"Hello, are you a new student here at FPM?" The woman behind the front desk asks me. I smile brightly back at her, and tug the sleeve of my friend next to me.

"No, we're returning Fairy Tail members," replies my friend, flawlessly. We go to show our school ID cards with our guild insignia on it, but the woman just waves us off. Her entire attitude changed just at the name of our guild.

"Ok, go on ahead. I've got other students to see through." Her eyes look down at the book in front of her, and I see my picture next to my name.

Levy McGarden, 15
Fairy Tail

In my photo I'm wearing my favorite glasses, the magical ones that allow you to read at incredible speeds. My mouth is smiling, without showing my teeth, but it doesn't reach my eyes.

I've never once been embarrassed of my guild. We're a family, which is more than can be said for some of the others.

"C'mon, Levy. We're going to be late, Makarov will be waiting." The scarlet beauty calls after for me, and I look up to see she had kept walking. I wave goodbye to the front desk lady, despite her change in attitude.

"I can't go losing you again this year, Levy. Sometimes that gets really annoying. Pay more attention," she scolds me. I ruffle through my stack of books and pull out my trusty wipe-off board. Pulling the marker from my hair, I write two words in neat cursive.

'Sorry, Erza.'

She looks apologetic. "Never mind. Let's just get to our guild." I tuck my board and marker back and follow her through the familiar campus of MPM. Every guild has its own area on campus, with a main building and dorms for people who want to live on campus. Another thing that brings Fairy Tail together is that we all live on campus. At least, I find that significant. That way we get to spend more time together!

Erza and I step no more than two paces into the Guild's main lobby before we're hounded by all our friends.

"It's so great to see you Levy!!!" Cry my two childhood friends, Jet and Droy. I smile back at them.

"Erza, Levy, how are you two!!" Our friend Gray calls out, running over to us.

"Good, good. It's great to be back! The guild is messy, everyone's being too loud, and my books are really heavy, but over all it's so nice to be back home!" Erza's grin overpowers that of anyone else's in the room, so we all join around her.

"I'm sure you two need to put your stuff away," a now naked Gray says. I stifle a giggle, but hide my face behind my books.

"Graaaayyyy, put some *hic* clothes on!!!" Of course that's Cana, who always manages to find the alcohol, no matter how well our master hides it. She stumbles forward towards us, but before she can accidentally whip out a card that will turn us into donkeys or something, Mirajane pops out and grabs her arms, putting her in a headlock.

"You're not going anywhere!" She whispers sinisterly into Cana's ear, who just lolls her head and hangs loose in Mira's arms. I smile with laughter. Suddenly, we hear the loud sounds of someone hitting a cane on the floor. Our small master walks out onto the balcony and makes a motion that looks like he's clearing his throat. Of course, we can't hear it. He looks at Mira, who seems to drain of the blood that controlled her before, and calmly hands Makarov his bullhorn. Cana slumps down onto the floor, where she falls asleep due to her own Sleep Card.

"AHEM," Makarov says, now loud and clear. "It appears we have a new student joining our guild. I hope you will make them feel welcome and at home here in Fairy Tail." Everyone gasps. A new member in our guild? People these days rarely are paired with our guild. The aptitude test doesn't allow it anymore, since Fairy Tail began dropping. I guess she's special... Everyone beings talking at once, so I whip out my board and marker.

'Does anyone know who she is?'

"ONE MORE THING," Makarov says over the crowd. "It says here on this paper that the newcomer, who's name is Lucy... IS A NON-MAGE. That is all," he finishes, hobbling back into his office. For a second time, the guild erupts in chatter.

"A non-mage in a school for mages? That can't be right!"

"Did something happen? Are her files all wrong?"

"They must have a lot of money then, if they can come to a school like this and not be magical."

"Plus, placing a non-mage in Fairy Tail? We might as well call it quits this year!" Everyone groans at that. I quickly scribble on my board:

'Maybe she's not that bad'

Erza sees what I wrote and dictates for me, adding, "well you'll never know until we meet her."

It feels like the talking and the gossip and the rumors already won't stop, so I walk towards the door. All this sound is giving me a headache, and I think a walk will remedy that just fine. However, just as I move to open the door, it opens by itself, and there's someone already standing there.

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