Dealana shifted as she snuggled further into her blanket burrito.

'Wait...blanket burrito?'

The heterochromiac shot up and nearly fell off the rock ledge had she not grabbed hold of stone that jutted out from the wall in order to stabilize herself. She blinked, unable to recall falling asleep in her 'bed'. The last thing she remembered was breaking down in Gray's arms. Dealana immediately winced, feeling bad about Gray dealing with her crying.

Her wince dropped and a neutral, yet thoughtful, expression crossed the girl's face as she continued to recount what happened before she had cried herself to sleep. With Laxus being a huge jerk, to Gray nearly sacrificing himself and dying, and bringing back memories she didn't want to remember, Dealana had begun to convince herself that everyone she loved and cared for would eventually end up leaving her one way or another.

A lone tear slipped down her cheek before she wiped it away and sighed. Gray had comforted her despite not doing well with crying girls. She needed to not cry and instead thank him for that, and maybe, just maybe talk about what happened.

The storm dragonslayer carefully peered over the edge of her ledge to find Gray sleeping, somewhat comfortably on the long couch Dealana found and had refurbished. She smiled and silently jumped down, her bare feet soundlessly making their way over to adjust a fallen blanket back onto the ice mage.

Her next stop was the makeshift kitchen. Tossing her half eaten sandwich from the day before into the trash, Dealana sifted through what she had in the fridge. Not much, but there was bacon and milk. Going through the cabinets next, Dealana pulled out flour, eggs, and a few other ingredients before getting to work.

It wasn't long before Gray woke up to the smell of bacon and pancakes. He also heard soft humming, it was then that he remembered he was in Dealana's cave-house-lair-thing. He sat up with a yawn and dragged his feet over to where the blue-haired girl smiled at his approach.

"Good morning and thank you." she offered him a smile before placing a plate in front of him, which he gladly began to eat from. Turning off the stove, Dealana grabbed her own plate and sat across from him at the small table. A few minutes of silence went by as they ate, and Gray slowly woke up to a level that his brain could function more than Natsu's.

She glanced at him with her dual-colored eyes and sighed when she noticed he wanted to talk about what happened, "I'm sorry you had to deal with me being a crying mess."

"Are you going to be alright? I want to know what happened." Gray told the girl, who only sighed in response, "Dealana, you can't just breakdown like that and expect me not to worry."

"I know," Dealana set her utensils down on either side of her plate, "I just...I just...it seems as though everyone I tolerate is going to leave me or already has..." Dealana admitted while stubbornly refusing to admit she cared for some of those people. Gray felt his lips want to twitch upwards, as only Dealana could admit her problems and refuse to admit feelings in the same sentence. The reality of her statement sunk in, and the ice mage couldn't help but think back to Lisanna, who was no doubt who Dealana was thinking about.

Dealana had been waiting in the guildhall for the Strauss siblings to return. She was eight at the time and she missed Lisanna terribly, but Lisanna never came. It rained for a week before Dealana was able to get a grip on her magic and dissipate the rainclouds.

"We're not going to leave you, Dealana, I promise."

"You shouldn't make promises you can't keep, Gray," Dealana said shifting her leg to the side and looking solemnly at the pink friendship bracelet tied securely around her ankle, "She didn't and now I think Laxus is nearing the point of no return." her expression morphed into a frown, "You know he helped me with my magic when we were younger? We were like siblings, and now I can't handle being in the same room as his arrogant, big head."

"You still have everyone else," Gray pointed out, "Mira, Elfman, Erza, Cana, me, even Natsu and Happy. You aren't alone and we won't leave you." Dealana looked up at him with the first genuine smile in days. It was small, but it was genuine.

"Yeah, you're right," Dealana smiled, "I should probably let Mira know that I'm alright. I hope I didn't worry her too much..."

➵

After reassuring Mira Jane that she was alright, Dealana spent the day in the guild hall while Gray went off with Team Natsu on a small job that Lucy had taken. Since Mira was working, Dealana hung out with Cana, watching the brunette read her magic cards.

"Why don't you ever let me tell your fortune?" Cana had asked at some point.

"Because Arashi drilled it into my head that worrying about the past or the future is stupid. 'Only the opponent in front of you in the moment matters.' He never really cared about where he went, and I guess his 'go where the wind takes me' attitude rubbed off on me." Dealana explained with a shrug.

"Man, Arashi sounds harsh."

"He's the great dragon of storms, did you expect him to be soft and cuddly?" Dealana retorted raising an eyebrow in question.

"Well...no, I guess not." Cana admitted. Dealana shrugged again and looked around the guild hall.

"I missed the atmosphere here," she felt another genuine smile creep onto her face, Cana shot her a quizzical look.

"Does it smell like booze?" she asked in reference to the barrel of beer that sat behind the brunette for when she was finished with her cards.

"Nah, the atmosphere in Fairy Tail is always changing and has a sense of warmth and safety to it. At least, when Laxus isn't here..." she finished with a mean glare.

➵

Phantom destroyed their guild hall.

Phantom destroyed their guild hall.

Phantom. Destroyed. Their. Guild hall.

To say Dealana was angry was an understatement. She was absolutely livid and had to be forced into not going after Phantom by one of Mira's glares. As much as she wanted to beat the crap out of the rival guild, Dealana rightfully feared and respected Mira more. At least for now.

The sky-blunette sat brooding at a table alone, listening as for once, she agreed with Natsu and his desire to crush Phantom Lord. But she couldn't. After a drunk Makarov ran off to do whatever, Gray approached the quietly storming girl.

"You gonna be alright?" he asked carefully, noticing the slight change in air around the dragon slayer. Static electricity crackled a little and the temperature had dropped ever-so-slightly.

"When I crack a few Phantom skulls? Maybe." Dealana replied lifting her head and turning to look at the ravenette. She began to relax just a little seeing concern in his eyes. "How was the job?" Gray gave her the rundown of what happened and it effectively calmed Dealana's building wrath even more until Mira suggested that the members of the guild stick together for the night, seeing as Phantom is in town.

"Where are you going to be staying, Dealana? You can come with us to Lucy's apartment." Gray offered, but Dealana shook her head.

"I think I'm going to stay with Mira and Elfman for tonight." She lied having told Mira and Elfman that she would be going with Gray. In reality, she was going to head for her cave. Gray looked at her carefully before ruffling her hair.

"Alright, stay safe." Dealana shot him a playful glare as she began to fix her hair. She pushed away the building sensation of guilt before grabbing her small bag and heading out into the night.

As she was nearing the middle of town, she heard familiar voices and turned the corner to see none other than Team Shadowgear.

"What are you guys doing out here? You should be with everyone else." Dealana told them immediately.

"We could say the same thing about you." Jet countered,

"I'm not going to split up our team." Levy told the girl with a smile before Dealana tensed and pushed Levy out of the way just in time for a heavy blow that felt like iron.

"Dealana!" Jet and Droy exclaimed before things took a turn for the worse. Dealana tried her hardest. She really did. Dealana felt something inside her snap as she faced the red eyes of the Phantom creep who destroyed their guild hall. Levy watched with slowly closing eyes as the familiar sight of grey, cloudy wisps and the crackle of lightning enveloped Dealana's fist. But Dealana hadn't accepted using her magic offensively in time.

"Why do I have to keep practicing?" A young Dealana asked through labored breathing, "I'm tired!"

"Because, you little runt, if you don't keep up your magic, you'll wind up losing every fight you pick with me." Arashi told her sighing through his nose, which knocked the exhausted Dealana onto her bottom.

"I always lose to you no matter how much I practice!" Dealana countered giving up and laying on her back.

"Never stop using your magic and on the day you need it most, you won't fail, Dealana, that is one of the most important things I can teach you." Arashi used on of his talons to pick up Dealana by the fabric of her tunic and held her in front of him, her feet swing idly in the air, "Now, again!"

Young Dealana huffed but continued to work on the spell with a newfound sense of determination.

➵

"Excuse us." Erza said causing the crowd to part for their team, "We're from their guild. Please let us through." The sight they were met with was gruesome. Levy, Jet, and Droy were hanging by their wrists on the tree. Their bodies were battered and bruised, Levy's stomach that was exposed with her torn up shirt had the Phantom Lord guild mark painted on. Above them was none other than Dealana hanging in a similar state, her jacket long gone and her cream shirt stained with dirt and blood.

Natsu was seething and Gray was shaking with anger.

"Why are they still up there?" A man spoke up among the whispering, "Somebody get them down, already."

"Woah, do you see that mark on her?"

"We better not get involved."

"Levy!" Lucy cried.

"Jet! Droy!" Happy exclaimed in disbelief.

"Dealana!" Gray shouted his balled fists were turning white. He knew, he knew he shouldn't have let Dealana out of his sight. He should've known Dealana would be stubborn after breaking down like that. He should've...he should've protected her.

"Phantom Lord did this!" Natsu growled, his body shaking and his fists clenched so hard they were almost bleeding. His friends were hanging from a tree and among them, was someone he swore to Lisanna that he would protect. He may not be close with Dealana but she was important to him just like everyone else in the guild. The sound of footsteps behind them didn't make any of them turn to see who it was, and it seemed like Erza already knew,

"Master." Her voice was softer, saddened as her eyes never left the scene before her.

"I can take our headquarters being reduced to rubble. But I will not let harm come to my children without taking revenge." Makarov's voice was filled with anger and rage, at the end of his promise, his staff broke from the strength he'd used while holding it A powerful aura surrounded him, "We have no choice but to go to war."

➵

This is the longest chapter so far, but that also includes the addition of this author's note. I suppose Dealana isn't really having the best beginning to the new year, and it's totally and completely my fault. This marks the beginning of the Phantom Lord Arc, and I'm excited for what's to come. What do you all think? Gray is absolutely livid as well as Natsu. Gajeel better watch his back from now on. Don't be silent, I'd love to hear what you have to say, and Happy New Year!