Not sure what else to do, she opened up the handbook and started to read it.
"Step one." She read. "Find a new name for yourself. One cannot exist without an identity."
A new name. What name would suit her? At first she tried to remember what her old name was. She thought back to before she woke up as hard as she could but she just couldn't. No wait, she could remember something. It was a story, a story she had been told once. It was about a woman who made it rain whenever she cried, they called her Juvia the rain woman. Not exactly the memory she hoped to unlock but at least it gave her a name. Juvia. Her name was Juvia.
"Step 2." She read. "Try to fit in with the other deceased."
She wasn't quite sure what that meant. Did it mean that she should try to befriend the other ghosts and ghouls? She saw a lot of them walk by and she tried to talk to them but they just ignored her.
"Excuse me I...Hello?... I'm sorry to bother you but I...How rude."
"Get used to it. Almost everybody around here is like that." The one who had acknowledged her was a blonde ghoul dressed in a green corset with matching long green leggings and black high heel boots. Her skin had a few veins that could be seen and her blonde hair had rushes tied in it.
"You were talking to me right?" Juvia asked her.
"Yeah I was. So you're the new girl?"
"I guess so."
"I'm sorry about them, a lot of the deceased aren't polite. I guess they're just mad that they're dead."
"Is everyone here dead?"
"Pretty much. So have you picked out a name for yourself?"
"It's Juvia."
"I'm Lucy. Just Lucy. I remember when I had first risen. I couldn't find a friendly face anywhere."
"Do you remember how you died? Or who you were in life?"
"No. It's a miracle if anyone hear can remember what happened before death. But that aside have you found a house to live in?"
"My case worker said she was in the process of finding me one."
"Really? And does your case worker happen to be a brunette with a drinking problem?"
"Yes actually."
"Uh-huh, don't waste your time waiting for her. I wouldn't say she's unreliable but she tends to forget some of her clients."
"Oh..."
"Listen I've had my eye on one house in particular and I've put an add out for a room mate because I don't want to live alone. You seem to be normal as far as dead people go. Would you like to move in with me?"
"I don't know. I mean I guess I could take a look at the house. Where is it?"
"Just follow me."
The house Lucy had been looking into was a very old and very large manor that had several empty flats. It looked abandoned but livable.
"So what do you think?" Lucy asked Juvia.
""It is nice but what about the other people who answered your add?"
"Don't worry, so far no one has answered the add and I don't think anyone will."
As if on cue there was a banging at the nearest door.
"Is that someone who's alive or dead?" Juvia asked.
"Only one way to find out." Lucy said. "If it's a dead person they'll be able to see us."
They approached the door and Lucy opened it. On the other side stood a young man, obviously dead if you took in his gaunt sunken look. Not to mention he reeked of graveyard soil and even had some of it on him. He had spikey salmon colored hair and wore something that looked like a pimped out version of those old black and white striped prison uniforms. All in all his appearance kind of reminded them of sleazy car salesman.
"May we help you sir?" Juvia asked.
"Which one of you is Lucy?" He asked.
"I am." The blonde answered.
His eyes scanned her face. They moved up and down, up and down, up and down. Truth be told it made her very uncomfortable.
"Sweet." He said with a grin. Then before Lucy could react he grabbed her, dipped her over, and smacked a kiss right on to her lips. She made muffled screams as she tried to force him off of her. Finally he dropped her. "Mmm nice lips."
"Ick!" Lucy gagged. "You disgusting pervert!"
She slapped him right across his face.
"Ooo I love a woman with a fire."
"I beg your pardon but who are you?" Juvia asked him.
"Oh right! Sorry! The name's Natsu and may I say that's a very nice dress. Mind if I feel the material?"
He made a grab for her skirt only for her to pull it away from him.
"I'd rather you not sir."
"Oh my God he's a rapist!" Lucy cried. "Where's my spear?!"
"Easy babe I'm here for the add."
"Add?"
"Yeah your add said you had a great deal on a house in the living world and you wanted a room mate so here I am."
"Sorry but I've already chosen one."
"It's a big house you can have more than one room mate can't ya?"
"Maybe but there's no way in hell I'm living under the same roof as you!"
"Too late I'm already here and I'm staying."
"Oh no you're not! You're getting out of here! Now!"
"Or what? You'll kill me? I'm already dead baby! Hey does this place have any liquor?" He started to look around the area. Lucy and Juvia watched him carefully, thinking about what to do with him and keeping their difference from him.
"Well he seems interesting." Juvia said.
"Interesting?! Try rude, crass, and perverted!" Lucy told her. "Oh I should've known that add would attract creeps and weirdos."
"Technically it only attracted one creep."
"Yeah but how many more will show up?"
Again as if on cue there was a knock at the door. This one was more polite and cautionary than the last one.
"I know I can't deal with another one." Lucy said. "You get rid of whoever is there and I'll deal with the other freak."
"Alright."
Juvia answered the door and found another young man standing there, he was dead but he looked different from Natsu. For one thing he was pale like Juvia, had black hair and was dressed in a suit which consisted of a black trench coat, red shirt, tie, and matching black pants and shoes. On his hands were gloves and she thought she saw a hint of a boney hand underneath one of those gloves.
"Um...Hello." She greeted.
"I'm Gray, it's a pleasure to meet you sweetheart. Quite a pleasure." He took hold of her hand and kissed the back of it. "Excuse my sudden visit but I saw your add and just had to answer it considering my former lodgings were blown up."
"Actually sir I didn't put out the add she did." Juvia said pointing to Lucy.
"For the last time you can't live here!" Lucy told Natsu.
"Why not?" He asked her.
"Because number one I only want one room mate which I have already picked and number two you repulse me."
"Funny you sound like my ex girlfriend. She said that I repulsed her too of course that didn't stop her from banging me."
"Natsu my good friend how are you?" The ghoul called Gray said. "Still considered a menace by women?"
"Oh no not you." Natsu said in irritation. "What are you doing here?"
"Same reason you're here. I'm looking for a new place to haunt."
"Are you kidding me?"
"No I don't think so."
"You two know each other?" Juvia asked.
"Oh we go way back." Gray said. "I once turned him into a worm and left him to the mercy of a flock of crows. Ha-ha! Oh that was a good day for me."
"Yeah and you did it for no good reason you psycho!" Natsu said.
"Really? Because I consider blowing up my house to be a very good reason for that retaliation."
"You blew up his house?" Juvia said to Natsu in shock.
"He stole my woman!" Natsu defended.
"For the last time I didn't steal her!" Gray said. "She dumped you, threw herself at me, and I told her to get lost! Honestly you should've blown up her place not mine!"
"Alright that is it!" Lucy said. "Both of you get out of here now!"
"Actually I think having you all live here is a great idea." It was Cana. Apparently she was the case worker for all four of them.
"You can't be serious?!" Lucy said.
"I'm serious as death. You all need a place to stay at, this is a large house, and you're all clients of mine who I need to find lodgings for. This way I get to kill four birds with one stone, pardon the joke."
"But-"
"No buts! It's a done deal and I have other calls to make. I hope you all get settled in real well here." With that said she disappeared again.