Gray groaned and opened his eyes. He was at the rubble of his house. That's strange, when did his house collapse? The sun had begun to set.
'How long was I out?'
Gray slowly stood up, his legs wobbling a bit. He had bruises and scratches on his arms and legs. Gray was fairly sure he had a lump on his head too.
'Was I fighting?'
Gray checked if anything was broken. Nothing. Did he have all his teeth? Yes. Could he see/smell/taste/feel/hear? Yes.
So why did something feel wrong?
"Oh, you're awake." A female voice said from behind him. Gray turned around and met a lady with short, black hair.
"Who are you?" Gray asked cautiously. "And what happened here?"
"Do you know who you are?" She narrowed her eyes.
Gray frowned. "Of course, I'm Gray. Gray Fullbuster, son of Silver and Mika Fullbuster-"
That was when Gray remembered.
He remembered Tartaros' visit. The way Mard Geer collapsed their home. The way he brutally killed mom. Then, there was a blank. His father... Surely, his father hadn't died... right?
"Where is my father?"Gray asked, annoyed. "And who are you?"
"The names Ur." Ur replied. "Your father... he was my friend. He wasn't here when I came, so I'm guessing Tartaros either killed him or took him." She shrugged. "Either way, you ain't getting him back."
Gray felt something missing. Something missing in his heart. Like he was supposed to feel something at the moment but he can't.
"You," Ur started. Gray looked up at her. "You were born with both your Mom's and Dad's magic."
"I know."
"Do you know how it was sealed?"
"Yes."
"Well, I'm the one that sealed it."
"Oh."
Ur sighed. "I sealed it wrong. For some reason - maybe it's cuz Mika died - your seal opened and you created a long lost spell." She looked into his eyes.
"An Ice Devil Shell."
"It turns the castor's body into ice." Ur continued.
"Like Iced Shell?" Gray interrupted.
"Well, yes." Ur sighed. "It kinda merged with your Dad's magic and you created the long lost spell. Again."
"Huh."
"I came in at the exact moment." Ur eyed Gray. "Or you would be dead by now."
"Fat lot of difference!" Gray shrugged. "Mom's dead, Dad's gone or dead. Why bother being alive?" Again, Gray felt he was missing something.
And then, it hit him.
He was missing his feelings. He was supposed to feel sad at the moment. But he wasn't. He-
Gray's thoughts were rudely interrupted by Ur.
"Anyway, when I came, Tartaros was running away from the spell. I somehow managed to knock you out so you wouldn't die. But, it's changed you."
"How so?" Gray asked. Hopefully, this would answer why he didn't have feelings of sadness anymore.
"Your heart is frozen."
"Uhh... what?"
"Your heart is fro-"
"No, I heard you. What do you mean by that?"
"You can't feel most emotions."
Gray was speechless.
A minute passed.
Then two.
"Can you reverse it?" Gray found his voice again.
"Well," Ur gave him a sympathetic look.
"I can't. I'm sorry."
"Oh." Great! He can't even feel sadness for losing his sadness.
Ur leaped up from where she was sitting and started to walk. After a few steps, she turned around and looked at Gray with a bored expression.
"You coming?"
"Where are we going?" Gray might've lost his emotions - but not his common sense. He wasn't going to travel with someone he just met!
"To my place."
"Why should I follow you?"
"Oh?" Ur smiled. "I didn't tell you?"
"Tell me what?"
"I'm your aunt." Ur smiled wider. "I'm Mika's younger sister."
With that, she spun on her heels and started waking. After a few seconds, Gray followed, shooting her with questions.
"Is there any way I can regain my emotions?"
It had been two months since Gray and Ur began to live together. She had been teaching him how to control his magic. She never talked about her past - now matter how much Gray pestered her. She was constantly researching to find a way to bring back Gray's emotions.
"There is one way." Ur said after a long silence. Gray was beginning to think she had gone asleep. Gray sat up straight, listening to her.
"There is this pearl." Ur hesitated. "A Glass pearl."
"Ok?"
"It can grant wishes."
"..."
"So if you wish for your emotions..." Ur looked at Gray.
"You're telling me, that there is this weird pearl that grants wishes for free?"
"I think so, yes."
"There are no consequences?"
"None that I've read of."
"Hmm..."
Gray paused.
"Where can I find it?"
Ur sighed.
"That, I don't know. I read it in mythical books. Apparently, it was seen some 500 years ago. Some even believe it doesn't exist. I'm not too sure. Maybe it does, maybe it doesn't." She shrugged.
"So I have to research?"
"Well," Ur looked at him mischievously. "It is your emotions. Not mine."
"Come on!"
"I'll do some research." Ur complied. "Only if you wash the dishes and clean the house."
"...FINE!"
"That's my boy!" Ur happily patted his hair.
And so, the ice devil Gray began his search for the mysterious Glass Pearl. But does it actually exist?