Stage Fright pt. 1:
"Oh, boy!" Wakaba said as he stuck his head out the front door of the Guild Hall. "Still three hours away and they've already started lining the streets."
"Really?"
Dozens of wizards ran to the door and peaked out.
"Well, the Fantasia Parade is the climatic event of the festival," Lucy smiled as she spotted throngs of people pitching their picnic blankets and chairs, claiming their spot for the parade.
"That just means we need to make sure this year's parade is the grandest yet," Erza stated as she turned and grabbed Roman, who'd been peaking out the door from behind her by the arm.
"Come along, Roman, let's get you dressed and ready!"
"I thought you said we had to wait-" Roman began before his mother cut him off.
"We need to make sure your costume fits perfectly!"
"But you already checked it three times toda-"
"Don't argeu with me, young man."
"Yes ma'am!"
As Erza led her son away, Nashi tip-toed past them and through the wizards crowding the door to peak outside. Sure enough there were rows of people lining the street, some friendly faces, some unfamiliar ones, and some unfriendly ones. In the crowd Nashi recongnized a family that made a point to call all their children inside at least twice a day: one when she and her family passed by making their way to the Guild Hall, and once when they were coming back.
Her stomach suddenly began to knot. Up until now she'd been excited about participating in the Fantasia Parade with her friends. They had their own float in the shape of a birthday cake, matching outfits, they'd come up with tricks they could together with their magic to show off with.
Now, though, now she was worried. If this family was here that meant other people who didn't like her or her magic were going to be here. What if they got mad that she was in the parade this year? What if they booed her? Made a scene? Maybe even attack her like the Twilight Ogre boys had?
Nashi began to slowly back up away from the door, heart beating a little more rapidly than it had before. As she backed up she ran right into Lucy.
"Oops, sorry, Mommy."
"You okay, Nashi?" Lucy asked, noticing her daughter's change in mood.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Nashi lied, scampering off.
Lucy's brow furrowed slightly, but she shrugged it off. Nashi was probably just experiencing a little stage fright was all.
Lucy's guess wasn't completely wrong. Stage fright was certainly a part of it, but it was much worse than that. Nashi ran until she found an unoccupied room, raced inside it, and slammed the door behind her. She stood in front of the closed door for a while, staring at it, shaking a bit. Maybe she could just stay here. Maybe if she stayed hidden she wouldn't have to go back out there. The parade could go on without her. The Birthday Gang didn't need her to be on the float with them. She could just sit this out and not risk ruining it for everyone else.
What fun would being in a parade be if all that happened was everyone got booed because "that girl" was in it. Nashi slumped about the room for a little while, kicking at the various dust bunnies and wiping at the one or two tears that fell down her face before sitting in the center of the floor and drawing her knees to her chest.
The door creeked open. Nashi turned to look and saw Igneel poking his head inside.
"Whatcha doin'?" He asked, cocking his head to one side in a curious manner.
"Nothin'" Nashi answered, wondering how it was her little brother even found her. Was she being that loud.
"You smell sad," Igneel said as he walked inside and closed the door behind him.
"Don't you mean look sad?" Nashi asked.
"Uh-uh. You smell sad," Igneel insisted.
"You can't smell sad, Igneel," Nashi sighed. "You can look or sound sad, but you can't smell sad."
"Uh-huh," Igneel argued, crossing his arms.
"What is sad even supposed to smell like?" Nashi arched an eyebrow.
"Salty and wet," Igneel answered.
"Salty and wet?"
"Yeah, like a snotty tissue."
"That's gross!"
"What? That's what it smells like!"
"You're just making stuff up."
"No I'm not!"
"Whatever," Nashi rolled her eyes and rested her chin on her knees.
Igneel frowned and scampered towards her. "Why you sad, Big Sissy?"
"I'm not sad," Nashi insisted. "I just...I dunno, but I'm not sad."
Igneel frowned. "You're lying."
"No I'm not."
"Uh-huh, you-"
"For the last time, you can't smell sad."
"Yes you can!"
"Whatever," Nashi rolled her eyes again and turned her head away from her little brother, face still leaned on her knees.
Igneel stared at her for a while, brow furrowed, arms crossed. He then toddled behind her and sat down, scooting about until he was back-to-back with her. He looked over hsi shoulder at her, then pulled his knees up to his chest the same as hers were. He checked over at her again, then wrapped his arms around his knees like she was doing. He checked again, and then began trying to lied his face against his knees like she was.
"Why are you copying me?" Nashi asked.
"I tryin' to see how this makes you feel not sad."
"For the last time, I'm not sad."
"Yeah you are!"
"Igneel!" Nashi sighed, exasperated. "Just...just leave me alone, okay? I don't wanna talk right now."
"Okay, you don't gotta talk," Igneel said brightly as he stood up and wrapped his arms around her neck.
"What are you doing?" Nashi asked.
"Hugging you."
"Igneel-"
"Sh!" He scholded her. "No talking, remember?"
Nashi sighed, but did as her little brother said. Though she hated to admit it his hug was making her feel a little bit better. She smiled softly as she reached up and set her hand over his tiny arms.
The door creaked open again.
"Hey, mind if I hide with you?" Storm asked, poking his head inside. "My mom's trying to get me to put that costume back on for another fitting."
"We're not hiding!" Igneel said. "Nashi's just sad, but don't wanna talk, so I'm hugging the sad out of her."
"Sad?" Storm's brow furrowed, stepping inside the room and closing the door behind him. "What's wrong, Nashi?"
"Nothing," Nashi sighed. "I'm not sad. I already told him that but he won't listen."
"'Cuz you lyin'!" Igneel said.
"No, I'm n-"
"Are you worried that some of the people who don't like you are gonna try to ruin the parade for you?" Storm asked.
Nashi's eyes widened. "How did-"
"Lucky guess," Strom shrugged, knealing in front of her.
"People no like Nashi?" Igneel asked, eyes wide. "That's impossible!"
Nashi smiled a bit. "Yeah, afraid not, bro."
"Who are they?" Igneel asked, frowning as he began stomping towards the door. "I'll show 'em!"
"Hold it, tough guy," Storm chuckled, grabbing Igneel by the scruff of his shirt and dragging him back. "Fighting them is not gonna fix anything. Besides, you're only three."
"So?" Igneel shrugged.
Nashi sighed and shook her head at her little brother.
"So," Storm turned back to Nashi. "Why are you worried?"
Nashi began ringing her hands together. "I...I don't know. I was really excited about this. I thought it was going to be fun and I...I don't wanna ruin it for everyone else."
"How would you ruin it?" Storm asked, sitting cross-legged in front of her.
"Because I'm scared the people who don't like me are gonna try to keep the parade from happing if I'm in it, or something like that."
"That wouldn't be you ruining it, though, that would be them," Storm pointed out. "Besides, you really think Fairy Tail's gonna let a few bullies stop the Fantasia Parade."
"No, guess not," Nashi admitted. "I just...I don't want to cause any trouble."
"But you wouldn't be causing trouble, they would be," Storm said.
"But they'd be causing it because of me," Nashi grumbled. "And that...that would be...embarassing."
"Yeah, for them, because they'd look like total idiots."
"Nah," Nashi shook her head. "They wouldn't look like idiots. Just like people wanting to keep a freak out of their party."
"Which is something an idiot would do," Storm stated before pointing a finger in Nashi's face. "And stop calling yourself a freak!"
"Yeah!" Igneel also pointed a finger in Nashi's face.
"Besides, even if they don't look like idiots after that," Storm held up his hand and created a tiny water cyclone in his palm. "I'll make 'em look like idiots. You think you'll be embarrassed, they'll never wanna come out of their houses again after I got down with them."
Nashi chuckled slightly. "Thanks," her smile quickly fell away again, though. "I just wish there was a way to make sure that nothing happens, though."
Storm nodded in understanding. "Yeah, me too."
"I know!" Igneel cheered. "We break their legs!"
"Not happening!" Both of the older children shouted, making Igneel jump and screech.
Just then a bright, silvery light came through the window of the room.
"Huh, whatta you know. Full moon," Storm said, pointing out the window.
"Yeah," Nashi smiled. "Sure is pretty."
"Why it so bright?" Igneel asked, squinting, making both Storm an Nashi laugh.
"There you kids are," Natsu's voice called as he opened the door. "What are you three knuckle heads doing?"
"Nothing," Nashi answered, though Natsu was not convinced.
"Nashi was-" Igneel began explaining, but Storm cut him off.
"-Was getting a little stage fright, but she's okay now. She just needed a quiet spot to calm down at."
Nashi smiled in thanks at her friend, then nodded. "Yeah. That's it. I'm okay, though."
"You needed quiet, so you brought Igneel?" Natsu asked, arching an eyebrow, questioning the logic of this scenario as he glanced at his son. By this point Igneel had gotten distracted by the moon beams streming through the window, and was waving his hands in them, casting funny shadows all over the room.
"No," Nashi sighed. "He just kinda tagged along and I couldn't make him go away."
Natsu chuckled. "Yeah, that sounds about right."
He bent down and knealt in front of his daughter. "I know being in the parade might be scary at first, but it's not bad at all."
"Yeah?" Nashi asked.
"Yeah, don't worry," Natsu patted her hair and smiled. "They're gonna love you! And if they don't I'll disintegrate them."
Nashi giggled, a full smile taking over her face.
"Oof!"
Plunk!
Natsu, Nashi, and Storm turned to find Igneel face-planted on the ground.
"What are you doing, buddy?" Natsu asked, arching an eyebrow and Igneel pushed himself back to his feet and began jumping in place, his little hands reaching up at the moon beams.
"Tryin' to catch the moonlight!" Igneel said.
Natsu laughed. "Igneel, you can't catch moonlight."
"Uh-huh!" Igneel insisted, jumping extra high and falling flat on his face again.
Natsu laughed, shaking his head as he began walking towards his son. "C'mon, son, before you break your nose."
Igneel didn't listen to him, but instead stood back up, frowned at the moon beam and began jumping again. He took in a deep breath because he was getting winded from the all the exercise he was doing from chasing the moon beams. As he inhaled the silver light flew into his mouth and down his throat. Everyone's eyes grew wide as Igneel clapped a hand over hsi mouth, face looking startled.
"I ates it!" he shrieked. He suddenly let out a loud belch. As he did so a blast of sparkling gold magic bursted out of his mouth, knocking him on his back.
"It made my tummy feel zappy!" Igneel shouted, making an explosion noise and throwing his arms around wildly in demonstration.
"Holy SMOKES!" Natsu shouted, jumping to his feet and running into the hall. "LUCY GET OVER HERE!"
"What?" Lucy asked, worried as she ran to her husband's side. "Is something wrong?"
"No, come here!" Natsu grabbed her hands and dragged her into the room. "Igneel, do it again!"
"But I dunno how I did it," Igneel said, throwing his arms up in exasperation.
"Just suck it in like sphagetti," Natsu said.
"Wait, what?" Lucy asked.
"Oh, okay," Igneel smiled, walking up to the moon beam an inhaling. He sucked the light into his mouth again and swallowed it down. He opened his mouth to say or do something, but then his face screwed up.
"Ah-ah-ACHOO!"
A glittery blast of magic energy exploded out of his mouth and knocked him onto his back again.
Lucy just blinked. "He's...he's a dragon slayer?"
"Even better," Natsu cheered, throwing an arm around her shoulders. "He's a Celestial Dragon Slayer!"
"Imma what?" Igneel asked, sitting up and arching an eyebrow.
Natsu grabbed him by the waist and tossed the little boy in the air. "You're a Celestial Dragon Slayer, buddy!"
"I am?" Igneel asked, wide-eyed! "Cool!...What's that mean?"
"You're a dragon slayer like Daddy," Lucy began explaining. "But you use Celestial Energy like Mommy instead of fire."
"I do?" Igneel cocked his head to one side.
"Well, how else are you able to eat moonbeams?" Lucy chuckled.
"I wonder if you can eat starlight and sunlight too," Natsu wondered outloud.
"Can I?" Igneel asked.
"I dunno," Natsu shrugged. "As far as I know you're the first Celestial Dragon Slayer ever!"
"I am?" Igneel's face brightened as he turned to Nashi. "Hear that, sissy? I'm one-of-a-kind like you!"
Nashi gasped. This whole time she'd been worried about making people upset because she was different from everyone else, but now her little brother was smiling, laughing, and cheering because he'd just found out that he had a unique brand of magic like she did. To the rest of the world she might have been a freak, but to Igneel she was his big sister whom he idolized.
Nashi smiled at her little brother, suddenly feeling a bit more secure about herself. "Yeah, I guess you do."