~~~13~~~
"Uh, Luce? I gotta confession, thing," Natsu said nervously as the two walked down the streets of Magnolia in search of the future Gray.
Lucy's face flushed at the idea of a confession and replied, "Y-yeah? What's up?"
He answered, "I can't trace Gray's scent and I have no idea where we are going."
The blonde sweatdropped and mentally slapped herself for believing Natsu, of all people, would confess. She then sighed, "Me neither… Where could he have gone?"
Natsu shrugged, "He's probably with Juvia. I am pretty sure they left together. They are probably talking about his time in private."
Lucy nodded in agreement. Just where would they be talking in private? Juvia's place is women only so not there. Gray's place was a possibility, though only a few people knew where that was. The blonde was not one of those people, unfortunately. Although, they had not checked the park as it was always crowded with couples and families so…
The two walked around the park area in search of the ravenette, bluenette, and brunette they suspected would be enjoying the scenery. After identifying strangers, the two were about to give up and try someplace else when Natsu sniffed out Juvia's scent. They found Juvia and Ariana sitting under a great oak tree conversing comfortably about nonsensical things.
"Hello Natsu, Lucy. What brings you here?" Juvia greeted the two when they approached the duo.
"We found something," Lucy replied. "Where's Gray? Isn't he with you?"
"No, you mean you can't find him?" Ariana questioned worried.
"Don't know where to even start," Natsu admitted. "We checked around town, but past that we only came here. You got any ideas as to where he could have gone? Did he tell you anything?"
Juvia thought carefully and responded, "When we left the guildhall, Gray said he would go to think. But Juvia doesn't know where that would be. It could be anywhere. Do you have any ideas, Ari?"
The brunette shook her head, "No. Uncle's never disappeared like this before. As long as I stayed with him and Aunt Juvia, at least. Have you tried his place? Maybe he went home?"
With that, the four walked off in search for the future ravenette. Ariana leading the way to Gray's place, Natsu's place, and any other home from the future that the brunette could possibly think of. No matter where they went, they found no Gray. The group checked the guildhall, hoping that Gray had returned to find noone but the normal late nighters. It was approaching midnight, and still no sign of Gray.
"Gray left the guildhall earlier," Erza told them. "I asked him to look for his future counterpart, but he only said that he'd look where he was going. Though he never told me where that was. I'm sure they both need some space since we can't find them."
"Yeah, though it is pretty important," Lucy replied. "It has something to do with Carla's premonition. We think that Gray might be affected by Future Gray's presence here. And Ariana as well."
"What will happen to us?" Ariana asked. "I can pass on the message whenever Uncle returns. What did you find?"
Lucy hesitated before she explained, "The time does not like having two of the same person present so eventually only one will coexist and the other… We don't know how it will happen, but we think time will merge their magics and minds together until only one body remains."
Juvia hugs close to Ariana as the group processes the information. The petite brunette asked, "What about me? I'm not born yet."
Lucy replied, "You won't be affected until you are a fetus."
Ariana continued, "But Uncle…" and Lucy finished, "Can disappear."
"What about Future Lucy and Rogue? Did the same apply to them?" Erza asked the blonde.
"It should have, but time was moving weird that day. Plus, they were only in the present for two weeks time at most. This will happen very slowly. I think that Rogue was affected during the Grand Magic Games when his shadow was taking control of him. But it did not exceed from there."
"How long do they have?" Natsu inquired and Juvia hugged Ariana closer, trying to prevent the child from listening.
"We can only guess, but we think… a month since arrival," Lucy answered with what she found with Levy. Future Gray had less than one month to get back to his home time with Ariana.
