The Rain Woman - Chapter 13 - Frozen Water
The Rain Woman - Chapter 13 â Frozen Water
A/N: So sorry for the long wait on this chapter! I was away for the best part of December then as soon as I got back I ended up with that ridiculous flu which Iâm still not over 32 days on! Â It completely sapped my creativity! Â Anyway, please enjoy! A big thankyou to Juvia.hanks and the guest who have religiously reviewed every chapter and to everyone else who has your continued support means a lot to me!
 The rain cascaded down from the sky in thick sheets of cold, a cold that Gray didnât notice as he lay face down in the boggy ground exhausted, both physically and emotionally, he had no idea how long he had been lying there, all he knew was that Juvia was gone, The Rain Woman was back with a vengeance.  He had failed.  He hadnât been able to reach out to her after all. Â
Gray pulled himself up onto his knees slowly, his body in agony, purple bruises lined his ribs and face, cuts and gashes up his forearms and legs. Finally, on his feet Gray slicked back his sodding raven hair glancing up at the huge mansion before turning his back, fists balled, turning his back on Juvia and all hope. Â He had left it too late, but surely, she had known how he really felt? Â Or had he been that cold to her she had given up? Â Maybe he should have fought back instead of just defending? Â Despairingly Gray made his way to Rhodonia Village and soon enough back to Fairy Tail.
 Juvia and Mitch walked into the mansion silently, Juvia squinted in the bright lights which illuminated the kiwi-skin-green papered entrance hall.  Mitch was muttering something to the lilac haired woman who promptly rushed off, her heels clicking franticly on the shiny wooden floor.
âI told her about the guys out front needing medical assistance.â Â He smiled at Juvia, his light blue eyes almost sympathetic. âHow do you feel?â Â Those same eyes grazed her up and down.
Juvia blinked her eyes before looking down at herself. Â She looked fine, her clothes werenât torn, and she couldnât see any marks on her body. Â âJuvia is fine.â Â She paused to stand a bit taller. Â âWhy wouldnât she?â Â Mitch seemed slightly surprised at the bitterness in her words.
âEr⊠Well, your magic, itâs powerful.  Jimquin would want me to make sure that you felt alright after using that much power.â He scratched the back of his neck uncomfortably averting his gaze down.
âJuvia is fine. Â It wasnât that much power. Â Nothing she canât handle.â Â Her navy-blue eyes steeled as she walked back to her room where she fell into a deep dreamless sleep.
 The watermage entered the dining room for breakfast, she had had a deep restful night sleep even though she was sure she didnât feel tired when she spoke to Mitch.
âGood morning, Juvia.â Â Jimquin greeted his daughter, staring at her as she made her way over to the table, her navy eyes full of strength and renewed energy.
âGood morning, father, Mitch.â Â Juvia acknowledged each of them as she took a seat at the table. Â âIs there a particular reason Mitch is having breakfast with us this morning?â Â She asked curiously as she put different varieties of melon on her plate, mangos and blueberryâs. The vibrant colours sparking a hint of emotion inside her, before she could ponder further her mind was carried back to the conversation.
âYes, there is actually.â Jimquin dabbed at his mouth with a serviette. Â âI heard about last night, about that Fairy Tail wizard who tried to infiltrate us.â
âHe was here for Juvia.â Â Juvia interrupted him meeting his gaze, his brown eyes searching hers.
âAnd how does that make you feel?â Â The blue haired water wizard probed. Â Juviasâ eyes narrowing at the question.
âJuvia told you when she agreed to let you awaken her magic.â Â Her fingers gripped the fork in her hand tighter. Â âThat is all in the past, Juvia has cut those ties, there is no going back.â The bluenette met her fatherâs gaze fearlessly. Â âUnless you donât trust Juvia.â Â She spoke sharply.
âOf course, we trust you Juvia, you have already proven yourself last night, I was just curious.â Â Jimquin chuckled, a smirk framing his face, the trio eating in silence for a while longer, the only sound being the clattering of cutlery on plates before Juvia spoke again.
âThat still doesnât answer Juvias question as to why Mitch is eating with us today.â She set her fork down having eaten her fill of food, Mitch had finished to, her father was eating the last of the meat on his plate.
âWell Juvia, you do remember me saying that I planned to go to Midi?â  Juvia nodded, one of her blue tresses falling out of place which she quickly righted.  âWell weâre leaving for it today; Mitch, you and I, at least for now.  The others will join us when they have recoveredâŠâ Jimquins brows furrowed and he balled his fists on the table.  âAlthough things arenât looking to bright for Jack.â  Juvia couldnât remember who Jack was, Mitch seemed to pick up on her confusion.
âHeâs the lightning wizard.â Â Mitch smiled at her before looking back to his master.
âYes, it seems his injuries are most fatal, he isnât doing well at all.â Â Jimquin shook his head. Â âWhen do you think you can be ready to leave Juvia?â Â I need to get her away from those Fairy Tail wizards, they could be trouble.
âAbout an hour.â Â The watermage felt a twinge of anxiety, like this was her final step out of what little light remained somewhere deep inside her.
âMaybe you and Mitch could spar some more before we leave, or you could just practice your magic outside, there is no shortage of water.â Â Jimquin mulled.
 By the time Gray had struggled to Rhodonia Village the sun had begun to rise, the darkness of night replaced by the overcast sky and still the miserable drizzle remained.
Half-naked, Gray stumbled through the streets of the sleepy town, stopping more often than heâd have liked to catch his breath, his ribs groaning with every ragged breath.  Seeing the town square closer with every step gave him hope, someone was bound to be there. Upon reaching the proud statue of the deity of nature, Gray decided to take a break on the edge of the wall surrounding it, he stared at the paved ground watching as the raindrops hit the puddles, the ripples moving out like shockwaves.  This continuous rain must be because of Juvia⊠how long will it be like this for?  As long as sheâs here?  Gray now looked to the sky, desperately seeking some kind of answer, when something soft but wet brushed his leg.  The icemage looked down to see two familiar green eyes blinking up at him expectantly.
âMr SquigglesâŠ.â  The cat seemed to meow in response, Gray was shocked to see the little black cat out here in the square, he seemed like the stay-at-home type cat.  Still, the raven-haired wizard reached down, wincing at the rebellion in his body as he moved to stroke the soggy fluff ball.  âWhat do I doâŠâ  Gray pondered as the little cat purred.
âMr Squiggles!â Â Another shrill voice shouted his name, causing the cat to spin around facing the noise. Â âIâm sorry about him-âThe female voice began, stopping when her aged eyes took in the man in front of her. Â âOh! Gray dear!â Â Her hands went to her mouth. Â âWhat on earth happened to you?â Â Gray felt embarrassed as she moved closer.
âItâs nothinâ honestly.â Â He tried to brush her off, turning his injured body away slightly, but Mary the little old lady, was already making her way over to him. Â
âIt isnât nothing, you are coming back with me! Iâll clean up those wounds of yours. Iâve got some potions thatâll heal you as well.â Â Mary looped a frail arm through Grays muscular one helping him up as best she could. âItâs a good thing Mr Squiggles found you.â Â The cat meowed again, Gray just thought she was crazy. Â How would a cat know I was injured?
The trek back to the flowery cottage felt ridiculously long, Grays whole body felt heavy, more-so his heart. Â The pair walked through the little front garden gate, the flowers seemed fed up of the water their colourful petals and leaves scattered the floor. Â When they walked through the threshold, Mary guided him to a little downstairs room, sitting him on the bed as she went to fetch the things she would need to clean him up after he had showered off the mud, which seemed like a second skin.
Mary returned with an arm full of supplies; cotton wool, bandages, some sort of solution and gauze. Gray let out a small sigh as he sat with a towel around his waist, covering his most private area. Â Mary was humming a tune as she went about setting up the medical supplies, but Gray just stared straight ahead, his mind still on Juvias blank expressions, almost tasting the darkness, which tinged her magic.
âUh Gray?â Mary was waving a hand in front of Grays face as he came back to reality, a blush framing his face.
âSorry, I kind of zoned out there.â Â He apologised bowing his head slightly.
âMay I?â Mary gestured to start treating the raw red gashes on his arms which tore deep into the skin, Gray winced as the wet cotton ball came into contact, the sting of pain heightening his emotional state. Â âSo, how did you get yourself into this state? Â Did you find Juvia?â Â Mary glanced up as she said Juvias name, her eyes full of concern as she went about cleaning up the holes and slits where he had defended himself.
Gray took a deep breath as he began to tell Mary of how he was wrongly abducted, of how he had found the mansion deep in the woods, how it was the same wizards who had âwronglyâ accused him the first time were the ones to fight him, to stop him from seeing Juvia. Â His voice broke slightly as he came to tell her of Juvia, of her darkness, her fierce attacks, how he didnât want to fight back, he didnât want to hurt her, and how she had just walked away, leaving him in the mud battered and broken.
Mary finished applying the last gauze to his ribs bandaging him up, she too took a deep inhale drawing up a chair to sit in front of him, her eyes meeting his steadily.
âThat is quite the ordeal.â Â Her hands clasped in her lap. Â âThat doesnât sound like Juvia at all. Â She seemed so polite, pleasant and caring. Â I wonder what happened to her. Â Did she find her father?â Â
âYeah, I think he is behind all of this, I think he messed her up somehow. Â I just donât know how or why.â Gray felt himself getting irate, so he took a breath of cool air to curb his temper. Â
âMaybe you need to reach out to her.â Â Mary suggested, her voice quiet as she too tried to process it all.
âI did.â He ran a hand through his raven hair. âI tried, I didnât fight back, I tried to make her remember, but she was relentless, it was like all she cared about was the power in her magic. Â It was so dark.â Â He paused, taking a breath. Â âShe doesnât want to be saved.â Â Gray growled clenching his fists, causing his muscles to bunch up under the gauze and plasters straining to hold his wounds together under the force.
âWell. Â Maybe you need to reach out physically. Â Yes, you donât want to hurt her, but maybe you do to make her feel something, she sounds like sheâs the one who has lost all hope. Â I think she needs you more than you know.â Â Mary got up, putting the chair back against the wall. Â âSleep on it.â Â As the cotton topped lady exited the room, a small black blur ran in jumping up onto the bed as Gray had begun to lie down. Â The four-legged nuisance sat watching Gray settle down into the pillows, his tail swishing as his dilated pupils took in the dim light from the table lamp. Â Just as Gray closed his eyes he felt a small weight press up against his side. Cocking his head, Gray saw the little black cat curled up next to him, purring away in comfort. Â Gray grumbled grumpily, but his heart squeezed a little, the cat was cute, but he would never say that out loud.
 Juvia, Mitch and Jimquin reached their first stop, Allium Town, a coastal village with a likeness to Primrose Village.  The town was given the name âAlliumâ after the plant which can grow near the sea.  The watermage looked around the hamlet which was blanketed in darkness, the only sounds were falling of rain and the occasional hoot of an owl.  It was late, about 3am, they had travelled for hours with little rest stops for food and water.
âWeâll rest up at the inn for the remainder of the night.â Jimquin nodded towards the largest building in view, the yellow lights giving off a warming glow in the cold, damp November air. Â The older water user ran his fingers through his sky-blue hair, before subconsciously pulling at the edges of his suit, as if to straighten out any creases which subsequently werenât there.
âYes Sir.â Mitch nodded, his dark green spiky hair which resembled that of a pink haired wizard the watermage once knew. Â The green colour was a dark green, like the moss growing on the trees in a damp woodland. Â Juvias eyes followed the two men as they walked towards the inn, Juvia following along behind them. Â
As the trio neared the building along the cobbled road, its details became clearer in the darkness illuminated by the nearby streetlamp. Â The inn wasnât dissimilar to the houses in Rhodonia, except the dark wooden beams wound their way around thick whitewashed stone not yellow. Â The building had its charm that was for sure.
Stepping inside, shaking off their wet jackets â except Juvia as she only had her dress coat, no umbrella to shield her from the mood induced drizzle, Jimquin strode forwards towards the reception desk, which looked like it was once a small bar, as he moved across the short distance he gave off an intimidating aura, like a wolf cornering a deer. Â Placing his hands on the edge of the desk, looking the timid woman in the eye, who in turn, looked terrified as she peered through her thin square black framed specs to meet the eyes of a monster, stammering over her sentence:
âH-how can I he-help you sâsir.â Â She barely choked out, shrinking back into her chair.
âWe have 3 rooms booked.â Jimquin smiled at the receptionist, not a friendly smile, a crooked hungry smile. Â âThe name is under Bashfield.â
âRightâŠ. Erm.â  She poured over the check-ins book searching frantically for the name, skimming over it several times as a lock of her pink hair strayed from her bun, wafting a calming strawberry scent, allowing her to see the name Bashfield. âHe-here it is.â  A clicking sound was heard as she rifled through the drawer, a jingle of shiny silver keys appeared in her slim hand.  âRooms 3, 7 and 10.â  Pushing the keys across the small run-down bar, not wanting to touch the suspicious man.  Jimquin picked them up delicately, slipping them into his suit pocket and gradually leaned back releasing the bar from his grip.
âThanks.â He smiled once more before he motioned for both Juvia and Mitch to follow him, Mitch went first followed by Juvia, the red carpeted stairs creaking under each step they took. Â They reached the first floor into a narrow corridor which held only 10 rooms. Â âAny preference on which room number?â The water wizard asked his two puppets, who both shook their heads. Â âOkay. Iâll take room 3, Juvia you take 7, Mitch take 10.â Â He handed out the respective keys to each of them and began to turn away, before glancing back. Â âDonât worry about being up in the morning, weâve got a lot to do and Juvia you especially will be needing your rest.â
The watermage only nodded as her father turned and walked away unlocking the white wooden door to his room, the click of it shutting broke the silence. Â
âWell.â Mitch sighed swinging his arms. Â âIt is almost 3:30 so Iâm going to hit the sack.â He flashed his key at Juvia before departing up to the top end of the corridor into room 10. Â
âWait, Mitch.â Â Juvia followed him up the hallway, her room was close to his. âYouâre not exactly a hard criminal so what do you do for Juvias father?â Her navy-blue eyes pierced into Mitch pale ones as she pursed her baby pink lips. Â
Mitchs eyes narrowed and his voice stone cold. âThat is not of your concern Juvia.â His voice lightened up. Â âYouâve got bigger things to worry about than my position.â Â Once again, he turned away and into his room.
Juvia entered her own room and switched on the light, a little lamp hung from the ceiling, flickering on and off, struggling to maintain power, before it finally settled on a dimmer setting than Juvia wouldâve liked. Â Looking around the room the watermage was surprised by the contents; it had the same blood red carpet which seemed to run throughout the inn, followed upwards by vanilla yellow wallpaper with brown skirting. Â The double bed in the middle was plump and cosy looking, the sheets a lavender colour.
Exploring more of the room, Juvia found a small ensuite bathroom with only enough room for two people to fit side by side. Chewing on her lip, the watermage decided a hot shower would be good â however she didnât feel achy or tired from the travels like she would expect to feel. Â Climbing in, Juvia thought about the previous night, she hadnât felt tired then either, yet she slept deeply, it was like something was overriding her brains signals spurring her to keep going. Â
The shower spouted out cold water, jolting Juvia out of her thoughts, a signal her shower was now over, the hot water had given up. Indifferently, the blunette stepped out the small shower into the cramped bathroom, dried off, slipping on a pale green nightie and glancing in the mirror at the hard eyes that stared back at her, the eyes of her past which now also held her future.
 Gray awoke with a start; something heavy was sitting on his chest, but didnât move as he tried to jerk up, only to be dragged back down by the pain tearing through his weary body.  Adjusting his eyes to the bright room, the sun breaking through the white curtains, the raven-haired wizards gaze was met by two big green orbs, belonging to the little black cat, who let out a short friendly half meow noise before purring loudly, Gray let out a low chuckle before flopping back down onto the pillow in exhaustion.  A glance to his left, showed Mary had left a glass of water on the bedside table next to him for easy access.  Gray just stared at the clear fluid, as his thoughts scrambled together, he was returning to the guild, without Juvia.  That thought stung, but he had tried, hadnât he?  The conversation with Mary last night resurfaced, she had mentioned that he should try to fight back to get Juvia to see sense.  But he couldnât do anything just lying here.  A faint knock at the door made Grays new fluffy admirer jump as Mary entered the room, shifting the icemages attention from the glass of water.
âAh, youâre finally awake! I was beginning to get worried.â Â The cotton topped elder cooed as she walked over to Gray. Â âMr. Squiggles hasnât left your side unless absolutely necessary.â She smiled at her cat giving him a stroke. Â
âHow long have I been out of it?â Â Gray rubbed his sleepy eyes.
âAbout 16 hours.â Â Mary mumbled, her full attention on the little black cat.
âWhat?!â Gray raised his voice, â16 hours?!â Â His mouth was hanging open. Â
âWell you obviously needed the rest dear.â Â Mary smiled up at him, âhow are you feeling?â
Gray licked his parched lips, âIâm fine.â  He propped himself up on his elbow, trying not to grimace in pain.  âI need to go and see Juvia again.  I have to try.â  The icemage swung his legs out of the bed, causing Mr Squiggles to jump down onto the floor scowling at him.  Gray stood up, his head spinning.  âSee⊠Iâm fine.â
Mary reached out a frail hand, âYou donât look fine youâre swaying.â She didnât catch him in time as he fell back onto the bed, hissing as the wounds threatened to burst open again.  âYour wounds are still tender Gray.â  Mary fussed, helping him to lie back down.  âI know you want to save your⊠friend or whatever she is to you, but there is no point going if you can barely stand on your own two feet, let alone wield any magic.  Let me find some more potions.â  Gray blushed, knowing Mary was all to right.
âFine. Iâll stay until tomorrow morning.â Â The icemage gritted his teeth. Â Another day Juvia then Iâll get to you. Â I will save you.
 A/N: Thankyou for reading! This chapter was supposed to be longer but I had to split it in two other it would be well over 6000 words!  Itâs amazing how when I planned this fic it was to be 10 chapters maybe 12 and itâs currently now planned at 17-18 chapters :-D This chapter is a build up to the next two!
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