A 17-year-old celestial wizard named Lucy Heartfilia runs away from home to join Fairy Tail, a rambunctious wizards' guild whose members are infamous for their overly destructive antics. Along the way, she meets Natsu Dragneel, a boy who is traveling the land of Fiore together with his partner Happy, a talking cat, in search of his foster parent, a dragon named Igneel who had disappeared without a trace seven years prior. Shortly after their meeting, Lucy is abducted by a wizard claiming to be the famous Salamander of Fairy Tail. Natsu rescues Lucy and reveals himself to be the real Salamander and a Dragon Slayer, a wizard with the abilities of a dragon. Natsu offers membership to Fairy Tail for Lucy, which she accepts.
Lucy forms a team together with Natsu and Happy, as well as Gray Fullbuster, an ice wizard with a habit of stripping, and Erza Scarlet, an armored female wizard. The five go on missions for their guild together and battle a wide variety of villains.