Complications For Me & You (Gruvia)

Ch. 8

There sat Deliora. He wasn't nearly as big as before, he looked human. Gray and Juvia remained in guard as Deliora fully turned around.

Gray got straight to the point,
"How the hell are you alive?"

Deliora smiled, his teeth still sharp,
"It's quite simple really. When my body crumbled apart back at Galuna Island my demonic energy was released and I decided to get revenge on you and that brat Lyon. I possessed a random human to use as a host and I've trained this body to its extent."

"An innocent human...How terrible," Juvia mumbled.

"So let's make this quick Fullbuster, I have another ice mage to hunt," Deliora snickered as he cracked his neck.

"I won't let you get to him. I'm afraid to say that today will be your last. For sure this time..." Gray grinned.

Deliora scoffed,
"As if you could kill me that easily."

"I know I can."

A wind blew as Juvia felt the tension in the air grow. He cracked his knuckles and smirked lightly.

"Let's go then, you old bastard."

Deliora smirked as he concentrated to himself. His muscles started to flex and grow at a fast rate. Juvia and Gray fell back as they felt a strange pulse of energy.

"You mean, he isn't even at his full potential?" Gray asked himself.

Deliora's teeth became slightly sharper as his veins popped out of his head. He started to grow in size, grunting like he was in slight pain. They heard him snicker, his body now at a great mass.

"What do you think of me now Gray?" Deliora questioned him.

Gray's eyes widened as he looked up at Deliora. He wasn't as tall or big as he was back then, but his size still made Gray tense up. Juvia held her breath as Deliora's magic power had immensely increased.

"A little fact for you while you're still alive..." Deliora paused as he walked closer to Gray and grinned slyly.

"This isn't even my full power."

Gray couldn't get his words out. He bit his own tongue and couldn't utter a word.

"What happened to all that confidence ice mage?"

Next thing Gray knew, Juvia charged at him with her magic.

"Water slicer!" she called, slamming Deliora with a strong water wave.

Deliora was pushed back, he couldn't believe it. Gray had the same thoughts as Deliora.

"This woman...she pushed ME back?!" Deliora mumbled in rage.

"Juvia..." Gray trailed off.

He suddenly pressed his fist into the palm of his other hand. Gray's eyes grew sharp and cold.

"If Juvia is fighting this thing, that gives me more the reason to."

Deliora raised his head up and faced the water mage,
"It looks like I have another one on my list to kill."

"You're not touching her," Gray said bluntly.

Juvia turned to face Gray as he walked towards the demon with an angry expression on his face. His icy breath grew colder as he punched his fist into his palm.

"I'm ready for you," Gray spoke.

Juvia looked back at him and smiled as they charged in a mighty roar together.

Meanwhile back at the guild, many guild mates are starting to question Makarov and Mavis.

"Master, what was that intense magic we all just felt?" Romeo asked.

"Whatever could you mean?" Makarov said trying to push it aside.

"You can't deny what just happened gramps. What's really going on?" Natsu asked.

He gazed over at Mavis as she nodded at him.

"Tell them," she spoke.

"I'm sure there are many of you who have heard of the mighty demon Deliora..." Makarov trailed off.

"Of course," Natsu replied.

"He's returned."

"That's impossible! He was destroyed back on Galuna Island," Lucy said.

"Even before that, Ur stopped him," Erza continued.

"It is him," Makarov assured.

"But his power is so massive..." Wendy shivered lightly.

"Well what are we all waiting for? Let's go kick his ass already!" Natsu grinned.

"The First and I sent Gray and Juvia to take care of him."

"Gray and Juvia?! There's no way they can do it alone. I know they are both strong but..." Lucy started to lower her head and silence her voice.

"Master, with all due respect this is too much for them to handle. It's a mistake," Erza confessed.

"Or better yet you should've just sent the whole guild!" Natsu suggested.

"This is for Gray, and Gray only. We made him choose a partner to go with, but this is overall for him to handle. He has to do this alone," Mavis explained.

"Do you feel this magical energy?! There's no possible way-" Lucy was interrupted as Makarov stood tall on the bar.

"Enough!" he shouted from the top of his lungs.

The guild fell silent.

"Mavis and I make the decisions of this guild and whatever we say goes. Gray is doing this alone, until we are convinced he can not," Makarov continued.

Nobody dared to challenge the master any further in his decision and stayed quiet. Mavis slightly frowned as she saw the worry and dismay in the guild members eyes.

"I know you all must be worried about him and Juvia, but this is for them. They wanted to do this by themselves. Like Master Makarov said, if we feel they can no longer handle the fight, we will send reinforcements," Mavis explained.

The guild nodded as they all looked worried in front of their two masters. They knew arguing on would be pointless and solve nothing.

"The best you kids can do right now is either wait for Gray to ask for help or we think it is urgent enough to send it," Makarov said making his final say in the matter.

Mavis leaned towards the lacrima, trying to connect with Gray and Juvia again.

"Third, they won't answer," Mavis informed Makarov.

He analyzed it and tapped it lightly, seeing it had no glow to it.

"Is it broken?" Makarov questioned himself.

Levy walked over to them both,
"I'm not very good when it comes to repairs, but let me give it a shot!"

Laki then approached them,
"And I'll help too!"

The two masters smiled as they agreed to let them figure it out.

Lucy looked out the window and sighed,
"Please be okay..."