It's Monday! This was such a fun chapter to write, so I'm hoping you like it!
Waffels: XD
- K. Chandler
A fruitless morning at the shipyard had left Gray out of sorts.
"None of them are as nice as the Fairy Tail," complained Gray.
"Doesn't matter, 'cause you can't afford any of them," Cana pointed out.
"We could if we could take another job," said Natsu.
"We can't," said Gray. "In case you've forgotten, we're currently a crew without a ship."
Being stuck on land was putting him in a foul mood. He didn't belong here. He belonged out there, on the water.
"Can't we just borrow one?" asked Natsu.
"Lyon was pretty clear about that. Until we can pay for another ship, we're grounded."
"Man, that sucks!" groused Natsu.
"We'll come up with something," said Cana. "We're sure to be able to earn the money we need somehow."
"We might, if you don't drink all our earnings away in the meantime," said Gray.
"Allow a lady to have a luxury or two," said Cana airily. She didn't seem bothered by Gray's snippiness.
"A lady?" snorted Natsu. "You?"
"It'd be one thing if you stopped after a drink or two," said Gray. "But with you, it's more like a dozen or two!"
"It wouldn't be if they didn't make the mugs so small," said Cana, emphasizing her point with her hands. "Do you think they'd let me buy the entire barrel?"
"You couldn't afford the whole barrel," said Natsu. "Prince Lyon isn't paying us to sit here on shore, is he?"
"Drat."
The trio continued to bicker as they returned to town. They passed the beach as they crossed the promenade. Gray spied a figure down by the shore. A woman was staggering her way across the sand wearing what looked like her underwear.
"Are you seeing that?" asked Gray.
"Hm?" Cana frowned. "Is that a girl? What is she wearing?"
"That's what you look like when you're dead-drunk!" chortled Natsu.
Cana smacked him in the head. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go see if she needs help."
But Gray needed no encouragement. He was already half way down the embankment, leaving his crewmates to wait at the promenade.
When he got closer, he could tell that the girl didn't seem drunk. Her movements seemed uncoordinated, but that was primarily centered around her legs. Perhaps she had injured them somehow?
"Excuse me, Miss?"
The girl started at the sound of his voice, toppling backwards into the sand.
Gray cringed. "Sorry. Didn't mean to scare ya."
She looked up at him, her expression startled. She was unexpectedly pretty, with flowing curls and a small, expressive face. She had these wide ocean-blue eyes that just about made his heart stop.
"Wow…" muttered Gray. He ducked his head when he realized he was staring. He cleared his throat. "Are you, um… You're not from around here, are you?" asked Gray.
She shook her head, smiling brightly.
She seemed earnest enough and Gray didn't doubt her honesty. But something still bothered him. There was something far too familiar about this girl, like they had met not too long ago.
Gray crouched down next to her, looking at her curiously. "Do I… know you from somewhere? You seem sort of familiar," he said.
The girl started to nod, but then stopped. Instead, she smiled again, her eyes twinkling.
"What's your name?" he asked.
The girl opened her mouth to answer, but then shut it again.
"You don't have to be afraid. I'm not gonna hurt you, ya know," said Gray. "I'm an officer in the Fiore Royal Navy."
The girl shook her head again, a hand up to her mouth in a silent giggle. Then she shrugged apologetically, pointing at herself. No, she was pointing at her throat.
"You… can't talk?" guessed Gray.
He knew he was right when the girl beamed, bobbing her head up and down.
"Have you always been like this?"
The girl shook her head no.
Gray cringed. He couldn't imagine losing his ability to communicate. "Did you lose your memories or just your voice?"
The girl shook her head. Just her voice then.
"Well, that's good," said Gray. "Not the voice part, but the fact you still have your memories. Still, must be rough."
The girl shot him a grateful smile.
Gray sighed. "So this is probably a dumb question, seeing as you can't say anything, but what are you doing all the way out here?"
The girl tilted her head at him. Then she put a hand up to shade her eyes. She swiveled her neck back and forth.
"You're lost?"
No.
"You're trying to get home?"
Another no.
"You're looking for something?"
The girl's face scrunched into an exasperated huff.
"Sorry, I'm pretty lousy at this," said Gray. "I always sucked at charades," he confessed. "I don't really know what you need or even if I can do anything about it. But if you want, I know somebody who might be able to help."
The girl's eyes widened. Then she nodded, obviously pleased with this proposal.
"The name's Gray Fullbuster, by the way. You can call me Gray. Or, well… I guess you can't. Sorry," he faltered, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. Something about this girl made him tongue-tied and awkward, like a schoolboy.
The girl 'laughed' again, her lips curving into a smile as her eyes crinkled in mirth. Gray found himself wondering what her laugh would sound like.
Offering the mysterious girl a hand, Gray helped her to stand. But she stumbled, barreling into his chest when her legs folded under her.
"Whoa, easy there! You okay?"
She nodded shyly, his shirt still fisted in her hands. Gingerly, she let go of him, only to stumble again, wincing. She sighed.
"Did you twist your ankle or something?" asked Gray.
She shrugged, gesturing with one hand as if to protest the idea.
"Okay… I guess that's a no? Maybe I could carry you? I just don't want you hurting yourself again," Gray clarified quickly. "Whatever you did, walking on it is probably going to make it worse. You might want to hold off until we can get you checked out."
The girl studied him warily. She seemed to consider it, eventually granting her permission with a nod.
Gray turned, bending slightly so she could climb on his back. "I gotcha. I swear I'm not gonna drop ya, okay?"
She was giving him that wary look again, but she wrapped her arms around his neck.
Gray hoisted the girl up gently. "You okay back there?"
He felt her nod in response. Her loose hair tickled the back of his neck.
"Wow, somebody sure moves fast," hooted Natsu when Gray met them back at the top of the embankment.
"Shut up, Natsu," said Gray. "I'm just trying to help her out."
He trudged along the promenade, towards the castle.
"By taking her home with you?" asked Cana, falling into step with her crewmates.
"Don't be lewd, Cana," muttered Gray, his face heating up in embarrassment.
"Ever the gallant gentleman. Good manners suit you, Captain," teased Cana, undoing the buttons on her uniform jacket. She shrugged it off, leaving her in only her shirtsleeves. She draped her jacket around the other girl's shoulders. "I approve of this one. She's a good influence."
"I don't need your approval," growled Gray, wishing he had thought to offer the girl his jacket.
"You know what's weird?" said Natsu. "That was pretty much the same place I found Gray washed up."
"I noticed that," said Gray. While it wasn't out of the question for it to be coincidence, what were the odds of that happening?
"I thought the only thing you noticed was her," said Cana.
"Give it a rest already, will ya?" grumbled Gray.
Cana responded with a mocking salute.
Sometimes, Edgar (the other half of R011ingThunder) and I beta each other's stories. He thought that making Juvia lose her voice was excessive. I ignored him, because this was just way too much fun! Keep your eyes open for other creative ways that Juvia uses to get her point across.
Next time, in Silence, Gray brings in help (guess who?): Gray had said that she was one of the brightest minds in the Kingdom of Fiore. But currently, Juvia had her stumped.
Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.
