chapter 16 : Confrontation
Three days later, Gray was having lunch in his corner when Juvia came to him with a personalized lunch box, she stood there unable to say anything and Gray had to resolve the situation.
Gray: A problem, Juvia? What's this box?
Juvia: It's...Juvia has...a meal for Gray-sama...
Gray: Did you cook for me?! It's nice but it wasn't necessary , every day I receive personalized meals from the girls in town, the guys and I have a great time. You shouldn't have gone to all this trouble...
« HE DON'T WANT JUVIA'S FOOD BECAUSE OF JUVIA'S RIVALERS !!! WHO ARE THESE GIRLS?! THEY DARE TO COOK FOR GRAY-SAMA?! » Juvia created a whole scene in her head that was both sad and angry. Gray interrupted her in her delirium.
Gray: Give it to me, I'll eat it.
Juvia: Huh?!
Gray: I tell you, between a meal coming from a stranger and one made by a friend of the guild, the choice is quickly made.
Juvia: Gray-sama means he would like to taste Juvia's cooking?!
Gray: I am hungry so yeah.
Red as a tomato, she handed the box to Gray who opened it and saw food with his image on it, everything looked very good and it smelled good.
Gray: Is that me?! You are talented, it's really well done. Thank you for your attention Juvia.
She stood there completely red thinking about who knew what and Gray found it quite strange.
Gray: What are you still doing standing there, I'm hungry...
Juvia: Ah uh sorry, Juvia will let Gray-sama eat in peace...
Gray: What are you talking about?! Come sit down, we'll eat together…
Juvia:…
Gray: Come on, I can't wait to taste this meal...you made it so we can eat it together.
Juvia: There...there is only one fork...
"There's always a solution with magic..." He created a fork with ice and gestured for Juvia to sit down, which she did shyly and he thanked him for the meal before the two start eating.
Juvia: Gray-sama?
Gray: *chomp* Uh?! (chews) this stuff is delicious *chomp*
Juvia: Why are you so nice to Juvia?!
Gray: Why should I be mean to you?! You are a good girl.
Juvia: But Juvia...Juvia was at Phantom's-(interrupted)
Gray: Juvia, there are adversaries and enemies. An opponent can be a rival or even a friend in a friendly fight, it can also be a stranger with whom we have no grievance but who faces us for an interest. An enemy is something else, he wants to destroy us for his satisfaction, his happiness is defined by our unhappiness and our suffering is his gain. Where an opponent wants to beat us and progress, an enemy wants to destroy us and what we represent. Do you understand that?!
Juvia: Juvia thinks so.
Gray: You were just an opponent Juvia, you didn't even fight us and an opponent today can be a valuable ally tomorrow.
"I see..." Juvia said while eating but as she wanted to say something else, a big commotion was noticed and they looked to see Laxus facing Erza.
Erza: REPEAT THAT A LITTLE BIT.
Laxus: It's simple, I said that this guild didn't need weaklings.
Erza: You bastard...
Laxus: Getting fucked like that by the Phantoms, if I were you I wouldn't set foot outside again. (points his finger at the shadow gear) Yeah I'm talking about the three of you who got destroyed by Gajeel. What are your names anyway? Who are you ?!
"That's enough Laxus..." Gray said arriving at the main square with Juvia.
"Yeah, Gray is here."
"Shut him up, Gray."
Erza: Gray...
Natsu: Tsk, everyone talks about that braggart like I don't have a chance against Laxus too.
Happy + Lucy: You are jealous…
Laxus: Look who's here, the guild prodigy. It seems that you killed José.
Gray: He only got what he deserved for attacking the guild.
Laxus: AHAHAHAH! Clearly you are really the only valid mage among these losers. Why are you hanging out with them anyway?!
Gray: Unlike you, they are actually Fairy Tail mages.
Laxus: What?! Repeat a little…
Gray: You heard very well, you coward. How dare you show up here again after what you did. The girls told me everything, they called you to help the guild during the Phantoms' attack and you refused.
Laxus: Because you think it's my problem if these weaklings are incapable of protecting the guild?
Gray: Being members of Fairy Tail gives us the responsibility to watch over the guild and its integrity regardless of our power level. They may be weaker than you but they were there when the guild needed them unlike you, they shed their blood for this guild and have 100 times more legitimacy than you to belong to Fairy Tail . You are strong, it's true, but all the respect I had for you has disappeared.
"You little brat, you think I need your esteem?!" »Laxus got angry as he released electrical energy.
"We're in the middle of the guild construction and I don't want to fight here but if you insist I might as well calm you down..." Gray said releasing ice magic which started to freeze part of the surrounding area and it was so intense that the others were really affected by the cold. Laxus wanted to speak again but he saw Juvia behind Gray.
"A PHANTOM LORD'S MEMBER IN MY GUILD?! " He yelled in anger before sending a lightning attack towards Juvia.
"SHIT LAXUS..." Natsu jumped on him to subdue him but it was too late, the attack was already launched and Juvia closed her eyes reflexively expecting to get hit but nothing happened.
When she opened her eyes, she saw Gray's right hand in front of her had severe burn marks from Laxus' lightning.
Erza: GRAY!!!
Gray: It's nothing...
"Gray-sama...Gray-sama, your hand..." Juvia said, starting to cry when she saw the state of Gray's hand just like the others who were horrified by it.
"Laxus, next time you fatally attack a guild member in front of me, you will go join Jose" Gray said with murderous calm, his expression was also calm but his eyes were those of someone who was about to take a life .
Laxus: You call an enemy "guild member?!" You are worse than the others.
Gray: Your attack, I could have blocked or deflected it but I let it hit me for one reason, I am ready to sacrifice myself for any member of this guild including Juvia. It is our bar point, regardless of your opinion. I accept it.
Erza: I accepted it too.
Natsu: Me too. Laxus come and fight if you have something to say.
Laxus: You, Natsu, let go of me.
" Me too "
"I accepted little Juvia" Macao said.
"Yeah, she's one of us."
Gray: There's nothing you can do about it so now get the fuck out.
"All of you are tiring me out, you idiots…" He walked towards Gray and stopped next to him.
Laxus: I will not hesitate to crush you the day you and I face each other.
Gray: You talk too much Laxus, it ends very badly for people who talk too much.
Laxus left and the others came to see Gray.
Juvia: Gray-sama...your arm shouldn't have been sacrificed for Juvia...why did you do that?
"It's nothing, it'll heal quickly..." He said as his arm became covered in a layer of fluorescent green ice which began to quickly heal his injury and after about 12 seconds it melted for the others to now see Gray's arm completely healed but with some burn scars.
He calmed down Juvia who was crying just like the others before everyone returned to work under Erza's orders.
(in the distance)
Ur: You were ready to intervene, Master Makarov...
Makarov: You too, but it seems like it wasn't necessary after all. Gray is harsh with his enemies but he is not lacking in heart with his allies.
"Gray...you've really grown up..." Ur said, smiling peacefully before clinking his glass of alcohol with Makarov.
Surprisingly, she could drink and taste food but it was all very absorbed and dissolved in her body of absolute ice. It was not physical logic but simply magic, a living miracle.