After breaking up the fight between Natsu and Gray, Wendy made plans for them to go into town and to try to find anything that could lead them to finding out anything about their pasts. It would seem that they were somehow linked to this person called Charles Nightshade so the plan was to learn something about him.
With the money her mother had given her, she and her friends were able to take a bus into town. First stop would be the local library. She hoped that they would at least have a book, article, or something about Charles Nightshade because if they didn't she didn't know what they would do. The four of them had to walk a little ways to get to the library which wasn't a problem however during the walk the group couldn't help but notice that they were getting stares from some people.
"Why are people staring at us?" Juvia whispered to Wendy. "Are we doing something wrong?"
"No. I don't think so." Wendy answered. She looked back at the people staring. They weren't looking at her friends like they were weird or anything. In fact the lot of them seemed to enjoy looking of them. "Oh...Don't worry it's nothing bad. They're only staring at you all because you're good looking people."
"Really?" Natsu said before grinning and winking at some young women who were giggling in a flirty manner. "I'm really starting to like being alive."
"Oh come off it." Lucy said with an eye roll.
"Jealous?"
"Gross. You wish."
"Admit it, you find me attractive."
"What?!"
"Don't think I can't read between the lines of your insults. I know you're really just teasing me with your sweet talk."
"Oh you want some sweet talk? Cause I'll give you some sweet talk!"
"Please don't start you two." Wendy said. "I've already had to break up one fight today."
"Yeah have a little civil behavior. We're not supposed to draw attention to ourselves." Gray said and suddenly felt very uncomfortable when he noticed some women staring at him as well. "Granted, it would seem that goal has become very difficult to achieve at the moment. What's wrong with these people? Don't they know it's not polite to stare? It's creepy."
"Don't get upset Gray." Wendy said. "They might act a little creepy by staring but that's all they'll do. Stare. Nothing else."
"What about that guy talking to Juvia over there?" Natsu asked.
"What? Where?" Gray asked.
Natsu pointed over to a young electrician who was taking a break from fixing a utility pole to talk to Juvia.
"So this pole connects all the phones here?" Juvia asked him.
"Phones, lighting, and cable." The electrician answered with a flirtatious smile.
"That's amazing. I've never seen anything like it."
"You haven't?"
"Nope."
"You from another country or some Amish place?"
"You could say that."
"Hey you wouldn't happen to be one of those European models, would ya?"
"No. No I'm not."
"That's too bad because you definitely look the part."
"Oh thank you."
"Hey sparky I think you have a job to finish." Gray interrupted before ushering Juvia back to the group.
"Goodbye. It was nice talking to you." Juvia said waving to the electrician. "Gray that was a little rude don't you think?"
"I'm sorry but I saw him talking to you and was concerned."
"Well there was no need to be concerned. He was only telling me about that thing he wasn't working on. He saw me looking at it and decided to explain to me what it was. He was just being nice."
"Yeah I'm sure he was."
"What's with you? You've been acting weird all morning."
"Well in case you haven't notice I have been revived in a living body. Of course I'm acting a little differently."
"That's not what I meant."
"Then what did you mean?"
"Never mind. We can discuss it later."
When they reached the library Wendy asked them about a Charles Nightshade. The librarian told her that the only book they had that provided any mention or information on that name was one on the English immigration to Magnolia. She checked out the book but to be on the safe side she and her friends checked the library for anymore books that may have carried information on that person. When nothing turned up, they left. By then it was noon and everyone had become hungry.
"I'm starved." Natsu complained. "When are we going to eat?"
"There are plenty of restaurants around here." Wendy said. "What would you guys feel like eating?"
"I don't know." Gray said.
"Well what did you guys like to eat most for lunch or dinner?"
"Porchetta." Natsu said.
"A Sunday roast." Gray said.
"Köttsoppa." Lucy said.
"Magret de canard." Juvia said.
"Okay number one I only know what one of those are and number two they all sound expensive. So who's up for a caramde frank instead?"
"I'd like one." Gray said. "I used to eat them all the time."
"Sounds like a reasonable lunch." Juvia said.
"I'm not picky." Lucy said.
"I'll eat anything just get me something." Natsu said.
"Alright there's a stand that sells them just down the street. You all wait here and don't move until I get back."
They sat on a nearby bench and Wendy hurried toward the stand. On the way there she glanced over at a shop that sold oil paintings and spotted one in particular that caught her attention. She went inside the shop and moved to get a closer look at the painting on display. It was a portrait of a young woman who looked identical to Juvia's human form. Same dark hair, fair skin, facial structure, rosy cheeks, blue eyes, there was no difference save for the clothes they wore.
"May I help you young lady?" Asked the man running the shop.
"Yes, do you know who that is? The woman in the portrait?"
"Her? Well if the information I was given is correct, then her name was Melanie de Ravin. She was a French immigrant, orphaned young after losing her parents to scarlet fever, but was quickly taken in by the wife of a Swedish aristocrat."
"May I ask, what was the name of the Aristocrat's wife?"
"Lady Eugenia Holloway. She was on vacation in France when she discovered the child selling matches on the street, she found Melanie to be so pretty and darling that she thought she would make the perfect playmate for her daughter Constance who was around the same age. Melanie became her daughter's maid servant and closet friend. The two of them were almost like sisters."
Wendy noticed that the woman in the painting did not look as a servant should. She was wearing a gown and adorned by jewels and laces. She seemed to be sitting in the middle of a garden because there were flowers all around her.
"She doesn't really look the part of a servant." Wendy said observantly.
"Despite her poor background, Miss de Ravin possessed virginal beauty and a gifted singing voice. She became a source of great delight to her upper class employers, they would allow her to attend social gatherings so she could entertain their guests with her singing. Of course, men became entranced with her and one man in particular was so enamored that he had this portrait commissioned for her."
"What was the man's name?"
"I could not say."
"Do you know when this Melanie died or how she died?"
"No. But I do know that portrait was painted right in here in Magnolia, America. It was sometime after she and the Holloway family moved here for the marriage of her young mistress."
"Do you know the artist who painted this?"
"That would be Enrico Jonah. He's been long dead for years but his recent descendant Reedus Jonah might be able to tell you more about the woman in this painting. His ancestor kept notes on the people he painted, that's how I know a little about Miss de Ravin. Reedus teaches an art class on the other side of town."
"Thank you." Wendy said. "Thank you, that was very helpful."
She then hurried out the door of the shop.