Author's Note: Oh dear lord, has it really been three years? My Lord, time flies...
HELLO! My name is HappyTheCamper, and I am back from the dead to revive this series! My one-hit wonder story is now getting a sequel, and this here is the first official chapter!
First as a reminder, this is an athletic/romantic AU for Fairy Tail. Again, this is going to center around the sport of Basketball. Also, and this is very important...
***THIS STORY IS A SEQUEL! DO NOT READ WITHOUT READING HARDWOOD HEROES 1!***
Anyway, I hope you enjoy!
Also, I do not own Fairy Tail.
Chapter One - Back at It Again
"And we'll go to commercial break for the end of the first half where the score between the Fairies and the Tigers is all too close to call! 48-46 Magnolia when we return!"
Chapati Lola always had to try extra hard to make his television broadcasts lasting for the championship FBA game. He certainly had to pick up the extra effort to talk over the roaring crowds of the Domus Flou year after year.
Yajima, the celebrity chef sensation, and part-time announcer for FBA basketball games sat idly by as he grinned between the break. "Hehe, those boys from Magnolia are really bringing the heat tonight! I'm just glad Dragneel showed up in time for the tip off. He's been playing really well this playoff run!"
"Right you are, Yajima! apparently, if the Fairies go on to win tonight, Natsu Dragneel is going to receive his league MVP trophy too." Chapati agreed as he adjusted his tie while the cameras were switched off. "It'll be exciting to see whether or not Sting Eucliffe can keep the Tigers involved for the second half."
"Ya know?" Yajima started scratching his wrinkled chin. "Even when the cameras are off…we still talk like TV announcers." He then looked around at the club level seating.
"I hope ol' Maki is enjoying the game as much since he's retired."
~Checking in to the Domus Flou Presidential Box Seats
"So, then he drank the whole thing, and stayed locked in his hotel bathroom all the next day! Oh man we got him good that night! He had no idea!"
Makarov Dreyar was happily sitting in the President's suite club booth during the half time of his former team's championship game. Sure, he was freshly retired, but the lively grandpa always knew how to keep his spirits high while the spirits in his cups were even higher.
"Ahhh, that's too funny, Dreyar!" Said the equally short, President Toma E. Fiore. He was sporting a similar chuckling face to Makarov's. "It's no wonder why you and Coach Jose don't get along! I can't believe he lets you all bully him around like that!"
Makarov was on one of his drinks, but he had forgotten his count once the game got closer in points. President Toma was drinking far less than his retired counterpart but was trying to enjoy himself nonetheless. "You really let these sorts of things happen at your league conferences, Arcadios?"
"Urgh, sir I can't say I ever condone what our head coaches do in their free time." FBA Commissioner Arcadios tried to cover up the odd tale about Makarov and Jose, especially since it came from the coach that gave him the most stress in the past. He was happy for Makarov's success, but was thankful the eccentric Fairy coach was out of the league once and for all.
"Oh my, that does sound like quite the event." Hisui, the President's daughter covered her smiling face as she soaked in her father's lively company. "So, are you enjoying your year of retirement, Coach Dreyar?"
"Ahhh..." Makarov started slurring his speech. "That's Former Coach ta you, missy…yes, I can say it's been a weight off my chest not having to deal with that team of clods…and their owner, hehe…"
Sitting crossed-legged on the other side of Makarov was the no-so-pleased Jude Heartfilia checking his busy phone. He was the CEO of Heartfilia Airways, and FBA tycoon owner of the Magnolia Fairies. He was easily Fiore's number one businessman and the wealthiest man in the country after experiencing a huge market gain in his industry, and recent success from his turn-around FBA franchise.
Needless to say, he was pleased with Makarov's retirement too. "The Magnolia Fairies were happy to have an athlete and coach such as Makarov Dreyar in our organization. He certainly left great shoes to fill."
"True." Levy McGarden, the Fairies' General Manager, replied. "But his new successor is really doing a great job! She may become the first female head coach to win an FBA title! Not to mention the youngest!"
"I suppose it is true that Mavis Vermillion was never a coach in the FBA." Hisui gave Levy a supportive nod, but turned her attention back to Jude as the entire group rose to their feet for refreshments in the suit cabin. "And how is Lucy? I hear she's having quite the successful first year of college as an interning journalist?"
"Eh? It's not as successful as I'd like it to be."
Everyone in the group, and the rest of the chamber all turned to find Lucy Heartfilia emerge from the main floor with sweat on her brow and a broken camera around her neck. "As you probably saw…Natsu had to come crashing into my camera stand on courtside when he lost the ball."
"Lu!" Levy wrapped her arms around Lucy with a great big hug, but made room between her and her friend for the shattered camera piece. "I'm so sorry about your camera! I take it you're on-break for halftime?"
"Eh, more like the rest of the game." She took the camera off and threw it away. Jude provided his first smile of the night as he quietly laughed at his daughter's plight, and raised an arm to gather her for a hug. She accepted, and then gave the President and his daughter a handshake.
Toma accepted, but Hisui mimicked Levy and gave Lucy a much friendlier gesture than she expected. "One bad night shouldn't hurt your career that bad! I'm sure you'll have more opportunities."
"Yes!" Toma replied. "I may be on the lookout for a Presidential photographer this summer. I could use a friendly face around the Mercurius taking pictures of the family."
"Friendly face?" Makarov wobbled over and nudged Jude in the side while holding a fresh new drink. "She's got more than a friendly face, if ya know what I mean..."
Jude bit his tongue in anger, but it turned out that he was not the only one to hear that utterly rude remark.
"Oh, young Dreyar! I suppose your good father would be disappointed to hear you speaking like that if he were alive!"
Makarov straightened up as his senior, and former FBA legend Warrod Sequen stepped up to pat him on the head. "Or maybe I'm just joking! I'm sure Yuri would say something equally as silly!"
"True, but I don't believe silly is the right word to describe the Dreyars. More like immature."
The entire group grew quiet as a fresh voice took the air and joined Warrod for the opportunity to tease the retired Makarov. If Makarov showed restraint after the interjection by Warrod, then this man made him feel twice as uncomfortable the moment he stepped into the conversation.
Lucy stepped back, now realizing that all this commotion was about her, until her father turned to face her. "Lucy, I should probably introduce you to Mr. Sequen's guest. This is his former teammate and friend, Precht Gaebolg."
The sinister figure of Precht towered over the young Heartfilia with unintentional intimidation. He had a large wizard's beard hanging from his chin with a rather ornate cane, almost like a staff. His outfit was an odd styled robe from overseas, complete with a matching pair of dark pants. However, the most distinct thing about him had to be the black eye patch stationed over his right eye. Lucy felt a chill take her shoulders as even his smile failed to smooth things over.
Makarov regrew his spine. "Eh, don't let the old coot scare you, Lucy. He'd probably keel over if he made one false step."
"Sharp-tonged as ever, Boy." Precht still grinned. "It's a surprise it took you as long as it did to win Magnolia a championship."
"Better coach than you ever were…" Makarov waddled over to Lucy and loudly whispered in her ear. "They used ta call him 'Coach Hades.'"
"They still do." Hades proudly proclaimed. "Or are you forgetting this year's competition in the games?"
"What's he talking about?" Lucy leaned over to Levy, the only person in the group that truly made her feel comfortable.
Levy nodded. "Mr. Gaebolg coached the Fairies before Makarov, and he used to play for Magnolia when they were first founded. Now he coaches the Fiore National Team."
Precht took over. "I came to this year's finals to scout out the best talent for the Olympic Games this summer. I'll be needing a fresh roster since most of my older players are out of the league by now."
"The Olympics?" Lucy gasped. "In ERA? That'd be amazing if Natsu could play overseas!"
"It would." Precht made no effort to agree with her. "But who is to say that boy is even good enough to make it in the international circuit."
"He certainly is talented." Jude nodded as his aid, Virgo, gave him a new drink, but suddenly turned to his daughter. "Which suddenly reminds me. Lucy, Natsu's bro…"
"HA!" Makarov interjected. "You'll HAVE to take the whole Fairy roster to keep up with the boys in Alvarez! The players you saw in the first half are the best Fiore can offer!"
"Are they?" Precht turned as the two champion teams took the court again for a second round of play. "The point guard is hot headed, the power forward leads the league in injury fouls, your shooting guard is weak in the knees, your center still has a damaged left arm, and if I'm not mistaken that small forward of yours isn't even a citizen of..."
"Ah..." Makarov brashly waved a hand as he made sure President Toma was turned the other way. "I'm not sure what that's all about. I'm almost sure we got rid of that player last year…"
"What in the hell are they all yapping about?!" Lucy loudly whispered to Levy, and seemed to forget her father's earlier concern.
Levy led them to open seats as they turned for the action. "It doesn't matter, the game is about to start up again!"
~Down on the court
"Alright boys. You're leading the game, but only by 2. We need to keep our defense high, but watch the fouls this quarter so we don't ruin our run in the 4th."
Head Coach Erza Scarlet was eager to display her coaching prowess the moment she earned her new title last season. She had taken the Magnolia Fairies through a pleasant regular season, tying the Eastern Conference with Oaktown, and has managed to win all her playoff games by ten points or more. Her team of all stars were shooting lights out, which meant it was all up to their usually sturdy defense to end the championship game for them and send them into the offseason.
"Yea yea..." Natsu had an obnoxious grin on his face as he wafted his hand back at his head coach. "We had this game in the bag from the first second, Erza. Just keep shooting like maniacs and cram it down their throat!"
"Moron." Gray followed Natsu onto the court as he scoffed at his teammate's dimwitted remark. "We're only winning by 2, so we need to keep our focus on offense and defense."
"No kidding." Gajeel hated talking to Gray and Nastu, but any chance he had to rub it into Dragneel's face gave his mood a good uplifting. "Your second half shooting speaks for itself, Salamander. It's like you forget we're playing a game until it's time to hit a buzzer beater or something."
"Shut your mouth, Gajeel!" Natsu stopped walking forward, and slammed his face into Gajeel's. "You lead the league in most chairs thrown towards the fans this year, so I don't wanna hear your attitude coming my way!"
"Hey! It was only two times this year, and that loud-mouthed mom was asking for it!" Gajeel forgot the cameras were coming back on, and went to rear back his right fist before Laxus stepped between his two subordinates.
"Both of you need to shut the hell up right now, and play the damn game. I'm not losing the lead to Saber City in the second half just because you three want to start your little tea party early tonight."
"Whatever." Natsu threw his hands in the air, and went for the far key. "I'm just passing to Jellal all night. That way I know the score will go up."
"I'm not too interested in running the score up, Natsu." Jellal calmly said as he followed his teammates off the bench. "I'll do what I can to secure a lead, but I'm through with rubbing it in opponents' faces."
"You will if I tell you to." Erza had her arms crossed, and a set of red fireballs took her eyes as she grinned maniacally while Saber City came back to their bench. Like Magnolia, Saber City's Coach Giemma Orlando waved goodbye to the league on year ago, which left the seat open to his more than competent daughter, and hated rival of Erza, Minerva.
"Yikes!" Natsu shrieked as he looked at his head coach from the end of the court. "She's doing that creepy thing with her eyes again!"
"No kidding..." Gray said with his hand rubbing the back of his head. "I'm glad you settled your beef with Sting last season, otherwise we'd have two crazy feuds to deal with on this team."
"GRAY, MY DARLING! I'LL GLADLY FIGHT BOTH OF THEM FOR YOU! IF YOU ASK IT OF ME!"
"Gshhhhh..." Gray was taking the ball from the ref just as the loud, shrieking voice of his girlfriend took the lower ring of the stadium by surprise. "How the hell did she even hear our conversation, anyway?"
Back at the lower level of the stadium, Juvia was sitting next to several friends as her loving boyfriend took the ball from the referee and began the second half. "Oh, look at that determined expression! He's going to earn twenty for his beloved Juvia yet again!"
"Is he?" Wendy Dragneel, Natsu's younger sister, sat beside her eccentric friend with her head twisted sideways. "He kind of looks like he has to throw up, if you ask me..."
"I think you're right." Wendy's close friend, Romeo Conbolt laughed awkwardly as he watched the game with the others from the lower bowl. "He better make it through the rest of the game. I want this to come down to the wire!"
"I do too!" Wendy delightfully cheered with him. "Sorry again that I turned down those passes Lucy gave me. She said the President of Fiore would be in the booth, and that kind of intimidated me a little."
"Nah, it's cool." Romeo smiled for her. "I think these are better seats for watching the game anyway. All they do in those fancy booths is talk I bet."
"Yes...talk." Juvia kept a narrow vision on the presidential suite from her lower level seating. "I hope that girl Lucy and the GM aren't whispering anything too suggestive to the owner. If they steal Gray's playing time in favor of Natsu or Gajeel I'll..."
"Um, the owner is Lucy's dad, remember? And he's Levy's boss too." Wendy grabbed Juvia by the hand, and tugged at her to join them back down below. "Just watch the game and enjoy, Juvia!"
"Oh, well yes, I suppose you're right." Juvia fell for Wendy's distraction and let the excitement of the second half take her away.
It was good timing too. Gray was taking the ball down court after a rare pass from Natsu, and just as the approaching Rogue from Saber City stepped in to swipe the ball, he brought it behind his back, and shifted his run to go the other way.
"Agh!" Rogue acted very disgusted with himself after Gray swept by him. "His ball handling has improved too much since last season!"
"No kidding!" Sting was polite with the Fairies, but ready to show them a good game. "Which is why we have to put a little more effort into this game!" Sting led Gray in one direction with his front foot, then shuffled back to swipe the ball from his hands right on the three-point line. He passed the ball quickly to Rufus Lore, who took several steps toward the other three-point arc to put up a jumper.
"Two points!" Yelled Mest, the primary referee. "You jumped the line on your way down."
"Man!" Sting yelled out with slight frustration. "What's with the short shots tonight, Rufus?"
"My mistake, Sting." Rufus did not appear to be too upset with his shot. "I've been practicing on the Olympic regulation lines at my home court in my free time. If my memory serves me well, that line is several inches inward."
"Yea, well worry about that stuff after the season, man!" Sting gave him a light-hearted chuckle, but was still mad that they only made two. Natsu took the ball down the court from there, and easily dazzled his way around the bothered Sting Eucliffe as he flashed his next pass on to Jellal.
"And the Meteor Man Jellal makes a threeee!" Chapati Lola yelled into his mic as the crowd went wild. "Fairies take a three-point lead with 10 remaining in the third."
"Heehee!" Natsu back-pedaled back down the other way as he high-fived Jellal. "Glad the league voted to keep the twelve-minute quarters! We can really rack up the points here!"
"I suppose you're right." Jellal was trying to have fun for Natsu. "I wouldn't mind it if I had a few more field goals before the end of the game."
"A few more?" Natsu was taken back. "Dude, what's up with you tonight? You're usually super cool with scoring any baskets!"
"Sorry, sorry..." Jellal turned the other way, and kept a small glance fixated on Coach Scarlet. "My mind is elsewhere at the moment..."
Natsu shrieked with a high yell. "Yea well get it back in here! RUFUS IS COMIN' RIGHT FOR YA!"
Jellal snapped back into the game, and watched Rufus fake him out with a quick pass to the power forward, Dobengal. The shorter than usual post player charged it up the middle, but had no luck around the rim the moment Gajeel and Laxus closed in on him.
"HA!" Gajeel cackled as he snatched the ball from the opponent's hands and tossed it to Gray. "Better grow a few more inches if you wanna be a real post player, fella!"
Chapati rang out again. "And Gray Fullbuster takes it down the court, but oh wow a spin move again on Rogue Cheney brings him out towards the far corner. He takes a jump but wow! He passed it low instead to the center Laxus who slams it away for an easy dunk! The Fairies improve their lead to 5 as the clock trickles away in the third quarter.
"Time out!" Coach Minerva yelled from her sideline as the lead was growing wider and wider between her and the Fairies. She brought her team in with an expression filled with anger, but before her captain made it to the bench, Sting was clearing his mind on a slower than usual run back.
"Ugh, M'Lady never calls fouls on her own...Man, what gives!?" He tried to assess the damage. "You guys were all fighting like siblings when you came out at half. Now you have the same chemistry you did when you beat Tartaros last year?"
"Duh!" Natsu gave Sting a friendly pat on the back, and ran back to his own bench. "It's cause we care about each other! Why else would we get so mad when we argue?"
"..." Sting was totally confused as he listened to his young coach yell into each of their faces. He wanted to hear her out, but kept his mind solely on Natsu.
"Would I play that well if my team were like Magnolia? Or should I think about switching my roster up...?"
"AND THAT'S THE BALL GAME! THE MAGNOLIA FAIRIES WIN THEIR SECOND TROPHY IN A ROW, BEATING SABER CITY 98-78!"
"BAHAHAAAAAA!" Natsu sat on top of his teammates' shoulders as his hands flailed around in the air like a maniac. "42 POINTS! I WAS FIRED UP TONIGHT!"
"Geeze..." Gray was happy for his friend, but the loud yelling and shaking movement was making him want to drop the hot headed Natsu hard on the court. "And we agreed to carry him like this why...?"
"No kidding." Gajeel's face was turning an angry shade of red as his right fist was growing with size. "Someone find Blondie to take him away from us. Otherwise I'll send him crashing into the stands like those chairs I threw earlier in the year."
"That'd be a start..." Laxus was trying to figure out why he decided to help carry Natsu around with the others. He usually skipped out on this sort of stuff. "Well, I guess everyone deserves a night like a king every once in a while. Even this idiot."
"True." Jellal felt awkwardly happy for his friendly point guard and team fire ball. "Let Natsu have his moment now, and we can all fight even harder for ours come next season."
"Found you guys!" Levy McGarden joked with the tower and trailing Fairies as she came across them down on the court with Lucy and the others. "You were all so good tonight!"
"No kidding!" Gajeel took all the weight of Natsu from the others, and tossed him over his back to smack him hard against the floor. "We were just trying ta earn you an easy off season, short stuff. Maybe that'll help ya from becoming too much of a workaholic."
Gray laughed while Natsu made a thud against the ground, and turned back with a cautious expression. "Yea, but I mean two in a row is less impressive. No need for a giant..."
"GRAY MY LOVE! YOU WON ANOTHER RING JUST FOR ME!"
"JUVIA!?" Gray could only get her name to come out as she tackled him into making the second thud in a row after Natsu, all while stealing his face for herself. The cheeky cameramen still tethered to the sideline made sure to catch their saucy, romantic embrace for the live TV audience at home.
Gajeel just laughed. "Heh, can you imagine how that nut job Juvia will react when he gets her a real ring?"
"I'm not sure..." Levy's cheeks flushed watching the two lovers enjoy themselves on the floor (or just Juvia as Gray was grasping for air at that point.) Meanwhile, she was quickly caught in a tight embrace by her own close friend, Gajeel moments after.
"Ahh...!" Levy accepted the hug from Gajeel, but waved him away just as they got close to one another. "Not too hard! I'm feeling kind of upset right now. Kind of just hit me after half time."
Gajeel noticed her with a hand on her stomach, and grinned as Makarov and the other drinkers tailed them from behind. "Hah, what, getting a little trashed for the big final game there, small fry?"
"You could say that..." Levy took a deep breath, and gave him a final hug, either way. "Good job by the way."
"GAJEEL!" Natsu threw off several cheering fans that were trying to pick him up as he yelled in a rage of anger. "WAY TA JUST ROLL ME OFF YOUR BACK LIKE SOME SORT OF FLOUR SACK!"
"Natsu, it was kind of your fault." Lucy admitted that as she covered her chuckling face. "After all, you made the rest of them carry you off the court."
"I did?" Natsu scratched his head. "I just assumed none of them wanted to carry Erza off instead. She can be kind of heavy sometimes even when we're all lifting her. Almost as heavy as you!"
"Yea, I walked right into that one." Lucy paused for a moment and reevaluated her relationship status as Wendy came up to see her champion brother too, along with Romeo.
"Congrats, Natsu! You were amazing tonight!"
"Totally! I couldn't stop watching!" Romeo still acted awkward when trying to talk with Natsu. On one hand it was very exciting for him to see his celebrity idle so often, but on the other hand it grew odd every now and then knowing he had been dating that same player's sister for over a year now.
Natsu just laughed. "Of course I did! I was playing ta win for all of you guys!"
"Don't let him fool you with sweet words, Wendy." Lucy covered a grin with her hand. "He tried making a fat joke about me a little bit ago."
"Yea , I'd figure he'd try to ruin the moment with some sort of mean joke." Wendy was still embarrassed to call the lovable pink haired athlete her brother, especially when he liked to bully all of them for fun.
Lucy was going to hug Natsu earlier, but now held her hands down in a distasteful mood while Natsu wrapped her up in a large bear hug.
"Thanks for comin' down ta see me, Lucy! I hope ya liked the game!" Natsu let her breath again, and gave her a brighter smile than he had the moment they won the game.
"Awe, well you know I enjoy seeing you after games!" Lucy tried to admit the truth as she picked annoying bits of confetti off of her hair and face. "42 points is really something special to celebrate too!"
"No kidding!" Natsu was beaming. "You can write up an interview from me on our ride home! I think you're gonna like what I have ta give you tonight."
"I'll say!" Lucy was already trying to work out the headline in her head. "I mean your stats tonight were all over the place, but offensively your best quarter was..."
"Yea yea...mumbo jumbo later." Natsu waved a hand in her face and turned her sideways. "Look!"
Lucy spun around to find the FBA stadium officials were now wheeling out a small wooden stage through a light sea of confetti. Commissioner Arcadios held the newest shiny Vermillion Trophy in his hands as Jude Heartfilia and league ambassadors followed them from behind to gather the crowd's attention.
"Can I have your attention please!" Arcadios rallied the people on the court together, and waited for Jude to stand at his side with a collection of loose Fairies before carrying on. "It is with great pleasure that I present the fifty first Mavis Vermillion Trophy to her founding franchise, and two-time league champions. We'd like to honor this successful team of basketball with yet another cheer of congratulations as they claim their second title in a row. Please, let us all honor the team of the hour! The Magnolia Fairies!"
Fans from all over the arena celebrated at top volume while the basketball kings claimed their second trophy in two years. Jude Heartfilia claimed the trophy in honor as the team owner, and turned to speak with his crowd. "I cannot say how much this sport means to me. I cannot say how much the city of Magnolia means to me. I was not born in Magnolia, but I always honor it as my home town every time I get to represent it in this sport. This city, this team, and these players truly mean the world to me! Ladies and gentlemen, keep your heads high, because you've truly earned it this time around."
Everyone raised their volume again after his heartwarming speech, and soon after, Jude passed the trophy to Makarov's replacement. "And here is the coach of the hour, Erza Scarlet!"
"Thank you, sir." Erza took the trophy, and felt a small tear roll down her cheek. "I am quite a humble person, so I'd like to give all my honor to my team for playing so well this time. You did a fantastic job, gentlemen, and I can't wait to claim our third next year."
"Ah come on!" Laxus of all people yelled back to his coach. "You're the youngest coach ever to win that trophy. Give us more of a speech than that!"
"I suppose you're right." Erza said with a sly expression, now looking down at the trophy like a new born baby. Her eyes were quick to match a puppy dog's expression as she eyed her new cherished toy. "Perhaps I'll have to fall asleep with it to keep my dream going...oh it is an adorable little trophy, after all!"
"Aaaand she made it weirder." Gray was now standing as he softly clapped for his head coach. "I was almost waiting for her to call it her child, or something."
"Yea, knowing her she'll give it a name." Gajeel cackled beside him. "That or just call it little Mavis."
"Yikes!" Jellal calmly chimed in with an awkward chuckle. "That's more affection than I've received all throughout the playoffs."
"And people think I'm the crazy one!" Juvia clutched Gray's arm tightly as she covered her giggling mouth. "I'd obviously name the trophy after you, my darling!"
"Right." Gray was quick to reply. "And that's why you'll never coach in the FBA."
"Awe, Erza is so sweet...I think?" Lucy tried holding an awkward smile as she had an arm around a cheering Natsu. The pink haired boy was slow to catch on to Erza's affection for the trophy, and instead turned to whisper in his girlfriend's ear.
"Ya think that's sweet, just wait 'til my speech! It'll blow you away!"
"Ehh...?" Lucy reared her head back in an even more awkward expression. "Like what, you're gonna pretend the trophy is your baby too?"
"What, agh no!" Natsu replied with frustration. "My MVP speech! Laxus one-uped us all last year by bringing Mirajane into it. I got quite the fire bomb planned for mine this time around."
"Awe, I never took you to be the creative-type." Seeing Natsu hatching his plan made her blush with delight. "To be honest I'm trying to remember what Laxus even did last year..."
"Don't worry." Natsu let go of her and made way for the back of the wooden stage. "It'll be old news soon enough."
A sweat drop ran down the back of Lucy's head as she relieved a great sigh. "Natsu Dragneel. The world's best basketball player."
"Is he? Well at least in Fiore!" Mirajane Strauss stepped up to giggle at Natsu as well while Lucy was still standing in the same place. "He's certainly the sweetest!"
"How nice of you to say!" Lucy tapped Mira on the arm with her elbow. "Although, I'm sure Laxus wouldn't appreciate you saying that."
"I guess." Mirajane pondered that. "He probably wouldn't agree with it. I guess he did propose to me during his speech last year!"
"Oh right, he did do...!" Lucy's mind finally found the old romantic imagery of Laxus getting down on one knee after winning a trophy for the Fairies, and remembered seeing Mira's blushing face as all the cameras in the world of sports caught their engagement in full view.
Then, her eyes grew larger and larger with every step she saw Natsu make toward the stage. Her heart stopped performing beats, and soon Mira grabbed Lucy by the arm just like Natsu did before.
"Oooh! What if Natsu does the same thing for you! I bet you'll pass out if he proposes!"
"Aha...ahahahaha." Lucy's was quietly hyperventilating as the crowd drew in closer. Her father took the microphone from Erza, and now turned with a new trophy given to him by Arcadios in his open hand.
"And who could forget to mention one important piece of our organization. It took me quite a while to warm up to our team's pointguard, but after earning our fair city two championship trophies, I could find no other person on our team to give this trophy to...that is as long as he doesn't hand it away like he tried doing last year!"
Jude turned to find a beaming Natsu approach him from behind, and as he handed over the trophy, he left his hand out for a handshake. "Natsu Dragneel! Congratulations on being named the FBA MVP!"
"Ah, papa, Jude! I'm glad to finally earn it!" Natsu tossed Jude's handshake aside, and wrapped him in a warm Dragneel hug while the crowd cheered with delight. Natsu leaned up to the slightly taller Heartfilia and spoke quietly for only the owner to hear.
"Ya know, you're a pretty good dad for Lucy, and our team. Thanks for drafting me last year, buddy!"
"Natsu...?" Jude had no idea how to accept those kind words, and apparently never have to as Natsu stepped forward, and took the mic from his hands.
"It's good to be the two-time champions of Fiore! And even cooler to be the back-to-back league MVP...I mean only after I gave up the award to Laxus last year, that is!"
"Ass..." replied the large Magnolia center. The crowd laughed, but Laxus simply rolled his eyes as he stood by a cheery Mira and extremely pale Lucy. Meanwhile, the blonde girlfriend of Natsu Dragneel realized her heart was now fluttering faster and faster, and her hands balled up into fists as she tried to slow her blood pressure down to not scare Mirajane.
"Oh my god, how did Mirajane handle doing this last season...oh right, it was spontaneous. Ugh...why could it not be spontaneous this time around...? Wait, because it isn't. He isn't proposing...he's just going to say something stupid like he always does...or what if he calls me up on stage for a kiss? Even that would be weird...and even more embarrassing! My dad is even on stage with him!"
Her eyes followed Natsu's every move on stage, and just in a small amount of time, her heart started to slow as red blush filled up her face.
"O-or I mean...I guess it would be kind of nice if he was proposing. We'd be all over the news...all over the country. Natsu and Lucy...Mr. and Mrs. Dragneel...do I like the sound of that...? I mean...I do really want to be with him...do I want to be with him forever?"
Natsu finished his celebration by giving Arcadios a hug, and just as he put the microphone to his mouth again, he paused to take a breath, and delivered a very sly wink to Lucy, tagged with a soft smile while he waited for her to react.
"Maybe..." Lucy's face lit up with a soft smile too. "Maybe I would like that."
Mira was one of the few people to notice it too, and grabbed Lucy even tighter as the Dragneel boy spoke into the mic for the entire stadium and world to hear.
"Fiore basketball might be my one real love...but we're not stopping here! I'm officially announcing my run for the Fiore National Basketball team in this year's OLYMPIC GAMES!"
"Ehhhh?"
Lucy only heard her own flat expression as the rest of the stadium filled with noises of exuberant cheers and surprising gasps. No rookie in the history of the FBA had ever declared running for the Fiore National Team. It was an extremely selective process that only the head coach and his staff could decide upon. Occasionally they took rookies on their roster, but coming out as confident as Natsu did surely lit the world of basketball on fire.
On the other hand, Lucy Heartfilia was taken back by another bit of bizarre reality.
"Ooh." Mira sounded rather displeased with herself, and was not sure whether to tighten her embrace on Lucy's arm or not. "Well that's a bit awkward...maybe I over-read the situation."
"Uh-huh..." Lucy's eyes were like tiny brown dots now, and her head slowly lowered to a downward forty-five degree angle. "I'm going to go lie down in my car. Tell Natsu that's where he can find me when he's ready to leave..."
Mirajane reluctantly let go of Lucy's arm as the confused blonde wondered through the crowd alone for the exit tunnel, and kept a saddened expression on as she watched her depressed friend leave. "Oh Lucy...hang in there! He really is a sweet guy, you know it!"
Someone else knew it too, only he had never seen Natsu act "sweet" in his direction in many, many years. Zeref Dragneel stood alone in a luxury booth on the middle ring of the stadium as he watched his so-called "brother" dance around on stage like a lunatic.
"Oh Natsu. So passionate, and so naïve. You haven't changed even after all these years." He raised a now finished wine glass as he prepared an empty toast for his long-lost sibling.
"I suppose I'll see you in ERA this summer. Good luck, little brother."
I used a little inspiration from one of my favorite Fairy Tail episodes on this one (episode 50!) Also, a friendly reminder to new and old readers: I love both versions of the Fairy Tail anime, but I always write from the dub's point of view (Cherami Leigh and Todd Haberkorn's voices just stick in my head so well! As do the other Funimation actors')
For New Fans: Welcome! I hope you enjoy the sequel to my most successful story on my page! I normally don't write modern/AU's for Fairy Tail...usually too angsty for me. But, I found a formula I enjoyed for story 1, and thought it was time to deliver a new sequel. Also, if any of the sports jargon gets to be too much a simple Google search will do wonders! Enjoy!
For Old Fans: GUYS! I promised you a sequel! I mean...it's been three years, and this story probably won't have as big of a following now, but...yea!
More to come when I write it. My old audience always got mad when I worked myself too hard to crank out chapters...this story will be following a more "lackadaisical" release schedule. Either way, stick around, and I'll get chapter 2 posted ASAP!
