Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Hiro Mashima, creator of Fairy Tail. I am in no way connected with the franchise. It bears noting that this fanfic is the product of a request for a "Jane Austen" vibe.

The Art of Falling
Chapter 1: A Curious Beginning

Gray let out a sigh. He left his apartment in a hurry this morning upon receiving his mother's letter. Gray's father, Lord Silver Fullbuster, has fallen ill and he, as the lone heir to the Fullbuster estate, was requested to return to Magnolia immediately. He knew this was the future that awaited him. He had no objections to it even if his heart wasn't set on having to inherit and take full responsibility of his father's entire estate. For Grayden Fullbuster was a man of intellect. His interest lied on acquiring knowledge. He read all sorts of non-fictional books ranging from Anatomy to Zymography. Since young, Gray, as his mother fondly called him, had always been a curious child. Leather-bounds, first editions and original works were part of his book collection. He continued adding rare and limited publications from the moment he set foot into University of the Kingdom of Fiore, the center of knowledge in all Fiore. He was quite proud to have in his possession these printed and bounded sources of knowledge – books. Now, however, upon the news of his father's illness, Gray was expecting to come into some good fortune. It only meant one thing, that he was to be in need of a wife.

Little did he know, his mother has known his needs before he even thought of it. If there was one universal truth that survived over the years it was that mothers know best. Hence, a mother of three daughters rushed home to bring her daughters the good news – Lord Silver Fullbuster was looking for a wife for his only son.

She arrived at her family about to enjoy a table-full of breakfast.

"Darling, darling!" She evened her breath as soon as she arrived at the table. "Madame Mika Fullbuster has invited us for tonight's gathering at the Manor!"

"Mother, can we not be so loud this early in the morning?" The second daughter just came down from the second floor of the house, hair sticking out all over the place, night dress still a mess from all her tossing and turning in bed. A far cry from her sisters who were up and ready right before the break of dawn.

"Juvia Lockser, a lady doesn't–"

"–Yes, Mother." She has heard this lecture for far too many times that Juvia committed them to memory, albeit non-intentionally. "A lady doesn't dilly-dally in bed when there is housework awaiting her." Juvia claimed her rightful seat at the round table, next to the youngest Lockser, Wendy.

"Might as well. As I was saying, darling…"

Juvia quickly drowned her mother's news out. There was only one thing in that woman's mind, to marry off her daughters to wealthy men. From a very young age, Juvia and her sisters were groomed to become women who gentlemen would seek to marry. As they were growing, however, Juvia stopped trying altogether. She found the notion ridiculous; that women were born and raised only to be wedded. With this thinking, Juvia has always been considered the black sheep of the family; who would rather go with her father hunting than learn about the best fabric and the shiniest jewelries. Those fitted her other sisters more – Eliana the eldest and Wendy the youngest, whom Juvia always considered more beautiful and so, befitting to marry the son of Lord Fullbuster.

Juvia caught tails of the news her mother shared. As she took bacon and eggs into her plate, the second daughter promised herself to be stern about her decision not to come to the gathering. She had better plans for tonight – better than parading herself to men who wouldn't even cast a glance. Next to Eliana, all others paled in her sister's beauty.

…

Juvia expelled an exasperated breath.

"Would you stop that?" Eliana scolded, straightening her back and fixing her posture on the seat.

"What? Breathing?"

The eldest Lockser daughter narrowed her lighter blue eyes at Juvia, much like the way her mother's darker ones disapproved the second's attitude. If she wasn't as stuck-up as their mother, Juvia was sure her elder sister would have found humor in her response. Eliana, however, was a close second to Elmara Lockser, who was now busy rubbing elbows with a few of the wealthiest families in whole Magnolia. Juvia scoffed at her direction. Her mother might be acting all friendly on the outside but she loathed them on the inside. Those couples she was with in their gossip circle were all rivals because they too had daughters they wanted to marry off to the wealthy Fullbuster family.

"Juvia, sit up straight. That isn't how a lady should carry herself."

That pulled Juvia's attention from her parents who pretentiously laughed their ways into their own conversation.

"Eli," Juvia addressed her older sister by her nickname, "it wouldn't make much difference. So, why bother?"

"Eli is right, Juvia." The youngest Lockser chimed in, imitating the way the eldest Lockser poised herself as they waited for any gentleman to ask for a dance. "How will you demand these gentlemen's attention when you act like that?"

"Easy for you to say." Juvia huffed dejectedly. "You're the charming one and Eli's the pretty one."

Both sisters were now staring at the middle Lockser who just propped her hand under her chin. "And I'm… well, I'm the Juvia." Her statement need not be explained. Juvia, somehow, acquired a reputation of coming second best to either sibling. Eliana and Wendy shared a pitiful look, scrambling for words to correct Juvia's assumption about herself. When the eldest was about to share some words of comfort, a gentleman has offered his hand towards Eliana. He was the son of an Undersecretary, one of the highest positions in the Magnolian government. Their mother made sure the girls were well aware of such vital information. The eldest out of the three sisters plastered a trained smile across her lips and placed her hand into his. Juvia was sure Wendy was next to being asked, just like always. She wasn't wrong. Not a minute went by when another son of a prominent figure in Magnolia asked the youngest Lockser for a dance, leaving Juvia alone, just like always. But not because she was used to it, didn't mean it stopped hurting. One by one, the beautiful girls were asked into the dance floor. Once again, Juvia was left behind in the array of vacant seats. As much as she wanted to deny it, not being picked or offered a hand was a blow to her self-confidence and only supported what she assumed about herself. But she was older and much wiser now. She wasn't going to let that embarrassment get into her head.

"So, what? Like I'd even like to dance with those scrawny morons." Juvia suddenly stood right up, ignoring the weird looks thrown at her. Juvia made her way out of the ballroom. Her steps were purposeful. Her strides were hurried. She couldn't wait to get out of that suffocating obnoxious community. When Juvia was finally out of sight and outside those giant front doors, Juvia ran. She ran without looking back. There was a place where she mattered, where she wasn't passed upon. The woods. Gajeel would be there hunting for his next meal. She'd rather join him than be surrounded by those rich snobs who valued people by fleeting standards.

Juvia stopped at the hallway and glanced to her left then her right where she placed four uniformed men on either side. When one of the guards walked pass her, Juvia straightened her back and pretended that the clay sculpture piqued her interest. As soon as the uniformed staff was out of earshot, the second Lockser daughter raced to the balcony to weigh her options: ran free or get stuck with the snobs in that hellhole. She chose the former; a far better choice.

Juvia looked down and calculated the height of the jump required. It was possible but might leave her crippled forever. She wasn't planning on it. She moved to the left side of the balcony where she found a ledge which would allow her to land on two feet. However, it wasn't going to be easy as Juvia's greatest obstacle was her dress that reached her ankles. Not to mention her tall heels weren't going to be much help either. Juvia removed the strap sandals her mother painstakingly chosen for tonight. Clutching on their straps and keeping them in one hand as cautiously she leaped over the other side of the railing and landed on the thin ledge. Her heart jumped to her throat as she looked down at the ground, which might be her cause of death if ever she missed a step. So, she heaved out a deep breath, creating a visible cloud of air, and glued herself against the wall. Step by step, ever so slowly, ever so cautiously, Juvia moved to her left, to a spot closest towards a branch of tree. All the while, her feet moved within the bounds of safety. Juvia figured the branch was sturdy enough to hold her weight and that she could use the same as some lever to lower herself down on the ground. She'd done it a couple of times but the she still felt nervous about what she was to do. Juvia extended her arm and swung them to catch the branch, only to gather leaves in her fist. As Juvia ordered herself not to look down, quote conscious of the ledge's edge, she peeled her back off the exterior wall and reached out for the branch one more time. She tiptoed thinking it would give her an extra length to capture the branch, which seemed to have a business of evading Juvia's grasp.

The young woman was resolute; evident with the way her brows furrowed and her lips folded, Juvia Lockser was determined to escape that hell. Her third attempt was more successful than the previous ones; albeit by a slim chance, as the branch jerked back into its original position, having one stunned bluenette hanging by it. Her weight dragged the branch down but not enough to cause it to snap. Juvia released her grasp from the end of the branch, jumped off on the ground and landed on both feet in one piece. Gajeel had taught her well. She rose from her crouch and quickly took shade under the giant tree. It served another purpose for the young lady as she hid behind its large trunk to avoid the roving guards. The Fullbuster Family took security quite seriously and they had every reason to as their fortune was ten fold more than any family in town or even all of them combined. When the coast was clear, Juvia made her way towards the iron fence for her final escape whilst avoiding any watchful eyes. Just as quickly as she calculated the jump from the balcony, Juvia prepared herself to climb over the fence. She wrapped the ends of her long skirt into a ball, pulling the length just an inch above her knees and exposing fair skin of legs. Neither the height of the fence nor the sharpness of its point fazed the second daughter. The only thing it did was fuel the fire she had in her heart.

Juvia loved adventure and climbing over the manor fence presented itself as one. She was sure no other lady in that dreadful town of Magnolia had even thought of it. She tied the straps of her sandals together and placed them around her neck to free both her hands, Juvia wrapped her fingers around the iron pickets to gain momentum, using both feet to propel herself to another height until she gripped at the link that connected all the iron pickets. Careful not to get plunged into the sharp end of the spikes, Juvia brought her leg over the fence and then the other. Just one jump and she'd find herself over at the other side of that iron fence. Hungry for her freedom, Juvia jumped. But as she was about to land both feet on the ground, Juvia heard a sound of garment ripping and found her skirt caught at the spikes, pulling the rest of her skirt up to her waist.

If there was one universal truth that all had agreed upon it's that not everything went according to plan.

When Gray decided that night to take a walk and catch some very much needed break from the crowd of his parents, he wasn't planning on finding a lady stuck at their security fence with her skirt up her waist, practically half-naked. He was rooted to his spot as he watched the strange woman struggle to free herself from such compromising position. But as she tried to wriggle out of it, her dress kept pulling up. Gray ordered himself to look away; it was unbecoming of a gentleman to look at a woman's body with nothing but her undergarment. Strangely, his body refused to listen. When their eyes met, hers panicking and his stunned, Gray visibly gulped.

"Good sir, will you please lend me some help?"

Her words knocked some senses into him as it was only then that Gray was able to avert his sinful eyes. Still then, he had not any idea how to be of help. Blindly, he walked towards her, stealing glances at the woman's direction.

"Have you any idea how to be of aid if you refuse to look at me?" Her voice was already missing patience.

The strange lady was right. However, how could Gray bring himself to boldly meet her eyes in her condition? For such a shameless display was allowed only between married men and women.

"Y-your…" Gray cleared his throat. He could feel the heat on his ears and cheeks despite the cold weather and the thick coat he wore. "My lady, your… underpants… they are showing." He now stood in a safe distance beside her dangling legs.

"I am aware, sir. However, as you can see, I am clearly not in a position to turn away any help despite such circumstance."

She spoke well, he noted, and she didn't seem too bothered about a man's presence around her current state of affair.

"Then, how do you propose I offer my aid?" He tried his earnest to keep his composure as he fought the wave of embarrassment about to swallow him whole.

"If you'll be so kind as to lend me your shoulders, Sir."

"M-my shoulders?"

For Grayden Fullbuster, a nobleman, it certainly was an odd request. Being approximately near a half-naked woman was already a struggle to bear, making it quite difficult to process what this woman was asking of him.

"Yes, Sir."

Her voice was tamed but Gray could hear a hint of restraint and displeasure in it.

"Now, if you may please move closer so I could," He heard a rustle in her direction. As his attention was courteously averted away from the half-naked woman hanging by the iron fence, Gray has not noticed her attempts to swing closer to him, "use your shoulders to step down from my unfortunate position."

Really unfortunate but also not quite, thought Gray. He started to move, inching towards her and placec himself under her legs so that he may be of assistance. The garment skewed through the spikes, however, could not hold her weight and the little movements she made, causing it to rip further and further until her full weight gradually succumbed to gravity.

Until all Gray could remember was the loud sound of the garment holding her against the iron picket giving in. By instinct, Gray turned around, readying himself for any other assistance she would be requiring only to find himself breaking her fall and serving as human cushion between the strange lady and the rather cold pavement.

Yet, his body has maintained some heat as Gray finally realized that the strange lady had landed on his lap quite literally. But she wasn't like any woman Gray has grown accustomed to. Her blue waves were pulled in a poorly made bun with every bit of short hair sticking out to all sides. Her beauty wasn't extraordinary – pale lips and paler skin – that if she'd been in a pool of people, Gray would have never spared her a glance. But what piqued his interest towards her were her round blue orbs that looked straight into his. No woman had ever stared him straight in the eyes as tradition taught them at an early age of the opposite – that eye contact between a man and a woman who was not married must be avoided. This lady's deep blue eyes, however, defiantly stared into his, sucking him in with the depth of her round orbs. But her stern look alone screamed trouble – something Gray was never fond of. He watched her blue eyes widen in surprise as the scandal of their current position finally dawned upon the strange lady – with her straddling the poor gentleman between her thighs. He observed as embarrassment colored her pale skin rose and watched her expression graduate from surprise, fluster and now anger.

"Where do you think your hands are touching?" was her accusation.

It was only then that Gray realized where his hands were – boldly resting on the soft skin of her upper thighs. He withdrew them immediately, sharing the embarrassment the strange woman had earlier; his was more of disdain for himself. For a man who freely touched a woman not his wife was frowned upon in their community. He wanted to apologize, to clarify that however it appeared wasn't his intention. As soon as he opened his mouth, the strange woman planted both palms on his chest, pushing herself up whilst shoving the man against the cold, hard pavement. He did not take offense from the woman's harsh actions against him. His indecent action was the greater of the two evils tonight. As soon as he heard her footsteps dulling into the distance, Gray stood from his position and quickly followed after her. He could not stomach letting the woman disappear without properly apologizing for his action, notwithstanding it being unintentional. He was raised better than that – a true gentleman.

"Hey, lady!" He called after her but the woman seemed to have made it her business to ignore him. As she had her back on him, Gray quickly noticed, although it wasn't that hard to miss, the extent of the rip on her skirt – exposing her backside a plenty. Gray momentarily stopped, coughing into his fist as he tried to regain composure. The reason for his desperate act of going after her was quickly replaced. The strange woman, who he had now adjudged as a foreigner for her unconventional behavior, picked up her steps, glancing back at him with a wary expression. Gray removed his coat as he tried to catch up to her, but she ran faster than the gentleman.

"I have no ill intentions toward you!" He shouted after, his strides now more determined. Gray had his coat openly hanging before him, ready to drape the thick material over the woman's shoulders. He gained on her and his mission was accomplished, wrapping his frock coat around the lady. She stilled, giving Gray a moment to even his breathing. However, she quickly turned around him, dagger eyes burning in rage because Gray had blatantly fastened his arms around her figure too. How bold and shameless of him! He was no different from a man who forces himself upon a woman, regardless of his true intention.

The gentleman found himself in a worse predicament. Quickly, he pulled his hands back, raising them in a universal act of surrender, taking a step back and away from the enraged and offended lady.

"This isn't what you perceive it to be." He started. "If you would let me–"

He wasn't able to finish his sentence as Gray saw her fist flying towards him. Then, all he saw was endless darkness.

Writer's Corner: I am definitely out of my element here. But it's a good practice. Would like to warn you ahead, I might only update this one once a month. lol. But hope you like strong girl Juvia! We were robbed of strong, independent Juvia Lockser, so I'm giving you guys this. #GruviaForever