Author's Note
Welcome to the story! Let's get right into it!
Lucy stared at the large building in front of her, knuckles white from clutching her instrument case so hard, trying to stop the trembling.
Fairy Tail Band Camp
Quite possibly the most feared and respected place for any instrumentalist, desperately trying to climb up the ranks to become the best of their class. Lucy was one of those hopeful players, scared of the competition but giving it their all no matter what.
Lucy knew she deserved to be here- she had proved as much at the auditions- but everyone here would be of a whole different caliber than what she was used to. She was a mortal among gods, and the realization of it hit her so hard that she had the sudden urge to turn around and go back home if only to calm her nerves.
The large wooden doors threatened to swallow her whole. She imagined her fellow bandmates staring at her through the fancy windows, laughing at her timidity. The large orange banner fluttered in the soft wind, the Fairy Tail mark a reminder of what exactly she was getting into.
She gulped, casting the depressing thoughts aside, desperately clawing for some hope to hang onto. Something to convince herself that she would have fun.
Friends.
But that was ridiculous. In her mind, she could already imagine the skilled players battling the way to the top. There's no room for friends when you're trying to be the best, at least, that's what her father always said.
The thought of having a rival made Lucy take a step back- she wanted nothing to do with it, even if it was just the distorted imaginings of her nervousness.
But Lucy Heartfilia was a go-getter, and she knew better than anyone what it's like having rewards and titles cast upon you for no reason other than who you are.
And she decided she didn't like it. She had fought so hard to get here. How could she just back away?
She couldn't.
So, with a burst of resolve, she pushed open the heavy door, hastily stepping inside the cool building. The wooden floors were worn with age. You could see the paths of those who came before, little dips in the hardwood that no one bothered to fix. The wallpaper was peeling, and yellowed from age, with some strips gathered on the floor. Every chair was either broken, or too unstable to sit on, but it wasn't like Lucy planned to.
"Yes, it's not exactly state of the art, is it?"
Lucy jumped at the voice, turning her head in its direction. A woman with long white locks looked at Lucy with kind blue eyes, a warm smile on her face. She rested on a broom, dustpan in her hand.
An embarrassed blush warmed up Lucy's cheeks. "I didn't mean to seem rude." She stammered. "I just thought-"
"Oh, don't worry about it. The band here is," she paused, searching for the right word," rowdy. The main office serves as a celebration hall."
She gestured to the other side of the room with her dustpan, where a small stage stood, red curtains apart, revealing a stool and microphone.
"Guessing by the instrument in your hand, I'm guessing you're here to play?" The woman continued, making her way towards the desk. Lucy followed her, nodding her head in affirmation.
"Okay! You have your papers and stuff, right?" The woman said upon arrival, typing away at the computer in front of her.
"Yeah," Lucy said, pulling the crumpled sheets out of her bag, smoothing them out as best as she could. "Here you go."
The woman took the papers and hummed to herself, skimming over all the useless information. "Oh!" She said, not looking up from the task at hand. "My name's Mirajane. You can call me Mira."
"Nice to meet you," Lucy replied, giving a small bow. "I'm Lucy, but I guess you already knew."
"I've been meaning to ask about that," Mirajane replied, setting the papers down to look back at Lucy. "On your forms, it says Lucy. Just Lucy. If your picture didn't match up, I'd send you away- I've done it more times than you'd imagine. Your last name is nowhere to be found anywhere. I thought it to be our mistake, but it was so repetitious that I assumed it was your preference."
She gave Lucy a pointed look as if she could see everything about it. Under the gaze, Lucy gulped. It may have made her look suspicious, but she was just scared. Scared that her secret would come out before she even got the chance to perform.
"Family issues, I'm guessing," Mirajane said, and Lucy nodded. "Okay. I suggest you come up with some last name- so you don't have to deal with some unnecessary drama. We have a nosy bunch, here."
"Okay." Lucy nodded. She hadn't even thought to think about that. She had just figured that she'd just be Lucy for the duration of her time here.
"Two more things and you'll be on your way!" Mirajane cheerily announced, eyes sparkling. "Because of the many people trying to infiltrate this band camp, we have stamps to identify our students. I suggest putting it in the most convenient spot for you, since you'll have to have your stamp checked from tomorrow onward at school entry and when boarding on trips. The stamp material is our own special recipe, designed to be picked up on by the scanners you'll grow accustomed to during your time here. Trying to copy it to enter won't work. If it is found that you've done so, you'll be removed from camp immediately. The stamp is not washable and can't be removed except through us, and, you won't get another one unless it, somehow, finds itself detached from your body by someone's own volition instead of yours. That being said, where do you want it and what color?"
"There isn't a paper with this information on it?" Lucy asked, trying her best to burn the information into her mind.
"Oh, of course. I'm supposed to tell students some things beforehand since no one reads the informational packets."
"You wouldn't happen to have a packet on you?" Lucy knew the importance of knowing the terms and conditions of anything she came across. How could she not? She was raised surrounded by contracts and business deals. "Oh, and… I'll take the stamp on my right hand in pink."
"Done and done." Mirajane pulled out a bulky packet, laughing at Lucy's expression.
"It's not as much as it looks. Most of it is about the actual establishment. The stuff that actually applies to you is only the first forty pages, and even then, it's double-spaced with a big font."
"Oh. That's great." Lucy sighed in relief.
"Okay, let's get you stamped," Mirajane muttered, pulling out a stamp pad and three jars, each branded with the Fairy Tail symbol. "We actually have three shade of pink- regular, pastel, and hot pink. Take your pick."
"Regular, please," Lucy said, watching as Mirajane stuck the pad into the jar, before wetting the stamp. She pressed it onto Lucy's outstretched hand, and Lucy shivered at the sponge. It was very, very cold.
Mirajane laughed. "We have to keep it cold- it's a wonder the ink doesn't freeze. Next thing! Just head into the walkway over there and there will be a large chute to your right. Slide your instrument into there- don't worry, it's safe. Turn right immediately after and there will be large double doors at the end of the hall. There you'll get to know your bandmates. Try to hurry- debriefing begins in five minutes."
"What's the chute for?"
"We're not on the best terms with some other band groups. An incident occurred a while back, and it ended harming several students. To make sure that doesn't happen again, we check all instrument cases beforehand and you will be checked right before heading into the classroom. If you have any prosthetic parts, just let them know."
She handed a folder to Lucy, who held it firmly in her hands.
"Your schedule is in there. As you probably know, this is more of an academy than a playing group. Each student is required to take certain classes based on your audition score. There's also a sheet that lists the different type of playing groups you can be in and such. It also talks a lot about 'The Hierarchy' and that will be explained to you soon."
"Okay." Lucy murmured, excitement, and fear, welling up inside of her. With the stamp, a sense of belonging came. She was a part of something big, the biggest band of all time. Forgetting to thank Mirajane, she headed towards the walkway, the words Mirajane just shouted after her replaying in her mind.
Welcome to Fairy Tail.
Author's Note
Band! Band! This is more like a prologue, I guess, but I'm excited! You're about to see what band is all about!