Gray entered his room quietly. Somehow he felt nervous. He made his way through the clothes, papers, random stuff that was scattered on the floor and opened the first drawer of an old wardrobe. How long had it been since this drawer was last opened? …. About five years… He took a bunch of old photos of it and sat on the floor to search for the one he wanted. Various photos were clipped together with other things, letters, memos, drawings… All of them featured him or his friends at Fairy Tail… Lisanna and Natsu… Happy and Natsu. Why the hell did he have those photos? Where was it? Erza and him, Luxus… Mirajane's first photoshoot… There!... Ah, no, it wasn't the one he was looking for… But still.
He stared at the photo for a few minutes, trying to remember the moment it was taken…
It was a hot day. Natsu and Gray were fighting over something stupid or nothing at all, like usual. A little girl of short crimson hair played with the water, near the two boys. Her eyes were of a silver tone and her skin was very light. The water of the river bent over the touch of her skin, making swirls, circles, and various other forms. She seemed to draw on the surface of the swift river, just like a normal kid would do with paint on his fingers and a sheet of paper.
-Gray! Come! Come see I just managed that technique I was telling you about!
- I'm busy.
- You're just beating Natsu up, you can do this anytime.
- WHO'S BEATING WHO UP? EH EVE? IMMA KICK YOUR ASS YOU HEAR ME?
- Oh, like you can! Come get me then LizardFace! – The girl stood up, grinning at him. Eve would always tease Natsu. When they fought, she never even used magic. She was, at the time, already a skilled fighter.
Then Mirajane showed up, he remembered.
That was the moment, he though.
She came with a camera she had gotten from Master, for her birthday, and took this photo of them. A photo of Eve chocking Natsu on an armlock and Gray laughing at them.
He smiled warmly with the memory as he continued to search for the photo, and after a few seconds he finally found it. His heart pounded. He did remember her face quite clearly, but the photo brought everything back. It was took moments before she left. Mirajane, once again, insisted on them having a photo together.
-After all, you don't know how much time you'll spend, right, Eve? – she said, pointing the camera at them.
- Well, yeah. Mother said she was really sick. But…
-No buts! Gray, stop blushing and get closer to her!
-Shut up. – said the teenager. He did get closer to her, though.
-There… Smiiiile!
Eve was really pretty on the photo. She was smiling brightly, like she'd always do, like her mother wasn't dying, like she wouldn't be forced to leave Fairy Tail to take care of her. Just smiling, like she always did. The boy, on the other hand looked, away from the camera, blushing, with his hand on her shoulder.
-So… I suppose this is it?- He asked. The guild had thrown a big party for her the night before, and now as the sun rose up people snored and drooled on the floor or in the tables. Some of the youngest didn't drink any alcohol but it was too early in the morning for them to be awake.
-Yup… Oh yeah! Here. –she handed him an envelope- You promise me to read it just once I'm gone ok?
- What is it?
-… You'll find out eventually. – Her expression got dark for a second, and the her usual smile took over again. – See ya, Icy. – She said, and turned around. She had a big backpack on her right shoulder, and her shirt was open on her back, revealing her Fairy Tail mark.
- Eve…-He knew something was odd about how she was handling all that. He knew her way too well to not notice it. Then again…
- Missing me already? – She turned around, laughing.
- It's nothing like that, you crazy girl. Just… Promise me you'll come back to Fairy Tail in one piece, that's all.
- Only that? Fine, you crazy dude, I promise to come back to Fairy…– She stopped, looking at him in the eyes, and then at the Guild, behind him. At last, she ran towards him and hugged him tightly. She was shorter than him, so he was able to pose his head on hers.- What am I doing? I'll miss you guys.
She let go of him with a smile and got on her way. Not once she looked back at him or Fairy Tail after turning.
…And she was coming back. He didn't know how to feel about it. He was supposed to be happy but… He wasn't sure. They hadn't spoken in ages, there would be no way they'd treat each other like they did 5 years ago and he was kind of… Nervous. A part of him didn't even want to meet her…
The ice mage put the photos back on the drawer, except for that special one and the envelope that was clipped together with it. He never opened that envelope, because Eve had never really been "gone".
He put the photo and the envelope on his pant's pocket and got back to the guild. Everyone was working for the ball.
-YOU!- She heard a loud masculine voice behind her. It was a tall, dark haired man. He had an annoyed expression on his face as he asked- You the "Eve" person?
-Uh…Yes..? And you a…—She stopped when she saw the mark on his shoulder. So he was a member of Fairy Tail? Such a scary person.
- Did you find her, Gajeel?- The blue haired girl came running and both looked at her.
-Le.. LEVI?
-EVE!
Both girls hugged each other, laughing.
-We were looking for you! - Levy acted as joyful as always near the tall guy she called Gajeel, he shouldn't be too bad, in the end.- Come on! Everyone is waiting!
- Hey Levi… Are you taller? – The tall guy who Levi called Gajeel chocked at this statement and Levi looked fiercely at him, and then back at Eve. – I don't know, you think so? –she said, laughing.
The three walked through the city of Magnolia, Gajeel (what a strange name, but she could swear she'd heard it somewhere) was as quiet as a rock, the two girls talked happily about lots of random stuff girls talk about.
-And Master sent us to guide you, since Fairy Tail is different from what it was and…
-What happened to it?
-Uh well… - The girl looked at Gajeel for a moment.- We had some prob…. Eve, are you okay?
-What? Yes! I-I'm fine, why do you ask?
- You're sweaty… Are you su—
-I'm fine. It's just hot here, I'm use to the cold, you know. I'm fine, don't worry about me. But you didn't finish your story, what happened... to… Fairy….Tail.- her voice died at the sight of it.
God, it had changed! They had stopped in front of an enormous building, much bigger than what was there 5 years before. She stood there, studying the building on a state of chock, trying to find something to recognize, but no, they'd changed every last bit of the old thing.
-Don't you like it? We worked hard on it you know.
Eve woke up with the feminine voice. But it wasn't Levi's, it was more mature. She looked around and didn't see anyone.
-Gosh, it's not that bad! You don't have to get so worked up about it.
She was in front of her and Eve didn't saw her. Kana, it was definitely her! She had changed so much! Eve wondered how would the rest of her nakama looked now. She hugged her friend.
-Your hair is long! You had it short when you left us, didn't ya?
-Pandora's Box? –he shouted with an almost desperate voice- Are you crazy, Nari?
-What? You think it's power will be too much for me to handle, I'll lose control, the thing will posses me and in the end I will get myself killed? You're too cliché, Kiligan, too cliché.
-But, Nari… It's much too dangerous… What if it—
-What, Kiligan? I don't have anything to lose. I seek revenge on that bastards, and I will get my revenge. Even if I have to use Pandora's Box. I will get my revenge, and it can be with or without you.
-Nari, I wouldn't—
-Then stop whining about it. Well use it. It's decided.
The two mages were walking through the Kaiuegi Ruins. The man was somewhat ill-looking and the woman looked like a revolution fighter, with her ripped clothes, heavy boots, cuts and scratches.
She kicks some boulders away from the path, the man still looking kind of frightened.
-There it is.- she said, triumphant.
-A key…?
-Yes, a key, how do you expect us to open the box without it?
-Op-pen it?
-Of course, open it, you idiotic useless brother.
-But it's too dangerous, Na—
-OH, SHUT UP, ALREADY WILL YOU?