The morning sun spilled over Magnolia, warm and golden, as Astro stirred awake in his modest rented room. The walls were still bare, the bed just a simple frame with a mattress and thin blanket, but it was home—for now. He stretched, washed his face, and after much debate in front of the mirror, settled on a crisp blue shirt, black pants with blue stripes on the side, and a black cloak draped over his shoulders. It gave him a neat but slightly mysterious look.
"First full day as a Fairy Tail mage," he muttered, tying his boots. " I really hope they are not as loud as yesterday."
Astro pushed open the doors to Fairy Tail the next morning. The rowdy chaos from yesterday had simmered down; the guild was calmer now, more like a tavern than a battlefield.
Behind the bar, Mira was writing something into a note,, her white hair catching the sunlight through the windows. When she noticed him, her lips curved into her usual gentle smile.
"Good morning, Astro," she said warmly. "I didn't expect to see you so early."
Astro walked up to the counter, tugging lightly at the edge of his black cloak. "Well… it's my first official day as an official member. Figured it'd be bad form to start my Fairy Tail life by sleeping in."
Mira giggled softly. "That's good that you are motivated. You'd be surprised how many members skip mornings entirely. Half the guild only wakes up after noon."
Astro sighed, glancing around the hall. "I'll admit… it feels different today. Less chaotic. Yesterday I thought I'd walked into some kind of festival."
"That was just an ordinary day," Mira teased. "You just got to see us at full volume. Today is calm by Fairy Tail standards."
"Calm?" Astro muttered, watching two men already arm wrestling in the corner while another mage yelled bets from across the room.
Astro did not bother to dwell on it much further, finishing the last sip of drink Mira had poured him earlier. "Hey, Mira," he said, glancing around the lively guild hall. "How about you give me a tour of this place? I still don't really know my way around."
Mira's face brightened instantly. "Of course! Follow me." She gestured for him to follow and led him toward a wide hallway.
The first stop was a set of double doors carved with intricate runes. Mira pushed them open to reveal the guild's library—rows upon rows of shelves stacked high with tomes and scrolls, their spines glowing faintly with the touch of magic.
"You seem like the kind of person who'd enjoy this place," Mira teased, a playful sparkle in her eyes.
Astro blinked, scratching his cheeks. "…Do I look nerdy?" he muttered, though his feet betrayed him, moving closer on their own.
Rows of books beckoned: insight looks on everyday magic, battle strategies from seasoned mages, encyclopedias detailing magical beasts. The library wasn't huge, but every shelf was brimming with knowledge, offering insights into strengths, weaknesses, and tactics that could provide an enormous advantage in battle. His mind raced with possibilities.
Mira giggled softly, covering her mouth. "Oh yes, you'll get along with Levy just fine."
Astro furrowed his brows. "Levy?"
"She is on a job right now, but when she is free, she basically lives here," Mira said cheerfully. "Once she finds out you like to read too, you'll never escape from her clutch."
Astro sighed, realizing he'd already been labeled a bookworm, didn't bother to argue with her and followed her out.
Next, they descended to the basement storage. Boxes of supplies, spare weapons, and stacks of miscellaneous gear lined the walls. Mira explained the organization of the space while Astro discreetly noted the suspiciously large number of empty wine casks tucked into a corner.
Judging by the guild hall he saw yesterday, he suspected that this section would soon be converted entirely into an alcohol storage room. He even remembered a boldly dressed girl from yesterday drinking straight from a barrel, as if using a mere mug were beneath her.
Finally, they returned upstairs to the bustling job request board. Some Mages crowded around, picking requests with casual chatter. Mira waved her hand toward it with a flourish. "Here's the main job board. Most members pick their requests from here. Jobs range from deliveries to monster hunts, sometimes some guild members get special job requests only for them too. Those pay the most usually."
Mira pointed to the stairways to the 2nd floor and her tone grew more serious suddenly. "There's also a S-Class request board. Only S-Class mages are allowed to take jobs from there. And no one—no one—other than S-Classes are allowed on that floor."
Astro crossed his arms, clearly interested. "So how does someone become an S-Class mage?"
Mira explained patiently, "First, you need recognition from the Master. If he thinks you're ready, you can attempt the annual S-Class exam. Pass that, and you'll officially become an S-Class mage of Fairy Tail."
Astro's gaze sharpened. "How many S-Class mages are in Fairy Tail right now?"
Mira hesitated a little before answering. "Four—no… three."
Astro caught the flicker of change in her voice, He saw that she was uncomfortable with this topic so he didn't ask her more. Instead, he let his eyes linger on the forbidden second floor. S-Class mage… Well, let's set that as my next goal.
With that thought, he turned back to the main board and pulled a modest job request of investigating an unnatural phenomena. "Can I take this job?"
Mira's smile returned, warm but firm. "Yes, but since it's your first mission, you'll need to be accompanied by an experienced member. That's in the guild rules."
Astro tilted his head. "Then… is there someone you'd recommend?"
Mira tapped her chin in thought, then waved toward the corner. "Loke! Come here a moment."
Across the hall, a handsome man in sunglasses was busy leaning on a table, holding the waist of two women at two sides, charming them at once. When Mira called, his face lit up. He excused himself dramatically, sliding across the hall. "Mira, Don't tell me…" He adjusted his shades, striking a pose. "You're finally agreeing to go on a date with me?"
The two women Loke left behind giggled, whispering about how smooth he was. Mira ignored his theatrics, smiling sweetly. "Actually, I was going to ask if you'd accompany our new member, Astro. You were the rookie before him, so you know how it goes."
The sunglasses slid slightly down Loke's nose as he took in Astro. He looked up and down at Astro. His smile froze and pointed at Astro's chest. "But…he's not a woman."
Astro looks at loke speechlessly. He thought about what would be the correct response to that but he could not think of any.
Loke turned back to Mira immediately. "Sorry, Mira. I have urgent business to attend to."
He made a move to leave, Astro started looking around for another potential partner but he noticed that Mira's smile suddenly went away, her blue eyes shimmering with the faintest glimmer of moisture.
"Please, Loke?" she asked, tilting her head with an almost tearful expression.
Time seemed to freeze. Loke looked back and clutched his chest, caught off guard. "But…" After one more glance at her pleading expression, he saluted dramatically. "I'll do it!"
He grabbed Astro by the wrist dramatically, dragging him toward the door. "Don't worry, Mira, I will teach him everything and bring him unharmed."
Astro let Loke drag him and looked at Mira bewildered. He cast a sidelong glance at Mira, who waved cheerfully from the bar.
Astro sighed internally.
Lesson learned: the prettier the woman, the more dangerous the disaster they bring.