The GrUvia Mission

Part 5: The Final Answer

Gray and Juvia were back to reality. They were silent for a moment. It was still drizzling.

Juvia spoke first. "It's been five years...but the village is still there,"
"I said I'd destroy it one day, not soon. Keep that in mind, water girl. I decided I should let them share my pain for a while. They deserve to suffer," he laughed.
"Bullshit!! They don't deserve to suffer at all!!"
"Gray sama..." she looked at him.

"From what I saw, everything was YOUR fault. YOU signed that contract. YOU chose to take the risk. You didn't even think twice!!"
"Enough!!" The fire demon pointed at him. Gray fell on his knees.
"Gray sama!!" Juvia jumped to his side.
Gray was in pain, but he still continued. "You should have used your damned head!! It was already fishy enough at the warehouse!!" he clenched his fist and coughed. "And after you turned into...that...You should have realized your mind was being manipulated!!"

"I SAID ENOUGH!!!!" The fire demon burst into flames. His body was like a wild fire. The trees around him started to burn.
"I kept this forest alive so I could hide. But now it's time I say goodbye to my hiding spot and destroy everything. Starting with you," he pointed at Juvia.
"Watch and be amazed as the amazing Fire Man makes this water girl disappear!!! Or should I say...evaporate!!" he laughed.
"NO!!" Gray tried to move. But the heat was killing him.

He forced his hands to join. Ice formed and froze a path towards Eaven. It froze him from toe to neck but left his head exposed. "ARGHH!!" the demon struggled to move as the ice melted quickly.

"Juvia!! NOW!!" The ice mage shouted at the top of his lungs. Juvia attacked without missing a beat.
"WATER RUSH!!!" she rushed past the target, attacking him with a high-speed gush of water. Eaven fell backwards, the remaining ice that froze him shattered. Seconds passed, his fire blazed as he stood up slowly.

"AHH!!!" Juvia was thrown backwards.
"Juvia!!"
"Not so fast," The demon stepped on his back.
"ARRGHH!!! Juvia!!!"
"Gray...sama.." Steam started to rise above her.
Gray was at his boiling point. He couldn't stand seeing her suffer anymore. He grabbed the demon's leg and shouted at the top of his lungs.

"ICE MAKE STATUE!!!"

The demon froze, but the ice melted faster than before. Gray had a few seconds before it was completely melted. He wasted no time and grabbed Juvia.
"Juvia, hang in there!!" he shook her. Her eyes were half open, She looked at him.

"Gray sama, Juvia is sorry...Juvia failed as your partner..." she paused. Tears filled up her eyes. She started crying. The sky cried too. Her skin was still boiling, and steam was still rising above her. She was vanishing.
"Juvia wishes she would still be able to stay here..." she snuffled. "Juvia...wants to be with you...forever," she smiled sadly.

"Because...Juvia loves you,"

Gray stared at her. For the first time, she actually confessed to him directly. Tears suddenly appeared in his eyes.
"Ju..Juvia..." he started to cry.


"LOVE SCENE'S OVER!!! NOW YOU BOTH DIE!!!" The fire demon interrupted as he appeared,burning the trees around him.
Gray rested Juvia on the ground and stood up. He faced the demon bravely. The rain kept pouring. "I will never forgive you for what you've done," he said calmly. "I will fight for those innocent villagers, the old man Glade, and especially..." he positioned himself.

"...for Juvia!!!" He crouched.

"ICE MAKE: SEVEN SLICES!!!" the ice mage charged.

Eaven flinched. He reacted and grabbed the ice mage's face. "Let me burn that handsome face of yours, pretty boy!!" he laughed.
Gray didn't hesitate as his face burned. He grabbed the fire demon by his arm and flipped him. The demon knocked into a boulder. He was silent for a while, then he moved.
"I'm impressed you can handle that much heat," Eaven stood up. "But unfortunately, I'm stronger than you think," He pointed at Gray. Gray fell to the ground again. His body was heating up. He couldn't breathe.

How was he gonna win? Eaven was too strong, his attacks wouldn't do much damage. Natsu, what would he do? If he were him, he wouldn't give up. Same goes to Erza and Lucy. He looked at Juvia. She was lying unconscious on the ground. It reminded him of the battle with Ultear at Tenroujima Island. He had saved Juvia from being killed by her. If he didn't, things wouldn't have been the same way now. And its happening again. He can't let it happen again. His friends need him. The innocent villagers need him. Juvia needs him.

"I...can't...lose..." he forced himself to get up.


"Impossible!!" Eaven shouted. Gray finally stood up proudly.
"Ice don't dance with fire. Just like I don't dance with Natsu. That's disgusting. So are you," Gray rhymed as he cracked his knuckles. He charged towards the demon at full speed.

"ICE MAKE: EXCALIBUR!!!" A giant sword formed in his hands as he sliced the fire demon. Eaven was thrown backwards and hit the ground. He got up easily.
"You're so determined to win this fight aren't you? Have you forgotten about your lovely girlfriend? She's still alive you know," he pointed at her. "Maybe I should kill her now since you don't care anymore,"

"NO!!!" he ran towards Juvia.

"Burn!!!" the demon laughed.

The ice boy grabbed her. He felt his skin burning rapidly. "Shit!!" he breathed. They rolled over down a slope. Gray's body was full of severe burns but he hugged Juvia tightly. They stopped after ages of spinning and hit a tree.
"Ughh," he got up and looked around. "Where are we?"
It was still raining. There was no sign of the fire demon, but it was still hot. He looked at Juvia, she was still unconscious.
"Juvia!!" he shook her, hoping she was still awake. She didn't move. Her face was as pale as ever. The tears she shed were dry on her cheek. "Juvia, please don't do this!!!" he panicked and shook her again. There was no sign of life in her.
The rain kept pouring. Gray looked up. The sky was so dark and sad, just like the day he first met her. He looked down at her. Suddenly, her body started to dissipate.
"NO!!" he leaned closer. "Juvia, wake up!!! You can't die!!"

It was as if Gray was talking to himself. She was still dissipating. Her legs had started to disappear. Tiny crystals formed and floated to the sky as they separated from her body. Gray couldn't think of any cure. He could only watch her die in front of him. It was even more painful to bear than getting burned. His eyes filled.
"Ju...via..." Gray started crying and covered his face. He held the rain woman's hand tightly as it softened. There was nothing he could do. He couldn't even defeat the demon. He failed the quest and lost his beloved nakama. Tears fell on her cheek drop by drop.

"THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING!!!!" Thunder roared, followed by lightning.


Suddenly, the crystals floating up disappeared. He stopped and looked at her. The grip on his hand started to tighten. He could feel flesh and bones once again and her legs returned to its physical shape. Juvia's eyes fluttered. She moaned and sat up slowly.

"What...happened?" she touched her head.

Gray was entirely shocked. He couldn't say anything and was too relieved to see her alive. It was a miracle. "You're alive!!!!" he hugged her tightly. He was still crying. Gray has never been this emotional for such a long time. He blushed.
"Gray...sama," Juvia's eyes widened. She blushed and awkwardly hugged him back.


"There you are!!! I've been looking EVERYWHERE for you!!" The fire demon appeared once again from underground. His body was still shaped like a wild fire even with all the rain. Gray stood up slowly and held out his hand towards Juvia.
"Let's finish this once and for all," he smiled.
"Yes," Juvia nodded and smiled back. She took his hand and stood next to him.
"What are you gonna do?? 'Ice Make' me?? 'Water' me?? Don't make me laugh!! I'm invincible!!" the demon spread out his hands proudly and the trees around him caught fire.
Gray ignored Eaven and faced the water girl. He smiled and repeated his words from that day...
"Juvia," the ice boy paused and looked into her eyes.

"Will you lend me your power?" he held out his hand.

Juvia's eyes widened. It was exactly like the day they first did it together. Tears appeared in her eyes as she nodded and held his hand again.
The duo positioned themselves and faced the demon.
"MAGIC POWER FUSION!!!" a magic circle appeared in the sky.
"What the--!!" the fire demon stepped back and looked up.

"UNISON RAID!!!!" they shouted together. The rain that was pouring grew heavier and froze midair. Icicles shot down and attacked the fire demon and trees that had caught fire were distinguished. The air felt really cold. Eaven screamed in pain.

"UAARRGGHH!!!! IMPOSSIBLE!!!!" his knees fell. The demon started to melt.
"NO!! WHAT'S HAPPENING TO ME!!!" he looked at his hands. "THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ETERNAL POWER!! I SHOULD BE INVINCIBLE!!!" he cried in agony.

Gray looked at Juvia. She was still concentrating on the demon. She looked so beautiful. Why didn't he notice, all this while? She had always been there for him. He smiled. Juvia noticed he was looking at her and looked back, puzzled. He blushed at her cute face.
"Juvia," he spoke.
The demon was disappearing. He was melting into the ground.
"So these...are the power...of mages," he whispered.

"Very...interesting..."

The icicles grew weaker as the couple started to lose focus. They stared into each other's eyes.
He let go of her and gently touched her face with both hands as he tilted his head. He leaned closer and felt her soft lips touch his. The air was freezing but their kiss was incredibly warm and gentle.

"I love you," he whispered.
Gray felt cold tears slide down his palm on her cheek. He smiled and hugged her. The icicles that had been falling had turned to soft snow. She hugged him back and started to cry. Her nose turned red and she snuffled.

"Juvia...loves you...too...," she sobbed and forced her eyes shut as the tears fell.

The snow settled down and the sky started to clear up. The sun shone brightly above. Eaven Endive was no more. The fire demon had vanished without any remains. The only damage left was to most of the trees which had now turned into ashes. The couple let go of each other and looked around.
"I guess it's over," he said.
"We should go to the village and claim our reward then," she smiled.

The next day, Gray and Juvia were back at the guild.

"We're back!" he smiled lazily. Juvia followed from behind, blushing. The guild members were happily cheering and getting drunk as usual. Lucy walked towards them.

"Ah!! You're back! So how was your date?" she smiled.
"Date?" he looked at her, puzzled. Natsu came over with Happy.
"We heard you went on a date with Juvia. You sly droopy eyes," he crossed his arms and smirked. Happy tried not to laugh.

Gray wanted to pick a fight with Natsu, but then he was still curious.
"Who told you that?" he crossed his arms.
"Erza san did!" Wendy appeared. She smiled at him.
Gray face palmed. "She tricked me," he sighed. But then he smiled and looked at Juvia. It wasn't so bad. Juvia smiled back.
"So thats why she chose such a hard quest for us," he said. They all looked at him puzzled.
"Whatever, I'm hungry," Natsu wrapped his hands around his head and walked away with Lucy. She winked at the both of them.
Juvia and Gray glanced at each other and joined the gang.

Their pinkies intertwined as they sat together at the table.