Reminder: This is an AU, so not all characters will appear exactly like they are in canon
Walking through the town of Magnolia, Natsu and Wendy had awestruck faces. Magnolia couldn't be considered an extremely large city, but for the two dragon slayers who had never even seen a house before, it seemed to stretch on forever.
"So, this is how humans live" said Natsu. "There's so much."
All around them, people bustled and made their way to their destinations. For the young slayers, who had just met other people for the first time just a week ago, it was overwhelming. All the different smells and noises around them as they walked through the marketplace was almost debilitating as they assaulted their heightened senses.
Brandish allowed a smile to creep up as her friends, who didn't seem to know whether or not to curl up into a ball or run around and look at everything, were bouncing with energy as they followed after Makarov through the crowd.
The townspeople recognized the master of Fairy Tail but not the three children that seemed to be following him like little ducklings. Coming to the realization that they must be new recruits for the guild, most paid them no more attention and continued on with their day. Others, those who happened to be mothers, were a bit more critical as they saw the children's state of disarray.
They didn't like how underfed they looked or the state of their clothing, but they too moved on when they remembered that Master Makarov was now looking after them and they were in good hands.
After a few more minutes, the group had found themselves in front of a large three story building largely reminiscent of a pagoda. The top of the building was a large dome that had an equally large white flag waving from it. On the flag, and an orange banner that draped down the front of the building, was what Makarov explained to be the emblem of Fairy Tail. With a smile, Makarov proudly stood in front of the guild and looked upon the three children.
"Do fairies really have tails? Do they even exist… Like them, this place is an eternal mystery... A never-ending adventure!"
Seeing that they were still in a mild case of awe at seeing the large building, Makarov made his way inside.
"Why don't we head in so you all can start your own adventure as well?"
Looking back at them, Makarov would have been hit in the head with a chair as soon as he opened the doors if Natsu hadn't smacked it aside with an open palm.
The shock Makarov had at Natsu moving so fast was soon overtaken by his anger at the state of the guild.
The inside of the guild resembled a large mess hall. With long, wooden tables spread throughout and a bar at the back. That was normally what it looked like. Currently, the majority of the chairs and tables were flipped over due to the large brawl that was taking place. Chairs, mugs, and other assorted dinnerware were sent flying as they were used as artillery. Not everyone seemed to be taking part in the brawl though. In one of the corners sat a group of children around the same age as Natsu and his friends. For the most part the occupants of the table seemed content to sit back and not take part. Except for one black haired boy wearing a silver cross necklace that kept trying to get up to join in before being yanked back into his seat by a scarlet haired girl wearing a metal breastplate.
Natsu seeing all the excitement of the guild definitely thought it was the correct decision to come with Makarov. But before he could get more than a few feet into the hall to join in on the brawl he was pulled back.
Not expecting this, Natsu proceeded to fall down onto his back. Looking up from where he had fallen, Natsu noticed the glares that Brandish and Wendy were giving him.
Swallowing, Natsu thought that on second thought, he was actually too tired at the moment to be fighting with the guild. No matter how much fun it probably was.
"What are you brats doing!?" thundered Makarov
In an instant, all signs of fighting stopped. All except for one cup that had been released a second earlier. The cup went flying and landed in front of the group where it clattered and rolled before coming to a rest against the master's foot.
All the occupants of the hall gulped as they saw their master's face go through an interesting combination of facial expressions before settling on resignation.
Sighing, "If you're going to throw a cup at me, at least make sure it's full of something for me to drink" said Makarov.
Everyone seeing that he was in an okay mood started to laugh and the volume of the guild picked back up.
One of the more observant members noticed that the master was not alone and made their way to the group.
"Who are they Master? Are they new members?" asked a small blue-haired girl in a yellow dress.
"Possibly, Levy. These three are here to see if they would like to join. I would have preferred to have given them a better first impression though" giving a pointed look at the rest of the guild. "Even if this was incredibly accurate" he said under his breath.
"Listen up brats! We have a few potential new family members; Natsu, Brandish, and Wendy" gesturing to each as he named them. "They are here to see if they'd like to join us. So, let's give them a Fairy Tail welcome!" he finished by lifting up a mug of beer someone had given to him
The members erupted into a wordless cheer as the guild broke out into a party.
Wendy staring wide eyed, turned to Levy. "Is it always like this?"
Letting off a nervous laugh, Levy shifted from one foot to the other. She wanted to give a good impression of the guild but also didn't want to lie.
"Well, you see… everyone is really… excitable. Truthfully, some of the adults will look for any excuse to party. Not that we wouldn't be happy to have you all join us." Levy quickly said waving her hands frantically.
"It's a fun place to be and spend time. When you're not out on a job, you'll always be able to come here and see everyone" Said Levy.
"That fight when we got here, is that a common around here?" asked Natsu
Sighing, Levy nodded, "Unfortunately, it's a pretty common occurrence."
With stars in his eyes, Natsu grabbed Levy by the shoulders and planted a big kiss on her forehead.
"That's the best new I've ever heard Levy!" Scattering a few more kisses on her forehead and cheeks. He then picked her up and began to twirl her around. After a few spins Natsu put her back down onto the ground. "You're an angel Levy, an absolute angel!"
With that newfound knowledge in hand, Natsu went off to try starting up a new brawl before either Brandish or Wendy could stop him. Levy on the other hand hadn't moved a muscle.
Standing there still as a statue, her deep crimson blush complemented nicely with the yellow dress she was wearing. She was sure that Natsu was just excited by what she had said and didn't mean anything by it. Unfortunately, not everyone was of the same opinion as her.
"What was that all about huh? Making a move on MY Natsu?" said Wendy as she stalked towards Levy.
"Your Natsu? Where do you get off calling him yours? Not like you could get him anyways. You look like a boy with how flat your chest is." Interjected Brandish.
"You're not that much bigger, you green haired troll!"
"And yet, I'm still bigger, no wonder Natsu only has eyes for me!"
"Obviously, that's not true since Natsu prefers me over you. Plus, what about little miss Angel over here?" sneered Wendy bringing the conversation back to Levy.
Crossing her arms, Brandish too turned to Levy. "Yeah, what was that all about?"
Cheeks still a flame, Levy denied everything. "It wasn't anything. Its's not like I enjoyed it and wanted him to do it some more or anything." Crossing her arms, Levy shook her head. "It's not like he was warm and made me feel comfortable or anything. So, don't be getting any crazy ideas!" shouted Levy.
'Another challenger approaches' thought both Brandish and Wendy.
The tension was so thick you could cut through it with a knife, or a pink haired slayer.
"Yo! What's going on? Are you guys about to fight? Can I join?" questioned a visibly excited Natsu.
Wendy, being the first to break off from the girl's standoff, turned to him.
"Natsu, what are you doing here? I thought you were going to try and fight some people?" Even though Wendy would prefer he not fight, she also didn't want him to find out what they were arguing about.
The pink haired boy deflated. "I tried. I asked everyone if they would fight me but they all said they were too busy with really important stuff" he finished by kicking a nonexistent rock at his feet.
Behind him, the girls could see how "busy" the guild was. It seemed as there were multiple drinking contests taking place as well as what seemed to be an intense game of Jenga. The girls internally sighed at how gullible Natsu could be.
"Why don't you go talk to the Master, not that I really care what you do" said Levy who was trying to act disinterested and refused to look Natsu in the eyes. "We're kind of in the middle of something important here."
"I can't. I tried finding Gramps, but someone said he had to talk to someone named Gildarts about something important."
Levy breaking her façade looked shocked. "What!? Gildarts? You're sure?"
Not seeing what the big deal was, Natsu wordlessly nodded.
"Gildarts is the guild's Ace, so he's the strongest wizard here, maybe even stronger than the Master. The only time he goes up the office is when something really big needs taken care of. What could have been so important that it couldn't wait until after the party?"
Makarov's Office
Sitting at his desk, Makarov stated at the man across from him. Gildarts Clive, Fairy Tail's Ace. A larger than average sized man, Gildarts had orange, slicked back hair and more often than not wore a black, billowing cape. It in his words, "completed his look of the ultimate ladies' man". Much like Makarov, the Ace was also an avid fan of the female flesh, the barer the better. Contrary to his commonly laid-back attitude, his magic was not to be trifled with. The magic he uses is Crash magic, an uncommon but quite potent ability. Crash magic smashes everything the user comes into contact with. Not only that, but it also has the ability to split magic into pieces, canceling out its effects, as well as reducing its power and deflecting it. The drawback to this powerful magic is that it doesn't like to be restrained and if left unfettered, would cause needless destruction all around the user. Fortunately, Gildarts was a competent mage and was able to keep his magic in check. For the most part. The Ace tended to be extremely absent minded, seemingly without realization. He would often times find himself using some of his leaking power to smash his way through the walls of people's homes. It got bad enough that the mayor installed a system that shifted the layout of Magnolia, so when he was returning to town, he couldn't accidently destroy any more homes. Gildarts liked to believe it was because the townspeople thought he was amazingly awesome, but one night after seeing Makarov crying over bills the mayor had given him, thought there might have been more to it.
"Not that I don't appreciate spending time with you Master, there is a party going on and I think I saw a few drinks with my name on them" joked Gildarts.
"Tell me, what do you think of our potential recruits?", a serious Makarov asked.
Confused at the question, Gildarts contemplated for a second. Truthfully, he had been expecting to be informed the Magic Council was requesting him to handle one of their less desirable and dirtier missions.
"Well, I didn't really interact with them seeing as you pulled me up to your office after just a few minutes of you arriving with them. They seem to be close to each other though."
"Yes, they are rather close. Natsu referred to them as part of his pack." Makarov said
Curious at the odd term, Gildarts waited for him to elaborate but Makarov motioned for him to continue on.
"The green haired girl is the weakest, which isn't saying much as they're just kids. The other girl is stronger and from what I could barely feel from her probably has more training."
Chuckling, he shook his head "As interesting as they may end up being, they're not the ones you're asking about, are you? You want to know what I think about the boy, Natsu was it?"
Taking his silence as a go ahead, Gildarts continued. "Frankly, I don't sense a drop of magic coming off of him."
Makarov shook his head. "The boy can use magic; I can assure you of that."
"What? Are you saying that the kid is suppressing his magic? That should be way too advanced for a kid his age" Gildarts asked incredulously.
"Natsu is by far the strongest of those three or anyone else currently downstairs", Makarov asserted.
"Stronger than all of them down there? I know that the guild isn't full of a bunch of powerhouses, but the kid can't be much older than Erza and the others" commented a dumbfounded Gildarts.
"He doesn't know his age, but I would place him around the same age as the rest of the bunch downstairs" said Makarov.
"That still doesn't explain it. How could a kid his age even know of that technique, let alone be able to do it? More importantly, why is he doing it?" asked Gildarts.
Seeming to be gathering his thoughts, Makarov slowly began to speak, "In the wild, does the predator announce its presence to those lesser beings they see as prey?"
Looking Gildarts in the eyes and seeing his confusion, he continued. "The boy is a dragon slayer, though I think it would be more appropriate to call Natsu a dragon in the shape of a human. As cheery and lively he may be, first and foremost, he is an alpha predator."
A deafening silence hung over the small office. Eventually, Gildarts began to speak.
"What makes Natsu so special? You and I both have experience with dragon slayers before, so what makes him so…dangerous?"
Makarov shook his head. "To start off, the girl Wendy is a dragon slayer as well. Though I think it is safe to say, she isn't as advanced in it as Natsu. The reason they both are unlike what we've dealt with before is they don't possess lacrima. In fact, they were both very adamant in their displeasure of the idea of having one. According to them, most lacrima were not formed only from a dragon's power, but also unwillingly with part of their souls."
Shocked at what he was hearing, Gildarts had to take a few moments to gather his thoughts.
"Without having a lacrima, as they claim, how else could they have learned this kind of magic. It's considered a Lost Magic for a reason."
"They both claimed to have learned it from their parents, who coincidently happened to be dragons" said Makarov with a twinkle in his eyes.
Laughing, Gildarts shook his head. "Good one Master, you almost got me with that one."
"It wasn't a joke."
Stunned, Gildarts laughter stopped. "How would that even be possible Master? No one has seen a dragon in centuries."
Makarov let out a long, defeat filled sigh. "I wish I could tell you. I don't know how it could be possible either. Perhaps the dragons went into hiding for some reason all that time ago. Though, I find that unlikely. If that were the case, there would have been at least a couple of confirmed sightings over the years. The most logical conclusion I can come up with is that it's one of the many mysteries we still have yet to uncover in the world. As unlikely as it may be, I'm inclined to believe them."
Seeing the skepticism in Gildarts' eyes, he explained.
"I'd like to think that over my many years, I've become a good judge of character. After talking with them on our way here, I've come to believe that they're not lying. At the very least, they both believe that it's the truth"
"So, what do we do about this?" asked Gildarts.
"At the moment, nothing. I promised them a place to call home while they search for their missing parents. Beyond keeping our ears to the ground for any rumors, there isn't really much that we can do" Said Makarov.
Clearing his throat, Makarov continued. "That is only part of the reason why I wanted to talk to you. Earlier, when you called Natsu dangerous, you were correct but incorrect at the same time. It would be tough for me to accurately rank how strong his power is normally, due to his ability to mask his magical presence. That alone shows me that he has a large understanding of how his magic works and the power to use it. However, his peak magic levels… I only felt it for but a moment when we first met after…displeasing him. It puts both you and I to shame." He finished fixing an unwavering gaze upon Gildarts.
The legendary Ace swallowed. Normally, he would have laughed off the Masters' concerns but something in Makarov's eyes showed how serious he truly was. It had been a long time since the Crash Mage had felt fear, but now a little trickle was starting to work its way in.
"…And you said he wasn't dangerous? I mean I didn't get to talk to him like you did Master, but if he has as much power as you said, isn't there a good possibility of someone getting hurt?" Asked Gildarts.
"When he released his power, he didn't try to attack or hurt me, he just threatened me. I got the impression that he was doing it subconsciously as it didn't appear that he knew he was doing it. I think that it was more of his potential power leaking out rather than what he currently possesses. I don't think his body could normally handle that amount of power without destroying itself. What concerns me though is how his magic manifested itself" Said Makarov.
"How so?" asked Gildarts who was now intrigued as when he released his own, it caused quite a bit of damage and assumed Natsu's would be similar.
"I know what you're thinking" said Makarov, "but it was nothing like yours. With yours, it would be akin to you standing in the eye of a storm as everything around you is destroyed to rubble. Natsu's however, was like trying to stand tall amongst the ocean as its waves crashed over you again and again."
Shocked into silence, Gildarts could only watch as Makarov relived that moment.
"I'd like to say my eyes were playing tricks on me, but I know what I saw Gildarts. A giant, crimson dragon stood behind him. I can only assume it is what his father Igneel looks like. It would have been awe inspiring if I couldn't feel the waves of killing intent rolling off of it. And the heat, Gildarts, it was like standing near the edge of an erupting volcano. But that wasn't the worst of it."
For the first time since knowing him, Gildarts saw Makarov scared. Not just scared though, absolutely terrified.
"The dragon…he wasn't alone. I don't know what it was exactly. All I could make out was a shadowy figure wrapped in chains. The eyes…I'll never forget those blood red eyes for as long as I live. It might have been as strong as the dragon, but the heat it gave off was ice cold Gildarts. It was like looking death in the eyes" Makarov whispered as he unconsciously grabbed his chest.
"And…you said he didn't make a move to attack you?" Gildarts thickly asked.
"If he wanted to, I don't think we would be having this conversation right now."
Trying to calm himself, Gildarts took a deep breath. "Is there a chance, the boy is cursed? After all, there could be a possibility something put it on him wherever he was when he was living with the dragon. If dragons still exist, who knows what else could be out there?"
Seeming to have regained his composure, Makarov nodded. "I was thinking that as well. It doesn't match a description of anything I know, but that isn't too surprising. Presumed extinct magical creatures have never really been my field of study. I think it would be best to consult Warrod about this, once things get settled around here."
Gildarts could see the logic in that. For all that he lacked in offensive strength, the former founding member of Fairy Tail and current God of Ishgar had been around much longer than them and had studied quite a few branches of magical interest.
"Curse or not, we'll treat Natsu like any other member and make sure he stays on the right path and never feels the need to use whatever that thing you felt was" said Gildarts.
Resolve set to have the boy join Fairy Tail and keep him in the light, Gildarts just needed to know one thing.
"What set him off? If it was something specific, we could do our best to prevent whatever it was from happening again. That would make things easier than if it was just general anger" said Gildarts.
Makarov had a sheepish look on his face. "I don't actually see how that is totally relevant. All I'll say is I may have been thinking about the future and how exciting it would be."
'The future and how it looked exciting? Wait, Master said that Natsu considered the girls his pack and everyone has heard the stories about how possessive dragons are.' Gildarts groaned, he really hoped Makarov hadn't done what he thought he did, but he needed to make sure.
"You were thinking perverted thoughts about the girls, weren't you? How could you Master? They're not even teenagers yet" Gildarts asked as he shook his head.
"Hey! I said I was thinking about the future not the present. I may have my fair share of perverted tendencies but not even I would go that far" Makarov said crossing his arms.
"Putting aside your pedophilia to be discussed at a later date, everyone knows how possessive dragons are. Natsu might not even realize it yet, but clearly, he considers them his. If what you say is true, you're lucky to be alive Master."
Makarov just shrugged, not liking being called a pedophile.
"Plus, even if the girls weren't barely out of the womb, you wouldn't have a chance in hell. For one, you're a perverted old man who hasn't gotten any tail in decades. Two, the girls may not know it yet either, but I'd be willing to bet my life savings they both have some kind of feelings for Natsu. Just look at how close they were to the boy when he walked into the guild. They were practically attached to his hip."
Silently, Makarov fumed. He had been called a pervert and an old man more times in the past 24 hours than he had in years. But he had to admit that Gildarts' logic was sound.
A truly lecherous smile came across Makarov's face as he suddenly thought of something.
"If he keeps this up as he grows older, we may have a flock of beautiful women in the guild. I'm sure if we just take a little glance, it'll be fine. Plus, maybe it'll encourage others to join as well" Makarov said with stars in his eyes.
"Well, you know what they say about dragons Master; they love to hoard treasure, and enough is never enough" Gildarts said laughing.
Suddenly, both felt the temperature of the air start to rapidly rise.
"It would seem someone has made the unfortunate mistake to mess with one of those treasures" said Makarov. "Come, let's go and see what is happening before there is no more guild hall."
A few minutes earlier
Wanting to get the girl's attention off of her, Levy quickly made a suggestion. "Why don't I introduce you to some of the members our age?"
Both Wendy and Brandish looked like they wanted to keep up their questions, but quickly moved as Natsu had already begone to follow after Levy.
Soon they found themselves at a table in one of the guild's corners.
"Everyone, this is Natsu, Wendy and Brandish" said Levy. "Let me introduce everyone: Erza, (a red headed girl in a breastplate); Cana, ( a brown haired girl wearing an orange checked dress); and Gray, ( a black haired boy with a scowl on his face)."
"Welcome
"Hello"
"Why is your hair pink, heh Pinky?"
The last remark had come from Gray and was not appreciated by Natsu.
"It's salmon not pink, you stripper!" denied the pink haired slayer.
"I'm not a stripper Pinky!" Gray said butting his head against Natsu's as sparks began to fly.
"Gray, your clothes" interjected Cana.
Looking down and seeing that he was standing there in just his underwear, Gray yelped. "What!? How did this happen?"
"Hah, it's because you're a stripper, Geeze, when I asked Gramps if the guild was full of old perverts, I didn't expect to see young perverts too" said Natsu laughing.
"Gray's behavior does not reflect the attitude of his fellow members or the guild itself" said Erza getting up to grab Gray and throw him back into his seat. Making her way to stand in front of the three newcomers, she bowed. "It would seem I have done an unsatisfactory job of teaching Gray his lesson. Please, hit me."
"Errm, is she always like this?" asked Natsu as he slowly edged away from the masochistic knight and sat down next to Cana.
"Pretty much" said Cana. "You get used to it after a while."
Nodding his head to that, Natsu soon joined in the conversation the others were having. He learned there were a few other kids around their age as well, but they were all out on jobs at the moment. He was especially interested in a girl, Mirajane who was said to be called a demon, and an older boy, Laxus, who used lightning and was the master's grandson. He figured with reputations like that, they had to be decently strong and he was itching for a good fight.
Natsu and the girls also learned what type of magic they all used. Gray used Ice-Make; Cana used Card Magic; and Levy used Solid Script. He was also pleasantly surprised that he had something in common with Erza.
"You use Requip?" asked Natsu.
Erza nodded stoically. "Yes, I use Requip: The Knight. It allows me to change out for different weapons and armor quickly. I also have minor telekinesis, but I mostly use it for controlling weapons for attacks."
"That's so cool! I can use Requip too, but only for small things", said Natsu as he picked up a mug and made it disappear in a flash of red flames. "That's alright though, it doesn't really matter to me. My talents are more geared towards something else anyways."
The group was taken a back and sat in silence for a few moments. Wendy and Brandish were surprised as in the time they had been traveling together, he had never mentioned he could use other kinds of magic. The others were stunned for a different reason. Being guild members with Erza, they had seen her use her magic on plenty of occasions. However, it had never looked like that. Whenever she used it, the items would appear or disappear in a flash of golden light.
"Why are there flames? I have never seen that happen before" questioned Erza.
"Heh, Pinky, not only is your magic super weak but it's broken too" chortled Gray.
"I'm sorry, what was that Gray? I thought you said that the magic I also use, was super weak?" asked Erza with a dark look coming across her face.
Wisely, Gray decided to keep quiet and not answer the question.
Doing his best to ignore the ice stripper, Natsu answered Erza's question.
"I'm not entirely sure, but the best answer I can come up with is that my main form of magic is so much a part of me, that it leaks over."
Levy, always interested in learning about different types of magic perked up. "I'm guessing it's safe to say you use a form of fire magic then. We have someone like that, Macao, but his flames are purple not red like yours."
Natsu began to rub his chin in thought.
"Purple flames huh? I've never eaten those before; I wonder if they taste any good?"
"Eh!?", said everyone around the table, minus Wendy, and Brandish.
"Pfft, you really are stupid Pinky! You can't eat fire" Said Gray.
Looking at Natsu and seeing that he was starting to get very annoyed, Wendy broke in.
"Natsu isn't lying, eating flames is part of his magic."
"Really, part of his magic? I've never heard of anything like that" said Levy who was starting to get more and more intrigued by the moment. Turning to Natsu, "What type of magic do you use?"
Standing up with a smirk on his face, Natsu smacked a fist into his palm before lighting it on fire. "I use Fire Dragon Slayer Magic!"
Looking around the table to gauge the reactions to his awesome declaration, Natsu saw that Wendy had a bright smile while the corners of Brandish's lips curled up slightly. Expecting to see similar looks on the others, Natsu was disappointed and confused when all he saw was skepticism.
"God, you're such an idiot! Dragon slayer? I suppose next, you're gonna try and tell us you were raised by a dragon too!" Laughed Gray as he broke the silence at the table.
Angrily, Wendy spoke up. "Shut up! You're the one who's the idiot. You don't even know Natsu and you've been rude to him this whole time. No wonder you keep stripping, you wanna show people you have a dick and aren't just a massive asshole!"
Erza looked torn between reprimanding the two and laughing, Cana had no such reservations.
"Pfft, ha ha!" howled Cana as she wiped tears from her eyes. "She sure showed you Gray."
Deciding her companions would be of no help, Levy took charge.
"Besides the fact Gray has been rude," shooting a sideways glance his way, "You have to admit Wendy, Natsu claiming to be a dragon slayer is kind of hard to believe."
Shaking her head at the clear accusation, even if it was unspoken, Wendy denied it.
"Natsu isn't lying, he was taught dragon slaying magic by a dragon just like me. That's how I know he isn't lying."
"Oh…"
Blinking, Levy tried to slowly process all that was happening. Not only Natsu but also Wendy claimed to be a dragon slayer. On top of that, they said they were actually taught by real, live dragons.
"So, Brandish are you also a…dragon slayer?" asked Levy.
The green haired girl shook her head, "No, I have some kind of magic that lets me change the mass of things" she said flatly.
Curious as to why she didn't mention Aquarius, Wendy cocked an eyebrow silently asking. Brandish in a minute movement shook her head. Wendy made a note to ask the other girl about it later.
"Ok then, you claim you and Natsu were raised by dragons, right Wendy?"
Wendy nodded.
"If you don't mind me asking, where are they? Surely, you would be with them?"
Frowns crossed Wendy and Natsu's faces, making Levy wish she hadn't asked.
"We don't know where they are. We just woke up one day and they were gone. I met Natsu looking for his father Igneel while looking for my mother Grandeeney. Deciding to look for them together, we met Brandish a little later and now here we are."
"If it's alright, I'd like to ask more about your magic and the dragons that raised you" said Levy. "There's so much that isn't known and you two are probably more knowledgeable than almost anyone else about these things."
Trying to contain her enthusiasm, Levy really hoped they ended up joining the guild. While she still doubted their claims, she loved learning new things. If there was even a chance they were telling the truth, Natsu and Wendy would open up a whole new avenue of research for her if they said yes.
Both slayers nodded causing Levy to squeal in joy. Before she could launch into more questions, they were interrupted by Gray.
"Come on, you can't tell me you actually believe these losers?"
Making his way to sit by Brandish, Gray wrapped one of his arms around her.
Seemingly oblivious to the growls that the slayers gave, or that the temperature was starting to gradually rise, Gray shook his head.
"They're clearly lying. Everyone knows that the dragons are all gone if they even ever existed. Even if they weren't, why would they wanna train someone like you?"
"Gray, you're being rude again" said Cana. "Knock it off."
"Yes" said Erza eying the dragon slayers who were clearly growing angrier by the minute. "As difficult to believe it may be, they have no reason to lie to us."
"What about you Brandi? Don't tell me you believe these dweebs too? At least you had the decency not to lie and claim to be raised by a dragon like these losers." Gray asked while his hand slightly shifted closer to her developing chest.
Shoving the ice user off of her, Brandish got up and moved away from Gray.
"Don't touch me and don't call me Brandi. My name is Brandish." She said with an angry look breaking her normally emotionless face. "Wendy and Natsu are my friends, plus they have only been nice to me, why wouldn't I believe them?"
Slowly walking towards her, Gray had an ugly grin on his face.
"Oh, come on. That's what you're supposed to say, but that's not what you want to say is it?"
"Gray!" yelled Erza. "I know that this is a tough time of year for you with the anniversary of your parent's deaths, but this is highly inappropriate and not like you at all. Stop this at once."
Ignoring Erza, Gray cupped Brandish's cheek as he leaned in to whisper into her ear. "Say the word and I'll free you from whatever blackmail these two losers have on you."
Brandish shuddered from the feel of his breath and his proximity. Taking this as a good sign, Gray continued.
"All you have to do is be mine" he huskily said as he grabbed Brandish's butt and squeezed.
The rest of the guild now noticing how hot it had gotten, were watching, and were appalled at what they were seeing. Unable to understand what was going on. Sure, Gray was an odd kid, but he wasn't the type of person to do something like this.
Angrily, Brandish shoved Gray off of her. "I already told you, don't touch me! I barely even know you, why would I want to be with you."
Not taking no for an answer, Gray grabbed onto her wrists holding them in place. Unbeknownst to Gray but very clear to the rest of the guild was Natsu's anger at what was happening.
Struggling against his hold on her, Brandish thrashed back and forth. Managing to break free, she slapped Gray across his face leaving a bright, red mark.
"You shouldn't have done that, you little bitch" sneered Gray as he stalked to her.
Natsu, whose growls had risen to levels where they rang through the ears of everyone there, stood up having had more than enough of what was happening. Before he could intervene however, someone else beat him to it.
"Sky Dragon's Roar!"
Hit with a blast of wind, Gray never reached Brandish as he was sent flying in the air until he smashed into the wall of the guild hall and left imbedded.
Shocked at what had happened, everyone turned and saw Wendy crouched near Brandish. With her pigtails slowly moving in a nonexistent wind, she stood up with a glare on her face.
"Stay away from Brandish! I don't care what happened to you, it doesn't give you the right to touch her!" snarled Wendy.
"Enough!" said Erza as she stood up and drew the sword at her side. "As much as I despise Gray's behavior, he is still a member of Fairy Tail and I cannot allow you, a stranger, to hit him."
Hearing this, many members had grimaces on their faces. They agreed with defending one of their own but didn't really believe with it in this case. Either not seeing their reactions or not caring, Erza lifted her sword to attack. "Get ready to defend yourselves now."
"Enough Erza, stand down"
Turning to where the voice had called out from, everyone saw Makarov standing near the balcony of the second floor with Gildarts.
"I've been watching for the past few minutes. They are more than justified in their actions. What Gray was doing was uncalled for and does not represent what Fairy Tail is about. I understand this is more than a tough time of year for him, but that does not give him an excuse. We will be talking about this in my office later. However, you are also right Erza. Fairy Tail does not allow one of its own to be attacked." Said Makarov as he watched Natsu make his way to stand in front of the girls.
Natsu lit his hands on fire and the wind began to pick up again around Wendy as they got ready to fight.
Looking between Gray who was wiggling, trying to get out the wall and Makarov, Brandish came to a conclusion.
"I've decided old man, I'll join your guild."
It was safe to say that no one had seen that coming, especially her companions. Confusion on their face as they relaxed from their fighting stances. Turning to her for an answer, Brandish smirked. "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."
Unsure of what to do, Fairy Tail looked to their master for an answer.
"Mary, if you could get the guild stamp please, it would seem we have a new member" said Makarov with a small smirk as he guessed what was soon going to happen.
Nodding silently, Mary went from behind the bar where she was working to the back to grab the stamp.
As she made her way to the bar, Brandish spoke to Natsu and Wendy. "I know we didn't get a chance to talk about it but besides the obvious, I like it here. I'm sorry for not talking about it with you both. Even though, we won't be traveling together anymore, I hope you'll stop by every now and then" Brandish finished as her voice began to crack.
Sharing a look, the pair of dragon slayers shook their heads.
"I thought I told you before Brandi, you can't get rid of us that easily. You're one of us" said Natsu with a smile.
"You're part of the pack Brandish" said Wendy. "We're a family and we'll be with you until the end."
The trio reached the bar just as Mary had come back with the stamp.
"I take it your friends will be joining as well too?" the brown-haired woman asked with a smile. Seeing them nod, she looked to Brandish. "Where would you like your mark and what color?"
"Green and my right thigh" replied Brandish
Nodding, Mary placed the stamp below the leg of Brandish's shorts for a few seconds and removed it to show the guild mark in the color of the girl's hair. Turning to the other two, she proceeded to stamp Natsu in red on his right shoulder and Wendy in the same place but in blue.
Seeing that they were done, Makarov spoke up. "Fairy Tail, we have not one but three new family members. You know what that means, let's party!"
Now in more than familiar territory, the guild erupted as they did what they did best. Somehow, a brawl had already broken out as members got to work.
Even though he wanted to join in, Natsu refrained from hopping in as Brandish grabbed his hand leading him and Wendy back to the corner they had come from.
"I'm so glad you guys decided to join" said Levy as they got back. "We do apologize for Gray though. I promise he's not normally like that. That's the first time he's ever done anything like that before."
Erza and Cana agreed with Levy's words as they also welcomed the new members to the guild.
Overhead, Makarov and Gildarts still stood as they watched over the guild.
"I guess everything worked out Master" said Gildarts.
"Yes, I guess they did. I will need to talk to Gray though, I understand a parent's death is hard and to lose both in such a way as he did at such a young age even more so. However, that doesn't excuse his behavior. I think I'll have to wait until tomorrow to talk to him however" Said Makarov.
"Why's that Master?" asked Gildarts.
"Watch and see" said Makarov pointing over to Brandish.
Making her way over to where Gray had finally pulled himself out of the wall, Brandish was stopped by Erza who stood in her way.
"I understand what he did was more than wrong, but we already went over this if you remember" reprimanded Erza.
"I remember, don't worry" said Brandish her face expressionless. "If I recall both you and the old man said there would be consequences if a non-member attacked a member of Fairy Tail."
"Good" said Erza nodding that order was upheld once more. Deciding she would inform Brandish of how things were to be done around here, she was interrupted before she could.
"However, we're now members of Fairy Tail" interjected Brandish. "And it would seem that brawls are a large part of being a member of this guild."
Wanting to inform her that it was in face improper to brawl in the guild, Erza tried to speak up but was once again cut off.
"Out of respect for the old man and his guild, we've had Natsu refrain from joining in any fights. And Natsu was such a good boy, he hasn't done a single thing. However, I think it would be a dishonor to Fairy Tail to hold him back anymore."
Eyes wide, Erza could only watch as Brandish waved over Natsu and whispered into his ear. Unable to hear what she said, she saw a wide fanged grin appear on his face as he began to laugh manically. Giving the green haired girl a kiss on the forehead, he walked over to where Gray was.
"What do you want Pinky?" asked Gray sneering at the other boy.
"Oh, nothing much" Natsu said smiling. "Just this." Winding up, he delivered a sharp uppercut that sent Gray flying back into the wall.
Those around could only stop and sweat at the sight of Natsu laying into Gray with no remorse.
Unsure of what to do, Erza looked up to the front of the guild where the master still stood with the ace. She was greeted with Gildarts pointing and laughing as Makarov nodded his head as if he had expected this. Deciding that they were alright with it, she would allow for the time being. That dealt with, she made her way back over to the rest of the group.
Brandish watched Natsu punch Gray once more, as she tried to get her blush under control from when he had kissed her.
"Are you sure you're alright Brandish?" asked Wendy who had made her way over to her friend. "Gray was being a creep, and I can't imagine how you feel."
Pointing to the sight in front of her, Brandish replied. "This makes me feel a little bit better. I won't forgive Gray for what he did. He's still a total loser, but I don't think that will ever change."
Wendy nodded as she and Brandish watched on as Gray continued to let out cries of pain and agony.
"Well, Wendy" said Brandish after a few minutes. "Should we join in? After all, we can't let Natsu have all the fun."
Wendy's only reply was an evil smile.
The rest of the guild decided it would be best for everyone to steer clear of that corner of the guild. It was a wise decision, as Gray's cries of pain were heard all throughout Magnolia for the rest of the day.