A/N: Hello everyone and welcome back. Two chapters in two days? I think this is the fastest I've ever posted a chapter; I'M ON FIRE BABY!
So, I decided after much brainstorming that this latest chapter would be another side story chapter. I had some free time and decided to write this one out before I continue on with some other stuff I'm doing at the moment. These side stories (depending on how many I write) won't necessarily be focused on Natsu and Lucy. They are more or less one shots focused on the different OTP's I ship and their kids. If I focus on one OTP for all the side stories things tend to get boring. I'm thinking every three or four chapters I might do this or I may even write two side stories in a row; it all depends.
So, in light of that, here is a quick shout out to you guys!
-Tomoyo10798: I'm glad you liked the chapter and are eager to read more. I noticed you've posted your first story; congratulations. I haven't read it yet but it's on my favorites and following list so I will get to it soon or later…with a review of course. I also noticed that you're from Japan. That's really cool; definitely a country I want to visit. I'm not going to spoil anything but yes, I will be pairing my OC's up; it will not be just the parents even though they are the focus of the story. But the OC pairings will be shown, I can tell you that much.
-Sesshomaru'sCrzayGal: Welcome, Crazy Girl! Glad you liked the last chapter; yes, Asuka is one of my favorites because she is just downright cute. Kudos to Bisca and Alzack! Yes, I am a guy; we've firmly established that fact X) LOL.
-kazenoseiren: Welcome back! I'm glad you liked the chapter. To answer your questions, I haven't added anything steamy or of the sexual nature yet, BUT, I will when the time is right. I do plan to add some implied sex here and there but nothing to graphic or anything like that; if anything it will be close to a lime rather that lemon. And I will change the story rating from T to M when that arrives…plus I will be stepping up the action and language so there's cause enough for a rating change. But until then, this story is rated T for TEEN.
I'm glad I did well with the Jellal and Erza scene. I was worried about that because it was very hard for me to write.
As for Igneel's dream…you're close but there's more to it, though I applaud your deductive reasoning. When the truth comes out, prepare for some serious shock and awe…serious shock and awe.
-Darhope: Welcome back. I'm personally a NaLu fan but I'm also partial to all the OTP's in this story. I'm glad you liked the chapter. Gray will come around but it's gonna take some coaxing to do so…but he's a hard ass so that presents its own unique challenges LOL. As for what's going on with Igneel, I recommend you read what I said to kazenoseiren.
And speaking of Gruvia…you're going to love this latest side story.
Another thing I would like to add is this; the voices of my characters. It seems fitting since I put their themes down in chapter 5, that they should also have voices you could picture in your head. So here is a quick list of my characters and who would voice them…if they could mind you. *NOTE: This is for entertainment purposes only and I do not know or endorse any of the following voice actors-THIS IS FOR THE SAKE OF FUN!*
-Igneel: Steve Blum *NO OVER 9,000 JOKES PLEASE*
-Lilly: Kira Buckland
-Saito: Crispin Freeman
-Sam: Steve Staley
-Senna: Mary Elizabeth McGlynn
-Jenny: Jen Taylor
-Chiara: Carrie Savage
I hope these voice actors seem fitting for the character, if you disagree and want to suggest someone else, let me know.
So, now that that's over and done with, let's begin shall we. OH! After the Authors Note at the end of the chapter, I have something I want to get your opinion on.
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Side Story #2: A welcome home surprise
SOME TIME FROM NOW
Gray Fullbuster let out a heavy sigh as he dragged his feet up the streets of Magnolia. The twenty one year old mage was in all possible meaning of the word; tired.
It had been a rough three weeks.
Gray had just returned from an extended job that involved him, Natsu and Elfman acting as security guards for a small trading store in the highlands of Fiore. The store had recently been targeted by a group of thieves and despite the owner's best efforts, the thieves had returned night after night all the while eluding the authorities. So the owners had contacted Fairy Tail for assistance. It was a job that provided its own set of challenges but the owners would be able to shell out the cash for payment.
So Natsu, Gray and Elfman had signed up to undertake the job.
Not that the three didn't enjoy being around each other, but they each had their own reasons for taking the job.
Natsu and Lucy had tied the knot two years earlier at the tender age of nineteen. Even though they were married and now living in an apartment, the bills had to be paid and despite their combined income, it never hurt to have a little extra cash in the bank.
Elfman on the other hand was a different but simple story; Evergreen was pregnant and the two weren't married. They had been living together for some time now but it wasn't until four months ago that Evergreen had told Elfman that she was pregnant with his child. It had been a major shock to the white haired mage but he stood by Evergreen, saying it was the "manly thing to do." But that had been his ego talking. In all honesty, Elfman was overjoyed at the prospect of being a father. And it showed every time he let Evergreen take his hand and place it on her baby bump.
The middle Strauss sibling had since, in private, asked permission from Freed, Bisckslow, and Laxus to ask Evergreen to marry him. The concept of asking those three, in the same order mind you, sent a shiver up Gray's spine.
Elfman had taken this job so that he could buy Evergreen and engagement ring; and not a cheap one either.
Gray let out another sigh as he adjusted the shoulder strap of his duffel bag.
So the three mages had went to the aid of the store in high spirits that it would be a short, easy job. All they had to do was wait, catch the bad guys, and then be on their way home. It was to be simple and easy.
…But then again most things in life aren't.
The thieves had proven to be a slippery bunch. One day had turned into two. Two had turned into four. And soon two weeks had passed with little to no success. To say the three mages had been pissed and furious would be an understatement that could possibly have cost someone's life. So, three days earlier, Natsu had come up with a simple but effective plan that went along the lines of quote, un-quote,
"OH TO HELL WITH THIS S***! LET'S JUST #$% 'EM UP AND WORRY ABOUT THE *CENSORED BLEEP* CONSEQUENCES LATER!"
Gray and Elfman voiced no objections to Natsu's vehement, rage fueled war cry.
And so the three mages staged an ambush and when the thieves returned, they did what Natsu said.
And when all was said and done the thieves, who were now cowering in fear and begging for mercy, had been subdued.
But…this is where the consequences came into play.
The three mages had caused some severe property damage to the store which the owners weren't necessarily thrilled about. Then the authorities had arrived to take the thieves to prison but that in turn left stack after stack of paper work to be filled out. When that was done, the mages had then returned to the train station to find that they had not only missed their train but would have to spend the night at the station.
It had been one thing after another.
Gray passed a series of store windows and took the time to pause and observe his reflection.
Gray was taller now and his already broad shoulders had increased in muscularity by a significant margin. His hair was still spiky black but he had let his bangs grow out just a little bit and he had two silver bands piercing his right ear. He wore his white and blue trimmed jacket only this latest version reached his ankle in the way a duster or trench coat would. Underneath it he wore a simple black t-shirt, his silver necklace sticking out in contrast, a pair of olive drab cargo pants with a heavy belt and a pair of well used black boots. However, due to the series of shenanigans his clothes had become scuffed and damaged somewhat.
Gray let out another long sigh. He just wanted to get back home.
Something glinted off the window and Gray looked at his left hand with a small smile. The glint came from his left ring finger; right where his silver wedding band was.
It was true that he wanted to get home so he could relax…but more importantly he wanted to get home and see his wife; Juvia Fullbuster.
Gray and Juvia had gotten married a little bit after Natsu and Lucy had. It hadn't been much of surprise to the Guild but it was a celebrated event none the less.
He distinctly remembered Lucy saying that it was, "About damn time."
Gray personally didn't blame Lucy for saying that.
He had long ago admitted to himself that he hadn't been the best person to Juvia. Even when he finally admitted to loving her he still let his old habits get the best of him.
But now that they were together, Gray had vowed to work past his previous behavior and make up for it however he could.
Thinking of his wife, Gray felt a small frown at the edge of his mouth form.
Over the past few weeks, Juvia had been acting…odd. Juvia had always had her quirks but Gray had been noticing that there was something different with Juvia. He just couldn't place his finger on it.
Sighing again, Gray continued on his way home.
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"Juvia," Gray called out, "I'm home."
Removing his boots, Gray entered the moderately sized apartment that he and Juvia called home. He set his duffel bag down near the couch as he did so.
The sound of rushing footsteps caught Gray's attention.
Turning his head, Gray let a warm smile form on his lips.
Juvia Fullbuster stood before her husband, a similar smile on her face. Juvia was still shorter than Gray by a couple of inches but that didn't particularly matter to the Ice Mage. Her long and flowing blue hair was tied into a long braid which reached the middle of her back. She wore a navy blue turtle neck sweater which hugged the curves of her body over a knee length blue skirt.
Juvia instantly went to Gray and drew him into a warm hug before gently placing a tender kiss on his lips.
"Welcome home Gray-sama." Juiva said.
"It's good to be home." Gray said as Juvia released him from her hug. He looked at his wife and noticed that there was something different in her eyes. It was a look she had when she was trying to hide something.
Gray knitted his eyebrows tighter in concern.
"Is something wrong?" Gray asked.
Juvia shook her head with a small smile.
"It's nothing…believe me." Juvia said as she gently kissed her husband's cheek.
"How did the job go?" Juvia asked.
Gray let out a deflated sigh as his shoulders sagged forward.
"You have no idea what I've been through these past three weeks." Gray said as he went into the kitchen to get something to drink.
Opening the fridge, Gray searched for anything to quench his thirst.
"The only word that could possibly describe that job as whole is; hell, Juvia."
Gray finally selected a bottle of water. Juvia giggled at Gray's statement. To Gray's ears that giggle always sounded like tiny bells chiming.
"It was simply, hell." Gray said as he closed the fridge.
He was about to open the bottle when he noticed something strange about the fridge.
"Juvia, where did all the pictures go?" Juvia said as he looked back a Juvia.
The fridge was normally decorated with pictures of friends and family from the Guild. The normally cluttered surface was now barren. Juvia herself was standing near the kitchen entrance, nervously wringing her hands together. Her eyes motioned to the freezer door at the top of the fridge.
Gray turned back around saw a single picture tapped to the fridge. How had he missed that before?
However, that though was replaced as Gray slowly and carefully brought his hand up to the freezers surface and gently removed the picture from the fridge.
It was a sonogram that was normally taken at a Hospital…and the image was of a developing baby, most likely at the nine week mark.
On the picture, the name FULLBUSTER-JUVIA was clearly present.
Gray's eyes widened as the realization of what he was looking at finally dawned on him.
"Juvia…" Gray whispered as he turned around.
Juvia could no longer hold back her excitement or the tears streaming down her face.
"Gray-sama." Juvia choked out despite the smile on her face.
Gray suddenly fell to his knees, his head lowered while his arms and shoulders shook.
"Gray-sama!" Juvia cried out, instantly at her husband's side. She gently placed her hands on Gray's only for Gray to gently take them into his.
"I-I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner," Juvia said in concern, "I…I didn't know how to tell you."
Gray kept his head lowered.
"Y-you're not mad at me…are y-you Gray-sama?"
Gray finally looked at Juvia as tears of joy fell from his eyes like a never ending water fall, a full smile on his face. He leaned forward and placed a passionate kiss on Juvia's lips, surprising the water mage.
"How…how could I be angry at you?" Gray said as he broke the kiss.
"This…this is the happiest day of my life."
Gray helped Juvia to her feet before he dipped down and placed a gentle kiss on her belly, causing the woman to let out a startled laugh at the action.
Gray stood up and drew Juvia into another hug.
"This is the greatest surprise I could have ever gotten." Gray said as he held his wife in his arms.
The two contently held each other as Juvia guided one of Gray's hands to her stomach where a slight bump was beginning to form.
The two mages couldn't wait to tell all their friends at the Guild that they were both about to become parents.
XX-END-XX
A/N: I know it's short but it's definitely packed with Gruvia fluff. I hope you guys enjoyed it none the less. If you have any questions or comments, just leave them in your review.
Now onto the matter that I mentioned at the end of my first author's note.
I may or may have not mentioned it to you guys but I'm currently working out another Fairy Tail story. It's still in the developing stages but I'm starting to have an idea as to where I want to go with it. But, before I continue working on it, I want to give you guys a sneak peak at what is to come. So without further ado, here is a preview of Vendetta.
PREVIEW:
Vendetta, a Fairy Tail Fanfic.
DESCRIPTION: The year is X793. A gunslinger with a sordid past has joined up with Fairy Tail. He is quiet, ruthless and master of his craft. And he has one goal in mind; fulfilling a Vendetta.
"I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, "Come and see!" I looked and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hell was following with him."
-Revelation 6:7-8
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The sun overhead was hot and unforgiving on the Badlands of Desierto.
The Badlands were an area of the arid country known for its unforgiving climate and rough, even dangerous terrain which consisted of canyons and harsh deserts. People tended to avoid this part of the land and many who ventured into barley made it out alive.
However, these matters were lost on the man who was currently running through a single canyon as fast as he could. He was running for his life after all.
The man, who was normally well groomed and dressed, was drenched in sweat and blood as he frantically looked over his shoulder to see if anything was behind him. His eyes were wide in terror for he had good reason to be.
He was being hunted.
The blood that stained his expensive business suit was not his, however. The blood came from the hired goons that had acted as his security team… a team that was now dead, leaving the man on his own.
The man suddenly tripped on his footing and fell face first onto the hard stone. The man let out a pitiful groan as he slowly rose on his hands and knees.
The sound of loose rock echoing off the canyon walls caused the man's head to snap up as more prominent sound reached his ears.
It was the sound of footsteps.
Tick-tap
Tick-tap
Slow and methodical, they seemed to be getting closer.
The man, despite his better judgment, let out a gasp of terrified air. He rose to his feet and continued to run.
Tick-tap
Tick-tap
He was getting closer; he could feel it!
Tick-tap
Tick-tap
He had to get away, he had to get away from him!
Tick-tap
Tick-tap
The canyon's steep and narrow walls soon closed into a large cavern that opened up revealing high, natural rock walls with a massive opening allowing the sun and clear blue sky to be seen. The man ran to the nearest wall and attempted to climb. But the walls were too smooth and the man fell to the rock bellow, unable to have found grip or purchase on the stone. The man stood up and frantically searched about the cavern to find some sort of exit.
There was none…the man was trapped.
Tick…tap
The sound of the boots the man had instantly come to dread echoed out from the canyon. The man swallowed hard and with ragged breathe, he slowly turned around.
And there, standing before him…was the man he considered to be Death incarnate.
He had seemingly had come out of nowhere, like a ghost. His men had been dead within seconds of the hunter's arrival. The man had been sparred only to be unmercifully chased like a wild animal.
He was tall and well built, his broad shoulders set back in relaxed but rigid manner. He wore a dark brown duster coat that went down to his ankles with armor plating affixed to his shoulders and forearms. A pair of hands covered by gloves that reached the middle of his fingers lay at his sides. Beneath his coat, an armored vest could clearly be seen along with a heavy gunslinger belt, khaki cargo pants, and armored shin guards which covered the upper half of his laced up combat boots. A wide brimmed cowboy hat adorned his head.
As far as weapons went, the man could see leather straps on the man's thighs which indicated some form of holster resided there. On his back in halberd was the end of a katana sword while the sling of a large rifle could also be seen. In the man's right hand, was a very large revolver.
But the most distinguishing feature of that the man focused on was the mask affixed to the man's face. The eyes were hidden by an ever-present darkness while three crimson stripes ran down the mask. It was if someone had dipped their index, middle and ring fingers in paint and drew them vertically over the mask.
The pursuer stepped forward and the man fell back onto his behind as he scrambled back against the wall.
"Wait!" The man cried as he extended his hand outward in a desperate, pleading manner.
The hunter continued to walk forward.
"Listen! LISTEN TO ME, I BEG YOU!" The man cried.
The hunter did not seem to acknowledge what the man was saying.
"I know who you are! You're a bounty hunter right!? A Freelancer!?"
The hunter stopped just as he reached the man, his shadow casting darkly over his prey.
"I can pay you! I can pay you two, three times the amount you're currently being paid!"
The man tried to reason with the hunter.
"Just let me live and I'll pay you whatever you want; just please don't kill me!" The man begged, his hands clasped together in a pleading manner.
The hunter was quiet as he looked down at his prey.
"My motive for hunting you isn't for something as trivial as money, you fool." The hunter spoke, his mask making his voice possess a strange metallic ring to it. (A/N: Think of Gray Fox's voice from Metal Gear Solid.)
He then proceeded to kick the man back with a vicious kick to the stomach. The man lurched back as he clutched his abdomen in pain before starring up at the hunter with wide, horrified eyes.
"No…my motive is something more complex than monetary gain…it is something pure but terrifying in its simplicity."
The hunter raised the large revolver and aimed it at the man's head.
"As I told you before…I am here to kill you for one simple reason."
The hunter used his thumb to cock the revolvers spurred hammer back.
"And that reason; is revenge."
With those words, the hunter pulled the revolvers trigger and the gunshot echoed throughout the cavern.
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A/N: So, what do yall think? I won't be posting the new story or first chapter for a bit. This excerpt was just something I jotted down onto one of my legal pads. But, I hope I have you guys hooked with just this little snippet. If you have comments or questions just put in your review…but after you review the Side Story first please.