Camp Fairy: Beginnings

This. Means. War.

{LUCY'S POV}
There's nothing better than a cool shower to wash off the sticky sweat on a hot summer morning. I have another hour until I need to go to the kitchen, so I can take my time too.

I squeeze a luxurious amount of shampoo into my hand. It feels a little bit thicker than usual, but I don't pay any attention to it.

I run the shampoo into my scalp, noting that my fingers are a little bit sticky. Then Levy-chan screams from the stall over.

"What?" I turn of the water and grab my towel. Was my shampoo aways brown?

I wrap the towel around my torso and exit my stall. Erza, and Juvia also turn of the the water in theirs. We all come out to see what's wrong.

Levy-chan is standing in front of a mirror, staring at her reflection in horror. Something is very wrong with her hair. It's spiky and cemented. It's—

"Syrup!" Levy-chan shrieks. "Someone switched my shampoo with syrup!"

With a sinking feeling in my gut, I lick the hand I poured what I thought was shampoo in. It tastes like maple sugar.

I hear laughing outside the ladies communal bathroom. I recognize the voice, and my anger flares. I stomp out, not caring that I'm in nothing but a towel, and confront Natsu.

"You..." I growl. Natsu takes one look at my hair and it must by pretty bad because he tears up and falls to the ground dying of laughter.

"You look... fantastic... Kitchen Girl!" He wheezes.

"This. Means. War." I snarl.

Natsu wipes tears from his eyes. "I'd like to see you try and top that!"

"Be prepared." I warn darkly, retreating temporarily back to the bathroom.

"I don't know what he put in this, but it's not washing out." Erza complains. She looks ready to fight someone. I'll warn Mira to make strawberry cake for dessert tonight.

"Girls." I say. We gather in a huddle and start plotting. Cabin Dragon means business.

Unfortunately, I have to leave to get to work. Mira shakes her head at me when I walk in. "I'm learning not to be surprised when you come in with food all over you."

Tomato sauce, syrup. I guess it does happen a lot. "Can you wash it out?"

"There's a hose in the janitors closet?" Mira taps her chin in thought. I head there and spray my hair for a good five minutes before it's no longer sticky and gross. Remind me to spit on Natsu's pancakes.

*timeskip, one week later*
{NATSU'S POV}
"Oh man, did you see Lucy and Levy's faces when we flipped over their canoe?" I laugh, punching Gajeel's shoulder as the four of us walk into our cabin.

"Priceless!" He punches me back. We're celebrating a resounding win at the canoe lake.

I'm feeling pretty good, until Gray trips over a wire off some sort. *Splash!* The four of us are doused in muddy lake water. It reeks too.

"Ugh!" We shout in unison.

"Thanks for the swim, boys!" Lucy yells, and then she's running across the clearing back to her cabin, where the other girls await with fist bumps.

"You'll pay for this, Heartfilia!" I shout. My phone rings in my pocket. Luckily, it's waterproof. I pull it out with two fingers and check the caller ID. It's Dad, so I answer.

"Hey, Dad. What's up?"

"Hey Natsu." Dad sounds kinda concerned. "Are you alive? I haven't heard from you in days."

"Hmm? Nah, I'm fine." I shoo the others inside, strip off my mucky top, and sit on the cabin step. "Just been a bit busy."

"Busy?" The word seems to shock Dad.

"Yeah!" I grin, winking at two girls who pass by me and make note of the fact that I have no shirt. They laugh and so do I. "So much crazy stuff has happened, Dad, you wouldn't believe it."

"I already don't."

I launch into a detailed explanation of everything that's happened since we last talked. "...and paint will do the trick. What do you think, Dad?"

"I don't—"

"Natsu," Jellal grabs my attention. "Gajeel thinks he knows where we can rent paintball guns."

"Awesome." I smirk just thinking about the look on Lucy's face. "Gotta go, Dad."

"But Natsu, aren't you forgetting to ask me something?" Dad asks.

I rack my brain, but nothing comes to mind. "Not really. I'm pretty content."

"Content." He sounds awed.

"Bye." I hang up and run inside.

{IGNEEL'S POV}
I stare down at my phone, not convinced that I was actually talked to my son. Content? Natsu would never say that before.

"Daddy." I look up to see Wendy peeking in the cracked door of my office. I beckon her inside and she runs up to me. "You look happy. Did something good happen?"

"Natsu. He didn't ask once."

"What about Natsu-nii?" Wendy tilts her head.

"To come home." I grin. "I think he's actually learned the meaning of having fun."

{NATSU'S POV}
Perfect. I've got it rigged so now all the girls have to do is open the door, and they'll be mowed down by orange paintballs.

I hide in the bushes, waiting. It's time for payback for the water trap.

To my absolute horror, Lucy comes up to the door. Rather, I hoped it'd be her, but she has the camp director, Makarov, with her. They're talking about the strife between her and some other campers.

"Oh, it's not bad." Lucy lies through her teeth with a smile. "You know how exaggerated rumors get."

I'm screwed if I let them open that door. "Lucy!" I run up waving, and wrap my arm around her shoulders. "Long time no see, pal!"

Lucy realizes immediately what's going on. She casually removes my hand from her shoulder. "Let's check the cabin, shall we?"

"No!" I yelp.

"I have nothing to hide." Lucy smirks knowingly. "After you, Mr. Makarov."

The camp director flings open the door, and gets hit smack in the face by what was aimed for the girls's stomachs. He falls over.

At the sound of gunshots, Lucy gasps, jumping and grabbing my arm. She looks at me in horror.

"You were going to kill me?!"

"It's a paintball gun, stupid!" I run up to check if Mr. Makarov is okay. Aside from unexpected paintballs in the face, he seems fine.

"What is this?" He asks us.

"Oompa Loompa?" I joke at the small orange man. Clearly, he doesn't find it funny. Lucy facepalms.

"Both of you. My office. NOW." Makarov orders.