Everything He's Lost

Chapter Five

3rd POV

     The poor girl walked through the forest for several days, only stopping for a small rest by a river to get some water. She finally came out into a small bustling town with people walking around a market.
      The small girl looked around hoping she could take a short break, and a bite to eat. Unfortunately she didn't have any money. She had not been able to find any food since leaving the dungeon. She looked around wondering if she could quickly distract one of the stall owners and grab something. She hated the idea of stealing but didn't really have a choice.
      She had remembered some of the magic her papa had taught her and tried light her hand with her fire magic. She walked over to one stall in particular that had a lot of food on it. She noticed an apple and a small loaf of bread sitting on the end of the stand.
      Nashi quickly walked around with her hand on fire and held it close to some hay next to the stand. It quickly caught fire and startled several people around. She ran around the front grabbed the bread and the apple and took off back towards the forest she came from. Nobody chased after her because they were too busy trying to put the fire out.
     Nashi hated the fact that she stole this food but she knew it was for herself and she needed the food in order to survive. It didn't make her feel any less guilty however. She quickly finished the meal of the bread and apple and continued to follow the key, deciding she would eat a better meal once she got home.
     Nashi quickly tried to rack her brain to remember what the faces from her family looked like. She could make out several figures but all the faces seemed to have blurred the only one that stood out amongst the group in her memory was her mother.
     She was sad that she had forgotten so many people and all of the family she had grown up with but being trapped in a small cell and beaten for years could do that to her.
    She walked for a few more days before she finally arrived at a big town. Merchants walked the busy streets trying to sell their wares, and more food stalls than the little town she had been in a a few days ago lined the streets. She knew that she was at the right place when the key attached to her neck fell down and stopped glowing.
     She walked around and was amazed at what she was seeing. So many people were using magic and many more were setting up booths for the new market day. She quickly hurried around trying her hardest to remember how to get to the guild but nothing seemed to click.
      She finally stopped at one of the merchant booths and asked for directions. The merchant at one stall with the familiar tattoo on the sign was kind enough to point out the way to the guild to which she thanked him and hurried off. She remembered her mother showing off her signature guild mark and telling Nashi several riveting tales of her and her father's many adventures together. She looked back once more at the sign missing her mother dearly in that moment, and continued on her journey.
      Nashi followed the directions that the merchant gave her. After walking almost all day through the massive city Nashi finally made it to the doors of the esteemed Fairy Tail guild hall. She immediately recognized the symbol above the door as the one her mother had proudly displayed on the back of her hand and the one on the merchants stand she had stopped and asked directions at. In the back of Nashi's mind she briefly remembered a man standing proudly with the same symbol on his shoulder. Quickly shaking her head she moved closer to the doors of the mighty building.
     She quickly moved to push the door open only for it to open with a jolt as someone came walking out. She fell straight down in front of the person. "Oh my goodness little one I'm so sorry. Here let me help you up." Nashi heard a petite blue haired girl say as she held out her hand.
      "Don't worry I won't hurt you. I used to fall all the time when I first joined the guild." The girl spoke up again. Nashi quickly grabbed her hand once more standing with some help. She slightly winced looking down to her now bloodied knees. "Oh goodness let me fix that for you. I wouldn't be much of a healer if I went around only letting people get hurt, now would I." The girl said with a laugh. Nashi looked up at the girl. She noticed that her hair was extremely long almost down to her knees and the brown eyes that had a spark of familiarity to them.
       "I'm Wendy. What's your name?" The girl now known to Nashi as Wendy said. Nashi looked around as she noticed how much everything looked familiar. She knew she was home. Nashi slowly looked back at Wendy and cried her eyes out reaching out and hugging Wendy tightly. Wendy shocked noticed how much Nashi looked familiar and gave a quick sniff of the air. Noticing the very familiar scent of the girl Wendy bent down grabbing Nashi by the hands. "Hey this is a very important question ok. Is your name......Nashi by chance?" Wendy asked hesitantly trying not to get her hopes up too high. The little girl in front of her wiped her tears away and nodded her head.
       "My name is Nashi Dragneel and my mama sent me here to get help." Nashi whimpered out afraid of what was about to happen. Wendy quickly embraced the young girl in front of her crying her eyes out as well. "Oh Nashi. How are you alive. We thought you were dead." Wendy cried out still holding on to the girl. Wendy noticed that the whole guild had stopped what they were doing and focused in on the small girl standing at the entrance to the guild.
      "It's not possible...." Gray trailed off looking the girl up and down. He knew it was her by the pink hair and those brown eyes that resembled her mother so much. "Someone has to go tell Natsu..." Gray said eyes still not moving from the poor girl. The guild started to get a little closer to the girl still not believing their eyes. So unsure what was going to happen. Soon enough they broke out of their trance and Gray along with Erza and Gajeel took off to go find Natsu.
     "Nashi would you like something to eat?" Wendy questioned looking down at the small girl in her arms. Nashi nodded and with the help of Wendy walked over to the bar where Mira brought out a light soup and some fresh bread as to not upset the girls stomach. "But I don't have any money to buy this." Nashi whispered as the bar maiden gave a slight giggle "Don't worry about it sweetie it's free." Mira said giving a slight look of worry. Mira quickly noticed how malnourished the poor girl was. At her age she should have been at least a few inches taller.  Mira gave a look over to Wendy and pulled her slightly to the side where they talked about the small girl currently eating her soup.
      After she finished eating they were going to have Wendy look over her and make sure she was healthy and to get her a change of clothes. The rags she was in were probably the clothes she had on when she was taken but they were ripped up pretty badly and barely holding together after years of abuse . She had no shoes on her feet and you could see the blisters and cuts she had from all the running and walking she did the past week or so.
    It made Mira nauseous thinking about all the horrible treatment the poor girl had gone through. One by one several of the closest people to Natsu and Lucy came and reintroduced themselves to the young girl. She eventually was able to remember most of them, but she was very sad. Why had her papa not come to meet her again. Was he away on a mission and too busy to help her mama. Was he at home and didn't care that Nashi was there. Did he have a whole other family and he forgot about Nashi and her mama.
     Several thoughts ran through the poor girls head. None of them leading her in a good direction. Her papa didn't find her before what would make him want to come find her now that she was home. Mira and Wendy could easily tell what Nashi was thinking based on the look on her face. "Hey Nashi I want you to know we never stopped looking for you and your mother. We have always tried to find you. About two years ago one of your mamas spirits came with her keys and said you both had past away." Wendy said solemnly. Nashi looked at Wendy with a small smile "Thank you for reassuring me Aunt Wendy." Nashi said quietly looking at the bowl in front of her with her remaining soup.

To be continued