Natsu has just been given quite the opportunity. His old buddy Jellal came to him and is offering him to become part of something unreal. Jellal has decided he wants to start his own superhero team and wants Salamander to be a part of it. In fact, their fist mission will be underway soon. First, they have someone else to recruit: Natsu's old high school acquaintance Gageel Redfox. They'll soon find Gajeel at a construction site as he managed to get a part-time job there.

"How's that?" Gajeel asked as he managed to put on a steel beam and it was on nice and tight.

"Pretty good, Gajeel. You're getting the hang of this. I think that's about it for today. You should head home."

"Thanks, man." Gajeel said and was on his way. He punched out and was on his way home. He didn't get very far as the opportunity that was going to change his life was about to come.

"Talk about making it big, am I right?" Salamander joked as he gave Gajeel a surprising visit.

"Salamander?!" Gajeel said. "Wow. This is a surprise. What are you doing here? If you're looking for a place to play around, you really shouldn't play in a construction zone."

"Ooh... Tempting..." Salamander joked. "However, I'm here for another reason. This might be weird, but...we need your help."

"We?" Gajeel questioned as he didn't get it. Salamander pointed up and Gajeel was in for another surprise. He looked up and was surprised to see Jellal's new airship. This sounds like something incredible. Jellal wishes to recruit Gajeel to become a member of this new team. One of the reasons is that he has a connection to the criminal they want to catch: Jose Porla. Once they got up to the airship, Gajeel was amazed with the place as anyone would be. "Damn! Look at this place!"

"I'm glad you like it." Jellal said as he made himself known. "A lot of work and effort went into building this place, and it's not going to be for nothing."

"Jellal? What's going on? What is all of this?" Gajeel questioned.

"I hate to do this to you, Gajeel, but your past is rearing it's ugly head. We like your help in something." Jellal said. Gajeel didn't understand, but he was about to. Jellal told Gajeel everything he told Salamander like how he wants Gajeel to be part of this new team he's forming to help protect Magnolia. He also told him about the part of Jose. Gajeel looked over some of the paperwork about Jose and it felt like he was reading his own dark past.

"So you want my help to bring in Jose." Gajeel said. "I really hate that guy and I would love to put him away for good."

"That sounds promising." Jellal said. "Here's what I have learned." He said as used the computers to show the details. "Jose is meeting up with an arms dealer later today down by the docks. He's planning to get his hands on some serious fire power. The likes of him having weapons like that wouldn't be good for anyone."

"You're right about that." Salamander said as he looked over the weapons Jose might be getting and they would put the police at a huge disadvantage. "Jose's a gangster, and a nasty one. Getting his hands on those weapons is worse than... Well, Jose is just the worst."

"You don't need to convince me." Gajeel said. "He nearly ruined my life. I was in juvie because of him, and he tried to set me up for a crime so I would join his gang."

"That brings me to why I wanted to recruit you, Gajeel." Jellal claimed. "Not only do you have a personal connection with Jose, but I believe you have potential. You have rough past, but you really tried to change it around for the better. If you work with us on this, if you go down this path with us, your past will no longer matter. Of course, your life won't be the same after this. You'll have responsibilities, you'll have to make sacrifices, Salamander might be able to help you out, but you need to understand what you're getting yourself into."

"He's right, Gajeel." Salamander said. "Even if Jellal can give you powers, it's a huge decision. I can handle Jose and whatever comes. I'm not trying to tell you what to do, but you need to be absolutely certain about this." It sounded like Gajeel had a big decision to make. Despite how he could be of help, they're not pushing or forcing Gajeel to make any decision.

"While Gajeel is thinking about it, you should go and get ready, Salamander." Jellal said. "Head for the docks and keep your eyes open for when Jose shows himself. I probably don't need to say this, but do be careful."

"You got it." Salamander said as he was going to continue what he's always done.

"Salamander!" Gajeel called and got his attention. "What made you decide to be a hero, even knowing some people aren't fans of yours."

"I thought it be fun and cool." Salamander admitted. "Who wouldn't think about using powers to be a hero?" He joked at first, but did get serious. "Mostly, I wanted to help people. I just knew it was the right thing to do. If the situation ever got serious, so did I. It's your choice, Gajeel, so go with what you think. Don't let what we say and do alter your final decision." With that, Salamander went on ahead and had Gajeel to do some thinking. He hated Jose. Jose tried to turn Gajeel into a punk, but Gajeel wanted to change his life for the better and that's what he's been working on. This offer does sound like he could change his life for the better permanently. On top of that, he could help people himself. He can finally be the kind of man he wanted to be, the kind of a man a certain person he cares for knew he could be.

"Jellal..." Gajeel said. "If I were to agree to do this, what kind of powers would you give me?"

"Over here." Jellal said as he showed what he had planned for Gajeel. "I think what would suit you are iron-like powers. You could harden your body to be as strong as iron itself. To help calibrate for the iron in your system, you would also become physically stronger."

"You can really do that without it being dangerous or life-threatning?" Gajeel said as that amazed him.

"I believe so." Jellal said. "I spent these past years working on something like this. It would really help protect the city, but it's your choice Gajeel. If there are any doubts, you don't need to do this. No one is forcing you to do something you're not comfortable with." It was certainly a big decision to make.

...

The Docks

As for Salamander, he took Jellal's tip. He headed for the docks and had a look around for when Jose and this arms dealer would show. He can't allow Jose to get his hands on the likes of those weapons. He searched around the docks for when they show. In the early evening, they all started to show. A boat pulled into the dock with some cases and a black car pulled up. Outside came Jose himself.

"There's old and ugly himself." Salamander as he kept himself hidden. Jose met up with the arms dealer, and the arms dealer himself was scary with him looking big, bald, and had a few scars on his face.

"Privet." Jose greeted in Russian.

"You Jose Porla?" The arms dealer questioned with a Russian accent.

"That I am. You have the weapons?" Jose asked. The arms dealer showed him the good stuff as there cases filled with rifle-like weapons. He took one of them out and handed it over for Jose to try it out.

"See for yourself how powerful it is." The arms dealer said. "Of course, if you dare double cross me, my men will use the weapons on you."

"Come now. You can trust me." Jose said as he reached out for the weapon, but that was when Salamander made his move as he jumped between the two and knocked the rifle out of there hands.

"Sorry, but you can't play with those toys." Salamander said and gave both of them a good kick.

"Who be this?!" The arms dealer questioned.

"Salamander?!" Jose said. "You want someone to use those weapons on, use it on him! He's going to ruin our deal and you won't make any money!" That was all the guy needed to hear. He took some brass knuckles and tried to smash his fists against Salamander. When he threw the first punch, Salamander jumped and kicked him right in the head.

"You have to do better than that." Salamander said, but then he heard some clicking. He looked around and saw everyone had some weapons aimed right at him. "That's pretty good." He nervously said.

...

Gajeel

Gajeel decided that he was going through with this. He's going to have powers and become a hero. Gajeel had his shirt removed and was hooked to a machine that will change his molecular structure.

"It's not too late, Gajeel. You can back out." Jellal said. "If you do go through with this and decide you want out later down the road, I won't stop you. If you do use these powers for the wrong purposes, you know what we'll have to do."

"I know, but that doesn't matter. Time to become the kind of man I could become." Gajeel said as he readied himself for this.

"Really? Sounds like someone else's words." Jellal said as he worked on a computer and tried to release some tension. "How is Levy? Last I heard, Erza told me she was in a prestigious university. She doing well?"

"Sure is. Once she's done there, she's going to try and get a masters degree." Gajeel said.

"Sounds like she's devoted to her education." Jellal said. "Here we go." It was finally time and Gajeel was going through with it. Jellal started the machine and the genetic and molecular structure in Gajeel started to change with a new hero about to be born.

...

Salamander

Salamander found himself in a hairy situation now. Bullets from those weapons were shooting through almost anything. Salamander ducked behind some freights, but he was barely safe. The bullets from those rifles shot right through one side and nearly penetrated through the other.

"Nowhere to run, Salamander!" Jose called as two of his men moved in to try and finish him off. They rounded the corner, but he was gone. That was when he jumped down and grabbed the rifles. He tried to burn them down with his fire powers and then smashed the two goons together.

"I told you playing with those toys were dangerous." Salamander said.

"Those weapons cost me a lot of money!" The arms dealer called as the rest of them came at Salamander and tried to kill him. Salamander tried making a run for it and lure them to somewhere he could fight. He soon found himself at a dead end, but he tried crawling up the wall. However, he didn't get far as some shots were made over his head. The sudden scare caused him to fall back and land on the ground.

"You're not going anywhere, Salamander. I think it's time to snuff out your flame." Jose said as the goons took aim and were about to shoot him. With the firepower those weapons had, this could get ugly. However, helped arrived at the last minute. Something got between him and them and shielded him from all the bullets. "What the hell?!" All of them didn't expect that...or what shielded him.

"Oh yeah!" It was actually a person, but his body was made of black metal-like substance, practically iron. Since his body was completely coated in iron and it was getting dark, Jose didn't recognize him, but Salamander did. "This is awesome! Now you answer to Black Steel!"

"You... You really went through with it?!" Salamander questioned. "You're not hurt?!"

"Sure did, and I feel incredible!" Gajeel, now being named Black Steel, claimed. "My body is solid iron! Those bullets just bounced off me!" This was unbelievable. Gajeel actually now has powers and he used them effectively. "Is this the part where we start pounding the bad guys?"

"Uh... Normally, but..." Salamander tried to explain, but Gajeel got too excited went on ahead. "Wait!"

"What are you all waiting for?! Shoot him, idiots!" Jose ordered with his men starting to shoot, but the bullets weren't working because every part of Black Steel's body was like iron. He forced his way through as he hit a couple guys and knocked them right out. He then set his eyes on Jose and was really looking forward to pounding him. Jose suddenly got a little scared and tried running for it.

"Get back here!" Black Steel called and went after him.

"Wait!" Salamander called as he wanted to go after him, but he narrowly avoided a brass knuckle to the voice.

"I show you why not to ruin deal!" The arms dealer said.

"Are you really too dumb to make a proper sentence? Then again, you are an arms dealer. Not a smart choice." Salamander said. The arms dealer tried hitting him a couple times, but Salamander avoided each attack thrown at him. He then jumped off from a freight and kicked the guy right in the head. When he still didn't go down, Salamander threw in a couple more hits and finished it with a bicycle-kick right to the head and knocked him out. "I thought Russian arms dealers were suppose to be tough stuff since they're form Mother Russia." That was one down and one to go. Jose tried making a run for it, but Black Steel threw a barrel and it hit him right in the back and knocked him down.

"Going somewhere?" Black Steel questioned.

"Who are you?" Jose questioned, but Black Steel knew not to reveal his name.

"All you need to know is that I'm the one putting you away." Black Steel said as he tried to pop his knuckles. Jose tried to fight back as he grabbed a discarded pipe and tried smashing it against him, but all that happened was the pipe got dented. "Bad move." He said before he hit Jose right across the face and knocked him out from that. "Oh, that felt so good..."

"Not bad." Salamander said as he joined him. "But don't expect things to go that easy."

"What are you talking about? We just kicked butt." Black Steel claimed. His first mission did go rather well, but this is just the start.

...

Natsu

After one heck of a crazy day, Natsu needed to unwind. The only way he could do that is meeting up with his special lady: Lucy. The two of them met at Lucy's small apartment so the two of them could have dinner and just spend some time together.

"Let me get this straight. Jellal wants to start his own superhero team, he recruited you to be in it, and he just gave Gajeel superpowers that he used to help stop an arms deal?" Lucy questioned.

"Yep. It's crazy." Natsu said as he ate dinner with her.

"So, what do you think of the whole thing? Are you really going through with it?" Lucy questioned.

"Honestly, I don't what I think about it." Natsu said. "I've been fighting as a solo gig for a long time. I'm not sure how I feel about something like this, especially with how Gajeel just stepped in and became a new hero named Black Steel."

"Well, maybe you should be glad you have the help." Lucy said. "You could show Gajeel the ropes, and let's not forget that Gray has powers as well. You think he's going to join? You guys would make a powerful team."

"I don't know." Natsu said as this would take quite the adjustment. Salamander's been fighting on his own for a long time, but this could change things around for him. "On the bright side, it does mean I might be able to spend more time with you." Natsu claimed as he gave Lucy a quick kiss. Big changes are coming to Natsu's life and it's a lot to take in. This is also only the beginning. He'll be getting a new team, new heroes coming in, and while he might be grateful for the help, it's too early to tell how he truly feels about this. The only way to know is play along and see where things take him, especially if it will help protect Magnolia. This is just the beginning for Salamander's new adventure.