Hello guys! Sorry for updating too long... I had sooo much work to attend to at home. You know, chores.. xD
I don't own Fairytail... Mashima Hiro does ! ~~ ^_^
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Juvia's in trouble…
But I don't know where to begin searching. (T_T)
What to do? What to do? I kept circling around the area and couldn't come up with something. In exactly 30 minutes, the pictorial will start. If Juvia couldn't be there…then she'll be disqualified from the contest. (. #) I still want to see her in casual wear and in evening gown…
Where to look? GRAY! Where to look?
"Gray…water…", it's the voice of Juvia again. Am I just hallucinating or making this up? But I can clearly hear her voice inside my head. Is this because of my…my…feelings for her? I don't know and I don't have the time to worry about that now.
She said water. Water…water…
OF COURSE!
Here's the fountain, and she was washing her slippers when she got kidnapped. Juvia would surely fought back the kidnapper…even without her powers. So maybe…the footprints are….WET! If it does, then I just have to… freeze the footprints… trigger the water molecules! THAT'S IT!
I'll be there Juvia! I'll save you!
I concentrated on the water molecules that are present in the pathway. I gathered all my concentration and powers over those molecules. It's hard than regular freezing because I just need the water molecules to freeze and not everything. Then…I unleashed my powers.
SWISSSSH…
My power molded into mist form…like a breeze…sweeping through everything in all directions. In a second, I thought this was a terrible idea because no prints appeared. But when the mist was about a meter away from me… there it is! The footprints of the kidnapper! Right near the fountain, there were two pairs. Maybe one of those are Juvia's. The footprints ran straight at the back of the Research building then it turned right, out of sight. I have to hurry!
The mist continue on to freeze the footprints…allowing me to run along with it. I turned right just as the footprints did. It then appeared behind bushes and through the dirt path… leading towards the…towards the…school's greenhouse? (O_O)
Don't get me wrong. I didn't lose my tracking on the icy footprints. I just thought that the kidnapper may have taken her outside the school. Or may have called on for transportation like a limo or a helicopter to escape with style. I even thought I'd find her in a warehouse or an abandoned building outside the school. But in the school's greenhouse? The gymnasium was a likely choice or even the school's abandoned classrooms. But a greenhouse? And this close to school? Hmm… something's fishy about here.
"Ayiiieee! Gray! Want a fish?",
"YIIKEEES!", I was taken by surprised that instantly, I froze Happy while he's flying and holding a fish. I immediately grabbed him before falling off the ground and unmake my ice. He shivered crazily.
"S-s-stupid G-gray… I-I'm j-just offering some…F-Fish!", then he was crying and beating me up on the head. He might have been cute that moment but I don't have time for cute flying cats and their fishes.
"I'm sorry Happy. But you surprised me. I was looking for Juvia. She was kidnapped!", I told Happy everything while I'm shaking him crazily…maybe out of worry. When I finally realized what I've been doing to Happy, it was too late. I put him down gently and whispered a "Sorry Happy..", but he wobbled from right to left. I even saw some fish dancing around his head, making him reach out and tried catching the imaginary fishes.
Then, he snapped out of the daze. "KIDNAPPED?!... Did you see the face of the kidnapper?",
"Unfortunately…no. I just saw Juvia's flip flops."
"Hmm.. I don't know if this is connected Gray. But…I just saw a man, not from this school. He entered the west gate and greeted the guard courteously. I was fixing Natsu's things that time. When I saw the west gate again, the guard fell asleep. Then, I saw the man again in the campus's central plaza. He was like waiting for someone. I decided to hide among the bushes to get a closer look of the guy. But…"
"Yes Happy? But what?", cutting mid-story is not cool especially if my heart wanted to get out of my chest and start searching on its own. I tried calming myself. But when I started to see the icy footprints disappearing into the greenhouse, my feet are being pulled there. But I need this information from Happy. I grabbed him again and shook him crazily. "HAAPPY! Tell me!"
He was prepared this time. He swatted my hand like a fly aiming to land on his fish. "NO MORE SHAKING GRAY! Ok. But…I saw a delicious mouse pass by…so… I chased it… and when I've finished my…meal… I looked up where the man was… but he's gone." I put my hand over face to express my disbelief on Happy. But I couldn't blame him. Its cat instinct. "But! But! I found the guy again. He was talking to a very hot…and curvy girl.. like the girl just arrived from a beach party."
"Do you know who this girl is?", I asked hoping if I could narrow down the culprit's search.
"I'm sorry Gray but from the bush that I was in, it's hard to see her face. But she has long hair! And she's wearing sun-glasses. Her hair was the color of obsidian.", he said in a matter-of-fact tone. I was relieved for the information that Happy shared. I need to get going.
"Thank you Happy! I'll be searching this greenhouse. I think they might be in there.", I told him.
"How did you-…. Owww… I see. I'll come along Gray! I wanna kick someone's butt for laying his fingers on Juvia!", he made punching gestures, like his combating someone in the air…swishing, booming and making other sound effects. But I need him to help me in other ways.
"As much as I want you to be there, Happy…I don't want you to be put in danger.."
"B-b-but-.."
"Happy, listen to me. I know you want to help. Do me a favor. Go tell Erza and Lucy what I've told you. Tell them to tell no one especially the organizers of the situation. Tell them that I'd be back before 30 minutes with Juvia. Ok Happy?"
Tears started to glittered in his eyes, sensing a high degree of trust and a sense of duty. "Ayiiieee! Sir!", he saluted to me like I'm his lieutenant and flew away. But before he could get far, he returned as if he'd remember something.
"Gray, someone entered that greenhouse before we converse. I just caught a glimpse of his back. But not much. I thought you should know.", I nodded and he flew away again.
I started to ran towards the greenhouse doors.
Something tells me this will end up in an icy way.
.
.
.
.
JUVIA'S P.O.V.
Mmmm! Mmmmmm! Mmmmm! Mm! mm! mm!
Oh wait. I'm sorry. I forgot that I'm talking in my head. I can't really talk personally because there's a stupid rag on my mouth, hindering me from speaking. Yes, I am kidnapped by a very unhandsome, evil, anti-magic-force-field guy. Worse, he hid me here, in the shrubbery of the campus greenhouse. Why did I say worse? It's because students and maintenance don't go here due to claims and legends of ghost hunting, plant invasion and infectious diseases that could turn your eyes into APPLES! (T_T)
Pssh.. isn't this university supposed to be a school for the power-gifted? And their afraid of old folklore and ghosts when they can easily blast them with their powers! Pathetic (T_T) Like me, I'm soooo pathetic! I can't even summon the moisture here to protect me. Not that I haven't tried. It's because of that anti-magic dude.
I've woken up sitting in a school chair, in a middle of a jungle encased in glass. I tried to summon magic but it just goes Puff!, then started draining my magic reserve. I tried loosening the ropes that held my hand and feet. But it's so tight that it ached when I tried moving it. I even tried jumping around with a chair, screaming with a gag on my mouth, hoping that someone…maybe a telepath or just one who have keen ears could hear me. But there wasn't.
Tears started to form in my eyes. How could this happen to me? How could this happen at the same time with the contest?! Could this be connected somehow with the beauty pageant? But I couldn't think of any reason for someone to do this when the competition just started. I'm not even a threat….wait… am I a threat to other competitors? But I just gave my best for my classmates and for my friends! Oh pleaseee… please.. someone save me. I feel helpless.
Wait.
How long was I out? ( O _ O )
OH GOOOOSSSH! THE CONTEST! THE PICTORIAL! I can be disqualified if I don't appear there on time! WHY ARE THIS THINGS HAPPENING TO MEEEEEE!? DID I COMMIT ANY GRAVE SIN? I'M AN HONEST AND OBEDIENT DAUGHTER!
I started jumping wildly again, making my away through the overgrown shrubs and greenery. Maybe this is the way out! I just have to…jump properly… and carefully. The plants are huge! And the leaves are crazily wide! Some have thorns. I just need to avoid those…and keep… jumping..
At some point of the greenhouse, I actually believed that I'd escape using this method. But, just as my luck is being boosted, a small rabbit appeared out of nowhere and stayed in the middle of the way. That was just cute… if I weren't in mid-air when it passed by. I side-stepped while landing to avoid the cute creature. I could have landed safely beside the rabbit. But, because of the moisture on the floor, I slipped. And you know what? I tumbled towards the overgrown greenery…backwards.
So much for good luck.
I tried standing up…pushing all the weight of my body to the chair for it to go upright… but gravity is stronger. I gave up. I just waited there… maybe for some insect to come bite me… and leave me unconscious. Or a snake to appear and bite me…poisoning me with their venom. That's not a noble way to die though. But it's better compared to being bitten by an ant to death.
Suddenly, I heard a door opening and leaves rustling… maybe against the movement of my kidnapper.
"Oh. Look what happened to the darling of the crowd.", it was a female voice! (O_O) She appeared in front of me. At first, I couldn't see her face because of the blinding sunlight that is seeping through the greenhouse. When she blocked the sunlight…I COULD NOW SEE HER STUPID FACE.
Wearing shorts and a dark blue tank top, her hair parted in the middle, her slanted dark eyes possess that malice and pure darkness that it sickened me to the very core.
It's Minerva.
"Mmmmm! Mmmm!", yah, so I tried talking but couldn't. But I wanted to ask why she'd done this.
"Shut up darling. If you want to know why I kidnapped you… Well, isn't it obvious? For me to win the contest of course! You're one of those cheap amateurs who get in my way towards victory. Don't worry darling, I'll release you…as soon as the contest ends and claim my crown.", she gestured towards the anti-magic dude.
"Get her back there again. And tie the chair too. The last thing I want is for her ruin my pageant.", wow. It's her pageant huh? Then she should have just be the one to join that stupid contest. Manly hands grabbed my chair and pulled me up, carried me like a feather towards my original position and casted a spell…a barrier for my chair to stay put. Oh if I could get out of this, I'll assure you, the Nile River will overflow again on this man's face!.
Minerva was in front of me again. I forgot she's a space manipulator. (T_T) She removed my gag and put on that unnerving and menacing look on her face.
"I know you wanted that crown Juvia. But sorry…amateurs like you don't deserve to win. This is my strategy to win Juvia, manipulate the factors that hinder your success like a King should.", she smiled.
"I'm gonna escape this Minerva! My classmates and friends are counting on me! And I don't want break their trust! Mark my words Minerva, as soon as I get my hands on you, you'll get what you deserve! A RIVER FOR A KING CARRYING YOUR BODY IN STRONG CURRENTS!", I shouted at the top of my lungs. She didn't even twitch.
"My…my… Juvia. You still have your courage with you. Can't you see! I'm a beauty queen from head to toe! Glossy black hair, captivating eyes, wonderful curves and confidence that doesn't waver! You? What do you have..? NOTHING! Because you are an amateur… no… a TRASH just like your friends!", she said with her stern voice.
She called my friends…TRASH?! Call me trash and it's ok. But call them that…and that's beyond my line of patience!
"I may not be as beautiful as you are in the outside. But Minerva, I have what you don't have…. I HAVE A HEART! I play fair! I give my best not for myself alone but for my friends and the people that put their trust on me! That's what I have MINERVA that you DON'T HAVE.", I told her with confidence. I don't know where I got my confidence to stand up for myself and for my friends. But everything I said is true. SHE IS NOTHING COMPARED TO MY FRIENDS.
I can feel energy forming around me…like the space that holds me is being…liquefied. I was readying myself for worse, praying for my friends to understand me…that they won't get mad… that Levi and Gray be happy together for the rest of their lives.. and for me to depart peacefully and proceed to heaven… This will be my last breath.
"YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS JUVIA LOCKSER.", she said grimly, raising her hand towards me. "BE LOST TO OBLIVION!", her eyes went big with anger. A dark void appeared just beneath me. But the barrier around my chair kept me from falling. I saw the man mustering power to release the magic. Good bye world.
Just when I'm ready to see the light, the temperature dropped….
Minerva's hands froze. The void disappeared. And the man…turned to a frozen artifact… like an ancient man who jumped in the waters of Antartica and got frozen and preserved.
"WHO THE HELL?!"
"I'm sorry I was late.", said a male voice from the shrubbery.
My heart dropped when he appeared before me.
"Y-Y-you…I thought you were far away…I thought you will be back next month"
"Missed me Juvia?", he smiled.
…
…
…
I can't believe my eyes.
OH YES! Juvia is saved! :D But not quite.. Minerva hasn't been given any scolding yet. But who is this mysterious guy?
Find out in the next chapters! :D
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