As much as I wanted to have my Noble 6, Natalie, get into more action, I figured I'd have her get a feel of her new 'home' first. But rest assured, the Lullaby Arc is next, & a few arcs later, you'll see a fight between Nat & Erza. In the meantime, here's chapter 3.

Disclaimer: Fairy Tail belongs to Hiro Mashima, & Halo is property of Bungie, 343 Industries, & Microsoft. I own none of the series or characters involved, unless I add an OC of my own.

Chapter 3: Adjustment

Natalie's first few days in Earthland were... interesting, to say the least. The Spartan grew accustomed to this new world, despite its differences to her 26th century universe. After the recent fiasco at Mt. Hakobe, Nat tagged along with Lucy when the latter was looking for an apartment. By sunset, they finally settled on a place for the blonde to call home.

"Wow, for a place that costs 70 thousand jewels, it's pretty big." Lucy commented as she looked around her new apartment. "It may be pricey, but it's near the shopping district, which is convenient."

"I can't believe there's plenty of storage space." Nat said.

"Not to mention the somewhat retro fireplace, as well as the built-in kitchen stove!" the blonde added.

As Lucy started to settle in, Nat was lost in her own thoughts. Unfortunately, the Spartan wasn't aware of the currency prior to her arriving in this new world. Although, she had observed that Lucy, and other people, buy items at a certain amount of jewels. Nat wasn't sure if it had an equivalent to Credits, which is what her universe uses after humanity colonized other planets, or any other currencies mankind had prior to the change.

"Hey Lucy."

"Hm?" Pausing whatever she was doing, Lucy wondered what was on Nat's mind. "Is something wrong?"

"Out of curiosity, what's the currency here in Fiore? I wasn't informed about it and of its culture before I came here," the taller girl said.

"Fiore uses jewels as its currency. Here..." as the blonde mage said that, she took a bill out as an example. "...this is what they look like."

Nat took a closer look at the bill, noting it had a 'J' for its dollar sign, as well as whom she assumed to be the King's face on the bill.

"So you really don't have any cash on you?" Lucy asked.

The Spartan sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "Sadly, no. I'm practically broke when I first came here."

Lucy blinked at her friend's predicament. "So... there's no way for you go get a hold of any money you had on you before?"

"No. Spartans don't give money much thought since we're on the frontlines the majority of the time. And if we do, they're usually covered by higher-ups in the UNSC for whatever basic necessities we need." Nat explained.

"Oh. I'm... sorry to hear that." Lucy said.

"Don't be. Luckily, now that we're in Fairy Tail now, we can pick jobs to do. And depending on what's involved, we could get a decent amount of cash." the brunette said thoughtfully.

"But in the meantime, where will you stay?" the blonde asked.

Nat thought about it for a moment, but simply shrugged as she responded. "I'll find a place. It's not like I haven't stayed outside before. We're trained to survive the wilderness, as well as fight and win."

As Lucy processed the information being told to her, she felt bad for her friend. Sure, Nat had special training to fight and survive, but she's still human. So the Celestial mage came up with a solution.

"Why don't you stay here at my place till you find one of your own?" Lucy suggested.

Nat blinked at what she said. "Are... you sure? I don't want to intrude or anything..."

"No no, it's fine. And really, I've wondered what it'd be like to have a roommate." the blonde said, waving her hand.

The armored girl gave it a thought before coming to a decision. "Well... I don't know what to say. But really, I appreciate the offer, and I'll take up on it."

"Really? Yay! This is going to be so cool. It'll be a like a sleepover!" Lucy said excitedly.

Nat chuckled at her friend's happiness. "Slow it down, Luce. How about we settle in first?"

Lucy nodded and got back to unpacking her stuff. Nat brought out a knapsack from her DSU, as well as a sleeping bag. The Spartan then started to take off her armor. Out of curiosity, Lucy observed her friend carefully remove each part. The brunette had a feeling she was being watched and saw the blonde looking on in wonder.

Lucy looked away, an embarrassed look on her face. "I apologize if I was staring."

"It's alright if you watch. I'm just... not used to removing my armor in front of non-technicians." Nat said.

"Do you need help?" Lucy asked.

"Nah, it's not too difficult. But thanks anyway."

The former Noble Team member resumed taking of her armor with care. Her shoulder pads were easily undone, but her chest was more sophisticated. It's like starting up and powering down a human-sized tank, or so most people describe it. The rest of her armor were easier to remove. The parts protecting her arms and legs came undone within seconds. With her custom MJOLNIR armor removed, Nat stood wearing her black bodysuit with her number, 312, printed on the left side of her chest.

Lucy got a good look at Nat out of her armor. For someone in the military, she had to admit the brunette looked pretty.

Huh, I never realized how tall she was, Lucy thought. "Hey Nat, how tall are you?"

Said girl turned around as she replied, "Out of my armor, I'm 6 foot 4. In it, I'm only slightly taller by a few inches."

"How tall can Spartans get?" Lucy asked.

"The tallest ones are at least 7 feet tall. They're a whole 'nother class. I had a teammate named Jorge who was 7 foot 4."

"Are you serious?! I can't imagine soldiers being that tall!" the blonde exclaimed.

"You'd be surprised. Our heights sometimes make it hard for us to blend in with civilians if we're not careful." Nat said.

"Well, I think you'll fit right in with Fairy Tail." said Lucy.

"Thanks. I'm sure the guild won't mind having a super-soldier added into its ranks. At least no one freaked out at the sight of me when we first showed up."

"You do stand out, though. In a good way, I mean!" Lucy pointed out.

The Spartan-III accepted the compliment, then got back to unpacking her own belongings. Or at least whatever Mavis was able to grab for her. Luckily, the little blonde Master packed her some essentials, like a toothbrush, the sleeping bag she pulled out earlier, blankets, as well as some standard military uniforms and sleeping clothes.

Nat then realized how long she had gone without a shower. For a while, she's been in firefights nonstop. Not to mention the recent events of coming into this new universe and joining Fairy Tail, among other things. Nat also needs to find a way to keep her armor maintained in good condition. She'll think about that later.

With Lucy's permission, Nat took the chance to shower. It was quite relaxing for the Spartan, considering such luxuries didn't mean anything to soldiers like her. After she was done, Nat now wore a white sleeveless shirt and gray sweatpants. She looked over her armor, as well as think about what she should do next.

Maintenance on this thing will be a pain if I don't have the proper tools, she thought. She then realized something else.

What do I do about my guns?

A super-soldier like her is trained in combat, that much is certain. From knives, to standard human guns, and then some Covenant weaponry, to even rocks, Spartans are trained to adapt to anything and use whatever is at their disposal. But in a world like this, it'd be a pain to put a bullet in an opponent and leave a hole or two in them. Plus, the use of alien tech will have to be limited, unless suspicions about plasma burns gets unnecessary attention.

Or I could just let whatever poor saps I hit with a Plasma Pistol deserve the pain that comes with it. Nat shook the thought from her head. She's better than that. Even so, she won't hesitate to kill if lives are at stake.

Nat sighed and decided to call it a day. She'll think about it tomorrow, as well as find jobs to earn money and get her own apartment and food.

The brunette opted to sleep in the living room, but Lucy insisted that they share the bedroom. Nat was reluctant at first, but figured it was best not to argue. The Spartan laid out her sleeping bag at the head of Lucy's bed. And when they were both comfortably tucked in their respective sleeping places, Lucy turned out the lights.

"Good night Nat."

"Good night, Lucy."

The girls then drifted off to sleep, resting and looking forward to whatever the next day will bring. It would certainly be quite a busy one.

Inside Natalie's dreams...

As the Spartan drifted to sleep, she was able to dream again. With little to no worries, she had no problem getting some real shut-eye in a long time.

Nat opened her eyes and saw that she stood in a completely new surrounding. She was still in her sleeping clothes, but now she's in a field of flowers. The brunette took in the smell of fresh air and the nice breeze that came with the calm wind. It almost remind her of...

...home, she thought. The Spartan-III then realized this was based on a memory of hers when she was younger. This was one of the valleys on the planet she was born on, Sera. It was one of the Outer Colonies, and like them, was nearly out of reach of the UNSC. Despite that, the people of Sera maintained order, even when Insurrectionists landed on some parts of it.

Nat thought back when she was happy with her family; her older brother and parents who loved her very much. She missed them dearly. And they were taken away when the Covenant invaded.

As the alien Cruisers and Carriers started to glass some of Sera's cities, evac was underway all around the planet. Many didn't make it off world. Nat clearly remembered it. How her brother put her safety above his own. How he turned back to save a cousin of theirs that happened to be with them. How a crashing Banshee got in between the siblings and Nat screamed out for him, tears running like crazy.

When she and other survivors got out, they went in whatever destination was away from the enemy. Nat somehow landed in an orphanage on another Outer Colony, she couldn't exactly remember the name.

By some chance, ONI agents came to the orphanage Nat stayed at. She, like some of the other kids, is an orphan of the war, if not by human rebels, then because of the Covenant. One of those men asked her something like, "Would you like a chance to fight back? Make those monsters go away for good?"

At the time, Nat was in a state of sorrow and emotional pain. When she looked at the person who asked her, she stared at him for a few seconds before giving an answer.

"...yes."

She had a new light in her eyes, and it was burning with anger and vengeance. Nat wanted to make the monsters that took everyone and everything away from her pay, one way or another.

As Nat looked back on those memories, the sight of the field she was standing in seemed to calm her soul. She knew she was far from home, but now Nat thinks of the good that will come to staying with Fairy Tail, in this whole new universe. All of a sudden, a familiar voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

"I must say, this place is quite lovely, and peaceful."

Nat lifted her head and turned around to see Mavis Vermillion herself standing with her. The super-soldier was somewhat surprised to see the little blonde in her own dream, but decided not to think about it too much.

"Good to see you again, Mavis," Nat greeted.

"Likewise, Spartan. Glad to see you're fitting in nicely." was the former Fairy Tail Master's reply.

The brunette shrugged as she sat down to be on the same level as the blonde mage. "I try. It seems most people are intrigued to see a Spartan."

Mavis nodded as she too sat down. "That is good to hear. I hope that your stay in Earthland would be a pleasant one." The mage then looked down sadly at her feet.

Nat noticed this and asked, "Is something wrong?"

Mavis didn't look up, but still responded. "I... looked through some of your memories. I know it was rude of me, but what I saw was... quite sad. I'm sorry for the pain and devastation you put up with growing up, and I do wish that your time in my world won't be a bad experience. You do deserve a life of happiness, even if some of your old habits stay with you."

The Spartan-III was silent for a moment, but she wasn't made that Mavis looked into her past. Rather, Nat took her words to heart. After her childhood was torn apart, the taller girl's life was all related to training to fight and survive, kill and never surrender. Even a hyper lethal vector like her deserves some happiness. And an opportunity like coming to Earthland is something Nat doesn't want to waste.

"It's alright. really. I'm not mad or anything." the brunette said to the smaller girl.

"Are you sure? I didn't mean to invade your personal thoughts, but I..." Mavis started to say, but was interrupted by Nat who held her hand up.

"You were curious about my life before I became a Spartan. I can see why you, and most likely everyone else in the guild, would like to know. I remember some good memories as a little girl, but not all of it is clear." Nat said.

Mavis nodded in understanding. "Well, I wanted to get that out of the way first. Whoever you share this information with is your choice. Though, I'm sure you know what you're doing."

"Of course I am. I may be making a few friends now, but I'd like build trust first."

"And you trust me?" asked Mavis.

The other girl simply shrugged. "I don't see why I shouldn't. I mean, most people would be paranoid if they were sent to an entirely different dimension. But I've learned to adapt. And hey, I guess that makes you 1 of my new friends."

Mavis giggled at that. "Ah yes, that's a delightful thing to hear. So tell me, how do you like Fairy Tail?"

Nat thought about it before giving an answer. "Y'know, I almost thought it would be awkward for people to see a Spartan for the first time. But from what I've seen, everyone's alright with me around. Though, fighting seems to be a norm in the guild."

The blonde chuckled. "Ah yes, Fairy Tail can be quite rowdy. And no doubt, you try to maintain order if things go out of hand."

The taller girl rolled her eyes at that. "I won't change the way things are. I'd just like some peace and quiet from time to time." The brunette then had a thought come to mind. "Oh, now that you're here, I'd like to ask you something."

"I'm listening." Mavis said.

"It's about my guns. Well, the humans ones."

"Is there something wrong with them?"

"Yeah, um, is it possible to have rounds that, I don't know, not kill people? I mean, using stun rounds can only work for so long. And really, I'm thinking about the safety for others in the guild, as well as when I'm out in public."

"Oh, I know what you mean. Hold your left wrist out." As Mavis said that, Nat complied and held out the hand with the DSU around it. The blonde then tapped the device, where a display popped up. Her hand glowed for a few seconds as she tapped some buttons. After she was done, Mavis's hand stopped glowing and the DSU's display dimmed down.

"There. I split your ammo rounds in 50/50. One half are magical rounds you can use without endangering others. When you use them, they'll hit a person like normal bullets do, but not penetrate and leave holes in them."

Nat stared at her DSU, fascinated of the new addition to her arsenal. "And the other half?"

"The live rounds you're more familiar with. And they would serve as anti-magic rounds as well, should there ever be a time when needed." Mavis responded.

"I'll keep that in mind. Thanks again, Mavis." the Spartan said.

"No, thank you, Natalie. I'm positive you will bring honor to the guild, and it soothes my soul to know my guild is in good hands."

"Of course. I won't let you down." Nat said as she ruffled Mavis's hair. The latter laughed at the gesture.

Nat then brought up another problem, this one about MJOLNIR. "By the way, I still don't have a way to keep proper maintenance on my armor. Some of the tools I have won't last long."

Mavis tapped her chin thoughtfully before giving an answer. "I've got a solution in mind when you last asked me that. Tell you what. When you do get a home of your own, I'll deliver you my gift. How's that?"

Nat was tempted to ask for it now, but she knew better and decided to be patient. "Sounds fair. I look forward to it."

"You won't be disappointed, Nat." Mavis said in a cheerful tone.

Said super-soldier nodded, knowing it would be something worthwhile. She then asked, "And another thing, you look like a little girl, but you sound like an adult. I'm sorry, but it just sorta threw me off when I first met you."

Mavis looked away, sweat dropping. "Don't remind me. Growth spurt didn't exactly kick in when I wanted it too."

"And how is your name pronounced? Is it 'Mah-vis' or 'May-vis'?" the Spartan wondered.

The 'little girl' shrugged. "Either or. So long as I'm not referred to as something ridiculous, there won't be any problems."

"Well, that's all I have to ask for now. Glad to see you again."

"Likewise. I'll show up from time to time, and not just when there's a crisis going on. I wish you luck for your new life in Fairy Tail, Spartan." Mavis said as she winked and vanished in a column of light.

Natalie relaxed as she laid back down on the grass. She got some things sorted out; now it'll be just a matter of fitting in with a guild full of mages - ones that like to cause havoc. Since she's got a few hours till dawn comes, Nat decides to ease her mind in her own Wonderland. Might as well enjoy the peace while I can, she thought.

The Next Morning...

Natalie was the first one to wake up. It was a habit that stuck with her after all the training she had in the UNSC. As she got up & stretched, Nat saw that Lucy is still asleep. Tapping a button on her DSU, she saw a display come up and say the time, which was 7AM. The older girl turned it off as she then rolled up her sleeping bag and quietly exited the bedroom.

After closing the door, Nat then stored away the sleeping bag in her DSU, and took out a new set of clothes. She changed into a gray t-shirt with the UNSC symbol on the front, a black, somewhat baggy sweatpants, and a pair of boots. Nat decided to go out for some morning exercises before going about her day. Out of caution, she took the combat knife attached to her armor and attached it to her right boot. And if worst comes to worst, she can pull out a gun from her special 'bracelet'. Nat then carefully and quietly left through the front door and went for a jog.

Taking a quick look at Lucy's house so she remembers what it looks like, Nat then got going. She decided now would be a good time to have a better visual of Magnolia by jogging through most of it. During her run, she saw Mirajane and Elfman making their way to the guild and waved at them. The two silver-haired mages waved back, happy to see one of their new members.

Nat then head towards the center of town, where the Kardia Cathedral is. She briefly stopped to see a path that lead to Fairy Tail before she got going again. She followed along the waterways in town and sees where some of them go. Before heading back, she finds an open area to do some sit-ups and push-ups. Doing a couple of hundred each would be pushing it for a normal UNSC Marine, but it's simple for a Spartan.

As she made her way back to Lucy's house, Natalie noticed the town come to life. Various people went about their daily lives, getting their shops ready for business, heading to certain places, and several other activities. Some of the townspeople waved at her and smiled to see a new member of Fairy Tail.

Nat finally came back to Lucy's place and was ready to get into her armor, but something set off her Spartan senses when she walked in. She recognized the singing in the bathroom to be coming from Lucy, but Nat thought someone else was also hear. She slowly walked to Lucy's bedroom, her right hand ready to draw her knife. But when Nat opened the door to her friend's room, she was tempted to facepalm.

"Hi there! Morning to ya!"

"Aye!"

Those were the responses from the people she saw sitting in the center of Lucy's room. Tick marks appeared on Nat's head as she did the logical thing a person would do in this situation.

Lucy woke up way after Nat left. And when the blonde got up, she felt very relaxed. She noticed that Nat wasn't in her bedroom, or anywhere else in the house. Lucy assumed the brunette went out to get something, or go do morning exercises. The younger girl shrugged as she went and took a bath.

As she laid in the nice, hot water, the Celestial mag looked back on what happened the past few days. She didn't expect coming to Hargeon would change her life. There, she met Natalie, Natsu, and Happy. And after the fiasco with Bora, she got a better idea of who her new friends were.

Natsu is a Fairy Tail wizard who was an expert with fire, and used magic that could slay a dragon. He found her to be a little annoying, but he'd gladly give a friend a hand when they needed it.

Happy, for the most part, was a major annoyance, regardless of the situation. He could fly and talk, but get serious when the situation calls it.

And Nat. To Lucy, the taller girl stood out the most. She was a super-soldier from a faraway land, and somehow came to Fiore. Nat never said much, but she is quite a nice individual.

To top it all off, Lucy finally got to join Fairy Tail, the guild of her dreams. It made her heart jump in glee, but images she had of some the members shattered. Then there was the recent rescue of Macao from Mt. Hakobe, where Lucy saw how the guild-mates really got each other's backs.

Suddenly, she heard some noise coming from outside the bathroom. After wrapping a towel around herself, Lucy came out and walked towards her bedroom. She was surprised to see had Nat came back. Or rather, the brunette was cleaning up a little mess of snacks and junk. Lucy also noticed there was a little dent in her wall.

"Oh, morning Nat. What, uh, happened here?"

The other girl looked up to see the blonde with a towel wrapped around her. Nat then replied, "Apparently, while I was out jogging and you were bathing, someone let themselves right into your home. And when I got back, I instinctively dealt with those 'intruders' as I saw fit."

"Where are they now?" asked Lucy.

The Spartan didn't say anything but gestured 'follow me' as she led her friend to the front door and opened it. Down flat on the sidewalk were Natsu and Happy. Both had what looked like still smoking bumps on their heads.

"Wait, it was these two idiots?!" exclaimed Lucy as she pointed at them.

In response to her outburst, Natsu & his little blue friend lifted their heads and sheepishly greeted her.

"Uh, hey Lucy."

"Hello."

Looks like Nat wasn't going to have any of their shenanigans either, thought Lucy. "Alright, I'll bite. What were you guys doing in my house?"

"We just wanted to check out your place. And why's Nat welcome & we're not?" asked Natsu.

"Does she live with you?" Happy wondered.

Lucy sighed at their questions. Nat just shook her head & said, "I have told them it was practically breaking and entering. And if I had any proper authority, I'd arrest them."

"I assume you kicked them and made the dent in my room?" asked Lucy.

"Sorry." Nat said.

"So, can we come in for real now?" Natsu asked.

"Aye, that'd be nice." Happy added.

Both girls were reluctant at the pinkette and his cat in to the house, but decided explanations were in order. Nat took initiative and gave some orders. "Luce, why don't you get dressed and we can all talk. As for you two knuckleheads, you better be behave."

Lucy nodded at that. "Sure thing."

Natsu and Happy both exclaimed "Yay!" as they were allowed back inside. Of course, they went and did their own things again.

"Nice place you've got," Happy said as he scratched Lucy's wall. Suddenly, a firm hand grasped his head.

"Happy, this isn't your home. Don't tear it up," Nat sternly stated. The little feline complied with the order silently.

Meanwhile, Natsu was looking at a pile papers laying on a table. "Hm? Wonder what these are."

At that, Lucy panicked and kicked away Natsu in the face, all the while holding the paper pile protectively.

"Geez, what was that all about? I get kicked for nothing?" Natsu wondered, sweatdropping.

"What's it matter to you? Just go home already!" Lucy exclaimed.

"Come on, your place is so exciting to be in, though." Natsu said.

Nat rolled her eyes at the pink-head's insistence of staying. "Tch, boys."

Some time later, tea preparation, and suiting up in Nat's case, the Fairy Tail trio plus Happy sat at Lucy's table. Or rather, Nat leaned against the wall while the other three sat down. As to avoid another incident of breaking chairs as of late by the Spartan.

"Look, I just moved in, and really, I'm in no mood to put up with you guys. So just have your tea, then go home, please?" Lucy asked.

"That's rather cold of you," Natsu said.

"Aye, very cold." Happy agreed.

Nat didn't say anything as she sipped her cup of tea.

The Fire Dragon Slayer then thought of something. "Oh right. Since we're here, why don't you show Nat, Happy and I those key guys you've got."

"Yeah, why not show us?" asked the blue cat.

"Guys, she'll show us when she's in a better mood." Nat said.

"It's alright, Nat. But really, they're called 'Celestial Spirits', not 'key guys'." Lucy pointed out.

"And how many of these Celestial Spirits do you have?" Nat asked curiously.

"Oh, I've got 6 so far. And they come in different types." Lucy went on with her explanation of the kind of keys she has. The silver ones are types you usually can find at shops. And the gold keys are rare, coming ion only a dozen, plus they open the Gates of the Zodiac.

The blonde mage then remembered something. "Oh right, I still need to make a pact with the spirit I bought in Hargeon. Say, why don't you three watch how a Celestial Spirit makes a pact?"

Natsu and Happy then started whispering to each other.

"What if it's some kind of butt pact?" Happy wondered.

"Something like that has gotta hurt." Natsu added.

Natalie simply face-palmed at their comments. "Guys, we're still here, and can we know what you're saying."

"And leave my butt out of this," Lucy said, sweatdropping. She then got up and prepared to use her newest key. "Alright, you all better pay attention, got it?"

Nat, along with Natsu & Happy, watched as she held out a silver key and said an incantation. Sounds like she's going to bring a spirit to our world, the super-soldier thought.

"Open, Gate of Canis Minor! Nikola!" And out of a blue magic seal & a flash of light, came a... little white dog? It also had an orange drill for a nose. ...wait, what?

Both Happy & Natsu were wide-eyed at the spirit's summoning. "Oops, better luck next time," Natsu said as he & Happy waved at Lucy sadly.

"Oh stuff it! I meant to do that!" Lucy said angrily.

Nat just stared at the spirit her blonde friend summoned. And it seemed to stare back at her, albeit timidly, and her friends.

Lucy then went up to the little dog-thing and hugged it, calling it cute names.

"You sure this is fine?" Natsu asked.

"Oh yeah. It doesn't take a lot of magic to summon, so Celestial mages keep some of these spirits as pets." Lucy pointed out.

Natsu & Happy began whispering between themselves again.

"The whole pet things doesn't sound right to me." Happy said.

"Especially when the Master is someone like Looney here!" says Natsu.

Both of them got bonks on their heads for the ridiculous commentary, courtesy of Natalie. "Seriously, we can still hear you. And be nice." the Spartan said. When she turned her head, Nat saw Lucy kneeling in front of the little spirit as they worked out their contract.

As that happened, Natsu went back to drinking his tea, and Happy munched on a fish. Where the hell did he find one?

"Can't believe how boring this is," Natsu said. Happy agreed with him, like always.

"And... that wraps it up." Lucy said as she was done writing on a notepad.

Nat tilted her head sideways. "That was pretty easy."

"It may not look like much, but this is an important process." Lucy explained. "To us Celestial Wizards, a contract is like making a promise with our spirits. And I aim to not go back on my promises!"

"That's certainly a good way to look at it." Nat noted. But just as Lucy finished her statement, another female voice popped into Nat's head that said: "Don't make a girl a promise, if you know you can't keep it."

Nat blinked, wondering where that came from. She shook her head as Lucy was trying to pick out a name for her new spirit.

"How about Nikola?" Happy suggested.

"That's just the species. Hm, I've got it!" Lucy then held her arms out and said, "Come here, little Plue!"

"Plue, huh?" Natsu & Happy muttered.

Nat just rolled her eyes, choosing not to add her 2 cents to the conversation.

"C'mon, it's a cute name for the little guy." Lucy said.

"You think he's fine with that?" wondered Natsu.

"Why not?" asked Lucy.

"His sign may be that of a dog, but does he bark?" Happy asked. "How weird."

"And none of us have ever heard you 'meowing', Happy." Nat said.

Suddenly, Plue did some little dance, which caught everyone's attention.

"Wait, really? That's sounds like a good idea!" Natsu said excitedly.

"How did you understand him?" Lucy and Nat asked out loud.

The pinkette then stared seriously at the girls, which creeped out Lucy while Nat didn't say anything. "Well then, it's decided. I agree with what Plue said. Let's all make our own team!" Natsu exclaimed.

"A team?" Lucy asked.

"Aye. Everyone in the guild may be allied with each other, but there are some that split into teams if they get along real well. If a job is too hard for one person, then it's easier for a team can take on it together!" Happy explained.

"Really? That sounds like a great idea!" Lucy said cheerfully.

Nat smiled on as her friends joyfully formed a team. Happy took notice and asked, "Hey Nat, you're with us too, aren't you?"

Natsu & Lucy also turned their attention to the older girl. "Oh yeah, Nat's with us too. That's a good thing!" Lucy said.

"Yup! And we got Nat before anyone else in the guild! With her, we're practically the best!" Natsu said, pumping his fist in the air.

The Spartan was silent before she gave her input on this team-up. "Actually, I'm... not to keen on the idea."

"Wait, you don't want in?" Lucy asked.

"Do you want to choose our team name or something?" asked Natsu.

"No, none of that. It's just that I'd rather work alone. Sorry." said the Spartan.

The other three worriedly looked at her. Happy then asked, "Is there a reason why you don't want to join?"

The brunette shrugged. "I've worked with Spartan teams before, and helped out other soldiers too. I'll just...think about your offer, Natsu."

"You sure you don't wanna join?" Natsu asked.

"I've got nothing against any of you, if that's what you're thinking. But if anything comes up and it's a big mission that needs more people, I'll gladly tag along." As she said that, Nat brought a DMR and holstered it to her back. "Besides, there's several things I gotta get done."

Natsu, Happy, and Lucy looked down sadly, a little disappointed the super-soldier didn't join their team. But Lucy snapped out of her trance and smiled at the older girl. "I understand. Maybe we could work together on the next mission."

"Aye!" agreed Happy.

"Yeah! That sounds like a plan!" Natsu said, his mood now brighter. He then held out a flyer he had on him. "Speaking of plans, I've already picked out our first mission, Lucy." At hearing that, said blonde took a look at the request.

"Huh, so it's in Shirotsume. A job for 200 thousand jewels to take a book from a Duke named Everlue?"

"Sounds easy enough, right?" Natsu asked.

Lucy then saw a little note on the flyer. "Please note, Mr. Everlue is a perverted old man who's looking for a maid with blonde hair." Her eyes widened at reading that & seeing a picture of the Duke.

"And we just so happen to know a blonde girl, don't we?" Natsu said to Happy.

"Aye. And we could just get her a maid's uniform." the cat said back.

*SMACK* *SMACK*

Having enough of their nonsense, Nat pulled out her DMR and held by the barrel as she hit the troublesome pinkette and cat on the head with the butt of her gun. "Y'know, that's going a little too far if you're trying to mess with Lucy."

Natsu rubbed the bump on his head as he looked at Nat with a hurt look on his face. "Well, you didn't join our team and you're not blonde, so you shouldn't have to hit us like that."

"You should know better than to treat your friends like that," the Spartan retorted.

Natsu narrowed his eyes at her. "Well then, let's fight! You may not be on my team now, but I'll convince you! And hey, I've been meaning to see what you're made of-" he was cut off when Lucy hit him with a book.

"Why in the world would you ask her that?! She's a Spartan, a really powerful soldier!" Lucy exclaimed.

"Aye. It's reason enough to fight her." Happy pointed out.

"No, it's not." Nat deadpanned.

"And really, I can't believe I fell for it." Lucy said, referring to Natsu's earlier reason on bringing her with him for a mission. A depressed aura surrounded around the blonde mage now; Nat just pat her friend on the back for comfort.

"Well, Celestial Wizards can't go back on their word, can they?" Natsu said as he talked with Happy & Plue.

Sighing, Nat then grabbed her helmet and put it under her arm as she started walking towards the door. "If you need anything Luce, you know how to reach me." And with that, the super-soldier was out the door.

"Wonder what she meant by that," Natsu wondered. Happy and Plue nodded at that. Lucy herself just stayed quiet, but glad to know she can still get a hold of the brunette if things go wrong.

Even while she was outside, Nat could hear her friends yelling.

"Now for practice, start calling Happy 'Master'!" Natsu would suggest something like that.

"No way is that going to happen!" And of course, Lucy objects.

Shaking her head, Nat put on her Recon helmet and started walking to her destination.

As Nat made her way to the Fairy Tail guild, she planned out what she'd do to settle in. I gotta get a couple of local jobs to pay rent once I finally get an apartment. I'll also need some cash for groceries & some new clothes. Hm, I wonder if I can make a team in this new universe. The armored girl snapped out of her thoughts when she reached the guild's doors.

Before going in, she took off her helmet and placed it under her left arm. As she opened one of the doors, the muffled stomping sound of her boots got some people's attention. She noticed the whole place wasn't rowdy (yet), and that everyone was either talking or checking out the Request Board. A few of the guild members assumed a certain fierce red-head had returned, but many were surprised to see the Spartan instead.

As Nat entered the building, she noticed several eyes were on her. At least there isn't any fights, yet. It's too early for that, she thought. Nat then waved her hand and said, "Hello everyone."

That eased everyone's nerves as several of them happily replied, "Good morning, Nat!"

Glad that was out of the way, said girl made her way to the Request Board. She noticed three other people were standing in front of it; two guys and a blue-haired girl at the center.

"Oh man, someone got that book stealing job? It was for 200, and I really wanted it." the bluenette said. She and her two friends noticed Nat was also looking at the board. "Oh, hi there! You're Natalie, right? Looking for a job too?"

The brunette turned her head towards the blue-haired girl and nodded. "Certainly. I need some money if I'm gonna find a home, or at least get food. And your name is...?"

"Levy McGarden! Pleased to meet ya!" Levy said as she extended her hand. Nat responded in kind and shook the other girl's hand. "And these are my teammates, Jet and Droy." Both boys greeted the Spartan, the latter simply nodded at them.

"Oh, I heard Natsu and Lucy were gonna take up that mission." Mirajane said in response to Levy's question. She then took notice that Nat was standing in front of the Board too. "Hm, Nat? I thought you'd have gone with Natsu and Lucy."

Nat rolled her eyes. "Right. I actually passed up on that, since I've got other things to do."

"Well, I'm not sure why you did Nat, but things have changed. And Levy, don't be disappointed for not taking the job." Makarov said from where he sat on the bar.

"What do you mean?" Levy asked.

The Master then said, "The client of that job just contacted me."

That got Nat's attention. "Was it canceled?"

"Not at all. In fact, the reward was just raised to 2 million. Quite something." Makarov said, smirking.

Those listening were shocked to hear the new reward.

"Two million jewels?! Really?" Levy exclaimed.

Nat was tempted to facepalm. If she knew about this, she would've joined the Fire Dragon Slayer & Celestial Mage, even if it's just to stand guard or do the infiltration herself.

From where he sat, Gray smirked at hearing the job's reward going up. "Guess things just got more interesting."

Mira then pointed out Gray was in his boxers, who then went in a little panic to find where his clothes went. Nat just stared blankly, wondering how such a thing was possible. She shook her head as she turned her attention back to the Request Board. Levy and her teammates were not looking at it for the moment, and no one else was either. Nat took a look at some of the jobs available and grabbed a few that had earnest pay, or at least doable for her. She then folded the request fliers and stashed them in one of her pouches.

Well, these jobs will keep me on my feet for a while, Nat thought. Next, I could either earn some money now, or have a word with the Master about my predicament. The Spartan closed her eyes for a moment before making her choice.

She made her way to the bar to speak to Makarov when someone called her name.

"Hey Nat, would you like something to drink?" Nat turned her head and heard the question from Mira.

"Just coffee, thanks." the brunette replied.

"Coming right up!" Mira went on her way to get the other girl's drink, while Nat took a seat at the bar, a space between her and Gray. The latter took a quick look at the super-soldier's helmet then asked her, "So, Nat was it? What made you not go on that mission with Natsu?"

The tall girl leaned her head on her arm as she looked at the shirtless mage. "Partly because I don't want to put up with his & Happy's idiocy today. And I think Lucy would be fine with them, despite how annoying they are."

"You and Lucy joined together, but did you knew each other beforehand?" Gray asked next.

Nat shook her head at the question. "No, I met her & Natsu on the same day I arrived here in Fiore. I wasn't exactly sure where to go, but thanks to hot-head's directions, here I am in Fairy Tail."

Gray nodded at her answer. "I heard Natsu say you're a super-soldier called a Spartan. I'm sure you're combat specialist, but what kind of magic can you use?"

"Long range, close range, you name it. I've never used a sword, but I know my way around knives. As for my type of magic? Just watch me in a firefight, & you'll know." As Nat finished her sentence, Mira came up and brought her a cup of coffee.

"Here you go! Nice and hot." the white-haired girl said with a smile.

"Thank you, Mira." Nat took a sip of the morning drink and felt the caffeine stimulate her senses. Been a while since I had any coffee. This is pretty good, too, she thought. Nat lifted her head when she heard someone take a seat next to her.

"Yo, new girl. How's it going?" It was Cana Alberona, Fairy Tail's best drinker, who sat to the left of the armored girl.

Nat noticed the other brunette had a barrel of liquor with her. "Isn't it a bit early to be drinking?"

Cana simply shrugged. "I'm gonna really start drinking at noon. By the way, what's a soldier like you doing all the way here in Earthland?"

"Unexpected circumstances after my last mission, really. I...don't remember all the details." Nat answered as she took another drink of her coffee.

"Are you on some sort of mission?" Levy asked, now joining the conversation.

"Not at all. I was just directed to join Fairy Tail thanks to a mage who helped me get back on my feet after a serious firefight I was in." Nat said.

Makarov caught interest in the talk about the Spartan as well. "If I may ask, what is your full name?"

The Spartan turned her head towards the Master. "It's Natalie-B312. Either Nat or Natalie is fine. Sadly, I don't remember my last name." she admitted.

"Sorry to hear that." Cana said. She then took notice of what looked like a necklace around Nat's neck. "What's that around your neck?"

Nat looked at what she was referring to. "Oh, this? It's my dog tag. Everyone in the military where I come from has one. It's usually used to identify those who are wounded or went down on the battlefield."

Levy also saw a few more dog tags hanging from Nat's chest piece. The blue-haired mage squinted her eyes to read some of the names. "Jorge, Kat, and Emile. Did those belong to friends of yours?" the bluenette asked.

Nat took the three tags out from under her chest armor. "These are tags from teammates of mine who... didn't make it."

"By that, do you mean..." Gray was afraid to say but Nat answered for him after another drink of coffee.

"They went down fighting, in case you were wondering." Some of the members listening turned looked away in sadly.

"It must be hard, to lose your friends like that." Cana said.

Nat put away Noble's tags as she said, "War can do that to you. But I stay strong and continue to fight. For my friends, old and new, and for the good of humanity. It's what we Spartans are the best; we take combat to a while new level." After she finished her sentence, she gave her now empty cup to Mira. The barmaid was silently listening to the conversation, somewhat sad to hear what Nat has went through before coming to Magnolia.

"Well, at least you're still alive. And Fairy Tail is fortunate to have you as a new part of the family." Makarov said with sincerity as he took another whiff of his pipe.

"That really means a lot, sir." Nat said. She then remembered what she needed to do. "Oh, Master, could ask you something?"

Makarov turned his attention to the tall girl. "I'm all ears, child."

"Actually, it's something personal, and I'd like to talk to you in private about it." Nat said.

The other guild members looked stunned at the sudden request. What could be important to talk to the Master about privately? Said man thought about it before getting off his seat. "Very well, then. Mira, if anything comes up, I'll be in my office."

"Of course, Master." Mira said, that warm smile of hers evident on her face.

"Come, Natalie." And so, Nat followed the Fairy Tail Master to the back of the building where his office is located. With that, the present guild members that were talking with the soldier were left befuddled.

"I wonder what's on her mind," Gray said out loud. Thankfully he kept his clothes on this time.

"Hopefully it's not something bad," Levy added.

"Eh, it's probably nothing." Cana then took a gulp of her barrel. "Really, it's none of our business. If Nat wants to talk, we'll be here to listen."

Mira didn't say anything as she finished cleaning the cup Nat used, & got back to serving drinks to other members.

The armored girl wasn't too surprised to see large bookshelves in the Master's office, as most people in charge do. As she closed the door behind her, Nat also took notice of some photos and artifacts that decorated Makarov's office.

"Have a seat," the old man said.

Without saying anything, Nat sat on 1 of the armchairs and laid her helmet on her lap. Makarov himself was getting seated as he folded his hands and rested his chin on top of them. He focused on the tall girl in front of him. She was at attention, even while sitting and had a hard look in her eyes.

"Well Natalie, what is it you want to talk to me about?" he asked.

Said girl didn't say anything before asking, "Can I trust that whatever I have to say won't leave this room?"

The Master tilted his head sideways slightly. "Is it that important?"

Nat narrowed her eyes as she replied, "If what I say reaches the wrong ears, I'm not only going to be in trouble, but so will be the people where I'm from."

Makarov was silent for a moment, taking in the answer she gave. He then lifted one his hands, which glowed yellow, before he pointed 2 fingers at the door and a yellow trail highlighted the room.

"Now, no one outside can hear what we say inside. As I asked before, what did you want to talk to me about?"

The super-soldier unconsciously gripped her Recon helmet when he asked. You knew this has to be taken cared of sooner or later. Better now than to endanger everyone else in the future, her thoughts said. She started by asking the Master about some things.

"Have you ever heard of magic that allows a person to see into other worlds, or perhaps even cross them?

The question caught Makarov off guard but he kept his composure. "Well, there have been theories on such things. And in recent years, there are rumors where such magic has worked. Why?"

Nat then stood up and placed her Recon helmet on the Master's desk. She also unholstered her DMR, turning the safety on, and placed it on the chair she was just sitting on.

"What if I told you I wasn't from around here? I don't mean from another country or continent, but I come from an entirely different dimension and time period. And what is a Spartan? Allow me to tell you where I came form, sir."

From there, Natalie went on her lengthy explanation about her true background. She talked about humanity's status and how far into the stars they have settled. Nat then recalled what little childhood memories she had prior to becoming an orphan. She then told the Master about the Spartan-III program, as well as the dangers humanity went up against that needed super-soldiers. At first, the Insurrectionist threat was easier to take in; the arrival and goals of the Covenant were another story.

Makarov nearly jumped out of his seat when he heard Nat talk about an alien alliance hellbent on total annihilation of the human race. He thought such things were impossible, that life on other worlds were only talked about in stories. But Nat's collection of Covenant tech at her disposal said otherwise. She then went on about her time as a Spartan, from being someone's personal grim reaper to the few times where she was actually a team player before her Lone Wolf attitude set in.

When it came to her final days as a part of Noble Team, Nat showed those memories through a recorder in her helmet. From her perspective, Makarov saw how the Fall of Reach went; as well as the downfall of Noble Team.

Jorge in Operation: Uppercut.

Kat from a sniper shot.

Carter crashing a Pelican into a Scarab.

Emile getting stabbed from behind before paying in kind.

And Noble Six herself making her 'final stand'.

Jun's fate was unknown, but she assumed he got off-world, or perhaps staying alive on a mountain somewhere.

"So, you mean to tell me you came from another world without magic where humanity has reached a high level of technology? And at some point, our existence was endangered by overzealous beings who say its the will of their gods?" Makarov asked.

"Affirmative, sir. I've held nothing back." Nat said.

"No, it's just... what you've told me is quite unbelievable." He muttered. "But I wonder, how did you end up in Earthland?"

"I was brought over by Mavis Vermillion."

The answer nearly gave Makarov a heart attack as his eyes jumped out of their sockets & he reeled back into his seat in shock.

"Wait, you mean to tell me THE FIRST Master of Fairy Tail saved you from impending doom and put you in our world?!"

Nat blinked at the reaction the old man gave, but answered calmly, "Yes, she did. I thought there was some hidden agenda, but she wanted me to have a second chance at life. And she thought I could make a difference here by being a part of Fairy Tail."

The elder mage pondered on her words as he brought his hand to his chin. "Hm, so the First was a 'she'. I didn't know that." But why someone like Nat? Could she serve a greater purpose in the future? He sighed from this new information. "I also have to ask, how is it you're able to summon your weapons at will?

Nat held out her left wrist and tapped the bracelet, revealing a holographic screen. "Mavis gave this to me. She called it a Dimensional Storage Unit, I believe. Lets me store & bring out items when I need 'em from sub-space."

Makarov nodded. "Ah, that's a convincing way to show people you have Ex-quip magic. Very clever." He then asked her, "So, where does this leave us?"

The Spartan shrugged. "I'm not sure. At the moment, I'm a soldier without any assignment. Guess for now, I try to adjust and earn everyone's trust, as well as try not to freak people out."

"Well, I suppose it'll be an advantage for out guild to have someone like you. Of course, it'd be best to not catch the attention of the Magic Council." he pointed out.

"If anything, Mavis also gave me magic rounds so that I can safely use my guns without putting holes in people." Nat said.

"Now that's reassuring. I won't ask too much of you, except try not to cause too much damage when you're out on missions, or disgrace the guild name."

"I won't let you down, sir. And I most certainly will try to avoid collateral damage. Though, I may be in a new universe, I'll continue my duty as a Spartan protect the innocent." Nat stated.

The Fairy Tail Master smiled at that. "Now I feel happy we've got someone like you on board. So, what else would you like to know, Natalie?"

It was early afternoon when the Spartan-III exited the Master's office. Those that knew she wanted to talk to the Master privately were worried, but Nat dismissively waved them off. She assured them that nothing was wrong. Makarov himself also said something similar.

Before she headed out, Nat had lunch and got a better look at some of the guild members. The Master gave her descriptions and names of some of the more unique members of the guild. Of course, she already met Natsu, Gray, and Macao, as well as Mira, Cana, and Levy. Nat hasn't anyone that fit Gildarts's description, and he's supposedly the guild's strongest member (save Master). And from what Makarov said, Mystogan shows up on his own time and only speaks to him so no one sees his face.

Then there's Laxus Dreyar, the Master's grandson. I don't see him anywhere, either. Hmph, hope he isn't a total brat, she thought.

Nat then went on her way to do a job or 2 before the day ends. As she exited the guild building, she thought about what the Master told her about how things work around here. She was glad to at least get the basics down.

Not only are there normal quests where anybody can take them, but there's also the S-Class quests that are extremely dangerous, which have pretty big rewards. Too bad they could only be taken on by an S-Class Mages…or a group with one.

Of course, there were the SS-Class quests which only S-Class mages can do. No doubt rewards a bigger than normal. Oh right, there are 10 year quests, which were said to be incredibly dangerous in nature but hold promising rewards upon completion. Apparently they're called that because no one's completed such missions in a decade.

I don't even want to think about the 100 year quests. Seems like they're highest kind of jobs in this world, considering how dangerous they are that no one's been able to complete them for a century. Makarov did mention that not many people come back alive…

Nat shuddered at the thought. She may be a Spartan, but even she has her limits. She then took out one of the job fliers she got. "Hm, subdue a warehouse of thieves. Wonder where that town is..." After getting directions from a bystander, Nat was on her way to her first job.

Not surprisingly, I'm going solo. I wonder how Lucy's doing. Nat shrugged at the thought. "I'm sure she's fine, even though she's with Natsu." Little did she know, the future will test the super-soldier's skills against other threats in this world of magic. And she will need everything at her disposal, as well as friends, to conquer these obstacles.

But then again, Spartans never go down without a fight.

That's that. At this point, it felt like the chapter was getting too long. Hopefully the next chapter will be out quicker. Sorry to keep you all waiting. Next time, Natalie will finally get her own apartment, as well as another surprise from Mavis. Oh, & Erza will show up. For those who noticed, I made Nat's home world Sera, which is the main setting & planet for the Gears of War universe. There's no official info. on where Noble Six came from, what their personality is, & how tall they are, so each person's version of that Spartan varies.

Seriously people, it doesn't hurt to write a review. And make you sure you at least spell correctly. Don't just say it's a good chapter or whatever, I want to know what you liked about it, what you didn't like, etc. I don't mind if you add this in your favorites or story alerts, but please leave a review if you can.

That aside, have a nice day.