Fiore Academy

Chapter Three – Club Selection

Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail in any shape or form. I am a mere FF writer paying tribute to the world of Hiro Mashima, the rightful owner of Fairy Tail.

Authors' Note – First, I would like to apologise to all my readers of Fiore Academy for the long wait. I was recently working primarily on my other story 'The Flame of Life', which If you haven't read, be sure to check it out. Anyway, here is the long awaited third chapter of Fiore Academy.

Natsu groaned as his alarm blared off in the middle of what was a peaceful sleep. He had stayed up late last night, lying in bed pondering over what Erza Scarlet, the Student Council President had offered him.

She wants me to join the disciplinary committee? Natsu thought to himself for what must of been the thousandth time. I have no clue what I should do… and I've only got hours to decide what it is that I should do.

Natsu forced the thoughts to the side of his mind as he got ready for the long day of school ahead. There were no classes today, as today was Club Selection Day, where every student had to choose a Club to join unless they had other pressing engagements.

Fifteen minutes, Natsu began his approach to the Academy Campus Gate, still deep in thought over what he should do. As it was, he did not expect the tackle from behind.

"Morning Natsu!" Mirajane Strauss greeted enthusiastically as she hug-tackled Natsu from behind.

Natsu grunted, "Mira! Can you please dial it down?"

Mirajane let him go and looked him in the eyes, working a pouting puppy dog appearance in her blue gems of eyes.

"I'm sorry Natsu… didn't realise you didn't like being hugged" she pouted.

Natsu sighs, "Don't give me that look… I do enjoy being hugged… I was just surprised is all".

Mirajane seemed to ponder this, "So you're saying… that I can hug you if you see it coming?"

Natsu began to realise something was up, "What's up with you Mirajane? You're acting kind of… different". Natsu's answer came with a greeting call coming from behind him. Strangely, it was Mirajane!

"Oh no! Mira-nee is here… I got to go!" the first Mirajane squeaked and began to run away, but just before she rounded the corner, Natsu could have sworn that the girls' hair became shorter.

Natsu shook his head and turned around to see a frowning Mirajane.

"Who was that?" Mirajane asked him.

"I thought it was you" Natsu replied.

Mirajane frowned, "Don't tell me… no… never mind".

"What is it?" Natsu asked, "Do you know who it was?"

Mirajane smiled, "I do, but… I won't tell".

Natsu groaned, "Whatever, let's just go then" with that, Natsu hiked his bag over his shoulder and began to walk into the school.

Meanwhile, Mirajane was deep in thought. Oh Lisanna… if you want to talk to him, use your own face.

With that thought in mind, Mirajane followed Natsu into school for Club Selection Day.

…..

Before the day could begin, everyone had to report to their homeroom where their names could be marked off the roll by their head teacher.

As Natsu took his seat he said hello to the girls sitting next to him.

"Hey Lucy, sleep well?" Natsu asked the busty blonde as he took his seat.

Lucy turned toward him and smiled, "Pretty alright… my sister kept me up half the night, but I feel rested enough".

"Your sister?" Natsu asked.

Lucy nodded, "I share a room with my sister Ashley, she's my twin and she's in class 2B".

Natsu nodded, "I guess I should get to know my classmates while I'm here".

"Be happy to get to know you too Natsu" Lucy smiled.

Natsu turned toward the other girl, Lisanna, Mirajane's sister.

"What about you Lisanna? Sleep well?" Natsu asked her.

Lisanna looked at him, blushed and turned away. Little did Natsu know, but Lisanna was the one who impersonated her sister that morning at the gate.

"Okay… just let us know if you need anything" Natsu tried to talk to her, but to no response.

"Don't worry about her… she can sometimes be shy around people she doesn't know… or people she likes" Lucy said with a smile.

Natsu didn't pick up on what Lucy was insinuating, "I guess we should get to know each other then" Natsu said, deciding to get to know the little sister of Mirajane no matter what it took.

Just then however, driving Natsu from his thoughts, the classroom door opened and Ur Milkovich into her classroom.

"Alright kiddos, today is club selection day for all of you first years… don't do what most do and goof off most of the day and make a split decision at the end of the day… trust me, you will regret it since you cannot change clubs except under special circumstances, and tardiness is not one of them".

Watching to make sure her class understood, she continued, "Now then, all I need to do is take the roll and then let you kids go do whatever, so long as by the end of the day, you all choose a club".

With that, the roll was taken, and the day had begun.

…..

"I've already offered you a position on the disciplinary committee, why do you feel the need to look around?" Erza asked Natsu as her, Mirajane and Natsu walked around the Club Stalls.

"I told you, I still don't know if I want to join the committee, so I'm looking around just in case" Natsu replied, annoyed to have to explain this for the third time in just as many minutes.

"Let him do as he wants Erza, you can't force him to join the committee" Mirajane spoke pleasantly.

"I can try" Natsu thought Erza muttered but thought he must have misheard.

"So, what kind of clubs does this Academy have?" Natsu asked the pair. It was Erza who reluctantly answered.

"We have two types; Magical and non-magical" Erza began, "Your non-magical clubs can be anything from tea ceremony to kendo… whereas Magical can be anything from research to combat".

"Combat?" Natsu asked, wondering what such an open word could be used to mean.

"You could say it's the equivalent to all of the non-magical clubs involving martial arts, except it's one club and the type of combat is magic based. You're taught non-magical fighting as you may sometimes find yourself in situations where you can't use magic… but for the most part, it's focused on battle-magic… this club is favoured for those who aspire to become enforcers".

"Enforcers?" Natsu asked.

Erza looked at him funny, "I thought that the Dragneel family was one of the Royal Clans… how can you be so out of touch that you don't know what enforcers are?"

Natsu felt a shiver crawl down his spine, "Who told you about my family?"

Erza laughed, "As If I wouldn't know Natsu. After what happened at the opening, I wanted to know more about the man who beat me so handily; of course, I looked into your school file, and of course it told me you were a member of the infamous Dragneel Clan".

"Is that why you want me to join the committee? Because of my family?" Natsu asked, feeling a little dejected at the thought.

Again, Erza laughed, "Natsu… I don't care If you're a member of a Royal Clan, the heir of it too, nor would I care If you were a nobody… after the opening, I decided you were fit to join even before I looked into your file… by beating me, you have singled yourself out as one of the most powerful mages this academy has ever seen… and you hadn't even started your first day… It's only natural I would want you close".

Mirajane had to hide a smirk behind her hand, that isn't the only reason you want him close Erza, she thought mischievously.

"I see… It's good to know it isn't because of my family" Natsu sighed in relief; he really was tired of all the easy-shots he had been given in life because of who his family was.

"Well now that is over, I think we should see if there is anything you'd like to do more than the committee. What do you say Natsu?" Mirajane spoke to the pair of them.

Both of them nodded, and the trio set off to see if there was any club that Natsu would like to join.

…..

"I feel like we're being followed" Natsu spoke quietly as they walked through the park at lunch time, sipping on coffee and munching o burgers.

Mirajane nodded, "I agree, I've had this feeling for a while now… I wasn't so sure when we were amongst the stalls; plenty of people were around. But now that we're in the park… yes, I'm certain we're being followed".

Erza nodded, "I agree, who do you think it is?"

Natsu shook his head, "How should I know… maybe it's whoever changed their appearance to look like Mirajane this morning?" Natsu suggested, looking to Mirajane for an answer seeing as how she said she knew who that was.

However, Mirajane shook her head, "No, she isn't a stalker… this is someone else".

Erza sighs, "Unless we do something about it, we're just going to keep talking about it, which is pointless".

With that Erza turned around and began to stalk amongst the tree… until finally.

"What are you doing Juvia Lockster?" Erza called out, loud enough for Mirajane and Natsu to hear.

"Juvia?" Natsu questioned Mirajane.

Mirajane smiles, "She's in class 2-A, my class, and she can be kind of odd at times, she speaks kind of old fashioned and sometimes she can be a little depressing".

"Do you think she's the one following us?" Natsu asked.

Mirajane frowned, "I would say so… she's the kind of person who would".

Natsu nodded and looked up to see Erza all but dragging Juvia back to them.

"Natsu, this is Juvia Lockster, it would seem she's been following you since you left your dorm this morning" Erza declared, pointing to the blunette beside her.

Natsu couldn't help but feel a strange feeling course through his body. He felt an attraction towards this other girl, like how polar opposites attract to one another; and Natsu had a feeling they were polar opposites.

"Hey Juvia, I'm Natsu" Natsu tried to greet her comfortably, all the while feeling that strange feeling.

"H-hello… Juvia k-knows who you are" Juvia said nervously and barely audible.

Natsu nodded, "I see… why were you following us?"
Juvia began to frantically shake her hands in denial, "No, no… Juvia didn't mean anything by it… Juvia just… Juvia just wanted to see you is all".

Meanwhile, Mirajane was frowning; how many girls were going to fall for Natsu? At this rate, her own chances at getting him weren't very good.

"J-Juvia has to be going now… Juvia has to help her club" without waiting for a word of goodbye, Juvia immediately began to run off back to the Club Stalls.

"She was a little… odd. But I wouldn't mind getting to know her better" Natsu spoke honestly.

As the trio too began to walk back to the stalls, Mirajane was deep in thought.

I have to make a move… If I don't, then… someone else will get him.

…..

For hours, the trio scanned through the various number of clubs the school had to offer; there were literally a hundred of them!

In those hours, Natsu discovered one thing; none of these clubs, despite their variety and number, were interesting to him.

The last club they were to look at however, was one that Natsu knew he would be interested in; The Kendo Club.

Walking into the Kendo Hall, the trio were immediately treated to the sight of three matches going on at the same time as part of a club demonstration.

"The Kendo Club is easily the most popular of all the clubs" Mirajane began to explain, "Hence why it also has the largest budget".

Erza shrugged her shoulders, "They deserve it, I figured if fifteen percent of the students are in the club, then the club deserves fifteen percent of the budget".

Natsu nodded, "Sounds fair enough".

However, before they could continue talking, a voice called out from the middle of the training floor, "Erza-nee!?"

Erza all but face-palmed, "Great, I should've known she would be here; she is their Club President after all".

Natsu turned back to the source of the sound, and saw a girl who looked to be in her second year, with long black hair and wearing a white, traditional Japanese robe.'

"Hello Kagura" Erza said as though it were forced. But the girl, Kagura, didn't appear to notice.

"Oh Erza-nee! It's so good to see you… what are you doing here?" she asked.

Erza pointed to Natsu, "I'm just showing Natsu around is all, he's trying to decide what club to join… even though I've already offered him a place on the Disciplinary Committee".

Kagura looked at Natsu as though he were disgusting, "You offered him a place on the committee? Why?"
"Because he beat me in a fight" Erza said simply.

"What did you say Erza-nee? There is no way anyone could ever beat you" Kagura all but purred.

Erza sighed, "Anyway Kagura, he isn't sure if the Committee is for him, so we've been looking at clubs all day".

Kagura nodded, "Well, I guess you can do what everyone else does, watch and see If you like what you see… they usually do like what they see" she added as she walked away, "I'll see you afterwards Erza-nee!".

With Kagura gone, Erza let out a deep breath she had been holding, "That's a relief… I felt for sure she was never going to leave".

"Are you and Kagura sisters? She kept calling you 'Erza-nee'" Natsu asked Erza who shook her head.

"No… she just thinks of me as an older sister, and if that were the case… she would have a major sister complex" Erza breathed out, as though exhausted by the topic.

Natsu nodded, "I see".

Before the trio could sit down though, a loud bang echoed throughout the hall. The source was the front doors, where a group of a dozen or so students were walking in.

"Gajeel! What is the meaning of this?" Kagura called out to the man in front, a man with long, spiky, black hair and metal studs across his entire body, with a smirk like a shark.

"What's the matter Kagura?" Gajeel taunted as he and his group sauntered in, "A little surprised to see us?"
Erza leant over to Natsu's ear, "You didn't get to see him before, but that is Gajeel Redfox, Club President of the Combat Club… the Combat Club and the Kendo Club have been rivals since the founding of this Academy" she whispered into his ear.

Natsu nodded his understanding and watched the scene before him.

"You're not allowed Inside the Kendo Hall Gajeel, not you or any of your group, not after what some of your guys did to the previous President last year" Kagura retorted at them.

"What did they do?" Natsu asked Mirajane who was looking at the Combat Club group darkly.

"We found her in the middle of this hall toward the end of year, beaten up, cuts and bruises all over. Her clothes were torn all over, and… she suffered an embarrassment some would consider worse than anything".

Natsu looked at Mirajane with wide eyes, "You don't mean…" he began, but his voice failed.

Mirajane nodded, "Yes… the woman Kagura succeeded as President, was raped. Everyone could tell it was members from the Combat Club, since they'd been making threats to do something to the Kendo Club for ages… but there was never enough proof, and the president was too afraid to speak up".

Natsu had to ground his teeth; there was little more he hated than people who did that kind of terrible thing… it was just wrong.

"It's said that Gajeel was the first one to do it… but like I said… there wasn't any proof" Mirajane continued.

Natsu couldn't help but feel rage at the man in front of him, who even now was taunting Kagura.

"What is it that you want Gajeel?" Kagura growled.

Gajeel raised an eyebrow, "What is it that I want? There are a lot of things that I want Kagura… first would be your budget… next would be your hall… then your clubs' disbandment… and lastly, I wouldn't mind If you kept my bed warm, if you catch my drift".

"You're a pig, and the only action you'll get from anyone is if you force it… like you've proven in the past" Kagura spat at him.

Suddenly, a dark look washed over Gajeel, "What did you say slut?"

Kagura began to feel a little nervous; she only had six guys with her and Gajeel had a dozen; they were outnumbered two to one.

"I don't want any trouble Gajeel… just grab your guys and go" Kagura began to panic; she didn't want her members to get hurt.

Gajeel began to laugh and said, "It's too late for that girly". Gajeel began to turn his entire right arm into Iron, and then reshape it into a sharp blade.

Kagura immediately held up her Kendo Sword; she had left her real sword in the changing rooms.

The rest of Gajeels' guys summoned their own weapons, from spears of fire, to maces of earth. Kagura's members held up their Kendo Swords, although one did use their own magic to re-enforce their own sword with an enchantment.

Gajeel laughed, "Face it girly, there is no way you can win, you're fighting us with sticks".

Kagura began to frown; she knew there was no way she could beat Gajeel right here, she needed help.

Gajeel raised his sword-arm and smirked, "I'm going to cut you up real nice girly".

Gajeel swung down his sword, and Kagura raised her Kendo Sword to block, knowing full well that it would not stop his blade. But then…

"What the!?" Gajeel cried out while Kagura could only stare in shock.

Suddenly, Gajeel's sword-arm had turned into molten iron and immediately fell straight to the floor. Luckily, it cooled quickly.

Gajeel began to look around enraged, "Who did that!?"

Meanwhile, Natsu sighed and stood up. Gajeel's eyes immediately locked onto their target.

"Who are you?" Gajeel growled at Natsu.

Kagura however, recognised the pink haired boy; Erza-nee's friend!

"My name is Natsu Dragneel, heir to the Royal Clan of Dragneel, Prince of the Flame and Son of the Dragon" Natsu announced, using his titles only because his father taught him to do so when challenging an opponent… the only reason he didn't against Erza was because he had no time.

Gajeel laughed, "Is that supposed to scare me or something?"

"No" Natsu replied softly, "But it is a warning".

Gajeel began to seethe, "I don't care if you have a hundred titles, there is no way I'm going to get scared by a first year!"

"Spoken like someone who is scared" Natsu said softly.

"Prepare yourself runt!" Gajeel screamed.

Natsu smiled; this wouldn't take long.

…...

"I can't believe you beat Gajeel so easily" Kagura said as the four of them; Natsu, Mirajane, Erza and Kagura, walked around the packing stalls around them.

"To be honest, I don't see what was scary about him" Natsu said honestly.

Kagura shook her head, "I could beat him no questions asked if it were one on one, but… we were outnumbered".

Natsu nodded, "I guess you're right… and besides that you were using a wooden stick against an Iron sword".

Kagura laughed, "Yes I suppose you're right".

"Well then" Erza began as she interrupted the two's bonding, "Natsu? Have you decided?"
Natsu stopped walking, causing the three girls to stop also.

"It's a toss-up between the Kendo Club and the Disciplinary Committee for sure" Natsu admitted.

"What is it then?" Mirajane asked, smiling.

Natsu thought for a moment before nodding, "Okay then, I guess I'll go join the Committee".

Natsu thought that Erza would be happy, but what she did exceeded his expectations. Suddenly she walked closer to him and hugged him, and quicker than Natsu could register, she placed her lips upon his own.

For seconds, Natsu was locked in the embrace of Erza. He did not resist; it felt good. But when she broke it off, he realised he was also confused.

Meanwhile, Kagura and Mirajane were seething in jealousy. What was strange for Kagura was, she didn't know who she was jealous of.

"Thank you Natsu… I look forward to working with you" she spoke happily.

"S-sure" Natsu replied and Erza laughed as she headed toward the Girls' Dormitory.

"I'll see you tomorrow Natsu, we have a meeting first thing in the morning, so be sure to turn up!" she called behind her as she walked away, leaving Natsu in confusion over what had just happened.

Mirajane however, was thinking, I need to make my move soon… so far Erza has the lead on me… but she won't for long. She vowed.

Kagura however, was perhaps more confused than Natsu. When Erza-nee had kissed Natsu, she felt immediate jealousy of the pink-haired boy, but as she watched them kiss… why did she also feel jealous of Erza-nee?

So many questions, lots of confusion, and only time would be able to tell the them the right answers.

Authors' Note – Well, I hope you enjoyed this Chapter. I know it took a while to upload, but lately I'd been in the headspace for 'The Flame of Life'. Anyway, next chapter will be one I know some of you have been wanting; It's the weekend, Mirajane is going to show Natsu around the Island, basically… it's a date! I hope you guy look forward to it. It will be uploaded on Monday, 23/01/2017 around noon Australian Eastern Standard Time. Now I would like to request that If any of you have an opinion on this chapter or how the story is going, be sure to let us know in the comments section below, I really value feedback. Other than that, enjoy your own weekend guys as I'm sure Natsu and Mirajane will enjoy theirs.