"Wait for me Cana!" Laughing with a wave of my hand, the two of us dashed through the endless stalls and vendors of the Magnolia Harvest Festival, carrying all the money we'd saved up the last few jobs in order to play every single game and try to win all the prizes and food we could possibly carry. Everybody in the guild had helped prepare for this day, and I couldn't wait to see the parade later. Everyone in the guild was just so amazing, and the Fantasia Parade was always the best part of the entire event.
"Zee! Check this one out, it's perfect for you!" Cana yelled as she grabbed my hand, tugging me over to one of the stores where they were offering a target shooting contest with a bow and arrow. "And look, the main prize is that cute little bunny!"
"Wow! So cute! I'm gonna win that toy if it's the last thing I do! Hey mister! Mister! I wanna play!" Beaming from ear to ear I paid to have a turn, immediately picking up the slingshot and prepared to fire at the target, waiting to shoot down each one that popped up as the owner of the stall laughingly explained the rules to me. Each target was worth a certain amount of points, if I collected a certain amount, I'd win a prize but, if I hit the gold target and knocked it over then I'd win the main prize which was the bunny. "Hang in there Mr Bunny, you'll be coming home with me soon!"
Absolutely focused on my task, I waited until the game began to whir into motion and immediately began to rapidly fire at the targets, using my archery skills to accurately strike them down as the point monitor continued to rise, filling the bar the more points I collected. The stall owner dropped his jaw, staring at me as I took less than a breath to reload the slingshot with another projectile with my rapid fire only increasing the more excited I became.
When the final target popped up with its golden centre, I aimed with all the care and attention I possessed, knowing that I just needed to hit this last one and I'd score full points and the prize would be mine. Holding my breath, I drew back the slingshot as far as I could, putting all the tension possible before releasing it and allowing the sling to shoot forwards with a snap, the projectile flying forwards and crashing dead centre into the target, completely obliterating it with a shattering sound of splintered wood.
"Alright! I won I won!" Cana laughed whilst clutching her stomach, finding it hilarious that I'd actually broken the game but I didn't care, that stuffed bunny was all mine. Quite speechless, the stall owner just dumbly pulled down the rabbit and handed it to me whereby I immediately wrapped my arms around the broad middle to hug it. "Isn't it cute? It's the softest most cutest thing I've ever seen! Look Cana, it even has a little bowtie!"
"Yeah, yeah, it's adorable, now come on! Let's get some more food!" Grabbing my hand Cana pulled me over to get all the junk food we could possibly find as well as all the desserts before making a feast for ourselves in the park, where by the end I was so full I felt sick. The two of us groaned as we lay flat on our backs, bellies large and overfilled. "That…was so yummy…but I ate too much…blegh…"
"I feel so full…my stomach is gonna explode…"
"Know what you mean Zee…next time…remind me not to…eat so many…ugh…red bean buns…." Both of us feeling entirely rotten, my sister eventually found us lying on the grass with green faces, blinking as she surveyed our condition then to the mountain of piled up rubbish and remains next to us.
"So this is what you two have been up to." She chuckled, folding her arms as the braid down her back swung with the shake of her head. Softening, Erza knelt down and stroked my head sympathetically, lifting me so that I could cuddle into her lap. "Zera, I warned you not to eat so much. Now look at you, my poor little sister, I failed to take care of you properly and keep an eye on what you were eating…I am a despicable human being!" Erza lamented rather drastically, making me hurriedly reassure her that it wasn't her fault and that I should have taken better care of myself.
"Just relax Erza, today is the one day we're meant to stuff our faces and have fun. We can face the consequences later, but for now we should get back to the party!" Cana was suddenly on her feet, though still looking a little green in her face, she was determined not to miss out on anything further. I paled at the thought of moving, my stomach giving a painful twist but I didn't want to seem like I was chickening out, so I too got up.
"Let's go big sis, I want to see you and Cana in the parade! It's starting soon, right?"
"Zera, we still have hours until the Fantasia Parade, so try to calm down a little. If you start running about now, you'll only upset your stomach all the more. How about a nice, calm, quiet stroll through the city?" Although the sensible option, Cana and I merely grabbed Erza by the hand to pull her along with us, racing back into the fray where we followed our noses wherever they brought us, tossing away all of our rubbish before starting afresh.
My bunny had been in my arms the entire time, carrying it despite the fact that I was probably a little old for these kind of toys. Apparently someone else thought so too, as whilst both Cana and Erza were competing in a ping pong contest, a little kid came up to me and tugged at my shirt. "Excuse me, can I have your bunny?"
"Hm?" Looking down I saw a little kid who was groping at my bunny, trying to pull it away from me. "Well…no, but I can let you cuddle him if you like?" I offered, turning to face her properly. She was kind of cute, but there was something about her face that made me a little reserved, probably the fact that she was pouting and already stomping her foot at me.
"But I want to keep him! I tried so many times to win one today but it was just too hard. Give him to me. Now!"
"No way!" When the girl lunged to grab hold of my stuffed bunny I immediately lifted it up over my head so that no matter how much she jumped, she couldn't reach. She kept on trying, jumping and swiping at the air whilst complaining until suddenly she stepped back and wailed, yelling for her mommy who came sauntering over.
"Mommy! That mean girl won't give me that bunny!" Oh great, just what I need.
"Why are you making my precious baby cry? Just hand over the toy, alright? You're clearly too old for such childish things anyway." With polished nails, a swept hairdo and far too much perfume to be considered anything less than a toxic attack against my lungs, the woman reached over me to grab at the bunny which I swiftly hugged against my chest, wailing loudly as the mother pulled at the ears and the girl tugged on the feet.
"BIG SIS! This mean old lady wants to steal my bunny!" Calling for the only person I knew I could count on to hear me no matter how loud and noisy it was, Erza immediately lifted her head and saw me being robbed by a mean mother-daughter duo. Enraged in a heartbeat, Erza lifted her paddle and struck the ball that Cana had already served, sending it flying off the table and shooting directly to the mother's head, smacking her clean in the centre of her brow.
"You leave my little sister alone you bullies! She won that rabbit fair and square!"
"Yeah, so push off or you'll have to deal with us!" Cana agreed, she and Erza immediately rushing to stand in front of me with their bodies angled for a fight, Erza summoning a sword to her hand whilst Cana held three cards between her fingers.
"Mommy!" The daughter cried in fear and immediately darted behind her mother who drew back in alarm, staring at my saviours with wide eyes.
"Y-You're…you're wizards!" Seeing that she had made a grave error, she picked up her sobbing, wailing and demanding child to run away in her heeled shoes faster than a frightened cat. Ha! Serves them right for trying to take away my bunny rabbit.
"Zera? Zera are you hurt? Did they touch you at all?" Erza immediately began to fuss over me, checking me from head to toe as I dusted myself up and made sure that all ears and feet were accounted for and nothing was ripped. Straightening the rabbit's bow, I hugged it with a sigh of relief.
"Thanks big sis, Cana, I owe you guys one!"
"Tsk, you shouldn't be such a pushover Zee. Learn to fight back or you're never going to be able to fend for yourself." Cana poked me in the cheek as she spoke, scolding me for being a coward but I merely grinned further, unable to help myself. The three of us brushed off the incident and instead went to where the Fantasia Parade was beginning to be organised, everyone going to their floats and changing into costumes.
"I'll be watching you guys so make sure you wave when you see me, okay?" I said as I stood guard outside Cana's and Erza's changing room, making sure that nobody would walk in on them by accident. "I'll be cheering for you guys louder than the rest, so you'll definitely be able to find me in the crowds."
"Don't worry Zera, I'll be sure to find you." My big sister promised me, she and Cana emerging wearing matching outfits for them to perform their magic tricks along with the rest of the younger generation of us Fairy Tailers on the floats. I had opted out this year as I wanted to see the parade itself as one of the crowd, and I couldn't be more excited.
"I've got some new card magic to show you, so make sure you watch closely okay?" Nodding my head, I wished both of them the best of luck before hurrying to find a good spot in the crowds to watch the parade. Everywhere there were lights and colour, the sound of cheering and laughter which filled my ears and surrounded me in the warmest of glows. This was pure magic, a miracle of humanity's efforts and I wanted to cherish this memory for as long as I lived. However…
"Argh! I won't be able to remember anything if I can't see!" I wailed, waving my arms impatiently as I jumped up and down, trying to see over the taller heads of the adults. They were so congested that I couldn't even push through them to the front, and no amount of polite pleading would make them budge. "This sucks." Pouting unhappily, I looked up to see balloons rising through the sky, only just managing to see the top of some of the floats.
Suddenly I felt a tingling on the air, causing me to lift my head and blink, turning my head just as a pair of arms came around me and lifted me up. Without warning I felt myself being carried through the air faster than a snap of your fingers, crying out in alarm as gravity caught up with me the moment I came to a standstill. Thankfully I dropped only an inch or so back into the arms of the person who'd carried me away, and I blinked up at Laxus before grinning at him happily. "Laxus! I'm so happy to see you!"
"Sure, whatever pest." Chuckling as he set me back down on my feet, I realised quickly that he'd brought me to one of the rooftops of the buildings lining the street, giving me the best and most perfect view of the entire parade.
"Wow!" Eyes widening in awe, my hand reached out to grab hold of Laxus's shirt as he stood with his hands in his pockets, unable to look away from the parade. Everyone in Fairy Tail was performing their magic in such a brilliant and beautiful way that it was just spellbinding. My guild really was the best in all the world, I can't believe how lucky I am to be a part of it. "You brought me up here to see, you're the greatest Laxus. Thank you!" Looking away only to smile at him again, I let go of his shirt to fling my arms around his, hooking myself onto him and giving a tight squeeze to embrace him as much as I could. "You're the best, I totally knew you were a softie inside, it's so cute!"
"Don't get the wrong idea, you just looked like you were about to cry that's all. I can't stand girls who cry easily." This made me laugh, teasing Laxus for trying to hide behind a tough bravado.
"You let me hang around and I cry all the time, so I know you're just making up excuses." I told him firmly as I turned back to the parade, watching each float as they showcased a different aspect of magic. "Fairy Tail is so warm, isn't it? I feel like I could never catch a cold when I'm here. Everybody is kind and caring, we're like one big family, right Laxus?" He hummed shortly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. That sparky headed dummy, I know he secretly agrees with me.
Eventually I got tired of standing so I sat down, though to my surprise Laxus copied suit, sitting next to me fairly close, as if he was worried I'd fall off the roof or something. "Why do you have that thing with you?" He suddenly asked, frowning at my bunny I was hugging to death. It's a good thing it didn't breathe, otherwise I might have crushed the poor thing already.
"Isn't it cute? I won it! But this mean little girl and rude lady tried to take it away from me, saying that I was too old for toys and that I shouldn't be selfish." I thought back to the mother and daughter then blushed a little, holding the bunny away from me to take another good look at it. "I guess I am probably a little too old for these kind of things, but…it's just so darn fluffy." Sighing softly, I settled it back against my chest, holding it a little more gently this time.
"Don't worry about what others think, it's none of their business. I think it's dumb, but so long as it makes you happy, then that's all that really matters." Shrugging his shoulders, I brightened a little as I looked at Laxus, encouraged by his words.
"Really?" Allowing himself a small smirk-like smile, he tilted his head towards me as the lights of the parade shone upon him, the colours lighting up his eyes in a beautiful array of dancing shades and lights as he reached into his pocket and pulled out some candy from the festival and handed it over to me, probably to make me feel better.
"Besides, anybody who says otherwise, I'll just pummel them until they can't talk anymore. No one's allowed to bully you but me, you got that pest?" I laughed again, unable to help but feel amused at Laxus's method of trying to make me feel better. Although Laxus did pick on my occasionally, it was always very mild and mostly playful such as poking at my face when I pouted, teasing me over mundane things, occasionally withholding cake until I agreed to a request he made, things like that. In his own way, I think Laxus felt very protective over me. More than once he'd shielded me from flying debris from one of Natsu and Gray's fights, and once he saved my life during a job when Erza and I happened to run into him.
Laxus was someone I felt safe around, even though he was growing grumpier and meaner by the year towards others, I could still see a lot of good in him. A lot of people feared him because of his destructive lightning powers, but I felt that rather than destruction, Laxus was someone filled with a warm light which would one day shine brighter than everyone else, even his grandfather. "Hey Laxus?" Arching an eyebrow as he turned towards me, I reached out my hand to grasp his shoulder before pulling myself up to him, leaning forwards before pecking his cheek with a kiss. I giggled as he immediately turned beetroot red, staring at me in shock. "Thanks for being here with me. It's more fun watching the parade with friends, right?"
"What…you…don't do stuff like that! It's gross!" Pointedly wiping his cheek, I laughed again then teased him for being so shy and bashful which sparked a prideful outburst. Glaring at me Laxus eventually simply grabbed hold of me and clamped a hand over my mouth, trapping me into a full body lock so that I couldn't move or speak. Guess that's me done then, oh well. It was fun whilst it lasted. "You're such a pest." Mumbling into his hand, Laxus gradually pulled it away so that I could draw in a deep breath, recovering air into my lungs.
"I know, I know, but you can't deny that you like me, Laxus. I'm just too cute to resist." Sticking out my tongue I then settled myself comfortably against him, finding myself still trapped in a body lock but having no inclination to escape. Laxus relaxed after a few moments of contemplation, eventually reaching the conclusion that he couldn't be bothered to respond so we simply sat together watching the parade until my sister's and Cana's float came past.
As I promised, I cheered as loudly as I could until eventually they heard me, beaming and waving to me as I lifted my hands high and leaned forwards over the roof edge, Laxus rather blankly observing me from the shadows without interest. I kept a good grip of the roof so that I wouldn't fall, but even so, I had no reason to be scared. Laxus was nearby and he wouldn't let me fall, because despite his complaining, aloofness and pretending not to care, he still had one foot hooked under mine, ready to catch hold of me should I tip too far forwards. Such a dummy, but adorable at the same time.