Gray led Juvia down to the dining pavilion, where he introduced her to the head counselor for the Hermes Cabin- a black haired, older guy with dark eyes and earrings named Alzack.

"So you will be staying with the Hermes Cabin until you are claimed," Gray was saying. "Alzack here will take good care of you and make sure that none of his siblings play pranks on you on your first day here." With that last sentence, he shot Alzack a look.

Alzack smiled ruefully. "It's true. My siblings do tend to get a little intense when they plan their pranks. Hermes is quite a mischievous god, after all. I will keep them in line."

"Good. Let me know if you need anything, okay Juves?" Gray smiled at her and then said a quick goodbye and thank you to Alzack before jogging toward another boy with blond hair.

"- okay, Juvia?"

With a start, Juvia realized Alzack had been talking to her. She had been too focused on trying to calm the blush in her cheeks that bloomed after Gray had given her a nickname. She gave him a guilty smile. "I'm sorry, what were you saying?"

Alzack looked at her knowingly. "I was just letting you know that we should head inside and get something to eat. I was wondering if that was okay with you."

"Oh, yes, of course," she said, still looking over at the black haired boy talking to what must have been his brother.

Alzack led her inside to a table occupied by a few other teenagers- three boys and a girl. Juvia sat down apprehensively, feeling a little bit shy. What if these four were just like her old classmates- mean and all too willing to make fun of her?

They all looked up at her when she sat down. One of the boys, a brown haired guy with squinty eyes, said, "Wow. She's a beauty. This must be the girl Gray brought home. What's your name?"

Juvia blushed. "Juvia."

Alzack joined her at the table. "This is Wakaba. Over there is Sawyer, Mest, and Arana." He pointed to the boy who had spoken, a dyed blond boy, a black haired boy with a large scar running down his face, and the girl respectively. "Hermes Cabin, Juvia Lockser. Unclaimed. She will be staying with us for a while."

No sooner had Alzack finished speaking, Makarov appeared, an old man with the body of a snowy white horse. He stomped his foot on the ground, and the pavilion went mostly silent.

"My children," he boomed, "I am so happy to report that we have a new demigod with us today. Her name is Juvia Lockser. I hope that all of you will welcome her with open arms. Now onto other news. There will be no Capture the Flag this coming weekend." A loud chorus of boos rose up from the campers. Makarov silenced them with one look. "Instead we will be having a surprise training exercise. I'm sure it will be just as exciting. Enjoy your dinner, children."

A flurry of plates and goblets flew around the demigods. Juvia gasped, then felt silly for doing so. Nobody else around her seemed all that surprised.

Alzack chuckled. "Don't worry. It's just the wind spirits. They help out with meals."

Juvia simply smiled back at him. She received her plate, filled to the brim with brisket, bread, cheese, and grapes. It all looked amazing. She was just about to dig in when Alzack nudged her.

"Come up here," he told her. "We put a portion of our meals into that brazier for the gods. They like the smell."

Juvia looked to where he was pointing and saw a line of campers behind a huge bronze brazier, filled with glowing coals. She watched one scrape off a chunk of their food and whisper thanks to the gods of their choice.

She followed her tablemates up and thought about what god she should pray to. She didn't exactly know who her parent was, or very many gods to begin with.

When it was her turn, she stood in front of the glowing bowl for a minute before making up her mind. She slid a bunch of grapes into the fire and whispered, "Please, whoever you are. Please claim me. I just want to feel like I belong." She turned away and went back to sit down, not noticing Gray standing close by, a sad look on his face, as if he had overheard everything she had said.

Dinner passed by in a blur after that. Juvia found she really liked the Hermes kids, even though Wakaba was a little bit pervy and Arana hardly ever spoke. But Alzack seemed like he would be a great friend, and no one made fun of her. That annoying voice in the back of her mind said, just give it time.

Shut up, she told herself savagely.

Gray came up to her after dinner. "Juvia! How did you like dinner?"

"Hi, Gray," she smiled at him. "It was wonderful."

"Good. You're going to love the campfire. It is a lot of fun. As long as Fire Freak doesn't get too excited, anyway." He grimaced.

Juvia laughed. "Well, I am looking forward to it. Lead the way." She extended her hand and Gray took it, pulling her to her feet. The two of them ran off to the bonfire, Gray leading the way.

Alzack looked to his girlfriend Bisca, who had joined them right before Gray took Juvia. "I have never seen Gray like this. He looks so…"

"Happy," Bisca finished. "He's never been this happy." She smiled at Alzack and grabbed his hand, and the two of them followed Gray and Juvia to the campfire.

"Gray!" Juvia yelled, laughing. "Slow down!"

He looked back at her and smirked. "Not a chance!"

The two of them reached the amphitheater, where a group of kids were setting up instruments around a huge glowing campfire. Gray led her to the far side of the fire, where Natsu, Lucy, Erza, Jellal, and two more kids sat- a big guy with long black hair and piercings, and a tiny bluenette girl with big brown eyes.

"You remember Natsu, Lucy, and Erza," Gray told Juvia. "This is Jellal," the blue haired guy smiled at Juvia and she noticed he had a red birthmark around his eye. "This is Gajeel, and Levy."

The guy grunted, and Levy hit him in the arm. "He's a little crabby," she told Juvia. "He and Natsu got into a fight and he lost."

"He didn't win! I gave up for strategic reasons!" Gajeel shouted, while Natsu snickered.

"Calm down, Gajeel," Levy said, rubbing her hand up his arm.

Juvia chuckled nervously. "So, who are your parents?"

"My mom was Athena," Levy said. "And Gajeel is Natsu's brother, a son of Hephaestus."

Gajeel and Natsu both growled.

Lucy laughed. "They do not get along very well," she stage-whispered to Juvia.

Juvia chuckled. "I can see that."

As the rest of the demigods filed into the amphitheater, the fire roared hotter and blazed a bright pink. She gaped at the color.

Erza noticed and grinned. "It's enchanted," she said. "Depending on the mood of the crowd."

Juvia gasped in awe. "That's amazing."

"No," Gray said. "That is."

She looked over to him and noticed everyone staring at someone over her head. Confused, she looked up to see a spinning trident glowing over her head. "What is that?" she asked, concerned.

"Hail, Juvia Lockser, Daughter of Poseidon," said Gray.

She turned around and saw all of the demigods in the amphitheater kneeling, starting with her new friends.

Once the glowing symbol had faded, Lucy jumped up and pulled Juvia into a hug. "Congratulations, Juvia!" she squealed.

"Gah! Luce, you sound like an Aphrodite kid. What are you squealing for?" Natsu grouched.

The blonde hit him in the arm. "Natsu, it's exciting. Let me be happy for Juvia."

Juvia smiled, though she was still processing what had happened.

Gray noticed her expression and quite promptly changed the subject. "So, are you ready for the camp songs and s'mores? Apollo's cabin plays great music."

She looked at him gratefully. "When does it start?"

Suddenly, the sounds of music rang through the amphitheater. Apollo's cabin, led by a blonde boy with a scar over his eyebrow who was sitting next to a black haired boy with a sullen expression and no instrument, began to play traditional camp songs with a slight twist. She heard I Am My Own Great-Great-Great-Great-Grandpa, This Land is Minos's Land, and Down by the Aegean.

As much fun as the campfire was, it had been a long day and Juvia was exhausted. She couldn't wait for the s'mores to be given out so she could go to bed. Finally, though, the campfire was over. She stood up among her new friends and watched as other demigods began to disperse.

"It was so nice meeting you all," she said. "I am super tired though, so I think I am going to go to my cabin now."

Lucy, Erza, and Levy all gave her a big hug, and the guys all smiled at her and waved.

"I'll show you where your new cabin is," Gray told her. He looked back at his friends and said, "Good night, guys. See ya tomorrow."

A chorus of byes accompanied them on their walk out of the amphitheater. Gray led her back through the camp to the cabins. He stopped at Cabin 3.

"Well," he said. "This is it."

Juvia stood awkwardly in the doorway. "Yes," she said. "It sure is."

Gray took her hand. "Good night, Juves. Sleep well."

She blushed. "Good night, Gray." She turned and walked into her new cabin, ready for sleep to overtake her.