Fights. Fairy Tail is Good at Them
AN: Stupid title, I know, but I couldn't think of anything else...
"Wah! Wah! Wah!" Luna cried from the travel bassinet set up in the middle of the guild hall.
Lucy sighed as she stretched her back. She'd been building and painting parade floats for hours now in between feedings, burpings, diaper changes, and rockings. She stifled a yawn. She didn't remember being this tired when Nashi, Layla, or Igneel were babies. Then again this was her first time with twins. Yes, Layla and Igneel had been born very close together, but they weren't newborns at the same time. Neither did she have three older, energetic, and rambunctious children to tend to.
"What's the matter, sweetie?" Lucy asked as she picked Luna up from the bassinet. Luna whimpered again and began gnawing on her blanket.
"You hungry?" Lucy asked as Luna began crying again…
...waking up Kyri who also began crying.
Lucy sighed. "Where's Natsu when you need him?" she grumbled. Of course she knew why he had to take that job out of town. They needed the money. Bills were coming up, not to mention their house was starting to get a bit crowded with seven people living in it so they'd have to size-up soon. Still, she couldn't help but be a little bitter that he'd left her alone with all five kids.
She set Luna against her shoulder and turned to lift up Kyri.
"I've got her," a familiar voice called.
Lucy gasped slightly as Levy reached over and lifted Kyri out of the bassinet.
"Thanks," Lucy sighed in relief.
"Don't worry about it," Levy smiled. "I remember when my twins were this small. It can get pretty overwhelming. Just take care of Luna and I'll handle wittle Miss Kyri. Isn't that right?" Levy crooned as she rubbed her nose against Kyri's. "Who want to play with Auntie Levy?"
Lucy smiled at the scene as slipped into the kitchen. A little while after Nashi, Storm, and Cato had been born Mirajane set up a nursing room behind the kitchen for mothers.
As Lucy stepped inside she was engulfed by the smell of sweets baking. Lucy turned her head and found Nashi pouring various ingredients into a bowl. She cocked her head to one side, curious. Nashi loved cooking. She'd enjoyed playing around in the kitchen since she was about five years old. Still, normally when she began whipping something up she'd ask one of the other kids to help her, or at the very least taste everything for her. She hardly ever went at it completely alone.
"Whatcha doing, Nashi?" Lucy asked.
"Makin' cookies for the festival," Nashi answered in a rather flat voice as Lucy stepped into the nursing room, leaving the door a crack open so she could still talk to her oldest daughter.
"That's nice. What made you decided to do that?"
"I dunno," Nashi shrugged as she began mixing up the contents in the bowl.
Lucy's brow furrowed as she held Luna to her chest. Something was wrong.
"So, have you decided what you're going to do for the parade yet?"
In past years the Birthday Gang had been on floats together, but this year they were considering having each of them do their own thing. They'd become quite the little celebrities after the Elena Alteria incident. Not that it was surprising. It wasn't everyday that a group of nine and eight year olds took down six dark wizards on their own. Fairy Tail had been popular for years, but now with a glimpse into what their future looked like, all of Fiore had their eyes on the guild.
"I'm not doing it," Nashi answered as she tossed a handful of chocolate chips into the batter.
Lucy gasped. "What do you mean you're not doing it?"
"Don't want to," Nashi said plainly.
"Why not?" Lucy poked her head out of the room to look at Nashi. "Last night you were practically bouncing off the walls you were so excited about getting your own float. Now you don't want to?"
"Changed my mind," Nashi answered, never turning to look at her mother, a scowl on her face as she added a handful of chopped walnuts into the batter.
Lucy's brow furrowed. "Sweetie, are you okay?"
"I'm fine!" Nashi snapped as she began spooning cookies onto a greased baking sheet.
"Did something happen?" Lucy asked.
"No. I said I'm fine," Nashi answered, pulling out a sheet of already baked cookies out of the oven and setting them on the cooling rack.
Lucy knew that wasn't true. "Nashi…"
"I'm fine, Mom."
Mom? Not Mommy? Something was definitely wrong.
Luna finished eating as Nashi all but threw the sheet of raw cookies into the oven. Lucy set her against her shoulder to burp her as she stepped back into the kitchen. Nashi had begun mixing up another batch of cookies. Her head was hung, her mouth was pressed into a fine line, her eyes were. Something was wrong, no question about it. But what?
Puberty? Lucy cringed at the thought but Nashi was ten years old now. Though it was still a bit on the young side for her to start going through those womanly changes, it wouldn't be too outrageous for her to start going through puberty, especially seeing as she'd always been an early bloomer. Lucy looked Nashi up and down.
No, that wasn't it. There was no major sign of maturing. Nashi still looked very much like a little girl.
Nashi heaved a heavy sigh. "Mommy, I'm fine, stop staring at me."
Lucy wasn't sure, but she thought she heard Nashi mutter "everyone else already stares at me," under her breath. Lucy began to take a step towards her and then noticed something. A mobile communication lacrima sitting on the counter.
"Nashi, when did you take my lacrima?"
"You left it in here," she answered with a duck of her head.
Lucy frowned. "Nashi Lucy Dragneel, you know that's a lie!"
"Why would I take your lacrima?" Nashi asked, still not looking up at her mother.
"I don't know, why would you?"
"I didn't."
"Nashi…"
"I didn't! It was just ringing so I answered it."
Lucy's brow furrowed. "Who was on the other side?"
"I don't, they made a miscall."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah."
"Nashi…"
"I'm fine, Mommy!" Nashi threw another pan of cookies into the oven.
Luna began fussing against Lucy's shoulder. Lucy bounced her and whispered to her to try to calm her down. As she did so she noticed something outside the kitchen window.
Natsu had returned! Lucy let out a sigh of relief as she stepped out of the kitchen and walked outside the guild hall to meet him. She wasn't sure he could solve this mystery, but at least she wouldn't have to try to figure this out on her own.
"Natsu!" she called, waving stiffly as she still held Luna to her shoulder.
"Hey, love," Natsu waved, Happy flying alongside him. It didn't take long for Natsu to notice the look on Lucy's face. His brow furrowed. "Hey, Hap, gimme a minute."
"Aye sir!" Happy said as he went ahead and flew inside.
Lucy rushed up to him, setting a hand on the back of Luna's head to make sure she didn't bounce around too much as she ran.
"Natsu, something's wrong with Nashi."
"What do you mean?" Natsu asked, instinctively setting a hand on Luna's back.
"She said she doesn't want to the parade anymore, then she stole my lacrima and won't tell me what she did with it, and whenever I try to get to the bottom of it she cuts me off and tells me she's fine even though she's clearly not. I just know something happened but she won't tell me what it is."
Natsu frowned. "Where is she?"
"In the kitchen baking enough cookies to feed an army."
"I'll talk to her," Natsu said as he walked inside. He made his way into the kitchen, immediately hit in the face by the smell of cookies.
"Hey, Firecracker."
"Hey," Nashi answered in a gloomy voice as she reached a hand into a tin of cinnamon sticks.
Natsu's brow furrowed slightly, but he tried to maintain his poker face as he walked up to his daughter.
"How've you been?" he asked as he leaned down and kissed the top of her head.
Nashi shrugged. "I dunno."
"Heard you're not doing the parade anymore," Natsu stated in a matter-of-fact voice, careful to keep all traces of concern out of his tone as he pulled a mortar and pestle out of the top cabinet.
Nashi sighed, lowering her head. "No, I'm not. But I'm-"
"So whatcha gonna do instead?" Natsu asked, intentionally cutting her off as he held the mortar out to her. She blinked up at him, a bit confused as she dropped two cinnamon sticks into the stone bowl for her father to grind up. Natsu began mashing the pestle against the cinnamon, waiting for Nashi to answer. When she didn't he asked again:
"Whatcha gonna do instead?"
"I dunno," Nashi shrugged as she began measuring out flour and sugar. "Probably nothin.'"
"Ah, c'mon, you've gotta do something."
"Why, though?"
"It's the Harvest Festival! We've been helping Magnolia celebrate ever since Fairy Tail was founded. You've gotta be involved somehow, it's tradition."
"What about that one year the guild was disbanded?" Nashi asked.
Natsu's brow furrowed. Yup, something was definitely wrong!
"Alright, alright, you smart alec, you knew what I meant."
Nashi just shrugged.
"Besides," Natsu continued. "We'd miss you if you weren't there."
Nashi shrugged again as she went and got milk out of the fridge.
"And you'd regret not being a part of it."
"Nah," Nashi sighed as she dumped out the milk into the bowl and then put the rest of the carton back.
"C'mon, you know you would."
"Nah. Besides, everyone would have more fun without me."
Natsu frowned as he set the mortar and pestle down, walked up behind Nashi, grabbed her shoulder, whirled her around, and bent down to look her straight in the eye.
"Nashi, that's not true."
Nashi shrugged him off and walked back to her bowl, picking up a spoon and stirring it. "Sure it is. The guild would have more fun if they didn't have to worry about me causing a scene and ruining the mood."
"Causing a scene? Since when have you caused a scene?" Natsu asked, arms crossed.
"Oh, I don't know!" Nashi exclaimed. "Set a Lamia Scale wizard on fire when I was two, burned a group of old men when I was three, destroyed a Blue Pegasus gala when I was three, nearly got myself kidnapped by and started a feud with Twilight Ogre when I was six, showed up to a train station in my pajamas when I was eight, stowed-away on a train and nearly burned down a hospital when I was nine! Should I go on?"
Natsu arched an eyebrow, a small smirk on his lips. "That's it?"
Nashi blinked in surprise as her father rolled back his head and laughed. "Oh, honey, if you think that's causing a scene do I have stories from my childhood to tell you!"
"But-"
"And for the record, no, you did not set a Lamia Scale wizard on fire. You cast Rhea on Sherry because Orba was harassing her trying to get her to fight him. Now he ended up getting burned by your rhea flames, but he was askin' for it."
Nashi awkwardly rubbed at her arm.
"And you didn't burn a group of old men when you were three, I did because they were trying to kidnap you for ransom and they gave you that scar on your forehead."
Nashi brushed a hand over the mark below her hairline.
"Destroyed a Blue Pegasus Gala...yeah, you did do that…"
Nashi hung her head.
"But in your defense you weren't alone. Nearly every Fairy Tail kid broke something that night except for Lorelle, Layla, and the triplets because Lorelle couldn't even roll over yet and Layla and the triplets were still inside your Mommy and Aunt Erza."
Nashi let out a small chuckle at this.
"The feud between us and Twilight Ogre was going on long before your Mommy and I were ever dating, so kinda hard for you to start that when you didn't even exist at that point. Yeah, you stormed a train station in your pj's, but you ended up saving hundreds of lives so we can let the pj thing slide. And almost setting a hospital on fire is not actually setting it on fire, which is better than what would have happened had it been your dad up there instead of you. Not to mention you were trying to stop a dark wizard from killing us all so, once again, I think we can let it slide."
Nashi sighed. "That's not what she…" her voice trailed off and her eyes widened as she realized she was speaking out loud. She whirled around and went back to stirring the cookie batter.
"Who?" Natsu asked. "Who said it? What'd they say? Where they live?"
"I dunno what you're talking about," Nashi said as she beat viciously at the cookie batter.
"Nashi Dragneel you tell me who told you that crap right now-"
"Daddy, I don't know who it was," Nashi finally came clean. "Someone called through on Mommy's lacrima. She was busy changing Kyri so I answered it and it was some lady telling me I shouldn't be in the parade because I'd ruin it for everyone because I'm a hazard."
"WHAT!?"
Creak…
The kitchen door opened and Koree stepped in.
"Oops! Sorry," she said brightly as she skipped to the counter. "Just getting some water."
Natsu waited until Koree filled a glass with water and then skipped out of the kitchen. Once the door shut behind her he sighed deeply and ran a hand over his face. He was furious, but he forced himself not to lose it. He was the parent here, he needed to be the calm for Nashi.
"Why didn't you just tell someone, Nashi."
"Because everytime something like this happens it's always a big deal, and everyone gets mad, and then there's a fight, and I don't want people getting upset or hurt when they're supposed to be having fun. That's selfish."
"Selfish?" Natsu turned Nashi around and setting his hands on her shoulders. "Nashi, you're not selfish for telling someone you're hurt. We all get hurt, we all need help, and the best thing you can do when that happens is tell someone. That's what family and friends are for."
"But then you get mad, and go fight, and get hurt-"
"Because we want to take care of you," Natsu said. "We want to fight for you. You don't make us do that, we choose to do that ourselves."
"I don't want you to choose though!" Nashi exclaimed pushing him away. Natsu gasped slightly as Nashi continued to rant.
" I don't want you to keep fighting for me. I don't want to have to keep telling you that someone's picking on me for my magic. I don't want to have to keep trying to avoid people who don't like me because I'm different. I just…" Nashi began tugging at her hair as tears stung her eyes. "I just want it to stop!"
"And you think giving them what they want will make it go away?" Natsu asked softly.
"I don't know, maybe?" Nashi shrugged.
"No, it won't," Natsu answered as he knelt down in front of her again and gently took her hands away from her hair. "If anything it will make things worse, because they'll start to think they can scare you."
"But what if they can? I mean, do," Nashi said, bottom lip quivering slightly.
"It's okay to be scared. But you never let the other guy know you're afraid. If they see you're scared they'll try to use that to control you."
Nashi crossed her arms. "Well, okay, fine, but what can I do to make them go away?"
Natsu sighed. "You can't."
Nashi hung her head. Natsu set his hand under her chin and tilted her face back to him, giving her a small smile.
"So prove them wrong. They want to say your dangerous or wrong then there's nothing we can do to stop them. So show 'em how great you are. You've already done a good job of that. You saved a train full of people. You took down a dark wizard and saved a whole hospital. You wanna know why that coward called you on that lacrima? Because they are starting to realize they were wrong about you. Now they feel threatened because they don't have to feel like a fool while they eat their words. They want to make you go away."
Natsu pushed her hair behind her ear and looked her directly in the eye. "Don't let them."
Nashi's head dipped again, but Natsu caught her by the chin and tilted her face back towards his.
"Never dull your flame for someone else."
"I'm just…" Nashi sighed. "I'm tired of everyone fighting for me."
Natsu smiled softly as he ruffled her hair. "Well, you'll have to get over that because we're never going to stop taking care of you, Firecracker." He leaned forward and pecked a kiss onto her forehead. "We love you. I love you."
Nashi threw her arms around his neck. "I love you, too."
Natsu hugged her close. He wanted more than anything to take all this away from her, but he knew he couldn't. He was also very afraid to say what he was about to, but he knew Nashi needed to hear it.
"And just because we're willing to fight you, it doesn't mean we think you're too weak to defend yourself."
Nashi let out a small gasp as he continued.
"If you can fight off an experienced killer to save me and your Mommy you can fend off a few haters. Just don't get crazy, okay? I don't want you getting hurt."
Nashi nodded as she snuggled closer against him. Could she stand up for herself? Of course she'd fight to protect her family. That was a given. That's what you did. But it was a lot easier to punch out someone actively trying to hurt her parents or siblings than it was to talk back to against someone who didn't use fists or weapons, but instead words to hurt her. There was also the issue of her trying to lash out at others in the guild as payback for Nashi fighting back. But Daddy had told her that they'd always get involved anyways so, well, maybe it was time she stopped letting them fight all her battles for her.
"Hello?"
Nashi turned her head as Persephone's rather loud and angry voice came from behind her. Persephone wasn't in the kitchen though.
Natsu's brow furrowed. He'd heard it to.
"Hello?"
The two pink-headed Dragneels poked their heads into the main room.
Persephone and Koree stood near the kitchen door, Lucy's lacrima in Persephone's hand, held to her ear.
"Eh?" Natsu cocked his head to one side. Koree must have swiped it when she came in to get water.
"Hello?" Persephone asked again. "...Who is this? Who are you calling up our girl and threatening her?...Yes, this is Fairy Tail. Hi! How ya' doin'? NOW SPILL IT! Whatcha think you doin'?"
Nashi blinked. She'd called that person back? But how?
Nashi shook her head. Persephone probably had about a dozen spells she could use to hack, locate, and track, a lacrima call back to the source. She was scary good when it came to these sneaky sort of things. Nashi had even overheard Wakaba and Macao talking about how it wouldn't surprise them if she group up to be a spy for the Magic Council, though Nashi herself had a hard time picturing Persephone taking orders from anyone.
"Uh-huh?" Persephone nodded as Koree leaned close to listen in.
"Yeah, I'm a kid, your point?" Persephone asked. "...Hey, you picked on a kid earlier, so I don't see the problem...It don't matter how I found you! Now answer my question, whatcha think you doing calling out our girl like that?!"
Nashi took a deep breath. Her Daddy was right, she couldn't tell Persephone and Koree to stop. They were too stubborn to listen to her. But she could take over. Fight her own battles. Maybe then those she cared about wouldn't be caught in the crossfire.
Nashi stepped forward and took the lacrima from Persephone. "Gimme that!"
Both of the twins turned in shock at her. She ignored them, took a deep breath, then held the lacrima to her ear. "Hi. It's me again. And I changed my mind, I am doing the parade."
Persephone and Koree both leaned in to listen, wide-eyed. Natsu too started. His hands were almost shaking from how much he wanted to snatch that lacrima away and give that lady a piece of his mind, but he knew that he had to let Nashi take this one on her own. She was growing up, whether he liked it or not. She had to learn to stand up for herself at some point, not only because he and Lucy wouldn't always be there to protect her, but she also needed that confidence boost. He needed to know that it was okay for her to defend herself, that she was worth it. She needed to know that it was possible and healthy to respect herself enough to stand up for herself.
"You again, eh?" a nasally voice answered on the other end of the lacrima. "Well, I'm not surprised. You would do something as selfish as that."
Both of the Redfox twins opened their mouths to protest, but Nashi beat them to it.
"You don't even know me!" she stated. "And how is being in a parade with my friends selfish?"
"It's selfish when you're a living time bomb that could go off at any moment and kill us all. Honestly, if you really cared about anyone you'd go off and be a hermit somewhere remote where you can't hurt anyone."
"But I've never hurt anyone who wasn't asking for it," Nashi said.
"You can't prove that!"
"You can't prove that I didn't!"
"Funny how you all of a sudden are so brave when we aren't standing face to face…"
Koree snatched the lacrima from Nashi's hand and held it to her face. "Oh, yeah? Well, you come on over and look at us face to face. You know where our guild hall is."
Persephone took Nashi's hand and they and Koree began walking to the door. Natsu followed along behind them, arms crossed. So much for Nashi fighting her own battles. Still, this was a start. At least she wasn't afraid to do the parade anymore.
"You just come on!" Koree said. "We'll be waiting outside!"
"WHA-WHO IS IT!?" Gajeel's voice rang out from across the guild hall. He barrelled through the crowd, knocking Max, Nab, Wakaba, and Macao over in the process as he headed towards the door behind the girls. One of his hands had been replaced by an anvil, the other was holding July on his hip.
"Tell 'em to come one!" Gajeel shouted as he stormed out the door. "Who are they?"
"GAJEEL REDFOX YOU BETTER NOT BE TAKING MY INFANT SON INTO A FIGHT!" Mirajane screamed from behind the bar.
"Oh, right," Gajeel said as he rushed back inside and promptly set July on the bar in front of Mirajane. "There you go, lil guy, Uncle Gajeel's gonna be right back."
He then took off back out the door. "Okay, where they at?"
Mirajane scowled as she picked July up and set him on her hip. July, for his part, just stared and laughed at the scene.
Koree just kept talking into the lacrima. "You comin' over? Huh? You comin'? 'Cuz we're waiting for you."
"Who is it? Tell 'em come on!" Gajeel said again.
"You even there?" Koree asked, then after a few moments shook her head. "She hung up. Whoopy-dee-doo! What a surprise!"
"Pfft!" Gajeel shook his head as he began storming back into the Guild Hall. "You kids got my feather ruffled. I was ready to throw down!"
"In an apron?" Persephone asked, pointing at the paint stained article of clothing hanging around her father's neck. Koree, Nashi, and Persephone all began chuckling at the sight.
Gajeel looked down at himself, then smirked. "Well, where you see an apron, Sephy," Gajeel said, taking said apron off. "I see a high tech net!"
With one sweeping motion he scooped Persephone into the apron and threw her over his shoulder like she was a sack of potatoes.
"HEY!" Persephone shouted as she began struggling inside her newly acquired cloth prison.
"Now who's next?" Gajeel asked as he began chasing Koree and Nashi around the front yard.
Natsu just shook his head at the scene, smiling, happy to see Nashi laughing again.
"What on ear-" Levy's voice came as she stepped outside to see what was going on. She gave a quick sigh and shook her head. "Oh, you sillies!"
Kyri, who was still in her auntie's arms, began turning her head around to see, cooing loudly when she spotted Natsu and reaching her arms out to him.
"Oh, do you see your Daddy?" Levy asked before passing her to Natsu who beamed as he set her against his shoulder.
"Hey, sweetie," he said, kissing the top of her head.
"AUGH!" Gajeel called from the front yard as, seemingly out of nowhere, Cato, Storm, and Roman appeared and had proceeded to climb all over him as they tried to Persephone.
"Oi, Lev, a little help here?" Gajeel shouted.
Levy giggled as she began running towards the wrestling match. "Solid script wind!"
A strong gust formed that blew at the three boys, sending them flying towards the ground where they tumbled into a heap. In the process, however, Persephone was able to free herself, and landed in a fighting stance.
"Oi, Salamander, get your fire-eating butt down here, we need more back-up!" Gajeel yelled as he blocked one of Nashi's Thea attacks with an iron fist.
"Gimme a minute," Natsu said as he walked inside. He found Lucy working on a float, Luna now asleep back in her bassinet.
"Tag, you're it," NAtsu said as he passed Kyri to her and raced back outside.
"Hey, I just put a baby down! Where are you going!?" Lucy protested as she followed at him, then laughed and shook her head as she watched six children and three adults wrestling and fighting right on the front lawn for all to see.
"I'm not sure what I expected," she sighed before calling: "Loke!"
"Yes, m'lady?" Loke asked as he appeared. "Want me to teach Natsu a lesson."
"Nope, keep an eye on her," Lucy said, passing Kyri to Loke, who just beamed.
"Aw, how y'doin' you little cutie?" he crooned as he gently bounced her, making her giggle.
Lucy changed into her Virgo Star Dress and then joined the fight, but not before she was caught up in a knot of vines and roses. She turned and smiled when she saw Layla standing behind her, Fyllo's key in her hand as said spirit stood by her side. Igneel appeared from behind her, racing to the center of the action. "Celestial dragon wing attack!"
Back on the front steps Kyri watched on, wide-eyed at the spectacle.
"Eh, don't worry, you'll get out there soon enough," Loke told her.
"As will you, little princess," Virgo suddenly said as she appeared next to Loke, holding Luna.
"Gah! When did you get here?" Loke asked.
"I felt Princess using my Star Dress so I came to see what was going on," Virgo explained.
"And you're holding a baby, because…"
"She's cute," Virgo answered plainly a small blush forming on her cheeks as she held the baby closer. Luna just looked up at the pink-headed spirit and reached up a hand to boop her on the nose.
"Oh, are we not supposed to…" another soft voice called.
Loke turned around and blinked. "Aries. You're here too? And...you also have a baby?"
Aries nodded as she continued holding July who was curiously tapping at her horns. "I'm sorry. But I saw you with one and Virgo with one so I wanted to hold one too."
"Really?" Loke sighed.
"Can you blame us?"
"Oh, Sagitarius, why am I not surprised," Loke sighed as Sagitarius walked out swinging Isla in the air as she giggled.
"They're just so cutesy-wootsy!" Sagittarius exclaimed.
"Besides…"
"Aquarius?" Loke was genuinely surprised to see her hear, and cradling as sleepy Vera no less.
"These idiots are all going to be out here fighting in a minute, so might as well keep the tiny ones out of harm's way," Aquarius sighed as she held Vera closer. "No, I'm not jealous you got called to babysit instead of me!"
"I never said that," Loke stated as even more children and adults joined in the scuffle.
"What are they even fighting over?" Aquarius asked, disgusted.
"Nothing. That's just how they show affection," Loke answered, smiling ear to ear.
"I've got her," a smooth voice came from next to him.
"Capricorn, you too huh?"
Capricorn nodded as he took Kyri. "Go join in the fun, I'll watch her."
Loke smiled before changing into his human form and jumping into the fight.
"As for the rest of us, I think it's best we go back inside with these little ones," Capricorn said before leading the spirits and babies back into the guild hall.