Ruthless Winds and Raging Seas

Chapter 25

When Natsu and Lucy returned from the mountain with the horn the entire crew jumped for joy.

"My friends we shall soon be up to our ears in money." Natsu told his crew. "Tonight and tomorrow we celebrate. We'll start by going to the nearest tavern for drinks."

"Now you're talking!" Gajeel said.

"I can't remember the last time I had a decent drink of booze." Erza said.

Everyone minus Lucy and Juvia looked at Erza with uncertainty and fear.

"What?" She said.

"No offense Erza but maybe you should skip this celebration." Gray said.

"Why?"

"Well you tend to get a little out of control when you drink." Natsu said.

"Nonsense. I'm perfectly fine with one harmless drink."

"The last time you got drunk you went shark fishing and used me as bait." Gajeel said.

"You all worry too much now let's go before they run out of all the good booze."

"Can I come?" Lucy asked.

"Have you ever had booze before?" Natsu asked her.

"No but I've drank champagne plenty of times."

"Okay."

"What about me? Can I come too?" Juvia asked.

"No you stay here."

"Why can't I come?"

"Because we need you and if we all get drunk we could lose you. Which reminds me, Gray you'll have to stay behind and watch her."

"Why me?"

"You're the holy one in our group and she likes you."

"Not fair."

"Who told you life was fair? Now while we're gone tie down the ship and don't let that mermaid out of your sight."

Gray sighed but he remained on the ship to watch Juvia. While he tied down the ship, she sat on the edge of it looking down at the sea below. It was a fairly calm evening, everything was quiet and nothing eventual happened. That is until he spotted Juvia changing out of her dress.

"Hey! What the heck do you think you're doing?!" He said with his head turned.

He heard the sound of water splashing and saw that she had jumped into the sea, swimming around.

"The pain in my feet was getting worse." She said. "I wanted to take a break."

"Oh I see."

"You know the water is perfect. It's not too cold, in fact it's almost warm. Would you like to go for a swim?"

"No way. You know I can't swim."

"I could teach you. It's not that hard to learn."

"Let me think about this...Um no."

"Alright then but could you please help me back on board?"

"But you just got in the water."

"It's not that much fun swimming alone."

Gray leaned over and held his hand out to her. She took hold of it and then surprised him completely by giving a mischievous giggle and pulling him into the sea.

"Are you crazy?!" He cried out while going into a panic. "Are you trying to kill me?!"

But Juvia just calmly kissed him on the mouth which made him turn red all over, then pulled him under water. At first that only made his panic grow but then he became aware of something unbelievable. He was breathing. He was actually breathing under water. When he finally calmed down she pushed him up to the surface.