In-Between

Chapter 37

"What was that about?" Lucy asked after the four of them were quiet for about ten minutes.

"What was what about?" Natsu asked.

"What you said about Gray almost taking someone out of existence. Did that actually happen?"

It finally hit Natsu that he had made a big mistake. He didn't mean to mention that Gray did that. It just slipped out. But it was too late now. Now he would have to talk.

"Alright um...It's like this." He explained. "When Gray's soul had first been placed in his new body his reaction to everything was kind of different from everybody else's."

"How different?" Wendy asked.

"Well like everyone stuck in the limbo of afterlife he was amnesic about who he was and what his life was like but normally when a soul awakens in a new body they're unemotional, unsure, completely blank. At least until their personality kicks in but that didn't happen with Gray. He and I were awakened at the same time and while I didn't know what the hell was going on he was going crazy."

"What do you mean crazy? Be more specific." Lucy said.

"He started running around, shouting, shaking, and trying to get away. It was like a wild animal had just been let out of it's cage. He attacked anyone who came near him and if anyone touched him oh God have mercy."

"What? What did he do?" Juvia asked.

"When they were trying to restrain him one of the ghouls touched his throat and it triggered something really bad. He broke out of their grip and started to beat the crap out of him. The poor guy would have ceased to exist if my brother hadn't of intervened."

"Why was he like this?"

"No one knew. My brother tried to remove Gray's soul from his body so he could do a little research. Try to find a way to calm him down but he got loose and ran off in to the In-Between. I didn't see him again for a long time and when I did he seemed to have mellowed out a little but God only knows what kind of damage he did before he developed some sort of sense. I mean he had established a reputation where everyone feared him."

"So he just woke up crazy?" Wendy asked.

"Apparently."

"How does that happen?" Juvia asked.

"I really don't know. But hearing him say that he has insanity deep down inside of him raises a few questions with me."

"I'll say." Lucy said. "Do you think he could slip back into that breakdown?"

"He hasn't for a century or so but you never know with people like that."

"Do you think he could be psychotic."

"No he can't be." Wendy said. "Psychotic people are bad and you guys said bad ghosts and ghouls don't make it to the In-Between."

"Wendy with things like mental issues it's a tricky subject." Lucy said. "They're lots of people in the world who have gone completely insane and have done terrible things but in their heart they're good people. In other words had it not been for that mental instability they might have lived good lives and made good choices."

"But Gray is a good person."

"We know that and if he didn't have any feelings of insanity this wouldn't be a problem. But some of those feelings are still there. Which means we may have to keep our distance from him."

"That's ridiculous." Juvia said. "He's lived with us for a hundred years and he's never done us any harm. Do you really have any reason to be afraid of him?"

"Juvia you haven't seen what he's done when he loses it." Natsu said. "I have and it's not pretty."

"But that was a long time ago and he hasn't snapped in a hundred years so what are the chances of him losing it now?"

"He did punch me in the face."

"Natsu he always punches you and Lucy does the same thing. Your like a cross between their friend and a pinata."

"Okay I can't argue with that."

"So you're telling me that after hearing what kind of feelings he has you're not scared or cautious of him at all?" Lucy asked her.

"I'll admit I'm a little unsettled by what he feels but he's still my friend and if he's feeling like he might go crazy or something maybe we should try to help him figure out why that is."

"How are we supposed to do that? We're not therapists." Natsu said.

"I don't know. But we are his friends and friends help each other no matter what. Which is why I'm going to go find him."

"Are you sure that's a good idea? Trust me you don't want to be around him when he's in a bad mood."

"I'll take my chances." Then she went out the same entrance Gray used to go to the In-Between.

"You know I think she's right." Wendy said. "I think we should try to figure out why he feels insanity. But I also think we should find out why she feels sadness and why it is that you all are being held here."

"Wait a minute what are you saying?" Lucy asked.

"I'm saying that I want to help you all move on."

"That's sweet kid but you can't." Natsu said.

"Why not? I can communicate with you all and I helped Percival move on. All I needed were clues from his past to make the connection. So I'll do the same with you guys. You all lived once so you must have left behind some clues to who you were and how you lived. I just need to find them and make a connection."

"That's easier said than done." Lucy said. "We've been trying to do that for years."

"But you're dead. No one can see or hear you so if you find something you can't ask anyone alive questions. But I can. Maybe that's the reason I have this ability. It's to help ghosts and ghouls figure out their unfinished business and move on."

"Wendy we appreciate the help but-"

"What have you got to lose by letting me help you?"

"Kid's got a point." Natsu said. "I mean we are dead. We have nothing to lose and if she can bring us closer to getting behind the pearly gates why stop her?"

"Alright let's say we let you help us move on. Where are you going to start?"

"I think this house might be our first clue." Wendy suggested. "Maybe it's not just some random coincidence that you all ended choosing to live here. Maybe there's some history behind this house that brought you all here."

"I doubt it but I guess there's no harm in investigating." Lucy said.

"Great. I'll ask my parents if they have any documents or articles about the previous owners of the house." Wendy said. "If they don't have any then we'll got to the library. It's an old house so the library is bound to have some kind of information on it's history."

"But wait what about your bike riding trip with your friends?" Natsu asked.

"Oh right." Wendy said. "We'll work on it when I get back."

She glanced down at her wrist watch.

"Oh my goodness it's almost time to go! You guys just hang around here! I'll be back at three o'clock."

With that said she grabbed her backpack and hurried downstairs toward the front door.