You guys have no idea how much fun I had reading the reviews from last chapter. Like, no idea. Anyways, enjoy!
Lucy couldn't find her daughter nor her husband anywhere, and this vexed her greatly. Although she rarely saw Nashi anymore anyway, it wasn't like Natsu to disappear without a word. Not even Nashi's friends had seen her since she'd left the dorms that morning.
"Ugh, I give up." Lucy growled, sitting down in defeat next to Levy.
"Pregnancy troubles, Lu-chan?" Levy asked with a grin on her face, and Lucy shook her head.
"No, I can't find either other members of my family."
"Neither?"
"Nope."
"Well, how did Natsu take it when you told him last week?"
"Uh..."
When Lucy felt Natsu's arm slack around her, she knew she was in for it. She remained silent for a minute, holding her breath.
"...What?" His voice finally came, and Lucy stayed where she was. "What did you just say?"
"I..." Lucy faltered for a minute before she turned to face Natsu with a determined look on her face. "I'm pregnant." Natsu looked completely beside himself, his mouth moved for several seconds without any words coming out.
"How?" Lucy laughed at his question, but she found no humor in his question. It was more of an icy laugh, truthfully.
"I don't think I need to explain that to you, Natsu." She replied, and Natsu rolled his eyes angrily.
"I don't mean..." He rubbed his forehead with his hand before he looked at her again. "It is mine, right?"
"..."
"..."
"...You really just asked that, didn't you?" Lucy's voice had no trace of the previous sadness from their talk, or happiness. Rather, she felt her anger reaching a rather fervent pitch. "Who else's would it be?!"
"I don't know!" Natsu shouted back, now also getting angry. "Maybe because I'm only getting told now! Judging by how things have been going around here, you're almost a month along!"
"...So?" Lucy's voice had gone quite again, but Natsu was still visibly angry.
"Why didn't you tell me?!"
"You're acting like I found out the second it happened!"
"I don't think that! I know how long it would take, but I should have been the first one to know, not Levy, not Erza, not anyone! Me!"
"How did you know I told Levy and Erza?"
"Please Luce, you tell those two everything. It may have been a long time, but that doesn't mean I've forgotten." Natsu had, at last for the moment, stopped yelling. It was really just stressing both of them out. Lucy could almost see Natsu trying to calm himself.
"Are...you mad?" Lucy asked in a timid tone, and Natsu sighed again.
"No." he said after a few seconds. "No, I'm not mad. I'm just worried is all."
"About me? Nashi?"
"No, the baby." Natsu met Lucy's gaze with a quiet look. "if their...anything like their father, you know what they'll be."
"Nashi's almost seventeen, and still nothing has happened with her."
"That doesn't mean she isn't one." Natsu took a deep breath, and wouldn't look Lucy in the eyes. "If Nashi's ends up being...you know, I'm willing to bet that unborn child will be as well."
"You seem to be trying to make me get rid of it." Lucy said protectively, feeling her anger rising again. "Is that what you're trying to say?"
"No, not at all." Natsu looked down at the ground, turmoil apparent in his eyes. "But one of me was enough years ago, the world doesn't need three. That's completely excluding Nashi's kids if she ever has any..."
"We'll deal with it then." Lucy replied, playing with the hem of her dress. "I just figured I'd tell you because...you'd be happy." Natsu didn't reply again for a few seconds, and Lucy felt on the verge of tears before he cast her a weak grin.
"Are you kidding?" He asked. "Of course I'm happy. I fucked up with one kid, best to get a second chance, right?" Lucy grinned as tears spilled down her face, unable to keep them in anymore.
"Natsu!"
"Gah! Lucy, I can't breath!"
"...Well." Lucy finally said, finishing her sentence. "Better than I would've figured." Levy laughed.
"True, true. Than again, Natsu's a free spirit. How else would he have taken it?" Lucy had another flash back to Natsu's angry rambling, and shrugged it off with a smile.
"Don't know." Lucy busied herself by talking to Levy before Erza approached the two of them.
"Not to worry, Lucy." The redhead said with a smile. "I've located your daughter and Natsu."
"Really?" Lucy asked, getting a nod. "Where?" Erza grabbed Lucy by the arm and dragged her outside, pointing to the horizon. Outside of the city, way in the distance, fire was flying in the air, followed up by several explosions, before more plumes of fire. "Ah, so that's how Natsu decided to tell her."
"You're having Natsu tell Nashi?" Erza asked, causing the pregnant blonde to nod. "Are you sure that's a good idea? I mean, I know their on good terms, but..."
"It might be better that way, actually." Levy said, coming from the guild house outside. "Natsu's still a teenager at heart, so he can tell her in a way she'll understand."
"But, you know." Erza said. "Natsu's really bad at that kind of thing..." All three women paled at the thought of Natsu doing that to Nashi. "Poor kid."
"Yeah, I feel bad for her too..."
"Sorry sweetheart, I forgot..."
Nashi had no qualms with an advanced training session with her father, she'd actually been waiting for one for a while now. Although he'd taught her everything she knew, There was a lot he'd kept hidden from her. However, they were currently just getting warmed up. Nashi was rather curious as to her fathers sluggish movements and flame, but she kept that to herself as she threw her father through a tree.
"Damn Pops, losing your touch?" Nashi called playfully as he reappeared from the tree, grumbling incoherently. "Hey, what's the mater with you?"
"...Nothing, I'm great."
"I've known you for all of six months and I know that's bullshit." Both pinkettes stared at each other for a minute before he sighed.
"Tired." Was his one word reply. "Haven't been sleeping."
"Aw Dad, that's gross!"
"...What?"
"..."
"...You're sick, Nashi."
"I jut assumed."
"That your mother and I were..."
"AAHHHH that's enough, Dad!" he chuckled quietly when Nashi panicked, and they both sat down on the tree Nashi had knocked over.
"You are way to sensitive about that." he said, in a tone far to serious for Nashi's liking. "Are you scared of it or something?"
"No, I just don't find the idea of talking to you about sex that appealing." Nashi quipped, and he snorted. "It'd just be weird."
"Well, can't disagree with you there." Silence fell upon them as Nashi stretched, watched a flock of birds fly overhead. "So, what's first on the advanced training agenda." He replied with an indecisive sound.
"Why don't you pick one?" he asked, and she nodded. "Alright, we can start with either Secret Arts, Duel Element, or Dragon Force."
"Oh man, they all sound awesome!" Nashi thought long and hard for a minute before she made up her mind. "We'll just start with Secret Arts."
"Alright, let's go." Both f them stood and walked back into the scorched clearing. Nashi was instructed to stand away from her father, who walked opposite her. "I told you about a few, have you used any?"
"Once or twice." Nashi replied, counting them on her fingers. "Once in Edolas, and a little while ago against Katsuchi."
"Who?"
"Never mind."
"Well, I'll give you a list of all of the ones I know." he proceeded to list off all of the Secret Arts he had knowledge off, but one caught her eyes.
"I've never heard of that last one."
"Crimson Lotus Supernova?"
"Yeah." Nashi watched her father think for a minute, before his face lit up. Or as much as his tired, baggy, gaunt face could light up.
"I learned about that one while I was gone." he explained. "It's pretty much as it sounds, it's a huge fiery explosion."
"How is that any different from any other attack?"
"No." He met Nashi's eyes, and she shivered at the predatory smirk on his face. "I mean a huge explosion." Nashi nodded as if the clarification made a difference, and he turned to the side, where they'd been throwing all of their attacks anyway. "Dragon Slayer Secret Art!" he shouted, fire swirling around him dangerously, concentrating in his hands as he placed them parallel to each other. "Crimson Lotus Supernova!" One huge gigantic burst was released from his hands, flying towards the area it was aimed at and exploded, engulfing the area. However, the heat was pathetic and the blast didn't do much.
"...Are you sure you're okay, Dad?" Nashi asked as the ball of fire faded. "Maybe we should go back, you need to rest."
"I'm fine." he said, the coldness in his tone making Nashi jump. "Why?"
"Cause that really wasn't...I don't know, all that."
"Oh yeah?" he challenged, and Nashi nodded. "Alright princess, your turn." Nashi turned and concentrated as hard as she could, the fire swirling in her palms.
"Dragon Slater Secret Art! Crimson Lotus Supernova!" Nashi repeated the attack, but the blast was twice as hot and deadly, even on her first try. "See, you're not well."
"I'm fine, damn it!" His outburst made Nashi jump back, his eyes fiery hot with anger. he took a minute to calm down. "Sorry, I really am tired..."
"No shit..." Nashi frowned as she watched him rub his head. "Listen Dad, we really don't need to do this now. If you're not well, I don't want you to push yourself too hard."
"I've been pushed harder, sweetheart. If you'll trust your old man on one thing, let it be this." Nashi nodded and he cracked his back, clearly making an attempt to look peppier than before. "Want to go to Dragon Force now? It'll be a quick demonstration."
"Demonstra...ah!" Nashi gasped as scales sprung up on her fathers face, and he laughed. "How the hell did you...?"
"I did tell you you needed an immense amount of magic to enter Dragon Force." he said, "Which I have."
"Still..." The scales slowly faded and he doubled over, coughing. "Dad?"
"Fine!" he called through coughs, and Nashi watched uselessly from afar. "Anyway, Duel Element?"
"Yes, that's what we're on."
"Right, well let's get it over with." Lightning began to flicker around him, and before long his body exploded with it, as well as fire. "Lightning is mine, as I'm sure you know."
"Yeah. Although, I don't have one of those."
"I didn't think you did, it hurts at first." He made a face. "I suppose there was one other things, but..."
"Does it have to do with God Slaying?" Nashi asked, raising her hand. "I can do that." he choked at her words, and Nashi watched him stare at her incredulously.
"You can?" he asked.
"Yeah."
"How?"
"I ate black flames."
"When?!"
"Devil Advocate." Nashi gave quick and simple answers, so she didn't see how it was getting harder and harder to believe. "What's the matter?"
"I.." he seemed at a loss for words. "You can enter it whenever?"
"You can't?"
"I...Show me." Nashi nodded and concentrated as hard as she could, before she felt her body heating up, far past that of a normal level. Opening her eyes revealed that she was engulfed by Katsuchi's fire, and she laughed at her father's bewildered look.
"What's wrong?" She asked, as the fire faded. She, currently anyway, couldn't hold the fire for very long, or it hurt too much or faded anyway.
"I'm just impressed, is all." He said, and Nashi beamed. "I haven't really tried to use Zancrow's fire after I beat him, but I doubt anything would happen." he shook his head and crossed his arms. "First Lucy drops a pregnancy bomb on me, then I get shown up by my own daughter..."
"...What did you just say?" Nashi felt like she was falling, all of the pride and joy from his praise disappeared into a cold void of shock. "Did you just say...?"
"Huh?" He asked, unaware of what he said, before he noticed her look. "Oh shit...I-I didn't mean...!"
"Mom is...Mom is..."
Lucy was more than a little bit nervous, to say the least. The day was winding away, so she knew Natsu and Nashi would be returning soon. Whether or not Nashi would return with the knowledge Natsu no doubt left to feed her was still remaining to be seen. Just as she was about to turn and ask Levy something, the door flew off from a burst of fire. Everyone turned, Lucy included, to find Nashi standing there, her bangs obscuring her eyes. As soon as she looked up, Lucy paled. Not once, in those sixteen years Lucy had raised her daughter, had she seen and sensed so much anger. Nashi stormed right in her direction, slid over the table, and grabbed Lucy by the collar of her shirt.
"Is it true?!" She demanded angrily, all eyes on them. "Are you...Are you..."
"Eh?" Lucy asked weakly, not even enough courage to tell her daughter off for the way she was being treated.
"Are you pregnant or is Dad bullshitting me?!" Nashi asked, loudly enough now for everyone to hear.
"I, uh...I..." Lucy didn't know what to say, this was certainly not the outcome she envisioned. Perhaps a happier Nashi or maybe slightly confused Nashi, not completely enraged. Lucy could see Natsu behind his daughter, an apologetic look on his face. "I'm, um..."
"Nashi." it was Erza who spoke, using her scary tone of voice. "Let your mother go."
"You stay out of this Scarlet!" Nashi roared at the redhead, stunning her into silence. Nashi turned her gaze back to her mother and glared as hard as she could, gritting her teeth. "So?" Her voice was deadly low, and Lucy gulped.
"...Y-Y-Yes...?" She finally said, and she could see a flicker of emotion of her daughters eyes. What is was though, she was about to find out.
"Tch! So that's how it is, then huh?!" Releasing Lucy with a push that almost toppled her over, Nashi put her head down and clenched her fists. "I'm not good enough, is that it? or maybe I'm not the way you'd like me to be..."
"Nashi..." Lucy spoke softly, but Nashi whirled to avoid her mothers gaze. "Calm down and let me explain..."
"Why?" Nashi asked, her voice deathly quiet, but undoubtedly upset. "So you can list everything you don't like about me? So that you can tell me why another version would be better?"
"What...?"
"Never mind, I don't care." Nashi turned back to Lucy, tears rimming her chocolate eyes. "Whatever the reasons are, I hope they're good ones." Holding Lucy's gaze before turning to storm away, Nashi was met by her father, who stood in her way. She laughed darkly. "I can see why you'd want another." She hissed. "I'm not your little girl, so I'm not really yours, right? I'm more adopted if anything to you."
"Nashi..." Natsu tried, but to no avail, Nashi wasn't listening.
"I hope you both enjoy your second try." She whispered. "I'm sure my little brother or sister will be happy." With that, Nashi left the guild, wiping her face with her arm.
Silence had fallen over the guild after Nashi's explosion, and Lucy wasn't sure she wasn't dreaming.
"What...Just happened?" Erza asked slowly. "I've never seen her so angry, she even told me off..."
"I wasn't expecting that." Levy said, wiping a tear from her eye. "I never knew she felt like that..."
"This is all my fault." Everyone looked up at Natsu as he spoke. "I knew from the day we spent together she's insecure, and I wasn't smooth with telling her at all."
"Just how insecure?" Lucy asked. She felt terrible she didn't know, but Nashi's true feelings had been locked up during her teenage years.
"Incredibly." Natsu replied. "I don't know just how bad, but she seemed unsure as to whether or not I actually loved her...I'm sure it's all because of her childhood and the bullying, which again, is my fault." Natsu growled. "I fuck everything up..." He remained silent for a minute, before he looked at Lucy. "I'm going to go and find her."
"I'm coming." Lucy said immediately, standing up. "She needs to hear it from both of us."
"We'll need to find her first, though." Drake said from across the guild, standing with the rest of Nashi's friends. "I don't feel like she'd explode like that and just go to her dorm room."
"We'll help you look." Damien said. "I'm sure she'd be less likely to run from us, anyway." Lucy felt incredibly grateful for the help, and she nodded.
"Alright." She agreed with a weak smile. "Let's go and find Nashi."
So I'm sure a lot of you may be confused, so allow me to elaborate. Nashi is, currently anyway, going though what most people do. She thought, because of how useless she saw herself during her childhood, that she isn't good enough.
This in turn makes her see her mothers pregnancy not as a happy moment, but as an attempt to replace her, a Nashi 2.0 if you will. You see where I'm going with this?
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed, leave a review! Let's try and get five!