Chapter One

Souvenir

There was something he needed to do, something he was supposed to remember. He had been looking for someone when he stumbled upon a clearly rowdy sounding bar. How could he resist? Just a few drinks couldn't hurt. Entering, he immediately found more than a few very high-spirited people racing around and causing a ruckus all over the small tavern. Wild. He smirked when he glanced about, noting the other patrons. It was just after he was served his drink that he spotted a young woman sitting (more slouching than sitting really) two tables down. Across from her, two others had fallen from their seats in defeat. Now this is my kind of woman. He stood and made his way over and sat in front of her, issuing his challenge. Onlookers immediately expressed their concern fervently, telling him that he didn't know what he was getting himself into, asking if he knew whom he was dealing with. Who she is? Don't they know who I am? He smiled deviously as they began.

After an hour, her arm couldn't keep steady as she filled his glass, causing some of the alcohol to spill onto his hand. There wasn't any possible way she could last much longer. Though he did have to admit that she was holding on better than he thought she would, but there wasn't a man (or woman for that matter) alive that could surpass him when drinks were involved.

Easily, Bacchus gulped down the drink. There was frustration mingled in with the woman's glazed eyes and a devilish part of him was proud to know he had been responsible for it. He downed the half-filled cup easily and put his glass in front of her once more. She was amazed, clearly, but also not very pleased to see that he had yet to succumb to her tolerance. He glanced up and down her shapely and immodestly dressed body as she attempted to pour him another. Something about this fiery woman serving him a drink sent a chill down his back. She was beautiful in a feral and defiant way. If she lasted through another drink, he considered inviting her back to his room for the night. Then again, it could just be the alcohol in his system giving him such ideas and decided against it. Instead he filled her cup and waiting for her to drink. But, before she could even raise the glass to her lips, she toppled from her seat. It could have been that she leaned too far back, or maybe she had truly reached her limit, but either way, the beauty beside him went from sitting beside him, eyes afire with passion and unbreakable tenacity, to lying dazed on the floor in the blink of his drunken eye. What a shame. I thought she would have done better. He couldn't help but laugh loudly at the sight and finished her drink for her in victory.

Everyone around them stopped and gaped at the spectacle of the brunette sprawled out on the floor. It only made him laugh once again and stand. Now wavering quite a bit himself, he decided it was time to go. There was still that something he needed to do after all. Not a single pair of eyes weren't on him when on a sudden whim, decided he needed a prize to commemorate the night. His prize however was the final straw for his astonished audience as the two older men from before challenged him now. They were yelling something about looking down on their guild too much or something of that sort. This is a guild? He was about to turn to get a better look at the patrons, when out of nowhere he instinctively ducked. The men were attacking him it would seem. Fine. Let's have some more fun. He only smirked as he bounced back up and placed a hand on either of their faces. Magic pulsed throughout his body, concentrating into his palms. The feeling made them tingle and a small shiver went down his exposed back. They had no time to protest before he fell back, slamming them both backward and hard into the wooden floor. The lively atmosphere went from carefree to silent to tense after that as Bacchus suddenly he found himself face to face with a familiar scarlet-haired woman.

"Erza!" He hiccupped, though she only waved her hand in front of her face.

"You stink." She was always one for being frank. He chuckled to himself. The urge to fight was rising in him again. It had been a while since he had a good fight and Erza was always the most entertaining sparring partner he'd encountered. Another tremor tickled through him, as he opened and closed his hands in excitement. She confirmed that she was participating in the Grand Magic Games and so once again on an impulsive whim he decided to blurt out that he would also be joining in. Hopefully Master wouldn't mind that he enlisted himself, despite that he was not really there to compete in the first place. After War Cry's crushing defeat, however, Master did mention something about reserve members.

After a short moment he could tell that Erza was in no brawling mood and decided he'd best move on. Her lack of enthusiasm when she responded to his guild's cheer only confirmed such and killed his temporary rush of adrenaline. Stumbling somewhat, he made his way out the door.

"They should be around here somewhere." He muttered to himself as he swayed down the block. "Fairy Tail." The name made him snigger and hiccup again. He hadn't even made it much further when he ran into his plainly displeased guild master.

"Bacchus, what are you doing?"

"Just having some fun before finding that Fairy Tail woman." He twirled his keepsake around his finger. The shock on Goldmine's face was evident. I guess even old men get bashful.

"Where did you get that?" The question came harshly.

"Eh? This? I won if off some woman in that bar." He jabbed his thumb to point behind him. "She held up for quite a while, that one. I'm surprised she lasted so long!" He hooted.

"You idiot!" Goldmine snatched the garment from his hand, looking it over and crumpled it up in a fist.

"Eh?" Bacchus blinked and frowned at the sight of his treasure being treated so roughly.

"Do you know who was in that bar?" His master rubbed the bridge of his nose where his tinted glasses rested.

"Hum? Said they were some guild. Erza was there though. Wonder- Ooo!" He realized with a start.

"Yes, none other than Fairy Tail. And this prize you won…" Goldmine threw the garment at his face. "Belongs to Cana." The older man just shook his head before turning around. "Tough luck, kid." Were his final words as he left Bacchus to stand there on the sidewalk, simply dumbfounded. Damnit.

A/N: Hey guys! Thanks so much for the views! I'm going to try and update this at least once a week, if not every time I finish at least one chapter. This chapter was fun to write even though it's short and really just Bacchus' side of how he and Cana met. Anyway, hope you guys liked it!