It was getting warmer. Spring was only just beginning and the summer was already showing their colours. The sun was high into the sky and Levy jumped over a gap between rocks. Gajeel needed only one step to get over the same gap.
'What is it?', he grumbled.
Levy looked up with confusion reading on her face. 'What do you mean?'
'You keep looking at that mountain', the grumbling continued. They got up before the sun was even peeking over the horizon and since then they've been walking. Gajeel wouldn't mind to set up camp and catch some Z's, even if it was still early. They still had to hunt for lunch as well. Their supplies were running low at the moment.
Levy continued to walk. She did not once look at him. Her mouth was shut. The dragon slayer noticed her quick glances at the mountain a few more times. He didn't ask about it again. She would talk about it if she wanted to.
There was another gap between rocks. This time it had to be a big jump for the short woman. It was a rough terrain and these gaps were proof of it.
Gajeel got closer when Levy was taking her time to judge the gap. Would she be able to make it? If not she could make a nasty fall. Not enough to break bones. But a big chance that she would hurt her foot. They still had several days before returning to Fairy Tail.
Gajeel didn't want to take the risk. He swung an arm around her waist and jumped before she had the chance to realise what was happening. Levy clutched his clothes and let out a shriek of joy.
'Don't do that', she slapped his arm while laughing.
'So much for thanks', he huffed before grinning back. 'I bet you need my help some more. So you better not hit me every time I try to be your prince charming'.
'Did you really just call yourself that?', the bluenette was sincerely surprised.
'You called me that first and I like it'.
'Sure....', Levy stood on her own feet again and continued to walk. The terrain got rougher after a while. She had to climb on steep hills or jump down. After almost slipping on one of the rocks she turned around. 'I give up. This is impossible', Gajeel came closer. 'AND NO...', he stopped. 'You're not going to carry me around'.
Gajeel shrugged. 'What do you want to do?'
'Let's go over the mountain', she pointed. It was a little back.
'There?', he pointed as well. 'With slippery ice and an abyss no one will ever find us?'
'It's not that bad there. Let's go'. Levy turned around and huffed her backpack high on her shoulders. She had a reason to go up there. It was the mountain where Rose had been trapped for several years. It was the last thing she wanted to do, feeling it would really end her grief. Levy had no problem to laugh, but she would feel guilty immediately after.
She had already asked Gajeel to travel a wide distance only to say her farewells to Rose. And to be honest, she didn't want to ask more of him. But on the other hand, she was already here. It was a stop she needed to make.
The rough boyfriend followed her in a steady pace. Always a few feet behind her. Enough to give her the distance but close enough to help if needed.
Even high in the mountain were cracks. These were hidden by a layer of eternal snow. 'Be careful', Gajeel mumbled behind her. He sped up and walked side by side with the bluenette.
Levy looked up. They were close to the spot described by Gray. That was the same spot were Rose had survived several years. She sped up, hearing Gajeel grumbling. 'What's the deal, shrimp?', he asked.
'It's nothing', she lied. Her eyes kept locked on the place. As if it would disappear the moment she would avert her eyes. She tripped over a rock but stumbled before falling. 'Watch out!', Gajeel grabbed her arm before she could hit the ground. Levy shook the gesture away. 'I'm fine'.
The dragon slayer was getting annoyed at this point. He allowed Levy to hurry upwards while he schemed against her. He ducked down and scooped up a big pile of snow. It was just a tiny ball, not big enough. From time to time he would scoop up some more snow, creating a bigger and bigger snowball.
Levy did not look behind her once, giving him a chance to create a snowball the size of a small pig. He snickered right after patting the last scoop firmly against the ball.
That same snicker caught Levy's attention. She turned around at the same moment the ball was swung towards her. It hit her right in the face. The cold was overwhelming. She swatted the snow away, glaring at Gajeel. It was time for revenge. She hid behind a rock and started to scoop up a ball for herself.
Gajeel didn't know she hid to plot her revenge. The way he saw it, he had hurt her when the snow hit her in the face. Perhaps she didn't want to cry in front of him. He took some careful steps towards her. He peeked around the corner to check on his girlfriend.
Levy, startled when he suddenly appeared, threw the ball. It hit him right in the face. She didn't even had to aim. His face was just there.
Gajeel blinked, his mouth was slightly open and a piece of snow hang on the corner of his lips. The sight was rather funny, making Levy giggle. The giggling became loud laughter.
'Round two', Gajeel grinned evilly. His dragon-teeth were visible.
'Noooo!', Levy laughed and crawled up. She started to run away from the man. She clawed the snow towards him as she got up. She knew she hit him when he started to curse. Her smile widened.
'Stand still', he growled as he grabbed as much snow as he possible could.
Gajeel stomped towards the general direction Levy had gone too. She was quick. Too quick. He was careful when looking around the corners. He didn't want another hit in the face.
He peeked behind the third rock when he heard Levy's laughter behind him. She must have made a turn somewhere to sneak up on him. He raised the giant snowball above his head as he turned around only to get hit by the words snow. She had written the words with her magic to win this little fight. Perhaps it was the right move because there was enough force behind the word that hit his arm. He lost grip on his snowball the moment he had taken the blow. He cursed yet another time as his giant snowball fell on top of him. 'That's cheating!', Gajeel yelled as he had to dig himself from underneath the snow. 'Time for payback'. His nasty grin was strangely attractive in the eyes of the script mage.
'You first need to catch me', she turned around and ran upwards, higher up the mountain. She ended up on a flat spot. A couple of meters away she noticed a small cave. Perfect for hiding. She ran towards it and practically jumped inside only to bump into something soft. A low grumble of pain came from it. Fear.
Levy didn't know how fast she had to get out of that cave, escaping with a high-pitched scream. She immediately noticed Gajeel stomping towards her with the biggest snowball yet. Without doubt she ran into his arms. 'There is something there', she informed Gajeel in an hushed voice before she turned around and pressed her back against his chest. The surprise made her startled for a short moment. She grabbed her pencil and was ready to fight whatever was in there.
Gajeel and Levy waited to see if the mystery man, woman or animal would get out. It was surprisingly quiet. A faint sound of rattling iron caught Levy's attention. She took a step forwards, staring into the cave. Darkness was the only thing that greeted her back.
Levy took another step closer. Another one. Another one.
She got more sight inside the small cave. Gajeel took a few steps closer as well. Something white inside. It shifted, the rattling metal was heard. A soft clang-sound gave Levy the impression that, whatever it was, was chained against the wall and it reached the end of its reach.
White and slender fingers clawed at the ground, barely visible in the dark.
'GET OUT!', Gajeel growled. Maybe he didn't figure out that it was chained.
The slender fingers pulled back quickly, as if it was scared.
Gajeel growled a last warning but the pale fingers didn't return. The metal wasn't heard.
The iron dragon slayer wasn't well known for patients. The snowball was raised high above his head before throwing it towards the entrance of the cave, partly blocking exit. Its inhibitor shrieked. Snow was kicked back towards the outside world.
'GET OUT!', Gajeel growled for the third time in a row.
'LEAVE ME ALONE', the voice belonged to a woman. It was strangely familiar but it was soft, hoarse. The way someone would speak after all hope was lost, yet bared strength. 'DIDN'T YOU HURT ME ENOUGH ALREADY'. The iron chain rattled and clang. The pale fingers appeared over a pile of snow. The middle finger raised strong in contrast to the other, curled fingers. Gajeel got flipped off.
'Rose?', Levy couldn't even believe herself for asking. Gajeel sniffed the air. 'IT IS ROSE!', he shouted. Levy looked at him for not even a second. They shared the look of disbelief in that short moment. Levy and Gajeel ran up to her. They both grabbed like wild animals to remove the snow as quickly as possible.
Levy was the one to shove away a big pile of snow that was in between them. Rose's mouth dropped, her lower lip trembled. Her eyes reddened before tears streamed down her cheeks. 'Levy', she mouth wordless.
Levy saw enough. This was Rose. She looked starved, at the point of freezing to death and chained to a cave on the same mountain where she was trapped for several years already. But yet again, it was Rose. It was her sister. The one she had thought was dead, was alive.
Levy flung in her arms while Gajeel gnawed of the iron chains to free Rose.
He looked down at the two while they both cried their hearts out. 'How?', Levy asked while buried underneath the flowing hair of Rose. She didn't expect an answer. She was happy as it was.
Eventually the tears dried up and Levy looked up at Gajeel. 'She is alive', she said while whipping away those dried tears. Perhaps she didn't believe it herself.
'Welcome back', Gajeel laid a hand of Rose's shoulder. She seemed too tired to react or scoff. Rose stared at him for a moment before she passed out before he was able to drape his coat over her shoulders and pick her up for their way down the mountain.
:%Q'