Fairy Tail FanFic

Fairy Tailes: Gray and Juvia

Chapter 2: Realization

I-Darkness

Gray was unimpressed.

The reports in front of him were completely and utterly useless. He threw the papers down on the desktop and let out a frustrated sigh.

"No luck still?" Pantherlily sat on the edge of the windowsill, keeping an eye out on the courtyard below. He was in his small form, wearing leather boots and a fancy hat.

"None. It's like Fairy Tail doesn't even exist! Pirate sightings? What does that have to do with anything?!"

Both Gray and Pantherlily had found themselves in the massive castle. Gray had woken up in a massive bedroom with a stately desk, not being able to remember how he ended up there. Pantherlily had woken up in a room that resembled an office for a war official. A feathered hat and a pair of boots were next to his bed. After wondering around the castle grounds for a while, the two Fairy Tail mages had met up in what looked like the courtyard.

Things took a turn for the worse when the said servants of the marble marvel started calling Gray 'Your Highness'.

"Maybe I'll learn something or find someone on this trip your mother is sending me on."

"She is not my mother! She looks like her… but my real mother died." It was true. The Queen, who was quite the eccentric one, looked uncannily like Gray's deceased mother, just as she did before the demon Deliora had laid waste to their homecountry. The same woman had organized a voyage into what they've called the 'New World', and had ordered Pantherlily to head the expedition.

"Still, lets hope we're not the only ones in this place." Gray supported his head in his hand, mulling over what has transpired in the last few days. They had somehow travelled to a land that neither of them had ever heard of and where none of the inhabitants had heard of the Magic Guild Fairy Tail or even the land of Fiore. So wherever they were, it was far enough that communications between continents was impossible and they had no way of going back until they figured out what bought them here in the first place. Pantherlily did remember being in the guild the night before he woke in the castle, so they both figured that magic had definitely played a role in their transportation.

A light knocking sounded from the door. The door revealed a female servant garbed in a Western-style maid outfit.

"Your Highness, Mr Panther. Dinner is served, the Queen is on her way."

"Yeah, we'll be down in a minute." Gray stood up and the servant closed the door as she retreated. "Well… we'll figure nothing out until we've done more reconnaissance."

"At least you still have your powers. I can't fly anymore." Pantherlily sighed as he jumped down from his perch and jogged to keep up with his 'liege'.

"You can still transform. And it seems to keep for longer in this area."

"It still draining, and I'd rather reserve my energy in case of something happening."

"Like what?"

"SIRENS!" A soldier's shout was clearly heard throughout the open halls.

"What?" Gray and Pantherlily glanced at each other confused.

A clamoring in the back access of the castle drew their attention. The castle was nestled on top of a cliff overlooking the wide-open ocean. On the surf they could see a sizeable ship trying to make its way towards the shallows, sailors on board shooting gun-like contraptions at the sea.

Pantherlily jumped up onto the railing and narrowed his eyes. "There's something in the water!"

Gray didn't hesitate. He jumped down from over the railing and summoned an ice slide straight to the beach. It seems that his power was also augmented; the power surged through his limbs as he made a path out to the ship under siege from creatures resembling half goblins and half sharks.

He managed to get onto the decks and took stock of the crew, who were either watching him with opened mouths or too busy fighting back against the monsters. Slamming one hand against the deck, he summoned spikes to cover the hull of the ship. Resounding screeches met his satisfaction as he freed the ship from his ice. Pantherlily had followed him and was in his full battle form. Brandishing his Musica Sword, also transformed to its full form and was fighting back what creatures escaped his friend's ice. On closer inspection the 'sirens' were half human and half fish, but warped beyond recognition. Their skin were turned a very nasty green and their tails were free of scales and were covered with scars and lumps.

After all of the creature were either pushed back or dead, the ship made its way to the safety of the town docks. Both Gray and Pantherlily heralded as heroes, confusing them a little.

"It looks like they're not used to having people helping them." Pantherlily, now in his small form again, whispered in Gray's ear. He was perched on the latter's shoulder, escaping the trampling feet below.

"Make way for the Queen!" Came a voice from behind the crowd of soldiers and sailors.

"Oh great." Breathed Gray. Every time he was around his mother's look alike, he felt uneasy and a little sickened. It was almost someone's was playing a very sick joke on the ice mage.

"My son," Gray shuddered, "Today, you have exhibited what it means to be the Prince of Ishban and have made me proud."

Gray felt his stomach drop, his head suddenly spinning. Whatever the 'Queen' said next was lost on him. 'Ishban'… his home country.

"Hey, you alright?" Pantherlily tugged at Gray's collar. The procession made its way towards the castle, Gray following behind the royal party. Shoutings of 'Feast!' and 'Hooray!' finally bought Gray out of his reverie.

"Yeah… I'll tell you later."

The massive banquet hall was transformed in the next hour. The soldiers and sailors were all in the courtyard, drinking whatever the townspeople and servants could bring in.

Gray retreated to his room, alone. Pantherlily had been summoned by the Queen, no doubt to be given the details of his trip in this 'New World'.

Sitting on the wide windowsill, gazing out to the ocean, he sighed. This place, as he looked closer at the details and paid attention to his surroundings, had all the characteristics of Ishban. His home before Ur took him in, before Deliora destroyed it all.