Kaia stood at the threshold of Fairy Tail's guildhall, her boots planted firmly on the cobblestones, her heart hammering against her ribs. The building before her looked exactly as she had imagined it... if she had imagined a place designed by drunk architects who had lost a bet.
The guild was a grand structure, built from heavy timber and stone, yet bursting with life in a way no ordinary building could be. Vines climbed up the worn walls, the wide windows glowed warmly from within, and a giant Fairy Tail crest proudly adorned the upper facade like a badge of honor or perhaps a warning.
The thick double doors, carved with intricate patterns of magic runes and faded from years of reckless use, seemed almost too peaceful for what Kaia could already hear coming from inside: shouting, laughter, the unmistakable crash of broken furniture. She could feel the vibration of chaos humming through the ground itself.
She took one step forward, intending to finally make her grand entrance.
The doors exploded off their hinges in a spectacular burst of wood and magic.
Kaia yelped and threw herself to the side as a massive wooden plank whizzed past her ear, narrowly missing her new jacket. Coughing through the dust, she pushed herself up, eyes wide in disbelief.
In the middle of the ruined entrance stood two girls locked in furious combat. One, with long scarlet hair and a scowl that could set mountains on fire. The other, a silver-haired girl with a wicked grin and enough energy to power a small city. They looked no older than fifteen young, fierce, and absolutely determined to destroy everything in their path.
Steel clashed against magic as the redhead swung a massive sword with terrifying precision while the white-haired girl retaliated with raw, unrestrained magical blasts that left smoldering craters in the floor.
Kaia staggered back instinctively, shielding her face from flying debris.
"WHAT IS HAPPENING?!" she shouted, more to herself than to anyone else.
[Friendly reminder: you willingly chose to come here.]
"No one told me it was like this!"
Kaia watched in mute horror as the redhead who Styme promptly identified as Erza Scarlet caught the white-haired girl Mirajane Strauss, according to a helpful popup in a sweeping kick that sent her crashing into a row of tables.
The battle seemed to revolve around a singular point of rage: Erza's S-Class promotion, recently earned, while Mirajane, still burning with jealousy, was left behind. Neither appeared concerned with the growing collateral damage or the fact that the main entrance was now more hole than door.
As if to make things worse, neither so much as glanced at Kaia, who remained an awkward, silent observer outside the demolished threshold.
"Maybe this was a mistake," Kaia muttered. "Maybe I should've joined a nice quiet guild. Like... Baking Magic Enthusiasts Anonymous."
Curious and honestly a little terrified Kaia whispered to Styme, "Can you show me their levels and strength?"
[Displaying requested information. Prepare for emotional damage.]
A glowing screen blinked in front of her eyes.
Erza Scarlet – Level 65
Magic: Requip (The Knight)
Power: Brutal. Ridiculous. Terrifying.
Combat Efficiency: 97%
Control: 98%
Mental Stability: Questionable.
Mirajane Strauss – Level 62
Magic: Take Over (Satan Soul)
Power: Volatile. Lethal. Hugely emotional.
Combat Efficiency: 90%
Control: 85%
Mental Stability: Depends on the day.
Kaia gawked at the numbers.
"How am I supposed to survive in a guild where the teenagers could bench-press a dragon?!"
[Optimism detected: you probably won't die immediately.]
"That's not as comforting as you think it is!"
Despite her internal panic, Kaia forced her legs to move, stepping over the splinters of the former doorway and into the main hall.
Inside, the chaos only intensified.
Tables were overturned, barrels of ale spilled across the floor, and people fought with a joyful, reckless abandon that made her question their collective sanity. A shirtless boy gray-haired, muscular even at his young age was arguing with a fiery pink-haired boy who had just set part of the floor on fire.
A small blue cat with wings was flying in circles above them, shouting encouragement or possibly just contributing to the noise.
In another corner, a dark-haired girl with a barrel larger than herself Cana, judging by the sheer amount of alcohol she was sloshing was yelling at a younger boy who looked like he was trying very hard to prove something by punching a chair.
Near the far wall, a little blue-haired girl was trying desperately to shield a tower of books from flying debris. Kaia caught a glimpse of a second white-haired girl laughing and dodging a thrown plate a younger version of Mirajane's sister, no doubt.
Everywhere Kaia looked, it was a riot of youth, magic, and zero regard for structural integrity.
A pink blur zoomed toward her.
"HEY! NEW GIRL!" a loud, enthusiastic voice bellowed.
Kaia blinked and found herself face-to-face with the pink-haired boy, who grinned so widely it looked almost painful.
"You gotta fight me!" he declared, bouncing on his heels like a puppy on a sugar high.
Kaia opened her mouth. Closed it. Opened it again.
Was that a normal greeting here?
"Um," she said intelligently, "I'm good, thanks. I just got here. Maybe some talking first?"
The boy pouted. "Aww, c'mon! It's tradition! First fight's how we say hi!"
Before Kaia could process this horrifying custom, another voice piped up this time from somewhere nearby.
"Gray, put your clothes on!" shouted a tiny girl, ducking a flying mug.
Kaia turned and immediately shrieked internally.
A half-naked boy Gray Fullbuster, her system informed her was standing proudly in the middle of the guild, entirely unbothered by his complete lack of a shirt and 80% lack of pants.
"WHY ARE YOU UNDRESSED?!" Kaia blurted out, pointing at him in scandalized horror.
Gray shrugged, utterly shameless. "Bad habit."
Kaia smacked her forehead.
"What kind of cursed daycare have I walked into?"
Before anyone could answer, a powerful voice boomed through the hall, freezing everyone mid-chaos.
"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?!"
Heads snapped toward the guild's second floor, where a very small, very angry man stood on the banister with a presence so large it filled the entire room.
Kaia immediately recognized him: Makarov Dreyar, Guild Master of Fairy Tail.
He glared down at the gathered crowd, his eyes burning with barely restrained fury and possibly a hint of affection for the destruction surrounding him.
His gaze landed on Kaia, who instantly stiffened like she'd been caught stealing cookies.
"You!" he barked. "You're new. Explain yourself!"
Kaia, still clutching the edge of her now slightly-burning coat, did her best to muster an explanation.
"I uh came to join?"
The entire guild went silent.
Every single eye turned to her, the weight of their curiosity crashing over her like a tidal wave.
Makarov squinted, sizing her up in one long, unsettling glance.
"You survived the entrance," he said thoughtfully. "You didn't flinch when you saw the fights. You didn't pass out when Gray lost his clothes. That's a good start."
Kaia swallowed hard, nodding.
"Welcome to Fairy Tail," Makarov said with a wide, mischievous grin. "You'll fit right in."