Stage Fright pt. 3
AN: I wasn't originally planning on writing this, but a Guest reviewer suggested it and it was too good to pass up.
Well, Gray had done it again. He'd lost his shirt. Natsu and Gajeel had of course noticed, but had chosen not to say anything as they chatted with their old friend outside the guild hall. It was the day after the Fantasia Parade. All of the women had taken a girl's night to go shopping at the markets that had been set up for the Harvest Festival as all the men stayed to watch the children. The parade floats, not yet dismantled, were serving as their playground as their fathers watched: Gray from a loung chair, Natsu from a hammock tied between two of the trees, and Gajeel just lying lazily in the grass, all three of the enjoy the warmth of the early fall day as Meeko discovered his father's lost shirt and began carrying it in his arms, a wide grin on his face as he crawled into his father's lap.
"Hey, there Mee-When did I lose that!?" Gray asked, bewildered when he saw what Meeko was carrying.
"You've been shirtless for over an hour now," Natsu grumbled.
"Why didn't you say so!?"
"What good would that do? You'd just turn around and lose it again," Natsu scoffed, draping an arm over his eyes to block out the sun.
"He's not wrong," Gajeel muttered, chewing on a long blade of grass.
Meeko giggled as Gray rolled his eyes at the other two men and turned back to his son.
"Thanks, pal, let me-" Gray reached for the shirt, but Meeko threw it over his head before he could grab it.
"Hey, who turned out the lights?" Gray asked in an overly dramatic voice as he turned his side to side. Meeko laughed at his father's feigned fright before reaching up and pulling the shirt off his head.
"Wha-The lights are back on?" Gray asked in a dramatically surprised voice before he began poking Meeko in the belly. "How'd you do that?"
Meeko squealed as his father tickled him, then threw the shirt back over his head.
"Uh-oh. It's dark again," Gray said, scratching at the back of his head. "How does this keep happening?"
Meeko chuckled mischivously before yanking the shirt off again.
"Hey, why ya keep doing that?" Gray asked as he began poking Meeko under his arms.
The little boy let out ear-piercing, shrieking laughs, squirming to try to get away from Gray's tickling fingers. He finally managed to get away just long enough to throw the shirt back over his father's head.
"Oh, come on!" Gray lamented in an overly dramatic fashion, making Meeko chuckle. Natsu peaked out from under his arm, unable to stop himself from smiling at the scene. He heard soft footsteps running towards him, and tilted his head up to see. Layla ran towards him, rubbing at her eyes and yawning. She said nothing as she reached the hammock her father was lying in and held her arms up. Natsu barely missed a beat as her scooped her up and set her on his chest. It was getting close to her naptime, so it made sense she was sleepy and she tended to get a little clingy whenever she was tired, or scared, or sick.
Wanting to make sure it wasn't the latter of the three, Natsu set a hand on her forehead. Not feeling any fever he set his hand on her back, draping his other arm back over his eyes as he pushed his foot off on the ground to rock the hammock. Layla gripped onto his shirt with one hand and sucked on the thumb of her other. It didn't take Natsu long to hear another set of footsteps coming his way. He didn't even open his eyes and he took his arm off of them and held his arm out for Igneel.
Unlike Layla, Igneel wasn't exactly the clingy type. But he was…well...not exactly jealous, but whenever one of his sisters did anything he wanted in on it, especially when that activity included Natsu. Like most little boys he wanted to be just like Daddy when he grew up and he didn't appreciate it whenever he felt that one of his sisters was getting more of their father's attention than he was. Igneel reached the hammocks side and began tugging on the sleeve of Natsu's shirt.
"Daddy! I wanna swing too!"
His voice was whinier than usual. He's getting sleepy, too, Natsu thought as he scooped his son up and tucked him under his arm, setting his hand on his son's hand to keep him from thrashing and squirming too much and dumping all three of them out of the hammock. It didn't take long for both of the children to fall asleep.
"Heh," Gajeel chuckled as he rolled over and lied flat on his back. He wasn't looking to have any more children. Persephone and Koree were more than enough to keep him and Levy busy! Still, he missed the days when his girls were little like Layla, Igneel, and Meeko.
"Hey, Daddy!" Koree's voice called, making Gajeel sit up as she skipped to his side and whispered into his ear.
"That so?" Gajeel grinned just as Persephone and Pantherlily joined them. "Alright, you're on, cat!"
"Don't be disappointed when I beat you."
"Those are fightin' words!" Gajeel declared as he rolled onto his stomach and placed his hands on the ground. "Koree, get on!"
Koree giggled as she sat down on Gajeel's back and wrapped her arms around his neck. Pantherlily changed into his warrior form, and also laid on his stomach, Persephone sitting on his back and wrapping her arms around his neck. Gajeel and Pantherlilly then began doing push-ups, counting in unison:
"One. Two. Three," as both of the twins giggled with each rise and fall. Roman, Bianca, and the triplets all scampered over to watch the competition. Eva and Minette even began trying to do push-ups together.
Back on the floats Farrah was demonstrating her parkour skills to Cato, Nashi, and Storm. She was standing on the float shaped like a tower that Levy had used, but she backed up, got a running go, jumped, and sailed through the sky to land on the pirate ship Gray had used.
"Tah-Dah!" she cheered with a flourish of her arms as she stood up and took a bow. "Now you try."
"Okay," Cato said, backing up and taking a leaping off the tower and landing on the pirate ship. Granted it was not as graceful of a landing as Farrah's. His feet got tangled as he landed and he fell over on his face. Farrah didn't seem concerned, though.
"Good job, bro!"
"Thanks," Cato groaned as he lifted his thumb up into the air.
"Now you two!" Farrah called to Nashi and Storm.
Storm nodded and backed up. He took a running start and jumped…
...at the exact time Nashi did, casuing the two to collide and drop the ground below.
"Ouch, Nashi!"
"What? She told me to go!"
"No she told me!"
"I told both of you to, but I didn't mean at the same time!" Farrah sighed as she and Cato watched the other two children struggle to stand up.
"Ooooohhhhhh, you two!" a loud, shrill, irritating voice rang out. All four of the children looked up to see her…
Her meaning one of Magnolia's high-society soccer moms.
Her meaning the one who was the ring leader of the group of ladies who sat at the coffee shops and talked down about every woman that passed them by.
Her meaning the mother of the family whom she always shut away when Nashi walked by.
Her meaning the woman Storm splashed in the face before she could embarrass Nashi last night at the parade.
Nashi gasped, her body growing stiff and her face blanching. She'd never seen this woman come to the Guild Hall before. She must have really been mad about what happened last night. A small shudder ran through her body as she just stared at the well-dressed, angry woman stomping towards them.
Storm jumped to his feet, accidentally knocking Nashi onto her back.
"Oof!" she grunted as she sat back up. Her eyes grew even wider as she spotted Storm standing in front of her, blocking the angry rich woman from her. His arms were stretched out, a water cyclone whirling under each hand.
The woman stopped in her tracks, eyes narrowed. "Oh? Are you going to drench me to near death again you little brat?"
With his overly sensitive ears, Natsu picked up the woman's shrill voice.
"Ugh, not this b-" he stopped himself just in time, remembering he had his two youngest sleeping on top of him. "Oh, c'mon, of all times for her to show up!"
"What's the problem, charcoal breath?" Gray asked just before Meeko threw the shirt back over his head.
"That old hag that's always going after Nashi's here and I can't get up because I got these two napping ontop of me," Natsu answered as she struggled to find a way to get up without waking Layla or Ingeel.
Gray pulled the shirt off his face, disappointing Meeko who let out a loud "Aw, man!" as Gray turned to see that, indeed, the woman he and Juvia had "lovingly" dubbed "The Waling Salon" (because she always wreaked of too much perfume, hair products, and overly expensive and scented make-up) towering over Storm and Nashi. Gray frowned, stood up, and set Meeko on his hip.
"I've got this," he assured Natsu as he walked off.
"What do you want?" Storm asked from where he was still standing in between Nashi and The Walking Salon.
"Don't talk to me like that you impudent little rat!" the woman snapped. "Not that I'm suprised you're such a thug. Not sure what your parents expected to happen, hanging around that freak!"
She pointed to Nashi who flinched slightly. Storm's cyclones began whirling even faster than before, his frown deepening as he bared his teeth.
"Hey," Gray's voice came from behind them, and frown on his face, as he stomped towards them. "What's going on here?"
"Am I to believe that you are the father of this brat?" the woman asked, pointing to Storm.
"Hey, who are you to call my son a brat?" Gray challenged. Meeko, still propped on Gray's hip, crossed hsi arms and frowned.
"Yeah, you big meanie!"
"You allow your children to talk to their elders like that?" the Walking Salon asked Gray, a look of disdain on her face.
"No, of course not. I expect them to respect their elders. Busy-body intruders, though? They can talk to them however they watn," Gray answered with a smug grin on his face.
"Oh, you-you-you-!" The woman stuttered, stamping her foot.
"What?" Gray asked. "Lat I checked this is the Fairy Tail Guild Hall and I don't see a Fairy Tail Mark on you."
"And these children have one!?" the woman challenged.
"Yup. Right here," Storm answered, taking his shirt off and turning around the point the the blue emblem on his shoulder blade.
"What kind of barbaric guild allows children to enroll?" the Walking Salon gasped. "You really allow these innocent little ones to go on dangerous missions."
"Oh, now that you've found something to complain about they're 'innocent little ones' and not 'brats?'" Gray asked, arching an eyebrow. "You know, I'm starting to think you just like to stir up drama so you'll have soap-opera worthy stories to tell your stuffy friends while you wait for someone you can talk smack about to pass you by at your coffees shop."
"How dare you-"
"You know what? Instead of insulting me, why not just tell me what you want so you can go?"
"Very well," the Walking Salon huffed. "Your son humiliated me last night and I demand an apology!"
Gray arched an eyebrow and turned to Storm.
"Storm? What happened last night?" he asked, voice level, not angry, not soft, just monotone.
"Well…" Storm awkwardly shuffled about as he kicked at a pebble.
"He tripped and fell over and accidentally shot some water out," Nashi answered for him, standing to her feet.
"Accidentally, please," the Walking Salon rolled her eyes. "Y-"
"Eh, well, y'know how kids are," Gray shrugged. "They grow to fast and get clumsy because their not used to their longer limbs and such. Stinks that you got soaked but, hey, no harm, no foul. Hey, Storm," Gray turned back to the older two children. "Why don't you take Meeko inside and get him something to drink before I put him down for a nap."
"Okay," Storm nodded, taking his little brother into his arms, he and Nashi scampering off inside.
"Do you honestly believe that what your horrid little son did was an accident!?" The Walking Salon shouted.
"Of course not," Gray answered, turning back around, a deep frown on his face. "So tell me, what exactly did you do?"
"Me!?" the woman shrieked. "I did absolutely nothing! I was simply trying to enjoy the parade and then-"
"I don't buy that crap for one second," Gray hissed. "Say what you want about my son, but he's no brat. He wouldn't have shot a water blast at you unless you were mistreating him or one of his friends. So tell me, what did you do?"
"Nothi-"
"It was about Nashi wasn't it?" Gray crossed his arms. "Everyone in Fairy Tail knows you like to take jobs at her any chance you can."
"Who?"The woman cocked her head to one side.
"Nashi Dragneel," Gray repeated. "One of my son's best friends."
"Oh, you mean that little twerp with the forbidden magic?"
"It ain't forbidden," Gray stated. "It was just lost."
"If it wasn't forbidden why were the ones who created locked up until death?" the woman questioned.
Gray's frown deepened. "If you know that much then surely you know the rest of the story. It wasn't the magic itself that got them locked up, it was how they obtained it."
"Indeed, which means it shouldn't even be in this plain of existence. And yet here she is, tossing those spells around as if they were candy."
"You do realize if the Titans never stole those flames we'd still be in the dark ages, right?" Gray asked.
The woman opened her mouth to protest, then closed it, brows knitting together.
"You may not be the biggest fan of Titan Fire Magic, but if it weren't for it's existence you wouldn't have any of your fancy vehicles, mansions, or any of the other luxuries you practically drown yourself in. So you might want to be a little more thankful towards Nashi instead of hateful."
"Thankful to her?" the Walking Salon guffawed. "For what? What has she done for me that's worth thanking her for?"
"Well, she saved hundreds of train passengers from drowning in a river," Gray stated.
"I wasn't one of those passengers, though, so why should I be thankful towards that little terror."
"Well, how about the fact that she hasn't taken a swing at you?" Gray asked. "Honestly, you come here complaining about how horrible we Fairy Tail Wizards are, yet you spend every waking opportunity you can picking on an eight year old girl who's never even said a word to you."
"Because she's dangerous!"
"Yeah, saved a train full of people and entertained hundreds more in the Fantasia Parade without a hitch, real dangerous, huh?" Gray scoffed.
"That doesn't mean she's not-"
"Alright, you want dangerous? I'll give you dangerous," Gray took a threatening step forward. "How about an entire guild of skilled and accomplished wizards who will come after you for the rest of your life if we hear about you harming any one of our children, including Nashi."
"I haven't harmed any-"
"Oh, and just how do you think that little girl feels about every comment, glare, and snarl you've given her since she was born. Y'know what? I don't know what you did last night, and I don't care. All I know is that I wish Storm had hit you with something more powerful than a water burst."
"You fiend!" the Walking Salon gasped.
"Sure am," Gray nodded, turning to walk back to his chair. "Now get off my lawn!"
"Why do you even care?" the woman asked, stomping her foot. "It's not like she's your daughter."
"I said get lost."
"Well, she's not! So why do you care so much? I didn't even come here to talk about her, I came to talk about your son."
"Ever heard the saying it takes a village to raise a child?" Gray asked, turning back around, his fist placed against his palm. "Welcome to the village. Now, get lost! Ice-make ramp!"
An icy ramp appeared under the woman. She squealed and waved her arms about wildly as she lost balance and began tumbling down the ramp, back to the sidewalk in front of the Guild Hall.
"Well...that's new," a smirking voice said as the Walking Salon looked up. All of the Fairy Tail laides were standing in front of her with shopping hanging from their arms, Cana at the front, smirking at her as she sipped out of a flask.
"What on earth is going on?" Erza wondered aloud, turning her head to look towards the beginning of the ramp.
The Walking Salon quickly found Juvia in the crowd, standing right next to Lucy who was wearing a deep frown and glaring at her.
"You," she said, standing to her feet and stomping towards Juvia.
"Me?" Juvia blinked with an air of innocence and a degrading smile. "What about me?"
"Your son humiliated me last night!" she sputtered in Juvia's face. "And then your husband had the nerve to insult me and mortify me further by-"
"Oh, I'm sorry, hold on a second," Juvia began digging through her purse. "Hm...no, not there…" she searched through her pockets, then the shopping bags. She stopped her search and looked back at the Walking Salon, an insultingly wide smile on her face.
"I'm so sorry, I don't have any darns to give," Juvia said brightly before turnign to Lucy. "Do you have any darns I could spare? No? How about you Erza? No? Wendy? Cana? Levy? Laki? I'm sorry, ma'am, none of us have any darns left to give. I guess you'll just have to come back later and hope for the best."
The woman's jaw dropped open as Juvia turned away from her and back to her friends. "Come along girls, let's go."
"Oh, you're all horrible!" the Walking Salon shouted.
"Yup, and proud of it!" Cana cheered, holding her flask in the air before taking another swig.
"I did not come all the way out here to be insulted!"
"Oh, well where do you usually go?" Cana challenged.
"Why are you all being so horrid to me?" The Walking Salon pouted.
"I would have thought you'd already knew," Erza answered, eyes narrow. "But if you are really that dense you should try asking Nashi."
"I didn't even come here over that little imbecile!"
Schwoom!
The Walking Salon shrieked and jumped back as Lucy pulled out a glowing, zapping, and sputtering whip.
"Say that again?" Lucy challenged, eyes narrow.
"Yeesh, Lucy. Put that away will ya? She's not worth it," Cana set a hand over Lucy's and lowered the whip.
"Yes, well, I came here becasue your son splashed me in the face last night in front of everyone and humiliated me!"
"Really?" Juvia asked.
"Yes!"
"Oh," Juvia tapped her chin, then turned to the other girls. "Remind me to raise his allowance, will you girls?"
"OOOOOHHHH! YOU ARE AL-"
Splat!
A snowball flew through the air and hit the Walking Salon in the face.
"Honestly, Gray. Snowballs? We have this under control, no need to be juvenile," Erza scolded.
"That wasn't me," Gray answered, watching on confused. All the adults began looking about for the source of the snowball. Another one flew by and hit the woman in the face. This time they took note of where it was coming from, one of the Guild Hall's front windows. The women all turned to find Nashi and Storm standing and staring in wonder at Meeko who was between them, holding his hands in front of him. Icy shards sputtered into existence infront of him, creating another snow ball that he then grabbed a hurled at the woman.
"OH! GRAY, COME HERE!" Juvia cheered, racing to the opened window and snatching Meeko into her arms.
"What?" Gray asked, rushing to his wife's side.
"Ice!" Juvia cheered. "He's an ice make wizards just like you!"
"WHHHAAAAATTTT!" Gray's eyes brightened as he bent down to Meeko's level. "Make something for me, buddy!"
Meeko smiled, then held his hands out, making another snowball.
"Hey, look at you!" Gray ruffled his son's hair and rubbed his nose against his.
As the Fullbusters kept celebrating, Wendy slipped inside, searching around for Romeo. She soon found him sitting with Macao and Wakaba, sipping on a mug as he listened to his father chat with his old friend. Wendy walked up to her husband, tapped him on the shoulder, and gestured for him to follow her. Romeo smiled as he stood up and followed after his wife. Macao and Wakaba's conversation was getting creepy again, so he was glad for the excuse to slip off. Wendy led Romeo into an empty hallway and then turned to face him, a nervous smiled on her face.
"So, what's up?" Romeo asked. "What all did you and the girls buy?"
Wendy reached into one of her bags and pulled out an indigo colored gift box that she held out for Romeo.
Romeo took it, a bit of a confused scowl on his face. "Is this for me?"
"Mm-hmm," Wendy nodded.
"What's the occassion?" Romeo asked, afraid he may have forgotten somethign improtant. It wasn't her brithday...It wasn't their anniversary...Was it his birthday?
"Just open it," Wendy said in an excited voice.
"Okay…" Romeo began tearing the paper off, still confused. He opened the cardboard box inside, took off the tissue paper covering whatever was inside and gasped.
Wendy clasped her hands together in front of her face, smile widening as Romeo lifted a tiny onesie out of the box. His eyes were wide as he turned to his wife.
"Are you serious?"
Wendy nodded, giggling.
"You're pregnant!?" Romeo's face broke into a smile.
Wendy nodded again, giggling even more and bouncing up and down excitedly. Romeo dropped the box, though he still kept a firm hold on the onesie as he wrapped his arms around Wendy, lifted her off her feet, and began to spin her around and around, both of them giggling like idiots. Romeo stopped the spinning after a few minutes and caught Wendy's lips in a passionated kiss.
"I'm gonna be a dad!?" he asked brightly. Wendy giggled yet again and nodded as Romeon cupped her face in his hands.
"When did you find out?"
"Just this morning," Wendy smiled, pulling a positive pregnancy test out of her pocket. Romeo took it fro her, looked at it, then scooped her up and spun her around and around again, causing them both to laugh.