A/N gasp So, there's been a time skip in the story. Wowwee!

Hey people! I can't believe that we're already onto the 5th chapter of this story. Just, wow! I know, I know; why get excited over how many chapters I've completed? Well, it's just like seeing your baby grow up. sniff

Anyhow, ignoring my little emotional scene there, I have to make a small confession. I did not believe that my story was going to be followed as well as it is! Honestly, I maybe hoped for one or two readers to support this but I have received at least 35 e-mails informing me of a person adding my story to their favourites or story alerts. For the other writers out there, you should understand this feeling of joy and happiness. Sorry, getting teary again...

Please enjoy!

Chapter 5

"Fire Dragon's...FIST!"

Lee Grayson Dragneel was practicing in the backyard, totally absorbed in his training. A young boy of seven, he was considered tall for his age; His bright pink hair and cheekiness made him the centre of attention wherever he went, presenting Lucy with the likeness he had with Natsu. Wearing a dark vest together with beige combats, Lee was already considered a heartbreaker. His good mannerisms and ever present eagerness to help made him a popular person amongst both the young and old.

"WATCH OUT!"

A shout caught Lee's attention. Looking behind him, he saw a small dog running towards him at full speed. The impact of the collision caused both dog and boy to fall to the ground.

"Hey, you okay? I'm really sorry about that." A boy his age held out a hand. Gray took it and stood up slowly. He had long raven hair, covering one eye, and a gentle smile. He also looked rugged and scrawny.

"I'm alright. What happened to make the dog run so fast?"

"Oh it's nothing serious. Tyson freaked out by a car that went by too fast. I'm Blaze. Blaze Natsume. What about you?"

"I'm Lee Grayson"

"Pleased to meetcha, Lee" Blaze nodded behind his the other boy. "You seem busy. You practicing magic?"

"Yeah. I want to enter a guild when I grow up." He received a look of admiration at the confession.

"Wow! Really? That's really rare in this area." Lee sat down, gesturing Blaze to join him. "From what I've heard, there's not even a guild around for miles."

"I already have a guild in mind. How about you? You aimin' to become a guard or somethin'?"

"Nah. I wanted to be a mage, but it's impossible." Raising his long hair, Lee saw some differences his eyes. One was grey while the other was amber coloured and seemed to glow. "My ancestry is known to detect and manipulate magic, but cannot produce magic alone. This is called the sensory ability. My mother told me that our family worked beside the ruler of a country in order to maintain peace and justice." Covering his eye again, Blaze continued. "However, there came a time when the king became greedy. He wanted power for himself and began changing the rules; anybody who possessed magic was to sought after and slaughtered. He wanted to use the sensory ability in order to achieve this, but was refused by all sensory users. Because of this, all but one was killed. He was only able to 'see' through one eye so the royal army left him alone. That person was my great grandfather and he's passed this trait on to his children."

"...wow! You know a lot about your family background! Do you have many cousins and stuff?"

"Beside me, there's no one else. My mother was the last surviving Sensor and she died a few years ago. I never knew my dad but mum said he's a magic user."

"Ohhhh. I don't know my dad either! But I don't really wanna know him cause he broke my mummy's heart, you know? He broke her heart and she had to stop doing magic. Oh yeah, mummy said I have to go in soon."

"..."

"Come on! I'll introduce you to everyone. Loki-san is over today, too!" Jumping up suddenly, Lee took his new friend's hand and dragged him inside with Tyler barking excitedly at their feet. "MUUUUUUMMYYY!"

"I'm not deaf Lee, so hush up slightly, will you?" Appearing from the kitchen, Lucy was wearing an apron and was evidently cooking for their lunch. "What is it, honey? Oh, have you made a new friend?"

"Mummy! Meet Blaze and his dog Tyler. Can we have him over for lunch mummy? Please?"

Lucy stepped forward to smile gently at the nervous boy. She didn't mention anything, but she could see that he wasn't being cared for properly. Both the dog and boy were practically skin and bones, and they looked like they hadn't washed for several days.

"If it's okay with Blaze's parents. Do you think your mum will mind?"

"I-I don't have a mum but I don't think my... carer would mind."

"Well that's fine then. Let me finish cooking first, so the two of you play upstairs for a bit. I'll call you down, okay?"

"'kay mummy!" Lee was already stomping up the stairs, not noticing that he was alone. Blaze looked hesitantly at himself before glancing quickly at the woman beside him.

"Don't worry, you go on up. I'll feed your dog first, is that alright?"

At the question, Blaze nodded and turned to go upstairs as well. The boys played together for a few minutes before getting called down for dinner. Lucy had cooked a pasta bake with a salad side and chocolate milkshake.

"Did you call Loki to come and eat, Lee?"

"No need, I'm already here." As Loki sat at the table, he noticed the extra member. "I see that the brat's made a new friend. What's your name?"

"Blaze"

"Hey, did you know that Blaze has this thing called the sensory ability? It's so cool!" Lucy looked up from her plate, impressed.

"Really? That is so interesting! From what I've read, sensors became extinct within the last century."

"I'm the only surviving sensor. I only have half the ability though."

"Don't worry about that" Loki started helping himself to another plate. He ate much too quickly "If you practice and train yourself well, there shouldn't be a lot of difference. A person may have potential, but if he doesn't act on it, then boof."

"... boof?"

"What that idiots trying to say is, if you practice hard, you can achieve your goal. A person boasting too much about his good points will not improve automatically; though he may be good now, he won't be in the long run."

"Oh, ok...Um, excuse me, Lee's mum."

"Call me Lucy"

"erm.. then, excuse me, Lucy? Can I ask a question?"

"Go ahead."

"Why does Lee call Loki san by his name? Isn't he your husband?"

The shock caused both adults to choke and spit their food out. At the same time, Lee could be seen on the floor, laughing hysterically. Blaze turned a shade of dark red in embarrassment and looked down.

"cougherm, I think you've misunderstood" with Lee still laughing like a maniac on the ground, Lucy got annoyed and kicked him. "I am, or was, a celestial mage. Loki is one of the spirits that I work with."

As Blaze took this information in, Lee stood up and patted his back.

"Don't worry, you'll understand it all after a while. Welcome to the crazy family!"

After this day, Blaze could be seen frequently at the Heartphilia home. It was a modest sized house with three bedrooms and a small family room out front. He met with all of the other spirits as well as 'Uncle' Gray, who taught him to manipulate ice magic.

He grew comfortable around the family and was soon able to laugh and smile together with the rest. However, his clothes and state of cleanliness did not change for a while. It was soon discovered that Blaze was abandoned by his foster parents, so soon after his own parent's death. On hearing this, Gray agreed to formally adopt the lad under his name, hence fully naming him Blaze Natsume Fullbuster. This was not an act of charity, but instead, a proper welcome into the family.

Lee and Blaze were like brothers, two sides of a coin; so unlike the other, they were named yin and yang. Whilst Lee was tall and athletic, Blaze was tiny and preferred to study indoors; Lee was loud, Blaze was quiet; Lee was forceful, Blaze was gentle. Nevertheless, all these differences seemed to be a matter of no importance to the boys. They enrolled into the same school and each had their individual strengths and weaknesses. During their lessons, Lee relied on Blaze to help explain the subjects whereas it was the other way round during their training and magic sessions.

Blaze had not thought of himself able to produce magic. On the other hand, as he only possessed one sensory eye, Gray had suspected him of also being a source magic user as well. During their training the older man had not revealed his suspicions, instead opting to try and force the magic out of his son. This method proved to be a success when the young boy created a wind shield to stop oncoming ice shards.

Further training determined that Blaze was in control of a wind type magic, wherein which he could also be in command of the temperature of his magic as well. This meant that, in the event that he could not manipulate an attack, Blaze could change the temperature of the opponent's magic to distort its effect. In Gray's case, a slightly higher temperature melted the ice and made attacks lukewarm instead of bitterly cold. The wind also intensified the flames used by Lee; the flame would, in turn, give Blaze time to detect and manipulate enemy attacks, making the two boys a strong team to defeat. Lee and Blaze became a pride to teach, with teachers and mentors all confident without a doubt that they would become the future heroes of Fiore.

Gray frequently visited to see his son and bring gifts over for both; the adopted father and son became extremely close. The man was proud of both children, but held a special place in his heart for the smaller child; after all, they both suffered from the same experiences, as children, and both were brought in by a warm and loving family. The next few years were peaceful and happy; both boys practicing with whoever was available and becoming inseparable.

But, as many other things in life, peace was never meant to last. On the night of Lee's tenth birthday, Lucy fell into a deep sleep; she had gone to bed like any other day but never woke up again from her slumber. Though it was predicted, Sapphire and her assistants were not prepared for the sudden turn of events. Nothing could be done to wake her up, bringing the boys into a depressing slump.

The first few days, they had sat beside her, hoping to see her eyes open. Lee and Blaze had lost their enthusiasm to train, to play and to learn, waiting only for the time when Lucy would smile at them again. Teachers could not bring their favourite students to participate in activities and soon they isolated themselves from the world. Laughter was never heard in the Heartphilia house again, as they prepared their bags to move away. Gray was to bring them to their new home the following morning, in the town of Magnolia.

As a means of saying goodbye, they remained by Lucy the whole night, awake and each gripping one of her pale hands. Wires were connected to her body to keep her alive, a monitor showing her stable condition. For the first time, Lee cried, unable to keep the tears inside; he cried sorrowfully for his mother; he cried angrily, hating his father for getting Lucy into this state; and he cried bitterly for the years he couldn't stay beside her. Blaze reached over the bed and took his partner's free hand, not saying any words of comfort. His presence alone in the room was a comfort for Lee, who had never learnt to be alone.

...

The following morning they left their hometown, never planning to return. Their happiness, laughter and eagerness to please was gone, in its place a seriousness that was heartbreaking. Gray and the spirits were also mournful. Even with the knowledge that Lucy may wake up, the atmosphere was not the same. Nobody trusted in the hope of what was being said; it would make it all the worse if Lucy never came around.

Before arriving in Magnolia, Lee donned a hat to hide his bright hair; it wouldn't do to have anybody make connections about his relation with Natsu Dragneel. After doing so, the group moved forward quickly; the Guild Master was expecting the presence of his newest two members and they wished to settle as soon as possible.

On arriving outside the Guild, the boys took a deep breath and opened the door. A cheerful atmosphere could be seen everywhere they looked, members only stopping to look at the strangers before continuing. Gray walked in first, ignoring everyone and entering a room on the upper floor. He motioned for the two to follow him, before shutting the door behind him.

Makarov sat before them, not speaking. He had never seen Lee after the initial meeting and only heard of the quiet Blaze; he took his time, taking in every detail of each person before nodding.

"Lee Grayson and Blaze Natsume, welcome to Fairy Tail. I will not be calling you by your full names to prevent rumours and suspicions as much as possible. It is also important to note that both your special powers should not be used frequently. Lee, because of your father's notable presence in this very guild and Blaze, because we want to protect your secret and keep you away from power seekers. Gray will still keep hold of his contract with the celestial spirits, but if there is ever a time that you require their assistance on a mission then they may agree to help. Are there any questions?"

Lee stepped forward. In the time he had travelled across the country, he had learned to adopt an unreadable facade. Nothing could be learned from his expressions or body language, nobody would have even guessed at the pain he held within and he didn't plan on ever becoming vulnerable again.

"I want to fight against Natsu Dragneel. I will challenge him, even if you refuse." Under the old man's scrutiny, Lee did not back down, showing bravery and courage. He had made a promise to himself never to forgive his father, even if it meant fighting for his position in this guild. Gray stepped forward in an attempt to stop the boy, but stopped at Makarov's gesture. The Guild Master stood up and walked around the table to come face to face with Lee.

"Give me your reason for wanting to fight a guild member."

"I want to defeat him. He is the reason that my mum is in the state that she is right now. I won't stop until I put him into a similar situation, even if it meant my exile from Fairy Tail."

"Hrmph." All three watched, with baited breath, as Makarov returned to his seat. "I cannot force you to stop this madness, especially towards your own father. That being said, I do understand where you're coming from; if my parent died or suffered under the hands of another, I couldn't my anger either." He sat silently, thinking for an answer that was the most fair. On coming to a decision, he nodded to himself and looked up.

"I understand that you want to challenge Natsu, however I will only permit it under the given conditions. Firstly, your father is not available to fight right now. He is on an S-level mission that should last him until the end of next year. In order for you to be able to challenge him, I want you to prove yourself first. Within the next year, I expect your skills to improve greatly. At the beginning of next year, I will be holding an S mage exam; I will look forward to seeing the both of you nominated for the exam. Secondly, you are only to challenge Natsu to a fight; if he refuses, you cannot force an attack. The last point is" Makarov looked intently at Lee "if you end up losing, you must tell your father the truth. Should you fail to carry out any of these conditions, then I will withdraw my permission to allow this fight. If you still insist on fighting, then I shall ask you to leave the guild on the grounds of a dishonoured contract."

"I understand. Thank you, Master Makarov."

"Gray, I know you planned on taking the boys into your home but I have decided to instead, let them stay in the guild accommodation. From this day forward, you cannot give them any kind of help; they have to learn to survive on their own. They will pay their own rent and food, and cannot rely on you or any of the spirits for help besides to go on missions, or to train. One last thing" the old man gave a stern look to the new members. "while you are at this guild, no sour faces! You will be happy at this guild and my members will make sure of it! You are dismissed."

...

Stepping out of the office, Gray stood at the top of the stairs and waved his arm towards the noise below.

"Welcome to Fairy Tail boys. Would you like introductions now?"

"Might as well, get it over and done with." The older man smirked, having expected that answer. He faced the guild and cleared his throat to get the attention of his colleagues; silence ensued. If they imagined a quiet welcome, then the boys were in for a big surprise.

"I would like to introduce you to two new members of this guild." Stepping forward, both boys looked down silently at the others. "Lee Grayson and Blaze Natsume, welcome to Fairy Tail!"

The guild shook from the sound of cheers. The boys were dragged to the ground floor, not reacting due to the shock of their welcome. They were accustomed to a generally quiet life and felt out of place with such... loudness!

Lee felt his heart warm up and smiled shyly around him. Looking to his left, he noticed that Blaze was in a similar situation. So this is what it feels like in a guild, mum?

Remembering his mother's stories about her time in this guild, Lee slowly lost his bitterness and looked forward for his stay here.

Guess what, mum? I've finally joined Fairy Tail!

To Be Continued

A/N Hey peoples! When I was writing, I decided that it was time for me to introduce Lee's nakama, namely Blaze. At this current time, Gray is now 29-ish, so I thought he's old enough to want his own kids right? (even it's a ready made baby :P, you'd also expect him to love the act of sec... hrmph. Let's not go there)

Most of you won't have expected Blaze, but hey, Lee's not a loner!

I'm always open to criticism! R&R