Edit 07/26/2018: Same with previous chapters. Enjoy!
''
Good or Bad
3
''
Like the time before, she opened her eyelids slowly. Blinded by the bright light right above her head that looks like a near and small white sun. She found out later it was just a lamp.
"Oh gosh, she finally woke up! Juvia just woke up!" A high voice of a blonde with big, caramel eyes ranted like she was seeing a ghost of Flying Dutchman. …Nah. How did she know her name, anyway?
"Really, Lucy-san?!" A more childish sound asked, or screamed, and ran towards the blonde beside Juvia's bed—almost deathbed until three seconds ago.
"Sssh, calm down, Wendy, Polryusica-san is sleeping. You don't want to get kicked out with a broom, do you?" Warned a scarlet-haired girl from the door softly.
The kid blushed. "I'm sorry," she muttered as she grinned guiltily, or a very adorable smile. The girl who just survived a comatose stared at them as though confused.
Who are they?
''
"You did it, Mrs. Hopeless," a rough voice came to her.
"Is that you, Baka-kun?" Juvia teased, she really missed this big muscular guy of her childhood best friend. She was shocked, of course, but better make the time as useful as possible, be it just picking on Gajeel Redfox.
"What the? You're the baka! You're better off dead!" The bulky man countered angrily while sitting on the stool beside her bed. Meh, his façade was as terrible as ever.
"I thought I'd never see you again," the blue-haired bear-hugged him when she saw that he was in her reach range.
The guy rolled his red eyes. "Hell, you and I know that I'm stronger than those scum."
Juvia laughed, "Yes," then she saw a strange tattoo stamped on his right shoulder. "What is this?"
Gajeel turned to the said symbol. "Nice question."
''
Summary, she was taken to a terrorist community, Fairy Tail, a part of the infamous kingdom-wide resistance called Resistere. What is more she was alive.
She had to thank God for it nonstop, and feel gratitude towards her savior, none other than the raven-haired man who prevented her from killing herself many times. Yes, she guessed she shall. Juvia decided as she let out a casually annoying sigh.
As if in the cheesy old movies, the questioned man showed up right behind her, "Night." They were on the bench in front of the medical ward. It's only a few hours after Juvia's awakening, both physically and mentally.
"Night," she replied, looking at the sleeping white female cat and a strangely bluish male cat on the couch. Tom cat.
Simple as always, Gray spoke in his own mind, before fixing on another topic, "How's life?"
The blue haired girl groaned, "Not bad." Then added after some thought, "How's yours?"
"It sucks so bad," the droopy-eyed terrorist laughed, sympathizing the sarcasm. "Everyone who lives in Magnolia, especially the citizens of Southern Magnolia can't ask for happier lives."
Juvia noted that Gray avoided the term 'District D'. It was where he found her crouching in sweat of devastation. "Thanks for the compliment, really."
"You're welcome."
Put an awkward silence here.
"I smell something sinisterly delicious from the bag in your hands," Juvia admitted nonchalantly, trying to get a better look of the white paper bag.
Gray quickly averted his sinful eyes which were staring at her. Good thing she didn't realize it, or did she? "Oh, I almost forgot. Here."
"You already forgot," Juvia giggled and took the paper bag from his grip. "I heard you were the one who looked for the medicine plant."
"Uhh, yeah?" Who was the shitty bastard that told her? Whoever that was wasn't going to get a peaceful sleep tonight.
"Erza told me that you searched the whole forest for seven hours?" The girl paused, not sure herself if that was a question or a statement.
Erza's name detected; attack plan cancelled by default. "So?"
Juvia thought for some seconds (minutes, in Gray's version of time), "Can I join the colony?"
Shit just got real.
''
"Gajeel, look! I have it on me too!" The newbie of terrorist beamed in delight. Some light had finally been seen in her life.
"It's your fault she joined, Fullbuster," Gajeel shot said man a deadly glare.
"I told you, I don't want it either," Gray rolled his midnight eyes, watching the newfound girl in the middle of the cluster's attention. It somewhat irritated him.
"It's still your fault. I won't forgive your sorry ass if she's injured, not one bit." The black-haired man threatened. Everyone knew Gajeel never talked shits. Gray groaned in desperation, it was nothing of his intention! Maybe it was better if he had just left her there inside her wrecked house all alone.
If he gave any more thought into it, maybe it's also not a good idea. Gray sighed again as he heard stupid Natsu asked Juvia, "Hey, Juvia, what you good at?"
The blue haired girl thought for a while. "I can be the bait." She shrugged.
"WHAT?!" Gray and Gajeel found themselves standing on the chair with their jaws dropped, almost kicking the table off its legs, while everyone who heard her confession gave her 'WTF' looks. Even Mira failed her plates, until they were only a sad pool of broken glass pieces.
"Bombs are in a good term with me, I guess," and that being said from Juvia's mouth, everyone finally sighed in relief. She could be the bait and made a run with the bombs. They were afraid they had picked a kind of crazed fellow.
Not that she wasn't insane already.
''
The guild members were practicing in the backyards. Lucy was seriously training with Natsu, a lot of the other assumption-only couples in the association exercised themselves with each other. Mira prepared them food and drinks while smiling beside Master Makarov.
Juvia took a knife and sharpens it alongside Wendy who was making medicines from herbs, they enjoyed each other's company even though what they shared was mutual silence.
"Wendy?" The bright blue haired girl called the smaller blue-haired female.
"Yes, Juvia-san?"
"Is this what they call Aloe Vera?" Juvia took the slimy semi-transparent plant flesh in her hands, eyeing it carefully. Wendy remembered that Porlyusica taught her while Juvia was there before.
"Yup, you learn fast," the little girl giggled and then rubbed the Aloe Vera to Juvia's wavy hair. "It helps thicken, soften, and moisture our hair naturally, making it healthier."
"It feels good. Thank you, Wendy," the Lockser girl chuckled and continued her bomb-making a few seconds later. "Do you know how to create bombs?" She handed the littler female the bomb finally done after some minutes she had been making it.
This time, its Wendy's turn to stare at the white, round thing wrapped in paper thoughtfully before saying while grinning, "Nope."
"Well, then," Juvia put the bomb in a safe place, in a warehouse only for weapons. She came back right away, holding the sharpened knife.
"Why did you ask?" The dark blue haired girl asked out of curiosity, stopping her activity.
"Just feeling like it."
"Oh," and an awkward silence embraced them. They looked at each other incredulously at the same time then some tingling feeling appeared in their stomachs. The kind of feeling when you wanted to laugh but didn't want to laugh at once.
At that, they burst into laughter. If anyone had seen them, the pointless conversation wasn't funny at all. Being friends meant being crazy together, right? It's the first time she had had any friends, she wasn't able to make one because of her sickness. Her parents were quite protective.
"I will take the drinks outside," Juvia announced before getting up and taking the bottles of mineral water with her. As soon as she stepped outside, she saw everybody was happy to see the drinks she brought. She should do this more often.
She went to sit beside Gray. "Gray, spar with me."
Gray almost choked on his drink. "What?" This newbie was supposed to be in the administrative, not frontline.
Juvia shrugged. "I heard that Fairy Tail is going to fight anytime soon. As a member of the colony, I want—no, I have to participate too."
"No, you don't."
"Yes, I do. Master Makarov approved it," she smirked, she was so getting this.
No way, Master Makarov won't put the weaklings (no offense) in the war. "Lying won't have your way."
"I can fight!" Juvia almost shouted, making the guild members to find the conversation interesting. "I will show you." She could fight. She had to be able to bring her mother and father back from the mindless king. That's why she had to be stronger.
"Heh, sounds like a threat," Gray raised one of his eyebrows irritatingly. "Fine, show me. It's better worth the time."
''
Actually, it was really worth the time. All that time her father taught her how to survive wasn't in vain. Gray didn't go easy on her, he took her seriously. She didn't win, it was destined to be, since the man was one of the cluster's best fighters. Master Makarov eventually agreed to put Juvia in the war zone with one condition; she had to make sure she would survive it. So, being dead wasn't an option. She would surely claim her parent back, no matter what.
"Night," Gray heard a feminine voice greeted. He knew whose voice this was.
"Night," he answered without having to turn around. He was already in a comfortable position sitting under this big tree. It had always been his favorite spot. Juvia then proceeded to sit right beside him (with a few inches so she won't intrude his personal space. She, too, had manners, you know).
"I've never asked you this, but do you have any relatives?" the girl asked after a little awkward silence which was caused by their incapability of ruining the peace nature had made.
The blue-haired could hear him sigh. "Sadly, yes, I have. But they are just my adopted siblings, none of them are related to me by blood. Thank God for that."
And Juvia thought of thirteen Gray-like twins wander about everywhere.
"Is there anything wrong with them?" the Lockser girl inquired again, getting wary of sibling relationships.
Well, how can he tell her how stupid Lyon Vastia is without creeping out the poor girl? "We'll meet other colonies tomorrow, I'll show you why I don't like them. Deal?"
"Tomorrow? What business do we have? Do guilds fight against each other?" She was shocked, to say the least. If it was true then the chance of them defeating the king was so slim. There's no success without teamwork.
Gray laughed. "No, no, we don't fight with other guilds. It would be hell." He looked behind Juvia, to a big orange blossom tree. "We do it on routine to share information, and maybe some exercise to do. No harm will be done." Lyon's horridness would kill you though, he added inwardly.
"That sure sounds interesting," Juvia smiled, noticing an owl's howl right above her head. "Do you know that if there's an owl around," she pointed at the bird sitting on the orange blossom's branch, "it means that one or more of us will die?"
Now that's new to hear. "Yeah?"
Cuckoo. Cuckoo.
"I myself don't know because I've never believed in God, except for a few weeks ago when I almost died," she laughed, whether it's from the sarcasm or something else, he wasn't sure. "It's only a myth."
"Some myths are said to be true," Gray muttered, counting the howls of the owl.
"I wonder which one of us will die," Juvia mumbled for she didn't want him to know she actually said that. She hoped he was listening to the owl's howl. She was getting sleepy when she heard him saying something lowly, perhaps it was an important thing to know, perhaps not.
''
Thank you wonderful, kind reviewers: Thaysh, babypapaya, vivatitia, Children of Light, Topyra, BrigitteoO, Gruvialover (Guest), mgaa. You guys stone! Thousands thanks for you!
05/21/2014
Edited A/N: Left the end notes as is. Tbh I wanted to continue Chapter 4 which I started years ago but ended up correcting the previous chapters instead. Eh…
10/22/2018 ~NollyLvn
