I know I said this was the chapter of the play, but I miscalculated. Sorry!~
IMPORTANT:
I know I don't update too much, but my school work always comes first. I have to plan for college so please be patient my loyal and loving readers~
Thank you for all the support and don't worry! I won't discontinue this fanfic!
The rest of the week ended up in hell. Gray tried his very best to avoid Juvia and his brother while the swimmer was in a secret depression that nobody but only several people knew about. The guilt was slowly eating him up...
Lucy became slightly more confident after her radio night. She began to take a stand more aggressively and believed in herself more. The blonde became more lively at home and excitement filled her veins as the day drew closer to the play.
For Gray's punishment, his father decided to knock him out in a comedic way and ground him for the rest of his life. It was going to probably break in about two weeks like any other parents' groundings. They grabbed a cup of beer after that (ignoring the fact Gray was not being the legal age). His father wanted to cheer his son up and what was better than a drink a beer? Dad of the year!
It was now the day of the festival and the play was about to start in an hour. Levy was barking out orders in nervousness. Everything would blow on her if something went wrong. She had herself able to calm down by squeezing Gajeel's hand every time she was nervous (which was a lot). People could see the steel man's hand was swollen from all the tight grips given and despite Gajeel's pride, he even admitted he was on the verge of tears.
Natsu stayed backstage talking to some girls that were flirting with him. He rolled his eyes by their efforts. Curse teachers and there threats to suspend him if he didn't stay. He noticed Gray sulking on a seat near by. The rosy-haired hated seeing his friend being so depressed.
Erza was already in costume working on her vocals with stars in her eyes. Jellal was next to her searching for his script. Since he was the narrator, he only had to read from the script. The problem was that he didn't know where his was. He told his girlfriend he would be right back to borrow someone else's.
The blonde female went up to her book loving friend for some last words of advice after Gajeel left to get so refreshments. Lucy gave her a friendly smile as nobody was looking around, "you nervous as I am?"
"You have no idea Lu-chan. I think all my hair is going to fall out. Break a leg by the way," she winked happily, feeling a little tension slip away from her. It was nice to have girl support.
"Thanks," the danger class glanced at something the bluentte was holding. It looked similar to the script she was given but only less professional and hand-made, "what's that in your hands?" she asked with curiosity blooming inside her.
Levy blinked and handed her the hand-made script, "it's the original version of the story Hidden Heart."
"Original version?" Lucy repeated in a state of question.
"Yea, the original version had to be changed because the board of the school said they disapproved the ending. I'm just really happy they chose mine though," the bookworm took back the scripted and hugged it with a loving smile. The aura around her proved how joyful she was.
Before she could say another word, her boyfriend called for her help when some students messed with some equipment, "Bookworm! We need you!"
"What did they do now?!" The director threw the original script onto her seat as she dashed towards her boyfriend, "see you later Lu-chan, I wish you the best of luck" she whispered.
The Danger Class sighed at the comedic way her best friend was yelling at the students for the mistake. She let out a quiet giggle and walked outside to enjoy the festival before the play started, "I'm so excited!" she secretly blushed with her fingertips laced together.
Jellal huffed from sprinting everywhere for a spare script. How was it that nobody had one!? He was about to give up and wing it, but he then noticed Levy's original script put out on her chair for everybody to see. The blue-haired man took the original script without the knowledge of the alternate ending.
Natsu was getting tired of the girls. He wanted to be left alone. That or just sleep, eat, or listen to Celesta from the recording on his phone. He stared at Gray. He was worried about him right now. After the day when they peep talked, Gray was cold and silent as if he was a statue. He hoped the best for him since that was what all he could do.
When the stripper was out of sight, he told the girls to leave.
"Natsu onii-san!" Wendy ran up to him with a friend of hers following from behind.
"Hey Wendy," he replied with a smile, but it turned to a straight face when he saw her friend.
It was Romeo Conbolt.
Romeo Conbolt
Ground Class
Wendy's best friend. He's dad is Macao Conbolt-One of the teachers at this school-. Romeo admires Natsu so much that he has an orange scarf on him everyday to imitate Natsu's fashion sense. He loves to play with fire like Natsu, but he is a goody-too-shoes
Natsu didn't like him. It wasn't personal or something. The reason he wasn't too fond of him and why he is a Ground Class was because Wendy has a huge crush on him. He was over protective of Wendy despite being his 'step'-sister.
"Romeo and I are going to hang out outside. I just wanted to tell you, so you don't freak out like last time," Wendy giggled by the memory of her brother going berserk.
The rosy-haired teen raised a brow, "you mean alone? Unsupervised?" his face turned pale thinking of thousands of things that could happen to her, "are you sure? What if you-"
"I'm not a child Onii-san. I can take care of myself." Wendy kindly protested.
"But-"
"Bye!~" she ran holding Romeo's hand. Natsu yelled in the background, and Wendy blushed beet red after realizing that she grabbed onto her crush's hand.
Natsu's jaw dropped, "Wendy!" Curse the stupid teachers!
Gray went outside the school to see the festival shine. Fairy Tail was known for their wild parties. Everything was here from kissing booths to cute cafes. The school was decorated with lights, balloons, streamers, and wonderful colors that showed the spirit it took to be part of Fairy Tail. Other important decorations were the many flags with the Fairy Tail logo surrounding the school on every booth and store, and the large banner was on the center of the high school with the bold letters proudly shown. The school was surrounded with laughter and joyfulness with excitement.
The stripper was casually walking in the crowd until two little kids crashed into him. The older looking one fell onto his bottom, and the younger child helped him up. "I'm sorry mister," the older one apologized and ran forward with his friend running inches behind.
He envied them.
They were so innocent and ignorant.
They just thought everything would be okay if they just apologized for what they have done.
He hated it so much.
Gripping his hand hard and clenching his jaw, Gray stood in shook. He was so angry with himself; he was slowly becoming a bitter man. The stripper's breathing started to grow faster and faster the more he realized.
He felt sick.
He felt like he was going to vomit.
He hated it!
This was a disgusting feeling!
The stupid guilt!
"Gray!" a women's face cried out.
The raven-haired man turned to see his mother Ur dashing over to him in a concerned state. Her eyes were filled with fear for her child. Gray didn't notice the position he was in. He was currently on his knees and a hand covering his mouth. It was as if he was going to vomit, "U-Ur..." he muttered. Gray always felt at ease saying her first name instead of mom to her.
"Are you alright Gray?!" Ur asked helping him stand up. Her daughter Ulter, and her daughter's best friend Meredy followed her from behind. Meredy gave a look of concern while his own sister only glared at him... She still hated him.
Ulter Milkovich:
Gray's older sister. The middle child. She is very close and protective of her mother. Ulter has almost identical looks to her. She blames Gray for the divorce and hates him with all her heart. She is mostly shown as cold and distant, but she can be a very kind person. Goes to the school Grimoire Heart with her best friend
Meredy:
A small orphan who befriended Ulter when they were young. Because the orphanage is close to where Ulter lives, they go to the same school. She admires Ulter for her confidence and kindness. She is protective with her and always by her side.
Gray's throat suddenly turned dry. He was happy his family was here just for him and even recognized him after all the years... But...
Ulter...
He didn't want to be near her
He didn't want to even see her
Because... Her hateful eyes always blamed him... Which he deserved...
The GUILT!
"I-I'm fine," Gray shuttered with terror in his eyes. After standing back up, he took only seconds before he dashed away from them. The raven-haired ignored his mother's calls and kept on running. He didn't want to face them right now. It was all his fault!
All his fault!
All his fault!
All his fault!
All your fault...
Gray was at the verge to breaking down. He stopped in an ally-way like setting and gave all his body weight to it. The stripper slowly slid down with his legs flat on the ground and arms hanging freely.
It hurt
The guilt...
His heart felt so heavy
"It's all your fault Gray! I wish you were never my brother!"
A small nine-year old boy was crying in his closet alone in his room. He was terrified. He hated the outside world.
His two siblings were on the other side of the closet; they were trying to convince him to come out. This would always happen after school. He would run home from the hell others called school and hide in his closet. He was trembling in fear. He just wanted to never come out of his safe zone again. Funny thing was, he hated his safe zone as well.
"You have to come out Gray-chan. I know that you're scared, but you're safe here with us," the boy's sister tried to reason with him again. This was hopeless.
Lyon sighed and knocked on the closet door, "we're trying our best but since we're in different grades we can't protect you. I'm sorry that things got so out of hand." He guilt was beyond measure. It broke him to see his brother like this.
"Leave me alone," the boy in the closest muttered weakly. He wanted to be alone... Yet didn't.
"Is Gray in the closet again?" a women's voice rang. It was his mother. He could hear her climbin up the stairs and enter his room, "was it Deliora again wasn't it?" She spoke with kindness and understanding.
Gray opened the door slowly with large amount of tears coming out of his eyes, "he- he keeps on hurting me Ur." Gray ran up to her and hugged her as tight as his little hands could.
Deliora was Gray's personal bully. He had demon like features and terrified him with only his presence and thought. He targeted him for his stripping habit and always gave physical and mental abuse.
The raven-haired tried to ask the teachers and principle for help like his siblings recommended; however, they merely ignored the case and only did simple things like phone calls and detention.
Because of the age difference in the siblings' age, his brother and sister couldn't help much either since they barely saw each other in school. He had to face the horror all alone.
Today, Deliora pushed him off the monkey bars and punched him in the jaw to prove once again who was the superior. He always used him as a example for the other kids.
Gray hated recess the most. It was where he was most vulnerable.
"I don't want to go back tomorrow," Gray mumbled shivering in fear. He was so shucked up that his mother was about to cry.
Ur patted her son on the head with one hand and grabbed him for a tighter hug in the other. "I'm so sorry Gray. I wish I could help."
Lyon gave a look of pity while Ulter emitted something else put. It was fury and jealousy.
Why did he get all the attention?
Why did mother never hug her like that?
It was because of him that Ur never noticed her.
She won an award in mathematics in school the other day which she worked so hard for and all her mother could think about was Gray.
Gray
Gray!
GRAY!
It was always about him!
She secretly glared daggers as she watched her brother and mother walk out the room and into the living room.
Ulter yawned quietly as she walked down the stairs to get a drink of water. She didn't turn on the lights and simply used her hands to see her way through like a fun game. She didn't want to wake up anyone by accident with the light. The young girl reached the sink and poured water into her cup.
When she was finally refreshed, she took one step up until a yell froze her.
She knew that voice anywhere. It was her mother's, but it wasn't a scream as if she was in danger. It was more of one filled with anger.
Ulter silently tip-toed to her parents room. The lights were on which told her that both parents were awake. She loved dad Silver, but she loved her mother more. She understood her better than anyone. Ulter quietly opened a peak to she both parents out of bed and furious.
"This is getting out of hand," Ur growled in stress. She wasn't loud enough to wake up the kids, "why can't you help Gray out by being there? He's so scared. You should be there for him. He needs more confidence and someone to look up too."
Silver was sick of all her false blame, "listen Ur, I might be not here all the time but-"
"He was trembling in his closet Silver. Again," she interrupted putting both hands on her waist.
In this point of time, Silver was a hard-core lawyer who stayed in work till god knows long. He would go for days without even coming home. His work was one of the most vital things in his life.
The man sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, "I know it most be hard on him and-"
"And what about everything you missed?" again, she interrupted him.
"Do you mind letting me finish my sentences?"
"You don't have the right to talk,"
"I do. I am his father and your husband,"
"What kind of husband would rather stay in his office than spend time with his family?"
"Justice is a very important the people need. I defend who I'm 100% sure are innocent. I try very hard to prove that,"
As they kept on arguing, their voices became louder by the sentence.
"But you still have a family who always waits for you, the kids need you so much," Ur was about to explode. She was close to reaching her limit.
"You know how important Justice means to me. It tells us right from wrong."
The mother turned silent for what it felt like about an hour or so. She was at the verge of tears, "...I guess 'Justice' means more to you than me," she muttered.
Ulter had enough of what she saw and went back to her room with no sound made on the way up. Large tears were let out loose. Her fists were closed and trembling in anger.
Who was to blame for this?
Who was the one who caused this?!
WHO HURT HER FAMILY?!
The little girl's eyes widened at the realization.
Gray.
It was his fault.
He was the cause of this.
It was all him.
She hated him with all her heart. Ulter immediately rushed into her brothers' room. She slammed the door open to see a surprised Gray and Lyon. Gray was rubbing innocently and his older brother looked at her in concern. She looked like she could murder someone.
"What's wrong Ulter Nee-chan?" Gray asked. He was clueless of what was going on which made her even more angry.
He was so ignorant!
Lyon spoke in a smooth, calming voice. "Ur, are you okay?" he got out from his bed and walked over to her, "you look as if you're going to explode."
"You," the little girl growled as she narrowed her eyes at Gray. The boy tilted his head in confusion. She clenched her jaw and trembled in anger, "this is all your fault!" she yelled as she was about to charge at Gray. Lyon luckily caught her but struggled by her hate filled strength. Ulter tried to break free but he was strong, "you caused this!"
Gray was now shivering in confusion and fear. What had he done wrong? What was going on?
His older brother tried to reason with her, "calm down Ulter, we have no idea what you're talking about. Let's sit down and talk about this," he could feel her body lessening in tension and finally let her go.
"You guys want to know what's going on?" she spoke bitterly, "come with me and find out," she got out of the room and headed down stairs. Gray and Lyon hesitantly followed her. Cautions, they assumed she went mad because of the outburst.
"Lyon nii-san?" Gray grabbed his brother's wrist.
The silver-haired boy patted his head, "don't worry."
The three kids went down the stairs and now were next to their parents' room. They heard shouts and immediately looked inside in concern. The lights were on so Gray and Lyon were curiously nervous. Gray peeked in and saw his parents. They were screaming at each other, and Ur was crying. Lyon's head was above his brother's and his eyes widened to see her tears.
Lyon, the little boy he was turned to blame Ulter, "what is going on?!" he quietly yelled. A large vain popped on his forehead to show the level of anger he had.
She glared at Gray and pushed him. He landed on his bottom and pain filled his eyes. She ignored it and viciously spoke, "it's all your fault..." she stopped speaking for a moment but then revived. "It's all your fault Gray! I wish you were never my brother!"
It was now Gray's turn to cry. Small tears flowed down his cheeks, "m-me?"
"Because you're such a baby, you caused them to fight!"
"B-But" he stopped and took in all the information. He was terrified...
Was it really his fault?
Did he do this?
Guilt started to overwhelm his body.
He ran up-stairs and locked himself in the closest once more.
Lyon gulped. He admitted it wasn't not partly Gray's fault. He loved his little brother, but this all started when he kept on hiding in his closet. He actually knew this and kept it a secret, but what he didn't know was that the situation turned so bad that his mother was crying.
The silver-haired boy went upstairs with his sister and stayed in her room for the night.
The next few days. Lyon began to question who's fault it was. His hate for Gray slowly grew while Ulter started to ignore Gray and give him her cold eyes if he ever got too close to her. Ur and Silver had no idea what they knew of.
Gray's situation turned even worse the next week. Ur and Silver finally divorced. Lyon and Ulter stayed with Ur, and Gray and Silver moved out.
There were bright sides such as finally escaping his horrible bully and avoiding his siblings whom hated him now. But, the guilt killed him in the inside slowly. His father tired to convince him otherwise, but it just made it worse.
The guilt...
He was in a state of depression until...
He meet Natsu...
He helped him out when he started going to his new school. He wasn't able to help him recover fully from the guilt, but he managed to subdue it for the time being and helped him have fun and live as a normal teenager.
Gray was shivering like the child he once was.
He didn't want to face his problems.
He was scared.
He was terrified.
He wanted to hide in his closest.
"J-Juvia..."
The guilt was going to be the death of him.
The guilt...
Lucy was filled with happiness seeing all the people having fun and enjoying the festival. This was the best! Not only that, she won a giant white rabbit with a cute pink bow with a heart design on the right loop. It was about the size of her. She walked around some more and got blue cotton candy. It turned her tongue blue which she found hilarious. Could her day get any better?!
Despite being all alone, she was having a great time.
Soon, the blonde started to get tired with the crowd and was able to find a secluded place in a small alleyway-like setting. She was about to sit down until she noticed another person near her. She couldn't see the face but she knew it was a male with raven hair.
He didn't notice her yet; in fact, it seemed as if he was at a point where he was in his own mind.
Lucy was about to leave until she heard one word which told her who he was and that she needed to help him.
"Juvia," the raven-haired muttered out.
Juvia was outside the school and inside the festival. She needed to be out. The swimmer was off her duty and tried to relax outside. She noticed a booth that sold ice-cream and bought it to help her loosen up.
"Juvia!" a voice called out to her.
She expected it to be Gray... No... She wanted it to be him... A frown appeared on her face as she saw it was Lyon. He was waving to her with a giant brown teddy bear in his other arm. He gave her a kind smile, "hey Juvia, how are you? We haven't seen each other since... we were with Gray." He scratched his cheek in the awkward silence she was making.
"Thank you for caring about Juvia, Lyon. But, Juvia is fine," she was happy that he cared for her, but she needed some time alone right now. What was the kind way could she say that? "Excuse Juvia, but she has to get back to the stage right now."
Before she could leave, Lyon immediately grabbed her hand. He spoke seriously, "wait... Before you leave, I need to tell you something really important."
Well that just happened... Hope you enjoyed that. Teehee~
Animal, Person Or Dragon
By: welshcanadian14
Lucy Heartfilia's car broke down and she is now lost, roaming around in the dark woods, alone. Dismally, something is lurking in the shadows within close proximity. Is it an animal, person...or dragon? What happens when both of them are pushed into a magical realm? (Intertwined with normal and Grimm Fairy Tales)