These people… do they really not need to work and still have money to drink all day?
Kira couldn't help but wonder this every time he stepped into the guild.
Take Wakaba, for example—the old chain-smoker, well into his forties, who seemed to ditch his wife and kids every day to booze and brag at the guild. The guy acted like he had more cash than Kira, who actually ran his own shop!
Was there some kind of pension plan in the guild? Wait… had Kira been forgetting to pay into social security or something?
Speaking of Wakaba, you couldn't mention him without bringing up his old… ahem, drinking buddy, Macao.
"Where's Macao, anyway?" Kira asked.
"Oh, he got injured on a mission," someone replied. "He's still recovering."
What? These guys actually go on missions? Kira thought, stunned.
Meanwhile, Macao, still nursing his wounds, would probably say, "Gotta provide for the kids, you know…"
On the other side of the guild, Gray and the others were about to share some funny stories from their latest mission when a loud roar cut through the chatter.
"You jerks are finally back!"
He's here, he's here! The moment Kira heard that familiar voice, he knew exactly who it was: the loudest, most hot-headed member of the Fairy Tail guild, the Fire Dragon Slayer and the manga's protagonist, Natsu Dragneel, had arrived!
"Sorry for keeping you waiting, buddy," Kira muttered under his breath.
Right alongside Natsu, as always, was his inseparable blue cat, Happy. And… there was someone new. Over the past few days while Kira and the others were off on their mission to Galuna Island, a newcomer had joined the guild: Lucy, the refined daughter of a wealthy family.
"I knew that guy would be pissed," Gray said with a smirk, eyeing Natsu's fuming expression. "Yo, Natsu! Back already? So, did you find that 'Fire Dragon King' or what?"
Natsu glared at Gray, practically steaming. "You've got some nerve asking me that! You all tricked me, and now it's time to settle the score!"
Happy, hovering nearby, fanned the flames. "Natsu got played so bad!"
Kana started to explain, "That's because—"
"And you guys went on an S-Class mission with Kira while I was gone!" Natsu interrupted, his envy practically igniting the air around him. "That's so unfair!"
Gray, loving every second of this, didn't bother clarifying the whole "Fire Dragon King" scam. After all, their Galuna Island mission was the perfect chance to rub it in. "Yup, we did!" he bragged. "What're you gonna do about it? S-Class missions are a whole different league, and you're not ready for that yet, hothead."
"What did you say, droopy-eyes?!" Natsu snapped.
Gray stripped off his shirt in a flash. "You wanna go? I got way stronger on this mission. Taking you down will be a breeze!"
"Stronger after one mission? That's just 'cause you were weak to begin with!" Natsu shot back.
"Then let's see what you've got, flame-brain!"
Before anyone could blink, Natsu and Gray were at it—their usual brawl kicking off with fists flying, tables flipping, and chairs soaring through the air.
Ping! Pong! The guildhall turned into a battlefield.
Kana sighed. "They're back for five minutes, and it's already chaos. Do these guys only think about fighting?"
Elfman, pumped up as ever, chimed in. "Tch, real men settle things with their fists!"
And just like that, Elfman dove into the fray.
"Stay out of this!" Natsu and Gray shouted in unison.
Now it was a four-way brawl.
Kira strolled over to the bar and leaned toward Mirajane. "When did Natsu get back?"
"Yesterday," Mira replied with a gentle smile. "He's been grumpy ever since he found out he got tricked. Oh, and he brought a new member with him!"
Kira and Loke turned to look at Lucy, who had come in with Natsu.
"Hi, I'm Lucy!" she said, stepping forward with a shy bow. She was clearly nervous, trying not to mess up in front of the guild's heavy hitters.
Some author's note: What? No for a first meeting? That's just common sense!
Lucy had gotten a taste of the guild's rowdiness when she joined yesterday, but since Gray and the others weren't around, she hadn't seen the real Fairy Tail chaos yet.
Kira gave her a warm nod and a smile. "Nice to meet you, Lucy. I'm Kira."
With his neatly styled red hair, sapphire-blue eyes brimming with charm, and a kind smile that put people at ease, Kira was the picture of a refined mage. His black-and-gold-trimmed outfit, paired with a white robe accented with golden patterns, screamed understated elegance. At first glance, he was every bit the poised, powerful wizard.
Lucy's eyes sparkled. Wow! That's Kira, the 'Sage,' the strongest young mage in Sorcerer Weekly! He's even kinder and more dependable in person than in the magazines. No wonder they call him the Sage—his vibe is totally different from Natsu's!
But then…
"Didn't expect Natsu, of all people, to start playing the bad boy and whisking girls off to the guild," Kira teased.
Lucy froze. Uh… did I just jump to conclusions too fast?
Loke, ever the charmer, stepped in with a dazzling smile. "Tch, these guys are so ungentlemanly, scaring a lovely lady like you. Don't worry, miss, you're in good hands now."
Lucy's eyes widened. Oh! That's Loke, the guy who's always topping the 'Most Popular Wizard Boyfriend' lists!
Loke gently took her hand. "I'm Loke. How about a romantic date tonight?"
"Nope!" Lucy yanked her hand back, her illusions shattered. Another playboy, huh?
Pointing at the chaotic brawl, she asked nervously, "Um, shouldn't we stop them?"
"Nah, don't worry about it," Kira said with a grin. "This is just another day at Fairy Tail. You'll get used to it."
Lucy blinked. Another day? I thought yesterday was wild enough. Was that just because half the guild wasn't here?
"Ha… haha… doesn't this get exhausting for Mirajane, though? Always dealing with the repair bills?"
Mira smiled sweetly. "Oh, it's a lot. Between keeping the books and chasing down payments, I'm swamped every day."
Kira chuckled. "Exhausting? Nah, if I got to collect money every day, I'd be thrilled!"
Even if it's for the guild.
Lucy: "…"
Natsu's fists burst into flames. "You guys are in my way!"
Gray cracked his knuckles, icy mist swirling around him. "One hit settles it!"
Elfman roared, his right arm transforming. "Real men fight with their fists!"
Kana pulled out her deck of cards, her mood sour. "I'm not in the best mood right now. Wanna test my new moves?"
Why was she in a bad mood? Because on the way back, she'd caved and bought Kira's new set of cards. Ten cards, 500,000 jewels—and she'd put it on credit. The thought of her looming financial crisis was driving her up the wall.
Loke rubbed the ring on his finger, itching to jump in. "Heh, this is getting my blood pumping!"
"Let's fight!" Natsu bellowed.
With that, flames, ice, heavy punches, lightning, and flashes of light erupted all at once, dazzling magic circles lighting up the entire guildhall.