It had been two days since Virgo had shown up at Fairy Tail's doors and the Tenrou Team were getting restless. In that time, Lamia Scale and Blue Pegasus had visited the fairies to welcome them back and updated them about the rising ranks of their guilds, allowing friendly competition to rise. None of them had questioned the whereabouts of Lucy, though Hibiki had exchanged a few words with Romeo about how she seemed busy as usual.
But a friendly brawl had started soon after so Natsu and Happy forgot to ask if the archive mage knew anything. Now, noon had already passed and Natsu didn't know how long it would take for his blonde best friend to show up. He rested his head on one of the tables, Happy laying a top his head. Makarov and Macao watched them from the bar, a mug of beer each in their hands. Macao just sighed whilst shaking his head whereas Makarov looked at them in worry.
"Those two are going to become fat at this rate if they keep being like this." The old guild master said.
"I did tell them to go on a small job since Lucy usually comes back around the evening." Macao replied, taking another sip from his mug of beer. "But of course, they were worried that they wouldn't be able to be the first one to greet her."
Makarov also took a big chug from his beer mug and then turned to the fire mage. "By the way Macao, I've been wondering, who became the guild master during these seven years? By the looks of it, I'd assume it would be you."
The purple haired mage immediately spat out the beer he had been drinking and coughed excessively at the old man's words. Kinana and Mira, who had been listening quietly since they were organizing the bar, immediately went over to Macao with napkins and a mop to clean up the mess. Makarov scratching his head in embarrassment since it was his words that made the male react the way he did in the first place. But he had to admit, he didn't expect that kind of reaction.
"Sorry Master..." Macao said in between coughs. "I didn't mean... to make a mess there..."
"No worries, boy." Makarov replied sheepishly. "But... I have to ask. What was with that reaction? Was I wrong in my assumption."
Kinana just giggled and helped Macao drink his water while Mira mopped up the spilt beer. "No Master, it's just that Macao and Wakaba are only in charge when the fourth master is away." She explained.
"Oh? So who is it?" Mira asked as she finished mopping the floor.
Kinana was about to reply when the doors blasted open. Everyone looked from where they stood, Natsu and Happy looking up in anticipation thinking it was Lucy, but they were disappointed when they saw not only the Twilight Ogre members they had beat up when they returned to the guild but also their master. The ones they had defeated were all healed from what everyone could tell and their master was definitely in a very foul mood just by the look of his face.
"May I ask why you barge in our guild?" Erza asked with a stern look as she crossed her arms.
Their master, Banaboster, took his cigar out of his mouth and looked unaffected by the Titania's presence. "I'm here to settle what happened here a few days ago when you beat my boys."
"Oh yeah?" Natsu said, standing up from his seat and narrowing his eyes. "That's their fault for trying to mess with our nakama and our guild hall."
"We gave you more than what we owe money for this month!" Wakaba added. "That should be enough compensation for beating up your guys."
"If you ask me, it was more like a slap to the face." Gray said shrugging, his shirt suddenly discarded. "I don't know how they got that many injuries from a slap."
"You provoking me or something?" Banaboster asked. "I don't need to ask you again. My boys were stuck in bed for three days and now my guild is a laughing stock! I have a reputation to uphold, ya hear!"
Unfortunately, the ogres' master had to stop running as childish laughter could be heard heading to the guild hall. The ogres and the Tenrou Team tilted their heads to the side in confusion while the remaining fairies all took in a sharp breath, knowing who was approaching the guild in such a manner. When the ogres turned around, Banaboster's lips began to form a smirk as a child reached the top of the hill with a victory pose.
"Haha! She's gonna take a while to get up here!" A girl's voice teased, Bisca and Alzack's blood running cold at her voice.
Banaboster took another breath from his cigar and his members moved out of the way. When he stood behind the little girl before him, she turned and her eyes widened in fear. There stood a girl that seemed to be around six years old. Her hair was dark dark green and tied in a braid, a cowboy hat on her head and her eyes were a deep purple. She was wearing a pink shirt with a brown skirt and cowboy boots. Before anyone could react, the guild master picked her up by the wrists like a doll.
"Look what we got here boys... a cute little doll." He said as he swayed her back and forth.
"Asuka!" Bisca cried, the Tenrou Team realizing who the child was.
"Leave my daughter alone, you ogre!" Alzack demanded, his eyes becoming hostile.
Asuka was brought out of her fearful state when she heard her parents' cry and immediately began to pout, wiggling her wrists as a means to try and get out of Banaboster's grip. "Let go of me, ugly!" She cried. "Or you'll be sorry!"
The ogre's master stared at the child in disbelief, blinking twice before he and the rest of his members just laughed at Asuka's threat. He began to swing her around while laughing. The fairies wanted to do something, but they hesitated since Banaboster still held a strong grip on the girl. She was Bisca and Alzack's child after all and there was no way they were going to hurt a member of their nakama. But Asuka looked more annoyed than scared at this point.
"What are you gonna do, huh little girl?" The guild master asked after his laughter.
Asuka only clenched her teeth in annoyance as she swung her legs. "I'm warning you! My friend and I just got back from grandpa's place! He taught her new kinds of magic!" She threatened again. "She's gonna kick your butt!"
Banaboster just raised an eyebrow, intrigued at her words. He was about to question further when panting could be heard, coming from the path that led to the guild - a child from the sounds of it. When the child came into view, the ogres all froze and the core members had to squint their eyes to see who was approaching. A small person appeared and their identity was concealed behind a cloak. But they could see a lock of peach hair peaking from the hood that his their face.
When the child reached the top, they let out a whining groan. "No... fair... nee-san..." Their voice also that of a young girl's, but was probably either younger or the same age as Asuka. "I wasn't... ready to... race yet..."
When the child received no reply, she looked up and her eyes widened at the sight before her. Asuka looked calm now with the child's appearance, but the core members thought that it was weird that the ogres seemed almost terrified of her. Lisanna was about to ask who the child was when she looked to the non core members' worried faces. She had assumed that they worried for the child, but she was proven wrong quickly when she heard Warren mumble something unbelievable.
"Those guys have done it now..." He said under his breath while sighing. "Now they're gonna get severely hurt if they don't run."
"Is he serious!?" She thought in disbelief. The youngest Strauss wanted to do something, but considering how the rest of the non core members seemed to look similar to Warren, she stayed silent and let it play out.
Back with the child and the ogres, Asuka greeted her with a smile of relief and happiness as she raised her hands excitedly. "See! I told you so!" She said with confidence. "You're in trouble now!"
"L-Listen here k-kid!" Banaboster stuttered as he held his free hand in the air. "W-We were j-just leaving you see..."
"Does my mom know that you meanies are here?" The child said, her tone low and all childlike innocence gone.
"N-No but..."
"Mama told me that if you ugly people ever come back to the guild when she's away, then I can play with you... do you want to play with me?" The child asked again, the core members shivering at the authority and malice in her voice. "I know a game we can play. Do you know how to play tag? I can be it... if you want."
Team Natsu watched the child in terror and awe as she made the ogres drop to their knees, shaking at the malice dripping from her voice and begging for their lives. They've never felt a presence as strong as the child's in a long time that even Erza had to admit, it was almost like looking at a younger version of her current self. But they were brought out of their awe when the child began to smirk, the dragon slayers' eyes widening at the fangs peaking from her lips as the child raised her hand out.
The non core members just sighed, praying that the ogres only leave with a couple of scratches - and that was only if the child was being generous. But they knew better, considering the fact that Banaboster was still holding Asuka captive. The action itself practically sealed his fate and there was nothing they can do until they run away from the guild. And from what Asuka said earlier, they could all feel that the child had gone exceptionally stronger too.
"At least we got nothing to worry about now." Macao thought with a sigh. "She's got it under control."
In the child's hands was a rolled up piece of paper, but when she let it unroll, on it revealed the contract between Twilight Ogre and Fairy Tail. "You hurt my nee-san and have been breaking stuff that doesn't belong to you even though we give you our money, so Mama told me to burn this if you ever come to our guild again." She said.
The ogres watched in shocked expressions as a small flame was produced in the middle of the contract without contact from fire, the burns spreading all the way to edges until the girl dropped the remaining ashes. She walked up to Banaboster, who still held Asuka by the wrists and was still on his knees. When she was right in front of him, she met his eye level so that he could stare at her in the eye. When he did, he was met with the child's large, narrowed golden eyes while her pupils constricted to showcase her anger.
"I... I..." He stammered.
"Let go of my nee-san, leave my home and don't come back." She simply stated in a low tone. "My mom will deal with you on her own."
Banaboster, fearing for his life, gently places Asuka down and raises his arms up in surrender. When the cowgirl dusted herself off and smiled at the other girl with a nod, the child grinned brightly before attempting to bite the ogre's hand off. And like a ticking time bomb, the men immediately began to panic and ran quickly down the hill, the young girl right behind them. The non core members watching in amusement while the Tenrou team watched in utter shock, Asuka running to her parents while laughing.
"Mommy! Daddy!" She called happily. "Did you see that? Did you? Did you?
"We did, sweetie!" Bisca said in relief as she scooped her child up in a hug. "Welcome home!"
"Glad to have you back, pumpkin!" Alzack added. "Thankfully safe and sound too."
When Asuka looked up after hugging her mother, she noticed that all eyes were on her. She was about to hide her face but she realized she recognized all the people in front of her because of Reedus' countless paintings of them. Her parents, Lucy and Romeo would tell stories of their nakama who had gone missing on a job before she was born and how amazing they all were. So her shyness slipped away and she smiled brightly while waving at the mages, as if her nearly being in danger was a passing thought.
"Hello! I'm Asuka Connell!" She said, the core members amazed that she acted as though nothing happened.
"So this is your kid!" Levy greeted, deciding to just pretend like nothing happened since Asuka seemed just fine. "You're so cute Asuka! You can just call me Auntie Levy!"
"Okay!"
Asuka just smiled at the bluenette before wiggling out of Bisca's hold and jumped down to the floor. After watching the young girl with a fond look, since she was technically a new member of Fairy Tail, Natsu realized that the child that had driven the Banaboster and his gang hadn't returned yet. He scanned the guild, trying to find the small being in the cloak and for sure she hadn't come back yet. He didn't know why, but for some reason, Natsu was worried.
"Hey Asuka, why don't you go bring Nashi over here to meet everyone?" Max asked, the request reaching the core members' ears while the girl just saluted and ran out of the guild.
"Nashi?" Erza asked. "Is she Asuka's babysitter?"
Those who didn't go to Tenrou Island couldn't help but either chuckle or force out an uncomfortable laugh while everyone else remained confused about their reaction. Though they couldn't blame Erza for asking, they couldn't help but silently guess what the reactions would be once they break the news as to who Nashi was in the guild. But they decided against telling them right away since it would be funny to see the Tenrou Team's when they see her.
When Asuka came back, she was holding the hands of the girl that had chased the ogres away. Her hostility had long since disappeared and she shyly hid behind Asuka as she looked up at the unfamiliar mages in the room, the core members staring at the child in absolute disbelief. They just couldn't believe that the same cloaked child that had practically gotten the ogres to beg for their lives is now shy when faced with unfamiliar people. But Asuka eased her shyness by patting her on the back and urging her to remove the hood.
The child looked around for another familiar face and noticed Kinana, immediately running to the girl and raising her hands so that the purple haired girl can carry her. Kinana just laughed in response to her cuteness and pointed to the cloak. "May I?" She asked.
The child nodded and Kinana carefully unbuttoned the cloak and removed it from the child's body, revealing a five or six year old girl. Her wavy peach hair drifted down just under her shoulders and her eyes were a very dark brown. She wore a short sleeved white dress shirt that had a bow tied under the collar and a pastel green skirt that rested above her belly and was supported by suspenders. On her feet were cream coloured mary jane shoes. On the back of her left hand was a pastel blue Fairy Tail guild mark.
Nashi, not used to having unfamiliar people stare at her for so long, just hugged Kinana tightly while peaking to look at the Tenrou Team. "Meet Nashi everyone!"