Fairy Tail Guild Hall - 11:47 AM
Lucy Heartfilia stood before the massive building, her heart hammering with excitement and disbelief.
This is it. This is really it.
The guild hall towered above her—three stories of stone and magic, with the iconic Fairy Tail emblem emblazoned proudly across the front. It was bigger than she'd imagined, more imposing, more *real*.
"Welcome to Fairy Tail!" Happy chirped, floating beside her with his tiny wings flapping.
Lucy barely heard him. She was already moving toward the entrance, each step feeling like crossing into legend itself.
The doors swung open, and—
Wow.
The interior was vast. High ceilings supported by wooden beams, tables scattered throughout, a long bar dominating one wall, and a second floor overlooking everything. Mages filled the space—some chatting over drinks, others examining the request board, a few arm-wrestling in the corner.
It was alive. Vibrant. Everything she'd dreamed of.
And there, behind the bar, serving drinks with a warm smile—
"That's Mirajane!" Lucy gasped. "The cover girl! She's even more beautiful in person!"
The white-haired beauty moved with practiced grace, setting down mugs and chatting with customers. An older man—probably in his forties, with a pipe—leaned across the bar with what he clearly thought was a charming smile.
"So, Mira, how about that date—"
Mirajane's form rippled. In an instant, she'd transformed into a middle-aged woman with a severe expression and crossed arms—clearly the man's wife.
"WAKABA!" the transformation spoke in a perfect imitation of the wife's voice. "What was that about a date?"
The man—Wakaba—went pale. "N-Nothing! Forget I said anything!" He scrambled away from the bar.
Mirajane shifted back to her normal form, giggling. "Maybe try that line on someone who isn't married?"
Lucy stared, amazed. Magic? That's incredible!
"I'M BACK!"
The shout came from the entrance—Natsu, barging through with Happy on his shoulder. Without warning, the pink-haired mage charged across the hall and drop-kicked someone examining the request board.
"THAT'S FOR GIVING ME BAD INFO ABOUT SALAMANDER, YOU JERK!"
The man went flying across the hall, crashing into a table.
And just like that, the serenity shattered.
"YOU WANNA GO, FLAME-BRAIN?!"
"BRING IT ON!"
"THAT'S MY TABLE!"
"WHO THREW THAT?!"
Within seconds, the entire guild erupted into chaos. Fists flew. Magic flared. Tables overturned. Lucy stood frozen in the doorway, jaw dropped, as the legendary Fairy Tail revealed its true nature.
"Um," she managed weakly. "Is this normal?"
A half-naked man suddenly appeared in front of her—muscular, dark-haired, wearing nothing but striped boxers. He completely ignored Lucy, his attention fixed on Natsu.
"Natsu! You're back! Perfect timing—we've got unfinished business from last time!"
"Gray, why are you in your underwear again?" A woman with long brown hair and a barrel of alcohol materialized beside them, her tone suggesting this was a frequent question.
"Huh?" The man—Gray—looked down at himself, seeming genuinely surprised. "When did that happen?"
"Honestly," the woman continued, taking a swig directly from the barrel, "the lack of quality men in this guild is depressing."
Lucy's brain struggled to process the scene. She's drinking straight from the barrel. That's like five gallons of alcohol. HOW—
"EVERYBODY SHUT UP!"
A massive figure stomped through the chaos—easily seven feet tall, built like a mountain. "This noise is unacceptable! We should settle this like men! WITH OUR FISTS!"
He raised his fists dramatically—
Natsu and Gray's fists appeared from either side simultaneously.
WHAM!
The giant man collapsed like a felled tree.
"Did they just—" Lucy started.
"Loke! There you are!" Two women suddenly appeared, flanking a tall man with orange hair and distinctive blue-tinted glasses. "You promised to help us with our request today!"
"Ladies, ladies, there's plenty of me to go around—" The man—Loke—flashed a charming smile.
A chair came sailing through the air, spinning wildly.
CRACK!
It caught Loke square in the face, sending his glasses flying. He stumbled backward, stars practically visible around his head.
"MY FACE! MY BEAUTIFUL FACE!" Loke clutched his nose, his voice muffled. "Who throws a chair?! That's completely uncivilized!"
The two women rushed to his side, fussing over him.
"Are you okay?!"
"Should we get ice?"
Loke straightened, adjusting his now-crooked glasses with as much dignity as he could muster. "I'm fine. Perfectly fine. Just... give me a moment to recover my composure before I join this brawl properly."
That's Loke?! Lucy recognized him from Sorcerer Magazine—one of the top eligible bachelors in the magical world. And he just got hit in the face with furniture before he could even fight!
Lucy found herself sitting on the floor, overwhelmed. "Are there any normal people in this guild?"
"Oh! Are you a newcomer?"
She looked up to find Mirajane standing over her, smiling warmly despite the absolute chaos surrounding them.
"Y-Yes! I'm Lucy! It's such an honor to meet you in person!" Lucy scrambled to her feet. "But, um, aren't you going to stop the fight?"
"Stop it?" Mirajane tilted her head, genuinely confused. "This happens all the time. It's more fun this way, don't you think?"
"Fun isn't exactly the word I'd use—"
A bottle sailed through the air and bonked Mirajane squarely on the head.
"Mirajane!" Lucy gasped as the woman staggered and collapsed.
Gray landed directly in front of Lucy, having been thrown by someone. He stood up, now completely naked, and turned to face her with surprising politeness.
"Excuse me, miss. Could I borrow your underwear?"
Is this real life?!
"NO WAY!" Lucy shrieked, darting away. She nearly tripped over a flying mug, her heart racing. What kind of guild IS this?!
Nearby, the older man with the pipe—Macao—just rolled his eyes. "Gray, put some clothes on. That trick doesn't work on newcomers."
"IT'S NOT A TRICK! I genuinely need—HEY, NATSU, GIVE THOSE BACK!"
The chaos escalated. Fire erupted from Natsu's fists. Ice formations shot from Gray's hands. The woman with the barrel hurled magical cards that exploded on impact. Someone fired what looked like magical bullets.
Lucy dove behind an overturned table, peeking out at the madness. This is Fairy Tail? The famous Fairy Tail?! It's completely insane!
Then the air pressure changed.
Lucy felt it—a weight descending on the room, heavy and undeniable. The fighting slowed. Then stopped.
A figure stood at the top of the stairs leading to the second floor.
He was massive—easily ten feet tall, built like a fortress, with a white mustache and a distinctive jester-like hat. His presence alone commanded absolute silence.
"ENOUGH!"
The voice rolled through the hall like thunder.
Natsu, grinning, pumped his fist. "Ha! I win—"
STOMP!
The giant man's foot came down on Natsu's head, driving him into the floor with enough force to crack the boards.
"Ow..." Natsu's muffled voice came from beneath the foot.
The giant figure turned his gaze to Lucy. She froze, her jaw dropping. He's staring at me. Why is he staring at me? Oh gods, I'm going to die on my first day—
The giant man's form rippled, shrinking rapidly until a small, elderly man with the same mustache and hat stood where the giant had been. He was barely three feet tall.
"Welcome, newcomer. I am Makarov Dreyar, master of this guild."
Lucy's brain took a moment to catch up. "You... you can change size?"
"Among other things." Makarov's expression was kind, grandfatherly even. "Don't let the chaos scare you away. We're all family here."
He turned back to the guild, hopping up onto the second-floor railing with surprising agility for someone his age. From somewhere, he produced a thick stack of papers.
"Now then," Makarov's voice carried across the silent hall. "I received these complaints from the Magic Council today. Let's see..."
He held up the first page. "Gray Fullbuster. Charged with theft of women's undergarments across three separate towns."
Gray, who'd somehow found pants, raised his hand weakly. "Would you prefer I walked around town naked instead?"
"NO!" several voices shouted simultaneously.
"Then maybe keep your clothes on in the first place!" Makarov shot back.
"Elfman Strauss. Assault of mission escort. Excessive property damage. Disturbing the peace."
"IT WAS MANLY!" Elfman shouted from somewhere.
"Natsu Dragneel." Makarov's tone became profoundly resigned, like a man who'd long since given up hope. "Where do I even start? Seven houses destroyed catching a thief! Half the market blown up over a pickpocket! Destruction of a historical clock tower—"
"It was already old!" Natsu protested.
"—setting fire to a noble's mansion because he was 'rude'—"
"He deserved it!"
Makarov looked up from the paper, "You're driving me to an early grave, boy."
Makarov continued through the stack, calling out member after member. Each complaint was met with either sheepish silence or proud declarations.
Then he paused, his expression shifting to something approaching genuine approval.
"However," Makarov held up a single sheet, "there is one among you who the Council holds up as an example. Yume Kai Minato."
Lucy's attention sharpened. That name had come up several times during her research—the Shadow of Fairy Tail, they called him. Young, powerful, mysterious.
"Thirty-one missions completed in two months. Not a single civilian casualty. Property damage at twelve percent of the guild average. Zero complaints from clients. The Council specifically noted his efficiency and professionalism." Makarov's smile was proud. "This is what Fairy Tail mages should aspire to."
The guild went silent, but it wasn't the tense silence from before. This was... uncomfortable.
Lucy followed the guild's collective gaze to a corner table near the windows.
A young man sat there, tall even while seated, with dark hair and purple eyes that seemed to absorb light rather than reflect it. He'd been so still, so quiet, that Lucy hadn't noticed him at all.
Now, with every eye in the guild on him, she watched his reaction.
His face turned red. His shoulders hunched slightly. He looked down at the table, muttering something that sounded like "good grief" in an embarrassed tone that was almost endearing.
He's shy? Lucy blinked in surprise. The infamous Shadow of Fairy Tail gets embarrassed from praise?
"Aww, look at him blushing!" Mirajane—fully recovered from being knocked out—cooed from behind the bar. Her eyes were soft, warm, with something deeper underneath. The way she looked at him suggested this wasn't just friendly admiration.
Levy, the blue-haired woman with the book, had stopped reading entirely. She was staring at him with obvious fascination, a faint blush coloring her own cheeks. "I didn't know he could look so... adorable."
Bisca, a green-haired woman with a rifle slung over her shoulder, whistled low. "Well, would you look at that? Didn't expect Fairy Tail's Shadow to be so adorably bashful. That's almost unfair."
Cana, the brown-haired woman with the barrel, grinned slyly and nudged Bisca. "Yeah, and with looks like that? Bet he's got more than quick feet. Wonder how many hearts he's broken without even trying."
"Probably doesn't even realize," Bisca agreed, her tone appreciative.
Lucy processed this with growing fascination. He's popular. Really popular. With multiple women clearly interested. And he has absolutely no idea.
The tall man—Yume—seemed to sink further into his seat, clearly wishing he could disappear into his own shadow magic.
Makarov, either oblivious to or deliberately ignoring the attention he'd just directed at one of his members, held up the entire stack of complaints.
"But you know what I think of the Council's complaints?"
He opened his mouth and breathed fire.
The papers ignited instantly, burning to ash in seconds. Makarov dropped the burning remnants, and Natsu immediately started eating them, treating the fire like a snack.
"The Magic Council can complain all they want," Makarov declared, his voice ringing with conviction. "But they don't understand what it means to be part of Fairy Tail. Our magic is born from our emotions—our joy, our anger, our love for our comrades. As long as you follow your hearts, as long as you do what you believe is right, then you are walking the path of a Fairy Tail mage!"
He raised his hand high, and Lucy saw it—the guild mark on the back of his hand, glowing faintly.
"Forget the rules! Forget the Council's restrictions! Your magic is yours alone. Let it grow! Let it flourish! Do what you think is right!"
The guild erupted—not in chaos this time, but in genuine, heartfelt cheers.
"YEAH!"
"THAT'S OUR MASTER!"
"FAIRY TAIL!"
Lucy felt tears prick her eyes. This was it. This was what she'd been searching for. Not order or prestige or fame—but belonging. Family. Freedom to be herself.
"Um, excuse me?"
She turned to find Mirajane beside her again, smiling warmly.
"You said you wanted to join, right? Let's get you your guild mark!"
Ten minutes later, Lucy stood at the bar, her right hand bearing a fresh pink Fairy Tail mark. She stared at it, unable to stop smiling.
"It's beautiful," she whispered.
"Congratulations!" Mirajane beamed. "Now you're officially one of us. Where did you want it placed?"
"On my hand." Lucy held it up, admiring the way the light caught the fresh mark. "I want to be able to see it all the time."
"That's sweet." Mirajane winked. "Though fair warning—you're going to see a lot of bare skin around here. Gray's habit is contagious in the worst way possible."
Lucy laughed, feeling lighter than she had in months. Years, even.
She turned to find Natsu, wanting to show him her mark, and found the pink-haired mage standing at the request board, studying the available jobs with unusual focus.
"Natsu!" Lucy hurried over. "Look! I got my mark!"
He turned, grinning widely. "Welcome to the guild, Lucy!"
The chaos resumed around them—Gray somehow ended up frozen to the ceiling, Natsu set something on fire (again), Elfman was roaring about something being manly—and Lucy found herself laughing.
This guild is full of interesting people,she thought, watching the madness unfold with growing fondness. And I'm going to be part of it all.
The noise washed over her—laughter, arguing, the sound of something expensive breaking—and Lucy embraced it all.
Welcome to Fairy Tail indeed.
***
Yume stood by the window, watching Lucy laugh with Natsu at the request board.
Right on schedule. Just like I remembered.
The urge to intervene—to warn her, to change things—pulled at him. But Lucy needed her journey with Team Natsu. Needed to grow into the person who could stand against Phantom Lord, who could face the Eclipse Gate, who could—
"Yume!"
Mirajane's voice cut through his thoughts. She was holding the volcano mission flyer, her expression knowing.
"You're leaving again already?"
"The mission won't complete itself." He collected the flyer, their fingers brushing briefly.
"Be careful," she said softly. "And... come back soon?"
"I always do."
As he walked toward the exit, Lucy's laughter echoed through the hall. The sound of someone finding where they belonged.
Yume pushed through the doors into afternoon sunlight. Caesar stirred in his shadow, eager for the coming battle.
Canon had begun. And he had a volcano to conquer.
The story would unfold. He'd be ready when it needed him.
Until then, he had his own path to walk.
[End Of Pre- Cannon Arc ]