Tomb Of Time And Destiny: A Fairy Tail Fanfic

Part Thirteen

Juvia POV

Traffic on the road increased as we got closer to the town- wagons on carved wooden wheels, chickens in twig cages, small boys driving tired milk cows- but it was the towns high, red walls that captured my attention. The town looked pristine, clean, and grand. I gawked at the many towers, careful not to lean too much on my bruised thigh as I leaned back slightly.

We rode forward, ignoring the pigs and goats that were nearly trampled in our wake, as well as their irate keepers. ‘Sorry!’ I winced slightly. The people divided before us, as if they knew that we came from Fairy Tail, and on we climbed, curving up the cobblestone street.

If Lucy and Levy are here, they’re most likely in the middle of town. My heart surged with hope and excitement. It took everything in me to maintain my place in line and submit to the dull, clopping rhythm of our train. Erza looked just as anxious to race past the others and search for them.

‘What if they’re there, now? Giving up on us? Wandering off, deciding to try somewhere else?’ I shake my head to clear any negative thoughts from it. ‘No! Juvia must have hope! Stay there, Lu and Lev. If you’re here, stay there.’

“Oi, what’s wrong?” Gajeel asked, peering down at me.

“Juvia is just eager to get to the middle of town,” I said.

“Oh, we can go after we greet Ava's family,” Natsu said. “We’ll go right after.”

Erza and I looked at him in horror. “No, you don’t understand. We need to know right away if they’re there, waiting us.”

They studied us closely. “And what if they’re not?”

Not there? If they weren’t here, where could they be? I wasn’t ready to deal with the idea that they hadn’t made the jump at all. To think we were all alone here, with only each other to help figure out a way back. Natsu lets out a high pitched whistle and makes a circle motion with his finger. Gray and Jellal look at us then back to them and nod. Natsu turned back towards us and grinned. "Shall we go?"

We nod gratefully and I begin to check out every blonde I saw while simultaneously keeping an eye out for a small bluenette, but I seemed to be the only bluenette here, given how people openly stopped and gawked at my blue hair and Erza’s fiery red hair. We ignored the hushed whispers and the occasional ‘Witch..’ comment that slipped from the crowds and continued to search among the people, but all the blondes in the town were dull compared to Lucy’s bright gold-like hair. Erza placed a comforting hand on my shoulder when it  began to slump slightly.

“Don’t lose hope Juvs,” Erza whispered in english. “Maybe they’re on their way to the middle of town now, on this very street.” I nodded and sat up straighter.

##########

“Drink,” Gajeel demanded me, brooking no argument.

I blinked at him and the cup he was holding for a moment before taking it from his grasp. Tears begin to fill my eyes and my shoulders shake slightly as I swirl the cups contents absentmindedly while staring down at it. We didn’t find them in the middle of town. We searched and asked around, but no one has seen anyone that matched either of their descriptions. I grip the cup tightly in an attempt to compose myself. Erza places her hand gently over mine and squeezes it.

‘Juvia is not alone. Juvia must have hope!’  Taking a deep breath I drink the water in one gulp and lean my head back on the wall behind me.

“I take it, you didn’t find them?” Natsu said while approaching.

I shook my head. “Juvia thought for a moment she saw someone that resembled Lucy in hair and stature but it was not her. Lucy is far more beautiful than that woman I saw.”