Literal, Beauty and the Beast (GaLe)

Wait??? WHAT???

As Levy and Gajeel continue on their route home, Gajeel feels a strange, ominous presence nearby.

He pauses for a moment, and turns his head slightly, holding his little fairy close to him.

Levy gazes up into his eyes.

"What's wrong, Gajeel?" She asks with a soft, sweet voice.

He keeps his eyes fixed behind him, but then speaks with a strong voice.

"I think we're being followed."

Just as these words escape from him mouth, a vibrant ringing reaches their ears, and Gajeel hears a shrill scream come from Levy.

His head spins to her. "LEVY--"

As he does this, he suddenly jumps, seeing what now does not rest in his arms, but rests solely in his hands...

Blinks enter his eyes and then leave in confusion.

"Levy?" He says in almost a whisper.

He was now staring at his little fairy... Literally... In the palm of his hand sits a little fairy... And it is Levy.

She has her hands in front of her eyes, scared as she shakes.

"Gajeel," Her tiny, squeaky voice spits out. "What was that thing?"

Defenses down, Gajeel doesn't sense the figure coming up from behind him, but realizes it's presence once he is hit on the back, and tackled to the ground.

"Nnnngh!!!!" His body falls to the ground with a thud, as he holds the screaming Levy fairy closely in his hands, and even closer to his heart.

A sudden pain then strikes him in his skull and skin.

He lets out a rough, pained scream, but them immediately clenches his teeth together, not wanting to seem weak... For he is not weak.

From Gajeel's skull, two long smooth horns start to grow. The pain is unbearable as he has to resist the urge to squeeze his fists, in fear of crushing Levy.

His skin starts to change to where part of it is made out of cool, metallic scales, just like with his magic, but this time, painful. It felt as if someone were burning his skin off in the areas in which the scales were blooming, and the scales even left a definite prickling sensation on his nerves.

This goes on for about five minutes, all the while Levy, being held securely in his hands, has been crying, knowing that her dragon was in pain.

But, soon enough, the pain ceases, and Gajeel sits there for a moment, hunched over and panting a gruff breath.

He then forces himself to sit up... I need to check on Levy, he would think... I must...

Once sitting up, with his legs crossed in front of him, he ever so gently moves the shaking little thing in his hands away from his chest, and up to his eyes.

"Levy," He asks in a serious tone. "Are you alright?"

Her hands stay placed on her eyes as she nods gently, her wings folding flatly against her tiny back.

They sit there like this for a while... Gajeel watching as Levy catches her breath, and Levy sitting there, trying to calculate what is going on.

Before long though, a soft, shaky sound comes from Levy's tiny voice, and she finds the courage to look up--

Her eyes go wide as she looks at the "ginormous" Gajeel.

"Gajeel!!!!!!" She says with a horrified shriek, as she jumps back onto his fingers, from his palm with her wings raising high up. Her frightened eyes study him, taking in every detail of his new appearance... Yes, she knew it was him, because he looked similar enough to himself for her to tell... But, she could see the horns on top of his head, and could see the shining scales on his body, mixed with his own skin.

His eyes are dead serious as he looks into her own, tiny ones.

"Are you sure you're alright?" His voice is as stern and serious as can be.

She sits there for a moment, returning his glare into her eyes. After a deadly silent staring, her lips start to part, and her wings start to lower down, allowing her relax.

"I-I'm okay Gajeel," Her voice says, strong yet faltering as any beauty would be in the hands of a beast. "I-I'm okay..."