(A/N : This is like I'm saying a month after they leave Skyrim and the Omake. Hope you enjoy.)
The group of fairies was walking down the road and chatting. Lucy was passive-aggressively talking about how she didn't need help on her quest. But she crumbled when Erza and Natsu spoke about how you never split up the strongest team. At the mention, she just smiled and looked at Gray.
He was also smiling as he held Eclipse who was playing with his bracelet due to boredom. He was the quietest of the group and more introverted but he still brought in new refreshing air to the team dynamic.
He was cool and level headed but when pushed to the end of his rope he could run hotter than Natsu and Erza. They walked the cobbled streets and started to just chat about everything and nothing. Lucy wondering where Gray was going to house himself since they came back.
"I'll probably stick to Natsu. If not Eclipse and I can probably find a suitable cave in the forest."
That statement made Lucy do a water-less spit take.
"A cave?! Why a cave?"
"Don't need to pay rent and I've lived in many since childhood. It's nothing new to me."
Natsu then just wrapped his hand around Gray's waist and pulled him flush to his body. His face showed that he wasn't the happiest.
"No mate of mine is sleeping or for that matter staying in a cave! You will be staying with me from now on."
Gray just shook his head with a small smile and muttered under his breath 'skeeverbrain'. But the closer they got to the guild the more people gave them sad or worried looks.
Confused they stepped up the pace to light jogs. And they saw it. A silhouette of the guild with large things protruding from it. Seeing it in the distance made the team run.
Once they were closer they could see that the protrusions were large rods made of dark blueish metal. But what the two dragons could sense that the human mages couldn't be the heavy musk of a dominate male dragon.
To Natsu, it smelled heavy for the reason that the dragon was flaunting its power and showing he had the nerve to encroach on another dragon's territory. To Gray, it was heavy for the number of pheromones that screamed it was a dominant male and the rusted metal tang on his tongue told of the posturing.
It was so thick it made Gray cough and cover his face. It was so disgusting. Nothing like Natsu's much more pleasant smell of burning fruit tree wood and spices, that left your being warm and protected.
To try and help ease the smell Eclipse lifted her tail so that Gray was smelling her scent. It helped to have the smell of lemons and raspberries, sugar, and fresh cream. But the metal was still on his tongue. They entered and picked their way to the stairs leading to the basement. Everyone was looking down at the floor with an air of defeat and loathing.
And the ones most depressed about what happened were drinking what they could and passing out. Off by a wall, Makarov sat on a barrel with a heavy flush on his cheeks. He seemed to be very drunk and was acting all giggly.
Natsu was fuming and seemed to be physically smoking stomped up the short man and loudly asking what happened to the guild. Makarov just brushed off Natsu's complaints and explained what happened. The hall was destroyed by a rival guild member from Phantom Lord called Black Steel Gajeel when no one was around and they would be taking requests in the basement till they could repair the top floor.
Gray sighed in relief that no one was hurt. The day was short with as Natsu fumed till he wanted to leave. Gray was holding Eclipse with Happy sitting on his head. The small group walked the streets and Natsu was side glancing Gray.
"Why aren't you angry?"
Gray just looked to Natsu and took a deep breath. He had a feeling that what he was going to say was going to piss off his mate. But he was going to bite the bullet and accept the anger. Mates complement each other they don't match. Natsu loved fish. Gray loved deer. Both were good just a different taste.
"I just recently joined. I don't have many fond memories attached to the building. The only memories I have of the building is of joining the guild. Besides, it can be rebuilt, bigger and better than ever. I also moved around a lot with Isis to avoid a lot of danger. Never got attached to a place."
"Are you kidding me! Did you ever consider any place like home?"
Gray looked up to the sky being concealed by the branches of the trees they were passing by, spring was going strong with all the flowers in bloom or budding, pollen casting a slight haze to the air. But it was nearing its end, giving way to summer. Gray was going to have a really tough time this year.
He couldn't stand the heat too well and the fact Natsu was going into heat and with the natural amount of heat he already produced daily. Summer was going to be a long season. But then he looked back towards Natsu, who was still frowning at him for taking so long to answer.
Gray took a deep breath and exhaled a small cloud of mist from his nose. But he closed his eyes and spoke.
"No, I've never considered any place I've stayed to be home. It just never felt right. . ."
Natsu was about to speak up again when Gray sent him a side-eye that said 'I'm not done talking, so hold your tongue'.
"I never considered any place my home because what I considered home was with the person I have a deep emotional bond with. Isis protected me, feed me, taught me countless things. She was safe and a constant in my life. With her gone, I didn't have a home anymore. I have a home with Endoura and now hopefully one with you. A place where we can grow and learn."
Natsu couldn't believe it. Those words were the balm he needed to calm his nerves and stop smoking out of his ears. What Gray said was strange but it held so much emotion and his truth it felt real. He guessed that it, was true for Gray himself. The only constants in his life were Isis, constantly moving, Endoura, Eclipse, and, now him and Fairy Tail.
They stopped at the little cottage in the woods and opened the door. The house was utterly stuffed to the brim with different objects. Gray smiled and chuckled a bit at the typical dragon-like behavior. But with the cottage being as small as it was and now housing two people and two exceeds it was crowded.
So with Natsu's permission and help they started to move all the items around to provide more space and Gray started to make a nest of blankets and pillows on the ground by a hammock.
"Why are you making that you aren't going to be sleeping on the floor."
"You'd be surprised how comfy this is. And I'm nesting. You should try it, I'll start making dinner."
Natsu just frowned and as Gray entered the kitchen to start the preparations of dinner, Natsu laid down in the nest and just started to melt into it.
It was dark and most everyone was sleeping in their beds by themselves, loved ones, or pets. But a small group of three were walking the streets. Two men and a petite woman. A shadow was following them till they turned and corner and the group was knocked out.
It was early morning, the sun was peaking through the clouds, fresh dew sitting delicately on leaves and blades of grass enhancing the smell of it. It would have been a wonderful and peaceful day if it didn't feel so off.
No birds sang at the early hour, there was no gentle breeze to help cool the world. The air didn't feel light and refreshing. It was dark and muggy. A heavy silence fell on the world. It would have been such a nice day today if the heavy oppressive atmosphere didn't hang here today.
A large group of people surrounded a large tree all in utter shock and horror. Gray, Natsu, Erza, Lucy, Happy, and Eclipse pushed through the crowd to get a clear view. But they weren't ready for what was before them.
Levy, Jet, and Droy were pinned up on the tree unconscious and covered in bruises. And Levy had the rival guild Phantom Lords symbol painted on her stomach. Lucy held her mouth feeling sick, Erza lost for words, Gray shell-shocked, and Natsu was pissed beyond belief.
Then a small man with a walking stick and white coat around his shoulders walked up. The crowd parted for him giving him a wide berth. The aura radiating off of him filled the air with poison, murder, and vengeance. He spoke one sentence that radiated such power, resolve, and absolute rage.
"I can take our headquarters being reduced to scraps of wood. But I will not let any harm come to my children without seeking vengeance! The only choice now! IS! WAR!"
A large town built on a mountain surrounded by pines and a river. It was peaceful and gave off the smell of sap and fallen needles. At the top was a guildhall for Phantom Lord. The members were bursting with pride at their victory over Fairy Tail and some of the members were wanting to go out and kick the guild while it was down. That is until the doors to the guild were busted in by an explosive punch. There stood an enraged Fairy Tail guild craving vengeance.
"FAIRY TAIL HAS COME CALLING!"
And the battle ensued.
Natsu opened with a wing attack while Gray started with something more tactical.
"Ice Dragon : Summoning Pillar!"
On the ground surronding Gray a magic circle glowed and from it, a large pillar made of ten thick segmented collums erupted from the ground. Then with a hard slam of his fists, the first collum shattered.
"Summon : Ice Wraithes!"
About ten wyrm like creatures made from ice exploded into life from the shards of ice scattered on the ground. They hissed and screeched and started to attack all the Phantom members. But Gray wasn't done. He still had nine collums after all.
"Summon : Frost Atronach!"
Another slam and two collums broke the frozen shards combined into a large ice creature with one arm looking like a club and the other a spike.
Another slam three collums.
"Summon : Ancient Frost Atronach!"
Last slam the remaining four.
"Summon : Frost Giant!"
With no more collums Gray sat on the ground but quickly got back up and started to fight. With claws, wings, tail, and breath. His creations easing the burden of fighting greatly.
Off to the side, Natsu just used Elfman to spring himself over to Gajeel. Natsu and Gajeel started to fight with Gajeel taunting Natsu about himself not being able to be hurt by the fire. When Natsu hit Gajeel towards the rafters Gajeel just sat their upsidedown. Starting to get agitated by the iron dragon Gray summoned his diamond scales and jumped up into the rafters with him.
"Natsu, switch out!"
As they passed they clapped their hands together as Natsu landed on the ground and Gray dug his claws into the wood. Gajeel just gave a confused look then started to laugh at what was in front of him.
"Gehehe! Does the little bitch think they can beat me. Well why don't we dance."
Gajeel jumped towards Gray with his hard fist but, Gray hopped over him and turned midair sending tail spikes at Gajeel's back. They peirced his flesh and started to draw blood. Gajeel grit his teeth and looked at the flying dragon who was glaring at him.
Pulling a spike out he glanced at it then did a double take. It was red and it went deep in his flesh. Gajeel looked at Gray with a poisonous glare and growled at him.
"YOU BITCH!"
Just as he was about to jump to attempt slashing Gray's throat something fell through the ceiling and crashed to the ground. It was master Makarov but he was green and had a very weak voice. All from Fairy Tail were in shock. At the sight of their fallen master. Their fighting spirit was snuffed out like a candle in a glass container.
So they quickly fled. Only Natsu wanted to continue fighting. Gray just grit his teeth and picked Natsu up by his arms and started to fly out.
"Don't be stupid! Everyone's in shock we have to retreat!"
Once out of the guild Gray threw Natsu to the ground and turned back to the door.
"Ice Dragon : Roar!"
Ice filled the door space and he quickly headed for the ground to follow his guild.
_________________________________________________________________
With Phantom Lord Arius was standing by Gajeel and looked at the fumming dragon.
"What has you frowning now?"
"I'm gonna tear that little bitch apart!"
"But that sounds painful and so sad!"
Arius started to cry again. Gajeel just ignored it and started to plan out how he was going to tear the ice dragon apart.
(Sorry for the long wait life gets in the way. I was moving states and getting used to my new surrondings and Blue has work. I hope you can forgive. Don't fret this isn't done yet we still have a long way to go till the end just hang in there. See you in the next one. Enjoy the hunt.)