Hot and Cold

Payback

~*****~

Happy's muttering and Natsu's growling was the only thing that seemed to echo in the dungeons. "Oh, wait," Happy perked up.

"You okay?" Ballad asked, her little paws resting on the manacle they put her in.

Happy nods. "Guess so." He sighs. "Hey, Aria? Is your tummy feeling better?"

I hum in response. "Yes. I've frozen my internals to ensure it doesn't happen again." I mention as I palm at my belly. "Although, with these sealstone chains on, I'm not gonna be able to thaw them out any time soon."

"Gray is such a jerk," Natsu growls. "What in the hell is wrong with him?"

"And without the Fairy Tail Guild Mark, he looks totally stupid," Happy hums.

Ballad and I share a discrete, insulted expression before turning our noses upwards. "Uh-- I mean, not you guys, though!" Natsu suddenly exclaimed as he took notice to our sour expressions. "Just Gray looks stupid without the guild mark!"

"Oh, and I suppose I look totally normal without it, huh? Thanks a lot, you freakin' jerk!" I hiss. "Great work makin' me believe rejoining Fairy Tail is a great move!"

Ballad chuckles as I immediately turn on my knees to peer out of the bars instead. Natsu whines at my attitude. "As crazy as this might sound, I believe Natsu's theory." Lucy mentions. "Something's taken him over, or he's being manipulated. I mean, you heard Aria, he can fool anyone, but not what's inside."

"The Gray we know would never do anything like this." Happy nods.

"No one who joins a dark guild has a good heart." I murmur to myself. My brow twitches as vibrations rumble against my knees. I press my face against the bars, peering out anxiously after shushing them violently. Gomon approaches the cell, facing down the hallway before bowing.

Lucy gives a shriek. "What kind of lunatic bows to empty air?!"

"Scary!" Happy cries.

Natsu suddenly charges to the bars. "Where is Gray!?" He bellows, his body creating a loud clanging noise from the collision. "Bring him down here right now!"

"Gray and the other mighty ones had to leaf to begin to the mission we've been brewing up." Gomon hums.

"What's that?" Natsu asks.

"Our purifications plan for the unclean masses." Gomon states. "Our exalted leader asked that I stay behind to snuff out who sent you here. Under strain of brew-tal torture."

"What is this purification plan?" Happy asks.

"The purification of souls. Only one thing will beckon the return of our Dark Lord Zeref. The deaths of countless innocents." Gomon states.

"There's no way Gray would be involved in some evil plan like that!" Lucy exclaims.

Gomon peers at Lucy for a moment. "Why have you not mentioned my outfit?" My brow quirks in confusion. "Well, I'm obviously cosplaying as our dark lord Zeref, and I think I nailed it to a tea!"

"I don't think so--" I trail off.

"I'm such a major fan of Lord Zeref I even got this awesome face tattoo! It's spell in some kinda foreign alphabet, but I was told it says Zeref Rules!" Gomon continues excitedly.

"It actually says Powdered Tea. You probably shouldn't have done that. Tattoos are kinda permanent." I hum.

"Say what?!" Gomon barks. "You bergamot be telling the truth!"