LonelyBallerina's Note: Sooo~ I've been taking driving lessons this summer and my instructor scares me. I mean, we nearly hit five cars including a ten-wheeler but that isn't so bad, right? He didn't need to scold me and shake that bald head of his in disappointment. Grrrr!
*cough* *cough* Sorry to rant. Plate of cookies, anyone?
Fairy Tale
Chapter 11: Trip over
Juvia tied the ribbon which held the guild's insignia tighter as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. Nothing much had changed, of course. That is, if you count the slightly visible trace of sadness in her eyes and the trivial frown of her lips. As usual, her sentiment was imitated by the weather.
Grey. Everything it seemed was grey. The sun has once again vanished under the storm clouds which gave the world a sickly grey color.
Bitterly, she sighed, "Why is Juvia sad? Maybe Juvia is having one of those pre-m-Ah yes! pre-monsteral syndrome that Mira-san mentioned...But-" she groaned, "Why did Juvia accept that date all of a sudden? Juvia felt sorry for Bora-san that she said yes...Anoo, I wonder what Gray-sama will say if he knew...No worries! Juvia will cancel after today's rehearsal. So for now, Juvia wants to see Gray-sama and if Juvia is lucky, Gray-sama might be taking his pants off too! Kyaaa! Gray-sama, wait for Juvia!"
With her mind set and a determined wide smile plastered on her face, she headed off.
At the theater...
The redheaded knight has already started fuming over poor members and the rest has begun working to repair the damages done. Juvia spotted Gray at the stage, grumbling and half-naked. Gray-sama is still wearing pants. Sigh. But it is still early, maybe Gray-sama will take it off later. As she went over, she was hindered by Lucy.
"Juvia, is it true?" she asked.
The rain woman blinked. "Is what true?"
"You have a date with your ex?" Lucy's eyes were wide curiosity and surprise.
"H-How did Lucy know? And who else knows?" She nearly demanded; her voice quivered as the question left her lips. It was better if her Gray-sama didn't know so that she may escape the explanation and still prove her loyalty. Their progress of love is in risk.
"Everyone knows. Bora appeared earlier and asked that you may be excused from your practice. Erza refused saying there was too much work for-"
Juvia interrupted after the words sunk in. "BORA-SAN DID WHAT?"
Lucy stepped back at the sudden outburst. "H-He asked for permission from Er-Erza...?"
Oh no. Gray-sama...Gray-sama...knows that Juvia is unfaithful! Juvia has to explain!
Without finishing their conversation, Juvia darted off to the Ice Make mage. "Gray-samaaaaaaaa!"
At the sound of her voice, Gray glanced over his shoulder with brows raised. "Juvia?" She was running at a dangerous speed towards him and he didn't know why. "Hey Juvia! Slow down! You might trip on-" Just as he said the words, it happened. The blunette's foot caught on a fallen streamer which sent her flying over the stage and landed on the newly reconstructed backdrop.
Gray jumped at the impact near him. When the rubble eased, he shouted, "Juvia! Are you alright? Where are you?" Quickly, he started removing the dirt and broken pieces of wood. He saw a dash of blue hidden under the pile of debris and not a moment too soon at that. After unearthing the dizzied Juvia, Gray shook her shoulders, "Juvia! Are you okay?"
She mumbled, "...Eeeehhh...Gray-sama...stop sh-shaking Juvia...Juvia sees stars..." in a whisper, she added, "and naked Gray-samas.."
He gathered her in his arms carefully. The last part he didn't get, "What?"
"N-Nothing..." she muttered.
"How do you feel?" Aside from the fact that she was at the border of consciousness and catalepsy, there was no indication that she was badly injured.
Juvia sighed, "Lightheaded but fine"
He was momentarily relieved by her answer. "Rea- Oh fuck! Your head's bleeding!" True enough, a streak of dark red fluid was streaming down her face.
"Maybe Juvia is just leaking," she joked as she reached for the wound.
Gray held her wrist to stop her from hurting herself even more. "Shut up and let me take care of that"
"Goodie! There are five Gray-samas!" Juvia clapped in glee.
"And you're hallucinating...at least, you're happy. Damn it, where's my shirt?" He fumbled under the wreckage to search for his discarded clothing. All the while, some members were approaching including the seething Erza. Gajeel was immediately on his side.
"The fuck happened to her? Seen your 'thing' again?" he asked. Though the statement was funny, the Iron Dragon Slayer's face was serious.
"No. She tripped," he answered.
Gajeel's eyes snapped back to him, "You fucking serious? She tripped and this happened?"
Gray sighed, "Yeah"
As he handed Gray a piece of torn cloth, he grumbled. "Women. Fucking dangerous species, aren't they?"
He answered with a laugh. Gray had said something else but Juvia couldn't anymore decipher or hear for she drifted off to the darkness. She wasn't sure but Gajeel's eyes went wide. What could he have said?
Juvia's eyes opened to see an old man with a bushy mustache standing on a stool and leaning close to her face. "She isn't dead, is she?" he asked.
"No, Master. She's just sleeping," a soft female voice replied.
He nodded, "And all this just because she saw his...'thing'?"
The voice giggled, "That's what Gajeel-kun said, Master".
"Aish. That boy should really stop stripping," the old man shook his head.
At the sound of everyone around her, Juvia lurched forward. "Ice!" But, as soon as she sat up, a splitting headache followed. She felt her head and found that it was covered in bandages and a spot was moist.
"Juvia, how are you feeling?" Makarov questioned. His tone was full of concern and worry, just like a parent would with his child.
"Um, Juvia feels fine. A little queasy but fine," she replied with a smile.
Master Makarov released a sigh of relief as soon as he heard. "Good. We were worried that you'd get a permanent damage"
"Juvia, remember to report to us if something unusual happens. Alright?" Mirajane softly put in.
She nodded. "Thank you, Mira-san, Master Makarov"
"Oh! That reminds me. You have a visitor," said the old man and turned to the door, "Come in"
With that, the knob turned and a young man with dark blue hair and a somewhat jovial yet all the more worried smile on his face. "Juvia..."
Sensing the shift in the air, Makarov peeped, "Mira, tell me, could you show me that little stain on the table you mentioned earlier? It seems like a very interesting stain"
Mirajane immediately followed in, "Ahh, yes. It looked a lot like a dog with three heads"
Their weird conversation continued even as they left the clinic. The couple, however, was left staring at each other in confusion. "Err-" he started, "How do you feel?"
Juvia smiled. "Fine...but the date..."
"We'll postpone until you get better," he said, nearing her.
"Would that be okay?"
He sat at the stool which Makarov previously occupied, "Definitely. You should just be worrying about that head of yours"
She chuckled. "And Bora-sama should worry about somebody else than Juvia"
"There isn't any-What did you call me?"
That afternoon, when the sun began to set and the darkness was overpowering the light, another half-naked young man with dark hair and determined eyes raced towards the guild. Even when people greeted him and asked for a fight as he entered, he never stopped running. When he reached the door to the clinic, he burst in, panting and winded. Four sets of eyes immediately locked on him. Erza, Gajeel and the annoying dude with the tacky hairstyle were gathered around Juvia.
"You're here," Erza stated as a matter-of-fact. "Didn't think you'd finish the backdrop on time"
"I-finished everything-you-asked me" he said in between heaving breaths.
Gajeel smirked at his appearance. Gray was covered with beads of sweat and smears of paint that he looked comical. "Y'look like a colorful hobo," he snickered.
The Ice Make mage paid no mind to his comment instead, he approached her with breathlessly. "Juvia..."
"Yes?" she asked. Somehow, a puzzled expression was plastered on her face.
Meanwhile, behind Gray, Bora came beside Erza and whispered, "Hey, um..."
The knight glanced at him with a raised brow, "What is it?"
"There's..." he exhaled "Juvia called me by another name earlier..."
Gray became rigid as ice. Taking one step back, he asked with shocked eyes, "What do you mean...you don't know who I am?"
LonelyBallerina's Note: Well, this chapter is shorter than the rest but I think it's refreshing. I know it doesn't revolve around the current issue which is the 'date' but I promise it will tie up soon enough ;)
What would happen now, I wonder? Although, I'm the author, I pretty much don't have any idea on what will occur next. I just have this knack of making things interesting.
Lemme hear your thoughts :)