So I did a quick check and, based on what's to come with this arc, it's pretty much halfway done. It's not very long but damn it's been 50+ chapters since we've been doing fun little one shots and stuff so the return to that for a bit should be fun!

Enjoy!

Nine years after the Kronos incident

As the sun set over the city of Magnolia and Elise walked back towards her guild hall with Keita, she pondered what her future held. It wasn't often she did this in a calm and orderly manner, as before when she did this it was usually to wonder where she was camping out next or what she was going to do to find Kronos.

"Man," Keita said, stretching next to her. "I am beat."

"Yeah, me too." She agreed. "Today felt like it lasted forever."

"Was that supposed to be an insult?" Elise looked over at Keita, who watched her closely before she snickered.

"No, you idiot." She replied. "I just meant that it felt like a long day."

"And you spent the whole day with me." Keita replied. "What made it so long?"

"Oh stop it." She said, patting his chest. "If I felt like it was your fault you'd have been getting an earful of it regardless."

"I...Well that's a fair point." Elise laughed at this and the two resumed paying attention to their surroundings. As they took another turn, Elise became aware of the fact the route they were taking was going to pass the cemetery for one reason or another. She tensed up a bit, and it appeared Keita noticed.

"It's nothing." Elise said as soon as he opened his mouth. "Leave it be." He smiled weakly at her, but didn't say anything more. As they got closer to the cemetery and Elise's heart got heavier and heavier, she found herself staring right at it.

Although not because she was staring at the graves.

There was a blonde boy standing in front of the graves.

"Is that Luke?" Keita asked, both of them stopping to look. Elise narrowed her eyes and identified that yes, it was Luke.

"It is." She said. "What the hell is he doing out so late?" Elise took a step towards the cemetery, Keita not far behind her. They walked inside and towards the boy, who had yet to acknowledge their presence.

"Luke?" Elise asked, causing him to turn. "What're you doing? Why are you out here so late?" Luke just regarded her closely for a minute, before turning his head back to the graves.

"Mom was crying today." He answered, making Elise raise an eyebrow. "She dug out some old photo album."

Oh...

"It had pictures of my sister all through it." He continued. "I realized it was the first time I'd been given a chance to really look at her face." He lowered his head slightly. "She was really pretty." Elise looked over at Keita, but the man only returned her gaze warily.

"It doesn't surprise me it was the first time you really got to look at her face." Elise said quietly. "Everyone's been trying to forget it since it happened."

"The incident?" The boy asked, and Elise hummed a positive sound. For a nine year old, Luke was astoundingly astute. "...What happened?" Elise looked down at the ground at this.

I don't know.

That was the only thing she could think of. She didn't know what really happened because she hadn't been there. And that was the only reason she stood where she was.

Because I didn't go with them.

Keita's hand rested on her shoulder with a comforting squeeze.

"Some guy attacked the arena." He answered for her. "He activated some spell and targeted your sister and the others. And just like that they disappeared." Luke nodded slowly, but he still stared down at the graves. It was a while before he spoke again.

"What was she like?" He asked. "My sister, I mean." Elise stared down at the ground as she gave this question some thought. What had Nashi been like?

"...She was one of my best friends." She finally answered, feeling anger well up inside her. "She was kind, understanding, thoughtful..." Elise felt her throat closing up as Nashi's smiling face became plastered in her mind. "She was kind of troubled, but..." Elise laughed weakly. "Partially my own fault."

"Elise..." Keita was going to try and stop her, but Elise wasn't stopping.

"She wasn't as quick to anger as your dad, which was a good thing in the long run." She laughed. "Although she did relate to her dad in one way. My God was she powerful. The stuff she pulled off..." Elise shook her head. "A Dragneel through and through." Luke seemed to contemplate her words before he looked back at his sisters gravestone.

"...I'm going to be strong like her." He stated, making Elise perk up. "I'm going to train and become strong for her...And for mom and dad."

"Luke?"

"I know what happened was sad..." He clenched his fists. "But I don't want to see mom and dad cry about it anymore. So I'm going to get strong. Then I can do anything."

If only that's how it worked kid. If it did work like that I'd have saved the others...

"That's pretty admirable kid." Keita said. "But I fought head to head with your sister years ago. You've got a lot of work to do if you want to even approach the level she was at." Luke smiled, determined.

"I'll do it." He said. "She and I have the same blood in our veins, right? So if I work hard I can...!"

"Elise! Keita!" Elise jumped and turned to find Her mother running up to them. "You have to come quick!"

"Mom?" Elise asked, confused. "What happened?" Her mother looked frightened.

"There's a pair of guys looking for you... A blonde and a black haired guy. They said...They said they want to talk about Kronos."

Elise kicked in the doors of the guild and saw them.

Katsuchi and Tetsu.

The pair were standing in the dead center of the guild, looking ragged and downright horrible, but stood tall. Elise pushed her way in and stood in front of the pair.

"There you are." Tetsu said, taking notice of her. "We were wondering what was taking so long."

"I was busy." Elise murmured. "So? What the hell are you guys doing here?" The pair exchanged looks.

"We wanted to talk to you about Kronos." Tetsu said, Katsuchi still being quiet. "We're going after him." Elise's eyes widened.

"W-What?" She asked. "D-Do you guys know where...?" Tetsu made a face.

"We have a pretty good idea." he said. "Some guys..." Tetsu looked down, and Katsuchi away. Tetsu cleared his throat. "A-Anyway, some of his peons attacked us, and we found a map on one of them. It leads back to some area. We're going to go there and find him."

"Why did he attack you guys?" She asked.

"You think you're the only one who's been going after him these past few years?" Tetsu asked. "We've been hunting too. Guess we got a little to close. And now that you've stopped going after him he's growing bored." Tetsu pulled the map out and handed it to Elise. "That map leads to somewhere. I'm willing to bet that somewhere has leads.." Elise looked down at the map, which detailed a base and how to get inside. She examined it closely before she looked up again at the pair. She cared about the two of them, even if she hadn't seem them in years, and both looked so determined.

"Why are you telling me this?" She asked. Tetsu lowered his head slightly.

"We know he destroyed your family..." Tetsu said weakly. "So we wanted to offer you a spot. Come with us Elise, and let's get this bastard like we should've years ago. Are you in?"

A chance.

Elise knew this feeling. It was the same feeling she'd gotten so many times before.

Maybe he was there.

Maybe they could catch him.

There was hope.

But...

"...Guys I don't think I can go with you." She answered slowly. "I...I want to help, really, but I don't know if I can..."

"Elise," Tetsu said. "Come on, we can do this. The guy is old, and his body's half metal. Do you really think he can keep this up for much longer?"

"No, but..."

"And do you really think the three of us as we are couldn't kill him?"

"We could..."

"So come with us!" Tetsu shouted. He seemed angry, Elise couldn't fathom why. "And we'll do this together." Elise looked down and gave it more thought. If they were really so confident...If they honestly thought...

"...No." Elise said, standing tall in her decision. "I appreciate the offer guys, but I decided I was done. I'm not going to hunt him anymore." Elise felt Keita's hand grab her shoulder. "I'm trying to move past what happened. So going after a lead that may or may not even be a lead...I won't do it. I'm sorry, but I can't do..."

"Azzie's dead." Katsuchi said hoarsely, stunning Elise into silence. "They were ordered to kill her. Just like that." The Fire God Slayer looked down. "And...They kept us alive. Just to torture us until he decides we need to go too."

Azzie was dead.

Elise felt her mind drifting into a blind rage.

"We're doing this for her." Katsuchi continued. "She wanted the man brought to justice for everything he's done. And after that, those who ordered him around. But right now we need to focus on finding him and doing what needs to be done."

Again he was hurting people Elise cared about.

"We don't care what your answer is." Katsuchi said, looking down. "But he's hurt you just as much, if not more, than us. You want him dead too, I can see it in your eye. So, is it a yes or is it a no.

Elise wanted him dead, she knew that much,

She wanted to watch as his life faded away. She wanted the satisfaction of being the one to do it as well.

She slowly looked around the guild hall. Her gaze paused on the families of her friends, who had disappeared so many years before. She met their eyes, but they didn't seem to be trying to sway her one way or the other.

Then her own parents, who also didn't try to sway her.

And then to Keita. His eyes gave her an obvious clue as to what direction he swayed.

He wouldn't contest her no matter what she chose. Some part of her wished he would. Just to have another voice on the matter.

But Katsuchi and Tetsu wanted an answer.

But as she stood at the center of the whole guild's attention, Elise wasn't sure what exactly her answer was.

Eleven years and seven months before the Kronos incident

Nashi wandered through the streets of the city as people continued to rebuild, which was a good distraction to avoid anyone seeing and recognizing her. After getting drunk the night prior, and now having a vicious hangover, Nashi just wanted to leave. She wanted to get out of this time period and back to their own. It would help a great deal.

Nashi took a deep breath and she reached the guild hall. She wasn't sure what exactly she'd find behind those doors, but she had to face it to see if her friends were present.

Opening the doors, Nashi saw that only a select few people were inside the guild, including her friends who were sitting in a corner and talking quietly. Nashi began to walk towards them, but someone got in her way before she got there.

"Mom?" Nashi asked as her mother stood in front of her. "What are you doing?" Her mother looked horrible, which was appropriate, and took a deep breath.

"Ultear said you guys were leaving today if Damien comes back" She asked quietly, and Nashi shrugged.

"It would be best." She answered. She nodded slowly.

"Mest is on his way." She whispered to Nashi, who nodded. That was good. "So I need to ask you some things. I need to know."

"...O-Okay?" Nashi wasn't sure she was allowed to do that. But again, if Mest was going to erase the memories of their presence completely, what was the harm?

"Was this..." Her mother gulped. "Was Steph's death caused by your presence?"

"No." Nashi answered looking down. "I can unfortunately promise you that."

"I thought as much." Silence, then, "Is everyone happy in your future?" Nashi smiled weakly at this.

"Yeah." She replied. "Everyone is happy. Of course around this time of years no one is...But for better or for worst we're happy." Her mother nodded.

"That's good." She looked down. "One more thing."

"Shoot."

"...Does Damien ever use that thing again?" Nashi made a face at her mother. She wasn't sure that was a safe question.

Nashi remembered that. When Taisho had attacked them during the fight against Devil Advocate, Damien's hand had been forced, and the control lost once more. She herself had managed to calm him down, but remembering Damien hoist Taisho up by his neck and suck the mans soul out of his body made her shudder.

"Your lack of response is worrying me." her mother said. "He does, doesn't he?"

"...Yeah." Nashi answered. "But nothing bad happened."

"Good, good..." Nashi and her mother both went quiet again, and Nashi understood that she was going through a lot.

"Look, mom..."

The doors opened.

Nashi turned to find Damien standing there, giving her a surprised look.

"Uh, hey." He said, not sounding so bad.

"H-Hey..."Nashi replied. "You okay?" Damien entered into the guild and scratched the back of his head.

"I'm fine" He answered, still sounding normal. "We leaving?" Nashi nodded.

"Yeah, I think. The others probably want to see you too, make sure you're okay." Damien nodded and moved past Nashi and her mother toward the others, who looked up as he approached.

"I should go over there, too." Nashi said to her mother. "We may need to go over the plans we have." Her mother nodded.

"Okay. I should go and see how you are...Younger you, anyway."

"Probably should." Nashi replied, and her mother moved forward, wrapping her into a hug. Nashi reciprocated the motion, hugging her mother.

"I'm proud of you." Her mother whispered. "My little girl...Acting so grown up."

"Don't make me cry." Nashi whispered back, feeling her eyes trying to do just that. Saying her goodbyes to her mother, Nashi went over to the others, who seemed to be whispering quietly once more.

"What're you guys talking about?" She asked. Drake moved to allow her to sit, and she did so.

"Just making sure I was okay." Damien said. "Let's move on. I don't want to talk about this right now."

"Which makes sense." Simon said, rubbing his eyes. "Let's talk about getting out of here."

"Yes, let's." Ultear said, crackling her knuckles. "So, we're going with Drake's plan, which is going into the house when it's empty and reading the book for the spell, correct?"

"Yeah, that's it." Drake answered. Ultear nodded.

"It's the best we have." She said. "Seeing as I don't know the spell."

"Okay so, here's what we'll do." Damien said. "We'll find the house, and Drake will listen and see if anyone is inside. If no one is, we go in and search for Ul's book. How long do you think we'll need, Ul?" Ultear crossed her arms and gave it some thought.

"I don't know." She replied. "I mean, it depends on what spell it was. It could be on the next page from where I left off or at the back of the book. I'll need to read the descriptions of the spells, too. So maybe ten or more minutes?"

"I don't think time is the problem here." Simon said. "It may be, you know, not getting caught breaking into a house in the capital city of Crocus. If we are caught it could go south for the timeline no matter what we do." Nashi nodded. This made sense. So not only did they have to guard the house so Ultear could find the spell that Kronos had used, but they also needed to take extra precautions to not get caught by the royal guard of the city.

"So we need to break inside quickly and then stay there to not get caught." Nashi summed up. "Sounds relatively easy."

"Yeah, when you say it out loud." Drake said. "With our luck something won't work out."

"Don't be that way." Ultear scolded. "It will work. It has too." Ultear was right, after all. If this didn't work, if they somehow failed...

Somehow, Nashi didn't find time jumping for the rest of her life very appealing.

Yeah not much happened but give me a break. we moving slowly. i hope you enjoyed, leave a review! Let's try and get five!