Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail.
Hisui hoped that she heard wrong—that she was sleepy. She wished that her father forgot some words. She yearned that she was having nightmare. As clear as the cloudless sky, Toma's words shattered Hisui's composure, hammer to glass. Hisui's mind was picking those pieces up, trying to fix what was gone.
"P—pardon?" Hisui tried to keep her legs straight, only to come out wobbly—something that was well concealed under her dress.
"It's time for you to come home."
"Father…you're…joking…right?"
"I'm not, I already found another mayor to govern Magnolia, I can arrange a meeting with him later, he's busy preparing his speech you see." Karie watched uncomfortably in the side-lines, slowly moving to Hisui.
"But…father, I'm not finished with that place…there's so much things for me to…do."
"That's why I'm planning on having you meet the next mayor, you can relay your plans then."
"That's not what I meant…"
"What do you mean then?"
"I…I worked so hard, hours on reading, planning, going on meetings, consulting experts. After all that…you can't expect me to move back so suddenly. I don't want to…what about my friends?"
"Hisui, at times like this, you mustn't be so selfish, this is also another part of being a good ruler, you need to learn how to let things go."
"Haven't I been selfless this whole time!? Ever since I took up my duties, I neglected my health, I turned down invitations for leisure, I forsaken my own happiness for my duty! Can't I…can't I be selfish this one time?"
"At the end of the day, Crocus is your home, you can't be too attached to other places, Hisui, will you come back?" Temptation gripped Hisui, to let her fires reduce her father's request to nothing.
"I wo—I understand…please give me some time for me to pack."
"Thank You for understanding."
"Karie, we're leaving."
"Hisui." Her father's voice stopped Hisui at the door. "I'm sorry." Hisui didn't reply and pushed the door open.
For the first time, Hisui didn't want to keep her back straight. Under the heavy information just relayed to her, Hisui wanted to run away, to cry and beg that the tears will carry away her troubles. However, walking along the corridor, Hisui's figure was dignified—subtly shaking—a faint smile greeted the servants and guards she passed. For the first and last time, Hisui hated her duty.
"Hisui, can I speak to you now?" Karie gently asked, the rocking of the carriage stole even more of her voice.
"Did you know?"
"I won't act ignorant, I know you would hate me even further. I did."
"Why didn't you tell me!?" Karie broke eye contact seeing Hisui's tearing face—the eyes that demanded answers. "Karie!"
"I'll accept any punishment."
"What will that do? I'm still leaving…"
"If it makes you feel better, you can take it out on me."
"I'll just feel worse afterwards, not only am I leaving, I'm punishing someone that wasn't a part of it."
"Hisui, you knew that this was bound to happen, at one point, you will have to leave."
Arriving at Magnolia, Hisui broke away from Karie, putting strength in her strides, ignoring the peoples greetings and making a path for herself with presence alone. Those who saw the Princess's face regretted and watched her lonely figure fade into the crowd.
A hasty turn to the left; down the barren streets where few people have any business there; in a forest that emits no sound; solitude isn't often with Hisui but, ever since leaving the train, it has a strong pull to her—she must be alone. Therefore, Hisui went deep in the forest and came across a well-shaded pond slightly bigger than a running track.
It was like running into an empty stadium, confusing and a bit eerie. In the water, nothing but pebbles and sand. Along the banks lacked any life as well, letting Hisui sit by the waters without objection. Looking at the still water, clear like glass. Under the heat of summer, Hisui took off her shoes and dipped her feet in the pond—starting with her toes.
Relief from the cool water made Hisui realise just how long she had been walking. With nothing but the ripples from her feet, Hisui's mind was left to wander, growing ashamed as she reviewed her action before she arrived at the pond. Eventually even Hisui's surrounding followed the pond and soon, Hisui rubbed her arms while gazing at the unmoving waters. She found company.
Sparse in the beginning, enough for Hisui to question her own eyes. Speck by speck, green dots hung in the air, multiplying as time went on. Perhaps it would have frightened Hisui if she had no idea what the light sources were. Instead, the pond took a bit of the light and awe was the only thing Hisui felt.
"Found you," The voice sat by Hisui, breaking the lonely atmosphere the lights created. "you made the others worry you know?" It was a voice that Hisui was familiar with and enjoyed throughout her stay in Magnolia. Along with the pink hair and cheery face, completed one of Hiusi's most important friends.
"How did you find me?" Hisui answered Natsu's concern with a monotone voice.
"I sniffed you out."
"Natsu, what did I say about sniffing girls?"
"It was an emergency, I can't help it! In the first place, it was your fault for disappearing all of the sudden."
"Disappearing…I guess that's appropriate." Natsu frowned and stared into Hisui's dull eyes.
"What happened?"
"I don't want to tell you."
"I'll wait then." Hisui sloshed some water around to fill up the lack of sound—there's nothing she could have done about the grave atmosphere however.
"Natsu, what will you do if you have to leave Fairy Tail?" Hisui asked after coming to resent the silence.
"Why would I do that?"
"I said if."
"For a job?"
"No. Say...go on a long journey, and you don't know if you can come back."
"Then I'll come back, to Fairy Tail."
"What if something gets in your way?"
"Then I'll beat its ass. I won't be alone if that ever happens."
"What do you mean?"
"Say I left on a journey, Happy would follow me, that guy makes fun of me all the time but, he's still someone important to me. Also, gramps, Erza, even Gray won't forgive me for leaving all of the sudden, unless I return and explained what happened, they'll never forgive me.
"They may be a pain sometimes but, if I ever leave without doing things properly, they just drag me back, that's the kind of family we are. So if something gets in my way of returning home, they will help me."
"I'm envious of that, the bonds you all share."
"What are you talking about? Official or not, you're are a part of us, hanging out with us for so long and not admitting you're a part of us, no one will forgive you for that."
"Natsu, Thank You, I think I'm ready to talk to you."
"Should we go to the guild?"
"After this, I want you to listen to me first…I don't want to bother so many people."
"So you're bothering me." Natsu got up and walked to the bushes. "Wait right here, I'll be back."
"Where are you going?"
"Finding some sticks, you're cold right?"
"Be quick about it, my feet are wet." Hisui said with a small smile.
"You're the one that dipped it in water…whatever, I'll try."
Covered in the heat coming from a roaring fire, Hisui tucked her legs in, hands resting on the back of her thighs. Hisui took a long look at the creator of the fire, now having orange outlines tracing his body. Natsu sat crossed legged with a bundle of sticks next to him.
"So, what did you want me to listen to?"
"I won't try to mess around, I've done enough of that. Natsu, I'm leaving Magnolia."
"A meeting?"
"If only it was. Strange isn't it? I thought I hated meetings, now I want them. No Natsu, I won't be the mayor soon, I'll have to return to home."
"And you're fine with it?"
"what else can I do? Me coming here was father's way of testing my abilities, now that he's satisfied, I'm leaving."
"I'm not going to take this, what about the city? Fairy Tail!? Are you just going to leaving and pretend this never happened?"
"I don't even want to go, the pass months since I've been the mayor, was so much fun, I met people that cared about me, the kids in the slums and everyone at Fairy Tail. It was harsh at times, reading and researching so much, talking back and forth between different people, listening to the people's wishes. But Natsu, the smiles and happiness I felt from the citizens, was more than enough of a payment. Of course, the times when we had fun together was like a dream come true, we when fishing, celebrated a party where I could relax, everything is something I'll cherish.
"It's time to wake up, I can't stay here anymore. In the end, we're different people living in different worlds. Of course, we'll always be in touch, if I'm lucky, I'll come visit whenever I can."
"But if you stay, you don't have to do all that, you can continue to live like you've have been, ever since you came."
"It's my father's wish, I have to listen to them. But before we go to tell this to the others, I have one more thing to say, can you listen to it?" Hisui smiled, not the one Natsu was used to seeing, he'd never seen this smile before—to nobles, it was something they know too well—nor does he want to see it again.
"Su—sure."
"Thank You. When I came here, my father was hoping I could find myself here. You see, I had a talk with your Master when I came to your guild for the first time. He saw through my disguise, he could tell that I had hidden desires. And now, I have one more, it's ra—" Hisui showed Natsu a cryptic smile. "No, I guess that two more desires is accurate. My wishes were simple, in fact, coming here solved lots of them; having friends, entering a bath with them, relaxing by a lake, living in a dorm so many…
"Before I knew it, I did many things that I never thought I could ever do. And for that; Thank You and, goodbye, let's have fun again!"
"Why? Why do you sound so defeated? You haven't even tried and yet, you're giving up!?"
"It can't be helped, that's how it is."
"It can't be helped? That's how it is!? That's something only weaklings will say. You're not weak! You're an amazing mayor, a Princess that has the support of the entire kingdom. I may not understand what you were doing but, I saw it! You looked super cool doing that kind of stuff. If you're willing to go so far for us. Then do something for yourself!"
"Those words mean a lot to me, in the end, I have to go back home."
"This place is your home!"
"No it's not, Crocus is the ca—"
"Then make Magnolia the capital! I told you, Fairy Tail will always support me, the same thing with you. Fairy Tail is the top guild, that's more than enough reason to move the capital. If you try to leave with half-assed reasons like that, we'll drag you back here! You can do it, make Magnolia surpass Crocus, if it's you, I know you can do it!"
"What foolish things are you saying? I'm leaving soon, I can't do something like that, father won't listen to what I say."
"We'll do it, gramps, Lisanna, Levy all your friends, we'll convince that stubborn bastard for you!" Natsu's words hung in the air. For Hisui, it was repeating in her head over and over again, each time, hammering at a wall that she thought was impossible to break. All the while, Hisui was muttering something incoherent in a voice that brought a grin to Natsu's face.
"You say some unreasonable things Natsu." Hisui faced Natsu having expelled all the hesitation and passiveness, leaving behind determination—hope. "Let's do it, we'll convince father!"
"You hear that? Get your ass out here!" Natsu faced the bush behind Hisui.
"What are you talking about?" Following Natsu's eyesight, Hisui noticed a crown emerging from the bushes. After a short man stepped revealed himself, a tall man in armour tagged closely behind, and finally, a woman in a maid uniform stepped out. "Father and Arcadio!? Did Karie lead you here?"
"No, Natsu did. "Karie replied. "We found Natsu looking for firewood and followed him. Sadly, I forgot about his sense of smell."
"That doesn't explain why father is here."
"Hisui, you see," Toma started. "I came here to tell you that your test period has been extended. Until I join your mother, you'll be the mayor of Magnolia. After you left, I felt guilty, for taking away what you loved doing."
"I can stay here?"
"Of course, leave your other duties back at home to me."
"But, won't that be too hard on you?"
"If it's for my daughter's happiness, I'll gladly do it." Hisui ran out to hug her father. With two full moons, the heat provided by Natsu's fire, the bystanders happily watched the two express themselves without words.
Thanks for reading! So, my school started, I won't be able to write as often so, after a few chapters, my uploads won't be as consistent.
Besides that, I don't really have much to say, I do want your ideas on how cute chapters I can write, if you got any, give tell me.
Until then, hope you enjoyed, have a nice day!