Natsu and the others have been doing well with their music. So well that a real director is helping them with their latest music video. They're working on it right now and it appears to have a western-theme to it.
"Giddy up, partners." Natsu said as he tried talking like a cowboy. "We got ourselves a music video to work on."
"Natsu, it might be western-themed, but the song is not a country song." Gray said. "Now quit it with the accent. You sound like a bigger idiot than usual. Why does it have to be like this in the first place? I'm starting to chafe with this cowboy costume."
"The director said thinks sheriffs and cowboys were the bravest figures in the old days." Natsu said. "The song is about being brave so I guess it's a personal preference."
"Hey!" Lucy said as she and the rest of the band came in. "We just got the script with how the music video is going to go. You are not going to believe what we found in it. It involves you, Natsu."
"Me? What are you talking about? What do you mean?" Natsu asked.
"We just found out you've got to kiss your female costar in this music video." Gajeel said in a taunting tone.
"Seriously?" Natsu said.
"Check it out." Erza said as she handed him the script and Natsu saw that in the final scene that he's got to. Gajeel made fun of him with kissy noises.
"Gajeel, don't be so immature." Lucy said. "One little kiss is not something a big deal. It will be fine with whoever it is."
"Who is the girl he's got to kiss?" Gray questioned.
"The director already ran some auditions. We should be meeting whoever it is in a few minutes." Erza said.
"Hear me! Hear me!" They all saw their director come in.
"I thought this was western times. Why is he sounding like a king?" Gajeel whispered.
"Not now, but the accent sounds a bit weird." Gray said.
"I have just found the right girl that would be perfect damsel. Here she comes." The director said as he showed the girl, but all of them were shocked when they saw it was Talia.
"Talia?!" Natsu said.
"Hi, guys." Talia said.
"You do realize that you and I might have to KISS in this video, right?! You actually want to kiss me?!" Natsu said.
"Eew, no, but it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make for a few minutes of fame." Talia said. Natsu is so not going to like this and the others actually felt bad for him.
"Levy!" Natsu called as he hurried to find her. Levy was on the phone at the moment, but Natsu was able to find her and took the phone out of her hands. "She can't talk now! She needs to get me out of trouble!" He ended the call for her and turned to her.
"Hey! That was my grandma." Levy said.
"Levy, you've got to help me!" Natsu said as he grabbed her by the arms. "The director selected TALIA as the girl I have to kiss. There is no way I'm doing that. I would rather kiss a dead fish. Can we use a dead fish in this video?"
"Not unless it's a female." Levy joked. "I'm sorry, Natsu. We need to start shooting for this film. There's really no time to find someone else."
"What seems to be the problem?" The director asked as he came over.
"There is no way I'm kissing that...thing." Natsu said.
"Uh... I'm right here." Talia said.
"I know! That's the problem!" Natsu said.
"You must make smoochy-smoochy. It is needed for the video." The director said.
"There must be another way." Natsu said as he so didn't want to do this. It was then that Gray stepped in and helped him with an idea that everyone is going to find amusing.
"Wait. What if Lucy played Talia's part?" Gray said.
"Lucy?!" Natsu said.
"Me?" Lucy said.
"What?!" Talia said. The director turned to Lucy and got a good look at her.
"Yes. Yes! She will do very nicely." The director said. "Does the pretty lady wish to play the part?"
"Sure." Lucy said as none of them could believe it. "It's just one kiss that isn't going to mean anything. It's just acting. Plus, since Natsu is against the idea with Talia, I be glad to do it."
"This is so not fair!" Talia shouted.
"Relax. Relax." The director said. "You can still be an extra, but if there appears to be a problem, you may step back in." Talia looked towards Natsu and Lucy.
"I have a feeling there will be." Talia said as she turned away. Now Natsu has to kiss Lucy instead of Talia. The thought made Natsu's heart beat like a drum. Natsu doesn't appear to be better off.
...
Natsu's Apartment
"Let me get this straight." Zeref said. "You have to kiss Lucy in your music video, but if you can't do it, you might have to kiss that awful Talia instead?"
"Yeah." Natsu said. "Oh man. I don't know what I'm going to do?"
"I thought you liked Lucy. If you intend to go out with her one day, you are going to have to kiss her at some point." Zeref said. "You're just putting too much pressure on yourself. It's just acting. It's not going to mean much of anything."
"That's part of the problem." Natsu said. "What if it turns out it really doesn't mean a thing to Lucy? That would mean that she...she doesn't like me in that way."
"Natsu, Lucy is just being professional about this." Zeref said. "It will be a kiss without emotions. Besides, if it turns out there are sparks, it might start something between you and her. How romantic does that sound?" Natsu still wasn't convinced. That was right when their parents walked in the kitchen.
"Hey, boys." Mr. Dragneel said.
"What are you two talking about?" Mrs. Dragneel asked.
"Natsu's pretty nervous because he has to kiss a girl in his music video." Zeref said. "The girl is Lucy, but if he can't do it, he might have to kiss a girl he really doesn't like."
"Well, well, well. So our young man is stepping up to the playing field, is he?" Mr. Dragneel said.
"Natsu, I'm sure it will all be fine." Mrs. Dragneel said.
"Your mother is right. Actors kiss on camera all the time and it doesn't mean a thing." Mr. Dragneel said as he pulled his wife closer. "In fact...let your mother and I show the difference."
"No! No one wants to see that!" Natsu said. Natsu isn't quite sure he's ready for this, but he's got to pull out some courage or else they can't finish the video.
...
The Studio
Fairy Tale has been working on the music video and things have gone well. Lucy played as the damsel in distress and Natsu acted like the big hero that saved her. Soon, the big moment came.
"Okay! You're riding and you're riding." The director said. "Now you pull her in the town and make the smoochy-smoochy." Natsu did what he said as he pulled her into the center of the set. Lucy looked ready for it, but Natsu was hesitant about it and it certainly didn't help with anyone watching. "Cut!"
"Sorry." Natsu said.
"What happened? Why did you not make smoochy-smoochy?" The director asked.
"Stop calling it that. It sounds weird." Natsu said. "Look. I just got in my own head. I'll do better."
"Very well. Let's start again!" The director said and everyone was getting back into place.
"Sorry, Lucy." Natsu said.
"It's okay, Natsu. There's no reason to be nervous." Lucy said. She seemed confident with this, but that just made Natsu confused on what she really thinks of him.
"I wouldn't say that." Natsu looked and spotted Talia.
"What do you want?" Natsu asked.
"I can see what this is about. You like her, but you're afraid that this kiss might mess things up." Talia said. "You're afraid she might not like you the same, even if you two kiss. You're afraid to find that out. You might be right. This one kiss might end up ruining things between you and her." She really got in Natsu's head. Natsu tried a few more times, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. Natsu tried once more, but nothing
"Cut!" The director called out as he was getting annoyed. "What is the problem?! Why aren't you making the smoochy-smoochy?!"
"Natsu, what's wrong?" Lucy asked.
"Nothing. Just forget it." Natsu said as he just walked out of there with a few people laughing.
"It looks like we might have to switch back to the other girl." The director said.
"No. That isn't going to be any better." Lucy said.
"But there's no time to find someone else." The director said.
"Poor, Natsu." Erza said as the bad felt really bad for him.
"I thought this would be easier for him, but I guess not." Gray said.
"He is so pathetic." Talia said as he and a few other girls laughed. "He can't perform one kiss? Has he even kissed a girl before? He is such a child."
"Shut up, Talia!" Lucy said.
"Hey, you can't talk to me that way." Talia said.
"I don't care." Lucy said. She feels really bad for Natsu because she knows he doesn't want this with Talia, but there must be something she can do to help.
...
The Next Day
Thanks to Natsu's fears, they have another day of shooting. However, it can't be put off. Something has got to be filmed and soon. Lucy came in the studio and spotted Talia getting ready to steal her part. No way she's going to let someone stuck-up like her just have her way. She just kept moving and spotted the others.
"Hey, guys. Where's Natsu?" Lucy asked.
"In his dressing room." Erza said.
"He's too embarrassed about this whole thing. He won't come out." Gray said.
"Way to mess up our lead singer, Gray." Gajeel said.
"Me?! You're really blaming me for this?!" Gray said.
"It's no one's fault. This is just more difficult for Natsu than we thought." Erza said. "It just doesn't look like it's going to be easy for Natsu to overcome it."
"He better. We're on a budget and the longer this goes on, the more money we lose." Levy said.
"Why is this stupid kiss so important? Everyone's making too big of a deal out of it." Lucy said. "Can't we just take it out?"
"Can't. You know how some artists and directors are." Levy said. "He thinks the script is perfect and doesn't want to change a single word. No way we can convince him to take it out since he thinks it's so vital." Lucy feels really bad for Natsu. She can see he's struggling with this and needed to help him.
...
Natsu
Natsu is in his dressing room and is just sitting there. He doesn't know what to think. If he doesn't kiss Lucy, he might have to kiss Talia. If he does, he's afraid of what might happen between him and Lucy. Lucy came in and just saw him there.
"You okay?" Lucy asked.
"Yeah..." Natsu said, but it didn't sound so sincere.
"Natsu, it's not really that big of a deal." Lucy said. "So what's the problem?"
"Nothing." Natsu said, but he really just didn't want to talk about it.
"Natsu, I want to help, but you've got to be able to tell me." Lucy said.
"It's just...complicated." Natsu said. Lucy could see that Natsu is torn about this whole thing. She only thought of one way that could really help him. She went over and pulled his face towards her and actually kissed him for a few seconds right on the lips. "Whoa... What was that for?"
"I thought it be easier." Lucy said as she sat next to him. "I thought that if we just do it once, the second time would be easier. It would take some of the pressure off for when we're filming." It actually did help and Natsu could tell Lucy wouldn't have done that if it wasn't to help her friend, a friend she cares a lot about. He's now starting to see he really had nothing to worry about.
...
The Music Video
Now that Natsu has the courage to go through with it, they started filming and the music video was going well. This song is about how someone gives you the strength and courage needed to be brave. During the music video, Natsu acted like a brave hero saving his love through all tragedies.
(Natsu)
I can be a hero
I'm no zero
I may not fly
But I might be your kind of guy
Cause you grant me strength
You give the power I really need
Cause you make me brave
So I'll be your hero
I'll be your hero
And I'll give you everything you need
I'll be your hero
And I'll be unstoppable
Cause I believe you're the one for me
I'll be your hero
(All)
I'll be your hero
I'll be your hero
I'll be your hero
I'll be your hero
(Natsu)
I'll be your hero
I'll search high and low
For you I'll come and go
I put my trust in fate
So that you'll come my way
And no matter what comes, I won't be afraid
So I'll be your hero
I'll be your hero
And give you everything you need
I'll be your hero
And I'll be unstoppable
Cause I believe you're the one for me
I'll be your hero
(All)
I'll be your hero
I'll be your hero
I'll be your hero
I'll be your hero
(Natsu)
I'll be your hero
I'll be invincible
I'll be your own miracle
You're why I'm not scared
That's why I'll fight for you
Fight for YYYYYYYOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUU
I'll be your hero
And give you everything you need
I'll be your hero
And I'll be unstoppable
Cause I believe you're the for me
I'll be your hero
At this point of the song, Natsu saved Lucy from being hit by a train and rode back to town with her. This was the big scene.
(All)
I'll be your hero
I'll be your hero
I'll be your hero
I'll be your hero
(Natsu)
I'll be your hero
Natsu went for it this time and he actually kissed Lucy. The script said people cheered for the video, but his friends really cheered for Natsu having the courage to actually kiss her. It may have just been one kiss, but the fact to Natsu and Lucy was that they were both glad Natsu could actually do it.
"Cut! Perfect!" The director cheered. Everyone was proud of the work they did.
"Nice going, man." Gray said.
"That's what I'm talking about." Gajeel said as the guys cheered for Natsu.
"Guys, come on. It was just a kiss." Natsu said as he tried to play it cool and he was right. It was just a kiss...for now at least.