Author's notes - hey everybody! I seriously need to stay away from AU's, because I get really into them and I have so many ideas to use with it. So, this is a Soldier AU, and I hope it turns out as great as I have planned. Leave reviews and let me know how I did!
...
Of all the things that could've happened in Gray Fullbuster's life, this was definitely not one of them. All he wanted to do was cash in his paycheck. That's the only reason he was in the bank to begin with, to get some money to pay a couple bills and go to the bar to have a couple beers before he had to wake up for work the next day.
He didn't imagine that some psychopath in a ski mask would burst through the doors of the bank and wave a gun around like a maniac.
"Everybody get down on the fucking ground! Down on the ground right now!"
Women screamed and pulled their children closer to them, men dropped down to their knees with their hands in the air, bank tellers kept their hands in the air to show they weren't doing anything shady.
"You've gotta be shitting me." Gray muttered under his breath as he followed suit, hands level with his head as he got down on his knees.
The gunman kept his gun trained on a young girl, who couldn't have even been in high school yet, so nobody would make a move, less they be responsible for her bloodshed. She fought back tears, her hands shaking with the fear of being harmed.
"Nobody make a move or I will blow her brains out!" The man yelled, making certain no one would try anything.
He continued his trek, walking slowly with his back turned to women and children, making sure he watched the men closely. They were more likely to make a move than women, especially those with children clinging to their shirts.
The gunman was nearing Gray, and the black haired teen surely wasn't going to let this guy get anything he wanted. Even if said man had a gun.
After all, disarming your assailant was a lesson he'd learned back when he was younger.
As soon as the gunman was on Gray's right, he sprung into action. He launched to his feet, one hand latching onto the gun and pointing it to the floor, his other grasping the man's forearm. The gun went off, embedding a bullet into the pristine white tile, and everyone screamed, people shuffling farther away from the action in the center of the room.
With his hands already in place, Gray pulled the man's arm downward, bringing his knee up to meet it. There was a sickening crack and the gunman yelled, letting his grip on the firearm loosen, just like Gray wanted. He tore the gun away and held it in both hands, pointing it directly between the gunman's eyes.
"On your knees. Now." He ordered and the gunman followed his commands, clutching his now fractured wrist to his chest. "Don't move." Gray didn't take his eyes off the man, nor did he move the gun. "Somebody call the cops, have them get this piece of shit in a jail cell."
"That won't be necessary." A booming voice came from his left. The owner of the voice moved to stand behind the gunman. Gray saw the uniform of the man, recognizing him as a police officer. The officer grabbed the communicator attached to his uniform and pressed a button. "We got a 10-32 inside, back up not required. Assailant disarmed and under control."
"Roger that." A voice said over the communicator, coming out with the sound of static.
"Is everyone alright?" The officer called out, watching as everyone stumbled back to their feet. All nodded, though they looked shaken up.
"Officer Jet." The officer stated towards Gray, crossing his arms across his chest.
"Gray Fullbuster."
"Well, Mr. Fullbuster, would you care to assist me get this criminal to the squad car outside?"
"Not at all." Gray motioned the gun up. "On your feet."
The gunman pushed himself to his feet, snarling at the teen before him. Officer Jet grabbed the man's upper arm roughly. "Come on, buddy." He jerked the man around and began walking him towards the exit. Gray walked behind them, the barrel of the gun pressed into the man's spine.
The trio made it outside where another man in uniform leaned up against a squad car. Upon sighting his partner, he pushed off the door and opened the back door for them to put the criminal in.
"You are under arrest for attempted robbery. Everything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. If you cannot afford a lawyer one will be appointed to you." Officer Jet droned on, shoving the gunman in the backseat. He slammed the door on the criminal and turned to his partner.
"This young man disarmed the assailant in a matter of seconds. He was really a blessing to have in there. I was clear on the opposite side of the room, and there was no way I could've gotten to him without getting someone shot."
"Good job in there, son." Jet's partner clapped Gray on the shoulder. "We'll take care of this guy. Swing by the station later so we can get your statement, alright?"
Gray nodded and turned his back on the two officers and made his way back into the bank. Upon entering, everyone inside clapper and cheered, kids running up to him and jumping up and down.
"That was so cool!" One boy with short brown hair exclaimed, throwing his arms up in the air.
"You total showed that guy not to mess with you!" Another with longer hair smiled wickedly up at Gray.
"Excuse me, I assume you're the one who disarmed that man?"
Gray pulled his eyes away from the awestruck children and found himself face to face with a tall, slender man dressed in a black suit. "Yes, sir."
"Warren Rocko, I'm the owner of this bank. I can't thank you enough for what you've done for us today. I owe you a great debt. Is there anything I can do for you?"
Gray reached inside his jacket and withdrew his check. "I need this cashed, if you could do that."
...
With his check cashed after his eventful morning, Gray headed out of the bank with the money stored in a joint bank account, and enough money in his wallet to get a few things from the store. No sooner than he threw the doors open and took his first step onto the pavement, he was bombarded by people with microphones and cameras were being shoved in his face.
"Is it true that you're the one who saved the whole bank?"
"Did you really disarm the assailant with only your hands?"
"Did the attacker really have two guns and a bomb inside with him?"
Damn news reporters.
Gray scoffed and pushed his way through the crowds, dodging microphones and large cameras as he did. He was almost to his car when a he caught sight of two figures approaching him.
"Hello, young man. My name is Hibiki, and I own the nightclub down the street and you just saved my wife, Karen." A tall man with handsome features and a navy button down shirt stood before him, a very skinny very pretty woman with long green hair a tight red dress on clinging to his chest.
Gray shook the man's hand and gave the woman a small smile.
"He saved everyone inside, Hibiki, not just me. We owe you a huge favor, Mr. Fullbuster."
He shook his head. "Just wanted to hurry and get my check cashed. I can't stay out for too long."
It was true. He really did need to hurry home, and he'd already been gone longer than he'd expected to be, not to mention he still had to swing by the police station.
"Well, Gray, should you ever find yourself at the Silver Bullet, tell them that I sent you. They'll give you the special treatment."
Gray nodded his thanks before moving around the couple, almost running to his car. He threw the door open and slid inside the beat up Pontiac, slamming the door behind him and shoving the keys in the ignition and starting up the engine. His hand whipped the car into drive and he sped off down the road before anyone else could congratulate him.
Luckily the police station was just across the street from the grocery store. Gray parked beside a new Jeep and got out of the car, walking into the station. A young looking girl sat at a reception desk and she looked up at him as he entered.
"Good evening, may I help you?" She pushed her glasses farther up her nose.
"Officer Jet wanted me to stop by."
"Oh!" She exclaimed, jumping to her feet. The girl wore a pink cardigan over a white tank top and a pair of black pants. "He said you would be stopping by. Come on, I'll take you to his desk."
Gray stepped around her desk and began to follow after her.
"Thank you, by the way. My older brother works in that bank, and he's the only family I have left."
"You're welcome." He answered curtly.
She was stopped as she rounded a corner, pointing to the desk in the back left corner of the room. "That's his, go on over, he's expecting you. Have a nice day, Mr. Fullbuster."
"You too." He made his way to the back, rapping his fingers on the metal desk. "Hello, officer."
"Gray, it's good to see you. Please, sit." The officer motioned to the chair in front of his desk. Gray did as he was asked, plopping down into the plush chair, his eyes focused on Officer Jet.
The orange haired man pushed a pen and yellow notepad in front of Gray. "Just tell us what happened from the time the gunman came in the building until we placed him under arrest."
Gray picked up the pen and began writing, listening to the officer tell a story of one of his first times catching an armed robber. After a few moments, Gray became annoyed and tuned out the officer.
Just as he was finishing his writing, he listened in to the last of the old officer's story.
"... And so that's when I jumped off the ladder and tackled the guy. The gun flew across the ground and a young boy, couldn't have been more than seven or so, picked it up and gave it to my partner and we got the guy. Gave the kid a medal of bravery, too. Happiest little guy I ever saw."
"That's some story, officer." Gray pushed the pen and notepad back to him. "Now, I need to be getting back home before it's too late. My sister, she gets scared being alone when it's dark."
"Ah, very well then. Thank you, Mr. Fullbuster."
Gray nodded and rushed out the door and into his car. The sky was starting to darken, and he knew the consequences of getting home last.
...
After a pit stop at the store, Gray walked up the steps of his home, shoving the key into the lock while his other hand held a case of beer. The latch clicked and Gray bumped the door open with his shoulder, making his way through the dark hallway and into the kitchen.
Just in time to see his sister place a pot of spaghetti on the table.
"Good evening, Gray." She smiled up at him, taking the oven mitts off her hands and tossing them on the counter top. "How was work?"
"Slow as usual." He placed the case beside the refrigerator and opened the door, unloading the beer onto a shelf. "How's everything here, Ultear?"
"Good." She smiled, before her eyes went wide. "Did you know there was a little boy that almost got bit by an alligator today at the park?"
"Really?" Gray questioned, closing the fridge and looking at his sister.
Well, she wasn't really his sister, but they resembled each other. They both had the same dark hair, his shaggy and hers nearly reaching her waist. Their eye color wasn't the same, as hers were brown and his were deep blue in color.
"Yeah, it was on the news earlier." She grabbed the tiny remote to the television she had insisted on putting in the kitchen since she spent a lot of time there. "I wonder if it'll be on again, the video was scary to watch!"
Just as she flipped to the local news channel, Gray froze. Why did that person look so familiar?
"Gray?" Ultear was looking between him and the screen.
"This mysterious black haired teen managed to disarm the assailant and save everyone inside the bank. Nobody was injured, thankfully."
Gray snatched the remote from Ultear's hand and turned off the screen.
"Gray-"
"Not a word, Ultear." He snapped, silencing the girl.
"That was dangerous." She said in a small voice.
"I can take care of myself. You of all people should know that."
She nodded and jumped when the door slammed shut.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Ultear."
"Gray, please don't-"
"Gray."
He flinched in the doorway, slowly turning to face the owner of the voice.
"Lyon."
The older white haired boy stepped into the kitchen.
"Is there a reason why Meredy told me she thought she saw you on the news today?"
"That's ridiculous, Lyon." Gray stepped forward, closing the space between he and his older sibling. "You know I don't leave the house after I get off work."
"But, Lyon, Gray did a really good deed!" Ultear's voice came from Gray's right.
"So he was out, huh?"
"Lyon, I can-"
Gray's words were cut off as Lyon slammed the younger boy into the wall, his head making a loud smacking sound. Ultear let out a surprised yelp at the sound.
"You aren't supposed to leave after work! You are supposed to stay here, Gray!" Lyon was in his face, screaming. "We made a promise, dammit! You know what you're supposed to do!"
"Lyon, it's my fault." Ultear's voice said from beside them. "I didn't have enough ingredients for the cookies I wanted to bake tomorrow so I sent him out to get them for me. Don't be angry with him, please."
Lyon pushed Gray into the wall and stormed out of the kitchen. Ultear jumped as the door to his room slammed shut.
"I guess I cooked for nothing." Ultear sighed.
"I'll eat with you." Gray said, despite his anger.
Ultear's expression lit up as she pulled Gray to the table.
...
Juvia flinched as the gun went off. Guns were never her favorite way to end a fight, but that was what her master preferred.
"Very good, Aria." The voice was still one Juvia was getting used to, and in ways it still haunted her.
"Thank you, Master." Aria lowered the gun and saluted the man in front of him.
"Sol, Totomaru, how is everything looking?" Their master said into a walkie talkie.
Static was heard just before the voices. 'Clear in the west, over.'
'Clear in the east, over.'
"Very good. Report to the tank and wait for us."
'Yes, Master.' Both voice said before disappearing.
"I found it, Jose." A rough voice said and Juvia felt a small sense of relief wash over her. A large man walked in sight holding a silver briefcase, his long black hair swaying in its ponytail.
"I knew I could count on you, Gajeel." Jose smiled and took the briefcase as Gajeel handed it over and moved to stand beside Juvia. "I knew I could count on all five of my trusted soldiers on this mission."
Gajeel bumped Juvia's arm with his elbow, giving her a look with his piercing ruby stare. She met his gaze and nodded.
Juvia considered Gajeel her best friend, also her only friend. While she, Gajeel, and the other three were Jose's most powerful and trusted soldiers, that's all they truly were to him. Nothing but pawns in this war that they were so carelessly thrown in.
After all, they weren't called Jose's Gambit for no reason.
Gajeel and Juvia had become friends in their time together, seeing as they were brought in around the same time and went through training together. They even found that they made a great team, one that was feared everywhere.
"They'll all face the wrath of the Iron Dragon and the Rain Woman one day, Juvia." Gajeel had told her with a smirk on his face.
The Iron Dragon, being the code name Gajeel had due to the fact his body was covered in metal studs; his eyebrows, down his nose and chin, even his forearms, as well as his preferred weapon, a crowbar.
The Rain Woman was the code name given to her by Gajeel, because everywhere she went, the rain followed. As well as a rain of gunfire and fists.
"This is exactly what we came here for! Great work, Gajeel." Jose clapped the man on the shoulder and turned to face the third member in the room. "Aria, will you please grab the professor so we can be on our way?"
"Yes Master." The large man bent down and scooped up an unconscious man and began to follow Jose out of the door.
"Did you encounter any trouble, Gajeel-kun?"
"Nothing I couldn't handle." He smirked cockily. "Some dumbasses thought they could take me down with an ambush. Proved them wrong pretty damn quick."
Juvia smiled at her friend and continued on their trek to the tank.