Ghosts of the past

Chapter 22: Stay alive

First: OMG Mashima is killing me with this current arc!! The feels are real :O :( What makes me freak out is the fact that what's happening in the manga is similar to the chapters I'm posting these days with this fic (I promise I'm not doing it on purpose :O ) I just hope Mashima will make sure we have a happy ending (I love happy endings!) but just like I said with chapter 488, I have faith in him.

So here's the 22nd chapter while we're painfully waiting for the next manga chapter!

Juvia let herself get carried by the arms of the one she loved. A small voice in her head kept repeating her he loved her back but Juvia simply couldn't believe it. It was so easy to feel like she was dreaming... However, the pain she felt in numerous limbs proved that she was indeed awake despite the unreal and wonderful feeling she had with Gray's arms wrapped around her.

The young woman was slowly getting her strength back. She could, without a doubt, walk but she wanted to stay a little more in this heat that emanated from him. However, faith had other plans. She almost had to hold back from retching seeing the man that just appeared in front of them: José. Despite the arms that tightened on her in a protective way, Juvia knew that, contrariwise, she had to get out of her love's arms. For the first time since their meeting, Juvia was the one to get away from Gray. She had to fight. She had to stop José. She had to make sure that her love and friends couldn't be hurt anymore by that execrable man.

She made a couple of steps in her enemy's direction. She seemed to be fine, at least, enough to fight.

"My love, is Gray ready?"

"More than ever" he said, placing his hand on his sword, ready to engage in combat.

"Tch... First Redfox with his little bitch and now you with your sculptor. You two are barely out of Phantom and already making me want to puke."

"Juvia can't believe she wasted nineteen years of her life at the service of a monster like José" she spat.

"Talk as much as you wish, Lockser, but you can't avoid it: everyone you love will be dead before sunrise. It's almost a replay from heighten years ago" he said, savoring his words with a satisfied grin.

Juvia felt Gray tensing a little more beside her before meeting his gaze. As if they always knew each other, she understood what he silently said and they stated to run at the same time. There was no way they would let him get away with this.

***

They were wandering in the palace for several minutes, not really knowing where to go. Then, they ended up before what seemed to be the throne room. The many guards that were standing before the door seemed to indicate the king's presence. "Good" thought Gajeel. The young man was more than eager to let his fists expressing what they thought about the pretended king.

So he started out with those guards in his way. They may have had the numeric advantage, Gajeel had seen tougher before and that not counting the fact that his shrimp never ceased to amaze him, fighting with a talent that was beyond the novice she was. "Focus on the fight in front of you, Redfox" he reminded himself, forcing himself look at his adversary rather than his girlfriend. Ignoring is need to make sure she was fine or his envy to simply look at her, he focussed back on those who were in their way. A wave of adrenalin filled his veins. Despite the unlikely situation they were in, Gajeel had missed that feeling of satisfaction that brought him every fallen enemy. On that thought, while Natsu was taking care of the last guards, he kicked open the door in front of him.

As expected, the king was there, his horrible councillor beside him. Some anger woke up in the pit of his stomach. The only thing he wanted right now was to beat the living crap out of them. And he started to do so, attacking the guards that were protecting those bastards. He alternated some calculated sword hits, making sure to avoid any vitals despite the pain the victim felt, and some well placed punches.