Hello everybody ! We are once again gathered for a new chapter, the 9th of this Fairy Tail fic. I hope that it will please you as usual. Do not hesitate to leave a review if you liked it or if you have any RELEVANT remarks (I insist on this point) concerning the fic in a general way.
I am still not the owner of Fairy Tail, and to be honest, I don't want to. And I have not One Piece owner either, certain shall understand why by reading this chapter.
Let's not waste any more time, let's go!
Chapter 9: The ocean's warrior.
The light marine breeze, the iodized air, the waves coming to caress the sand before retracting towards the sea, the sun disappearing behind the hills next to the beach, all the conditions were gathered to make of this beach a perfectly romantic place. Except for one small detail. The atmosphere. The air was heavy and far from being convenient to a romantic stroll bare foot in the sand. It was due to the 3 people who were presently the only ones on the beach. Juvia, still wearing her bikini and sarong, standing right next to Gray, the 2 of them wearing dark expression, their gaze locked on the young surfer standing in front of them. Mizuki, unlike the 2 others, was all smiles, still with her surfing suit folded up on her waist and bubbles made of water orbiting around her, like the moon around the Earth. The Strizer of the ocean thus faced the mages of Fairy Tail, the 2 parties gauging their opponent, wondering if they had to launch the first offensive or wait for the other one to do it. Except that patience was not one of Mizuki's qualities, who quickly pouted by seeing her opponents staying on their side, looking at her warily.
- " Hey, It's not funny if you just stand there waiting for something to happen. I though you would rush any without thinking to much about it. Well, too bad. I guess that it means that I am going to have to wake you up. And for that, nothing better that a cold shower. "
MIZU NO HARETSU (water burst)!
The bubbles of water which were hovering around Mizuki gathered in front of her and rushed out like a torrent on the 2 mages who jumped to the sides to evade the attack which went to reduce to nothing but rubbles several stands situated behind them, some rubbles being a head sign saying 'Sea for yourself', which stopped the Strizer dead in her track.
- " NO ! My stand ! " She cried, tears pouring down her face, holding her head in her hands, forgetting for a moment the fight, which was a godsend opportunity for the mages.
Gray took advantage of this moment to counter-attack, while staying on his guard since there was no way to tell what the young woman was really capable of. He thus decided to try something basic to begin with.
ICE MAKE: LANCE !
Multiple lances made of ice sprang out of a magic circle appearing just in front of Gray, heading straight to the Strizer. The latter heard the sound of the ice get closer and counter-attacked herself, but in a quite original way.
CHOSEKI SHIRUDO (tidal shield)!
She invoked a big wave, more or less motionless, the strength of its current breaking the spears but it's what she did with this wave which took Gray by surprise. She used her powers to walk on the water and surf without surfboard on the wave, using it to rushed at Gray, her right hand touching the water.
SUISEI YARI ( aqueous spear )!
She brought her hand out of the water suddenly, throwing a spear made of water at Gray, but before it could reach her target, she was intercepted by a hand made by water coming from the wave. Mizuki did not understand what this was, but it was not the case for Gray, who had a half-smile on his face. Mizuki finally understood when she felt a strange presence in the water and she saw what looked like Juvia's face on the surface of the wave which then threw itself on her, the 2 women ending in some kind of chase, Mizuki howling like a child who had just seen a ghost, Gray looking at the display with a sweat drop on the side of his head.
- " AAAAAAAHHH ! HELP ! A GHOST I CHASING ME! " cried the Strizer before stopping all of a sudden, laughing out loud. " I'm joking ! You think that someone made of water as a chance against me ?! "
With this, she plunged her hand in Juvia's aqueous body which was mixed with the wave and she did something which surprised both mages. Just like during her last offensive, Mizuki get her hand out of the water and instead of a simple spray of water, it was Juvia who was extirpated from the water and was thrown without further ado on Gray, whose reflexes were good enough to catch his partner, much to the joy of the water mage, but neither of them had time to evade what followed.
KAIYO BAKUDAN ( oceanic bomb )!
Gathering all the water of the wave which had hardly moved since the beginning, she created a gigantic sphere of water she then threw on 2 mages, who weren't able to evade and were struck quite hard by the mass of water which created a wide crater in the middle of the beach, water spattering everywhere, creating small puddles in the middle of the stand rubbles, destroyed by the attacks. Mizuki landed a few steps away from the crater, hands on her hips.
- " Already done ? I'm disappointed, I expected better. "
WATER SLICER !
Without understanding, Mizuki was struck violently on her right side by a blade of water which cut him the body profoundly. Mizuki turned her head and saw Juvia, re-forming from a puddle, the position of her body indicating clearly that she had just attacked her. Deciding not to let Mizuki getting the time to get over the commotion, Gray appears out of nowhere, ready to strike.
ICE MAKE: SAUCER !
A saucer made of ice with sharp edges was thrown at the Strizer, which was knocked quite hard by the sculpture, leaving a clear imprint on her body, throwing her far off, straight ahead in the ocean. Gray and Juvia got back side by side facing the ocean, more exactly the place where Mizuki had landed after being ejected by Gray's attack.
- " Already done ? I'm disappointed, I expected better. " Taunted Gray, sending back to Mizuki her own provocation, a light winner smirk gracing his lips.
- " We ended that in no time. Gray-sama, we are so powerful together. Our love makes us invincible." added Juvia, turning to Gray to look at him in the eyes, the latter turning to her, reddening slightly because of these words.
- " Juvia, calm down. And I already told you that I didn't want you to call me Gray-sama. Just Gray, please. "
- " Ah! Sorry! Juvia won't forget any more, Gray-sa.. hem, Gray. "
- " You 2 are so Kawaii ! "
The mages turned to the person who had just talked, finding themselves facing Mizuki, who stood on the surface of the water. But what left our two young lovebirds speechless was that the Strizer had not even the slightest scratch on her body. Even her deepest wounds had totally closed, now almost invisible.
- " I imagine that you are surprised. It's understandable, but you must know that the ocean, the sea and all their variants, always had curative properties. Although in my case, I pushed it up to pure and simple regeneration. Simply said, as long as I'll be in contact with the ocean, I'll be benefiting a constant regeneration. "
UMI NO YOSAI (fortress of the sea)!
The ocean became alive all of a sudden, stirring as if the water had reach his boiling point while it began to take shape, pillars and walls of many sizes growing out of the water, to build some kind of castle made completely of crystalline water, Mizuki standing up on some kind of tower. Furthermore, many silhouettes swam around the castle and even in its walls.
- " This is my sanctuary of the sea. Good luck ! You'll need it. "
- " If you believe that a castle shaped bubble is going to frighten us, you are in for a big surprise. "
ICE MAKE: ICEBERG !
Gray put his hands on the surface of the water, which quickly froze, the wave of frost quickly going to the fortress of water but strangely, it did not seem to worry the young ocean woman even a bit. She waved and the ocean began stirring. Her castle moved several meters away and the water formed a whirlpool which raised itself against the frost, which found itself trapped in an infinite loop, its ice being broken by the waves, which froze, only to be to break once again by other waves. Understanding that he couldn't do it like that, Gray took his hands out of the water, whereas Mizuki put hers on the castle.
UMI NO HOGEKI (barrage fire of the sea)!
Many cannon made of water formed on the surface of the castle and began firing on the mages who had to put themselves under cover, the aquatic deluge of missiles more important than what they thought it would be. Gray and Juvia parted, splitting in opposite directions and, taking advantage of the dead angle of the artillery, threw themselves on the castle, but everything did not go according to the plan.
KAIGARA SHURIKEN (seashells shuriken)!
Shells arose suddenly from the ocean like an antiaircraft guns and struck the mages, who were slashed by their sharp edges. But only Gray had to undergo this, because Mizuki seemed a little too much concentrated on the ice mage and Juvia used her water body to let the shells go right through her, giving her the opportunity to counter-attack.
WATER NEBULA !
Two wide columns of water formed, ready to fall down on Mizuki when suddenly …
KUJIRA NO FUKU (breath of the whale)!
A whale come out of the water facing the sky, its vent turned towards Juvia. The gigantic marine mammal then blew by its vent, the breath sending Juvia back to the beach, quickly joined by Gray, who had to retreat because of the seashells.
- "What is this shit ? I thought that you controlled the ocean ?"
- " I do. And have you already seen an ocean without any living being in it ? We all have an animal affinity. For me, it's the ocean and everything that lives inside. For Vincenzo for example, it is the forest, and thus its main inhabitants, insects. "
This revelation did not really meant good thing for them, but Gray was especially focused on finding a way to counter this fortress which was of use by Mizuki as a way to protect herself and also to cure her wounds immediately. They had to find a solution about it.
" If only I had enough time to do something. If I had enough time, I could try this again. " Gray wondered. " But what could I use for that. Wait, I know! Well I hate lying to her but … "
- " Hey, Juvia! "
- " What, do you have a plan? " she asked, busy dodging the swordfish sent by Mizuki as if they were darts.
- " Yeah, listen to that. "
Juvia gave Gray all of her attention, Mizuki gazing at them, trying to understand what was happening.
- " After she finished her surfing contest, she tried to hit on me. " he said before rushing to hide behind some rock on the side
- " Hey! " Mizuki shouted. " I've never said or done anything like that. What's with this plan ? Lying to her ? What is that going to do, baka ? "
She had hardly finished her sentence that the sky was suddenly filled with dark clouds, a heavy rain suddenly falling down on the beach while the Strizer could see people tanning at the edge of a swimming pool at an hotel just 300 meters away. It's at this moment that she felt it. Something almost malefic coming from the beach. Slowly turning her head, already completely drenched, she was faced with something who scared the life out of her.
In front of her, half hidden by the rain, stood Juvia, her gaze dark and almost crazed out, pupils as small as needles head, who was staring at her, an aura of darkness around her, as if she was a devil send to Earth to punish the human race, pouring all at once all of her hatred on Mizuki, who did not understand why the water mage was so angry. She got her answer a few seconds later, when a shrill roar suppressed all the other noises.
- "LOVE RIVAL ! "
SIERRA!
Her whole body became water and she rushed at Mizuki, always shook by all that hatred heading her way.
" I know that she the jealous kind, but is it normal for her to be THAT jealous ? "
Mizuki took a stand to defend herself, recovering from the shock initiated by Juvia's hatred but the speed of the latter took her by surprise too and she was struck quite hard by a wave who had the strength of a truck, but the most surprising was the temperature of the water, which was boiling. The sudden contact with a water so hot caused a thermal shock which would have been fatal if Mizuki had no oceanic powers, the Strizer still standing on her castle as Juvia kept up the offensive, coming back for the second round.
KUJIRA KEIMUSHO (whale prison)!
A gigantic whale, called by Mizuki, appears from the depths of the ocean and swallowed Juvia, finding herself locked inside the animal. Or at least it's what the brunette thought.
SIERRA JIGSAW!
The whale was suddenly pierced, the body of Juvia now shaped like a big cutting spiral that she had used to go out of the whale without any trouble. The mage kept on without stopping, her anger still clearly visible and locked on the Strizer, which had no choice but to give up her water tower, which collapsed since she couldn't keep it standing up, surfing on the surface of the ocean, trying to avoid the blunette fury, the 2 women exchanging blow for blow without stopping. After a little while, Juvia and Mizuki stopped, facing each other, standing up in the middle of the bay, panting but globally unscathed because Juvia was untouchable when in her liquid form and Mizuki having been healed thanks to the ocean.
- " You needs to calm down, buddy. ", began Mizuki, pointing a finger at Juvia. " I have never made a move on anyone, and to be honest, I already have somebody in my heart. "
- " Juvia knows that well. " This confession took Mizuki by surprise, whose eyes opened wide. " Juvia knew that it was only a lie, but I understood why Gray said it. Juvia played along, that's all. "
- " That is still rather stupid. Especially if the objective was to make me go back to the beach, you are far from having reached this goal. " when Mizuki finished, a derisive smile appeared on Juvia's face.
- " But that's already the case. You really think you are still on the ocean ? "
This question made Mizuki's brain stall, not understanding, seeing no logic behind those words. Her brain then reached full speed once again when when she noticed something strange with Juvia. Her feet had disappeared. Or rather, they were somewhere else. Water tentacles appeared from the ocean, just below Mizuki, and wrapped themselves around the Strizer, blocking her hands. By looking at it closely, the feet of Juvia had not disappeared, but they had been changed in water and diluted in the ocean, to create some kind of carpet controlled by Juvia under the young brunette, because it was about a fragment of her body, and Mizuki couldn't control it as long as her hands weren't in contact with it, which was the job of those tentacles. While Mizuki struggled, the water limbs re-forming as soon as she managed to destroy them, Juvia began to gather her magic.
WATER SURGING SPEAR !
An enormous spear, made of swirling water, like a drill, appeared in front of Juvia, who then sent it to crash into Mizuki, the power of the spear taking the Strizer and sent her back to the beach, digging a deep furrow in the sand all over the beach. Suddenly stopped by a wall of rock delimiting the edge of the beach, Mizuki got up, staggering, the front of her body covered with gashes and scratches, whereas Juvia got back to the beach, standing at the other end of the furrow, facing the Strizer, who began laughing slowly by holding out a hand towards the ocean.
- " It seems you have forgotten that I do not need to be directly in contact with the ocean to heal myself, I just have to make it come to me. "
And this is when sea water stretched out through the beach, like two hands trying to reach each other, finally touching Mizuki's hand, the water wrapping her wound to heal them.
DEVIL'S ICE FLOE !
Without a warning, the arm of water connecting Mizuki to the ocean froze, covering in the process the Strizer with ice. Wide eyed and bewildered, she perceived Gray getting closer to Juvia, before stopping by her side, a big black mark on his right side, from his hand up to his right eye.
- " All this scheme just to freeze me ? And partially ? To be completely honest with you, you wasted your time. " Sighed Mizuki before breaking the ice encasing her without breaking a sweat.
Bad plan.
As soon as the ice broke, it opened once again and at the same time all the wounds she had on her body, the pain tearing away from her a guttural roar while she was experimenting one of the most stinging pain she ever suffered in her life, although she contained it quite quickly and returned her attention to the mages.
- "Not exactly. " Countered Gray, arms crossed, before pointing at the ocean over his shoulder. " Did you really looked at it ? "
Mizuki, even before looking, felt that there was something wrong wasn't right, or at least not anymore. Added to the fact that Gray seemed slightly out of breath, it augured nothing good for her. When her eyes finally settled on her precious ocean, she almost got a seizure right there. For what looked like kilometers around, the ocean had been completely frozen. And the ice sheet was so thick that couldn't call it anymore, either for heling herself or to call upon her friends from the sea. Lowering her head slightly, her eyes hidden behind her fringe, whereas her global composure seemed to become disturbingly neutral.
- " If I needed Juvia to make a diversion, it was because I needed time to gather the magic required to do that. Freezing the ocean that much asks for quite a lot of energy. I even had to draw from my Ice Devil Slayer's powers. " He Explained, gesturing to the black marks inherited from his father which were disappearing little by little from his right arm.
- " But now, you lost the source of your powers. " Juvia kept on " It would be better for you to give up. "
Hearing the word 'to give up' made Mizuki's muscles twitch, her eyes still shadowed by her hair.
- "Give up ?" mumbled Mizuki before returning to a normal volume. " In my country, we have a culture based on honor. For us, it is better to die than to live in dishonor. And in wartime, it is translated by a will to be ready to die for our country. In other words … " She finally raised her head, and Juvia and Gray did a double take. They needed some time to realize that the Mizuki who was standing in front of them was the same and not some kind of malefic twin. Mizuki's gaze, and her form in general, had completely changed. She had lost that look who was once filled with sheer madness, now replace by the determination and strength of the real warrior. " You think that freezing the ocean is going to be enough to stop me? I am not just that the ocean. I am the water. "
In the hands of Mizuki, which hung limply on her side, two big water droplets formed while she raised her arms until she had them completely to the horizontal.
UCHIMIZU !
Mizuki waved her arms toward the 2 mages, the drops of water crossing the beach in a blink of an eye before colliding with Juvia and Gray, in the stomach for the young woman and in the rib cage for the young man, both breaking over the power of the impact, getting back several steps, breathlessly.
- "I don't need things like lake, sea or river to fight. I have more than enough water in the air surrounding us for that. And then, I can always create it myself. Then don't go believing that it's finished because you have frozen an ocean, which is impressive all the same, I have to give you that."
Gray grinded his teeth and rushed at Mizuki, followed closely by Juvia, the latter armed with her Water Slicer and Gray having created a long sword of ice. During their approach, Mizuki repositioned herself and when Gray and Juvia were less than two meters away from her, she hit the air in front of her with her fist.
KARAKUSAGAWARA SEIKEN !
The 2 mages hit the brakes, not understanding what she had just done. But they noticed sorts of undulations in the air which propagated around her fist and when these waves reached them, they were struck by a powerful shock wave which pushed them away, dealing a lot of damages at the same time.
- " Gah. What the fuck happened ? " Wondered Gray, getting up with difficulty, as well as Juvia, who was in no better shaped despite her body made of water.
- " I used the humidity of the air to create a shock wave which, as you were able to notice it, made quite a lot of damages. " Explained the young woman. Her lips bent into a rather vicious grin before starting again. " Moreover, did you know that the human body is made of water for about 65 % ? "
This kind of information had nothing special to begin with. But when it got out of the mouth of somebody who could control water, the prospect was very different. When the mages understood what she meant, the brunette didn't left them the time to try anything and she held out her hands, palm facing them.
CHI O TSUKAMU (blood grab) !
The fairies suddenly felt their body being pulled towards Mizuki but the attraction came from the inside of their body. It's when he saw his veins bulging that Gray finally understood what was happening. And Mizuki confirmed his suspicions.
- " You can't do anything when someone control your own blood, right ? But you know what is worse than being forced to follow a body who do not obey us anymore ? Feeling our water being expelled from our body. "
MIZU NO KYOHI (water reject) !
Just as the 2 mages were near her, Mizuki struck them in the stomach. But the worst for the mages wasn't the impact, but feeling all the water of their body being pushed away towards the back, which also compressed their organs against each other, the violence of the blow at this level showing by the blood which were spat from their mouths before they were propelled backward. The poor mages were dying on the sand whereas Mizuki, grimacing slightly by examining the wounds inflicted by Juvia, stood, always ready to go.
- " You are more than off to a bad start, there. Don't try. You can't even approach me any more with the shape you are in, especially if you do not want to undergo the same treatment once again. "
But Juvia, who had just got up with difficulty, faced Mizuki, resolved to finish it, here and now.
- " Juvia admit it. You are certainly the best when it comes to controlling water. But Juvia does not limit herself just at that. Juvia has other tricks in her bag. "
With this, she changed into water once again before rushing again at Mizuki, who sighed, mumbling a ' they never listen. ' She raised her hand towards Juvia but she realized that in fact, she had listened to her. She had overloaded her body with magic so that Mizuki couldn't control her anymore. Mizuki smiled slightly, almost proud to see her evolving and adapting herself so fast.
WATER JIGSAW !
One more time, Juvia changed into a wide spiral of water and attacked Mizuki, who counter-attacked at the same time.
UMI NO WAREME (cut slice-ocean) !
A long blade of water appeared on the arm of Mizuki and she cut Juvia who was knocked quite hard and Juvia re-formed immediately, having received the damages despite her aqueous shape, collapsing behind the Strizer.
- " JUVIA! "
- " It was not a bad idea to overload her water with magic to prevent me from taking control of it. But regrettably, this blade can cut the water and what hides inside it. Now, it is time for … Guh. What's going on ? "
Gray frowned, perplexed by the sight which offered itself to him. The veins of Mizuki had suddenly become darker and she roared in pain, trying to move her body but he resisted far too much, which made her strain and hurt herself.
"One second. Her blood ? But then …" the thoughts of Gray stopped just as he understood what was happening.
Behind Mizuki, Juvia just got up but some sort of red thread left her arm, connecting her with Mizuki. The Strizer, with a lot of efforts, finally managed to turn her head to look at the water mage who had a derisive look in her eyes.
WATER MAKE: BLOOD VIRUS !
- "I took advantage of my attack to mix some of my water in your blood. Then now it is you who can't control your body anymore in control of your body. And now, we are going to finish this."
Not being able to hold her head in place anymore, Mizuki was forced to return to her starting position, facing Gray, who activated his powers of Devil Slayer, joined by Juvia who had broken her link with Mizuki, but the young brunette was still unable to move because the water of Juvia was still in her. The 2 mages called upon their magic and aimed, ready to finish it.
UNISON RAID: DEVIL'S ICED WATER ZEROTH NEBULA BOW !
Gray and Juvia, hands joined, created a gigantic bow of water and ice, using it to shoot a gigantic spinning arrow which crossed the distance which separated them from Mizuki who was violently impaled by the arrow before being dragged up to the other end of the beach, digging an enormous furrow in the sand and sending her crashing in the rocks constituting the pier. When the cloud of sand and dust dissipated, Mizuki was spread on the ground, frozen and covered with blood, completely knocked out. The 2 mages, by seeing that the enemy was out cold, dropped on the sand, side by side, getting their breath back and putting back their attention on their wounds, realizing they might have to go to the hospital before going back to Magnolia. Seating side by side, in front of the ocean, the moon rising on the horizon, covering the water white a white light. A sight that Gray found pretty idyllic and he turned his head to his partner, the lunar celestial body giving her an almost divine aura. Gray couldn't manage to think of something else, enthralled by the blue haired beauty by his side. Thinking again about what he felt for her and the fact that he couldn't find a way to express them and made a choice. He put his hand behind Juvia's head and pulled her towards him, putting his lips on her. Juvia opened wide eyes and her brain exploded, her mind was send straight into the stratosphere. It lasted one moment until Gray breaks the contact. Juvia still had her mind completely blurred when Gray talked.
- " I know that it is sudden, but I made a decision and knowing that I'm not good with words, I preferred to act. "
- " Juvia had always dream of that moment. No matter the way, Juvia accepts it. "
The two smiling at each other, they kissed once again, alone under the starry sky, the rest of the world disappearing for them, including Vincenzo, passing behind them, Mizuki on his shoulder, eating an apple, happy for the 2 of them, leaving them both alone, just the both of them in their own world, with just the moon as a witness.
Here's for the ninth. I tried to slide a little of romance but I am far from being an expert on the subject so I'm sorry if it was clumsy. And yes, I took some technique of the fishman from One Piece for Mizuki. Problem ? And sorry if some technique name aren't that well translated, I didn't looked very far. We will see each other soon for the 10th chapter. Goodbye !
Next time: Wake-up call and animated announcement. The hurricane of love comes down on the fairies. Sounds problems of the guild.