Okay, so after much procrastination and delaying the inevitable need to finish my study guide for tomorrow's Biopyschology exam, I am going to...slowly...upload all the written chapters of NaluACB here! Chapter twelve is already underway but I am slightly annoyed because I final edit after pasting to Tumblr and then the html gets involved and it won't come back here easily. Boo!

Anyhoodlie-who, I expect around 40 chapters of this shindig and Tumblr will still get the updates because that highlighting italics has spoiled me for life.

~Soprana

Autumn wind always brought the sweetest scent of apples and cranberries growing in the fields around the town of Magnolia. The air was a cocktail of what would soon be available in the market stands, if one had the necessary funds to afford such treats.

Not excluding the crisp beans or the new crop of onions, but those were not as desired as the first taste of the staple foods for this region.

The looming threat of winter lay far away, summer having just relinquished its presence for the glory of the changing leaves and the fireflies that will now play close to the earth. The bitter chill will not arrive for a few months, giving families time to stock up on the necessities.

Morning in Magnolia was as bustling as ever, the bakers and butchers moving even before the crack of dawn to prepare their wares. Sleepy eyed children dragged on to morning lessons while mothers shooed them off with smiles and well packed lunch bags. Horses nickered to each other, overtaking the cries of the occasional rooster that was rather late in the alarm call.

All over the cobblestone streets, citizens were moving, keeping to themselves or friends. Not one looked the paroling guards in the eyes, out of fear or respect, is unclear. Not many were brave enough to go against the crumpling system that the wealthy politicians built. The rich stay in power, and things worked to protect the powerful.

It was how things worked.

With citizens moving about in broad morning light, the red garbed guards never looked to the shadows, ignorant to what would lurk there.

Shadows in Magnolia had purpose and a will. Power feared a strong will.

And, in those shadows, lurked the greatest power the citizens of Magnolia possessed. They just didn't know it.

So, along Century Street, crammed into the corner between an armory and a butcher, was a tiny little tavern called Sitri. It wasn't popular or famous. The small, shack like store just served drinks and food to the weary travelers that happened to pass through the north-east side of the markets.

Within the old wooden plank door rested a dimly lit tavern with mediocre tables and chairs, dust cakes on the rafters and shelves of miscellaneous knickknacks.

All run by a tiny violet haired woman with tender eyes.

But, beyond the liquor cabinet and the pathetic kitchen lay an iron door with a rusted completion that foretold age and service. Behind that door, is where this tale begins...

Within the deep walls of secrets and mysteries, tucked under the tavern and the butcher and the armory, rested the central hub of the 'shadows'.

The Assassin Guild known as Fairy Tail.

Inside the vast underbelly of Sitri lay a well lit and furnished hall. There were tables and benches and bars. There was a small stage and a second floor. Tucked behind the hall were rooms that served as storage and a med bay.

The whole place could have been likened to an ant hill with many passages to protect the workers.

On this particular day, the guild hall was empty aside for a few of the frequent visitors. It was not an entirely uncommon thing; for an Assassin's job is really never done. Not during these times.

Among the tables and the occasional person sat a man, company kept by the piling dishes that surrounded him. Chicken bones and shellfish shells littered the plates and table like fallen warriors. He still kept devouring food, shoving dishes aside for when the white haired barmaid would bring more.

Pink hair swayed with every turn of his head, bangs curled up to reveal his forehead and dark eyes. Between every mouthful, he would flash a toothy grin and fire comments out to his fellow assassins, his sharp canines glinting dangerously.

Even as his table manners fell short in society's eyes, not a speck of food or grease decorated his black and gold vest, nor his leather shoulder cover or his white harem pants. A white scarf rested around his neck, tucked inside his vest and cloak lip. Behind him, a pool of white and red trailed down his back like a kings robe; though there were no kings in an assassin guild.

Only men and women bonded in the brotherhood.

"Natsu, are you done eating everything that Mira can offer or you planning on rolling out of the guild today?" A blonde haired man grumbled as he walked over to the table, leaning up against a nearby post. His eyes scowled back at the pink haired man who paused in his meal consumption, crumbs dribbling from his lips.

"What was that, Laxus? I couldn't hear you over the bullshit you bribe Mira with." Natsu quipped, easily snickering at the angry tick in Laxus's forehead. "Seriously, kiss her already."

"Says the little runt that will never get a girl to look his way. Why don't you go out and play assassin?" The larger man snapped, fingers gripping his dark gray cloak in irritation.

Why was it always him babysitting the younger dill weeds? If it was not by the request of his grandfather, Laxus would let the bunch figure everything out themselves. After all, he had his own jobs and goals. The constant threat of Templar raids wore his Thunder Tribe thin as is, and his absence to train the youngsters was like drilling holes in a small dingy full of supplies.

Natsu frowned, shoving his recently finished plate away. The ceramic grated horribly on the scratched wood, but the man didn't flinch. His eyes burned with immature comments, but after a wary glance around the guild, he licked his lips and spoke carefully. "Stupid Laxus, I am already an assassin."

The poor git was smarter that he was credited for, but Laxus knew exactly what his lesson would be today. Natsu learned to survey his surroundings and adjust his reaction, courtesy of many beatings from Erza, but did he really know how to keep calm when insulted?

"An assassin that cannot kill is a worthless one. For now, you are just a kid trying to prove himself in an adults world." A childish insult, but it worked to his favor. Laxus sneered as his pupil stiffened, coal eyes sharpening and focusing like the predator he could become with proper training. However, the jab did retain some truth.

Natsu has never taken a life. Not one.

And to Laxus, an assassin's job could very well be assassinating an enemy.

Sharp teeth gritting, Natsu's jaw formed tension as he glared back, brows drawn down. Sure, he was known to take a less fatal route with his tougher jobs, but that didn't make him any less of an assassin fighting this unknown war.

It wasn't that he could not kill; it was that he would not kill.

"Assassins don't turn on their own, now do they, Laxus?" He fired back, standing slowly with his fist resting on the table. His bench slid from the force of his flexing popliteal, the grinding of wood on stone even more grating as it echoed around the now dead silent guild. Those dark eyes never left the cold blue ones.

Laxus bared his teeth, ready to deliver yet another insult when a cough beside him pulled his attention.

All malice left Natsu's face as a small, older man clambered up onto the table, toeing away a few dishes with a chuckle.

"Master." Laxus greeted as Natsu muttered a soft, "Yo, Gramps."

The white haired man known as Master Makarov sighed, using a wooden staff to support himself as he leaned to peer at Laxus and Natsu critically.

"Hmm, aren't you boys lively today? It fills my old bones with pride. Natsu, why don't you patrol the city? The guards spread more wanted posters and I suppose we must take them down again."

The warning underlying the order was clear, and with one scowl to Laxus, Natsu nodded. "Aye. I'm off then."

With long strides, he moved to the iron door that lead to the staircase to the surface, the red cloak billowing behind him like a beacon.

Both men watched him disappear before the blond sighed. "Grandfather, you let him get off to easy." His tone was tired, worn with exhaustion. Picking a fight with the young pink haired man after a long and sleepless night was not a wise choice. There was just something about Natsu that make Laxus want to punch his face in: the stupid grin and all.

Makarov hummed thoughtfully, passing a warm smile to his grandson. "Now, I remember a time when you needed some gentle guidance." He looked to the piles of empty plates, his face now emotionless. "Natsu just has a strong sense of life, and looks to preserve life. This is a valuable trait. The best assassins look to resolve without killing."

Crossing his arms so that his cloak fell away to reveal bulging muscles, Laxus rolled his eyes and frowned at the cracks in the tile floor. "The threat of the Templar Order lingers over our heads like never before, and he just plays with his jobs like a cat would play with mice. How can he be trusted to hold this branch of the Order down if something arises and the S-Class must leave to aide our brothers?"

Makarov regarded his grandson with an amused quirk of his brows. "I believe he is capable of protecting everyone should such a dire situation should come to pass. May I ask as to why this is a point for you?"

The severe look Laxus adopted had Makarov shifting slightly. "Laxus, what do you know?" His friendly tone was gone to the wind. It was the tone of a true Assassin Master. A man ready to fight to defend and to protect.

With a slow scan around the guild, pausing on Mira happily humming as she cleaned glasses behind the bar, Laxus pursed his lips before muttering softly. "Ivan has been spotted in Balsam. No leads to why, but he is always up to something."

The pair let silence stretch between them, both thinking on the past, present, and the looming future.

"Keep Bickslow there for now, but warn him to withdraw at a moment's notice. I have my own pair of eyes on him, after all." At the surprised look Laxus gave him, Makarov grinned cheekily before hopping off the table with graceful skill.

"What? You brats think I still can not keep up?" He chuckled, waving flippantly as he hobbled away. "You have much to learn then, Laxus."

A shingle crunched under his boot, causing him to slip a little. A second of panic ensued before he easily shifted his weight and let the crumpled remains tumble to the gutters. No one was up on the rooftops to witness his blunder, so Natsu brushed it off as something that did not just happen.

It was not like anyone could tease him about it if they never saw it, right?

With a quick huff, the man hoisted himself to perch on a chimney, avoiding getting his foot caught in the smokestack as he surveyed the packs of people below.

There were men casually wasting away with drink, openly embarrassing themselves with intoxication. Not that they noticed the teasing jokes at their expense nor the disapproving stares from the passing women with children. The occasional pickpocket shifted through the crowds like a snake, easily taking from unsuspecting travelers burdened with baggage. Natsu huffed in amusement when the victims would get as far as three blocks before realizing they had been robbed.

"Too many people." He muttered, fingers brushing the scarf tucked under his cloak. Perfect for walking among the citizens and blending in. Not his style, he thought sourly, thinking back to Laxus's scathing remarks.

He was more than a kid still learning how to serve the Assassin Order. Igneel taught him morals, basic battle skills, and how to recognize the world around him like a true Dragon Assassin should.

Laxus only had a hand in fostering a deeper set of these skills. Like...performing a leap of faith and not splattering innards over the ground.

The wind rose from the south, sinking into his sleeves and chilling his hot skin. The sun bore down on his hair, reheating where the wind chilled. Below his position, around two stories down, rested a pile of hay left by the local farmers for the intercity stables.

The stench of manure traveled with the air drafts, but it didn't bother the locals. Only the well dressed aristocrats waved their hands over their face, wrinkling noses and making disgusted expressions. It made them look weird.

With a deep breath, Natsu leaned forward, tipping off the chimney and falling down the side of the house. Second later, he landed easily in the straw stack, laughing at the startled shout from a nearby stable hand.

Bursting from the hay, he dodged a curry brush that the same stable hand chucked at his head with a second, more joyful laugh as he ran and clambered up the closest wall, easily flipping his body from one windowsill to the next.

He was an assassin. A pretty darn good assassin, if he dared to think so.

Spurring his legs to move quickly, the pink haired man darted across a rooftop and leaped across a street to the next rooftop.

Angling his direction, Natsu began to travel to the aristocratic homes of Magnolia, the rooftops becoming closer together, and courtyards more abundant. With sure feet, the occasional tight wire was nothing he could not handle.

Laxus was wrong as well as blind.

The older man could not see how awesome of an assassin Natsu has become.

Nodding at this thought, Natsu picked up his pace, running from roof to roof with the ease of playing hopscotch.

One roof.

Two roofs.

A drop off into the canal.

Natsu flailed for a second as his previous step sent him toppling off the roof, falling towards the canal that flowed through Magnolia and was fed by the river that served as the artery of the town. His heart rapidly beat in his throat and echoed in his chest like a frantic hummingbird desperate to escape a cage.

Instincts sharpened, and with a quick lash, Natsu seized hold of a concrete lip of the seawall that served as part of the next house wall. His chest painfully collided with the unyielding stone, his gear clanging between flesh and wall. Wincing as his hidden chest dagger pinched his compass to his breast bone, the man let out a tired groan as adrenaline faded into weary self criticism.

What kind of idiot runs off a roof?

With a sigh, he slowly scaled the wall using the grooves in the brick. There was one windowsill above him that was perfect to use as a step to the roof. Then, he could leave this incident behind him and let it serve as a humbling lesson.

Do not think about stupid Laxus while running rooftops.

Grunting, Natsu reached the window, his right hand reaching in to grab the siding and anchor himself for a breather. His booted toes rested on a lip that served as natural decoration, but one wrong shift would send him backwards into the canal he had just narrowly escaped.

He would rather stay dry and keep his gear free of moisture. Plus, with the weight of the new flares he built, he would surely sink.

Onyx eyes flicked to take in the room beyond the window, only to feel like ice flooded his veins and frozen him from the inside out. His mouth opened in a shocked exhale as his gaze met eyes of warm, chocolate brown and a face like one of those statues that decorated the center of courtyards. An angle, or something like that?

He stared in shock and she returned the gaze.

She looked just as startled as he was, and it probably did not help that he was a strange man climbing up her wall and staring inches from her face. He prayed she would not scream.

That would be an even bigger problem.