Chapter 4: Akane Beach

I chug down my tea (and burn my tongue) and hurry to Fairy Hills. After a quick shower I start planning the journey. The fastest way to get to Akane Beach is by train. It passes through Magnolia once every hour, and the next one leaves in about twenty minutes.

I yelp. If I run, I can make it to the station in seven minutes, which leaves me with thirteen to decide what to wear for the next few days. What if Gray is so excited about my proposal that he wants to leave immediately? Then I need to pack even more, because we'll be gone for a while.

I realize I have nothing flattering in my closet, not even a dress and no bathing clothes either. Is Gray even into dresses? I can't remember. Although it's too late to go shopping now anyway.

I decide on a few blouses and cargo pants and leave it at that. I quickly comb my black hair, push Grandpa's spellbook into my bag and then run out the door.

The conductor is already signaling when I make my jump into the train, holding my ticket between my teeth. I manage to find a near empty carriage and sit down beside the window.

As I make myself comfortable and Magnolia passes by, I come to the realization that this is it. My plan to make amends with the past is already set in motion. There's a good chance the next time I see these buildings, I have all my questions answered and I will know what I want for my future.

But first I need to ask Gray to come with me. Hopefully the money I have is enough to convince him. And then…well, who knows what might happen while we're on the road. I feel fluttering in my chest and can't help but smile like an absolute creep.

When the catering cart comes around I order a large chocolate muffin, my favorite. After I've completely devoured the thing, I try reading an adventure novel I've been meaning to get to, but sadly doze off after one chapter.

I'm running through what I think is a forest, the trees are the color of shadows and the branches go up higher than I can see. I'm being chased. I look over my shoulder behind me, and there's a claw with the sharpest nails and I just know they want to crush me.

I turn my head to face forward again, just in time to bump into a hooded figure. He says something I don't understand, and I tell him we have to run. I see two eyes, blue as the bottom of a flame. Right as the figure is about to remove his hood, the claw closes around me and pulls me into the darkness.

I wake up and nearly scream. There's a family sitting in the same carriage, a few seats away. The dad is frowning at me and shaking his head, as if I've done something wrong.

I'm trembling all over and have a hard time controlling my breathing. My body is covered in sweat, you can't smell any of the soap I used in the shower anymore. I close my eyes and pull my knees up, making myself as small as possible.

'It's not real,' I whisper to myself, 'it's not real.'

Even though I just slept, I'm exhausted. Today has been intense, to say the least. First the journey back to Magnolia, then the argument with Misty, then Mirajane thinking I have a crush on Natsu…alright, the last one isn't that bad, but not great either.

And now this. There's always this.

I like to tell myself that no matter how annoyed I get by other people, loud noises, flashy lights and weird smells, I should make the most of my time awake, because being asleep is torture.

Just before, I was actually excited.

Now, my spirit's crushed.

It's not just the dream, it's everything that's attached to it. Bordertown, Grandpa, the forest. And Misty too.

Suddenly, my plan seems silly. I usually stay away from hotels and inns for this exact reason. Sometimes I can't hold in the screams. And the bedsheets won't be usable after they've sufficed as a bath for my sweat. Why did I want to go to this resort again?

Right.

Gray.

Oh no.

What about Gray?

If he agrees to travel with me, he will have to deal with this. I'm not sure what his response will be. What if he thinks it's weird? And even more importantly: am I OK with him seeing me like this?

Through the window I see we're almost at the last stop. I have to decide now if I want to continue on my quest, or stay seated and wait for the train to turn back.

And do what?

Go home, to my dorm room?

I can't face Mirajane, now that she thinks I'm in Akane Beach to go on a date with Natsu.

Wait; what do I care what Mirajane thinks? I can just waltz into the guild, pick a request off the board and take off without saying a word, Misty style – stop. No thinking about Misty.

Where was I?

Right: go on a quest.

And then?

Probably never talk to Gray again.

Die alone.

Very well.

The train comes to a stop.

If I want to get rid of this dream, I need to know what it means. That's what this quest is about.

I gather my stuff, still shaky, and get off. The fresh air helps, the sun on my face too, as if it's driving away the last remains of the darkness.

Now or never.


Outside the station, I hitch a ride with a cart going to Akane Beach.

While the bumpy road swings me from left to right, I think about how I will ask Gray for hire.

'Listen here, Ice dude. I got a job. You in?'

'Hello. Do you maybe have time to talk about a quest? The quest is me.'

'Hi, we've only spoken two times before, one time you probably don't remember because you were drunk and I brought you home and you grabbed my hand. Will you help me find out who I am?'

'Mister Fullbuster. Pleasure to make your acquaintance. Would you be interested in me? Because I have a quest that's about me.'

With each option I feel more embarrassed, even though no one but me can hear them. In the end I decide to just wing it, I'm sure I'll think of something when I see him. Right?

When Akane Beach is in sight, I jump off the cart and thank the driver. I enter the town, still a little wobbly on my feet from the long journey, but the thought of being on my personal quest gives me courage. Only forward from here.

The entire town was built for one purpose: vacationing. I'm pretty sure no one actually lives here, there are only shops, restaurants, carnival rides.

Everywhere I look there are families taking lacrima pictures of each other, eating ice cream, laughing. I even recognize the dad that looked at me angrily in the train. His kids are running after one another shooting tiny water spells, and he's yelling at them to be careful.

Ah, family bliss.

The town is very loud, the sounds of chewing, flip flops on cobblestones, paper gift bags, music from small lacrima radios and most of all the yelling all bounce around in my skull, but the smells aren't too bad. Mostly fried food and sweat, but even combined they don't overpower sun lotion with aloe vera.

When I think I've reached the center of the town, I take the paper with the address out of my pocket. I then buy a map at a gift shop, because the words on the paper mean nothing to me, since I've never been here before.

The kids belonging to the family I saw on the train, a boy and a girl, pass by. The boy, around six years old, trips over his own feet and falls face first into the cobblestones. His sister, probably eight, stops abruptly when she sees it. The boy sits up and when he notices his knee is bleeding he starts crying. The girl looks around, but can't see her parents anywhere. She kneels beside her brother and starts talking to him in a soothing voice.

I just stand there in the shop and stare. Somehow this makes me think of Misty. He really was the closest thing I had to family.

I sigh.

My eyes wander and find a stand with bracelets. Maybe I should get him something. He doesn't seem like the type of guy who would wear a bracelet, but it's more about the gesture anyway.

Before I can make a decision, something explodes.

The town shudders. The dream of relaxation and cheeriness is rudely disrupted. Parents grab their children and start running away from the smoke rising a few blocks over. I have this eerie feeling that's where the resort is.