Author's note: This is my first fanfic ever, so critiques and compliments are welcome! Forewarning: There will be little to no romatic feelings/relationships between Gajeel and Juvia. I really want to stick to them as friends and their experience at Phantom Lord. Rated M for violence and mature language. Enjoy!
"Play the game for more than you can afford to lose... only then will you learn the game."- Winston Churchill
It was sometime in the evening when rain started to pour on Oak Town. The sky turned an awful gray, filled with dark clouds, the rain coming down harder by the minute. In the center of the town, there stood a huge castle guild, Phantom Lord. In this guild, Gajeel Redfox, walked through the castle halls on his way to see Master Jose Porla. He was a largely built man, sizing up to be almost six feet tall, his long black hair flapping behind him. Arrays of piercings covered his body leaving many to guess how many he really had. His eyes glowed like rubies when he looked outside the glass stained windows, mystified at the sudden change of weather. It had been sunny without a cloud in the sky only moments before.
Gajeel had heard rumors amongst the guild that there was a new member. Gajeel could give less of a shit, but then again if the Master was making a big deal, whoever this guy was, had to be strong. There was no way that he would hire some pathetic weakling to join the inner circle of S-class mages like himself; Gajeel, personally, would never allow it.
Gajeel turned right at the hallway walking toward the grand doors of Master Jose's office. He knocked twice, walked in to find the devil himself relaxing in his luxurious leather chair, sporting his usual pretentious purple attire, his witch hat holding his greasy black hair that hung from his head. Gajeel noticed other guild members, recognizing a young man with black and white hair named Totomaru, slouching on a lounge chair, a katana by his hip. Monsieur Sol, a man with a monocle and a foreign accent, swayed back and forth in excitement. Lastly was Aria, crying uncontrollably, staining the bandages that covered both his eyes.
Just the usual crazies, thought Gajeel.
It took him a moment to notice a figure standing next to Master Jose. His nostrils flared, not recognizing the new scent. He focused his attention back to his master.
"Ya wanted to see me or somethin?"
Master Jose sat in his chair, eyes shining with mischief and glee, rapping his fingers against his desk in perfect unison.
"Ah, so glad to see you could make it. Now that everyone is here I would like to introduce our newest member to Phantom Lord and completion to the Element 4: Juvia Lockser! Isn't she just a precious thing?
Gajeel was faced with a rather attractive young woman, with big blue eyes and hair that reminded him of the ocean. She was wearing a dark blue coat, her Cossack hat holding her hair in a pristine fashion. He also noticed a white, ghost-like doll that hung from her neck. She stared back at him with no expression; eyes unblinking, her pale skin making her look like the little ghost she wore.
Creepy, he thought. So, she's completed the Element 4? That must mean she has…
"Juvia, dear, why don't you tell everyone about your special gift? I'm sure they would love to hear it. Come, come don't be shy!" Master Jose looked like a little kid with a new toy, his voice dripping like honey. He always acted like this when he obtained a powerful wizard, looking almost as happy as when he brought Gajeel himself in. Gajeel cocked an eye at the woman, wondering what made her so dam special.
Juvia turned toward the group, her voice as monotone as her face. "Drip, drip drop. Juvia is a rain woman and has the power to manipulate water. Juvia looks forward to working with everyone. Drip, drip drop."
Gajeel raised an eyebrow at this. Another weirdo, he thought. As if there weren't enough of those in this guild. Hell, the guy who ran the place was the biggest nut job of them all.
"Oh how completely rude of me," said Master Jose. He turned toward Juvia. "I haven't even introduced to you your team. Juvia please let me introduce you to the rest of Element 4: Totomaru of the Conflagration, Sol of the Land and Aria of the Heavens. With you being the final piece to the team, you will be known as Juvia of the Great Sea. Isn't it great when everything falls into place?" Master Jose sighed in pleasure. "Oh I almost forgot this young man that stands before you is my strongest member, the iron dragon slayer, Gajeel Redfox! I'm sure you'll all get along so well."
Gajeel focused his gaze on the new member, watching her interact with her new team. She was a little on the skinny side, but he knew never to underestimate someone based on their looks. Who knew what crazy power she held within that calm demeanor of hers?
Master Jose leaned back in his seat, a satisfied smile etching onto his face. "Now run along my little phantoms, I must speak to Gajeel and Juvia in private." The rest of the Element 4 bowed their heads to their master and left the room, leaving the three mages alone. Master Jose turned to the pair, giving them another one of his greasy smiles.
"Miss Juvia, since you are a newcomer to these parts, I must inform you of the procedures and protocols that you must go through. First off, all of the guild members carry the insignia of the Phantom's mark somewhere on their bodies. You can see that Gajeel bears his on his right shoulder." Juvia turned her gaze upon Gajeel, inspecting the Phantom tattoo. "If you are serious about joining this guild, you must take upon this mark, swearing your loyalty to me. Do we have an agreement?"
Juvia made no move of hesitation. "Juvia agrees to your terms. She shall have the Phantom's mark placed on her left forearm."
Master Jose's evil smile widened. "Excellent. However there is one thing I should mention. Here at Phantom Lord, we don't take on the traditional standard of getting your guild mark stamped. Instead, Gajeel here will brand you using his magic. I must warn you, it's a painful process." Master Jose's eyes never left Juvia, expecting her to bail out. Despite Master Jose's foreknowledge, Juvia turned toward Gajeel and looked him straight in the eye, rolling her sleeve up her forearm.
"Juvia is ready when Gajeel-sama is."
Gajeel had to give the girl credit. Most wimps backed out the second they figured that they had to get branded the old-fashioned way. This mage though…maybe she did have some guts after all.
Master Jose clapped his hands in excitement. "Very good Juvia! Such obedience is not easy to come by these days." He then pulled out a key which opened the left drawer of his desk. He pulled out a small, orange lacrima, tossing it to Gajeel.
"You know what to do. Make sure it looks good, I would hate to see a disfigured mark on such a beautiful woman."
Gajeel caught the lacrima crystal easy, already forming his hand into the Phantom's insignia. It had taken awhile from him to get the shape right, but when he did, Jose instantly made everyone get branded with his iron. It was a test to prove who really was worthy to join the guild. Even the members who already had their marks stamped had to get them ironed on. Gajeel remembered the pain it brought, heated metal scorching the skin till it bled.
Gajeel broke the lacrima crystal against his branding iron hand, watching the metal heat up and glow fiery amber. He grabbed Juvia's wrist roughly, positioning the iron straight down her forearm. He pressed down the hot metal, holding her wrist tight to make sure she didn't move. Once the metal touched her skin, a cloud of hot steam instantly surrounded the two, inducing Juvia to let out an agonizing scream. The iron seared her flesh, but Juvia made no attempt to pull back. She didn't beg him to stop; she knew better than to show any kind of resistance. Gajeel only applied pressure for about five seconds before releasing her arm. Juvia gave out a painful moan as she drew her arm close to her, the steamy cloud expanding to all corners of the room. Her breath was ragged, blood slowly dripping down from her arm, the steam finally evaporating into the air.
What the hell kind of mage is she? Gajeel didn't have to ponder on the thought before Master Jose gave out a grunt of satisfaction.
"Juvia, you surprise me more with each passing second. Most would flee at the sight of an iron poker, no offense Gajeel." Master Jose chuckled. Gajeel knew not to take it personally. He hated when he the Master poked fun but he wasn't an idiot. Even Gajeel knew better not to pick a fight with one of the Ten Wizard Saints, he wouldn't stand a chance. Juvia still cradled her wounded arm, trying to cover up her muffled groans with a straight face.
Master Jose noticed her discomfort. "Do not fret Miss Juvia; the pain will be over momentarily. Would you mind waiting outside my office while I have a word with Gajeel?"
Juvia gave him a short nod, walking out the door at a brisk pace. Master Jose turned his attention toward Gajeel, giving him a cocky smile. "I knew she would be a great addition to the guild. She's real easy on the eyes too, wouldn't you agree, Gajeel-kun? I know how much you like bluenettes."
Gajeel knew better than to disagree with is master. "Eh, she's alright."
Master Jose stared at him before bursting out laughing. "Oh Gajeel-kun, you know I'm only teasing you. Don't take everything so seriously, you'll forget to know what it's like to have fun!" Master Jose sighed, still giggling. "There is something I want to talk to you about though, all fun and games aside. I've seen the gift that has been bestowed upon Juvia and it is a rare gift indeed. Tell me, did you notice the weather this morning?"
Gajeel shrugged his shoulders. "Looked the same as it always does," he said gruffly.
Master Jose acknowledged his head in agreement. "Yes it did seem that way. Isn't it amazing when something new gets thrown into the equation? You come out with something better than you bargained for."
Gajeel couldn't understand where the master was going with this. Was this new girl so powerful that she had the ability to change the weather? It sounded crazy just thinking about it.
Master Jose rambled on. "I mean imagine the possibilities…oh look at me, all giddy like a school girl. Anyways, I have a mission for you, care to hear it?"
Gajeel narrowed his eyes at the rhetorical question. "Psh, like I have a choice?
"No you don't," said Master Jose. "I need you to watch over this new rain woman of ours. She is a powerful mage, but a little too green for my taste. You are going to be in charge of all her training sessions, as well as accompanying her on missions every now and then. If I am going to transform her into an ocean entity, I must know everything about her."
Gajeel's eyes twitched in annoyance. "So you're tellin me that I have to babysit the bitch!? I have other missions way more important than your precious rain woman." He saw a glint of anger in Master Jose's eyes. Gajeel knew better than to talk back, but this was insulting. Phantom Lord's top, S-class mage, stuck babysitting? He would be the laughing stock of the entire guild! And there was no way in hell he was going to be laughed at by a bunch of cowards.
"You have no choice in the matter. Actually, never mind, you could walk out of this guild right now and never come back. How does that sound?" said Master Jose.
Gajeel clenched his hands in exasperation. He knew this was a battle that couldn't be won. "Whatever, I'll do it. Since this is a job, I'm assuming that I'm getting paid?" he grumbled.
Master Jose waved his hand. "Of course, of course, no need to throw a hissy fit. Make sure her training begins immediately tomorrow morning. Now, take Miss Juvia to her quarters. Put her in the south tower, the room that faces the river. I want her to feel right as rain! HA!" Master Jose doubled back in laughter.
Gajeel winced at the horrible joke. After his master calmed down, he excused himself and left the office, irritated at the whole situation. Outside in the hallway, he saw Juvia nursing her wounded arm. The fresh, black mark stood out against her pale skin. She looked up at him, hiding her injured arm behind her back. Gajeel sniffed, the smell of burnt flesh still hanging in the air.
"Does Master Jose require more of Juvia's assistance?" Gajeel couldn't help but scoff. What a kiss ass, he thought.
"Nah, he's through with you, for now. Follow me." Without waiting for her response, Gajeel turned on his heel and walked in the same direction he came from earlier. He heard tentative footsteps following behind him, both walking in silence. In most situations, one would try to make conversation, but Gajeel was in no mood to talk. Master Jose said to look out for her, not make pleasantries. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her eyeing the magnificent paintings that hung on the castle walls. Most of them were landscapes nearby, others of the old guild masters that ran Phantom Lord before Master Jose. After a couple minutes, they finally made their way to an empty hallway with a single, white door at the end. Gajeel walked up to the door and formed his finger into a key shape, fiddling with the lock. When he heard the final click, he swung the door open, giving Juvia a look at her new home.
Juvia took in her surroundings. The walls were painted a light blue with an intricate white trim across the walls. The room was furnished with a white couch and dresser, a grand fireplace and a queen-sized bed. There was a door near the bed that Juvia could only assume led to a bathroom. A huge window seat that had French doors with silk curtains showed an amazing view of the lake. Juvia felt a small, surge of happiness course through her body, the rain coming down harder from outside. For once in her life, there was someone who wanted her, someone who didn't care that she was a rain woman. Years of loneliness and abandonment were slowly fading from her memory. Now here she was, with a brand new room where people accepted her for who she was. Was this what it felt like to belong? A small tug pulled at the corners of her mouth, almost forgetting the pain on her arm.
"Juvia is most satisfied with her living quarters. Please tell Master Jose that she is in his debt." Gajeel shrugged in response. It was just a room after all but then girls were weird about things like that. Gajeel was actually surprise that she managed to get one of the better rooms in the guild. Not that his was crappy or anything, his had the same grandeur has this one, if only a little bigger. Gajeel turned to leave but was stopped by Juvia's hand on his shoulder. He gave her a menacing scowl, annoyed by her sudden touch.
"Juvia couldn't help but overhear the conversation between Master Jose and Gajeel-sama, but Juvia would like to know when training begins?"
Gajeel sneered at her question. ""Show up tomorrow morning at 6am by the northern exit. And stop calling me 'Gajeel-sama' this is a guild, not a debutante," he grumbled and shrugged her off.
"Juvia did not mean to offend Gajeel-sa- uh…Gajeel." The word felt foreign on her tongue, so used to addressing everyone with their respectable honorific. Before she could say anything else he walked out of her room, slamming the door behind him. Juvia stared at the door for a moment, thinking of her new guild member and trainer.
Maybe he can help Juvia control her powers, the thought. Juvia must, if only to control this gloomy curse. Curious to see more of her new home,Juvia walked toward the back door, stepping into a luxurious bathroom. The floors and countertops were made out of an extravagant white, marble giving off a shiny gleam. A grand vanity was placed on the left, a huge mirror placed in the middle of lacrima lights surrounding it. But the real jewel that lied in this bathroom was the bathtub made out of blue jade with silver, clawed feet. The size was that of a small pool, lying in the center of the room with a jeweled shower curtain encasing it. It was the most beautiful room that Juvia had ever seen and it was all hers. Juvia walked up to the bathtub, turning on the knobs and letting the hot water run. She began to disrobe, making sure to avoid snagging her injured arm. Once the pool was filled, she stepped in and relaxed herself onto the built-in seat. She felt her eyes slowly start to close, already feeling her entire figure shift and turn into water itself. Juvia could feel her body weave in and out of solidness, the weight of pain being lifted from her left arm. After 30 minutes of bathing, Juvia got out of the water, spotting a bathrobe hanging from a hook near the vanity. She grabbed the robe from the wall and put it on, noticing her reflection in the mirror. Her wet hair hung past her shoulders, the ends already starting to curl up. She pulled up her left sleeve inspecting the damage the iron had left her. All that was left was a giant scab in the shape of the Phantom's mark.
It doesn't look so bad, she thought. It's already starting to heal up. The water always seems to comfort Juvia. With that final thought, Juvia walked back to her room, deciding to collapse onto her cozy bed filled with plushy pillows. Her eyes started to close, her mind fading in and out of consciousness. It wasn't until she was fast asleep that the rain from outside started to let up, the sun sharing its few rays to everyone but her.