Firefall || Fairy Tail

46 : f a l l . o f . a v a t a r

Wendy had perked up, telling the others that she had caught a handful of familiar scents: the three that had left as well as Gray and Erza. At the mention of her beloved, Juvia's fever all but vanished to no one's surprise.

The four didn't even have to speak a word about their plan. They all raced out the door, following the little Dragon Slayer's nose. Their scents led the girls to a town called Malba where they quickly found the rest of Team Natsu up to their old tricks, causing mayhem. Immediately jumping into action, they paired off, Wendy and Carla heading in the direction of a frozen Lucy while the older two charged for the other big fight happening on that end of the battlefield.

Four identical women were glaring down Gray as he prepared for whatever they were about to throw at him. Though he wasn't entirely prepared for what the different versions of Briar had to say.

"I've never been so furious in my life!"

"I find it so funny. If you think you can beat us with such weak power, you must be joking."

"It makes me sad. You're so cold. You've left me with no other choice but to kill you."

"Too bad. You know, Gray, I actually let myself fall a teensy little bit in love with you."

The Ice-Make mage stared in shock, "Say wha..."

A familiar sensation ran up his spine as someone stepped up behind him, "I knew I sensed the familiar threat of another woman trying to steal my man."

Gray turned, blinking in confusion, "What the heck are you doing all the way out here?"

Juvia wasted no time in darting forward to attack the Briar who had dared flirt with her Gray. "I'm giving this floozy the Water Claw that she deserves!"

Amber sighed, 'That's Juvia for you.'

The other three copies all yelled and cried over their fallen version before Gray could growl, "You're all pissing me off!" Pressing his hands together, he sent his magic forward, "I think you need to chill out!"

Briar hadn't stood a chance.

'At least the idiot got stronger this past year...'

"I've been dreaming of you, Gray!" Juvia ran, diving into his chest as she hugged him. "It's been so lonely! My intuition told me you were in some serious trouble, so I rushed here as quickly as I could!"

A shiver ran up his spine and it wasn't from the sudden contact as Juvia hugged him. Peeking passed her blue hair, he found a certain Blood made who had anger in her eyes. He could read that expression clearly: he may not be in trouble with Juvia but Amber was a different story.

He sweatdropped at the thought, "I wouldn't consider this trouble, exactly." But then he turned his attention to a different question, "How did you know where I was?"

"Because of Wendy and her strong sense of smell."

Gray stared down at the happy bluenette who still had her arms around him, the nerves very visible in his body language. "Look, I'm sorry. I promise I'll explain everything later, but now..."

"I know."

The two stripped off their coats, going back-to-back in preparation for their enemies.

Gray finished his thought, "...we gotta deal with these losers."

"Of course. Anything for you!"

Amber couldn't contain the eyeroll. Juvia was too forgiving, but she knew that's how things were going to go when the two were reunited. Some things never changed. And it appeared that Lucy and the others felt the same way as well.