#❄*:·. the ghost of a frozen memory « au verse. »

[icemde]

@firefinding asked : "You know I can hear you, right?" <Lost Ice Shell Verse>

IT WAS WEIRD, BEING SO CLEARLY DEAD AND YET... NOT. there really was no way to describe what he was now. a ghost ?? no, he wasn't dead. an apparition ?? also not exactly, because he didn't have a body to wake up in like mavis. in all honesty, he tried not to think about it all that much, opting instead to focus more on the positives of his predicament. he didn't know if he should thank zeref or curse him to the grave for what had happened. a shadow in the guild hall, watching all those who he gave everything up to protect going about their lives. it was almost a double edged sword, knowing the spell had worked because none of them were grieving, but also knowing that any memory of his truly was gone.

SO, GRAY JUST WATCHED FROM THE SHADOWS. he wasn't sure where he got the notion that one of them could see or hear him, but in the six months he has been hanging around, no one had glanced his way or commented on his presence, so maybe it was just the logical assumption. he didn't mind it though, happy to just act like he had in his life, watching the others get into trouble and muttering snarky comments to himself, not expecting an answer to them.

EXCEPT SOMEONE DID. NATSU.

THE ICE MAGE FELT HIS HEART DROP AT NATSU'S WORDS. at first he had assumed the dragon was talking to someone else, making a jab at someone else's remark on his antics, but when he glanced up and saw black eyes staring directly at him, he felt his body tense up. natsu heard him ?? no. there's no way natsu could see or hear him.

❝ you... what ??

#❄*:·. the ghost of a frozen memory « au verse. » #❄*:·. « asks. » #THIS IS LONG BUT IM FUCKING VIBRATING

[icemde]

@firefinding asked : ❛ i don't think i've ever seen you smile. ❜ (ICE SHELL FUCKER)

GRAY FOUND HIMSELF HAVING TO FIGHT BACK A SNARKY RESPONSE. you have. you just don't remember. that was the weirdest part about this entire... situation. natsu could see and hear him, but he was the only one. it irked the former ice mage, knowing he couldn't figure out why the dragon seemed to be the only exception. the only silver lining in it all was the fact that natsu still didn't remember him, which was the main intension of the spell. last thing i need is natsu realizing what happened.

❝ do you stare at me that much to feel like that was important to say ?? why do you care ??

#❄*:·. « asks. » #❄*:·. the ghost of a frozen memory « au verse. » #tag pending. #danny have i mentioned how much i love you for indulging me with this au <3

[icemde]

AU VERSE INFO. THE GHOST OF A FROZEN MEMORY.

HE KNEW HE WAS BREAKING A MILLION PROMISES. How he swore he'd never cast the spell again, how he'd never throw his life away, how he'd live for them all. He knew this would break them, destroy so many of them.

IF THEY EVER REMEMBERED HIM.

WITH A FINAL GOODBYE TO THOSE WHO'D FORGET HIM, he uncrossed his arms and let the magic consume him. Feel every inch of his body splinter away, per-established cracks finally shattering into ice, eternally sealing away the threat before him and erasing himself from those who would mourn his sacrifice.

OH HOW FICKLE THE LAWS OF MAGIC WERE. How unrelient their rules were and how their most steadfast of promises could be ripped away with a single whisper, a single movement.

A CURSE OF CONTRADICTION AND A MAGIC LOST TO TIME. What a lovely due they made, twisting the fate of another. Another set to roam aimlessly amongst the world. Oh, how cruel the laws of magic and the gods above. May no rest come to the martyr.

──────────────────

LOST ICED SHELL AU: During the war on Alvarez, Gray manages to pull off casting the Lost Iced Shell spell against Zeref. His body vanished, turning into the ice set to imprison Zeref for centuries to come, and all memories of him vanished from those who knew and loved him.

However, Zeref's curse, known for going against even the most basic laws of magic, had other plans for Gray. During the spell's casting, the curse reacted with the Lost Iced Shell, seemingly forcing Gray's subconscious out of the ice.

No longer alive or with a physical body, Gray became an apparition, trapped within a certain mile radius of his body, the ice imprisoning Zeref. Much like Mavis, not everyone can see Gray, only those who had a strong bond with the Ice Mage in his life could see and interact with him. But the Lost Iced Shell was successful in one of it's purposes. In stealing away the memories of him. Now cursed to roam the guild hall of Fairy Tail, he is nothing but a stranger and a ghost to those he loves and gave everything to save.

#❄*:·. « verse info. » #❄*:·. the ghost of a frozen memory « au verse. »