The Shadows of Tragedy

Chapter 29

At the sound of a polite knock at her bedroom door, Juvia quickly went to answer it. Gray stood on the other side.

"You wanted to talk to me?" He said.

"Yes." She said. "I picked out a dress and I wanted to make sure you approved of it."

"My approval shouldn't matter when it comes to what you wear. I specifically told you all that you could wear anything you found in the attic."

"I know but I wanted to make sure that I hadn't of picked something that was too sentimental."

She carefully picked up the dress that was displayed on her bed and held it up for him to see. Gray recognized the gown all too well. It was Juliette's. She had worn that dress on the night that she and Gray shared their first dance. In fact it was because of that event that Juliette always said that gown was her favorite. He had almost forgotten all about it.

"You picked this out? All on your own?"

"Yes."

"No one suggested it to you?"

"No. What do you think?" Juvia asked.

"I...I think that it would look wonderful on you."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Alright in that case I'll be wearing this to the party."

"Is there anything else you need?"

"No. That's all."

"Then I shall go now. Goodnight Juvia."

"Goodnight Gray."

He left her bedroom and went into Erza's office where he looked over notes that had been addressed to him. The notes spoke of the progress of his newly revived business and of it's success. Among the notes was a request from Ultear to meet with her. He considered not going but feared that if he did she would take drastic measures to get his attention so he complied.

He met with her in her office alone at 3:33 am, the witching hour. How appropriate, and he found her lounging on the table with a glass of wine and smoking a cigarette.

"You called me?" He asked while feeling slightly disgusted by her disrespectful and poor posture.

"You know Gray I was checking my profits the other day and I realized that for the past month they had gone down rapidly."

"Is that so? I do wonder why that would that be?" He smirked on that last part.

"Funny you should ask that because the reason for my loss of profits is that the man who secured my routes quit to work with your family business."

"My what a coincidence." He smirk grew. "I guess he realized that I was the better offer."

"Yeah right. We both know what sort of underhanded trick you used on him."

"Don't throw stones Ultear. Remember you're standing in a glass house." He said. "If you've asked me here to berate me for being a competitor for your business then I'll just go now because I have better things to do with my time."

"No actually I called you here to make an offer."

"An offer?"

"Gray I admit that I was pretty pissed when you rejected me all those years ago but I'm willing to start over."

"What are you talking about?"

"Think about it, my business and yours are the best in all of Magnolia. Imagine if they partnered up, your family would be richer than they've ever been. They'd never want for anything again."