Fairy Tail One-Shots!!!! Different authors!!!!

Into the Dark Mist

It was a dank, cold night in Magnolia, with fog creeping up from the river, slithering through the streets, and making the whole world vanish in vile mist. When Lucy looked out at the wisps, a chill ran up her arms. It was too spooky to go out alone. She glanced back into the guild hall, so bright, cheery, smelling of hot food and cold beer. She could probably ask someone to walk her home tonight, although that made her sound like a coward.

Just then...

"Test of courage!" Cana bellowed.

"Ooh, a test of courage, huh?" Natsu cackled.

"Testing courage is manly," Elfman declared.

Wendy shank down some. "Is it going to be really scary?"

Romeo patted her arm. "I'll protect you." It made the girl blush.

Juvia was already plotting it out. "Juvia will team up with Gray-sama. Juvia will act scared and grab hold of Gray-sama's hand. Oh, it's so scary. Protect me, Gray-sama! Don't worry, Juvia-chan, I won't let anything hurt you. Ooooh Gray-sama!"

Lucy had always hated tests of courage. They were purposely meant to scare people. Still, she could not act like a coward in front of her friends.

"I've got a good one," Gray chuckled softly. "According to my neighbors, there are ghosts where I live."

Levy leaped back. "G-g-g-ghosts?"

Gray had a devious smirk as he told the story in a low, haunting voice. "According to my landlady, thirty years ago, the previous owner's daughter killed herself the day her parents tried to force her to get married. Her father blamed himself, and he refused to eat or drink. A week later, they found his skeletal body in the attic. Ever since, the people all over the neighborhood see the face of a half-starved man looking into their windows, the father searching for his daughter, and a white gown floating through the air...without a head! Two ghosts, forever haunting Magnolia."

Lucy gulped hard. "A headless bride ghost?"

Levy bit her lip. "How terrifying!"

"I ain't afraid," Gajeel declared.

"Juvia wants to go," the water mage cried out enthusiastically, latching herself onto Gray's arm.

Natsu bounced up in front of Lucy. "Ya wanna come along and see the ghost?"

"What a waste!" she scoffed, shivering inside but determined to act tough.

Natsu's eyes went huge and pleading. Out of nowhere, Happy popped up and gave her the same expression.

"Pleeeeeease, Lucy!"

"Pleeeeeease!"

How could she resist these two? "Okay, fine, I'm in. But Gray, is there really a ghost? I mean, have you seen it?"

"Actually, I've seen stuff like that," Gray frowned. "It's not just old ladies getting jittery over nothing. I don't know what it is, but...I've heard rustling at my window, and once, when I looked out, I saw what looked like a man's face, with sunken eyes and starved cheeks, staring back at me. Seriously scared the crap out of me! There's something out there. I don't know what, but it's real."

Lucy cringed down, but Natsu patted her arm.

"I'll protect you, Lucy."

"You're just as scared of ghosts," she grumbled, but Lucy said nothing more. Couples were already being formed, and she would rather be with Natsu than stuck with someone who would make fun of her.

Mira sorted things out. "So, seven groups, we go in three minute intervals, walking from here to Gray's house."

Cana cheered out, "Party at Gray's house afterward!"