My new project. I don't know, I've gotten back into Fairy Tail again and read a few fanfics about an AU High School. One in particular inspired me to write this, "Somebody I Used to Know" by Blueninjamanga22. I wouldn't blame you if you left right now to go read it. It is soooooo good! Hope they don't mind the free publicity. Anyways, hope you enjoy my own version.

Oh, by the way, I don't own Fairy Tail in any way, shape, or form.

Life Can Be Rough,

Friends Make it Easier

Morning of Day 1: Summer Beckons

FIORE, once a great kingdom, now a modern everyday society. One of its shining stars is Magnolia, and in Magnolia are a great number of amazing people. However, our story focuses on a peculiar little orphanage in the outskirts of the town. Fairy Tail Orphanage.

"NATSU, WAKE YOUR ASS UP OR YOUR GONNA MISS YOUR LAST DAY OF SCHOOL!" yelled a crotchety old man.

A boy continued to sleep soundly upstairs in his room, snuggling his little kitty, dreaming sweet dreams. Natsu Dragneel is an orphan at the Fairy Tail Orphanage. At the moment, Makarov Dreyer is the caretaker and organizer of the establishment, or 'Master' as he sometimes likes to call himself. Not too long ago, there were lots of children that filled up the orphanage with different backgrounds and personalities. But at the moment, the only people living there were Makarov, his grandson Laxus, and poor young Natsu. He practically lived there his entire life without knowing who his biological family is and no one has ever adopted him. That was alright with him most of the time though. He made so many friends while living there. But of course, everyone grows up eventually. His friends either became too old or were adopted. Most lived within the city, but Natsu still felt alone sometimes in that big house. Well, at least he still had Makarov and Laxus around.

"Damn that boy, he'll be the death of me. Laxus, go get him out of bed."

"Jii-Jii, I'm too old for you to just order me around like that," Laxus Dreyer said in response.

"Hmmmmmm…that's funny, too old to do what I say, but not old enough to move out of my house or pay rent?"

"I'll go get him."

"That's a good grandson." Makarov Dreyer smiled.

"I'm going to kill Natsu for reminding this old man that I'm bumming…I mean living here without paying expenses," Laxus mumbled as he walked up the stairs and cracked his knuckles. He kicked open the door only to see Natsu still asleep. "Oh, you're so dead!" The cat woke up immediately, saw Laxus, and sprinted out of the room. "I'll give you this Dragneel; you've got one smart cat." He ran up to him, picked him up with one arm, opened the adjacent window with the other, and tossed him into the pond outside. "WAKE YOUR ASS UP!" Laxus yelled as Natsu flew through the air.

"Huh…whaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" *SPLASH*

Laxus clapped his hands together after a job well done and began to walk down the stairs. As he entered the kitchen Makarov asked, "Did you manage to wake up that knucklehead?"

At that moment, Natsu slammed the kitchen door open. He was soaked to the bone, covered in algae, and had a frog croaking on his head. "Yep, sure did Jii-Jii," he said nonchalantly as he sat down to the table and grabbed his cup of coffee.

"WHAT THE HELL ASSHOLE!" Natsu screamed at the top of his lungs. After shaking the frog and algae and water onto all the food Makarov was preparing, he launched himself at Laxus. "I'LL KISS YOUR AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Makarov was not pleased to find breakfast ruined in an instant so he punished the one responsible. "AH, Jii-chan that hurt!"

"I DAMN WELL HOPE SO! YOU RUINED BREAKFAST! SEE!"

Natsu took his hand off his stomach where Makarov had kicked him and saw everything covered in pond scum. His eyes got wide and he yelled, "OH NOOOOOOO!"

"Sounds like you guys are hyped up already this morning," a boy with no shirt on said as he intruded on this unusual scene.

"Oh, hello Gray," Makarov said kindly, "Seems you've stripped early this morning."

"HuUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUH? Where did my shirt go?" Gray shouted confused. "Oi, Natsu, I'm gonna borrow one of your shirts! In the meantime, get your shit together or we're gonna be late for school!" Gray ran past Natsu to the stairs to steal from the pink-haired boy's limited wardrobe.

"What time is it?" Natsu asked as he stared at the clock. "WHAT THE FUCK! 7:45! I DON'T HAVE TIME TO DO ANYTHING!" Realizing this, he shook off the worst of the water, making even more of a mess. Before Makarov could punch him in the face, he zoomed upstairs to change as well. With Gray just behind him, they raced out of the house.

"LATER JII-CHAN! I'LL KICK YOUR ASS LATER LAXUS!" Natsu roared as he exited.

"Pff, as if," Laxus said from behind a newspaper.

.

"Bye Jii-san. Bye Laxus." Gray said politely on his way out.

Makarov watched as they ran towards town. "Hmm…it's scary those two can legally drive," he said with a smile.

"No doubt," Laxus said smirking.

Natsu and Gray sprinted as if their lives depended on it. Well, it just so happens their lives did depend on making it to school on time. If they didn't, Erza was sure to destroy them. Only ten minutes left, but they were only a few blocks away at this point. After all, they are two of Magnolia High's star athletes.

As the school came into sight, Natsu turned around and said to Gray, "WE'RE GONNA MAKE IT!" Unfortunately for Natsu, an unexpected run-in with the Twilight Ogre gang would slow down their pace. And I mean a literal run-in. Natsu, not paying attention to what's in front of him, ran right into one of their leaders who was slinking out of an alleyway. They both fell to the ground. "Ow! What the…oh sorry," Natsu said apologetically.

"ERRRRRRR, DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM YOU SNOTNOSE LITTLE BRAT!" the man in the leather jacket yelled as his cronies lifted him off the ground.

Gray gave Natsu a hand up and then the scarfed teen brushed himself off, gave the guy a look over and said, "Umm, no, I don't know you."

"WHY YOU LITTLE SHIT! I'M TEEBO OF THE INFAMOUS TWILIGHT OGRE GANG! YOU BETTER GET DOWN ON YOUR KNEES AND BEG FOR FORGIVENESS!" He was right in Natsu's face with his accusatory finger.

Natsu, while tempted to bite it off, instead took the dumb road, "Why do you keep calling me little? I'm taller than you." Gray face palmed.

"WHY YOU LITTLE!" This Teebo guy wasn't going to play around anymore. He pulled out his gun and pointed it right at Natsu's face. "HOW DO YOU LIKE THAT YOU LITTUUUUUH!" He was cut off by an unbelievably fast punch courtesy of the boy nicknamed as the Salamander of Magnolia High.

"I'm fired up," he whispered, his eyes glowing with excitement.

The cronies just stood there staring at their boss lying on the ground unconscious. Then looking back up at the two boys standing in front of them. One of them finally recognized them. "WAIT! You're NATSU THE SALAMANDER! He was in the quarterfinals of last year's BRAWL! That means that other guy is GRAY FULLBUSTER, SON OF UL!"

"What? No cool nickname for me?" Gray said with a big smirk.

One of the other minions finally found a voice as well. "UL? LIKE THE UL? The legendary ICY BITCH! HE'S HER SON!"

"Heh! Even your mom's got a nickname Droopy Eyes," Natsu laughed.

"That's right! He almost made it to the quarterfinals last year too!" Crony #1 explained.

"Shut up Slanty Eyes! I'll get my own nickname! I just have to do something epic! And as for losing last year, that only happened because I got unlucky and had to face my brother the round before the quarterfinals. But I won't let Lyon beat me this year!"

"AAHHH! WE'VE GOTTA GET OUT OF HERE! THESE GUYS ARE PSYCHOS!" Crony #2 yelled before starting to run down the alley. However, he was cut off by Gray and in a matter of seconds was lying on the ground next to his boss.

"OH FUCK!" all the cronies yelled.

"That's right!" Natsu said with a fire in his eyes. He cracked his knuckles and the onslaught began.

"Hahuh, hahuh, did we make it?" Natsu asked out of breath.

"Hahuh, I think so," Gray answered.

"Not quite," said a powerful, menacing voice.

Both boys flinched and shivered. Goosebumps were visible on their exposed skin. They could feel the dark aura flickering behind them. They slowly turned their heads to see the source of this evil. But of course they knew it was. Tears streamed down their face when the full realization of their mistake became clear. "Hey Erza," both boys managed to say before she beat them to a bloody pulp.

Aries, the secretary in the school's office, was preparing to make the school announcements when the door swung open. She saw Erza carrying two unconscious beaten up students.

"OH MY! ERZA-SAN, WHAT HAPPENED TO THESE BOYS? I'm sorry!"

"No need to apologize Aries-san, and never mind how they got hurt. They were both in getting to school. I need two tardy slips please."

"Oh, sorry, right away Erza-San!"

Well, it's not great, but I promise it will get better! If you want some idea of how I plan to establish the characters, I have some early character design typed out. Just PM and I can send it to you. As always, suggestions are always appreciated and welcomed. Please review and let me know how I'm doin. Love ya guys to bits. Hope you enjoyed the first chapter!