"speaking"
"thinking"
On with the story
Natsu was at home, playing with Happy as the little Kitten was growing up
"Stay" Natsu said as he placed a cat treat on Happy's head while the feline stayed in his spot
Natsu backed his hand away before smiling
Happy soon shakes his head to drop the cat treat before eating it
Natsu petted Happy's head and scratched its chin before hearing a knock on his door
Getting up while his form changed into his human form, Natsu went and answer it
"yes?" Natsu said opening the door and sees Éclair wearing a jacket and jersey "what is it?"
Éclair parted her lips and was about to speak but stopped for a moment to continue "can you….help me?"
"that depends" Natsu said leaning against the door frame "what is it that you want me to help?"
Éclair showed him the bottle from yesterday, but it was empty
Natsu looks at it and sighs to her
"I'll pay you! Please! The Ritual Dance you helped me with, helped my father against his sickness!" Éclair said as she begged him before seeing him opening his door wide
"get in" Natsu said as Éclair's eyes widen in surprise a bit "think of it as repayment for those Meatbuns"
Éclair looks to him before nodding a bit and went inside his home
Natsu draw the magic circle in his home as he made it large but small enough
Éclair placed the bottle in the middle as she takes off his jacket and jersey to show that she was wearing the same clothes from yesterday
Natsu reached a hand to her as Éclair takes it before the two started dancing
The magic circle shined as the two danced together
Happy watched with a yawn as the two danced before finishing
The magic circle shined before disappearing and the bottle was filled once again
"thank you" Éclair said as they finished the dance before Natsu took the bottle
"tell me, what kind of sickness your father is going through?" Natsu said giving her the bottle
"I don't know, the doctor couldn't prescribe it nor could they help him" Éclair said
"the doctor couldn't prescribe it nor could they help him, but how did you know the Life Healing Ritual would help him?" Natsu asked raising an eyebrow
"i.." Éclair was about to reply when she holds her head in pain "..i.."
Éclair dropped the bottle as it breaks before she fell down
Natsu quickly grabs her as he sees that Éclair had fainted
"strange" Natsu said as he sensed magic chanted around her mind
He did several gestures before putting a finger to her forehead
A magic circle appeared on Éclair's forehead as Natsu looks at the inscription in it
"Memory Manipulation Magic….and a very highly leveled one too" Natsu said keening his eyes before seeing Happy nuzzling its head to Éclair's hand
Natsu smiles to his pet before looking to the magic circle as it disappears
An hour passed as Éclair wakes up and sees the ceiling
"where…" Éclair muttered out before hearing a meow as Happy came to her sigh and nuzzles its nose to her
Éclair sat up as Happy meowed to her
"you're awake" Natsu said sitting by a chair while reading his book
Éclair soon remembered on why she is here as she got out of the bed before falling to her knees
"my legs…" Éclair touched her legs before Natsu helps her up and sat her by the bed
"who placed it on you?" Natsu asked taking a seat beside her
"placed what?" Éclair asked before Happy climbed on her lap
"she doesn't know..that just makes my assumption correct" Natsu thought "nothing, I was just mis thinking"
"oh" Éclair said as she petted Happy's head
"here" Natsu said as he gives her the bottle, not broken nor shattered before standing up
"thank you" Éclair said holding the bottle
"come on, I'll take you home" Natsu said reaching a hand for her to take
Natsu and Éclair were walking down the street as they were walking to her home
Demonic Natsu soon appeared above them as he watched Éclair
"StRAngE, HeR mAGiC SeEMS…..diffERent" he said as he floats above them before floating near Éclair
She keeps on walking before Demonic Natsu floated near her and looks at her
He hummed before waving his hands around her face but Éclair didn't see her
"She Can'T SeE Me?" Demonic Natsu said before they arrived to Éclair's home
Entering her home, Éclair opens the door and walks in first before Natsu followed
"father? I'm home" Éclair said walking in as there was no response from inside "I'm sorry that I was out too long, I had to go and meet..a friend"
Natsu looks to her as Éclair was speaking to no one
"no, he's not. He just helped me in making the ritual for the Life Healing Potion" Éclair said to no one before smiling "yes, he's a peculiar one and he has pink hair"
"Salmon" Natsu said closing the door "it's Salmon"
"yes, he is weird but he's kind" Éclair said to no one "I don't know, maybe he would"
"an Illusion magic? Or some sort of Hypnosis Magic?" Natsu thought as his eyes glowed red and he sees a green aura around Éclair's eyes "whatever it is, it only activates in her home."
"Natsu..would you like to stay for dinner?" Éclair asked to Natsu who nodded
Éclair smiled a bit before turning to the side "he'd love to stay father, just rest. I'll prepare"
Natsu went in her home as he finds dozens of Magical tools of many variety
Demonic Natsu floats around the room as he looks around
"whOEver her fAthEr Is HE WaS A VerY KeEN MagE" he said floating around
Natsu looks around before his vision stumbled upon a face down picture frame by the table
He flips it up and sees a photo of Éclair in her younger age with a woman whose face is identical to hers and a man wearing glasses
"mUSt Be hER pARentS" Demonic Natsu said looking at the photo
"I know this guy; he was a famous magic tool creator 10 years ago. News said that he died 2 years back after his wife another 4 years back" Natsu thought as he looks at the photo of the man "didn't hear that they had a child before"
"here" Éclair said as she made a big bowl of fish stew "it's hot so be careful"
Natsu looks to Éclair as she took some rice into a plate and sets them around the table
Éclair place forks and spoons near three plates as one was for him, the other was empty
"come on" Éclair said as Natsu sat down before Éclair did a prayed and eat
Natsu took his spoon and fork as he eats too
He looks at Éclair as she would talk to no one, she thinks that she is talking to her father
"father, eat slowly" Éclair said rubbing a napkin in midair "you'll choke, I know that you're hungry but we have a guest here"
"ShE's CoCoo" Demonic Natsu said while twirling a finger around the side of his head
"father, stop" Éclair said laughing a bit "you're embarrassing yourself"
"no, she's under a mind illusion. A self placed illusion spell" Natsu thought keening his eyes to her before he finished his meal
"my father is surprised by how fast you eat. Were you that hungry?" Éclair asked
"no, I'm not" Natsu replied placing his spoon and fork on the plate "thanks for the meal"
Éclair looks beside her as she smiles "I know….he might be a glutton"
Natsu looks at her as he sighs before he snapped his fingers and a magic circle appeared on Éclair's forehead before it shatters
Éclair holds her head as she shakes her head before she looks around
"father? Where are you?" Éclair called out standing and looks around "father? Where are you?"
"Éclair" Natsu stands up as Éclair looks at him "your father is dead"
"what….what do you mean? He was right here!" Éclair exclaimed as she looks around her home "father! Where are you!?"
"Éclair, Listen to me" Natsu said as he holds her shoulder "you were under an Illusion spell, Eye Trick. You've casted that spell on yourself to make you believe that your father is alive"
"no! you're lying! My father is still alive!" Éclair exclaimed as she pushed him away before heading out to the door
"I sTiLL tHiNK ShE'S cOcOO" Demonic Natsu said standing beside him
"just shut up" Natsu said as he went after her
"Father! Father!" Éclair runs around as she called out for her father
She runs around as she was looking for her father
"Father! Where are you!?" Éclair keeps on running to find her father before a heavy rain pours down
Running, running, and running
Éclair keeps on running to find her father before she fell down from slipping on a puddle of water as her clothes was soaked
She gets back as she looks around before noticing that she was near a cemetery
Lightning rang from the clouds as Éclair looks at the cemetery
Something moved her legs as she went inside
Éclair walks within the graveyard as her body moved on its own
She walks in the corner of the cemetery as she finds an astral figure of younger self crying in front of a gravestone
"….that's….me…." Éclair muttered out before she looks to the gravestone as her eyes widen and teared up
She fell to her knee as the gravestone in front of her had the name Kalard Feniks, Her father's name
"…it was true…my father…..has been dead…for years?!" Éclair cried out as her tears fell to the ground
She cried and cried her heart out to know the truth as the rain poured hard over her before it stopped
Éclair looks up before she sees someone beside her
Natsu stood near her as he holds an umbrella above her while letting the rain pour down on him
Éclair looks to him before she looks down and to the gravestone
"how?...how was I under that spell?...who casted on me?" Éclair asked looking at her father's name upon the gravestone
"you yourself" Natsu replied "there's been occurrences for mages who went under shock or a traumatic event to unconsciously cast a spell upon themselves. Mostly rare for mages who has illusion magic"
"but…I have Ritual Magic…I don't" Éclair said before Natsu holds her hand and it glowed blue
"your father was an Illusion Mage, he made Illusion with his Magic Tools, you have his magic and your mother's" Natsu told her "it's time for you to accept reality, Éclair. Your father is already dead"
Éclair's tears poured down even more before she started grieving her heart out
"come on" Natsu said reaching a hand out to her "it's bad for you to stay in the rain too much"
Éclair took his hand as Natsu helps her up
Tears poured down before Éclair hugs him and started crying out to him
Natsu place a hand around her as he holds the umbrella and lets her cry on to him
The next day soon came as the sun was rising and the sky clear of clouds
Lucy was walking down the street as she had a bouquet in hand
She walks around before reaching to the cemetery where she entered in
As she walks withing the cemetery, she saw Natsu and Éclair
"Natsu?..and who's she?" Lucy muttered out as she watched Natsu stood beside Éclair who kneeled down in front of her father's gravestone and placed a bouquet of flowers in front of it
She did a prayer before she stands up and started walking away with Natsu following behind
Lucy watched them walk out of the cemetery before she went away to a gravestone that has the name Layla Heartifillia
Natsu and Éclair walks out of the cemetery as they were walking to the direction of her home
"thank you…for everything" Éclair said as they walked
Natsu nodded as they continued on walking
They reached Éclair's home as Natsu stood by the door
"there's a magic lacrima recorder. There's a recording set in it" Natsu said to Éclair as he pointed to the magic orb by the table "it might be from your father"
Éclair looks to the magic lacrima recorder as she went and touched it
The magic orb soon shined as a magic hologram of Kalard Feniks appeared
Natsu closed the door as he lets Éclair be
That's a wrap!
Bye bye
