Chapter 26

Gray casually smiled as he watched Levy sip away at her drink and was satisfied that everyone at Lucy's table had managed to drink the antidote, save for Erza although he was positive that the amount left in her cup would be enough to break the potion's effect. With that he gave them a bow, such as any butler would do as far as he knew, and went off to gather a few more cups as they were the last ones he served to his team mates and Levy. As for them, they waited for Gray to be out of earshot before bombarding the petite blue haired girl with a mountain of questions; most of which consisted on the why she drank the tampered punch. She of course started to calm them down since even for her, she was having a little bit of an issue keeping up with what they were saying.

"I know what the consequences were for drinking it, but I felt that it was for the best that I take it. Even so, it didn't taste like there was anything in it at all if just a tiny bit sour but I'm sure that was from some of the fruit Mira used." Levy said as the others were giving her worried looks, unsure if there was something else she wasn't telling them.

"Well we can't change what has already happened, but are you positive that this is what you truly wanted Levy?" Erza asked and she was met with a an agreeing nod from the blue haired girl.

"Yeah I'm alright with what I did, but don't you worry you guys. I'm still rooting for this team and I'll help you to the very end." Levy enthusiastically said to push away all other self doubt, but she had the striking feeling that Lucy wasn't very convinced with her answer.

"In any case we've managed to dodge a bullet with the tactic, however, this doesn't mean we're alone in the manner." Erza began as she looked over towards Mira's table, spotting the untouched cups they had and believed that they had also caught on.

"Yeah that was my fault, I may have told the other teams that the Thunder Tribe had spiked the punch." Natsu admitted and was expecting to get a hard strike from Erza, but it never came as she was simply contemplating his actions.

"I understand why you did this Natsu, you do prefer to play on an even field so you want this advantage." The redhead summarized and the slayer merely nodded to whatever she had said since he lost track of what she was saying for a few seconds.

"But he merely told the other main team which left the rest of the guild to drink the punch." Lucy said aloud as she watched everyone else drink away happily.

"It's hard to say it, but there's not much else that we could do for them now. Let's just hope they don't become anti-Gray individuals." The requip mage followed up, yet her eye skeptical as to why Cana was given a normal mug of booze instead of punch.

She expected her to get a cup like the rest since Gray was personally serving her and yet she was drinking regular alcohol instead, but then came the thought that maybe she doesn't need to drink it. There could be the chance that Laxus or one of his people had managed to get to her before everyone else and so she was no longer a target of their concern, but she tossed that paranoid like thought away since it couldn't be true. After all, they had only just recently fought over Gray like immature children a few hours ago so it couldn't be possible that her feelings for Gray are no longer around and she's kept an eye on her ever since so there's no way someone could've given it to her without her noticing. Still they all must be suspicious of what they are drinking, Team Mira (as so dubbed by Erza) was keeping to themselves, but once their drinks arrived they merely spoke to Gray before he left them alone and as for the Phantom Team she had no idea where they were which was also suspicious on their part since they haven't made a move in nearly a week.

"No doubt Mira and her group are watching out for Laxus, I wouldn't count them out in only asking my Gray to take their order or Loke for that matter." Erza thought to herself as she passed her cup over towards Natsu to evaporate what was left of the punch away before she accidentally tried to drink it again.

It was just as how Erza had thought once everyone was eyeing Laxus and his group after what they had tried to pull, but what was rather interesting for her and her team was the fact that Evergreen had also drunk her cup of punch. The team knew that it might have been laced with anything although according to Natsu, every cup had received some sort of elixir into them so the question became why was Laxus sabotaging his own team? This left them all to ponder, yet it didn't last very long as Gray, Loke, Laxus and Freed began serving food and snacks that were appropriate to each person. Needless to say Erza was in a romantic daze as Gray had served her a large slice of strawberry cheesecake, Natsu entrapped by the flames he delivered and both Lucy and Levy were given a number of favored sweets that the ice mage had discovered from Loke that they both really enjoyed.

"Hi everyone, I finally got the chance to try Mira-san's punch that everyone was so interested in last time, but I kind of found it a little sour." Wendy said as as she walked up towards the group with the ever serious Carla in her arms, but she was met with strange expressions from everyone else that stopped them midway from what they were doing.

"You did huh? Well did you feel any different from drinking it?" Levy asked cautiously and they stayed silent as the young girl was giving some thought to her answer.

"No not really, was I supposed to feel something?" Wendy innocently asked as Levy frantically waved her hands in a dismissing fashion.

"No, no, no you didn't have to feel anything. It's just that some people...uhh.."

"...Some people say that they feel a sense of getting reinvigorated after drinking her punch." Erza cut in as she was aware that the blue haired girl had a real tough time coming up with convincing lies on the spot.

"Now that I think about it, I did feel a little tingly for a few seconds and nothing much happened after that." The young dragon slayer admitted as she gave them a confused look, but Erza merely brushed it off as nothing before she delved to deep to what they knew.

"In any case, come and sit with us Wendy. I'm sure you've got a lot to say about Gray and how he's like an older brother to you." Lucy said as she was met with a blank stare from the twin tailed girl, most likely processing what the blonde had asked her.

"Gray-san as my older brother?" She played with the thought a little longer before a small pink tint brushed her cheeks as she realized where that came from. "Yes, well I'll try to put something out there for you Lucy-san."

"Yeah sure, no rush okay Wendy." Lucy replied, but she knew everyone else caught onto that small pause knowing that something did happen with the whatever was in punch.

"To start I must say that he's a very gentle person for the most part, he may look rough on the outside with all his scars but I think he's a tender soul on the inside." Wendy said as the heat in her face hadn't let up for a second as she said the first thing that came to mind to get the topic going for Lucy's sake since she had invited her to start the conversation.

"Tender doesn't sound like a word I'd use for the ice pop since he can punch a guy straight through a brick wall and keep going if he wanted to, but i gotta admit he knows how to hold back with his guildmates." Natsu said as he was mostly on the receiving end of those types of punches, but that's what made it fun to fight the ice mage.

"True, but even Gray understands how we all feel depending on the situation. I on the other hand wish to understand how he truly feels from time to time, he understands us and yet I struggle to do so." Erza added honestly as the ice mage could be represented as a sealed tome, whereas she and her teammate were like open books to his eyes.

"You both have known Gray the longest in a physical and emotional level if I had to guess, but I think that when it comes to him, we've got to the world through his eyes and not ours." Lucy spoke up, receiving Erza's attention immediately while Natsu gave a confused look and both Wendy and Levy could see where she was going with this. "I mean to say that amongst all that Gray's been through, I think I've managed to see the tortured soul that hides beneath the ice and the snow."

"That's deep Luce...Say more!" Natsu claimed which in fact meant he was rather interested in what the celestial mage was saying.

"No matter how it goes, Gray pushes himself to keep up with you two" She continues, pointing towards Erza and Natsu, "we know what he's lost in the past and it still haunts to this day, which means that the only way that he could avoid that happening again is to keep growing stronger so that he can match up to you two."

"Why would he wish to do that? He's already a powerful combatant and was a hopeful during the S-class exams." Erza pointed out as Lucy waved it off even if she agreed with her.

"True but compared with Natsu's unbelievable power and your combat prowess he's still at a level that he believes is not enough, I can't blame him either since even I am blown away by what you two can do on your own sometimes." Lucy had actually given Erza and Natsu some food for thought as they had never given a glance at how underclassed Gray was even though he was keeping up with them for so long. "I don't know how I compare to Gray, but I can see the passionate soul he has to protect his new family after losing it all before and in that brief time were in his home I could tell that he has a sense of loneliness about him."

"In all honesty Gray does tend to come off as a bit of a misfit, more so if he's on his own without any of you nearby." Levy cut in as there had been a time when she saw Gray in that way and he seemed so disconnected with everything if left to his own thoughts, but that had been during her first week in joining the guild. "I'm only speculating, but it could very well be a reason to why he's very distant with some of the guild and rather cold to others."

"As much as I hate to admit it, I have felt that way about his being for some time now but I never took action believing that it was all my imagination." The requip mage thought back to a time when the mage was at his lowest but simply put a brave face on to avoid anyone worrying about it. "I'm glad that we have someone like you in our lives to point the subtle things we'd all miss about our dear Gray, thank you Lucy."

"W-Well I just have a small knack for it, but I guess I find it ironic how I was attracted to him as he was someone who lost everything while I was someone who had everything." The blonde mage saw it that way, even if she didn't have it anymore and gave it up willing while Gray was forced to by powers way beyond his own at the time. "Like some old poet use to say, "It takes a troubled soul to understand another" but then again that's how all of us connect so easily, right?"

"We sure do." Erza said with a smile as even Levy and Wendy believed that it was true and not only towards them, but to all of Fairy Tail.


Back in the guild's kitchen with things settled(or so they believed) Laxus, Freed, Gray and Loke had gone towards the faucets and began cleaning up the cups that they had collected from everyone once they finished drinking. Gray had the sense of letting out a breath of relief now that the immediate problem was solved, but he had the strangest feeling that not everything has been completely solved yet and continued to have that loom over him while he dried off each cup that was passed to him. Loke, who was receiving the dried cups to put away, had noticed the still tensed face of Gray's and wondered why he still looked so worried now that the whole problem was solved and all he had to do now was pick Lucy. Of course the other two didn't really care so much since their role in all this was finally completed and their lives could finally go back to normal.

"Come on Gray lighten up, it's all over now. Just be happy that we've solved this problem and get ready to finally commit yourself to an honest girl wholeheartedly." Loke said as Gray turned to him, yet his expression didn't change at all.

"I know Loke, but I've just got this feeling that it's not over yet." The ice mage replied handing another cup as Laxus scoffed from his position of rinsing the soaped up cups.

"Hopefully those feelings of yours work in combat just as well since this could very well be the calm before the storm, but what do I know." The lightning mage couldn't really say he's ever been in something like this before and in truth he had eyes on one woman who in turn was also a victim of the water mage's potion, but he wouldn't tell them that.

"I must say that Laxus could very well be in the right, since there could still be more to the situation than what we've been exposed to." Freed said as Fairy Tail's past has shown that not everything is completely solved on the first go.

This conversation kept going back and forth with the pessimism still evident in each added batch of conversation with no end in sight as it seemed that there was plenty of secondary doubts about Loke's plan to go around. Loke was a grown and aged man so he could take a little bad mouthing concerning his plan, but there was a limit to how much a person can be so doubtful about something and these guys were proving his point false as they had plenty to say. With each word, with each comment the spirit was losing bits and pieces of his confidence and he honestly didn't expect Gray, Freed and Laxus to think so alike.

"Alright guys, I think that's enough bashing on my plan. In the end it still worked and I'm sure we can deal with whatever little amount of backlash that gets thrown our way." Loke said as the three other men looked at him incredulous looks.

"And you're sure there's nothing to worry about?" Laxus asked skeptically as he was never one for plans that involved so much inconspicuous action so that it goes smoothly, he's more of a direct kind of guy.

"My plan is fool proof, there's no reason to worry about it so much." The lion spirit added as he could tell that they still had their doubts and he needed them to believe the plan really worked.

"Is it Natsu proof?" Gray asked and Loke had momentarily stumbled at the thought that the dragon slayer was a completely different factor he hadn't accounted for.

"Don't sweat it, my plan was so smooth that not even Natsu could accidentally slip it up." In all honesty, Loke was somewhat skeptical himself whether or not the pink haired slayer would manage to screw this up but he couldn't falter everyone else's confidence at this point. Even if it sounded pretty low already from their previous conversation before he interrupted.

"Well that moron's capable of ruining plans day in and day out, take the water mage for example; there hasn't been a day I haven't seen Natsu mess up one of her plans to get the ice pants' attention." Laxus said as he remembered seeing her try to give him a basket full of cookies only to have Natsu toss it into the air and let it fall all over a table for the others to eat, but from what he heard they tasted pretty good.

"Speaking of which, I haven't seen Juvia ever since I came back to the guild." Gray said looking over towards Loke for an explanation, while he was stacking away the last remaining cups.

"Ever since I discovered what she had done, we've set a deal in which she had to help restore everyone back to normal and do what she can to make up for what she had done." Loke replied as he dusted his hands if signifying a job well done, yet he could tell by Gray's curious stare that he needed a little more info than that. "She's helping out with Plan B if needed, but I doubt it now."

"What's Plan B?" The obvious question Gray's had on his mind ever since he heard Freed and Loke talk about it before hand.

"It was a fail safe in case we failed with the initial plan, however Loke's confidence with it's success has proved that it truly isn't necessary any more." Freed answered as he was putting away the gloves he wore when he was washing the dishes, but he understood that it was best that Gray not learn it.

"Well... whatever, the most I can say is that I just want to put this behind me already." Gray said as he walked with others out onto the main guild hall, but found it strange that it was rather quiet for this time of day.

It seemed that way up until Evergreen came rushing towards Laxus in a hurry as the sound of multiple footsteps could be heard and it wasn't long before the other teams vying for Gray created a semi-circle around them. Of course all their glares were directed towards Laxus and his two Thunder Tribe members, leaving Gray somewhat worried about the situation and Loke to realize that he might have given too much credit to himself. Judging by how they were, the strawberry blonde could summarize that the probability they realized what was going on was evident or they might have misunderstood something and only got wind of it by some source.

"Is it Natsu Proof?" Gray's voice rang in Loke's head as he mentally facepalmed at the revelation that it truly might be Natsu who caused all this. "How does that pink haired loose cannon know how to mess things up?!"

"Loke please understand that I take great pleasure in saying "I told you so." Gray deadpanned as a number of his friends were staring them down intensely and if the butler outfit he was wearing wasn't magically bound to him, he would've stripped it off by now.

"Well this is just perfect, I guess now's a good time than any to say we're moving on to Plan B." Laxus commented and Gray was about to question what exactly was Plan B before the lightning mage knocked him out with a good dosage of his lighting, hoisting him up onto his shoulder once he slumped over. "Freed, Ever put your hands in front of me and over each the other." The two did what was asked of them without hesitation, although they did catch the gasps once Laxus had knocked Gray out a few seconds ago.

"Alright everyone, if you want your ice mage come get him over at Galuna Island and I'll graciously hand him over to the first group that gets there. Better hurry since I'm giving you two days to reach us before I decide to keep him for myself!" Laxus exclaimed as he put his large hand over his two other friends', his lightning surging around him. "Good luck." He added before all four of them vanished into a lightning strike right out of the guild headed for the only place Laxus had mentioned.

Everyone hadn't expected that to happen at all, as soon as the rest of their guildmates had finished eating the remaining eight who still had their feelings for Gray had made sure to clear them out leaving them along with Wendy, Carla and Happy alone with the perpetrators who wanted to eliminate the rest of the competition. Now they needed to go on their very own rescue mission to save the target of their affection from Laxus' possession before time runs out. It wasn't long before those final eight turned their heads towards the last one still in front of them. Loke was left agape that Laxus moved so fast in transitioning plans that he hadn't realized those who were remaining were looking at him and he couldn't help the beads of sweat that began dripping ever so slightly from his forehead.

"Well that was unexpected and would you look at the time!" He began rolling up his sleeve slightly towards the nonexistent watch on his wrist. "It looks like I have a few minutes left in Earth Realm, better head home while I still have plenty of time. Uhh...Good luck with everything everybody, talk to you guys later!" Loke hastily said as he shimmered brightly before disappearing into the safety of the Celestial Spirit World.

"LLLLLLooooookkkkkkkkkkeeeeeee!" Lucy called out angrily while he shimmered reaching for his key, but was stopped by Erza's gauntleted hand, looking up to see her shaking her head.

"Now is not the time Lucy, right now we must go and save Gray from Laxus' dastardly clutches." She said requipping a blade into her hand, pointing outward towards the guild doors in a manner befitting a general leading her men into battle. "We have but one destination...To Galuna Island!"

"YEAH!" Everyone cheered as they quickly went off to gather some supplies before they headed out to the final stretch in order to finally have the ice mage all to themselves.

Not a few minutes after they had all cleared out the guild hall, an aging guild master had made his first few steps into the guild building after being away for nearly a month on guild master business and council meetings for recent problems his brats had done. Though he was very surprised to find not only a quiet guild hall, but an empty one at that as not even one person was left in the guild with only plates stacked in an orderly fashion on tables ready to get picked up for cleaning being the one thing to greet him.

"Where on Earth Land have all those damn brats run off to now?"


A/N: This came out much sooner and faster than what even I expected, but I don't really mind as I fell into the groove of writing this once I managed to finish the last chapter, but I won't bother you lovely people with the details. Thank you for reading this latest chapter and don't forget to Follow, Favorite, write a comment or recommend to anyone that would enjoy this story. The choice is yours and do whatever pleases you, with that I'll see you in the next chapter.