Nashi - The next day

I stretched as I got ready for the day. A smile was on my face as I walked into the living room to see Happy at the table eating a fish, "morning Happy, how was the job?"

"Boring but it pays for a good fish or two, you seem really happy today," he sighed.

"Mom is in town and she's okay with me in Fairy Tail."

"Lucy is here! Why didn't you says so last night?!" He dropped the fish.

I giggled like a school girl, "you were snoring on the couch when I got home."

He summoned his wings and floated next to me, "you could have woken me up for that!"

I patted his head, "don't worry Happy, you can still see her. I think Erza might chew her out later today," I stopped to picture it. Maybe I wouldn't want to be there for it. I tugged my scarf a bit as I opened the door for both of us to make our way into downtown towards the guild hall. A spring breeze passed through the air as I ran while Happy flew next to me.

I got to the guild hall out of breath as Laxus sat at the bar with a mug of coffee was in front of him, "no training this week kid, I need some rest."

The smile on my face faltered a bit but I was still in a good mood, "alright, see ya next week Laxus!"

I started moving my head around the guild hall as Happy and Carla were engaged in an awkward conversation, being Ex's and all. Simon saw me and raised a hand by the Request Board, "hey! Sparkler!"

I laughed as I walked up to him, "Sparkler?"

"I'm trying to find some sort of nickname for you that isn't so menacing," he admitted as he pointed at the board, "so my Mom and I were talking last night, wanna go on a job with Storm, Jazz, Juliet and I?"

I blushed, "seriously? You think I'm ready?"

He gave me a thumbs up, "duh!"

I pumped a fist, "heck yeah! Let's go! What are we doing?"

"Haven't decided yet. Anything catch your eye?"

I gazed over the Request Board until I felt a slight tug on my collar, "oh no, not until I say you can Missy."

I turned around, "mom, please! I was just fine these last three weeks, I think I can handle one job!"

"This is the S-Class request board, you need more training to be able to even attempt one."

Simon looked flustered, "you must be Miss Dragneel," he extended a hand.

My mom shook it, "yes, and you are?"

"My son."

Mom jumped as Simon and I laughed as Erza looked over her. She slowly turned to see the scarlet haired guild master looking with an angry disappointed look on her face as she started down my mother, "hi uh Erza?"

"Lucy. My office, NOW."

"Woah! You're Titania! Nashi has posters of you on her wall!" Layla said out of nowhere.

I put a hand on my face as Simon started to elbow me, "you got a crush on my mom?"

"I'm a fan, you know that dude."

Erza looked at Layla with sentiment, "yes. I do also have a poster of Nashi from her championship fight two years ago that," she switched her gaze to me, "you have yet to sign."

"I'm not gonna snoop in your personal belongings!" I cried out as my mother tried to slip away only to be caught by Erza's armored hand.

"Very well. I will be taking your mother for a few minutes. If you'll excuse us," she bowed as she dragged my mother to her office upstairs.

Layla was left alone with Simon and I staring at the Request Board as I pulled a flyer off when she asked the inevitable.

"Are you two dating?"

We both went red as we looked at each other. I quickly averted my gaze and looked at my sister, "I don't know."

Simon fell over from shock, "you did not just say that."

Layla's eyes lit up, "have you two kissed?"

"No," we both replied in unison.

"How long have you two been dating?"

Simon picked himself up off the ground, "we haven't."

"Yet," she giggled.

"LAYLA! Go, Simon and I are discussing business."

Her twelve year old grin gave me chills, "call it whatever you want sis!"

I growled as she ran away before handing the paper to Simon, "anyways...what about this one, it'd take me an afternoon to get ready assuming I get a scimitar or a Rapier and the hat for it."

"Why do you need a new sword and a hat?"

"Because of the location."

"What about your motion sickness?"

I laughed, "I don't get sick on water. Aquarius made sure of that when I was a little girl."

He looked it over, "Ten Million Jewel, for going through there while delivering cargo? Seems pretty easy. Let's go for it!" He held up a hand as I high fived it.

He took the flyer over to the bar where Mira was washing another glass from the morning rush, "hey you two, pick a job?"

I nodded, "yep! I can't wait for this one!"

Mira looked worried, "deliver cargo from Port Hargeon in Fiore to Alabaster City in Midi? The waters between here and there are full of pirates though, are you sure? This at least a week long journey one way with the ship listed here."

I raised a fist, "those dang pirates won't know what hit em! If they even try to attack our boat I'll give em one piece of my mind!"

"I have a feeling someone just sneezed and or laughed," Laxus grumbled from his spot a few feet away.

"But Nashi, your mother wants to see you here. I'm afraid I have to decline."

I fell over as Storm leaned forward, "then I want to reserve the job for the four of us. Once Lucy leaves here, we'll take it, please?"

The older mage stood silent before nodding, "one week."

I shot to my feet, "whooo-hoooo!"

"ICE MAKE CANNON!"

I turned quickly, "FIRE DRAGON IRON FIST!" I shouted punching his projectile at the last second, "morning freezer pop!"

"Pepper head."

"Ice Princess!"

"Flame Brain!" he yelled as he slammed his head up against mine.

I pushed back, "what's your deal huh?"

"Showing that I'm the best!" He shoved an inch before Jazz, Juliet and Simon pulled us apart.

Laxus chuckled, "just like your parents."

Lucy

Lucy gulped as Erza wrapped me in a hug, "it's good to see you again Lucy."

"Yeah, you too. To be honest I thought I'd run into you earlier with you at Nashi's tournaments," she replied hastily causing a small smile on her old team mates face.

"Yes. Quite a warrior you have there. If she keeps going at this place I may one day hand the title of Titania over to her."

Lucy sighed as she separated from Erza, "she taught herself. Considers you an idol. Same with Kagura."

"Kagura has been looking everywhere for Nashi. Her daughter wants a rematch after that loss."

"Thats not good. Nashi is a bit out of practice."

"Could have fooled me. I have aches and pains from out training sessions. She's getting better. Not to mention learning two types of magic at once. Normally one wouldn't be able to handle that strain but she does with extra energy left over."

The blonde chuckled, "she is just like her father. I'm a little scared for her opponents sometimes because..."

"She won't know when she's outmatched."

"Yeah, how'd you know?"

"In a sword fight, Nashi can easily dominate a non magic user. However, if she's fighting with magic, she has no way to know if they are more powerful. While incredibly gifted she is also ignorant of her weaknesses that are not vehicle based," Erza looked downward, "it's something I'm going to have to teach her the hard way soon."

Lucy gritted her teeth, "what do you mean?"

"I'm going to have to shatter her pride. She has to them no tactically and not as rash. While yes, she is Natsu's child, that doesn't mean she can't be logical."

"No."

The scarlet haired woman raised an eyebrow, "you have a better idea?"

"Let me do it. She is my family after all."

Erza seemed uncertain, "are you sure?"

"I am."

"Alright. Now there is one more thing."

Lucy twitched nervously, "that being?"

"You are not leaving Magnolia with out giving us contact information."

The blonde burst into a fit of laughter, "I was gonna see if I could rejoin the guild actually."

"That, Lucy Heartfe..."

"Dragneel."

"Is something I have been waiting for over sixteen years to hear from you."

Nashi

I laid back on the lounge chair by the pool as Happy floated in the water, "today is great!"

"Aye..."

"You think we should be worried about my mom?"

"Aye..."

I moved a bit, "me too. Gotta say, glad Jazz and I are near the same size. I didn't even think to ask for a swim suit."

"I think that's Gale's actually," Simon's voice said from near my head.

I moved my sunglasses as he sat down on the other lounge chair, "hey, what's up?"

"Well, Layla is learning how to cook from Lissana at her restaurant across the street. Your Mom is currently being mobbed by older guild mates. Storm is off training and Juliet is grabbing her tanning stuff."

"And you?"

"Honestly? Trying to figure out how you're not even slightly embarrassed right now that I'm looking at you in a swimsuit when it's just us and Happy."

"I have self confidence and if you try anything, I'll kick your ass."

"Wasn't gonna. But," he stood up and took a step towards me, "now that you mention it..."

"Simon, what are you..." I began as he scooped me up in his arms.

"You seem a little hot, here, let me help you cool off!" He smiled as he swung me back.

"No! Simon! Don't you dare! No! Noooooo!"

SPLASH!

I broke the waters surface in a weird position. The rush of the cool water was a little relaxing as I swam upwards sputtering water and made my way to the side of the pool.

"You okay?"

I nodded as my pink hair was matter to my head, "yeah. And you got a little something right there."

He looked down at his shirt, "where I don't..."

Without warning I grabbed him and yanked him into the pool with a grin. He hit the water back first and began flailing around.

Happy sprang from the water, "Nashi! Simon can't swim!"

My eyes went wide as I dived down and picked him up from the bottom of the pool as his eyes closed and fireman carried him out of the water. I quickly placed him on the ground before I slapped his cheeks, "no, no, no, wake up, open your eyes!"

He remained motionless as I started to cry over him, "I don't want to lose anyone else I care about."

He coughed, "it's gonna take more than that to get rid of me."

I cried in joy as he placed a hand on the side of my head, "geez, I though you don't cry?"

"She cries herself to sleep sometimes," I heard Layla's voice.

"Shut up."

"Aye...She does try to muffle it sometimes."

I slowed my breathing, "not helping."

Simon shook his head, "you don't have to hide anything from me. You're a Fairy Tail Wizard now, that means we're in this together."

I smiled, "yeah?"

"Yeah."

After drying off and changing into more normal clothes from the near death scare I walked back into the guildhall with my head held a little higher. My mom was less swamped near the bar and as she waved to someone, I saw it.

A pink Fairy Tail mark on her hand.

There goes any freedom in my life.

I strode across the room, "lemme guess, I'm not allowed to do anything anymore?" I pointed to her guild mark.

She patted my shoulder, "don't put words in my mouth. I'm joining again because I've wanted too since we've lived in Clover Town. You can still do whatever you want within reason. I'm only gonna interrupt when you do something incredibly stupid or dangerous," she slid off the chair, "speaking of which, where are you staying? It's time for the motherly inspection."

Half an hour later my mom was in the cabin cleaning out Happy and I's fridge. I never used it anyway, "is this all you eat? Fish?"

"No, I eat at the guild. Turns out there was a bounty out for Aurik so I got a big amount of money, not much though, I'm almost out."

"I see. Now with that out of the way, where is your bedroom?"

"Down the hall on the left."

I waited in the living room as she poked around my few belongings. A few moments later she came out with a photograph, "where'd you find this?"

"In the dresser. That's Team Natsu, right?"

Mom looked at the photo with a tear in her eye, "yeah. We came back only three months into our 100 year Quest. We finished it in record time. Defeated a Titan. We took this picture as we were celebrating. We always thought Natsu had lost it."

"You can have it if you want. I just...wanted to remember what he looked like around the last time I saw him. He's gonna be black and blue next time."

Mom slowly sat down on the couch, "I don't think there may be a next time. If it's taken him this long too..."

"He still out there. Aurik said his master's plan would continue despite my or Dad's intervention."

She shifted in her seat, "tell me everything."

One Week Later

The next few days were a blur as Mom announced she and Layla would move to Magnolia at the end of her tour along with moving my belongings up. Simon and I continued to grow closer and my requip magic finally held more than a plastic fork.

Finally, the day came for us to set sail. However, it wasn't as pretty of a get together as I thought it would be.

"Alright. All of us need to stop going solo on jobs. I know we don't work well together and I'm aiming to fix that," Simon looked at Jazz, Juliet and Storm.

I had a wrinkled brow. He was just now establishing a team?

Juliet rolled her eyes as she stood by me, "what happened to your arm?"

I looked away as the bruises were clearly evident, "it's nothing. I'll be fine."

Storm got in an arguing match with Simon and Jazz before being quieted as Juliet and I sat down by the edge of the flower bed, "Even moving to sit you look hurt. Nashi, what happened?"

The Day Before

"Mom? What are you doing here? Where is Erza?" I asked as I got to the small burned out clearing.

My mom looked a lot different compared to the quiet author she usually was. She looked...

Well, ready for a fight.

She took in a breath, "I'm going to be teaching you so something today. It's one thing I never though I'd have to teach you, but if you are intent on being a Wizard, it's one you have to learn. OPEN, GATE OF THE TWINS! GEMINI!"

The iconic door bell sound chimed through the forest as the twins emerged, "Pidi-pidi!"

"Nashi, there are going to be times where you have to fight those closest to you. Even that, sometimes, you have to know when to retreat. You are not invincible."

I nodded, "okay? I've already fought the mind controlled guild."

"And you got lucky. Now, I hate to do this to you," she looked pained as she held out her hand.

"Mom, what are you...?"

"Gemini, I want you to fight Nashi," she began.

I cracked my knuckles, "all right, this should be a piece of..."

"As Natsu."

I felt a mixture of emotions as Gemini transformed and rushed me. I felt like I was paralyzed as the twins landed hit after devastating hit, all in the form of a more youthful version of my father.

"OPEN GATE OF THE GOLDEN BULL, TAUROS. OPEN GATE OF THE MAIDEN, VIRGO. OPEN GATE OF THE SCORPION, SCORPIO. Attack Nashi."

I caught her changing into a star dress out of the corner of my eye as the other three Celestial Spirits joined the fight.

Never had I felt a physical pain like this as five beings tortured me as mom pinned me to the tree with her whip and let them at me.

Then, something inside me clicked. What was I doing? Since when did Nashi Dragneel let others push her around?

My hair lit on fire before I erupted in flames. Tauros swung his axe as I summoned Erza's sword and deflected the blow into the tree above me, cutting it's charred remains in half. I tore free from the tree and got behind the Bull, "Fire Dragon Talon," I kicked him in the back and sent him flying through the forest. Next up were the recovering Virgo and Scorpio with bits of glass around them, "Fire Dragon WING ATTACK!"

Three down.

"Nashi, you're using too much magic power, you need to conserve your energy!" My mom chided me from somewhere behind me as Gemini Dad flew at me.

"FIRE DRAGON..."

"IRON FIST!" I finished as our fists met each other and the shock wave knocked down a few trees.

I was caught off guard as Gemini reached out and grabbed my arm on the other side and broke it, forcing me to the ground. I screamed out in pain as I dropped my sword.

The dark look in the Celestial spirit's eyes filled me with rage. I hated those eyes.

Gemini reared back for another assault as my mom started to call for the twins to stop.

"You...BASTARD!"

In my mind, I wasn't fighting Gemini anymore, I was fighting my father.

"SUN'S WRATH!" I said the words as if they were second nature and the whole area glowed with a golden light. Natsu was caught off guard, "LIGHT OF THE GODDESS!"

The area then exploded as my fist connected with the celestial spirit. I couldn't see as the fire over took my eyes.

Too soon child, too soon the voice in my head warned me.

My vision cleared as I was standing and clutching my arm as I felt the bottom of the crater tremble before Virgo popped out of the ground, "I'm sorry," she apologized as she lashed out with the chains. I grabbed one of them and spun before throwing her at the now normal Gemini.

"SAND BLASTER!" I heard Scorpio call out from above.

I jumped out of the way, ignoring the pain in my arm, "FIRE DRAGON ROAR!"

I finally did it as I blew flames from my mouth. They streaked upward but I had not thought about one thing as shards of glass pelted me as my heat had fused the particles together. I covered my eyes as the crystalline shrapnel cut me before I felt a flat of an axe slam I to me.

"Nashi, you need to stop."

I struggled to my feet, "I won't give up. Because...I'M A WIZARD OF THE FAIRY TAIL GUILD! WHICH MEANS NO MATTER HOW HARD IT IS, I WONT BACK DOWN!"

Scorpio laughed as he looked at my mother, "someone's been watching old footage."

I took a step forward as my hair caught on fire again, "if you think for one second I'm just gonna give up, then you're mistaken. Bring it..."

Then an arrow from a bow mom was holding hit the right side of my chest and I fell over unconscious.

Present

"I tripped."

She poked my arm and I gasped in pain, "you have several lacerations, a broken arm and you seem a lot more quiet than usual, lay down."

I shook my head, "I'll be fine, I can manage."

"LAY DOWN NASHI! As the only person besides my mother in this guild with healing magic listen to me."

I groaned in pain as I did as instructed, "I'm telling you, I can still fight."

In truth, I was very much holding back screams of agony. Mom told me later she had the spirits go easy on me. But I went over board on Gemini with a power I didn't know I had or could control. She knew Gemini could take more of a beating but the shock took the spirit down.

Easy resulted in multiple cuts, broken limbs and a shattered pride.

Her hands started to glow as she held them over my arm. I let out a cry as my arm started to repair itself.

"I just don't see why you're forcing us all together!" Jazz grew flustered as she crossed her arms.

"Because if we want any chance at beating Mermaid Heel at the Grand Magic Games this year we need to work on team work. Not to mention getting stronger. Silvia, Gale and Asuka can not carry this team. Yuri is already hard at work but he may not be ready this time."

Storm was visibly angry, "fine. If it'll help me get better than Silvia, I'm in."

I looked at Juliet, "who's Silvia?"

She rolled her eyes, "one of our strongest of this generation. She managed both water and ice magic at a young age. A prodigy really. She's Storm's twin sister."

"Where is she? How come I haven't seen her?" I tried to lean forward before she placed a hand on my head.

"Off doing a solo S-Class quest. She may be back when we return. I still don't know what we're doing."

I chuckled which hurt my chest, "get ready to cast a lot of Troyus spells, on Jazz."

A few more minutes of arguing between Simon and Jazz continued before the fuss ended. Juliet clapped her hands, "there we go, how's that feel?"

I sat up as I felt rejuvenated, "that's amazing! Your mother taught you?"

She nodded, "yeah. We thought the teacher had to be a Dragon or you had to have a Dragon Lachrama implanted in you to know Dragon Slayer magic but it can apparently run in the bloodline."

Storm looked away, "yeah, and I can still beat you."

Juliet sighed, "Sky Dragon magic isn't mainly offense. It's more of a support magic."

"Exactly. Storm and Nashi are our offensive power houses, Jazz and I run defense while Juliet keeps us healthy and boosts us," Simon explained.

I shot a look at Storm who glared right back, "I know what the mission is, and you can leave it all to me, you'll be throwing up."

"WE AREN'T ON A VEHICLE, RIGHT?" Jazz began to panic.

I laughed, "it's a boat actually. And as long as we can get a Troyus spell or five on you, it's all good. I don't have water motion sickness."

Simon affirmed it, "by the way, did you pick up what you needed?"

I closed my eyes and did my small requip as the pirate captain hat fell onto my head, "that's Captain to you," I said with a wink.

The rest of them sighed, "this is gonna be a long job."

TO BE CONTINUED