Fairy Tail: Next Generation - Volume I

Chapter 20: Miss Fairy Tail

Prior to the start of the Fantasia Parade, the guild buzzed with life and activity, all the members preparing to play their own role in the parade. Some set up acts, performances, dances, while others dedicated their time to the construction of floats. Marigold was one of these people, having been asking by the master Laxus to construct a float. She was rather good in the visuals department, so it made sense to ask her to construct one.

With the aid of Laurie, Marigold created blank wooden float lined with chicken wire on the sides. As Marigold stood before her creation, she pulled out a packet of seeds, and laid them out around the frame of the float. Kissing her green thumb for good luck, she grew the plants with the wave of her hand, the flowers sifting through the wire and finding a place on the float. The few seeds morphed into massive plants, growing over the float and covering the entire frame. 

On an arch atop the float surface, marigolds popped up into the wiring, growing into large and color filled Fairy Tail symbol. Satisfied by her work, she rested her hands on her hips and laughed gently. Hearing a faint sound of clapping, she turned her head to see Liddan and Malcon approaching her.

"Nice Marigold!" Liddan flashed a thumbs up, nodding his head vigorously. Marigold smiled with a gentle blush, grasping the end of her skirt and cursing comically in response. 

"And not just the float!" Malcon chuckled as he glanced at her further exposed chest from Marigold's bow. Marigold snapped back up, scowling at the pervert cat as her hand slapped itself over her chest.

Marigold turned back around to her float, finding nothing else to do with it and a very free schedule, given her body was too worn to work. She turned back to Liddan, stepping closer to him and the cat as she crossed her head and began to organize her thoughts. "Well, now that that's done...I've gotta get ready for the Miss Fairy Tail contest. Unfortunately, my best dress was...destroyed." Marigold wore a pout as she groaned in annoyance to her condition. She most definitely did not want to get convicted, meaning she had to win the contest to earn the cash prize. However, buying a dress would just be spending the winnings she had yet to receive.

Liddan rolled his shoulders back, stuffing his fists in his pockets reacting nonchalantly to Marigold's position. "Well, didn't you say your mom made it? Just find the pattern and sew it yourself."

Marigold croaked, the sealed her lips tightly as she crossed her arms and dropped her head down in a bit of shame. "I don't know how...." she mumbled.

Liddan grunted, and threw his hands back in utter shock. He reacted as though Marigold had just announced she was some kind of serial killer. "But...aren't you some kind of perfect housewife?"

"You really are useless aren't you." Malcon sighed, shaking his head in disappointment. 

Marigold chucked her shoe at Malcon, then rubbed her temples in frustration. "I never really picked it up, that's all. And who are you to judge? It's not like you can sew."

"Course I can." Liddan said, much to Marigold's surprise.

"Could teach a class on it!" Malcon boasted.

"Don't get arrogant, its sewing for Pete's sake, it isn't even the slightest bit manly." Marigold groaned, hiding envy. "How do you even know how to sew?"

"Well, when I was little; Nashi, Gideon, and I would play around in the woods. Gideon used to climb up all the trees and swing on the branches. Only problem was he really sucked at climbing trees and would fall down giving himself a ten inch long cut down his shin."

"Yikes...." Marigold gulped, disgusted by the thought of the wound.

"So Nashi and I ran back to the guild hall, snuck into the infirmary and I sewed his leg up."