Play Mate

Chapter One: Tea Party

It was a clear sunny day in Magnolia. The clouds floating up high in the air were fluffy like cotton candy and the sky was a beautiful shade of the ocean. The sun's rays were comfortably warm and there was a nice cool breeze blowing so gently. The grass was in a bright color of green, and flowers were blossoming everywhere which presents the season of spring. Today's weather was a great opportunity for the little kids to come out and play.

Lucy was preparing a mini plastic table and seats that came in the same size under the shades of a tall oak tree. She set up a polka dot cover on top of the pink table and place her toy tea sets. The little blonde was pretending to have a tea party with a group of her friends today.

"I brought a basket full of snacks." said Levy. She was walking towards the miniature get up that Lucy was arranging. In her hands she was holding one of the handles of the big basket as Cana was giving her a hand holding the other side. "This is pretty heavy, what did you put in here?" the young brunette wondered.

"Fruits! Cherries, Strawberries, Watermelon, Grapes… Um, Sandwich, Peanut butter with Jelly..." Levy tried to remember the list of stuff she put inside the brown basket while she was counting with her other open fingers.

"That's a lot…" Cana sheepishly chuckled.

Yukino then made her appearance with Juvia as they both apologize for coming a few minutes late. "I am sorry! I got here as fast as I could!" Yukino bowed down to them. "Sorry, I forgotten about the time." Whimpered Juvia.

Lucy and the girls looked at the both of them and smiled. "You just came in time Yukino and Juvia! Come join us!" Lucy beckoned them to sit on the remaining empty sits right in front of her.

After a moment past, the five girls were having a splendid time, even though the tea was actually juice that Levy brought, they all pretend it was their favorite brand of tea. Going on with the flow for their small tea party together.

"Would you like some more tea?" Lucy asked the girls with a well-mannered attitude. "Yes please!" they all responded trying to sound like an elegant and a proper young lady. They all end up giggling time to time when they found the situation to be hilarious. They were young girls at the age of seven. They didn't think that anything would ruin their golden moment that they're spending together.

Near where the little girls were was a row of low shrubs. The leaves were rustling then came out several young boys' poking their heads out, spying on them. "What are they doing?" Gray whispered, watching the girls laugh and smile.

"I don't know but I see food!" Natsu said in a low exciting voice. Just the sight of the food that the girls had on the table made him drool. "I see it too!" Sting said.

"Everywhere we go, it's always the food that catches the attention of both of you!" Gajeel rolled his eyes. "I agree with Gajeel." Rogue nodded. The three boys glanced over at the blonde and the pink haired dragon slayers with an annoyed grimace look. Their mouth had saliva coming out on the corner of their mouth and their eyes were sparkling.

Gray sighed, ignoring the two numbskulls, he pulled back and sat next to the bushes, "So what're we going to do?" he asked them folding his arms on front of his chest. He watched as Rogue and Gajeel pulled out from the leaves. "I guess we could just go bother them later." Gajeel suggested.

"I am not really in the mood to interrupt their tea party." Rogue frowned. "I guess we should come back later."

Gray nodded his head with an agreement, going according to Gajeel's idea. He flicked his eyeballs at the spot where Natsu and Sting where at, "What about you—" Gray jumped in surprise to see the two friends disappear. The air was just now out-lining their figures. "Where the heck did they go?!" the ice mage spun his head in each direction.

"They were just here a minute ago." Gajeel said in his raspy voice. "How did they just vanish into thin air like that?!"

"You think they-?" Rogue looked at them with a puzzled face. In return Gray had a shock expression as Gajeel gawked. The three dark haired boys looked over from the shrubs. They saw the girls still having a fantastic time, giggling and having a conversation with one another. But there was no sign of their two dragon-slayer friends.

"Where the heck are they?!" Gajeel shouted—whispered. Gray shrugged, "Those idiots. What are they, ninjas?!" The two of them flicked their eyes all over the place just to find the two. They look at their left and then to their right. But they still couldn't find a particular pink or blonde boy together.

"I found them." Rogue whispered. "Where?!" Gray and Gajeel said in unison. Rogue lifted his arms and pointed. Their eyes followed to where his index finger was pointing at, they slowly gazed up at the tree onto one of the branches. Natsu and Sting where both standing next to each other on the same branch, looking below them. Their eyes were eyeing the basket filled with delicious fruit stored inside it and other food. The two dragon-slayers snickered evilly. "Heehee."

"What the heck are they doing up there?!" Gajeel's jaw drop with his eyebrows narrowing. "First of all, how the heck did they get up there?!" Gray grinded his teeth, feeling slightly annoyed. "Actually, I saw them crawling out when you and Gajeel were talking." Rogue said plainly.

Both Gray and Gajeel snap their heads at Rogue, "Are you freaking serious?!" they simultaneously said. They then turned their heads back towards the girls and their friends still standing on top of the tree.

Sting placed his palms on the oak tree in order for him to keep his balance. He watched as Natsu squatted right next to him, "Okay here is the plan," Natsu begun to say, "We snatch the basket away from them and make sure we run away, sound good?" he looked up at Sting.

"Sounds great to me!" Sting grinned, giving him a thumbs up. "So how actually are we going to snatch it?" he frowned. Natsu blinked, realizing there was nothing that he could use to easily grab it from the table. His mouth formed into a 'o' once it hit him. The other friends from the ground heard what they said except for Gray. Thanks to their good hearing ability. Gajeel facepalmed whilst Rogue sweat-drop. "What happened?" Gray said in confuse. "That idiot just came up with a brilliant plan but he just realize he didn't have something to snag the basket from the girls." Gajeel responded.

"Wow, what a moron." Gray sheepishly let out a small laugh, with his eyes twitching a bit. "They always act without thinking." Rogue shook his head in disappointment.

The wind was now blowing a bit hard out of nowhere. But it wasn't strong enough to send the table flipping, so it wasn't a big problem to the girls. They were still enjoying their girlish moment on their miniature tea party. But, it was a big deal for Natsu, since he wasn't holding or relying on something so he wouldn't lose his balance, he had now then slip off from the branch and fell from above the girls. The boys eyes widened in shock.

"This is really fun." Yukino smiled. "I am actually having a good time." Juvia shy admitted.

"We should do this again." Cana grinned. "I agree that we should!" Levy nodded. Before Lucy could say anything Natsu came crashing down on top of the table surprising the girls entirely since they didn't expect that to happen out of the blue. The cups flew in different directions, making the liquid of the juice spilling everywhere which now stained the girls' clothing. The only thing that was saved was the food inside the basket since it was sealed completely.

The girls looked at Natsu in shock. "Oww…" he mumbled. The young boy slowly sat up from the broken table he split in half from his fall. His hair was drenched wet and sticky from the juice that spilled on him. He licked his mouth tasting the flavor, "Hm~ Apple juice." He beamed.

"Natsu!" Lucy screamed his name loudly. She stood from her chair and was glaring at the boy with an angry expression with her eyes slowly becoming watery. "Hi yah Lucy!" he grinned, lifting his hands up like nothing happened.

"Look at what you did!" she growled. Natsu looked at his surroundings. The other girls had a stunned expression shown upon their face. The young dragon-slayer saw the basket that he was aiming for and he opened it, ignoring the fact that he just fell down on top of the tree, ruined the girls' tea party and got a few bruise from landing on top of the table.

"Food!" his eyes sparkled when he saw the delicious looking fruits inside the basket.

"That's not for you!" Lucy snatched it away and glared at him.

"B-b-but Lucy! Come on!" he complained, pleading for at least one.

While Lucy was scolding Natsu, Sting also fell down from above and landed on top of Natsu. "AHHH!" Sting shouted out.

The boys behind the scrub were witnessing every scene. "It's raining men." Rogue said. "You mean boys." Gray corrected him. They watched Sting and Natsu make such a commotion.

"That hurt Sting!" he sprung up once Sting gotten off him. "I didn't do it on purpose Natsu!" Sting apologize.

"We failed with our plan." Natsu pouted. "Now we wouldn't be able to get some food." He pat his stomach when he heard the growling sound coming from his gut. Sting's stomach was also doing the same. They both let a sigh escape from their lips.

"Lucy's being stingy. She wouldn't want to share." Natsu whined.

"This is for us girls! Boys' aren't even allowed to attend our party!" Lucy shouted at the two dragon slayers as the other girls stood behind her. "We were having a splendid time until you party poopers destroyed the moment!"

Back to the boys' hiding behind the bushes, Gajeel snorted "See. I knew we should have bothered them another time." Gray and Rogue just nodded their head, agreeing to it.

"What are you doing here, Sting?" Yukino asked the blonde boy. He looked over at the silver hair youngster and smiled, "The same thing Natsu is after!" he bluntly confessed.

The girls' sweat-drop they weren't sure if he was another clueless fool or he was taking after Natsu. Lucy was really aggravated that her hard-work to maintain her tea party end up turning to a disaster! She couldn't forgive Natsu for appearing like that out of nowhere. Then Sting tagging along following the same target as him. Cana, Levy, Juvia and Yukino knew that Lucy was looking forward to this opportunity to begin with. Until they all circled up behind Lucy and whispered something to each other.

"Hey Lucy," Levy walked up to her. The blonde wipe the single tear that was almost rolling down her cheeks, she flicked her eyes over at the short bluenette. "Lucy it's okay. We could share the food with them, besides there's a lot left for all of us." She smiled.

"All of us?" Lucy quoted. Natsu and Sting's frowns slowly turned upside down.

"Yeah. Natsu and Sting aren't the only ones here." Cana pointed over at the direction where the other boys' were hiding. They begin to duck and hide behind the shrub. But it was already too late for them. "We got caught!" Gajeel whispered in a panicking voice. "How did they notice us?" Gray had a contorted smile on his face. "I think we were too careless…" Rogue said, scratching the back of his head.

Juvia and Yukino walked over to the shrubs and looked over, "Gray-sama." Juvia blushed. "How long do you plan to hide?" her cheeks were dusted in pink as she ask Gray about his intentions to keep himself hidden.

"Rogue, you too. What're you doing?" Yukino frowned, raising an eyebrow.

"You should come out too Gajeel!" Levy called out.

"Huh, how did you know where they were?" Natsu and Sting both said. As they stood up from the grass.

"It wasn't that hard to notice." Cana grinned.

The boys' and girls' started to gather around in a circle. Lucy was still holding onto the basket in her hands. Natsu and Sting where both looking at it as the others were both eyeing one another.

"So, why don't they join our tea party?" Levy brought up. The boys' and Lucy's eyes widened "WHAT?!" they all said altogether.

"That isn't too bad!" Yukino nodded. "We should!"

"I don't have a problem with it." Cana sided with them. "I don't either." Juvia fidget with the thought of Gray joining.

"What do you mean!? This is supposed to be for us girls' only!" Lucy pouted. She was ignoring the fact that Natsu and Sting were both cheering and celebrating from behind her. They couldn't stop saying that they were finally going to get some food.

"Oh come on Lucy, it'll be fun!" Levy winked. "In order for them to eat, they have to pretend to be girls!" she whispered her perfect plan to her. Lucy's jaws open in surprise, she notice that Cana got the idea but Juvia and Yukino not so much.

"Just think of it as a revenge." Cana whispered on Lucy's ears then winked.

"We are getting food!" Natsu and Sting sang. The other boys were just watching the happy couple wrapping their arms together and jumping in circles. Lucy took a while to consider about the thought until she finally made up her mind. "Alright! Listen up" Lucy said out-loud. The boys' focus their attention towards her. "If you want to join, you have to pretend to be a girl. Since this is after all supposed to be only girls!"

WHAAAT?! They shouted loudly together. The boys had a grimace expression. They didn't like the idea to it at all. They wanted to eat the food, but the thought of pretending to be a girl just for the heck of eating something irritated them. They look at one another feeling slightly uncomfortable about the situation. Whether or not they should go with it or not. The girls' had a smirk on their face and it was bothering them as well. They knew this was their way of revenge. The boys' couldn't stop glaring at Natsu and Sting for the faults that they did. They were also having a hard time, debating with themselves. Until they finally gave in. Hoping that the word of this wouldn't spread around with Erza, Mira and the others.

"Will you like some tea?" Lucy held the tea pot from the handle and was supporting the bottom base with her other hands. She was sitting on the grass with the others who were circling around her.

"Yea." The boys' said plainly. The girls glared at them. They jolt back and made a feminine voice, trying their best to sound like a proper person who is elegant with full of grace. "Yes, please." They all said in a high-pitch voice.

"Now that's better." Lucy giggled, pouring juice on each of the boys' cups. They were all groaning in the inside, regretting that they ever agreed to this torture.