Massive tidal waves ripped through the landscape. Right before they reached their target they became a wall of ice. Gray panted from exhausting his use of magic power today. He and Juvia have been training non-stop for weeks on end. Ever since Fairy Tail disbanded all they've been doing is working to become stronger. Gray couldn't thank her enough for coming and assisting him in his goal.
"Great job today Gray-sama," Juvia breathed as she used a ton of magic power as well. "Would you like to continue?"
"Keep em coming," he sternly answered.
After another half-hour of training the sun began to set. Gray lied on the ground trying to relax his aching muscles. Juvia walked over and placed a hand on his back. She started to send cold water down his back, cooling and refreshing his body.
"Thanks Juvia," he panted. "I really appreciate you training with me."
"Anything for you, Gray-sama."
Even though he hasn't seen his good friends in a few months, he was happy that he had Juvia to support him. Gray wondered what Natsu, Lucy, Erza, Cana, and the rest of them were up to every day. Thankfully he had Juvia to help take his mind off of it. She knows firsthand how important it is that he becomes stronger, so she was glad to accompany him.
During the night, Juvia and Gray were sleeping peacefully. Her arms were wrapped tightly around his torso with her chest pressed against his back. Everything up to that point had been solemn, until a shocking moment happened that they couldn't possibly imagine. Juvia awoke to a feeling of coarse skin. She jumped out of the bed and gasped loudly.
"Juvia what's going on?" Gray awoke and asked.
"G-Gray-sama, your body!"
Half of his body was blacker than the night itself. Gray's left eye no longer looked like a human's. The iris was a violent shade of red and dark vertical lines ran up the entirety of his eye. Gray looked down at his hand and shuddered. His body re-demonized.
"Juvia, I-, I don't," Gray tried to grasp the situation.
Juvia ran over to him with tears in her eyes and tightly embraced him, "It's okay Gray-sama. Juvia knows you're the same."
Gray put a hand on the back of Juvia's head as she hugged him. "What am I becoming," he thought.
The next morning Juvia tried to persuade him to go out and train like they always do. Gray said he didn't feel like going out. He wrapped his body in up in a cloak to make only his human skin visible. The shame he felt for his current appearance was too much to bear even if Juvia was the only one who saw it.
That night, Juvia wrapped herself around Gray like she always does, but he's never felt so isolated. He still couldn't process what was happening to him. Unfortunately, the real problem came when he fell into a slumber.
"Find them and slaughter them."
He awoke in a cold sweat and panted.
"Gray-sama, is everything alright?"
"Yeah. It's fine. It's just a bad dream."
She rubbed her soft hands on his body in an attempt to calm him down. They eventually both fell back asleep. Gray encountered the same ominous and raucous voice in his nightmares.
"You must destroy them all. It's your destiny," the voice announced.
In this dream his hands were covered in blood and both were demonized. He stood over a battlefield full of slain wizards. His foot was pressed against Juvia's throat.
Gray shot out of bed, waking up Juvia in the process. He pressed his hands to his head and groaned.
"Gray-sama what's wrong?" Juvia worriedly asked.
"You have to get out of here!"
"What?"
"You can't be near me!" He harshly yelled at her.
"Gray-sama," tears began to well up in her eyes. "Juvia wants to help you. You can't be alone during this."
"Juvia this isn't safe for you!" His voice became thick and brittle. "I'm not safe for you!"
Juvia broke down. She knew about the darkness he's battled in the past. They both had to go through the trauma of the Tartarus attack. And they both lost their home, all they had was each other. Now Gray was going through something monstrous and all she wanted to do was help him, but he just wanted to keep her safe.
"Please Juvia," his voice went from sharp and angry to soft and concerning. "I care about you, and I want you to be okay. If you trust me, we'll get away from each other."
Gray shrouded himself in a dark robe to keep his demonized body concealed. He wrapped his arms around Juvia one last time before he departed. He had no idea where he was going, but he knew he had to find a way to control this newly emerged side of him. In his heart, he knew he couldn't leave Juvia and he didn't want to at all. But he was willing to do anything to keep her safe.
After he left, Juvia fell down to her knees and cried her eyes out. She wailed at what her life had now become. Her home was gone, she had no idea at where her friends were, and worst of all, the man she had grown so close to over this dark period was turning into a demon. She was aware that this might be for the best, but she couldn't help to let her emotions go. Gray had to go on his own. Juvia was alone once again. The clouds darkened, and rain began to pour down.
