Challenge
Natsu and Lucy stood in the guild during daylight hours and were staring down each other. It was a showdown! Natsu had asked Lucy once again to "challenge" him in a loud voice. Happy had floated it the air behind Lucy when this happened. Natsu had marched up to Lucy, stared at her pointedly, and asked her shouting, "You, Lucy, challenge me!" And, he was pumped up with his muscles bulging in anticipation.
Lucy glared at Natsu and said exasperated, "You idiot. Why would I accept that?!" She held her palms out to her sides to show him her resolve. "Because you're strong! And, I want to battle you to see how strong I am!" he replied while pointing to himself. Lucy was touched, but she didn't let Natsu see it. "No," she said pleadingly. Natsu almost faltered, but he made punches in front of her vision. "Come on! Come on! Come on!" He said in sequence with his punches. "Nope!" she said back to him loudly and more defiant. Natsu stared Lucy in the eyes, and Lucy stared back. And then commenced, staring contest. "Oh…." said Happy his voice sounding behind Lucy while hiding his muzzle behind his furry front paws. He looked toward Lucy at the back of her head where her blonde hair was pulled up into one small side ponytail in a star-studded rubber band. Lucy grimaced as the time went on and blushed. Natsu kept staring, determined. 'Crap! He can do this forever!' thought Lucy.
Lucy then felt a light pat on her shoulder that startled her. The palm's touch was cold against her bare shoulder. 'Saved by the Gray…. or interrupted by him,' she thought. "Hey, Lucy," said Gray. "Did you pick a job for us yet?" "Oh well, Gray," started Lucy looking at him, "I was look—." "Ice-brains!" yelled Natsu with a push to Gray's shoulders. "What are you interrupting us for, I was winning that fight!" Natsu growled. 'What is he, an animal?' thought Gray nonchalantly. "That was a fight? Psssht," laughed Gray then he continued on to himself chuckling. "What a guy, huh Lucy?" said Gray deeply to her while nudging her with his elbow. "Well, hot-breath, are you ready for a real fight?" Gray taunted taking a stance in the ready. Lucy had already yelled, "Hey!" at Natsu for interrupting her, but now she was numb because Gray wanted to fight Natsu once again in front of everyone. Natsu's temper and flames flared all around him, and he sprinted forward. Gray put up both of his hands at once and cried, "Ice make shield!" A dazzling, diamond-top like shield appeared before him. Juvia admired it from behind a pillar. "Natsu, watch ou-!" Lucy didn't finish her sentence because red-haired Erza had already punched Natsu in the side of his torso. "Umph!" he exhaled and dropped to the floor in a heap. Lucy watched as Erza glared at Gray, but Gray wasn't dumb enough to challenge her. He let down his dazzling shield and grumbled, "Stupid, Natsu…." under his breath while sulking off. Juvia followed him in the wake of the pillars happily. Erza then stood over Natsu with her hands on her hips and commanded, "You should behave yourself!" She then walked off to another part of the guild to talk with or…. erhem, order someone else around.
Natsu groaned, and Lucy glanced at him on the floor. She didn't want to help him mainly because of his sometimes "manly" dignity. Natsu groaned more as he pushed himself up slowly. Happy still soared behind Lucy, and then he perched on her shoulder top while hanging on to the top of her head. Still, she waited and sighed lightly. "Natsu?" Natsu finished and said while standing on his two feet, "Man, Erza!" He wiped his nose with the back of his hand. His pink hair was in even more disarray than usual. Lucy held in a giggle and smiled. Mirajane was making her way toward them from behind the counter tops careful to not break any dishes. "Lucy, why are you going on a job with ice-cube?" Natsu directed his question toward her with a befuddled expression. Lucy frowned in a confused countenance. "Natsu, as a team, we all agreed for now to take turns picking jobs. It's my turn now…." Lucy said a bit warily. "Oh!" he replied while scratching the side of his head near his ear, "Okay, if that's it. Mirajane! Can I have some fire?" He said turning his head to face the white-haired beauty. "Sure, Natsu!" she answered when she finally stood before the three teammates. "Hi, Lucy," greeted Mirajane while grinning widely. "Hiya, Mirajane!" replied Lucy warmly, grinning in return. "I see you're looking for a job," Mirajane prompted. "Well, I had one in mind," said Lucy in thought.