Disclaimer: I don't own either Fairy Tail or Skip Beat which inspired this AU fanfiction. One belongs to Hiro Mashima and the other Yoshiki Nakamura.
Currently un-betaed.
"Drip, drip, drop…" murmured Juvia with downcast eyes.
She sat fidgeting, petting her teru teru bozu phone charm. A dull roar filled the cramped room from the throng of girls packed in the casting call waiting room. Her pale hands clutched the charm trying to contain the dark depression clawing at her mind. From beneath her thick blue bangs, she snuck glances at the beautiful girls conversing with each other. Girls with bright smiles and cute, colorful clothing showcasing their assets.
"Drip, drip, drop…" Juvia chanted trying to chase her fears away.
Bright twinkling voices filled her ears. She wished she could melt and flow through the cracks of the floor, her nerves were getting the better of her.
"Hey, would you want to switch seats with me?" A bright voice sang off to her right.
"Really? You don't mind sitting next to her," The girl sitting next to her sneered. Juvia shrank in her seat. She heard a soft metallic jingle signaling a nod. "Fine, have fun." Her neighbor continued. The chair creaked protesting the exchange. The click of heels faded into the background as Juvia waited for more noise from the chair.
Bright, shining gold filled Juvia's vision. She recoiled. Wide blue eyes locked on to warm chocolate orbs. She sat straight in her seat and her knuckles went white as grasped her charm.
"Hi! It's nice to meet you. My name Is Lucy. I'm from Fairy Tail. Please be kind to me!" The blonde stranger introduced herself in a light and airy tone. She bowed in front of Juvia one hip popped to the side and one hand stretched out to her the other tucked behind her.
"Ah…. Hello. It's nice to meet you too. Juvia's name is Juvia Lockser. Juvia does not have current agency. Please be kind to Juvia as well." Juvia blurted as she sprung from her chair. Quickly, the blunette rigidly bowed and returned her seat.
Lucy's smile grew wider across her face and she grabbed at Juvia's hand. In a kind gesture, Lucy shook her hand and a plopped down into the vacant seat.
"That's a cute charm." Lucy noted as she turned to Juvia pointing at the tiny doll. "Want to see mine?"
Juvia watched Lucy with wary eyes. "Thank you. Juvia made Juvia's charm."
"Oh cool. Mine are collectible keys!" She responded as she dug in her brown leather purse for her cell. "The gold ones represent the zodiac. They super rare. The silver ones are common."
Juvia scanned over Lucy. Her bright blue and white sleeveless blouse and mini skirt was cute but revealing. The high collar and dipping neckline detained with a bright blue cross modestly focused attention on Lucy's hourglass shape. The skirt was a matching blue that was a length that bordered on teasing. Her feet were covered in soft leather slouchy boots. Juvia zoned out as she silently judged herself against the blonde. Decked in her thick muted blue coat and hat, she found herself wanting against the sparkling bright fairy.
"Were you in Hargeon a while back?" Lucy questioned startling Juvia.
"Juvia was…. How did Lucy-san know?" The blunette retorted, her face fell.
Lucy laughed, "I thought I saw you when I was backstage at that Bora concert. So I kind of surprised to see you here at this casting call. But I remember that awful scene. Honesty, I thought you might be an assistant not an actress."
A menacing aura swirled around the blunette, "Juvia is no longer with Bora. Juvia will have Juvia's revenge against Bora…"
Juvia frowned as thoughts of the events from 3 months ago…
Her feet splashed through the puddles spotting the sidewalk as she rushed through the downpour. Sweat trickled down her brow from underneath her Russian hat. One hand she clutched her bright pink umbrella the other had plastic bag filled with an assortment of treats from the local convenient store. A small smile lingered on her lips thinking of seeing his face. Tilting eyes towards the stadium blocks a head of her, she lost her step and fell. Everything spilled on the concrete and asphalt street. The chips, drinks, and flan fanned out from the busted bag. Dirty water soaked her coat while the rain pelted ruining the curls and makeup she had done for the special night. Juvia stared at the walkers haphazardly stepping on her items. Unknowingly her backstage pass flowed down through the gutter into the storm drain as the impact dislocated it from safe confines of her pocket. Trembling hands struggled to gather the precious items. Her full bottom lip quivered, as she juggled the salvaged items and umbrella.
"Juvia can do this. Juvia will make Bora happy." Juvia chanted, the happy face of Bora the only thing keeping tears out of her eyes.
With a quick nod, Juvia sprinted towards the stadium. She knew how late she was. Bora had asked for the items nearly two hours ago. The stores located near the venue were sold out of what he wanted, so she had wandered the city fighting against the rain. It was only till she was standing at the checkout did she realize that Bora didn't actually give her any money for his requested snacks. She had spent the jewels for her dinner on him. Her stomach protested as she placed the jewels in the tiny plastic basket presented by the cashier. Any grumblings from her stomach would be silenced by witnessing Bora.
"Drip, drip, drop…" Juvia sighed. The long lines of teenage and twenty something girls in parkas clutching signs bottle-necked in the entrance of the stadium plastered with bright adverts of the concert.
Girls pushed Juvia as she wriggled past the mass of fan-girls to side door. Dark thickly muscled bouncers guarded the entrance, a human barrier against Bora and his fans. Juvia fumbled and shook in fear in front of biggest man holding a clipboard underneath a dark awning.
"Juvia has Bora's snacks" Juvia mumbled, fearful to make eye contact with the hulking man.
Even behind the man's dark sunglasses, Juvia felt his judgmental gaze. He sized her up and laughed. "That's a ruse I haven't heard before. Look, a singer isn't going to eat that crap. And you aren't meant to be back here."
Filled her desire to make Bora happy she shouted, "Bora needs Juvia! Juvia has a pass!"
Shifting her weight, the tip of her tongue sticking out of her mouth, Juvia's hand groped her pocket for the pass. Her eyes went wide as she realized it was gone. The pocket lacked the thick slick plastic of the pass. Fear seized her.
"Juvia had a pass…" She whimpered.
The man laughed.
"Juvia can prove Juvia's relationship with Bora!" Her voice grew stronger with her conviction.
She lovingly placed the items on the dry ground in front of the burly man. Reaching into her jacket she pulled a water logged and folded paper.
"Read. This is what Bora asked Juvia to do for Bora. Bora only trusts Juvia to do this for Bora. Juvia is needed. Juvia is not a liar." She slapped the paper down on the clipboard startling the man.
His laughter stopped. A frown etched on his features he unfolded the paper lifting it from his other paperwork. Juvia saw his eyebrows lift as he realized the stationary's watermark of Bora's manager. The man's laughter returned as he glanced from the list and Juvia.
"It appears you do work for Bora's team. Well, you are a little late for help." The man responded swiping his security pass unlocking the door allowing Juvia to pass. "Better hurry." He threw the list back at Juvia.
Juvia scrambled gathering her purchases while closing her bright umbrella. Under mean stares of the security guards she entered into the hectic backstage. A strong gust of cooled air sent a shiver down her spine. Umbrella placed in the container by the door, she zigzagged past the stage hands rushing to get ready for the show about to begin. Juvia chewed her cheeks as she nervously approached Bora's dressing room.
Pressing the door open with her wide hips, Juvia weakly spoke, "Juvia has returned with what Bora asked for…"
"Really." Bora growled not each moving to acknowledge Juvia as the final touches were made to his appearance by his makeup artist.
"Juvia, have you finished mending Bora's costume for the second act?" An icy voice bit from couch against the sidewall wedge between the racks for clothing and props.
Juvia glanced at Bora's elegant manager. The woman wore a fitted suit, short pencil skirt emphasizing the woman's leg she had splayed and the high heels forcing the illusion of long legs while the too tight low cut blouse forced attention on her overflowing chest. Black hair pulled into a tight bun, her face was a mask of sultry makeup twisted into a mean sneer. Juvia wanted to be water so the words would merely pass through her not cause a dull pain her chest.
"Juvia has not. Juvia was busy getti-"
"Juvia! Mending costumes is your number one priority!" The woman bellowed standing from the couch and crossing the room.
Bora kept looking as himself, practicing bedroom eyes.
"Get back to work and thow that garbage away. Return to your hole before fans with backstage passes are here for some preshow action." The manager sighed shooing Juvia off. The manager left the room throwing a disgusted look in Juvia's direction.
"Juvia will make sure Bora's costume is ready. Juvia just wanted to make Bora happy." She whimpered again.
"If you get my outfit ready, I will be happy." Bora responded not breaking from his reflection.
Quietly, she placed the snacks on a small table by the door. Hope sparked in Juvia and she rushed out of the room past a gaggle of buxom girls. She returned to the little supply closet that was set up as her work station. Juvia opened her sewing kit and began to mend the torn seam of Bora's elaborate jacket. Fingers flew as she hand stitched it back together. Thimbles on her finger protected her from possibly staining the thick brocade with blood. It took under 15 minutes to mend and reinforce the weaker seams. Monitoring the time, she had 3o minutes to add any accessories to the costume. Juvia smiled as she added blue roses to over one of the epaulets of the princely overcoat. The cascade of roses gave the costume and romantic atmosphere. Her eyes darted up at the clock, 5 minutes.
"Juvia has done it" She squealed. She gently smoothed the fabric and held it from her damp and dirty body as she rushed it back to Bora.
"Bora! Juvia has finished!" Juvia beamed as she opened the door.
Her face fell as at the sight in the dressing room.
Packed into the small dressing room was the group of girls she passed earlier. All save one, who hung back and sat in the corner of couch, were crowded around Bora. He had two girls in his lap while he made out with one of them.
"Bora?" Juvia's voice cracked.
"Place the costume on the table and leave." Bora barely managed to speak in between kisses.
"Why is Bora kissing women other than Juvia? Bora hasn't even kissed Juvia yet." Juvia wheezed. Her vision tunneled as a storm brewed in her heart.
"Because these lovely ladies are my beautiful fans. As they love me, I love them. But you are … like this weather… You are like the rain. I mean look in the mirror, you looked like a drowned sewer rat. You are plain, boring, and poor. Why would I touch you let alone kiss you? You can't even figure out how to do your makeup without making your lashes look spidery. Leave the costume on table. You are fired. You depressing Rain Woman. And I feel like calling you woman is a huge stretch. You are so below us you are a puddle. I am I right girls?" Bora laughed.
A typhoon filled Juvia's soul. "Bora can't fire Juvia! Juvia is Bora's girlfriend. You cannot fire a girlfriend." Her face flushed with rage and embarrassment as she roared.
The tiny room erupted with caustic laughter. Then someone sang "Rain, rain go away!" The room began to chant in a round.
Juvia seethed, "Juvia will show you that who is lower. Juvia will become so famous that she will wash you away. You will regret what you did to Juvia." A snarl bloomed on Juvia's face. In her rage her hair seemed to defy gravity and flow around her.
Juvia had ran with mind set on revenge.
The chants still echoed in her mind.
"I wish you hadn't run so fast. I tried to catch up and comfort you. But you left in such a rush." Lucy admitted a sad smile gracing her features. "I still can't believe those people."
"Lucy-san wanted to comfort Juvia?" Startled, Juvia asked returning from her memories.
Lucy nodded. "To be honest, that Bora guy was a sleaze. I was only there because of a rumor."
"Lucy isn't a fan of Bora?" Juvia frowned trying to process this new information.
"I heard Salamander was there. Supposedly, King of Fire Dragons, Igneel was going to be there so he was there." Lucy blushed and meekly continued, "I didn't have representation and was trying to meet someone in Fairy Tail. I mean my goal is to be spread as much love and joy as Mirajane did during her run as an idol. And what better way to follow suit at number one fun and awesome Fair Tail"
Happiness beamed out of Lucy as she spoke.
"So that night changed Lucy's life as well?" Juvia stated a dark expression drenched her form thinking of her revenge.
"Actually, running after you I crashed into the person that changed my life. I took him and his little buddy Happy out to dinner to apologize. In my rage and fury I didn't recognize Natsu, you know the great Salamander. Oh how things have changed"
"Juvia is confused."
"Long story short. I befriended Natsu. We might have bonded by trashing the sound system not allowing Bora to lip-synch thus ruining the concert. But Natsu dragged me all the way back here to Magnolia and introduced me to Fairy Tail. I have been working and training there since." Lucy spoke with such fondness as she gazed down at her mark proving admittance to Fairy Tails' rank.
"Wait does…" Juvia tried to pause Lucy's story.
" I believe in the power of the stars. Our meetings there and here means that our destinies are entwined. So after this casting call, I believe I should introduce you to President Dreyar or as he prefers to be called Makarov." Lucy finished.
"Lucy knows Natsu Dragneel … the fire of the Fire and Ice powers of Fairy Tail. Does Lucy know Gray-sama?" Juvia grasped Lucy's shoulders and stared her directly in the eye.
"Gray-sama? That's a new one. Of course I know Gray." Lucy laughed.
"Love rival" Juvia stated.
Lucy laughed, "Wha-"
"Would group 30-40 please enter the audition room?" A monotone voice crooned over the PA system above the sound of chatting girls.
Juvia glanced down at her number pinned on her coat and then her eyes roamed over the one on Lucy's. 31 and 40 respectfully. Before she knew it Lucy had herded Juvia into the casting room.
"Drip, drip, drop…" Juvia murmured with downcast eyes.
Author's Note
It's been forever and a day since I have done any fanfiction writing. Fair warning, my grammar sucks. Sometimes when I type, I seem to skip words. Just after binge re-reading both mangas, I was inspired. I want to make this a multi-chapter story. I cannot promise constant updates, but I will try my best. I just felt inspired and wrote this in one sitting. This may or not be just word vomit. Feel free to review, flame, or even lurk. Critics are welcome. No pressure, comments aren't necessary. All I hope is that at least one person is entertained by my meager attempt.
