Disclaimer: I own neither Naruto nor Fairy Tail. Naruto is written by Masashi Kishimoto. Fairy Tail is written by Hiro Mashima.

Chapter 1

. . .

Gaara's vision grew darker as the war raged on around him. It was then, as he took in the fight of his first, and best, friend that the Godaime Kazekage knew he was going to die. There was nothing more he could do. With his chakra spent, he looked up towards Naruto, and in extention the ten tailed beast. As he breathed his last, he sent up prayers for his people... Their people. And he knew no more.

. . .

"Hey!" The shout of a guard pierced through the dark halls of the Tower of Heaven. "Looks like we've got another escape attempt!" A foul tone of glee laced his words.

"No man, he's not one of ours." Answered his partner, "This ones a dead man, he was left to drift until the sea claimed him."

"Well check and see if he's still breathing. I'm not touching no cursed man!" The first guard ordered, looking as if he was about to make a run for it.

"Alright, right... Just hold your self together now." The second guard make quick work of the body. "Look here," He pointed, "his chest still has a rise and fall to it. But it looks like somebody tried to do 'im in. See here?" The guard indicated what should have been a fatal injury.

"He's lucky, I'll give 'im that. Bet he's strong too. Soon as he wakes up we should put 'im to work. The Tower's always needing more work, and we've just had some free labor delivered to us."

"We'll place 'im with the old man and the children. Perhaps something will get done over there for once."

. . .

A harsh bang on the cell door alerted the cell's occupants to the arrival of their guards. "Backs against the wall!" Came the command. An old man, known to the others as Rob, gathered the young children behind himself, shielding them at the back of the cell.

The guard checked them over, refusing to open the door until he was satisfied. "Bring in the prisoner." It took four guards to drag the unconscious red-head into their cell. The curious eyes of the children watched from their hiding place as the young man was dropped unceremoniously onto the dirty stone floor.

None of the children dared breathe until Rob moved, signaling the departure of their captors. Immediately the children gathered around their new cell mate, curious little hands poking and prodding the unconscious man.

"Erza, look!" One of the boys called out to her, "You have the same hair! Do you suppose you are related?"

"I-I'm not sure." replied the meek brown-eyed girl. Carefully she looked him over. Red hair, dark-ringed eyes, a strange scar upon his brow. Where are his eye brows?, she asked herself. It was then she noticed the murky water in the floor of their cell was strangely warm around the body. Lifting her hand from the floor she brought it to her to her line of sight, a slick red substance now coated her hand.

"R-rob!" She called out, "Rob, he's hurt!"

. . .

During the time they were given within their cell, Erza and the others kept a careful eye on the mysterious red-head. It had been awhile, Erza didn't know how long, since the boy had arrived, and while Rob assured them that the boy, who they had begun to call Red, was still living, he had yet to open his eyes.

Days passed, the sun and moon fighting for control of the sky, governing and blurring the concept of time. It was difficlut to say if Red would ever wake, and while his side was healing quickly, Rob never seemed too confident in his survival.

Sometimes she and the other children would make up stories about him, theorizing everything from who he was to how he became so injured. But if there was one thing they all seemed to agree on, it was that he would die here, in the Tower of Heaven.

They all had very similar stories. Towns attacked by teams of dark wizards, who had stolen the majority of them away from their families. Some, such as herself, had no memory of their family, while others clearly remembered whatever fate had befallen their own.

Tracing the unfamiliar symbol scarred upon his brow, she could almost imagine his family, whatever life he had before this... Maybe... He was a brother.

With all that red hair, she could see an imagined life in her mind's eye. As if he could have been her older brother. She didn't think him old enough to be a father, certainly not her own! That he had survived whatever attack had led to her capture, and had vowed to find her once more.

It was a pretty dream, she thought, even though her heart and mind knew it to be false.

Reluctantly, she returned to reality, only to find a pair of cold jade eyes carefully watching her. "You're awake..." It was said with quiet astonishment and disbelief. Brown eyes widened with suprise, "You're awake!" She turned to address another. "Rob! He's awake!"

. . .

AN: 11 April, 2017

Love it? Hate it?

This is actually the first story I've posted, and I'm not quite sure where I want it to go from here.

Until next time!

Alewar