The Ocean: After failing to save Juvia, an inconsolable Gray has retreated to a prison of his own design and cut off all contact with Fairy Tail. But is Juvia really gone for good?

Where is Juvia?

She felt nothing. Not her body, or her heart, or her breath. Her mind felt disconnected, floating in a darkness that she couldn't fully explain.

Is Juvia dead? she wondered. She remembered the feel of Explodia inside her body, the look on Gray's face when she said goodbye, a split second of agony, and then...nothing. Perhaps Juvia is dead. That would explain Juvia not being able to feel Juvia's body.

You're not dead, little raindrop.

The water mage started. Who is speaking to Juvia?

Open your eyes, little raindrop.

Juvia obeyed - and saw nothing but blue. A deep, clear, endless expanse of blue that surrounded and enveloped her, holding her effortlessly as she floated through the cool depths. She looked around in awe and wonder. Where is Juvia? she wondered.

You took quite a hit, little raindrop, said the mystery voice. It sounded female, and caring, and warm. I was worried when you first fell, but now you seem much better. No, don't try to move too much, it chided when Juvia tried to sit up. You're still not completely yourself.

Juvia looked down - and saw that most of her body was gone. Raggedy water-edges of her upper torso and one arm to her elbow were all that remained. What happened to Juvia? Why isn't Juvia dead? she thought, aghast that she had managed to recover from Explodia.

Because you fell into the ocean. Water helps water recover, isn't that so, little raindrop?

Juvia is in the ocean? It suddenly occured to Juvia that she wasn't actually speaking aloud to this mysterious disembodied voice. Could it be that this person-being could hear her thoughts?

How else can I communicate with you? It's not like you're able to speak anyway.

Surprisingly, Juvia found that her voice was gone. Juvia is confused. Who is speaking with Juvia? she thought-said.

A long pause answered her. She was about to give up when the voice said, Who I am...It is hard to answer that question. You may call me Oceania.

Oceania, repeated the water mage. Juvia is Juvia. She looked around. So, Juvia is in the ocean?

Yes, replied Oceania. You were near death, little raindrop. I've taken you to a place where the rain falls, and you're slowly recovering.

Juvia looked up, and she could see the dark swirls of ever-familiar rainclouds above the surface of the water, rippled and broken by the falling of raindrops. Juvia must return to Fairy Tail. They must be worried about Juvia, she said to Oceania. When can Juvia go home?

It will take some time, little raindrop, for your body to recover. More rain, much more than here can provide, said Oceania. But never fear. I will help you. But in return, will you do me a small favor?

She sounded a little hesitant, and a little hopeful. The blue-haired woman felt her curiosity blossom. What can Juvia do?

Oceania sounded almost fond, and sad, and definitely lonely. Perhaps...you would care to see what I have seen? Maybe it will help pass the time.

Juvia would be happy to oblige, said Juvia. What will Juvia be watching?

It had been three days since the fight with the Horned Demon Dark Guild. Three days since Juvia disappeared.

Three days since any Fairy had seen Gray Fullbuster.

When the rooftop had exploded with Ice Make, Natsu, Lucy, and Happy had immediately rushed to their nakama's aid. They found the rooftop had undergone a second Ice Age, Holden frozen dead under a solid foot of ice, and Gray sitting catatonic within his Ice Make: Prison. Natsu had melted the Prison and hauled Gray onto his back, and the team quickly regrouped with the rest of the mages of Fairy Tail. Nobody could find any trace of Juvia aside from the emblem that had adorned her shawl, which Lucy had found cradled in Gray's hands.

When they arrived back at the guild, Gray seemed to come out of it. But instead of being his usual calm self, he lost it. He screamed that he'd failed, that Juvia was dead because of him. He overpowered Natsu, Erza, even Master Makarov, and bolted for the basement. Once there, his ice magic turned the entire room into a frozen cave and he sealed himself inside. Not even Natsu's flame could get through; it was as if Gray's grief had given his ice the power to defy all laws of magic and nature.

Gray had yet to emerge from his ice cavern. Everybody was becoming increasingly worried about their resident ice alchemist. So Master Makarov sent a communication to Lamia Scale and asked for Lyon Bastia's help. If anyone would have an idea about how to break through Gray's arctic fortress, it would be a fellow student of Ur.

Lyon arrived in a day, bringing his partner Shelly Blendi with him. The situation was quickly explained, and Lyon was taken to the ice-clogged basement door. Natsu and Lucy, the latter heavily bundled and huddling next to the furnace-warm Dragonslayer, watched from the steps as Lamia Scale's ice mage examined the ice blocking the doorway to Gray. He poked it, stabbed it, even sniffed it. He broke off a piece and watched it regrow. Ice crystals formed in his white hair as he took an hour, then two, and three to do nothing but stare at the wall of ice.

"There's nothing I can do," he announced to the rest of the guild. Sherry handed him his shirt and jacket (which had been shed sometime during the three hours) which he pulled back on. "His magic's on autopilot; it's protecting him from everything. Whatever's going through his head, he doesn't want anyone else near him."

"There has to be something we can do," Erza insisted. "Why don't you just break down the wall?"

Lyon shook his head. "No. If I try that in his state, he'll think it's an attack, fight back, and won't even know it's me. He'll kill me without a thought, and he'll kill you all too." His words had a chilling effect on everyone present. "Nakama or no, you break through that wall and you'll find out just how powerful Gray's unconscious ability is. I was pushing it, and I didn't even try to break through."

"Then what can we do?" screamed Natsu angrily. All traces of his rivalry with Gray had disappeared, replaced with panic and fear that he could lose his nakama.

The white-haired ice mage glanced at Sherry. "Do you think you can use Doll Magic and take control of the ice inside the cavern to find out what's going on?"

She swallowed. "I think so. I'll need a piece of - " Wordlessly Lyon handed her the piece of ice he broke off the wall. "Oh. Okay." Sherry bit her lip. "Lyon, can you come with me?"

He sighed. "Oh, all right. Everybody has to stay up here," he said to Makarov. "No sudden movements, no fight, no noise. If Sherry's to do this safely, we can't startle Gray. He'll attack indiscriminately."

Makarov nodded his understanding. "Good luck," he told the Lamias as they descended the steps.

It was the stillest Fairy Tail had ever been before. Not even Cana drank, physically willing herself to stay at her seat and away from any jugs of temptation. It was as if the entire building held its breath, awaiting the fate of its resident ice mage.

Two hours later, they returned with startling news. Shelly had formed an Ice Doll with her magic and put a communication lacrima in its eyes to see what it saw, then Lyon broke the door open to allow it to enter the cavern. The doorway re-sealed with ice, so they watched the doll's progress on their end of the lacrima.

They had seen Gray huddled in the corner of the basement, and they were startled to see him swathed in clothes; Lyon had thought he'd strip down to nothing, not bundle up like a normal person. A collection of ice statues stood around him like a museum of white marble. Every statue was of Juvia, each with a different expression on her frozen face. As they watched, Gray shuddered, pounded his fist into his palm, and Ice Maked another Juvia statue with a different expression from all the others.

Learning more was impossible. As she tried to make her doll approach Gray, a lance of ice had shot from the wall and almost impaled Sherry. Thankfully Lyon deflected it, but he knew it was over. Deciding to get out while they could, Sherry had broken her spell and retreated with Lyon.

Makarov nodded. "He's recreating his guilt," he mused. "He did this for a time when he came here after losing Ur. He locked himself in his room and made ice replicas of her. But this is a much more extreme reaction."

"How'd he recover from that?" asked Lucy.

Natsu jerked his thumb at Erza. "She broke every statue, said to stop being a baby and told him to put on some clothes."

Lyon nodded, feeling a pang of guilt as he recalled his former hatred of his fellow student during that time. "She must have meant a lot to him, this Juvia," he said aloud. "He has almost twenty statues of her, each with a different expression on her face. And he's still making more."

"He really cared about her," said Natsu with a bit of wonder. "I thought he thought she was annoying."

Makarov shook his head. "Sometimes we don't realize how much a person means to us until they're gone," he said sagely.

"How can we help him?" asked Lucy, looking at Lyon.

But the Sub-Zero Emperor had no answer for her.

She knew that she was being moved all over the ocean, searching for fresh rain that could be used to recover her form. But Juvia had lost track of time as she watched Oceania's memories.

They were very strange for a being of the ocean, for they were all from the point of view of a human being. All happened on land, in snow-covered lands, and starred a pair of spiky-haired boys, one white, one dark. It had taken Juvia a few memories to realize that the dark-haired boy was Gray, and that she was watching memories of her beloved Gray-sama as a child.

Obviously, she fangirled when she found this out. But that lasted only for a few minutes. The memories were nothing to be squealing at. She watched him relate his wish for revenge against Deliora, watched him learn Ice Make alongside his white-haired friend, watched how his unconscious stripping habit formed, and how he slowly became an ice mage.

She watched him challenge the demon who killed his parents. She watched him fall in defeat. She watched as Oceania stepped forward, defended him, and sacrified herself to save him and his friend.

Just like Juvia did, she thought.

Oceania spoke. I had to stop Deliora that day, so I used a spell I knew I could never recover from. I had to protect my cute students. And when he came back to fight Deliora again, I was there. I watched Gray and Lyon fight over this choice of mine, watched how well they'd grown - and I felt so proud of them.

You are Ur, said Juvia suddenly. The thought had come to her earlier, and the more she thought about it, the more sense it made. You taught Gray-sama about Ice Magic. You were the one who made Gray-sama great enough to save Juvia.

He learned so much more after joining Fairy Tail, replied the former ice mage modestly. Gray-sama, eh? Bet he squirms at that. He was never one for adoration.

Maybe Juvia will drop the -sama, Juvia mused. She looked down at her body and was pleased to see that, aside from some fingers and the lower part of her left leg, she was almost completely recovered. Juvia must go back now, she said. Juvia has to show Gray-sa...Gray that Juvia is all right now. Can you take Juvia back to Fairy Tail now?

Ur seemed to hesitate. Little raindrop, may I ask another favor?

What is it, Ur?

Could you tell Gray...tell him I'm proud of him? That he's come so far, and that I'm so glad that he didn't throw his life away to fight Deliora. Tell him that...that...

Juvia smiled when Ur stumbled over her words. She knew exactly what she wanted to say; Juvia had wanted to say the same words for many months. Of course Juvia will tell him, she promised.

Then hold onto yourself, little raindrop, and let's go!

Juvia barely held back a shocked scream as she was carried across the ocean in one of the strongest currents, heading back towards Magnolia, Fairy Tail...and home.

Go Juvia go!

Review please! One more part to go!