Role Switch fic, requested by Shiranai Atsune. Powers and the backstories of the characters will remain the same with just little tweaks to make it fit this fic. I just felt like if I switched all of their characteristics around, it'll be the same story with different names and that's just pointless.
Role switches:
Lucy is the senior member of Fairy Tail. Natsu is the newbie
Gray is in Phantom Lord. Juvia is in Fairy Tail.
Levy is also in Phantom Lord. Gajeel is a Fairy Tail member.
Jellal is a member of Fairy Tail. And Erza, well, you guys should get the idea by now.
As for chapter updates, I'm planning 10 chapters. Check my profile for the estimated update time.
Disclaimer: Fairy Tail and its characters belong to Hiro Mashami.
Warnings: none I can think of
Chapter 1: Alpha: Lucy and Natsu
Alpha: The Beginning
There's something about the rain that Lucy hates.
It's cold, depressing. Not at all soothing like it was behind a window frame.
And her dress is all droopy and heavy too. It made walking even more tiresome than it already was. But the worse part was how she's all alone. No one in the busily crowded street gave a second glance to her seven-year-old self. No matter how much she begged and whined and tugged at shirt's end, no one gave her a sparing glance.
Was Magnolia always this disregarding?
Lucy stopped mid-beg when she spotted an empty fountain through a narrow alleyway. Her hands went to her pockets instinctively. She paused for a second, debating whether or not she should summon her friend. She'll be mad at me...but she's always mad, Lucy thought. She pushed past the crowd and towards the fountain, walking up the steps and on top the cement. Her nose wrinkled at the disgustingly brown, churning water. She'll definitely be mad. But, nevertheless, Lucy dug through her pockets and singled out a golden key from three. She dipped it in, quickly glancing around for any onlookers before muttering, "...I open the gate of the water bearer, Aquarius."
Like magic, the golden key glowed bright yellow and the water swirled and parted. In a splash, Aquarius appeared and tsked disapprovingly, "What do you need now?'
At the sight of her mermaid friend, Lucy's distress waned. She got up from her knees and tugged at her friend's hand, "Aquarius, I'm lonely."
Aquarius pulled her hand away, folding it over her chest, "That's not my-hm? This isn't the bathtub. This-you-you, how dare you summon me in this! I'll kill you, you brat!"
Lucy smiled at Aquarius's threat. At least she knows Aquarius will never change. The urn bearing mermaid looked around her, at the rain-drenched girl before her, at the unfamiliar architecture, and at the fountain sprouting brown water. All of these were definitely not part of the Heartfilia's estate. Her eyebrows furrowed, "Where are we? Why aren't we in your room?"
Lucy looked away from the questioning stare and twiddled her thumbs. She muttered under her breath, "I ran away."
Aquarius frowned, "You idiot girl. Why would you do something like that?"
"Because...because Papa doesn't seem happy when I'm around," Lucy admitted dejectedly. And it's true. Ever since Mama disappear, Papa never seems happy when she's around. Maybe if she left he would be happier. And it could be like a huge adventure for her, full of wonder and magic. That was what she thought when she stowed away on the train. And still thought before she got off at a random stop with rain coming down in buckets and mean, uncaring residents bypassing her requests for help.
"I'm hungry, Aquarius. What do I do?" Lucy whimpered, clenching her stomach. She could feel the little magic she has draining from her body fast. She can't keep Aquarius here for long.
Aquarius sighed, a hand coming to rest on her forehead, "You're ridiculous. Come on, let's go back-"
"Hey,"
Lucy stiffened and turned around quickly, heart jumping as her feet nearly skidded into the dirty water behind her. Aquarius had barely begun to turn around before her gate closed as Lucy ran out of magic power. No...don't leave me. Come back, Aquarius.
A boy and a girl, around her age, stood in front her. The former was smiling. The latter was frowning, twirling a blue umbrella in an angry manner. "H-Hi," Lucy muttered back, climbing off the cement and onto the ground cautiously without turning her back to the duo.
"You're a wizard," the boy stated.
The girl seconded, "Juvia thinks that too."
Lucy clung the keys closer to her chests. The boy had a strange marking on his right eye. It looks like a guild tattoo. Are these wizards too? What if they want to take the keys? No, these were all she have left from her mother. If they were to take these from her…Lucy rather die.
The boy took a step forward and Lucy tensed, hands clenching, ready to punch and run. But instead, he tilted his head and looked at the keys with curiosity, "What kind of magic is that?"
Lucy blinked. Cautiously, she stated, "It's Celestial Spirit Magic."
"Cool! I never saw that before." If possible the smile seems to brighten. He swathed his soaking blue hair out of his face, "Don't you think it's cool, Juvia?"
"Juvia is not in a good mood," The girl said, turning away from them and twirling her umbrella in a fit.
The boy chuckled, scratching the back of his head, "Ahaha...are you still mad Mirajane broke your favorite umbrella? She said she was sorry," Then the boy turned back to her, "What are you doing in this weather? Are you going somewhere?"
"I..." Lucy couldn't answer. She didn't really have a plan beyond running and boarding the train.
The boy continued, "Why are you alone? Are you lost? Where's your family?"
"I-I don't have a family," Lucy admitted dejectedly.
The girl with the umbrella stiffened. She turned around sharply and with ferocity stated, "Then join ours."
"Huh?" Lucy perked up. Join their family? They barely knew her. The girl's eyes held nothing but sympathy and understanding, the first Lucy witnessed since she arrived.
"Join our family," the boy repeated with a bright smile, "Fairy Tail."
"Fairy Tail…?" Lucy whispered. The name leaves a familiar taste on her tongue. Had she read it somewhere before?
The girl nodded, blue eyes twinkling, "Our guild."
They each held out a hand, smiling and encouraging.
"Everyone is a family in Fairy Tail. Why don't you come and see?"
Lucy Heartfilia met Natsu Dragneel in the worst time possible.
She was with a client, discussing the details of a mission, on the open streets of Magnolia's outside markets when he burst into her life, hands blazing red hot fire. His loud, brazen entrance had attracted the attention of all in the area, including Lucy. The boy had the most unusual hair (although she shouldn't be surprised since her friends have natural white and blue hair). It was pink, like the color of an early sunrise that had barely begun to rise. He had locked eyes with her and screamed, "You're Fairy Tail's Celestial Princess!"
Lucy groaned at the name, "Please don't call me that."
10 years as a Fairy Tail mage and this is what she gets. All her friends received well-worded titles such as the Heavenly Star or the Water Beauty. Why must she get stuck with the cheesy Celestial Princess? It's ridiculous. Lucy is sure Mirajane gave her that name out of spite from when she broke her favorite tray platter.
Lucy began to turn back to her client but tensed at a surge of magic power. Without a second thought, she leaped back. A line of fire flew in front of her.
Of course, screaming and running ensued among the people, her client being one of them.
"Wait! Don't go!" Lucy cried, reaching out with a hand. Dang it, I needed that mission to make my rent.
When the fire ceased and the smoke cleared, the boy stood with a sharp-toothed grin, "Wow, you dodged that. So you must be strong!"
Lucy turned around to face the boy in a huff. She stomped a foot in frustration. "What is your problem? Why are you attacking-eh?"
Lucy paused when the boy crouched and fire enveloped his entire body, magic power building up fast. In a roar, the boy bellowed, "Fire Dragon's Swords Horn!"
"I open the gate of the Golden Bull, Taurus!"
The boy shot forward so fast Lucy only saw a trail of red. Inside, she worried if Taurus would be able to stop him. But he didn't have that problem. In a flash of golden yellow, the bull appeared and with two outreached hands stopped the pink-haired boy. Taurus wrapped his arms around the boy, who struggled and blew fire out of his mouth.
What is he? Lucy thought lightly, Who can light their body on fire and blow fire?
When it became clear the boy would not be calming down, she ordered, "Taurus, let him go." She doesn't want her friend to be roasted due to her own recklessness.
Taurus nodded and let the boy go. He leaped away from the bull, facing them with a fighting stance. Lucy rested a hand on her hip, trying (and failing) to sound calm, "You just cost me a few thousands jewel worth of a job. If you wanted to talk to me, you could have just tapped my shoulder like a-"
The boy interrupted, "I don't want to talk to you. I want to fight you, Celestial Princess!"
Lucy rubbed the bridge of her nose, groaning, "Call me Lucy. I don't like that name."
"Fight me, Lucy!"
"No, I don't want to," she stated. The smell of burning wood made her look around the deserted plaza. In the distance, she could hear the sirens of Magnolia's not-so-very lenient police force, "In fact, I'm leaving. I don't want to be blamed for this damage."
"Why? Don't be such a coward!" The boy whined.
"Go away...um,"
"Natsu."
"Go away, Natsu," Lucy said, turning around and walking away with Taurus by her side.
Natsu pouted. Then an idea flashed through his mind and he smiled sinisterly, "Wow, I didn't know Fairy Tail was a bunch of cowards. Heh, I shouldn't have held them to such a high standard."
Lucy froze at that. Fairy Tail? Cowards?
She turned around, marching back, hand digging through her brown pouch latched on her belt. Natsu smirked wider, magic power surging when Lucy took the bait.
"...I open the gate of the Lion, Leo."
A bright flash of light erupted from the key. As it fades, her long-time friend stood beside her in his trademark black suit and black shades. He tugged the cuff of his wrist, nodding his head, "What's up, Lucy?"
"Leo, Taurus, that boy over there seem to think Fairy Tail are a bunch of cowards. Why don't we prove him wrong?"
Leo blinked at Lucy's pissed off attitude but grinned and cracked his knuckles, "Gladly."
Lucy prided herself as being less destructive, property-wise, compared to other Fairy Tail members.
That pride was ruined when she fought Natsu.
Sorry, Master Makarov, she thought after a couple (a lot) of destroyed buildings later. She really hoped this doesn't come out of her paycheck. Rent was already hard to pay without the added bonus of reparations. Groaning from the rubble alerted Lucy to the fire-breathing boy's location. Natsu was in the rubbles of a destroyed building, torso covered entirely in broken stone. She closed her spirits gates and walked over to him. I hope he isn't hurt too bad...
Natsu was rubbing his head, pouting, "How are so strong? I thought you would be the weakest of the group."
Lucy scoffed, "Excuse me? Never underestimate a fairy, Natsu." She offered a hand but Natsu ignored it, jumping to his feet with renewed energy.
"Fight me again, Celestial Princess!"
"I thought I told you to call me Lucy," Lucy sighed, "You won't win against me, Natsu. Not with that attitude of yours. I have a reason for fighting, my family. You, on the other hand, have nothing but a desire to just fight. Your magic doesn't get a boost that way."
Natsu rolled his eyes, "Oh kami, there you go again with that family this, family that. All you fairies are the same. Family doesn't make you stronger. Fighting and practicing over and over does."
"What is your problem? Family-"
"Shut up with the family crap already! There's no such thing as family!" Lucy jumped at Natsu's outburst. The once cheerful personality was gone, replaced by anger, frustration. His head was lowered, spiky, pink bangs covering his eyes. Natsu whispered between clenched teeth, "Family...if there was such a thing as family, they wouldn't have disappeared suddenly. They wouldn't have left without a word… They wouldn't have…"
Her eyes soften. I see. He's like me.
Then he looked up and noticed Lucy's soft stare. Natsu backed away slightly, rubbing the back of his neck in discomfort, "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"
Lucy shook her head and placed her keys back in her pouch. She held out a hand, smiling brightly, "Natsu, come to Fairy Tail with me! I'll show you families do exist. Everyone in Fairy Tail is family. You'll see."
