Kuni Village wasn't a very well known location in Fiore. It was mostly a farming community. All the houses were a few kilometers apart from each other and the closest school was twenty minutes away. Nothing news worthy ever happened here and it very rarely had anything criminal happening either, and the people of Kuni Village liked it that way.

A little green haired girl walked down the dirt road from her house to the only elementary school in town. She wore a yellow tank top and light blue skirt. She wore black flats and knee high socks with lace around the rims. On her back, she carried a backpack with a fancy brawn "M" on it. In her hands, she carried a magazine called Sorcerer Weekly. The girl was so invested in her reading; she didn't hear her name being called from behind her. Before she knew what was happening, another girl had jumped on her back, causing her to drop her magazine.

"MAI! Get your nose out of that stinky book and answer me when I'm screaming your name," the girl said. It didn't take Mai long to figure out the person who had so rudely jumped on her was her best friend, Nashi. Nashi climbed off her friend's back so she could pick up her magazine. Mai leaned down and grabbed the weekly before dusting off the dirt that covered the pages. Figuring she had read enough, Mai rolled up the magazine and put it into one of her backpack pockets.

"It's not a book Nashi, It's a wizarding magazine. It has all the latest stats and gossip on the most famous wizards in all of Fiore," she said as she took in Nashi's outfit. Nashi wore a white dress with golden rims that reached the middle of her thighs. On top of her dress was a salmon long sleeved cover-up with matching gold rims. She had on knee high maroon socks and brown boots. Part of her hair was tied back by a salmon ribbon. On her back was a plain lime green backpack. Mai had always been jealous of Nashi's mother because she had impeccable taste in fashion.

"So, anything new with your wizard community?" Nashi asked. Mai was obsessed with famous wizards, nobody knew as much as Mai did. Nashi understood the basics of what Mai spoke of, but it was just so much to take in. Nashi had always planned on learning magic herself, but not until she was older, and even then she didn't know what she wanted to do.

"Mermaid Heel has a new master, but she's still pretty young to understand what she's doing." Nashi listened as her best friend talked about her favorite wizard guilds. She didn't realize they had arrived at school until they had passed the front gates.

The two friends rushed into the school and to their lockers. Once their stuff was put away, they rushed to their classroom just before the bell ringed. Taking their seats beside each other, the two girls went through the day listening to their teacher. As recess came around, the two friends found themselves anticipating freedom, even if it was only for forty-five minutes. One minute before the bell, their teacher decided to remind them of an important, upcoming even.

"Remember students, next week is Career Week. Make sure all your mothers and fathers can make it to share with us what their jobs are like," from a few seats away, Nashi could hear Haruto whisper, "Apart for Nashi, who doesn't have a dad." Mai had heard as well, expecting Nashi to take action. However, she was surprised to find that Nashi had not been affected. Once the recess bell had rung, all the students had dispersed around the room, finding something to entertain them. Before Nashi could stand, she felt her desk buddy grab her arm, keeping her in place.

"Okay, what's the deal Nashi? Yesterday you were all upset when Haruto had made fun of you, now you're acting like you don't care?" Nashi grinned, showing off her pearly white fangs.

"Because I don't care, Mai. Mommy told me why I didn't have a dad and now I don't feel as sad anymore," said Nashi. It was then that Nashi explained to Mai the story behind fatherless childhood and all Mai could do at the end of it was gape at her like a fish.

"That's it?" she asked, a bit shocked as to why her friend had never known her father. Nashi simply nodded her head. Mai dropped her rather unappealing expression and replaced it with a questioning one, "You're not mad at your father?"

At this question, Nashi was confused, "Why would I be mad at my daddy?"

"Well, he chose some other woman over your mom. Doesn't that make you at least a little angry?" Nashi had ever really thought about that before. Sure, it made her sad knowing her mom was picked over someone else, but then again, her father didn't know about her mom's feelings to begin with, so there was no point in hating him.

"Not really. He didn't know my mother loved him and she never go the chance to tell him. Besides, I could never hate him, he's my Daddy." Mai had to admit, that was not the answer she was expecting, but it did make her happy to know that Nashi didn't have ill feelings toward him, now, the woman who stole him away was probably another story, one she didn't really want to know about.

"I wonder what my Daddy's like?" At this question, the two girls began naming off what Nashi's dad could possibly be like: handsome, intelligent, into sports.

"How much you wanna bet that you have your father's hair?" Mai said, lifting up a strand of Nashi's pink hair. Nashi laughed it off, saying that a man with pink hair would be hilarious to see. Mai shook her head, earning a questioning look from Nashi.

"Actually, I can think off one man with pink hair. He actually pulls it off really well."

"Really? Who?"

"His name is-" Mai's sentence was interrupted by the cheering of students. Nashi and Mai turned their heads to the far right corner of the classroom to find a large huddle of students, all clamoring excitedly. The two girls turned to each other, both confused by their classmates actions. Letting their curiosity get the better of them Mai and Nashi stood from their seats and toward the large group of students.

They reached the large assembly, only to get glimpses of what was happening. In the middle, Nashi could recognize the mop of orange hair that was undoutably Haruto. From what the two girls could make out, it appeared that Haruto and another student named Kenzo were playing some form of card game. In front of each boy was three cards faced down. They also both had a deck off to the side and two cards in their hands. At first, Nashi thought it was one of those lame card games that nerds liked to play, and when Mai squealed, she knew it was something along those lines.

"It's Guild Wars! It's a card game where you play different members of the guild you have. You have to get rid of all the active player cards in order to win!" Mai said excitedly. Looking back at the boys game, Mai tried to see what guilds they were playing, "It looks like Kenzo is playing the Sabertooth guild and Haruto is playing Fairy Tail."

Fairy Tail. Nashi had heard Mai and a bunch of kids in school mention it before. Apparently it was the most powerful and popular guild in all of Fiore. Everyone in school knew about Fairy Tail, except Nashi apparently, who knew almost nothing about anything outside her hometown. Nashi and Mai listened attentively to the "battle" that was raging between Haruto and Kenzo.

"I use Elfman's Weretiger Take-Over to attack your Dobengal!" Haruto said smugly. Nashi watched as Kenzo thought up a new way of attack. A light suddenly appeared in his eyes as he smirked at Haruto. Flipping one of the cards laying out in front of him, the crowd let out a collective "Ooo."

"I use my Tag Team card which allows me to switch out any of my players with bellow fifty percent HP with any of the other players in my deck," said Kenzo, as he took away his Dobengal, pulled out one of the cards in his hands, placed it in front of him, and replaced it with one from the deck beside him, "With that, I use my Yukino Aguria."

Haruto didn't act frightened, in fact he was laughing hysterically. "You call that a worthy trade! Everyone knows Celestial Spirit wizards are useless weaklings that hide behind their spirits and use them as shields." Nashi didn't like the way he had said that. If anything, it seemed cool to her to summon spirits from other worlds, means more friends. Nashi was drawn back to Haruto as he flipped one of his three cards on the floor.

"I use the Water Elemental card and use it to switch out my Elfman for Juvia Lockser, with that, I use Water Slicer" he said switching out the card in front of him with one in his hand. In turn, Kenzo flipped another one of the three cards in front of him.

"I now use my Summoning card which let's Yukino summon one of her spirits, and I choose Libra. Now your Water Slicer is redirected to attack you, draining thirty percent of Juvia's HP," Kenzo said, once again winning the crowds favor. This did not please Haruto in the slightest. He quickly flipped the card next to his Water Elemental.

"I use "Sky Sorceress" Wendy Marvell to heal Juvia. Wendy's healing skill will raise any of my cards HP by ten percent every time it's my turn." Despite how much Mai and Nashi despised Haruto, they both couldn't help but be impressed by skill in this card game. Kenzo simply shrugged it off.

"I call Players Advantage. With that rule, I can switch out any of my players on the field as long as they haven't had any damage," Kenzo took away his Yukino and replaced it with the last card in his hand , "I use Rogue Cheney the Shadow Dragon Slayer."

The crowd began to feel the tension in the air between the two rivals. Even Nashi, who wasn't normally a fan of these sorts of things, was on the edge of her seat.

"And, since Libra is also a player and one of Yukino's sprits, I switch her out as well for-" Kenzo flipped over the last of his three faced down cards, "Sting Eucliffe!" The majority of the group gasped.

"Since Sting and Rogue are partners, their attack is raised by fifty percent, AND since Sting is the guild master of Sabertooth, he gets the Guild Master's Advantage skill that also raises their attack by forty five percent. I use White Shadow Dragon Rough Silk on Juvia, completely removing her from your deck."

Everyone waited to see how Haruto would take this newest information, knowing him; he would probably take Kenzo's cards and tear them to pieces. However, none of them were prepared for Haruto's smirk.

"I had a feeling you had Sting in your deck," Haruto chuckled as he flipped over his last card on the floor, "I use the Grand Magic Games Rule Book, which makes any guild maser powerless for three turns. And now that I have you right where I want you," Haruto held up the back of his last card, Making the golden "S" in the corner very visible. All the students but Nashi gasped at the sight of it. Nashi nudged Mai, whose eyes were drawn to the card like a magnet.

"What's that?" asked Nashi.

"That's an S Class wizard card. They're really rare in this card game." Nashi tried to remember what Mai had said an S Class wizard was in the past. It didn't take her long. According to Mai, S Class wizards were very powerful and elite. They took on expensive jobs and made a lot more money than regular guild wizards. Haruto threw down his final card, receiving a terrified expression fro Kenzo and shocked expressions from the rest of the students.

"I use "Salamander" Natsu Dragneel. As an S Class wizard, Natsu's HP is already at one hundred and fifty, and with the help of Wendy's enchantments, his attack is raised by seventy five percent. I use the Dragon Slayer Secret Art: Crimson Lotus Exploding Flame Blade to take out both Sting and Rogue, defeating all your active players," said Haruto, crossing his arms over his chest with a smug expression on his face.

All the students clapped for Haruto's impressive victory while Kenzo sat there in astonishment. While everyone else spread out, either to congratulate Haruto or enjoy the rest of recess, Nashi just stood in her place trying to process something, and not just anything, a name,

Natsu Dragneel. She had never heard the name mentioned before, not even from Mai, but Nashi couldn't help but feel drawn to it in a way. There was something about that name that made Nashi feel, strange. She could not find the words to describe it. Nashi was pulled out of her thoughts as Mai grabbed her hand and led her toward the victor of the card game.

"Ahh Ladies, come to praise me for my amazing cardsmenship?" said Haruto. Nashi wanted to wipe that smirk off his face so badly.

"I have to admit, it was quite impressive. How did you get a Natsu Dragneel card? Even for an S Class card that is hard to find," Mai said pointing toward the card with a golden S. Haruto pulled the card out of the deck and shoved it in Nashi and Mai's face. Since they were so far in the back of the group, Nashi and Mai hadn't gotten a very good look at the card, but now that it was practically an inch away from their faces, they couldn't help but marvel at the image, especially Nashi.

On the card was a man with spikey pink hair. He had black reptilian eyes and slightly tanned skin. He wore a black open vest and white trousers with a black cape like fabric held up by his belt. Around his neck was a white scarf with a scale like pattern. Nashi took in every detail of the man with great interest. Not only had she been drawn to his name, but his overall appearance as well. Something just felt so right about him.

"My dad got it for me because he said I deserved the best," Haruto said, pulling away the card, "but of course Bubblegum Head wouldn't understand. Her dad didn't even love her enough to stick around." Nashi could feel the anger build up inside her, put she ignored it. Keeping a straight face Nashi looked Haruto in the eye.

"You can say that all you want Haruto, but it won't change the fact that I in fact DO have a dad, Mommy said I do" she said crossing her arms over her chest. Haruto raised an eyebrow, surprised by her reaction or in their case lack of reaction.

"Oh really? Where is he?"

"He never left home, my mommy did, because she wanted him to be happy with someone else," Nashi said.

"Wow, I had no idea your mom was such a coward to tell her daughter such lies!" he said cackling, earning a disgusted look from Mai and a confused look from Nashi.

"My mommy wouldn't lie to me. It's the truth." Nashi began to feel her anger bubble within her, in a way it made her feel hot, and she liked it. Haruto faked a pout.

"Aww, did I hurt your feelings? I was only being honest with you. Your mom just lied to you so you wouldn't hate yourself for chasing your daddy away." Nashi's palms began to feel warm. She clenched her hands into fists, trying g to keep herself calm. Mai started yelling at Haruto to leave her alone, gaining the attention of the rest of the classroom. Nashi couldn't hear the other student's as she tried to fight the rage that was erupting inside her.

"Shut up Haruto. Shut up," Nashi whispered, but he continued taunting her. The burning sensation in her hands began to grow. Nashi tried her best to block out Haruto's hateful words toward her parents, but it was all in vain when Nashi heard him whisper.

"I don't know why your mother would lie to you, it's your fault for chasing him away. I wouldn't be surprised if she hated you too, it's a wonder she hasn't left you either."

She snapped.

"I said, SHUT UP!"

All that could be heard through the classroom was the sound of a hand to the face.