The Fated Encounter

Tuesday Night

You sit at your desk,  holding the picture Lacy had drawn today. It was very sketchy -- messy lines frayed the page. What torments has she seen that caused a little girl to draw such a creature as visually unappealing  as this one?  Perhaps it was just a child's imagination at work?

Laying it down gently, you lean back in your chair. You couldn't bring yourself to look away into the deep darkness of the night. What if he was out there? What if this creature was actually real and she has seen it?

You shook your head. "There is no way in hell this can even exist." You bite your thumb nail. "It's too... Freaky."

The silence that surrounded you just made your paranoia over this creature grow into an irrational fear. If only Komo had not wanted to go to Happy's Fall festival party -- the party that never ends until winter. And even still, there's the 'Spring Smash' that even mentioning makes you want to take a grapefruit and squish it on Happy's blue face. Luckily that party only happens near Natsu's house.

"(Y/n)!" You listen. There was a bit of a pause before you heard the call again."(Y/n)! I see your light on!" Called what sounded like Gildarts from right below your window.

You stood, the wood floor creaking as you approached the sill. It wasn't as dark as you thought it was as you leaned your head out of the window. "Sir?"

You had a habit of calling Gildarts 'Sir' due to his sheer strength. If there were a fight,  He could simply touch your shoulder and win. It's not like you haven't thought about how to beat him, but everything that came to mind involved touching him first.

You peered down at the man. His hands were on his waist. "I need to speak with you."

--                                                       --

You kicked the small rocks as you walked beside Gildarts. The clearing at Fairy Tail's housing buildings held no grass just pointy little rocks that didn't really hurt but you knew that they were there.

"So," You glanced up at Gildarts, his expression was neutral. "What do you wanna talk about?" You looked back toward your feet just as the ground turned smooth. It was the stone ground of Magnolia's streets.

"I need you to open a dimensional gate." He spoke just loud enough for you to hear. Despite the late hour, the town was lively. In fact, there were beautiful glowing orbs in the trees, light pen shows, and there were even more wizards than in the day.

"A dimensional gate?" You still looked around, your magic felt happy just from watching.

Gildarts took in a deep breath. "Yes. We, The master and myself, have been studying the possible existence of other worlds. It was only until recently that it was confirmed but... " he paused to guide you past a group of rather rough looking individuals. The more you got into the town, the more you noticed how much different it was. "We need you to open it. We are afraid that the gate to allow the afterlife to enter this world has been closed."

You shook your head, drawing you attention to the moment. "Why me? Wouldn't you ask Lucy? She opens spirit gates."

Gildarts shook his head slightly. His neutral expression was replaced with concern -- more or less curiosity. "Those are a different kind of gate. These are given to the spirits who where deemed worthy in life." Even in this world of magic, there are things that are still considered "taboo". One being the summoning the spirits of the dead. It was, by law of the magic council, forbidden for it could alter the two planes of existence. Cecil would do séances in the thrown room but would go unnoticed as he would use the already dead as sacrifices so you were already familiar with how the whole thing worked. "But we are in a desperate situation."

As the crowds got bigger, the closer you got the Gildarts. The wizards you glanced at looked like the would belong in a dark guild -- the ones that wouldn't being hanging around Fairy Tail, at least. "What do you mean?" You gripped his over coat the faster he began to walk.

You watched from behind as Gildarts separated crowds of people. You knew that he needed his own walkway when re-entering Magnolia but when he didn't have one, he sure made his own. "When was the last time you've seen first master Mavis?"

You lifted his coat, being sure not to touch him -- hiding beneath the cloth as if you were a scared kitten. "A few..." You thought. "Months ago?"

Gildarts peered down at you. He did not say a word but merely lifted his left eyebrow. "Months?"

Nodding, you swallowed your other questions for the more you thought about it, the more you realised the severity of the situation.

Master Mavis is lost.

xXTo Be ContinuedXx