To Any Cost

Chapter 11: I think I know...

Hello again... My birthday's on Sunday and I hope I can update then but... I'm not sure... I don't even have time to celebrate my day with my family, but oh well... anyways... hope you like the chapter!!! ;)

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   Erza's cheeks were flushed. Jellal couldn't help but notice how just the tip of her nose was red from the cold and exertion, yet the rest of her face (besides the cheeks) stayed completely pale. "So... uh..." he struggled to find something to say. 'How about the weather?' he thought desperately, 'No, she'd probably hit me... How was the cake? She'd definitely hit me harder...'

   "Jellal?" Erza was staring at him with an amused expression on her face, "I something wrong?"

   "Huh? Oh, u-uh..." he blushed a bit, "No, I'm fine." Then, the answer hit him, "I heard what happened to the guild, is everyone ok?"

   Her face turned grim. "Yes. Thankfully no one was inside when it happened, but the whole thing was reduced to rubble."

   He nodded. 'That sounds just about right... Could it be..? No... but-'

   "You're doing that weird thing again."

   "What weird thing?!" Jellal nearly jumped out of his skin as Erza laughed.

   "You know, when you space out you have this... glazed look on your face."

   "Oh..." he blushed again, before hastily changing the subject, "I hear there's going to be an auction to raise money!"

   "Yeah..." Erza blushed, turning away from him and back to the road.

   'Why would she be blushing? It's only an auction...' shaking his head, he added, "Maybe I'll come!"

   "Really?" her head whipped around to face him.

   "Yeah, I mean, I'd probably have to come as Mystogan, but-"

   "Don't come," Erza said flatly.

   "Oh," was all he said. 'What was I thinking, of course she doesn't want me to come...'

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   Erza shook her head sadly. For a moment there, she felt actually excited about the auction but... 'He can't come...' she thought bitterly, 'Besides, it'd be too much of a risk...'

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   Juvia didn't know what to think. Two days ago, she wouldn't have been caught dead being seen with Lyon, but now...

   "I was wondering," Lyon broke her train of thought.

   "Huh?"

   "Why do you like Gray so much?"

   "Oh... um..." Juvia blushed, "W-well... Gray-s-Gray stopped the rain."

   "The rain?"

   "Before Juvia was with Phantom Lord, Juvia didn't have control over her powers... The people back then used to make fun of Juvia... and not want to be around Juvia... because J-Juvia," Juvia felt tears threatening to leak out of the corners of her eyes, " Because Juvia would always make it rain."

   "But that wasn't your fault!" Lyon cried indignantly, "After you joined a guild-"

   Juvia shook her head, "Even after Juvia joined Phantom Lord, it kept on raining, and there was nothing Juvia could do about it. Juvia had been pushed around. Even with Phantom Lord, Juvia was still lonely. It never stopped raining, until Gray beat Juvia."

   "Wait... GRAY HURT YOU?" Lyon's outburst took Juvia by surprise.

   'Why would Lyon care if Juvia got hurt? Lyon used to like Juvia, but doesn't now... does he?' "If Gray hadn't beat Juvia, Juvia would have never seen the blue sky."

   Simmering down, Lyon mumbled through clenched teeth, "Don't give him that much credit."

   Juvia shook her head, "Juvia's been with Fairy Tail ever since."

   "Oh, well," Lyon looked like he was about to say something when the train lurched to a stop. "I guess we're here..."

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   Gray had the whole seat to himself. Usually that doesn't happen on trains, but it didn't seem to faze him. 'The train should be stopping any minute now-'

   "Gray-s-Gray stopped the rain."

   Gray sat bolt upright. 'Juvia? What's she doing here?' he shook his head, 'I thought she was past the whole stalker age...' slumping back down in his seat, he thought, 'No, it's probably just my mind playing tricks on me...'

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   "Erza."

   "Huh? What is it, Jellal?" she turned towards her blue haired, childhood friend.

   "I... I think..."

   Her eyes narrowed as she skidded to a stop, "You think what?"

   "The guild... I think... I think I know who's behind it's destruction.

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Sorry it's so short compared to the other ones, but I felt like I should end it here... Anyways... Until next time!!! ;)