Even Iron Rusts
Wyndstorm
Chapter one: Embark
((Note: this story replaces canon. It takes place after the "7 year gap" and before "the grand magic games". in this universe, "Grand magic games" and all revelas during that arc and beyond will not occur.))
He wasn't really sure what he was even doing. This is stupid, he thought to himself. Why the hell did I agree to this? But, he was not a man who went back on his word, so all he actually said, after a deep sigh, was…
"I guess we had better get moving." He crossed his arm, standing in a pose that had become quite familiar to him. The woman he was talking to just smiled, and tackled him in a large hug. Her blue hair bounced around as she smiled in a large, dopey expression.
"Thank you, Gajeel! Juvia is happy you agreed to help her. The mission will likely be a bit too hard for her to handle on her own." she gushed. She then glanced over, staring across the massive room at a young man without a shirt. When he was not even looking at them, her whole body fell a bit, and her enthusiasm drained. The man, Gajeel, just rolled his eyes. How obvious can you get…? he thought to himself. The shirtless man in question, Grey, was just about the only one in their entire Guild who apparently DIDN'T know that Juvia was hopelessly in love with him. Gajeel could even recall when the two first joined Fairy tail, when she had confessed her feelings to gajeel so he would lend her support. While he wasn't one to be vocal concerning such things, it meant a lot to Juvia that he allowed her to vent her thoughts late at night, and the two had quietly become very good friends. Unbeknownst to him, he had become like her silent knight, a true friend she could rely on when she needed it. However, it was rare she called on him for other things, like for this mission today. Despite it's initial cover for a lame attempt to make Grey jealous and want Juvia more, It was a mission Juvia wanted to do, but lacked the definite power to complete.
"Still, the three of us should be more then enough to complete the mission." He said, standing up. Juvia tilted her head, confused.
"...three? Juvia does not understand. She thought it would just be the two of us…?" As a matter of fact, Juvia was looking forward to a mission with just Gajeel, to reinforce their friendship, and to show him how strong she had become. she began to wonder who this other person he was talking about…
"Well, if I'm going out, you know I'll bring lily. He and I are partners, after all." Gajeel said plainly, with a bit of an edge to his words. Juvia blushed, feeling foolish she had forgotten such an important person in her friend's life. she began to contemplate this, and what it meant… Despite how close she felt to him, and how much of herself she told him, she rarely listened to him about his life. She had forgotten about Panther Lily, a former rival of his (or something, like that) who had become a companion of his. Lily was an "exceed", but Juvia didn't really understand what that meant. She just knew it meant he was a little cat who could fly, and that Lily personally could grow the size of a man, and he wielded a magical sword that grew to match whatever size he desired. Gajeel suddenly snapped his fingers lightly, stirring Juvia from her private thoughts. And, speaking of lily, he was coming down the stairs. He was indeed, a cat. He stood only a few feet of the ground, but his expression still radiated with a quiet pride, as he was still a mighty warrior. Gajeel grinned, and waved his arm. Lily followed the cue, and approached the pair.
"Gajeel. I have wonderful news to share with you." he said with a smirk. Gajeel laughed in response.
"Since when do you use words like 'wonderful'?" he asked, a grin on his face.
"Since I get to see the queen again, that's when." Lily responded, mimicking his partner's mocking tone. "Carla and Happy wish to go visit the Exeeds, given how we have not seen any of them in seven years. We want to see how they have been settling."
"Oh… Juvia and I are going out on a mission tonight… I guess you won't be joining us, then?" Gajeel asked. Juvia silently felt a surge of happiness, as she really didn't know Lily that well, and she felt that he might make the mission awkward. Lily sighed.
"Sorry Gajeel, but I owe most to my people and queen." he said, looking a bit down. Gajeel smirked in response, and set his hand on Lily's head.
"Think nothing of it, we'll just see each other when we're both done. Right?" He said with a smirk. Looking at the two together, they had a strange similarity. Gajeel's dark clothes matched lily's black coat almost perfectly, and Lily's scar just above his eye gave him the same rugged, fierce look Gajeel's piercings gave him. The two seemed to share a whole conversation with a simple exchange of glances, a kind of bond they shared and Juvia was sure it was something she would neither understand, nor would ever experience for herself. It was a bond of strength, and something she would admire from that day onward. After that silent exchange, Lily moved over to the seat beside Gajeel and grabbed a nearby glass, sipping it while looking at Juvia. She blushed, but said nothing. Gajeel then shook his head, grinned at Lily, then walked out towards the entrance to the building. Juvia jumped up, waved goodbye to lilly, and followed him. As they exited their Guild Hall that day, they had no idea the ordeal they were so calmly approaching.