I am soooo sorry for my long absence with this story! If you read my other stories you know that I have been quite busy lately and dealing with some drastic life changes. I have managed to write a little bit for most of my stories, if not updating them occasionally, but this one has been giving me a tough time. The timeline wasn't working out and I just didn't know how to get past it. I figured it out, though! So I have the next chapter already written. Hopefully I won't go another four months without updating this story ;)
Check out my new story, Missions!
Please review and tell me how happy you are that I updated!
Grandine took a deep breath as she stepped onto her porch, taking in the morning air. She noticed that it was a bit warmer out compared to the day before, so she figured that Gray must have stopped the snow to change the seasons. There was no doubt that Juvia and Laxus would be coming over later in the day to work more on the switch.
Wendy and Romeo had already left to go to Gray's, so she had the house to herself for a while. Even if they couldn't play with Gray because of his work, they would still train together up in the mountains. She was pleased to know that the two would be together as Guardians, and hopefully life partners. Romeo certainly had snow and ice powers, but Wendy seemed to have stronger abilities with air temperature and wind. She could control snow and ice, but she wasn't as powerful as Romeo. Together they could perfectly control Winter.
People smiled as they passed her on the street and waved. She would always stop and greet them. Everyone knew Grandine for being a kind old woman that had a winter house in town. She was happy to fulfill the role. It just pleased her that Gray let Wendy stay with him while she travelled. Carla stayed with her, of course. Not only was she just a baby, but she would also become the next Healer Guardian.
"Well if it isn't Grandine!" a masculine voice hollered.
Grandine looked up and smiled. "Gildarts Clive," she said. "I didn't know that you would be coming to visit."
"I came to visit Cana," he said. "I haven't seen her in a while, so I thought a visit would be in order. I'm going to be staying for a couple days."
"Would you like to come in? There are a few things I'd like to talk to you about," she said, pushing the front door open.
Gildarts nodded and went inside, Grandine following. He could tell that there was something serious going on. He sat on her couch, declined her offer of tea, and urged her to start talking.
"Well," she began, "I think that we need to have a meeting with the past Guardians."
"What?" he gasped. "What would call for such a meeting?"
She took a moment to collect her thoughts. "We have a little issue," she said.
"Being?" Gildarts couldn't imagine what could be going on.
"It seems as if we have a new Guardian in the area," Grandine said. "She has no memory of her past. Gray is convinced she's a Winter Guardian while Lyon believes she's a Summer Guardian."
Gildarts hummed in thought. "I don't think we should bring this up to the others yet; it may be nothing. As long as we have all the Guardians right now it will be fine. If the need arises for another Guardian we'll address it then." He stood . "I'm going to go see Cana now." He paused once more at the door. "I'll look into it, but please don't go off on your own and cause trouble."
Grandine huffed in annoyance, wondering why she even considered mentioning her issue to the past Fall Guardian.
X
"Do you really think that Lucy could be here?" Laxus asked Juvia as they were walking up the mountain towards Gray's house. Laxus could have teleported them there, but he wanted a chance to talk to Juvia alone first.
"No, Gray wouldn't do that," Juvia said, shaking her head firmly. "There's no way that he would let a Guardian stay in his mansion, let alone and not mention it."
"He wouldn't know who she was, though," Laxus pointed out.
"There's no way he couldn't!" Juvia exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air. "A Summer Guardian living in a Winter palace? It's just crazy! She wouldn't be able to survive without going out in the sun and using some sort of power. She'd die otherwise!"
An eery silence fell over the two for many steps. When they were almost to the top of the mountain, Laxus stopped walking completely. Juvia turned around and looked at him with a frown.
"Do you really think she could die?" Laxus asked timidly. "I mean, it's not like the sun isn't in this town, too."
"Laxus," Juvia said gently. "I want to believe that she is okay as much as anyone."
"She has to be!" Laxus called out angrily.
The Fall and Spring Guardians had become very fond of Lucy in her short time of living as a Guardian. Laxus and Natsu both thought of the young blonde as a younger sister. Erza was the oldest out of all the Guardians, so she saw Lucy almost as a daughter. Ultear had only just begun to see her that way when she disappeared. Juvia had never really formed an opinion of the blonde, but even she was a little worked up about the whole situation.
"We've visited Gray in the heart of Summer," Juvia said slowly. "The world was boiling, but what was the temperature like here?"
Laxus' eyes widened . "It still snowed on this mountain and the town never went above forty degrees."
Juvia nodded. "Do you know why that is?" she asked. "And do you know why the Guardians stay together rather than separating? I'm sure Gray and Lyon could function without living even in the same town. Lyon doesn't even have Winter powers."
"It's because they need to be around their element." Laxus was dreading this conversation more and more every second.
"Lucy is more than just the Sun. She's Life itself. She makes things grow and stay alive. Without the sun, we wouldn't be here. Without the Sun, the Moon wouldn't shine, either, so there would never be light within the darkness. If the Sun disappeared, do you know what would happen?
"The world would be plunged into darkness. The Moon doesn't shine without the Sun reflections. Even our powers as well as the Fall Guardians' combined wouldn't be enough to heat the world. Without the Sun, it's hopeless."
"That can't be!" Laxus refused to believe what he was hearing. "What about the past Guardians? Couldn't they do something? Loke could even come back if she isn't found by Summer!"
Juvia shook her head. "No, he can't. Do you know about the past Guardians? They are put in a magical place that seals their powers. Within their city they can do whatever they want with their powers, but as soon as they leave they cannot use their powers until they return. It's the only way to balance the world. No mortal can step there, either."
"You mean Guardians become immortal?" Laxus asked. He had never heard this about Guardians.
"Yes, as long as they don't die before someone else takes their role. That's why Guardians usually retire early. If they were to die before someone else took the position as that Guardian, then we would be facing a situation similar to this, but without any hope. Chaos would consume the world until a Guardian is born and ready to take over."
And, on that note, the two went inside to talk to Gray, trying their best to act like nothing was wrong with the world, even though something very dark would happen very soon if Lucy wasn't found.
