It's Mermaid Monday! ;) This chapter was inspired by some of the awesome mermaid Juvia fanart out there.
waffels: Thanks!
darling spider: They'll reunite soon. And we'll be meeting all kinds of old-new friends in the upcoming chapters. Stay tuned!
Kyogan-Saori: Thanks for stopping by. I went ahead and tried to reply to your review via PM, since it looked like you had an account. If you'd prefer not to do the PM thing, then let me know. :)
- K. Chandler
Juvia dove after the human captain, plunging after him into the dark depths of the ocean.
He may have been the enemy, but he had fought valiantly. Juvia hadn't missed the way he had willingly sacrificed himself for his crew. This man didn't seem to be a heartless monster. If anything, Juvia couldn't help but feel drawn to him.
The human was unconscious when she found him, dark hair floating around his face like a halo. Bubbles formed near his nose and mouth as the unyielding pressure of the ocean squeezed the last of the air from his lungs.
Humans weren't built for a life at sea.
Juvia wrapped her arms around his chest, trying to keep him from sinking any further. She hadn't expected him to be so heavy, but she wouldn't dream of letting go. She was the only thing that stood between this human and the watery clutches of death.
Juvia refused to leave this man to such a fate.
Heart pounding in her chest, Juvia fought with all her strength, trying desperately to get the human back where he could breathe. She gave a powerful shove with her tail, rocketing them skyward. Juvia drove them up toward the surface of the ocean with one final push, her shoulders drooping in relief when they finally broke through the waves.
"I've got you," she panted. "I won't let go, I promise."
Juvia's eyes widened when she realized that the man still wasn't breathing.
"Hey, come on," she murmured, jostling him gently.
He didn't respond. Her chest tightened in panic.
Juvia could see the shore in the distance. It wasn't far. On her own, it would take but a few minutes to reach. But with the human captain in tow? Juvia wasn't as confident. She doubted the man could wait that long.
Arms still around him, she floated the man on his back, tilting his chin back to clear his airway. Taking a deep breath, she pressed her lips to his, exhaling hard.
Nothing. Dread chilled Juvia to the core. But she tried again. And again. And again.
Hopeless though it seemed, she kept trying to inflate the captain's stubborn lungs.
But then the man shuddered, coughing hard.
Dizzy with relief, Juvia tightened her hold on him as he choked, tilting his head to the side as he expelled the water he had swallowed.
"That's it, Darling. Breathe."
Confident that he would survive, Juvia headed toward the coast. Though she was an able swimmer, the additional burden of carrying the human's deadweight hindered her progress. Despite this, Juvia pulled Gray along with unrelenting strokes, making steady progress. Exhaustion had set in by the time Juvia had gotten them to shore.
Dawn was breaking, the sun just beginning to rise from beyond the sea. Gently, Juvia pulled Gray out of the water, setting him on the sand. She brushed his hair out of his face.
His breathing was still shallow. The chill of the sea had set in, making him shiver miserably.
Still, he was strikingly handsome. She hadn't noticed before. Not when she was fighting against him. And not when she was rescuing him. But now, in the glow of dawn, she couldn't help but notice.
Gray stirred, a low groan coming from his throat. The pull of consciousness had his pale face contorting in pain.
"It's okay. You're safe now, Darling," said Juvia softly. "…Gray?" she whispered, his name foreign on her tongue. Foreign, but not unpleasant.
Juvia carded her hand through his hair, hoping to bring the injured warrior some comfort. Watching him suffer like this tore at her heart.
Juvia wondered if it would be wrong to use her healing magic on him. He may have been the enemy, but he was also a fellow warrior. He was no different than Gajeel or Totomaru.
If their positions were reversed, she would hope the humans would have the decency to help one of her teammates this way. Looking at the man before her, the thought didn't seem so outlandish.
Captain Gray was a respectable man, the sort that had the admiration of an entire crew. More than that, all of his men seemed to genuinely care for each other. Surely that had to count for something.
Making up her mind, Juvia took one Gray's hands in both of hers. She shut her eyes, willing her magic to flow into his body, enveloping him with a gentle blue glow. Heal.
After a few minutes, the color started returning to the captain's face. His breathing eased, and the lines of pain smoothed away. The human was out of danger now.
Not the human. Gray.
Her job done, Juvia knew it was time to return. She needed to get back before the others noticed she was missing. But she wasn't ready to leave yet. She had so many questions, though she wasn't sure who they were for.
So she stayed. She stayed with Gray, long after the sun had risen. She stayed until she saw another human — a female with blonde hair — coming down the beach.
Hastily, Juvia retreated into the water, ducking behind a large rock. She didn't want to be seen by this newcomer.
Juvia's eyes widened in fascination when the human woman hiked up her skirts, running over to the captain's side.
"Hey, Mister! Are you okay?" the woman called. "Mister?"
Satisfied that she had left Gray in good hands, Juvia returned to the sea.
Who do you suppose our blonde friend is?
Next time, in Silence, a fateful encounter: "No. Way." Another officer was sprinting down the beach. "No freakin' way! Gray, is that you?!"
Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.
