The Problem Child (Fairy Tail Fanfic)

Bountiful

{AKUHEI TANAKA'S POV}
Things are going well. My organization and Corpse Harvest are as high as they've ever been in profits, and completely under the radar. The light guild's man hunt for me has really raised my rep in the underground. And it's all thanks to that little girl.

The one I killed six years ago. What was her name again? Natalie or something.

Ever since, Fairy Tail has been hunting me with a burning vengeance. Natsu Dragneel and that dark red-haired kid with the red tattoo on his face are the worst. I've had to be careful, but my hard work has paid off, and now I can reap the benefits.

After all, who would think that I'd hide myself in the same town as Fairy Tail? That's right, I've been in Magnolia the whole time, right under their noses. Fairy Tail doesn't suspect a thing.

Scar and I are traveling to a business meeting in our typical clothes: black trench coats and black hats pulled over our hair, emblazoned with the Corpse Harvest guild mark. Scar elbows me.

"So you have chosen death?" I ask him. Why else would he elbow me? He knows it hurts.

"Boss." Scar points to the road by the canal.

I roll my eyes and follow the path of his finger. A gaggle of high school girls is walking and talking merrily together.

Scar is pointing to the one who's balancing on the very edge of the canal, the black haired one with the damp clothes.

At first, I don't understand, but then the girl looks up to answer a lighthearted question from one of her friends, and I stop.

It's her. I'd never forget those pink eyes. The last time I saw them, they were staring at me in fear and anger, trapped in my old base as I lit it on fire. I remember her name now. Nadia Dragneel.

I start sweating. If word gets out that she's alive, the rep I've worked so hard to build around her death will be ruined. I'll just be some random fool who couldn't even kill a child.

I pull out a knife from under my trench coat. She has to die. I'll just kill her all over again, and the other girls too so they don't talk.

"Scar, make sure no one gets away." I order my henchman. He nods, sneering evilly.

"My pleasure." He adjusts the iron knuckles on his hands before we jump out of the shadows.

Nadia senses our presence as soon as we come out of hiding. She whips her head around, nostrils flaring, and her eyes widen when she sees me standing over her, knife poised for the kill.

I bring the knife down with incredible speed, but she jumps backwards and I only nick her. It doesn't even bleed. I slash again, in a upward diagonal motion this time, but she sidesteps to her left and I just barely miss again.

I jab at her a few more times, but by moving her body just a little bit, she's able to dodge.

If I didn't know better, I'd say it was pure luck that I didn't hit her at least once. Where is her pitiful clumsiness when I need it?

I narrow my eyes. I guess I can get a little bit serious. Her eyes narrow too.

I did my research after the incident at the warehouse. I'm now well aware that she is the daughter of the infamous Salamander.

She can use fire and celestial spirit magic like both her parents, but her magic isn't particularly strong. That's the information I've dug up. I smirk smugly. This'll be a breeze.

I light the blade of the knife with my night-fire magic, expecting her to combat fire with fire. But she backs away, not making any effort to use her magic.

I don't want this to be boring. I'll force her to use her magic against me.

"Dark flamethrower." I chant, and a stream of black fire blasts from the knife and aims right at her. This could be easily countered by a fire spell of her own, but instead she ducks so it flies over her head and cracks the ground behind her.

I watch as she casts a quick glance at the other three girls, whom Scar quickly captured. They're watching me attack Nadia in silent horror. It dawns on me that she doesn't want to use her magic in front of them, or she would've already.

"Who are you? What do you want?" Nadia yells at me. I can't help but chuckle.

"You know who I am, Na—"

"Natalie!" One of the girls shouts. I have a feeling she prevented me from saying Nadia's real name. "Don't worry about us! Run! Go get help!" She struggles futilely within Scar's iron grasp. I nod at him, and he tightens his grip, choking her.

Nadia is frozen. All the color drained from her face the second I spoke, and I know she remembers me.

"Y-You can't be." She stutters, stumbling back and falling on her butt. "Why are you here?"

"Isn't it obvious?" I smile pleasantly, then let it dissolve into a devious grin. "I came to finish what I started six years ago."

She stands up. A shadow covers her eyes, but when she looks up, they're full of determination. Maybe this will be interesting after all.

"I'll finish my job. No matter what." Nadia proclaims. If I recall, her job was to capture me. Cat and mouse it is then. I begin to laugh.

"I'd like to see you try, little girl! You'll never beat me if you can't even tell your friends the truth." Nadia flinches at my words. Bingo. I gesture to Scar, who releases the other three girls. Then we disappear back into the shadows.

Next time, Nadia Dragneel, will be your last.

{NADIA'S POV}
Akuhei Tanaka is right. I loath to admit it, but I need to use my magic if I wanna stand a chance of beating him. I have to tell Anya the truth. She's wrapped up in this now. She deserves to know.

"What's going on Natalie? What were you talking about? Who were those men?" Anya steps forward, more bewildered than anything else. I sigh.

"We should probably get to the hotel. I'll tell you everything after we get to our room." I pat her shoulder. She eyes me suspiciously.

"Promise?" Anya holds out her pinky. I nod and we pinky swear.

"I promise."