-Lucky to be alive- orphanage arc Chapter 11

Grey smirked as he finally found the blue piece of stone he found had been scanning for. He motioned to Erza he found the piece as they swiftly made it back to happy and steel. As grey unfolded the napkin he wrapped the small piece of the stone Erza gasp.

"T-this is etherion!! How dare you eat Etherion!!!"

*she shook the child as he kinda sweatdropped"

"I don't know what that is but I'm guessing it was something bad…"

"It's worse then bad you could have died!"

*Erza rose her voice but calmed down reminded herself that she was talking to a child.*

Suddenly lucy came out of some bushes as she laid her puffy eyes on steel. She held out her hand to him with some emotion in her eyes.

"… come, natsu explained to them about everything… they just want to see if your still alive.."

*steel began to feel betrayed by natsu after he told him he didn't want to go back but after seeing everyone trust in one another, he decided to put a bit of faith in natsu too as he grabbed Lucy's hand slowly and softly and followed behind her with the other behind him.*

The nuns covered their mouths with there hands almost like whispering a prayer as they saw the same boy of that night standing next to Lucy from far away making his way to them and natsu. They only giggled as they saw the similarities between the boy and natsu. Natsu had bought him some clothes that were his type of style with baggy shorts and a buttoned shirt and some flip flops. They were happy that they had tooken care of washing and dressing the boy after finding him so they were at peace with natsu making it clear to them he was taking the child with him.

The other children came out to see what was happening, the small girl from before saw steel coming as she cried and ran towards him now.

"STEEELY!!!!!!! WHY DID WOU WEAVE!!???"

*the small brunette girl tackled steel to the ground with a oof- she sobbed and sobbed wetting his new clothes.*

"… lulu-chan.. "

"Thank heavens your alive…"

*steel stiffened as he heard the nuns voices coming near now.*

"We are very sorry for not have protected you better… *sob* your such a bright boy, I know you will be okay now .."

*steel felt a sense that he was not told of something as he stood up with a crying little girl clinging to his side.*

"What are they talking about natsu, and why did you want me to come back to this place.."

"I want you to remember that even though he didn't have a happy time here, they are still family. I also

*natsu took this chance to kneel on one knee to look into steels eyes on a even level now*

want you to say goodbye correctly this time, after today you won't see any of them till you decide you want to come back to visit or your finally old enough to move around on your own.."

*steel noticed that this wasn't a happy confrontation, it was a fair well as he clutched the little girl infront of him as he cried silently now.*

"D-damn you natsu… *hicup,* I told you i didn't want to *hiccup* come back here because I wouldn't *hiccup* be able to run away again."

*natsu looked at him with a small smile as he stood up and turned to Erza.*

"I think you already saw what was it that he ate correct?"

"Yes, but what are you planning to do with him now natsu?"

"I'm bringing him with us back to fairy tail.."

*nobody from his team rejected the idea and just shook their heads. He turned to look at the nuns a gave a big grin now*

"Somehow we are leaving from here with a new member to our family, thank you so much for taking care of him as much as possible. We will now make sure he is very happy and loved.."

*steel screamed in a howling cry now as he heard what natsu said, he was happy. Finally happy he was getting the family he wanted but, the price of coming back and seeing all the sad faces of his guardians and his little sibling lulu had pained him so much he didn't want to go now. He rather have spent the rest of his life at the orphanage playing with lulu, getting bullied by the older kids and getting into trouble with the nuns. He realized only too late that he had been living a happy life only to have it disappear through his fingers as he was faced with a happy harsh reality. He hugged lulu tighter now as to making an effort to not leave without her. Natsu sighed as he just sat on the open plain grass next to them hating to break apart the two.*

"Come on Steel, we have to go now. It's getting late now and your lil sister is going to get sick. "

"Screw off natsu, I don't want to leave now. I want to stay with lulu and everyone now. I don't care if I have to suffer more, I finally saw that I already had a family here at the orphanage."

"I know that idiot! I would have brought here by force before and told you to sit still if their wasn't anything wrong with you! But we have to take you with us, you ate a powerful stone that was poisonous enough to kill even the strongest of mages. Heck! I ate a piece one time in my life and it burned a hole inside me. If it wasn't because of my dragon slayer blood I would have died on the spot. Do you understand what I'm trying to tell you now?"

*steel thought about all the things natsu just said as the small girls cries began to soften and fade due to exhaustion. If natsu was telling the truth that would have meant that when he bit a piece off the stone when he was little he would have died then and there. Just him breathing and walking around is a miracle with in itself. Plus none of the children where children with magic powers or had abilities to become a mage. After that bite, he no longer was able to stay at the orphanage because he became 'different' and nobody had succeeded in noticing.*

" fine.. but I want to at least bring lulu with me,.."

"I can't let you take her, you would rob her of her chances of finding a family and would put her in danger if something where to happen to you, she is just a little girl with no magic power inside her, you can visit her if you would like?"

*Erza stepped in now as the sun had gone down now but the pink clouds where still bright enough to see still.*

"O-oh kay… *sniff, sniff* Im ready to go now…"

*steel looked up with his bravest face now as he let go of a sleeping lulu who were taken into the arms of the younger nun. Natsu stood up now as he ruffled steels hair and finally smiled once again..*

"Don't be so glum about it, it's not a good bye forever. You will be back to visit if you like as I said…

*natsu grabbed him and hosted him up to carry him onto his shoulders in a sitting position*

Anyways, you look just like me when I was adopted by the master. I'm pretty sure he will be happy to live through it once again hehe.."

*steel was too tired now to bonk his head to put him down as he just leaned on his head wrapping his arms around natsu's face as he looked again for the last time at the nuns*

"Thank you very much for taking me in, and I will be back aunties"

*steel willed himself to call them again by what he used to call them when he was younger as he drifted into sleep*

The nuns were happy they managed to find the boy a family but sad because the boy was one of the first children they had brought in to care for. The orphanage was a church before but they had no father to be a priest. So when they received a basket of what they thought where donated goods they saw a small little pink haired boy in the basket with a note saying

"please take care of me, I no longer have a mommy and daddy to take care of me"

Their hearts sank in pity but after they brought in the boy more homeless children were found at their doorsteps of different ages. They couldn't call themselves a church anymore so instead they became a home to those in need. A home where children can call them aunties and feel happy till they were ready to face the dangerous world.

*the nuns cried silently as they saw the figures disappear as they got farther and finally when they couldn't see them, went inside to serve dinner for the rest of their children.*

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

-Few days later..-

After traveling back to the guild finally, they were all exhausted because they had to walk halfways because natsu got motion sickness again, but who ended up throwing up was Steel since he never rode a carriage before which got the driver angry to kick them out. They had completed the mission with the money they were promised but natsu and Lucy agreed to donate their share to the orphanage in mind that it would help them the most. Sure they can always take another job to raise money to pay the rent but the orphanage was only running because the villagers had donated some of there crops and clothing. The building wasn't new either so they had some peace that the money would go into repairing any cracks and providing the children with anything they need.

"We're finally back and alive!!"

*natsu kicked the door open and proceeded to walk in with nobody really paying mine to it*

*steel was taken a back at the rowdy and busy guild. He never once saw a place so noisy and also kinda warm and friendly too.*

"What are you waiting for? Are you gonna stand their this whole time?"

*lucy asked as steel blushed of embarrassment as he followed her into the guild*

"Oi! Master! I got a surprise for ya!"

*natsu yelled out with a sinister smile on his face*

"What now you brat! Did you destroy another town and expect me to clean up your mess!!!"

*master makarov screamed back at natsu knowing, any surprises where always the bad ones if it was coming from natsu. Especially his wallet has paid for it eveytime*

"No, no, no, it's nothing of that sort, here come and meet him."

"Fine it better not be a prank natsu, I will scold you and not hesitate to put you in the corner"

*steel sweatdrop at how this 'tiny man' had raised natsu. But soon was nervous as he looked a bit down at the master who looks right back at him*

"So whose the brat? Did you find him somewhere?"

"No, I brought him here so you can raise him.."

"Ah good that's goo- WHAT?!?!"

*this earned some people to look in their way as they began whispering at who this mysterious boy was and why the hell did it look like a mini natsu disregarding his eye color.*

"Aww don't be so shocked, I'm already all grown up now and I'm about to get married to my love of my life. I thought it was a good idea if I brought you this kid to the guild to join and you can raise him like how you raised me. He looks a bit like me but rest assured he's not my son ahahahaha!"

*master makarov looked at natsu suspiciously but knew natsu wouldn't bring anyone back to the guild especially a child unless their was some complicated reason to why he couldn't let them be. Finally he gave in with a sigh as he looked at steel now.*

"So son, what's your name? How old are you? Are you hungry?"

*steel flushed with some weird feeling in his stomach as he heard the master call him 'son' he bowed at a 90 degree angle and immediately yelled out his answers*

"Yes I'm hungry! My name is Steel, and im 6 but turning 7 soon! A-and thank you for your kindness!"

*makarov waved his hand at the boy now as he chuckled a bit and flattered at how respectful the boy was.*

"It's nothing., let's go take a seat now before anything I bet your exhausted after spending time with this ungreatful brat.."

*makarov shoved natsu a bit in a playing manner as he took steel off natsu's hands finally farther into the guild.*

"Well now that is done why don't we go home now luce?"

*natsu stretched his arms in the air as he looked at lucy now*

"Hmm well I think that sounds great why don't we get some things to cook back at home?"

"AYY! I'll bring the fish!!"

*happy enthusiastically left flying to the pond to fish for fish*

"Um.. ok then, let's go natsu."

_____________________________________________

-3 months later-

The guild was booming now with what seemed more like a daycare at the minute. With Levy's twins crying their heads off. Bisca's and Alzack's little girl playing hide and seek with 7 year old now Steel Dreyer.

The place was gonna fall apart if not now then later when Lucy gives birth and Juvia who was now at 2 months pregnant now expecting as well. Yes, fairy tail just became the new child daycare of Magnolia.

••••••••••