TAINTED. GRUVIA

06*

ジュノ juno;

Gray 氷

Finding Juvia was going to be a piece of cake. But if anyone in Pandora sees me, I'm dead. I mean, I could take them down; I just don't want to risk anything.

I was worried though. Ever since I saw Juvia's face on that screen, my head keeps spinning with unanswered questions. I feel like I'm drowning in anxiety. She looked so angry, so dark, so different. Was she even Juvia anymore?

No, she isn't. Ever since she killed Sting... No... ever since she joined Pandora, she wasn't the Juvia I once knew.

Juvia would never hurt a comrade or even an enemy without a fair reason. This wasn't even an injury; this was cold murder. Juvia murdered Sting. She murdered Gajeel. She murdered her friends. Her comrades. Would it be alright to forgive her? Surely she deserved some sort of punishment. Giving her the silent treatment would be childish, especially in the situation we're in. But I can't just let her get away with murder like that. But... I can't lock her up or kill her.

I clenched my fist. How could she kill them? Gajeel was a powerful mage, a dragon slayer. He was like your brother, you brought him to Fairy Tail. He got friends and wasn't the despicable guy he was before. Sting...

Sure, Sting was a prick before but he changed. He was strong, brave, kind hearted to his comrades and his friends. He was a great guild master.

I squinted my eyes, jolting myself out of my intrusive thoughts. Leaning against a mossy tree for support, I thought it over. All the people Juvia killed were dragon slayers. Of course, the numbers aren't high enough to determine it statistically.

But the fact that Juvia was considered a killer bothered me the most.

I probably should've, but I didn't tell Erza or anybody. For all they knew, Juvia was living out a non-magic life or finding another guild to join.

"Ice Mage," a low voice rumbled, "what business do you have here?"

My eyes darted around my surroundings. Who was that? A thick fog began to rise from the ground and cloud my vision.

I gritted my teeth. "Don't play with me, bastard!" I called out to the voice from before.

I heard a slight chuckle. "Have your emotions gotten the better of you, Gray Fullbuster?"

"Ice Make: Lance!" I yelled, trying to aim towards the source of the sound.

I heard a crunching sound—the sound of ice being crushed. He blocked my attack, he must've. That means he's right in front of me.

"Do you realize where you even are?" He asked slowly.

I stepped back with my right foot, fist clenched. But he was right; I didn't know where I was. I looked around, but saw nothing but fog.

"I thought Avatar's Gray Fullbuster was smart enough to not walk straight into enemy's grounds with his guard down."

Shit. I was suspecting it, but I guess it was right; I had walked onto Pandora's territory. They shielded their guild with heavy fog so they could catch you off guard if you weren't careful. If only Levy was here; her wind magic would be helpful at a time like this.

"At least I'm not a coward like you," I spat, gritting my teeth. "Attacking me from the shadows and blinding me so I can't see. You're just afraid to get your ass kicked."

"Leave him, Alexe!" a sharp voice demanded, sending a shiver down my spine. "He's mine."

It was Juvia. The cold, distant tone would've thrown me off, but I could recognize that voice anywhere, no matter what tone it held. Just through her words, she seemed more serious and more focused than I've ever seen her been. I could feel a miasma of darkness just from her very presence.