Nashi didn't particularly like what happened when they got home. Instead, she choose to forget it even happened. After a swift hug and a slap on the back of the head, her parents, mainly her mother, telling her how she had acted irresponsibly, and how she could've gotten killed, blah blah blah. Nashi was grateful Ultear hadn't spoken up about her fighting Zindo one on one, because that would have ended poorly. She was grateful, however, that her dad seemed more proud of her than angry. Although he did his best too look pissed off in front of her mother, he ruffled her hair and told her to watch herself once she left. Things went back to normal after that. Well, as normal as they could get after all that had happened. With Ultear and Simon back, Nashi's life was a lot more interesting. She found herself going out with her friends more often and not moping around so much. That, obviously, made her mother happy, seeing as her mother was used to her being depressed all the time. Although she was a lot happier nowadays, Nashi knew one thing still irritated her.
Her privacy.
It seemed ever since her father had come back, the house was too full for it's own good. Nashi could never find a moment of peace, and it was pissing her off when she found Happy digging through her stuff, or her father joining him. It was moments like this when Nashi considered moving into Fairy Hills, but that would require working for rent, which required effort.
Which she didn't want to do.
Her mother called it typical teenage laziness. Nashi preferred to call it selective activity. Of course, she really wanted to start going on jobs, so maybe moving out wasn't such a bad idea after all. Nashi decided she'd check it out.
Nashi wandered up to Fairy Hills, wondering if this was a good idea. She was certain her dad wouldn't mind all that much, but her mom was a little too protective. She always said it was because her own parents always had to schedule time and attention to her, but that didn't mean she had to baby Nashi when she was almost 17.
almost.
Nashi entered the dorms and looked around. She'd always liked the quietness of the dorms, which was the opposite of her house whenever Dad was around. Nashi was admiring pictures on the wall when she heard someone walk up behind her. She turned to find Levy standing there smiling at her.
"Hi Nashi" Levy greeted with a smile on her face. "If your here for Ultear or Elise, they left for the guild a while ago"
"Actually" Nashi replied, turning to face her. "I came to check the place out. Was thinking of moving out" Levy's grin widened.
"Ah, your Dad getting too be too much for you?"
"I found him and Happy digging around in my underwear drawer yesterday" Levy snorted at Nashi's comment.
"Of course you did. Well, we have a few rooms, if your interested." Nashi nodded, following Levy up the stairs. they walked down the hallway, and stopped at a door and opened it.
"This is our lowest floor room" Levy began, opening the door. Nashi entered the room and immediately knew it was bigger than her room. The bed was stationed across the room near the window, and there was a desk stationed next to it, with a dresser and a closet on the other side of the room. The carpet was red, which Nashi took to. " Ultear and Elise are down the hall as well, so you'll have friends close by. What do you think?" Nashi loved it, but it was a matter of if she could convince her parents to let her move out or not.
" I just don't know if my parents would let me" She replied, turning to Levy.
"Just tell them your moving into Fairy Hills, how hard can that be?"
"Do you know my mom, Levy?" Nashi asked. "She still treats me like a kid" Levy hummed for a moment, deep in thought.
"Well," She began. "Why don't you try it out? I'll tell Lucy your thinking about moving here and I'll give you a trial period of a few days."
"That sounds nice, I suppose." Nashi said, running her hands on the soft fabric of the bed. She really did want to move here.
Nashi knew she was going to get a responsibility talk when her mother got home. It was just a matter of when. She was sitting in her room juggling fireballs when her Dad walked in.
"Hey, kid. I heard you want to move out?" Nashi dropped a fireball down her throat and choked.
"Wh *cough* at?" Nashi managed. Her father grinned.
"You heard me. Is it true?"
"Well yeah" Nashi waited for him to say something. He sighed and smiled at her.
"You want me to help you pack or...?" Nashi hadn't been expecting that.
"Your, not gonna try and talk me out of it or anything?" She inquired. He shrugged.
"You've already made it clear my input means nothing to you, why bother?" He began tossing her clothes in a bag. "Besides, it's just up the hill from the guild, what's the big deal?" Nashi was relieved one parent saw it that way, she just hoped he could convince her mother without her getting any responsibility talk or anything. God, she hated those. That was when she heard the front door open, and sweat dropped.
"Shit" She murmured. Her Father laughed.
"I got it" He threw the bag of clothes at her, and walked out of her room. Nashi couldn't help but eavesdrop.
"Natsu, is Nashi in there?" She heard her mother ask.
"She's packing, why?"
"And your not talking her out of it because...?"
"...Because I don't see the big deal?" He tried. Mother sighed.
"It isn't a big deal, but I need to give her some responsibility talk." Oh God no. Thankfully, Nashi's father had her back.
"Over what, rent? She can handle herself just fine"
"You don't know that Natsu"
"I trained her, I think I can tell" Silence followed her father's statement. Nashi waited anxiously. Her mother sighed.
"Fine, I'll leave her alone" Nashi sighed inwardly and walked over to continue packing. Later on, when she had finally gotten all her stuff, and issued her father the task of carrying it, they all walked over to Fairy Hills. Nashi didn't know why she was so excited. It was just a room that was worth 100,000 jewel a month. Nashi panicked a little inside at the large number, before trying to calm down. It wasn't that much. Then she remembered her own mother had trouble with a 70,000 rent way back when. She was so screwed. When they reached Fairy hills, Levy was waiting for them.
"I see you got convinced, eh Lu-chan?" Mother was silent. Nashi hoped it was accepting silence. Nashi waited for her Father to lug her stuff up the flight of stairs and into her room, and she threw herself onto her bed. She turned to see all three adults still standing there.
"Well, thanks for the help in lugging my stuff over, but you can go now" Father nodded immediately, turned on his heel, and left with Happy. Levy winked at her.
"Rents due and the end of next month Nashi, remember!"
"I will, I will" Levy patted Mother on the back and walked away. That left Nashi and her Mother standing in silence. Nashi sighed.
"Did you need something Mom?"
"Nothing in particular" More awkward silence. Nashi couldn't find anything to say. "It's just... I don't want you to move out"
"I'm literally within jogging distance of the guild, Mom"
"I know, I know, it's just..." Mother sighed. "Next thing I know you'll be disappearing for weeks at a time like your Father." Ah, Nashi could tell why her mother wouldn't leave. She was having trouble letting go.
"Well, it's not like you can't come visit" Nashi replied. "That and you must've known I'd grow up eventually" Mother nodded.
"I know, I just wasn't ready." Her mother turned around slowly, and walked away. "If you ever can't pay the rent, you room won't be full of anything."
"Thanks mom"
The next morning Nashi stood in front of the request board, quietly comtemplating what job to take.
"Hm, exterminate some monsters... deliver this package..." Nashi had never done this before, she didn't know what to do or what job to take. She needed one that would pay well, obviously, but none really struck her fancy. She sure as hell wasn't going to end up like Nab, just standing in front of the board waiting for the quote: "Right job for Me". Nashi groaned inwardly as Drake walked up next to her.
"Looking for a job?" He asked with a grin.
"Yeah" She replied. "But I don't know which one to pick" Drake ran his hand across the board, and picked a random job.
"This one"
"Why that one?"
"No real reason" Nashi grabbed the flyer from his hand and looked at it. It was one for exterminating some beasts terrorizing a town. 45,000 jewel for it.
"I don't know..." She began, and was cut off by Drake grabbing her wrist and pulling her away from the board.
"Don't be Nab" He stated. "Take the job and I'll find Elise, Ul, and Simon, and we'll go" Nashi didn't have a clue what he was talking about.
"I'm going myself" She said flatly as she was now infront of all her friends.
"Going where, exactly?" Simon inquired.
"On her first job" Drake replied. Ultear made a weird face.
"Ah, babies first job!" She squealed, which irked Nashi. "Want us to come with you?"
"Not really..." Nashi replied quietly as everyone stood up.
"What your forgetting is we're a team." Elise said flatly. "You're not going without us, not after that crazy adventure with those bandits" Nashi looked pointedly at Simon.
"Even you?" She inquired. Simon shrugged.
"Sure, why not? An easy job will help me unwind." Nashi followed her friends out the door.
"Nashi?" Nashi turned to find her Mother watching her.
"Yeah?" There was silence. "Mom, the others are waiting for me." Father put a hand on her shoulder, and she smiled weakly.
"Just be careful" She finally spoke. Nashi grinned and nodded, chasing the others down the road, hollering at them to wait up.
Lucy watched Nashi go sadly. Natsu rubbed her shoulder comfortingly.
"She's growing up, Luce. Let her go" Lucy sighed.
"I know she is. But it's just so damn hard." Happy landed on her lap.
"Nashi's gonna grow up to be just like Natsu, Lucy!" He told her straight up. Lucy snorted.
"If she's grows up to be as brash and ignorant as her father, I think I've failed as a parent"
"Hey!" Natsu shouted indignantly.
Nice and filler. I can't jump right into the next arc, we gotta space it out. Review!