"Welcome to Fairy Tail," Makarov said with a wide, mischievous grin. "You'll fit right in."
Kaia stared blankly at the guild master, her mouth slightly agape as she slowly absorbed the reality of what she had just walked into. Her eyes darted nervously around the room, registering the lingering remnants of chaos. She had expected excitement, adventure even, but this level of nonstop mayhem seemed slightly beyond her previous estimation.
"Are you sure?" she finally asked, her voice tinged with apprehension. "I mean, I literally walked through an explosion, and no one even blinked. Is it always…like this?"
Makarov chuckled warmly, leaning casually against the damaged railing with a familiarity that suggested such destruction was a regular event. "Oh, this? Today is actually pretty quiet. You should've been here last Tuesday now that was spectacular."
Kaia blinked, wondering momentarily if the old guild master was joking. One glance around at the utterly calm faces of guild members confirmed otherwise. This insanity was apparently their normal, their everyday way of life. She felt both deeply intrigued and quietly terrified.
"Come on, kid," Makarov coaxed gently, noticing her uncertainty. "Fairy Tail may seem rough at first, but you'll find we're a family here—though a noisy and disorderly one. You'll learn to love the madness, trust me."
A few hesitant steps carried Kaia deeper into the guildhall. Her heart still fluttered anxiously, yet curiosity tugged persistently at her courage. The hall was slowly settling back into something resembling order, or at least, as much order as Fairy Tail ever seemed willing to tolerate.
"You should at least get your guild mark," Makarov continued encouragingly, leaping nimbly down from the railing despite his small stature. "It's an important tradition."
Kaia's eyebrows furrowed thoughtfully. "Guild mark?"
At that exact moment, the small blue cat she had glimpsed earlier zoomed down to hover inches from her face, his wide eyes twinkling mischievously. "Aye! It's your official membership stamp! Don't worry, it doesn't hurt…too much."
Kaia stumbled back, startled. "You , you're a flying cat?"
"Aye sir!" The feline puffed his chest proudly. "Name's Happy!"
"I'm Kaia," she replied awkwardly, not entirely convinced she wasn't hallucinating.
Behind Happy, the pink-haired boy from earlier rushed forward enthusiastically, waving his arms as though he'd spotted a celebrity. "Hey, new girl! I'm Natsu Dragneel, Fairy Tail's strongest fire wizard! You ready for our fight yet?"
A girl with short silver hair rolled her eyes dramatically from nearby. "Natsu, you literally challenged her ten minutes ago. Give it a rest."
"Come on, Lisanna!" Natsu pouted childishly. "You know fighting's how we bond around here!"
A massive figure loomed suddenly behind Lisanna, his young face surprisingly gentle despite his towering build. "Lisanna's right," he agreed timidly. "We shouldn't scare her away on the first day."
Lisanna beamed warmly at Kaia. "I'm Lisanna Strauss, by the way. This big softy is my brother Elfman." Elfman blushed slightly at being called a softy but nodded politely nonetheless.
Kaia smiled faintly, nodding in acknowledgment, though she was still mentally replaying the phrase "fighting's how we bond."
Before she could speak further, the boy she had previously witnessed without clothes appeared beside her again, thankfully now mostly dressed. "I'm Gray," he said casually, ignoring the fact that his shirt was backwards. "Sorry about earlier. Bad habit."
Kaia offered a nervous laugh. "You might wanna work on that."
Gray merely shrugged, unbothered by her suggestion.
A bubbly young woman holding a barrel of ale with suspicious ease waved cheerfully. "Hey! I'm Cana Alberona. Welcome aboard! If you ever wanna relax after nearly getting blown up, I'm your girl!"
From across the hall, the tiny blue hair girl approached, clutching several thick books protectively. She offered Kaia a shy but genuine smile. "I'm Levy McGarden. Nice to meet you! If you need anything researched or deciphered, just ask!"
Kaia nodded gratefully, comforted slightly by Levy's calm presence. She was beginning to relax until Erza Scarlet, the fiery-haired girl who had just demolished half the guild's entrance, marched forward purposefully. Her intense gaze froze Kaia to the spot.
"I apologize if Mirajane and I startled you earlier," Erza declared, her voice resonating with fierce authority. "She and I have…unresolved differences. It won't happen again." The implicit threat toward Mirajane seemed entirely missed by the girl herself, who simply crossed her arms and looked away with a petulant "Hmph."
Erza's severe expression softened slightly. "You seem capable, though. We look forward to seeing your strength."
"Uh…thanks?" Kaia squeaked, more intimidated than flattered by the compliment.
Mirajane approached with a playful smirk, nudging Erza gently out of the way. "Don't let Miss Serious scare you. She just got lucky with that S-Class exam. Next year, I'll show everyone who's really the best."
Erza's eyes narrowed sharply, her aura turning dangerously menacing again. "You wish."
Kaia instinctively stepped backward, eager to avoid another sudden brawl.
"Now, now!" Makarov intervened quickly, sensing imminent disaster. "Let's not start Round Two just yet, shall we?" He turned back toward Kaia, beckoning her to follow him to a large counter at the back of the guildhall.
Kaia complied, slightly overwhelmed by the sheer personalities around her. Makarov climbed onto the counter with practiced ease, turning to face her seriously.
"Your Fairy Tail emblem," he said solemnly, pulling out a magical stamp glowing faintly with enchanted energy. "Choose where and what color. It will signify your commitment and your identity as one of us."
Kaia hesitated briefly, her thoughts swirling. She had dreamed of this moment for years. True, Fairy Tail was chaotic and loud and prone to regular explosions but within that chaos, she saw genuine camaraderie, trust, and warmth. Maybe, just maybe, this was exactly the home she'd always needed.
She finally held out her left wrist confidently. "Right here," she said, smiling brightly. "Make it bright blue like magic."
Makarov nodded approvingly, pressing the magical stamp firmly to her wrist. A warm glow filled her senses briefly as the Fairy Tail symbol appeared on her skin, vivid and perfect.
Cheers erupted from the guild members. Even Erza and Mirajane set aside their rivalry long enough to clap approvingly. Natsu and Happy jumped around wildly in celebration, nearly setting another table on fire.
"Welcome officially, Kaia!" Cana shouted, raising her barrel. "You're one of us now!"
Kaia laughed in disbelief, warmth flooding her chest as they gathered around, officially welcoming her into their fold. She didn't yet fully understand their magic, their customs, or how she'd survive their daily antics, but for the first time in years, she felt something profound belonging.
"I guess I am," Kaia said softly, glancing down at her emblem proudly.
[System Note: Congratulations, you've joined a guild whose average sanity levels rank below acceptable standards. Survival probability: mildly improved.]
Kaia chuckled lightly, rolling her eyes as she responded silently. "Thanks, Styme. I think I'll survive."
Suddenly, a flaming fist slammed dramatically onto a nearby table, reducing it to ashes. Natsu grinned wildly in Kaia's direction. "Now that you're official, let's fight! It's tradition!"
"Again with that?" Kaia protested weakly