The train came to a halt as the conductor announced to the passengers, "This stop: Magnolia. Please watch the gap when exiting and make sure you have all of your belongings before leaving the train. Thank you for riding and please come again. Next stop…"
Akane exited the train with her suitcase and walked out of the station. She walked down the streets past new people, past new stores, past her new world.
Akane did as her mother instructed her to do and went straight to the apartment building to get herself settled.
She talked with the man behind the desk and then went up to the room number she was given. It wasn't that far up, only five floors and she had a clear view of the town and the ocean, which made her feel somewhat at home. Akane put her suitcase on the floor next to her bed and said to herself, "One task down, one left. I'll unpack later." And with that, she walked out of the apartment and joined the people on the streets of Magnolia once again to go to Fairy Tail.
As she approached the Kardia Cathedral she began to remember the directions her mother gave her.
"When approaching the Cathedral, turn left onto the street lined with trees. Then keep going straight back toward the largest build you see other than the Cathedral."
Akane did as her mother instructed and turned left and continued straight. She passed a little blond haired boy walking his dog, and a few men chatting at a stand. After that, she kept walking ignoring everything and everyone else until she got to Fairy Tail.
Akane approached the building with the familiar symbol hanging on a flag out front and stopped dead in her tracks. She looked up at the tall building and suddenly longed for her mother. She longed for Lilly, and her bed, and the way Erza would sit with her and talk about the day's plans as she braided Akane's hair. She longed for home. As those thoughts came over her, a few tears fell from her eyes and made their way down her cheeks and stopped at her chin.
"Now what would your mother say if she saw you crying?" A strange female voice said.
Akane quickly wiped her eyes and the tears dangling on her chin and looked around for the source of the perky voice. What she found was a white haired woman with a huge, warm smile. "My name is Mirajane. I'm the guild master. I heard from some of your mother's old friend that you were coming and I wanted to make sure you got here safely," Mirajane's smile grew as she talked. "Your name is Akane right? Akane Scarlet?"
Akane nodded slowly watching Mirajane all the while.
She stepped toward Akane and held out her hand, "Well then why are we just standing here? Lets go make you a member of Fairy Tail. That why you came after all." She giggled and tried to be friendly, but Akane didn't take her hand. She only stood there waiting for Mirajane to go in first so she could follow her in.
Akane stepped into the guild and automatically she was hit with unfamiliarity. Worse than when she got off the train. People of all ages laughing and eating and drinking and having a good time with one another. Everyone was with at least two other people talking and involved with their own little world. And then there was Akane, all alone. She followed Mirajane over to the bar and waited as she disappeared into the back room. She came out with a stamp and an inkpad.
"Well, where do you want your symbol?" she asked.
"It's a stamp?" Akane questioned. "My mom's lasted from when she was little. I always thought it was a tattoo."
Mirajane laughed. "Everyone thinks it's a tattoo. It's okay. So where do you want your symbol?" she asked again.
Akane turned around adjusted her shirt so the back of her left shoulder was exposed. "Right here."
"Okay then…" Mirajane said as she stamped Akane's shoulder. "Why don't you take a seat and make yourself comfortable. Are you hungry? I could get you something to eat if you want."
Akane looked up at Mirajane, "If you don't mind."
Mirajane smiled and told her it was no problem and disappeared into the back room once again. Akane sat down at the bar waiting for the perky guild master to return from where ever she went.
Mirajane came out with a slice of a cheesecake and a cup of chocolate milk, "I hope I didn't get it wrong." She smiled as she set it down in front of Akane.
She just raised an eyebrow wondering how Mirajane knew that's what she wanted.
"It was your mother's favorite comfort food so I figured you'd be fond of it too."
Akane thanked Mirajane as she walked away to go talk to the rest of the guild leaving Akane by herself again. She sighed and started eating her dessert when she heard a voice behind her.
"Hey, who the hell are you?"
Akane turned around and found a small boy with jet-black hair glaring at her. She didn't answer him, just turned back around to her cake and began eating again.
"Hey are you listening to me? I asked you a question! Answer me!"
Akane continued to ignore him.
"You have no right to ignore Alexander the Great!" He yelled.
"If you think you're being creative by nicknaming yourself after a supposed 'great' historical figure then you're wrong because in actuality 'Alexander the Great' wasn't all that great. In fact, he was pretty pathetic," Akane turned around again. "Then I guess that makes you pretty pathetic too. Huh." Akane turned back around and resumed ignoring the self-proclaimed 'Alexander the Great'.
"What are you doing here anyway? You stick out like a sore thumb with that horrible dye job of yours," he said. Akane's head perked up at the insult.
"You really need to go to a different stylist. Maybe then you won't look like you just came from the clown convention," he said snickering at his comment.
Akane turned around slowly and got out of her chair. As she stared at Alexander he realized that he made a horrible mistake, but before he could apologize for what he said Akane punched him square in the eye so hard it knocked him off his feet. This got the attention of everyone in the guild and all eyes were on the two children when she finally said, "My name is Akane, remember it because I assure, one day, it'll be the last name you hear." Then Akane put some money on the bar next to her plate and headed towards the door. Just as she was about to walk out, she walked into an older man with the same jet-black hair and stumbled backward. The man that was standing behind him seemed to get annoyed when Akane didn't apologize for walking into his friend.
"Hey, Gray, you're just gonna let her-" he was cut off.
"Alex! What happened?" the man named Gray yelled.
Alexander stood up and said coolly, "I just tripped and hit my eye. That's all."
Akane turned half around and glared at him with her head tilted to the right. Alexander, huh? Next time we meet you won't be so fortunate to leave with only a black eye, she thought, then turned around to walk out like she planned to before.
"Hey, you!"
She was stopped again.
Akane turned around to find that it was Gray that had just called to stop her. "What?" Akane asked clearly annoyed.
"Why are you leaving?" he asked confused.
Akane had a simple answer but hesitated before saying it. She thought she'd sound like some sort of freak if she said the truth but realized it didn't matter now that she gave some random kid a black eye in front of the whole guild.
"Truthfully, I prefer to be alone. Being with other people just makes me uneasy." And with that she walked out of the guild before the tears could start.
Gray stood in his place, half not believing what he had just heard and yet he wanted to believe it so badly. Gray's friend walked up to him and said, "Talk about a little bitch, right Gray?"
"Natsu, did she remind you of anyone?"
Natsu thought for a moment. "No, why did she remind you of someone?" he asked.
Gray paused. "I guess I must be imagining things," was his final answer.
She really did look like her, but with much brighter hair. And what she said to me, 'Being with other people makes me uneasy.' That's what she told me back then. There's no way I'm imagining it… Gray trailed off in his thoughts about who the girl was.
Within the 20 minutes Akane spent in the guild, she became a member, scared half the guild senseless, and met a young boy that will affect who she will become.