Failure IS An Option

Disclaimer: I own nothing, this is purely a fanfic for enjoyment.

Cross-over from various games, books, anime, manga, and movies.

The familiar characters you see here belong to their respected authors and owners.

"Speech"

Time*

Arc 1 - Now or Never: Chapter 9

A week later*

"Think this is the place?" I ask my companions, where we're standing before a building is a large pavilion, which, living up to the guild's name, took the form of a cat's head.

To think we would be able to find the Cait Shelter Guild from asking around randomly and I didn't even have to use my cheat to reach here.

"This should be the place." Machio replied, nodding with his arms folded over his chest.

"Juvia is curious if the people here are nice compared to the ones back in the Phantom Lord Guild." Juvia spoke up next. While standing closer to me, which makes it a bit difficult for me to walk on this unsteady road path towards Cait Shelter Guild.

"Well, no time like the present." I said to Juvia and Machio.

Of course, I've prepared my new card in case Bullet Magic isn't enough and I seriously hope that won't be the case. After all, even if Phantom Lord Guild was kinda what I was expecting, Cait Shelter Guild might not be the same as canon.

As we enter the building to see many people dressed in tribal themes, with the vast majority of the people here sporting body paint.

"Hello, how may I help you with our guild?" A random Mage of the Cait Shelter Guild came up to us.

"We're to check the guild out, to see if it's the right Magic Guild to join." Machio spoke up for Juvia and me. Being the one to speak with the random Mage for us until we're needed.

So while Machio does all the talking. Juvia and I are making sure no one tries anything with us, as in, trying to mess with me just because they can due to being a Mage from a Legal Magic Guild while we're still wandering Mages without belonging to a Magic Guild. In fact, in most people's eyes. We're not full-fledged until we join a guild.

Although, we could've become Independent Mages, which are Mages that are not officially recognized by the Magic Council and don't belong to either Legal Magic Guilds or Dark Magic Guilds, instead of being part of the so-called Independent Guilds. Something I've discovered is that these so-called Independent Guilds are surprisingly less valuable by nearly everyone unless they're very well-known. Even those from the Dark Magic Guilds would be picked over the Independent Mages if a choice is being made.

Ouch.

Anyway, it seems there is no one going to look down on us, me, to trigger Juvia's rage. Going by the laugh coming from Machio and the random Mage of the Cait Shelter Guild.

"So what do you think, Juvia?" I ask, taking in all the people in this guild. Where I can't tell them apart from being real or an illusion created by the Cait Shelter Guild Master, who is a spirit, that made this happen to not disappoint Wendy upon being asked if Cait Shelter Guild is a real one or not. Leading to spirit, Roubaul, employs his powerful magic to generate a large number of illusions, each possessing a personality of its own.

"It's nice here. The people here seem friendly." Juvia replied, showing no sign of seeing anything different with the people like I am.

And that's scary in my opinion. As all these people could potentially be just illusions made by one person. Not to mention, a very powerful Mage, who could do this for years and manage to get the Magic Council to accept the Cait Shelter Guild as a Legal Magic Guild.

Furthermore, what scares me the most is the fact, that the Guild Master alone is performing many jobs across the land with just illusions and somehow being able to control all these illusions altogether at the same time. That alone baffles me to no end. This guy has mad control over his magic.

Right, better to be safe than sorry. Man, this feels like my motto at this point.

100% of failure to being under the influence of Illusion Magic unless I want to.

And just like that, everyone disappears before my eyes and I can see Machio talking to no one. Making him look like he is talking to himself instead.

Quickly, I made it so the illusions could affect me again and I see the people once again.

I can feel cold sweat drenching my back because I nearly fall for Roubaul's realistic illusions. Thinking that everyone is real and due to being in an AU of Fairy Tail world, with additions of other characters from different series to be in this world.

"So do you think of joining this guild?" I ask Juvia, but at the same time, I'm a bit scared of sticking around here. Since there are technically only three members of this guild. One is a magical cat, another is a little girl that uses the Sky Dragon Slayer Magic, and the third is literally someone who isn't alive!

"It's better than the previous one we visited." Juvia starts off before she wraps her arms around my left arm, then look at me with a bright smile. "Juvia is willing to join as long Renato-sama joins."

I give a smile in return, "Alright."

I try a bit hard to ignore the feeling of Juvia's breasts. As recently I have decided to be the one to take a step forward into being in a relationship with Juvai on the way here and I'm glad she didn't go overboard in excitement upon hearing me wanting to date her, with a high chance of us being something more in the future.

"Hey, guys. Sol here is the one that would give us the guild's mark." Machio called out for Juvia and me, causing Juvia to pout a little and send a small glare at Machio. This made Machio chuckle at this. "Sorry, my bad, Juvia."

Juvia snorted at this, then release my left arm, much to my hidden disappointment at this.

"Alright, and nice to meet you, Sol." I said to the random Mage, who goes by the name Sol. And make me wonder if Sol is based on someone Roubaul know in the past and recreated to become a member of this guild.

"Nice to meet you too, Renato." Sol smiled at me.

Yeah, I'm not going to bother trying to know this Sol. After all, technically this is actually Roubaul playing the role of the character Sol.

"Nice to meet you, Juvia." Sol smiled at Juvia next. "So, who wants to get their guild's mark first?"

"I'll go first." Machio gives Sol a smile of his own, which shines brightly that could easily blind people if one stares too long.

Luckily, I turn away to not get blinded by this. At this point, I'm starting to develop a subconscious reflex of turning away from anything that might blind me.

Once all of us got our guild's mark, with Machio on his left bicep in black. Juvia on her left thigh in blue and I have mine at the back of my left shoulder blade in brown.

Of course, I made sure to use my cheat to make it so anything hidden in these guild's marks won't affect us if they are harmful. Otherwise, we got ourselves the status of being in a Legal Magic Guild and being able to take on jobs that have more rewards than the public ones outside of Legal Magic Guilds.

On the bright side, I didn't have to use my recent new Magic Card. Something that would clearly be too dangerous if too many people witness it and the Magic Council would pretty much place a bounty over my head because of this. Unless I, of course, use my cheat to make it impossible for witnesses to happen. Also, without my cheat, this Magic Card is 100% impossible to create and being able to be used by anyone, not even the Gods, Devils, and Dragons in Fairy Tail would survive for even a full second upon using this dangerous Magic Card.

"Now, most of the time, newcomers would join with the older members of the guild onto low-ranked jobs to gain proof of your ability as a Mage before being allowed to take on higher-ranked jobs. I can sense all three of you guys possess a massive amount of Magic Power and see how you three are together. Would you three like to form a team just you three?" Sol look at us with eyes that glinted in delight, which cause me to put up my guard instantly.

Also, I can literally see their eyes shine for just a brief moment, which also freaks me out a little. I'm pretty sure Juvia and Machio saw this too, but find it normal by their lack of reactions upon seeing this.

"We'll form a team of ourselves unless either of you thinks otherwise?" Machio agreed at first but then look at Juiva and me for our input.

"That's fine." I replied, with Juvia nodding in agreeing with me. Then again, I rather not have an angry Machio coming after me for rejecting him of forming a team with all three of us. Even though, technically, Machio tag along mainly for the Binding Card. Yet, anime logic just makes things so crazy and out of place just to move onto the plots.

No matter, I've already seen the result of Machio fighting as a Mage and fighting without his magic. Surprisingly, his base form is abnormally strong enough to punch a giant monster to death if he aimed for vital points.

"Great. So which one of you wants to be the leader of this team?" Sol asks the three of us.

Juvia and I instantly point at Machio, who just let out a chuckle at seeing this and nods in Sol's direction.

"Alright, team Machio is officially formed. Machio, as the leader, do you mind coming with me to finish all the documents?" Sol looks at Machio, who is now silent and sweating a bit.

I pat Machio on the shoulder, then give him a thumb up and a smile to let him know. He got my spiritual support. As I knew something like this might happen, where unlike other Magic Guilds aka Fairy Tail, or if was shown in the background. There bound of paperwork being done in forming teams and whatnot.

Also, I find it funny how in this world. Machio hates doing paperwork, no matter how little it is. He rather spends most of his time working out and/or doing other fun activities with Juvia and me.

"Juvia and I will go find out where most of the guild members are staying or potential places to live when we're not doing any jobs. Come on, Juvia. We got to let our leader do his important tasks at hand." I give Machio one last thumb up before quickly heading off with Juvia. Before Machio could find an excuse to push this onto either of us. Which he has tried many times in the past week traveling with him.

"Good luck, Machio." Juvia said to Machio is now giving us a sad smile with teary eyes. Begging us to come back while slowly being dragged away by Sol and Machio is too nice to NOT let him be dragged away so easily.

Yeah, I rather not do any paperwork either. Sorry, but not sorry Machio.

"Think he will be fine?" Juvia asks me in a whisper tone.

"He'll be fine."

At least I made sure he is via Failure Manipulation.