Gray's POV

It's morning, my favourite time of day. When the glaring sun hits the openness of the vast land around me. When my head swells from the consumption of light. When I wake up from the trance of sleep. 

Oh how I wish I could sleep forever, no worries cross my mind during sleep. I truly feel nothing... and I like it that way. Juvia used to tell me that she despised sleeping, the thought of dropping her eyelids scared her, she said.

"Juvia worries if the next day will bring a war... you never know what could happen." She said this in a metaphorical sense. She wasn't hinting towards the striking of artillery on the battlefield, she says war as in change...

"War changes people." She says. "War brings out the unexpected harsh reality of us humans. We act like animals." Juvia being the pacifist happy girl she is, this would be something you wouldn't expect to escape her pale lips. 

So I would reply. "What do you mean, change." Juvia's face fell at this comment. She tried her best to smile, but you knew right away. Strange, when she began to speak the clouds were smitten with harsh rain. I remember to this very day each small detail on her face when she said:

"Juvia has watched many people change. To this very day, change is a word that makes Juvia cower in fear. I imagine the striking of the harsh hand and the rasping brutality of his words." Of course, I knew she was talking about her father. Before she became an orphan.

Juvia and I were both brought up alone. Without the caring hands of a parent. This could likely even be seen as a reason as to why we are such good friends... I mean we are so similar.

Her father died when she was seven. A fishing trip went bad with a storm, she said with a sad look. However, I knew she was glad. Nightly, that petty excuse of a man would beat his daughter dry with the pounding of his fist. 

"Discipline!" He called it. Although his daughter did nothing wrong. Juvia used to be defensive of the man when we talked.

"He just wants me to be safe." She would say with a blotchy purple gash under her eye. Tears would threaten to fall, following, a cold storm. My mind would rattle with the feeling of being hopeless toward the fact that a girl I loved was being treated like a punchbag.

"Juvia..." I would begin to say, my lips trembling and numb from the bitter cold. She would turn her head to the ravaging current.

"Juvia is happy to have you as a friend." 

Friend, that word that would ache at my gut. I've always loved Juvia, in a way I can't describe. I guess I hoped to marry her someday... That's why I'm dating Ultear, well, dated.(I'm practically dead now.) She was a fall too girl. I never loved her in the same way...

I'm just so pitiful, I think these words but I don't have the guts to say them. I truly am a waste of human life. Juvia most likely hates me now. I promised we would stick together, through the thick and thin but what have I done.

I reach my murderous hand out into the now falling rain. My Blue lips quiver as I whisper.
"I love you Juvia" I wish to see her symbolic and memorable smile again. I wish for her warm arms to welcome me.

"Hey Gray!" Sting walks towards me. That girl Minerva close behind. I nod my head awaiting instructions. Instead I receive a cold glare.

"Get moving or your sorry ass will cost us our lives."The narrow eyed boy spits. I open my mouth to speak but my legs begin movement.

"Yes Senpai." I say. My feet trudge through the bow soft ground.

"Can you be any louder Gray!" Rogue snaps. I lowery my head.
"Sorry..." I reply.

The sound of the cannon stops us all in our tracks. Sting and Rogue immediately brandish their weilded weapon,  ready to strike at whatever moves near. I slowly move my hand down to my own blade.
"Sound near." Minerva comments. Sting nods his head in agreement.I glace between the rows of endless black bark searching for any movement.
"Gray, Rogue. Look around." I pull a smile to hide the fear I'm actually feeling.

My breath feels thicker and more intese as I walk into the glooming pine. Each step echos...

"This would be the perfect moment to run." I think to myself. My eyes scan the area like a hawk. When suddenly I see a frail looking hand by the corner of a tree.

"There!" I whisper yell. I warily walk towards the fallen tribute on the floor.

Lying in the watery mud is a girl with sunken eyes and chalk white skin. Her face shows the look of pain as her brown hair frames her face.

"Shes from district 8." Rogue says. I feel my stomach churn.

"Cause of death...I'd say dehydration." Rogue drags her body away.
"Take her weapon and any food of hers, also check that bagpack." He points towards the blue bag perched beside the tree.

"Stealing from the dead. Neat trick." I laugh to myself, trying to hold down any vomit trying to escape.

This girl from district 8 doesn't have much to loot from, except a few apples and and a dagger. The bag was empty, but now we have another one to fill so that's handy.

"We should get back." Rogue snaps. The nauseous feeling subsides when we gain distance from the body.

"Anything good?" Sting grits his teeth. Rogue shrugs and tosses the bag we found down at Sting's feet.

"Excellent, now we have another useless bag!" Sting balls his fist and punches Rogues face.

"WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSE TO DO WITH THAT, YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO FIND WEAPONS OR FOOD. YOUR JUST SO USELESS ROGUE!" My mouth is open in shock as our leader beats Rogue. Each punch pulls me closer to realisation. The realisation that I'm with the wrong people...