A/N: Ah, damn. The 294 cover with Juvia in it makes me drool. So pretty.
PS. I'm not good at writing fight scenes. I'm sorry if this would suck. Please point out my mistakes as well _ Arigato gozaimasu!
L o v e
Under
T h e
Umbrella
SEVEN
Best Partner
by Mozzey
Titania Erza raised her sword in triumph as Minerva fell on her knees with a blank, defeated look on her face. Her tag team partner, Rufus, was still lying unconsciously in the corner of the arena. Beside Erza was Laxus who was smirking even with all the bruises he gathered and was sitting wearily on the pavement floor in tattered, burnt clothes.
The 2nd match was won by Fairy Tail.
Natsu and Gajeel, who were still injured from their match with the Twin Dragon Slayers to which the score was a draw, smiled at their team mates from the balcony. The Fairy Tail guild gave the loudest cheer of all, and the score boards began to update itself. Fairy Tail was on the lead this time, followed closely by Sabertooth then Lamia Scale.
The hosts began to silence the crowd and started to randomly pick the guilds that would be fighting next.
"Alright everyone! The first guild that would be participating in the last tag team match is... Lamia Scale!"
Everybody stopped cackling and exclamations of shock began to roar.
"What? Didnt they participate already?"
"Whoa, that would be a disadvantage since Lyon-san already participated."
"Dont forget they still have Jura."
"Hush everyone!" Continued the host. "Please remember that the Grand Magic Games' tag team tournament is based from random selection. If all the members have already participated and their team is again called then they have no choice but to fight again... but that makes it more exciting, right?"
Loud cheers came from the crowd.
"Lamia Scale, please ready your members... and now for your opponent!"
A drum roll.
"Wha... what the hell! Is this even possible? FAIRY TAIL!"
A loud gasp ensued. Everybody knew that they have exhausted the members of the team except for Gray Fullbuster. Gray Fullbuster divested his white coat and stepped forward.
Natsu clenched his fists. "Alright! I'll fight again!"
"Are you going to kill yourself?" Erza spat bitterly, holding her injured left arm. She turned to look at Gajeel, whose half face was still bandaged with white and was being attended by Levy. Laxus was sitting on a reserved chair with eyes closed, obviously tired.
"I am going to fight... I could still fight, I think." Erza said in a weary voice but Natsu gave her a sour look.
"You've just fought!"
"Shut up, Natsu." Gray exclaimed impatiently. "Erza, you can't handle this one."
Erza shut up. She turned to look at Levy.
"Levy, is it possible to exchange an injured team mate with another?"
Levy timidly raised her finger on her temple and thought. A few moments later she clapped her hands and explained. "Why, yes! It is permitted in the Grand Magic Games rule book, that is, if someone from the team were incapable of fighting then they could be legally replaced by someone from the same guild."
Erza nodded and looked at Gray. "You do know who I'm replacing Laxus with, don't you?" Oddly enough, Erza was smiling.
Laxus immediately puffed his chest. "WHAT THE HELL! Why me?"
"You can barely stand." Erza explained and gave him a glare. Laxus sighed and said no more.
"Wait a minute, I don't get it..." Gray mumbled.
"Ladies and gentlemen. Tag team mates Jura and Sherry from Lamia Scale!"
The audience shouted and cheered as the two mages walked forward to the arena. Sherry was wearing an azure blue skimpy dress and was throwing flying kisses to her boyfriend Ren. Jura was wearing his inuit garb and thick boots colored in crimson.
"And their opponents..." The voice of the host echoed. "Gray Fullbuster and Juvia Lockser!"
The two fairy tail mages trudged forward the arena, much to the surprise of Lyon Bastia who was hovering above the arena with his guild mates.
Gray Fullbuster was wearing his dark green pants and a cross on his bare chest, while Juvia Lockser was wearing her blue hair in a pony tail and a light pink dress carefully woven with tiny hearts on its edges.
"Juvia is happy to be teaming up with Gray-sama!" The Water Mage squealed happily as the two walked and the host was still prattling about the game rules. Gray couldn't help but roll his eyes at her unnecessary excitement. "Just make sure you don't get... distracted."
"Okay! Juvia will prove that she is the best partner for Gray-sama!"
Gray smirked and raised his arms on his chest.
"I was wondering if we could do it again..." He mumbled.
"Let the game begin!"
With this, Jura moved his hand, outstretching his middle finger, and began to chant his rock magic spell quickly before their opponents could react.
IRON ROCK WALL!
Gray and Juvia quickly dodged the rocks that came from below the arena and Juvia quickly chanted her water slicers.
WATER SLICERS!
Thin stream of jets began to slice the rocks in half. A smirk formulated on Jura's lips as he measured Juvia's strength testily. "Not bad." He mumbled and rapidly extended his right hand towards the pavement and blasted the surface over Juvia. Juvia screamed in pain as she failed to dodge the attack. "Kyaaaa!"
"Juviaaaa!" Gray yelled as he threw an ice hammer over Sherry's stone doll and was starting to move to help her when Sherry caught him with a mud doll. "You wont get away!" She yelled.
"You dont have to be so rough on her!" Lyon shouted from above to which Jura immediately shrugged. "A battle is a battle." Explained the wizard saint nonchalantly.
Juvia got up to her feet and brushed the dust on her dress which became tattered from the blow. "Juvia is the best partner for Gray-sama!" Juvia crossed her hands and huge waves emanated from her hands towards Sherry.
WATER LOCK!
A huge sphere of water engulfed Sherry and the mud doll that was trapping Gray released him immediately. Jura materialized beside an unsuspecting Juvia and extends his arms towards her waist.
IRON ROCK FIST!
The blow (that would be ineffective had not Juvia realised he attacked her and she turned to her water form) made Juvia fly on the farther corner of the arena and plunge on the pavements in full force. The water lock began to dissipate and Sherry fell on the floor, unconscious.
Gray gave Juvia a worried glance before glaring at Jura. In his eyes, one could see, were that of a killing machine.
ICE MAKE SWORD!
Gray dashed toward Jura with his ice sword and Jura began to summon rocks on the arena. Gray dodged the rock formations and quickly aimed for Jura's body. The wizard saint managed to evade and immobilize Gray from moving using his rock spikes.
"Damn it!" Gray growled and started emanating icy smoke from his body until the spikes froze and was shattered by his movement immediately. Jura counter punched Gray on the stomach that left him flying towards the place where Juvia was lying.
The crowd began to roar with cheers as it seemed obvious who won.
"Thirty seconds! If neither of team Fairy Tail dont stand in thirty seconds Lamia Scale wins!"
The crowd began to count. Thirty, twenty nine, twenty eight...
Gray shook his head and the distortion on his eye sight began to stop. He started focusing his vision on Juvia's unconscious form beside him. He felt her hair with his finger tips and whispered soothingly. "Juvia, hang in there."
As if on cue, Juvia's body began to twitch. "Kyaaa!" She squeaked and turned around.
Twenty five... Twenty four...
"Gray-sama!" She squealed and smiled despite her weariness. Gently she lifted her body but couldn't quite make it.
Gray sighed and gripped the edges of the arena. He needed to win this thing. And he knew, together with Juvia, they would be invincible.
"Let's give this our best, Juvia. We can't lose." He mumbled as he pressed his hands on the pavement so that he could stand.
"H-Hai..." Juvia whispered and gripped a stone, trying in vain to make her weary legs stand.
Nineteen... Eighteen...
Gray finally managed to outstretch his legs and the audience began to chant, Fairy Tail! Fairy Tail! Jura smiled and, to the people's surprise, waited for his opponents to recover.
Gray outstretched his hand toward Juvia and lifted her from the floor.
"I know that feelings makes us stronger. We can do this. You're the best partner for me, after all." He whispered at Juvia and a twinkle in his eye made her realise what he was talking about. She smiled sweetly at him and he smiled back, but then Jura dashed his way towards them...
"Ready?" Gray asked quickly.
"Ready." Juvia uttered.
The two clasped their hands firmly and Gray's free hand went immediately on her waist.
"Is that...!" Mirajane puffed.
"Who..whoa!" Wendy stammered.
"They're going to do it!" Cana said in awe.
"They like each other~" Happy teased.
UNISON... RAID!
Their magic seals hovered above their heads and fused into one, humongous circle. Massive amounts of water and ice emanated and curtains of ice covered the both of them immediately like a shield. Water and ice, along with pressure, erupted towards Jura that made his rock formations dissipate and made him plunge on the pavements. After about thirty seconds, the decision was agreed by everybody. Jura was knocked out.
The crowd cheered for Fairy Tail. Mages of the said guild were in tears. Erza nodded approvingly at Gray, pointing at Juvia, to which Gray looked and blushed. Juvia was snoozing on his shoulder, dead tired. Gray wrapped his arms around her waist and carried her from the floor toward the balcony where the guild members were watching.
"Mmm. Gray-sama~" Juvia chanted.
As he walked up, he gently pinched Juvia's cheek and smiled. "Thanks, Juvia."