DA KIDLETS because i miss them so

[celestial_wizard]

Now that the weather was warmer, the kids were no longer so restless (not that they could be too restless with Natsu around to play with) and were eager to go out and on adventures of their own, both with their older sis/bro/not parents and without. Regine was kept busy helping to tend the guild in their absence, though occasionally she got dragged off by the children for adventures, on days that Natsu and Lucy had work to do.

Although lately there'd been a lot of jobs, so Lucy, at least, hadn't had time to spend with the kids quite so much. Which was why she had suggested taking the kids to the beach for fun, sun, fishing, and whatever else they wanted to do. Good plan, yes? Yes! Nev'd been up since the crack of dawn, full of excitement, and vigor, like a tiny fire-less Natsu. Justyne, on the other hand, had slept in a little more. Lucy just had to put a few final touches on her appearance - since her hair had gotten much longer in the last few months. "Twenty jewels say that Neveren will be knocking on the door in five minutes." She called over to Natsu with a grin.

Comments

[explodewiththerage]

If the princesses were smart they would have taken the opportunity to strike at the king's fort. As it were however they would have no idea of the insidious trap being laid around them.

"That's right. Now hush. You go to the right and I go around to the left" Natsu instructed with a hushed whisper before starting to dig a hole in the side of the tunnel.

[celestial_wizard]

Lucy -had- actually thought about taking that opportunity, but then if they'd taken the boys fort, then their own fort would have been claimed. Neveren stifled his laughter, nodding, proceeding to dig at a slightly slower pace in the opposite direction.

"Lucy... shouldn't they have come up by now?" Justyne eyed the mage, who was still scanning the beach.

"Yeah... they're obviously up to something..." But WHAT?

[explodewiththerage]

Oh they were up to something alright. And the fact that Herb was not giving them away proved that his loyalty was still to the dragon crown. So Natsu slowly dug a trench around the girls circumventing the fortress wall they built up and then started circling to the left aiming to meet with Neveren's own digging.

[celestial_wizard]

Herb was a good dog! ... actually he was watching the sand intently, since he could smell both Natsu and Nev digging away beneath them. His tail wagging slowly, he pawed a little at the sand. HE knows you're down there...~!

Lucy and Justyne on the other hand, were getting a little nervous, "Should we take the fort you think?" Justyne inquired. "They're still down there and-"

Oh, Lucy just caught on, from the small squeak she just let out, whispering a faint, 'They're STILL down there-' to herself. Oh crapocrapocrap.

[explodewiththerage]

Natsu heard that sound of realization but just then he dug right into Nev's own tunnel. "Time for operation mole war." Natsu said and immediately started digging in a straight line going straight for Lucy's feet!

[celestial_wizard]

Herb barked at the ground once he heard Natsu making his attack! That was either a warning back or a 'ha ha, he's come for meeeeee' bark. Hard to say. Natsu would probably claim he knew.

Justyne looked at Lucy, confused, "What's wrong?"

Lucy glanced at the ground, and then around. "Don't worry, I'll save you! Get to high ground! They can't get you there!"

She scooped Justyne up! And pushed her up to climb onto the boulder to hopefully get her to safety before Natsu finished his tunnel - even though the sand was going to collapse beneath her feet so he better be ready to catch her~! OR else!

[explodewiththerage]

Natsu clearly knew. Herb was telling him how close Lucy was to his goal. Still she just had to walk over the tunnel he'd been digging so the sand was not as sturdy there to the point that he heard the swishing of the sand start to cave in, giving him ample time to turn around and catch Lucy just as she fell under.

[celestial_wizard]

Justyne successfully reached her goal! She turned around, ready to grab Lucy's hand, when - gasp! Lucy let out a startled shriek as the sand gave way beneath her feet!

"Lucy!" Nooooooooooo the older princess~! At the same time, Nev popped up from his own tunnel, with Herb's assistance, "Hahaha~! She's the Dragon King's now!" he told his sister. "Surrender your fort!"

"NEVER~!" Bravado Justyne has it in spades. Just like Lucy~! Except she had no bargaining chips.

[explodewiththerage]

"Mwahaha you were talking a big game princess and yet here you are now in my clutches~" Natsu cackled like the overlord he was always destined to be all the while holding Lucy in a tight embrace from behind to prevent her from escaping~

[celestial_wizard]

"KYEEAA!!!" Lucy squealed as appropriate, squirming in his embrace - though as tightly as he held her. "No, you fiend! Unhand me~~!" They almost had them - if they'd just gone for that fort...! "We would have defeated you foul villain, if you hadn't brainwashed poor Mascot Prince Herb~!"

Neveren picked up a stick, pointing it at his sister. "Surrender, or you'll never see Princess Lucy again~!"

Cue Lucy stifling laughter as she shouted back to the pair above them, "Don't do it Justyne!" Oh what a dilemna!

But Justyne finally relented, hanging her head, dramatically sobbing, "Forgive me, Lucy~! I surrender!" And with a victory whoop, Neveren gleefully proceeded to poke holes in their defensive fort, the sand crumbling into a heap.

[explodewiththerage]

"Mwahahahaha victory belongs to the Dragon empire!" Natsu declared before sneaking a brief nibble against Lucy's throat before he started to dig the two of them out of the sandpit. He could leave the looting and plunder to his second in command who was doing it with gusto.

[celestial_wizard]

Lucy giggled at how thrilled Neveren was, and even Natsu getting into the act. Though her giggle choked off abruptly into a gasp at that sneaky nibble. "Natsu...!" Not much of a chastise, the kids couldn't see them in the sand pit and all, but still.

Once they were out of the sand pit, Lucy giggled at how Neveren was destroying the fort. "Aaw, well at least we almost got you," she grinned. ALMOST.

[explodewiththerage]

He flashed her a very unapologetic smirk as he dug the two of them out of of the sandpit Natsu had dug under the princesses. They were covered head to toe in sand though so naturally that left only one course of action.

"Yeah your mistake was not thinking a tunnel could work both ways~" Natsu grinned and shook his head a little to shake some sand off at Lucy.

"Lets go for a swim before our victory feast whaddaya say?"

[celestial_wizard]

She giggled softly, shaking her head. That smirk.. she sighed, "Foo on you," she teased. "A swim sounds fantastic though." At least she and Justyne were wearing their suits on under their clothes.

"We'll meet you out there," she promised; heck, Nev and Herb were already making their way out to the water, shirt bedamned! He had swim trunks on.

Lucy helped Justyne get herself situated, and then the little went barrelling out, both kids finding a boulder sticking out of the water and taking turns jumping off, with Herb keeping a close eye on them.

Lucy was last to emerge, though she was wholly tempted to tease Natsu, she decided -not- to risk the kids spotting her, and promised to get even with him later.

Last tags before dinner

[explodewiththerage]

Natsu's fashion sense already had him wearing minimal amounts of clothing what with his bare chested vest and his baggy pants under which he'd sneakily put on his swimming trunks. Oh yes he'd actually come prepared.

"Yeah okay I'll catch up with your guys." Natsu said and proceeded to take off his clothes and put them down on top of the blanket they'd brought to sit on. Natsu soon heard laughter and joy fill the air and he eagerly joined in with his flame patterned swim trunks.

aye aye~!

[celestial_wizard]

There was so much splashing going on by the time Lucy reached the others, that she was seriously reconsidering joining the group. Actually, she was standing at the shore, watching Natsu playing with the kids plus dog with a soft smile on her face. It was so cute, seeing them interact.

"One, two..!" Chimed two impish voices, and then she got a splash of water in her face as Justyne and Neveren decided to wake her up from her daydreaming by sending a wave of water at her. She yelped in surprise, as they both ran behind Natsu for protection.

"Wh.. Don't you dare shield them Natsu!" Lucy grinned, ready to get even.

[explodewiththerage]

Natsu was having the time of his life right now messing about with the two kids, throwing water after them before he saw them looking over to Lucy. Oh the look in their devious little eyes was more than telling so he gave them the opening to do just that. He burst into laughter after Lucy got splashed and then stepped back a little when they hid behind him.

"Ohohoh is that a threat I hear?"

[celestial_wizard]

Justyne and Neveren just kept RIGHT on hiding behind Natsu, for they feared the wrath of Lucy~! Not that she was really being wrathy.

Actually she looked more like she was about to dunk all of them in the water. "Maybe it is, what are you going to do about it?"

Three versus one wasn't a very fair matchup!

[explodewiththerage]

"What I'm gonna do? Well I'm gonna call that bet of yours and tell you to do your worst!" Natsu grinned and crossed his arms confident that he could handle whatever Lucy threw his way.

[celestial_wizard]

Oh. The grin that took it's place on Lucy's face at that oh so confident response from Natsu. "Okay, you asked for it..." she purred. "Kiiiiiiids? Might want to move out of the way..."

She crouched slightly, taking a stance like she was getting ready to pounce attack Natsu. Neveren and Justyne exchanged glances, and quickly scrambled for cover where they suspected safe distance was. "Go easy this time, okay?" Lucy murmured to no one in particular. Or one person in particular. "Open Gate of the Water Bearer. AQUARIUS!"

Fortunately...Aquarius was in a good mood today. She didn't destroy the entire beach. She did, however, summon up a massive wave to dunk Natsu with though. Like a love tap, compared to her usual attacks. Although she looked a little bit too gleeful to do it. Of course, if Natsu braced himself he wouldn't get swept away at least. He would, however, get totally soaked though.

[explodewiththerage]

"Huh? What are you Geh!?" Natsu choked off his sentence in the middle as he quickly noticed what key Lucy had in her hand. "O-Oi Lucy you can't be serious." But she was. Natsu barely had time to firmly plant his feet into the sand to prevent himself from getting washed away though he was still left a very wet dragon in the end. His perfect spiky hairstyle was ruined too!

[celestial_wizard]

Lucy was a terrible person. In that she laughed really, really, REALLY hard, practically leaning on Aquarius - who only poofed back to the spirit world because she was Aquarius. Lucy on the other hand, without her support, sprawled in the water, but she was still laughing.

"I.. i..i..iff you could s..s..see your FACE..!" She howled, holding her sides. Though the perfect hairstyle was now completely soaked, he looked really cute with it wet too.

Neveren and Justyne, traitors that they were, stayed safely where they had taken cover, but they were giggling hysterically, not sure which was funnier. Lucy's inability to breathe for laughing, or poor Natsu's reaction.

[explodewiththerage]

Natsu was giving LUcy the most deadpan look he had in his portfolio of expressions.A wet dragon was rarely amused and he even huffed some smoke to emphasize it all before joining the group again.

[celestial_wizard]

Oh foo, he couldn't really be annoyed. After all they were supposed to get dunked in the water. And now he really didn't have any sand in his hair. Still, she chuckled, glancing after him, "Aw... what's the matter, fire's gone out?" She teased gently.

Well if he really was annoyed, she'd make it up to him later. The important thing was that the kids were amused.

[explodewiththerage]

Natsu rolled his eyes a little when she teased him about his fire going out. No he wasn't truly upset though there was one thing about her idea that she missed. Namely the fact that in causing that wave to hit she'd completely drenched all of their clothes. WHich was why he was pointing in that direction to her.