The Fairy's Tale

Summary: Levy's in trouble when she finds herself trapped in a spell revolving around a series of fairy tales. Sadly things don't go quite as planned with Gajeel lurking around and ruining every fairy tale there ever was in his most Gajeel like fashion. GaLe

Disclaimer: I do not own what I do not own.

Note: Occurs after Edolas and before Tenrou Island

Prologue:

Levy murmured softly as she turned her head to the right and flipped the page of her text before she turned back to the parchment in front of her and scribbled down certain notes before turning back to the heavy leather bound book at her side. She hissed lightly as she scratched out the words that she had just written and flipped back five pages before sighing and straightening out her back.

"I need to think about investing in a desk and chair," Levy sighed as she stretched her arms to the sky and picked herself off the ground. Mirajane had delivered a glass of water to her hours before, only to receive back a wave and more murmurs before Levy had shoved her nose back into her books. Levy had promised Mirajane in a quick spew of mumbles that she would take a break if she made a mistake and two hours later that promise had been fulfilled.

Oddly Mirajane had hung around for at least fifteen minutes longer simply grinning to herself, but Levy paid no mind. Mirajane was one of the odd ones, though that wasn't saying anything while she was still considered a part of Fairy Tail.

Once the glass had been drowned, Levy took a quick look out the round window close to the library's ceiling and noticed that the moon was out and the sun had sunken. "No wonder Mira-chan was worried," Levy laughed as she walked back to her pile of research material and knelt down to collect all her texts into a neat and orderly stack.

Slowly Levy lugged the books, three at a time, to a taped off corner of the guild's library. The tiny corner had been labeled with her name in big bubbly letters indicating that that corner was all her own. No one had her denied her that right considering that most of them already thought that the whole entire place belonged to her anyways. Lucy always asked for Levy's permission to enter the room, to the blue haired girl's amusement, and wouldn't fix her habit no matter how many times Levy commented on it.

When all her books were stacked up in orderly piles in her designated corner, Levy quickly scurried to the large doors of the library and pushed them open. Taking a short trip down the hallway and turning a corner she found herself on the first floor of her beloved Fairy Tail guild. Lucy quickly gave her a loud greeting from the other side of the room with a flourished wave before the blond turned back to Erza to discuss a mission. Natsu and Gray were being no help as they were once again tossing each other into walls; Elfman was simply on the sidelines itching for a good chance to join in. Levy was slightly shocked to see that instead of just staring on the sidelines like Juvia was prone to usually do when Gray got in a fight, the woman was scurrying around the scuffle with red cheeks and waving arms.

Before Levy could think more about the odd sight a grunt echoed to her left and Levy turned her head to look, knowing who would be sitting all alone in the back of the tavern. "Evening Gajeel!" Levy squeaked as she ignored the pressure that was blooming on the inside of her stomach. It was like a hook that was tugging her whole entire being in the opposite direction telling her to run. Just to run.

He grunted again and nodded at her. Pantherlily smiled at her and waved his tiny paws as Levy happily waved her fingers back at the Exceed. Fairly quickly enough, Levy made a short dash to the table that her team was sitting at and Jet and Droy gave her a warm welcome. Once she had gotten seated on the wooden bench Levy quickly took a look up at Gajeel as he drowned a tankard of his favorite drink before standing up and leaving the guild with a yell of challenge directed Natsu's way. Oddly enough both Gray and Natsu shouted back before Elfman finally found his opening and joined into the scuffle.

Levy knew that the small morsel of fear toward the Iron Dragon Slayer in her was absolutely and totally irrational; she felt ashamed that it still manifested itself in his presence, but the memories wouldn't go away. Her heart and her mind had accepted him long ago, sometimes her heart even pulled her toward him in an attempt for conversation, but then her body would push and pull with all its might, her skin and muscles remembering the pain that he had inflicted on her all those months ago.

He had saved her from Laxus and had proved his worth to her in every way that she knew the man could think of, but her body refused and tears sprung to her eyes whenever she got just a little bit too close. She wanted to hit her head on some very solid rock, do something, anything, so that she could talk to the reformed man like any average person. Nothing had solved her problem as of yet.

Levy dropped her chin down on her table with a loud thunk as she let out a long sigh. She truly did want to talk to the man more, the time that he had sat beside her while she had been trying to decode Fried's spell was, in earnest, one of her most dear memories.

"Something is wrong with me," Levy murmured as she turned her head to the side and faced the rest of Fairy Tail. Gajeel was already at the guild's doors but for some strange reason he hadn't exited and instead had turned his head to look at… Levy? Levy blinked.

"Bye Gajeel!" Mirajane shouted over the ruckus of her Nakama as she placed a plate of food beside Levy's head. Levy's eyebrows pulled together as she swore that she saw Gajeel scowl and Mirajane's voice tinkle with that unmistakable tone of pure evil. Levy quickly turned her head to face the barmaid, but innocence had already innocently saturated Mirajane's innocent eyes as she innocently questioned Levy innocently, "Is something the matter?"

"Mira-chan…"

"Innocent question," Mirajane perked as she smiled and giggled. Levy could hear the dark undertones of a cackle but the barmaid had long disappeared before Levy could make another comment.

"Seriously, it's like she's egging him on," Jet muttered as he rested his cheek on the palm of his hand.

"Who's Mira-chan egging on?" Levy asked as she turned her head again so that her chin was resting against the wooden table. Only now did she realize that the first time she had dropped her chin on the table was when she had scrapped her skin until it was raw and pink. Sitting up properly Levy rubbed at the abrasion and then heard the guild doors close as Gajeel finally made his leave.

Droy just laughed and waved her off nervously, "Don't worry, it's none of your concern."

"Don't tell me you're hiding something from me," Levy frowned and puffed up her cheeks as her most standard issue weapon came into play.

Her two teammates gulped as her eyes shone and watered before they both stood up with a flourish even greater than that of Natsu's. "Don't you remember that thing that we had to do for that… someone Jet?" Droy hoarsely babbled.

"Yes, that thing for that one, come Droy!"

"We would love to answer your question Levy, but as was said, thing for someone," and they were out the door before Levy could jump over the table and grab either one of them. Levy pouted and picked up her fork as she stabbed one of the vegetables on the plate that Mirajane had left for her.

She heard the rustling before Lucy sat down and Levy turned to her best friend with the pout still pulling at her face, "They're hiding something from me Lu-chan," Levy whined.

Lucy just giggled at Levy's antics before shaking her head, "They aren't hiding anything, you just aren't noticing."

"Noticing?" Levy inquired as she stuck the vegetable in her mouth and chewed. With a swallow she continued, "What am I not noticing?"

Lucy laughed as she leaned forward and rested her chin on the back of her folded hands, "Who do you greet first every single time that you come out of the library?"

"You," Levy answered instantaneously.

"Who's the second?"

"Gajeel…"

"Where does he always sit?"

"Closest to the library doors, but isn't that just Gajeel's table like this table is Shadowgear's?"

Lucy giggled and shook her head, "About thirty seconds prior to you appearing, Gajeel chucked Gray, who was talking to Juvia, right out of his seat at the table, aiming right at Natsu, and hunkered right down in that spot. Oddly enough about thirty seconds after you appeared he just left too. A lot of trouble for a one minute seating at 'his' table, you think?"

"Everyone in Fairy Tail has their own quirks, Mira-chan for example," Levy murmured as she quickly stuffed her face with three pieces of cut steak. However, that explanation really did explain why Juvia had been reacting the way that she had to Natsu and Gray's daily scuffles and why Gray had taken such offence to the fact that Gajeel was leaving. Levy wondered what the ice user and the water mage had been discussing in solitude before Gajeel had abruptly interrupted. Juvia had probably been on a high too, that poor girl. Levy wondered if Gray had finally manned up and had told her that he returned her feelings. Levy peeked back at the scuffle and thought that that probably wasn't the case considering the fact that Juvia wasn't a puddle of water.

"That's all you have to say?" Lucy asked incredulously.

"Is that supposed to be odd? People grab other people and throw them around daily."

Lucy couldn't argue with that one, "Oh Levy… sometimes you're just too book smart and not enough in all the other areas."

"Lu-chan," Levy sulked, "Please don't let that be a comment about my body type. You know that I can't pull off…" Levy gestured at Lucy's chest, "…that convincingly."

"The fact that you even said that just proves my point," Lucy teased.

"Lu-chan, tell me," Levy whined.

Lucy quickly jumped out of her seat and bolted before Levy could utilize her ultimate weapon again. With a pout Levy turned back to her food and proceeded to finish it up pondering what exactly Lucy had meant. She wasn't stupid… but wasn't the only explanation for Gajeel's actions so ridiculously… ridiculous? Levy bit her lip as she made puppy eyes at no one in particular. She absolutely hated not knowing.

The whole entire guild made to swallow harshly as they felt the look simmering in the corner of the room and Lucy had to physically hold Natsu back just so that he wouldn't just yell the answer out for the desperate and sad looking blue haired girl. Levy's puppy eyes really were a force to be reckoned with. Mirajane merely laughed gleefully as she skittered to and fro behind the bar and talked with Fried.

The answer to Levy's question was only Gajeel's to tell and anyways the whole entire guild was bursting with excitement to see how the Iron Dragon Slayer would finally do it and when. Cana already had multiple bets going as she guzzled down her keg of beer with delight.

When Levy walked into the library the next morning, her eyebrow immediately shot up at the object that was sitting there now that definitely had not been there before. Right in the middle of the already crowded library was a simple huge, yet low table with one tiny chair. Tilting her head slightly and doing the calculations quickly she knew that the table was the exact size that she needed to hold all of her books without having to run back and forth to her designated corner. Even more suspicious was how the chair seemed to be made especially for her…and how it was crafted out of all things… iron.

Only one person anywhere, much less a person with access to the guild, would make a chair out of iron. Levy giggled despite herself as she marched to the table and tapped it. It was confirmed; the poor thing had been stolen from the second floor of the tavern.

More delighted than she wanted to let on, Levy quickly dashed to her pile of books and balanced them on her arm as she scurried back and forth between the corner and the table. Now she could even leave her mess behind during the night because stupid people could trip over a pile of books but only certain idiots could walk right into a solid table.

For the first time in years Levy didn't feel like she needed a back massage every single time she exited the library. Sadly Gajeel wasn't sitting where he was supposed to be for her to thank him. Guiltily a part of her was glad that he wasn't sitting in his usual spot, the side of her that was screaming at her to not think more about his sweet action than she needed to.

The next day she brought with her some home made cushions that made the iron chair a little bit less hard and cold and then Levy pronounced the fact that the library was now her own personal heaven to no one in particular. It had been paradise before, but just wow.

That night when she exited the library, she once again found herself disappointed, her stomach said glad, that Gajeel wasn't sitting at the table in the back and that indeed he was no where to be found in the guild. Happy merrily floated by and chirped with his rolled letters, "He's embarrrrased. He liiiiiikes you." Too quickly was Happy knocked clean out of the air by a cup that seconds before had been in Mirajane's grasp.

Mirajane whistled innocently as she grabbed another tankard to serve Macao, whose eye was twitching slightly with utter fear. Happy was now crying in Lucy's arms as Natsu laughed at the poor blue Exceed. Lucy glared at Natsu for his callousness and then kissed Happy on the forehead, which only served to have Happy begin trilling again. The action shut Natsu up quickly as he pouted and mumbled about some things never being a proper solution to comforting someone who was just a friend. He shut up when Lucy kissed him on the forehead to comfort the jealous little boy in him as well.

Levy, meanwhile, found that Happy's words made her heart skip a beat while they made her stomach lurch in the urge to vomit, two emotions that definitely were not meant to pair with each other. Levy wondered if you could die from something so ridiculous as this. What would she do if Happy was finally right for once? The Exceed had to get it right in one of his accusation eventually right? Her stomach pulled again and Levy realized that all she had been was hungry. With an embarrassed giggle to herself she sat between Jet and Droy who were eying her oddly to see if she would suddenly spontaneously combust. She didn't.

On the third day since her wonderful present and yet her lack of thanks she asked Mirajane if Gajeel had been sent off on a mission. Cana and Evergreen who were within hearing distance simply cackled as Mirajane smiled like the sun. Levy's eye twitched, as she feared that Mirajane would finally consume her soul. "No Levy-chan." And that was it. Jet and Droy dragged her away from the giggling Mirajane before they lost their leader to the forces of pure evil. Levy couldn't help but notice that Erza was giving Mirajane the stink eye from the table that Erza inhabited with her team.

On the forth day Levy had stayed a little bit later in the library than she had intended and had made a mad dash to the tavern for food. Just as the doors on her end burst open the doors to the outside world of the guild closed and a chorus of giggles and laughs surrounded her. Quickly she threw out her ultimate weapon in a desperate attempt to make them talk and all that had served to do was stun the guild into silence as Lucy tackled Natsu just so that once again he wouldn't spill the beans. Levy, however, already had an inkling of understanding to what exactly the big secret was.

The fifth day Levy had quickly written in solid script "speed" to which her feet quickly absorbed before she sped into the tavern and burst through the doors in large huffs. She saw him open the guild doors and he was out of sight before she could tackle him down in a mad fit of insanity. Wendy screamed in shock when Levy face planted herself right in front of the Sky Dragon Slayer in her attempt to leap at the Iron Dragon Slayer. Levy ignored the laughter once again drifting around her as Jet and Droy dusted her off after picking her off the ground in her failed tackling expenditure. "Maybe next time," Mirajane offered happily as she danced by.

"Stop egging her!" Jet shouted. Levy puffed her cheeks out in a puff as Lucy pulled the girl out of the clutches of her team and took her outside for a good serving of ice cream.

"Juvia thinks that Levy is a little bit stalkerish."

"Seriously? You're the one saying that?" Bickslow commented as he guzzled a tankard of beer, "This is getting serious."

On the sixth day Levy gave up on trying to catch, much less thank, the Iron Dragon slayer as she slaved away with her books until midnight. When she woke up from what she had termed as her 'short nap', Natsu, with Lucy skipping at his side, was carrying her home. They were staring at each other with knowing looks and Levy contemplated Natsu's head being the really hard rock that she had needed to smash herself against.

On the seventh day, Levy screamed in glee as she popped out of her chair with her parchment in hand, the iron chair dropping to the floor with a loud crash. She had done it! She had finally managed to decode the spell that Makarov had given her a week ago to decipher. Master Makarov had even said that Fried hadn't been able to crack the spell and yet Levy had done it! Seven was indeed the number of magic. She knew that she could have done it sooner if she hadn't been preoccupied with other disturbing matters but as she leapt around the library nearly doing cartwheels, she just couldn't find herself to care anymore.

"Wow," Levy murmured as her eyes shone in wonder as she stared at the parchment in her hands and re-read the text that she had scrawled onto the parchment haphazardly, "Just wow." She had done what Fried couldn't do, she had done what no other man could do and now she was leaping like a leprechaun on the spot as she giggled some more at her success. Levy felt like a little girl who had just finished her favorite book as she clutched the pieces of parchment to her chest and still continued to squeal insanely.

Quickly Levy smashed the parchment on the table as she picked up her pen and dotted the last line with a loud tap. Just as the ink touched the parchment, the paper began to glow as the words on the page burst into solid script and floated around her in an array of letters and light. Levy screamed in surprise as she jumped back from the table, the words effortlessly following her and caging her in. "That usually doesn't happen without my permission," Levy squealed as the words began to glow to the point where she would be blinded if she didn't close her eyes.

Apparently this had been the phrase that alerted others to her imminent danger, as the last thing that Levy heard before she was engulfed by her own magic was "Oi! What the hell is this shit?" before she felt arms wrap around her and the world drop out from below her feet.

Next Time on The Fairy's Tale

She dusted her butt off and looked back up to her teammates before doing a double take. "What are you guys wearing?" Levy asked deadpanned as she stared at their attire and the things that were obtrusively attached onto their faces. Levy stretched her neck a little bit and her eyebrows furrowed at what she saw. "Is that actually a tail?"

Somber's Corner

Fell in love with Fairy Tail... this pairing was also the first pairing... well maybe the second that I also was mesmerized by. Let's see how this goes!

I'm actually very surprised that I haven't come across a fic with this particular idea yet... am I just blind to the world?

Updates will come about once a week. Look forward to it!