Lucy and Juvia watched with disapproving yet amused looks as Natsu and Gray hocked up one saliva glob after another, trying to see how far the other could get. It amazed the two young women what some men would actually resort to in order to prove their worth.
"How long do you think they're going to do this?" Juvia asked Lucy.
"I don't know." Lucy replied. "But one man is Italian and the other is American so you know they're going to have huge egos."
"Oh please, you should see how big en ego Irish men have." She then proceeded to imitate her brother. "Italians may have a history of artists, musicians, inventors, and the mafia, and Americans may have established their own nation, but the Irish have a proud ancestry of warriors and nobility. They have fought in more battles and have conquered more lands than any American or Russian or Italian or English man."
She then flexed.
"They are the ultimate symbol of masculinity."
Lucy laughed.
"My brother has been telling me that for as long as I can remember." Juvia chuckled.
"Do you believe that?" Lucy asked.
"I'd rather not say because I don't know the history of every nation there is."
"What about which kind of men have the bigger ego?"
"In my opinion, in matters of men and their ego, aren't they all the same size regardless of where they come from?"
"Good point."
They giggled to themselves.
"Ha! My spit just hit a sea gull in the eye!" Gray boasted. "Beat that!"
"I will!" Natsu declared. "I'll hit two of them in the eye!"
But when Natsu let the spit fly, it not only missed those two sea gulls soaring by but it landed right on top of Officer Erik.
"Hey!" He snapped, looking upward in disgust. "Which one of you assholes did that?!"
"Him!" Gray and Natsu said pointing to the other person.
"I'll teach you to respect authority!" He said producing a baton.
"Oh shit! Run!" Natsu said.
He and Gray bolted from the railing, grabbed the two ladies by their hands, and pulled them along as they ran as far as they could to the next deck.
"You two are such children!" Lucy said.
"Just keep running! I'm too young and handsome to have my face beaten in!" Natsu said.
They didn't stop until they knew for certain that Erik wouldn't find them. At least not any time soon.
"How about we do something that won't get us into trouble?" Juvia suggested. "Like just talking?"
"Perhaps that is a better alternative to what we were doing originally." Gray said catching his breath. "So, anyone like the theater?"
"I could take it or leave it." Natsu said.
"I've never been but I've always wanted to go." Juvia said.
"I think it would be amazing to perform on a stage." Lucy said. "The spotlight, the music, the glamour. I mentioned becoming an actress to my father once or twice but he said it was just a foolish dream."
"My stepmother was an actress." Juvia said. "Until she become too old. Then she had to retire but she couldn't accept it."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean she still thinks she's as young and beautiful and talented as she was back then and finds people to blame for her career ending. Not to mention, she's awfully jealous of other actress who are successful."
"She sounds bitter." Gray said.
"She is."
"And ugly." Natsu added.
"Natsu." Lucy scolded.
"What? We're all thinking it."
"She'd be furious if she even suspected I was going to become some kind of performer." Juvia said.
"What does the rest of your family think?" Lucy asked. "If you were ever to pursue a career like that."
"Well my brother thinks that I have a future as a singer. My mother was the best soprano in our village and he's always saying that my voice is just like hers, so he assumes that I could be famous. He even thinks I might make it to the opera."
"The opera." Lucy sighed dreamily. "Wouldn't that be something? To actually sing on stage at the opera. Or be in a moving picture show? Like...Like them!"
Lucy's brown eyes became full of life when she saw a director and an actress filming nearby. Overcome with excitement, she took Natsu by the hand and pulled him along the deck toward director and actress. The director was cranking a big wooden movie camera while the actress posed stiffly at the rail. Suddenly Lucy practically flew into the shot and struck a theatrical pose at the rail next to the actress, then pulled Natsu into the picture and made him pose. The actress burst out laughing and the director grinned, deciding to go with it by making a series of cuts which Gray and Juvia joined in as well.
One was of Lucy posing tragically at the rail, the back of her hand to her forehead. One was of Natsu on a deck chair, pretending to be a Pasha, while Lucy and Juvia were pantomiming fanning him like slave girls. In another one, Gray had one foot on the railing and was gazing around like an explorer. Then there was one where Natsu was on his knees, pleading with his hands clasped while Lucy was standing and turning her head in bored disdain. And there was one where Gray and Juvia pretended to be a couple waltzing. At one point Lucy was allowed to crank the camera and filmed Natsu and Gray having a western shoot-out. It ended with Natsu winning and leering into the lens, twirling an air mustache like Snidely Whiplash.
Lucy laughed harder than she ever had in her entire life. She wouldn't mind staying here and doing this all night. But she knew that she had a prior engagement. Another boring dinner that she would have to attend to very soon.
"It's getting late." She said reluctantly. "We should go get ready for dinner Gray."
"Dinner isn't for another two hours but you're probably right." Gray said. "Juvia what time should I come by to pick you up?"
"Oh..." she said looking shy and embarrassed. "Actually I...I don't think I'll be going after all."
"What? Why?"
If you want to know the truth, it was because of what she had seen Lucy, that actress, and so many other first class women wearing. They were all elegantly dressed in gorgeous gowns of silk and satin and lace and furs and feathers and jewels. Whereas Juvia was wearing only rags that only by the glory God she had been able to cover her body with. She'd stick out like a sore thumb among all the other finely dressed ladies and gentlemen. She'd humiliate herself and she'd humiliate Gray. As much as she wanted to go to the dinner that evening, she didn't want to make a fool of herself.
"I just don't think I'd fit in." She said. "Or that I'd enjoy myself. I never really wanted to go anyway."
But Gray was more perceptive than Juvia gave him credit for. After all he was a writer and writers, much like artists, had a gift for noticing little details. He knew that her words were pure bull and that she wanted to go to that dinner. He could see it in her eyes, the longing desire to feel would it be like to be on the other side just for one night. He could also see the intense fear and lack of self-worth that gave her doubt about attending the event and he figure that was her real reason.
"You're lying." He said.
"Excuse me?" Juvia said.
"You're lying. You want to go."
"No I don't."
"Yes you do."
"No I don't."
Not going to admit it huh? In that case there was only one thing to do and it was a rather bold gamble but this dinner was a golden opportunity, and insecurity was not a good reason to miss out on it.
"Very well, be that way." He said. "You have now forced me to use my powers of persuasion."
"Gray." Lucy said, having known him long enough to recognize when he's about to do something crazy. "I know that look. Don't do anything stupid now."
Without a word, he suddenly climbed up over the railing and by his arms, he dangled himself over the ship much to the other three's confused horror.
"What the hell is he doing?" Natsu asked.
"Get back over here Gray! You're gonna kill yourself!" Lucy demanded.
"Now I'm gong to ask you again." He said to Juvia ignoring Lucy's warning. "Would you like to accompany me to dinner tonight?"
"What?" Juvia said, this man couldn't be serious. "No...I said no."
"No?" Gray said.
"No."
"Why not?"
"I don't know...Because...Because I don't want to."
Another lie.
"Alright, well you leave me no other choice then."
He let go with one arm. Juvia screamed in terror.
"Oh my God!" Natsu gasped. "What's the matter with you?! Are you crazy?!"
"I'm not kidding Gray! Stop fooling around!" Lucy commanded him with furious concern.
"Why are you doing this?!" Juvia said.
"Because I know you want to be my date but for whatever reason you're holding back and since you're going to be honest about why you're changing your mind...Well, desperate times call for desperate measures as they say."
"You're a damn lunatic!" Natsu said.
"That's it! I'm calling an officer! Gray you've lost your mind!" Lucy declared.
"Now I'm going to ask you one last time Juvia." Gray said hanging by one arm. "Will you or will you not come to dinner with me."
He then winced.
"Damn my hand is slipping."
"Then grab the bar you idiot!" Lucy screeched.
"Not until she agrees."
"I don't believe this!" Juvia said slightly exasperated.
"Oh just go to dinner with him honey!" Natsu said.
"Okay! Fine! I'll go! Now climb back over for God's sake!" She complied.
"As you wish." He smirked before jumping back over with ease. No struggle at all which wasn't normal. Puzzled, his friends looked over the railing and there they saw the lifeboat hanging. Gray had not been hanging, he had been standing in that life boat the whole time. There was never any real danger.
"Boy did I have you lot fooled!" He laughed.
"That wasn't funny Gray! You idiot!" Lucy said starting to hit him over and over again. "You scared me half to death!"
"Oh take a joke, will ya?"
"Joke?! I should push you overboard right now for this!"
"Yeah! Ya dick! What's the matter with you?" Natsu said thumping his head and then whispering to him. "Okay that my friend, was genius. Genius! Surprised I never thought of it."
"I heard that!" Lucy snapped.
All the commotion over Gray's little stunt had attracted a certain group of first class passengers. Among them was Erza, Mirajane, and Jude. When Lucy saw the group, she became instantly composed.
"Oh Father! You're here." She said. "Father I'd like you to meet my new friends. This is Juvia Lockser."
"Pleased to meet you sir." The Irish woman said with a proper curtsy.
"And you remember Gray."
"Hello again Mr. Heartfilia." Gray said shaking the man's hand. "You're looking well."
"And this is Natsu Dragneel, he's the man who saved me last night."
"Hello." He said waving.
Erza and Mirajane smiled, Jude just stared at him.
"Charmed I'm sure." He said coldly.
The others were gracious and curiousabout the man who had saved Lucy's life. But her father looked at him like an insect.A dangerous insect which must besquashed quickly. He was the last kind of man he would want Lucy to be around. Poor, dirty, wearing rags, and young and handsome. A young and handsome man with no money, the last kind of a man a father like Jude would want his daughter to associate with.
"Well Natsu." Erza said not wanting to embarrass him. "It looks like you're a good man to have around in a sticky situation."
"Shall we go dress, Father?" Lucy suggested and then turned to Natsu. See you at dinner."
Lucy left with her father and many of his other associates, though Erza stayed behind and took a moment to gaze up and down at Natsu's apparell.
"Boy, do you have the slightestcomprehension of what you're doing?" she asked him.
"Not really." He said.
"Well, you're about to go into thesnakepit and I hope you're ready.What are you planning to wear?"
Natsu looked down at his clothes and back up at her.
"I haven't thought about it."
"I have." Juvia said holding out the skirt of her tattered frock. "That's why I changed my mind about going. I have nothing to wear, everyone would laugh at me."
"Oh..." Gray said. "Well why didn't you just say so in the first place?"
"I didn't want to tell you that these are the only clothes I have."
"Alright then, you two." Erza said putting her arms around Natsu's shoulders and Juvia's. "Come with me."
"Why?" Natsu said.
"Well you need a suit, she needs a dress, you both need a bath, and I have the means to provide all three. So come on. Uh...Gray right?"
"Yes." The dark-haired young man said.
"Meet us at the stairway in an hour and a half. Trust me, you won't be disappointed."