AN: Just a filler chapter pretty much, sorry about that. The main reason for it is because I hate writing fighting scenes which are sure to come because I am terrible at them lmao.

Chapter 14

Lucy opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted by the door barging open. Whipping her head to face the intruder, she saw none other than Jellal, followed by Erza, Gray, and Makarov. The blunette was aging nicely just like the rest of them, his blue locks messy as always. The blonde was about to greet him happily when he spoke up, bringing words that filled her with absolute dread.

"I know who ordered to take your daughter," Jellal announced. "It was Zeref."

Lucy's eyes widened and her breath hitched in her throat, but not in the good kind of way like whenever Natsu did something to make her flustered. This was a terrible one, her throat constricting, causing her to have trouble breathing. The girl could've sworn her heart had stopped beating.

Meanwhile, Natsu became absolutely livid, more so than before when he found out Lucy had lied to him. He didn't know why Zeref was obsessed with him or even much about the strange man, but he knew that he was the darkest mage. He created all of the demons- including the one that killed Gray's parents- and it was thanks to him that Igneel died. And now he had his daughter.

Natsu didn't know what Zeref wanted from him, but he had definitely made a grave mistake by taking Nashi. Dragon slayers are very protective of their mates and offspring after all.

"Zeref, huh?" the pinkette grinded out. "What does he want with Nashi?"

"I don't know," Jellal answered. "I was undercover in the country of Alvarez with Meredy and Crime Sorciere when we sensed somebody with similar magical power to both you and Lucy. We followed it and found some man and a woman carrying a little girl to the Emperor's Castle, which we found out is none other than Zeref's."

"You saw Nashi and didn't get her back!?" Natsu shouted, about ready to lunge at the blunette.

"Natsu!" Erza barked. "Jellal has been gone for over a month, he didn't know who Nashi was! There would be no reason for them to get her!"

"It's not just that," Jellal added. "I'm afraid we would have been no match for them… We would've been killed right away."

"What do you mean?" Gray questioned. "There were only two of them! I'm sure you could've handled them!"

"Like he said, they were just outside the castle," Makarov reminded them. "Other enemies would've surely surrounded them."

Jellal nodded and added, "We did some research and found that there are twelve mages with unbelievable magical power. They're called the Spriggan 12. Instead of wasting our lives for nothing, we decided to rush back here and report our findings. When we got back the guild was a mess and everyone was crying over someone named Nashi. It didn't take long to figure out that Nashi was the little girl we saw."

Natsu nodded in understanding. Sure he was upset that Nashi was taken, but he couldn't blame them for not wasting their lives. If anything, it was a good thing they came back here. Now they knew where Nashi was. Turning his head, the boy looked at Lucy and found that she was in a complete daze. Tears continuously streamed down her face and her eyes were widened.

"Lucy," Natsu called out soothingly, "we'll find her, I promise."

But Lucy ignored him. Instead, she brought her shaky hands to her head and gripped her golden locks of hair which were not matted with dry blood. The girl began to rock back and forth, completely lost in the amount of negative possibilities and worries for her daughter.

"Nashi…" she said, tugging her hair in hopes that this was all a bad dream she could wake from. "Zeref… Zeref has Nashi… Zeref… He's the one that made all of the demons… He's the reason why so many people died… Gray's parents, his mentor, Igneel, Aquarius… It's all because of him… And now he has Nashi…"

"Lucy, don't think like that!" Natsu tried again, but alas he was ignored.

"Nashi is going to die…"

Everyone in the room froze at the mother's words, pitying her greatly. None of them knew what it would be like for none of them had their children kidnapped. And now Lucy had her daughter taken by the most powerful mage in existence.

"Lucy…" Natsu breathed out, his own tears cascading his onyx eyes. He forced himself out of bed, cringing at the pain that surged his body once he did, and walked to Lucy's bedside. "I know that I haven't spent as much time with Nashi as you did, so I obviously don't feel the same as you but… But damn it she's my daughter too!"

This brought the blonde out of her daze as she slowly turned her head to face Natsu.

Natsu then went on, "Nashi is my daughter too and I love her! Always have and I always will! I don't care if I've only known her for a month, but from now on I'm going to be the best damn dad there is! And to do that, we need to get her back! So stop thinking like that! You're her mother, the one that raised her by yourself! You're the one that Nashi looks up to and loves the most in the world! You have to save her! Giving up and sayin' she's gonna die isn't going to do anything! We're Fairy Tail mages, we don't give up, especially when our kid's life is on the line!"

Lucy stared at the crying boy with wide, teary eyes. Nodding her head, she wiped away her tears and took deep breaths. He was right. Nashi's life was on the line. There was no time to cry or think about the bad possibilities. In fact, there were none. They were going to save Nashi no matter what. She didn't know what would happen after, but saving their daughter came first.

"You're right," the blonde announced. "I-I can't think like that."

"Damn right I am!" Natsu replied, smiling through his tears.

Lucy nodded again. "Let's go save our daughter."

Zeref smiled at his niece while the two played a simple game of I Spy. There wasn't much to look at in the dark room, making it even harder since most of the furniture was the same color. Either way, he had to admit that he was having a genuinely good time with the child. It reminded him of his days with Natsu, before he was cursed.

There was a knock at the door, which was then slowly opened to reveal Jacob. His body hadn't healed completely yet from his mission but it was clear he would be fine.

"Emperor, may I speak to you in private?" the lanky man asked, his expression hesitant and nervous.

Zeref nodded and strode to the door when a small hand tugged on his cape.

"Don't leave me alone," Nashi pouted with a look so similar to Natsu's whenever he had to leave him.

Zeref smiled sweetly at his niece and patted her head. "Don't worry, I will only be gone for a minute. Just wait in here for me." With that, he left out the sound proof grand doors, leaving Nashi inside and locking them just for good measure. "What is it you would like to speak about, Jacob?"

The taller mage squirmed and answered, "I apologize, but I am confused. I was just wondering why you had Brandish and I go through the trouble of retrieving that child… Was it truly so that you could spend a day playing around with her? My apologies, I just don't see how that is beneficial."

The other man sighed and shook his head. "Of course that is not the only reason. While yes, I wanted to meet my niece, there is a much more prominent reason."

"Which is…?"

"Think about it," Zeref began with a smile, "her father is the most powerful demon, E.N.D. Her mother is who I believe the strongest celestial mage today, her ancestor being Anna Heartfilia, who was by far the greatest stellar mage. Now, combining the two we get Nashi. Though she is small and weak now, it is clear that given a few years' time, she will grow into an incredibly strong mage. It is probable, though not certain, that she has some demon powers as well, along with Natsu's dragon slaying abilities, like you said. Not to mention her prodigy-like skills when it comes to celestial spirit magic. She will grow strong, stronger than you."

"But she is only a child!"

"A child with already extraordinary magic. Which is why I truly had her brought here, to test that. I want to know if she will be good enough to fight by Natsu's side and help him with his mission."

"His mission of defeating you?"

"Correct."

"And what if she isn't?"

"Then she will be killed during the war with the rest of the humans of Fiore."

Meanwhile, back in the Fairy Tail guildhall, Lucy and Natsu were seated, surrounded by their adoptive family. A fire burned in each and every single one of them, angry that one of their own had been taken. They didn't care if Zeref was powerful, they were going to bring Nashi back no matter what.

"One of my grandchildren has been taken from us," Makarov announced in a low, menacing tone of voice he reserved for enemies. "This cannot and will not stand with me and it shall not stand with you. We are going to bring Nashi back!"

The guild erupted with cheers and applause, so loud that the floor vibrated.

"Nashi is far," Makarov continued, "off in the country of Alvarez. It certainly won't be an easy victory, but this is a battle we must win! There is no time to train! We must hurry!"

There was a bright glow in the guild hall as a figure began to take shape. When the light dimmed, it was none other than the creator of the guild, Mavis Vermillion, in her ruffled white dress and long, blonde hair.

"You're right," she said in her sweet tone. "But we must be sure to strategize correctly. Rushing straight into the battlefield would be disastrous. I know it is a lot to ask of the parents, but please be patient."

A growl resonated in Natsu's throat. Be patient? There was no time to be patient! His daughter was taken by Zeref! They needed to go now! A soft hand grabbed his own and intertwined itself with his. He didn't have to look to know it was. He also didn't have to look to know she was crying. He knew because he could feel her shaking.

"She's right," Lucy announced. "Rushing in isn't going to save Nashi. We need a plan."

Mavis nodded and continued, "Exactly. I must apologize to all of you for something."

The guild raised their brows as they stared at their first master with puzzled expressions.

Sighing, the petite girl went on, "I have withheld information from all of you. The truth is, I knew about this war Lucy spoke of for years." Startled gasps and questions rang throughout the building. "According to my calculations, it should not have started for another few years as Zeref is not done fortifying his army. Thus, I am led to believe that Nashi does not have to do with the war."

"Well why would he take her then? Why Nashi?" Lucy questioned.

"It's because of me," Natsu answered, his face contorted in pure anger. "I don't know why, but this Zeref guy has been obsessed with me for a while. He spoke to me at Tenrou and during our battle with Tartaros as if he knew me or something. I'm guessing he found out Nashi was my daughter and took her to lure me there."

"That doesn't make sense though," Erza chimed in. "After your battle with Mard Geer, Zeref randomly showed back to get E.N.D. This means that he can appear anywhere he wants. If he wanted to see you, he could've easily done so with his magic."

"That is correct," Mavis replied, eyeing Natsu. "Which means there is another reason Nashi was taken."

"I don't care why she was taken," Lucy said, her bottom lip quivering as she tightened her hold on Natsu's hand. Her body was shaking to the point it hurt. "I don't care why he took my daughter… All I care is that we get her back!"

"But it is important to know," Mavis reminded the other blonde.

"You can't convince a parent when they are worried for their child's safety," Makarov replied with a sigh. "I agree with Lucy. For now, we should think more about how we are going to rescue Nashi rather than Zeref's motives."

"There's someone I know who can help us get to Alvarez much faster," Jellal announced. "Angel from Crime Sorciere can get us there in less than a day."

"What about the Spriggan 12?" Jet questioned worriedly while Droy anxiously munched on food. "Do we fight them?"

"No!" Mavis shouted. "There will be no fighting unless necessary!"

"How can you tell us not to fight!?" Natsu asked, balling his other hand into a tight fist. "They took our daughter!"

"Listen to me, we aren't ready for a full out war! As I said, I believe Nashi isn't the declaration or anything like that! We simply get her back and maintain from casualties!"

"No way!"

"Natsu," Lucy began, rubbing soothing circles into his warm hand, "she's right. Our focus is saving Nashi, not getting revenge. I don't want anyone to get hurt."

"…Fine," the pinkette grumbled.

"There are guards surrounding the castle, but it's clear they aren't too strong. Yet it would be wise not to cause a scene…"

"We'll need a distraction," Mavis said. "Some of us will have to distract the weaker guards while others infiltrate the castle."

"I'm going in the castle!" Lucy shouted determinedly. "I'm bringing my-" Looking at Natsu, she corrected herself. "Our daughter back!"

"I'm going too!" Natsu exclaimed, fire burning in his eyes.

"Can't let my niece stay in that guy's place too long," Gray added.

"Me too!" Yuki chimed in, Gale nodding beside him. "I'm going to save Nashi!"

"No, children stay here," Mavis said, much to the children's dismay. "We don't know how dangerous it will be. Your mission will be to make this place suitable for Nashi's return. After all, it is still her birthday, correct? Team Natsu, Wendy, the Strauss siblings, Juvia and Cana, Team Laxus, Gajeel and Levy, Makarov, and I will infiltrate the castle and find Nashi. The rest will be handling the smaller guards. In regards to the Spriggan 12… Avoid battle as much as possible, but if it comes down to it, do not fight alone. Lastly, we must all make it back alive!"

The guild cheered, rising from their seats and rushing out the door, following Jellal to find Angel. None of them knew what was in store for them. They knew nothing of their enemies, nothing of the country of Alvarez, and nothing about the castle. Yet they were going to do whatever it took to rescue Nashi. They could only ignore the pestering thought nagging them in the back of their minds. The thought that not everyone was going to make it back alive.

AN: Hope you guys liked that chapter! :D

Rose Tiger: They fight for their child, that's what! :D

Werewingwolfxx: Haha yep, especially more so if they don't even use it in the first place! :D

Thegirlytomboy: Hmm... Was this considered a cliffhanger? It's not as bad as my other ones! :D

BexzLee: Thank you! :) I prefer updating fast because I know how frustrating it can be falling in love with a story and then having to wait months lol.

DragonSlayerDiana: I know, Zeref is just a cinnamon roll! I think he would make such an amazing uncle. :')

Akano Tsuki: Thank you so much I'm glad you liked it! :D

ArtemisRavenTerraFan: AHH thank you so much! And I love big hero six. :') And yes, Uncle Zeref is cute for now. :')

Annie: AHH THANK YOU! Haha I had to add a bit of humor into the angst! And I know Jellal is finally here! :D And agh I hope it works out! ;D

Soul Eater Maka: Thank you haha. :)

NashiFanGirl: Looks like Zeref is going to test Nashi's powers! :D

Fairytailnumber1Anime: Hahaha thank you! :D And at least this cliffy isn't too bad! :D

Hime of Hearts: Ahh that sounds like an awesome Nashi story I haven't read that one! And I guess we'll just have to find out. ;D

Grizzly98: Well, her big Fairy Tail family is going to bail her out, that's how! :D

Lunahartz: AGH THAT'S GREAT GOOD JOB SIS!

Iamtlani13: They will... eventually. :D And wow I've never even heard that language before! I wanna learn Tagalog because I'm Filipina but it's really hard haha! And sure you can call me Jules! :D

Nalulove: Gotta love Jellal! ;D

Anime-is-my-addiction1: Hahaha I know, he finally knows it's great! :D But now they gotta save Nashi!

Alexa60765: Thank you so much as always. :')

Sarara1.8: Hahaha they do :') But life is complicated for them. :')

Guest: Ahh a long review, sorry if I miss addressing some stuff! In regards to why Zeref told Nashi, you'll see why later. ;) And I think she was just really emotional then and after things calmed down a bit, she realized that he needed to go on that trip to get strong for Nashi. I think she's finally forgiving him for leaving, all that's left to work on is her trust!

BloodRedRubies: Me too! Like in that picture of him and Natsu when they were kids, Natsu looked so happy and you can tell Zeref is caring, he just doesn't have the ability to without the curse acting up you know? Hahaha I know I was so surprised when I found out! He worked it out REALLY WELL.

CelestialLunaPanda-Senpai: THANK YOU SO MUCH I WILL CONTINUE I PROMISE! :D

Deboo: You will get more Natsu anger later so look forward to it! :D

Guest 2: AHH THANK YOU! Glad you caught up! :D

Katiesmo: Thank you for both reviews! :D I love when people review for chapters they miss. :')