The morning sun poured through Fairy Tail's stained-glass, painting the bustling guild hall in shifting gold. Lucy Heartfilia, barely a day old as an official member, already felt the chaotic warmth of her new home.
Laughter, clinking mugs, and the occasional magical explosion from across the room formed the familiar symphony.
Natsu and Happy, bless their perpetually energetic souls, were already up to their usual antics, and the day at Fairy Tail was officially underway.
Back from the surprisingly eventful trip to Shirotsume, Lucy found herself drawn to the Request Board once more. A familiar mix of desperation and hope swelled in her chest as her eyes scanned the postings next to Nab: "Find a magic bracelet… break a spell from a cursed cane… reading someone's love horoscope… hunting a volcano demon."
Her landlady, that sweet and understanding old woman, would undoubtedly chain her to a lamppost if she didn't find a paying job soon.
Mirajane, bless her heart, floated over with her usual gentle smile. "Let me know if you find something you like, Lucy," she said. "The Master's at the regular meeting, you know. Won't be back for ages."
"The regular meeting?" Lucy asked, curious. She pictured a dusty room full of old men arguing about knitting patterns.
Mirajane nodded, then borrowed Reedus's floating pen and began drawing in the air. An intricate diagram formed—the organizational chart of the Mage world. She explained the hierarchy, starting with the almost mythical Ten Wizard Saints who kept the magical world in order, down to the Guild Masters' Alliance. She stressed how important the connections between guilds were. "It's how we keep things stable," she explained, her expression turning serious, "and prevent Dark Guilds... you know, the really bad guys... from appearing."
Suddenly, a shadow loomed behind Lucy, making her jump out of her skin. "Natsu!" a low growl rumbled in her ear. "Guys from the darkness will come!"
"Don't do that!" Lucy yelped, clutching her chest. Her heart was trying to stage a jailbreak. He just grinned, that infuriatingly childish grin of his, completely oblivious to her near-heart attack.
Mirajane, though, didn't seem amused. "He's not entirely wrong, Lucy. Dark Guilds don't belong to any league. They're malicious people, often involved in crimes."
"Yeah, they're scary 'cause they don't follow any rules!" Natsu chimed in, puffing out his chest like he was personally responsible for all rule-breaking.
"Knowing my luck," Lucy muttered, deadpan, "they'll probably try to recruit you one day, Natsu. You'd fit right in with the 'no rules' crowd."
He just waved his hand dismissively. "Just hurry up and pick a job already!"
Happy zipped around Lucy's head. "We picked one without asking you last time, Lucy! So now it's your turn!"
"Yeah, right. The team is disbanded!" Lucy retorted, crossing her arms.
"Why? What's wrong?" Natsu asked, genuinely confused, his head tilting like a confused puppy.
"Because you two would have happily taken on any random blonde girl for a job!" Lucy exclaimed, feeling a little silly for being worked up, but still entirely justified.
Natsu actually looked thoughtful for a moment. "Well… yeah, you're kinda right," he admitted, then brightened. "But we chose you because you're a nice person, Lucy!" Lucy blinked. That was… surprisingly sweet. And completely off-topic.
Then Gray sauntered over, already stripping off his shirt as usual, completely unfazed by the current conversation or his own lack of clothing. "She doesn't have to team up with anyone she doesn't want to," he said, his voice cool, as if disrobing in public was the most normal thing in the world. "I heard she did pretty well last time. She'll probably get loads of offers."
Cana, drinking a barrel-sized mug beside him, didn't even look up as she drawled, "Gray, clothes!" which, predictably, sent him into a frantic scramble.
Natsu immediately seized the opportunity, said something to annoy him. And just like that, they were fighting again.
Out of nowhere, Loke appeared, a blindingly charming smile directed solely at Lucy. Before she could react, his arm was around her shoulder. Lucy froze, mentally cataloging her escape routes. "Say, Lucy, how about we form a team? Just the two of us?" He leaned in conspiratorially. "Even with my sunglasses on, your beauty is dazzling. I'm sure I would go blind if I saw you with my naked eyes."
"Go blind? Fine by me," Lucy said dryly. She watched his smile waver. He was about to try another cheesy line when his eyes fell on her collection of keys. His charming facade instantly crumbled, replaced by utter terror. "You're a Celestial Spirit Mage?!" he shrieked, his face paling to an alarming shade of white. He vanished in a blur, leaving a cloud of dust and a faint, dramatic wail behind him that sounded suspiciously like "Aiiiieee! Not again!"
Mirajane giggled softly. "He's… not really a fan of Celestial Spirit Mages. Rumor has it it was a girl long ago."
Before Lucy could respond, Natsu came flying, knocking both of them to the ground, courtesy of Gray's fist. "Knock it off, you guys!" Lucy snapped, picking herself up, a new bruise forming on her hip.
Before she could say anything else, Natsu and Gray butted their heads again, calling each other names and throwing insults like they were auditioning for a particularly aggressive comedy show. Beside them, Cana sat serenely, already halfway through her second barrel.
Everyone at the guild laughed at their antics. Even Lucy, despite the bruises, couldn't help a wry smile. This was definitely home.
While the usual morning chaos unfolded around her, Lucy noticed Yume in his favorite corner, hat pulled low, quietly nursing a cup of coffee. He seemed content to simply watch, a calm center amidst the storm, almost as if he knew something everyone else didn't.
A shadow fell across his table. He glanced up to see Cana Alberona, her ever-present barrel slung over one shoulder, a sly grin on her lips.
"Well, if it isn't the man of mystery," she teased, sliding into the seat beside him. "Care for a reading? First one's free—today's my lucky day."
Yume arched an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in his eyes, but nodded. "Why not? Hit me."
Cana shuffled her well-worn tarot deck with practiced ease, her eyes never leaving his. She laid out three cards, face up between them: The Tower, The Chariot, and The Moon.
She tapped each card in turn. "Hmmm… The Tower, The Chariot, and The Moon. Looks like trouble's coming by rail, and secrets will be revealed. Sound familiar?"
Yume smirked, unimpressed. "You always this dramatic?"
Cana's grin widened. "Only when I'm right. Stay sharp, Yume. Life's never quiet for long."
She winked, gathering her cards and rising to rejoin the guild's morning revelry.
Yume watched her go, the cryptic reading lingering in his mind. He took another sip of coffee, eyes narrowing thoughtfully.
_________________________________________
The Armored Wizard-
Suddenly, a terrifying hush fell over the guild. It wasn't the usual lull; this was the kind of silence that made your teeth ache. Loke, looking like he'd just seen a ghost (or perhaps been one), quickly came back, panting, shouted, "This is bad! Erza is back!"
The atmosphere shifted instantly. Lucy felt a prickle of unease, a cold dread seeping into the air, as if a storm cloud had just entered the building. And then she saw her. The rumors hadn't even come close. A woman in shining, heavy armor strode through the guild doors, casually slung over her shoulder an enormous, decorated monster horn, roughly the size of a small tree. She dropped it on the floor with a resounding THUMP that vibrated through the very floorboards. She looked every bit the powerful warrior Lucy had imagined, but somehow even more imposing, like a walking, talking, highly-polished warning sign.
"So pretty," Lucy muttered, barely audible, a mixture of awe and sheer terror. This was Erza Scarlet? She was… definitely different than Lucy had pictured.
"Is the Master present?" her voice was firm, resonating with an authority that left no room for argument.
"Welcome back! He's at the meeting, Erza," Mira said, her usual cheerfulness slightly subdued.
"And what is that?" another guild member asked, pointing at the massive horn with wide eyes.
"The horn of a monster I defeated," Erza stated matter-of-factly, as if slaying gargantuan beasts and decorating their remains was an everyday errand. "The villagers were… grateful and insisted on decorating it."
Lucy's jaw dropped. Insisted? Who insists on decorating a monster horn?
Erza's gaze then swept across the guild hall, and her brow furrowed. "Fairy Tail," she began, her voice taking on a dangerously sharp edge. "I have been hearing… rumors during my travels. Rumors of unnecessary destruction, of guild members causing trouble and bringing our name into disrepute."
Her eyes landed first on Cana. "Cana! How dare you drink dressed like that?!" Cana, for once, actually winced.
Next, she fixed her gaze on Vijeeter: "Vijeeter! Stop that ridiculous dance at the entrance. Take it outside!" Vijeeter froze mid-shimmy.
"Wakaba! I see cigarette butts on the floor. Still drinking on the job? Have you no shame?" Wakaba nearly choked on his smoke.
"Nab! You've been staring at that board all day! Have you actually taken a job yet?" Nab looked like he wanted to sink through the floor.
"Reedus! No more drawing on the walls." Reedus visibly deflated, his pen hand twitching.
"Gray! Clothes. Now." Gray, who'd somehow managed to lose his pants again, clutched at his modesty.
"Loke! If I hear one more complaint about your flirting, dish duty for a week." Loke, who'd reappeared, went pale again.
"Happy! Stop stealing fish from the kitchen." Happy, mid-swoop, dropped a half-eaten fish with a yelp.
"Natsu! If you start one more brawl in the hall, you'll be fixing the roof for a month." Natsu actually gulped.
"Macao!" (She just shouted his name, and Macao, to his credit, looked utterly terrified.)
Erza let out a sigh that seemed heavy with disapproval. "Honestly," she said, shaking her head slightly. "The state of this guild when the Master is away…" She paused, then seemed to collect herself. "Very well. I will let it slide… for now."
"She's… surprisingly talkative," I whispered to Mirajane.
Mirajane chuckled. "Strict, but proper. That's Erza for you."
The entire guild fell silent, every member suddenly sitting up straighter, the usual chaos replaced by a tense, almost reverent order. Lucy couldn't help but be impressed. This woman commanded respect through sheer force of… presence. It was terrifying and magnificent.
Then, Erza's gaze landed squarely on two figures in the middle of the room. "Natsu! Gray!"
Suddenly, Natsu threw his arm around Gray's shoulder, and Gray, looking utterly mortified, didn't shrug him off. "Erza! Welcome back!" Gray exclaimed, sounding unnaturally cheerful, like he was auditioning for a children's puppet show. Natsu even added an "Aye!" at the end, just like Happy, then gave Gray an uncomfortably tight squeeze.
"It warms my heart to see you two getting along," Erza said, her expression softening slightly, though her eyes still held a hint of suspicion. "Even if you do bicker occasionally, it's good to see camaraderie."
"Oh, we're not best friends or anything!" Gray quickly clarified, a nervous sweat beading on his forehead, trying to pry Natsu's arm off without being obvious.
Lucy stared at them, completely bewildered. Natsu and Gray acting nice to each other? And happy about it? This was definitely not normal. The world felt like it had just tilted on its axis.
Mirajane leaned in again, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Natsu once challenged Erza to a fight," she whispered. "He didn't last long. And Gray…" she shuddered slightly. "She caught him walking around completely naked – you know how he gets – and well… let's just say she wasn't pleased. And Loke once tried to flirt with her. She nearly sent him to the afterlife." Lucy felt a shiver run down her spine. No wonder everyone was so scared.
Erza, seemingly satisfied with their sudden camaraderie, addressed them directly. "On my way back to the guild, I heard some disturbing news. I need your help." Her gaze was unwavering. "We will depart tomorrow morning."
"Erza teaming up with Natsu and Gray?" someone whispered. "What could be so serious?"
Mirajane murmured, "Erza, Natsu, and Gray together... they could very well be the strongest team in Fairy Tail."
Natsu and Gray exchanged uncomfortable, uncertain glances, clearly not thrilled about teaming up, but knowing better than to argue.
A New Beginning
Far off, in the grim headquarters of a Dark Guild known as Eisenwald, several ominous figures huddled together. Their hushed voices discussed a mysterious seal and, with chilling intent, the very meeting of the Guild Masters. The shadows deepened, concealing their sinister plans.
_________________________________________
A New Beginning-
As the morning sun climbed higher, casting a warm glow over Magnolia, Lucy glanced around at her new friends, the bustling guild, and the legendary Erza Scarlet herself. She felt a thrilling mix of excitement and a touch of nerves—this chaotic, wonderful place was everything she'd dreamed of when she joined Fairy Tail.
In his usual corner, Yume finished his coffee, a faint, knowing smile on his lips. He could sense it too: the start of something big.
Yume watches the scene unfold with quiet interest. He notes the respect and fear Erza commands—how even the rowdiest mages fall in line at her presence. He catches the tension in the air, the way the guild's energy shifts from playful to serious.
As Erza discusses her mission,
Trouble by rail, huh? He glanced at the guild's mission board, where new requests were already piling up. Guess peace really doesn't last around here.
Magnolia was at peace for now, but adventure, in all its messy, hilarious, and dangerous forms, was undeniably calling.
Tomorrow, everything changes. A new journey begins.
END OF CHAPTER 8.