A/N: Yo! I've fixed up this chapter and am going to fix the rest of the story so I hope that doing this will ignite my interest in this story. I'm totally into Fairy Tail again since I've recently restarted watching it.

~Sorry to my current alerters since some details will change and may confuse a bit later on. It has been a while since I've posted so feel free to reread if you have some freetime.

A/N: Just so you know, there will be lots of time skips throughout the story so I'll do my best to keep things from getting confusing.

Also, so you can relate to the story better, 1000 Jewels is about $10 so 10000 Jewels would be $100 in US money or so the FT wiki tells me :D

What started out as a normal enough day quickly turned bad. Now I'm running as fast as my skinny legs can carry me, which couldn't be all that fast considering the guards are right behind me and gaining ground fast.

What did I do to piss off the guards of this quiet little town? I have no idea! One minute I'm sitting down having a nice lunch, which I paid for by the way, and the next minute this big burly guy comes into the shop and demands that I leave with him.

I've had bad experiences with people like him. Which is probably why I started running. I swear to god these people are attracted to me, just my luck...

I shake my head to clear it and start sprinting even faster. Whatever these guys want, I'd rather not know. In my haste to get away I end up not paying much attention to where I'm going. Without warning I'm on the ground with my butt hurting.

I look up and notice a man with dark blue hair looking down at me. He looks like he's about to apologize, but I really don't have time for that kind of thing. I quickly get to my feet, but it's already too late.

The guards had caught up to me and boy did they look angry. I guess my trick early with the Yellowtail cart didn't sit too well with them; I wrinkle my nose at the strong fishy smell emanating from them. I'm just about to run again when I notice that they're in front of me, as well as behind, and there are no side alleys I can run into. Not to mention that the buildings are tall, too tall for a little girl like me to climb quickly without any help. Or magic.

Using magic has always been my last resort, it's one of the principles I carry with me from my Master, but I know I have little choice right now. It's either magic, or giving myself up to the guards.

The man I bumped into a minute ago is still here, looking shocked that someone like me can possibly have so many guards after her. Even if he wants to leave, he's stuck now. There's no way they'd let him pass through, just in case he's my accomplice. Which he isn't, but they won't believe me; I swear their policy is "Guilty until proven innocent"...

Next, the man did something I wasn't expecting, he spoke, not to me, but to the guards. "What could this little girl have possibly done to you to make you so angry?" It was a good question, and one I'd like to know the answer to. I hadn't asked before I ran for it. Now that I think about it,that probably proved my guilt to them.

A big, muscular guy steps forward to reply, the same one that found me in the dinner. He 's most likely their captain. "She didn't pay her taxes," he states rather calmly.

At his answer I get a confused look on my face, "Taxes? What taxes? I'm not even from this city."

"You didn't pay the visitor tax!" My confused expression remains so he continues, "At the west entrance to the city, our tax collector called in to tell us that a girl matching your description knocked him unconscious after refusing to pay the 10000 Jewels required to enter the city."

My expression changes to one of surprise. "Wait... So you mean he was telling the truth? I thought that he was just a thief trying to get my money. I mean, a ridiculous tax like that can't possibly exist, right? But you're saying it does?"

"Now then, why do you need so many guards to apprehend her?" The stranger asks. Another good question. He seems to be full of them. I really should learn to ask these kinds of things...

"The man at the west gate is one of our best men and she managed to knock him out! She's no normal child!"

That guy was one of their strongest? If this city was ever attack it would totally crumble. I shake my head at the prospect.

"For resisting arrest and injuring the guards of this city," the captain's now addressing me, "You are now charged a fine of 50000 Jewels."

My jaw drops open. 50000? I'd barely be able to pay the 10000 needed to get in, let alone something that's five times that price!

I bite my lip while I go through my options. There's no way I can pay, so I might be able to work it off. No, that would take too long. I could run? Nope, they're still blocking the way. I guess my only choice is to fight. I brush strands of my short maroon hair out of my face and sigh. So much for a low profile, and so much for reserving my magic.

I look up at the stranger who stood up for me, "Sorry you got dragged into this. " He responds with a smile, "Don't worry about it- I've been through worse."

"You need to duck now." He's just about to question what I mean when he notices what I'm doing.

By relaxing myself, I can focus my energy and direct it to my arms and legs. Black and purple magic begins to surround them.

Before the guards have a chance to react, I take off. While my magic is infused with my limbs, I become faster and stronger. I use my limited knowledge of hand to hand combat to kick and punch my way through the guards. They manage to get some attacks in as well. My pale face is littered with scratches, some bleeding, some not, and my maroon hair is getting horribly tangled.

After I knock out most of the guards on the blue haired man's side I decide that this is a good time to leave this screwed up town. Still using my magic, I sprint toward the closest exit, receiving stares from people as I go by.

I don't stop running until I'm well out of that place, but now that I'm in a forest I plan to keep my magic going until I'm sure that I'm safe. Panting, I place my hands on my knees to rest. I may be fit, but sprinting 2km is still tough. Really tough.

A noise in the bushes draws my attention. I slow my breathing and get into a fighting stance. I slowly inch towards the noise but sigh in relief when I realize it's only a rabbit.

Just as I let my guard down, something grabs my shoulder from behind, causing me to automatically roundhouse kick whatever it is. My kick is blocked. Standing on one leg isn't easy so I quickly begin to lose my balance and fall to the ground.

A shadow looms over me. I close my eyes and brace myself for the worst. But nothing happens. I tentatively open one of my eyes and see a hand. It was waiting to help me up. Fully opening my eyes, blue meets black as we make eye contact and I recognize the man from before. The one I had bumped into.

"You don't have to be frightened of me. I just want to help." He takes my hand and helps me up. Once I'm standing I quickly pull my hand away. All he does is smile at me.

"Why?" I ask.

"Why am I here?" I nod. "Because I wouldn't feel right about leaving a child out in this dangerous forest by herself."

"I can take care of myself."

"I saw. And I'd really like to know what type of magic that was."

"It's none of your business." I turn my back to him and walk a little ways away before he speaks again. I pause.

"I promise I won't do anything to harm you. You've been through enough today, I know that, but I just want to talk. It'll only take a few minutes."

I turn back around and study him. He seems just like any other man, but at the same time he seems different. Not to mention, he's going out of his way to be nice to me, which doesn't happen often.

He must have noticed me staring because he says, "Oh, if you're wondering why I seem different it's because I'm a wizard. My name is Macao and I'm from the Fairy Tail guild."

Fairy Tail? I've heard that name before. It's starting to come out of many people's mouths these days. Still, I shake my head. "I don't care who you are or where you come from. I just want to know why your still here."

Well... I was impressed with your skills. You have talent. Talent that, with better training, can help you in life."

I suppose that could be taken as an insult to my Master, but he's the one who ditched me, people can say whatever the hell they want about him. My face doesn't shift from it's neutral position and I wait for him to continue.

He gives me a sheepish smile and goes on "Right, well I just wanted to offer you a position in the guild."

"I'm just a kid..." I'm sceptical. I've never heard about famous guilds recruiting children to join

"Most of the new members are kids. About your age too. We're being overrun by them, but he guildmaster always says that they'll be the next generation of proud Fairy Tail members."

"No."

His smile disappears. "Why not?"

"I'm... The solitary sort..." It's true. Ever since I left home I've been mostly alone, and the last person I got close to just disappeared one day. It takes me a long time to warm up to a single person, so a guild full of people just seems out of the question.

"We have those types too," he counters. He's really intent on getting me to join. I don't understand why. "If you don't take this chance how will you earn money? And don't forget that it's a great opportunity to improve your magical abilities."

I shake my head again. "Sorry. I just can't see myself taking part in something like that." I incline my head in his direction and begin heading farther in the forest, away from the town.

Macao calls out after me, "You have a tough exterior, but you really are a sweet girl. I hope you change your mind. If you do, Fairy Tail is located in Magnolia."

Days later I find myself thinking about what he had said. It's true that I'm running out of money and I have no way to get more. Fairy Tail... Could I really fit in in such a place? I lean back and stare up at the clear blue sky.

Ever since Michael vanished, I've been by myself. Maybe being in other people's company will be a good thing. I make up my mind. As I stand up, I brush the dirt from my blue pants. Next destination; Magnolia Town.

I hope I'm not making a huge mistake.