Sorry for the short chapters I'm trying to get them out as fast as I can. So thank you so much for your continued support and sticking with my story.

Chapter 24

Juvia cried out as Natsu snatched her off the ground and flew up into a cloud of steam. Gray spun around having been watching the ground for any signs of movement, not even considering the bastard could have wings. "JUVIA!"

Gray took a deep breath and froze the steam, "Absolute Freeze." The second he spotted them he created an ice cannon and began trying to shoot Natsu from the sky. Juvia kept turning to water to get out of Natsu's grasp but he would grab her the second she reformed. It was like watching an airborne version of cat and mouse.

Eventually Juvia and Gray timed their moment to be in sync. Just as Juvia was reforming and Natsu was about to snatch her again Juvia turned to water again and Gray launched a cannon ball through her. While the attack almost landed it mark, Natus batted it away at the last moment, but once the ice passed through Juvia she started to freeze.

Gray jumped across a glacier gap to catch Juvia, "Juvia I'm so sorry." He released the ice from her but that wouldn't take away the pain of it.

"Juvia did it on purpose Gray-sama, Natsu-san was draining Juvia in large amounts every time he caught Juvia. Juvia couldn't have turned to water again if she wanted," Juvia panted.

"Juvia is sorry Gray-sama but with this heat and being exposed to Natsu-san's flames Juvia thinks she will be out with one more hit." There was a sharp glint to Juvia's gaze trying to convey her true plan without words.

Gray nods signaling her message was received, "its alright Juvia how about you take a break." The two share a small smile before becoming serious and Gray setting off into another round with Natsu. Juvia stood up and took off right into a large cloud of steam disappearing for a moment before sneaking to the other side of the field and assisting Gray while remaining unseen.

The others on the sidelines watch with pride as Gray and Juvia move with such practice and ease. "Those two have certainly have ...become in sync," Gildarts smirks but keeps his words in check for Wendy knowing Erza would knock him out otherwise.

"Yes they do," Erza had a soft smile filled with pride and satisfaction. "They grew so much closer over that year."

Wendy flushed crimson which caused both Erza and Gildarts to ask, "What's wrong?"

"Th-they lived together in that little house and said they did everything together. I-I just remembered how smug Juvia was telling Lucy that," Wendy flushes again at the memory and the insinuation.

Erza looks like what Wendy said just broke her, steam coming out of her ears and face as scarlet as her hair. Gildarts on the other hand had a pervy grin on his face and yelled out, "Gray you dog!"

He started to howl with laughter when he paused, "was Natsu in the room for this conversation?"

"Ummm yes he was, why?" Wendy asked with confusion.

Gildarts taps his chin, "well maybe that's why Natsu sees Juvia as a challenger? The rest of us Natsu has seen as rivals for as long as he's been a member of the guild. But Juvia, while being one hell of a strong mage and is a water user on top of that, he's never treated different than anyone else within the guild. I mean there's Mira, and Master being over looked here. So why Juvia?"

Within moments of this question being proposed a huge explosion happened on the field. Juvia came flying high out of a cloud of steam and would have hit the ground if not for Gajeel stepping forward to catch her. Laxus and Sting closed to gap he left as he made his way with Juvia over to Wendy. He said nothing as he handed her over just nodded and backed away.

Erza and Gildarts looked on as Wendy did her first condition check. "At least Natsu is better at holding back then I am."

Erza and Wendy both nodded in agreement, "Juvia has a few bone bruises, a slight concussion, some scrapes, and quite a few burns. I'll do some light healing until she's conscious but like you two Porlyusica and I can take better care at the infirmary."

Erza put a reassuring hand on the young girls shoulder, "no need to explain Wendy. Who knows what condition Gray will come out in knowing those two idiots. Conserving your strength is definitely a need today. We don't know how this sickness will end."

Wendy shot her a concerned look then shook herself with a new determination started working on Juvia, "I'm going to do my best."

"We all will kid can't have any doubts of that in this guild," Gildarts ruffles her hair and shares a grin with Erza.

"What is your deal Natsu?! Why did you keep going after Juvia? Since when am I someone you ignore?" Gray shouted freezing any remaining moisture in the air.

Natsu completely ignored Gray's questioning and started raising the temperature. Erza sucked in a breath getting her first look at Natsu's flying form. She couldn't help but compare his current form to that of his father Igneel. She didn't see much of the dragons fighting when Tartorous crashed but it was definitely something you couldn't forget.

Ruby scaled wings with a golden membrane arched over his shoulders but he had black spikes along his spine and down his tail. She assumed the black spines and horns on his head had more to do with his demonic side than his Dragon Slayer side.

"Gray, Juvia saw Lucy as her rival while it may be for love instead of fighting like it is for you and Natsu, its still a rivalry." Gildarts shouted across the field.

Gray's jaw dropped but he nodded, "alright then we are kick this up a notch." His power flared knocking his hair back from his face as the air rippled off his with frost, "this is for Juvia."

Natsu cackled and dove at his opponent fist raised but still with no flame. That's when Gray realized Natsu hadn't thrown a single flaming fist at anyone. Gray dove under Natsu and grabbed his legs swinging him around just long enough to hear a gag. Then he flung a disoriented Natsu into a cliff side causing an avalanche. The frozen chunks set up another volley of steam from hitting the lava below. Only Gray instead of using it as cover like Juvia froze it all into sharp projectiles and proceeded to launch everything at Natsu.

Natsu recovered from his temporary nauseous state to let himself free fall towards the lava but at the last second opened his wings to glide over the bubbling surface. Gray's ice pelted into the lava following Natsu's soaring form. "Your not getting away this time," Gray launched wave after wave of icy javelins at Natsu.

The pink haired slayer shot Gray his infamous grin right before diving head first into the lava completely disappearing from sight. Every jaw dropped not having expected that, Gray recovered first and started cursing as he looked around. Gray was the first to notice the icebergs were slowly sinking into the lava.