Hey everyone what's up? Yeah thats right they finally meet! I wonder what happens next?
I hope you guys are all enjoying the story and please continue to review! It helps inspire me to write more! I have a question for you guys, what kind of pairing would you rather have me write next? GaLe, ElfEver or Cobkina? I am leaning more towards ElfEver or Cobkina but a GaLe sounds good too. I already have a NaLu one-shot if you are a NaLu fan and I only write for pairings I support.
And one last thing, I am sure you guys have already noticed by now but the Gruvia is going to be slightly slow. I hope you guys don't mind but if you do just stop reading then, I go at the pace I deem right for the story after all.
So like always please Read & Review and enjoy! Reviews help inspire me to write more and better!
Gray heard the excited voice of the water mage and silently cursed. Just when he had thought he had traveled through the forest successfully that damn woman had to get here. Now how would he protect her?
"Gray-sama!"
Whoops, maybe his curse hadn't been so quiet after all. Whatever it didn't matter now, he just had to get out of here. The ice mage began to run at full speed, not daring to slow down for the woman.
Green foliage and brown wood and dirt broken by the occasional spurts of rock flashed in the corners of Gray's vision. He should have been more careful but he just didn't care in this case.
Tree! Pain wracked his entire body as he landed face first into the birch tree. He fell backwards and groaned at his bad luck. The entire forest around him was spinning and he had to pause for a moment to reorient himself. He heard Juvia's shouts from the forest.
He stumbled to his feet and glanced around, other than the tree the area was pretty clear. It was a small grassy clearing. He quickly searched his mind for some plan he could use to get out of this mess.
Maybe he could just keep running? Nah what kind of plan was that! Perhaps if he played dumb, like a 'I am not the Gray you are looking for' or 'I... It wasn't my fault... I was possessed.' holy Mavis those sounded stupid, it seemed like kind of plans that the flame brain Natsu would think of.
The ice mage stood there for a few moments in deep thought. His choices were limited now. Then he thought of something... Something that might perhaps help keep her away and prove his point so he wouldn't be followed by anyone else.
The sound of footsteps led to a blue haired woman collapsing out of the bushes, panting. Her dull blue eyes lit up as she saw Gray.
"Gray-sama!"
Gray saw the pure adoration and love that filled her eyes, but forced himself to ignore it and not respond. Juvia... Why did you follow me here? I didn't want to have to hurt you.
"Juvia. Why are you here?" Gray demanded icily. Shock entered the water mage's eyes. The raven haired mage raised his hand and cold, raw ice magic drifted around his hand. Juvia saw his intention and color drained from her face.
"Gray-sama? Juvia followed Gray-sama here to find out if he really betrayed Fairy Tail," Juvia explained softly. "And to bring Gray-sama back."
Gray stared at the woman in astonishment, he knew that Juvia would feel bad about him leaving but to the point of leaving Fairy Tail behind as well? Wow he had been underestimating her... The woman stared back. Their gazes locked and they silently asked each other the same question, why?
"Well sorry, I don't know how you found out that I was the one that did it but you won't be able to catch me, let alone bring me back," Gray said as he took a step towards her. The ice in his hand intensified. He saw Juvia gulp in the thin moonlight.
He dreaded the idea of attacking his former guildmate, maybe he could just knock her out? "Ice make-" He never got to finish.
A young woman stepped forward out of the bushes panting just as heavy, maybe even heavier, than Juvia. She had auburn hair and all that he could tell she was wearing was a white cloak, however he could tell that she was a ring mage with all of the rings that adorned her fingers. Her darkened features showed a determined expression as she stepped in front of Juvia with her arms spread wide.
"I don't know who you are and what your connection to Juvia is but I won't let you harm her," The ring mage said, her voice thick with her determination. However, there was a speculative gaze in her eyes and she spent longer looking at his mostly-stripped body than defending Juvia. Juvia found a friend? Great, don't tell me I have to defeat this one too.
"Ice Make: Prison!" Gray shouted and unleashed the spell. The two female mages were quickly trapped in a prison of solid ice and Gray turned to leave. The crackle of fire and an irritated sound made his attention turn though. He glanced over his shoulder.
The ring mage was attempting to use fire on the prison, her attempts fizzled after a few seconds and she started gasping for breath. The light of the fire illuminated her face, which glistened with sweat. It looks like this woman isn't very strong... Not strong at all, what a pathetic flame too. Lucy could finish her in a second... Hell even Happy could and he is just an exceed. Gray observed. The ice make mage turned over again and started walking off.
A growl tore through the air and Gray felt air rush at him, he instinctively ducked at the same time a punch flew right over him. The ring mage had escaped.
Gray spun around and flashed the woman a shocked look. She grinned slyly and tapped one of her rings with a thin finger.
"Ice make: Lance." A jagged spear of ice launched itself at the woman, a slightly high pitched scream could be heard as it struck the woman in her side. She was launched backwards. However as she got up she activated another ring. The woman was ignoring the blood dripping down her side and throwing fireballs at him erratically.
Gray muttered a spell and he froze a direct path towards the auburn haired girl. The frost rushed towards the girl rapidly and even froze over the fire in its path. It ended with a sharp point and hit the girl in the shoulder, sending her stumbling backwards.
"ENOUGH!" The yell made both Gray and the other mage freeze. Their eyes darted to Juvia who was staring at them in horror. Temporary forgetting their fight the two walked over to her, in the other girl's case limping. "Stop fighting both of you, Juvia doesn't wish for her friends to fight each other."
"Friends? You mean this guy who just tried to attack you is a friend?" The girl muttered distrustfully, her words more of a statement than a question. Juvia nodded and the girl just sighed and fell to her knees. She appeared really tired and a little pitiful.
"Megan!" Juvia said, naming the unknown mage. Megan just looked up at Gray and Juvia.
"Its alright Juvia I can just heal myself, I still have some magical energy left," Megan replied sweetly. Great so this mage just leapt from emotion to emotion didn't she? The ring mage lightly tapped a ring with one of those first aid crosses and began holding her hands over her side. A pale silver, almost white, mist flowed from her hands and seeped into the wound. The bloody cut slowly cleaned itself and mended together smoothly. She repeated the same action with her shoulder and yawned with exhaustion. Gray felt that she hardly had any magical energy left after all.
The whole time Gray was thinking, thinking of that healing ring this 'Megan' girl had. Healing magic was extremely rare, even for ring users. The only person they knew with healing skills was Wendy and Porlyusica, and Porlyusica didn't use healing magic but worked with medicinal herbs. There was only one or two rings that could heal any kind of injury, both of them extremely rare. Whoever this Megan was she was definitely more suspicious than she looks. Gray wondered how well Juvia knew this woman, but if Juvia trusted him he would have to as well.
Gray shook his head in slight confusion. What made him think he would be sticking around long enough to have to trust her? Megan layed on the ground and quickly fell unconscious from her exhaustion and Gray turned away from the two.
A hand on his shoulder prevented him from leaving. Juvia was right behind him. Tears were moving down her eyes and she was sniffling.
"Please Gray-sama, Juvia doesn't want to have to be without Gray-sama. Juvia will join the dark guild with you Gray-sama, just please don't let Juvia be alone..." The water mage pleaded, her eyes was desperate as her dark blue eyes met his.
"Juvia... Why would you want to betray Fairy Tail like me? I thought you were loyal to that dump." Gray inwardly cringed at the question, he didn't want to do it and he didn't want to insult his beloved guild. Juvia flinched at Fairy Tail being called a dump and he could tell that she was just as offended and shocked as he was.
"Because Juvia only wants to be wherever Gray-sama is!" Juvia replied confidently, but her hesitance still showed through. She looked so desperate, so vulnerable. Gray thought of how confident and sure of herself Juvia often was and powerful she seemed in Fairy Tail, but maybe trying to follow him was hurting her more than he or even Juvia herself thought.
Maybe I should let her join me, I can't tell her the true plan but she trusts me enough so maybe I don't have to tell her? Besides if I say no she might be too heartbroken to do anything, and she is too precious for me to make her do anything of the sort. Mavis I just want to protect my former guildmates so why is that so hard? Gray sighed and felt Juvia tense, probably fully expecting him to reject her.
"Okay, you two can join Hellfire Imp, I will talk to the master when we get there. Its only a few miles from the end of this forest." Juvia relaxed and her gaze lit up with excitement.
"Thank you, Gray-sama," Juvia murmured. She hugged him, at first the ice mage was tensed up, but then relaxed and allowed his now only real friend to hug him. I think I need the company too. Gray thought sadly.
The two broke apart and the black haired mage saw Juvia blushing and looking down. A slight smile showed on her face. Gray smiled a little as well, glad to have some kind of familiar face. Gray felt cold liquid touch his shirtless back. He looked up and a couple fat drops of water crashed onto his face. He noticed Juvia look up too and thought of how he hardly really paid attention to her as she tried to constantly declare her love for him. But she was the only one who cared for him to the point of even leaving the guild for him.
Juvia looked at Megan. "Gray-sama its going to rain, don't you think we should set up some shelter?" she suggested quietly. Gray nodded and tried to slip back into a cold demeanor, he still had to try to pretend to be heartless. Otherwise she might find out what he is trying to hide. He turned around and started searching for stuff to create a temporary shelter, stopping when he heard a zipping sound.
"What are you doing?" Gray asked, turning around and inching towards the bluenette. She was leaning over a bag that had been zipped open and had a variety of things in it.
"Megan had packed this bag full of stuff before we left her house. Juvia thought that there must be something in here for camping out in the forest," Juvia stated simply. She pulled out a couple folded up tent packages, they would be pretty simple to put up, but would take time. "Besides, we need to help Megan get out of this rain and cold otherwise she might get really sick."
Gray agreed with a grunt and grabbed one of the tents, and carefully started setting it up. Juvia helped by redirecting the rain out of the clearing, which left the space free of the falling water. The two spent a few minutes working silently, although Gray's mind was anything but quiet. What do I do? I obviously nearly tried to get rid of her and her friend a hour ago but now she is just shrugging it off? She is accepting that I have visually turned evil and even joining me... Or does she really think something else? Gray glanced at Juvia for a second then turned back quickly. I just wanted to protect Fairy Tail, now if Juvia and her friend gets hurt for coming with me it will be all my fault.
Gray pushed away his thoughts and started working faster, anything to get his mind off of the thoughts. The work went by so much faster when there wasn't pelting rain being unleashed on them. Megan didn't wake up at all during the work, having exhausted herself fighting Gray. The girl had been given a warm wool blanket and was placed under a tree that for the most part was dry underneath.
When they had finished they began getting ready to sleep, Juvia and Megan would sleep in one tent together and Gray would have his to himself. Juvia picked up Megan gently and carefully carried her to the two's tent. Gray watched Juvia from a large rock right next to his tent. Her hair was messy and there were bags under her eyes but she had a determined and loyal look that for some reason seemed... soothing... To Gray.
The two disappeared into their tent and Gray stretched, preparing to do the same. However he spent ten more minutes simply staring at the moon and night sky in deep thought. Maybe Gray himself didn't even know what he was thinking about. He stood up, jumped off the rock, and head into his tent for sleep.
There, some Juvia and Gray interaction, I know its what you all have been waiting for! Please review if you feel like it and know that I accept all comments both good and bad!