Shrouded In Secrets [Fairy Tail]

•three•

Juvia's POV

After tracing the locations, it lead us to a strange place, isolated place. We were stood outside, in a somewhat chilly morning staring directly at the shabby, run-down building discoloured yellow by a coat of stench surrounding it's cracked windows. An overgrowth of ivy tinged in brown had completely covered the pipelines, and shrouded the concrete foundation of the building.

"Let's go.", I curled my fingers towards myself as an indication.

"Okay.", Levy replied, but you could see the unease etched on her face as her eyebrow began to furrow.

Maybe this was a mistake.

I rung the bell several times, and even knocked on the door, but got no response. Then, in annoyance, Levy slammed the door and it opened. She glanced at me with suspicion, and so did I.

"Hello?", my voice echoed throughout the hall.

After getting no response, as expected, I pressed my fingers on the rusty door knob and twisted. To my surprise, it opened. The door made a scratchy creak as it opened, and a shadow-like figure of a rat came racing out.

"Rat!", Levy wailed.

"Calm down.", I interjected. "You're an investigator. This should be nothing for you."

"Well, my job isn't to investigate rats.", she sarcastically retorted.

I had a response ready, but I thought it would be wasteful. I gave her a 'really?' glance, then turned and stepped in.

"I know what that look you gave me meant.", she scoffed, crossing her arms.

"Okay, sure.", I replied. "Now concentrate."

We stepped in the house cautiously to be met only by an eerie silence. On the ceiling were cob-webs interwoven with dust, and on the sides, the wallpaper was peeling. Above, I could hear muffled footsteps treading on water, probably from other rats. It really is abandoned.

The inside was also empty, filled with a gelid, wintery hush from the lack of utilities.

"You're sure this is the building?", I questioned.

"Yes, I'm sure.", she said. "I'm a professional."

I ambled in the vicinity of the empty building, surveying the area for any evidence. I drifted my gaze across the room, taking notice of the streak of blood on the stained, previously white walls.

"Levy. Come here.", I called.

"What is it?", she asked, while walking towards me. She then saw the blood too, and began analysing.

"It's still pretty new. Someone was here recently.", she determined.

"Take a picture. It's evidence.", I told her.

"I know.", she whipped out her phone, and took a quick snap. "Okay, I'm going back."

I lightly tapped the door leading to the living room, and entered. However, there was a desk, with a shelf.

The wooden layer of the floor looked like it had been scraped off, leaving some parts of the damaged floor lighter than others and the walls were fraying like shed skin. The sound of water could be heard rhythmically dripping onto the eroded floor.

I went over to the desk, and opened up the shelf. To my surprise, there was a sim-card, and nothing else. I picked it up, and saw the name, "T-Mobile" encompassed by a pink background.

"I need to look into this, and see if it's a clone.", I muttered to myself.

"Levy.", I called again.

She appeared holding a plastic bag, with a lock of hair inside it.

"I found this in the other room.", she explained. "This may be the culprit's hair."

"I also found this sim-card.", I responded.

"That's great! So, we just need submit this.", she allowed herself to crack a smile.

"Yeah..". Even though everything was starting to piece together, I felt my insides knotting into tangles from the concerning fact that the police were 'unaware' of this.

"What's wrong?", Levy asked.

"Nothing.", I lied. "Okay, I think we've searched everything. I'll take the sample and do the DNA testing. Let's go."

"Okay, but you better give me some credit.", she demanded.

"Of course.", I smiled ungratefully to poke fun at her.

If the Police really were bribed, only someone or a group of a wealthy status could have pulled it off.

"The Dragneel family."

Suddenly her face appeared, wearing a fierce and determined mask, framed by her golden tresses, whilst repeating those same words over, and over.

I felt her frigid voice tug at my heart, ripping it violently into shreds. "I'm not a murderer!", she insisted.

"I'm sorry, President.", I whispered to myself. "Even I, your lawyer didn't fully believe in your innocence."

•••

The automatic, glass doors slid open, as I walked into the hospital. I was wafted by the familiar aroma of medicine. I come here way too often. Dismissing my thoughts, I walked over to the collection point.

"The court date is soon.", I reminded myself as I stood impatiently at the counter to receive the test results.

The receptionist came back holding a file against her chest, with a smile plastered on her face.

"Here you go.", she politely placed the file on the desk.

Curious, I quickly flicked open to a random page, and began scanning. It read,

"95% match."

"Jude Heartfilia."

A/N: I hope you're all enjoying this story so far. I know that I'm really enjoying writing this.