"Papa? Can we go on a job?"
The question made the Tenrou Team freeze at the 6 year old's request. It had been three days since everyone met Nashi and she, Natsu and Happy were eating lunch that Mira cooked at the guild. The dragon slayer and exceed were planning on taking the peach haired girl to their fishing spot and teach her how to fish for the day, but the request immediately made them spit their food out in shock. Mira providing them with water to soothe their coughs that followed after.
"W-Why do you want to go on a job, Nashi?" Natsu asked after drinking his water.
Nashi immediately began to pout and the dragon slayer had the feeling this wasn't the first time she had asked to go, the first time probably after Lucy had adopted her. "Mama told me that I can go on jobs when I'm older and good at magic... I beat the meanies from three days ago so can I go!? Please Papa!"
Natsu and Happy became vulnerable since Nashi was Lucy's daughter and they did not want to put her in necessary danger. The dragon slayer began looking to anyone who could help him and thankfully Mira immediately smiled and leaned on the bar counter and tapped the girl's shoulder. "Why do you want to go on a job, Nashi?"
The peach haired girl looked at the takeover mage and began to fiddle with her fingers. "I wanna get stronger..." She said, making Natsu and Happy's eyes widen. "Mama's always protecting me... so I want to protect her too..."
Macao, who was sitting a few seats away from the trio, thought about the child's request carefully. If Nashi was strong enough to ward off Twilight Ogre, she should be fine if the rest of Team Natsu goes with her. He looked to Wakaba, who seemed to be thinking as well and the two nodded at each other. With that silent exchange, Macao got up from his seat and placed his hand atop Nashi's head with a smile so she can get rid of the look of disappointment on her face.
"So long as you take Aunt Erza, Uncle Gray, Wendy and Carla with the three of you, Lucy shouldn't mind too much." He said.
Nashi's pout disappeared almost instantly when she heard Macao's words and literally jumped to give him a hug. "You're the best Uncle Macao!" She said planting a kiss on his cheek.
"Whoa Macao, are you sure about this?" Natsu asked. "I don't want her getting hurt."
"Loosen up Natsu, this is not like you." Macao joked, making Natsu sulk like a child. "Like I said, so long as the others come she should be fine and besides Lucy was like this the first time Nashi asked her too. Just don't go on a job that's too dangerous."
"Come on Papa! Please! All we've done is stay at the guild! We should be going on jobs and beating up the bad guys!" Nashi whined before going to the table with the rest of Team Natsu sat. "Auntie Erza! Uncle Gray! Tell Papa we should go on a job! Please~?"
The two mages looked at the child with dumbfounded looks as she tried to act cute and then looked at Natsu and Happy who were repeatedly giving them signals to say no. But when the scarlet and raven haired mages looked down at the child again, they couldn't help but surrender to her cuteness. "Fine then... but only a small one, alright?" Erza said.
"Yay!" She cheered as she went over to Wendy. "Auntie Wendy! Carla! Come and help me pick a job!"
Wendy just giggled at the child's excitement and followed her to the request board, Natsu and Happy rushing to Erza and Gray with panicked looks on their faces. It wasn't surprising they were acting like that, after the threat about Lucy coming for anyone's head whenever Nashi gets hurt must've stayed in their minds and they probably remembered all the Lucy kicks they had received before the S-Class trials and just how painful they had been.
"Why the heck did you say yes, Erza!?" Natsu exclaimed in a hushed whisper. "If she gets hurt, Luce will have me and Happy's heads!"
"If Nashi gets hurt, the entire team will take responsibility in not being able to take care of her." Erza said calmly while finishing her glass of water, Gray not expecting that reply at all. "We are all going on the job so it's up to all of us to make sure she doesn't get hurt. I'm sure Lucy will understand."
"Now hold on now, I didn't agree to this-"
"You didn't object either so therefore you're also going to be held responsible." The scarlet haired mage replied as she cut Gray off, immediately shutting down any protests that the boys had left.
Right as that was settled, the three girls came back with Nashi holding the request in hand. "It wasn't easy to choose since Nashi wanted to go on all of them but we decided to do this one." Wendy said as the peach haired girl handed the flyer to Erza.
When Erza, Natsu, Gray and Happy looked at the flyer they all agreed that the job was simple enough. All they had to do was capture Velveno, a man who broke out of jail and has a distinct taste for disco fashion and all for four million jewel. The entire team looked to Nashi who only looked excited at the job and wondered why she would choose a job like that. But the girl only smiled in a scheming fashion, something they remembered a certain celestial mage do often.
"Mama says that a good job always comes from high pay and four million jewels is just what we need!" She said excitedly, making everyone else sweatdrop.
"Just like Lucy..." They all thought.
"But it also says that the guy is probably going to make an appearance at some count's ball." Carla said, reading the flyer. "We might as well attend and blend in."
"Good idea, Carla!" Happy said.
"However... do any of you know even how to dance at a high class party like that?"
At the words of dance, Natsu and Gray blinked twice before looking at each other with worried expressions. "Hold up when you say dance, do you mean like the weird slow dances!?" They exclaimed in unison.
"Aw it's okay Papa!" Nashi reassured as she grabbed onto the dragon slayer's hand and began to pull him so he stood up. "Mama taught me so I'll teach you! It's fun!"
After an extremely painful dance lesson that everyone at the guild joined, Team Natsu, Nashi, Elfmen and Warren made their way to Count Balsamico's residence concerning the job. Nashi, throughout the entire way there, only talked about how excited she was to see her father and his team catch the bad guy and couldn't wait to see how they fight. Warren then explained that the only reason she was excited like this was because she only ever went on jobs with Lucy and no one else so a job with others was a first for her.
After arriving and gathering the details from the Count, everyone went their separate ways to change into proper attire. When Natsu and the guys met with the girls, his eyes filled with pride when he saw Nashi. Her hair had been kept down and slightly curled at the ends with a flower tucked behind her ear. The dress she wore was a simple and poofy lavender gown that showed her ankles, the skirt having small ruffles at the bottom. On her feet, she wore white flats.
When Nashi saw her father, she smiled and immediately ran up to him showing off her dress. "Papa, what do you think? I look super pretty, right?" She asked.
Natsu returned her smile with a grin and picked her up so he could carry her. "You look great Nashi!" He complimented, making the child's eyes sparkle. "You're definitely Lucy's kid, alright!"
"You look really pretty too, Papa!" Nashi said chuckling. "We should take a picture later so we can show Mama when she comes home!"
The others couldn't help but try to hold in their laughter at Nashi's suggestion while Natsu knew that if Lucy ever saw him in a suit, she might tease him for actually being able to look 'proper' for once in his life. So he just coughed and began to change the subject. "Hey Nashi, wanna hear something cool?"
At those words, Nashi's eyes grow big in excitement. "Tell me! Tell me please!"
Natsu just chuckled and nodded to Erza who began walking around with Wendy. The dragon slayer just pointed to watch the requip mage and suddenly the child could hear her voice without her mouth moving. "Warren? Anything suspicious?" She asked through telepathy.
"Wow~!" Nashi said in awe as she turned back to the boys. "Papa! Uncle Gray! Uncle Elfmen! Did you hear that!? Auntie Erza just spoke in my head!"
Gray just chuckled as he ruffled Nashi's hair a bit, making sure not to mess it up. "That's Uncle Warren's magic. Pretty cool right?"
Once everything was all said and done, they all began to separate, Natsu letting Nashi down so that she could hold onto his hand while they walked around and looked for Velveno. One by one, people asked each of the mages to dance while Warren, Happy and Carla watched through lacrima visions in secret. Some girls tried to ask Natsu to dance, much to his distaste, but Nashi thankfully warded them away by saying that her father already has her as a dancing partner.
At one point, Gray began fighting with one of the guests who also used Ice Maker magic and Nashi couldn't help but stare in awe at the things both he and the woman he was fighting created with ice. Until Erza stopped them, of course, which made the little girl laugh in delight. "Poor Uncle Gray." She said in between laughs.
Natsu, deciding to repay the girl for making sure he didn't dance with anyone so that he could snack on the food while they walked around, picked her up again and went on one of the magical platforms twirling her around so that they can dance together. Nashi took a moment to realize what he was doing, but once she did, she laughed and stretched out her right hand while Natsu swayed them side to side, as if they were really dancing.
That was when midnight struck and the Balsamico's family ring appeared from within the large clock in the ballroom. Once the count announced that the men must now fight for the ring in order to propose to his daughter, Aceto, all the men began to make a run for it. That was until Warren's voice spoke through the fairies' heads. "The kid with Wendy! That's Velveno!"
Nashi and Natsu immediately stopped dancing and then looked as the person with Wendy jumped in the air and transformed back into their normal appearance. Velveno then casted a Sky Dragon's Roar after using his magic to copy Wendy's and was able to get the ring into his hands. Natsu grinned at the fact that the guy they came to capture finally showed up and placed Nashi on the platform, patting her head as she looked up at him with an unreadable expression.
"Papa's gonna be right back after taking out the bad guy, okay?" He said.
Before the child could reply, Natsu hopped onto another platform and began to make his way over the afro headed convict while Nashi was left to watch by herself as the platform descended. "But Papa..."
The fairies began their attack, however, Velveno had already copied all Fairy Tail mages' magic before he even made a move so he was able to counter them. Nashi continued to watch in silence, but she realized that even though Velveno sounded like a villain who came to steal the ring, he made no effort to run away and never attacked anyone once. When all the fairies had gathered to protect Aceto, Natsu was about to go ahead and tackle the convict when Nashi ran in front of him with her arms spread out.
"Wait Papa!" She cried, causing everyone to gasp at her actions, even Velveno.
"Nashi? What are you doing!?" Natsu asked in confusion. "That's the bad guy remember!?"
"But he's not a bad guy, Papa!" She protested, making Aceto look at the man behind the child. "He wasn't trying to steal the ring! He was just following the rules!"
"Following the rules?" Gray asked.
Nashi then turned around and took Velveno's hand and began dragging him to walk towards Aceto, yet the fairies still blocked him from getting closer despite the child's protest. The peach haired girl groaned and looked at the man behind her. "Come on! Go and explain why you broke out of prison, Lover Boy!" She said, making the fairies' jaws drop.
Velveno looked at the child in disbelief and gave her a grateful smile. Then, he began to explain about how he knew Aceto, how he gave up on her and lived a life of crime, how he was arrested and how he decided that he had to try one thing in order to regret nothing, how he wanted to at least propose to her and confess his love, regardless of how impossible it all seemed to be. Leaving everyone in the crowd speechless at his words, some of the girls were even crying.
After Aceto said yes and requested that Velveno live out his sentence in jail, Nashi turned to Natsu who still held a skeptical expression on his face. She went in front of him and got his attention by grabbing onto his sleeve. When the pink haired boy looked down, by reflex, he picked Nashi up and carried her so that they were facing eye to eye. She didn't know why he looked the way he did, so Nashi just hugged him tightly and rested her head on his shoulder.
"Hey Nashi, we're gonna ask if we still get to have the reward." Elfmen said. "You wanna come with?"
The peach haired girl only shook her head and began to fiddle with Natsu's scarf. "No need. We didn't really complete the job anyway."
"But you were looking forward the the award, weren't you?" Warren asked.
"I was, but Mama is the one who's crazy about money." Nashi said as a matter-of-factly. "I'm just glad that the afro guy and the pretty lady were able to confess their feelings for each other!"
Once he heard her words, Natsu smiled and patted Nashi's head. "You're definitely a member of Fairy Tail, Nashi!" He said as he pulled her a bit so that they faced each other. "Now let's go eat in celebration!"
Nashi blinked twice and gave Natsu a toothy grin in return. "Yay! I saw some good chicken on the snack table, Papa! Let's go!" She said as everyone laughed. "Oh but make sure you're still clean so we can take a picture with everyone!"
At those words, Natsu just groaned while everyone went about their ways to enjoy the rest of the party before going back to the guild. "Oh don't complain, Flame Brain." Gray teased.