Chapter 1

September 15, X774

In the small village of Verenium, a few miles outside of Hargeon, a group of children huddled around the 3 small windows in the second grade classroom of Verenium Elementary. They closely watched gloomily as the rain poured from the dark clouds above. It fell heavily in a steady, even pace, showing no signs of stopping.

Only one child in the class stayed slumped in her chair, feeling no need to stare at the rainstorm above. The rain was nothing new for her. She sat with her head propped on her hand, bent over the book on her desk. She wasn't really reading it, just trying to tune out the voices of her classmates. Impending tears lightly stung her eyes.

"Does Juvia really not know how to make it go away?" whined a small girl in pigtails. Juvia could feel the girl's eyes in the back of her head, and struggled to focus on the words in front of her.

A boy beside her nodded, "We're never going to get to play outside if she is always here."

"I wish she would just stay home. She makes it all so gloomy," the pigtail girl said.

Juvia flinched lightly. She hated that word. Gloomy… She heard the girl move as she turned back around to face the window, staring at the small assortment of playground equipment outside. Continuing to face the rain, she mumbled just loud enough Juvia and her classmates could hear without her teacher hearing, "We haven't gotten to play outside once this year thanks to your stupid gloomy rain, Juvia."

Juvia glanced at the clock, hoping recess was over. Just as she did this, their teacher, Ms. Teppen, began to rhythmically clap her hands in a pattern the children knew to repeat and be quiet. Ms. Teppen said to the students, "Alright, class! Recess is over. Everyone return to your seats."

Juvia returned her book to the inside of her desk and reached for a notebook and pencil. She jumped as someone kicked her leg hard on their way by her. She blinked back the tears before closing her desk. Ms. Teppen began to hand out math tests from the day before, and discuss what they will be studying next.

Juvia, however, was slouched in her chair, leaning on her hand, and staring quietly out the window. Her desk sat towards the back, next to another of the small windows in class. When Ms. Teppen laid Juvia's test in front of her upside down, Juvia did not take a second glance. She could see all the pen circles of missed questions through the sheet, there was no need for her to bother flipping it over.

Instead, she continued staring out the window and pretended she wasn't hurt by what her classmates had said about her. She had been dealing with these bullies for two years, she should be used to this by now. A tear began to well up in her eye and she quickly dabbed it away with her sleeve, and thought But Juvia is not…

Drip. Drip. Drop.

Realizing the rain was just continuing to upset her, Juvia redirected her attention to the board. Ms. Teppen was writing addition problems for the class to solve. "Juvia, can you tell me what the answer to this problem is?"

Juvia looked closely at the board, the problem read 15 + 27. She began scrambling for an answer. "Umm…" she glanced around at the class, all eyes were on her. "Umm…32…?"

The class began to snicker. Ms. Teppen cleared her throat and gave the class a warning glance, and they all got quiet. "That's very close, Juvia. But you did miss one step. Do you remember?"

Juvia took her pencil and worked out the problem on paper, realizing her mistake quickly, she quietly said, "Oh. It's 42…"

"Yes! There you go! Great job!" she smiled at Juvia and wrote the answer on the board. The class began to laugh again. Juvia's shoulders slumped, and she leaned her head back on her hand. What do they know about Juvia, anyhow.

Juvia did her best to ignore their teasing the rest of the day, but like any day other day, it was not an easy feat. The children in her grade were brutal and seemed to enjoy picking on her for the things she couldn't control. When the bell rang through the quiet halls of the school, everyone quickly packed their book bags and left the classroom. Juvia took her time. She knew the more time she took packing up her stuff, the quieter her five block walk home would be.

When everyone had left the classroom, Juvia walked to her cubby and began putting her jacket on, Ms. Teppen looked at her with concern. Juvia inwardly groaned. Juvia knows she is not good at school. Juvia does not want to hear this lecture about "taking school more seriously" for the hundredth time…

Juvia put on her backpack and reached for her pink umbrella. However, Ms. Teppen surprised her. "You know, Juvia. When I was your age, I got bullied too," she said. "The summer before second grade, I had just moved to a new neighborhood, and I didn't fit in with anyone, and the other kids picked on me for it."

"What did you do?" Juvia asked, looking surprised.

"To be honest, I cried a lot," Ms. Teppen lightly laughed. "But I grew and learned from it. I found someone who saw me and wanted to be my friend."

"No one here will ever be Juvia's friend. Juvia is the rain girl. No one wants to be friends with Juvia and her gloomy rain."

"Okay, then I'll tell you what. Why don't you be my friend?"

Juvia thought this over. Rain girl and teacher's pet? Yeah right. Everyone already hates Juvia enough. This would only make things worse for Juvia…

Juvia shook her head at Ms. Teppen. "Juvia thinks she will pass," she said quickly, picking up her umbrella.

"Well, if that is what you chose, than that is what shall be. But Juvia, if you ever need someone to speak to, you're always welcome to come talk to me."

Juvia nodded. "Juvia will do so, Ms. Teppen."

Ms. Teppen smiled, "I'm glad to hear that. By the way, Juvia, I love that umbrella."

Juvia looked down at the pink umbrella with red hearts and ruffles sewn on it. "Thank you. It was Juvia's mother's. When she gave it to Juvia, she sewed these hearts on for me.

"That is very neat! You better get going. I would bet the coast is clear to leave now," Ms. Teppen smiled; her face said that she knew Juvia had been stalling on purpose.

"Thank you, Ms. Teppen," Juvia said with a smile as she walked out of the classroom and down the hall.

Juvia began her walk home. However, there was something eerily familiar about Ms. Teppen. The way spoke reminded her of her mother. There were not many people around who took the time for Juvia.

"Juvia, what's wrong?" her mother said to her. Juvia had just come home from kindergarten, and she was covered in mud from head to toe.

"A boy in Juvia's class pushed her into the mud…" Juvia sobbed. "Nobody will be friends with Juvia. Nobody likes the rain girl."

"Oh, Ju-Ju…" her mother said, kneeling down and hugging her tight. "It'll be okay. You can be my friend, okay?"

"Mommy will be Juvia's friend?" Juvia looked at her with a confused look on her face.

"Of course, Ju-Ju! We will be best friends forever!" Juvia's mother smiled to her, and Juvia smiled back. Her mother let go of her and stood back up. She saw all of the mud on her own arms and shirt and began to laugh. "Now let's get all cleaned up. Mommy is covered in mud now too!"

Tears began to well up in Juvia's eyes as she continued her short five-block walk home. After her mother died two years ago, Juvia began living with her aunt and cousin. It was hard on her aunt Alice. She had to work long hours at work just to feed them. She was often not home yet when Juvia got home from school, and she would usually not be back until late.

Juvia walked, umbrella in hand to shield herself from the downpour above her. The tears had caused the rain to pour harder. She stared down the sidewalk to keep herself from tripping. As she walked passed a small park, she hummed to herself. She saw a couple of her classmates there. They glanced over at her several times, and she knew they were complaining about the rain.

She saw Wesley's bike parked outside, and knew he was home. She was grateful not to come home to and empty house.

She walked inside and called from the door. "Juvia is home!"

She was surprised to see Alice sitting at her desk, writing a letter. She took a break and gave Juvia a smile. "Hey, Juvi! How was school?"

"It was okay. Who is that letter for?"

"It's actually for your teacher. Would you be willing to give it to her tomorrow at school?"

"Yeah! Juvia will do that!"

"You're not going to read it, right?"

Juvia shook her head. "Juvia promises she won't." She ran off up the stairs of the small 2 bedroom house. She ran into the room she and her aunt shared. She sa down at her play desk and began to color a picture.

"What are you coloring, Juvia?" her mother said, leaning over her shoulder. Juvia quickly put her hands over the drawing.

"You're not supposed to see yet, Mommy," Juvia whispered.

"Oh okay. Well, tell me when I can see, okay?" Her mom stood back up straight and walked out of the room. Juvia continued to color as quick as she could. When she was satisfied with her work, she smiled down at the paper, picked it up and ran to her mom.

"Mommy! Look!" she held it up high so her mother could see.

"What is it?" she said, taking the page from the 4 year old.

"It's Mommy, Juvia, and Daddy!" Her mother's eyes began to well up with tears. She knelt down and hugged Juvia tightly. "I know how much you miss Daddy. Now he's with us! Can we put it on the wall?"

"Absolutely, Ju-Ju. I know Daddy would love that." Juvia ran over to the bulletin board and her mom helped her hang it up.

Juvia continued coloring. She wanted to draw a picture for Alice. She drew a picture of her, Alice, and Wesley at the park. She used every color in her 24-count box of colors. She used the same blue crayon to color her hair and her aunt's hair. Natural blue was the color of any water woman's hair.

The power over water, and the blue hair that came with it, were traits that had been passed down through her family from generation to generation. All the women in her family were water mages. She was no exception. Though she still had much to learn, her aunt had promised to begin to train her when she turned 8.

The Lockser family was exceptionally well-known for their Water Women. However, the only ones left were Juvia and her aunt. There were other families in history who passed their powers down from generation to generation, but few were as strong as the Locksers.

Grandma Lockser had died when Alice was a child. Alice had been 12 and had been studying with her mother for 4 years. She had mastered most of what she could, but still felt she had much to learn. When she turned 16, Alice began to read her mother's studies. She tried to understand as much as she could, but had to consult her sister-in-law Naomi Lockser, Juvia's mother, for more guidance. Naomi also came from a long line of water mages. Her family and the Locksers had, had a long-term rivalry. There were countless battles between the two families through the many generations.

This was the case until Naomi married Edric Lockser. After their marriage the rivalry began to subside.

When Juvia's masterpiece was complete, she took it and ran down to her aunt. Alice was in the middle of liking the envelope closed when Juvia came down.

"Aunt Alice! Aunt Alice! Look!" she held her drawing up for her aunt.

"Oh, I love it Juvi!"

"Thank you! It's aunt Alice, Wesley, and Juvia! Can Juvia hang it up?"

"Well, I'm not sure I have anything to hang it up with. But I'll tell you what. Why don't you go up and set it on my dresser so that I know where it is when we can hang it up, okay?"

"Okay!" Juvia ran up and did so. When she came back down, her aunt was in the kitchen getting out things to make spaghetti. Juvia loved to help cook, so she pulled up the stool to the counter and sat on it. "Can Juvia help?"

"Sure, Juvia. Would you like to get a jar of spaghetti sauce from cupboard in front of you?"

"Yeah!" Juvia smiled, thrilled to have a job to do. She carefully stood on the stool and opened the cupboard. There wasn't a lot in it. Some canned fruits and vegetables, peanut butter, some other miscellaneous foods, and spaghetti sauce. She grabbed one of the jars, and very carefully set it down next to her aunt. "There!"

"Thank you, Juvi!" By this point, her aunt had already boiled the water and thrown the pasta in. "You can go play now, I'll call you and Wesley to dinner when it's ready."