Baby Mania
Disclaimer: Fairy Tail® by Mashima Hiro
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Lucy Heartfillia exasperatedly sighed while she was pinching the bridge of her nose. She was inside her guild, Fairy Tail, as usual everyone is messing around but there was something a little 'different' about the usual chaotic atmosphere inside the guild.
An unusual sound of baby laugh was heard, female Mages cooing around at the sight of one year old baby with pink hair. With much difficulty, the said baby was running in small steps towards the laughing Ice-Make male Mage, Gray Fullbuster.
"Over here, Natsu!" Gray called out when the pink haired baby he called 'Natsu' stop for a second looking around for the big brother he was chasing awhile ago. The baby cried of series of giggles before outstretching his hands and started to run towards the laughing Gray.
"So...?" Lucy asked, glancing at the apologetic expression of their resident Fire Dragon Slayer's Exceed partner, Happy. "How did he turn into a baby again?"
Happy gulped down first; he was bowing his head on his lap while kneeling on the table facing the wrath of the scary blond Stellar Mage. Wendy Marvel, their guild's third and youngest Dragon Slayer giggle at the sight of baby Natsu and Elfman. The latter was carefully throwing the laughing baby in the air and then the young Dragon Slayer girl cast a sympathetic glance at the blue fur cat that was under the mercy of the angry Lucy.
"I-I told you, Natsu and I was about to return from our last mission when we saw a paper lying on the ground and well—"
"You thought of picking it up and played with it, right?" Lucy finished Happy's sentence earning a nervous nod from the blue fur flying cat.
"Aye..." Happy answered. Lucy sighed again, planting a hand over her creased forehead mouthing something about having a headache.
With teary eyes and trembling lower lip, Happy raised his tiny face at Lucy. "I'm sorry Lucy, I tried to stop Natsu, honestly, but he never listened to me and—"
Lucy gave out a small smile before patting Happy head gently. "Its okay Happy. I'm sorry if I took this exaggeratedly." she said soothingly before scooping the Exceed inside her arms. "Next time never trust anything that can think for itself if you can't see where it keeps its brain, okay? If Natsu still insisted, just knock him off before he does something stupid again." She suggested with her devilish grin.
Happy smiled, relieved that Lucy is no longer mad at him (inwardly shivered at her evil smile though), but then he frowned hearing the set of giggles from their guild mates and from the hyperactive baby Natsu. "We have to find a way to make him seventeen again." he said.
Lucy nodded but then she mischievously grinned down at the cat. "But then again maybe we can keep Natsu like this for a little while, he kinda cute when he's baby, no?"
Happy stared at baby Natsu before smiling and nodded. "Aye sir!"
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"Natsu, time for milk!" the mother-figure of their guild, Mirajane cooed. Shaking the bottle of milk at the baby Natsu, who was breathlessly laughing while Jet and Droy was tickling the bundle of joy.
"Moo!" baby Natsu cried, imitating the cry of a cow, while pointing his tiny finger at the bottle of milk on the Take Over Mage's hand and when Jet set him on the floor baby Natsu in an instantly run towards Mira, asking cutely for the bottle of milk. "Moo! Natsu wants moo!"
"Aww, baby Natsu is hungry." Mira said scooping the baby inside her one arm. Natsu immediately sip the milk given by the beautiful Mage, Mira rocked and hummed a soft song while feeding the baby.
Lisanna, Levy, Bisca and Juvia encircled around Mira and baby Natsu, cooing down at the baby.
Levy giggled while baby Natsu fight back the sleepiness, he was trying not be lured by the gentle rocking and soft humming of Mira, he still wants to play tags and hide-and-seek with everyone. Baby Natsu blinked once and then twice until he was just forcing to open his eyes.
Strings of giggle from Mira was heard before she caressed baby Natsu's pink hair. "We'll play again later, okay? For now you have to sleep." she said.
A muffled of disappointment was heard before Natsu allowed himself to fall asleep. Seconds later, a soft breathing was heard from the baby.
"So who's going to take Natsu while we search for how we turned him back to his normal age?" Erza asked in low tone now their baby team mate is sleeping.
"Ehh? Do we have to turn him back to normal?" Romeo complained.
Macao chuckled and patted his son's head. "Of course, as much as I like the baby Natsu, I still prefer the loud and destructible older Natsu." he said, almost everyone nodded in unison.
Romeo pouted and then he suddenly misses the older loudmouth Natsu and silently agreed to his father but then he still wouldn't say no to the baby Natsu. He's cute, playful and was easily melted the whole guild by his sheer cuteness. Romeo grinned at the thought. Even the cold and indifferent Laxus Dreyar cooed at the sight of the baby Natsu!
"I'd vote for Lucy." Gray suddenly said motioning his head to Lucy.
Lucy frowned and pouts. "Ehh? Why me?"
Gray rolled his eyes."Because you're that flame-brain's best friend." He answered with matter-of-fact tone.
"What about Lisanna?" motioning her pouting lips at the youngest Take Over Mage.
Lisanna raised her delicate eyebrows. "As much as I want to take Natsu with us, our land lady hates little kids so I can't."
"Erza?" Lucy turned her face at Erza.
The S-Class red hair Mage shook her head and hands. "Impossible. I have too much responsibility in Fairy Hills to take care of him."
"Levy?"
"I can't too. With piles of books inside my room, I don't think there's still free space for baby Natsu to sleep in."
"Can't let any other men besides Gray-sama (a certain Ice Mage sweat drop) enter Juvia's room so, she can't."
"I don't want to risk him accidentally turning into a stone, so I can't either."
Lucy sighed desperately. "How about you Gray?"
Gray, who is currently with his boxer shorts, arched an eyebrow. Lucy sighed and shook her head. "Never mind, forget that I asked." Can't let a baby stay with him even for a minute! Baby Natsu might catch his stripping habit when he grew up! Lucy mentally screamed giving a quick glance at Gray, who just discarded his t-shirt. Lucy sweat drop.
"Fine, I'll take him with me but you're coming with me Happy. Help me take care of baby Natsu for the whole night." Lucy said in defeat expression.
"Aye sir." Happy whispered not wanting to wake up baby Natsu.
I'm seriously going to regret this. Lucy mentally groaned but then she giggle at the sight of baby Natsu clinging into the almost empty bottle looking so adorable. Oh well, when he's this cute, I really can't say no.
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The next day. A tired Stellar Mage was crouching down at the wooden bar counter while a hyperactive pink haired baby was playing with the other members.
"I. COULDN'T. SLEEP. AT. ALL." Lucy muffled facing down the wooden counter while she used her arms as her pillow.
"What's wrong Lucy? You look so tired." the beautiful barmaid asked after placing a glass of cold orange juice on the counter.
Lucy rolled her face to Mira, distinct dark lines under Lucy's tired brown eyes. "Baby Natsu... played with Plue... and Happy... all night... last night... I could not... even wink my eyes... to sleep..."
Mira cast a sympathetic look at the groaning Lucy. "Why don't you go and sleep inside the infirmary room? We'll look after baby Natsu for the time being." she suggested and instantly sweat drop when Lucy briskly pushed herself from the counter and stared at Mira's as if she just granted Lucy her life-long dream.
With uncombed blond hair, dark lines under her brown eyes and trembling lower lip, Mira giggled at Lucy's unusual appearance. Usually their resident Stellar Mage will fuss around when she wasn't able to at least look herself in the mirror twice before she got out of her apartment. But now, seeing how the blonde ex-heiress did not concern herself over her appearance today only means that she's seriously dead tired after staying up whole night while taking care of the baby with endless energy.
"Mira-san..." Lucy said, looking like she was about to cry.
"Go before he sees you. Baby Natsu is particularly attached to you and would cry whenever you're not around. Take the chance while I distract him." the barmaid said.
Baby Natsu was toddling towards the blonde Stellar after playing with Max and Nab. Mira carried Natsu inside her arms and distract the baby by changing her appearance in different kind of funny faces. Lucy smiled at the laughing baby Natsu and quickly escaped to the infirmary room.
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Baby Natsu was clapping her hands in joy while watching Mira's transformation. He glanced at Gray and stretched out his tiny hands at the brunette Mage asking to be carried by him, Gray did not fail the baby and was quick (but also careful) to grab the baby.
"Natsu wants up!" baby Natsu said in between his tiny giggles.
Gray chuckled and nodded before carefully throwing the baby in the air and caught baby Natsu as he comes down.
"Natsu wants more up!"
Gray smiled. "Here we go. Higher!" Gray threw the baby making the endless ball of energy to scream in delight.
Juvia watched Gray played with baby Natsu in awe, eyes shimmering adoringly at the duo that was once known as rivals before the Fire Dragon Slayer turned into toddler. Gray-sama looks like a father playing with his son. Juvia thought dreamily. And then she envisioned herself looking at an older Gray clad with a mustache, while playing with a little boy with brunette spiky hair.
"Higher, papa, higher!" the little boy screamed. Older Gray chuckled. "Hold on. Here we go!" he said as he threw the boy once more in the air after that the child was chuckling while nuzzling his petite face on the crook of the older Gray's neck and glanced at Juvia, who was silently watching the two. The boy smiled and waved at her. "Mama, come and played with us!" the boy called out motioning his tiny hands towards them. The older Gray smiled lovingly at her.
Back in reality, a pink smoke coming from Juvia's reddened ears leaked out while the Water Mage muffled series of squeal. Mama? Juvia is... Gray-sama's... Kyaa~~ and then Juvia fainted dropping herself on the wooden floor, lost in her dream land, startling the rest of the guild members.
"Oy, oy." Charle said half annoyed half amused at the unconscious Juvia.
"Let's leave her alone. She will not be okay for couple of hours anyways." Erza said and everyone nodded in unison.
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"No means no." The Iron Dragon Slayer grunted and 'hmped' before averting his ebony eyes from the teary-eyed baby Natsu who was sitting on the wooden table facing Gajeel.
Gajeel Redfox's Exceed cat that goes by the named Panther Lily was locked inside the protective arms of his Dragon Slayer partner. Baby Natsu whined, staring adoringly at Lily and then he pleadingly look at Gajeel. Trying to look unaffected, Gajeel ignored the sounds of sniffing and staring from baby Natsu.
Levy who was sitting next to Gajeel and Lily, in front of her were piles of Ancient Rune books and the piece of paper that cause of their Fire Dragon Slayer's changed of age, Happy gave to her awhile ago, she was studying the ancient words written on the paper when she was distracted by Gajeel and baby Natsu's erhm... conversation?
Apparently, when baby Natsu saw Lily he immediately toddled towards the brunette Exceed cat when Gajeel snatched the said cat away from baby Natsu's sight. Gajeel's pretty sensitive and overly (ehem exaggeratedly ehem) protective towards his Exceed Partner. He doesn't want anyone getting touchy-feely with his cat.
"Natsu wants Lily." baby Natsu cried with quivering lips, pointing a finger at Lily.
Levy fondly ruffled baby Natsu's pink hair before glaring at Gajeel. "He just wanted to play with Lily, Gajeel, don't be so mean to baby Natsu." she reprimanded the brunette Dragon Slayer.
"Psh! I told you no means no." Gajeel said stubbornly.
Levy rolled her eyes and continued to argue with Gajeel. Accidentally locking his eyes with baby Natsu's Gajeel suddenly froze. With pleading round eyes matched with pouting lower lip, Gajeel thought baby Natsu's darn cute. He tried his best not to be lured by baby Natsu's cuteness, he seriously tried, but in the end he gave up.
"Fine!" Gajeel groaned, releasing Lily on the wooden table. "You can play with him, but only for awhile, understand Salamander?" Gajeel said but he was being ignored by baby Natsu, the toddler was affectionately hugging the brunette cat.
"Lily play with Natsu!" baby Natsu cried in delight. Levy smiled and glanced at Gajeel, she was surprised to see a small smile playing on the Iron Dragon Slayer's lips. The resident book worm (beside Lucy) smiled knowing that even the cold hearted Gajeel surrendered at baby Natsu adoring face.
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"Baby Natsu~~" Cana called out pretending to look around the guild but she was fully aware from the sounds of giggle of baby Natsu under the table near her.
She was playing hide and seek with the toddler because Mira was busy attending the customers at the bar, Lisanna was helping her older sister, Elfman was busy glaring at any men trying to make a move on either of his beloved sisters, Levy was occupied with solving on how getting baby Natsu back on his real age, Lucy was nowhere to be seen since morning, Erza was off for her once-a-month maintenance of her armors, Gray was with Juvia in a one day mission so Cana was assigned to look after the cute toddler.
Natsu muffled a snicker behind his small hands. He was currently hiding under the table. "Hmm~~ baby Natsu is good at hide and seek, Cana-nee is in trouble."
Cana carefully crouched down from the other side of the table. "Boo!" baby Natsu leap in surprised but then he immediately crawled from under the table giggling.
"Cana-nee wins the game." Cana said after catching baby Natsu. "So what is Cana-nee's award?"
Baby Natsu tilted his tiny head to his side, in thoughts; he suddenly wrapped his tiny arms around Cana's neck. "Natsu, lab, lab." he said.
Cana chuckled and affectionately hugged the toddler. "Cana-nee loves baby Natsu as well." she said rocking the baby gently.
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Afternoon, baby Natsu was on the table. Lisanna, Erza, Mira and Cana encircling around the toddler while he was patting Happy's head. Then baby Natsu glanced at the newly arrived Juvia with Gray following her behind. The Ice Mage was currently and unconsciously stripping off his t-shirt. Baby Natsu stared at Gray and then his tiny hands grab the edge of his clothes pulling his baby clothes up, revealing his tummy to the girls.
The female Mages surrounding the baby blinked in confusion, all of them sweat drop and then Lisanna gently pulled the shirt down. "What are you doing baby Natsu?" she asked.
Baby Natsu pulled his shirt up again only to be pulled down by Levy. "Don't pull your shirt up, baby Natsu."
Baby Natsu insisted of pulling his shirt up instead. "Why are you doing that, Natsu? Does your tummy hurt or something?" Erza worriedly asked she was also the one who pulled the shirt down.
The toddler did not answer but instead he glanced at where Gray was (currently in the middle of brawl with Elfman and Gajeel) the girls followed baby Natsu's eyes, the Ice Maker Mage was not wearing his t-shirt again and was currently taking off his pants. They all turned their eyes back to baby Natsu, like before he pulled his shirt up and cooed an 'Aye, sir!' before giggling.
Erza's eyebrow twitched suddenly understanding baby Natsu wanted to do. She stormed away the toddler and the girls and went towards Gray.
"Gray!" Erza growled making the said brunette Mage stop dead on his track. Gray's magic seal disappeared and watched Erza walking towards him in horror. The red hair was obviously pissed at him for some reason he was not aware of. He readied himself when Erza comically threw her fist on his face.
"What did I do?" Gray cupped his reddened cheek.
"You and your stripping habits! Baby Natsu is now imitating your exhibitionist tendency!" the Ex-quip Mage yelled. Gray, horrified, glance at baby Natsu, the toddler pulled his shirt up and giggled.
"Aye!" baby Natsu cooed earning a sweat drop from the guild members.
Erza's patience snapped, releasing her Magic Seal suddenly. "Kansō! Tenrin no Yoroi!" she chanted, her usual Heart Kreuz Armor changed into an armor composed of feather-like plates pointing upwards. Two swords also appeared on Erza's grip. The red haired Mage humorously attacked Gray while the latter was trying his best to dodge Erza's swords. Cheers coming from the guild members were heard afterwards. Cana opened his betting corner. Master Makarov exasperated sigh.
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Baby Natsu giggled and clapped his tiny hands together at the sound of cheering from the guild members but then he roamed his eyes and when his eyes did not caught a familiar blonde girl, the toddlers suddenly feel sad. He pouted and turned his eyes around and failed to see the blonde Stellar Mage.
"Luce... Luce..." baby Natsu muttered while scanning the chaotic guild.
"What's wrong baby Natsu?" Mira asked hearing the soft sniff from the baby.
"Luce..." he answered.
"Luce?" Lisanna repeated in confusion but Mira knowingly smiled.
"You misses Lucy now?" the oldest Take Over Mage asked. Baby Natsu nodded. "Let's go and wake her up, shall we?"
"Aye!" baby Natsu answered again and stretched her arms at Mira, the latter giggled and scooped the toddler and walked towards the infirmary room.
Inside, Lucy stirred in her sleep disturbed by the chaos outside the room. She rubbed the sleep off her eyes and pushed her back from the pillow to sit-up on the single bed. Satisfied with her long sleep, Lucy stretched her arms upward and yawn widely when Mira with baby Natsu inside her arms opened the door.
"Luce!" baby Natsu happily said and seeing the blonde Mage on the bed.
"I think he misses you." Mira said with subtle teasing remark that did not go passed unnoticed by the blonde ex-heiress. Lucy just shrug Mira's playful smile and took the baby from her. Mira quietly left the room.
Baby Natsu eagerly hug the Stellar Mage muttering Lucy's new (besides from Luigi) nickname bestowed by her Dragon Slayer best friend.
"Natsu lab, lab..." baby Natsu said nuzzling his face on Lucy's shoulder. The Stellar Mage giggled and kissed baby Natsu on his temple.
"Are you feeling hungry now?" Lucy asked and as if a cue baby Natsu's stomach growled. Both baby and blonde Mage giggled. "I'll take that sound as a 'yes'." Lucy said fondly rubbing her nose against baby Natsu's nose.
"Is the milk good enough, baby Natsu?" Lucy asked as she watched the baby drink the milk she had prepared for the baby. Baby Natsu nodded whilst on the bed drinking the bottle of milk.
Lucy smiled and took the baby from the bed into her arms. Baby Natsu rested his head on Lucy's shoulder while sipping the milk; the Stellar Mage was humming a soft tune while rocking the baby. Slowly the baby was lured into a peaceful slumber. Lucy gently placed the baby on the bed, secured with two pillows on each side of the baby and wrapped with comforter, Lucy planted a soft kiss on baby Natsu's forehead before quietly walking towards the door.
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Everyone was in silent.
"So we have to wait for one month for the cursed to be lifted off from Natsu?" Lucy repeated.
Levy nodded. "Yep, well that's according to what I've research."
They all cast their eyes at baby Natsu who was busy tackling Lily and Happy into a hug. Erza and Lucy exchanged a worried look.
"On the bright side, the cursed was not permanent, ne?" Gray said trying to be optimistic. Some of the members nodded.
Lucy sighed and crouched down in front of baby Natsu. "You'll have to be a baby for one whole month, Natsu." she said while the toddler tilted his head cutely on her. She giggled and ruffled baby Natsu's hair and then a mischievous grin appeared on Lucy's pink lips. "Ne, baby Natsu, who do want to spend a night with?"
Everyone gaped at Lucy and the baby. Baby Natsu tilted his head again to his side and lifted his eyes; looking one by one at each member. The toddler's eyes stopped at the Ice Make Mage.
Gray twitched when baby Natsu stared at him and he shivered when Lucy mischievously grin at him.
"It's decided!" Lucy exclaim. "Baby Natsu has to spend with Gray tonight!"
"Ehh?"
Everyone blinked. "Agreed!" They cried out in unison.
"Ehh!"
THE END
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Sabrina-chan's Musing Corner: Sab tried to make Natsu cute and turns out a little OOC T_T epic fail! Lab-lab means love-love in childish way. Anyways read and review ne (but no flare or was it flames? Hahaha tanga much?)
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Japanese Translation: Kansō! Tenrin no Yoroi – Requip! Heaven's Wheel Armor
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