Tempest. // gruvia au

||Jυνια'ѕ ρяσℓσgυє||

7 Years Later

"Are you sure this is what you want?"

Droplets of water fell from the overhanging stalactites, causing ripples to distort the almost pristine vision of the Ocean below. The cavern was quite spacious, with an azure glow from below staining the walls a surreal blue. The only shadows to break the luminous blue illusion was that of the four figures. All the zodiac water signs of legend, gathered in one place.

Yet right in the midst of the four great beings was another.

Juvia, Goddess of the Ocean, stood on the pool of water, feet barely grazing the surface of the water. In all her natural grace, aquatic beings of all forms were drawn to her very presence, and swarmed as close to their mother as they could get. Jellyfish gravitated in her direction, while vividly coloured schools of fish nipped at the Godess' toes.

Even with the look of defiance painted on her face, Juvia was majestic, her delicate features highlighted from the luminous glow under her.

"I don't think you get it-"

"Juvia fully understands the implications. She has had months- years, to ponder this. But you must understand. Juvia truly loves her darling Gray-"

"Yes, we know," The bluenette cut Juvia off. Aquarius, the Water Bearer.
"after all, you only remind us every day."

A snort came from the figure next to Aquarius, an annoying smirk plastered on his face. Scorpio, the passionate water sign.

"Juvia, this is just some really weird phase your going through."

"No it's not! Juvia doesn't expect you to understand-"

"Calm down, Ebisu." Juvia turned her head towards Cancer as she was yet again cut off. The gentle water sign.

"How can you understand the dangers, anyway? That's the whole problem. We don't know what's going to happen."

The Goddess dropped her gaze to the azure pool of water below her, thoughtful. A delighted gasp escaped her lips as she saw a pod of Minke Whales, playfully bellowing at each other.

They think the Oceans are cold, empty, dead.

In truth, it's a completely separate reality that they simply cannot comprehend. Land dwellers simply can't see the world inside the Ocean's stomach. Not the colour, the movement, the life.

The water's surface is like a barrier between the land and Sea. One can try to breach it, diving into the depths of the water, but before long, their lungs will cry out for oxygen, forcing them back into their own world.

That's it. The land and the Ocean are separate worlds, meant to be kept apart. Land creatures do not belong in the Ocean waters. And Ocean creatures do not belong on the dry land.

They are separate worlds, meant to be kept apart. Seperate. Kept apart.

"Even if you could become human, would you really be able to leave your home?" Pisces finally spoke up, having been quietly observing from the side.

Juvia continued to keep her head lowered, partly because she couldn't dare look the spirits in the eyes, and partly because her eyes were glued to the creatures swimming below. The Goddess wanted to take in as much of her children as she still could.

For although she would miss them, Juvia didn't want anything more than this.

"Juvia is sorry. It is understood that we do not know what may happen if Juvia leaves here. However, there is no evidence to show that anything would happen at all."

"I don't understand what makes this boy so important anyways. Juvia, he's just a human."

"The only time you've ever even interacted with him was when you saved the stupid thing from drowning."

The Goddess bit her lip, swirling the water with her toe as Aquarius and Scorpio ganged up on her. They were right, of course; it was completely unnormal to be so obsessed with one you had encountered once in your life. Even Juvia understood that.

However, she couldn't help but be drawn to Gray. Ever since that day, when he had come to visit Juvia at her Ocean shore a strange obsession for the boy grew on the Goddess.

Once a year, for the last 7 years, the boy had come to visit her Ocean. Juvia watched him grow over time, a year older with every visit. Gray intrigued her from the beginning. But just as he grew slowly, so did the Godess' fascination with humans.

Juvia wanted to be one of them.

Just like her darling Gray.

"Your children will miss you, ebisu."

"You will take care of them for Juvia, no? Cancer? Juvia knows you are particularly fond of the crustaceans."

"Of course, doll." Cancer was always so calm and sweet.

"So you're really going to leave us?" Aquarius made it sound more like an accusation then a question. Juvia finally looked up, eyes deadlocking with her best friend. They looked angry, but under them Juvia could see hurt.

Juvia's silence was it's own response.

"But this is your home!" The water bearer screeched out, voice becoming shrill. This was unlike her, and caught Juvia off guard despite knowing her so well. Aquarius usually built up a wall of hostility when she was be upset. In that sentence, the wall faltered. Maybe it was out of desperation.

Juvia is sorry, Aquarius.

"You will each have your own duties, spread equally amongst yourselves-"

"We already did." Aquarius shot the bluenette a venomous glance. It seemed the water bearer's wall of hostility had returned, having only been taken down for a second.

"-If you would stop interrupting Juvia..." she continued, "although this is the same as before, I thought I should ask you formally. You each know the roles you had been fulfilling to sustain the Ocean. Are you still willing?"

Pisces and Cancer simply nodded. Scorpio did as well, although not exactly enthusiastically. Aquarius just glared daggers at Juvia.

The Goddess had expected that reaction anyways.

"Thank you." She muttered softly. Their was nothing more to say.

It seemed a little wrong to leave with nothing more than those words and a blank stare after all the time she shared with them. But there was really nothing more to do.

As the Goddess turned her back to the only friends she knew, Juvia felt a strange sensation in her eyes. Lifting a dainty finger to her eye to examine it, she jerked her hand away, startled. A droplet of water, like the ones that dripped from the stalactites, rolled down her cheek. Water was coming out of her eyes.