Chapter-6
The guild he wanted to avoid
¶Fairytail•°•.
~•~
Note- IDK what to write in these short notes anymore. Any suggestion? Not that I expect any answer... ┐(￣ヮ￣)┌
The train slowly reaches towards it's final stop, Magnolia. Everytime it stopped, Lucy glanced outside hoping to see the signboard stating,
"Welcome yo Magnolia"
But the announcement of the TC made her disappointed each time.
10 hours had passed since the journey began by now. But the group had not ran out of stories to tell each other. Gray however felt asleep. He was using Happy as a pillow.
"And so, the united team of guilds stopped Nirvana and master of Cait shelter disappeared. Wendy had nowhere to go so we invited her to our guild." Erza concludes the tale to Lucy.
"That must be really hard on her..." Lucy says sympathetically.
"Don't worry. Everything is all right now." Erza replies optimistically.
The train stops, throwing out Gray off his seat.
"Another station huh?" Lucy says halfheartedly.
"This one is Magnolia" Happy says waking up from his dream about a bathtub filled with fishes.
"Hey you just woke up---"
"We have arrived at our last stop Magnolia. All passengers kindly take care of their belongings." The TC announces.
"No way?!" Lucy gasps.
"Well that's Happy for ya." Gray says rising up from the ground. His fall was completely ignored by his comrades.
"Aye!"
"Let's go then." Lucy says standing up excitedly.
"Are you sure....ehhh?" Gray asks.
Erza and Lucy looks at Gray with confused looks.
"He is talking about you outfit. You look ugly in them." Happy declares still half-asleep.
"Stupid cat..." Gray curses quietly, turning his face towards the exit of the train.
"You are right...." Lucy says finally feeling embarrassed. She looks outside from the window, towards the station. People had started moving out already.
"Don't worry about it. A girl should never let her outer appearance get the best of her inner beauty." Erza says getting up, ready to leave.
"You can say it because you are already so gorgeous..." Lucy mumbles.
"Also Lucy-" Erza adds. "-don't tell the guild about the dragon spirit yet. Some people might not digest it calmly."
"Aye." Happy raises his paw in agreement.
Lucy gives a slight nod of acknowledgement.
Gray was already waiting at the exit. Erza and Happy starts leaving.
"Hey wait for me!" Lucy pleads as she walks slowly.
The group leaves the station. There was a huge crowd, which was only normal considering it's a railway station. Everyone was walking casually, except Lucy. She was feeling insecure in her pink nightsuit.
She turns to Erza and asks, "Hey Erza... you said you packed my stuff with yours... So, I was wondering where it is."
Erza looks at her shoulder, gesturing Lucy to look behind.
To Lucy's surprise, there was a big cart being pulled by Erza that had tons of suitcases and bags.
She does a little "eeeek" as she steps backward, in fear of how casually Erza was carrying this weight.
"So where is mine...?" she asks quietly, still recovering from the shock that she just received.
"Below that case." She says, pointing at a large suitcase, on which the tower of other luggage was made.
"Why would you..." She sighs.
"I kept yours first."
Happy giggles in the background, flying over Lucy's head making her even more annoyed.
"There goes my first impression." She sighs again. This time it was gloomier.
"You will be just fine." Gray assures.
"It doesn't help at all you know."
The group walks in the streets of Magnolia. Magnolia was a town built near a shore. It had many rivers passing through the streets. All the rivers met at the lake at the top left side of the town, the place where Fairytail guild was.
On her way Lucy saw many attractions, the biggest one including the heart of Magnolia, the Kardia Cathedral. It was truly a beautiful sight.
"Magnolia is amazing..." she gasps.
They now arrive at the main road that led straight to Fairytail. Lucy could see a shadowy outline of the guild. It was just like the castle found in fairytales. It was made up of greyish-brown bricks. It was approximately 2 storeys tall. It had a huge bell on it's roof too.
"Wow..." Lucy speaks softly.
Erza and Gray closes their eyes, feeling proud to be in Fairytail. They predicted this reaction too.
"Mira is really amazing. She gives me fishes." Happy says drooling over Lucy's head.
"Hey don't do that!" Lucy shoos Happy from her head. She sighs and thinks "Mirajane Strauss.. Most popular model of weekly sorcerer. I am really gonna meet her..." A little tint of red appears on her cheeks.
"You will... but... you know, I am a little popular myself." Gray says a little envious and sad for not having a fan.
"But you have Juvia" Happy smirks.
"Juvia senses love rival..." Juvia's facial expressions grow serious. She breaks the the nearby table in the guild hall, jerking her head around. Her instincts suddenly were going haywire.
"Don't jump to conclusions!" Gray says trying to catch Happy.
"Juvia Lockster... the best water mage of Fairytail, and ex member of Phantom Lord's Element 4. She is amazing!" Lucy says getting even more excited.
Gray however stops catching Happy and stands still on his spot, heavily depressed. No one even waited for him. They left Gray behind and headed for Fairytail.
"Oh don't get all upset just because Juvia is a little more popular than you." Happy smirks loud enough to make Gray hear it.
"I am just gonna wait here." Gray sighs.
"No! You are coming." Erza commands without looking back.
"Aye." Gray replies instantly and catches up to them without any question.
Lucy was however not paying attention to her surroundings. She did not hear the conversation. She was lost in her thoughts.
"First I will say hello... If they ignore me I will go to meet Mira and if they welcome me, I will introduce myself. If Mira ignores me I will meet master and if she talks with me then I will ask her... mutter-mutter"
"You are audible to me." Erza finally speaks up.
"Oh? Sorry! I am really sorry-" Lucy replies.
Now the moment she had waited for her entire life has finally arrived. She was standing right on the entrance of the guild.
To achieve one's dream after so long, she was happy and nervous naturally. Erza gives her a pat on her back, a bit soft this time to boost her confidence.
'All right!" Lucy inhales the fresh air of Magnolia and puts her hands on the door to open it. Gray, Erza and Happy stood behind her.
"Here it goes..." she pushes the door, but it unexlectedly breaks into small pieces.
"Watch it!" Gray yells making a huge icewall in front of Lucy instantaneously after the door broke.
The ice shatters into small flakes. Lucy still had a smile on her face, too terrified to change her emotions. She tumbles back and falls on the ground.
"What in the world?!" she screams finally.
"Ah sorry for that young lady."
She sees a big man about the age her father standing at the door. He offers his hand to Lucy to pick her up. "Now now, don't look at me like that."
"Gildarts!!! Don't break stuff for once!!"
Lucy could hear shoutings from inside. It was all she could hear actually. She was motionless. If Gray did not make a wall instantly, she could have been injured badly.
Happy rushes to the old man named "Gildarts". He hugs him and starts crying tears of joy.
"You have grown Happy!" Gildarts says taking away his hand he was offering Lucy to stand up and hugging Happy.
"Honestly... You could have killed her", Erza sighs, trying to hide her happiness after reunion with Gildarts.
"You are... Yes! Erza. No way I can forget the most sincere kid of that bunch, haha."
"Gildarts?" Lucy says standing up on her own.
"He is the strongest mage if Fairytail. He is the only user of the magic named 'Crash'. A lethal magic that destroys everything the caster comes in contact with." Gray explains, walking towards Gildarts. "It's been a while old man..." he says happily.
"Gray... yes... yes you are that stripper brat!! Bwaahh, some hunk you have grown into!" Gildarts says ruffling Gray's hair.
"Hey don't call me that!"
Lucy was just listening, not responding. She thought that she would be the extra one.
Gildarts looks at Lucy and apologizes again, "Oh, yes, I am really sorry about earlier. The door was stuck you see." he says trying to make a joke. But no one was laughing.
When the awkward silence persisted, Gildarts rubs his head apologetically. But then, something catches his eye. He looks closely at Lucy. She was covered in bandages. Her hand was covered with a thick layer of cotton strap.
"You are hurt real bad..." he says examining her. "Shouldn't you be in hospital?"
"Well a lot of things happened and I ended up here with these wounds..." Lucy says as all the bad memories flash backs.
Erza changes the subject, "So how was your 100 year quest?" She asks curiously.
Lucy had heard about the century quest. She gasps in amusement. She always believed anyone who takes never returns. But the exception stood in front of her.
"Ah... who cares about that!" Gildarts says avoiding the question and breaking the eye contact. But then he suddenly becomes serious.
"I heard. I heard about them from master." He says with a sad voice. "I am sorry. I wasn't here when the time needed me. "
The environment goes tense. No one was saying anything. Lucy shooks her head around her. Even Happy was quiet. She wanted to make the environment less tense but couldn't think of anything.
"It's a new member! And she's a girl!" Someone in the guild annouces.
The whole guild cheers up. Some of them chug there beer mugs and many of them came rushing over to the entrance.
Lucy wanted to greet them like she planned. But she couldn't. "He-lllo.. I am Lucy." She says with breaking words.
Silence for a few seconds is broken with great noise.
It's a Blondie! No way! Hey don't scare her! Wait she is actually a girl! She is cute! Well she does like pajamas?! She is injured real bad though! She is a real man! Hey Erza, Gray and Happy returned too!
The members pushes Gildarts aside and escapes out of the guild. Lucy was clueless. She expected a good welcome but not this type.
Lucy sees that all the guild members were talking to her at once. She never had a friend or anyone to talk to except Natsu. To see so many people talking to her all of the sudden was really new and emotional for her. She kneels down and breaks into tears."Thanks guys... that means a lot" she said softly, but no one heard her.
"Hey you made her cry!" The crowd goes into panic and somehow starts fighting. Gray and Happy joins in too. Everyone seemed joyful.
"It sure is lively. A bit too lively for a delicate petal like you." A handsome man emerges from the crowd and gently picks Lucy up.
He wore fancy blue glasses and a green T-shirt. It really did look good on him. He had orange-couloured hair
Lucy wipes her tears and says "Thank you"
"Loke. Call me Loke" the man says, doing a flying kiss.
Lucy dodges it. "Don't get the wrong idea!" she says, too happy to make it sound like a scolding.
"Don't go flirting with our new members, Loke." A young women with white hair appears from the guild. She was wearing a maroon dress. She was beautiful...
"Mira..." Lucy says, still not believing she is really in Fairytail.
"Seems you already know me." Mira winks.
She grabs Lucy's hand and pulls her into the guild. Lucy looks behind. The wizards were still fighting like cats and dogs.
"Are we gonna leave them just like that?" She asks, concerned.
"I will stop them" Loke announces before Mira could speak.
He enters the crowd only to be kicked a few yards away.
"Oh my...", Mira says covering her mouth, totally expecting that.
Lucy makes a disappointed face. She really thought he was going to stop them.
...
Gildarts sighs. He nods at Erza and Gray, who stiffly nod back at him and leaves. On his way, he mumbles, "Maybe I will light two incense for those poor souls... damn it... such a mistake..."
...
Lucy looks into the hall. It was not really crowded as most members came outside. But there were some people sitting on neatly arranged tables. The tables were arranged in two columns. The space between the columns served as a way that led to a stage. It was a big stage. On the right side, there was the bar counter and on the left there was a big request board.
Mira takes Lucy near the bar counter. Master of the guild, Makarov Dreyar, or what the guild likes to call him, Gramps was sitting peacefully. He was reading a book, or rather a magazine with extreme concentration.
"Master." Mira says in a sarcastic voice, giving a warning to him. Lucy did not realize this.
Gramps gives a glance with one eye towards Mira and sees a new figure with her. He instantly realizes that she might be a new member. Lucy and Mira have already reached near the counter.
"This is master Makarov." Mirajane whispers to Lucy.
Lucy takes a deep breath and says, "Hello Mr. Makarov. I am Lucy and I wish to join Fairytail. I am sorry to interrupt you while you a reading a impor---"
Makarov burns the adult magazine to ashes.
"What the-" Lucy says, not much surprised after seeing wizards of Fairytail.
"Oh dear don't worry about it!" he says dusting his hands with a joyful smile. This puts Lucy at ease from her insecurities she had from the moment of touching the guild's gate. Mira however was still giving a sarcastic smile, a smile of bloodlust.
"So... uhmm... Lucy you want to be a wizard of Fairytail?" Gramps asks clearing his voice.
"Yes."
"I see...." He gestures something to Mira and heads for the exit of the guild.
"Uhmmm excuse me master..." Lucy says hesitantly. "You never told me of I am selected as a wizard of Fairytail."
"You are weird one." He says without stopping or looking back.
"Ehhh... I don't know what's that supposed to mean." She says trying to smile.
"You are already a part of Fairytail. You became a part of our guild the moment you entered the guild hall with a wish to join us." Gramps turns his head and looks at Lucy. "We are called the greatest guild in Fiore. But it is just a mere title that can be replaced...
...In terms of strength, the best can never last forever. But what lasts forever are the bonds, the bonds of the family we make. Everyone in this guild have a dark past. Happy moments, sad moments... We can't share all of them. But whenever possible we will shoulder it together. That's what it means to be in Fairytail."
Trust in each other, and trust in the people who take care of you. There is nothing better than that.
"...master..." Lucy whispers slowly. "So... is it alright even if I am weak...?"
Makarov sighs and raises his arm. He sticks out his only his index finger from his fist.
"Even if you can't see me..." Mira whispers with a smile, looking at Makarov.
Lucy glances at her.
"...no matter how far away you may be..." Makarov continues.
"..I will always be watching you."
"I'll definitely watch over you forever...
...It's the role of a parent to stand in front of their children, to protect them and plant their legs forward even if they tremble. I will fulfill this duty... and will never let the past repeat." He says his last lines in soft voice, almost inaudible. He turns back and heads towards the exit.
Lucy was left petrified. She has just been enlightened. She now understands why Fairytail is really the greatest. It has bonds that other guilds never built.
"Hey Lucy now don't look so stiff!" Mira says pulling Lucy's hand with hers.
"Oh right! I am sorry. But why is master heading towards the fighting bout?"
"Don't apologize over everything! And don't worry. Just tell me where would you like the symbol and of which color."
Lucy now becomes excited just as she was before she entered the guild. "I will like it here." She says pointing at the dorsal side of her right hand.
"Color?"
Lucy thinks for a moment. A color huh? Something that will represent her. A color that shows her nature...ahhhh! Can't think of any!!
But then suddenly, a thought came into her mind. Why not dedicate the color of the insignia to the hair of her stupidest spirit? She really liked the pink color of Natsu's hair, unlike others who found it weird.
"Pink!" She said excitedly.
Mira nods and holds Lucy's right hand to put a the guild mark on the desired spot using a stamp. Lucy watched carefully, to warn her even if the mark was some centimeters off. She sighs in relief after it was right where she wanted.
She was about to thank Mira but before she could do it, she hears a loud deafening thud.
She turns around to find nothing. The noise coming from all the fighting was gone suddenly.
"I told you not to worry about it. It's just master stopping the fight. He uses giant magic. It is his regular schedule nowadays." Mira reassures.
"Oh... OK" Lucy says. Then continues, "Hey, Mira can I ask you somethings?"
"Sure, anything."
"Uhmm master sounded as if there is a guild that can compete with Fairytail in terms of power, is there any?"
"Well there are many powerful guilds out there. Master was just giving an example." She takes a moment to think and continue, "Well if I have to say, there is a guild. It suddenly rose to power after it's master was changed. It's called Sabertooth."
"Oh... I see." Lucy says.
"Don't worry about it. We don't either." Mira says with a smile.
"Also master and a man named Gildarts mentioned a tragic event..." Lucy continues. "What was it?"
Mira doesn't reply. She stands still smiling with her eyes closed. "Don't worry about it." she says again, this time in a weak cracked voice.
"How can I not... I am member of this guild." Before Lucy could finish her sentence, someone puts hand on her shoulder. She turns around to find Juvia, pissed off. She was very close to her face.
"Love rival....so it is you." She speaks with a deadly glare. Lucy could see the fire of jealousy burning in Juvia's eyes.
"Hey creep, don't go scaring out the Blondie just because she's a chick." a man wearing a black coat and white trousers. He had many iron studs on his face and somehow his arms. They were more like iron nails than studs.
"Yes, Gajeel-san is right." a little girl with blue hairs says, holding a white cat much like Happy.
Suddenly she remembers all the tales that Erza and Gray told her on her way to Fairytail.
"The shady man with trash personality must be Gajeel....and you are Carla and you must be Wendy. Wow you are really small just like Erza said."
'Whom are you calling shady, blondie?!" Gajeel shouts.
"Small...." Wendy says, blushing after staring at Lucy's feminine features.
"Hey Lucy! Nice to meet you. I am Levy McGarden. Please call me Levy" Lucy turns around to see a blue haired girl as tall as her offering a handshake. She gladly accepts it. "Nice to meet you too!" she replies.
Lucy can hear someone cheering "Go Levy Go! Go Levy Go!". She doesn't bother to find the source though.
Levy slowly takes her mouth near Lucy's ear and wishpers something, something that makes Lucy blush.
She asks in panic,"How many people know about it?", to which Levy replies with a smile, "Happy told the whole guild that you are writing a novel." Lucy is now red. Red as rose. Levy comforts her by patting on her shoulder ,"Don't worry no one really wants to read it except me. I just... couldn't hold it in..."
"It's not complete....."
"Just a glimpse, pretty please." Levy insists. This experience. This was new, and refreshing for Lucy. She had never felt the feeling of bonds for years. It was first time anyone showed interest in her work. "OK... if you insist." Lucy says, getting a little-less red and more comfortable.
Levy's eyes gleam with joy. "Thank you." She says.
Lucy was then grabbed by shoulder again. She looks back to see Juvia more closer to her eyes and even more pissed off. "Don't lay a finger on Gray-Sama unless you want me to gauge your big eyes off your face."
After seeing Lucy scared to core, Juvia now calms down a bit. "Nice to have you." She finally greets her.
"Thank you." Lucy says, fearfully.
"Oh come on don't scare the hell out of the newbie." a women wearing exposing clothes more than someone should be, puts her arm around Lucy's neck. "Name is Cana" she says drinking a bottle of bear in one go. "Nothing beats a booze with a blondie." She says in a sloppy voice.
"Cana... I have heard about you too" Lucy says in excitement, escaping the grip of Cana. She looks around and sees all the members she only read about in weekly magazine. She cannot believe she is finally in the guild she always admired.
"So how's the guild?" Master asks, acquiring his seat on the bar counter again.
"It cannot be described in words."
Makarov smiles and says,"I hope you enjoy your stay in the guild. Also, I don't want to ruin the fun but you will need to buy a place to live in."
He really ruined the fun. Lucy goes traumatized. She was usually broke. But then she remembers her last job. She just won 1,000,000 reward and a gold key. The excitement returns and the thought about gold key adds fuel to it.
"Yea sure." she replies.
Cana now pushes Lucy from her back and wraps her arm around her neck again. "Look at them" Cana says pointing at wizards of the guild. "That big one is Elfman, that artist is Reedus, that couple is Alzack and Bisca, those old perverts are Macao and Wakabe, that is Freed. He is sad because his crush was kicked from the guild and that... that" Cana stops and falls asleep on Lucy's shoulder.
Lucy places her safely to the nearby table and sighs.
"Don't worry. This guild is sure a rowdy bunch but they all are good." Carla says with her arms folded. Lucy nods. The group that was outside the guild finally enters.
Erza taps Lucy's shoulder, "I packed your reward in your luggage. Here it is." She says handing Lucy her roller suitcase. Lucy wanted to thanks. But Happy did not let her.
He shouts flying near the ceiling of the hall,"Hey guys, guess what? Lucy has a dragon that is crazy powerful. Thanks to him, Lucy completed the S class quest on her own. Erza and Gray did not move a muscle. "
The room goes silent. It was the silence before the storm. Lucy looks at Happy, intimidating him to his bones with her death-stare. He gets scared by her glare and flies outside the hall, adding one more thing, "She is a celestial wizard."