Beauty and the Iron Dragon (A GaLe Fairy Tail Fanfic)

Chapter 4

"Once upon a time, everyone in the castle was human," Lucy said looking down. "It was winter, when it happened. When we were cursed by an enchantress. I was cleaning this mirror when there was a burst of light. If I hadn't closed my eyes I could probably have gone blind. Then," Lucy stopped looking pained. "I was inside this. It took three days for my lover, Natsu to find me. It turns out, he was turned into a golden candle, Gray into a black clock, Erza into a sword, and sweet Wendy into a wooden doll. I'm thankful I can at least travel between a couple mirrors inside the castle" Lucy finished. "I have a few questions" Levy said. "Of course. Ask away Levy" Lucy said putting a calm smile on her face. "First, who is Gray, Erza, and Wendy? Second, why were you cursed?" Levy asked. "Gray, Erza, and Wendy are close friends of mine, I've worked with them since nt first day. As for the second one, I don't know, but I think the master had something to do with it" Lucy said. The only thing that was wrong with that last answer, was that it was a lie. She knew very well why they were cursed, infact everyone in the castle knew. She just couldn't tell Levy, the whole staff agreed to never tell Levy the reason they were in this mess. It could ruin their chances of breaking this curse. "What hobbies do you have?" Lucy asked Levy, changing the subject. "All I ever do is read!" Levy said with a little sparkle in her eyes. "Then you have see the library, it's huge!" Lucy said getting excited, being a bookworm and secret author. It was three years since she had talked to a fellow booklover and she'd be damned if anything would ruin this moment. "Really? What's your favorite book?" Levy asked her new found friend, her eyes sparkling.

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"What's taking her so long" Gajeel grumbled while he sat in the dining room. Levy was thirty minutes late and it was starting to tick him off. "Well, you did put her in the same room Lucy is in..." Erza stated. "God damnit, what have I done" Gajeel said. "Hey! What's that supposed to mean!" Natsu yelled at Gajeel, ready to defend his lover. "Lily, go bring Levy here please" Erza said to a black exeed. An exeed was basically a talking cat that could fly by summoning white wings, stand on two legs, and wore clothes. Some had special abilities, like Pantherlily, who had a battle form. There were three exceeds at this castle, Happy, Pantherlily, and Carla. They were out on royal business when the curse was placed onto the castle, and weren't affected by it whatsoever. "On it right away" Lily said, having a deep voice, before wings appeared on his back and flew to Levy's room. "There, will that set your mind at ease?" Erza asked looking at her master. "Sure Titania" Gajeel said while glaring Natsu. "Hey metalhead! You didn't answer my question! What's wrong with Lucy!" Natsu yelled pressing his forehead against Gajeel's. "Do you got a death wish or something!" Gajeel yelled adding more force to his forehead. But surprisingly, Natsu stood his ground. "Do you!?" Natsu said, glaring at Gajeel. "Can you both, please, just get along!" Erza shouted' getting annoyed. "Stay out of it!" Natsu and Gajeel yelled in sync at the sword. Both were growling, neck-and-neck, when Lily came back. "Lily, where's Levy?" Erza ask Lily when the short girl was not behind him. "She's not coming" Lily said simply and calmly. "WHAT!" Gajeel screamed. "Don't get mad, or go psycho. I know what to do" Natsu said as he hopped down from the table, a confident smile on his face. Meanwhile, Levy and Lucy were talking about book series they've read in the past. Their conversation was cut short as Gajeel practically tried to break the door down. "Shrimp! I thought I told you to come down to dinner!" Levy heard Gajeel yell on the other side. "I'm not hungry! And stop calling me shrimp!" Levy yelled at Gajeel. On the other side, Erza, Lily, and Natsu were talking to Gajeel. "I don't think she'll come out if you continue to yell. Try being polite" Lily stated. "But she's being difficult," Gajeel grumbled. "Well look who's talking" Natsu told Gajeel. "Shut it Salamander!" Gajeel said pressing his forehead to Natsu's. "I think we're getting off track" Erza said having to break them apart. "Just ask nicely Gajeel" Lily said while glaring. "Fine" Gajeel said while standing up to the door. "Come to dinner, please" Gajeel gruffly asked waiting for answer.This is stupid, I shouldn't even have to ask, Gajeel thought to himself. Then the image of Levy's sad eyes came into his mind and he couldn't help but feel guilty. "I'm not coming out" Levy said from behind the door. "Fine! See if I care! If she won't eat with me, then she can starve for all I care" Gajeel said turning to his staff, who were shocked by Levy's decision. No one besides Lily or Natsu ever stood up to Gajeel. Never mind defying what their were told. After Gajeel disappeared down the hall, Lily went to the kitchen and whipped up some tea and biscuits. Then Lily proceeded to Levy's room. He was halfway down the hallway to Levy's door, when Erza tapped his shoulder. "What are you doing?" she asked. "What does it look like? I can't let her go hungry. Gajeel may not go easy on her or care, but I will" Lily said before continuing his on his way. Levy was exploring her new room, when there was a soft knock from the door, she walked over to the door. Lucy had left to go somewhere else in the castle, so she was alone. Can't be Gajeel's, that's for sure, Levy thought as she opened the door and looked down to see Lily, the cat Gajeel sent that was supposed to bring her down for dinner earlier, with tea and biscuits. "Since you won't be coming out, I brought food the food to you" Lily said walking in. "Oh, thank you" Levy said as she followed the cat. "Not a problem. Sorry for Gajeel's behavior, he's not what you would call social. Hasn't had a real conversation for a long time, doesn't know how to talk to someone. I guess he's what you would call anti-social" Lily said smiling. "Anyways, where did you come from? Before all this" Lily asked as he set the tea and biscuits down on the floor. Levy poured tea into the glass cups before answering. "Well, I lived in a little house with my fa-" Levy was cut off when lightning shot across the sky from the view of the large window, completed with loud thunder. Levy turned to Lily, who was covering his ears while shaking with his tail around him in a circle. He's scared of thunder!, Levy thought. "You wouldn't mind if I stayed here for the night, would you?" Lily asked his voice coated in pure fear. "Of course. I'll go get into pajamas" Levy said smiling as she walked to the closet. When Levy closed the door, Lily turned to glare at the mirror, still shaking. "You know, if you want this curse to end, you should be nicer. You're lucky I know you well enough to know what you're doing. After tonight, try getting to know the girl. She seems nice. Plus, you're running out of time" Lily finished as Levy came out from the closet. She yawned as she climbed into the bed. Since she was shorter than the average adult, the bed seemed bigger than a king sized. Lily flew next to Levy, who was already asleep on her side. Lily curled up next to Levy's arm and slowly fell asleep. Meanwhile, Gajeel watched Pantherlily fall asleep beside the short women from the view in a mirror similar to Levy's. "Damn cat" Gajeel mumbled to himself as the image of Levy and Lily disappeared from the mirror. He didn't know why, but his inner conscious was constantly yelling at him to make sure she was ok after he yelled at her, and eventually got annoying. So, he caved in and checked on the girl. I don't need to be nice and I don't need to get to know her either. Plus, I get the feeling she doesn't want to know me, Gajeel thought. And he was fine with that. From his point of view, there was no point in hoping, it had no guarantee. You had to make something happen, but as far as hope went with Gajeel, the situation he was in was hopeless.