Chapter 2: Town of the Fairies

It wasn't until the train had finally come to a complete and total stop that Aki finally opened his eyes. He let out a groan as he leaned his head onto the back of the seat before him, the unpleasant nausea he'd spent the past few hours resisting through meditation ebbing through him as the other passengers began to file out of the car. For all his efforts to deal with his motion sickness, it was just that little bit too severe for the boy to think he'd ever really find some way to overcome it.

And as quickly as her could merge with the crowd, Aki bolted from the train car and out onto the solid ground of the platform, finding the first bench he could and plopping himself down on it.

"Haaagh… solid ground at last…" The boy flopped to his side as he groaned. "I'm never gonna get used to vehicle travel…"

"You doin' okay there kid?" A random passerby stopped, Aki nodding even as he refused to sit up, lifting an arm and limply letting his hand wave back and forth.

"Just need to sit for a few moments. I get motion sick so-urf…" Aki stuck out his tongue after sucking back the sour bit of bile that had come up his throat. "So, trains kind of suck."

"Well that reminds me of somebody," The passerby knelt before the boy, reaching into her basket and pulling out a fresh bit of bread from it. "Here, something to settle that stomach of yours."

"Ah… thanks," Aki sat up, taking the loaf and biting into it, his eyes going bright at the sweet flavor that hit his tongue. The woman chuckled as the boy was quick to scarf the rest down.

"Like it? That's a kind of sweet bread made here in Magnolia. Should help settle that queasy stomach as well."

"Should I, uhm…?" As Aki began fiddling into his pack, the woman shook her head, taking a seat next to the boy.

"You don't need to pay me a thing. I'm not going to leave a kid feeling ill in the middle of the station. Speaking of… are you here alone?" Aki nodded. "My, but you're so young! You barely look a day over twelve."

"… I mean I might be fourteen," Aki mumbled. "But uh, I'm actually traveling. See, I'm a mage! And I've always wanted to explore Fiore since I was small. Honestly it's too look for someone. But… I also wanted to see more than the city I was raised in. So, about a week or so ago I left home to start it. I'm planning to join a Guild, but I haven't really met anyone from one yet."

"If it's a Guild you're looking for, then you've come to a good place," The woman laughed, "I'm sure even a mage as young as you knows about Fairy Tail. They're only the most famous Guild in Fiore."

"I've heard a bit," Aki admitted. "But uhm… I'm not sure if it's a good idea to go and join the first Guild I meet, y'know?"

"Of course. But, you might find them more fun than you think. I'll give you the directions."

Following the woman as she gestured to follow, trotting after her up the steps and into the town beyond. Aki shut an eye as he was immediately hit in the face by a breeze, and his eyes brightened as he saw the people milling around.

"Take a look over there," The woman pointed off, noting a set of spires rising above every other building Aki saw, making a clear landmark. "That's Kardia Cathedral, the local church. Fairy Tail's guild building is just past it, right at the end of the city at the lakeside cliffs. It's impossible to miss. And here, as a welcoming gift."

"Thanks," Aki nodded his head as the woman handed him another loaf. "So, take the central path near the cathedral, and the building is right on the hill."

"Precisely. Good luck, kid. If you do decide to join them, be sure to stop by my shop along the center road sometime."

"Will do. And thanks for the bread!"

Aki waved to the woman as he trotted down the road, moving his pace to a walk so he could take in the sights as he pulled chunks from the bread to eat at a slower pace. The architecture was familiar to him, being common stone and mortar like he expected from a town in Fiore, being multistoried one and all and creating tightly packed blocks that the roads stretched between. The path he was following to the cathedral soon too him to a bridge crossing a gleaming artificial river, Aki's eyes trailing the path to find it created neat divisions within the city as it stretched along. And as much as a part of him wanted to just jump right in and expedite things by swimming his way there, Aki knew better than to shock people by doing something like that.

Keeping to the path, Aki followed it right to the center of the town, letting out a whistle as he looked up the spires of the cathedral. He'd read before how Kardia Cathedral was one of the three most well known of such buildings in Fiore, and what little history of Magnolia he knew also taught him the cathedral was also the oldest building in it, the landmark which the entire city had been built around. Like many a passersby, Aki took a moment to clap his hands together in silent respect before moving on towards the path leading further to the far end of the town.

As the path of the central cathedral square merged back into a single road, Aki could just another building almost the same size as the cathedral off in the distance. Far enough away that he could barely make out its details, but from the directions he had been given, the boy didn't need much more information to know what it was: The Fairy Tail guild building.

It certainly stood out compared to the other buildings of the city, with the somewhat off-white walls, bright red rooftops of its three stories, the uppermost which bore the guild's banner, and the front arch with the guild's name. It definitely gave the structure a presence, least of all its prominent situation within the town's layout. He particularly took in the emblem proper, a simple depiction of a tailed fairy, fitting to the name.

"So this is a guild proper…" Aki took in a breath, feeling a mix of nervousness and giddiness as he approached the door… and the second he pushed the large red doors before him open even slightly, he was bombarded with the sudden roar of something going on from within, flashes of light nearly blinding the boy through the gap in the doorway. "Huh?"

Whatever excitement Aki was feeling was all too suddenly dashed by the sudden worry something might be going on inside of the building. Pushing the door open and stepping in, instinct made Aki dodge as a chair suddenly came sailing towards him, his eyes bugging out as the object sailed out through the open door far too close to his head for comfort's sake.

It wouldn't have been incorrect to say that, with his upbringing in the capital city of the nation in mind, he would have come to expect a place as famous as Fairy Tail to be one with a certain level of professionalism to it. A place where the best mages in the land gathered and did their business.

So even less incorrect a statement would be that the young boy was in quite the state of shock as he witnessed the main floor of the guild currently hosting what had to be the most violent – and only – bar fight he had witnessed. Magic was being flung through the air with abandon, various members of the guild dogpiling and scrapping with each other amid scraps of broken furniture or on top of it.

Just complete and utter chaos.

"Agh! Hey kid, look out!"

Aki snapped out of his shocked state as a yell pierced his ears. Spotting a ball of fire sailing from the crowd and towards him, water was already gathering around Aki's arms as he realized he didn't have the time to simply dodge it. "Water Dragon's Lake Shield!"

As Aki threw his arms out, the water around them burst outwards into a dome surrounding him, the fireball harmlessly fizzling out as it crashed into the barrier. The boy sighed as the dome dropped, scanning around as he found the hall had grown all too quiet, and all eyes were now on him alone. He couldn't help but gulp at feeling a sudden kind of pressure in the room.

"Uhm… hi?"

No sooner had Aki given a meek wave than a crowd had suddenly formed around him.

"You're a mage?!"

"What kind of spell was that?! Did you say Dragon?! As in like, Dragon Slayer?!"

"That means he's like Natsu!"

"Does that mean we're going to get two Dragon Slayers?! Awesome!"

"Alright now everybody, don't crowd the boy!" A kindly woman's voice spoke up among the clamor, Aki currently flailing in place as he stammered in any attempt to reply. Gliding her way through, Aki caught sight of a young woman with white hair in a red dress, her soft blue eyes looking over the crowd. "Look at the poor thing! Can't even get a word out with all of you crowding him like that. Least of all letting a stray fireball almost hit him! We're lucky he happened to be a mage."

"I-It's fine, really!" Aki about yelped, clearing his throat when it suddenly cracked, earning him a laugh from the crowd. The young woman gave him a kind smile as his face flushed, impulse causing the boy to pull his hood up. "S-Sorry… I'm… not that good in big crowds. U-Uhm… my name is Aki Halcyon! I'm a mage from Crocus, and I've just started traveling around Fiore in the hopes of joining a guild. Nice to meet all of you!"

Aki took a polite bow, the crowd letting out collective hums, then being shooed away by the young woman. As they went about their business once more, Aki let out a relieved sigh, pulling down his hood.

"Here, why don't I get you something? And by the way, I'm Mirajane Strauss. You can just call me Mira."

"You're one of Fairy Tail's S Ranks!" Aki said, Mirajane nodding as she guided him over to a bar counter. "I've heard about you! I mean… you don't do a lot of work as a mage anymore, but you're crazy popular back in Crocus."

"My, am I?" Mirajane chuckled as she began picking a glass and plate off the shelves. "Crocus huh? You're a pretty long way from home then. Your parents really let you go so far away so you could join a guild?"

"Well uhm… it's a bit complicated," Aki put a hand behind his head as he chuckled. "I don't really… have parents. I've been being raised by my teacher since I was small. Though… I guess she's the closest thing I have to a mom."

"Well, if she raised such a polite boy, I'm sure your teacher is a wonderful lady. Do you have anything in mind for what you want to eat?"

"Uhm… maybe just some bread and meat? And a glass of milk."

"Coming right up! So…" as she began prepping the plates, Mirajane glanced back to Aki. "What the others guessed… you're a Dragon Slayer?"

"Yes." Aki nodded. "I left Crocus because, well… I'm actually looking for the one who taught me my magic. And my teacher, Anna, said the best bet would be to join a Guild. So that I could, y'know, take jobs that take me all across Fiore."

"And the one who taught you was…"

"A dragon. Who else would I have learned it from?"

"CALLED IT!" someone off at another table shouted, Aki flinching at the sudden yell.

"I suppose that makes sense," Mirajane gave a thoughtful hum as she set the prepped plate and glass before Aki. "Mind if I ask… when did this dragon of yours go missing?"

"Seven years ago," Aki raised a brow when he heard the crowd's chatter die down. "Uhm… specifically, it was on July 7. Is uhm… is there some reason everyone got quiet?"

"The same day that Natsu said…"

"No way that's a coincidence, is it?"

"Way too specific…"

"Uhm…" Aki looked around, then back to Mirajane. "Is there… something about that day?"

"It's just…" Mirajane let out a sigh, smiling again to bring the mood back up. "See, our guild happens to have a Dragon Slayer in it. And, the thing is… he also had the dragon who raised him vanish on that same day seven years ago."

"What?!" Aki wasn't able to stop himself from slamming his hands to the bar, shooting up as much as the stool would allow him too. "So there… Anna was right! She said Timaeus couldn't have been the only Dragon that vanished that day… and she said if I started traveling then maybe… who's this Dragon Slayer?! Is he in town right now?!"

"My my, eager, aren't you?" Mirajane chuckled, Aki plopping down in his seat again as he realized his outburst, once more hiding his face with his hood. "Unfortunately, you got here while our Dragon Slayer and his team are out on a job. They're likely not going to be back for a few more days."

"Can you at least tell me his name?"

"Sure! It's Natsu Dragneel. He also always has cat with him, named Happy. You won't miss them, I promise," Mirajane leaned on the counter as Aki started eating, the boy now bearing a thoughtful look. "Meaning if you do want to meet him, you're probably going to have to stay in Magnolia for a while."

"Well… I was thinking of staying for a few days anyway," Aki swallowed the bit of meat he'd taken a chunk out of. "I wanted to take a look at the lake here while I was at it. Are there, like, any ruins in it?"

"Hmm… not I know of. Is this about the dragon you're looking for?" Mirajane hummed when Aki nodded. "Unfortunately I can't say anything about rumors like that. If there were stories about a dragon living in the lake, we'd have looked into them ages ago. Sorry."

"It was a shot in the dark anyway," Aki shrugged. "I don't really have any leads to go on, honestly. Timaeus is a Water Dragon, and I remember growing up by the sea, or a lake… I think. So I figured, if I check around seaside or lakeside areas, I have a chance of finding him. But… now that I know another Dragon Slayer out there also had his dragon go missing on that day… maybe if we talk, we can piece something together."

"You just might!"

"Natsu…" Aki let out a hum as he closed his eyes. Something about the name was picking at his memory. Not out of recalling the name from the famous mages he'd read about, but something different. There was a familiarity to that name, but he just couldn't pin it down. "Gajeel, Wendy, Raios, Sting… it's one of those names."

"Hm?" Mirajane raised a brow.

"Well…" Aki cleared his throat as he lowered his hood. "I'm not sure, but every now and again I remember some things from when I was small. It's vague, but I do remember names. Natsu, Gajeel, Wendy, Lios, and Sting… I don't remember anything about them, but I know people with those names. Maybe it's just a coincidence though…"

"You might be surprised. With magic, there are few things that end up being coincidental!"

Aki about jumped when a new voice spoke. Snapping his head to the source, he came to face to face with a rather diminutive elderly man standing atop the bar counter, dressed in orange clothing and with a striped hat that made it look like he had horns. The small elder pulled at his chin as he looked Aki over, then giving a wide grin to the boy.

"Well you're certainly a good sort, ain't ya lad?" The old man chuckled as he pat Aki on the shoulder. "Certainly can't be a coincidence someone with a heart like yours ended up here so soon after starting your journey, no?"

"Not going to reprimand everyone for the ruckus, Master Makarov?" Mirajane chuckled, Aki double taking again as he looked from Mirajane then back to the old man.

"Bah! Least the fools didn't break much of anything. Would've been worse if the usual culprits weren't out on that mission Happy stole from the second floor," Makarov scoffed as he stuck his nose up, but there wasn't much hiding the somewhat amused smile on his face. "Cheeky brats the lot of them. Anyway!" the elder turned back to Aki as his face about split from his grin. "Looking to join a guild, eh kiddo? Fairy Tail'd happily bring you into our arms!"

"Eh?" Aki blinked a few times from surprise. "I-I mean… isn't there like, a process? You know… like some kind of test to make sure I'd do the right work, or be the kind of mage who…"

"Bah!" Makarov scoffed, Aki flinching. "Who needs tests when you have spirit? Anyone is welcome in Fairy Tail, so long as they're found fitting. Doesn't matter where you're from, how good a mage you are, or whether or not you've even fought us before! Our rule has always been that if the Guild Master approves, then you're with us."

"I see…" Aki was clearly in a state of trying to process the idea, which brought Makarov to give a laugh.

"What boy, growing up in the capital make you too used to formalities huh? Relax!"

"Well, I just…" Aki cleared his throat. "I'm… still not sure if it'd be a good idea to just join the first guild I meet. My teacher always said that if I'm going to decide on it, I should think carefully, but…"

"But…?" Makarov craned his head.

"She also said that… if something felt right, then I should follow that instinct. And… this place makes me feel something like that," Aki chuckled as he looked to Makarov. "Is it alright if I at least take a day or two to think on the offer? At least until that Natsu guy gets back. I'd kinda like to meet him to see what he knows about dragons.

"Of course!" The old man laughed. "Take the time you need kiddo. Can't say anything is going in Magnolia right now that'd make the wait shorter."

"Well, I did only just get here," Aki said, "I might as well look around the town and learn about it, right?"

"And some of our members would happily tell you all about what it's like here," Mirajane added. "With how excited they got, it'd be a shame for you not to meet at least a few, right?"

"Definitely."

With that, Makarov dismissed himself and Aki resumed finishing his meal. Once that was done, the boy hopped from his chair, waving back to Mirajane as she sent him off. As he was stepping back out into the streets, a sudden call drew Aki's attention back to the doors of the guild.

"Hold it for a second kid!" A girl went rushing through the closing doors, two young men behind her as she went. Aki noted that, despite no doubt being older than he was, the blue haired girl approaching him was the same height as he was.

The young men behind her were much taller. One dressed in a white shirt with two belts wrapped across it, and black hair styled like a curved antenna of some kind, while the other was in a brown coat and a tall hat that, oddly enough, matched it, which kept his orange hair just beneath it in check despite how it flared out.

"You're just leaving like that?" The one with the tail-hairdo said, Aki putting a hand to his head.

"I'm gonna think on whether or not I'm going to join for a couple of days," Aki said. "Enough time so I can meet that Natsu guy, at least."

"Ahh, and here I thought we'd get another one already," the man in the hat mumbled. "But, fair enough I suppose."

"You're pretty mature for a kid your age," The girl chuckled. "Anyway, it's nice to meet you. The name's Levy McGarden, and…"

"I'm Droy…!" said the tail-head.

"And I'm Jet!" said the third. "And we're…"

"Team Shadow Gear!" Aki could only stare as the three then decided to pose in time with their declaration. The silence grew rather… awkward as Aki visibly processed the display. To which the three immediately fell out of their poses, clearing their throats and clearly embarrassed now.

"A-Anyway!" Levy cleared her throat, "Since you are considering joining the guild and all, how about a some of us long timers show you around town? We'd feel a bit bad letting a kid wander around Magnolia all on his own when he barely knows the place."

"Plus, it's not every day you meet a Dragon Slayer!" Droy laughed. "People were still wondering what you could do in there."

"Well I can't blame people for being curious," Aki chuckled. "And I'd like a tour around town, thank you. Again, I'm Aki Halcyon, a pleasure to meet you all."

"Come on, don't be so formal!" Jet chuckled, "No need for that in a place like this. Even if you haven't joined us yet, just getting approval from the Master makes you a friend to the guild already."

"I see… hehe, Fairy Tail really is interesting. And so far, most of the stories I've heard are about how you all keep wrecking places you take jobs in!"

"That's…" Levy looked to the side as she cut off an attempted denial. "Well, okay that's true. Our big hitters have a habit of overdoing it. A lot. So, we get complaints all the time."

"Sounds… troublesome."

"Well it usually means the rewards from jobs end up going to paying for repairs."

"… that sounds rough."

Another moment of silence ensued as the members of Shadow Gear nodded to the boy's clear pity over the situation.

"Anyway!" Levy shouted, "Let's get going! Team Shadow Gear has a new job: Show the prospective kid how awesome Magnolia is!"

"Yeah!" As Jet and Droy cheered, Aki brought a hand to his mouth as he chuckled. Anna, you were right… the people around Fiore really are interesting. Maybe… I really might just decide to stick with this guild.

After a day spent wandering up and down Magnolia, being shown every landmark and site of interest by team Shadow Gear, Aki found it all too pleasant to finally stop at an inn and flop down onto the soft bed of the room. It was simple, as an inn room ought to be in his opinion. Simply a place for those passing through to reside for a time while away from more permanent residences. But Aki quite liked that simplicity. There was a certain comfort to it, an odd, nostalgic reminder of his little shelter in his youngest years when he was still being trained by Timaeus.

As he rested, he took a moment to pull a wooden board and pen out of his bag, alongside a pent he pulled the cap from with his teeth. It was something he'd been advised to take with him if ever he felt the need to pen something down, so that's exactly what he did. A simple letter, one he wasn't intending to finish yet, but at least start. Something to send back to Crocus as he traveled, so that he could let that friend of his back in the capital how he was doing and what he had gotten up to so far. He could only hope she would find it interesting once it all got underway.

As he finished scratching away with the pen, Aki set the items aside and laid down proper. He couldn't hide the smile on his face as he nestled into the bed, all too excited for the coming day and what could come with it.

… and that excitement was all but dashed as Aki awoke to find Magnolia in an uproar.

He hadn't even left the inn before he started hearing people murmuring in the streets, and what he heard had promptly sent the boy into a hurry.

"Fairy Tail was attacked in the night."

Almost conveniently, a crowd had formed along the main road as Aki hurried to the guild hall. He could just make out the silhouette of the damage to the building, but it would take getting closer for the boy to see the full extent of it. Not helped by the fact that his height meant getting a view past the crowd was incredibly difficult for him to do.

So instead, Aki took the rooftops, clambering up the side of one building and dashing the rest of the way. And he skid to a stop at the last roof before the guild building in shock.

While the structure still stood, it was now an absolute mess. Giant pillars of iron jutted from the building in haphazard directions, piercing through the walls and roof of each level. Splintered wood was scattered across the road, and even some of the buildings in direct proximity to it suffered damage. And hanging from the broken remains of the building's entrance was a banner, dark purple, bearing a logo that Aki also knew from his research on Guilds: The logo of Phantom Lord. A Guild he knew for a fact had carried a long-time rivalry with Fairy Tail.

"… but isn't this taking it too far?" Aki mumbled. Looking down to the crowd, he wasn't surprised to spot a number of people he'd seen in the guild the previous day. Scanning further, he then spotted Makarov at the front of the crowd, though he couldn't see then old man's expression from his perch. "Master Makarov!"

Aki leaped from the building and to the front, Makarov turning as the boy approached. "Ah, the young Dragon Slayer! Seems the news reached you as well."

"Hard not to…" As Aki met Makarov's eyes, he flinched. While the old man certainly looked calm, almost carefree even, his eyes told a different story. They burned, the sheer offense of his guild being attacked like this clearly enraging the master. "Was anyone hurt?"

"Thankfully no," Mirajane approached, Aki turning to her. "None of us were in the building last night, so there's no injuries. But… going the damage, we're not going to be able to use the full building for a while."

"The basement should be intact," Makarov hummed, then turning to his guild members. "Alright kids, listen up! I know how you all feel about this. This is clearly a declaration from Phantom Lord. But…" Makarov's arm suddenly stretched outwards, his hand growing as he snatched the banner from the building. "They attacked in the night when none of us were here! We call that acting like cowards! A building can always be rebuilt. What matters is that none of us were injured. So long as Fairy Tail can continue working, something like this is barely even a setback, understood?"

"It's not like we could retaliate anyway," Mirajane noted, Aki glancing at her as Makarov continued to speak. "Aki, how much do you know about the laws mages have to follow under the Magic Council?"

"Mostly what everyone knows," Aki said. "The distinction between Legal and Dark Guilds, some of the basic regulations on the kinds of magic that can be safely practiced… and that open conflict between Legal Guilds is verbatim illegal. Sometimes the Council won't even let Legal Guilds go after a Dark Guild without their express permission."

"Exactly. And our guild doesn't have the best relationship with the Council. As much as we may want to… there's some rules even Fairy Tail knows we must follow."

"But this is…" Aki's hands balled up tightly, one hand unfurling and palming at something under his shirt. Should I? No… no. He said not to do that unless I absolutely had to. I'm supposed to be a normal mage. The only time I should show this is…

"Aki?" Mirajane's call pulled Aki out of his pondering, the boy shaking his head.

"Sorry, just… thinking about something," Aki drew his hand away from whatever he was palming, causing Mirajane to tilt her head.

"Well, that should keep things calm for now," Makarov turned back to the two, having long since finished his speech. "I feel a need to apologize, Aki. Here you were likely all excited about things, now all of a sudden this mess has happened."

"N-No!" Aki objected. "I mean… yeah I guess it took the wind out of my sails, but… getting outright attacked by another Guild like this clearly isn't sitting well with all of you. I… is it fine if, while I'm here in Magnolia, I help you out in case this gets worse? There's no way whoever did this for Phantom Lord isn't going to sit quietly about it."

"You're saying they may plan to escalate this further?" Makarov hummed as Aki nodded. "You might be right. But, unless they do, there's nothing much to be done. As I said, a building can be repaired. All I care about is whether or not my children were harmed. And none were… as far as I'm concerned, that's what matters most about this Guild. Though… not being able to use the full building for a while is going to be a nuisance. Ah well! Good chance for remodeling I suppose."

"Master, please be serious about it," Mirajane sighed. Then she perked. "Though… perhaps you have a point about the remodeling."

"And besides… I don't want to drag a child who isn't yet one of ours into this if it does become a mess," Makarov added, a stern expression on his face as he turned to Aki. "Aki, I do appreciate your offer to help us. But as someone who is currently a passer through making a decision, I cannot in good conscience allow you to get involved in this if it does get worse. It will be between us and Phantom Lord. Do not make your decision because of this. Make it because of that feeling you told me of yesterday."

"I… of course," Aki nodded his head, Makarov giving an approving smile. "At least let me help you guys clear out the debris. I can probably help deal with the pillars too. One of my spells should be able to cut through the metal."

"You can do that?" Makarov's brow raised, Aki nodding. "My my… well then, if it's that much for help, feel free. We'll need all the hands we can to clean up the mess at the least. That much I can allow you to help us do for now."

"Thank you," Aki turned back to the now ruined guild hall, his eyes trailing down the iron pillars. And yet again, like when he heard the name Natsu, an odd feeling of familiarity came about him for some reason. He didn't know why that was, but it was there once more. I've got this weird feeling… that whatever is going to happen next… there's a reason it will. Anna said if I left, then I might meet people who'd be important for me to know… did she mean other Dragon Slayers? And… those names that I remember? Maybe… maybe getting involved with Fairy Tail is exactly what I need to do in order to find out.