Time After Time

We're in

{NASHI'S POV}
Who am I kidding? We all panic. And who can blame us? I mean, 20 years in the past! Nova and Lexi are the oldest, and they're still two years away from being born. I don't think any of our parents have even gotten together yet.

"What are we going to do?" Lexi frets.

"When I catch that bastard, I'm going to make him pay for this!" Storm grits his teeth.

"We have to think this through logically, guys." Mizu suggests timidly.

"Kori is with Storm!"

"Yeah!" Gale agrees.

"Not before I beat him up first!" Rose fumes.

"EVERYONE STOP IT!" I shout, lighting the newspaper on fire, and throwing it on the ground. They look at me, stunned.

"Nashi's right." Nova takes charge. "Arguing isn't going to help us. Now, I agree with Mizu in that we have to think this through carefully. Remember, we're not in the Fiore we're used to."

"So what are we going to do?" Lexi repeats her question from before.

"I vote we go to Fairy Tail." I say. "Even if they don't know us, they're still our family. They'll help us get back to the future."

"That makes sense. Any other ideas?" Nova looks around the circle. Everyone shakes their heads.

"Okay, then it's settled." Rose says, marching back up to the lady in the ticket booth. "Ten tickets to Magnolia please."

"I've told you—"

"What she meant," Nova interrupts, "is that we'd like ten tickets to the town closest to Magnolia."

The lady gives us our tickets, and Nova tips her generously for the commotion we've caused. Then we board the train, and I immediately feel sick. The rest of the journey is a big blur, but I remember getting off the train only to immediately board a new one, until we finally make it to Magnolia.

"At last!" I stretch, relieved to be off of the train.

"I no feel good." Luke looks a little green. I gasp.

"Ohmigosh! Luke's showing his first signs of motion sickness. Mom owes me money!" I start walking towards our house. "I have to go tell her—"

"Except you can't because she doesn't know who you are yet, idiot." Storm finishes for me.

"What'd you call me?" I glare at him, and he glares right back. Our standoff continues until someone starts clapping. All of us look at him in confusion.

"It's just so great to have Fairy Tail up and at it again. Even with all the fighting." He says, gesturing to my right hand with one of his, and using the other to wipe the tears from his eye. I quickly cover my guild mark. I honestly forgot all about it.

We converge in a huddle. Some guys snicker at us, but one dark glance from Gale and Rose sends them running for the hills.

"What are we going to do? We can't just walk in the guild and claim to be members. They don't know us!" I hiss.

"Can't we just tell them we're their kids?" Lexi suggests. Mizu immediately shakes her head.

"That's not logical."

"I agree." Gale speaks up. "If we do something wrong, we could change the past."

"And changing the past affects the future. Our future." Mizu finishes. They look at each other and blush a little, then look away. Lexi stares on with stars in her eyes. She totally ships them, which is why she's been teaming up with them recently. I have to support her on this one.

"So, no tell Mommy?" Reiki pulls on his big sister's sleeve. Rose crouches.

"That's right Reiki. No telling Mom or... Dad?!" She gasps and hides behind me. I turn around and spot a younger version of Uncle Jellal walking down the street. Headed in the same direction we are.

"Why's Dad here?" Rose hisses.

"Kori remembers. X793 is when Uncle Jellal's guild is abolished of all their crimes. That would be two years ago in this time, correct?"

"Yeah. Good job, Kori." Storm pats her head. Kori beams happily.

"Maybe he's visiting Aunt Erza." I wiggle my eyebrows. Rose makes a disgusted face.

"Why?" Reiki tilts his head in confusion. I open my mouth to explain, but before I can, Rose clamps her hands over her brother's innocent ears.

"We're getting off topic." Nova takes the chance to intervene. "The point is, our parents can't know who we are or even that we're part of the guild."

"How are we gonna do that? Cover our marks?" Gale asks. Nova points to a supplies store.

She smirks. "Alright, here's the plan."

We go into the store and buy as much medical gauze as we can. I wrap some around my hand, then around Luke's shoulder. Rose covers her upper arm and Reiki's forearm. Gale binds his shoulder, then helps Mizu conceal her calf, while Storm helps Kori bandage her collar bone after she helps him with his upper torso. The twins entirely wrap their bellies.

Once all of our guild marks are sufficiently hidden, we stumble and limp to the guild hall.

"Remember the plan?" Nova asks. We all nod, and throw open the doors, falling in a heap in front of our stunned guild mates.

My eyes are immediately drawn to my parents. Dad sits at the bar with a giant plate of food. I sniff. It smells spicy. Mom sits next to him with a milkshake. Both of them watch us, eyes wide and mouths agape, like everyone else.

"What's wrong?" Aunt Mira approaches us.

Nova takes the initiative. "We're hurt! Please, you have to help us!"

"Oh Mavis." Aunt Mira sees all of our bandages. Younger versions of all our guild mates surge around us, asking questions.

"Quiet." Gramps comes forward. He looks disturbed. "Who did this to you youngsters?"

We act confused and traumatized. That's not the hard part. Nova describes to Gramps the man who was in the alley, saying he attacked us, though she doesn't give any other information. Gramps immediately sends out search parties.

"Sorry. We don't have a lot of jewel or anything for a job request." Rose apologizes.

Aunt Erza shakes her head. "No need. We decided to help you of our own free will." She pats Rose's head, then looks at her hand like she has no idea why she just did that.

"Thank you!" Luke beams. Everybody melts over his cute looks. Same as usual.

"What's your name, little one?" Mom walks over and kneels in front of Luke, smiling kindly.

Luke tilts his head in confusion. "What you mean, what me name? I'm Luke Drag—mmph!"

The last part is because Nova, Mizu, Gale, and I all leapt to cover his mouth at the same time. My poor brother not only got his sentence cut short, his breathing was also cut off until we realized and let him go.

"Drag...onheart! Yeah! I'm Nashi Dragonheart and this is my little brother Luke." I save it.

After that, Nova and Lexi Drier, Storm, Mizu and Kori Fullbreaker, Gale Greenfox, and Rose and Reiki Fernando all introduce themselves, we all look at each other and nod. For better or worse, we're in Fairy Tail now.