Of Fire and Ice

C.58

"There must be someone who can beat Laxus and his pals!" Happy cried, and there was a slight rustle behind the bar. We all looked over and Gajeel poked his head up, cast iron in his mouth.

"Gajeel?!" They asked and I stood up again. "You're alive?! I thought I killed you!" I yelled, marching up to him. "Uh, I told you I was alive like, three months ago." He said, hopping over the bar. "No you didn't!" "Yeah I did. On Christmas. The shoes?" He said and we both stared at the iron shoes I was wearing now.

"You gave me these?" I asked and he nodded. "Wow. Thank you. Did you make them?" I asked and he nodded again. "You did a really good job... damn." I chuckled, then stopped myself. "I still don't forgive you, though." "What do I need to be forgiven for?" "I thought I killed you! That put me through hell for like, a week!" I said, punching his shoulder.

"Sorry!" He said and I just hmmphed. "Gajeel, will you fight for the guild?!" Master asked and Gajeel side stepped me, heading to the door. "Might as well. I got a score to settle with that guy." He said, then slammed into the wall.

Everyone's jaw dropped aside from mine and Harley's. "Honestly, I'm not even shocked. We're all secretly geezers. No offense, Gramps." I said and he just hummed.

Gajeel came over and sat in front of Harley and I.

Soon the scoreboard said there was only four wizards left. Master turned to us in shock. "You four are the only ones left?!" He yelled and we all looked at each other. I finally leaned my head on top of Harley's. "I'm too tired for this shit." I sighed and closed my eyes.

"Well, I've got no choice. Guess I'll bring Erza back." Natsu said and started to walk away. I didn't even care what was happening, but before long, Erza wasn't stone anymore.

"I feel hot..." She said slowly. "It was you, wasn't it?" She glared at Natsu, then punched him and Gajeel. "I'm not sure how the spell was broken, but if I had to guess, I'd say it had something to do with my right eye..." Erza said and I stood up. "What about your eye?" I asked, walking over to her. She smiled kindly at me.

"Henley, you and I are alike in more ways than one. This similarity is a story for another day." She said and I nodded. "Look! It changed to five! It automatically added Erza!" Harley said, and we looked at the scoreboard. Then it went up one more.

"Who could it be?" Happy asked. "Aren't you guys forgetting about someone? A member who's frequently out of town?" Erza smiled and they gasped, me left clueless. "Okay, that's actually kind of a lot of members from what I've been hearing lately, wanna simplify?" I said.

"Mystogan." Erza said and I nodded. "Never heard of him." I shrugged. Erza left and... we were still stuck.