Gajeel was not too pleased with being called back to the organization. There was a lot that needed to be done at Kardia Cathedral and he didn't like putting off his work. But Erza insisted that it was vital he come to discuss Juvia's medical history. Joining him on his return to the organization was Levy Mcgarden the mother superior of their church, she came along because she too had knowledge on the medical history of the priest's ward. Levy was quite young for someone in her position, young but not ill equipped to the task. She had been studying the bible and holy texts from the time she was four years old, strong in her faith, gentle at heart, and of chaste virtue. Sadly however Levy happened to be a very beautiful and attractive woman so she had a tendency to earn a lot of male gazes and catcalls. Much to her annoyance and Gajeel's anger.
"In all the years I've lived in this town I've never once heard of this organization." Levy said to Gajeel.
"Well if you ask me it's nothing but a nut house full of heathens and lunatics." He told her.
"Now Gajeel be civil won't you?"
"Well what am I supposed to call a place that allows two bloody monsters to still roam the earth?"
"You don't know for sure if these...Men are considered monsters in the eyes of God. Judge not that ye, be not judged."
"Hard not to judge two beings created by Satan and to tell you the truth I don't like the idea of Juvia being mixed up in all this."
"It was her decision to join."
"But she's just a child. She doesn't know what she's getting herself into."
"She's not a child. She's twenty-one years old. A grown woman who has every right to make her own choices."
"Yes chronologically she's an adult but she still thinks like a child."
"I will not deny she is innocent and naive on certain aspects of life but that doesn't mean she's immature."
"I know but...Oh Levy if only you knew what I went through before I came to Kardia. Then you'd understand my reservations about this place."
"You could always tell me." She suggested. "Then I would know and be able to understand."
"I would like to tell you but...It's too complicated for you or anyone to comprehend. My point is this world has had a habit of destroying anything pure and good in my life for no reason at all. So I'm terrified that Juvia will just become another good thing in my life that I failed to protect."
"I understand." She smiled. "Pity you never became a father because you behave very much like one. I still remember the first time I saw you. I was saying my prayers when I heard a knock at the cathedral doors, I answered it and there you were. Eight years old, standing in the pouring rain with that little baby in your arms. I freaked when you told me the baby was yours."
"I didn't mean it like that."
"I know but I was a little girl back then. What was I supposed to think?"
Soon they were let into the organization and escorted to the clinic. Juvia was yet to arrive because she was still getting dressed but Gray was there.
"Why is he here?" Gajeel asked.
"I'm here as a concerned friend." Gray answered.
"Good morning." Levy greeted politely. "I am Levy Mcgarden, Mother superior to Kardia Cathedral."
"Gray Fullbuster." He introduced and held out his hand to shake. Levy moved to accept but Gajeel stopped her.
"He's a devil." He warned her.
"Will you get off my back old man?" Gray said. "You know I'm harmless to humans."
"Are you really? Because you weren't exactly harmless to me."
"Yeah but my harmful actions toward you were always justified." Gray explained.
"No they weren't. You were nothing but a bully who always harassed me."
"You always started it."
"Did not."
"Did to."
"Did not."
"Did to."
"Did not!"
"Did to!"
"Ahem!" Levy coughed. "Could we please behave in a civilized manner, gentlemen?"
They glared at each other and kept silent til Erza entered the room with Juvia.
"Levy." Juvia said with a smile. "It's so good to see."
The two of them embraced each other as two people would do with longtime friends or even realtives.
"How are you Levy?"
"Just fine thank you."
"At any trouble back home?"
"No thankfully."
"What brings you here? We only needed Gajeel."
"I know but he was worried he might forget something so he brought me along. You know how bad his memory can be sometimes."
"Hey!" Gajeel said.
"Now then shall we get down to business?" Erza asked pulling out a clipboard, some paper, and a pen. "Father Redfox how old was Juvia exactly when you found her?"
"Three to four months."
"Was she examined immediately after being brought to the church?"
"Yes. We were both examined."
"Do you remember what the doctor's results were? Regarding her health that is?"
"Yes. He said she was perfectly healthy. I mean she had a tiny cold from the rain but nothing serious."
"Anything unusual about her?"
"Like what?"
"Blood work perhaps?"
"Blood work?"
"Yes Father Redfox. Recently Juvia was apart of an assignment in which my agents had to deal with vampires. On this assignment she suffered a minor injury that drew blood and when her blood made contact with vampire flesh, it burned it. We ran some tests and discovered that her blood is full of holy water. This discovery baffled me and I wanted to know if Juvia's blood had always been like this. Was there an injection? Mutation? Or anything relating to that? Were you even aware that her blood contained holy water?"
When Gajeel heard this he briefly looked at Gray. That one brief look confirmed that he knew about it for a long time.
"Yes I knew about it." He admitted. "And no there was no mutation or injection. She was born with her blood like that."
"Really?" Juvia said. "How come you never told me?"
"I don't know. I guess over time I forgot about it."
"But how is this possible?" Levy asked. "How could someone just be born with blood cells that produce holy water in their veins?"
"I don't know."
"Are you certain?" Erza asked. "You don't even have an idea of why or how this occurred?"
"No. Just one of those bizarre things that happen in life I guess."
"In that case I apologize for calling you here on short notice." Erza said. "I thank you and Mother Mcgarden both for your cooperation. Please allow me to show my gratitude by treating you to lunch."
"Thank you very much." Levy said. "Lunch would be lovely. I shall go wash up."
"So will I." Juvia said.
The women exited first, the men would be last out but not yet. Gajeel was just out the door when Gray grabbed him and pulled him back inside. He closed the door and chose to lower his voice when he spoke.
"You lied."
"Excuse me?" Gajeel said.
"You lied when you said that you didn't know how Juvia's blood got that way."
"I don't know what you mean."
"Hey you might have them buying that crap you spewed but not me. I'm a devil, lying is second nature to me and I know a lie when I hear one."
Indeed Gajeel had lied. He knew exactly how Juvia ended up with this seemingly impossible blood type but he did not speak of it because he feared what may transpire if the truth was known. Before coming to Kardia Cathedral, Gajeel had witnessed a horror that would haunt him til the day he died and he lived in constant fear of that same horror being repeated. So he felt it was best to keep certain secrets and to tell a few fibs, all to prevent that horrifying event from happening twice.
"Alright I did lie." He admitted. "But I had good reason to."
"What reason?"
"None of your business."
"You're hiding something old man. What is it?"
"First of all stop calling me an old man. I'm not old, I'm very young. Younger than you."
"I don't care! What are you hiding? Tell me."
"I don't have to tell you anything. I don't pry you for your secrets."
"Fine but I do know some of your secrets. Like when you were really born and where and when you previously lived. And I might just let some of those secrets slip out."
"Don't you threaten me you spawn of hell."
"Why not? You can't stop me from talking."
"Maybe not but I'd think twice about that if I were you. Because that plan may backfire on you."
"How so? It's your secret."
"Yeah but in a way it's also yours."
"What are you talking about?"
"You can tell them about that part of my life but if you do you'll have to tell them how you know it. How you knew me back then and to do that you'll have to tell them about, her." Gajeel warned. "And I know you don't want anybody to know about that part of your life. Do you?"
Gray became upon realizing that he was playing with a double edged sword here.
"Our pasts and secrets regarding that subject are linked." Gajeel continued. "So by all means, expose me if you wish but remember you'll be exposing yourself also. Which is another reason why I lied."
"I don't follow."
"Let's just say if I were to come clean about Juvia's birth and origins, I would have to tell them both our darkest secrets."
"Alright. I get why you won't tell them but why not me? Why can't I know?"
"For her own good."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing you need to worry about. Just know that sometimes I keep secrets from Juvia and you for her safety and well being. I've learned from certain events in my life and I hope you have too." He turned back to the door. "Now if you'll excuse me I'm very hungry and would like to have some lunch."