A Fairy Tail Fanfic
Disclaimer: Yes, I own Fairy Tail. Bow before me, *hides my boobs* I am Hiro Mashima!
Chapter one: The start
The day of most clarity to Nashi was the day she lost her mum. The memory of it was like biting down on a broken tooth, painful. In the front row, where Nashi sat, she could hear the people she thought of as family weep. With the words from the pope of Magnolia Cathedral, a lot of people found themselves in tears. There were small moments that were especially clear in her memory. Picking at her stocking. Her father –Natsu Dragneel - was crying though it was silent and body shacking. There was something about seeing people cry without making noise that hurt a lot more than those who do. There was an admiration Nashi always had for him, but seeing him weak, like this ... It reminded her Natsu couldn't be tough against everything.
Watching Natsu cry was as surreal as the coffin that was only a few feet away from Nashi, and inside was Lucy. Lucy Dragneel. A hand appeared on Nashi's shoulder, from behind her. Aunt Erza. Squeezing it in comfort saying 'I'm with you' every time she looked at her weeping father.
Then there was Lisanna's speech that had brought everyone tears if they weren't already. Lisanna had placed a red rose on the coffin before Erza walked up with a yellow rose in hand and started her own speech.
Levy, Lisanna, Erza were friends no one could asked for. Staying beside Lucy at all hours. Nobel knights guarding the princess from all harm, day and night. Talking about all the remarkable things they had achieved together, all in their youth days. Nashi preyed she could do as many adventures as her mother, do what she had done. It seemed impossible that one person had done so much; even with their life cut short. Some of Lucy's spirits even spoke. Something they had never done for a past Master. By this point they would have taken by a new Master. But Nashi now realized, how much of an imprint her mother had made in her life. To the people who would die, and too the people that would live beyond them.
The best speeches came from those who were close to her. And more heart breaking ones came people who she used to share a team with. Natsu, Gray, Erza, and Wendy. Recapturing Lucy of all her moments.
It was like Nashi was getting a small peak into her mother's life. Learning things about her Nashi had not yet found out for herself. Things she wished her mother would have told her as she had grown.
But death had robbed her of that, he had robbed her off many things she could have done that with her mother. And she was seven, which was ironic. Lucy died at the same age Layla did. And Nashi was the same age Lucy was when Layla passed away. Perhaps a family curse?
It was nothing short of depressing.
Staring straight forward, her eyes fell upon the closed casket. She wished it was open to stare at her mother. To see what she looked like now, dead. To see her in the flesh once more.
The voices of those who were speaking seemed to drown out. And all that functioned around her was mute. Nashi stopped hearing speeches and apologies to the great soul they had lost last week. She stopped hearing the crying in the pews behind her. She stopped hearing. And she saw. She saw the red velvet curtains begin to slide shut. Coming out from the sides and closing in on the white slick coffin. This would be the last time I'll see mum above ground. Nashi thought, jolting her with fear. Tears started to fall from the child, leaving heavy wet tracks down her face. A plum bottom lip started to wobble and a shriek escaped her lips. Scaring a few people around her. She had been so quite that the sudden burst of sound came as a surprise. Natsu looked at her, and with one arm pulled her to his body to comfort her. But instead she pushed her hands into his sides and pulled away. Nashi wanted to see the last moments, to draw in all her senses and remember every small detail around her.
Natsu looked between the Coffin and his daughter, tracing her line of sight to the curtains. He didn't need to be a genius to figure it out. People may call him dumb, or oblivious. And the fact that they whole heartedly believed that was insulting - nauseating even.
Natsu watched her, a churning gut instinct swelled within him. He wanted to grab her hand and take her away from the sight, her voice rising to a more hysterical note. This was her first moment. She cried when she saw Lucy in the hospital. She cried the night Lucy passed away. But she did not cry the day after, until this day. A week. A long, tired, broken week. Her death wasn't sudden or a surprise, they had time to prepare. But the sudden break of oppressed emotion spilled out of her.
It was at this moment when Natsu realized he was going to be raising a child alone. He knew it, he knew it for a long time. But it only sunk in the moment the curtains closed around the casket.
And he would never be able to fill Lucy's shoes. There was too much that they did together for him to be able take over.
The moment the curtain was shut, her tears dried up as fast as they came. A strange silence filled the room, and slowly people started to filter out.
XXX
Nashi watched him from her seat. Where she had stayed after it had all been over, most had left straight away, some stayed at the reception after. People coming up and trying to talk to her, trying to comfort her, and always trying to apologies. It was thanks to Mira who stood by her chair and shooed away the people, which allowed Nashi to have some peace.
The amount of people that had tried to talk to her, meet the daughter of the famous Author. But now, it was just her and her father left in the church. Lucy's body in the next room. This was the start to a whole new life. A change she would never be able to put behind her.
"Nashi," Natsu's hoarse voice spoke, "let's say goodbye."
They went back into the room, and they walked towards the closed curtains. Natsu had yanked them apart so harshly that she thought he had broken the hangers holding them up.
She didn't care. Her eyes were fixed on the white box before her.
It was strange, being this close. There is a body in there. She thought. My mum. Everything just felt surreal.
Natsu put his hand on top of the casket, it had been closed the whole time. And for a frightening moment Nashi was afraid he was going to open it. She didn't know what she would do if that happened. She clenched her fist in preparation.
"Lucy," Natsu whispered softly. For a moment he looked like he didn't know what to say, "We miss you." He held Nashi's hand with his free one. "We will always keep you in our hearts, your family and friends. We will never stop loving you, missing you, and we will be waiting for the day we see you again."
Nashi closed her eyes. Hoping she would feel something, a movement in the air, feel a presence. Get some sign that her mother was here with them. But she felt nothing, she couldn't feel her mother's presence in this room. No sign that she was watching them from somewhere high above.
Natsu looked at his daughter, "Is there anything you want to say?"
Nashi nodded, but the first words she said surprised Natsu. "I want to say them alone." His eyes widened, and he looked alarmed. His eyes explored her own.
One part of him didn't think that was a good idea, leaving her in a room with her dead mother. There was something physiologically disturbing about that. What if he did and it haunted her? But he could sense that she wanted to. And deciding against his better judgment and left the room. Waiting right outside the door in case she called for him.
She looked at the coffin, and unsteadily but her hand on the casket. It was cold and made of wood. She wondered what the inside of it looked like, laced with silk and ribbon? Her mums' cold expressionless face inside facing upwards. Was she dressed in a black dress, wearing her gold heart shaped earrings that she always wore? She struggled to think of words, a sentence to string to together. She felt pressured to say something, anything worth of value but nothing came to mind. She had no speech to say. She could feel her eyes stinging but no tears fell.
Instead she placed a single pink rose she had been holding the whole day, on the coffin. It was wilted slightly, but it was still good.
She didn't want to be in the room anymore. She wanted to be anywhere but in this room. But for her future self, she stayed a little longer. There will be a time when she would value the closeness she had right now. So she stayed a little longer in silence.
Gray had suggested that they cremate Lucy, and spread her ashes in the ocean. The idea was squashed by Nashi. No one argued with her. Her face fierce and defensive, her brown eyes filled with determination and anger. How many times had had they seen that look on their lost comrade? How could they say no? Nashi wanted her mother to be in her form, for as long as she could. The same way she had seen her when she was alive. Even though time would change her.
When she left, it had taken her a long time to move on. And a part of her never did, and it didn't for Natsu either. No one had moved on from Lucy's death, not one guild member.
Time had flown on. Speeding past her. It had taken a year before anyone saw Nashi smile again, and everyone at the guild was openly relieved. They had beginning to get seriously worried about the child, she was eight then.
It had taken Nashi another year before she could talk of about her mother without getting quiet. Or crying or drawing into herself like she used to. It was an improvement. She was nine then.
XXX
Ten years in the future.
With a spring in her step, Nashi was walking home admiring her hand. And on the back in red ink, was the Fairy Tail insignia. She waited until she was precisely seventeen before she got it. The same age as Lucy was herself.
Everyone had ruled out it was emotion scare response to her mother's death that she hadn't got it. Perhaps if her mother was alive she would have gotten it sooner. But getting it at seventeen was another way she wanted to represent Lucy. To remember her.
Nashi even looked like Lucy a lot. She hadn't taken much from her father Natsu, not even his hair. Everyone thought she would. But, she had the looks, the hair, the eyes and even the same magic as Lucy. What she got from Natsu was a trade mark grin. A stubborn head like no other, a habit of finding entries that weren't doors. His keen senses, and eating food without having to worry where it goes.
The house they own used to be the apartment Lucy rented, and once the tenants below them moved out. And the old bat died, they bought the place. And three years later, Nashi was born. She grew up in the house.
Opening the front door that opened to foyer, Nashi marched into the lounge room. Where incidentally, an argument was halted in the wake of the new presence.
"Why the long faces?" Nashi said. Levy and Lisanna looked at each other. Natsu stared at her smiling, though it was forced.
"Hey Nashi, we were just talking about you." Nervousness coiled inside her.
"Good things I hope?"
He didn't meet her eyes, "What – oh, yeah. Good things. Anyways, you look happy, has something happened?" He was distracted, Nashi noted.
He looked like he was trying to make the tense mood in the room light with casual conversation. "Yes, in fact I have something to tell you," Nashi said.
There was a short pause, and Lisanna tensed up.
Levy spoke, "What is it?"
Nashi looked at all their faces. Sure, she hadn't expected Levy and Lisanna to be here, but she didn't mind, they were her family.
"I joined the guild today!" The reaction was nothing short of what she imagined it to be, in fact it had been better then she had hoped.
"Not going to lie, you had me worried there for a bit. Didn't think you wanted to join like the rest of us, what changed your mind?" He messed her hair up, grinning. Whatever they were talking about before faded from their minds.
"Yeah, last time I asked you, said you weren't planning to become like us old bats." Levy teased, she had smile lines and the top of her hair was starting to go grey, everyone's hair was now.
"I lied. I have wanted to … I just had the idea I wanted to be the same age as my mum when she joined. It's stupid I know, but it was important that I did." Natsu halted temporarily before sitting back down again. Taking in what she had just said.
Lisanna had gotten up and was now hugging Nashi, which she returned. "Your mother would be so proud of you right now. I wish she was here to see you."
"Me to." She pulled away, holding onto one of her hands with a small squeeze.
Natsu rubbed the back of his neck. "We have something to say–" Levy's eyes widened and stood up. Making sure to step on Natsu's feet on the way to Nashi.
"You know what? This calls for a celebration. Let's head to the guild, Mira probably wants to cook you a special feast for this."
Levy was right. Mira had wanted to call a special feast in celebration of Nashi joining.
Nashi had her keys attached to her waist with the same old faded leather brown belt. And was walking beside Levy, a foot taller than her. Natsu and Lisanna trailing behind, talking in hushed voices. Nashi didn't know what they were talking about, and Levy kept on pulling her attention away from them. She was telling Nashi about how her mother would write. And when she had first started at the guild Levy had asked if she could read her works. Telling Nashi once again how they had become friends.
Unfortunately, she had not inherited her mother's writing skills which was shame. (And Levy had been secretly hoping she would.) Since Lucy had not finished all her works. And the bluenette had always been hoping her daughter would be able to finish them. But Nashi didn't have the talent.
Everyone was celebrating. But a lot of them refrained from drinking. Except Cana. Who had remained child-free and been dodging responsibility since Nashi had met her.
Levy and Gajeel had one child, Eric. He was seventeen and had taken after Gajeel with growing out his hair. Also trying to sneak in a piercing or two without his mother knowing.
And Juvia and Grey had one boy, and he was a shit-stirrer, causing trouble wherever he went. Grey wanted one, while Juvia looked like she was ready to go to court for more. Evergreen was pregnant with Elfman's baby. Mira and Laxus had two girls. Erza and Jellal had a boy and a girl, and Wendy and Romeo were expecting (they were twenty-four now). The generation had grown up and were adults with kids.
The party had gone on long into the night. And Natsu was looking over at his daughter with increasing worry. He was sweating with anticipation, but guarding her was Levy. She sent him a fierce glare and shook her head each time he made a step towards her. She had said it wasn't the right time, and that Natsu should wait until later, maybe when she was eighteen.
But Natsu couldn't do that, he couldn't lie to her for another year. To the guild for another year. Natsu had to tell Nashi. Everyone.
It would have today but … But Nashi had her own news. His plan was squashed by his daughter.
Turning to where Lisanna was sitting, Natsu grabbed her hand.
"We should do it now." Her eyes widened in alarm.
"What? Now? I don't think this is a good time … This night is about Nashi, This celebration is for her. This a great day for her." Her eyes were pleading, and she looked desperate. He knew, in some part of himself, that she was right, and that Natsu should wait. But he couldn't.
"This may be the best time, while everyone is in a good mood." Yanking her gently to stand up, she hesitantly did and followed him.
Lisanna looked at her partner, she had loved him. She had loved him for a long time. Years. And she had loved Lucy and Nashi. So she couldn't bring herself to do this.
"Nashi could hate you if you do this," her eyes were hard, "I know her. She isn't ready, the guild isn't ready … and I am not ready to come out to either of them."
Natsu's voice dropped, "You want to hide this for another year, and do you want to continue to lie to them?"
"You know I don't want to do that!" she whisper shouted. "So many of our friends will be conflicted about this. So many of them are going to be angry on her behalf – don't give me that look you know it's true." And it was. So many of them grieved when Lucy died, put into shook for almost as long as Nashi herself. And she still grieved, their connection was stronger than blood and magic.
Any remnants of Lucy left behind were followed by Nashi. For instance, getting the insignia at the same age her mother did. Almost down to the same day to be an official member.
And a lot of them wouldn't accept them together. It would always be Natsu and Lucy. Not Natsu and Lisanna. It didn't even sound right when it rolled off your tongue, sounding foreign and wrong.
"It will happen one day, regardless. And they will feel the same whether we do it now, tomorrow, next week or year from this day. Their feelings won't change straight away. And Nashi is old enough. I know her, and she will understand in the end. And because I love both of you, I want to do it tonight."
She stared into his onyx eyes pleading, but against her better judgement she nodded. Every step towards the stage felt like eternity, and the stage never seemed to get closer. There was a ringing in her ears. A dull buzz despite the laughter around her.
She felt faint.
Everything in this situation didn't feel right. And in her mind she was already sending Nashi a thousand sorry speeches, and to Lucy. What is she thinking if she was watching them right now? Her best friend?
If they had done it any other night she would have been fine. Just not tonight, not on Nashi's night. But Natsu was right about one thing. Their friend's feelings won't change straight away or overnight. But hopefully, at one point they could accept them.
She could only pray to Mavis!
They were now on the centre of the stage, Natsu tapped the microphone to see of it was working. Hearing the thundering of it, everyone dropped silent to see Natsu on stage.
Natsu smiled nervously. He couldn't make out anyone's faces in the crowed from the light on him. "Hi everyone. As you all well know by now, my beautiful daughter has joined the guild tonight." Suddenly a spot like landed on Nashi, she was blushing, but she was beaming. "I have a lot to say." He looked at Nashi while he spoke,"But first off, I want to say I am deeply proud of you. You're a talented women. And you're increasingly like your mother every past day." A lot heads bobbed in the crowed in agreement.
"Thanks –"
"I'm not done," a few people chuckled. He was going to do a dad joke. Or embarrass her. So they all thought. "Your mother would have loved to have seen this. She would have loved to be with you. To cheer you on in life. Watch as you grow. See how smart and beautiful you have become … There has not been one day that you would have disappointed her. You have made her proud. You have made us proud." There were still smiles in the crowed, but it had turned a little bit sombre.
There was a pause and then there was clapping. The good father, an expected speech. No one knew what was going to happen next, and that clenched Lisanna's heart. She wished this would happen another time, any other time but now. Not when Nashi was looking so happy. Even Levy was starting to look suspicious at them, she was right … Nashi wasn't ready.
Natsu held up his hand to silence the room one more time. People watched with curious eyes, what could he have to say now? What more could he add onto his speech?
"And I have one final announcement to make, this past year. Something special has been going on, something I haven't told you. And more importantly, I haven't told my daughter." His eyes latched onto his daughters, and there was a chilling feeling in the room. A secret that was about to be unwrapped.
Holding Lisanna's hand now, he pulled her towards him, so they were standing side-by-side. And suddenly, there was an icy feeling in the room. A hundred pairs of eyes were on them. And the silence added to the tension that was already building up, already suspicious …
It was obvious now.
"Lisanna and I, we're together. Dating for the past year. And last week, she has agreed to marry me."
There was a collective gasp around the room. Loud mummers that quickly risen into shouts in thirty seconds. To voice their opinions to the person beside them. 'Did you know?', 'How did we not know?', and 'And to do it on this night!' People throwing around questions with no delay.
Nashi. Who was usually a person filled with optimism and energy, went quiet and still. She stared up at her father, disbelieving her ears. But he was looking at Lisanna. And Lisanna … a burning heat was filling Nashi's chest.
Something dark and mean … something completely out of nature of her normal behaviour.
"Nashi?" It was Levy. She was holding her forearm gently pulling her out of her thoughts. Looking at her with motherly worried eyes. "Are you okay?" For the second time in her life, she felt numb. Numbness that comes over you in almost an instant wave, and it slowed everything down. She could hear shocked conversations from her family – her comrades now as well.
She nodded. Levy didn't believe her, "Did … did you know?"
She bit her lip and looked away, "A week ago, Lisanna told me she was engaged and spilled out everything. How they had been dating all last year. They were going to tell you when you got home, but I was trying to stop them. I knew they couldn't just drop a relationship and engagement on you on one hit … it's too much to expect from anybody. I tried to postpone it."
But they couldn't wait, could they? Nashi thought. They couldn't have waited until they were in the privacy of her home.
People were looking at her now, boring their eyes into her, waiting for her reaction. She hadn't given one.
She felt too confused, too lost, to … gone. Everything was surreal again. The fun night washed away. Her mind somewhere else.
She thought of her mother … and Lisanna … this was her mother's best friend. Would she have wanted this? No. She doubted it. In her head, she couldn't see her father with anybody else, no one. She never thought he would remarry. And certainly not someone she trusted so much.
She now had a seeping dislike for her father at that moment. Fury. A dark and tainted image of him in her mind. Things just seemed to have blown up in her face. She sat down, Levy was saying something, and she couldn't hear her. Her mouth was moving but no sound was coming out. Everything around her had gone quiet. There was nothing. Just like the day she lost her mum. The world went mute.
She saw Mira come into view. Her long white her curtaining her face. She looked worried … and something else. Anger? It was hard to read her face. Nashi didn't feel so well, feeling light and slightly clammy she leaned into the table behind her. It felt like there were bugs in her stomach.
Mira was holding her shoulder, gazing into her eyes worriedly.
Natsu stood on the stage, it wasn't the best reaction, he knew. But he felt relief come over him, relief that he wasn't holding that secret anymore. Lisanna felt the same. They both looked into the crowed, they couldn't see Nashi, and she was being swooped by people. No doubt pestering her, but she would have no answers.
And unknowingly, did they realize that she would now start to slip away from them both.
Moving towards her was hard. There was people blocking their way, no one said 'congratulations'.
Coming closer to her, Natsu saw Mira leaning over her. Mira looked over her shoulder. Sensing their presence, and if they're eyes deceived them, she cast them a nasty look. Was she against them?
The barmaid moved aside, and there was his daughter sitting slouched against the table.
She looked dazed, not caring about the people around her she, she was lost in her own mind. He wanted to pull her into a hug, try and explain everything to her. But that would make things worse, she would want space. Maybe it shouldn't have been so sudden. She wasn't handling it that well.
Levy and Lisanna had warned him. He was just starting to realize he should have listened.
"Nash?" Natsu spoke. She looked up at him, and her eyes focused on him. They were unreadable. She was expressionless, but there was some type of emotion in her at the same time. He couldn't detect what it was … but he didn't like it.
There was silence around the guild again. Listening to what was happening, openly ears dropping. He said the worst possible thing he could of at that time.
"So, what do you think of having a stepmother?"