Fairy Tail Fairy Tales

GrayZa: What Now?

“Gray, Natsu.” Erza’s voice put an abrupt end to the argument Natsu and I had been having at our table. We both looked up at the scarlet-haired wizard, waiting for her to scold us. When she didn’t, I sighed. “I have a job I’d like you to accompany me on,” she said. “Lucy has already accepted, and will meet us here as soon as she’s packed.”

“What kind of job?” Natsu asked.

“We’ll be tracking down a group of dark wizards who attacked a small village a few days ago, killing everyone in it. They were last seen heading towards Hargeon, so if we leave now we should be able to cut them off before they get there.”

“Does that mean we’ll be walking?” Natsu asked, excitedly.

Erza nodded. “I suspect they will be taking a trail away from the main road so they can approach without being detected. That is why we must leave now.”

“I’m ready!” Lucy called, running towards us. “When are we leaving?”

“Now,” Erza told her.

“Happy!” The blue exceed followed after us, hearing Natsu call for him.

As we walked, I noticed Erza pulling along her usual amount of luggage. Part of me wanted to offer to help her with it, but I knew if I did she’d take it as an insult to her strength. Why does she have to be so complicated? I thought to myself, sighing. The biggest question to ponder, however, was how the hell I had developed feelings for the woman—especially when I was half afraid of her.

“What now?” Lucy asked, bringing me out of my thoughts. The path we had been walking split into two—which meant the dark guild could be taking either one, since they both eventually led to Hargeon.

“We’ll have to split up,” Erza announced.

“Me, Lucy, and Happy can take this one!” Natsu shouted, running down the path to the right, dragging Lucy along behind him as Happy shouted “Aye!” and flew after them.

“I guess that means we’ll be taking this one,” Erza chuckled, heading down the path to the left.

“I feel sorry for Lucy,” I mumbled, shaking my head.

“I wouldn’t,” Erza grinned, “truth be told, she actually really likes Natsu.”

“That’s part of the reason I feel bad for her,” I smirked.

“I—” She cut off, suddenly, pulling me into a patch of bushes.

“What the hell?” I snapped.

“Up ahead,” she whispered, pointing farther up the path. Disappearing into a cave up ahead was a group of men, whom I assumed were the dark wizards we were after.

Erza requiped one of her swords, looking at me. “Ready?” I nodded in response, following her as she silently ran after them.

When we reached the cave, an uneasy feeling settled in the pit of my stomach. Something wasn’t right, but I couldn’t place what it was. “Where’d they go?” I asked, wondering why we hadn’t caught up to them yet.

“Gotcha!” Came a laugh from behind us, just as the roof of the cave collapsed.

“Look out!” I pushed Erza out of the way as a large boulder came crashing towards her. I sighed in relief when the cave stopped shaking and we were both alright. Unfortunately, we were now trapped inside the cave.

“They led us into a trap!” She fumed, cutting at the large stones blocking the exit with her sword.

“Try all you want, Fairies,” came the same voice from the other side of the rock-wall. “Those rocks are sealed with anti-magic, so you’re trapped in there!” The group laughed, the voices growing fainter as they left us there.