Author's Note: It is important to note that I do not own Fairy Tail. It, it's characters, settings, and all other aspects are the property of Hiro Mashima. The only elements of this story I may claim are the settings and plot related to the Alternate Universe.


A Pirate's Life for Me!

Chapter One - The Pirate Lord


~Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me!

You all know the song, right? Well what if I told you being a pirate wasn't all it's cracked up to be? Sure you get to enjoy the pillaging, the fighting, the sailing, all the sweet bonnie lasses…the rum! But most importantly, you enjoy the freedoms, freedoms only the sea can provide. However, these freedoms are not so easily delivered. Yes in this day and age being a pirate is awfully hard, but it is rather fun! The question remains however…where are we?

Well currently we are not in the United States, we are not in Europe or the Caribbean (sadly), and hell we're not even on Earth! Today we'll travel to the land of Fairies and Wizards! Down through the clouds of Earth-Land and into the magical Kingdom of Fiore!

…Hold on, this still doesn't look right…wait so you're telling me this is Fiore, but the timing and setting are both still different? Right, let me write this down…

Okay, so Fiore is now a land of exploration and colonialism! Freedom of the seas and life in the 17th century, with only the crown controlling orders. Here, the Kingdom of Fiore is very much like the Kingdom of Britain in the days of European Colonialism, and its citizens behave in a rather similar fashion. The seas and islands are being harvested for resources and minerals, and Fiorens are making the journey throughout the new world in order to start new lives in the mysterious land beyond their home coastline!

Now, these lands once again are not all peaceful…after all there still be pirates lurking in these waters! Here we come across a very gruesome battle in the dead of night between a fearsome pirate crew and a large colonial flag ship.

"AGH JUST GET OFF ME WILL YA!?" A young boy cried out with tears in his eyes as two rough corsair grunts threw him onto the wooden deck of a dark and murky pirate vessel.

"Oy! Who the hell told you to leave survivors!?" Yelled a random voice from the upper deck.

The two grunts looked on with confident remarks, as the first spoke up. "Relax, we had orders from the Captain to keep this one alive!"

The whole crew of the ship surrounded the two grunts as the tiny boy cried into the wooden planks below his feet. He had bright pink hair that spiked upwards and appeared very messy to the eye, and he also wore a very tiny yet officially royal military outfit.

He also had minute grey eyes and a fiery spirit as he cursed the whole crew. "You jerks…why did you leave me alive!?"

"What do ya think?" Asked one of the pirates. "9? 10? He can't be older than 11!"

The other laughed. "Right! I reckon he's around that age! And the little scamp asks us why we kept him alive!"

"Would you ingrates please keep you mouths shut?" A very tall and broad shouldered man yelled out with a booming voice. He had a very large brown cloak and high boots as he walked over to the group. He also wore a regular black corsair hat with a white undershirt and dark brown pants. However, the most distinct piece of clothing on his person had to be the series of white bandages he kept tied around his eyes.

Then, as the looming giant towered over his fellow crew mates, he gave them a reason to hold fear in their hearts…until he spoke next.

"AFTER ALL WHY SHOULD WE LAY HARM TO SUCH AN INNOCENT CHILD!?" He began to sob uncontrollably as the crew rolled their eyes.

The eleven year old boy shook his head. "Hold on…what's with this loser?" He asked with a random grin.

One of the pirates bent down and forgot the kid was a prisoner. "Eh, he's the first mate. The idiot always cries uncontrollably…"

The pink haired boy then looked on as several other figures emerged from the dark purple shadows of night. One had a bright orange and red trench coat with his hair tied back in a black and white bun, while the other had green hair and looked to be dressed in very expensive shirts and suit parts as a single monocle hovered over his right eye.

The green haired man spoke up next through his mustached face. "Oh ce magnifique! I cannot believe we actually acquired our sought after cible!"

The pink haired boy tried standing up. "Is this guy eating peanut butter or something!?"

The green haired man laughed. "Oh no no no! Ze tiny garçon wishes to know who I am! Allow me to introduce me and my compagnons!" He then gestured to his entire crew.

"I am ze Man of Cartes and sole knowledge of ze earth, Monsieur Sol! And we, your magnificent ravisseurs are known as the Pirates of ze Phantom Lord!"

"I have no idea what you're saying, but…" The boy held his head down. "The Phantom Lord…I've heard of you people." He then stood up.

"MY DAD WAS TRYING TO HUNT YOU GUYS DOWN!"

"Très bien! Correct!" The man known as Sol rang out. "And mon bon ami is ze the great Aria of ze Winds!" He gestured to the crying man. "He holds ze title of our first mate and second in commande to our honorable Capitaine!"

The boy spat out some salt water onto the deck. "And who is your loser captain?"

"My my, I believe I hold that title…" Replied a man covered in shadows behind the mass of pirates. "And what an unruly mouth you have there. It's no wonder you appear to be the son of the great Captain Igneel."

The sinister commander had a trench coat of wine red color, and his head and facial hair appeared to match under a very large and circular hat that covered a good portion of his face. Finally, the young boy saw the black handle of a sinister sword that sat to his left belt side as he waited to respond.

"Well well, the son of the Fire King, Natsu Dragneel. I'm surprised a tiny boy like you survived our hell fire." He then gestured to the flaming wreckage of a royal naval ship to the port side sea. "After all your dear father didn't have the same luxury."

"AGH!" The boy named Natsu ran over and began to hit the sinister captain in the legs. "WHO ARE YOU AND WHERE'S MY DAD!?"

The man laughed. "HA! So foolish…I am the captain of this motley crew. Jose Porla, but most just call me the Phantom Lord…"

Natsu looked up. "So you're him…"

Jose smiled back. "Yes, and you are the now orphan Natsu, who's been placed under our custody." He then snapped to his crew mates. "Lock this loud mouth in the brig. We can ask questions of him later in the morning."

"AGH! GET OFF OF ME!" Natsu yelled as the two original guard hauled him off to the down stairs cabins. Yet as Natsu kicked and screamed, he could barely make out the figure of another silent crew member with giant tears blocking his full vision.

This crew member appeared to have rough black hair and muscular arms. He also looked to be similar to Natsu's age and had several metal piercings along his face. Finally he gave Natsu a nonchalant scowl as the phantom pirates hauled him off to the cells below.

Now, Natsu sat alone in a dark, damp cell below several floors of the black ship as he sat in defeat. "I can't believe they ambushed us…we were only a few ways behind the main ship. I wonder if they forgot about us…" The young ten year old recalled the party that he joined from the western coast of Fiore down to the central eastern side of the continent.

"All of my dad's friends. Gildarts, Mr. Jude, …Lucy." He let a single tear fall from his eyes as he then stood up and smashed his fists into the black bars on his cell.

"LET ME OUTTA HERE!"

"Quit your whining! Man you sound like a little girl." Said a raspy 11 year old voice from the dark.

Natsu cleared his vison to find the same pirate boy from before looking at him from the hallway, his dark red eyes piercing through the black depths.

The young prisoner stuttered. "W-who, who are you…?"

The black haired boy scoffed. "Ah who cares…?" He then walked over to the cell door. "Listen…you said they killed your dad?"

Natsu growled. "No. You all killed him! You and your friends!"

The boy looked angry to hear that. "Look buddy, I had nothing to do with it! Your dad was probably quite the weakling if these idiots could have killed him…"

Natsu stopped yelling. "Idiots?" He asked in confusion. "B-but they're your shipmates?"

The other kid scowled back. "Do I look like I give a rat's ass about my ship mates?"

Natsu laughed. "Hehe, not enough to quit talkin to a prisoner!"

The pirate boy shook his head in shock. "Kid, do you even remember that you dad just died?"

Natsu didn't like the reminder. "Yea…but it won't stop me from living my own life!" He smiled back with pride.

Then, for the first time of the night, the mystery bot smiled back. "Man, I gotta say…you've got guts."

Natsu laughed. "Hey, what's your name anyway?"

The kid went back to being angry. "Gajeel…but…we never had this conversation!"

"Gajeel huh?" Natsu pondered. "Doesn't that mean to like to chew or bite or something?"

Gajeel yelled back. "AGH SO WHAT!? AT LEAST MY NAME ISN'T SOME SISSY LITTLE SEASON!" He fired back with rage.

That made Natsu laugh. "Why are you helping me?"

Then, Gajeel turned to let out a single smirk. "Cause you're not the only kid whose dad died from these monsters."

Then, Gajeel whipped out a ring of dark grey keys and unlocked the cell door. Immediately he waved to Natsu. "Come on, we gotta get outta here!"

Natus looked hesitant as he ran "WHAT!? But I still don't…!?"

Gajeel continued to explain. "Look moron, I want off this stickin ship as much as you do, and I heard you saying there's another royal flag ship nearby. If I row us in the right direction your old crew was heading, you think you could help find it?"

Natsu only gave him one response. "OH YEA!"

Then the two boys quietly ran atop the main deck where it was now pitch black in the dead of night. Not another soul was aboard the main deck as the two boys pulled the side ropes to drop a small but durable dingy into the swelling seas below.

Then, as they made their decent, one tiny figure came from inside the stern castle.

"Gajeel…what are you doing?"

Natsu looked around in a panicked motion. "Whoa was that a girl?!"

Gajeel rolled his eyes. "Ugh…yea…" he then turned to a girl who looked the same age, only she had long blue hair that rolled into great big curls along the base of her hair.

"Juvia just get back inside!" He barked to the tiny timid girl on deck.

Then the tiny pirate girl began to cry. "Oh Gajeel why are you leaving!?"

Gajeel yelled out again. "LOOK I SAID SHUT UP!"

The girl tried to hold in her tears. "Will…will I see you again?"

Gajeel forced out a probable lie. "Um…yea we'll see each other again for sure."

Juvia smiled and turned back around. "Okay, that's all I needed! Enjoy your little boat ride!"

Gajeel jumped into the tiny side boat as Natsu joined him. "Man, she was nuts!"

Gajeel rolled his eyes. "Yea? You should see her when she falls in love…"

Then the two tiny boys slammed down into the dark waters below as the strong Gajeel took both oars and began paddling in the direction Natsu gave him. As they made out like bandits in the night time mist, neither one ever looked back.


Now, it was roughly an hour later, and Gajeel's tiny little 10 year old arms felt like they were going to fall off.

"AH ha…ah ha…Okay I've roared as much as I can. Now it's your turn." He yelled out to Natsu.

Natsu shook his head. "Nuh-uh! I ain't touching those things! You said you were gonna row!"

Gajeel stood up. "LISTEN HERE YOU LITTLE BRAT! I DON'T CARE IF YOU'RE THE KING'S CHILD OR WHAT!? YOU'RE ROWING THIS DAMN THING OR ELSE..!" HE went to continue but a violent crashing wave sloshed over into their vicinity and knocked the standing Gajeel into the black abyss.

"GAJEEL!" Natsu yelled out to his now lone companion. Frantically running around the small but roomy dingy, the pink haired child then grabbed an oar and held it out to the sea.

"GRAB ON!"

Gajeel tried not to swallow all the sea water that came his way, but it was hard not to as each wave flared over his head. Then, he heard Natsu's voice and grabbed ahold of the oar, pulling him back up to the tiny boat safe and sound.

"What…agh…was that for!?" Gajeel demanded.

Natsu also breathed heavily. "Hauh…Hauh…I had to save ya…I mean you saved me from the pirates, and isn't that what friends do?"

"Friends…?" Gajeel asked himself the meaning of the word in confusion as both boys then came across a very large brown wooden ship with pearly white sails and hidden blue flags in the deep night time sky.

"ALRIGHT!" Natsu yelled as he grabbed several ropes from the crewman up on deck. "We're back to the fleet!"

Gajeel swallowed a lump in his throat. "Yea? Easy for you to say…"

Now, both boys found themselves wrapped in blankets as all the royal crew members surrounded them.

"Well I'll be damned, the kid survived!" Yelled the manly commander dressed in a fancy black royal outfit. He also had a thick head of short orange hair with a scruffy matching beard as he smiled to the lost boys.

Then, a man of equal height spoke next dressed in a very fancy outfit with fluffs of cotton coming from his inner shirt. "Hmm, I suppose no one else made it from the crew? If so…I'm sorry for your loss, son."

Natsu looked at the tall man with blonde hair and a trim moustache as he tried to smile. "Y-yea? Well I'm okay now Mr. Jude…"

"NATSU!" Running from the late night stern castle came a very tiny but pretty girl of Natsu's age. She wore a tiny white night gown and had a medium head of blonde hair with two bright brown eyes as she ran to the boy's side.

Wrapping him in a tight hug, the girl let out a single tear. "I heard those pirates got your ship! I was so worried about you!"

Natsu smiled to his long time best friend. "Ah Lucy, there's no reason to worry about me!"

Lucy never smiled fully as she looked on with fear. "B-but what about your dad…?"

That made Natsu bite his tongue as an unwanted tear floated off his right eye. Lucy began to erupt with tears of her own as she grabbed him in a bigger hug.

"Oh no, Lucy's crying…" Said an even tinier girl from behind the two commanders also dressed in a silk gown. This girl looked a tad bit shorter than the other young passengers and also never captured the attention of the older men.

However, Gajeel now turned to find this annoying young sailor, only this time he was taken away by a cute head of short blue hair and two fearful brown eyes that looked back at him.

Then, Jude spoke up next. "Well Natsu…I am truly sorry for your loss. Your father was one of the best captains our fleet has ever seen." He said with sorrowful eyes. "But I must ask…who is this boy who came with you?"

Gajeel tensed up and hid a marking of all black on his left shoulder from the main man.

Natsu then turned and grinned. "Ah he was some kid who got captured by the pirates! He actually helped me get out!"

Jude still looked concerned as Lucy let go of Natsu and wrapped her arms around Gajeel.

"THANK YOU!" She cried with eyes of mercy. "HE COULD'VE DIED WITHOUT YOU!"

The orange haired commander looked to Jude. "Ah come on Governor, the kid looks innocent. Keep those judgmental eyes off of him."

"I do not need the comments, Gildarts." He sternly commended to his inferior. "I need to know if this boy is free from sin…or if he's a pirate."

Gajeel tensed up as every eye on deck looked to him. Yet other than Natsu and Lucy, one other set of eyes came to his defense.

"He's good!" Yelled the timid girl with blue hair.

Jude sharply turned round. "Oh Levy? I had no idea you were there. Why is my daughter awake at this hour?"

The tiny blue haired maid bowed. "I'm sorry Mr. Heatfilia, but we couldn't get to sleep, and once she heard Natsu's voice she ran right over to see him."

Lucy looked to her dad with angry eyes as Gildarts spoke up next. "Oookay…? So now that we're all here, Levy, why do you think he's okay?"

Levy slowly walked forward and made it to a fearful Gajeel. His brawny size scared her, but even so she removed his stationed right hand off of his left shoulder tattoo.

"This is a mark the Phantom Pirates give prisoners. I guess they never had time to mark Natsu after they captured him." The book smart girl explained. Even in her words, she knew that mark actually signified the membership of the Phantom Lord's ship, but she chose to hide that piece of information from the others.

Jude raised an eye brow. "Really? …Well I have no reason to condemn an innocent child to the gallows. Tell me boy, what's your name, and what were you before a prisoner?"

Gajeel froze and explained his trade. "I'm Gajeel…and I was the son of a black smith."

Gildarts smirked. "A Smith? Man, He may come in handy when he's older…Let's take him on in to Hargeon and see if we can't make him an apprentice?"

Jude scanned the entire scene before his judgmental eyes. The angry Natsu, the worried Levy, the confused Gajeel, and most importantly, his depressed daughter Lucy all looked to await his final decision.

Finally the proud governor spoke. "Very well. Give him a cot down stairs. Tomorrow, we arrive at Hargeon."


Well yes! I have decided to release a new story here on March the 1st! I graduate from college in a couple of months, and I have a small list of stories I would like to finish before that happens.

Anyway yes, this is in fact an Alternate Universe that puts the characters of Fairy Tail in the world of pirates and colonies. It will also focus on the development between its two main characters, Gajeel and Levy (yep, we're going GaLe) I was inspired to write this after finishing my NaLu themed Western AU (go to my page and check it out!) and I decided to make a series that will include a GaLe, Gruvia, and Jerza story to add on with the NaLu Western.

And so here is the second installment to my AU series that will focus on GaLe in the life of pirates! It will draw loosely from one of my favorite films, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl...but I must also be clear it IS NOT A CROSSOVER WITH THAT TITLE!

Either way come back around tomorrow for the second chapter! :D