Disclaimer: I am not the owner of Fairy Tail

Gray didn't get to sleep in for long in the morning. A loud yell woke him up rather suddenly. "Gray! Were you here this entire time, ice princess? Why the hell didn't you come stop us from searching the entire island!"

Sitting up, Gray looked over and saw Natsu, Erza, and Lucy at the front door. Frowning, Gray glanced around the room as well; Lyon was no where to be seen. "Sorry, but I have a few things to take care of at the moment."

Not including them as part of your team? Interesting. Fairy Tail wizards would normally work closely together, at least, that's what I had assumed.

"What the hell did that dark wizard want with you anyway?"

Avoiding his gaze, Gray scowled. "None of your business." He wasn't dragging his guild into his problems; much like Ur, they'd panic and do everything in their power to stop him from having his life on the line with this strange agreement of his. "Either way, that wizard is gone and we're back to our old debate of if we should leave or not." Focusing on them, Gray sighed. "I've got an old friend on this island and some stuff to look into. Personally, while I wanted to leave before, I think I've changed my mind."

"Wait, you know one of the villagers?" Lucy blinked at him. "Who?"

"Not them." Gray rose to his feet, shaking his head. "I don't know where he ran off to, but he had good reason to be upset last night." Pausing, Gray rubbed the back of his head. "I probably should go out and look for him at this point. The villagers aren't exactly violent, but that doesn't mean I trust them fully."

"Paranoid about mere villagers? That seems unlike you, Gray, even with your typical introverted nature."

Seeing Erza's frown, Gray just shrugged. "Don't worry about it. I have my reasons."

"If there's a reason to be wary of this place, we really should all know about it, Gray. I mean, we were trying to help free them from a curse," Lucy said. She frowned, glancing over at Erza and Natsu. "And it seems to be getting even worse. Did you guys see the chief out today? He didn't even look remotely normal and the moon's not even out!"

"I know!" Natsu was speaking before Gray could explain. "I wanted to ask him about it, but I smelled Gray around before I got the chance. Figured finding him was more important than worrying about what changed with the island."

"And I thought I told the two of you to disregard all matters related to this job." Erza glared at both of them. "Their suffering does not concern two wizards that are incapable of helping them."

"Sorry to interrupt, Erza, but what they saw is what's happening now that the curse is broken." They all turned towards Gray. "This is a village of demons, remember? With the curse broken, they're just going back to their normal form."

"Why don't all of the villagers have an appearance like the chief then?" Erza frowned at him, her arms crossed over her chest. "It makes little sense for only some to appear to actually be demons and none of the others."

Demons don't have to look demonic. While the curse disrupted their transformation skills, it is now back in place. They can choose to take on their etherious form whenever it pleases them. I think Moka simply thinks it is fitting to always utilize it, or perhaps that he is not worthy of a human form. So, Zeref was being informative for a change? I don't have any reason to want you to hate demons. In fact…I think it would be best if you actually had reasons to tolerate them, at the very least. The demons of the village aren't my only peaceful creations, after all. There was a pause, while Gray tried to consider what other sort of demons were out there. Well, mostly peaceful. They are still demons and still have some destructive abilities.

"Seems like demons can transform if they want to. Meaning they don't exactly have to look like demons if they don't want to."

"Wait, all demons can do that?" Lucy asked. Gray shrugged in response. "That's frightening when you think about it. I mean, anyone you pass could be one of them. For all I know, you could be a demon at that rate, Gray."

Snorting, Gray shook his head. "Hardly. I just made it a bit of a hobby of mine, to know about monsters like that." He avoided their gazes, frowning. Ur had said he was still being held back. Well, maybe she was right. He'd barely touched on his past with Deliora around them before and he still didn't want to elaborate on it at all. It just brought back too many memories with it.

It isn't like I enjoy elaborating on my past either. I think it is perfectly acceptable to keep painful memories to yourself. Well, it wasn't like he could manage that at the moment, it seemed. He scowled, glaring at a wall. This spell leaves me vulnerable as well. Neither of us are all that fond with sharing our thoughts, though I am a bit skilled at controlling my own. Vulnerable to what? As far as Gray could tell, the guy had fun rambling about any passing thought he had. Yet, Zeref's mind was growing calm again, emptying as the black wizard exercised that control he kept bragging about.

"Because of Deliora, right?" Lucy watched him carefully and Gray slowly nodded. "I'm sorry. I never realized exactly what you must have gone through, Gray."

"It's all in the past now." Gray glanced back over at them. "You wouldn't have been able to do a thing about it."

"Gray." Erza spoke, interrupting. "We are getting off topic, discussing the villagers. As intriguing as this is and as concerning as it might seem, it does not change what Master requested of us. We will return to the guild."

Hmm…I suppose you could try to tell her Mavis wants you to stay. Not that I can really confirm that as a fact, as I can't exactly hear her…though she is nearby, I think. There's this strange presence I feel on this island at random moments, a faint energy. I know it is possible for it to be someone else, but it feels warm and bright, almost comforting in a way. Who else could have an energy presence quite like that? No one I know ever makes me feel almost relaxed when they approach, after all.

"Wh—" Gray broke off, stopping himself short of demanding answers vocally. Glancing at his comrades, Gray swallowed and looked away. Who was Mavis even? Fairy Tail's founder. His thoughts were short and abrupt, though Gray thought he saw a flash of a young girl with long blond hair and bright green eyes. The flash faded quickly into a hum of nothingness from Zeref, but it was still unusual. This was the first time he'd seen something before Zeref managed to cut off his own thoughts.

"Look, I'm not just walking away. You have no idea what's at stake if I just leave," Gray said after a moment.

"Hey!" Natsu glared at him. "I get it, Deliora was a bad demon, but these guys have done nothing. Stop getting angry and paranoid about nothing, Gray. Nothing bad'll happen if we head back and since the curse is gone, there's no reason to stick around anyway. The job's done, without us doing much of anything, really."

"You don't—" Gray broke off, seeing the door behind them press open. Right now, they were just repeating old arguments anyway and Gray wasn't willing to divulge enough information to change that. Still, Lyon walked in, dark circles under his eyes as he focused on Gray with a harsh glare. "Lyon, what the hell happened? You look like you stayed up all night."

"I did." He met Gray's eyes, lifting his hand and pointing. "And now, I want you to join me. I've trained all night and proven my worth. If I cannot manage to test my strength against Ur, I will at least prove myself to be the superior of her students."

"Lyon, she left to find her daughter. It's not like you'll never see her again—"

"I don't care!" Lyon slammed a fist into the wall and the room chilled slightly. Lucy shivered, staring at him and stepping away slightly. Natsu moved closer, almost between the angry ice mage and the celestial wizard. "It was your fault the first time and it is your fault again now! Why must you always take Ur away from me? Why must you destroy every dream I come to have?"

"Hold up, I get how you can blame me for iced shell, but now?" Gray shook his head. "I had nothing to do with that!"

"Oh, didn't you? Were you not the one who managed to make Ultear reveal herself before?" Lyon stepped forward. "Well, technically that was Zeref, but that's a formality. It was your magic and it only happened because you were stupid enough to actually let him place that spell on you in the first place!"

"Did he just say—" Natsu nudged Lucy, cutting her off and shaking his head. Erza watched tensely as well, her hand resting on the hilt of her sword by her waist.

So much for not bringing them into this. Gray glanced around at them, before shaking his head. I do not think I like the idea of someone like him knowing I'm alive. With his anger…it appears as if he is more impulsive than I previously thought.

"Lyon…stop this." Gray felt cold, hearing Zeref's words. "Think about what you're saying—"

"Oh, like you think about your actions and their consequences? I've been trying all night to rationalize why Ur would just leave us. She doesn't need Ultear anymore! She had me and then later, she had you. Ur thought her daughter was dead for years. We were her new family." Lyon inhaled slowly, looking away. "We were supposed to stay together. When I saw that she was back, everything had a chance to go back to how it was, even if it meant sticking around with someone as inferior as you. But of course, you have to pick another fight against someone you cannot defeat. Even I wouldn't have considered myself a match for the creator of all demons, Gray."

I'm really not fond of this. Perhaps I should give him another warning…

"Don't you dare." Lyon blinked, while Gray ran a hand through his hair. "I'll deal with it." Zeref was silent and Gray inhaled slowly. "Lyon, remember what the agreement was, when I told you about who I'd managed to piss off?"

"The agreement?" Lyon paused, before blinking. "Oh." He glanced around the room, suddenly growing pale. "Oh. Well…I suppose all this proves is that Zeref is not a man of his word. Clearly, I misjudged the danger of his threat, given the situation."

Damn it. Gray felt the spell activate again, pushing him back away without warning. "Not a man of my word?" He stepped forward, smiling at Lyon. "No, I'm merely trying to be somewhat lenient, though apparently that is a mistake. A shame, really, that I'm still not myself. That would make it so much easier to deal with you."

"You don't fight with ice-make magic." Lyon smiled, shaking his head. "Even with this enslavement spell of yours, you are powerless against me so long as you are Gray." Lyon's magic started to activate and Gray worried over what this would mean.

"Hey!" Natsu jumped in, flames dancing around his fists. "I get that you're pissed at Gray and I know I get angry at him too, all the time. He's annoying like that." Natsu glanced over at him, before focusing back on Lyon. "But he's still my friend and I'm not gonna let you pick a fight with him for no reason."

"That isn't Gray right now." Lyon scowled, glancing over the dragon slayer's shoulder.

"Enough of this." Erza stepped forward, shoving Natsu aside. "Explain yourself and stand down first."

"He cannot." Zeref spoke, looking towards her. "Those are the terms of our agreement. Should he violate it…well, this battle will resume and this time, I will be the one to start and end it at once."

"Like you could manage that," Lyon said.

"Could you bring yourself to kill Gray?" Zeref asked. Lyon's eyes widened. "Your hesitation to do so would lead to your demise. Unlike you, I have no qualms about taking a life such as yours. It would have the added bonus of angering Gray further, so really, killing you using Gray's magic would only prove to be beneficial to me in the end."

Damn it! Gray wanted to shout, scream, or do something to fight back against this spell. He reached out for magic, trying to draw on it, but found that touching the spell only made him recoil. It wasn't familiar and felt dangerous, like a snake coiling around his body and chaining him down. It dove around in complicated knots and unraveling it incorrectly almost seemed like it would tighten its hold.

"Natsu, I don't think that wizard is lying. Gray wouldn't talk like that…" Lucy trailed off.

"You—you still don't have skill with magic like this." Lyon seemed desperate.

Zeref only smiled, tilting his head. "Before, I didn't utilize it as it would prove to be ineffective against a wizard such as the one we were facing." He stepped forward, shifting his stance into one Gray was very familiar with. "Ice Make: necklace." The spell was small, just a demonstration, but a small locket formed, creating a necklace almost identical to the one Zeref had worn. He held it up, letting it dangle from his fingers with a small smile. "Being inside of Gray's mind lets me see his thoughts. Do you really think he has not contemplated his magic whatsoever during this time?" His gaze flickered towards Natsu and Zeref seemed to nod. "Keep this if you wish. I think I've made my warning quite clear. Both of these foolish ice wizards should now realize what the cost will be if they continue this quest of theirs in a reckless fashion."

With that, the spell faded and Gray came back to himself with a gasp. His legs shook and he fell down to the ground, kneeling almost immediately. Lyon stepped closer, hesitating before grabbing his shoulder. "Gray." The boy was quiet. "I'm sorry, but if it came down to it—"

"Don't worry about it." Gray lifted his head, meeting his gaze. "I wouldn't expect you to just stand there and let me attack you, no matter what the circumstances are. If it comes down to it, I'd say defend yourself as much as you need to and just find a way to get the hell out of there."

Meanwhile, Gray still had the watchful eyes of his fellow guild members on him. "Gray, what on earth was that? I've never seen you act that way and I certainly cannot imagine you being so bold as to threaten the life of anyone so directly." Erza was watching him, glancing between them. "And how does Zeref relate to any of this? Did the wizard from before attempt to force you into helping with his request already?"

"Damn it." Gray looked away, glancing at the door. "I'd hoped to leave you guys out of this, but it seems like I have no choice really." With a sigh, he met their gazes. "If you want to know, you're gonna have to join the small team I've started to form with Lyon. From there, I'm gonna need a vow of silence on everything I'm about to say." Gray adjusted his position, now sitting down on the ground. "Otherwise, your lives are at risk. Even knowing puts you at risk, actually." He paused, looking away. "Basically, you break your vow of secrecy and you'll be killed. As you just saw, Lyon nearly ended up dealing with that just now, so you realize exactly how serious this situation is."

"You're our friend, our comrade." Natsu sat down too, shaking his head. "There's no way in hell I'm letting you deal with this alone, without your guild to support you. Who is this guy even supposed to be?"

"I'm Lyon." The man held out his hand, glancing over at Gray. "The superior ice-make wizard who trained with Gray, many years ago."

Gray snorted, but didn't bother correcting him. It wasn't worth irritating him again, not when it seemed like Zeref had actually distracted Lyon enough to calm the other ice wizard down. "I didn't realize Gray trained with another ice wizard in the past, beyond his master." Erza glanced between the two of them. "It is good to see that you've managed to retain your friendship after such a long time, all things considered. I had been worried that Gray would always push others away, but I see now that I was wrong."

Looking over at Gray, Lyon scowled. "Hardly. We're not friends. I just don't see any benefit in letting him die off right now. After all, if he manages to succeed, then how will I prove myself to be the superior student after showing that I've surpassed Ur?"

"Probably the same way you planned on dealing with Deliora." Gray turned to meet Lyon's stare, watching the other man roll his eyes.

"That plan clearly had flaws in its implementation. Zeref came up with the plan originally, without me realizing who he was. Using it again seems rather pointless, since it doesn't work fast enough to actually keep the victim alive it seems."

They were getting distracted again, Gray realized. His smile faded slightly, and he turned back towards his guild team members instead. "Anyway…what do you say? You want to join on a dangerous job or are you going to accept that I can't tell you any details? Because I really don't have other options at the moment."

Erza, Natsu, and Lucy seemed to share a look with each other. Natsu turned back to Gray first, nodding. "I already told ya, I'm not letting you go into this alone. I'm in and I won't say a word about this to anyone."

So, you really will still be helping in this matter. Why am I not surprised, Natsu? This time, Zeref's thoughts weren't directed towards him. There was almost a strange fondness to them that had Gray frowning.

"Natsu and I are partners, so there's no way I'm out either." Lucy nodded at Gray. "I can keep a secret, better than you think I can. In fact, I'm pretty proud of my ability to stay quiet when I need to."

"Aye! I can stay quiet too, I promise Gray!" Happy smiled, resting on Natsu's shoulder and announcing his presence as well.

"With everyone else agreeing, I suppose it is only fitting for me to agree as well. It appears as if our team is reuniting once more, for a job of utmost secrecy." Erza focused on Gray, narrowing her eyes. "Let us hear what you have to say, Gray. If it truly is as dire as you seem to think, I will consider allowing us to remain here for a little while longer. However, if you are lying or exaggerating the situation, your punishment will only be that much worse."

Well, he supposed it was a good thing he wasn't lying then. With a deep breath, Gray nodded. "Alright then. You guys might want to sit down for this. It'll be a long explanation and I figure you guys are not gonna let me give it without some sort of annoying interruptions." His gaze lingered on Natsu with that, but the oblivious dragon slayer just sat down and ignored his stare. The others joined and Gray started from the beginning, deciding that the full story would answer more questions than just explaining the current situation. Either way, he hoped that they wouldn't think he was too stupid for unknowingly agreeing to help the darkest wizard the world had ever known, and for getting backed into a corner that pretty much forced him to willingly help the man with a curse he knew nothing about.

The explanation took about as much time as Gray had expected. It was probably afternoon by the time he finished explaining things to Natsu, Lucy, and Erza, to a point where they had stopped their unending questions about it. Natsu kept interrupting every few seconds to make his own stupid exclamations like "That guy was Zeref? How the hell does Zeref know me?" or "What's it like being controlled like that? Wait, does it actually make you stronger? Fight me, I wanna see what spells he can do as you, Gray!"

At least the others had more reasonable requests. "How often does he usually take control?" was actually a concern, which of course came from Erza as someone at least a little more sensible. Lucy's concerns focused more on the level of danger to him, though she'd grown quiet once he explained what iced shell would do to him, if he actually used it. She hadn't spoken much, instead just stared at him with haunted eyes. Likely, she remembered he'd already willingly agreed to use it before, just without realizing who he was supposed to target. That willingness said more about Gray than he'd like to admit and he was glad for her silence about it. He didn't want the others to overthink his choices either.

"I didn't get the chance to ask last night. Did you and Ur manage to learn anything from the villagers?" Lyon looked tired, having been silent during the explanation. He was probably unused to dealing with such rambunctious and energetic wizards like Fairy Tail had, given what he was working on.

Shaking his head, Gray sighed. "Not really. They know Zeref, that much is certain, but no one will talk." He paused, frowning. "Well, one will, but he's not exactly a stable source of information. And if we want info, in return we have to 'destroy the moon' for him."

"One of them literally requested something so absurd? What could he possibly have to gain from that?" Lyon, at least was surprised by the request. Lucy and Natsu just looked like they'd expected it, considering the job.

"I'm guessing they still think the moon is causing their curse or something?" Lucy stared at him, and Gray nodded.

"Maybe." He frowned, thinking back. "He knows he's a demon now and he seems to remember things from his life before again too. Some of the things he mentioned—it's like he knows what we're trying to do." Gray sighed. "It's frustrating, since it seems like he'd be the best bet at getting an explanation, but at the same time, every other sentence is something relating to his request for someone to get rid of the moon."

"Well, what exactly did the others say about it?" Lucy frowned. "I mean, if you realize they all actually know something, that means they had to have said something about Zeref or what was up with him."

"Probably about one-third of the people I talked to said they were grateful for this second chance of life and didn't want to betray him after what Zeref had done for them." Gray crossed his arms over his chest, scowling. "The rest said Zeref deserved to die, only sometimes being sorry it had to come at my expense."

"You told them what this would take to manage?" Erza asked.

Meeting her gaze, Gray shrugged. "Not all of them, but some. Ones that I thought might actually be sympathetic and swayed to help."

I have told you, there is nothing wrong with making that attempt at destroying the moon for Moka. I really would love to see his reaction.

"Damn it, why the hell do you even want me to bother with that when we both know it is ridiculous?" His team seemed to blink at him, but at least they knew he had Zeref talking inside of his head on occasion.

I'm bored and it makes you angry with me when I suggest ridiculous things. Gray couldn't exactly argue against that. Plus, Moka and I never really got along well. He gave me the vaguest advice long ago and I failed to understand what he was truly telling me would happen. Seeing him in this state truly is justice at its finest…or perhaps it is revenge, or pettiness. Hmm…I don't know, what do you think?

"You want my opinion on if a stranger deserved to go insane?"

No, not a stranger. Moka. Zeref paused. Though, I suppose he is a stranger to you, so it doesn't matter. Maybe you could ask one of the villagers instead? They knew Moka just as well as I did. Yes…yes, that would work well. Do that instead.

"If you don't like a person, it seems like common sense to not bother bringing them back to life when they die. I figured someone with magic that can bring back the dead would know that much." Gray ran a hand through his hair, glancing at his team. "Sorry. Zeref's been getting on my nerves when he talks. Not only is Moka pushing for the whole moon thing, but Zeref joined in with it too."

"Zeref wants you to destroy the moon?" Natsu blinked, narrowing his eyes. "Aww, but that means we can't go and do it! I was so excited to punch that moon in the face soon."

"Natsu, I don't think the moon has a face," Happy corrected.

"Well, duh. I meant figuratively. Like, I'd punch it head on, after flying up to it."

"Somehow, I don't think where you're punching the moon makes that announcement any less absurd." Lucy stared at them, before shaking her head. "Either way, it doesn't seem like the right answer to me. All of these villagers knew Zeref at one point in time, but they just won't talk about him. It sounds like they either hate Zeref or love him…" She trailed off for a moment, before chuckling slightly. "Sorry, it just reminds me of public opinion, actually. It's like the split between dark guilds and legal guilds on how they view him. They either idolize his power, or they're glad he's gone. I can't say I've ever met someone who has some neutral opinion about him instead."

People who don't know me, I suppose, hold a neutral opinion. Of course, that only lasts until I start actually speaking my mind. Then, most people find me quite disturbing, I think. He paused. Am I disturbing to you, Gray? More than he seemed to realize. Good. That is at least a start, after your foolish notion of being my ally. Disturbing is a step in the right direction. So…how to further that mindset…Gray was then treated to rambling flashes of thought, which he did his best to tune out.

"Great, now you're giving him more ideas." Gray groaned, pressing his hands to his temples. "He is probably the only person I know that literally wants to be creepy and disturbing to others."

No, not to everyone. I really just want you to view me that way. There was actually a sense of irritation with the thought, though it seemed to be directed towards the general public. Being rejected by the world isn't a pleasant experience, though I've grown used to it. Intentionally causing such an event, however, is new to me, hence the need to brainstorm ideas. I'd appreciate it if you were quiet while I did so…perhaps you could meditate and clear your mind, or just cease communicating with your friends so your thoughts aren't so distracting.

"What the hell? You expect me to actually do as you ask now?"

Well, I could force you to do so. There was a pause. I'm being kind and letting you choose to do that for yourself instead.

"What happened to only abusing that power when my life was in danger?"

Perhaps I implied that was when I'd use it, however, it seems quite beneficial to my current goals to use it in other circumstances as well.

The ice wizard took a slow breath, pressing a hand to his chest and swallowing as he recalled that sensation of losing control. This…was what he'd agreed to, in order to save Ur. No matter how it felt, he needed to get used to this spell. "Damn, you're annoying." Gray shook his head, rising to his feet. "Sorry, but I guess I have to go…meditate or something." Gray scowled, shaking his head. "Zeref wants peace and quiet. Apparently, actually coming up with a plan doesn't work for his own personal schedule."

"That's rude. All he has to do is get rid of the spell on you and he'll have all the quiet he wants." Lucy stared at him, frowning. Gray couldn't help but agree, but it didn't seem like Zeref would listen.

Lyon nodded at him, sitting up straighter. "I will see if we can come up with a plan of action while you are away. Out of all of us, I think I am probably the next in line in terms of level of experience with handling demons."

Oddly enough, that seemed to make Zeref laugh. What the hell was so amusing about that? Yet, Zeref's mind quickly went blank, again indicating one of his many secrets. With a sigh, Gray just shook his head and walked outside, seeing the sun shining down in the village. Demons were busy people, it seemed, working just like anyone else and living peacefully here.

This time, Gray recognized some of them as he walked. They'd nod at him and acknowledge he was there, but remained focused on his work. Others glared at him, though, likely the ones that wanted to defend Zeref. Didn't they realize that Gray didn't exactly want the man dead? He didn't know what to tell them, other than what he'd said before. He needed to put a stop to Zeref's latest plan, to avoid pushing himself into using a spell he'd only kept in his arsenal as a last resort to protect his friends.

He passed by the chief, pausing as he saw the man kneeling down in front of a stone marker in town. The man glanced towards him, noticing Gray nearby. "Oh. Have you come to pay your respects to Bobo?" Realizing he was now getting dragged into this, Gray shrugged. He was supposed to be avoiding conversation, not seeking one out. "I think about him every day, you know. It isn't right, him being gone. If it wasn't for the moon, he'd still be with us."

"I hate to break it to you, but the moon had nothing to do with your curse."

Moka shrugged, standing up and turning towards Gray. "Come along, then. I've got something for you." Gray frowned and glanced around. Yet, no one seemed to object to seeing him follow the chief around. He saw a few people whisper things and it made Gray wonder about them. This old man was their chief, their leader. So, did they know about his instability? If so, why did they support him? Why not just follow someone else?

Seeing his gaze, Moka smiled softly. "Don't mind them. They're always like that when they see me." The man tapped his head. "They all think I'm bonkers, but I'm not! I know we need to destroy the moon, but they just lack understanding, that's all." Gray was silent. He was fairly certain he'd made his stance on destroying the moon clear, so it was probably best just to humor the man for now. "Anyway, I thought it might help you to have something to read. I went out and paid a visit to an old home to collect some things a while back. Glad I did, or else I think the village would've been right and I would be bonkers now."

If he didn't think he was insane now, at what point would the old man see how delusional he was? The man had entered a small home, with a fireplace for cooking, two wooden chairs, and a hall that led to two other rooms. Moka entered into one of the rooms down the hall and from outside of the door, Gray could see what looked a lot like Levy's room. There were books everywhere, piled on shelves, on the ground, and scattered across the bed. Yet, the chief seemed to know exactly where to go. "I spent all night looking for it, after we spoke. Thought I found myself someone who might listen for a change to an old man. As I said before, keep looking into curses and you're bound to destroy the moon at some point."

"What do curses have to do with destroying the moon?" Gray finally managed to bring himself to ask, seeing the old demon grin and triumphantly pull a book free from one of the piles. He turned around, holding it out towards Gray.

"Start there, if you'd like." Had he not heard Gray? The ice wizard frowned, glancing down at the book. Phonetic Magic: Spells, Applications, and Basic Fundamentals. It wasn't a type of magic Gray had ever heard of. "Once you've read that, you can come back and tell me what you've learned, got it? I think if you read deeply, you might find that book quite illuminating on why it is so vital to destroy the moon."

"But you still haven't said anything about how this helps! Does Zeref know this kind of magic? Is it related to his curse?"

"Bah, I told you to go read, not ask more questions!" Moka made a shooing motion with his hands. "Go, go, I've got important work to do and I don't want to listen to you yammering about. It's not like you are actually destroying the moon right now, so I have no use for you until you're ready to help me properly."

Having been dismissed, Gray turned and walked towards the door with the book in hand. He couldn't deny that the old man was some sort of scholar, or at least a collector of books. Still, he was just so weird. Gray stared at the one he'd been given, frowning. What was this even about? Boring magic, I assure you. Phonetic means that it relates to speech or spoken words…in other words, the book focuses on magic relating to speech, in some form.

Well, Zeref was still listening at least, despite being quieter now. Yet, the dismissive tone of his thoughts just didn't seem right. "I can't say I've ever heard you call a branch of magic boring. You seem like the sort to try and puzzle it all out until you know everything there is about every branch of magic, even if it is boring."

Oh, and I've done so in the past. Did you know that there is a type of magic that specializes in changing clothing? Not like requip, in the sense that it is swapping one article for another, but physically altering the color and appearance of what is already on one's body, into another form of cloth and color. That is all it does. It cannot be used as a weapon, as the transformation does not have a large enough casting radius to reach anyone other than the user. It literally only changes your clothing and resulting appearance, nothing more, nothing less.

Maybe some person made it because they didn't want to bother shopping for new clothing? Either way, Zeref seemed intent on avoiding the subject of the book and its contents. Staring at it, Gray slowly began to smile. "Well, there's no way this can be any worse than that, at least. You were the one who told me to do what Moka said to get his help, so I think I'll do just that. The old chief wants me to read some book? Not a problem, it's not like it'll hurt to know something about this form of magic."

Zeref went quiet and Gray kept walking. He'd go back to the hut and see what the others had done while he was gone. They might have a plan, or they might not, but either way, Gray felt like he was one step closer to gaining Moka's trust and actually understanding the guy. Despite his requests involving the moon, the old chief still seemed coherent and aware of his situation. The man knew it wasn't normal, but he wouldn't explain anything regarding the situation. So, it seemed like Moka's trial was to determine exactly what the old man's motivation was. Compared to analyzing Zeref, that had to be a simple task, especially when the chief himself was giving him the needed tools to reach that goal.