Albion POV
The chaos of Fairy Tail's guild hall was oddly comforting. Despite tables being overturned and scorch marks decorating the walls, there was an undeniable warmth here—a sense of belonging that I hadn't felt since leaving the Heartfilia estate.
"So you really are a dragon slayer?" Natsu asked for the third time, his eyes still sparkling with excitement. "What element do you use?"
"Actually, I use several elements," I replied, causing Happy to nearly choke on his fish.
"Several?!" Happy exclaimed. "Aye, that's impossible!"
Kuroka, perched on my shoulder, flicked her tail dismissively. "Nothing's impossible if you train hard enough, fish-breath."
Before Happy could retort, the guild doors swung open again. This time, an elderly man no taller than my chest walked in, his white mustache and kind eyes immediately recognizable.
"What's all this commotion about?" Master Makarov asked, his voice carrying easily through the hall despite its gentle tone.
"Master!" Mirajane called out. "We have some potential new members."
Makarov's eyes found mine, and I felt a subtle probing sensation—not intrusive, just... measuring. After a moment, his expression shifted to one of pleasant surprise.
"My, my. You carry quite the magical presence, young man. And your companion as well," he said, nodding to Kuroka. "I am Makarov Dreyar, master of this guild. What brings you to Fairy Tail?"
I stepped forward and bowed respectfully. "My name is Albion Nava, and this is my partner Kuroka. We're travelers seeking a place to belong and grow stronger."
"Albion..." Makarov stroked his mustache thoughtfully. "That name sounds familiar, though I can't place where I've heard it."
"You might have heard it from Anna Heartfilia," I suggested. "I traveled through the Eclipse Gate with the other dragon slayers four years ago."
The entire guild fell silent. Even Natsu stopped mid-bite of whatever he was eating.
"The Eclipse Gate?" Erza stepped forward, her expression serious. "You mean you're from 400 years in the past?"
"That's right. I was raised by dragons and trained in dragon slayer magic before being sent to this era, along with a 5 other dragon slayers. Including Natsu but he doesn't remember because he went through te ceiling with the other dragon slayers"
"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAT!!!!!?????" shouted everyone at the guild, including Natsu.
Of course they would be surprise that someone they've known for years came from 400 years in the past. And considering what happened at the Eclipse Gate and from my canon knowledge, I knew Natsu would not know since there were not calendars where we grew up.
"Wait, wait, wait!" Gray appeared, somehow having lost his shirt again. "If you came through the Eclipse Gate with flame-brain here, how come we're just meeting you now?"
I chuckled. "Well, unlike the other dragon slayers who went flying through the ceiling, I managed to land properly. I've been staying with the Heartfilia family since then."
"The Heartfilia family?" Levy looked up from her book. "You mean the railway tycoons?"
"That's them. Lucy Heartfilia and I became close friends during my stay there."
"Lucy Heartfilia?" Natsu's interest was piqued. "Is she a wizard too?"
"She's training to become one. She specializes in celestial spirit magic like her mother and Anna. Eventually, I think she will join Fairy Tail but she's still training to become stronger first."
Master Makarov nodded approvingly. "A wise approach. And what of your magic? Natsu mentioned you use multiple elements?"
I took a deep breath. This was the moment of truth. "I learned dragon slayer magic from seven different dragons. Moon, law, sage, sky, white, water, and wood elements. I also know celestial spirit magic, enchantment magic, and several others."
The silence stretched even longer this time. Finally, Cana whistled low.
"Damn, kid. No wonder your magical presence feels so dense."
"Seven dragon slayers magics?" Levy's scholarly excitement was palpable. "The theoretical applications alone... how do you manage the magical interference between different elements?"
"Careful control and a lot of practice," I replied with a small smile.
Master Makarov studied me for another moment, then suddenly grinned. "Well then, let's make it official. Mirajane, prepare the guild stamps."
"Already?" Erza looked surprised. "Shouldn't we test their abilities first?"
"Sometimes, Erza, you can tell a person's character just by looking at them," Makarov replied. "Besides, any friend of Anna Heartfilia's is welcome here. That woman helped save many lives during the Dragon King Festival."
As Mirajane prepared the guild stamp, I noticed someone approaching from the corner of my eye. A tall figure with orange hair and a lightning-shaped scar over his eye.
"So you're the new guy everyone's making a fuss about," Laxus said, his tone neutral but carrying an undercurrent of challenge.
"I suppose I am," I replied calmly.
"Laxus," Makarov's voice carried a warning tone.
"Relax, old man. I'm just curious about someone who claims to use seven different dragon slayer magics." Laxus crossed his arms. "Mind if I see for myself?"
Before I could respond, Kuroka spoke up. "If you're looking for a demonstration, I'd be happy to show you what we can do, nya."
Laxus raised an eyebrow. "A talking cat wants to fight me?"
"I'm an Exceed, thank you very much. And I wasn't offering to fight—I was offering to embarrass you."
The guild erupted in laughter, and even Laxus cracked a small smirk.
"I like her already," Cana said, raising her barrel in a mock toast.
"Where would you like your guild mark?" Mirajane asked, approaching with the stamp.
I considered for a moment. "On my right hand, in silver, please."
As the warm magical seal pressed against my skin, I felt something shift inside me—a connection forming, threads of magic linking me to every person in this room. It was overwhelming and comforting at the same time.
"Welcome to Fairy Tail," Mirajane said with her gentle smile.
"What about you, Kuroka?" Natsu asked.
Kuroka looked thoughtful. "Left shoulder, in black, nya."
As she received her mark, the guild members began to crowd around us, voices overlapping in welcome and questions.
"So where are you guys gonna live?" Lisanna asked.
"We hadn't really thought about it yet," I admitted.
"You could stay at Fairy Hills!" Levy suggested. "Though... actually, that's just for the girls."
"I know a place," Mirajane interjected. "There's a small house not far from here that's been empty for a while. The previous owner was a guild member who moved away. I'm sure Master wouldn't mind if you used it."
"That's very generous," I said, genuinely touched by their immediate acceptance.
"That's what family does," Natsu said matter-of-factly, and the casual way he said it made my chest tighten with emotion.
"Hey Albion," Gray called out. "Since you know celestial spirit magic, maybe you could help Lucy when she joins. We've got a few celestial wizards in the guild, but more knowledge never hurts."
"I'd be happy to help. Actually..." I reached for Aries's key. "Would you like to meet one of my celestial spirits?"
The guild members gathered around as I summoned Aries, who appeared with her usual nervous energy.
"H-hello everyone," Aries said with a small bow. "I'm Aries. Please don't hate me."
"Aww, she's adorable!" Lisanna exclaimed, causing Aries to blush.
"Another celestial spirit!" Levy was practically vibrating with excitement. "We don't see many Ram spirits around here."
As the guild members welcomed Aries warmly, I noticed Erza approaching me with a more serious expression.
"Albion, might I speak with you privately for a moment?"
"Of course."
We stepped to a quieter corner of the guild hall, and Erza's demeanor became more formal.
"You mentioned that you were raised by dragons and came from 400 years ago. Did you, by any chance, know a woman named Irene Belserion?"
My heart skipped a beat. I had been wondering when this conversation would come up.
"Yes, I know Irene. She taught me enchantment magic and helped me understand the true history of dragon slayers. Why do you ask?"
Erza's composed facade cracked slightly. "She... she's my mother."
"I thought that might be the case," I said gently. "You have her eyes, and there's something about your magical presence that reminds me of her."
"Is she... is she well?" Erza asked, and for a moment she looked less like the fearsome Titania and more like a young woman worried about her family.
"She's doing much better than when I first met her. She's learned to take her human form again through transformation magic, and she's found peace. She lives in a forest near Magnolia, actually."
Erza's eyes widened. "Near Magnolia? She's been so close this whole time?"
"Would you like me to arrange a meeting?" I offered. "I'm sure she'd love to see you."
For the first time since I'd met her, Erza's stoic expression completely crumbled, replaced by a mix of hope and fear.
"I... yes. Yes, I would like that very much."
"Then I'll contact her tomorrow. But Erza?" I waited until she met my eyes. "She never stopped loving you. Even when she was at her lowest point, you were always in her thoughts."
Tears gathered in the corner of Erza's left eye, and she quickly wiped them away. "Thank you, Albion. This means more to me than you know."
When I saw that no tears came from her right eye, I am reminded of what she went through at the Tower of Heaven.
As we rejoined the group, I caught Master Makarov watching us with knowing eyes. He gave me a small nod of approval.
"Well then," Makarov announced, "I think this calls for a celebration! Welcome to Fairy Tail, Albion and Kuroka!"
The guild erupted in cheers, and someone started playing music. As the impromptu party began around us, I felt Kuroka settle more comfortably on my shoulder.
"So what do you think, nya?" she asked quietly.
I looked around at the chaotic, warm, welcoming family I'd just joined and smiled.
"I think we're home."
The rest of the evening passed in a blur of introductions, stories, and laughter. Gray challenged me to a drinking contest with juice (since we were technically still kids, even though Cana is still drinking), which ended with both of us passed out on a table. Natsu insisted on arm wrestling, and was shocked when I actually gave him a good match despite being smaller. Cana regaled us with embarrassing stories about various guild members, while Levy peppered me with questions about historical magic theories.
Of course, Natsu also asked me if I knew where Igneel was but I told him that I was asked to not tell Natsu until the time was right. That made him sad but I cheered him up by saying that if he can beat me in a fight, then I will tell him. This was to encourage him to get stronger for what may come in the future.
As the night wound down and guild members began to head home, Mirajane approached with a set of keys.
"These are the keyes for the house I mentioned," she explained. "It's just a ten-minute walk from here. Elfman and Lisanna helped me clean it up while you were getting acquainted with everyone."
"You didn't have to do that," I protested.
"Like Natsu said, that's what family does," she replied with that gentle smile of hers.
As Kuroka and I made our way to our new home through the quiet streets of Magnolia, I reflected on how quickly everything had changed. Just this morning, we had been guests at the Heartfilia estate. Now we were members of Fairy Tail with a place to call our own.
"Hey Albion?" Kuroka said as we reached the small but cozy house that would be our new home.
"Yeah?"
"Thanks for bringing me along on this adventure, nya."
I scratched behind her ears, earning a contented purr. "Thanks for choosing to come with me, partner."
As we settled in for our first night as members of Fairy Tail, I couldn't help but smile. Tomorrow would bring new challenges, new adventures, and hopefully a reunion between Erza and her mother.
But for tonight, we were exactly where we belonged.