AN: Ten chapters in, can't view the stats, and old enemy thought to be dead returns, and not one review? What up people? Let's try to get the reviews going.

The team might be together, but they don't always have to be together. That's why it's just Sky Maiden and Salamondra this time. The two of them made their way over the buildings as they were on their way to a destination.

"Are you sure it's okay I come along?" Sky Maiden asked. "It's his birthday and I don't want to impose."

"It will be fine. He might have refused the offer to be on the team, but he's still a good guy." Salamander said. "We did have a rough patch, but things are fine now. Besides, once he hears about END, I'm worried what he might think." The person he was talking about was Gray Fullbuster, Natsu's best friend. The two of them have been best friends for years, but Gray believed Salamander killed his father for a long time and he let that anger controlled him. He even was granted powers by Scarlet Despair to have his revenge, even called himself Ice Demon, but that all changed when he finally learned the truth of what happened to his father. Scarlet Despair might have used his father, but END was the one that killed him. After he thought he got his vengeance, he decided he wasn't cut for the hero life like Salamander. Now, he's trying to put together a regular life. "There it is!" They both arrived at his apartment and opened up his window.

"Can't we just go in through the front door?" Sky Maiden asked.

"It will be more of a surprise." Salamander said and crawled right in with Sky Maiden following. "Happy..." He stopped himself when they both saw something strange. Gray was standing right before them, but he was Ice Demon now. The weird thing was that he had a strange black plant-like piece on him with the vines attached his ears and was inside. "What the hell? What is that thing?"

"I don't know. I've never seen anything like it." Sky Maiden said.

"He's also Ice Demon. Does that mean... He ran into trouble." Salamander questioned.

"More like trouble came to him." Both of them looked and saw someone came out of hiding...someone that Salamander knew.

"Invel Yura!" Salamander said as he was surprised to see him. "Sky Maiden, meet Invel Yura, also known as Winter General. He was once Scarlet Despair's loyal scientist before she got smart and tried to live a decent life."

"I see you're still trying to be funny, Salamander." Winter General claimed. "I wasn't expecting to face you, but at least I got your little buddy handled. I might not work for Scarlet Despair anymore, but that doesn't mean I'm useless in a lab. You like my little gift for him?"

"You made that thing? What is it?" Maiden asked.

"I call it the Black Camelia. It attaches to the victim and reaches into their brain to produce a dream-like state of their most pleasurable desires." Winter General explained. "He is alive, but he's dreaming. I do wonder what he is seeing."

"Don't worry about his dreams." Salamander said as he popped his knuckles. "You're about to go to sleep." He jumped right at him, but Winter General formed a spire of ice that smashed him against the ceiling. That was when Sky Maiden made her move as she got behind Winter General and tackled him so they would be outside.

"I'll take care of him! Go and help your friend!" Maiden called as the two of them landed out there. That left Salamander to free himself and help Gray out.

"Gray, what are you seeing?" Salamander wondered. How can he help Gray wake up? Would Gray even want to wake up?

...

Gray's Dream

"Gray! Time to wake up!" Mika, Gray's mother called. Gray woke up in what he believed was his room. When he got up, he went on down and saw his mother placing some food out for his birthday. "Happy Birthday!"

"Thanks, Mom." Gray said as he helped himself to some food.

"Are you planning to meet with Natsu and the others?" Mika asked. "I'm sure Juvia would love to see you."

"Yeah. We'll probably do something later." Gray claimed.

"That's nice." Mika said. "Oh my goodness! Look outside! It's snowing!" Gray took a look out the window and could see it was actually snowing.

"How? It shouldn't be snowing this time of the year?" Gray questioned.

"Consider it a birthday blessing. You always did like it when it snowed." Gray felt a hand placed on his head and could see the one person he loved to see the most: his father. Silver Fullbuster with him appearing to be alive and well. That was what he wanted the most, and what would have made him the happiest. "Happy Birthday."

...

Reality

Salamander was working on trying to get that mutated plant off him. He tried burning it off, but it seemed to be unaffected by the flames. While Salamander was trying to get that thing off Ice Demon, Sky Maiden kept fighting off Winter General. She tried throwing blasts of wind at him, but he formed an ice wall and blocked each of her attacks. When he came out, he unleashed his own blast of cold wind at her. She flew around to avoid the attack, but Winter General then formed a giant piece of ice and smashed it against her with her being knocked out of the air.

"Dang it!" Salamander complained. "What did Winter General made this thing out of?" He kept trying to get it off, but he heard a commotion outside and was starting to get worried about her. "Come on! Fight! Shake it off before he kills her! It's not real!" He said as he tried to pull it off. He can only hope that he's actually getting through to Gray.

...

Gray's Dream

Gray continued to live his dream. Gray always did like the snow and winter. That's why he went outside and tried to enjoy it. He stood at the top of the building and let the snow come down.

"There you are." Silver said as he joined him on the roof. "What are you doing up here?"

"Just taking in the scenery." Gray said. "It's weird. How could it be snowing now? I'm not complaining about it, but it is rather weird."

"I say don't question it." Silver said. "Come on. Your friends are throwing a small party for you. They knew you wouldn't like anything big, so it's just a small gettogether. Juvia's going to be there too. That girl is wife material if you ask me."

"Dad." Gray laughed knowing what his father is like. He always loved having his father around and doesn't want it to end.

"It's not real!" Gray suddenly heard Natsu's voice. It was then something clicked with Gray. When he heard that, he was putting it together. It was snowing because this was all just one big fantasy. That was when something else clicked. He looked at his father and his memories were coming back. He remembered his father was dead except that he wanted him to be alive. It was starting to put together, but he wished this wasn't the case.

...

Reality

"That's it! That's it!" Salamander said as the plant was starting to come off. He was making progress, but Maiden wasn't so much. Winter General appeared to be getting the better of her in this fight. She was knocked against wall and seemed to have taken some damage.

"I was expecting more of a challenge." Winter General complained, but she wasn't giving up just yet. She flew at him right again, but Winter General formed another wall to block her.

"Hurry, Salamander." Maiden said. Winter General has clearly grown a lot stronger over the years. Salamander needs to hurry and get that thing off so they can help her.

...

Gray's Dream

"Let's go, Gray." Silver said as he was ready to go, but he noticed something was off. He saw Gray just stood there as the truth of his situation was sinking in. "Gray? What's wrong?" He asked as he came over.

"Dad..." Gray said as this was difficult, but he knew it had to be done. "You were my hero when I was a kid. I looked up to you and saw you as this strong and powerful man. I wanted to be like you, but... I let you down."

"What are you talking about?" Silver said.

"You... You died." Gray admitted. "None of this is real. You, the snow, and all of this is just one big illusion. The truth is that you died. I saw your body. You died protecting my friend, but for a long time I thought it was his fault. Then, I was given power to take my revenge. I wanted to avenge your death, but I didn't know the truth. I disappointed you, failed you. I wanted you to stay, but I know you can't. I wish you were still alive." This was hard for Gray to accept, but he needed to.

"Gray, listen to me." Silver said as he got him to look at him. "I would never be disappointed in you. I know my own son. No matter what happens, you are a good person and I'm proud of you. No matter what happens, I'll always be with you. I'm always going to watch over you." That part Gray believed was real. Having to accept what happened, his fantasy was falling apart, but there was still one thing he needed. He held his father and cried like that was his real father.

"I love you, Dad." Gray cried as his fantasy broke apart.

"I got it!" Salamander said as he managed to pull it off, but the plant was alive and it latched on to Salamander instead.

...

Natsu's Dream

"Natsu! Come on down! Everyone is waiting!" Zeref called. Natsu walked down a set of stairs and saw dinner set for him, Zeref, and more. Joining them for dinner was Mavis and their parents. There was one more joining them as he felt an arm grabbed his and saw that it was Lucy acting like she was his wife...and looked it to with her extended belly. He felt so happy since he had everyone that meant so much to him.

...

Reality

While Salamander was away in his own dreamland, Ice Demon was snapping back to reality. When he came to his senses, he remembered what happened...and who to hurt. Once he realized what was going on, he hurried out the window and dived right down. As for Sky Maiden, she tried her best to fight off Winter General, but he was too strong for her.

"A valiant effort, little girl, but simply not good enough." Winter General said as he formed a blade of ice around his arm, but then he saw a slide of a different ice formed near him. He followed it to see Ice Demon slide down and smashed his fist into Winter's face as hard as he could. He didn't stop there as he grabbed Winter General and punched him again as hard as he could with Winter's glasses breaking.

"Do you have any idea what you did to me?" Ice Demon questioned as he sounded very angry.

"I let you live your heart's desire, but you escaped when you realized it wasn't real. It must have been hard." Winter General said. Ice Demon just got even angrier. When Winter General unleashed a series of ice attacks, Ice Demon blocked each one with a shield of ice and charged right at him. He tackled Winter General until they smashed into a wall.

"What about Salamander?" Sky Maiden questioned. She used whatever strength she could to fly back up there. When she got to Gray's apartment, she saw Salamander was being held by the Black Camelia. "No! Salamander!" She hurried over to try and free him as she tried to pull it off. "Salamander! It's not real! What you're seeing isn't real!"

...

Natsu's Dream

Natsu believed he was with his family. It felt whole again, but it couldn't last. He started to feel something was off because he remembered he and Lucy weren't married, she's not pregnant, and his parents are dead. He then started to remember the truth about the Black Camelia. He needed to let go of this fantasy.

...

Reality

As Sky Maiden continued to try and get that mutation off, Ice Demon continued to unleash his rage on Winter General. Winter General formed a blade of ice and swung it against him, but Ice Demon caught it and completely crushed it with his hand. Then, he grabbed Winter General and smashed him against a wall with him holding him down.

"Tell me why. Why did you do this to me?" Ice Demon questioned.

"Consider it payback." Winter General said. "Scarlet Despair gave you a gift and you never really used it. I find it offensive that her genius and mine was wasted on you. You should have just remained in whatever happy fantasy land you stayed in. It was an act of mercy."

"Happy?!" Ice Demon shouted. He smashed his fist against Winter's face and knocked him down. He didn't stop there as he straddled him and kept punching him in the face. "Do you know what it's like to lose someone that means everything to you?! Someone that is suppose to be a part of your life, but they're gone forever?!" Ice Demon continued to assault him until he was forced to stop by Salamander grabbing his fist and stopped him.

"Don't. He's not worth it." Salamander said. "Do you think "he" would have wanted this?" Knowing it was his father Salamander talked about, he pulled back despite how much he hated what their enemy just did. However, Winter General blasted both of them with a cold wind and was able to get back up.

"How weak..." Winter General mumbled through his swollen face.

"Excuse me." He looked up and spotted Sky Maiden holding his creation. "I believe this belongs to you." She said before tossing it down. There was no time for Winter General to stop as his own creation was used against him and now he was under its power. That put an end to this. Still, there was some heartache in there.

"I guess this wasn't the birthday you wanted." Salamander said.

"Don't worry about it." Ice Demon said. He looked up to the sky and just continued hoping his father was looking out for him. "Salamander, is it true? Is END still out there?"

"Yeah... I'm afraid that it is." Salamander said as he didn't want to lie to him.

"Then, I'm going to finish what I started." Ice Demon said as he plans to take END down since END was the one responsible for his father's death.

"What do you think Winter General is seeing?" Sky Maiden asked as one can only wonder.

"It's too good for him." Ice Demon said with Salamander agreeing. One is entitled to happiness, but one that isn't real can be as cold as ice.