Author's Notes: Thank you everyone, for all your kind support! I really didn't expect my humble story to receive nineteen reviews and more than seventy follows/favourites from just two chapters! I was very much blown away. You guys have definitely given me more drive and motivation to continue writing my story, and I hope you will enjoy it for as long as I can keep this up! Now, to answer some reviews!

For all readers concerned with the [NarutoHarem?] tag: Fear not, for it's not going to be a harem. The question mark just means that Naruto will have more than one girl attracted to him. He'll stay loyal to Mirajane.

XenotheWise135: Thank you for your kind review! I also enjoyed your Konoha-in-Earthland story! But I'm afraid I'm going to have to disappoint you with regards to Gray!Naruto. I considered doing that, but my muse ran wild and I ended up portraying a pretty Light!Naruto (on the surface at least). I pre-wrote twelve chapters before posting the story, so it's going to be hard to form Gray!Naruto. But fear not, I have a plan to rescue my Naruto from being too similar to his old self. It's already in my head, and I just need to reach the relevant point in my story. Hope you'll still be reading by then!

Garoil: You noticed the year? That's great. Yes, Naruto is 16 in X774, and by the time canon rolls around, he'll be 26. If you want a reference point, his birthdate will be Oct 10, X758. There's a 7 year age gap between him and Mirajane, but I think that's not an insurmountable difference for romance. As for explanations, I'll gladly answer any of your questions unless they are scheduled to appear in the story. If so, you'll just have to wait :)

Vulc10900: What timeline unknowns might you be referring to? Are they answered above?

Markus-Antonius: Something like that. There's a deeper issue governing Naruto's actions, but that won't turn up for a while yet.

Once again, thank you for all the warm support!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Fairy Tail.

Chapter 2: Cana (X774)

Cana Alberona, aged eight, swung her legs listlessly as she sat on a wooden bar stool in the large guild hall of Fairy Tail. Her eyes were downcast as she noticed all the guild members milling about in the hall, chatting happily. She was the only one of her age group, and that precluded her from plenty of conversations. Oh, it wasn't that the people of Fairy Tail were unfriendly, far from it. However, it was difficult for an eight-year-old to make friends with people a few years older than her. Even Laxus, who was just five years older, treated her like a bothersome little kid instead of a fellow guild member. As an eight-year-old, she wasn't exactly the strongest mage around either; she couldn't take a lot of missions, and that made it harder for Cana to fit in.

Oh, how she longed to grow up faster. That way, she could grow stronger, and maybe gain the courage to tell her father whom she really was. She knew he was a mage of Fairy Tail, but it didn't seem obvious that he was a very strong mage at that time. Now, she just didn't know how to approach him without making an embarrassment of herself. Then, there was also Macao Conbolt…she blushed lightly, unwilling to continue with that train of thought. She was too young to think of love and marriage!

"What are you thinking of?" a large hand patted her head gently.

She turned her head as she perked up, staring at the man who sat down beside her. "Hi. My name's Ráfaga Remolino. What's yours?"

"C-Cana Alberona, Remolino-san," Cana stuttered, her cheeks darkening as she regarded the red-coated man with awe. Her eyes then shifted to the small fox that was snuggled into the man's arms. The little canine was sleeping soundly, soft breaths rustling the cloth on the mage's arm.

The man chortled softly, his eyes closing into happy crescents as he handed the fox over to the little girl, who squealed happily as she cuddled the furry animal. "This is Kurama. And you can call me Ráfaga. So, Cana-chan, what bothers a pretty girl so?"

Blushing even deeper at the praise, she turned away, hoping the man wouldn't see her embarrassment. Macao was instantly erased from her mind at that moment; not that he would know anything of that. The older man might have been handsome and dashing, but nothing beat a mysterious masked man with eye-catching golden hair and deep cobalt orbs. "Erm…I don't have a lot of friends, Ráfaga-san."

"Hmm, that is a problem," the man stroked his clothed chin thoughtfully. "How about I become your friend, Cana-chan?"

The girl's eyes widened considerably, as hope filled her eyes. She blushed once more as she shyly grabbed his large hand with hers, twisting her pinky finger around his. She nearly dropped the fox, but he woke up just in time to land safely in her lap. "P-Pinky promise! We'll be friends forever, Ráfaga-niichan!"

"Alright!" the blond man did his eye-smile once again, ruffling Cana's black tresses. "I'm new around town, so I'm going to need a tour. Can you help me, Cana-chan?"

The girl grinned happily, before dragging the man out of the lunch hall. The fox trotted behind them, content with following at a more sedate pace. Gazing down from the second floor, Makarov smiled fondly as he watched the two leave the guild doors to explore Magnolia Town. Let's see if little Cana-chan can't turn you into the mushiest older brother yet.

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Being a member of Fairy Tail for two years already, Cana was well versed in the layout of Magnolia Town. She took him on a haphazard route around the place, pointing out the various hotspots to see in the friendly town. Cana waved happily at various townsfolk as they travelled through the cobblestone streets, visiting the Cardia Cathedral and the South Gate Park amongst other shops and sights. Naruto sighed forlornly as he recalled the short moment in time where Konoha citizens acknowledged his worth as a fellow villager and a protector, all of them cheering for him despite the destruction of all of Konoha's infrastructure. His eyes misted up as nostalgia washed over him.

A sharp tug on his arm brought him out of his musings abruptly. Cana looked rather worried, her warm brown eyes widening at the sight of tears gathering at the edge of Naruto's eyes. "Ráfaga-niichan, am I making you sad? Tell me! I promise we'll go do something fun and make you happy!"

Blinking away the tears, Naruto squatted down to Cana's eye level. His eyes were curved into happy arcs as he flicked the girl on her forehead. She pouted childishly as she rubbed her forehead, but Naruto recognized the glint in her eyes. He had seen it in the mirror many times before; the fear of rejection, the terror of loneliness…and the glimmer of hope that flickered so weakly. His heart melted at the sight, as he planted a gentle kiss on her forehead. "Don't worry about me, Cana-chan. I'm just thinking about all my friends. Magnolia Town is a happy place, and it just reminded me of my old home."

The blushing girl didn't seem convinced by his explanation, but nodded emphatically as she dragged him along once more. "Let's go to the cake shop! Since you're new, Ráfaga-niichan, I'll treat you! But you'll have to go on missions and make lots of money to treat me back next time, okay?"

For the first time in more than a year, Naruto laughed in joy at the pure innocence of the young girl. He found the warm feeling that engulfed his chest to be a very comfortable one. Even the most somber of thoughts could not dislodge the invisible hand that clutched his heart so warmly. To think, my determination to stay anonymous crumbling in the face of a cute little girl's smile…how can I muster the will to return home, when I feel more comfortable here than anywhere since Konoha was still standing? Makarov, I hope you won't regret letting a killer like me around your impressionable children. I don't think I can bring myself to leave now.

Cana giggled joyously as Naruto snagged her around the waist, placing her on his shoulders. Securing her by holding on to her legs gently, Naruto asked about her experiences at Fairy Tail. The girl was eager to oblige the masked man, chattering away about the guild. It was relaxing to hear the funny stories of various guild members and their antics, and the day blurred away. Before he knew it, he was walking them back towards the guild with cake crumbs in his hair and his head swimming with everything Cana could remember. He had forgotten when he last had such an enjoyable time. With everything that has happened in my life…I think it was that last meal with Ero-Sennin before we returned to Konoha that felt the most heartwarming.

Brushing aside the recollections for the umpteenth time that day, Naruto placed his attention on the road ahead. The duo had fallen into a companionable silence. Suddenly, he paused in his tracks. Frowning, he looked at the ground with intrigue.

"Why did you stop, Ráfaga-niichan?" Cana questioned inquisitively.

"The ground is shifting," Naruto replied cautiously.

His head tilted up as he pinned his gaze on a flying loudspeaker with wings. Bells starting chiming while the loudspeaker hollered that Gildarts had returned. People scrambled towards the main road, no doubt to see the famous mage return to Fairy Tail. The ground trembled as houses and streets shifted, reorganized to expose a straight road from the city entrance to the Fairy Tail headquarters. Instead of being excited, however, Cana remained suspiciously silent. Reading her mood, Naruto held his tongue as townsfolk rushed past them to catch a glimpse of Gildarts. Once the majority had gone by, Naruto tapped the young girl on her leg.

"Who's Gildarts to you?" the blond man asked softly.

Cana sniffled as she played with Naruto's spiky locks absentmindedly. "He's…he's my dad. But he doesn't know…"

"You joined Fairy Tail to find him, didn't you?" Naruto inferred. "But you didn't dare tell him because he's a famous mage, and you got scared, right?"

"Mmhmm," Cana nodded, unwilling to trust her voice not to sound choked.

"Hey, don't worry. Ráfaga-niichan will help you learn magic, so when you become stronger, you can tell him that he has a beautiful daughter named Cana Alberona," Naruto offered. Cana rubbed her runny nose, a small grin on her face that Naruto couldn't see. "Promise?"

The blond man raised his fist to head level, sticking out his pinky finger. Cana giggled as she hooked her pinky finger to the azure-eyed ninja's once again. "Promise. Now c'mon, let's go back to the guild. I want to see Gildarts too, like everyone else."

"Okay!"

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Gildarts was a favourite of every guild member, and it wasn't hard to see why. Although he was often out of town, that was only the case because he accepted and completed missions with great fervour, bringing fame and good reputation back to Fairy Tail and Magnolia Town. He was friendly and generous, and a good sport for most activities. Judging by Cana's awestruck gaze at Gildarts' excellent alcohol tolerance (having beaten three men at drinking games without pause, and taking on a fourth), Naruto reckoned she would become a raging alcoholic in a few years' time.

And she would probably be able to handle herself too, Naruto mused in mild horror, as Gildarts downed another tall mug of beer with a loud cheer. Watching the celebrations through the windows from the outside, Naruto could only manage a maudlin smile at the happiness that seemed overabundant in the guild. Kurama snorted as he nuzzled Naruto's leg, noticing the man's gloom. He hadn't learnt quite enough words to express his concern in speech yet, but Naruto noticed and appreciated the fox's actions all the same. Bending down to scoop the canine into his arms, the fox flicked his nose with a paw, before deigning to be carried. Naruto grinned weakly at his companion, mumbling a quiet word of gratitude.

"You know, kiddo, you'll disappoint Cana if you don't join in and try to beat Gildarts at drinking," a playful voice called out from beneath him.

Without looking downwards, Naruto addressed the shorter man. "I don't think I can survive with that much alcohol in my bloodstream. Or at least, I've never tried. And what about you, old man? Why aren't you in there celebrating too?"

"I came out here to give you your guild emblem," Makarov responded, his voice conveying mock annoyance. "Where do you want it, and in what colour, you bothersome, needy brat?"

Naruto chuckled as he manoeuvred the fox onto one arm, while removing the glove for his right hand. Pointing the palm at the elder mage, he smiled gratefully. "In orange. Thanks."

Makarov took the large magical stamp in his hand, and pressed it against Naruto's palm. A soft glow emanated from the point of contact, and when the guild master removed the item from skin, the orange Fairy Tail emblem was magically tattooed on Naruto's palm. The blond man tugged his glove on once more, hiding the logo from plain view. Makarov shook his head at the cerulean-eyed man's obvious symbolism behind wearing his gloves over the emblem, before taking out a piece of paper and waving it under Naruto's nose, literally.

"I don't know if you had these in your world, but this is a cheque," the Titan Magic wielder explained matter-of-factly. "It represents a certain amount of money that corresponds to funds in the bank. You had banks from where you came from, right?"

"I know what cheques are," Naruto took the small slip gingerly, flashing a feeble grin at the guild master. "For an apartment?"

Makarov nodded sagely, and tucked the cheque into an inner pocket in Naruto's coat. How the man knew of the pocket, Naruto didn't really want to find out. "It's only a loan from the guild, for new members to get a place before they start getting any income. That should tide you over for the first three months."

"Thanks, old man," Naruto whispered, as he seemed to melt into the darkness of night. "I'll see you around."

Makarov sighed in chagrin as he strolled back into the lunch hall.

What a silly brat.

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Naruto didn't see the need to rent his own apartment, but he supposed it would be nice to have a permanent place in Magnolia Town instead of sleeping in his tent in East Forest. Securing a place to live wasn't too difficult a task; the people were more than willing to rent places out to Fairy Tail members. Instead of an apartment though, Naruto opted to rent a whole house with all the money he was loaned. The two-storey house was situated on the northern side of town, near the Fairy Tail building. The front of the house faced Lake Sciliora for a spectacular view. He didn't need the space, but he had several ideas in mind as to what he wanted to use all the room for.

The house was built with solid bricks, with a coat of orange paint slathered over. Naruto supposed he could afford to indulge in such frivolities; he picked the house precisely because it was orange, though he wouldn't admit that to any one. The second storey was smaller than the first, making space for a balcony that sat above the front of the house, stretching from side to side. Wooden railings and beams secured the open space, and a sliding door led into the house from the veranda. A smaller regular door beside the sliding door also led into the house. Two chairs and a small table sat on the balcony, angled for a perfect view of the lake. The front door was carved from heavy wood, and the windows on both levels were simple rectangular panes of glass, held in place by wooden frames. A chimney stretched above the brown-tiled, sloped roof, with small windows for the attic.

Through the front door was the living room, complete with simple furnishings such as a long couch, coffee table, a bookshelf and a display cabinet. A soft oval rug sat in the middle of the room, the bright yellow carpet making a contrast with the shiny parquet floor. The fireplace was to the side of the couch, a simple brick construction on the wall due east. The walls were painted a cheerful sky blue. Further into the house, on an elevation, was the kitchen cum dining area. The kitchen was well equipped with a cooking stove and various cupboards that held utensils and crockery. Naruto even found a fine china set, and a half-empty box of teabags. A long oval table and six matching chairs stood on the middle of the area, with a decorative bowl of fruits seated in the centre.

A wooden spiralling staircase led to the second floor, situated on the east wall of the house. Climbing up the rickety stairs, Naruto came upon a short corridor stretching from back to front of the house, with the chimney column visibly protruding from the wall. At the end of the corridor was the door that led to the balcony. There were two rooms flanking a central bathroom, each room taking roughly half the space of the second storey.

The walls on the second floor were coated in paint of a relaxing grass green. The room at the back end of the house featured windows on each external wall, allowing glorious sunlight to illuminate the room in the day. Within each room was a bed, desk and a floor to ceiling closet, amongst other furnishings. Plain white curtains went with the white dresser in the far corner of the rooms, and the square crimson carpets were nice juxtapositions.

The bathroom was equipped with a shower and stone bath shielded by cheerful shower curtains, which was a luxury Naruto wasn't able to enjoy for what felt like the longest time. There was a medicine cabinet cum mirror above the porcelain sink, and a toilet, with the washroom covered in gleaming white tiles. The room on the front of the house was the one that led to the balcony through the paper sliding door. Marking it as his preferred room, Naruto proceeded to climb to the attic, where it was completely empty far the odd spider-web.

The sloping ceiling of the attic made it a tight squeeze for the blond to move about, but he managed. He had gotten into the habit of keeping all his items on his body in case he needed to make a quick getaway, but without the looming threat of Uchiha Madara, his paranoia was forcibly restrained. Dumping much of his weapons and equipment in the attic, Naruto resolved to find some weapons store or blacksmith to do maintenance for his large cache.

His sealed food supplies went into the empty cabinets in the kitchen, and he made a mental note to check the buying price for the house, if the landlord was willing to sell. It was far larger than his former apartment, and despite being light-years away from Konoha, the place felt homely already. His next job was to put up sealing wards in the house. He was sure the landlord wouldn't mind several helpful seals to keep the place secure, and it wasn't going to be difficult for the blond man to remove the wards anyway.

Plastering pre-made fūin scripts on various walls of the house, inside and out, he sealed the home and rooms from leaking noise, and a simple barrier that both informed him of others' arrival, as well as deny entry to anyone with bad intent. He had to tie that one to his well-honed sensor ability to sense emotions, derived from the innate power granted by using Kurama's chakra. He was insanely glad for that piece of foresight, in spite of the work that it took.

Forming two Kage Bunshin, they wordlessly performed a transformation, turning into two nondescript civilians. He didn't want to draw attention to himself by having clones running about. One of them headed off to look for a weapons store, while the other went in search of a florist. Naruto still retained his desire to cultivate flora, even if he hadn't had a chance to practise his green thumb for nearly three years. Leaving his doppelgängers to complete whatever additions to the house they deemed necessary, Naruto strolled sedately towards Fairy Hills.

The female dormitories were located on a hill that overlooked Lake Sciliora and Magnolia Town. He followed the beaten path up to the large building, passing under the arched sign without pause. Before he could tap on the front door, however, he was confronted with a short, elderly woman. Her grey hair was organised neatly into a bun, and wrinkles adorned her ages face. She wore a striking red cardigan and skirt combination, with a pink blouse underneath. A pink ribbon was secured around a white, frilly collar, and black boots completed the ensemble. Before he could even open his mouth to ask, she let out a hair-raising screech.

"What's a man doing up here in Fairy Hills!" she yelled, raising an angry fist at the far taller man. "Get lost!"

"I'm just looking for Cana-chan," Naruto raised his hands up on the universal gesture for surrender. "Can you tell her Ráfaga is here to see her?"

"How do you know Cana-chan is here?" the woman narrowed her eyes dangerously, before shouting once more. "Pervert! Leave!"

Naruto groaned. "Look, I'm a sensor, and I can sense her presence in the building. Actually, you know what, I'll just wait here. She's coming down now."

Before the shrill voice of the elderly woman could fill the air again, a girl not much bigger than her appeared from behind. Cana was dressed in her usual brown, checkered dress, but she had not tied her hair up in her usual ponytail. The raven locks fell to her shoulder blades, covering her bare shoulders. She wore a cute pout as she placed her fists on her hips in an angry pose. "Ráfaga-niichan! Where were you last night?"

The old woman Naruto guessed was the matron of the dormitories was completely ignored as Naruto scratched the back of his head nervously. "Ah, I was just scouring the town for a place."

"In the night?" Cana cocked her head to the side, bewildered.

"Yea," Naruto cleared his throat uncomfortably. He was horrible at lying in the face to children. They had the uncanny ability to stare him down and make him feel like shit. Women had that same ability to extricate the truth from him too. "Actually, I've rented the house this morning, and I have a spare room. Do you want to-"

Cana squealed as she rushed forward to hug Naruto, jumping at his chest. The blond laughed as he caught the brown-eyed girl by the waist, his eyes softening at her wide smile. "I guess that's a yes. Are you sure? Your matron over there seems rather unhappy."

Cana turned her head backwards, sending a heart-wrenching pout at the woman. Her loud (and disregarded) protests died the moment she was faced with the little girl's most potent weapon. Sighing, she growled for the girl to get her stuff packed, and snarled at Naruto, warning him to stay outside the dormitories. The blond could only chuckle weakly as Cana squirmed out of his grip to run back to her room, trailed by the angrily muttering matron. Before long, the girl had bounded out of the dormitory doors, several bags packed carelessly. Cloth stuck out of the bags at various spots, and the matron looked rather disapproving of the disorganised luggage.

Naruto hesitated for a moment, before he raised his gloved palms. Metallic chains sprung out from his hands, wrapping around the handles for all the baggage. Cana gasped in admiration as the sapphire-eyed man proceeded to carry all the bags in this manner. Thanking the matron, Cana didn't look back as she ran ahead of Naruto, a childish laughter on her lips. The blond mage, however, cast a glance back at the matron, his eyes curved into reassuring eye-smiles. "I'll take good care of her."

"You better," the woman sniffed sternly, unable to hide the wobble in her voice.

Naruto nodded firmly, before he took several big strides to catch up with Cana. The girl was far too thrilled by the prospect of staying with him though, and was prancing down the long flight of steps from Fairy Hills to Magnolia Town already. She tapped her foot impatiently at the bottom of the hill as she waited for the slower Naruto. When he reached the foot of the hill, she was restrained by another chain snaking around her waist. "Don't be so anxious, you don't even know where the house is."

Cana blushed in embarrassment, and meekly followed Naruto as he walked the short journey back to his place. Or is that our place? He pondered idly. A fresh chain sprouted from his spine and dived into his pocket, retrieving a silver key from within. Handing it to the excited raven-haired girl, she snatched it from Naruto and fumbled to insert the key. Once she unlocked the door, she dashed into the house, cheering happily.

"Master Makarov!" Cana exclaimed, stopping in her tracks.

Makarov, dressed in a white shirt emblazoned with the Fairy Tail logo, orange shorts and a blue and black striped jester hat, waved cheerfully in reply. "Yo."

Naruto, holding all of Cana's belongings in his arms dextrously, mumbled a greeting at the diminutive man, who had seated himself in the comfortable cream-coloured couch. Cana then promptly ignored the presence of Makarov as she went to explore the rest of the house, scrambling up the stairwell and disappearing upstairs. Makarov shook his head, a chiding tone in his voice. "Really, I loaned you a sum for renting an apartment for three months, and you get a house like this? To think I pegged you for a thriftier type."

"I am thrifty. But what's a little indulgence here and there? I don't think I have to fear about money here," Naruto retorted coolly. "I have never enjoyed luxury before, so I thought, why not now?"

"And the reason for letting Cana stay here?" Makarov queried, pointing at all the luggage Naruto carried back from Fairy Hills.

Naruto shrugged, a soft smile on his face. "I think she's lonely there."

"Your choice," Makarov chirped in a singsong voice, a twinkle in his eye. There's hope for him yet. Then, a questioning frown crossed his features. "How did you get this place for two hundred and fifty thousand jewels anyway? It's a bit cheap for such a big place with that kind of view."

"I offered my help as a handyman to the landlord. He was very happy he didn't have to spend exorbitant amounts of money hiring the members of the workers' guild to help with basic repair and maintenance work for all his properties anymore," the blond man explained, before he winked at his leader mischievously. "I also promised I would consider dating his beautiful yet frustratingly lesbian daughter, but don't let anyone know about that one."

Makarov had a silly grin perched on his face when Cana returned from her short exploration around the house.

When he giggled in a high-pitched tone, she decided adults were weird.

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Night had fallen quickly. Having unpacked all her belongings (and under Naruto's loose supervision, in a neat fashion), Cana was insistent on Naruto getting a big meal to commemorate his joining of Fairy Tail. Makarov, who was enjoying an iced tea on the veranda (Naruto wasn't sure where the tea came from…or the glass for that matter), offered to treat the new member. One thing led to another, and Naruto found himself sitting at the bar after dinner with the rest of the guild, where he found new drinking buddies in Macao Conbolt and Wakaba Mine. Cana was playing with Kurama, and showing off the cute fox to the rest of the ladies in the guild. Naruto chuckled at the blissful look the fox was sporting as he was squashed into many soft, suffocating bosoms.

"You're new around here, aren't you?"

Naruto looked up from his mug to look at the tall, imposing man that was Gildarts Clive. Nodding silently, Naruto went back to sipping his beer, through his mask. Cana had been extremely intrigued by that feat, but Naruto refused to reveal his secret. A hearty laugh and slap to the back caused him to spill most of the alcohol, and he glared venomously at the Fairy Tail Ace. Gildarts grinned roguishly, gulping down his own half-filled mug of beer. He smacked his lips as he slammed the mug on the bar top, cracking the polished surface carelessly. "Say, how about a drinking contest? First to collapse loses?"

Naruto was quickly greeted with several cheers from the crowd, and a particularly loud holler from Cana. Shrugging helplessly, he was handed a huge barrel of beer, as was Gildarts. The older man grinned maniacally as he held his hand on the tap. Naruto scratched the back of his head as he tried to estimate how many times more alcohol was in the barrel than he was used to imbibing. "Do you do this to every newcomer?"

"Haha, only those of age!" Gildarts grinned effusively. "To Fairy Tail!"

Shaking his head in amusement, he followed Gildarts' lead as he grabbed the wooden barrel by the edge of the base, and tipped the opened tap to his lips. The Crash Magic mage was first to finish his drink, a loud exclamation of satisfaction following smashing the barrel on the bar top. Naruto took his time with the beer, but was only half a minute slower than his compatriot. He was also more careful with his barrel, managing not to send splinters flying everywhere as Gildarts had done. The red-haired man chortled loudly as he called for another two barrels of booze.

"You can hold your liquor well, eh?" Gildarts clapped him on the shoulder. "Good man!"

"I think it's a necessity in Fairy Tail," the blond replied dryly, earning another set of laughter from the watching crowd. Reluctant to get shit-faced drunk, he was about to decline the next barrel when he saw Cana's reverential gaze. His formerly iron will once more defeated by the little girl, he grabbed the barrel as it was being handed to him. "Bottoms up?"

The hurrah reverberated through the lunch hall as Naruto tilted the barrel and his head back in tandem. It was this noisy sight that Gray Fullbuster stumbled upon as he entered through the front doors of Fairy Tail. No one paid the child any mind, as they were too busy making bets on whether the newcomer could possibly beat Gildarts at drinking. The black-haired boy yelled for someone's attention, but he was shouting against a whole mob of alcoholics. His frustrations boiling over, he was about to march up to one of them and demand to see the guild master when he was tapped on the shoulder. Whirling around, he had to look down to see the man who stopped him.

"Are you here to join the guild?" the short, balding man asked jovially. Gray crossed his arms in an attempt to look more menacing. Given he was only eight, he failed miserably. "Are you the guild master?"

Makarov grinned as he flashed the boy a thumbs-up. "Makarov Dreyar at your service!"

"Can you reverse Iced Shell?" the young mage asked bluntly. Makarov, undaunted by the child's rudeness, shook his head in the negative. "Not without killing the user."

"Oh," the boy mumbled, his hopeful eyes downcast.

Makarov magically extended his arm, patting the young boy on his shoulder. "Hey, don't worry. We'll find a way to reverse Iced Shell together, eh? You must have come a long way to find us. Why don't you join Fairy Tail? We're a big family, and we love helping each other! It's a good place for a kiddo like you!"

"Hi! Nice to meet you!" a breathy voice called out from behind him. Gray twisted around, to face a young girl of his age. She smiled merrily, sticking a hand out. "Welcome to Fairy Tail! I'm Cana!"

Gray grabbed the hand, shaking it vigorously. "I'm Gray!"

Cana looked at the boy with what seemed like pity. "We got to get you some clothes though, you'll freeze like that."

Staring down at his bare torso, Gray squeaked. "Oh no! Where are my clothes?!"

Makarov and Cana laughed uproariously at the boy's silly antics. At the bar, Naruto smiled around the tap of his fourth barrel of beer; not that anyone would know. They were too drunk to notice he was drinking through his cloth mask anyway.

He'll be the first of many friends, Cana. The first of many.