This is a Natsu and Mira story that takes place in a modern setting with all the modern conveniences that we all take for granted... Magic does not exist in Fiore, therefor Fairy Tail and it's members will have a different purpose and roll in this story. Also some characters may be a bit out of character but it won't be too bad. One final thing, all those in the 'Fairy Tail universe' are about ten years older than they would be in Hiro's world, so Wendy would be in her early twenties...
Some of you may know that I've at times complained about Lemons, but in this story I may write a couple, the reason being they fit in with my story and besides all the characters are adults in a modern world so I feel it fits.
One final thing POV will be from our perspective... Hmmm!... I wonder if that's right or even makes any sense. Oh well! Correct me if I'm wrong! LOL
Disclaimer... I do not own Fairy Tail, Hiro Mashima does!
Fools rush in!
By The Bay Man
Chapter 1
Who knew that six months could change so much!...
Somewhere near Crocus...
Filming had been non-stop, with Four A.M. rehearsals and shoot-after-shoot that went well into the next morning but she was a trooper and nothing, not even a few sleepless nights or months for that matter would keep her from fulfilling her contractual obligations... She was after-all, Mirajane Strauss, Fiore's favourite daughter and it's number one top-star!
Mirajane had wrapped up shooting on two movies and a music video for her upcoming CD titled 'Fate!', which was scheduled to be released later that week in Magnolia... Hence, the early return from her over-seas commitments. The long hours had weighed heavily upon her but she was a tough girl! Life's follies had made her strong that way...
"Erza!... How much longer before we land in Crocus?" Mirajane said as she shifted in her seat. Six hours on a plane was taking it's toll on her physically, something her numb-ass would later attest to. MJ would rather curl up with a good book, than sit for hours watching life just passed her by.
"Hmmm!" Erza frowned. Her concentration unceremoniously broken as her best friend waited patiently for a reply. "Sorry Mira, did you say something?"
"Are we close?" Mira smiled as she gently nudged her best friend and manager, Erza Scarlet. "I just want to crawl into a long hot bath and disappear for the night!" She yawned.
Looking out the plane's window Erza could see Crocus coming into view. "Not long now I suspect!"
"Well that's good then!" Mira jumped as the Captain's voice broke through the calm of the long flight and announced their impending arrival to the capital of Fiore. Mira sighed and fastened her seat-belt.
Ten minutes later they had docked with the terminal...
Mira wondered if they'd get through the airport without indecent but she knew that wouldn't be the case. 'Perhaps a disguise!' she thought as she rummaged through her carry-on bag and pulled out a blonde wig and her usual big-rimmed sunglasses. She was about to put them on when she felt a gentle hand stop her. She followed the hand back to her companion who sighed and shook her head 'no'.
"Sorry Mira the agency already announced your arrival to the media... I'm afraid you can't avoid it this time!" Erza said as she slowly rose from her first-class seat and waited for Mira to organize her things before they departed.
Walking through the terminal Mirajane was stunned by the number of fans who had turned out for her arrival. They were chanting and screaming her name... She was a professional and she knew how to properly act in these circumstances; stand up straight, wave and most importantly acknowledge her fans, that's what her agency had instilled in her since she was a child.
"Thank you everyone, for coming out to greet me!" Mira said with a smile. She stopped for a moment to sign an autograph for a young girl who was gently pushed forward by her mother - she beamed with pride for her child.
Mira knelled down and softly spoke to the little blonde girl. "...And what's your name sweety!"
"M-Marie!... Miss... S-Strauss!" She shyly said as she gently rocked back and forth.
"What a beautiful name you have Marie and you may call me Mira!... Okay!" Mira smiled as she ran her hand along the blushing child's face. A moment later she handed her autograph to the child, who said a muffled 'thank you' before turning back to her mother and proudly waving her prized possession - an autograph from her idol, Mirjane Stauss.
"Sorry to interrupt Mira but we should say a few words to the paparazzi or we'll never make it to our car in time!" Erza smiled at the happy young girl, then gently guided her friend to the small make-shift podium and awaited the inevitable barrage of questions.
"How long are you home for?"
"What's next for Fiore's favourite daughter?"
"I heard you completed a new movie over-seas!"
Mira held up her hands and smiled as she attempted to quell the boisterous crowd. "Please one at a time!" She exclaimed.
"Mirajane!... MIRA!... Jason from the 'Weekly Blizzard!' I hear you have a new movie coming out!... What can you tell us about it?" Jason said as he shoved his microphone only inches from Mira's face, causing her to take an awkward step back.
"Yes!... Yes I do!... It's a love story based on a book by a local best-selling author called 'Fairytale'. We just wrapped shooting yesterday, so I believe it's now in post-production..." Mira turned to her manager, who leaned in and whispered. "Yes, it should be set for a summer release!" Mira added.
"Sounds interesting..." Mira smiled and turned to another reporter who had their hand raised but she was once again interrupted by the same gentleman.
"One more question if I might Miss!..." He grinned.
"Very well! ...But please make it quick I have an appointment to get to!" Mira sighed as she looked intently at her watch.
"Sorry I won't hold you up too long!" Jason's grin slowly turned to a dead stare as he opened his mouth and venom spewed forth. "Is it true that you're having an affair with the Mayor's son, Freed Justine!?"
"WHAT!... Huh!... N-No!" A suddenly flushed Mira exclaimed. She felt her legs grow weak at the sudden direction the questions had taken. "That's not true at all!... We-we're friends, t-that's all"
"Come on Mira, tell us the truth!" Jason smirked as he pulled out a camera and thumbed through his images. When he found what he was looking for he promptly shoved it in front of her face, only inches from her wide-eyed gaze. "This is you and him, isn't it? I took this before you went over seas!... It was taken outside a Hotel in Magnolia!... Explain it?" He demanded!
Erza growled as she grabbed the camera and examined the evidence carefully. A few seconds later she burst into laughter. "This hardly proves anything!" She paused as she took a deep breath, "I can make out someone who looks like my client, but the other person is just a pink blob... F-For a reporter your not very proficient with a camera... Especially during a bright sunny day! Look at that terrible lens flare!" Erza chuckled and tossed the camera back. "Please come back when you've refined your craft!" She grinned.
"Why you pompous bitc..." He suddenly stopped as he felt a sharp pain in his leg. He looked down and noticed a little blonde girl, who had just kicked him in the chin and glared up at him.
"Don't say bad things about Miss Mira... You meanie!" She yelled as her mother rushed in to protect her child from the calous glare her daughter was now receiving from the cowardly reporter. She apologized and quickly dragged her daughter towards the exit and disappeared.
"I'm sorry, but that's all the time we have for questions today!" Erza said as she guided a stunned Mira out the front door and into a waiting black car.
Somewhere in Magnolia...
Standing in a large conference room, two men smile as they watch images flash across a TV screen... They'd been watching the debacle unfold at Crocus's airport when a secretary quietly entered the room and approached the young black-haired Sales Manager, Gray Fullbuster. He was oblivious to her attempts to gain his attention as he was totally enamoured with the screen before him... Busy ogling his crush, Mirajane. His goal in life was to marry her but he knew that was a pipe dream... The best he could muster was to perhaps someday breath the same air as her. Although, if his wife Juvia ever got wind of his fascination for the platinum-haired bomb-shell, someone would surely die!
"The lengths some people will go to get a story, huh!" Gray said as he pulled his hands out of his pockets and picked up a clip-board.
"Sir!... Mr. Dreyar wishes to see you in his office!" Said the tiny brunette as she adjusted her glasses and waited for her boss to head off towards his meeting.
"Hi Natsu!" The brunette cooed. Her eyes wide as she smiled at the man standing next to her boss. His attention was fixed on the screen, watching intently as events unfolded in the Nation's capitol.
"She's so pretty!" Natsu smiled as he ran his hand along the back of his head. "...And such a fine talent as well!" The brunette sighed at Natsu's lack of interest in her greeting.
"What... Who... What are you talking about flame-brain?" Gray sighed as he pushed the clip board towards Natsu's face. "What's this?" He demanded.
"Ah!" Natsu happily exclaimed as he recognized the writing on the clipboard. "My sales figures!"
"Sales figures!... You're joking right!" Gray waited for Natsu to answer but his attention was once again squarely focused on the TV in front of them. "Hey!... IDIOT!... If you don't sell something soon I'm gonna freeze your ass... Permanently!... Got it!?"
"Huh!... Ya sure! Sell stuff, right!... Got it!" Natsu innocently grinned as he nervously ran his fingers through his spiky pink-locks and went back to watching TV.
"NOW IDIOT!... GO!" Gray yelled as he pointed to a door and pushed the pink-headed man towards it. "Go sell something!"
"Aye Sir!" Natsu saluted as he exited the room and turned the corner.
As he shuffled up the corridor his mind wandered to the previous events he had just witnessed only a moment ago. "How dear they treat her like that... Her private life should be her private life... Right!" He mumbled to himself.
"Huh! Right!... What's right Natsu?" A low voice asked. Natsu stopped and whirled around just in time to bump into a short platinum-haired girl... His eyes lit up the moment he realized who had broken his concentration.
"Lisanna!" Natsu said with a grin. "Sorry, never saw you there!"
"That's alright, I never saw you either!" Lisanna laughed as she tapped her cane on the floor and stepped towards Natsu.
"HA-HA-HA!... Another bad blind joke, Huh!..." He threw his hands up and sighed. "Never saw that one coming!"
"Hehehe!" Lisanna chuckled. "So what were you so deep in thought about earlier!"
"Hmmm! Oh that!... Well it seems that gutter reporter, Jason accused Mirajane of having an affair!"
"Really! That doesn't seem like something she would do!" Lisanna said with a soft sigh.
"Exactly what I thought!..." Natsu smiled as he ran his fingers through his hair. "...And if she did, well, that's her business!"
"True!"
"Hey Lis, you sure you're not related to her... Same last name, hair colour and stuff!"
Lisanna's vigorously shook her head and waved her hands as if the added gesture would quell his inquiries. "Of course not!... Strauss is a common name! Besides we've been neighbours, no family, since we were kids!"
"I suppose, if you say so!" Natsu reached out and calmed the petite girl, who released a low sigh. "So, what brings you here?"
"Ah!... I totally forgot!" She smiled as she reached out and waited for Natsu to take her hand. When he did she stepped forward and wrapped her arm in his and started to lead him down the corridor. "Can I get a ride with you after work?"
"Ah!... Yes!... Wendy said you were coming over tonight!" He gently patted her head which caused her to giggle. "Should I go up to Mr. Dreyar's office and get you or should I wait out front for you?"
"Out fronts fine!" She exclaimed as they rounded a corner and disappeared into an elevator.
Several hours later...
A rather beat up old car pulls into an underground parking lot and a pink-haired man gets out and leads a short platinum-haired girl towards a brightly-lit elevator, as they wait for the elevator to arrive she giggles...
"Natus?" Lisanna says between laughing and shaking her head. "When are you gonna get a newer car? It's falling apart... And it's still pink!"
"Oi!... It's salmon, not pink! ...And besides Pops and Auntie Layla bought it for me so I ain't getting rid of it!" Natsu lowly growled, which made Lisanna laugh even harder when she remembered the day he got his new car, nearly twelve years ago. 'It was Mamma's twisted idea of a joke and Uncle Igneel went along with it!' Lisanna thought as she folded up her cane and placed it in her bag.
"What's so funny Lis?" Natsu asked as Lisanna grinned.
"Nothing!... Nothing at all!" She said as the doors opened and they stepped inside. Natsu pressed the button to close the door and then hit the button for the seventy-seventh floor, marked P1. "At least take the thing in for some repairs... The radio doesn't even work!"
"Fine!" Natsu huffed as he leaned against the wall and folded his arms.
"By the way, why are we going in the back way, AGAIN!" Lisanna sighed as she felt like a common criminal sneaking into a movie.
"Warren!" Natsu mumbled.
"What about him?" Lis turned towards Natsu's voice as he was fidgeting around with his briefcase as it dangled from his shoulder.
"Seriously Lis!... I really think he can read minds and knows when I'm around!" Natsu said with eyes wide as saucers. "He's scary!" Lisanna giggled as she nodded in agreement.
There was something odd about the building's manager, she could attest to that. As he never seemed to miss an opportunity to grab her arm and lead her towards the elevator when she arrived. How he always knew she was there did leave her spooked at times but she figured that was his way of being a 'Good Samaritan'... 'Just lending a helping hand!' She surmised.
"Ya! He does seem to have a sixth sense!" She said.
"See! You've noticed it too!" They laughed as the doors opened and they both stepped out into the hallway.
The long hallway was brightly lit as the sun poured in from skylights high above. Down the right was the vacant apartment that held so many wonderful memories for the pair and to the left at the end of the hallway was Natsu's apartment. The apartments were high a-top the world head quarters of Heartneel Industries, which took up ten of the first twelve floors. The next five floors housed numerous financial institutions and above them was the home of a myriad of different businesses and the most famous one being the Fairy Tail Agency, which occupied the seventy-first and seventy-second floors. Fairy Tail also had exclusive access to the next three floors which they let out to their top stars, for security purposes...
The Heartneel Building was an opulent place with a shopping mall on the first two floors and ten levels of parking deep below. It's sheer size dwarfed all building in Magnolia Town as the building not only towered above all others, it also took up a full city block... It was a marvel and a sight to behold!... And it didn't hurt that it boasted the best views in all of Fiore. If Lisanna wasn't nearly blind she'd probably love looking through the wall of glass that framed the corridor between the two apartments, something she frequently did as a child! To be more precise, they were penthouse apartments!
"Natsu, stop dragging your feet and let's go, Wendy's waiting for us!" Lis said as she stopped at the end of the hall and listened for Natsu's heavy steps.
Natsu sighed as he stopped in front of the keypad and tapped four numbers and then pulled on the door handle, only to growl as it beeped at him. "Damned piece of junk!" He growled deeper as he re-tried the pass code and again it beeped. He drove his fist into the wall and as always, kicked the door out off frustration. "I tell ya Lis, that thing hates me!"
Lis sighed and pushed Natsu aside... She raised her glasses and moved her face to about a foot from the keypad and quickly tapped four keys and pulled on the door. As it opened she lowered her glasses and walked inside. "Idiot!" She mumbled as she walked up to a table and placed her bag on a chair and called out to her friend. "Wendy!... We're here!"
Back in Crocus...
Mirajane groaned deeply as she slowly slid down, deep into the bliss of her bath. She had dreamed of this moment for the past few hours and now she was finally basking in the wonder that was her bubble bath; her sore but glorious bottom revelled in the warm soothing water and as if by magic all her earlier worries soon drifted away - with the exception of one!
As she reached for her glass of wine, her mind drifted to that horrid little man that had the unmitigated gall to interrogate her in front of her fans and the media... 'I'd better be a little more careful in the future!' She thought as she inhaled the wonderful aroma of her liquid delight. Raising the glass to her lips, she took a small taste before returning it to it's previous position and joyfully shifted her attention back to her relaxing bath... But that wasn't to be, as her phone began to ring!
Mira sighed as she reached over the edge of the tub, picked up her phone up and squinted as she tried to make out who was calling but she huffed as she stared at the blurry image before her. She fumbled around for her glasses and put them on... "Ah!" She smiled as she swiped her phone...
"Freeeed!" She cooed, her whole demeanor changed in an instant.
"Hey Mira..." Freed warmly said which bought a slight blush to our starlet's face. "...I missed you!"
"I missed you too!" Mira said with a low seductive voice. "Umm!... I mean, I reeeaallllyy missed you!" She added in a sing-song fashion, while Freed chuckled in the background.
"You sound like your enjoying yourself!"
"Hmmm!... I am now! Now that I'm talking to you!" Mira giggled.
"Hahaha!..." Freed gently laughed. "Sounds like your 'REALLY' enjoying yourself!"
"Well I'm exploring!" She giggled as her hand disappeared beneath the bubbles. A moment later a soft moan escaped her lips. "Mmmm!... Wish you were here!... You could help me explore further!" She playfully said.
"Wish I could but we're due on stage in fifteen minutes!" He sighed.
"Can't be helped, I guess!" Mira said in a disappointed tone. "By the way did you happen to catch my interview earlier!"
"I did!" He groaned deeply. "How in the hell did he get that picture, we were so careful?"
"I have no idea!... You may want to have a chat with your supposed security!" Mira said with a sarcastic tone. "They fucked up, let's not let that happen again!... Or... I might have to show them a side of myself they won't like!"
"No need to go all demon on their asses, I'll take care of it!"
"You better!" She said as she took another sip of wine.
"Sorry I have to go, I'm being summoned!" Freed said as a male voice in the back ground was yelling at him to get a move on. "I really do have to go Mira!... Sorry!"
"Okay!... Oh!" Mira interjected before Freed was about to hang up. "I've bought a new place in Magnolia! It should afford us a little more privacy!... Away from prying eyes, you might say!" She chuckled.
"Sounds good! E-mail me the details and I'll meet up with you when you get to Magnolia!"
"Will do!... Good night Freed!" Mira blushed as she sank deeper into her bath. "I love you sweetheart!"
"Okay Mira, I'll talk to you soon!" Freed said as he hung up.
Mira sighed as she placed her phone back on the floor and disappeared under the water. Her tensions slowly faded away... As she slowly emerged from the warm water, feeling somewhat invigorated she sighed, "he could have at least said he loves me back!"
"Oh well, maybe I should continue exploring!" She smiled as she sank back into her bath...
I think I'll end off there and leave you to your imagination for now. LOL
NEXT CHAPTER! Natsu and Mira meet and a pissed off Lucy... Well I'll leave that for next chapter!
Next update should be next week and then every two weeks after that, but it could change depending on the amount of interest it gets.
Please Review, Fav and Follow... Let me know what you think!
Till next time!