THE MISSING PRINCESS (rewrite ver. as of 2015)
Author's Note: My sincere apologies for the really long wait, I am so so so sorry. I have lots of things to take care of like school and filming ugh.
To the old readers: This is completely different from the previous version because I've realised that the previous story sucked. It had so many plot holes it drove me nuts. But you don't have to fret about the possibility of it straying from the original plot. :-)
To the new readers: If this chapter seemed too ooc. i'm sorry. :-(
To all: This is a Gruvia chapter, but please don't skip this since it is heavily linked to the story. (all gruvia chapters are)
-unedited-
/chapter three
It was certainly out of the ordinary when Juvia's head started pounding, she had been having dreadful migraines since the night before, and gosh was it loathsome enough it made her teeth grind. She had woken up in the middle of the night to throw up last night's dinner, her hair held back by both Levy and Erza who had heard her tea cups shatter from her tea cabinet after dizzily bumping into them while she was on her way to the toilet.
Levy grew increasingly distraught by the state the water mage was in, and the two guild mates fretted all night for their blue haired friend. The guild's hospital could not seem to identify the cause of the illness that had suddenly consumed the water mage's body, immensely chagrining the two.
Gray was the first to arrive back from his week long quest after the news of Juvia's deteriorating condition had spread throughout Magnolia. The raven-haired had rushed to the hospital, shoving past nurses and other patients before making it through to Juvia's ward. Lyon and Chelia were both outside, bouquets in their arms, and Gray instinctively bit his lip in guilt, chastising himself for being unprepared before visiting. He approached them warily, eyes wandering down Lyon's visitation gift that consists of a bouquet of white roses, a pink teddy bear and a heart shaped necklace.
"Oh here you are, Gray." Lyon taunted the raven-haired male, "We were finally getting comfortable without your existence."
"Tsk." Was the only response he could get from Gray. After all, Gray was tremendously pissed with himself. It became difficult to comprehend that Juvia had been lying in bed, possibly battling against death, and he hadn't been there to support her.
"What?" Lyon cocked a brow at his apathetic response.
"Are you here on a blind date or something?" The raven haired replied, "Or do you just have a screw loose-"
"You two," Chelia stopped him in the middle of his words exasperatedly, "this isn't the right time for getting into childish rows."
"You're right." The ice mage sighed despondently, "I'm still in a state of shock, that's all."
"What? Shocked that I dress better than you?" Lyon smirked and Chelia socked him in the arm.
"Gray…Do I need to fill you in?" Chelia bit her lip when Gray nodded in silence, his face turning pallid with concern, "Juvia is in a critical state right at the moment. The nurses told us this morning that the darkest forms of magic were attempting to reach her."
The raven-haired snapped up to level his gaze with Chelia's intense ones. His lips went dry and hazed recollections of Juvia's previous guild began to form in his head.
"The only reason why Juvia was plunged into such a critical condition was because her body was trying to fend the magic off." Lyon added.
"You mean to say that the dark magic had successfully entered her body?"
"Yes." Chelia nodded at Gray's enquiry, "Apparently, Juvia might die in twenty four hours if that magic stays in her vessel."
Gray's knees buckled and slid onto the floor wordlessly, stifling tears and sobs that would have escaped from his trembling, ashen lips. He punched the floors with his fists, turning tiles into glaciers almost instantaneously. He was uncontrollable, icy tears streamed downwards, floors quaked but the only thing that Gray felt all of a sudden were a pair of familiar hands gripping onto his'.
Erza glared downwards into his eyes, her vision too blurred by her own tears as she loosened her tenacious grip. It felt like they were kids once again, when Natsu stole Gray's lunch or when Gray had lost something important, his keys, shoes and…Ur. This time, Gray was about to lose Juvia and he wasn't ready to lose anyone important again.
-x-
The next few days went by in a blur. Gray spent most of his time in the ward with the now comatose Juvia. The doctors had successfully gotten the magic off from her vessel and she was safe for now. Everyone was relieved that she had gotten out of her dire state.
Gray drew open the curtains and spoke to her about the guild every morning. He would then spend the night next to her bed, reading news about Magnolia and then drifting off to sleep as he held onto her cool hands. Erza kept watch, her eyes softening as Gray's sincerity slowly unveiled in front of her. She also saw the ice mage falling deeper into love each time he sneaked into the ward just to read to her, then falling asleep with his hands around hers.
Erza closed the doors to Juvia's ward after she'd noticed that Gray had taken care of every concern she had. Juvia was in safe hands. She knew the water mage would squeal and confess her perpetual love for Gray the minute she wakes up. She now hoped that Gray would do the same.
-x-
"Erza, wake up!"
The scarlet haired requipper groaned in her sleep, completely dismissing the pair of petite hands shaking her off the bed. The same squeaky voice incessantly calling out for her name, Erza couldn't help but open one eye to see who it was.
"Levy…" Erza took a peek at the windows, expecting rays of sunlight to pour in at this hour, "the sun isn't even up yet…ugh."
"Erza! Juvia's up."
Erza popped open both eyes and sat up, "What?"
"J-Juvia," The bookworm exhaled heavily, "She woke up a few minutes ago."
Juvia was astonished to see her guild mates crowding around her as she lay on the hospital bed, kind of how she now resembled a baby in a cradle while adults make funny baby noises. This was different, worse, if she would say. They were bombarding her with questions regarding her state, how she was feeling and if she was hungry, without giving her much opportunity to breathe and answer them at all. True, they were fretful about her condition, she was at the brink of death after all, and she was so grateful to have them all gathered around her.
Juvia's recovery was fast, she was already able to sit up and walk about without much help although the doctor told her that her muscles might take some time to warm up and adjust themselves again. Levy and Erza were the first to pounce on her, yanking her into a tight embrace.
"Oh Gray! You're here!" Levy spotted the ice mage at the door after pulling away from the flustered water mage. Gray stood rooted, bewildered to find an exceptionally large group surrounding Juvia's bed.
His eyes then drifted to the water mage who was sitting up on her bed, her face, in a healthy shade of pink while her eyes were the bluest he'd ever fell into. He'd realised that he had missed all of this. Juvia. Just hearing her voice again and what he would go lengths for just to see her deep blue eyes again.
"Juvia."
The features on Juvia's face remained unchanged, indifferent about Gray's presence. Though her cheeks were still a lovely shade of pink and her lips still delicate and soft, there was something in her eyes that seemed altered, almost as if a part of her had been tampered with and removed.
"Hi, Gray. What brings you here?" Juvia inquired the raven-haired mage steadily, whose expression was soon replaced for a befuddled one, such that it matched the group of mages who were also surrounding her.
"Juvia… Didn't you used to address him with honorifics?" Levy asked in bafflement, "You called him 'Gray-sama' remember?"
"Juvia seemed to remember so, but I thought Gray is my friend? I don't think he minds too much if I don't use honorifics."
"Yeah, it's fine." Gray managed to sputter, which only increased his bewilderment.
"Juvia, it was Gray who spent time with you when you were in the hospital." Erza whispered into her ear.
"Thank you, Gray." Juvia smiled sweetly at the ice mage, before turning her head to the rest of the group, "Juvia is really tired, I would really like a rest."
Gray opened his mouth to speak, "Do you need me to-"
"No, Juvia is fine." She replied calmly, sure she had enough emotions in her eyes as much as a normal human being, but she no longer carried the love she had for him previously. The room cleared a few minutes after; Juvia laid on her side and tucked herself into bed while Gray faced his first rejection from her for the first time.
-x-
"…but doctor, there is something wrong with her!"
Erza's voice echoed into the hallways as soon as Gray shut the doors to Juvia's ward. The odour of medicine and alcohol gauzes made his stomach churn, he wanted out of this place so he could go home and give himself an excuse to bury himself under sheets and not ponder about Juvia's odd reaction to his request.
"…Gray," Erza caught up to him, "Gray!" She reiterated when the ice mage refused to respond. Her strong hands grappled his shoulders and yanked him away from his thoughts, wheeling him around so that he would face her.
The doctor who followed behind the scarlet-haired had wrinkly cheeks and greying, dishevelled hair as she cradled a clipboard in her arms.
"That girl…" The aged doctor cleared her throat, tearing her gaze away from the clipboard in her arms, "the team of doctors had made sure they sucked as much bad magic off her body as possible. We had also ensured that the damage made on her memories would be minimal."
Gray's gaze roamed towards Juvia's ward, assimilating the news at the moment seemed too surreal for him to stomach.
"We thought it was minimal enough," The doctor pushed her spectacles that seemed to be slipping off her nose, "The dark magic that came into contact with her were aiming for women who had fallen much too deep into love. So, we'd decided, better to exchange her life for romantic emotions, right? It worked and now, we'd successfully saved all of her memories. What she doesn't have right now are merely the emotions she had when she fell in love."
"But-" Levy interjected but the aged doctor paid no notice and left for a duty to complete.
"Gray," Erza knew him long enough to sense the tremble that came from his body. Gray Fullbuster had tried his best to remain apathetic about everything the doctor had told the three of them. Levy was trying to pick up the pieces and glue them together, reiterating the entire situation.
The ice mage was merely in disbelief, but he'd come to accept the fact that Juvia was no longer going to cling to him or bake him cookies. Juvia was no longer going to spy on him, follow him to quests or confess her everlasting love for him. Juvia was just going to be normal…but alive.
"Gray, it's fine…" Levy made an attempt to alleviate the tension in the air, "You didn't like it when she followed you around or even when she confessed her feelings for you, right? Your feelings for her wouldn't change…right? So isn't that better off for the two of you?"
The ice mage exhaled in exasperation, he was contented enough with the fact that she had managed to survive. But why was he ambivalent about his feelings towards Juvia's condition? He could still feel Juvia's hands in his and how he would feel her dreamy eyes penetrating into his' everyday. He shut his eyes and inhaled deeply. His feelings for her had not changed...right?
Right?
Author's Note: Please leave me reviews, anything constructive, positive or negative, which ship do you prefer, what you want in the story etc. (i won't necessary use them but i will consider it and reply with something nice, i'm cool about it) we can be friends too and fangirl about other stuff, i don't mind (just drop me a private message, i think i am a fast replier hahahaha) Thank you all lovelies x