2 Days Later

"Remind me again how you can cause so much property damage without hurting innocent people? Nashi was better than you and she doesn't even know what she was doing. I believe I even saw her trip a few times."

I bowed my head in shame behind Erza and Jellal, "still right here."

"I'll be paying for the damages. I guess I am a little rusty after all. With Nashi around I must have reverted more back towards my older habits," she closed her eyes and sighed.

Jellal chuckled, "well as long as it's taken care of. The last thing we need with a Dragneel returning is constant property damage bills."

"I'd like to point out it wasn't my fire that burned down the tavern!" I shouted.

He nodded, "yes, but you could have simply ate the fire instead of freaking out and jumping from the window."

"Wendy has yet to teach her how to eat her element. Gajeel's is physical and Laxus doesn't ever really eat lightning so he is out of practice."

He put a hand on his chin, "I see, so I guess it is alright then but if you knew you had the possibility to eat it, you could have at least tried."

I gritted my teeth and turned my head away as the married couple laughed, "at least we only had one," Erza joked.

"I suppose. Where is Simon anyway?"

I spoke first, "he went on a job with Jazz and Juliet."

They both stopped and looked at each other, "so he should be back now. You want to stop by the market and pick up something for dinner? It's been ages since we ate as a family."

I stopped listening and pushed past them, "I'll be at the guild later."

I continued alone into the city as a smile slowly formed on my face. I stopped by the outskirts of town and dropped off my two bags before walking back to the guild. Maybe I could talk Laxus and Erza into letting me go on a job or something. I was halfway to the guild when my new world came crashing down at the sound of one voice.

"Nashi?"

I flinched as I turned to see my little sister standing in the middle of the street with a puzzled look on her face as she tilted her head to the side, "is that a..."

I rushed towards her, trying to distract her, "sis! How ya doin!" I picked her up and spun her around in a hug.

I set her back on the ground as I wished I had something other than the strange new clothes and hair style. Not to mention something to cover the guild mark.

Layla shrugged, "it's going fine. Mom is getting worried. We thought you would have caught up by now."

I looked away, "about that..." I subtly my exposed shoulder away from her.

"NASHI ECLAIR LEENGARD!" an authoritative voice called out. I looked father down the street to see my mother walking with a feverish purpose towards me with her hood up.

"Mom," I nodded.

"Where have you been young lady? You should have caught up eons ago."

I felt a little spiteful as I looked right at her, "I'm home. I'm right where I want to be."

Lucy crossed her arms, "oh really? And what gives you the right to think that you know what's best for you? You're sixteen."

I scoffed, "and you were around the same age when you ran away from Grandpa Jude."

That got to her as she flinched, "what?"

"Yeah, I've found out a lot lately. About me. About you and dad. Why did you hide it all mom?"

Her eyes found where my bracers were originally and she swore, "where are they? Why did you take them off?"

I closed my eyes, "broken. And I'm getting used to it. Now I need to go, I need to get some food in me."

"Come with us, you can eat at the hotel. Then we'll get you new bracers," Mom extended a hand.

I turned a bit more, "you're welcome to join Layla."

"M...m...me?" She stuttered while she pointed at herself.

I nodded, "you haven't lied to me. Unlike someone."

"BOTH OF YOU, HOTEL, NOW."

Layla shrieked and started to backtrack in fear to the hotel as I finished turning and started walking in the opposite direction.

"Don't you turn your back on me Nashi!" She called out.

"Your welcome to follow!"

"OPEN, GATE OF THE LION, LEO! GET HER BACK HERE!"

Loki popped into existence right in front of me, "Nashi..."

"Outta my way Loki. I don't want to fight you."

He jerked his head in my mother's direction, "then listen to your mother. You know you can't beat me without magic."

I kept walking, "I know. Which is why I don't want to fight you."

Loki placed a hand on my shoulder with a grip, "this is your last chance...don't make me do this."

I shot a glare over my shoulder, "no, don't make me do this."

"Regulus..." he began before I cut him off as my fist became shrouded in flame.

"FIRE DRAGON IRON FIST!" I caught him off guard with an uppercut, blasting him back as I started at my mother, "I'm not Nashi Leengard anymore mother."

Her eyes welled up as she saw it.

"I'M NASHI DRAGNEEL OF THE FAIRY TAIL GUILD, AND YOU WON'T EVER TAKE THAT AWAY FROM ME!" My guild mark was displayed prominently on my shoulder as Loki picked himself up off the ground.

He readjusted his glasses, "alright, this just got interesting. So you learned your father's punch, let's see what else you got?"

He rushed forward to meet me as I started running towards him, "REGULUS IMPACT!"

"FIRE DRAGON WING ATTACK!"

The golden head of a lion clashed with the flames of a Dragon as the attacks negated each other as I kept my momentum toward Loki as I drew Erza's gift sword, "BRING IT!"

He barely had time to dodge as I took the offensive, to him and my mother, "trying to pry me away from my new home, YOU ARE JUST LIKE GRANDPA JUDE!"

Loki misspelled as my sword brushed his cheek before mom broke through the battle, "STOP IT, both of you, please!" She fell to her knees as Loki and I stopped. Seconds later she muttered, "close, gate of the lion."

I put the sword back in its sheath before walking towards her. She was quietly sobbing. I knelt down and placed a hand on her shoulder, "I'm sorry I wasn't able to tell you sooner."

"Why didn't you just say you joined Fairy Tail?"

I blinked, "wait, you aren't mad anymore?"

She wiped a teardrop from her eye, "no. In fact," she threw her arms around me with a soft smile, "I could never be prouder."

Proud.

Did she really just say that?

Hang on, I'm still processing...

Yeah. She did.

I returned the hug as she cried onto my shoulder, "I never thought I'd get to see the day when one of you made your way to Fairy Tail."

"Would have happened a lot quicker if you didn't try to keep your last member ship a secret."

She sniffed and pulled back, "yeah. It was your father's request to keep you away from a guild. I'm just glad you joined my old one."

"Um, is it okay to come out now?" Layla poked her head out from behind a corner half a block away causing both of us to laugh.

I nodded, "yeah, come on out," I looked at my mother, "you hungry, I think I know a good cook."

"If it's who I think it is, I don't think they'd want to see me," Mom said as we stood up and dusted ourselves off.

"Well, you could just wear a cloak, I mean, that's how your future self got around back in X792, right?"

She winced, "just how much do you know?"

"Enough mom, enough."

I opened the door for my little sister and mother as the guild hall was quiet with activity. Macao and Wakaba were playing some old game in the corner while Mira was polishing a glass. Juliet and Jazz were in some deep conversation about God's know what.

"Hey Mira!" I waved as I ran toward the counter, "we got guests!"

She looked up and dropped the glass in surprise, "Lucy?"

Everybody in the guild turned to see my mom beet red as she awkwardly waved, "uh, hey!"

"Lucy? Wasn't she that Celestial Spirit Mage that ran off with what's his name about seventeen years ago?"

"The one with the big boobs?" Samantha replied as the squinted in my mom's direction.

Mira squealed as she ran around the counter, "I thought we'd never see you again! And then Nashi kinda saved the guild and we knew you were still alive."

"Yeah. Well aliases can be pretty useful," Mom rubbed the back of her hair.

Mira put her hands on her hips, "still," the air around her started to circulate as she was starting a takeover.

Mom laughed, "look, I'm sorry Natsu and I left so suddenly but there was some reasons going on."

Her takeover stopped, "you're telling me later. Either that or you tell Erza."

The look of sheer panic on my mother's face was priceless as she clenched up, "please don't!"

Layla looked nervous as I left mom and Mira to catch up. I started walking towards Jazz and Juliet, "Layla, come on, let them catch up!"

Juliet snickered, "so was she mad?"

"I thought you said you were in the clear, she's not dragging you away, is she?"

I shook my head as I sat down, "nah. I'm good. Otherwise her eyes wouldn't be puffy from crying."

Layla quietly plopped down next to me. She was usually a social butterfly but now she just seemed sheepish.

Jazz leaned over the table and sniffed the air, "so, this is your little sister?"

I beamed with pride, "yup! She's gonna be just as good a Celestial Wizard as our mom someday."

Juliet offered her hand, "Juliet Coanbolt, glad to meet ya, your sister won't shut up about you."

Layla shook it slowly, "Layla Leengard."

"Dragneel," I reminded her, "you don't got any reason to keep that last name a secret bucko."

She gave a quick head tilt in confirmation as Jazz laughed, "keeping your last name a secret? That must suck!"

I rolled my eyes, "no kidding. Now we at least know why."

Layla muttered, "I found out two years ago."

All three of our heads looked at her, "and you didn't say anything?"

"Scorpio let it slip on accident and I promised him I'd keep quiet."

I gritted my teeth, "and you kept it from me?"

"You were constantly hammered when you weren't doing something, if I was gonna tell you, you'd forget."

Juliet shot a look at me, "you as an alcoholic?"

Layla frowned, "she's never too far from a bottle."

I gritted my teeth, "just shut up."

"Shes been sober since she's been here," Juliet responded, "I could keep an eye on her if you want."

"Please do!" My mother called over from the bar.

Jazz laughed before wiping an eye, "it's been like three weeks and we finally get to find out about your home life."

I sighed, "believe me, I'd rather keep it hidden. This was supposed to be a new start."

"Who says it can't be. You're learning magic from both Laxus and Erza," she smirked playfully.

"I thought she was just getting sword lessons from Erza?" Julie's head whipped around, breaking her conversation with Layla for a moment.

I was red in the face as Jazz signed my right to drop my head on the table, "I followed them one day. Nashi wants to learn requip magic too. Still quite the fan girl."

"You should see her bedroom!" Layla giggled.

"I wanna see it!" they both yelled at once.

Mom finally came over and pinned me between her and Layla, "we'll have to see. Layla and I are probably gonna stick around a few days because I want to see how Nashi handles guild life. Then we can talk about moving belongings."

I hugged her in excitement, "thank you mom!"

The others laughed as Layla looked a little disappointed. I would have to ask about that later. However the embarrassment train continued as mom started revealing little things until Mira brought food. It was a good night in the end as I bid mom and Layla farewell at a side street one my way back to the cabin. I had a smile on my face as I walked off.

Lucy and Layla

"You saw it too, right?" Layla asked as soon as Nashi was comfortably out of ear shot.

"Saw what?" Lucy looked down slightly at her daughter, I wasn't aware I was supposed to be looking for something."

A tear slid down her face, "a smile. An actual, carefree, sober smile."

Lucy stopped, Layla was right. Nashi always was putting on a smile with a trace of something else. Or just taking a smile as it was. Now, she seemed...

Genuinely happy.

"I know she's happy but I don't want her to forget about us," Layla sniffed.

Lucy knelt down and wrapped the young mage in a hug, "hey, hey,hey, don't cry. She won't forget about us. I can guarantee that."

In truth, even Lucy was worried she would get that sucked in to the guild. Nashi found a new reason to keep moving forward, one that could lead her down a path Natsu warned her about.

"If she joins a guild, her life, you and I both know is gonna be a lot more dangerous considering what she'll be able to do when she's older."

"But what if she does, we can't just hide the truth from her at that age?"

"Then follow her. Even if that means joining the same guild."

At least she knew this guild. She had people she might be able to count on, even though it had been almost seventeen years. Mira proved that earlier.

Layla was the wild card. Lucy wasn't sure how she'd adapt to her sister with magic.

Nashi's magic was also alarming at how quick it was developing. She and Natsu made sure her memories of it were erased when she was younger but now it seemed as if she had some sort of muscle instinct.

"She trains almost everyday with Laxus in Dragon Slayer Magic. Occasionally Eric, Cobra, goes with them to help develop her fighting instincts but she has a good amount on her own. I wouldn't be surprised if she passes where Natsu was in a few years. Speaking of which, where is he? Nashi said he left."

Layla asked that a few weeks ago. Nashi had been asking for years. Now Mirajane too. Eventually she would have to come clean and reveal it. But Nashi would despise her for it. Lucy knew she wanted him back, but was still angry with him. To be honest, Lucy wanted him back too. He was her husband. Though they only had a year and a half of marriage before he had to go. Perhaps Nashi would stumble upon him soon.

Layla yawned, "I wanna stay with Nashi tomorrow night."

"We'll see where she's staying at tomorrow."

TO BE CONTINUED