With Great Power Comes Great Responsibilty

Chapter 61

Gray's mind was completely trapped in a state of confusion and primitiveness. He didn't know who he was, he didn't remember where he was, he only followed his new animal instincts and right now they were telling him to find food. He sniffed the air for a potential source of meat, h eventually picked up something. He wasn't sure if it was meat yet but it smelled warm and it smelled of spices. He followed the scent toward a light in the distance, the light of a house. A house that he seemed to recognize. He had been here before, he coould feel it.

What he smelled was tea being brewed by a woman. A woman with short dark hair, wearing a robe and slippers, she appeared very worried. Greatly concerned. For a moment he considered pouncing on the female and devouring her, but when he picked up her scent, she smelled very familiar to him. She didn't see him but he could make out her face and when he did images of her appeared in his head. Images of her feeding him, dressing him, holding him, and loving him as a mother would. He quickly moved away from the house and let out a horrified snarl.

"Who's there?"

The woman grabbed a kitchen knife and looked out the window. She saw nothing. Nothing at all. She closed the window and locked it. Then sat down in front of the TV with her cup of tea, turning on the news channel. Gajeel was reporting tonight's story.

"Authorities are wondering if this mysterious tiger like monster has any connection to Blue Tiger. I personally believe that they're one in the same but it's only theory on my part. However there is evidence that this creature is extremely dangerous. It's already attacked several people, so if you see this thing, run like Hell and call the cops. In recent news, I've just been informed that one of my photographers, Gray Fullbuster, has disappeared. No one knows where he is or what's happened to him. He may have become another victim of this monster."

"Oh dear." Gray's Aunt Ur gasped with her hand over her heart. "I pray that's not the case."

"Don't worry Miss Milkovich. Your nephew is a very smart and capable young man. I'm sure he can handle himself."

Gildarts was staying over with Ur as a favor, one requsted by Natsu.

"I don't know if I could go on living if something happened to him." She said.

"Don't think like that. Everyone is out there looking for him." Gildarts said. "He's bound to turn up sooner or later."

"I hope you're right. I truly hope you're right." She turned her attention back to the TV.

"If you see him or hear from him please contanct me or his aunt immedately." Gajeel spoke. "He's just a kid and he may be in some serious trouble. Keep a look out for him, please."

Juvia was also watching the news story and she was grateful to her brother for doing this for Gray. But she was still sick with worry over him. She had called everyone who knew Gray, asking them if they had seen him or knew anything about where he was. Lucy, Gildarts, Gajeel, Lyon, Meredy, Erza, Natsu, they all told her they didn't know anything. But Lyon and Meredy didn't think Juvia should be alone so they came over to her house to comfort her.

"Oh dear Lord, what if he's hurt?" Juvia said.

"You put that thought out of your head right now." Meredy said. "You'll make yourself ill."

"I know it's not good for me. But I can't help it. I'm so worried about him." Subtle tears were forming in her eyes.

"I'm worried too Juvia." Lyon said. "It isn't like Gray to just up and disappear."

"Are you sure he didn't say anything significant to you the last time you spoke?" Juvia asked him.

"No." He said in a voice full of remorse. "He was acting strange but he didn't say why or where he was going. God I feel terrible about what I said to him. I didn't mean it I was just...Oh God."

Speak of the devil, Gray had stalked right into that neighborhood, being drawn in by familiar surroundings. His green eyes fell upon the three people behind the window of the first house he spotted. With his claws, he picked the latch on the window and opend it up.

Juvia screamed when she saw him. Lyon stepped in front of the girls.

"You leave them alone!"

He moved to attack the beast but he just picked him up and threw him against a nearby closet. Meredy ran to Lyon's side. A familiar scent lured Gray to look at Juvia, he approached her, she backed up until she was against the wall, unable to move any further.

"Don't hurt us!" She pleaded. "Please don't hurt us!"

He stared at the blue haired young woman almost curiously. Trying to figure out why her scent meant something to him. Their eyes met and those frightened blue eyes of hers made him feel so weak. Next thing he knew, he was once again images were filling his head. This time of the lovely woman standing before him. Her hair, her voice, her laugh, her smile, her eyes. Her beautiful eyes always watching him lovingly and empathetically. For a moment, his humanity resurfaced and the urge to hold her arose within him. He started to reach out to her but the sight of his mutated arm and the fear in her face, it made him pull back horror.

Tears of shame and sorrow began to stream down his face. A pitiful moan escaped his mouth, and it almost sounded like a human voice saying;

"I'm sorry."

He then ran crashing through the window and disappeared into the night. Juvia was left feeling stunned.

"Lyon!" Meredy tried gently shaking him awake. "Lyon are you alright?"

"Oh." Lyon groaned in pain as he came to. "Remind me never to do that again."

"Lyon you brave fool!" Meredy berated. "You could have been killed!"

"So could you and Juvia. Is she alright?"

They looked over at her with concern. She was looking the shattered window, her mind trying comprehend something.

"Juvia did it hurt you?" Meredy asked.

"No. It only looked at me." Juvia answered.

"Juvia, what made it go away?" Lyon asked.

"I have no idea. But the entire time it was staring at me, I had the strangest feeling that it knew me." She said. "And it had tears in it's eyes. It was crying. I wonder."