TW: Implied attempted trafficking


Chapter 1: Chance Encounter

Capricorn lived in a small city named Magnolia, located in the country of Fiore. Magnolia had a population of almost 60,000 people and was home to Fairy Tail University. Although it was often referred to as a party school, it hosted the top programs in magick theory, a subject dedicated to studying the origins and laws of magick. FTU's campus was situated between the East Forest and the northern outskirts of the city.

Capricorn owned a modest townhouse located in the residential area east of the magnificent Kardia Cathedral. A grocery store and small restaurants were within walking distance of his home. Children played in the streets and neighbors waved when they passed each other in the street. The town was lively and so friendly, Lucy immediately took a liking to it.

Three days had passed since meeting Capricorn and Lucy's time had been taken up by paperwork, paperwork, and more paperwork. She swore her hand had blisters from all the signatures she had put to paper, but it was worth it. She was surprised by the efficiency of it all. She now had her ID, was enrolled in the local university (even though it was so last minute!), and her bank account was set up with monthly deposits from her mother's nest egg.

Another surprise was how similar this world, Earthland, was to her own. The main differences were magick being an everyday occurrence and everything from phones to lights to cars was powered by it. Capricorn had explained that simple magick power could be stored in crystals called lacrima and this is what powered their magick items. The second difference was how many fae just hung out in their primordial form, Capricorn being one of them. He was always a tall, walking white-haired goat when he was here. He explained that it felt more comfortable for him, however, there were others whose primordial form wasn't easy to get around in so they chose their common form. It's hard to have dinner in a restaurant with a kraken at full size, he joked. It was fascinating.

"Your total comes out to 30,000-jewel," a young male cashier stated. Capricorn tapped his card to the crystal screen that listed the bedding and pillows purchased with the total at the bottom. "Thank you for shopping with us; we hope to see you soon." The cashier gave a small bow. Capricorn thanked him before picking up the bags.

Lucy held the door for him as they walked out onto the busy street of the shopping district in the center of Magnolia. "Thank you again," she said quietly. He offered to pay for her major expenses, including her new smartphone, registration fees, and accessories for her dorm. She had refused at first but reluctantly accepted once she calculated the charges in her head. She would need to live off cheese and crackers until next month's deposit if she paid out of her account.

"It's my pleasure," Capricorn replied. He placed the bags down and snapped his fingers to make them disappear. Lucy had asked him earlier how he did it. You'll learn it your senior year. It's a spatial spell but it's tricky. One wrong move and you place your favorite shoes through a wall or even worse, fuse them. I don't use it if I'm unsure how something will fit. So far I've snapped all the shopping bags in the downstairs hallway since it's open space, he'd told her. "Alright, next is the bookstore. We're going to get additional books not listed on your shopping list to help you get up to speed with your peers."

Lucy nodded and she walked beside him as they made their way to the bookstore. She asked any questions that popped into her head. If Capricorn was tired, he hadn't let it show. He was patient and explained everything as best he could while trying not to overwhelm her. He'd revealed he was a professor at Fairy Tail University and head of their Magic Studies department so questions about their world and culture he could answer in depth. He did his best to answer her tech questions but he knew as much about the inner workings of smartphones here as she did about smartphones back home. Conversation with him was easy and she was grateful. She didn't know if she could look forward to living in this strange world without his support.

The bookstore was packed. Lucy noticed an increase in foot traffic as the hours ticked closer to lunchtime. She now understood why Capricorn wanted to start their shopping early morning. Parents and young adults walked around with lists and hands carrying several shopping bags. She assumed they were students like her. In two days, Lucy would be settling into college life. Several of the students stopped to greet Capricorn. Lucy smiled as Capricorn introduced her as a new student and daughter of a friend. They responded with their names but there were so many she couldn't remember them all. Lucy quickly excused herself to peruse the shelves on her own. She was looking at the Book of the Month display near the front when she got the feeling someone was watching her. She quickly glanced around but the store was still crowded and people were chatting or queuing up to the register.

There it was again, but this time she could pinpoint it to the outside of the store. Lucy scanned the street through the display window until her eyes landed on a beautiful man. He was older, probably in his 30s, with navy blue hair and a tattoo on his temple. Her heart felt like it was going to punch through her chest. Was this love? Was he her soulmate? She had to speak to him right away. He met her eyes and motioned her to follow him. Without hesitation, Lucy did just that. He was walking away from the crowd leaving the shopping district. Did he want to talk to her privately? Was he going to confess? She had to–

"Ow!" Lucy collided with a rigid body before falling on her butt on the cobblestone street. "Hey, watch–"

"You watch where you're going. You almost ran Happy over," snapped a male voice.

"Aye!" added a higher-pitched voice.

Lucy didn't respond though. She was at eye level with a blue cat, standing upright. That. Just. Talked. To Lucy's credit, she did not scream. She ogled it instead.

"Uh . . . you okay?" A tanned hand came into view, breaking through her shock. She must've stared at the cat for longer than she thought. Lucy looked at the hand and then up to its owner. A pink-haired boy, her age she guessed, offered his hand to let her up. He had eyes so dark they appeared black, but there was a softness in them that made them light up. He had on a yellow shirt, black cargo pants, and . . . an off-white scarf around his neck of all things. In the summer? Weird. She accepted his help and he easily brought her to her feet.

"Are you lost?" the cat asked.

No, she was . . . what was she do–oh! She was looking for someone. Lucy glanced around, her eyes scanning the crowd until she found him. Her stomach dropped. He lurked two buildings down, hidden halfway into an alley. It had to be the same man with navy-blue hair, and the face tattoo over the right brow, but he was nowhere as beautiful. She'd just followed him out here like a crazy person. Why would she do that?

The pink-haired boy looked behind him, in the direction she was staring at. The navy-haired man ducked out of sight. Lucy cringed, why did she follow him out here?

"Natsu, this girl is really weird," the cat spoke again.

That snapped Lucy out of her thoughts. "Who are you calling weird? You're talking cat!"

"No, I'm an Exceed," he argued back.

"An Exceed? What's an Exceed?"

"What kind of question is that?" Pinky asked incredulously. He looked at her like she was trying to pull a lame joke.

Right, she wasn't with Capricorn right now. As far as these guys knew, she was no different than them. Time to cut the conversation and head back to the bookstore. "Sorry for bumping into you. It's been a long few days," she said quickly, turning on her heel.

She made it back to the bookstore, not allowing herself to look at anyone's eyes on the way. What happened earlier chilled her. It had felt so real, but she couldn't have been in love at first sight with anyone, much less some guy who looked like the creepy uncle type. She made a mental note to ask Capricorn once they had a moment alone.

She spotted Capricorn chatting with a middle-aged man with red hair the color of maple leaves in the fall. She decided to wait out it until he was done talking. She hadn't been gone long. She returned to perusing the shelves but did not go near the front of the store again. Instead, she found herself looking at the self-help section. She couldn't help but laugh at some of the titles. Everything You Need to Know Before Meeting Your Werewolf In-Laws, Self-Therapy for Sirens: You Can Do It All, Displacement Spells for Dummies, Bad Blood: Stop Craving Your Ex and Live Your Best Life!

"There you are. Anything caught your eye?" Capricorn asked.

Lucy jumped. "Please tell me you'll stop doing that," she whined, holding a hand to her beating heart.

"Apologies, but no, I'm naturally light-footed. You'll need to be more vigilant," he replied with a grin. "So, ready for lunch? Or do you need more time to choose a self-help book?"

She rolled her eyes playfully. "Lunch."

A block down from the bookshop was a popular brunch spot directly next to the river that cut through the heart of Magnolia. The building was moderately sized with painted brink, and baby blue lettering above the striped awning over the entrance that read Touka's Cafe, though everyone simply referred to it as Touka's. A small outdoor dining area was fenced apart from the cobblestone street. A large pergola with booming flower vines hung over the outdoor sitting area providing ample shading.

They were almost there when they heard a scream from the opposite side of the fence. An explosion of fire shot up behind a building across the river and immediately Capricorn had shifted Lucy behind him.

"What's going on?" Lucy asked.

"I'm not sure. Most likely a fight between aggressive primordials. They–the fights I mean–break out more often when students are in town. It's harder to suppress the dominance instinct when they're young. Someone will stop it soon, but stay with me just in case," he explained quietly.

Lucy nodded though he couldn't see her. She peeked around him to watch the commotion, though she couldn't see much with so many people standing between Capricorn and the river, their backs wary. Ice quickly shot up from behind the same building, frozen peaks were stuck to the roof as if reaching for the sky. Another explosion, and this time Lucy could see a small plume of smoke, and another large ice tower, each one appearing sequentially one behind the other getting closer until it was on the street across from them–a deep roar cracked through the air like a whip and all went quiet. The air became thick, and the town, which had been so lively just a moment before, was completely silent, waiting. For what? She had no idea. A shout came from across the river, where the fire and ice had last been seen right before a large, arched walking bridge.

"He started it! I was trying to stop this creep!"

"It's not what it looks–augh!"

"So was I until you got in the way!"

She heard Capricorn exhale a breath, and all at once, the noise of the town rushed at her. She still couldn't see who had spoken and the crowd became thicker towards the river. She guessed everyone wanted to see. Official-looking men and women in matching dark blue outfits–uniforms Lucy realized–ran towards the scene. The crowds began to clear and all returned to normal.

"What was that?" Lucy asked in a whisper.

"Not sure yet but the guards are handling it now. I'm sure we'll find out soon enough," he replied.

Over lunch, they discussed their plans for the next few days. Lucy would get a private tour from another student while Capricorn caught up on his work. He had set it up while catching up with the returning students at the bookstore. He explained he would have personally given her the tour but needed to work this afternoon to prepare for the new students. Aquarius, also a professor at Fairy Tail, had taken some of his workload, however, he still needed to attend mandatory meetings and finalize some paperwork. Lucy had apologized, feeling guilty for not realizing how much of his time she'd taken up. He dismissed it, quickly telling her he was happy to be of service.

After the tour this afternoon, there would be an evening ceremony, called the Ascension, to choose her dorm. Capricorn explained they kept it grandiose for fun, but it was really to see which elements of magick they were most aligned with–

"Wait, elements, like the elements–air, fire, water, earth?" Lucy interrupted.

"Yes, the elements. To use magick is to be in balance with the natural world around us. When we are in balance with nature, we are given influence over them, but we cannot change the properties of these elements. The power to influence comes from our ancestors. It used to be cut and dry on what you would inherit, however as society has progressed, it's anyone's guess. The lines have been blurred for many decades now and it's given birth to new fae of mixed abilities. Each generation is stronger, some with unprecedented powers unknown to their parents. That is why understanding the fundamentals is so important. It helps the student balance and control their magick, and builds a better foundation for them in the future."

Lucy let that sit with her for a moment. They were in the outdoor dining area of Touka's, surrounded by other patrons. Many looked like her, but there were others with wings or fur. No one batted an eye to those in their primordial form. Being fae and having magick was a mundane part of everyday life for them. She felt like a fish out of water, a fish that thirsted to be part of these unknown waters. She wondered again why her parents had chosen to live in the human world instead of their own. Who were they before Lucy was born?

Capricorn continued, "It started as a clinical process to see which classes the students would be registered for. Now it's very theatrical and highly anticipated by the students. The dorms are competitive with each other as well, but it's all in good-natured fun. It's easier to understand once you're in it." He sipped his water. "Now for the rest of the week, tonight and tomorrow you'll settle into your dorm. Classes start the day after that."

Lucy took a shaky breath. She didn't know if she was ready.

"Don't worry, as far as magic goes, you're on the same level as most freshmen. History and literature are required in the first year before focusing on your chosen career path for the remaining three years. You'll need tutoring for those but Aquarius and I will be there to tutor you and provide backup classes. Magic is required all four years but the classes become more refined to your goals. I do apologize but your schedule will be just as rigorous as before. At least for the first year."

"I understand," Lucy nodded slowly. "Thank you, Capricorn. For everything."


The campus tour was the most normal Lucy had felt in days. She'd immediately taken a liking to her tour guide, Mirajane. The young woman was pale with a beautifully curvy figure and eyes so richly blue they reminded Lucy of sapphires and ghostly white hair. Mirajane–Mira for short–had picked her up from the faculty entrance in a golf cart.

They started at the center of campus, which was a three-story building that hosted their mess hall and other formal events. It was referred to as the Crown. Surrounding the Crown were other brick-and-mortar buildings, all two or three stories tall. Each one hosted several classrooms dedicated to specialized fields, and the one directly behind the Crown was their library. All were within a 10 to 15-minute walking distance from each other, connected by beautiful garden paths made of cobblestone and lined with bushes or flowers. Small trees dotted the open spaces between the buildings, providing shading between them.

The dorms were spread further out between the forests and campus. House Aer and House Terra were towards the west of campus. They were nestled within small hills before the West Forest. House Ignis was located towards the center on a rocky landscape by the lake that separated the West and East Forests. Lake Sciliora was a large lake spanning for miles connecting to the river that wrapped around the FTU campus and cut through Magnolia. The East Forest lay behind it. House Aqua sat comfortably by the lake, a deck wrapped around the back of the building with a large pier over the water. At times throughout the tour, she could see the top of a snow-capped mountain peak over the forests and some of the smaller buildings. Mira had called it Mount Hakobe.

The tour was at its end and they were returning to the Crown. A crowd of young adults were lounging along the steps that led to the grand entrance of the mess hall. Mira drove towards the back hall and parked in the golf cart in a section designated to professors. "Perks of hanging out with me, you get access to special entrances," she said with a wink. They entered through the back which required a magic signature. Lucy had seen Capricorn use it when returning to his home but it was still just as amazing watching Mira's hand glow then with a click the door unlocked.

"We're just in time for the Ascension. The professor will meet us there," Mira said as she led Lucy through an unknown corridor. There was a muffled cacophony of noise and chatter getting louder as they approached a double door at the end of the hall. Mira held the door open for Lucy and she walked into the mess hall. It was now full of adults, young and old. The tables had been moved to accommodate booths and sitting areas full of flyers. "The place looks perfect! I can't wait to see what element you align with," Mira said as she directed Lucy to follow her.

"Same, though I'm a little nervous. How did this get set up so quickly? It was empty just a few hours ago," Lucy asked in disbelief and wonder.

"Spatial magick; Capricorn and a few others are talented at it so they quickly move things around and set up so long as the booths are put together beforehand," she answered without missing a beat. "And don't be nervous. It's always a lot of fun, not to mention the afterparty this weekend."

Lucy laughed. Mira had filled her in on FTU's party scene during the tour. They walked along the side, towards the back where two large staircases descended from the second floor, one on each side of the cavernous room. A few young adults were walking towards the staircase closest to them from the other side, led by a brown-skinned young man with black hair. He looked their way and a grin stretched across his face. "Mira! There you are," he waved at her.

A head in the crowd immediately stood out to Lucy. A head of pink hair–

"You're here?!"

"You're the girl from earlier."

"I didn't know you were a student here," Lucy said, trying her best to keep her tone polite, and not accusatory like her outburst just now.

"Oh my," Mira giggled. "You two know each other?"

"Not exactly, we bumped into each other, but didn't speak much," Lucy clarified. She wasn't trying to be called weird before the evening started.

"Yeah, exactly that," Pinky answered simply, looking bored.

"Well, that's great. Making friends early, I like it!" Warren clapped his hands together. "Now that the group is complete, follow me." He instructed before walking up the stairs. Once they were on the second floor, Warren directed them to spread along the outer ring of the magic circle drawn on the floor. Lucy stood next to Mira and a different student. She noticed the room was becoming increasingly dark as if a black fog were moving in. The second floor was open to the first floor by the balcony between the staircases but even that was beginning to fade, as if swallowed by the darkness. The room began to buzz with excitement, and something else, Lucy couldn't put a word to what the other feeling was, but she knew deep in her soul, that it was magick. Power.

"Everyone, stay where you are and hold hands. Warren and I will be here to keep you grounded. Each element will be presented to you and the magick circle will determine your affinity for it," Mira explained, her voice loud and firm. She spread her arms to the students next to her; Lucy quickly took hold of Mira's hand, and the boy to her other side. Once the last pair had clasped hands, the room was fully engulfed in darkness. It was so thick Lucy could no longer see Mira next to her. She swallowed. "Now!" Mira said, her voice strong and deep. The magic circle beneath them flashed brightly before dimming to a soft glow; Lucy thought she could feel it hum beneath her feet. Mira continued in a language Lucy didn't recognize. "Elementa voco. Aperi januam mundo naturali, et in animabus praesentem noctem. Ostende nobis donum tuum!" The air became heavier with each word. Static cracked along the magick circle below them as the glow grew around them. "Aperi viam inter animam et corpus! Da nobis accessum ad industriam circa nos. Munera nostra geramus, voluntatem nostram in potentias extendere!"

The static and light surged beneath them, swelling until it was absorbed through her feet. It traveled along her spine, moving along her arms, intertwining with those next to her.

"Terra!" Mira called. The circle flashed green. The light flashed brightly around some of the students. Giggles and cheers erupted from where the light flashed the brightest. Lucy's light remained normal. "Congratulations to those greeted by element Terra!"

"Ignis!" Warren called. The magick circle flashed red. Cheers rang out, and Lucy's also light remained normal. "Congratulations to those greeted by element Ignis!"

"Aer!" Warren called. The circle flashed yellow and a gust of wind roared through Lucy. A breeze wrapped around her and played with her hair. Lucy felt a grin spread across her face. This explained the cheers. She felt a giggle escape her. "Congratulations to those greeted by element Aer!"

"Aqua!" Mira called. The circle flashed deep blue. Lucy could hear the sound of splashing waves and smell the salt of the sea. "Congratulations to those greeted by element Aqua!"

The circle returned to its normal glow. Lucy's body became loose. She almost lost her balance but managed to stay on her feet.

"Your magick has been unlocked, now it is up to you to learn how to wield it. Congratulations, you are all officially students at Fairy Tail University," Warren grinned at each of them. The magic circle flashed one last time before dimming completely. In the same breath, the room returned to normal.

Lucy blinked rapidly, her eyes readjusting to the light. Mira let go of her hand, and everyone else did the same. The group was directed to the stairs opposite the one they went up. Lucy noticed a different group walking up the first set of steps they climbed led by a girl with stunning red hair. They were led to the first set of booths for their dorm and house assignments. Mira and Warren waved their goodbyes before walking out to the front to gather another group.

Lucy was assigned House Aer. She was delighted to find out her access key was a stamp. She chose to have it in pink and placed on the back of her right hand. The downstairs slowly became more crowded as more groups completed their Ascension. She followed her group to the next booth which promoted a club. It seemed they had completed all the required booths and the rest were for clubs. Unknown words and symbols out in colorful bursts above each booth, attempting to garner the most attention. A young man with a bowl cut wrote in the air and the words just stayed there, resembling neon signs. Another showed off a large potted plant rapidly growing under her touch. A pit opened in her stomach, the one telling her she was out of her depth.

"You sure space out a lot, don't you," a familiar voice said to her. Lucy jumped and turned to find the pink-haired boy next to her. He looked unimpressed.

"And you like sneaking up on me, don't you," she accused before she could think.

He only snorted. "I'm not the one who keeps daydreaming. No wonder you got caught in that charm spell."

"A what spell?"

"A charm spell?" One of his brows raised. "Don't tell me you don't know that either."

Lucy could feel herself becoming nervous again. How was she going to fit in when she was so clueless? "I grew up sheltered, like very sheltered," she explained. It technically was the truth. "Can you explain?"

"Oh, um, you know–it's a hypnosis spell," he made it sound like a question.

"Hypnosis? For what?"

He looked at her, his face incredulous before horror slowly spread. Horror at what though? He said his words slowly as if speaking with a child. "It's to convince someone to do something they wouldn't normally do. It makes the user irresistible to those they bewitch."

Lucy felt that yawning pit in her stomach turn into a black hole. Nothing good could come out of that. Was it to kidnap her? Or worse? She came so close to danger on her first day without realizing it. She even forgot to ask Capricorn about it. She felt sick.

"Don't worry though he's off the streets now. The guards took care of him. Besides, it was super weak. You snapped out of it when you bumped into me and Happy," he said hurriedly. Was he trying to make her feel better?

"Happy? Is that the name of your cat?"

"He's an exceed, but yeah that's his name," he said, crossing his arms, looking at her like he was trying to figure out a Picasso painting.

Lucy didn't care to be stared at like some freakshow. "And your name?" she asked him.

"Natsu, and yours?"

"Lucy," she said simply.

"Come on, the group's at the next booth. I was trying to tell you earlier but you were spaced out," he said and Lucy made sure to stick beside him. She didn't feel comfortable being by herself after the bomb he dropped on her just now. She would immediately ask Capricorn for some kind of defense spell as soon as she saw him.

The next hour went by fast. The pit that had opened in her stomach got smaller as time passed. Lucy's hands were full of flyers and guides, FTU pens, cups, and a foam finger for the Fairy Tail Games. It was a large magick competition based on a national one Natsu called the Grand Magick Games, or GMG for short. One of the booths was a book club that offered tote bags. Lucy signed up thankful there were at least a few clubs that seemed familiar, however, the Book club was her first pick. She stuffed all her items in the tote bag they gave her, including the oversized foam finger.

Once they finished visiting the booths, they were told to check out their assigned dorm. Natsu had House Ignis, but he was curious about how the other dorms looked. They agreed to walk together, first to House Aer and afterwards House Ignis. Lucy wouldn't mention it but she was incredibly grateful. She didn't want to walk to the dorms by herself while knowing so little about this world. She'd clung to Natsu since he'd told her about this morning even though he confirmed the creep had been arrested. If he minded, he didn't show it.

They were outside now, walking towards the dorms, a few more flyers in Lucy's hands. "Nastu!" A blue ball of fur flew straight at Natsu.

"Hey Happy," a grin spread across Natsu's face as he greeted a cat with wings.

A flying cat. With wings. Flying.

"Natsu! It's that weird girl again!" Happy whined as he hid behind Natsu.

"Hey Lucy, can you quit with the staring? It's creeping Happy out," Natsu said to her.

"Stop calling me weird!" Lucy snapped. "I've just never seen a cat–an Exceed I mean. I didn't know you could fly."

"Lucy here was sheltered, grew up in a basement," Natsu said with faux sympathy.

"What? I did not!"

"The poor thing is seeing everything for the first time. She lived like a mole person before now," he continued, laying on the sadness thickly.

Lucy rolled up her flyers and smacked him on the head. "I am not a mole person!"

"That's exactly what a mole person would say," Happy snickered.

Natsu threw his head back and laughed, Lucy couldn't help herself. She laughed with them both.


A/N: Thank you to everyone who read the prologue, left reviews, and hit that follow/favorite button. Also trying my best not to info dump with the world-building but it's going to keep happening as more lore gets explained so apologies in advance lol. See you next chapter (: