Lucy and Juvia both tried to prepare themselves for any inconvenience that could lead them to get wet at Minerva's party and to make things more difficult the girls found themselves putting off important responsibilities that they had to work on.
"Gray I'm sorry." Juvia apologized to him at the juice bar. While preparing with Lucy she had forgotten to finish a school assignment they were partners in.
"I had to do all the work by myself." He told her. "You're lucky I still told Miss Stellar that you did your part."
"I know and I really appreciate that."
"What's going on with you? You keep avoiding me and you've been acting really weird."
"I've just been... Hanging out with Lucy and Erza. You know I can have other friends."
"That's not what I meant. I don't mind you having other friends what I do mind is you making plans with me and then breaking them. Like when we have to work on a school project together or like when you leave me to babysit Chelia and Romeo alone."
"You can handle them can't you?"
"Not alone. Did you know that last week they locked me in a closet for three hours? And I had to pee!"
"Gray I'm really, really sorry but I'll make it up to you."
"How?"
"Well you've always wanted to go to a high school party right?"
"Yeah."
"I've been invited to Minerva's party and I'll bring you along as my date."
"Date?" He squeaked nervously.
"Yes. We'll have a good time. What do you say?"
"I...I...I guess it's okay."
"Great."
Juvia heard her phone beep. It was a text from Lucy, the message read that she wasn't going to the party and that it was too risky. Juvia sighed. If Lucy wasn't going then she probably shouldn't go either.
"On second thought I'm not going to the party."
"Wow canceled on me in just three seconds. Must be a new record."
"I'm sorry. Look you can have my allowance for two weeks. Does that make us even?"
"I don't want to be even. I want an explanation."
"I can't tell you."
"Why?"
"I just can't! I'm sorry."
She left the room and immediately called Lucy and Erza to talk to them.
"This is so unfair." Juvia said. "I hate lying to Gray and I've had to cancel on him so many times. To top it all off I finally get invited to a high school party and I can't go."
As she talked she filled a cup with water and levitated a little of it into her mouth.
"You think it's unfair for you? I've been dreaming about becoming a swim champion since I was eight." Lucy said. "It's my life dream and now I'll never achieve it."
She filled a cup with juice, stuck a popsicle stick in it, and froze it making it a popsicle in two seconds.
"There are negative traits to this." Erza said. "But you know there also positive traits."
"Like what?"
"Well how about these powers that you have? Juvia you're drinking water from mid air and Lucy you just made an instant popsicle. I don't even have any powers. I honestly don't think whining about this will help our situation any further."
"Easy for you to say, this thing has probably not caused you any trouble."
"That's where you're wrong Lucy. I've had issues with this too but I don't like to complain because complaining doesn't make it go away. If you two want to just stand here and complain be my guest but I'm getting out of here."
Erza didn't mean to get so snippy with the girls but she really couldn't stand it when people complained. Especially when they acted like they were the only people in the world who had problems. She had problems too. She had promised her little sister Wendy that she would take her fishing this weekend but she had to cancel. Wendy didn't get mad just disappointed and hurt and Erza couldn't stand it when that happened to her.
"Hey Erza wait up!" It was Gray again.
"What do you want?" She asked.
"Sorry to bother you but I need to ask you something. You've been hanging out with Juvia a lot lately so I was wondering if maybe you could tell me what's going on with her."
"I can't help you now go away."
"I think you know something."
"It's none of your business if I do."
"I just want to know why Juvia keeps canceling on me."
"Maybe it's because she doesn't like you. Did you ever think about that?"
"Actually that has crossed my mind but she hangs out with you so her standards must be pretty low."
"Goodbye Gray."
"Look can you tell me what's wrong or not."
"I can't."
"Please?"
"Will you just leave me alone?"
She was getting really mad and she started to clutch her hand into a fist. Suddenly the water in Gray's bottle started to bubble and steam until he came popping out.
"Hey! What the!? Ow! It's hot!" He dropped the bottle spilling the hot water. Erza managed to avoid getting splashed but her eyes were glued to the steamy water.
"Interesting." She said with a smile.
After that she began conducting her own little experiment. She went down to the beach, checked to make sure that no one was around, and scrunched her hand up over the sea causing the water to boil and become hot.
She couldn't wait to show Lucy and Juvia. Juvia was busy but Lucy was free so Erza invited her down to the beach where they swam around in the ocean for awhile then perched themselves behind the rocks.
"What did you want to show me?" Lucy asked.
"You know how you and Juvia have these powers over water?"
"Yeah?"
"So do I."
"Really? What can you do?"
"Well I-"
They were interrupted by the sound of someone whistling. They ducked under the rocks as the person walked by. Once again it was Gray who had decided to go fishing today.
"Oh great him again." Erza whispered. "Is he everywhere we go?"
"Just stay calm. Maybe he won't stay long." Lucy whispered.
"The beach chair he's setting up says otherwise."
"Then we better get him to leave."
"Right. Gray!"
"Whoa!" He said jumping up. "You two scared me."
"What are you doing?" Erza asked.
"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm fishing. What are you two doing?" He asked. "Oh no, are you two naked again?"
"We're having a girl talk."
"Yes but are you naked?"
"Go Gray!" Lucy said.
"No way this is my fishing spot. If anyone's leaving it's you two."
"Don't push it Gray." Erza warned.
"Shouldn't you be with Juvia or something?" Lucy asked.
"No I've got better things to do than follow her around. Besides as far as I know she's going to Minerva's party."
"What?! You let her go to that party alone?!"
"I figured that she would change her mind and not go at all. She's been flip-floping a lot lately."
"Gray you have to make sure that she doesn't go to the party on her own!"
"She's probably not gonna go anyway."
"Gray this is important! You've gotta do this!" Erza said.
"I am not some lackey. I'm not some all purpose servant."
"Gray she could be in real big trouble. You like her don't you?"
"Uhhh." He turned red in the face again. "In a friendship kind of way."
"Well!" Erza persisted.
Gray blew in frustration and ended up complying with their request. Meanwhile at the party Juvia was doing everything she could to distance herself from the pool at Minerva's house.
"Okay this isn't so bad." She thought to herself. "I can do this."
"Hi Juvia."
She had just been spotted by Jellal and his friend Laxus Dreyar who was just as bad if not worse than Jellal.
"Jellal I didn't know that you would be here. Having a good time?" She asked.
"I am now." He and Laxus started to walk toward her.
"Listen I don't think that you should be getting so close to me." Juvia said. "I'm getting over a cold and it's very contagious."
"You had a good laugh when I got soaked last week. Now it's your turn."
"Let's throw her in the pool Jellal." Laxus said.
"No! You can't! Please don't! Please! I can't swim! I'll drown!"
She didn't know what scared her more. Going into the water or having her be exposed as a mermaid in front of everyone. Jellal thought for a moment then made a mischievous grin.
"Alright we'll toss her in but let's make sure it's somewhere she can reach the side."
Juvia started run but before she knew it Jellal and Laxus had her by her arms and legs.
"Please stop! Stop!" She begged.
"Put her down Jellal!" Gray angrily demanded when he saw what they were about to do.
"If you insist."
To Juvia's horror Jellal and Laxus threw her into the pool.
"Do you even have a brain?!" Gray shouted at Jellal.
"You told me to let her go. So I let her go."
The other guests laughed and Jellal led them inside for a drink, leaving Gray alone to rush to the side of the pool to meet Juvia who rose up to the pool's surface and clung to the edge.
"You alright?" He asked.
"Gray there's something you should know." She said becoming more scared than she had ever been in her entire life. What frightened her so much was what Gray's reaction would be once he saw what she was. She couldn't bear it if he hated her once he found out.
At that moment, the water behind her started to bubble.
"Gray you know how I've been acting so strange lately. Don't freak out okay?"
Her legs then transformed into a tail, allowing him to see her as a mermaid. Shocked, Gray started to move away from her.
"Gray you have to help me." She pleaded. "Don't leave me please."
She held out her hand to him. He hesitated but he took hold of it. Then Lucy and Erza appeared, seeing what had happened Lucy froze the lock on the door to keep everyone inside while Gray tried to pull Juvia out of the pool.
"Can one of you help me?" He asked.
"We can't." Lucy said.
"If we get wet we'll grow tails too." Erza said.
"Both you? You mean all of you are...Oh you've got to be kidding me."
"Just get her out!" Erza said. "Hurry!"
It was a struggle but Gray managed to pull Juvia out of the pool.
"Good now everybody stand back." Erza scrunched her hand over Juvia, causing all the water on her to turn to steam. Drying her off and changing her back.
"Wow you have a power too." Juvia said.
"Could someone please tell me what's going on here?" Gray asked.
"We'll explain later now let's go." Lucy said.
The four of them quickly ran out of there and went to the beach where they told Gray the whole story.
"Of course you realize if you tell anyone this we'll maim you." Erza said.
"I won't tell!" Gray said. "I've seen the movies. I know what happens to weird creatures when people find out about them."
"So you'll keep our secret?" Juvia said.
"Absolutely."
"See? I knew we could trust him."
"I guess." Lucy said. She looked over toward the ocean and saw Natsu going toward it with his surf board. "Natsu!"
"Oh hey Lucy." He waved.
"What are you doing here? I thought you would be at Minerva's party."
"I was gonna go until I found out that nobody I really liked was going."
"Oh... That's a shame."
"Yeah I guess. See you around."
"You too."
Lucy smiled at him and turned back to her friends.
"When he said he found nobody he liked was going do you think he meant me?"
Erza and Juvia just laughed.