Disclaimer: I do not own Black Clover and all rights belong to Yūki Tabata
"Character Speaking"
'Character Thoughts'
-Location-
Author's Note: Wanted to do something different than what I see regularly. This story will be a Asta x Grey fanfic and it may seem random but give it a try. Hope you enjoy this fanfic.
Chapter 1- A Special Mission
-Black Bulls Hideout-
(Yami's POV)
'Hmmm…It looks like everyone is working hard on surpassing their limits. Well, except for one.' Yami thinks to himself while looking around the hideout seeing the Black Bull's train. 'Looks like Grey is still having a tough time showing her face to everyone. She could be a good asset in a fight if she tried' Yami exhales the smoke from his cigarette. 'What could I do?' "I just got an idea." Yami says to himself while chuckling a little.
(Asta POV)
"Aaaaah!" Asta screams, swinging his demon slayer sword slicing the water ball. "That was a good one Noelle, but I know you could do better. C'mon give the next one everything you got!" Asta encourages Noelle.
"Okay, but don't blame me if you get hurt." Noelle replies while creating a water sphere and launches it toward Asta.
Asta readies his demon slayer sword and begins to swing when…
"Hey kid!" Yami yells out while walking toward Asta and Noelle.
"Huh…" Asta turns to his side to see Yami walking towards him. "Hey, Captain Yami, what's u-" Asta replies but gets cut off by Noelle's water creation magic ball.
"Oh no Asta!" Noelle says out loud while running towards Asta. "You idiot what were you doing not paying attention you could get hurt in a real battle like that. I mean it's not like I care if you get hurt or whatever∼…" Noelle says while beginning to quietly talk to herself.
Asta gets up and shakes the pain away then turns toward Yami.
"Good morning Captain Yami, did you need something from me?", Asta asks Yami.
"Yeah, I got a special mission for you", Yami says.
"Do I have to beat some bandits or maybe a rescue mission? Or maybe-", Asta asks Yami eagerly until getting cut off.
"Shut up so I can explain.", Yami says while exhaling the smoke from his cigarette. "Alright here's the deal. I need you to help Grey overcome her shyness."
"Grey? What for?"Asta says, confused by Yami's request.
"You're the most cheerful and hyper person here and if you hang out with Grey maybe your personality could rub onto her so she can begin to be more confident in herself." Yami explains waiting for Asta's answer.
"Hmm, I'll do it Captain Yami! If one of my friends needs help I'll be glad to be of use!" Asta yells out with determination.
Yami continues to smoke and walks away. "Alright kid, I'll leave you to it."
Asta then realizes something. "Wait! What am I supposed to do?" Asta is confused on what to do.
"That's for you to figure out, now don't bother me. I have to go take a dump." Yami says waving while walking away.
'Eww, how can someone just say that out loud?' Noelle thinks to herself.
Asta turns to Noelle for advice. "Hey Noelle, do you have any advice on what I should do to help out Grey?"
"That's not my mission, figure it out yourself." Noelle says turning her head the other way avoiding his gaze, but her thoughts are different then what she says.
'What am I doing? Asta needs my help, but I don't know what to do!' Noelle panics inside herself.
"I'll just try asking around." Asta decides to ask everyone from the Black Bulls for some advice about Grey. He heads inside the hideout and the first person he sees is Vanessa on the couch drinking as usual.
"Hey Vanessa, can you help me with something?" Asta asks.
"Sure kiddo, what's up?" Vanessa says then pats the couch motioning for Asta to sit down.
"Well the thing is Captain Yami gave me a special mission to help out Grey overcome her shyness but I don't know where to start or what to do. Do you have any ideas?"
Vanessa stops sipping from her bottle and begins to think. "Maybe try having a conversation with her or something."
Asta mentally writes that down. "That sounds like a good idea."
As Asta and Vanessa are sitting on the couch Finral walks in and says hello.
"Hey guys, what are you talking about?" Finral asks.
"Oh hey, Finral I was just asking for some advice on something." Asta figures he could ask Finral for some ideas too.
"Mr. Finral, can you give me some ideas on how to help Grey overcome her shyness?" Asta asked.
Finral surprised by the question responds back to Asta. "Well if I know anything about Grey is that she doesn't like her natural form especially now that we all saw how she looked in that cave versus the Eye of the Midnight Sun member. So I think helping her like how she looks will help out."
Asta, feeling more confident to fulfill this mission, gets up from the couch.
"Thank you Finral and Vanessa, I'll be heading out now to find Grey!" Asta says running out the hideout.
Finral nervously laughs. "Doesn't he know Grey usually never leaves the hideout?"
"I'm sure he'll figure it out." Vanessa says with a noticeable drunk tone.
Finral notices this. "Are you drunk already? You should be more careful with that."
"This is nothing. How about you join me?" Vanessa suggests.
Finral and Vanessa continue to talk. Now back to Asta he looks all around the outside of the hideout and somehow makes it to the capital of the kingdom.
-Clover Kingdom Capital-
"Where could she be? I've been looking everywhere." Asta now walking instead of running is thinking of all possible places she could be.
As Asta is thinking he spots someone carrying a lot of gifts. Becoming more visible now it's Gauche.
"Hey Gauche, what you doing out here?" Asta asks.
"What do you think? I'm getting gifts for my precious Marie." Gauche says while blood comes out his nose. Gauche then walks away.
"Wait, do you have an idea of where Grey might be?" Asta shouts out.
"No idea." Gauche says monotony then pulls out a picture of Marie and begins to talk to it with a bloody nose.
As Asta is sighing in disappointment someone can be seen stalking him. Asta does not know this but Gordon has been stalking Asta this whole time.
"My buddy Asta needs help. Should I go help? I don't know." Gordon whispers to himself.
Asta decides to continue looking around and this time notices Gordon so he walks up to him.
"Hey Gordon, did you have to do something here too?" Asta asks.
"No, no particular reason. Just was looking out for you best friend." Gordon says but Asta didn't hear that last part.
"Oh, ok then. See you later." Asta waves while walking away but Gordon stops him.
"Wait Asta, I heard you were looking for Grey right." Gordon asks.
"Yes, do you know where she is?!" Asta asks excitedly, expecting good news.
"She's at the hideout, she doesn't like leaving that often if you didn't know." Gordon explains.
"Really?! Aww man, why didn't I think of that first?!" Asta says scratching his head in distress. "I walked so far already, whatever this will just be some extra training! Alright then, see you later Gordon!"
Asta then runs as fast as he can. But Gordon tries to stop him again.
"Asta wait! Actually Finral is here so you could have teleported…he's gone already." Gordon says, dwindling down his voice, not trying to get his attention anymore.
"Gordon what are you doing out here?" Finral asks walking up carrying bags.
"Nothing really. What's in the bags?"
"Oh this, Vanessa asked me to fetch her some more alcohol. So I teleported out here to get some." Finral replies.
-Black Bulls Hideout-
After a long while Asta makes it back to the hideout.
"Finally, I made it back." Asta says panting heading inside.
Asta looks around everywhere then he spots her hiding in the corner of a room.
"Hey Grey. I've been looking for you everywhere." Asta catches her attention.
"Aah, A-Asta what are y-you doing here?" Grey says instantly using her transformation magic.. She poofs as Asta since she reacted quickly and couldn't think who to turn to.
"I wanted to see if you wanted to hang out?" Asta thought it wouldn't be a good idea if he were to tell her about Captain Yami's request.
"Hang out? Why would you want to do that?" Grey asked.
"That's what friends do right? C'mon let's head outside and talk." Asta says, grabbing her hand and leading outside.
Grey is confused about what Asta is doing. They make it outside the hideout and are just walking around but Asta realizes something.
"Hey Grey, can you return back to your real form. It's kind of weird talking to myself." Asta nervously laughs.
"I-I can't, it's embarrassing being in that form."
"Really? I think you look great, you shouldn't be embarrassed because of how you look. I mean look at me, everyone calls me short but although it kind of annoys me I still don't care how tall I am. I'll be Wizard King no matter what!" Asta says with a proud look.
Grey stares in amazement from how confident and determined Asta is.
*Poof*
"T-Thank you f-for your words o-of encouragement A-Asta!" Grey yelps out as best as she can.
"There you go, that's better." Asta smiles but notices it's starting to get late. "Looks like it's getting late, we should stay here instead."
"S-Sounds g-good. H-how about we s-sit down o-over there." Grey points at the log benches they usually use to sit around the campfire
As they sit down Asta decides to light the campfire for some light.
"Grey, can I ask you something?" Asta asks.
Grey nods.
"Is there a reason why you don't like being in your real form and also your shyness?"
Grey starts to get a little teary eyed and stays silent. Asta takes notice and panics.
"Ah, I'm s-sorry! You don't have to answer it, I'm very sorry Grey!" Asta says, waving his arms around hoping for forgiveness.
"N-no it's okay. I-It's j-just a l-long story that m-makes me sad…" Grey says with a noticeable sad tone.
More tears start to come out of Grey's eyes. Asta then moves over to sit next to her and pats her on the back.
"Whatever it was, don't worry no more. You have all of us now and we won't make you sad ever." Asta reassures her with his signature smile trying to stop her crying from past memories.
Grey forms a slight smile. "Thank you Asta."
"Wait, you didn't stutter this time." Asta says with excitement.
Grey is confused. "W-What d-do you m-mean?"
"Well every time you talk you usually stutter a lot, but now it came back again." Asta slightly laughs.
"W-Well i-it seems like m-my s-stuttering is f-funny to y-you." Grey says with a slight pout.
"Huh?!" Asta says surprised by Grey acting out of character. 'Is she really pouting?' He thinks to himself.
Grey starts to laugh. "You a-always l-look funny w-when you m-make t-that face."
"I see you were just messing with me." Asta says now him pouting but he can't hold it longer. He starts to laugh too and is glad to see Gray laugh.
'It seems more possible now to fulfill Captain Yami's request.' Asta thinks.
Grey and Asta continue to talk more for a while until Finral comes out to look for them.
"Asta! Grey! Where are you guys?!" Finral yells out trying to catch their attention.
Finral then spots them sitting down at the campfire talking and laughing.
"Hey you two, looks like you've been having fun." Finral says with a smile.
"Oh hey Finral, yeah we were just chatting." Asta replies back.
"That's good to hear. Anyways you guys should head back inside now. Dinner is ready so come in to eat." Finral says then walks away.
Asta and Grey get up and head inside but before they enter Asta has something to say.
"Grey, I think you should stay in this form right now." Asta suggests.
"W-Why do y-you say t-that?" Grey wonders.
"It'll help to be more comfortable with yourself around the others. And also I like this form, it's nice seeing the real you instead of that big sumo person you always are." Asta says then heads inside.
Grey stays still astonished from what Asta just said.
'D-Does he r-really m-mean that?' Grey thinks to herself. She creates two fists and pumps herself up.
"I c-can d-do this, i-if A-Asta believes s-so!"
Grey enters and everyone can be seen sitting on the table eating. She looks for a spot to sit in and sees one next to Asta and decides to sit there. Asta notices her and smiles and Grey smiles back too.
"Hey Charmy, what are we eating today?" Asta asks eagerly.
"Pasta with a lot of meat." Charmy says with a salivating mouth. "Also some pot potatoes."
"Hell yeah!" Asta says with stars in his eyes hearing his favorite food.
Noelle enters the view and stops when she notices that there's no space next to Asta anymore on either side. Grey turns around and gets nervous.
"I-I'm s-sorry Noelle, I'll m-move if y-you'd l-like." Grey says, slipping on her words from being nervous.
"Don't worry about it, it's okay. I'll sit over here." Noelle responds back slightly disappointed she couldn't sit next to Asta but it's not like she would admit that.
Noelle sits down next to Gauche who is bleeding over a picture of Marie.
'I didn't want to sit next to him anyway. Who would want to sit next to him? I mean I wouldn't mind sitting next to him and seeing how he eats or even feeding him–what am I saying! Dumbasta!' Noelle thinks to herself then slamming the table with her fist.
"Hey, what's your problem! I'm trying to admire my precious Marie." Gauche says with an annoyed tone caused by Noelle's fist slam.
"Shut up, be glad you're sitting next to royalty." Noelle says, flicking her hair back.
"The only royalty in this world is Marie." Gauche says while imagining Marie as a princess in a castle.
"What a creep." Noelle says with Gauche paying no more attention to her.
Everyone is sitting now at the table and Charmy's sheep finish passing out the plates of food. Everyone begins to chow down and have conversations about their day and just having fun. On the other hand Grey is the one who is being mostly silent throughout. By now everyone has noticed that she is in her natural form and are surprised by it. Seeing this Asta decides to help Grey start a conversation so he starts to talk to her.
"So Grey, how are you liking the food?" Asta asks.
"I-It's p-pretty good." Grey says with a slight smile.
Asta then nudges Charmy who is sitting on his right side to continue the conversation topic. She turns around with a "huh" look.
"Grey said the food was good so can you start a conversation with her about that?" Asta whispers to Charmy.
"I don't know why you want me to do that but okay." Charmy leans forward to get a better view of Grey.
"Hey Grey, so I heard you liked the food I made?"
Grey is startled from the sudden interaction. "Y-Yes I d-did, it's r-really g-good."
"It's nice to see you in your true form, I take it there was some reason or motivation to do so." Charmy wonders.
"Y-You c-can say t-that. I-It was Asta w-who helped me." Grey replied back while Asta stayed silent listening to their conversation begin to start up.
Charmy and Grey continue to talk with each other with some of the other Black Bulls members joining in at some topics that were discussed. At the head of the table Captain Yami stares at the scene noticing that although Grey is still having a hard time talking she is doing better than before.
'You might actually pull this off kid.' Yami thinks to himself with a slight chuckle.
-After Dinner-
The Black Bulls have finished their meals and some head off to bed and the others stay in the living room chatting and causing a ruckus.
"Alright I'll be heading to sleep guys, goodnight." Asta says waving goodbye.
"Good night Asta." The Black Bulls reply back in unison.
While walking in the hallway Yami is there waiting for Asta.
"Hey there Captain Yami, what are you doing?"
"Just wanted to talk to you. It looks like it was a good choice to pick you for the job. Continue doing your best, I believe in you kid." Yami says leaving with a smile.
"I won't disappoint you!" Asta yells with the magic knight's salute.
As Asta makes it to his room he can hear someone's footsteps are getting closer. He waits to see who it is before entering his room.
"W-Wait A-Asta!" It was Grey calling for Asta's attention.
"Did you need something Grey?" Asta asks.
"I-I wanted t-to tell y-you s-something."
"Ok, what's up?" Asta says with curiosity wondering what she could want to say.
"J-Just w-wanted to say t-thank you f-for t-today. A-And if you w-wanted to p-possibly h-hang out tomorrow!" Grey says more nervous than usual hoping to hear a good answer.
Asta smiles upon hearing her request. "Sure Grey, let's hang out tomorrow."
"O-Ok, have a g-good n-night 's sleep." Grey says then runs away like she usually does.
-Asta's Room-
"Oh man, am I tired." Asta says as he lays on his bed.
Then Nero is seen to fly in on Asta's bed.
"Hey Nero, did you have a good day?" Asta starts talking to the bird but she just stares back at him blankly.
"Ok then, good night Nero. You can sleep on my pillow." Asta pushes his pillow to the side for Nero to sleep on.
Nero just stares at him then goes on the pillow and closes her eyes.
As Asta sleeps he smiles of happiness.