Wings & Mages (Version 2)

Chapter 12: Portal-Nexus Regulations

Recap:

"Better rest well today, Daisuke," said Emiko as she started setting dishes and viands on the table. "We still don't know when your next heist target will surface."

"I know that and I'm ready for it," he replied with a smile and his eyes were filled with determination.

He then started pulling the chair in front of him and sitting down. He set his bag next to him and decided to finish the meal with the family first before changing clothes upstairs.

Things ran through his mind. "Phantom thieving isn't over yet, and we have someone in company..."

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A week has passed since Juvia has disappeared and everything went so wrong. Not that the guild members of Fairy Tail haven't gone to any missions or failed, but the fact was someone's missing, and everyone felt it.

The guild may be somber, but the worst effect was on Gray. No one has ever talked to him as casual as before since then. He always kept himself in the dark and refused to see anyone. He must be yearning for the return of his colleague.

Everyone was tired, not because of their jobs, but because of how they gave themselves out in seeking every way possible to help Gray. Cana, Levy, and Lucy stayed most of the time in the guild library and the central library, but haven't anything helpful yet. Erza, Gajeel, Natsu, and others went to different places for two reasons: finding a way to help Gray and taking requests in order to keep their income stable.

Gray was grateful to all of them, but this time, he's starting to lose hope.

Down past the hall, there were people chattering. They may be noisy but they were not feasting. At one corner of the guild, Natsu, Lucy, and Happy were together, talking.

"Gray isn't helping anymore!" Natsu complained, "Isn't that rude of him?"

"You only say that because you don't carry the same burden he carries," Happy muttered.

"Yeah, Natsu," said Lucy, "You should just understand him."

"Understand him?!" Natsu grimaced, pounding his feast on the table, making utensils float in the air abruptly.

Natsu and Gray quarrel way back before. Even when they first met, they always quibble, make petty fight of petty reasons with petty causes. They may have hate each other's guts, but that only caused them to be immune in blows and hits. Scrapping all year round has been useful to the two, indeed. And apparently, only Erza can stop them... with the help of a little violence.

"Here he goes again," commented happy nonchalantly, shrugging with his eyes closed.

"There's nothing wrong with that!" retorted Lucy, "You are scary."

Natsu calmed down and wipe that expression off his face only to replace it with a smirk. "Gray is no fun when he's like that. There's no one I can ramble with."

"Will you keep that down, just for now?!" both Lucy and Happy snapped at the same time.

"Geez." Natsu snorted.

"You have no idea that if a person gets too depressed, he might go insane," added Lucy.

"Where did you learn that from?" inquired Natsu.

"Lucy is a booknut, so she reads and knows a lot," answered Happy, "Have you forgotten that she's an aspiring novelist?"

"Aspiring?! I'm already a novelist!" Lucy shot back fiercely.