Chapter 7
A/N: Yes, as you can see, another chapter has been released after so long. I tried to read back on the story but couldn't because of how bad my writing was. I don't know how so many people enjoyed the start of the story.
Anyway, I don't know how much I will progress in this as I have many stories still active, but I will say that I will try and post these chapters on my pat-reon that I created. I will try and rework the story so that there aren't many mistakes. But I would love to have your support even though it will be all on a membership. I have plans for more stories, but I want to see if I can separate the work so that it's under it's own story.
After reading back on this, I hate how I tried to make a betrayal start and how negatively I made Erza. I love her character but I tried to play her as the opposite because of the amount of stories I was reading about Natsu getting betrayed by the guild.
But let me know what you guys think of this chapter. And if it is improved in a way.
Dragneel Household
"Princess, Breakfast is ready!"
"Coming Papa!"
A week has gone by since the members came back from Tenrou Island, and things have slowly gotten back to normal.
The 4th Master of Fairy Tail being Natsu had come to a big shock. But now that it has been a few days, it has already been accepted. Makarov still feels slightly guilty at seeing one of his children that he undermined becoming someone stronger and have an important role. He could even feel how powerful he is and how potent his magic has gotten. But somehow when he uses some of the things that should be used with magic like his clones, no magical presence could be made out and how much is being put into it.
The members that were injured have been healed up, with the new medicinal potions that have been brought into the guild. A shock to the group having have forgotten them since some of them were children. It shows how much growth Fairy Tail has gone through and the changes that have been made towards the guild hall itself and its new rules and systems.
Having settled into the new Guild layout, the members have been doing their own things. Laxus and his Thunder Legion have gone out to explore the world having been reinstated back in the Guild. Gildarts has gone off doing what he normally does and finding more information on the Black Dragon of the Apocalypse, Acnologia. The once Team Natsu, have all gone to get new equipment for their missions to go on.
During the week, Esme had the chance to know more of the members that have come back from Tenrou Island. She enjoyed playing cards with Cana and seeing all the cool card tricks that she knew. However, even though she was enjoying them, she always was adamant that her father was better at card tricks, which made the card mage leap into the arms of Natsu and proclaiming how right she was when she taught him how to do card tricks.
It was during this time when Ginger came back with her partner Warren trailing behind tiredly. Compared to the young 18-year-old who was energetic as ever and was looking around the halls for someone. Seeing the pink haired Guild Master, made her shoot towards him not caring who was in her path, before leaping into his arms which he raised on instinct.
Aside from the Tenrou group, it is a well-known fact that the young girl has had a crush on the Guild Leader, including the man himself, who finds the information quite amusing. Obviously, it would always be denied from the girl herself.
It was revealed that Mattan Ginger is apprenticing under Natsu Dragneel which has been happening for quite some time now. After she left to her own place to relax, the father and daughter went round talking with the rest of the group.
Now we see the Dragon Slayer preparing breakfast for his daughter.
7.30 in the morning, a few hours before the guild completely opens up, was the general time that Natsu and Esme get up when she visits. Finishing up the last of his preparations, Natsu made his way towards the table to set up it up and bring the food over for him and his daughter.
Seconds later, small footsteps can be heard coming down the stairs, and finally light taps getting louder as it heads straight to the dining room.
"PAPAAA!"
A loud cry came behind Natsu, making a smile creep across his face. Turning around and quickly raising his hands to catch the child, flying towards him.
"Calm down Princess, I just put the food on the table." Natsu said, putting Esme in a chair as she giggles.
"I know, but today is the day I go back to mama. Then I won't see you again papa." Esme replied, losing her enthusiasm, and adopting a frown.
Seeing her change in mood, a fond smile appeared on Natsu's face before he softly rubbed the little girls head, gaining her attention. "Hey, no need to be upset. It's only going to be a couple of months before I see you again."
Looking back up at her father's eyes, Esme couldn't help but still hold her cute little frown. "Why can't mama and papa be together?" Natsu looks at his daughter and sighs at the sight that he sees. "You should know already why Esme. Because your mother is married, I can't get in between them."
Even though Esme already knew the answer, she didn't like the fact that her mother is married to someone else and that she has a step father.
"But papa." She says timidly, holding on to the leave of her father's kimono. "Why can't you come visit me with mama? I know she will love to see you." The small quiver in the girl's lip couldn't stop a sigh coming out of Natsu upon seeing the sight of her. picking her up and placing her on his lap, Natsu gentle wrapped his arms around his daughter and embraced her.
"Esmeralda Dragneel E. Fiore." Natsu used her full name, which he rarely does. "You are mine and your mother's little princess. Regardless of if she is with me. or if I am with her. if she really wanted to see me, she still cannot be able to express her love for me. and it isn't in her control of what happens. You should know the responsibility she has."
With the frown still present on her face, Esme looked on to the side not wanting to face her father.
"But, but." She tried to speak, but words failed to come out of her small mouth.
Picking her daughter up, Natsu brings her close to her face so that he could lay a gentle kiss on her forehead before placing her down on her seat.
"Would you like me to tell you a story of how I was when I was younger." Natsu offered.
The once frown disappeared, and a wide grin bloomed across Esme's face.
"Yepeeee, I want to hear more of your stories. But you must feed me." she says excitedly.
Not stopping the chuckle, he agrees and starts feeding her.
"Yes, my dear princess." He agreed. A giggle was his response.
[Line Break]
"Will, Anna-sensei be teaching me today?" Esme asks her dad as they slowly make their way towards the guild.
"No princess. Auntie Ikaruga will be coming alongside the carriage that will be picking you up. She will be taking over." Natsu answered her daughter's question.
"…. Will you be coming along?" Esme timidly, asks Natsu.
Chuckling to himself, Natsu surprisingly picks up Esme and puts her on his shoulders.
"Why, isn't it obvious that I will be coming along with my daughter to drop her off at her mother's?" he replies, getting a huge cheer from the young girl.
The father daughter duo makes their war slowly towards the guild hall, passing through the busy streets of Magnolia.
Seeing how they have plenty of time to visit the guild, they take their time exploring and talking to the locals as they pass through.
Many of the merchants stopped and waved, and others simply smiled at the pair. With the time the duo spent together going through the venders and visiting the local park, it isn't out of the ordinary with seeing the happy pair.
After a few minutes wandering around the stalls, Natu and Esme went and visited the mayor for the weekly briefing as well as to catch up with the old man. The old mayor loves having the meetings with the dragon slayer, mainly the reason being the little green haired daughter that accompanies him time to time.
The meeting with the Mayor didn't last as long as it normally does, upsetting the mayor and his assistant, who loves to adore the little jade with too much affection she could give. Esme always enjoys basking into the adoration from the female assistant.
After a quick goodbye to the mayor, Natsu and Esme finally make there way towards the Guildhall.
"How do you think the guild will be like today papa?" Esme questions her father.
"I think things will be fine. The guys that were gone for 7 years have all recovered, so they should be fit to go on missions." Natsu replied to his daughter. Esme didn't say anything and just looked to one side, deep in thought.
After a few seconds, Esme looked up to her father and asked him a question.
"Papa, will you be going on the mission with the group that just got back?
"At the moment no, but I will have to inform them of the new rule and for them to wait once I come back from dropping you off." Natsu replied.
"So does that mean I won't be here when you go on the mission?" she asks, sounding upset.
Natsu, picking up on the tone, chuckled and ruffled the little girl's hair.
"Esme. You don't need to go on the missions with the new guild members. I get that you want to see what they are capable of, but now, they are not at the level where you will find enjoyment." Natsu responded to his daughter.
"What do you mean?" Esme asks, scrunching her face up.
"Do you remember when I took you out for Max's mission overview." Natsu starts to explain, getting a nod from Esme that she remembers.
"Well, I can tell you this. Max is currently on the level of Erza and Mira, who are S class. And I know you enjoyed seeing his time during the mission. So for now, wait until they get stronger before you see how awesome they are." Natsu finished. Esme pondered the new information received and came to a final conclusion.
"Then I will see them once they have become stronger." She says with determination in her voice.
Chuckling at the random reaction, Natsu decides to mess with his daughter some more before they head into the guildhall.
[Line Break]
Upon entering the guildhall, Ntsu and Esme were introduced to the sight of an active guildhall. Many guildmembers talking among themselves. The barmaids tending to the people with smiles on their faces. Mirajane, Lisanna and Kinana helping the staff for help and making sure that all the duties are running smoothly.
With the lack of S class mages, with Gildarts going off on his missions, many of the members are piling towards the mission boards to prove their worth.
A smile creeps on Natsu's face, seeing the old mages that went missing for 7 years interact with the new and old members. Natsu never knew that he would ever be able to live up to the role that is of a Guild master. The reports coming in shows how much of an improvement he was able to bring within 7 years.
Natsu gazed upon the many bar staff doing their jobs. The head barmaid, Kinana delegating the roles and responsibilities between the ladies under her. Catching her eye, Natsu gestures her to follow him into his office. On his way, Natsu drops Esme, who scurries along to play with Max in one of the corners of the room.
Once Natsu and Kinana made it into the master's office, Kinana went through the mission's book as well as the status of the guild. With There being no Mirajane, who previously oversaw the mission book and the guild members who took them, the young girl, at the time, Kinana, volunteered as she was working alongside the Mira.
Now with the much needed changed to fit the new style of the guild master, the guild, initially saw many losses for the first week as many of the missions weren't being delivered to the Fairy tail Guild, once news spread out of the deaths of the major key members. With the change in training and the new development of the out take of the missions, many people soon started sending their mission forms to the guild, which has now become a huge profit gain where people can now see Fairy Tail in a new light.
"Kinana, I think soon, I will be taking the old team on their first mission back." Natsu reveals to the purple haired.
"Ah. OK, erm, do you want me to put a side a mission under your name?" Kinana question, tilting her head to the side.
"Yeah, that would be great, it will be for tomorrow though, as I don't think many of the members want to go out when I return late at night." Natsu explains further, getting Kinana, to right a note down of his request.
Once the girl had finished writing, she looked back at her guild master, and asked a question.
"Natsu, will you be showing the guys of the events that happened?" she asks, getting Natsu to lie back on his chair and think.
"Hm, I think you could tell what I was thinking about." He says, praising Kinana a little.
"Obviously, I have been like a secretary for you for a long time." She chirps, smiling at the praise, and both of them chuckling a bit.
"But you are right. I have been thinking about it to be honest." Natsu responded after a while. Kinana hums in response and starts to collect her things to leave.
"Well in my opinion, I think it will be best to show them. A lot of us have been giving them trouble when they came, and they don't even know why. We got the time to change after 7 years, but they were at Mavis' home island a week ago. It is best show them what makes us agitated in a way so that they are aware of what you went through." With her opinion being said, Kinana walks around the table and gives Natsu a peck on the forehead before making her way out of the Guild master room giggling away as Natsu grumbles.
"Why give me a kiss on my forehead when you know I don't like that. Seeing me as a big brother isn't a reason." He mutters under his breath as the door closes.
Natsu looks at the time and sees that it is 12:30.
'Looks like the carriage taking Esmerelda back to her mums place will be here in thirty minutes.' He thinks sighing at what to do.
30 Minutes later
Clip Clop
Clip Clop
Clip Clop
The sounds of horses can be heard coming towards the guild hall. Everyone who could hear them, perked up and looked at the door.
"Shit, is it that time already?"
"Why do they have to come now?"
"It's them, isn't it?"
"Looks like the times up guys."
Questions and murmurs were heard though out the guildhall. Hearing them, Natsu left his office and joined the other members of the Fairy Tail Guild and watched the entrance to the guild.
"What's going on Natsu- I mean Master, what's all the noise that's going on outside the Guildhall? Why is everyone not happy?" Lucy asks as she and the rest of old team Natsu follow behind.
"Well, it's because it's the time for Esme to go back to her mother." Natsu answers, confusing her and his old group.
Before Lucy could ask anymore questions, the Guildhall doors, suddenly open and in came a group of Fiorian knights and a carriage waiting outside.
"Greetings mages of the Fairytail Guild. The royal carriage has arrived to pick up young princess Esmeralda D. E. Fiore and return her back to her mother, the next in line to the throne, princess Hisui E. Fiore. Can Master Natsu Dragneel please bring his daughter and aid the escorting services to the capital city of Fiore, Crocus and make sure she safely reaches her destination to Mercurius." A Knight says out of nowhere holding up a scroll where he was reading from.
Slowly, Natsu made his way towards the entrance standing in front of the royal knight, who quivers suddenly due to being in the presence of the pink haired dragon slayer.
"Now James. Why do you always get jittery whenever I always come meet you." Natsu says towards the knight, who name has been identified as James. "And also, you don't need to keep reading that formal scroll. Just come and say its time to take Esme home."
"R-right, Sir. The carriage is waiting for you and young princess Esmeralda. Lady Ikaruga will be making her way here to greet you both." With that said, James quickly turns around and runs towards the carriage at an alarming rate, almost missing Ikaruga, who is on her way to greet Natsu.
"Fufufu, what did you do this time to scare young James, dear Natty bear." Ikaruga says, giggling a bit as she stops in front of Natsu.
"I don't know. I just came to the front, and he suddenly started shaking. It has been a year now since him and his squadron started out. So I don't know why he is still shaken from me training them a little. And please stop calling me Natty bear. I hate it." Natsu replies.
"Fufufu, Natty bear really should ignore these simple names. Now, where is my little student." The pink haired woman says, moving past Natsu and searching the Guild.
"I'm here auntie Ika." Esme says as she makes her way through the crowd and runs towards Ikaruga, before jumping up towards her into the waiting arms of her teacher.
"Fufufu. Now now little bear. What did I say about calling me auntie. It should always be teacher Ika." Says, Ikaruga, spinning Esme around before taking her towards the entrance of the guild.
"Hehe, sorry auntie Ika. But hey, I have been practising my swordsmanship and I would say that I can now beat you." Esme says, puffing her chest out in pride.
"Oh. Has the little bear managed to master her sword skills. Well, its best that you show me what you learnt when we get back to the castle." Ikaruga replied, walking passed Natsu and making her way towards the carriage.
Turning back towards the guild, Natsu, spots Max making his way towards him with a bag in hand.
"Alright Natsu, her stuff has been prepared and is all in this bag. Is there anything you would like jus to do whilst your gone?" He asks, handing the bag full of Esme's stuff towards him.
"I would say make sure that this Guildhall is clean. The medical bay needs topping up which Kinana should already be on the case. And I think that should be it. and oh-" pausing for a second, Natsu was stuck at a thought contemplating something.
Getting the idea, Max pats Natsu on the shoulder and offers him a smile.
"Would you like us to show the guys what happened to you a couple of months after they were presumed dead?" he asks, getting the idea of why Natsu wasn't saying anything.
"Sure." Natsu finally says. "Show them."
And with that, Max pats Natsu on his shoulder and watches and he turns around to join his daughter and the Royal knights.
Sighing, Max turns around and sees everyone looking at him and the scene behind him.
"Alright guys." Max says, getting everyone to now look at him.
"The master has told me what needs to be done. The guild needs to be clean, and the medical bay needs supplies from the mayor's office." He finishes. Getting a few people to start working on cleaning the guild and another few guild members offering to go get the supplies.
"Macao, Romeo. Let's go to the Mayor's office and get those supplies. We can catch up with he old man whilst we are at it." Wakaba says to the farther and son duo. The pair agree and follow along behind.
As soon as Macao reaches Max, he laces his hand on Max's shoulder and looks at him.
"The lacrima should be in the library behind the nature magic section." Macao says to Max
"Heh, you knew huh." Max says, smiling a bit at the old man.
"Hahah. Of course, we knew. We all could see it on Natsu's face what he was thinking." Macao says a bit loud for the rest of the guild to here, with many of them chuckling and the old Tenrou group looking on in confusion.
"Right, you guys go along, I'll get Laki to go fetch the old thing." And with that, Macao, Romeo and Wakaba leave the guild.
Turning to face the purple haired glasses mage, Max walks up to the woman and gives her a task to do.
"Laki, could you go get that Lacrima from the Library."
Laki looks at Max and giggles, showing him the very lacrima he needed.
"I am way ahead of you there sandy cheeks, we knew this day was coming. Best you go tell the Tenrou group of what is happening." Laki says, getting Max to turn a bit red.
"Right, I'll go do that." He replies.
Now turning to find the Tenrou group behind him, Max jumps at their sudden appearance.
"I see you guys are intrigued at what is happening?" Max says to them, rubbing his neck.
"My boy, please explain what all this is going on? What's so important of this lacrima you guys have been going on about." The 3rd guild master says.
"Ah, well, remember when we all kept giving you grief for talking bad about Natsu?" Max starts off. Getting nods from the group.
"Well, it's because a huge event occurred not long after you guys were gone. It will explain all your questions, confusions and give you an idea of how little Esme is the daughter to the strongest dragon slayer in Fiore and to the princess of our country, Princess Hisui E. Fiore."
And with that, Max imbues his magics into the Lacrima, and a huge holographic image fills the hole guild hall.
AN: A chapter done and a start on the arc that goes over what occurred in the past.
I would like to thank you guys for actually reading this story, following this story and favouriting this story. This is my first story that I ever made, and I appreciate the readers who want more of this. Which I'm hoping now I have time with a project that I started.
I have started a new Etsy store, Cognitive Nexus, which basically sells Digital Planners. Please do check it out. You don't need to buy anything, but if you do it is appreciated. My other store Neon Nirvana Digital, isn't getting worked on, because my work just keeps not fitting the quality that I want. So, I want to invest in a Tablet to easily do work on that. Which at the moment, I cannot afford. Cost of living and that.
But anyway, much love and I will be working on I am Lisanna Struass and try to get up to 5 chapters.