The doors to Fairy Tail's guildhall creaked open, and Lucy Heartfilia stepped inside for the very first time.
She had dreamed of this moment for years: stepping into a legendary place, surrounded by heroes whose names were known across Fiore. In her imagination, she pictured warm smiles, cheerful welcomes, and the pride of finally belonging.
What she found instead was chaos.
Tables were overturned, chairs were shattered, and mugs rolled across the floor. Clouds of dust hung in the air like smoke after an explosion. Shouts echoed off the walls as mages wrestled, punched, and hurled furniture with the reckless glee of children who had never learned to sit still. It wasn't a guildhall. It was a warzone dressed in wood and stone.
Lucy froze in the doorway, clutching the strap of her satchel as if it might anchor her. Her heart skipped a beat. "This… is Fairy Tail?" she whispered, her voice swallowed by the storm of laughter and battle cries.
Her wide eyes darted across the madness, struggling to make sense of it—until they landed on the figure at the very center.
A lean, black-haired young man stood tall on top of a table, like a king surveying his kingdom of chaos. His mismatched eyes—one a sharp, gleaming blue, the other a steel gray that seemed to pierce straight through people—sparkled with mischief. Guildmates charged at him from all sides, but he didn't flinch. He didn't even hesitate.
He laughed.
"Is that all you've got?!" His voice boomed as he vaulted over a chair that whizzed past his head. He landed lightly, twisted on one heel, and drove his fist into a much larger man's stomach. The poor man wheezed and collapsed, skidding across the floor until he slammed into a growing pile of groaning bodies in the corner.
"Damn it, Kael!" Gray Fullbuster roared. His shirt had already vanished—Lucy blinked, wondering if she had just missed the moment it flew off. "You think you're hot stuff, don't you?"
The young man—Kael Draven—brushed a lock of black hair out of his face and grinned wide. "Think it? Nah, Gray. I know it."
Gray lunged, bare fists swinging, but Kael slid out of the way with infuriating ease. Instead of countering, he shoved Gray directly into another scuffle, where two guildmates immediately dogpiled him without hesitation.
The guild howled with laughter, egging both of them on.
From the bar, Mirajane Strauss sighed softly, though a smile tugged at her lips. Her white hair caught the light, but her expression was unguarded—warm, even fond. "Honestly… every day with him…" Her voice carried exasperation, but the way her eyes softened told Lucy there was more there than irritation.
Lucy's chest rose and fell quickly. She had heard rumors that Fairy Tail was rowdy, but this… this was something else entirely.
Before she could even think about retreating, a small blue cat with wings zipped past her head, nearly smacking her in the face with his tail.
"Lucy! You made it!"
Lucy blinked, nearly stumbling. "Happy?"
"Aye!" Happy chirped cheerfully, weaving through the chaos like he'd done it a thousand times. "Better duck, Lucy!"
Lucy dropped into a crouch just in time. A table leg snapped in half against the wall behind her, splinters scattering across the floor.
Her heart pounded in her ears. What kind of madhouse had she just walked into?
Kael, meanwhile, vaulted back onto his table with impossible balance, standing tall on one foot as if the entire chaotic brawl was a show put on just for him. His mismatched eyes gleamed brighter when they locked onto the newcomer.
"Well, well. Fresh blood," he called, loud enough that half the guild turned to look. "Careful where you stand, sweetheart. First-timers usually get knocked out in the crossfire."
Lucy's face heated instantly. "S-Sweetheart?!"
Before she could even think of a retort, another voice bellowed from across the room.
"Kael!"
Lucy turned just in time to see Natsu Dragneel barreling through the crowd like a runaway bull, fists clenched. His scarf trailed behind him, and his grin promised nothing but trouble. "You're not escaping me this time!"
Kael barked out a laugh, bracing himself. "Escaping? Please."
The two collided, fists meeting with a thunderous impact that rattled the floorboards and sent dust raining from the rafters. The force pushed them both back a step, but neither faltered. Their eyes burned with the same fire—reckless joy.
"You charge. I dodge. You fall," Kael taunted, sliding sideways just as Natsu lunged again. With a smooth twist, he hooked Natsu's arm and flipped him over his shoulder. The Fire Dragon Slayer went flying and landed squarely on the pile of groaning guildmates.
"Classic," Kael declared smugly.
The guild roared, stomping their feet and cheering like spectators at a gladiator match.
Lucy could hardly believe what she was seeing. These people weren't angry. They weren't fighting out of hatred or rivalry. They were enjoying themselves. Every punch thrown, every body slammed through furniture, every ridiculous taunt—it was all just another day in Fairy Tail.
And Kael—he wasn't merely fighting. He was thriving. Every shove, every laugh, every reckless maneuver made the chaos spread faster. He was a spark that set the entire guild ablaze with energy.
Then, suddenly, a booming voice silenced it all.
"That's enough!"
The room froze in an instant. Half-raised fists hung motionless, chairs dropped mid-swing, and every head turned toward the second-floor railing.
A short old man stood there, pipe resting in his mouth, his expression sharp despite the heavy wrinkles etched across his face.
Master Makarov.
Lucy's breath caught. She had read about him in magazines, heard whispers in towns—one of the most powerful mages in Fiore, leader of Fairy Tail. Seeing him in person made her heart leap.
"Every day, the same nonsense," Makarov muttered, exhaling a thin plume of smoke. His gaze locked directly onto Kael. "And you… you're the worst of them all."
Kael hopped down from his perch with casual grace, landing lightly on the broken floorboards. His smirk didn't waver. "C'mon, Grandpa. You can't blame me for their lack of self-control."
"You instigate half of it," Makarov snapped.
Kael spread his arms wide, grin widening. "Exactly. Only half."
The guild snickered, poorly hiding their amusement under Makarov's glare.
Lucy's jaw dropped. Grandpa? He had just called the Guild Master—Grandpa?!
Makarov pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing deeply. "One of these days, boy, you'll give me gray hairs I don't even have left."
"Too late for that," Kael shot back.
The crowd broke into laughter again, and Mirajane giggled behind her hand. "Shameless," she murmured fondly.
Makarov was about to continue his scolding when his gaze softened. His eyes landed on Lucy. "You must be new here."
Lucy jumped slightly before nodding quickly. "Y-Yes! Lucy Heartfilia, Celestial Spirit Mage. I'd like to join Fairy Tail."
The guild murmured, watching as Makarov beckoned her forward. She climbed the stairs, her knees trembling but her chest swelling with excitement.
"Then welcome, my child," Makarov said warmly, pressing the stamp onto her hand. A pink guild mark shimmered into life, glowing softly under the light.
Lucy's eyes widened, tears pricking her vision. "It's… beautiful."
From below, Kael leaned against the railing, mismatched eyes gleaming with mischief. "Pink, huh? Suits you. Brightens up this madhouse."
Lucy flushed, clutching her hand close. "Th-Thank you."
"Don't let him fool you," Mirajane called sweetly from behind the bar. "Kael teases everyone."
Lucy blinked. "Everyone?"
"Even Erza," Mira replied, her smile turning sly.
Lucy nearly fell over. "Titania Erza?! H-He teases her?"
Kael's grin turned wolfish. "Armor doesn't hide everything, sweetheart. She blushes like the rest of you."
The guild groaned in unison, voices rising together. "Shameless!"
Kael threw his head back and laughed, draping an arm around Gray's shoulder even as the Ice Mage shoved him away. "Admit it. You'd all love me ."
"Love to knock you out, maybe," Gray muttered darkly.
"Careful, Gray," Kael said, grin never fading. "Last time you said that, Mira drew mustaches on your face while you were out cold."
The guild erupted in laughter again.
Lucy stood at the top of the stairs, overwhelmed by everything she had just witnessed. Her first impression of Fairy Tail wasn't order, or glory, or even peace. It was chaos. It was laughter. It was a young man with mismatched eyes who commanded the guild's energy like a storm he refused to calm.
And yet… she noticed something no one else mentioned.
Kael had been hit—more than once. She had seen it with her own eyes. A punch to the ribs, a tackle that sent him crashing, even a chair smashed across his back. But now, as he leaned casually against the railing, there wasn't a single bruise. No blood. Not even a limp.
Lucy's brow furrowed in confusion.
From the corner, two guildmates whispered, unaware that Lucy's ears were sharp.
"They call him the Mad Healer, you know."
Lucy's breath hitched.
"Mad Healer?" she echoed softly.
"Yeah. He fights like a lunatic, takes hits no sane man would… then heals himself like nothing happened. Creeps people out sometimes."
Lucy's gaze flicked back toward him, her heart skipping again.
As if sensing her stare, Kael turned. Their eyes met.
And he winked.
Lucy whipped her gaze away, her cheeks blazing, heart racing faster than ever.
Fairy Tail was nothing like she had imagined.
And Kael Draven… was going to be impossible to ignore.