Caught on Land

Lab

It's been a few days since I woke up in the bathtub and started living in the Prince's castle. It was kind of hard trying to relax or just have fun considering I couldn't move very far from the tub without drying up and dying. The Prince always visited me and tried to stay near me as much as possible but it was hard, he was the Prince, he had duties, and I, well I couldn't move.

As I was moping about how terrible this all was Yasumi walked in "Miss Juvia, I'm terribly sorry, but local fishermen, at least the evil ones, have decided to take you to a lab to be studied," "What? How could that happen?" Yasumi shook her head "I'm sorry mistress, but the fishermen had too much backup, the Prince didn't stand a chance," "The Prince?"

~Meanwhile~

I was losing this case, which meant I was losing Juvia. These fishermen had too much behind them, I couldn't win! They had the science department behind them and they were winning with the idea that we couldn't miss this opportunity "My Prince, I understand, you want to protect what's yours..." "Don't say that like she's an object!"

I yelled at them "Why can she not have a say in this?" I asked them "Because she is a mermaid, sir," "That doesn't mean she doesn't have feelings!" "But sir, what else are you going to do with her?" "I'll let her have her wish, if she wants to leave, she can, if she wants to stay, she can."

"But sir..." and the same sentence came again and again until finally they won. They were going to take Juvia from me. I could sulk later but I had to tell Juvia I was sorry. As soon as the words left the judges mouth that they were going to take Juvia away I stood up and walked out. If I was the king I would've stopped them before they began but...I'm just a prince.

A lousy prince that can't even save the one he loves.

~Back to Juvia~

As soon as Yasumi told me that I was going to a lab I went numb. All the emotions rushing through me, I couldn't decide how I felt. I sat there as Yasumi comforted me until the prince walked in. He didn't look at me as he said "Yasumi, can you please go?" Yasumi bowed "Of course, my prince."

She left and I stared down at my tail, waiting for Gray to tell me the news. He slowly walked over "Juvia..." "Don't, Gray, I know, Yasumi told me, I'm being sent to a lab," "Juvia," "Gray, I know, please don't make this worse," "Juvia!" I looked up at him, shocked "I'm sorry."

I saw tears running down his face, he was shaking, trying to hold it in but he couldn't. I wanted to hug him, but he was too far away, I wanted to hug him tight and never let go, let him know I don't need him to say sorry. "No, Gray, I'm sorry, I know you tried your hardest," "No, I could've done so much more, it's my fault you're leaving."

"Gray, stop, it's not your fault, it's the fisherman's fault, the scientist's fault, not yours," "Juvia, I love you," "I love you too Gray." He kept crying even though I told him it was okay. I put my arms out towards him and gestured him closer, he came closer and I hugged him tightly "I will always love you, Gray," "And I will always love you, Juvia."

~A Few Days Later~

I swam around in a small tank in a basement full of lab tools, scary, pointy tools. I held Adaliah close, thanking Mer-Gods everywhere that they let me keep her. She was a dark blue, meaning humans were around but of course they were.

I looked up at the floor above me as it shook. They put me in the house of a 'happily' married couple. They were nice, in front of people, but around me and when it was just them they were cruel people.

I tried to comfort Adaliah but she was still scared out of her mind but I knew and she knew she'd be even more scared if I hadn't taken her with me.