AN: I will say it again. This fic (if it will reach that point) will have heavy lemons.
AN2: I will mainly use the manga and not the anime!
AN3: Some canon things have been changed aside the fact that Natsu went on a training trip. See at the end for others.
AN4: As usual please review and PM me if you have question(s), idea(s) etc.
AN5: I don't own the Fairy Tail franchise, whole or part of it. I don't make money from writing this fic or any other associated with this manga/anime. I only use them for mine and others amusement. I only own those thing my own making (characters, techniques, vehicles etc).
1. chapter:
Returning home
July 2, X784
He idly looked at the landscape outside the window of the train. It was three years since he was in Fiore. He left his home, his friends, comrades, family behind, in order to become strong enough. At first just that he could make them proud, to make his father proud of him. Now, after seeing the Continent for what it was it changed. He will protect them for there was darkness out there which could destroy them in a flash.
His sensitive ears picked on a few sentences outside their cabin:
"Salamander-sama? He is in Hargeon? Really?" asked a girl full of awe.
"Yes! Do you think we can get an autograph from him? I would love to have something from him!" answered a second feminime voice as excited as the first.
"He is sooo mysterious! No one knows his face, yet he destroyed dozens of dark guilds! He is like a hero, fighting evil from the shadows!" a third voice (again a girl) added.
He was far from impressed at learning this. Whoever was in Hargeon was certainly not the Salamander. He cared not if he built the Salamander's prestige or wanted to destroy it. That man had no business with that name and he will make sure that idiot will remember it.
"Happy! Wake up! It seems that we need to stop at Hargeon before going to Magnolia!" he said to his companion, a blue furred cat. The animal only opened one eye lazily looking at the human who woke him up.
"Natsu, did you really need to do this?" he asked – in Natsu's opinion whinned "I had a very good dream: there was like a bazillion fish there!"
"And no cat girls?" Natsu jested with a half grin.
"You are stupid Natsu... They were feeding me!" Happy answered with a grin. Then his face turned a little more serious "Why do we need to stop at Hargeon?"
"Some idiot is using the Salamander name. We should teach him that he shouldn't lie about such things."
"Aye!"
Hargeon was the largest port in the Kingdom of Fiore, thus it came no surprise that finding one man seemed to be quite the challenge. But when this man proclaimed hisself as a famous, rumouredly S-class mage... Let's just say that the search become several times easier.
But before they could even begin it in earnest, thy ran into someone. More precisely someone ran into Natsu. A girl, the same age as Natsu, in a light white top and blue mini skirt fell on her butt, while the mage looked at her in surprise.
"Sorry! I didn't really payed attention to where I go. Here, let me help you!" he offered his hand to the girl, who seemed to blush.
"It-it's nothing! Nothing at all!" she shuttered. "I am Lucy! Nice to meet you!" she said as she accepted the help.
"Natsu Dragneel." he introduced himself while looking at the beauty in front of him. She had bright blond hair which flown like liquid gold in the gentle breeze. Innocent, sea blue eyes flutered as she gazed at him addoringly. Legs, going forever, a generous swell of bust and butt. She was still more cute than sexy though. But definitely had a killer body.
On the other hand Lucy also wacthed tha man who helped her to her feet. He was in one word a hunk. Wild, blood red hair, obsidian eyes and angular face. Tall, easily towering over her. His chiseled chest was bare thanks to only wearing a sleeveless, golden trimed black vest with it's zipper down, allowing his six, no, eight pack to be shown. Along with those strong, well defined arms. The only problem was that he wore a combat trouser and boot so she couldn't see the lower half of him in this detail, bu t even with the trouser and a strange belt which seemed like made of some reptilian scale. He wasn't like most boys she did fan on. He wasn't slim, angelic. He was dark, primal and nearly demonic.
"You dropped that." the hunk... Natsu! His name is Natsu. She could fantasize about the this man at night! She meant never! Calming down a bit she noticed the last issue of Weekly Sorcerer Magazine at her feet which she avidly read. So much she didn't even notice a gorgeus man, until she ran into him literally and who was now the number one on her "who do you want for boyfriend" list.
"Yes, thanks." she thanked him as he picked it up.
"Are you a mage?" Natsu asked curiously even if a great deal of it's readers weren't mage, he could feel that the girl in front of him had much more eternano than the average folks.
"Yes, I use Celestial Magic. How do you know?" she asked.
"Lucky guess... Which guild are you part of?" Natsu asked, tilting his head trying to remember if he ever heard of her.
"I didn't join any... But I will, it's my dream to be a member of Fairy Tail!" Lucy said with a smile.
"That's nice. I think it will be pretty easy for you to do so." he answered remembering a certain old man's certain antics.
"It's not that simple! Fairy Tail is considered the strongest guild in the country. You can't just join them on a whim!" she said as if talking to a child. Natsu just grinned at her.
"Nah, I believe that you can do it."
"Aye!" the cat said.
"Thanks guys." Lucy smiled back at them. Until... "What the hell?! That cat can talk!"
"Yeah, he is my partner: Happy." Natsu introduced the two, though Lucy seemed to remain in shock at the sight of a talking cat.
The ackward silence which settled on them was shattered by the three girls who Natsu heard on the train running to the central square of the town to meet 'Salamander-sama'. Lucy got out of her shock hearing that.
"Sorry guys, but I have to go! I need to meet Salamander-sama." with that she sprinted after the other three girls. Natsu just shook his head at her.
"What's with this attitude?" he asked tilting his head - again -, not really understanding why would Lucy go this excited by hearing about 'Salamander-sama'.Wait! Salamander-sama? That's interesting. A grin made it's way onto his face "Let's go Happy!"
"Aye!"
In the center of Hargeon stood the Maria Chatedral (third greatest church in Fiore), named after the grandmother of Toma E. Fiore, the kingdom current leader, who had aided many of the country's hospital. Even now, nearly thirty year after her death among the people of Fiore called uppon Blessed Maria or Maria the Kind. To it's right stood the city hall, a three story high, white building. Across of it was the courthouse, nearly identical to the other building, but it had light yellow mortar on it. The last side was occupied the library. It was made from red stones and marble. The other distinction of it was the towers with domes on it, giving it an exotic look. Not too surprising considering it was desingned by southern achitect, while the other three were made by a fioren one.
Between these four buildings lay the central square of the city. There was a big crowd, forming a circle around a group of people, led by a man in his early twenties. He smiled charmingly at the inner crowd - mainly composed of teenage girls - and produced some simple purple fire balls to entertain it. Then a wave of magic passed through the square, leaving everyone breatless for a moment.
"Hey man, that wasn't nice." came a deep voice from the roof of the library. Looking there the crowd could see Natsu crouching at the edge, looking at the leader with clear contempt in his eyes."Who are you?"
"I am the Salamander! A famous mage from Fairy Tail!" the man shouted at Natsu.
"And how long have you been in that guild?" Natsu asked curiously.
"For my whole life, you idiot!" he shouted back.
"That's interesting." Natsu pointed at his arm. There, just below the shoulder was the mark of Fairy Tail in red "I never once have seen you in the guild hall!"
With that the young man jumped off the roof, making the retiring crowd gasp in surprise. The people in the square could only stare at the two mage, wondering what happens now. Lieing about being a part of a legal guild was considered a very serious crime.
"You little shit!" the man shouted.
"He is Bora the Prominence from Titan Nose. He was kicked out." Happy said floating near Lucy in the crowd with angel wings sprouting from his shoulder.
"Damn it! Take this brat! Prominence Typhoon!" Bora stretched his arm wide and from his body a spiraling column of fire surged forward. Natsu stood still, letting the magic hit him. There were shouts from the crowd, noone wanted to go to the fireball which formed where the Fairy Tail mage stood.
"Hah, brats are still brats... I don't have any pridde destroying an insects like you." Bora said with little to no emotion in his voice. He just turned his back to the flames when a slurping sound rang out.
"I s that so?" asked Natsu's voice from the flames. All, but Happy watched with slack jaws as the young man eat the flames of Bora's attack "You should train a lot more. I never eaten flames tasting as bad as these in my entire life!"
"You think you can defeat me, gaki?!" Bora shouted in anger. Natsu just grinned at him.
"Allow me to demostrate the difference between us." he said. For a moment nothing happened, them a his magic brust out, taking a form of a huge column made of bright gold and silver fire. All felt as suddenly an ocean was over their heads. In a way it was true but it was an ocean of magical power. Non could move, save Bora for Natsu's power was focused on him sending to him to his knees.
"Salamander! Enogh of this!" came a sudden voice on the other side of the crowd "In the name of the Magic Council let us through!" And just like that, the sea of people divided in two allowing the group of rune knights to go to Natsu without pumping in anyone. The leader was a slim, tall man wearing the uniform of a captain. His black hair was up in a knot and a pair of glasses were in front of his purple eyes. Seeing the group approching Natsu cut off his magical aura to a barely noticeable level.
"Lahar! Good to see you!" he grinned at the frustated captain.
"Salamander." Lahar eyes twiched "I said it a thousand times! It's captain Lahar to you!"
"If I didn't use it before why do you think I will do it from now?" Natsu asked, sincerely curious, making Lahar sigh.
"It doesn't matter. Why did you release a third of your magical power in the town centre? With your reserve it's highly dangerous..."
"Because of those guys..." Natsu inclined towards Bora's group.
"That's Bora the Prominence! Our Intelligence said that he fled the country after his crimes came to light." Lahar said shocked at the mage presence.
"He did." Natsu said "He joined a dark guild, Crime Star in Bosco. This was his first mission I think. That guild was deep in the slave-trade, Lahar, and I mean really deep."
"And how do you know that?" Lahar asked with a raised eyebrow even when he motioned the rune knights to apprehend Bora and his accosiates.
"I destroyed that guild not a week ago." Natsu shrugged his shoulder, not truly caring the shocked looks he got from the others save Lahar "The guild master had their mission very detailed on paper. Idiot."
"Which is fortunateous for us." Lahar said with a little smile. His face turned serious "Those informations..."
"There you go." Natsu said as in a puff some documents appeared which he handed to Lahar at once "And for the power releasing thing... I only unleashed a quarter of mine... Didn't want to fight with civs nearby."
"I see." Lahar said "Bora was wanted for three quarter million jewels. Some will go to repairing the square." there he looked at the broken cobbles where Natsu stood "But the rest will be on your account at the end of the week, I promise."
"Thanks Lahar!" Natsu grinned at the captain, but he waved away the crimson haired man's gratitude.
"Nay, it should be me thanking you. You defeated a dangerous criminal without much damage to, well anything. I couldn't ask for more." he said.
"If you say so..." Natsu replied "Well, I want to get back to Fairy Tail at least at tomorrow, so I have to go. See ya later, Lahar!" he turned towards the trainway station, but his way was blocked by the crowd looking in awe at him. Lahar chuckled at his predictament and left to the court-house.
"Salamander! This is Jason from Weekly Sorcerer. Can I ask you some question?" asked an overly excited blond haired man.
"Sure, why not?" Natsu said with his usual grin "What'ya want to know?"
"Cool! First question. We can see the guild mark on your arm, but master Makarov never gave straight answer to our questions about you being a member. Why is that?"
"Honestly? I don't know, but master is wiser than nearly any other being I have ever met so I imagien that he has some reason for that..." he shrugged "You probably should ask this to him and not to me."
"I see. Next question. Rumours said that you traveled abroard for the last few years. Is that true?"
"Pretty much, yeah. But I also spent several months training inside Fiore and doing quests for the Magical Council and others."
"Cool. Can you give us some basic information on yourself? Likes, dislikes, hobbies, dream?"
"Well, let see. My name is Natsu Dragneel. My first three likes: my nakamas, my father and my guild. I dislikes mainly the dark guilds. My hobby is writing, fishing with Happy and exploring interesting places. My dream is to find my father." Natsu listed off.
"Cool. Does it mean that you are the same 'Salamander', author to the 'Wandering Mage' novel series?" asked Jason. The crowd excistement grow to new height hearing the question and waited for the answer with baited eyes.
"It's true." Natsu said with a raised eyebrow.
"So COOL!" Jason threw his hand up "Does that mean that those stories are based on true stories?"
"Most of them are my adventures. But there are some myths and other mages' quests in there."
"Cool! Last two questions. Are you an S-class mage?" the reporter asked.
"Officially? No, but I had done my fair share of S-class jobs..."
"COOl! Last question: are you single?" the female part of the crowd visibly perked up hearing the reporter asking that.
"At the moment yes."
"I'm sure that many among our readers will be glad to hear that! Thanks for the interview, Salamander."
"My pleasure." Natsu said, but Jason already ran away to report back to the office. Tilting his head in confusion then deciding that it didn't really matter Natso turned towards Lucy.
"Hey, Lucy! Let's go!"
"Heh?! Where?" a wide eyed Lucy cried out as the other females gave her the 'Evil-Eye'.
"To Magnolia, of course! You want to join Fairy Tail, don't you?" Natsu asked with a big grin.
"Yeah, but do you truly believe I can be a member?" Lucy asked embarassed.
"Lucy." the fire mage said "You don't have anything to lose. Many ruin their life because they don't grab the opportunities when they arouse. You don't have to go to the deep-end at once. Just take a step toward your dream. I will be there with you and believe me, Fairy Tail will welcome you with open arms and help you archiving anything you want."
"Thanks, Natsu." she said with a smile, even while tears gathered in her eyes.
"Sooo... Will you come with us?" Natsu asked with a grin while Happy floated near his shoulder.
"Uhum!"
July 4, x784, Magnolia
"Welcome to Fairy Tail, Lucy." Natsu said with a gentle smile as Lucy stared at the guild hall in amazement. "Let's go inside."
With that he opened the giant wooden doors and stepped inside with the blonde girl following him. The building seemed almost even larger than from the outside. There were several tables both round and rectangular with mages sitting around. The hall was filled with the voice of at least fifty mages speaking at once making it nearly impossible to hear anything at all. Most were so engrossed in it that they didn't even noticed the new arrivals. It was when they arrived at the bar that a silver haired beauty noticed them.
"Ah, customers! Welcome." came the voice from Fairy Tail arguably most famous mage, Mirajane Strauss. She had a curvy, voluptuous figure, with a swell of a womanly hips, mile long legs, more than generous and ample bust and round and firm behind clad in a pink dress. Her gentle smile, full lips, wide, blue eyes and silver hair reaching her hips only added to her beauty.
"Yo, Mira! It's been a while!" said Natsu raising an arm in geeting. Mira eyes widened a bit, not remembering meeting this really handsome fellow. She blushed in embarassment at the thought.
"Aye!" came Happy voice, raising her from such internal conflict.
"Is that Happy?! Then... Is it you, Natsu? You really grown up!" she exclaimed in surprise. Hearing it the entire guild become silent as a graveyard.
"Yeah, thanks." Natsu said with a grin. Mira then enveloped the fire mage in a thight hug. Natsu seemed surprised at first them returned the it just as affectionately.
"Welcome home Natsu!" came the shouts from the mages sitting at the tables.
"Yo. Good to be back." answered Natsu as he walked off to greet the other members.
"What's is this all about? They behave like they didn't see him for months." Lucy wondered aloud.
"That's because we didn't." came Mirajane soft voice from behind her "He had gone on a training trip three years ago and we only meet with him once on a mission. It's good to have him back."
"Mirajane-san!" Lucy squaled, seeing her (and many more females') idol. Mirajane only smiled at her.
"Ah, please call me Mira. Everyone does. You came with Natsu, right? Do you want to join the guild by any chance?" she asked her ever present smile still on her lovely face.
"Y-y-yes." Lucy shuttered.
"Natsu, please come back and introduce your friend to us!" Mirajane said (louder than usual) to the crimson haired man.
"Ah, yes. My apologies, I forgot about you for a minute." Natsu came back with an easy smile, while the entire guiléd seemed suprised, again.
"Who is this? It can't be Natsu..."
"Natsu apologize for something? Really?"
"He sure grown up, didn't he?"
"Well, then let'start it, shall we?" Natsu clapped his hand together. "It seems you already know Mirajane... Her younger siblings are over there. The big guy with white hair is Elfman, the girl is Lisanna." he indicated towards a table near to the bar. There was a big, although youn man with a white mane of hair and a cute silver haired girl. "The old man over there is Wakaba. He is a senior members, so he knows a lot of things along with his parner Macao, who isn't there at the moment... Well, they are big perverts by the way." the middle aged guy with a pipe in his mouth cried out a startled "Hey!", while Natsu continued "There is the Shadow Gear team. The guys are Jet and Droy. The blue haired girl is Levy and she is suuuuper intelligent, so maybe it would be better if you come to her with your problems. Let's see... there are Bisca and Alzack our sniper team. They are also quite fond of animals, so if you want a pet you can talk to them about it. The idiot pimp over there is Loke." he said pointing to an orange haired man with two girls at his side "And the gorgeous girl at the bar is Cana." the guild was silenced, again.
"See?! I said it can't be Natsu! He doesn't even know females exists!"
"Oh, so he noticed girls? Good for him."
"They grow up so fast!"
"Oh, why thank you Natsu for the compliment." the slender girl at the bar, Cana smiled and sent a wink at the fire mage. She was also shapely - even if not on par with Mira -, and largely exposed. Giving a nice view with her bikini clad bust. Her long legs was clad in a pair of brown pants. Her auburn hair fall on her back in soft waves, while her hazel eyes twinkled in mirth seeing the chaos Natsu created in mere minutes after arriving "I didn't know you noticed us in that regard."
"Hard not to, when all my female guildmates are gorgeous in a way." Natsu deadpanned and Lucy had to agree with him. Mirajane and Cana had the bodies of buxom models, while Levy and Lisanna were cute, still shapely enough to be desired by men. Bisca was between the two group, but that didn't mean in the slighest that she wasn't attractive. "I think I mentioned everyone who I better know. Everyone, this is Lucy. She wants to be a member of Fairy Tail, please help her along."
"What about me flame-brain?" came an annoyed male voice from the side.
"Ah yes, the cie-bastard is Grey. Excuse me, I have to attend to his face with my fist." and with that Natsu started to stride towards the dark haired man in nothing...? Lucy couldn't deide if she should laugh or cry (or just start ogling the exposed abs and arms... the mages of the guild were in great shape!) seeing the infamous mages of Fairy Tail starting a brawl. Natsu knocked Grey back with one punch, which enraged the other mage bit his counter attack was swiftly caught by the fire mage who again tossed him to the side, this time into Elfman. They nearly started using magic, but a great shadow fall upon them.
"Cut it out, you fools!" it thundered making Lucy shaking in fear and frozing all mages in the hall.
"Master, I didn't know you were here." Mirajane smiled at the giant.
"I had to come downstairs, after the ruckus you brats caused!" he said back, sunding a bit more normal, but still frightening.
"Oh, Master! Natsu and Happy came back! And they even brought a girl with them!" Mira squaled in happines, beaming at the giant.
"Huh? New member? I see. Still, " the giant turned towards the grinning Natsu "it's your fault that I couldn't finish my paperwork!" with that he brought one giant arm down the young man. Much to everybody's shock – save Happy, Natsu, muscles bulging, caught the arm.
"Yo, jii-san! I see nothing changed here!" he said with a laugh, while the giant pulled back his punch.
"And you have gotten stronger, Natsu." he said with obvious warm "Welcome home, brat." the giant then started getting smaller and smaller, till the figure became an extremely small, old man, with balding head and a moustache in an orange jester outfit.
"He become soo tiny!" exclaimed Lucy.
"He is Master Makarov, the Fairy Tail guildmaster." Mirajane injected as she moved behind the bar while Natsu and Lucy sat down at the bar stools next to Cana. Makarov sat on to the counter on the bar with a pint of ale appearing in his hands.
"Don't let his size fool you." advised Natsu "He is one of the most powerful mage you will ever see. He is the fourth Wizard Saint after all..."
"Wizard Saint?" Lucy asked confused at the title.
"Fourth?" asked Mira also confused. Makarov himself eyed the fire wizard curiously.
"The Wizard Saints is a group of ten mage of extreme prowess." Natsu explained "And Master is the fourth among them."
"Wow." Lucy said amazed at it.
"I didn't know there was a hierarcy among the Saints, Master." Mira said to the old man.
"We don't really advertize that, Mira." Makarov said with a sigh "And don't be fooled by the title. We, Wizard Saints aren't the only powerful mages around..."
"True." Natsu agreed "But all of you are S-class mages, and not the average type either. Even if the Council appoint them, every member is powerful. The only ones clearly above you are those four and maybe the leader of the worst dark guilds."
"Those four?" Mira and Lucy asked simultariously, while the entire guild started to pay attention to the conservation.
"Yeah, the Four Gods of Ishgaal." Natsu said "Four mages of incredible powers. They aren't even considered humans, because they are said to have broken the potential of normal humans."
"Shut up, Flame-Brain!" came the voice of Grey "We don't want to hear idiotic tales from you."
"But Grey, both the History of Fiore and the History of Ishgaal mentions them! " the cute bluenette, Levy said with a pout. Grey seemed visibly shaken at the thought.
"Yes, they aren't myths or tales." Makarov said at last "What Natsu said was the truth: those four are on a level you lot can't even imagine. Most mages doesn't even know about them aside the fact that they exist (and even that seems to become less likely) let alone meet with one. Natsu, how did you know about them? Or the fact that I am the fourth wizard saint?"
"I had heard about the ranking system from a council member... Doesn't matter in the end, do it?" Natsu shrugged with an easy smile on his face "For the Four Gods... I met with one of them, more specifically the fourth." he said with his smile turning into a grin.
"No way."
"What was he like?"
"And what could he do?" asked Grey curious at this powerful mage abilities.
"He is extremely powerful. I have seen him turning a desert of the size of shire Magnolia into a forest!" he answered causing all of them to gasp in surprise. They knew just from what Makarov told them at they were undoubtely powerful, but this was insane.
"That's the difference between us, who are called mortals and those who can have the title of god." said Makarov solemnly. The guild fall silent again, each member thinking what they just heard.
"Nah, doesn't matter I will beat all of them!" Natsu boisterously exclaimed.
"You Flame-Brain? You can't even defeat me, let alone those!" scoffed Grey, which cause Natsu to kick him in the face. Which in turn caused another brawl to start.
"Do you honestly needed to do that?" asked Makarov resignedly Natsu, who escaped the fight early on.
"Well, that serious mood didn't felt like it belonged here, so I did something against it." Natsu explained sagely, nodding along the way.
"True enough." the guild master nodded back.
"Don't encourage him!" Lucy cried out, while Cana and Mira giggled at the two mage.
"Oh, sorry 'bout that, my dear. You want to join, no? Well, let's do it now! Mira, be a dear and get the stamp."
"Right away Master!" the beautiful barmaid chirped happily. None, but Cana noticed as Natsu's eyes followed the silver-haired woman ass as she took the stairs. Lucy and Makarov seemed engrossed in the fight, the girl in a outraged awe, Makarov amused at the antics of his brats even if he will deny allowing it to ever happen.
Only two minutes later, Lucy had the guild's mark on her hands in bright pink colour. Which she eagerly showed to the beamused Makarov, Natsu, Mira, Cana and Happy. The two girls even hugged her calling her adorable, just as the arriving Lisanna did.
"Stop it this instant!" Makarov bellowed again, causing the fight to stop at once "We have a new member today: Lucy! Let's party!"
"Yeah!"
When Natsu and Happy arrived at their house it was well past midnight. The two had large grin on their face. It didn't matter that the floor had a fine layer of dust on it or that the air could use a little wind (which they did) or that it was a complete mess to begin with.
"It's good to be home." Natsu said as he laid down on his hammock.
"Aye!"
I made several changes to canon:
1. I made the Gods of Ishgaal and the Wizard Saints two different group. It allows me much more freedom with the characters.
2. I made Fiore much bigger than in cannon: cannon Seven and Bosco are now both part of Fiore and Stella became Bosco. Again this will give me freedom with the fics. (And the mangaka said that he will try to remain in Fiore, so it will be better in the long run.) (I will try to upload themap to one site.)
3. Lisanna didn't 'die' two year prior. (Clearly from the way I introduced her this chapter.)
4. Edolas won't appear in the fic as I see it now. Mystogan will...
I can give power ratings on the characters. Three kind actuality. The first is based on the sclae of 1-10 with each number representing a level. Second: the average power of an S-class is given as 100 and thus given the others. Final: E,D,C,B,A,S,SS... system with three subcategory (-, , +). If you want to see please say so in a review.