It's a normal day for the Fairy Tail Guild. The resident Celestial Spirit mage enters, a portion of her blonde hair in a long braid, the rest flowing free. She goes to sit down at one of the tables by the bar.
"Hey, Luce!" Fairy Tail's only Fire Dragon slayer calls from the door, running over to her, but he clumsily lands on the floor with a loud thump because he trips on his own feet. "Ow, didn't mean for that to happen," he laments, getting to his feet and hopping up onto the bench next to the blonde mage. "So, did you pick out a job for us, Luce?"
The blonde shakes her head. "Now, Natsu, I just got here," she scolds him. "Besides, I was waiting for you to get your sorry butt here. I was hoping that we could do a big job with the girls and Gray."
Natsu crosses his arms with a big groan. "Oh, come on. I don't want to go on a job with Ice Prick," he whines, earning an ear-grab from Lucy. "Ow! Ow! Okay, let off, will ya, Lucy? I don't want to get beat up by you again."
Lucy pulls on his ear a little bit harder, getting another cry of pain from her partner. "Good to know, because, if you behave like that again, it won't be my wrath that's inflicted on you," she whispers menacingly in his ear. "And you should know by now who I'm talking about."
Natsu stops trying to get away from Lucy. "You don't mean..." he replies fearfully.
Lucy nods, a glare on her face. "Yep, I'll let Erza have the honor of beating some sense into you," she growls into his ear. "And I'll just stand there and let you get your punishment. How does that sound to you?"
Natsu gulps, scared for his life. "Yep, sounds good to me," he says, his voice shaky.
"Good," Lucy replies, letting go of Natsu's ear.
The fire dragon slayer scrambles to his feet and runs away from Lucy so fast that the celestial mage didn't think that a person could move that quick.
"Lu-lu!" a cheerful voice calls from the direction of the doors.
Lucy turns to see Levy waiting to talk to her a few tables away. "Hey, Levy," she says, getting up and walking over to her best friend. "How're you doing?"
Levy shrugs. "Never better," she replies, hesitating to ask her next question. "Hey, Lu ... um ... I saw what happened between you and Natsu just a couple minutes ago. Of course, ... I don't know how things led up to that, but ... if you don't mind me asking, but what did he do to make you ... so ..."
"Mad at him?" Lucy finishes.
Levy nods.
Lucy sighs, putting her head in her hands. "Promise you won't tell?" she asks, looking up at Levy.
Levy winks. "On my friendship with you," she replies reassuringly.
"Well, we were out a job a couple weeks ago and, the town we were in, Natsu, as dense as he is sometimes, had the brilliant idea of burning the guild's mark into the local guild's Guildhall," she says with a groan at the last several words.
Levy groans. "What'd the client have to say about that?" she asks, mentally face-palming.
Lucy puts her hands up. "Hold on, I'm getting there," she replies. "So, the local guild's master files a complaint with Master and the client, who just happens to be a good friend of one of this guild's members, hears it from his friend."
Levy leans forward. "Did you get paid the amount that was on the flyer?"
Lucy takes a deep breath and shakes her head. "The client kept 30,000 jewel because of Natsu's behavior," she says, running a hand through her ponytail. ""I barely had enough to pay my rent this month."
Levy lets out a whistle. "Wow, now I get why you're so mad at him," she remarks, shrieking when a hand begins to mess around with her hair. "Ah! Gajeel, stop it!" she yells, getting up quickly and turning on her heel to push the Iron Dragon slayer away from her.
Gajeel dramatically backs up a few steps and pouts. "Aw, Lev, don't be like that," he says in his usual gravelly voice, plopping down on the bench next to the Solid Script mage. "I just wanted to play with your hair for a few minutes."
Levy sits down again and turns to Gajeel, glaring at him. "Well, I'm not in the mood to let you right now, so go find something useful to do," she replies, groaning to herself.
Gajeel gets up. "Alright, Shrimp, why didn't you say that you wanted time by yourself?" he asks, walking away to go find Lily.
Lucy giggles, looking at her friend knowingly. "Since when does Gajeel like to play with your hair?" she asks, a smile on her face.
Levy goes red in the face and looks away. "Oh, shut up, Lucy," she says, embarrassed.
Lucy chuckles, crossing her arms. "Oh, come on, Levy," she jokes. "I'm not an idiot. I can totally tell that you two are so into each other."
Levy's cheeks are now as red as Erza's hair. "It's that obvious?" she asks, scared.
Lucy nods slowly. "Everyone else in the guild has noticed at one point, but they've been nice enough to keep it to themselves for the time being," she says, a calm tone in her voice.
Levy sighs. "Well, since you know about my love life, what's up with you and a certain pink-haired dragon slayer?" she teases, a mischievous grin on her face.
Lucy frowns, her cheeks turning a slight pink hue. "Wh... What are you talking about?" she stammers. "There's nothing going on between me and Natsu."
Levy smirks. "Oh, really?" she taunts. "I beg to differ. I've seen the way you look at him. And he's become more protective of you whenever you two go on jobs."
"Well, why wouldn't he? We're not only job partners, but we're also best friends."
Levy shakes her head. "No, Lu-lu, that's not the way I mean."
"Well, how do you mean?"
Levy chuckles, not sure how to put it. "I think that you're missing the point, Lucy," she says.
Lucy cocks her head to the side. "And your point is?" she asks.
"You and Natsu are in love with each other," Levy replies simply.
"No, that's not it at all!" Lucy whispers loudly.
"Really? Then what else could it be?"
"Um..."
The guildhall doors open and a tense silence envelopes the whole guild, indicating the arrival of "The Knight," also known as Erza Scarlet. No one says a word as Erza walks over to sit down next to Lucy. "Hello, Lucy," Erza says, pulling the blonde into her signature hug.
'Ow, that hurt so much.' "Nice to see you too, Erza," Lucy replies, rubbing the sore spot on her head.
"So, did you and Natsu pick a job for the team to go on?" the scarlet-haired swordswoman asks.
Lucy shakes her head. "No, not yet," she replies. "And also, I'm not on speaking terms with that idiot right now."
Erza cocks her head to the side. "Did he try to pull his whining stunt again?" she asks, her arms crossed.
Lucy doesn't say anything and just nods.
"Did you tell him what the consequences would be if he pulled that crap again?"
Lucy giggles and nods. "I told him that I'd let you beat some sense into him," she replies.
Erza lifts an eyebrow in curiosity. "Okay, now you've piqued my interest," the requip mage says.
Lucy puts her hand up. "I'm not done yet," she says. "And guess what I told him?"
"Hmm? What did you tell him?"
Lucy smiles, getting to the good part. "I told him that he'd have to take his punishment and I'd just stand there and watch."
Erza claps her hand to her open mouth. "You're kidding! I have to hand it to you, Lucy. Here everyone thought that it was only me that could keep the flamebrain and the ice princess in line, but it seems that you've got the intimation part completely mastered."
Lucy laughs, now in the same league as Erza on scariness level. "I guess I have you to thank for the tips you gave me," she replies, propping her chin in the palm of her hand.
"Do you think Gray will be afraid of you also, Lucy?"
Lucy huffs. "Let's hope not, lest I become another Erza to them," she replies, putting her hands up. "No offense to you, Erza. I don't want to face your wrath."
Erza chuckles. "No offense taken," she assures the Celestial Spirit mage. "At least when I'm not here someone'll be able to keep those two pansies in line."
Lucy looks at Erza as though she'd grown a second head. 'Did I just hear that right?' "Did you seriously just call Natsu and Gray, the boys you consider your annoying little brothers, pansies?" she asks, concern laced in her tone. "I think you're hanging out with Mira and I too much."
Erza shrugs, a sheepish grin on her face. "I guess my choice of friends isn't the best, eh?"
Lucy decides to change the subject. "So, how are things going so far with you trying to convince Jellal to join Fairy Tail now that Queen Hisui dropped the charges for the many mistakes he's made?" she asks, a curious glint in her eyes as she watches the redhead.
Erza smiles. "I gave him such a convincing argument that he said he would discuss it with the rest of Crime Sorcière and base his decision on the unanimous decision of the guild members," she replies. "I just hope that he didn't take too long to make his decision."
"Well, you're in luck, Erza, because I'm here now," the man in question says, sitting next to her. He's wearing a long white overcoat with light-blue cuffs on the sleeves and on the collar. He's also wearing baggy tan pants, the bottoms of the legs tucked into simple black boots.
"Jellal!" Erza squeals, throwing her arms around his neck. He chuckles and hugs her back. "What are you doing here?" she asks when they let go of each other.
Jellal smiles, laughing. "I'm here to join Fairy Tail," he replies, tucking some of Erza's hair behind her ear. "To be honest, I think that was one of the quickest decisions I've ever made."
Erza gives him a small smile. "So what did everyone else decide to do now that their purpose is finished?" she asks, holding his hand.
"Erik, Meredy, and Macbeth came to Fairy Tail with me, Sorano joined Sabertooth, Sawyer joined Lamia Scale, and Richard went to search for Wally," Jellal replies, squeezing her hand gently.
Erza chuckles and wraps her hands around his arm. "Well, I'm glad you're now officially part of Fairy Tail," she says softly, resting her head on his shoulder. "Like Master Mavis said, you've always had a heart like her Fairy Tail Family."
Jellal smiles at his crush's comment. "If I hadn't been possessed and had left the Tower of Heaven with you, what do you think it would've been like?" he asks.
Erza gasps in surprise. "Why do you ask that, Jellal?"
Jellal shrugs. "Just throwing the question out to see what you think," he says.
Erza chuckles. "I think that you would've joined Fairy Tail with me, but, then again, you wouldn't have formed Crime Sorcière," she replies. She turns to look at Jellal. "I think that you would've eventually figured you truly do belong in Fairy Tail."
Jellal smiles and shrugs. "Eh, I've known for a while now that, even though my main focus was taking down dark guilds and defeating Zeref, my heart has always been a part of the strongest guild in Fiore," he says, moving Erza's hand to rest on the top of his lower arm.
Suddenly, the members of Fairy Tail are enveloped in a bright light. Several of the guild members scream in terror.
"My god," Erza breathes, grabbing Jellal's hand and refusing to let go.
"No way!" Lucy says, running over to Natsu. "Stay by my side, Natsu," she begs, hugging him tight despite the argument that they'd had earlier.
"I'm always gonna be by your side, Luce," Natsu replies tenderly, hugging her back just as tight.
"Where are we going?" Wendy asks, scared for her life as she and the rest of Fairy Tail begin rising into the air.
"It seems as if an anima is pulling us out of Magnolia," Gray yells, having just arrived at the guildhall 5 minutes prior with Juvia.
"Hold on, everyone!" Erza shouts, she and Jellal holding each other tightly. "We have to stick together and, when we reach the order side of the anima, we'll figure out what to do next!"
"Gajeel, Lily!" Levy screams and reaching out to the iron dragon slayer and his exceed partner, grasping their hands tightly, not knowing what to do.
"Erik!" Kinana yells, reaching out to the poison dragon slayer.
"Kinana!" Erik yells, reaching out to the purple-haired mage.
The Fairy Tail Guild prepares for the anima to pull them into the world on the other side. But, despite what they think, they're in for one heck of an adventure.
––––––––––––––––––
Hey, everyone! So, quick thing that I wanted to say. I had so much fun with writing this and I will post the Clan Allegiances for this very soon. I'll try to update every few days if I'm not busy.