"Child, are you alright? Child, wake up."
A soft, kind voice reached the boy's ears. Slowly, he stirred, the words pulling him from unconsciousness. The moment his eyes fluttered open, a dull ache spread through his entire body. With effort, he focused his gaze and saw a pair of worn brown shoes in front of him.
He realized he was lying on the ground at the bottom of a large pit. Blinking in confusion, he tilted his head back and saw a short, elderly man standing over him, clearly the one who had called out.
The old man had sharp black eyes and a thick white beard, his hair gathered in tufts at the sides. Perched on his head was a striped jester cap in orange and blue. His outfit was equally bright: an orange casual set with matching shorts, layered over a white shirt bearing a familiar emblem.
"What… happened to me? Why am I lying here?" The boy's voice was so faint that one would have to strain to hear it.
"I heard a loud crash just now," the old man explained. "When I came to check, I found you unconscious in this pit. Do you remember what happened?"
"I… I'm not sure. Ugh…"
He groaned, feeling every muscle in his body protest.
"I'd better take you to get checked right away."
The man's tone left no room for argument. He stepped forward and offered a steady hand. The boy accepted it without hesitation; something about this stranger felt oddly familiar and safe.
As they began walking, the boy finally took in his surroundings. Towering, dense trees loomed in every direction. A forest? That didn't make sense hadn't he just been hit by a car?
The thought made his chest tighten. Looking around at the unfamiliar landscape, he realized that unless this was an elaborate prank, he might have… crossed into another world.
Trying to keep his voice steady, he asked, "Sir, where are we? And… what year is it?"
"This is Magnolia," the old man replied kindly. "The year is X769. Does that mean anything to you?"
"Magnolia…" The boy's eyes widened as recognition began to dawn. He turned sharply to the man. "Is there a Fiore Kingdom here? And a guild called Fairy Tail?"
"Yes," the man confirmed with a gentle nod. "We are in Fiore, and Fairy Tail does exist. Do you remember anything else?"
"No… that's all I remember."
"I see. Do you recall your name? Or your age?"
The boy paused. The truth was becoming clear he had somehow arrived in the world of Fairy Tail. Why he could understand and speak the language wasn't important right now. What mattered was that he was here.
In his past life, he had no parents and only a handful of relatives. His days had been gray and uneventful. But here… here was a world filled with magic, adventure, and possibilities. His original name would sound strange in this place. This was his chance to begin again.
"My name… is Noah Freyre. I'm five years old. The only thing I remember is Fairy Tail."
The name had meaning. Noah like Noah's Ark someone who had survived disaster and begun anew. Freyre, meaning talent or gift, was a hope for the future: that he might have the ability to soar high in this magical world.
Glancing at his small, delicate hands, he gave a decisive nod to himself. "Yes… five years old."
"Amnesia?" Makarov mused silently to himself.
"Noah Freyre, I am the master of the Fairy Tail you mentioned Makarov Dreyar. Since you already know of Fairy Tail, would you like to come with me to the guild? Being there might help you recover your memories."
"Master?!"
Noah studied the old man again, comparing him carefully to the images in his mind. Recognition struck like lightning. This was indeed Makarov Dreyar, the Third Master of Fairy Tail. No wonder the sense of familiarity had been there from the start.
Still, seeing a real person was very different from a two-dimensional image. The shock of this entire situation had dulled his senses before, but now the reality sank in.
"Yes," Makarov said warmly. "Would you like to join? Fairy Tail is a wonderful guild."
"Yes, I'd like to join!"
"Then it's settled. But first, we need to make sure nothing serious happened to you."
Supporting him gently, Makarov led Noah deeper into the forest. That was when Noah realized he had appeared in the woods right outside Magnolia itself.
They soon arrived at a quaint, secluded cabin. Its resident, Porlyusica, gave Noah a sharp, appraising look before examining him. After a brief check, she announced there was nothing seriously wrong just bruises that would heal in a few days. Then, with her usual gruffness, she grabbed her broom and shooed both of them out.
"Porlyusica is a very kind person at heart," Makarov explained as they left, "but for reasons of her own, she doesn't like being around humans. Don't take it personally."
"No, I'm grateful to her for looking after me."
"That's good. Now, let's get you to Fairy Tail."
They followed a winding trail until the forest gave way to Magnolia's bustling streets. Everywhere they went, Makarov was greeted with smiles and friendly waves. People would glance at Noah curiously and ask if he was the guild's newest recruit. Makarov's reply was always a proud "Yes."
Eventually, they reached the far end of the main road. Standing there in full view was a magnificent three-story building. The sign above the entrance read "Fairy Tail," and from the third floor fluttered a flag marked with the familiar emblem of a winged fairy.
"Is this… Fairy Tail? It's incredible!"
Noah's voice brimmed with awe. This was the very place where so many of the world's great adventures began, the heart of countless bonds of friendship and loyalty. Here, comrades looked after each other as family. In his old life, Noah had longed for such a place, having pored over the manga and anime countless times. Now, standing before it in person, his heart swelled with excitement.
"That's right," Makarov said with a smile. "No one knows whether fairies have tails, or if they even exist at all. It is precisely because of that mystery that the name Fairy Tail represents an eternal unknown… and an eternal adventure."
Turning his back to the doors, he spread his arms wide and declared, "Welcome to Fairy Tail!"
"Mm!" Noah answered with a determined nod.
Makarov pushed the heavy doors open, and at once a wave of noise spilled out. Inside, the air was thick with laughter, conversation, and the occasional crash of a scuffle. Guild members drank, played games, exchanged stories, and examined the job request boards with keen eyes. The place was alive with energy.
One of the members noticed Makarov entering and called out loudly, "Master, welcome back! Oh who's the kid behind you? Your long-lost grandson?"
Rolling his eyes, Makarov replied, "No, this is our newest member, Noah Freyre."
He then turned to Noah and said, "Come along. Let's get your membership paperwork sorted."