The Rosafelt [Fairy Tail/Nalu AU Fanfic]

Chapter 41: Take Action

-Natsu P.O.V-
Lucy and I were the last two to leave through the portal, as we wanted to make sure everyone got through safely.
"You ready?" I asked her. However, she looked far from it. She gripped onto the necklace I gave her tightly, and I noticed she'd been sweating all over. Her emotions were also all over the place.
"Hey, what's up?" I added.
"I just...I have a bad feeling. I don't know," she replied timidly. Suddenly, she grasped hold of my hand tightly. "Promise you'll stay by my side, Natsu."
I felt my face fluster beyond my control.
"Well that goes without saying, idiot," I replied. "You know you were the best thing that ever happened to me, right?"
She glanced my way, her brown eyes glowing against the rising sun of early dawn.
"Your life may have been filled with adventures since you were born, but I was the complete opposite. I pretty much hated my life until I met you. Promise me you'll remember that."
A warm smile grew on her rosy lips, as she nodded joyfully.
"Okay," she muttered. There was no need for further instruction. We held onto each other, our lifelines, our saviors, as we stepped through the portal together.

Ryuko had conveniently made the portal right in the castle courtyard, which saved us a lot of effort.
"Man, it's good to be back," I said, stretching my legs.
"We better get inside, see how Toma and Hisui are getting on-"
As if on cue, Hisui came running out in a hurry. She rushed down the sets of stairs, almost tripping over herself.
"L-Lucy! Natsu!" She called out. "It's Akari! She woke up, and she's...she's different!"
"Akari? Wait, what do you mean?" I replied, giving her a puzzled look. Hisui stoped as she reached us, and was so out of breath that she grabbed onto Lucy for support.
"Okay, slow down," Lucy said, while holding her steady.
"Akari...she woke up a few days after you knocked her out. I don't know much about her, but I saw the way she acted with you two. And now she's a completely different person. And she really wants to talk to you."
I looked over at Lucy, and realized her face held the same amount of confusion as mine did.
"Take us to her," I said quickly.

Fairy tail had all gathered in the throne room, which was the largest room in the palace. Honestly, I think it would now be the only room that could hold them all at once now, since there were so many. While they waited there for further instruction, we went with Hisui to see Akari.

She led us to the infirmary. It annoyingly brought back unpleasant memories of me and Lucy's six month coma, but I pushed them out of my mind. As soon as we entered, I noticed the difference. Akari did not have to speak at all. Just she way she moved from the sound of the door- the way she turned her head ever so softly, the way her eyes were so brighter this time, full of the childish light they were supposed to posses.
"Natsu...and Lucy?" She muttered quietly. I nodded slowly, shocked to see her this way. I didn't have to look at Lucy either to know that was she probably more shocked than I was. After all, Lucy grew up living with this maniac who was now acting in a completely different manner.
"Yes, that's us," Lucy answered. Immediately Akari climbed out of the bed she was sitting in and bent down on her knees.
"I'm so sorry!" She cried, bowing her head right down to the floor. "For everything I've done...I'm so sorry..."
"W-Wait a minute..." I stuttered, leaning down closer to her.
"This girl can't be Akari!" Cana said, with wide eyes.
"Can you please explain what the hell is going on? Are you really Akari? The psycho who put me in an illusion?" I asked further.
"I even put you in an illusion? Oh god..." she murmured, mostly to herself. "Please sit down, all of you. I will explain everything."

Lucy and I sat right next to her bed, with Erza and the rest standing closely behind. Once we were all comfortably settled, Akari began.
"My magic is very powerful as you all know. But it has a downside," she started. Her eyes sunk low. "I can also use my magic on myself. I can't remember how old I was...it's been so long...but the council, they kidnapped my mother. They said they would let her go if I rewrote my memories, to make it seem like the council had been kind to me, kinder than anyone. But they forced me to do all sorts of things to my mind. They said...they said if I didn't do exactly what they told me, they'd kill her..."
Akari began to cry, but she continued nonetheless.
"They trapped me inside my own mind! I could slightly see what I was doing, but I couldn't stop myself. And after...after I used my magic...they..." Akari was heavily sobbing by this point, having to wipe her eyes every few seconds.
"They ordered me to kill my mother."