"So, how do I take a job?" Helen asked. Mirajane cocked her head and studied Helen.
"Well, we have to decide what level of magic you have. If you are a less powerful wizard, the jobs are on that board over there." Mirajane gestured at a board covered in papers. "But if you're an S-Class level wizard, the jobs are on the board upstairs. They're harder than the ones only way to become an S-Class wizard is through the S-Class wizard trials, so you'll just be using the ones down here."
"What are the S-Class wizard trials?" Helen asked, studying the board.
"Oh, just a series of tests to see who's S-Class material. There was quite a commotion nine years ago. During the trials, Grimoire Heart attacked and the whole island of Tenroujima disappeared for seven years. After that it's been pretty peaceful though. Nobody's gotten to be S-Class though- it's always a tie or nobody. The next one's pretty soon."
The word Grimoire reminded Helen of something. "Hey, remember that demon who came by?" she asked.
"Oh, yeah. You went out and sent it off, right?"
"Not exactly... it acted like it knew me. It had come to give Fairy Tail a message, and I think it was some sort of threat. Told me to tell you guys. Anyway, it just disappeared with the wind after it gave the message."
"What's the message?" Mirajane asked.
"It said everything's going to change."
"That sounds more like a warning then a threat," Mirajane remarked. Helen shrugged and wandered over to the board. None of the requests seemed to be a good one- they were all too easy. Suddenly, somebody tapped her on the shoulder. Helen spun around to see Lucy, who smiled apologetically at her.
"Sorry, but I was wondering if you wanted to join us on a request or two... you know, to get you familiar with requests."
"Oh, sure. Nothing really looks right for me..."
"Are you sure? There's lots of them here- at least one should be a good fit. Natsu already picked out a request anyway. Come on!"
Helen walked out of the guild with Lucy to find Natsu and a blue cat waiting for them. Natsu looked at Helen with surprise. "Who are you?"
"My name's Helen... Lucy asked if I wanted to join you for a while."
"All right then! I'm ready to go!"Natsu yelled, revealing pointed canines as he smiled.
"The cat's name is Happy," Lucy whispered to Helen as they walked towards the train. "Mirajane's little sister Lisanna named him that."
"What a nice name."
"Aye!"
"Hey, I wasn't talking to you, cat!" Lucy yelled.
"Don't be so mean," Helen told Lucy.
"He deserves it!" Lucy complained, kicking a rock away.
They walked on until the train station, Helen marveling at how easy it was for the three to talk to each other. "Natsu gets motion sickness," Happy told Helen as they neared the station.
"Really? Why?"
"Who knows? It's probably due to the fact that h's a total idiot." Lucy grumbled, following Natsu onto the train. Helen climbed up after them. "So what's the job?"
"Stop some volcano demons. Should be pretty easy- Natsu's a fire-dragon slayer."
"I'm tired of all this peace and quiet," Natsu grumped. "I need to be challenged!"
The demon's words rang through Helen's head as the train pulled out from the station and the town faded away into a speck on the horizon.
"I think things'll get pretty hard soon," she said.
"How do you know that?" Lucy asked.
"Just a hunch."