing and looking out into the water.
She just nodded and decided to change the subject. "So you joined an official guild…they seem nice. I'm glad you made friends." She said which made Gajeel clench his fists, waiting for what he didn't want to hear.
"You picked a good guild…I've heard a lot about them. I think it's perfect for you too." She said and he looked at her relaxing a bit "granted your demeanor can be a bit hard but you fit well here nonetheless. Have you been with these guys since we separated?"
Gajeel just stared at her while she waited for an answer. She seemed a bit confused as to why he was taking so long before she laughed, "what?...is it some kind of secret?"
"…I've been here long enough." He said realizing she had no idea about his past or the things he had done"…i'm not buddy buddy with these guys but I work with them and talk to them sometimes."
"Yup…that's just like you, Gajeel." She laughed before taking a load off right beside him "You need to loosen up a bit and try actually being friendly with these people."
"Why are you here Phoenix?" he suddenly asked catching her off guard
"I was traveling…looking for help." She said turning to look at him as they both sat in silence after her response
"…it's gotten worse. I can tell." He finally said making her smile sadly as she adjusted herself to sit facing forward.
"It's that obvious huh?" she asked with a sigh
"How long does it take before you forget things?" he asked
"I don't know…I'm guessing a few hours…maybe a day at most before I forget things, but I use letter magic and write things down on my skin. I set it up so that if there's anything I need to do or remember it's triggered and words appear on my arm. I already wrote things concerning everyone I met today." She said and then pulled out the pen she had bought.
"Don't wanna forget the person I wanted to see the most." She said smiling as she went to write on her arm but stopped just before the tip touched her skin. It just hovered above the skin and started to shake a little.
"What's wrong with you?" gajeel asked and she swallowed the lump in her throat.
"Phoenix?" he asked looking at her seeing some of her hair shadowing the area around her eyes "I've always tried to remember you, you know."
"I know…I believe you." He said and she raised her head smiling
"I wish I didn't have to do this just to remember you…of all people you're the one I should remember most." She said going to write on her arm before Gajeel's hand stopped her, making her jump a little.
"Then don't." he said "maybe if you keep tryin to remember me on your own you'll eventually be able to do it." He said and then sighed as he stood up putting his hands behind his head.
With that said Phoenix smiled gently at him as she stood up beside him, turning around to look at the large and beautiful guild that stood behind them. "Gotta be fate or something that brought us back together for a reason, right?"
"I guess." Gajeel said in thought
"Hey Phoenix…come on back and settle in!" Mira called out to her
"Me?!" Phoenix asked surprised
"Who else would I be talking to silly?" Mira said waving her over
"Come on, we have a room for you to stay in while you're here at the guild with us since you're a friend of Gajeel's."
"Wow…thank you so much!" Pheonix said before going back inside the guild leaving Gajeel to the one thought that now lingered in his head before he smirked to himself crossing his arms and turning back to the guild himself.
"Fate huh?" he said before he walked back into the guild himself.
"Come on, Gajeel you still gotta show me around the guild!" Pheonix called out
"I'll show you around. I know this place like the back of my hand!" Natsu said with his signature grin.
"Hey stay away from her, fire head!" Gajeel snapped before storming back inside to Natsu's rants and yells.
A/N: Please comment and let me know what you think and please ignore any misspellings or typo's you may see. Anywho thanks for reading and hope you enjoy. ;-}