Chapter Fifteen: Color it Gray
Gray swallowed nervously. He and the rest of the guild were standing at the head of Magnolia, right on the main road. Just where Zeref would be. Where Natsu would be.
Speaking of Natsu... Gray glanced sideways at Lucy. He didn't know what he could do. She seemed... Depressed. A knot formed in his throat as he thought of all the hardships she had been through already. Lucy was pretty damn tough.
But the things that they had experienced in the past hour had really shaken them both up.
Gray remembered it clearly.
~FLASHBACK~
Master took Lucy by the arm and pulled her away from the rest of the guild. He motioned towards Gray, urging him to follow as well.
They stood in the corner of the guild, furthest from the mass of the members.
"You two are Natsu's closest friends." Master stated simply.
Gray and Lucy nodded slowly.
"The two of you will have the most dangerous job in this battle."
Gray closed his eyes, preparing himself for what was to come.
"You two have the task of hunting down Natsu."
There it was was. Gray exhaled slowly. "Okay," He said. "Okay. And what do we do? Drag him back here? Do severe magical 'experimenting' until we're able to free him from that damned spell?" Gray's voice was getting louder. "How the hell do we even accomplish that in the first place?! How do you hurt a friend, even when they're hurting you?! He doesn't even KNOW THAT THIS IS HAPPENING, HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT HE'S DOING! YES, I HAVE MY FIGHTS WITH HIM, BUT WE NEVER REALLY DO HURT EACH OTHER!" Gray's face was contorted into a mix of rage, pain, and desperation. "WHY CAN'T THAT IDIOT EVER DO ANYTHING RIGHT, DAMN IT!" Gray paused, and caught his breath. "I don't think I can do it, Gramps. I don't think I can."
Master's face was expressionless. "Lucy, a moment please."
She nodded silently, and walked back towards the crowd.
Master was quiet for a moment, them spoke. "Gray, you love Lucy, don't you?"
Gray froze. Was it that obvious? He narrowed his eyes in sorrow. But it would never work out... "Yes, I do."
Master nodded. "And you realize that she doesn't think more of you other than a good friend?"
Gray's heart gave a painful throb. "Yes."
"And you have discovered that she loves Natsu, and he loves her back?"
He felt as if he was being split in half. "Yes." He said tightly.
"And you would do anything for Lucy, would you snot?"
"I would."
Master looked at Gray intensely. "Then help her save Natsu. You are already feeling love, and not being able to have it." He shook his head. "Forgive me, that was a bit of a harsh way to put it. But don't let her experience that as well! She is already starting to feel the effects! And if Natsu dies- no one, not even you, Gray, will be able to help her then. So you must try your best! Lucy's emotions and Natsu's life are very important."
Gray swallowed. "Ye-"
Master cut him short. "But remember this." Master looked in pain again. "What I said earlier- the world is at stake. So, if you and Lucy are unable to break him free... You know what you must do."
~END FLASHBACK~
He could see it now. The murmured chatter had gone silent; they were all waiting in suspense.
The time had come. Dark beings, Zeref, Natsu, they were approaching.
Fairy Tail was nowhere near as large as the oncoming mass, but they had to fight for the world. What was there to choose? Fight bravely, live or die now, or run, and die a few days later?
It was better to take the chances.
On most extreme cases, the Magic Council, and other guilds would be there to help, but this had just happened too quickly. So Fairy Tail was on it's own.
Gray clenched his fist. "Are you prepared, Lucy? There's no turning back now."
Lucy gave him a small smile which sent shivers down his spine. "Whatever you say."
"Stay close to me."
"Got it."
The ground trembled with the marching feet of the Dark Beings; the army was somewhere around two minutes away. But in perfect view to observe.
"They just keep coming..." Muttered Erza from somewhere in the crowd.
"How many?" Muttered Macao, scanning the rows with his eyes.
Levy pulled out her light pen, and did a quick calculation. She put the pen away quietly, without giving a response.
"How many was it, Levy?" Macao demanded.
She shook her head, her lips pursed tightly. Finally she spoke in a small voice, "Ten thousand."
Gray hissed. "There are around fifty of us... roughly that would be two hundred monsters each." The members of the guild stared at him with wide eyes. He frowned. "But never mind the numbers... just concentrate on fighting till' the finish!"
He smirked. "For we are FAIRY TAIL!" He punched the air, his index finger pointing upwards and thumb out.
A cheer rose up from the members, and one by one, they rose their hands too to form their own sign.
Erza let out a small smile. "Hmph, this is the Fairy Tail I know."
There was a loud roar from the opposing side. Gray whipped around to see that they had all stopped marching, and were standing still.
And in the rear, on a platform... He narrowed his eyes. "Natsu."
He felt a hand clench his jacket. "Gray..." murmured Lucy. "I don't trust myself."
Gray looked at her, and spoke sincerely. "But I do, Lucy. I trust you with my life."
A small understanding seemed to spring into Lucy's eyes. "Gray-"
The roar sounded again, though much louder and fiercer this time. He watched as the other army began to charge forward.
He turned away from Lucy. Whatever she had to say, it could wait. A icy cold fire burned in his eyes.
"Let's go, Lucy." he said.
He turned towards the guild members once more, and nodded, then turned back around.
"GO! FAIRY TAIL!" Master's voice boomed over the dark being's snarls of rage.
"YEAH!"
P.O.V. Lucy Heartfilia
Lucy followed Gray's lead, and plunged head first into the attack. Her guild members surrounded her, and no Derk beings had come into her view yet.
"Our target is at the rear!" shouted Gray, so he I could hear him over the crashes of the battle. "Don't waste any of your magic here, save it! Just leave it to me!"
To make his point he threw a lance of ice at a dark being, hitting it squarely on the chest.
"Nice shot." I stated.
The dark being only seemed pissed off though. It charged at us, foam dripping from its slimy mouth. Gray just encased it in ice.
"Come on." He lead the way, weaving his way through the army, and freezing most of them solid since there was no time for anything else, really.
~~~Natsu POV~~
Natsu watched from the rear, his whole body itching to move. The thought of battle excited him, but the thought of going against this group of mages was... unsettling. Actually, more than anything he wanted to fight the Dark Beings, those monsters were really pissing him off.
They were very foul smelling.
His lips curled in disgust. Ugh, he almost couldn't take the stench any longer.
He glanced sharply at Zeref, who had leaned in slightly to the sight of the battling armies.
"See something interesting?" He asked.
Zeref frowned. "It seems that those two are aiming to come for us."
Natsu raked the battlefield for "those two" that Zeref had been talking about. Finally, he spotted them.
Nearly halfway to them, was a teenage girl and boy, probably around his age, seventeen.
The girl had long, blonde hair that flew behind her as she ran, and her movements seemed somewhat graceful, if not entrancing. He could see her eyes from where he stood. Large and chocolate colored, and filled with a deep sadness. It seemed like hours, but he caught her gaze. It was a mere second, but his heart pounded faster in his chest and a deep sense of protectiveness rose up inside of him.
Then he remembered the guy who was with her. He ran with her hand in his, leading the way, weaving through the enemies with ease. Those who got too close were soon encased with ice, and unable to move.
The sight of his hand in hers fir some reason brought up a great jealousy and annoyance in Natsu.
He looked down at his palms. Why was he getting these emotions?! It was all too confusing.
"NATSU!"
His head snapped up at the call of his name. There, fifteen feet away, they stood.
The guy's face was filled with anger, disbelief, and sadness.
"YOU BASTARD!" He yelled. His hands curled into fists, and little bits of ice were encircling them, buzzing around like angry bees.
The girl looked at him. "Gray-"
He turned to her. "Look, Lucy. He's right there! And he doesn't say a word! Hell, he's looking at us like we're complete strangers!"
Gray looked back at Natsu. "How the Hell could you forget us?"
Natsu was stuck in a confused silence. Finally, he spoke. "I-"
Zeref broke in. "That's a complete lie, Natsu. Look me in the eyes."
Natsu turned around, and did as told.
Zeref smiled slightly. "You don't know them, do you?"
"I..."
"Do you?" Zeref repeated.
"...No. No I don't."