Nubilous

Disclaimer: For the world of Fairy Tail, I own neither the characters, nor the land, nor the magic. When I play in this world, I can claim a few original characters to be named later on, and my spin on the Fairy Tail characters and their histories.

A/n: I plan on this story being my first multi-chapter fic to go on for quite a while. In the higher double digits of chapter numbers. So I am super excited for the story; I hope you are too. In this tale, some characters are not who they are suppose to be, and others are mostly the same, but with a few minor changes. I want to try to keep to the spirit of Mashima's characters, while telling the story I see in my head. I hope you enjoy this alternate universe of mine. Just to warn you, the story is suppose to flow mostly, but there may be times when we have flashbacks or side stories that focus on maybe someone other than the main characters. These will all be a part of the main story though. My goal is to update biweekly for a while, every Thursday. I am writing another Fairy Tail fic at the same time as I write this one, but I plan on only making that one about four chapters. When I am done with it, I hope to move the updates for this story to weekly. I am not making any promises however. Those seem to backfire on me. Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 1: Exordium

The door slammed shut behind her, cutting off the sounds of rain hitting pavement and winds whipping through the trees. She tried not to flinch, but her body was in less control of itself than her mind was trying to be. Instead of continuing to shiver, the little girl dropped her hood from around her ears and let her long, blonde hair take its place. A few raindrops were thrown backward with the motion.

"Welcome to your new home, Lucy."

Said girl tried not to cry; the words her host spoke, truer than she had been expecting, made her both sad and happy. She wanted her old home. But she also was afraid to be without one, and this was her chance to go forward. Besides, she liked the man who had decided to take her in. He had an interesting face and a cheeky smile she wished she could pull off.

Lucy looked, first, at her new house. She took in the size, the elegance, and the eclectic stuff that filled the house. There was so much to look at. And now she had the chance to study everything. She knew she would eventually know the ins and outs of everything in this house.

Then she peeked up at the someone who would be her new father. (He looked just as curious as his home.) He was the man who brought her here, a little girl in a drenched coat just a few sizes too big for her. He helped find her when she thought she was headed toward being lost forever. He was offering her a path. Lucy was scared, but she was also smart.

Her head and her heart made a new decision. She decided it would be an adventure. Right then and there.

Looking up at the man, she tugged gently on his wet coat with her tiny, gloved hand. He made an inquisitive face when he glanced down at her.

"Thanks, Stache-face!" Lucy Heartfilia voiced with an eternally-grateful smile so pure that only a young child could express properly.

His face was stubborn, but his hair was wild. It grew in a mass of blue-black spikes that protruded from his scalp in all directions.

His mother was currently attempting to press some of the locks down, maybe tame them for a moment, with gentle pats on his head. He swiped away her hand with an angry frown, backing away so she could not reach out for him.

"Gray," the older woman sighed in irritation. She really wanted to smack him upside the head, but she realized his stubborn attitude was a product of her genes. Smacking him would ease her frustration, yes, but it probably would not please her colleagues. "You can fight me all you want, but you can't fight this."

"Why not?! It's stupid!"

"Gray…"

"Just like Lyon! He's the stupidest one of all!"

This time she went with her urges and brought her fist down on the boy's head. "Gray!" She yelled, as she moved. The young boy whimpered, but then his anger was out full force.

"OWCH!" roared Gray. "Mom! That really hurt! Why'd ya hit me?!"

"You're the stupid one. Don't call your brother 'stupid'."

When Gray started to protest his treatment and his mother's words, she cut him off with a threatening fist. He cringed back, painful memory of that one hit still fresh in his mind.

"Even if it is partly true," she rolled her eyes and smiled.

Gray was a little shocked at her words, but he was grateful to not get hit again; he gave her a silly grin in response.

"Now, as I was trying to say, we are moving to Fiore. Not 'buts' or anything else you will say is going to change that. This will be good for the family, Gray." She knelt down to the young boy's level to give him a small smile with love. "It'll be for the best. Trust me, Gray. You are going to be happy with this new life."

Gray Fullbuster pouted, but did not say anything further.

He was not going to be quiet. He was not afraid of anything and he was beyond put-out. He was in a furious rage that would not be stopped any time soon, if he had his way.

Fire poured from the young boy's mouth as he shouted and screamed. Flames started licking at his knuckles, his fists preparing to punch the nearest solid object. His whole countenance promised violence and destruction. This was going to be the tantrum of a lifetime.

The forest echoed with his next roar, being the loudest he had bellowed so far; the forest also began cringing in on itself as he had set it on fire with the roar.

"FIRE DRAGON'S ROAR!" he shouted again.

A tall and ancient oak was brought down to ashes.

The fire dragon decided that this destruction had to end, for the forest's and the boy's sakes. "NATSU!" he hollered. "Enough!"

Like fire, it takes effort to rein Natsu in once he blooms to full force. He ignored his father's yells, continuing to set his world ablaze, even though it seemed to him that his world had already fallen.

Igneel would not be ignored though. He brought a heavy and sharply clawed paw up to swat at the boy. The dragon had effectively pinned Natsu to a tree-not in the midst of burning down-with the move. Though he struggled, roaring, spewing flames, spitting curses, and flexing muscles, the little boy could not get his father to budge.

"Will you listen to me now, Natsu?" Igneel inquired, noticing that the flames on the lips of his son were quelled, for now. It appeared as if Natsu would not fight back. (Natsu's coal eyes defied that assumption.) The dragon halfling chose not to answer. "You will control your flames, my son. This forest has stood for centuries; it has been home to our kind for longer. Please treat it with the respect it deserves by not burning it down."

"If it's home, then why are you kicking me out of it?" the pink-haired little boy's words were a venomous, resentful growl.

"I am not 'kicking you out'," replied the dragon. "Natsu, I am giving you a chance to grow."

"You're sending me away!" Not really getting anywhere, but unwilling to give in, the boy started struggling again.

Igneel tightened his hold.

"I am not doing that either. You will be able to return and this will always be your home, but it is time for you to learn the things that I cannot teach you. Please, my son, I only wish to see you become the powerful dragon, and man, I know you will be."

When his father spoke those words, Natsu settled for once. He realized that Igneel was finally showing how much he truly cared about his small halfling boy and the calm voice the dragon spoke in was to alert Natsu to the seriousness of this next step in his life. Igneel sensed the change in temperament, wrath to cool, in Natsu and dropped the young boy to the ground.

"I won't like living with the humans just so I can learn how to be like them. Just cause I am half human doesn't mean I want to be one."

"I know, Natsu. However, it is what I want. That you learn to live both halves of yourself. It is the only way that you will become stronger. You may one day even become stronger than myself."

"Ha! I don't need to go to Magnolia and train with humans to know I'm going to take you down one day, old chicken!"

Igneel started to growl, but changed to laugh a fully-belly laugh instead. "We'll see about that, brat!"

Natsu Dragneel grinned, sharp canines gleaming, and jumped up on his father's back. "When I get back, you're toast, dad!"

A/n: Alrighty, Chapter 1 is done. As long as I don't decided to edit it again one day. I am not quite sure if this is the length most of the chapters will be, but I hope to make them at least a thousand words each. Some may be shorter than others, but hopefully not shorter than that 1000 words. I hope you have enjoyed the start of this story. I enjoy any type of feedback you may have.

Be seeing you on the other side of the rain!

-ROMS