Hey folks. Just logged back onto this site on my laptop after a while. I can see y'all want more of "Ice Devil's Angel," which makes me happy to hear. However, to get back into the groove of things, I've been given a golden opportunity by none other than the famous GraLu author, LadySVI, to take on her story "Bride of the Ice God," which originally belongs to the author writer4everr.
The reason Lady-san abandoned it was because her idea of where it should've gone didn't match with the plot of what writer4everr had and decided to pass it on to me to publish. So, that's what I'll be doing for the next couple of months for you guys while I try to re-establish my ideas and outline with "Ice Devil's Angel."
Anyway! Hope everyone is doing well!
Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or any of its character. I do not own this plot. This plot belongs to writer4everr.
Bride of the Ice God
Chapter Five
Awkward Breakfasts
5 5 5
Lucy got up hastily and untangled herself from the sheets and Gray's limbs. Holding up her hands defensively, she tried to explain herself. "This isn't what it looks like! We were just sleeping together!"
Cana smirked. "So it is what it looks like."
"No! What I meant was that we didn't do anything!" Lucy became flustered. "Really! Gray, help me out here!"
The Ice God sat up groggily. He rubbed his eyes, a slightly irritated expression painting across his handsome features. He glared at Cana but was silent. However, at the corner of Lucy's eye, she saw the wash basin on the nightstand start to shake and tremble. The bowl exploded and shattered into pieces, the water turning into shaved ice and spraying into Cana's face.
She spluttered angrily as the ice melted onto her clothes and hair. Behind her, Laxus smirked and shot a thumbs up in Gray's direction. Lucy merely stood there, mouth agape as she tried to register what just happened. He had manipulated the water into ice?
Gray stood up and adjusted his robes. He spoke in a low tone, voice rough with sleep. "Maybe that'll teach you to knock, Cana."
Said Wine Goddess rolled her eyes and dried herself with her magic in an instant. Like how Lisanna did so with her yesterday.
"I forget that you're not a morning person," Cana sighed in annoyance." She crossed her arms. "So what if I barged in? It's your fault for not locking the door." She smirked. "Perhaps you were a bit preoccupied, hm?"
Lucy flushed. "I told you! We didn't do anything!"
Laxus tilted his head to the side. "So what happened then?"
"My mother happened," Gray explained simply. "She wants me and Lucy to 'get to know each other more'."
Cana smiled sweetly. "Aww, what a mama's boy, honoring your mother's wishes. I see you got to know each other pretty well."
"I just couldn't sleep last night, so he helped me relax," Lucy muttered under her breath, hiding her face in her hands.
Laxus shook his head, a small smirk on his lips. "You're not helping your case here."
Gray threw him a withering glance.
Cana sighed in disappointment. "Appears they actually didn't do anything. How boring," she whined. Yawning, she pulled on her obi. "It's time for breakfast anyway."
Lucy's stomach let out an involuntary grumble. Her mouth was salivating at the word "breakfast."
Gray let out a wry chuckle. "Cana, take her downstairs to eat. I'll be there in a moment. I need to talk to Laxus for a bit."
Cana bowed. "Of course."
Lucy noted her more serious attitude, but before she could say anything, Cana snapped her fingers, and Lucy was in more suitable attire for the day. Pleased, Cana took her by the arm and began dragging her away to breakfast. Once there were quite away, Lucy couldn't help but glance back with raised eyebrows.
"What was that about?"
Cana shrugged, her thick brown hair swaying side to side. "Who knows? Probably something about the banquet tomorrow. Everybody is getting ready for it. Speaking of which, you must get ready for it as well."
"Banquet?"
Cana looked at her, about to burst into laughter, however, she sobered up quite quickly as if recalling something. "That's right. I forgot. You just got here, and you'll be staying here for quite a while."
"Something I'm not looking forward to," Lucy sighed.
The Wine Goddess scowled. "Come one! It won't be that bad." She sighed deeply, thinking. "There is a way to send you back despite the bond, but it's a bit tricky..."
Lucy's interest sparked, her heart leaping. "There's a way?" she whispered in disbelief, doe eyes wide and sparkling and full of hope.
Cana paused, her facial features softening slightly. "Don't get too excited. It's tricky and life threatening seeing how fragile you mortals are." She hurried down the steps, and Lucy followed closely behind her. "Enough about this. It's best not to talk about it freely," she said.
Lucy nodded in compliance; however, her mind was still focused on the idea of home.
Cana led Lucy down a brightly lit hallway with a blue tiled floor and sea green wallpaper. On the wall hung gold-framed paintings.
"This is the main dining hall. Every time we have a special guest or party, we eat here," Cana explained.
They then came to the dining hall double doors. Again, Lucy saw two sphinxes flanking the sides of the doors on their pedestals, irately swishing their tails.
Lucy frowned. "They're everywhere."
Cana sighed, taking a swig out of a flask she pulled out of nowhere. "Tell me about it. I don't know what Gray was thinking when he got those sphinxes. Their riddles are not something I'm fond of." Her lips curled in distaste as she walked up and approached them.
The first sphinx stepped up with beady eyes, "From sleep they come, to have a crumb!" He bowed in respect, and Cana bowed as well though the disdain was clear in her eyes.
She sighed. "Get on with it then."
The first sphinx gestured to the second and began to hum under his breath. The second sphinx nodded his sharp chin and opened his mouth and began:
"It can't be seen, It can't be smelt,
It can't be heard, It can't be felt.
It hides behind stars and under hills;
Empty holes It fills.
It comes before and ends after,
Ends life, kills laughter."
Lucy knew the answer almost immediately, but she glanced at Cana. She tilted her head back and forth, taking a swig from her flask here and there until she eventually straightened up as the answer came to her after a few seconds.
Cana's eyes glimmered as she gave a cheeky grin. "Darkness, yeah?""
The sphinx gave her a toothy smile. "That's it! What wit!"
The creatures stomped their feet in synchronization and the doors glowed before slowly opening. Cana walked through hurriedly, and Lucy followed hastily. The aroma and smell of breakfast instantly hit the blonde's nose and her stomach let out a ferocious grumble. Cana looked back at her with a cocked eyebrow but didn't say anything. Lucy could only give a sheepish smile.
The hallway led onto a terrace with strange, exotic flowers blooming on the trellis and on the balcony edge. There was a single round table in the middle with a dozen chairs spaced evenly around it. The wind blew quite mildly, providing a fresh breeze, and the sun warmed the atmosphere giving the perfect temperature.
Mika was seated to the right with a dainty little teacup in one hand and a book in the other. She was deeply engrossed in its contents and did not hear them approach. Natsu sat, speaking with Lisanna, who stood dutifully by his side, while he occasionally took a bite off his...fire shish kabob? A man who Lucy didn't recognize sat across from Natsu, picking at a piece of bread while speaking to a woman Lucy also didn't recognize.
Her hair was an unforgettable scarlet and beautifully flowing down her back and over her shoulders. She had bright, brown eyes that narrowed dangerously every once in a while. Her robes were a violet purple, and she had a white dragon patterned obi. To add to her mysteriousness, a snow white owl was perched on her shoulder, cooing and rubbing the side of her face affectionately. She paused momentarily in her discussion, her eyes flicking upwards as they entered.
Lucy half expected her to say something, but she just returned to her conversation with the blue-haired man beside her. He had an intricate tattoo on one side of his face, and his dark green eyes seemed to peer into her soul.
Not that Lucy really minded because Natsu greeted her and gestured for her to sit. "Oh hey, Lucy! Want to eat something?"
"Oh, thank you," she responded.
Lucy sat right next to Mika, whose eyes lit up when she saw her. Cana, in turn, took a seat next to the mystery woman. She murmured a quiet greeting and pulled out a roll of bread from the basket.
Lucy was about to do the same but found herself pulled by Mika's fingers. "Lucy darling, how war your first night with Gray?" she gushed. "I hope he wasn't too bad of a sleeping partner. He used to have terrible sleeping habits. He didn't keep you up, did he?"
The blonde coughed awkwardly. "Uh, no. Rather, I think I was the one that kept him up with my restlessness." She pressed on. "That's why I don't think this sleeping arrangement will work out. I can return back to my own room, so I don't burden your son." Lucy inwardly prayed she would agree.
"Nonsense, my dear," Mika smiled with a shake of her head.
Lucy tried to protest, but Cana cut in with a smirk upon her face. "You're right, Lady Mika! And based on what I've seen, they worked things out. Did you know they were in each other's arms when I came to fetch them for breakfast?"
The mystery woman eye's widened at Cana's words.
"How wonderful!" Mika exclaimed. "Fate has always been right, but you two are just so perfect for each other! Did you consummate your bonding?" she asked eagerly.
Lucy suddenly felt hot, her cheeks red from embarrassment. "That's a little too hasty, don't you think?"
"Wow, I never thought I'd see the day," the scarlet-haired woman commented.
Mika's eyes lit up as she heard her speak, as if she had just remembered that she was there. "Oh! I forgot to introduce you to our guests! Silly me!" She gestured to the red-head. "This lovely woman here is Erza Fernandes, my dear Gray and Natsu's childhood friend. They used to always play together and get me mad when they came home covered in dirt," she recalled affectionately. "Of course that was ages ago. They reached maturation at 23, which was quite a while ago. Now she's gone and become the loved Goddess of War and Wisdom."
Erza blushed from the praise. "Please, that's a little too much."
"What's maturation?" Lucy wondered aloud.
Lisanna smiled. "Maturation is the age at which a god stops aging. It often occurs in the late 20s, but it is different for everybody. Some never stop aging and some reach maturation at the age of 8."
Mika nodded. "Yes, and this is Jellal Fernandes. He is the God of Space and Foresight. He and Erza are bound together. As you can see, they're quite close! You and Gray will be just like them in no time!" she claimed happily.
Lucy tried to keep her smile, but it was hard. She didn't want to stay here forever with strangers. It wouldn't be that bad, but she felt uneasy since she was a human in a land of gods. She was in a strange world and had a home. And that was when it struck her. Why she was sent here in the first place.
"Lady Mika!" Lucy clasped her hands urgently. "The reason I was sent here was to convince your son to stop the Ice Age my village was suffering from. My people are dying, and I was just hoping it could be stopped. I know that you're the Goddess of Agriculture, and you could possibly help them as well? Please, to calm my fears that my parents will be all right while I'm here?"
Mika smiled benevolently. "Of course, Lucy dear. Anything for you." She let out a soft sigh. "It's a bit peculiar Gray was able to cause something like that, but he is my son after all. It seems his capabilities with ice extend further than we thought." She gently squeezed Lucy's hands. "I do apologize. Gray was in a foul mood earlier and has neglected his duties as the Ice God. We must also go over his extended abilities. I'll make sure your family is safe. You are rather uneasy being here, but I do hope this calms your nerves." She gestured for Lisanna to come to her side and whispered into her ear. Lisanna nodded promptly and left in a rush.
Erza looked at Lucy curiously. "You are living in the land of the gods, yet you still have your mortal ties?"
Lucy was taken aback by her question, eyebrows rising. "Well, yes. It's only day one - you can't really expect me to adapt so quickly, do you?"
A maid came forward and placed a cup of hot tea in front of Lucy. She took it quickly and sipped it every couple of seconds. She was unnerved by Erza's piercing gaze.
Jellal spoke for the first time. "Your future is not with mortals."
Lucy's eyes narrowed. Since he wasn't just the God of Space but Foresight too, maybe this Jellal guy knew a thing or two about how her life was going to end up. She couldn't really argue against something of the supernatural. However, it ticked her off with all this talk about Fate this and Fate that. The future could always change.
He seemed to read her mind. "I can see the path you're headed to, not where you will eventually end up."
Lucy's mouth opened, about to respond when she was interrupted by none other than Gray Fullbuster.
"Save it."
Despite the fact that she knew who it was, Lucy still jumped in her seat by his sudden appearance.
She turned around to face Gray and gave a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "So you finally decided to show up." She tossed him a bread roll, which he caught expertly. Lucy felt her eye twitch in annoyance. "While you were gone, Cana decided to inform your mother of our...sleeping position."
He glared with his smoldering dark eyes, but Lucy matched it.
"It's your fault," he said simply. "I'm not the one who had to switch positions every five seconds."
"Twenty."
"What?"
"It was twenty seconds," Lucy muttered.
Gray rolled his eyes. "Same thing."
Mika squealed with glee and clapped her hands together. "Oh my! You two are just like a married couple!"
Erza snorted.
Lucy didn't know if she should feel offended or agree.
The scarlet-haired goddess stood up and grabbed Cana's arm. "Let's go. All the hard work won't get done by itself, you know. As the Goddess of Wine and Festivities, this is your line of duty."
Cana sighed, taking a large few gulps from her flask. "You're right."
Erza rolled her eyes, grabbing the Wine Goddess' infinitely full flask.
"Hey, I need that to survive the day!" Cana whined.
"It's nine in the morning."
"So?!"
Mika tilted her head to the side. "Where are you two lovely ladies heading?"
Gray spoke up. "Cana's always in charge of festivities and such, but I also put Erza in charge to...stop her procrastination." He chewed carefully. "So they need to get started since they don't have much time."
Cana laughed. "Oh, come one, Gray! Stop being so pessimistic. We'll get it done in no time. We've got magic, remember?" She gave a sly smile to Erza.
They turned to leave, but Mika stopped them.
"Why don't you girls take Lucy with you?"
Said blonde almost choked. "W-What?" She looked frantically at Gray who just shrugged. "I really think I should just leave it to the pros," Lucy suggested.
Erza lifted an elegant brow. "You know, Lady Mika, now that you mention it, why not? We could use this to get to know each other better. What do you say, feeling creative today, Lucy?" She held out her hand encouragingly.
Lucy hesitated and looked at Mika, who nodded with a smile.
"All right, sure," Lucy nodded.
Gray chuckled. He ran a hand through his hair and smirked. "Don't mess thing up, Lucy."
Cana's eyes narrowed and with a wave of her hand an invisible burst of energy hit Gray's arm and made it snap back. He growled and snapped his arm back in place with an audible crack. She smirked in satisfaction. "That's for drenching me earlier and just being dreadful this morning." She turned and smiled sweetly at Lucy. "I got your back, Lucy."
Lucy blinked slowly before smiling. Not to self: never piss off anybody here.
Cana nodded. "Well, let's get a move on, shall we? Time to get some décor done."
Erza smirked and pushed Lucy along. "We're going to have so much fun together."
Cana swept her long, wavy brown hair to one side and winked at Lucy. She gave her a mischievous smile. "Tons and tons of fun."
Hope this brings back some hope to some fans who thought this was gone forever. Fear not, I have taken over and will finish this before I get back to "Ice Devil's Angel." Sorry if it wasn't as good as Lady-san's own personal style to it, but I'll just get this out for you guys.
Have a nice day :)