TAINTED. GRUVIA

11

準備 preparations;

Juvia 水

"Shit!" Alexe slammed his hand on the table and balled it up in a fist. "Not only did they find our location, but they also called for a war!—do you realize how serious this situation is?"

Juvia—I was fed up with Alexe. Lately he had been taking out his frustrations on me, and it was quite possibly because he didn't have me wrapped around his little finger. "I understand that, okay? It's not my fault that Fairy Tail went off and started a war!"

"Oh yes, it is," Alexe sneered, "because you're involved so it immediately became a personal issue. All those idiots in Fairy Tail only act when it's emotional!"

I didn't know why that pissed me off, but thankfully Kalio took over so I wouldn't explode. "Both of you, calm down. Yelling at Juvia isn't going to change the fact that there's a war to prepare for now."

"It's Juno," I scoffed coldly.

Indira eyed me carefully. "So Juno, as Alexe said earlier, you were quite involved with Fairy Tail.. Perhaps, since you know them best, you'll be able to manipulate them into gaining your trust, right?"

I nodded. "Where exactly are you going with this though?"

"I was thinking that you should infiltrate Fairy Tail," the woman explained. A smirk surfaced onto her face. "Find out their plans through deception. Make them thing that you're still that good, innocent, Juvia that they've known for many years. You know, using Fairy Tail's emotions against them. Then, report back to us."

"That's actually not a bad idea," Scales noted, eyes fixated on his nails.

I remained silent in all of this, guilt eating away at me.

"The Juvia I know would stay loyal to her friends no matter what!"

Would I really have the courage to confront my former comrades just to double cross them?

Would I really have the courage betray all of them, to betray Gray, for a second time?

"So Juno," Urania challenged, interrupting my thoughts. "Are you up for such a task, or are you going to chicken out?"

"Yeah, Juno," Alexe huffed and glared at me. He was still clearly ticked off. "You can't fuck this mission up again."

My lips tilted upward, shaping a forced smile. Although I was eager to prove these assholes wrong, a part of me was telling me that I'd later regret this, that I should restrain myself now before it would be too late. It was the part of me that allowed myself to fall in love with an ice wizard on a rooftop.

I mentally frowned. That honestly felt like ages ago. If only I could go back to those days..

"Well?" Urania asked impatiently.

Without any other choice, I hesitantly declared, "I'll do it. I'll hit Fairy Tail with a storm they'll never see coming."

I'm sorry, Gray. My hands are tied.

Suddenly, an alarm went off.

Indira ran to the security cameras and pointed at the screen. "Shit. These are probably some Fairy Tail weebs. I'm gonna go after them."

We all huddled around Indira to look at our possible enemy. My eyes widened as I peered closer into the image, the now dimmed smoke revealing three familiar faces.

There stood Jellal, Meredy..

And Gray.

He was alive?

As if he read my mind, Alexe exclaimed, "Juvia, I thought you killed that icy brat!"

Ignoring his outrage, I declared, "I'm going too," and the two of us busted out of headquarters.

I needed to see him.

. . .

I have frantically stumbled after Indira for about 10 minutes now, my mind racing and my heart pounding at a thousand beats per second. Though I tried to calm my nerves several times before, nothing seemed to be able to tame them. The butterflies were only growing worse with each step, and my anxiety was practically thriving.

There was no way I would be able to face my comrades - former comrades - in this state.

Nevertheless, I pushed myself to keep on going. After all, I was the one who had insisted upon fighting beside Indira - not to mention that I would be able to see Gray as well, - so stopping was out of the question. I balled my fists in a heat of determination, and picked up my pace.

As I forced myself through the energy draining movement, I began to feel a restless red cloud my face. My breathing was unsteady. My head was spinning.

No..

My body couldn't be weakening now.

Not able to hold myself up for any longer, I collapsed into the nearby bushes.

"Someone's here," I heard a voice murmur.

Was that Jellal?

Shit.

"Juno, you idiot!" Indira scolded and shot me a death stare.

I sheepishly stooped my chin downward. Her words made me feel like a fool.

"Couldn't you have at least thought of laying on the ground instead?" She continued to ramble on discontentedly, "You just attracted attention to us!"

"Yelling won't do us any better, either," I quietly snapped back.

To my surprise, Indira's angry expression softened. It was the first hint of "kindness" I had ever seen from her.

She sighed aloud. "You're right. Guess we'll have to take the bull by the horns. Come on, Juno, let's get moving."

I absentmindedly nodded and watched as she trudged on without me.

If I was in Fairy Tail, they would've under-

You're not in Fairy Tail anymore, Juno. Times have changed. Get a hold of yourself, will you?

I lifted myself up, and let my eyes wander in search of Indira. However, instead of landing on the purple-haired mage, they fell onto someone else - or rather, two people.

It was Jellal, and he was dragging an agonized Gray away.