Gajeel walked closer to the butterfly-like creature, making sure not to make any noise. He had to avoid stepping on dry branches and leaves, they would crunch under his steps. He had to avoid those small flowers, he could see bees hovering above them. Bee stings were very painful, he knew, since even Metalicana was afraid of them. The tail of the snake was also very dangerous.

Wait. Snake?

Gajeel leaped back in shock at seeing the Cobra up close. It looked at Gajeel with its nonvisible eyes and hissed. And then, the song stopped.

Gajeel looked up at the singer. She looked scared and moved back, away from him. He looked back down at the wretched cobra, who had now disappeared.

"I- Don't come any closer!" The butterfly-like creature warned. "I am such a powerful fairy and I totally have a wand."

Gajeel raised an eyebrow. "So... You don't have a wand?"

The creature gasped loudly. "How did you know?"

Gajeel rolled his eyes. "Call it intuition."

The creature slowly backed up until her back was met with the hard bark of an oak tree. She stood there, her eyes never leaving the boy in front of her. Gajeel walked closer, raising his hands to show he meant no harm. Unfortunately, the creature wasn't good at reading sign language.

"Please, don't kill me..." It whimpered.

"Relax, I'm not gonna hurt you," Gajeel sighed. "What's your name?"

"...Levy..."

"Alright Levy," Gajeel stared at the creature. "I'm Gajeel, an iron dragon. What are you?"

"I'm a fairy. Can't you see my wings?"

"Wings? You call those fluttery things wings?"

"Well, you're rude. I bet you're just jealous you don't have any."

Gajeel laughed. "Of course, I have wings. I'm a dragon."

"Well, I don't see any wings."

"That's 'cause I keep it hidden inside my back."

"You're lying."

"I'm not," Gajeel said defiantly.

"You are too!"

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Are too," Gajeel said.

"Am not- wait, what?"

"Ha! Got you!"

"That was a cheap trick!" Levy whined, sticking out her tongue at the dragon.

Gajeel smirked but said nothing. Then he remembered her voice. "Why did you stop singing?"

"Uh, maybe because an iron dragon interrupted me?" She said sarcastically.

Gajeel rolled his eyes. "You should sing, you have a good voice."

"Really?" Levy was intrigued. No one had ever said that her voice was beautiful. Many had called it annoying. So, she made it a habit to sing only when she was alone. Everyone hated her voice. Or so she thought. This iron dragon, on the other hand, did not hate her voice.

Gajeel nodded, smiling.

"Oh," Levy smiled, "thank you."

"What are you doing here?" Gajeel asked. "I don't think any fairies have ever been to Shirotsume..."

"Shirotsume?" Levy interrupted. "What's that?"

"It is the name of this town," Gajeel answered. "Why are you here if you didn't even know that?"

"I am exploring!" Levy answered, smiling widely. "I want to travel all over the world!"

Gajeel was confused. Did Levy want to travel all around the world? What for? Wasn't it better if she stayed put in one place? A place where you knew everyone around you. Traveling around the world would be lonely, right?

Levy noticed Gajeel's confused expression and gave him a questioning look.

"Why?" Gajeel asked after a long time. "Why do you want to travel when staying in the place that makes you happy is enough?"

"Because," said Levy. "I haven't found that one place yet."

"What do you mean? It is the place you were born, the place where your parents are."

"I don't have parents."

Gajeel stood there, his brain cursing him for what he had said. Why did he have to say that? "I'm sorry."

"You didn't do anything."

"I brought back bad memories," Gajeel looked down in guilt.

"I don't even remember them. It's not your fault," answered Levy. She flew closer to the black-haired boy and held out her tiny hand. "Let's be friends!"

"Friends...?" Gajeel had never had a friend before. People living in Shirotsume were all old men and women. There were no children for miles around apart from him. He found his life a little lonely but Metalicana was such a great father that Gajeel couldn't ask any more from him. "Ok."

Gajeel looked down at the tiny hand of the fairy and wondered how he would shake her hand. Levy too looked down at her hands and smiled awkwardly. "Sorry, give me a sec." With a swish of her hand, a small blue smoke arose. Levy had now turned into a normal-sized girl, a lot shorter than Gajeel. "Now, I'm the same size as you!"

"You're still short."

"How rude." Levy turned her head away from Gajeel and pouted.

"Sorry," Gajeel shook hands with Levy and smiled awkwardly. Her hand was a lot softer than his, considering how she had never done hard work in her life. Living in the special rooms in the Fairy Council was not only comfortable but also entertaining. There was a room with games, books, and many other things that Levy could have used. She was provided with three meals a day, with some snacks in between. Despite all of that, she had wanted to leave. And that was because it was very lonely. Fortunately, she had found a friend!

Throughout the evening, Gajeel and Levy spoke about their lives. They were both surprised to see that they had lived completely opposite lives. Levy was always lonely was Gajeel wished he could get some time away from his father. Levy had been provided with food and education while Gajeel had sometimes even starved for a few days. He had not been provided with proper education. The only thing he knew was how to make metal things, which Levy did not know how to do. They found happiness in their friendship and were so immersed in their discussion that Gajeel forgot about his promise to his dad to come home before sunset.

The sun slowly began to sink into the orange sky, illuminating the grounds in an orange-reddish light. Levy was sitting beside Gajeel, her eyes watching with excitement as the sun sank further. She had only seen the sunset from inside a building that she was very thrilled to see it in real life. Gajeel too enjoyed the sunset, but because of different reasons. It was because he was with Levy, a girl who was quite smart and had a good voice but saw him for the real him. He wasn't in love - no, that is a disgusting thing that grown-ups do - but he was very close to it. Gajeel only snapped out of his trance when he smelled blood.

Blood rich in iron.

Gajeel jumped up, sweat beginning to roll down his forehead. He knew something had happened - something bad. And he didn't like the feeling he had right now. The feeling of helplessness.

"Is something wrong?" Levy asked, concern in her eyes.

"Yes," Gajeel answered, narrowing his eyes in the direction of the town. "Something is very wrong. Stay here." With that demand, Gajeel ran as fast as he could. Levy, who still believed that he had no wings, gasped when she saw wings sprout from his back. Dark, black, metallic wings that shone in the moonlight. She watched as he flew towards his town. Then, she sat down, clenching her fists. She hoped he would return. She hoped he wouldn't forget her.

She hoped he wasn't like her parents. Who just gave up on her when she lost the wand. They forgot her.